mr-frog@sdcsvax.UUCP (Dave Pare) (05/25/84)
<> Spell point systems are really neat -- except that they put even more emphasis on high character stats. I've observed that this has really bad effects on people -- not wanting to accept low-stat characters and all that. In principle, spell point systems are good. In practice I've not seen it work as well as the current system. And another thing. Mages now can be even more powerful using the spell point system. I think they're already really tough; why give them more punch? Psionics are quite rough enough for me without having mages act like psychics too! Dave Pare [ucbvax | dcdwest]!sdcsvax!mr-frog
mwm@ea.UUCP (05/29/84)
#R:sdcsvax:-83500:ea:3600004:000:645 ea!mwm May 28 22:03:00 1984 /***** ea:net.games.frp / sdcsvax!mr-frog / 10:24 am May 26, 1984 */ <> Spell point systems are really neat -- except that they put even more emphasis on high character stats. Dave Pare [ucbvax | dcdwest]!sdcsvax!mr-frog /* ---------- */ Not always. The system I developed (and play) gives each character a "seed" amount of spell points. You then "bought" knowledge of spells by spending time, $'s and ep learning them. Every ep point you spent learning spells turned into one spell point per day. Thus, having good stats wasn't as important picking up ep/$'s. This encouraged people to be bloodthirsty, but that's always a problem. <mike
ralph@inuxc.UUCP (Ralph Keyser) (05/31/84)
An option to a spell point system based on character stats is one based on the character's level. That way high level mages are powerful no matter what they rolled for stats. We used a system where you had a limited number of spells you could carry in your head of each level, and you had a number of "energy points" available to throw them with. First level spells were 1 point, second 2 points, etc. So you could chose to throw a horde of low level spells, or a few high level ones, or whatever. (This bears some vague resemblence to the way magic is handled in Runequest) If you're a magic user, this system gives you a lot of flexiblity. The problem with all this? Those awesome rolling artillery platforms (the magic users) became even more powerful. Sigh. What's a poor honest fighter to do?? Ralph Keyser