Magic Systems

[PoisonAlchemist]

So it has been mentioned someone that 5E is going to retain the Vancian magic system, but due to it's (hypothetically) modular nature there is the possibility it will support other magic systems. What systems are your favorite? Why?

My personal favorite was introduced in the Black Company campaign setting, where spellcasting deals nonlethal damage and you have to make checks in order to cast your spells. It's highly flexible, much lower powered, and unfortunately no one I know wants to touch it with a ten foot pole.

[someoneinatree]

I personally think a combination of Vancian and other systems would be ideal.

I like, for example, the inclusion of basic at-wills for wizards in 4E so you don't feel like you have to fall back on using a crossbow to be useful. But I would prefer that all of a wizard's higher-level casting required preparation, to make it feel more like a spellbook.

I also like 4E rituals and their reagent based costing for larger spell-effects.

A sorcerer however, I think should stick to the 4E style powers system, because its seems to fit with the character concept a lot more. Less spell options than a wizard, but a nearly limitless supply of them.

[inuroku842]

I dunno, the magic system in 4e was actually what turned me away from buying into it. As both a DM and a player, it's all about the magic for me. I love the availability of a large base of spells to choose from. It allows for a large variety of play styles and concepts, whereas I felt 4e was rather narrow minded in this pursuit. I did like the at will spells idea from 4e and have thought about implementing them into a few PF games, but that was about it.

Am interested in knowing what the Black Company magic system is all about though.

[Vergence]

Wizards just posted a new approach to magic systems that those following this discussion might be interested in.

https://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article....d/4ll/20121001

[inuroku842]

Just had a look at that article and it doesn't say any specific idea of magic systems or go into detail about any of their ideas. It more so just encourages the idea of toying around with the idea of magic systems and possibly running different systems within the same game. Could be a fun idea, I guess, but details, details!