Magic Systems

[Blk4ce]

What's your favourite magic system? In what game do you enjoy playing a mage the most?

[Arbane]

What's your favourite magic system? In what game do you enjoy playing a mage the most?

Spycraft. Nobody EVER sees it coming. :D

More seriously, I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but I'm fond of the magic system in Unknown Armies, which is set in the modern-day and is basically 'Tim Powers Novel, as directed by Quentin Tarantino, The RPG'. In order to be a magician in that game, you have to be insanely obsessed with something. So obsessed that reality breaks and wraps itself around your obsession, which might be something like taking risks, or drinking booze, or watching television, or gathering money. And all forms of magic have a taboo that can seriously restrict a magician's behavior (for example, a money-magician can't spend more than $500 dollars at once for ANYTHING without losing all their accumulated magic power), which means that a reasonably competent normal can be very effective. And any half-decent magician is a power-junkie who would happily shiv their own mother for a big enough hit of magic power.

Of the systems I've played, I kind of like RuneQuest III's spirit and divine magic - spells aren't something you 'learn' so much as something you 'have', having either beaten them out of a spirit in an astral wrestling match, or gained from a god by sacrificing a few points from your magic stat. Spirit magic is relatively weak, easy to use and just about everyone has a bit of it, divine magic is much more powerful but much more costly, and generally tightly tied to the god's 'theme'. And it's all part of RQ's general theme of culture and religion being Big Important Things in the setting, rather than just a backdrop.

[BWR]

Ars Magica. The majority of the mechanics are based around what you can do with magic. It's a very flexible and fascinating system. A bit too tied to the setting and its basic assumptions to be used for other games without some/much modification, but in all respects one of the best out there.

I also have a soft spot for traditional D&D magic, mostly because that's what I started with.

[lightningcat]

I have to say that D&D will always have a spot in my heart as well.

But I truly learned to love magic playing Mage: the Ascension. It has a nice flexible system, that made you use your imagination. Mage: the Awakening is a cleaner rules set, and better defines what you can do. Making it easier for new players to understand, but I haven't got to go all out in a long term campaign with that system yet.

[endoperez]

Ars Magica and Mage share the same roots, and both focus on playing as magicians, so it's not a big surprise to see both of them mentioned so early! :D

I've only played Ars Magica out of the two, but the magic system fits the world very well. Mages get more powerful by reading books and researching magic in their towers, instead of adventuring - adventure is more about achieving a specific goal, instead of something they do day in day out.

[Jay R]

What's your favourite magic system? In what game do you enjoy playing a mage the most?

Those are two different questions.

Mt favorite magic system is Chivalry and Sorcery, with very different rules for a shaman, primitive talent, enchanter, alchemist, necromancer, thaumaturge, etc. Unfortunately, the game is mostly unplayable.

But my favorite game to play a mage is Fantasy Hero, in which I build my own magic system. It's only unplayable for people who are uncomfortable with basic math. It means I have trouble finding a game, but I love it when I do.

Note: I'm an old school gamer. I don't expect my preferences to appeal to most modern gamers.