Overthinking Magic & "Illusion or Psychic Damage"

[Lloyd Dupont]

I made my own magic system, not from scratch, but from the 1989 Master of Magic computer game. I try to honor most of its ideas, lore, spells, etc...

There is a sorcery domain that has "Phantom Warrior" and "Phantom Beast" summon spells and "Psionic Blas" conjuration that do Illusion or Psychic damage. And there is a spell "true sight" that give immunity to illusion (and psychic?!) damage. And some creatures are immune to it (mostly undead and angels).

Now is where I am trying to convince myself I got a good system. Since I am making up the rule could, it's entirely arbitrary. However, perhaps one could come up with the right word to make any possible rule convincing?

Now, if I was playing a BRP custom rule I would be fine with that, it would damage the "general HP" pool.
But with Mythras and localized HP I am a little uncomfortable. Psychic damage is not going to damage your arm, is it? Or perhaps it is?
I was thinking to perhaps have a new location? But then how do one use healing on that location?
And then I though... we already have spiritual combat... But then suddenly those spells damage Magic Points and... mmm... Sorcery already has lots of metamagic spells and I was thinking the Death domain is the one that should damage MP.

Anyway, those are the thought that crosses my mind. And I wonder / hope that illusion/psychic damage means something to you and you can explain it to me 🙂

Edited August 21 by Lloyd Dupont

[ThornPlutonius]

It looks like you will need to define "psychic damage".  Is it only damage to the psyche?  Does "psychic damage" imply damage done via psychic powers (e.g., telekinesis)?

If the former, then the damage should be done to Int or Pow.  If the latter, then I see no problem choosing locations, perhaps making it slightly easier to do if you roll for random physical damage and more difficult if you want to inflict a certain type of damage to a certain location (which could be aided by the use of physical foci (e.g., poppets to represent the target, charms that have been attached to the target individual in the target location).

[lawrence.whitaker]

Mythras usually represents psychic damage by reducing Tenacity Points, which are equal to POW, but a separate pool to Magic Points. You'll find Tenacity discussed on page 139 of the Mythras core rules. This may be the easiest way of introducing a damage pool where this kind of damage can be applied, without a direct impact on a characteristic (which, if reduced, impact skills and attributes, and may do so quite profoundly).

[Lloyd Dupont]

Thanks yall!

16 hours ago, ThornPlutonius said:

It looks like you will need to define "psychic damage".  Is it only damage to the psyche?  Does "psychic damage" imply damage done via psychic powers (e.g., telekinesis)?

Mmm... yes indeed, I need to come up with some concept description of what the heck happen when one takes spirit/illusory "wounds"! 😮

But telekinesis would do normal force damage. Psychi/illusory damage describe the effect, so to speak!

16 hours ago, lawrence.whitaker said:

Mythras usually represents psychic damage by reducing Tenacity Points, which are equal to POW, but a separate pool to Magic Points. You'll find Tenacity discussed on page 139 of the Mythras core rules

Oh... I thought I never see that before. But I might have read it once! I guess this chapter ponder a somewhat similar topic, thanks! 🙂