Hedge Magic

[Morfedel]

I was thinking of creating hedge magic - or, for those not familiar with the term, magic that is very weak. Generally, a hedge magician is far weaker than a sorcerer, and often dealt with specific styles of magic.

I was thinking of making this and changing the race/sorcery column to reflect these changes - but I thought I'd ask if anyone had given any thought to how the mechanics for hedge magic would function? Because I have not - yet.

[tauman]

I've thought about something like this myself, although I haven't ever worked out any details. Perhaps a Vancian system, or something similar where everything has to be prepared in advance. The trick is to keep everything in flavor with TROS. Another possibility would be to incorporate some sort of pact (depending on how interested people are in adding the supernatural) whereby a character's powers are granted by a supernatural entity (i.e. a demon).

I've toyed with a few ideas for alternate systems, including an exhaustion-based system, a prepared/impressed spell (Vancian?) system, a pact system, etc. Mostly, these systems were the result of me thinking about how I would adapt TROS to a particular setting (for example, if I was running a campaign based on Lankhmar, I'd want all the magic to be somewhat less powerful that the Sorcery system as given in TROS).

Steve Reich

I was thinking of creating hedge magic - or, for those not familiar with the term, magic that is very weak. Generally, a hedge magician is far weaker than a sorcerer, and often dealt with specific styles of magic.

I was thinking of making this and changing the race/sorcery column to reflect these changes - but I thought I'd ask if anyone had given any thought to how the mechanics for hedge magic would function? Because I have not - yet.

[MonkeyWrench]

What about a system of skills that produce supernatural/magical effects? Skills would include Charm, Curse, Detect XXX, etc. I'm thinking that WP would be the most obvious choice for an attribute to link it to.

Just some thoughts.

[Morfedel]

Hm. Maybe use the points you get from vagaries and proficiencies to purchase dice in a particular style or kind of hedge magic; that determines the dice you roll, perhaps, against a formulaic TN, or perhaps skills purchased seperately as the TN.

Hm....

[StahlMeister]

Thought about it, too.

I going to handle it this way:

First the character has to buy (from creation on or during gameplay) a gift called "Charm" or "Curse" or something, depending on what the player want his character to have.

Then he has to develop a skill with this name OR spending Vagaries Points only allowing him to cast magic conform to his gifts he bought.

Ahh... i don't know, I'm tired... workin 10 hours now and have to stay about 1 or 2 more

[Judd]

how about a minor advantage that gives you one point in vagaries but you have to make five spells and that is all you get?

Major advantage, two vagaries but same thing with only five spell effects?

In the new Conan d20, there is a Feat called Dabbler.

It is kind of a Grey Mouser type thing.

Dabbler's as good a name as any.

[Valthalion]

How about a character who chooses low proficenciy/vagaries (E or F)

They aren't very good at magic and they have other skills. (hence Hedge magic)

Valthalion

[Dan Sellars]

I always thought that hedge magic was like Gypsy curses/fortune telling or stuff untrained peasants did...

Didn't realise that it was used to cover all low magic stuff.  Still you learn something every day ;-)

Dan.

[Drifter Bob]

I've toyed with a few ideas for alternate systems, including an exhaustion-based system, a prepared/impressed spell (Vancian?) system, a pact system, etc. Mostly, these systems were the result of me thinking about how I would adapt TROS to a particular setting (for example, if I was running a campaign based on Lankhmar, I'd want all the magic to be somewhat less powerful that the Sorcery system as given in TROS).

I've got some pretty cool Jack Vance based cantrips worked out in the Primer of Practical magic I just did for Pelgrane Press, like 30 of them.  In the book we had divided them up into different types, sailors cantrips, farmers cantrips, courtiers cantrips etc. etc.  Maybe some standardized commonly known minor spells of this type could be associated with different vagaries, a half dozen or so for each type?  Or would that make them too predictable?  I would cite examples but I think that would get me in trobule for plugging.  In any event I kind of like the idea of a few known, perhaps notorious spells which are easy to level 1 sorcerers to cast, and fairly reliably successful...

JR