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View Full Version : Best system for Arcanum?



Albonor
2009-11-26, 03:26 PM
Hello all,

I have about a year ahead of me before I can bring my old group together for a campaign. My world always evolves between epilogue and introduction and I want it to have reached Victorian age (maybe a bit before that).

Now, I have played and loved DnD 2e and 3.5e but I want to bring down the power level without taking the character tweaking away from my players.

I also would want a magic system that relies on exaustion rather than vancian, mana or skill alone(warhammer fantasy RPG for example)

What does that give us? Arcanum of course! Who would like to suggest a system that could fit this setting and philosophy?

Thanks in advance!

Morty
2009-11-26, 03:28 PM
I'd say GURPS. It seems universal enough for a setting in which traditional fantasy meets steampunk. And casting spells there fatigues the caster, if I recall correctly.

Draz74
2009-11-26, 03:29 PM
I know True20 is one of the main systems to use a fatigue system to limit its magic ...

General consensus, though, is that True20 is a decent but somewhat mediocre system overall. And that Mutants and Masterminds 2e greatly improved on it (but dropped the magic system in favor of a much more involved special abilities system).

Satyr
2009-11-26, 04:13 PM
Gurps would prabably the first choice. The exhaustion-based magic system fits perfectly, the power level is very flexible ,and even really powerful characters ca easily brought down through unfortunate events (you know, like a bullet to the brain), but on the other hand often can shine very well. Besides, there are quite effective rules for both magi and technology, and as far as I know, there is a download expansion for Gurps: Thaumaturgy that deals with a Early Modern Era magic world (it is more focused on Alchemy, though, but it will still be helpful.

There are also older Gurps books specifically for Steampunk setting (Gurps: Steampunk). And if the Girl Genius book is ever published, it will probably be the perfect ressource for this.