Moinen
Topic Author
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu 14 Nov 2019, 21:43

Accommodating OSR spellbooks

Wed 05 Feb 2020, 01:48

Loads of OSR modules include new cool and atmospheric spells that can be learned or casted from a scroll or a grimuar. There's plenty of those out there.

The problem in porting them to FL is how restrictive its magic system is. By choosing a school in FL you grant yourself access to just a small chunk of the spells (which is fine in it's own rights), but in most OSR systems we have only one school - MAGIC USER that is able to learn all of the spells from a lvl he is.

How would you port those spells? Maybe split the xp cost of the talent to see how much would a single spell cost or say perhaps that you can learn and cast any spell (of your lvl) but it is always unsafe? Did anyone play with those ideas before?
 
muk83
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon 12 Aug 2019, 14:03

Re: Accommodating OSR spellbooks

Wed 05 Feb 2020, 18:55

You have the spell bind magic that lets you create magic scrolls and books, so you can use that.

If I'm not mistaken you can learn other talents from your profession, so you're not limited to one school.


-----
Using the rules from bind magic:
You have a book that contains 5 spells, each can be cast once a day by spending set amount of WP.

Scrolls don't require WP but are one use only.

New talent: New Magic.
At lvl 1 gain access to 3 new spells from the New Magic School
At lvl 2 gain access to 2 lvl 2 spells
At lvl 3 gain access to 1 lvl 3 spell.
Cost of talent same as for other but requires book or a teacher.
If you feel save that the spells don't unbalance anything, than make it a normal magic talent. The same way other works.

Cheers
 
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swimcircles
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed 05 Jul 2017, 13:11
Location: Stockholm

Re: Accommodating OSR spellbo

Tue 21 Apr 2020, 00:20

I wanted to play FBL with the intention to use a LOT of the OSR content I love, especially the `free` sense of a magic system.

My players came up with the idea of using the D12 for spellcasting, where casting costs 1 WP and converting the results to:
1: Critical Failure, either two rolls on the regular fail for spells or something more dramatic, like the That Which Should Not Be-table (by Cave Girl or Goblin Punch..)
2-5: Spell Fail
6-7: One X, damage, or duration depending on the spell.
8-9: XX -’’-
10-11: XXX -’’-
12: XXXX -’’-

And with room for using certain items to roll additional Gear die to get above the 1~4 damage/effect and letting the caster spend more WP to add to the result if wanted.
1’s are unsaveable and generally we skip armor rolls for spells, unless the defender wears magic armor (like a ritual Robe, blessed attire or cloth which is probably not defending for normal damage).

When casting against another magic user, we have a roll off with the D12’s á la DCC;RPG where the stronger spell succeeds.

This change of the magic system is probably ”nicer” towards the players, but we enjoy it a lot!
 
Tywyll
Posts: 217
Joined: Mon 30 Sep 2019, 15:08

Re: Accommodating OSR spellbooks

Thu 23 Apr 2020, 15:49

If you want to have rare and bizzarre OSR spells, you could have them exist outside of any Paths and learned as one off spells fitting into your own highest level Path. Each spell costs 1 xp times it's rank (so 1, 2, or 3). 

Alternatively, you pull from AD&D and make Paths based around the wizard schools (abjuration, enchantment, etc). Possibily even pulling Cleric spheres for Druids.
 
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lupex
Posts: 861
Joined: Sun 08 Oct 2017, 13:16

Re: Accommodating OSR spellbooks

Thu 23 Apr 2020, 16:28

I think I would do it like Bind Magic, where a unique spell could be bound to a Scroll, but cost WP each time it is used if its for one-off spells (maybe limit it so that only magic users can read the actual spell though).

For groups of spells I would do as Tywyll suggests and create some other spell disciplines.
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Arnold
Posts: 129
Joined: Mon 06 Nov 2017, 20:06

Re: Accommodating OSR spellbooks

Sat 25 Apr 2020, 08:41

Hi folks,

i m encouring my spellcaster players to invent new spells in their school. As long, our shpachanging druid has invented spider legs (which is quite similar to cats paw (Rank 1, Personal, Immediate, Spider leg, with each power level, you get one succes for move for climbing and balancing, but not for dodging) and Meld soul (meld your soul with that of an trained animal companion of yours, i don´t have exactly the stats).
In that way, you can be quite creative, and with inventing ritual magic with really rare and expensive indigrients you can invent real powerful magic, to.
In my campaign, the spellcasters needs either teacher to teach them new spells (which i invented) or they need a laboratory to invent spells with lore rolls.

But, with the ability to learn new schools of magic (so, exactly 4 for spellcasters and 3 for druids) and to have the general spells for free, each spellcasters starts with 16 spells and can rank up to 36 or 46. So i think this is a lot.

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