After about two months of Street Magic here are a few revision we did to some of the traditions:
Celtic Druidism:
Voi Druids and Bards use Charisma as drain attribute. The tradition is a Poessession one for Voi Druids as well.
Germano-Norse Paganism:
Gode/Gidye and Berserkers use Intuition for Drain Attribute, Ganners and Runecasters use Logic, and Seidmen use Charisma. The tradition is a Posession one for Seidmen and Berserker Magicians and Mystic Adepts.
Hindusim:
In my game, it uses Intuition as its Drain Attribute. In addition, there's a silent conflict going on between the Bhramin and the Siddhu and between the Haplotheist faction and the Ohmmist faction.
Omnyodo:
Japanese Magic Tradition based on Wuxing. Uses the tools and trappings of Wuxing with the same emphases on chi yin and yang, and geomancy, but uses the Hermetic spirit selection and spell correspondances, (due to the drift in Magic Theory between the two countries between its introduction and the Awakening).
Shugendo:
Japanese Magic Tradition hevily influenced by Buddhisim. Uses the same tools and trappings, spirit/spell correspondances, and most of the same beliefs, but uses Logic for a drain attribute.
Wicca:
Celtic and Wanes/Vanir based Wicca is a Possession Tradition
Next up: A Few Extra Awakened Odditites, and some Hermetic Paradigms from SOTA 2064.
Full Version: My Table's Magic Tradition Adjustments
Which reminds me, I need to get back to that Schools of Magic web add-on for Street Magic.
You mean the stuff from sota64? I *loved* those schools. Make that your number 1 priority! *whip cracking*
| QUOTE (Synner) |
| Which reminds me, I need to get back to that Schools of Magic web add-on for Street Magic. |
Yes ... yes you do.
It's fifth or sixth on my To-Do list. I've got a rough first draft done which has several parallels with Kalvan's ideas. First though, I've got at least one more book to wrap production on. 
Yeah ... well ... work harder.
But don't you dare let up on your informative visits here.
Oh, and Mr.Admin-man ... can you do something about the Thread's title?
But don't you dare let up on your informative visits here.
Oh, and Mr.Admin-man ... can you do something about the Thread's title?
better? Mr picky
Yer mah hero! 
Hermetic Paradigms:
Classical Hermeticism:
Advantages: +1 Die for non-damaging manipulations and non-combat elemental effects.
Disadvantages: -1 Die for combat spells outside of lodge area, -1 Die to Illusions. Cannot devise new spells or formulae with effects unknown to previous hermetic texts. Must use a dead but known (not artificial or reconstructed) language (such as Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Gothic, Classical Arabic, or Old
Church Slavonic) for a centering language.
Renewed Hermeticism:
Advantages and Disadvantages: None, the default Hermetic Tradition
Renewed Ritualism:
Advantages: +2 Dice for Ritual Sorcery. If all members of a group are Renewed ritualists, it functions as if one of the characters is using the Great Ritual metamagic (this in addition to any bonuses the accruing to the nature of the group).
Disadvantages: -2 Dice to non-ritual spellcasting. Cannot Contribute to the summoning of a spirit not part of the Hermetic Tradition ever.
Hermetic Druidism:
Advantages: Like Celtic Druids, Celtic Wiccans, and Followers of the Elven Ways and Paths of the Wheel, Hermetic Druids gain all the special advantages and disadvantages associated with the eight annual Celtic Feasts. In addition, they gain +2 extra dice for all Geomancy rituals (assuming they know that metamagic)
Disadvantages: Cannot form lodge indoors: Must use an aspected outdoor site at the convergence of at least three(3) manalines. Using Conjuring Skills on a nature spirit, ancestor spirit, task spirit, or spirit of man outside the context of the lodge adds 1 extra point to the Drain Code.
Teutonic Hermeticim:
Advantages: At character Generation, or at an Initiation, may gain the ability to use Sorcery or Enchanting through Runecasting.
Disadvantages: If this is done, character loses all Alchemy related abilities.
Avant Garde Thaumaturgy:
Advantages: +2 Dice to all Spell Research Checks +2 for all enchantments of fetishes, foci, or telesma provided the matrerial object was crafted at least in part by the character. (Bonus cannot be used in tests involving the Masterwork, Thesis, or Ordeal methods of Initiation)
disadvantages: Cannot learn a spell through any formula. Cannot use fetishes, foci, or telesma created and/or enchanted by any third party (except as raw materials/ reagents for one's own work) If working in a group, any use of the Great Ritual metamagic automatically fails.
Concordance Alchemy:
Advantage: +2 Die to all Alchemy related tests.
Disadvantages: -2 Dice to all Conjuring related tests. Can only Enchant through Alchemy. Must Take at least 4 skill ranks in Chemistry at character generation (But may buy it through an appropriate Skill Group)
Pythagoreans:
Advantages: +2 Dice to All Manipulation and Illusion Spells. +2 Dice to all Ritual Sorcery.
Disadvantages: -2 Dice to all Conjuration tests. All Sorcery takes one time category longer than for other paradigms. All spell formulae from outside the group must add 2 hits to the threshold. Must take at least 4 Skill Ranks in Mathematics at character Generation. (But may buy it through an appropriate Skill Group)
Unified Magic Theory:
Advantages: No penalties to using the tools and trappings of other traditions when working with them. +2 Dice in Group Rituals. At Initiation, may select a new category of spirit to summon in lieu of taking a Metamagic technique.
Disadvantages: Unless all members of group are Unified Magicians, can never lead a Group Ritual. Cannot Bond or Anchor any Focus, Fetish, Locus, or Talisman, or otherwise gain any tangible benefit from it. No Spirit-Spell correspondence. Loses a random category of spirit to summon if Initiate selects a new type.
Classical Hermeticism:
Advantages: +1 Die for non-damaging manipulations and non-combat elemental effects.
Disadvantages: -1 Die for combat spells outside of lodge area, -1 Die to Illusions. Cannot devise new spells or formulae with effects unknown to previous hermetic texts. Must use a dead but known (not artificial or reconstructed) language (such as Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Gothic, Classical Arabic, or Old
Church Slavonic) for a centering language.
Renewed Hermeticism:
Advantages and Disadvantages: None, the default Hermetic Tradition
Renewed Ritualism:
Advantages: +2 Dice for Ritual Sorcery. If all members of a group are Renewed ritualists, it functions as if one of the characters is using the Great Ritual metamagic (this in addition to any bonuses the accruing to the nature of the group).
Disadvantages: -2 Dice to non-ritual spellcasting. Cannot Contribute to the summoning of a spirit not part of the Hermetic Tradition ever.
Hermetic Druidism:
Advantages: Like Celtic Druids, Celtic Wiccans, and Followers of the Elven Ways and Paths of the Wheel, Hermetic Druids gain all the special advantages and disadvantages associated with the eight annual Celtic Feasts. In addition, they gain +2 extra dice for all Geomancy rituals (assuming they know that metamagic)
Disadvantages: Cannot form lodge indoors: Must use an aspected outdoor site at the convergence of at least three(3) manalines. Using Conjuring Skills on a nature spirit, ancestor spirit, task spirit, or spirit of man outside the context of the lodge adds 1 extra point to the Drain Code.
Teutonic Hermeticim:
Advantages: At character Generation, or at an Initiation, may gain the ability to use Sorcery or Enchanting through Runecasting.
Disadvantages: If this is done, character loses all Alchemy related abilities.
Avant Garde Thaumaturgy:
Advantages: +2 Dice to all Spell Research Checks +2 for all enchantments of fetishes, foci, or telesma provided the matrerial object was crafted at least in part by the character. (Bonus cannot be used in tests involving the Masterwork, Thesis, or Ordeal methods of Initiation)
disadvantages: Cannot learn a spell through any formula. Cannot use fetishes, foci, or telesma created and/or enchanted by any third party (except as raw materials/ reagents for one's own work) If working in a group, any use of the Great Ritual metamagic automatically fails.
Concordance Alchemy:
Advantage: +2 Die to all Alchemy related tests.
Disadvantages: -2 Dice to all Conjuring related tests. Can only Enchant through Alchemy. Must Take at least 4 skill ranks in Chemistry at character generation (But may buy it through an appropriate Skill Group)
Pythagoreans:
Advantages: +2 Dice to All Manipulation and Illusion Spells. +2 Dice to all Ritual Sorcery.
Disadvantages: -2 Dice to all Conjuration tests. All Sorcery takes one time category longer than for other paradigms. All spell formulae from outside the group must add 2 hits to the threshold. Must take at least 4 Skill Ranks in Mathematics at character Generation. (But may buy it through an appropriate Skill Group)
Unified Magic Theory:
Advantages: No penalties to using the tools and trappings of other traditions when working with them. +2 Dice in Group Rituals. At Initiation, may select a new category of spirit to summon in lieu of taking a Metamagic technique.
Disadvantages: Unless all members of group are Unified Magicians, can never lead a Group Ritual. Cannot Bond or Anchor any Focus, Fetish, Locus, or Talisman, or otherwise gain any tangible benefit from it. No Spirit-Spell correspondence. Loses a random category of spirit to summon if Initiate selects a new type.
Bump.
Those downsides are frankly ludicrous. The advantages just aren't that good.
Not much else to say really.
Not much else to say really.
Bringing all that ad hoc SR3 crap into SR4 is just a bad idea. Make the really weird SOTA hermetic variations actual new traditions, ala Chaos Magic. The rest should just be flavor without different rules.
| QUOTE (Slithery D @ Nov 21 2006, 01:35 AM) |
| Bringing all that ad hoc SR3 crap into SR4 is just a bad idea. |
However, more than a few people like and use the various subtraditions and schools of Magic from SOTA64, and they allow more flexibility within a given paradigm (and not just Hermetic either).
Consider them as an Optional Rule: a 5 BP Positive Quality (in some ways similar to mentor spirits) reflecting specialized training in a given subparadigm within a tradition (any tradition, you could have: Dao-in Wujen, Central-Asian Islamic shamen, as easily as Pythagoreans). Ideally they'd be essentially flavor granting a minor mechanical edge or positive modifier balanced out by a mechanical limiter or roleplaying negative modifier (not on par with mentor spirits).
| QUOTE (Synner @ Nov 21 2006, 08:16 PM) |
| Consider them as an Optional Rule: a 5 BP Positive Quality (in some ways similar to mentor spirits) reflecting specialized training in a given subparadigm within a tradition (any tradition, you could have: Dao-in Wujen, Central-Asian Islamic shamen, as easily as Pythagoreans). Ideally they'd be essentially flavor granting a minor mechanical edge or positive modifier balanced out by a mechanical limiter or roleplaying negative modifier (not on par with mentor spirits). |
Why not? If they have the same BP cost, and fill the same kind of role as Mentor Spirits, then why should there be any such limitation?
Basically to dissuade minmaxing and because in many cases the two Positive Qualities would be complementary. Personally I much favor roleplaying modifiers rather than strictly mechanical modifiers for the subparadigms, though I'm sure people would like some of the latter for their BPs.
I'm of a mixed mind on that one, Synner. I don't mind granting a few BP here and there, provided that those points are "payed for" through role playing. Since I've had great players in the past, it works out.
| QUOTE (eidolon @ Nov 21 2006, 02:47 PM) |
| I'm of a mixed mind on that one, Synner. I don't mind granting a few BP here and there, provided that those points are "payed for" through role playing. Since I've had great players in the past, it works out. |
Knowing that a balance needs to be found (and the fact that any source of extra dice for magicians can be potentially unbalancing when stacked with other modifiers) is the reason I decided to wait and hammer out the balance of Schools of Magic and subparadigms instead of shoehorning them into Street Magic. I'm hoping they'll eventually be made available as free web add-on to Street Magic.
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