Need help on priest profession and magic

[Striker]

Hi everyone, new to MW and BRP but long-time rpg player.  We're starting on MW as a rule system/setting coming from other rpg systems, our first play of MW.  This is probably basic and easy but I'm not getting it.  Right now I'm only using the MW core book.  I own but haven't completely read through most of the BRP, and parts of Advanced Sorcery, all of Religon, and some of The Magic Book.  I'll just list them in oder:

1. the shaman/priest/cultist occupation they get 1d6+3 spell levels.  Those would correspond to the level of spell (ex. Heal is level 2) correct?

2. Some other books reference a "Religion/Faith" skill.  Do I just add that as needed to the occupation if desired?  Not seeing it as an occupation skill is throwing me.

3. In the MW book there is only Sorcery so are a priest's spells coming from the Sorcery spells?

4. If the priest does use the Sorcery spells do I come up with how they are relearned/refreshed?  The Religion book and Advanced Sorcery have some methods (I'll have questions on both of those in the future).

5. Sorcery requires a POW16 so would a priest without POW16 get spells?

I really like the system and having read a lot of the C&S 5E a lot is at least familiar and clearer.  We have yet to have our first game so I'm limiting skills/occupations/etc to just the MW base book for now and as we get familiar with the rules (one player is brand new to rpg) the additional material will probably be added.  I would really like to avoid having to bolt on parts from other books or settings until we're all set on the MW core book.  Thanks in advance and I really like all the downloads that are available.

 

[NickMiddleton]

2 hours ago, Striker said:

1. the shaman/priest/cultist occupation they get 1d6+3 spell levels.  Those would correspond to the level of spell (ex. Heal is level 2) correct?

Yes: the “level” of the spell is simply the default MP cost to cast it.

2 hours ago, Striker said:

2. Some other books reference a "Religion/Faith" skill.  Do I just add that as needed to the occupation if desired?  Not seeing it as an occupation skill is throwing me.

Yes. It’s not required in core MW by any rules, but if you think it would be mechanically useful adding won’t cause major issues.

2 hours ago, Striker said:

3. In the MW book there is only Sorcery so are a priest's spells coming from the Sorcery spells?

Yes.

2 hours ago, Striker said:

4. If the priest does use the Sorcery spells do I come up with how they are relearned/refreshed?

Spells are not “expended” when cast, only Magic Points. If a priest in MW has magic points for a spell they can cast it, and they recover MP as per MW rules.

2 hours ago, Striker said:

The Religion book and Advanced Sorcery have some methods (I'll have questions on both of those in the future).

Not sure what “the Religion book” is? Advanced Sorcery offers additional spells and several variant / additional magic (or magic like)) systems.

2 hours ago, Striker said:

5. Sorcery requires a POW16 so would a priest without POW16 get spells?

No they would not. But the great thing about BRP based games like Magic World is the rules are not as tightly interlinked as other RPGs and are thus more forgiving of house ruling. Giving the Priest profession a dispensation to get magic with a Pow of 12+ for example would work (Priests with spells would be more common than in RAW Magic World is all). One could devise more elaborate alternatives - in my Ulfland BRP game I linked priests magic to their Allegiance score.  It’s outlined in Uncounted Worlds issue one, which I think is in the file section here still.

2 hours ago, Striker said:

I really like the system and having read a lot of the C&S 5E a lot is at least familiar and clearer.  We have yet to have our first game so I'm limiting skills/occupations/etc to just the MW base book for now and as we get familiar with the rules (one player is brand new to rpg) the additional material will probably be added.  I would really like to avoid having to bolt on parts from other books or settings until we're all set on the MW core book.  Thanks in advance and I really like all the downloads that are available.

I am biased (I helped Ben Monroe prepare the original Magic World manuscript, and wrote a chapter of the Advanced Sorcery book) - but I adore the game and still use it as the basis of all my BRP games. Hope you and your group enjoy it!

[Questbird]

On 3/11/2023 at 4:08 PM, Striker said:

4. If the priest does use the Sorcery spells do I come up with how they are relearned/refreshed?  The Religion book and Advanced Sorcery have some methods (I'll have questions on both of those in the future).

 

 

 

 

I know you said you just want to play vanilla Magic World for now, and that is totally fine -- welcome to the game! I use a variant for priests where they pay the 1st Magic Point from their own store and the rest of the cost comes from Allegiance points for their god. So in order to keep casting spells they will need to build up more Allegiance (eg. praying, doing holy deeds, following the creed etc). It allows them to cast quite powerful spells without tiring as long as they are in good standing with their religion.

Edited March 24, 2023 by Questbird
quoted the wrong bit

[Striker]

That sounds interesting.  Ya we changed from plain MW to BRP, some little things pushed us to use that.  I'm planning on using allegiances and I've taken in the magnitude from the MW Religions doc from the files section.  Not sure how the elements worked in that though.  So for priests I'm going with POW+INT>30 and loaning POW to the diety in exchange for "spell slots" with the MW religion spell slot listings (most are 1 slot).  The priest can add PP but will have magnitude as 10% of Faith (APP+dedicated POW to diety) to enhance spells.  Catch is the priest (as defined in the MW religions) can get spells back in as soon as an hour per spell but has to spend time in the appropriate area/temple for the diety.  There's a sanctify spell to make "anywhere" holy ground but that would take a slot and be based on some common sense (water diety not super reachable in a desert).  It's a work in progress so tweeks will come as needed.