Differences in Sorcery

[Mugen]

Thank you very much!

Would you mind sharing why they are your favorites? What is it about Sandy's that works so well for you?

As far as I'm concerned, I think Sandy Petersen did a great job in solving some of the major problems in RQ3's Sorcery.

First, the maximum number of MP you can invest in one art is limited by your skill level divided by 10, and not your Free INT.

There is a global limit to the number of spells you can keep active. It is not possible to have all your spells active at once at Intensity equal to Free INT.

The total levels of Arts you hold cannot exceed your Presence, whose value depends on Vows taken. This is very Glorantha-oriented, and one may wish to use INT+POW as a value for Presence in other settings.

What is meant by an 'Art' in his style of magic and what leads to you getting one?

An art is basically a manipulation skill. You can find major Arts (Range, Intensity, Multispell) and minor arts.

Duration doesn't exist as such anymore. Spells that are not instant and don't need to concentrate on them are permanent as long as you don't end them. But the most spells you held, the lesser your Presence is.

Minor Arts are lesser manipulation skills. For instance, Speed allows you to cast your spell faster, but increase the Presence and MP cost.

Are there 'direct' offensive spells (those that cause damage)?

There are.

Sandy Petersen introduced in this version spells like Evoke (Energy) that are meant to re-create Fireballs, Thunderbolts and other Icebolts.

[jean]

Mugen shares my opinion, so I won't repeat what he has written.

I have no experience with RQ4 sorcery.

Cheers

Jean

[Skunkape]

Where would you find Sandy's rules? I'm very interested in reading that take on sorcery.

[Mugen]

Where would you find Sandy's rules? I'm very interested in reading that take on sorcery.

You can find those here :

Sandy Petersen's Sorcery Rules

Or there :

Index of /aluban/documents

[Skunkape]

You can find those here :

Sandy Petersen's Sorcery Rules

Or there :

Index of /aluban/documents

Thanks much for the links, they are very much appreciated!!!

[Harvey Walters]

There is a sorcery version that predates Avalon Hill's? Where is that one?

Link is here: RQ4 Playtest Discussion: Knights, Priests, and Sorcerers in Glorantha

It's just the beginning of a sorcery system, but it does predate RQ3.

Michael

[Kloster]

Since I heavily used RQIII sorcery, Sandy'e sorcery and MRQ sorcery, I can answer the question.

-RQIII sorcery

each spell is a skill (raised with a skill check),

each manipulation is a skill (raised only with training or research),

the spell's manipulation is limited by the Free INT (but if a spell matrix is used,any manipulation enchanted into it is added)

There is no limit on the number of spells the wizard can have active at a given time.

The trick is to remember that a spell with duration 10 lasts 1 week, and duration 16 means 1 year (64 weeks).

So with careful planning a sorcerer can have his defensive spells up for a long time, and have enough magic points to be useful to his comrades.

Let us remember the stupefy spell (pagans have low free INT), or the drain spell (fatigue points are removed) that can be cast at more than 500 m (range 6 = 640 m), and that can be really nasty, if a sorcerer wants a direct attack spell.

But, it is true that the bookkeping is heavy.

Begining characters are weak, but even experienced ones have always something to do to be even more powerful.

-Sandy'sorcery

each spell is a skill (raisable by experience)

each manipulation can be a skill, but usually is an art (either you have it or not)

each sorcerer has a presence.

the spell's manipulation is limited by the free presence and the skill in the spell

the number of spells active at the same time is limited by the presence.

The bookkeeping is lighter than with RQIII sorcery, but it's manageable.

My worst nighmare is someone with a spear affected by damage boosting and Wachaza's Fang ...

-MRQ sorcery

each spell is a skill

each manipulation is a skill

The outcome of a spell casting is more complex to know than in the previous versions, because the manipulation used are determined by the result of the dice roll.

(ie a sorcerer can succeeds in some manipulation and fail in others)

It is much less costly than the previous version, but the linear scale used for the range and the duration manipulation means that begining characters are even weaker than before.

A befudle spell has a range of POW x 10 m, and only a sorcerer with a range skill of 91+% can hope to equal this.

And as RosenMcStern wrote many spells need to be rewritten.

Cheers

Jean

Quite good description, except thatn for RQIII, each manipulation is a skill that can be increased by experience, research or training, like most other skills.

Runequestement votre,

Kloster