Magic
I'll be asking Sam about Magic in the general D6 Epic system. Magic for Valdemar and Emberverse will differ because it adheres to the rules of those settings. So, unless either setting is specifically mentioned Sam's replies are about the core system/rule book.
Terri: Sam, Magic is always a bit tricky because of making it playable without jumping everyone to the equivalent of the 50th level wizard with no real fall out for the character when they do use magic. How is this being handled in D6 Epic?
Sam: There are optional rules that the GM can use to limit this. Characters only being able to cast a certain number of spells a day without falling into sheer exhaustion or damaging their own body.
Terri: Does magic use come with a price?
Sam: That depends on the system that the GM wants to use. In fiction the systems run from mages being able to use spells without any price or consequence to where the simplest spells tire them out.
Terri: So, you're saying that there is a choice for both the GM and the players. They play a game where magic doesn't come with a price, or they can use the optional rules to make the game more realistic?
Sam: Yes. The reason we've set Epic up this way is because there are going to be GM's and Players who will want magic to be very common place, almost making magic the equivalent of modern guns. In this type of setting a price for the use of magic does not really work except on a minimal level as it would fall under a normal activity. They can adapt through to a system where the simplest of spells comes with an energy price.
For instance in Emberverse magic for the player characters is extremely rare due to the devotion that has to be shown to the higher power. It's suggested that in this setting it's kept to the named characters in the books who use such magic - such as Juniper - and these characters should only appear as NPC's.
In Valdemar the rules for magic change depending on the time period of the game. In the Arrows trilogy there is no 'true' magic within the Kingdom's boundaries, but there are gifts such as Empathy, Telepathy, Fetching etc. and the herald's gift. Outside of the Kingdom's boundaries magic still exists, and some of it isn't the 'nice' kind but darker magics such as blood magic. There's also the one spell - truth spell - that heralds can cast at different levels, depending on their abilities. The use of these gifts and 'true' magic (true magic in this sense being the use of laylines, nodes etc.) have a physical exhaustion price that can lead to death if they push things too far. The greater the effort the greater the physical price. From being tired, suffering headaches, migraines, and death if the right steps aren't taken to prevent such.
So, it boils down to what the players and the GM's wish to use. How comfortable they are with a setting, or story idea.
Terri: Sam, Magic is always a bit tricky because of making it playable without jumping everyone to the equivalent of the 50th level wizard with no real fall out for the character when they do use magic. How is this being handled in D6 Epic?
Sam: There are optional rules that the GM can use to limit this. Characters only being able to cast a certain number of spells a day without falling into sheer exhaustion or damaging their own body.
Terri: Does magic use come with a price?
Sam: That depends on the system that the GM wants to use. In fiction the systems run from mages being able to use spells without any price or consequence to where the simplest spells tire them out.
Terri: So, you're saying that there is a choice for both the GM and the players. They play a game where magic doesn't come with a price, or they can use the optional rules to make the game more realistic?
Sam: Yes. The reason we've set Epic up this way is because there are going to be GM's and Players who will want magic to be very common place, almost making magic the equivalent of modern guns. In this type of setting a price for the use of magic does not really work except on a minimal level as it would fall under a normal activity. They can adapt through to a system where the simplest of spells comes with an energy price.
For instance in Emberverse magic for the player characters is extremely rare due to the devotion that has to be shown to the higher power. It's suggested that in this setting it's kept to the named characters in the books who use such magic - such as Juniper - and these characters should only appear as NPC's.
In Valdemar the rules for magic change depending on the time period of the game. In the Arrows trilogy there is no 'true' magic within the Kingdom's boundaries, but there are gifts such as Empathy, Telepathy, Fetching etc. and the herald's gift. Outside of the Kingdom's boundaries magic still exists, and some of it isn't the 'nice' kind but darker magics such as blood magic. There's also the one spell - truth spell - that heralds can cast at different levels, depending on their abilities. The use of these gifts and 'true' magic (true magic in this sense being the use of laylines, nodes etc.) have a physical exhaustion price that can lead to death if they push things too far. The greater the effort the greater the physical price. From being tired, suffering headaches, migraines, and death if the right steps aren't taken to prevent such.
So, it boils down to what the players and the GM's wish to use. How comfortable they are with a setting, or story idea.
posted by Terri Pray | 7:20 PM
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