Metal Magic, A Heavy Metal Magical Tradition Options

[Weldûn]

A while back I had started working on a tradition of magic based on modern bards, musicians who pour their very essences into their music as the basis for working magic. However, I came up against a wall based on the fact that music comes in so many different styles and tastes that I felt that a single tradition cannot contain them all. If nothing else, what is music to one person is just noise to another. (I, for example, believe that there are two words that are antonymous with music. “Doof” and “Wub”.)

So I started working on traditions that each embodied a broad category of music, but RL happened and it fell by the wayside. Then Brütal Legend hit the shelves, I finished it and, well, this came out. I originally posted this on the Jackpoint foums, but I’m curious to see what Dumpshocker’s make of it.

METAL MAGIC

Concept: The sounds and themes of Heavy Metal speak to the soul and call through astral space to the spirits. Through the elements of Metal, Noise, Blood and Fire, the modern bard can unleash the power of the beast within.
Type: Metal magic is both a summoning and possessing tradition. The difference come with the magician's view. Is the magic of metal something that flows into the listener, or is it something that surrounds and lifts them up?
Combat: Fire (Fire)
Detection: Beasts (Blood)
Health: Guidance (Noise)
Illusion: Man (Man)
Manipulation: Earth (Metal)
Drain: Willpower + Charisma¹

Mentor Spirits: Conceptually, certain mentor spirits can work really well for this tradition. Adversary, Artificer, Bull, Dark Goddess, Dragon, Sky Father, Dark King, Dragonslayer, Firebringer, Seductress and Wise Warrior all fit due to Metal drawing much of it's symbolism and themes from European legends.

And the following is courtesy of CanRay on the Jackpoint Forums²

Mentor Spirit: Spirit of Metal
The Spirit of Metal is often depicted as a beast apparently made of chrome and engine parts, with exhausts that burst fire with every roar that seems to drown out all of existence. He sometimes instead appears as a Metalic Skeletal Centaur, with the hind-quarters of a motorcycle. Regardless, he demands of all of his followers to perform in the most audacious and powerful way possible, eschewing subtlety as a weakness of body and soul that should be avoided at all times. Go loud or go home!

Advantages: +2 dice for Combat Spells, +2 dice for Fire or Earth Spirits (player must choose one)
Disadvantages: A Spirit of Metal magician must make a Willpower + Charisma (3) Test to avoid doing something in a way that is not overt, loud, and audacious. Why cast spells from the safety of the vehicle when you can car surf with a Watcher Spirit blaring out DragonForce to all who have ears to hear, and bleed from the volume.

Adepts: Many Adepts also follow this tradition, and while the Artist’s Way are heavily represented, so are the Warrior’s Way, who practice a blend of Capoeira and out-an-out street-fighting. Surprisingly, some “metal adepts” follow the Invisible Way, blending into the seething crowds and weaving effortlessly through the chaos of the mosh pit.

Mundanes: Metal, in all it’s varieties, has weathered the awakening and two crashes quite well, and is often a favourite of troll and ork gangers, making metal and rap the two most prevalent street-level sounds in the sixth world. Additionally, some Technomancers can be found amongst the followers of this tradition. As one once said, “Not all Idoru are pop-singers.”

¹: I was originally going to make Intuition their drain stat, but as Artisan runs off of Intuition, I felt that it was better to spread the love around a little.
²: I’m personally not happy with the bonus to damage resistance, so I went with combat (fire) and Fire or Earth (Fire, Metal)

[Udoshi]

the Spirit of Metal needs a second bonus. Every mentor with a composure test at least gets a choice of two bonuses.
Balance test it vs Bear first.

As for bonuses: +2 to a Technical skill of your choice(this counts artisan btw). +2 to Roadie spirits(task) or Groupie spirits(man), or a unique bonus that reduces drain and ap values on Metal element spells.

[KarmaInferno]

Needs to be a way to transform into a winged demon.

That and a custom face melting spell.





-k

[Weldûn]

the Spirit of Metal needs a second bonus. Every mentor with a composure test at least gets a choice of two bonuses.
Balance test it vs Bear first.

As for bonuses: +2 to a Technical skill of your choice(this counts artisan btw). +2 to Roadie spirits(task) or Groupie spirits(man), or a unique bonus that reduces drain and ap values on Metal element spells.

Oh, I agree. But with Damage Resistance being so powerful, we left it as it's stands. Maybe +2 Artisan, +2 to Beast Spirits? (This is, mostly, a re-imagining of Ormagöden)

[Dakka Dakka]

Through the elements of Metal, Noise, Blood and Fire, the modern bard can unleash the power of the beast within.
Combat: Fire (Fire)
Detection: Beasts (Beasts)
Health: Guardian (Noise)
Illusion: Man (Blood)
Manipulation: Task (Metal)

What do the words in parentheses signify? Are those the traditional names for the spirits or what?

I’m personally not happy with the bonus to damage resistance, but I’m having trouble thinking of what two things to give a boost to.

I'm not sure how many spells there actually are but how about +2 dice to sound based spells?

[Weldûn]

What do the words in parentheses signify? Are those the traditional names for the spirits or what?

Metal, Noise, Blood and Fire are the "Elements" of Heavy Metal, according to Brütal Legend's background. Mostly I used that because it was better than nothing. If people have better suggestions for a set of five spirits that could represent aspects of metal, I welcome them.

I'm not sure how many spells there actually are but how about +2 dice to sound based spells?

Very few are printed, but swapping out one element for another is apparently perfectly acceptable, as per the soundwave spell in Street Magic, which is just a fireball with sound instead of fire. But given that Metal, Sonic and Fire are all elements of Heavy Metal, and most represented in the combat spells, and combine that with the push to vulgar action over subtlety...

+2 dice to Combat Spells, +2 dice to summoning either Beast Spirits or Spirits of Man (player must choose one)

The choice represents to two common forms of The Spirit of Metal.

It occurs to me that the mentor still works quite well outside the tradition, also. I also think that I might swap man to health and guardian to illusion.

[Dakka Dakka]

I don't think that +2 to Combat spells fits the Metal theme very well. This bonus includes very subtle spells like stun bolt/ball but does not include spells like Sound Aura/Wall which are much more thematically appropriate IMHO.

Metal Invisible Way adepts sound weird to me as well.

BTW is it a Possession or Materialization Tradition?

[ElFenrir]

Welp, I found something I'm going to try to worm into the game. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) I love this.

[Lionhearted]

♪ Dio can you hear me? I am lost and so alone, Im asking for your guidance wont you come down from your throne. ♪

A short prayer in the church of metal

Possession or Materialization is a tricky one...
Becoming metal incarnate is fitting... But so is summoning some ridicolous monster only fit for an album cover...

[Ed_209a]

Have a spirit of metal inhabit your vintage Flying-V to help you shred even more brutally!

[Ympulse]

Thanks for this, I'm going to tweak it around, post my changes, and try to get to play it in an upcoming one-off with my group.

Should prove to be interesting/fun.

[Weldûn]

I don't think that +2 to Combat spells fits the Metal theme very well. This bonus includes very subtle spells like stun bolt/ball but does not include spells like Sound Aura/Wall which are much more thematically appropriate IMHO.

Metal Invisible Way adepts sound weird to me as well.

BTW is it a Possession or Materialization Tradition?

There isn't a single category that doesn't have a little subtlety. Combat fits because it's mostly blatant effects and a large amount of elemental effects as well. Remember, this is for the Spirit of Metal, not Metal Magic as a whole.

Metal Invisible Way adepts would be "the face in the crowd" types, instead of "become one with the shadows" types.

I'm leaning towards Materialization, simply for the different appearances the spirits could manifest in. Possession can seem to make sense on the surface, but ultimately it's counter to the metal culture's belief in individualism. Note that I said "belief", not actuality.

[Udoshi]

Metal Invisible Way adepts

Stagehands and Roadies.

[Stahlseele]

Anybody reminded of this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%BCtal_Legend
or this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jCjlqAri_s

[Dakka Dakka]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jCjlqAri_s

Dang, the dubbing and subtitles unbearable. Here's the original.

And in response to Lionhearted's prayer: Kickapoo 2:08

[nylanfs]

What about the dice pool bonus for doing power-slides?

[Weldûn]

Anybody reminded of this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%BCtal_Legend

Maybe because of the second paragraph of the original post? Just a thought. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Weldûn]

Adjusted the mentor spirit's advantage again. Now, if only I had the strength to post across to jackpoint. (Tired and have a head-cold.)

[DnDer]

If I ever get to run SR, I think my players shall find themselves face to face with a pair of metal shamans: Jon and Criss.

[Faelan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkysjcs5vFU

Dio!

[Mach_Ten]

I just came here to say

" WUBwubwubwubwub wuuwuwubwubwub wub wub wub wuwubwubwubwub!"

That is all, carry on minion.

[Lionhearted]

Dubstep tried to kill the metal! But the metal is far to strong!

[CanRay]

Dubstep tried... Period.

Metal killed it without even noticing it was around!

[Weldûn]

Dubstep tried... Period.

Metal killed it without even noticing it was around!

CanRay, why must you be so awesome?

[CanRay]

CanRay, why must you be so awesome?

Insanity Wolf is currently curled up around my brain.

No, literally, his fur is itching the inside of my skull one hell of a lot.