Alternative Wizardry Systems

[peterb]

This post outlines two methods of incorporating spells that are originally designed to be used with the d20 game system into BRP/d100 games. Since there are a lot of material published for d20 and some of it is quite useful a conversion method could be quite handy - IMHO. The following is just a bare bone set of rules, I haven't even decided for my self which of these alternatives I like the best.

Method 1: Skill based system

• Each school of magic is a separate skill.
  
• Spells need not be memorized.
  
• Spells can be cast from books, at double the casting time.
  
• Each spell has a difficulty rating of 0 to 45 which is subtracted from the school skill level (d20 spell level x 5).
  
• Spells costs 1 mp per two d20 spell levels, rounded up, to cast. Thus 0-1:st lvl = 1 mp, 2 -3:rd lvl = 2 mp’s, etc.
  
• Spells can be manipulated by expending more magic points. Each expansion of area, range, duration or additional targets or missiles costs 1 magic points each. Example: by default the spell magic missile creates one magic missile, adding three extra missiles costs three additional magic points, for a total cost of 4 mp’s.
  
• A wizard can only manipulate an amount of magic points equal to school skill level / 10 (rounded to nearest whole number) at any given time. Example: a wizard with a skill of 63 can only manipulate 6 magic points. He couldn’t expand a fireball (a 2 mp spell) more than 4 points.
  
• Learning a spell is a two week task that has a chance of success equal to school skill – difficulty rating. A wizard with 55% skill would need to roll 40 or lower to learn the spell fireball (DR 15). A wizard may add a week to his studies and increase his chance of success by the average of his INT and POW (rounded to the nearest whole number) percentiles. Our wizard, with INT 14 and POW 15, could thus add 14 percentiles to his chance of learning the fireball spell.
  

Method 2: “Fire and Forget” system

• Casting a known, memorized, spell succeeds on a roll of 01-95. A 00 is still a fumble.
  
• Spells costs d20 spell level x 3 mp to cast.
  
• Expanding a spell costs 2 mp per expansion (see above).
  
• A wizard starts out with POW / 2 mp.
  
• Each 10 percentiles of skill in any spell school skill adds one mp.
  
• Learning a spell is a two week task that has a chance of success equal to school skill – difficulty rating. A wizard with 55% skill would need to roll 40 or lower to learn the spell fireball (DR 15). A wizard may add a week to his studies and increase his chance of success by the average of his INT and POW (rounded to the nearest whole number) percentiles. Our wizard, with INT 14 and POW 15, could thus add 14 percentiles to his chance of learning the fireball spell.
  

Method 2: “Fire and Forget” divine magic

• Casting a known, memorized, spell succeeds on a roll of 01-95. A 00 is still a fumble.
  
• Spells costs d20 spell level mp to cast.
  
• Expanding a spell costs 1 mp per expansion (see above).
  
• A Priest or Shaman has POW = mp.
  
• Spells are learned from Spell Spirits. Kult spirits normally has POW equal to (spell level + spell level d3). Normal Spell Spirits has POW equal to spell level d6. Example: a priest that wishes to learn a 2:nd level spell must fight with a spell spirit with POW 2d3+2. A shaman trying to learn the same spell must fight with a spell spirit with POW 2d6.
  

[frogspawner]

OK, you've shown yours, so I'll show mine...

Method 3: "Magic"-skill based system

• Mages have the skill of Magic, starting at roughly INT%
  
• Max Spell Level castable = Magic skill / 10 (drop fractions)
  
• Magic Points = (INT-2)/2 x Max Spell Level castable
  
• One spell per point of INT can be memorized.
  
• Spells costs 1 MP per spell level
  
• Spells can be intensified by expending more MP than the default (which is the spell level), up to the caster's Max Spell Level castable.
  
• The effects of a spell are as the D20 descriptions, but "level of caster" equals the number of MP expended.
  
• When casting a spell, make a Magic skill-roll: Success = normal success; Fail = Half Effect (damage/duration/overcoming-POW); Special = No MP loss; Critical = No MP loss and Double one effect; Fumble = roll on an amusing table...
  
• Learning a spell is a month-long task that has a chance of success equal to: (30 / (Spell Level+1)) x (Magic Skill - 10xSpell Level)
  
• Oh and, since it's difficult, Magic skill only increases 1% each time. Sorry!
  

And...

Method 4: "Holiness"-skill based system

• Priests have Holiness (aka Allegiance<religion>), starting at roughly POW%
  
• Max Spell Level invokable = Holiness skill / 10 (drop fractions)
  
• Magic Points = (POW-6)/2 x Max Spell Level invokable
  
• Spells (aka Miracles) do not require learning/memorizing/pre-booking - all the religion's spells are available
  
• Spells cost 1 MP per spell level
  
• Spells cannot be intensified by the invoker
  
• The effects of a spell are as the D20 descriptions, but "level of caster" equals the invoker's Max Spell Level castable.
  
• But beneficial miracles only have half-effect on non-worshippers
  
• When casting a spell, make a POWx5 roll: Success = normal success; Fail = no effect (no MP loss); and there are no special/criticals/fumbles.
  
• An Increase roll for Holiness may be attempted when the priest attempts increase rolls for FIVE cult skills and/or cult personality traits at once
  
• Oh and, since it's also difficult, Holiness skill only increases 1% each time, too. Sorry again!
  

[RosenMcStern]

Some interesting ideas. Things are heating up here.

[*]Magic Points = (INT-2)/2 x Max Spell Level castable

...

[*]Magic Points = (POW-6)/2 x Max Spell Level invokable

Why? Magic Points = POW is simple and effective. Do not fix what is not broken. Lower the MP cost for casting spells below your maximum level, instead!

Priests have Holiness (aka Allegiance<religion>), starting at roughly POW%

This i _do_ like! Way better than the Lore (Specific Theology) in MRQ.

Spells (aka Miracles) do not require learning/memorizing/pre-booking - all the religion's spells are available

Why? I think an appropriate Pilgrimage before being able to cast the spell (a minor HeroQuest in Glorantha) is a goodi idea. Having every priest with the same Holiness the same sounds not that good to me.

When casting a spell, make a POWx5 roll: Success = normal success; Fail = no effect (no MP loss); and there are no special/criticals/fumbles.

Why POWx5? Either you roll Holiness or you do not roll at all for a Divine Spell.

[tzunder]

I think a good d20 magic to BRP conversion set (or sets) is crucial.

These schema look like good broadbrush starters.

[Tywyll]

Why? I think an appropriate Pilgrimage before being able to cast the spell (a minor HeroQuest in Glorantha) is a goodi idea. Having every priest with the same Holiness the same sounds not that good to me.

Though I can't speak for the writer, to me it is because the idea of the God giving you a specific spell is kind of silly. If God's work their miracles through you than they ought to be able to use what is best in a specific situation, rather than what the priest thinks he might need a week from now.

That's just me though. I'd prefer that Pow dedicated to the God becomes a pool of points from which they can draw (with GM's approval) spells from the God as they need them. it also keeps divine magic from being a definable resource (yes your god can heal, but for some reason, when you try to heal that wounded person, they don't grant you that ability... perhaps its in the god's interest that that person suffers, perhaps you've failed the god and are being punished, that's up to you to answer in the dark tea time of your soul).

[RosenMcStern]

Where did I mention that the priesthood teaches you divine spells? I said "pilgrimages" and "heroquests", i.e. actions that show directly to your god that you possess a particular virtue and so you are worthy to invoke a particular kind of miracle. The most common miracles should be immediately available to initiates (healing for compassionate gods, weapon blessings for war gods, etc.) while others might require some extra dedication before you can use the miracle. What use are "journeys to special holy spots" if the miracle that is connected to them is automatically learned when you attain a certain cult rank?

[Tywyll]

Where did I mention that the priesthood teaches you divine spells? I said "pilgrimages" and "heroquests", i.e. actions that show directly to your god that you possess a particular virtue and so you are worthy to invoke a particular kind of miracle. The most common miracles should be immediately available to initiates (healing for compassionate gods, weapon blessings for war gods, etc.) while others might require some extra dedication before you can use the miracle. What use are "journeys to special holy spots" if the miracle that is connected to them is automatically learned when you attain a certain cult rank?

Sorry, when I said 'Priest' it was a typo, I meant 'God'.

Your worthiness to invoke the rituals comes from any manner of methods in which you prove yourself, embody your faith, etc, etc. If the GM wants a specific power to be difficult for a player to gain (say Resurrection) than it is withheld, per my example, until such time as the character has earned the right to utilize it (in what ever method the GM decides fits the deity). This should still be, in my opinion, a one off or perhaps use in pursuance of a goal of the faith, rather than something the character 'learns' and can use as they see fit.

[frogspawner]

Why? Magic Points = POW is simple and effective. Do not fix what is not broken. Lower the MP cost for casting spells below your maximum level, instead!

I know - I was fixing the d20 system! In the hope of converting my pre-existing campaign (and players) I was trying to do it in easy stages. Maybe time for another step...

This i _do_ like! Way better than the Lore (Specific Theology) in MRQ.

Yes, BRP's Allegiance is a delight - and I've already adopted it, as you see. Since it's releatively undefined how to increase it, GM's are free to do so. (And I have, in an attempt to constrain priests into behaving as the god sees fit, by tying it to cult skills/traits).

Why POWx5? Either you roll Holiness or you do not roll at all for a Divine Spell.

Mages should be the experts at spell-casting. The roll makes priests less reliable - definitely 2nd-class spell-users. And having it a stat-roll, not a skill, shows it's not them doing the casting - it comes from the god.

I think an appropriate Pilgrimage before being able to cast the spell (a minor HeroQuest in Glorantha) is a goodi idea. Having every priest with the same Holiness the same sounds not that good to me.

Though I can't speak for the writer, to me it is because the idea of the God giving you a specific spell is kind of silly.

I guess neither method suits all settings, nor all tastes. Personally, I'm accustomed to the d20 "all-spells-available" thing, but I also like the RQ "quest-for-it" way - and use that for Paladins (aka RuneLords?), along with instant & infallible spell-casting, Rune-Magic style, BTW.

I think a good d20 magic to BRP conversion set (or sets) is crucial. These schema look like good broadbrush starters.

Ditto. And thanks! I'm not entirely happy with mine, due to many compromises with d20. With peterb posting his work on this subject, it's a golden opportunity to get them sorted...

Method 1: Skill based system

<plus loads of good stuff, snipped>

I prefer the simplicity of MP Cost = Spell Level best, and 1 MP per expansion. Why do Mages only have more complex formulae? How do you decide what the default effect for d20 spell is? Have you found these moderate the damage of d20-style spells acceptably? Do you use just a normal POWvPOW for saving throws? The skill-per-school is good, too - but do you use any other magic related skills for mages? (Oh, and thanks for posting, btw - this is most interesting!)

[RosenMcStern]

Okay, just one more question.

Why translate all the D20 spells to BRP? There are wagonloads of spells available from all editions of CoC, RQ, SB that are more suited to BRP. Apart from your personal campaign, I mean.

[frogspawner]

Player inertia. It probably applies to campaigns other than mine, too. They like to think they're playing "D&D" (and the spells make it seem the same) - but it hasn't been, for years...

Plus, now we will hopefully have a new influx of ex-D&D-ers, disenchanted by 4e. Using spells they're familiar with should make their transition so much easier.

And the spells need hardly any translating for this system (and perhaps peterb's too). Define a few straightforward principles (e.g.: "AC" becomes 10-x APs; "+X to hit" becomes +X0% attack; any more?) and it could be done on-the-fly. (The difficult part is resisting the temptation to change them for the better...!)

[soltakss]

Though I can't speak for the writer, to me it is because the idea of the God giving you a specific spell is kind of silly.

Unless I've misunderstood you completely, which is quite likely, this really only applies to an all-powerful god. If you have a polytheistic model then each god has his own sphere of influence and grants spells according to his own powers. So, a rain god frants rainmaking spells, a wargod grants war magic and a darkness god grants darkness magic.

Also, if you go to a pilgramage to a certain specific holy place then you will probably get the spell associated with that holy place. So, you might get a spell to cure the Black Pox at a particular healing shrine where a goddess first cured the Black Pox.

If God's work their miracles through you than they ought to be able to use what is best in a specific situation, rather than what the priest thinks he might need a week from now.

Possibly. I don't have a problem with that as a concept. I'd still restrict spells according to the function of the deity, though, otherwise you get the same problem as AD&D used to have where all the clerics had the same spells regardless of the deities they worshipped.

That's just me though. I'd prefer that Pow dedicated to the God becomes a pool of points from which they can draw (with GM's approval) spells from the God as they need them. it also keeps divine magic from being a definable resource (yes your god can heal, but for some reason, when you try to heal that wounded person, they don't grant you that ability... perhaps its in the god's interest that that person suffers, perhaps you've failed the god and are being punished, that's up to you to answer in the dark tea time of your soul).

That sounds fine to me.

[Tywyll]

Unless I've misunderstood you completely, which is quite likely, this really only applies to an all-powerful god. If you have a polytheistic model then each god has his own sphere of influence and grants spells according to his own powers. So, a rain god frants rainmaking spells, a wargod grants war magic and a darkness god grants darkness magic.

Yeah that wasn't what I was getting at. Yes, the kind of god you worship should dictate the kinds of magic you get. What shouldn't happen (in my opinion) is that you learn specific spells, especially in advance. Priests preying ahead of time, in a vancian or quasi-vancian system (which I consider RQ Divine Magic to be) just doesn't seem like it models a good view of magic gifted from on high.

Also, if you go to a pilgramage to a certain specific holy place then you will probably get the spell associated with that holy place. So, you might get a spell to cure the Black Pox at a particular healing shrine where a goddess first cured the Black Pox.

Only if you view the god's power as being limited to places like that. I think a different way to handle it would be:

a) You prove yourself worthy of receiving the ability to wield the blessing by journeying to a forgotten shrine and reclaiming it for the faith.

You find a relic hidden at such a shrine lost to the faith

c) The affliction is so potent only a place dedicated to your god can handle enough power for them to remove the pox.

All of these things maintain the element of the quest or the adventure, without leaving the PC the one 'in charge' of the ability.

Possibly. I don't have a problem with that as a concept. I'd still restrict spells according to the function of the deity, though, otherwise you get the same problem as AD&D used to have where all the clerics had the same spells regardless of the deities they worshipped.

I personally preferred the Sphere system of 2nd Ed AD&D, as that dealt with the magic spread amongst various faiths quite well.

[peterb]

I think a good d20 magic to BRP conversion set (or sets) is crucial. These schema look like good broadbrush starters.

I agree. Even if some or even the major part of the spells, creatures and items that have been published for the d20 system would seem out-of-line to hardcore BRP/d100 gamers, converting them or at least by providing guidelines for conversion would greatly increase the appeal of BRP to gamers having a d20 background. If you are thinking of moving from d20 to BRP and has a great deal of d20 material, being unable to use that material would be quite some barrier. If we could help with this step we would do our community a service and existing BRP players would also benefit from being able to more easily use d20 material. I do, of course, understand that such conversion projects would not be everyone's cup-of-tea.

[peterb]

First of all I should point out that these bare bone formulas have not been used in play. They are the first iteration in an attempt to reach a set of algorithms for standardizing the conversion of d20 spells to the d100-system. They are also a very rough set of rules for a type or arcane and divine magic that would seem familiar to a user of the d20 system and still work well within the d100 framework.

I prefer the simplicity of MP Cost = Spell Level best, and 1 MP per expansion.

I have no problem with a spell cost formula of 1 mp / d20 spell level + 1 mp per extension, as such. I was just worried that wizards wouldn't be able to do any decent manipulations, given that I want to limit the amount of manipulation a wizard can do with any given spell. I might worry to much.

Why do Mages only have more complex formulae?

The skill system (my method 1) was really only intended for arcane magic. When tinkering with the second system I realised I could link in divine magic into it. The second system is (partly) based on the idea that a wizards ability to manipulate magic increases with skill. That's nothing strange really. I wanted to simulate this increase in skill but also to avoid having to deduct mp:s when the mage became better. So instead I had wizards start with a low mp pool, simulating that at low skill levels the mage must spend, relatively speaking, more energy on each spell. When the magic-user increases his skills the relative cost decreases, the wizard becomes more resource effective.

A similar system has been implemented by Green Ronin in their publication “True Sorcery”.

Since divine magic is “programmed” into the priest, he really does not understand the spell he just, somehow, knows that if he focus on an aspect of his god he can bring forth a supernatural effect. The priest's ability to do this does not increase with skill, since no skill is used.

How do you decide what the default effect for d20 spell is?

The default effect is based on the spells description. Increasing the “caster level” is an extension and costs 1 mp per level. Some spells have bonus effects based on character level. Barkskin is an example. In such cases I would use level x 10% and allow the bonus effect at those skill levels. I use 10 as a multiplier instead of 5 because having bonus effects already at a skill level of say 30% is a bit low, IMO.

Have you found these moderate the damage of d20-style spells acceptably?

Not really. That's still a problem. One possible solution is to downgrade all dices one step. That is d6's becomes d5's, d4's d3's etc. The maximum amount of damage is also a problem. Limiting the amount of mp manipulated might be one way of dealing with that problem.

Do you use just a normal POW v POW for saving throws?

Yes. That was my intention. I don't really like the skill based approach to resistances used by MRQ, although I can see that it has some merit in some situations.

The skill-per-school is good, too - but do you use any other magic related skills for mages?

No I don't plan to do that. In any case none that would increase the chance of casting a spell or increase the mp pool. I do see uses for skills such as Knowledge [arcane lore] and such, for example when researching new spells or when analysing magic items or magical effects.

/Peter

[Tywyll]

I have no problem with a spell cost formula of 1 mp / d20 spell level + 1 mp per extension, as such. I was just worried that wizards wouldn't be able to do any decent manipulations, given that I want to limit the amount of manipulation a wizard can do with any given spell. I might worry to much.

Unless you do something to dramatically increase the Wizard's MP, using that formula will make Wizards even weaker than their d&d counterparts, which is to say that they'll start being able to cast several spells a day, and each time they gain access to new spell levels, their number of spells drops dramatically.

[peterb]

Unless you do something to dramatically increase the Wizard's MP, using that formula will make Wizards even weaker than their d&d counterparts, which is to say that they'll start being able to cast several spells a day, and each time they gain access to new spell levels, their number of spells drops dramatically.

Well, the average cost of the average spirit magic spell is probably 1.5 mp. A RQ 3 shaman could only cast some 10 spells a day... and as the average sorcery spell costs quite some mp in RQ3 (due too intensity, range and duration manipulation) a sorcerer would only be able to cast two or three spells a day...

The solution is mp storing devices, mp spirits and self-powered magic devices. Also a mage in d100 needs to use magic in other ways, as a information seeking device, to improve defences and so on. Sorcery and the like really takes to much time to cast to be very valuable in combat, in such situation spirit magic rules (and you don't need many of those spells).

Sure, one could device means to deal with the problem. One way would be to use Fatigue Points instead of mp, possibly combined with a "spell buffer" that increases with skill. Assume that a mage would be allowed STR + CON FP which he could use to cast spells and that he could add a "buffer" equal to (sum of all magic skills / 10) rounded up that he could spend before tapping into his own strength reservoir. Of course you'll have to increase the cost of the spells by about x 5. But as you may recall FP are recovered faster than MP... Of course for every 10 FP the mage would loose 10 percentiles in all skills. You could also device a spell that allowed the mage to recover 5 FP per MP or 15 FP per point of permanent POW. In a ditch the mage could sacrifice MP and even POW to recover his breath.

/Peter

[Tywyll]

Well, the average cost of the average spirit magic spell is probably 1.5 mp. A RQ 3 shaman could only cast some 10 spells a day... and as the average sorcery spell costs quite some mp in RQ3 (due too intensity, range and duration manipulation) a sorcerer would only be able to cast two or three spells a day...

The solution is mp storing devices, mp spirits and self-powered magic devices. Also a mage in d100 needs to use magic in other ways, as a information seeking device, to improve defences and so on. Sorcery and the like really takes to much time to cast to be very valuable in combat, in such situation spirit magic rules (and you don't need many of those spells).

Those solutions don't really work if you are trying to model d20 style casting. I think either a)granting more MP (INt+Pow?) or b)granting something like the buffer idea, +1 per 10% in casting skill would be the way. Also something like the Ease Sorcery skill might help.

[peterb]

As a response to the comments above, I wrote this bare bone alternative wizardry system:

Fatigue and spell buffer

• Each school of magic is a separate skill.
  
• Spells need not be memorized.
  
• Spells can be cast from books, at double the casting time.
  
• Each spell has a difficulty rating of 0 to 45 which is subtracted from the school skill level (d20 spell level x 5).
  
• Casting a spell is tiring. Each spell has a FP cost equal to its difficulty rating. Spells with DR 0 costs 1 FP to cast.
  
• Spells can be manipulated by expending more fatigue points. Each expansion of area, range, duration or additional targets or missiles costs 5 fatigue points each. Example: by default the spell magic missile creates one magic missile, adding three extra missiles costs 15 additional fatigue points, for a total cost of 20 FP.
  
• As the mage improves her skills she will become less fatigued by casting spells. This improved ability to manipulate magic energy is represented by a Spell Buffer. A wizard’s Spell Buffer is equal to one tenth of her combined magic skill values (rounded to the nearest whole number). A wizard with a total of 93 points in three skills thus has a Spell Buffer of 9 points. The Spell Buffer can be only used instead of FP to fuel spells. The mage recovers the buffer at the same rate as she recovers FP.
  
• A wizard can only manipulate an amount of fatigue points equal to half her school skill level, drop the reminder, at any given time. Thus a wizard with a skill of 63 can only manipulate a maximum of 30 fatigue points at any given time. She couldn’t expand a fireball (a 15 FP spell) more than 15 points and she couldn’t cast a spell with a higher DR than 30 (a 6th level spell in d20 terms), in effect a wizard cannot cast spells with a d20 spell level higher than the 10s digit of his spell school skill.
  
• Expanding fatigue points to rapidly could be dangerous as the wizard runs the risk of exhausting himself, possibly even killing himself.
  
• Learning a spell is a two week task that has a chance of success equal to school skill – difficulty rating. A wizard with 55% skill would need to roll 40 or lower to learn the spell fireball (DR 15). A wizard may add a week to his studies and increase his chance of success by the average of his INT and POW (rounded to the nearest whole number) percentiles. Our wizard, with INT 14 and POW 15, could thus add 14 percentiles to his chance of learning the fireball spell.
  

[frogspawner]

To clarify, a 15fp Magic Missile (i.e. expanded twice) would do 3 dice of damage, but a 15fp Fireball (not expanded) would do 1 die?

Also, I'd suggest that school-skills should all contribute individually to the Spell Buffer, so you don't have to worry about the odd %'s, only when any skill crosses a 10% barrier.

[soltakss]

The trouble with using D20 magic in a BRPish environment is that you have to look at the theory behind the magic first and they aren't always compatible.

D20 is resolutely level based, BRP is resolutely not level based.

This means that D20 magicians get spells of differing power the further they get in their character class. Some spells are not available to lower level magicians and other become more powerful the higher level the magician.

BRP Magic, on the other hand, is based on personal power or personal magical rfesources. So, you have skills that control, how good you are magically and PPs that determine how much oomph you have to put behind the spell.

It is difficult to convert one to the other.

To use D20 magic effectively you have to have levels, which can be used in BRP games by having different degrees of membership of a particular magical organisation. So, you have Lay Member/Initiate/RuneLevel in RQ, there's no particular reason why a certain order doesn't have Member/Master/GrandMaster or whatever series of levels you want. So, levels aren't really an issue.

A big issue with D20 spells are that the higher level ones are incredibly powerful. They can seriously unbalance a game. But that is a problem for the GM.

Another issue is that D20 magicians can only store a certain number of spells and can only cast a certain number of spells per day, and both limitations are defined by level. That is against many of the BRP values. Is there a way around it? Almost certainly. Do I know the way? Nope.

But, I'd love to see a conversion of OGL D20 Spells to a D100-style system. Since BRP is definitely and absolutely not OGL then you can't convert them to BRP. You'd have to look at another D100 system that is OGL-based. I'm trying to think of one, it's on the tip of my tongue ....

[RosenMcStern]

Since BRP is definitely and absolutely not OGL then you can't convert them to BRP. You'd have to look at another D100 system that is OGL-based. I'm trying to think of one, it's on the tip of my tongue ....

But please don't speak the name here, or you might have your tongue cut off by some Zealot :eek:

[peterb]

To clarify, a 15fp Magic Missile (i.e. expanded twice) would do 3 dice of damage, but a 15fp Fireball (not expanded) would do 1 die?

Yes... but a fireball is an area spell. Some spells would probably need a bit of tweaking. I would, for example, downgrade Magic Missile to 1d3 damage (but ignoring armour, needing a POW v POW win). Essentially it would become an improved Disruption spell.

Also, I'd suggest that school-skills should all contribute individually to the Spell Buffer, so you don't have to worry about the odd %'s, only when any skill crosses a 10% barrier.

Good idea. I wouldn't complain, the method that is easiest to use should be used.

[peterb]

To use D20 magic effectively you have to have levels, which can be used in BRP games by having different degrees of membership of a particular magical organisation. So, you have Lay Member/Initiate/RuneLevel in RQ, there's no particular reason why a certain order doesn't have Member/Master/GrandMaster or whatever series of levels you want. So, levels aren't really an issue.

A big issue with D20 spells are that the higher level ones are incredibly powerful. They can seriously unbalance a game. But that is a problem for the GM.

Another issue is that D20 magicians can only store a certain number of spells and can only cast a certain number of spells per day, and both limitations are defined by level. That is against many of the BRP values. Is there a way around it? Almost certainly. Do I know the way? Nope.

The method I devised and posted up-thread is in fact designed to deal with some of these problems. All the methods I've posted are intended to be used in a automatic conversion routine that converts d20 spell data into BRP (or d100 if you want) spell data. One problem one cannot handle programmatically is very powerful spells. The only thing one can do is to mark them as problematic and alert a GM about the potential problem.

But, I'd love to see a conversion of OGL D20 Spells to a D100-style system. Since BRP is definitely and absolutely not OGL then you can't convert them to BRP. You'd have to look at another D100 system that is OGL-based. I'm trying to think of one, it's on the tip of my tongue ....

Well, I wouldn't be using MRQ if I made a conversion. There's absolutely no problem converting d20 spells to BRP, legal wise. The game system in it self is not owned by anyone. The terms being used in any given game system (hp, AC, magic points, fatigue points, SR etc.) are for all purposes public domain.

[Tywyll]

Well, I wouldn't be using MRQ if I made a conversion. There's absolutely no problem converting d20 spells to BRP, legal wise. The game system in it self is not owned by anyone. The terms being used in any given game system (hp, AC, magic points, fatigue points, SR etc.) are for all purposes public domain.

And ultimately, if this is a fan conversion that you aren't selling, you can do whatever you want... more or less.

[frogspawner]

I would, for example, downgrade Magic Missile to 1d3 damage (but ignoring armour, needing a POW v POW win). Essentially it would become an improved Disruption spell.

Yes, same here! One d3 per increment is so much nicer than d4+1 every other... and it would be a bit too vicious without a 'saving throw' of some kind.

But this is unrepresentative. Most spells need virtually no changes and the conversion is not too much of a problem.