Alternative to MQR2 's Spirit Magic

[Daxos232]

I have Mongoose's new RQ2 core rule book and I really like it. I know that they made Spirit Magic in this edition actually work, compared to what I've heard many say about Spirit Magic in the previous editions. However I don't really feel like it fits the setting I'm working on.

Is there an alternate system from another book that anyone knows about that I could use as a substitute? Something that has that shamanism/animism feel.

[rust]

I am not sure which "flavour" of shamanism/animism you mean, but some of the ideas from

BRP Witchcraft could perhaps fit into your setting ?

[Daxos232]

I guess its the fact that it doesn't have spells. I was looking for a system that would have a list of different spells for nature users, though if that is not possible I could use it as is.

[Thalaba]

Spirit Magic from the Basic Magic book should do the trick, as it has spells.

BTW the old Spirit Magic worked quite well - it just didn't reflect some people's view of how Shamanism should work. But it is a perfectly servicable magic system and has been used by many RQ3 enthusiasts over the years without complaint. BM Spirit Magic feels more like Ancient Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Spirit Magic and Ancestor Worship than Druidism or Shape Changing.

[Agentorange]

If you're looking for shamanic style powers, eg spirit combat, laying on of hands, second sight etc etc it's probably worth getting hold of Sandy Petersons revised shaman rules for RQ3. They're completely free and available on the net...just do a google search.

[Daxos232]

I did find Sandy Peterson's alternate "sorcery" rules, but I did not find anything for shamanism. The alternate sorcery looks interesting. Is there a link to the shamanism rules?

[Agentorange]

Go here:

http://karamo.nexenservices.com/glowar/rqgb.htm

Scroll down and look under the spells and magic section

[Agentorange]

mmm.... the link seems to be dead. I've emailed the site owner to see if it's just a glitch.

[Agentorange]

Don't seem to be able to cut'n'paste into a reply here.

Daxos, if you want to email me I've got a copy somewhere, I send it on to you.

[deleriad]

Spirit Magic from the Basic Magic book should do the trick, as it has spells.

BTW the old Spirit Magic worked quite well - it just didn't reflect some people's view of how Shamanism should work. But it is a perfectly servicable magic system and has been used by many RQ3 enthusiasts over the years without complaint. BM Spirit Magic feels more like Ancient Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Spirit Magic and Ancestor Worship than Druidism or Shape Changing.

That said, RW3 spirit magic and MRQ2 common magic spell lists are 90% identical so it doesn't really make sense to buy Basic Magic just for that. One quick and easy mod to RQ2 spirit magic might be:

Remove all the "always on" spirits and replace them with spell casting spirits that cast common magic spells for you. E.g. 1 Intensity of spirit could know 2 Magnitude of common magic. It runs the risk of being overpowered so I would say that spirits in fetishes cannot regain MPs while bound in a fetish so, eventually, the shaman will have to release it back to the spirit plane and find a new spirit.* Don't forget as well that most shamans will know a mix of common magic too. *True names always handy here... Basically, this allows you to have, effectively, a spell list.

Also, check out the thread on rpg net by a poster called tgryph. One of his Pc's is an animist and has lots of good ideas about talking with spirits and so on that seems far more animist than anything I've previously seen in RQ.

If on the other hand you want to create something more like (stereotypical) druidism, skin changing and so on, then those might be best modelled through Divine worship.