The Bazaar #97: Core Rules System Chapter #5

(Magic)

GENERAL

We now start exploring the mystical arts, the paranormal, the magical, the supernatural. In most games this comes down to how they are expressed in game mechanics that revolve around casting magic spells, using magical artefacts, possibly the different styles of magic that are available. From there, we need to determine how these interact with the game writ-large in terms of mechanics, and the RPG in terms of the spirit of the realm, or the themes of the RPG. As described in Chapter 1 – Choosing a Setting, the impact of Magic on a setting might be felt in the extreme, not at all, or somewhere in between. Regardless of that dynamic, the GM and the Players need a baseline on how Magic would be applied across all Palladium Books RPGs.

So here is one GM’s version of what it might start to look like.

DISCUSSION

General. Quite upfront, a lot of the work for this Chapter was selection of the appropriate chunks of text, and then paring down the text to the appropriate levels of detail that provide the GM and Players a baseline understanding of Magic to start playing the game. While several sections provide the reader some context and flavor, the general intent of this is to inform the Player or GM on the rules required to conduct an RPG session. Does this make things a little more antiseptic than what you’ll find right now? Unfortunately, yes, and I’ll freely admit as much upfront. I’ll also advocate that the baseline rules need to be presented in a way that provides the most concrete possible direction with the least amount of text to limit the possibility for confusion or misinterpretation.

Backward Compatibility. Insofar as most Palladium RPGs that have a system of magic will typically present their own spell lists in the primary RPG book and/or supplements (e.g. PFPRPG), the Rifts Book of Magic is also leveraged as a possible solution space. In addition to the information presented in Chapter 1 – Choose a Setting and further defined in Chapter 7 – Combat, Magic is baselined to be capable, and more importantly, relevant, in either an SDC or MDC settings with very little in terms of calculations. Several keywords are applied that are further defined in later Chapters, but for the most part nothing here changes that will make a Player or GM incapable of continuing to play a mage.

Mastery of Magic. Really this is a massive reduction in the text to bare basics. From a rule’s perspective, the need for esoteric and extraneous text is really not required. We need the bare-bones, the basics and strictly the rules-based language that allows a GM to make rulings at the table, and more importantly, the framework for Players to develop reasonable expectations for those GM rulings.

Magic Level. No real change, aside from some nuanced functional changes that I’ve applied to make Magic (and Psionics as well) carry more impact. While we all know the Magic Level impacts the Save vs Magic roll, what I’ve dubbed in the keyword index as an Action Challenge (Saving Throw), it has many more implications when we get to Chapter 7 – Combat.

Choosing Mystical Arts. This doesn’t really come up all that often, as most every magic Class, strictly speaking, functions as a Spell Magic Class, with the ability to conduct most spells as a Ritual (more powerful version of the bespoke spell). If you were playing anything other that Palladium Fantasy RPG, you could be excused for not really understanding all of the various other forms of magic available across the PB RPG spectrum. If one were to look into the Rifts: Book of Magic we could likely expand even further than the list provided, but suffice to say, there are “several” school of magic out there. The 'baseline' provided as a start-state:

• Spell Magic (Incantations)

• Ritual/Ceremonial Magic

• Summoning Magic

• Diabolism

• Natural Magic

• Necromancy

• Priest Magic

• Warlock/Elemental Magic

• Witchcraft

Pursuit of Magic. Provides the GM/Player the various methods a PC can go about learning new spells. These various methods can be incorporated through gameplay for a slightly more immersive mode, or simply as a reward to the Player for having their PC achieving their next Experience Level.

Using Magic Powers. Now that we’ve gotten some of the background of things out of the way, we start talking more about the game mechanics in terms of spells, and how they each function. Specific game terms are defined, most of which remain entirely unchanged from what you expect. The only substantive change I could think to point out is the change I applied to Magic Level, which now provides the caster a sort of Critical Action Bonus to any offensive spell that would inflict damage

Example: Magic Level 2 means a spell like Energy Bolt would roll a Critical Roll on 18+, not a 20+

Potential Psychic Energy (PPE). Possibly the biggest issue is simply clarifying the PPE Recovery in as succinct a manner as possible. Real simple, no string of text to find the answers.

Sources and Drawing PPE. Down to a single page column, plus a table with common animals to provide a GM with something to compare to if they need to make an “on the fly” ruling for a similar sized creature with no PPE provided.

Cancelling Magic. There are indeed ways to interrupt a caster from accomplishing their mystical tasks. This once-column list of examples provides the reader with the five bullet points needed to interpret the game mechanics for ruining a practitioner of magic PC’s day, LOL. It of course also means the PCs can use these tactics against their nefarious NPC foes.

Effects of Technology. Something largely introduced in Rifts but applicable across all the RPGs, the use of technology as a dampener or block to magical abilities can be a traumatic thing. These aren’t meant to be taken lightly, but are defined to provide the impact to the PC’s Base PPE, ability to Draw PPE, Magic/Psionc Healing, and any pertinent notes about Bio-regeneration. Additionally, we specify how armor (of any kind) and vehicles/robots deflect or hamper a PC’s ability to use their mystical abilities.

Influence of Ley Lines. Originally, I thought to place this in Chapter 9 – Ancillary Rules, but carved these out and placed the in Chapter 5 – Magic. The table just cleans up the presentation a little, providing more “point form” citations for rules instead of full-on paragraphs. I will admit it does tip the hand a little in terms of heavy hints to upcoming changes and mechanical adjustments in order to clean things up. I'm sure some of the eagle-eyed have already spotted a few recurring terms and themes as they have cropped up through the first five chapters.

Ley Lines. Another one carved out and placed in Chapter 5 – Magic, this simply provides the GM a single reference point to look for the length of the particular ley lines the PCs were dealing with. Although nothing ground breaking, it does provide the GM a quick and easy tool to hand out a snippet of information the PCs may need, or a randomized tool to work something out in a pinch. For sure, none of these distances are hard and fast. GMs, craft your adventures.

CONCLUSION

So there we have it, Chapter 5 – Magic for the Core Rules System. A total of six pages in all, it really is a foundational chapter that points towards the more keystone Chapter 7 – Combat, which sort of wraps things all together, and Chapter 10 – Keywords, Terms & Definitions. In terms of baselining the rules, these six pages go miles (or several more kilometers for us metric types) in allowing the RPGs the space to develop the worldbuilding and Class structures for that particular RPG, without having to delve into a topic that perhaps isn’t even a significant component (e.g. Systems Failure, Ninjas & Superspies, Beyond the Supernatural).

One of the things I did decide on was the rearrangement of certain segments to better fit themes, particularly when two columns both fit on the same page. So the page starting with the segment on PPE includes Sources and Drawing PPE; Cancelling Magic and Effects of Technology are both on the same page; and so on. This is another tenet for the CRS project. So long as the pagination works (spacing and page breaks), I will keep things side-by-side for ease of consumption.

Not much really to see here. The Magic section for the rules set is fairly simple in terms of the mechanics. You gather PPE from one of several ways, it’s expended in one of several manners to create an effect. Alternatively you activate a magical device that creates some magical effect (akin to a spell) or read a scroll to execute the inscribed spell. Realistically, this is the central function for he Core Rules Set; brevity in presentation with a concise, tight set of rules that better encapsulates the framework principles that the Palladium Books RPGs have been reaching for all this time.

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