World Building - August 31, 1939

[tsuuga]

It's August 31, 1939. America, Britain, and France are cautious. Japan is planning something. Tomorrow, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union will invade Poland, precipitating World War II.

And then, the world trembles. The damage is minor, but worldwide earthquakes were enough to push things back a day - but that wasn't all that happened. Fires started. Storms, icebergs, and animals appeared out of nowhere. Magic had come, and it was here to stay.

In the ensuing chaos, power structures crumbled or changed to accommodate new powerful people, and the world map was redrawn.

In England, those who could use magic were given titles and replaced the old aristocracy. In America, they were recruited by the government and assigned to elite task forces and given all the funding they needed to research their powers, finding limits and ways to make it profitable. In Germany, the rigid government couldn't handle the sudden influx of power and fell to pieces. Russia pulled out of the war and sought to use this power to create a truely Marxist state.

Now it's a year later, 1940. Humanity is changing. Some grew thin and fair, others short and tough, or small and fast. Their children were even more radically different. The children of those who could use magic possessed those powers, as well

That was 300 years ago.

The year is 2240. What's going on in the world? Where is humanity? What became of the mages? What happened to those who had changed?

This is a rephrasing of Vadin's post here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=4652532) - This is its own setting, it should have its own thread. Cataclysm of Green should be for discussing CoG. Now, discuss :smallbiggrin:

[Vadin]

Some things established so far-
Nukes weren't invented. If nuclear power is discovered, it isn't until much later. The lack of WWII meant that there wasn't as much of an immediate threat and, thusly, no mad rush for bombs.

World Wars continued, at least for awhile. Whether these wars were done by small squads of magical people or full-scale armies has yet to be decided. Japan might have continued it's assault on Asia, but it never bombed Pearl Harbor. Greece might have seen the rise of several 'gods' as mages rose to power and established a stronghold on Mount Olympus.

Digital computers were developed, but it took much longer than it did for us. Instead, many people are followed around by small outsiders or magical animals that can remember lots of things and perform complex calculations in an instant. The almost finished rituals to summon these outsiders and bond them to oneself can be bought for roughly the price of a personal computer- about a thousand dollars for a nice new one, a few hundred for one without as many features, and several thousand for a really nice one.

With the assistance of mages, we reached the moon in 1963. They set up a telepad to and from the moon, eliminating the need for further space travel from Earth. Future spaceships would be assembled on the moonbase we were promised or in orbit.

People with powers tend to only be able to do things along one general theme. Some can heal the body or create blinding and painful rays of energy. Others manipulate the elements with explosive results. Some warp the minds of men, some spew fire from their fingertips, and others rot the body from the inside out. There are others with rarer powers, and a few who can do all of that and more.

Also, the setting will be in 4e.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I don't think that the 4e ruleset can be easily modified to fit this setting.
I was thinking a spell-seed based casting system for magic, and a variant on spell-seeds for mundane characters. Think of them as "Action-Seeds".

[Faithless]

Alright so you'll be having firearms and such. Will you be using the rules for them from the dmg?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I'm in favour of completely homebrewing everything from basic ruleset down.

[Vadin]

Oh, Gwyn...I beg to differ...

A Spell Seed system and 4e could go together hand in hand.

Each power of a certain level could give X amount of points. Up to Y of these points could be spent on each attribute of the power: range, area, damage type, amount of damage, accuracy, action to cast, and special effects.

Of course, the casters who were members of this class would be few and far between. Others would be wizards, warlocks, clerics, physicists (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1055198) who warp space and time, adapters (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064688) who absorb the powers of others and the powers of magic beasts, bards (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=16081470#post16081470) who sing their magic, andspellblades (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064786) who channel their magic through weapons. There would also be the class to be constructed later that would have freeform casting.

Also, all those weird spells in 3.5 that had no real effect on combat but could turn a wizard into batman are gone and replaced with rituals. We could include a feat (or few) that lowers and eventually eliminates the cost of certain rituals of low-enough levels, meaning that a character could actually pump out and sell 'Home Summoning Kits'.

[EDIT] On the topic of reflavoring 4e and slightly remechanicing it, see the link in my sig. As long as balance is maintained, a basic weapon template and certain added attributes can make a variety of weapons. Also, implements would be totally gone. Some casters (mostly wizards and spellblades ('Chaos Reavers' in the link)) might want them to help focus their very destructive powers, but casters can get along perfectly well without them (except for spellblades).

New Weapons
Laser Pistol, Simple Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d4 energy
Range: 3/6
Price: 30 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Laser
Properties: Load free, Small
Special: This weapon may be used in place of powers that use a melee weapon, changing their range from Melee Weapon to Ranged 3. This is can also be an implement for characters who have taken proficiency in lasers.

Laser Rifle, Military Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d6 energy
Range: 5/10
Price: 50 gp
Weight: 3 lb.
Group: Laser
Properties: Load minor
Special: This weapon may be used in place of powers that use a melee weapon, changing their range from Melee Weapon to Ranged 5. This is can also be an implement for characters who have taken proficiency in lasers.

Pistol, Simple Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d6
Range: 10/20
Price: 10 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Gun
Properties: Load free, Small
Special: Every time the character rolls a 1 to hit, they must take a standard action on the next turn to reload the gun.

Light Gun, Military Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +3
Damage: 1d8
Range: 10/20
Price: 25 gp
Weight: 2 lb.
Group: Gun
Properties: Load free
Special: Every time the character rolls a 1 to hit, they must take a standard action on the next turn to reload the gun.

Heavy Gun, Superior Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +3
Damage: 1d10
Range: 10/20
Price: 30 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Gun
Properties: Load minor
Special: Every time the character rolls a 1 to hit, they must take a standard action on the next turn to reload the gun.

Laser Dagger, Simple Melee Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d4 energy
Price: 10 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Light Blade
Properties: Off-hand

Small Laser Sword, Military Melee Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d6 energy
Price: 15 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Light Blade
Properties: Off-hand, High-Crit

Large Laser Sword, Military Melee Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d8 energy
Price: 25 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Heavy Blade
Properties: High-Crit

New Magic Weapon Qualities
Overclocked Level 4+, 800 gp
Weapon: Any Gun or Laser
Enhancement: Double to damage rolls. Weapon reload time is increased by one step up to a maximum of full (free to minor, minor to standard, standard to full)
Critical: +1[W] per plus
Power (Encounter ✦ Weapon): Minor action. Deal an additional 2*Str. modifier on next attack
Level 14 or 19: Deal an additional 3*Str. modifier on next attack
Level 24 or 29: Deal an additional 4*Str. modifier on next attack

Precise Level 4+, 800 gp
Weapon: Any Gun or Laser
Enhancement: Attack rolls. Weapon range increased by 25% (based on orginal range, rounded down, minimum 1) per plus. Weapon reload time is increased by one step up to a maximum of full (free to minor, minor to standard, standard to full)
Critical: +1[W] per plus
Power (Encounter ✦ Weapon): Minor action. Deal an additional 2*Int. modifier on next attack
Level 14 or 19: Deal an additional 3*Int. modifier on next attack
Level 24 or 29: Deal an additional 4*Int. modifier on next attack[/QUOTE]

Autofire Level 5+, 1000 gp
Weapon: Any Gun or Laser
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1[W] per plus
Power (Encounter ✦ Weapon): Standard action. Dex+2 vs. Reflex against all creatures within 3 squares of you for 2[W]+Dex damage. On miss, enemies instead take Dex modifier damage.
Level 15 or 20: Increase hit to Dex+4 vs. Reflex, increase damage to 3[W]
Level 25 or 30: Increase hit to Dex+6 vs. Reflex, increase damage to 4[W]

[thevorpalbunny]

I really hope you're not set on making it 4e. I'd really like to be involved, and 4e gives me a bad taste in my mouth.

I honestly think that something resembling computers, though with a different power source and probably analog rather than digital, would be at least extant if not abundant.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Oh, Gwyn...I beg to differ...

A Spell Seed system and 4e could go together hand in hand.

Each power of a certain level could give X amount of points. Up to Y of these points could be spent on each attribute of the power: range, area, damage type, amount of damage, accuracy, action to cast, and special effects
^Actually, you are right, it works very well with 4e.


Of course, the casters who were members of this class would be few and far between. Others would be wizards, warlocks, clerics, physicists (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1055198) who warp space and time, adapters (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064688) who absorb the powers of others and the powers of magic beasts, bards (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=16081470#post16081470) who sing their magic, andspellblades (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064786) who channel their magic through weapons. There would also be the class to be constructed later that would have freeform casting.

In my mind, they were all freeform casting using spell-seeds, allowing near infinite customization, but hell to balance.
I'm not sure Divine Magic would work, though if we re-fluff it as an Arcane Leader, it should work fine. Likewise, maybe re-fluff the Paladin as an Arcane Defender, thereby giving the Arcane line at least one core class of each role.
I haven't had time to look at your links, but I find the ideas of the Chaos Reaver/Spellblade and Blue Mage/Adapter endearing.



Also, all those weird spells in 3.5 that had no real effect on combat but could turn a wizard into batman are gone and replaced with rituals. We could include a feat (or few) that lowers and eventually eliminates the cost of certain rituals of low-enough levels, meaning that a character could actually pump out and sell 'Home Summoning Kits'.
I had a plan to add in demi-rituals that took several rounds to cast, as opposed to ten minutes, and were along the lines of 3.X spells such as Charm Monster.


[EDIT] On the topic of reflavoring 4e and slightly remechanicing it, see the link in my sig. As long as balance is maintained, a basic weapon template and certain added attributes can make a variety of weapons. Also, implements would be totally gone. Some casters (mostly wizards and spellblades ('Chaos Reavers' in the link)) might want them to help focus their very destructive powers, but casters can get along perfectly well without them (except for spellblades).
I see no reason not too do away with implements.



New Weapons
Laser Pistol, Simple Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d4 energy
Range: 3/6
Price: 30 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Laser
Properties: Load free, Small
Special: This weapon may be used in place of powers that use a melee weapon, changing their range from Melee Weapon to Ranged 3. This is can also be an implement for characters who have taken proficiency in lasers.

Laser Rifle, Military Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d6 energy
Range: 5/10
Price: 50 gp
Weight: 3 lb.
Group: Laser
Properties: Load minor
Special: This weapon may be used in place of powers that use a melee weapon, changing their range from Melee Weapon to Ranged 5. This is can also be an implement for characters who have taken proficiency in lasers.
I don't think lasers as weapons have a place in this setting. In the Post-Apocalyptic Setting, sure they do, but in a setting such as this, I think not.


Pistol, Simple Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d6
Range: 10/20
Price: 10 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Gun
Properties: Load free, Small
Special: Every time the character rolls a 1 to hit, they must take a standard action on the next turn to reload the gun.

Light Gun, Military Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +3
Damage: 1d8
Range: 10/20
Price: 25 gp
Weight: 2 lb.
Group: Gun
Properties: Load free
Special: Every time the character rolls a 1 to hit, they must take a standard action on the next turn to reload the gun.

Heavy Gun, Superior Ranged Weapon
Proficiency: +3
Damage: 1d10
Range: 10/20
Price: 30 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Gun
Properties: Load minor
Special: Every time the character rolls a 1 to hit, they must take a standard action on the next turn to reload the gun.
Using these as a base to work on further more specialised guns, yes.


Laser Dagger, Simple Melee Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d4 energy
Price: 10 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Light Blade
Properties: Off-hand

Small Laser Sword, Military Melee Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d6 energy
Price: 15 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Light Blade
Properties: Off-hand, High-Crit

Large Laser Sword, Military Melee Weapon
Proficiency: +2
Damage: 1d8 energy
Price: 25 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Group: Heavy Blade
Properties: High-Crit
Once again, I'm against laser's in this setting.

[tsuuga]

Um, Vadin... there's this game, it's called Shadowrun... The whole thing that interested me in this setting is a divergent history, resulting in, well, not a cyberpunk setting.

I don't think that 4e works well for any sort of modern setting. 4e is just way too much about hitting people with sharp objects, and the subsequent importance of battlefield positioning.

4e gives me a bad taste, too... It's not the homebrew-friendliest of systems.:smallmad:

[Vadin]

Seriously? tsuuga, please- tell me you've looked at all the homebrew stuff for 4e. It's so very much easier to homebrew for now that they went ahead and put a "Here's how to make things balanced for their level" section in the DMG. Instead of putting in some vague guides as to what balance is ala 3.5, they said "this is what is balanced for this level, and this is what is balanced for this level." Also, monster and race homebrewing = the easiest thing ever. Like, seriously. It's crazy.

And yeah, I don't want this to be a cyberpunk setting either. I forgot to take the laser guns out of there (even though we have laser guns now- the US Army will be switching over to them between 2010 and 2012, and some laser cannons are already mounted on the backs of jeeps as antimissle weapons, and this setting is a little over 200 years in the future).

Of course, we could focus on 2 distinct time periods with this setting- first, the mid to late 1900s (grittier, less regulated magic (more mages can do larger, odder things), 3.5), and second, the year 2240 (where most people have had genetic therapies to make them hardier, nanobots repair the body as it is injured, and magic has focused itself among people (mages are able to do a lot, but what they can do is usually along a certain theme or method), people are able to hit harder and move faster, 4e with house rules).

So...
3.5 mid-to-late 1900's, combat is grittier and magic more broad and unwieldly

One sort of class people could be (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69882)
A caster who uses up his power as the day goes on (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psion.htm)
(I'm sure there are others, and we can most certainly make our own as
well)

4e 2240, people are harder to kill, generally more able to do things due to wider access to knowledge and better bodies, magic is easier to use by those who have it, but most magic can only be used in certain ways

The aforementioned 4e classes
and others

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I like that idea Vadin. I've toyed with having different time-zones with different rules before in my World of Inris setting, which I abandoned, and it can be used to exaggerate the changes that have happened in that 300 years: such changes that reality itself has been near changed!

I'm probably going to be ending up working mostly on 3.5, with a little bit of 4e fluff, because I only have 4e PHB, not the DMG or the MM.
If we're all agreed on two times, two systems?

[tsuuga]

Seriously? tsuuga, please- tell me you've looked at all the homebrew stuff for 4e. It's so very much easier to homebrew for now that they went ahead and put a "Here's how to make things balanced for their level" section in the DMG. Instead of putting in some vague guides as to what balance is ala 3.5, they said "this is what is balanced for this level, and this is what is balanced for this level." Also, monster and race homebrewing = the easiest thing ever. Like, seriously. It's crazy.

I see the monster homebrewing section in the DMG, which does look easier than 3.5... And while I don't see a section on races, I admit that wouldn't be any harder than 3.5. What bothers me is classes. Warlock and Wizard and the ranged half of Ranger are the only classes that fit the setting... and then you're on your own. And making classes in 4e is the issue (and one the DMG doesn't address).


2240 (where most people have had genetic therapies to make them hardier, nanobots repair the body as it is injured, and magic has focused itself among people (mages are able to do a lot, but what they can do is usually along a certain theme or method), people are able to hit harder and move faster, 4e with house rules).

It kind of bothers me that the technologies you're supposing are all based on our present and extrapolated future technologies, and add or subtract a few years. Modern and future techs should crop up, but in unexpected ways. DeBeers becomes even more of a fascist cartel (DeBeers: If you want to bring your loved ones back to life, you have to come to us), until the development of vapor-deposition synthetic diamonds causes a civil war... that kind of thing. It just feels like you've already decided on what happens in the setting, only you're not telling us.

[thevorpalbunny]

Seriously? tsuuga, please- tell me you've looked at all the homebrew stuff for 4e. It's so very much easier to homebrew for now that they went ahead and put a "Here's how to make things balanced for their level" section in the DMG. Instead of putting in some vague guides as to what balance is ala 3.5, they said "this is what is balanced for this level, and this is what is balanced for this level." Also, monster and race homebrewing = the easiest thing ever. Like, seriously. It's crazy.

If I've got the right section of the 4e(pg. 174), I really doubt it's accurate. You've tested these rules?

There's a section on that in the 3.5 MM, it just gives you the caveat that creating good, balanced monsters is an art, not a science. If 4e has tried to reduce monster-making to a science, that's another strike against it as far as I'm concerned.

[Vadin]

I see the monster homebrewing section in the DMG, which does look easier than 3.5... And while I don't see a section on races, I admit that wouldn't be any harder than 3.5. What bothers me is classes. Warlock and Wizard and the ranged half of Ranger are the only classes that fit the setting... and then you're on your own. And making classes in 4e is the issue (and one the DMG doesn't address).



It kind of bothers me that the technologies you're supposing are all based on our present and extrapolated future technologies, and add or subtract a few years. Modern and future techs should crop up, but in unexpected ways. DeBeers becomes even more of a fascist cartel (DeBeers: If you want to bring your loved ones back to life, you have to come to us), until the development of vapor-deposition synthetic diamonds causes a civil war... that kind of thing. It just feels like you've already decided on what happens in the setting, only you're not telling us.

The other classes (excluding paladin and maybe cleric) fit equally well. Magic is all well and good, but people die just the same if you hit 'em hard enough.


I apologize for making it sound like that. It was really more just general futuristic themes, and how any one of those (or anything even like that) could account for 4e's lower lethality but still hp draining combat. For all we have established about the future right now, it could be because of patches that continually inject the wearer with restorative magics. That has yet to be decided.

But we can put the futuristic part off until later. Before we know how the future is, we need to create the past.

[EDIT] Vorpalbunny: Please cease with the ruthless anti-4e campaigning until you actually try it for awhile. It really isn't that bad, and it really is pretty fun. I proposed using 3.5 for the first part and 4e for the second part, and I would ask that you please stop being so overly harsh and critical of 4e if you also plan to be overly forgiving of 3.5's faults.

[thevorpalbunny]

His point, I think, was that fighter doesn't work well because it assumes you're in melee combat, which you're not. The only way to bring melee into anything vaguely futuristic is to take the Jedi route (those with enough power to matter consider it beneath them to use ranged weapons) or the lasgun route (you can use ranged weapons, but you'll probably obliterate yourself and the rest of the planet if you do). Otherwise, there's no reason to swing a sword, knife, etc. unless you're surprised in a back alley or something. A class whose main schtick is to swing a sword (something which fluff can't change) can't fit.

EDIT:

Vorpalbunny: Please cease with the ruthless anti-4e campaigning until you actually try it for awhile. It really isn't that bad, and it really is pretty fun. I proposed using 3.5 for the first part and 4e for the second part, and I would ask that you please stop being so overly harsh and critical of 4e if you also plan to be overly forgiving of 3.5's faults.

I'm not forgiving of 3.5e's faults. It has them, but they're isolated things such as the mechanics for Diplomacy, Tumble, and polymorph, and the teleport-scrying combo. There are also a few truly broken things which mostly result when mixing splatbooks (some things like nightsticks and thought bottles were just broken from the start). No one has found these kinds of faults in 4e yet. Instead, it has huge systemic flaws like a bloody stupid skill system, skill challenges, no support for non-combat, and complete dissassociation of the mechanics from the game world.
3.5 has flaws fixable by saying "OK, that's banned." 4e has flaws only fixable by rewriting entire sections of the rulebook.

[Vadin]

Actually, the fighter's 'Shtick' is any melee weapon, not just a sword, and given that even today soldiers end up fighting a lot of the time in close combat (yes, they really do), and that most 'combat encounters' in real life are either shoot-outs or people fighting in close combat, I wouldn't say that the fighter is really out of place in a futuristic setting. Plus, if they have an energy field around them, laser weaponry could be rendered useless. Not saying that energy fields or even lasers are a part of the setting, just saying that there are still places in sci-fi settings for people to hit things.


the lasgun route (you can use ranged weapons, but you'll probably obliterate yourself and the rest of the planet if you do).

What?

[thevorpalbunny]

Dune. There was a interaction between personal shields and lasguns that resulted in an incredibly large explosion.
The energy field shield is a less drastic application of the lasgun approach.

I regard it as fundamentally flawed because as soon as there is a defense against a class of weapons new weapons will be designed that ignore that defense.

[tsuuga]

His point, I think, was that fighter doesn't work well because it assumes you're in melee combat, which you're not. The only way to bring melee into anything vaguely futuristic is to take the Jedi route (those with enough power to matter consider it beneath them to use ranged weapons) or the lasgun route (you can use ranged weapons, but you'll probably obliterate yourself and the rest of the planet if you do). Otherwise, there's no reason to swing a sword, knife, etc. unless you're surprised in a back alley or something. A class whose main schtick is to swing a sword (something which fluff can't change) can't fit.

Also, there are guns. 4e is primarily a melee combat system - all those shifts don't mean anything if everyone on the other team has a gun and is 200 feet away, or is packing magic. Rogue, for instance, at least as a stabby guy who specializes in mobility, is kind of out of luck.

As much as I don't want to turn this thread into a 3e vs 4e war, I think vorpal has a point - Homebrewing in 4e is science, not art. That's great if I want to make a bunch of custom monsters in half an hour, or write up a session; but here, we don't have time limits, and I'd much rather spend that much time on art :smallwink:

Anyway. We should do history first. I think we should work in about 50 year blocks - The first one will get us to the approximately present day setting, and there'll be four blocks of filler we can kind of sketch in, and then another 50 year block leading up to the future setting. We should, of course, put the most effort into the first and last ones.

[Vadin]

That might be how it works in 2240, it might not be. We'll decide that when we get to it. For now, let's concentrate on where the world stands 10 years (1950), 25 years (1965), and 50 years (1990) after 1940.

[EDIT] Simuninja'd! 50 year periods work too :smalltongue:

[tsuuga]

Hehehe. How about we do 10-year increments for the periods immediately preceding the two settings, and 50 year increments for the... umm... creamy filling?

[Vadin]

Mmmm...pure and fluffy...

So...yeah.

Ideas for how people got transformed?

I'm seeing some people taking on animal traits (like Moreaus in d20 modern), others simply growing closer to resembling certain stereotypical fantasy races (which this setting by no means is required to have (*wink wink nod nod*)). Other's might have picked up certain elemental qualities, like literally boiling blood, ice on their fingertips, hollow bones, who knows (We will, I suppose)? Thoughts?

[tsuuga]

I'm thinking that people who are already adults in 1940 should show mainly mild effects - extra hair growth, ears pointing, acne clear up, living to 140, that sort of thing. Prepubescent children should grow into those mutations more as they age... scales, pointy face, that sort of thing... And children born in June 1940 or later should exhibit the full-blown weirdness. Magic powers, on the other hand, should be something that happens immediately, and with full force. Those with sorcerous or psionic talent would be the big offenders in the early days, until they learn control... Military experiments with attempting to induce magic powers lead to the discovery that some people have the ability to channel magic energy, but not the innate ability pattern it (Wizards). Wizardry would be the mutual secret of several world governments for a decade or more. And yeah, most magic-users should be much more focused. Most sorcerers should be limited to just an element and a set of support spells, for instance... I'm thinking Wizard should be retooled as a prestige class, rather than restricting what spells they can learn.

[alexeduardo]

oh, and werewolves. lots

[Vadin]

Maybe if sorcerers, instead of picking spells freely, pick several semi-related domains (maybe 2 at first, with an additional one every 5 levels) and can cast spells from there? Only 1 domain power, though, with a new domain power every now and then. Also I'm thinking the spell-point system might be appropriate. We'd probably be better off homebrewing the domains instead of using the cleric ones, at least for those that grant turning and turning bonuses.

And yeah, wizard would make a pretty cool level 5 or so prestige class for people that don't start out with magic. Maybe if they're called Joiners or Completers? Something related to finishing a circuit or linking things together...

Psions would be the rare individuals who could manifest a wider variety of effects with more control over the individual spells. They could make their fireball a small flame (1 pp) or a roaring inferno (20 pp).

On the races again, how about all of the races are cross-fertile? If and when genetics were discovered, that would befuddle all those crazy scientists. It would also make it a bit easier for those with odd racial traits to integrate into society (eventually).

Does anybody here have a link to that racial system that was around awhile ago that had +1/2 and -1/2 halves for all races to create easy hybrids? A system like that would illustrate partial weirdness and full weirdness quite well.

[EDIT]
oh, and werewolves. lots

YES. Various other urban legends brought to life, as well. They'd definitely still be urban legends for a long time, though the fact that magic is real would make them a bit more plausible. All it would take is one Senator waking up in a public park with a dead pet in his mouth and a crowd of terrified onlookers to move werewolves and other 'undesirables' like vampires and intelligent undead from the realm of urban folklore to unfortunate facts of life, like AIDS. Nobody wants to talk about, everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who has it, and you can't get mad at them for it, but it is kind of their fault and you still feel weird around them even if you can't catch it. Except instead of no white blood cells, you eat people sometimes...

Of course, that couldn't happen right off the bat. The gov't would no doubt clamp down on reports of 'people without magic who can use magic' like the to-be-named-maybe Wizards and Vampires (crazy shapeshifting hypnotizers...) at least until, as tsuuga said, the 1960's or so.

[tsuuga]

Bwahahaha. Cryptids. Hell yes.
Springheel Jack.
Black Shuck.
Bunyips.
Mongolian Death-worms
Dover Demon, Chupacabra, rods, globsters, Fear liath, Hodags, Jersey Devil... ahem. Scuse me, I just like cryptids >_>

[thevorpalbunny]

Don't forget the Drop Bears.
Them and the chupacabra are my personal favorites.

[Vadin]

Who doesn't love cryptids?

So those are definitely in then.

Which cryptids and mythic monster people would arise, how would they actually work (remember, magic is ok for these things), and how would people respond in:

1960's, when they become too common to cover up
1990's, when a few generations have grown up with them as a real (albeit uncommon) part of everyday life

[Vadin]

This is crazy. (http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/Jean_Gauntt_-_The_Immortal_Baby/) What if baby Jean had manifested powers in 1939? What if her parents had never reclaimed her, and she truly had grown up and been gifted and immortal?

This site (http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/Category:Era::1914-1949/) is full of excellent stuff. I highly advise it if you need a good read.

[Vadin]

On races:

If adults and teens from the 40's were partial members of new races, first generation magical children were full races, and children after that had the potential to get even weirder, perhaps we should expand on this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51535) racial setup?

Adults and teens from the 40's: Half (race), half human
First generation: Usually full (race) (like elf), sometimes half (race), half human (like half elf), rarely half (race), half (race) (like gnorcs)
Later: Lots of half (race), half (race) (like dwelves and koblins) and every other combination

We should aslo probably add in +/- halves for anthropomorphic races, like bear people, centaurs, harpies, and other stuff...if, of course, those are in.