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View Full Version : [D20 Modern] REALLY low magic...Good idea or crappy one?



Maho-Tsukai
2011-02-14, 10:36 PM
While with only 5th level spells one could argue that D20 Modern casters are "low magic" enough but I had recently considered going even lower then that with D20 modern's magic. What do I mean? Simple. Set the game in a modern earth setting and ban all fantasy PC races and all caster classes(including psionics) except the occultist("Arcane Caster") and the Spiritualist("Divine Caster"). In this kind of setting there would be no true spell slinging wizards and such, and due to the nature of the occultist's and spirtualist's casting methods magic would take on a very mysterious, enigmatic feel to it and I also think that those classes allow magic to become a much darker, sinister force. Instead of feeling like superpowered spellcasters the occultist and spiritualist classes feel more like normal people who decide to meddle with the unknown with their scroll casting and such and I also think that the feel of the occultist and spiritualist allow magic to take on an almost lovecraftian flavor, being dark and mysterious even to those who tap into it.

In this setting there's no superpowered spellslingers. Rather there's mundane folk who decide to spend their time researching a dark, mysterious, more lovecraftian "magic"(Or in the case of some spiritualists those forces may instead actively seek them.) but can never hope even fathom or fully understand....all they can do is read some cryptic words off a scroll and hope that they get the effect they want. Simply put, magic would be a much more dark, enigmatic force and meddling with spirits and scrolls is the most that humans can achieve with their limited minds....go any deeper and insanity or worse is usually the result. Of course, while the major/default caster classes are banned for PCs if a GM in this setting want a BBEG who's a human that DID dig deeper and became an insane gibbering madman in the process then said BBEG COULD use, say, the mage class with some significant refluffing(No familiar ect..) though personally the Necromancer class from Blood and Brains is better for that BBEG concept in my mind...

So, my question to all of you here is if this kind of take on D20 modern casters serves to make the game more interesting and still mechanically sound or if the idea is meh or crappy?

Dragonmuncher
2011-02-14, 11:38 PM
Sounds good. D20 Modern magic always felt slightly tacked-on to me, anyway (in the sense that if you removed it you might not even notice)

Callos_DeTerran
2011-02-15, 12:28 AM
While with only 5th level spells one could argue that D20 Modern casters are "low magic" enough but I had recently considered going even lower then that with D20 modern's magic. What do I mean? Simple. Set the game in a modern earth setting and ban all fantasy PC races and all caster classes(including psionics) except the occultist("Arcane Caster") and the Spiritualist("Divine Caster"). In this kind of setting there would be no true spell slinging wizards and such, and due to the nature of the occultist's and spirtualist's casting methods magic would take on a very mysterious, enigmatic feel to it and I also think that those classes allow magic to become a much darker, sinister force. Instead of feeling like superpowered spellcasters the occultist and spiritualist classes feel more like normal people who decide to meddle with the unknown with their scroll casting and such and I also think that the feel of the occultist and spiritualist allow magic to take on an almost lovecraftian flavor, being dark and mysterious even to those who tap into it.

In this setting there's no superpowered spellslingers. Rather there's mundane folk who decide to spend their time researching a dark, mysterious, more lovecraftian "magic"(Or in the case of some spiritualists those forces may instead actively seek them.) but can never hope even fathom or fully understand....all they can do is read some cryptic words off a scroll and hope that they get the effect they want. Simply put, magic would be a much more dark, enigmatic force and meddling with spirits and scrolls is the most that humans can achieve with their limited minds....go any deeper and insanity or worse is usually the result. Of course, while the major/default caster classes are banned for PCs if a GM in this setting want a BBEG who's a human that DID dig deeper and became an insane gibbering madman in the process then said BBEG COULD use, say, the mage class with some significant refluffing(No familiar ect..) though personally the Necromancer class from Blood and Brains is better for that BBEG concept in my mind...

So, my question to all of you here is if this kind of take on D20 modern casters serves to make the game more interesting and still mechanically sound or if the idea is meh or crappy?

The idea is more then sound. D20 modern is built under the assumption that magic doesn't exist so any magic is going to be a mechanical bonus (if your PCs can access it anyway)/alternate route to power. However, your changes make magic seem special in d20 modern, which is a big plus in my book. I say go for it.

Sir_Mopalot
2011-02-15, 04:51 AM
If you have the actual D20 Modern core book, the example setting "Shadowchasers" does this. The advanced class "Occultist" very overtly is looking for knowledge in evil, ancient tomes. I think she tops out at level 3 spells, but I could be wrong.

Rappy
2011-02-15, 05:24 AM
This idea is pretty much why incantations exist. Long, dangerous ritual magic, in a Cthulhu or less urban fantasy and more occult horror/suspense/adventure/what-have-you. And if those are too slow, there's also less incantations and the Ritualist from the Game Mechanics' Modern Magic.

While I personally like my fireballs and AK-47s on the same team, your idea is by no means a bad one. Indeed, it's a great idea, and I say go for it!

Gnoman
2011-02-15, 08:15 AM
I've never played in a Modern game that allowed magic period.

Urpriest
2011-02-15, 11:00 AM
As has been said, this is one of the standard d20 Modern campaign models, as detailed in the core books. Frankly, I would be unlikely to allow the Occultist and the Mage in the same d20 Modern game anyway, they're based on rather different assumptions about the nature of magic in the world.

Tyndmyr
2011-02-15, 11:06 AM
Sounds good. D20 Modern magic always felt slightly tacked-on to me, anyway (in the sense that if you removed it you might not even notice)

I've played no-magic D20 campaigns. Works just fine.

I've never actually played in one with magic, so I honestly have no idea how it is.

MightyIgoo
2011-02-15, 11:58 AM
Also, if you want a class for low-powered psionics, try the Spiritualist from the d20 Pulp (my favorite Modern book by far). Gets very little in the way of psionic abilities, but if the character is the ONLY one with psionics, very little can be just enough.

Maho-Tsukai
2011-02-15, 03:20 PM
Your actually thinking of the mentalist. I know because I own that suppliment. The Spirtualist is a real class, however, and I mentioned it before. The spirtualist is basicly a divine version of the Occultist and thus the setting would have the Occultist as the "Arcane caster" of the setting and the spirtualist as the "divine caster." The reason I'm not bothering with psionics is because in "RL" psionics and "magick" are not seperate things but rather two parts of the same "diciplin." Most "magic users" where also considered to be at the least psychic enough to sense and feel the supernatural energy which is used in "spellcasting" and most "magic-users" usually can see auras and do other things which fall under the "psychic" umbrella. Thus, the reason for no psionics is that psionics and magic are somewhat "interconnected" in this setting since I am somewhat basing the magic off of a combination of actual "RL" magic/New Age ideas and a more lovecraftian style of sorcerery to make magic have a sinister, mysterious quality and actually connect that to some RL history, theology and conspericy theroies.

Callos_DeTerran
2011-02-15, 04:12 PM
Your actually thinking of the mentalist. I know because I own that suppliment. The Spirtualist is a real class, however, and I mentioned it before. The spirtualist is basicly a divine version of the Occultist and thus the setting would have the Occultist as the "Arcane caster" of the setting and the spirtualist as the "divine caster." The reason I'm not bothering with psionics is because in "RL" psionics and "magick" are not seperate things but rather two parts of the same "diciplin." Most "magic users" where also considered to be at the least psychic enough to sense and feel the supernatural energy which is used in "spellcasting" and most "magic-users" usually can see auras and do other things which fall under the "psychic" umbrella. Thus, the reason for no psionics is that psionics and magic are somewhat "interconnected" in this setting since I am somewhat basing the magic off of a combination of actual "RL" magic/New Age ideas and a more lovecraftian style of sorcerery to make magic have a sinister, mysterious quality and actually connect that to some RL history, theology and conspericy theroies.

...I don't have this supplement, what d20 pulp supplement?

Maho-Tsukai
2011-02-15, 04:20 PM
D20 Past is the name of it. I assumed that by "D20 Pulp" the poster ment D20 past since D20 past has the spirtualist and mentalist classes but also features, among other campaign settings, a "pulp" themed setting and the approprite crunch for such. However, they could be talking about a 3rd party supliment I never heard of that happend by chance to also have a class called the "spirtualist" but with a class of that name and a pulp setting both being in the D20 past supliment I felt it to be a logical and safe assumption that the poster was refering to D20 past. However, if I am wrong please by all means correct me.