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Systems & Settings => Rolemaster => Topic started by: Nejira on October 17, 2007, 07:49:10 AM

Title: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: Nejira on October 17, 2007, 07:49:10 AM

Had an idea for an alternative way of paying for spells. Instead of having a fixed amount of Power Points, the character must channel the Ess?nce each time she needs to cast a spell. Now the Channeling skill mentioned before is simply PP Dev, its the same skill with a different name.

Here is my idea (and I do not know if there is an companion with it already as I an a newbie to RM and dont own any companions :D ).

Channeling
To gather Power Points the character must spend a little time to channel the Power to fuel her spells. For this the magician has two options; she can simply open herself to the Flow of Ess?nce and channel Ess?nce into her Aura. This does not require a roll but is limited by the character`s Channel Limit as to how many Power Points she can channel in one round. As this may not be sufficient in some events the magician also have the choice to actively channel Ess?nce by fully employing her knowledge of Ess?nce and Channeling as represented in the Channeling skill. This is done by rolling the Channeling skill as a Percentage Maneuver with the percentage being how much of the needed energy she manages to channel in one round. Here the actually Power Points is not needed as the magician simply decides how many rounds she wants to spend channel Ess?nce and then makes the roll. If she reaches 100% or more she has enough Essence to fuel her spell. If she fumbles she must roll on the Spell Failure Table A-10.11.2.

Casteŕs Lvl            # of Channeling Rounds? Taken - Spell Lvl   0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8

6-8         -5   +5   +25   +30   +35   +40   +45   +50   +65

5         -10   0   +20   +25   +30   +35   +40   +45   +60

4         -15   0   +15   +20   +25   +30   +35   +40   +55

3         -10   0   +10   +15   +20   +25   +30   +35   +50

2         -25   -10   +0   +10   +15   +20   +25   +30   +45

1         -30   -15   +0   +10   +15   +20   +25   +30   +40

0         -40   -20   +0   +10   +15   +20   +25   +30   +35

-1         -85   -60   -30   -20   -15   -10   -10   -10   -10

-2         -90   -65   -40   -30   -20   -15   -10   -10   -10

-3         -95   -70   -50   -40   -30   -20   -15   -10   -10

-4         -100   -75   -60   -50   -40   -30   -20   -15   -10

etc, etc
?: Each round requires a Preparing a spell maneuver.

Sorry for the messy table, it looks much better in my document than here.

Channel Limit
The channel limit is a measurement of the character`s understanding of how the source of magic works and a measurement of power as to how many Power Points the character can channel per round.

Channel Limit is calculated by the following form: Channeling skill ranks/4 = Channel Limit.

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: Dax on October 17, 2007, 04:59:51 PM

I like the idea.

Inpired by the W6 Star Wars System I want to use a similiar (but simpler) system
for the Use of the Force for Spacemaster, to give the Jedi skills instead of spells.

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: RandalThor on February 16, 2008, 12:36:38 AM

I have to say when I first saw this I did not fully understand it (the formatting threw me off - call me a formatting Nazi  :whip:), but as I really look at it, I like. I will definately do some work on this. Hhhmmmmm.....

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: yammahoper on February 16, 2008, 01:28:34 PM

Good idea.  The ammount od essence available in the area could effect spell casting too, i.e. mana poor areas and mana rich areas would require more or less time, perhaps even effect dificulty or limit maximum pp available (and thus level of spells that could be cast).  Mana rich areas would allow "wasteful" spell weaving using more mana than needed, making it easier...or making it more dificult just the same as too little mana.  Why be nice all the time?

lynn

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: RandalThor on February 20, 2008, 11:04:39 PM

Wow Lynn, I just noticed: you are equally creative and funny!  :o

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: yammahoper on February 21, 2008, 08:01:52 AM

Aww :-[

lynn

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: Dark Schneider on February 22, 2008, 05:37:57 AM

Obviuosly then 'channeling' skill is not restricted, or create a new 'channeling essence power' skill for that purpose.

For other realms, the same could be applied but with skills like 'channeling deity power' and 'channeling mental power'.

So the original 'channeling' skill is not modified and is used only for the original skill description purpose.

See that with this method the spell bonifiers (as adders) could modify the channeling rate speed instead add PPs (as there are not).

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: Joshua24601 on February 24, 2008, 10:11:30 AM

I like the idea...
However, in my games I've found that the -10 for each 25% of PP's you've used can start to play a important factor, and this kinda bypasses that.

Perhaps if endurance were used, and 'channeling' required endurance... making it so a spell caster couldn't simply cast spells forever.. but instead would become tired and eventually need to rest... and the more tired he becomes, the harder it is to cast spells.

Of course, I have a feeling the idea here is to limit paperwork... not simply transfer it from PP's to endurance.

Title: Re: An Alternative to Power Points?
Post by: Marc R on February 26, 2008, 04:14:38 PM

You'd probably want to use the PPD cost, and call it "Draw Essence" or "Draw Mana" just to avoid a bias toward channeling realm users.

Why ranks/4 rather than ranks/2?