Wizards vs. Supers

[David B. Goode]

I usually run a d20 game set in a super-fantasy world where the heroes - generally having super-powers - face an occasional wizard.

For a few years now I've been pulling out standard wizards with a list of spells. They usually make for an interesting, short fight. Having a number of spells memorized that they can access each round just doesn't compare to a guy who can shoot an obscenely harmful laser every round or a girl who can control your mind every round.

One of my players has now expressed interest in playing a wizard, so I've had to stop and really look at them, how they fit into the world, and what sort of things they can do.

I looked at giving wizards "powers", but magic, in my mind, should call for incantations and possibly be a bit more versatile. So, in other words, maybe it requires some kind of Concentration or Knowledge check, but might have a more varied effect.

I'm not looking to create a huge section of my game to magic - the purpose of the game is to play super-heroic characters. But I do want to allow for players, if they wish, to play a wizard who can stand equally with a super.

Any ideas?

[chronoplasm]

Can you go into more detail about how the super powers work? Does the player have an idea in mind for how he or she wants the wizard to be able to do?

[David B. Goode]

Hey Chrono,

It lets characters buy powers with points. High-end powers cost more than low-end powers.They can beef these up by advancing a power's power levels. Characters can typically use there powers at least once every round. It's very similar to Blood and Vigilance or Mutants and Masterminds if you are familiar with them.

The powers system i use is at http://super-fantasy.wikidot.com/welcome.

Wizards, we were thinking, naturally channel power from the elemental planes. The power they draw is wild and kinda dangerous, so they have to learn to control it. This is kinda where we pictured Concentration checks and maybe Spellcraft checks. Instead of just having the "fire control" power, a wizard might be able to create a number of fire effects, each different round to round. A tad bit more versatile at the expense of a harder power to use or maybe gradual weakening.

[chronoplasm]

You might consider side effects. When playing D&D I often allow characters to use spells above their level but they pay a heavy price. Blood sacrifice, magical radiation, or accidently summoning monsters from other planes which will then attack the players... that sort of thing.

[Max Maloney]

Have you looked at how traditional super power games (ie, comic book style) handle Magic?  Magic is usually very flexible in four color comics and doesn't have "uses per day" as its limitations.

[David B. Goode]

Yeah, Max, that's kind of where I started. Before I began using the D&D magic system, I used one like you're describing. I'm trying to remember why I abandoned it. It was pretty versatile, and let them cast spells all day long.

Chrono, I like that. I had some ideas for "ritual magic", and I think some of that might fit well.

[David B. Goode]

Okay, so I'm working with a basic idea. I just had an IM session with my brother-in-law, who's helped me a lot with this game-design.

I sorted our ideas and I think I have made them cohesive. It blends the free-form, usable-every-round magic with the D&D standard.

http://super-fantasy.wikidot.com/magic-system-module