Spellcasting as an NPC quality

[NekoMouser]

In line with my Natural armor bonus question, I decided to go back and set up a system relating to NPC qualities rather than direct conversion from D&D. This brought up another question while I was working on it, though. Bare with me: I'm not so much asking a question as thinking out loud and soliciting response. ^_^


What would the base xp reward bonus of something like D&D spell casting be? Would you work it in like Class Ability, using the caster level as the level at which the target class gains the ability? That seems kinda on the cheap side to me...especially for later levels. Maybe having caster level, spell Progression and known spells all bought separately as Class Ability?

Oh...and before anyone uses the the word "Spellbound", know that I have volume 1, and I'll likely buy the rest when they're out. Know also that a game I'm running in 2007 will not run with products unavailable until 2008. ^_^

[Mister Andersen]

Spellpoints would in theory be another Roman Numeral value (and thus their base XP would increase by between 1 & 10; those without the stat would remain at the same XP value). For simplicity's sake, I'd just use whatever of the existing 8 tables best mimic the SP progression for values of VI and VII

[TheTSKoala]

Oh...and before anyone uses the the word "Spellbound", know that I have volume 1, and I'll likely buy the rest when they're out. Know also that a game I'm running in 2007 will not run with products unavailable until 2008. ^_^

You win the LOL Award of the day.  They tease us with the first little tid-bits.. but then.. then they announce it coming out next year!  Oh nooo's!  LOL.  Just teasing Crafty Devs.

[NekoMouser]

Oh...and before anyone uses the the word "Spellbound", know that I have volume 1, and I'll likely buy the rest when they're out. Know also that a game I'm running in 2007 will not run with products unavailable until 2008. ^_^

You win the LOL Award of the day.  They tease us with the first little tid-bits.. but then.. then they announce it coming out next year!  Oh nooo's!  LOL.  Just teasing Crafty Devs.

Love the work, can't deal with the timetable. But not having a source book for everything inspires creativity. ^_^

[TheTSKoala]

Yeah.. like air powered Harpoons that have TNT taped to them.. and Thermobaric weapons. 

[NekoMouser]

Spellpoints would in theory be another Roman Numeral value (and thus their base XP would increase by between 1 & 10; those without the stat would remain at the same XP value). For simplicity's sake, I'd just use whatever of the existing 8 tables best mimic the SP progression for values of VI and VII

Like vitality, maybe? That's not bad...although it does kinda mess with my reverse engineering of the system for use by PCs. But I think it's workable. But let's say that deals with spell points. Still have to come up with a way to distinguish between versatility (wizard) and specialization (sorcerer), though. Maybe use the Profession rules from Spellbound for spells known, then buy the "Circle of Power" stuff as Class Ability. Should caster level then just be part and parcel with threat level for characters with Spell Point statistics?

[Mister Andersen]

Threat level is always substututed for any other level an ability or effect calls for when used with NPCs in Spycraft.

.

[NekoMouser]

After reading through Spellbound again, I note that there is a simple multiple system for xp bonus cost for npc's with spell points. That might be a bit more simple and balanced than using the Vitality entry from the NPC qualities tables...duh.

To let the cat out of the bag, my supernaturals game is basically going to be run with the characters having a pool of special qualities points alongside their regular class stuff. I'm currently looking at 5-6 points per level, using the xp add cost as a point cost and using the following add ons:

Spell Points cost 3 points per multiple of the characters Class Level. e.g. A level 5 character could spend 9 special quality points to receive 15 spell points.

Spell Levels are purchased individually and have lower levels as prerequisites, with the cost for each level being cumulative. e.g. The ability to cast spells of 4th level or lower would cost 25 points.
Cast level 0 Spells: 1 point
Cast level 1 Spells: 3 points
Cast level 2 Spells: 5 points
Cast level 3 Spells: 7 points
Cast level 4 Spells: 9 points
Cast level 5 Spells: 11 points
Cast level 6 Spells: 13 points
Cast level 7 Spells: 15 points
Cast level 8 Spells: 17 points
Cast level 9 Spells: 19 points

Other Magical abilities: Cost varies, based on the level at which a class recieves the ability and the number of times the ability is usable per scene. e.g. The ability to turn undead is recieved at 1st level and thus costs 1 point per use in a scene.

Spells known, Casting Checks, Spell point costs, etc. all drawn from Spellbound. Because I don't have but vol. 1 of Spellbound, I'll be drawing spells from other d20 sources, and with that in mind Profession foci should look like Air Domain, Enchantment School, etc.

And of course if the PC isn't building a sorcerer, he can always put his special qualities points into things that turn him into a vampire, werewolf, alien or whatever.

[Gentry]

So you want to give your players access to magic, and not just NPCs?

[NekoMouser]

I want to give my players wider access to NPC special qualities, not just NPCs. ^_^ Monstered up espionage thriller. World of Darkness meets Casino Royale nets more player than just Casino Royale.

[Nepenthe]

World of Darkness meets Casino Royale nets more player than just Casino Royale.

Gah!

[MilitiaJim]

Monty Cook's World of Darkness dealt with it pretty well.  Though there isn't multiclassing.  Worth a flip through at the gaming store.

[NekoMouser]

I was using WoD as a frame of conversational reference, and it in no way appears in nor influences my game. World of Darkness is a Wad of Crap in my own opinion. So let's amend that to just "supernatural thriller meets spy movie gets more players than just spy movie". That's my hypothesis. Maybe I can refit some of the SFA material while I'm fiddling with this. Never can tell.

On a lighter note, one of my players (a D&D gamer) is going to run a one shot for the game, and is taking the time to convert Skinsaw Murders. I'm kinda anxious to see how it comes out, although sadly our next session isn't until after Christmas...

[Nepenthe]

I was using WoD as a frame of conversational reference, and it in no way appears in nor influences my game. World of Darkness is a Wad of Crap in my own opinion. So let's amend that to just "supernatural thriller meets spy movie gets more players than just spy movie". That's my hypothesis. Maybe I can refit some of the SFA material while I'm fiddling with this.

You just had me thinking about some of the stranger crossover campaign ideas I've encountered

[Krensky]

Deadlands anyone?

There was an essay a while back (For the life of me I can't remember who... Wick maybe?) with the thesis that most gamers will prefer a mediocre game with the supernatural elements over even a great one no matter what the genre.

For the record, I love Deadlands, the setting's alright, but the system. Sure it was clunky mix of cards and dice, counter intuitive in places, and I'm pretty sure there's a few math errors in it's design... but it was so atmospheric and evocative of the setting. Besides, you have to love a game that has the ghost of Abe Lincoln running the Agency.