Master skill list

[Laxton]

Hello All

As noted previously in my other topics, I'm super new.  Trying to convert my long running DnD campaign to BRP/magic worldesque rules.  I'm working to compile two things.  One is a master skills list from any and all relevant books and systems.  The other is a similar list but with any and all spells.  I'm 87 pages into my spells list.  Skills are starting now.  Before I go nuts diving into this, does anyone have or has anyone published a master list of skills?

[g33k]

Hmm.

To begin with, you should realize that (for the spells-list) BRP has multiple different magic-systems, and you generally don't want to mix the spells.

Unlike D&D, where most casters use a largely-similar magic-system (i.e. spells-in-slots / casting uses spell-slots, tho Warlocks are a bit different) each BRP-powered game tends to have one or more magic-systems suited to the setting.

Let's take RuneQuest, which is the one I know best (and is the original game, foundational to the whole BRP ecosystem).

First there's "Spirit Magic" which is the simplest.  As implied, spells are learned from spirits; as some envision it, the spells are actually links to the spirits, and "casting" the spell is (in a metaphysical sense) feeding a bit of magic to the spirit and directing it to the target.  Spirit-magic is fueled by your "Magic Points," with your MP total being your POW score; this regenerates in full every day (I usually do it as a point every couple of hours (more or less, depending on POW), with a bit faster MP-recovery for deep rest (sleep or meditation), etc.  There are also special crystals &c into which one can store MP's during downtime, to serve as "batteries" for your spirit-magic during adventures.

Next up is "Rune Magic" aka "Cult Magic" -- this is spells from your deity.  You gain a Rune Spell by sacrificing a point of your POW to your deity in worship during Holy Days; this right off your characteristic, i.e. it does not regenerate (although the rules give lots of opportunities to roll for POW-gain (which can freely rise above your original rolled POW)), so it's serious business -- you've basically given the deity a piece of your soul!  Your POW-sac also gives you a point in a "Rune Pool" with your deity.  Most PC's begin play with 3-pt Rune Pools & 3 Rune Spells, presumed to have been gained before play began (their POW is as-rolled, though they have the option then to sac a point off their POW for an extra Rune Spell and a larger Rune Pool (or more than one)).  Your Rune-pool regenerates only during worship-ceremonies on Holy Days; only very-experienced PC's will have Rune Pools that get anywhere close to their available Magic Points, and Holy Days are generally only once per week at most (and for some deities only once per season)... thus, Rune Magic is a MUCH more scarce resource!  These spells are also, generally, much more powerful than Spirit Magic; but they depend upon the deity's own nature and upon their feats & deeds during the God Time (the Storm God has plenty of wind&lightning powers, but only a single Darkness power from the time he seduced the Troll Goddess and stole her Sandals of Darkness; etc).

Third is "Sorcery."  This is the most-complex (so far).  It's the slowest-to-cast (and thus most RQ sorcerors make "iffy" adventurers).  Sorcery is based on the classic "Western Hermetic" model of magic -- long study, deep learning, reasoned application of methods, direct force of (trained) willpower upon the fundamental forces of the universe.  The mechanics are due for an expansion in an upcoming book (expanding upon the region where sorcery is a dominant method, and worship of the Gods is deprecated).  There is much more spell-construction for the players in Sorcery, with a shorter "spell-list" of pre-constructed spells.

Finally there are Mysticism & Draconic Magic -- this has only been hinted-at in the rules, and we aren't sure when (or if) it's coming (or if they are closely-related, or different); it may be something GM's are supposed to use as a "whatever I want" sort of hand-wave, although we know the Draconic Way involves detachment from worldly things and worldly concerns.

 

I will also mention Call of Cthulhu...  The Cosmic Horror themes of CoC rely in part upon the concept of things that man was not meant to know.  This includes most magic... afaik, all magic (though I'm not deep-enough in Mythos lore to be sure).  Consequently, even learning magic -- and certainly casting magic! -- is liable to hit the PC's in their sanity, and inevitably (for someone who spell-casts regularly) lead them to utter madness (and retirement as a PC).

For RuneQuest, the Red Book of Magic lists all Spirit- & Rune-Magic spells.

Edited June 5, 2023 by g33k

[rsanford]

Just to make sure I understand… You said you are 87 pages into making a master list of spells. Are those spells from your D&D campaign that you have converted to BRP or is that an attempt to compile all the spells across all relevant BRP variants (Big Gold Book, Elric, Mythras, OpenQuest, Magic World, Renaissance. etc.)? In the first case you might want to check out Classic Fantasy for Mythras from The Design Mechanism as the author has already done the conversion work for a lot of D&D spells. Also a quick look at their site suggest there is a second book available called Classic Fantasy Expert Set which offers even more spells. If you are trying to compile all BRP spells or all BRP fantasy spells then I wish you luck. That’s going to be a large task!

[Laxton]

16 minutes ago, rsanford said:

Just to make sure I understand… You said you are 87 pages into making a master list of spells. Are those spells from your D&D campaign that you have converted to BRP or is that an attempt to compile all the spells across all relevant BRP variants (Big Gold Book, Elric, Mythras, OpenQuest, Magic World, Renaissance. etc.)? In the first case you might want to check out Classic Fantasy for Mythras from The Design Mechanism as the author has already done the conversion work for a lot of D&D spells. Also a quick look at their site suggest there is a second book available called Classic Fantasy Expert Set which offers even more spells. If you are trying to compile all BRP spells or all BRP fantasy spells then I wish you luck. That’s going to be a large task!

No what I'm trying to do is compile all spells that I can find that have been put out for various BRP systems. What I'm trying to do is get my players up for converting to this system. I want to show them that it can be very robust and complex and fun. I fully realize that we will likely not use the overwhelming majority of these spells. But I would like a large master list of them to pull from and to sell my players on.

[rsanford]

26 minutes ago, Laxton said:

No what I'm trying to do is compile all spells that I can find that have been put out for various BRP systems. What I'm trying to do is get my players up for converting to this system. I want to show them that it can be very robust and complex and fun. I fully realize that we will likely not use the overwhelming majority of these spells. But I would like a large master list of them to pull from and to sell my players on.

Ah - I see! You’re basically trying to build a case to win over your D&D group! I can see how your approach could be effective, especially if your players tend to think of gaming in mostly D&D terms. The only compendium of BRP spells I am aware of is Call of Cthulhu’s Grand Grimoire and it seems ill suited for a D&D style fantasy setting (at least the ones I have been involved in). Having said that, I did create a table in Microsoft Word that aggregated and summarized some of the spells from the Big Gold Book, Magic World and Advanced Sorcery that I though my novice players at the time would be interested in (they were playing D&D 3.5 previously). PM me an email address and I will email it to you (assuming. I can find it on my laptop - it’s been nearly a decade). It probably only summarizes 30 or 40 spells but they tended to be tactical / battle style spells like the ones my D&D players were used to.

 

[Laxton]

11 minutes ago, rsanford said:

Ah - I see! You’re basically trying to build a case to win over your D&D group! I can see how your approach could be effective, especially if your players tend to think of gaming in mostly D&D terms. The only compendium of BRP spells I am aware of is Call of Cthulhu’s Grand Grimoire and it seems ill suited for a D&D style fantasy setting (at least the ones I have been involved in). Having said that, I did create a table in Microsoft Word that aggregated and summarized some of the spells from the Big Gold Book, Magic World and Advanced Sorcery that I though my novice players at the time would be interested in (they were playing D&D 3.5 previously). PM me an email address and I will email it to you (assuming. I can find it on my laptop - it’s been nearly a decade). It probably only summarizes 30 or 40 spells but they tended to be tactical / battle style spells like the ones my D&D players were used to.

 

Private message sent.  Thank you ❤️