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Killer Shrike's Magic System Theory

Shrike Magic System Design

Magic Concepts Control Factors Balance Concepts System Schemas
One of the best things about using the HERO System to run a Fantasy RPG is the freedom to try out different kinds of Magic Systems. Whether using Magic Systems provided on this website, in the Fantasy HERO book, or that you've made yourself, the possibilities for interesting game effects abound.
MAGIC SYSTEM SCHEMAS
There are a finite number of general and broad schemas that serve as a convenient means to categorize and differentiate Magic Systems. A description of them follows, though it is by no means intended to be comprehensive or exclusive. Bulleted items (circles) are general branches, punched items (squares) are schemas, and numbered items are specific instances of a schema, with parenthetical references to any Magic Systems on hand belonging thereunto. Definitions follow.
  • Power Based
    • Framework Based
      • VPP Based
        1. Prepared Casting (Wizardry)
        2. Cosmic Casting (Adepts; Arcanis Magnicus)
        3. Magic Item Pool (standard Gadget Pool)
      • MP Based
        1. Spontaneous Casting (Sorcery)
        2. Slotted Casting (standard Multipower)
        3. Suite Casting (Metier)
      • Elemental Control Based
        1. Rote Casting (standard Elemental Control)
    • Non-Framework Based
      1. College Casting (FH 4th Edition)
      2. Divisor Casting (Turakian Age Magic)
      3. Maxim System (True Illusionist, True Summoner)
      4. Stand Alone Abilities (Divine Gifts)
  • Non-Power Based
  • Hybrid Systems
    1. Unlocked + Rote Casting (Aeldenaren)
    2. Familiarity + Skill (Runecrafters)
    3. NPA Casting (Metruvius)
POWER BASED
The most common branch of Magic Systems, this broad group contains two primary sub-branches; Magic Systems which employ a Power Framework as a significant part in their design, and Magic Systems which do not.
FRAMEWORK BASED
Many Magic Systems involve one of the three Power Frameworks in their design. Power Frameworks generally help make the purchasing of Powers cheaper and are thus a natural avenue to take for Magic Systems which allow a lot of abilities.
VPP Based
Many Magic Systems are intended to allow a flexible, open ended approach to magic, where in a Magic User may learn or use a very wide array of Magic ability from day to day, and a VPP is ideally suited to this goal. However many GM's are uncomfortable with VPP's as they feel that they can be difficult to plan for or control, but a VPP can be as lightly or heavily limited as a GM wishes it to be.
On the plus side there is no more flexible mechanic in the HERO System rules, but on the other hand VPP based Magic Systems will tend to be much more complicated and are not safe at all speeds for all groups. Particularly, inexperienced players and GM's should probably avoid using VPP's outright as it does require a higher level of familiarity with the rules than other Power Frameworks.
PREPARED CASTING
An example of a VPP Based Magic System model is something I call Prepared Casting. The goal of this system is to allow a Magic User to have a large list of "Known Spells" that they could potentially be able to use on a given day, but each day they must "prepare" Spells up to the Real Cost limit of their VPP. Players of xD&D are very familiar with this sort of "Vancian" Magic System.
The Prepared Casting Vancian Magic System version presented on this web site is a Charge based "fire & forget" system allowing for easy casting, a wide selection of Magic abilities, based on multiple Magic Skill Rolls grouped by Magic School, and is intended to be very easily implemented for a variety of Magic Systems (several of which are provided).
COSMIC CASTING
Another example of a VPP Based Magic System model is a straightforward Cosmic Power Pool as described in the HERO System 5th Edition Rulebook, with or without a set list of "Known Spells".
The Gestalt Casting Vancian Magic System version presented on this web site is a partially Cosmic variant of the Prepared Casting Model in that it still requires a set list of Known Powers, but Powers from this list can be switched in and out of the VPP rather than having to be prepared ahead of time.
The Loremastery Magic System presented on this web site is a partially Cosmic VPP model.
The Adeptology Magic Systems provided on this web site have fully Cosmic VPP's, though there are still some limits imposed upon them.
MAGIC ITEM POOL
Another example of a VPP Based Magic System model is a straightforward Item Pool which is identical to a Gadget Pool as described in the HERO System 5th Edition Rulebook, replacing technological gadgets with Magic Items but is otherwise essentially the same.
MP Based
The Multipower Pool Framework is fast, easy to use, makes for pretty cheap Magic abilities, and is much less complicated than VPP's. Thus unsurprisingly it is a popular choice for Magic Systems. It is particularly good for Magic Systems where Magic Users should have access to all the abilities they know all of the time, but can only have a few active at once.
Magic Systems based on MP's lose a lot of the flexibility of a VPP, but also lose a lot of the complexity. They also tend to be cheaper than Elemental Controls, easier to add new Magic abilities to, and are all around solid constructs. However, there are some obscure rules revolving around the correct use of Multipowers, and ultimately a Magic User is not going to be able to use all of their abilities simultaneously which can make it challenging to juggle effects.
SPONTANEOUS CASTING
An example of an MP Based Magic System model is something I call Spontaneous Casting. The goal of this system is to allow a Magic User to have a "X/Day/Spell Level" oriented casting model similar to D&D 3e Sorcerers. It involves multiple Multipower Pools with charges on the Reserve, one for each "Spell Level" with a graded Custom Limitation to offset the cost of overlapping Multipower Pool Reserves. This is an extremely easy and streamlined model that is relatively friendly to less sophisticated players.
The Spontaneous Casting Vancian Magic System version presented on this web site is a Charge based "fire & forget" system allowing for easy casting, a wide selection of Magic abilities, based on multiple Magic Skill Rolls grouped by Magic School, and is intended to be very easily implemented for a variety of Magic Systems (several of which are provided).
SUITE CASTING
Another example of an MP Based Magic System is something I call Suite Casting. With this method the Magic User has a cluster of independent Multipowers, each representing a separate "Spell" with many applications (the slots). Sort of a cross between Spontaneous Casting and Slotted Casting.
The Metier Magic System presented on this web site is based on the concept of defining a "style" of Magic via mandatory and restricted Modifiers, and having a Multipower per style a practitioner knows. Several example styles are provided, as well as guidelines for creating custom styles.
SLOTTED CASTING
Another example of an MP Based Magic System model is something I call Slotted Casting. This is a straight forward normal HERO System Multipower Pool, with an array of multi and/or ultra slots. This is about as simplistic as a Framework-based Magic System gets.
EC Based
Magic Systems based around EC's typically start off more powerful than MP or VPP based systems, but are difficult to advance due to the high point thresholds commonly needed to buy a new Magic ability.  There are also limitations on what kind of Power Constructs can be placed in an EC, particularly as relates to Endurance costs. However, Magic Systems based on ECs can be very brute-force powerful, and also don't suffer from the Active Point ceiling of MP's and VPP's, and all the Powers in an Elemental Control can theoretically be active simultaneously, allowing a starting character with a Magic System based on an EC to be very capable in a narrow fashion.
EC based Magic Systems are probably the easiest to play from all of the Power Frameworks because most of the complexity of an EC is handled during character design, but they do suffer from a loss of extensibility in the process.
ROTE CASTING
An example of an EC Based Magic System is something I call Rote Casting. This is a straightforward normal HERO System Elemental Control. A practitioner simply has an EC with several Powers which they can use as appropriate to the way the Powers are defined. In some cases "Magic Powers" is usually a sufficiently tight SFX, but in some settings a GM might want to predefine several thematic groups and require an EC to pick one as their SFX.
The Aeldenaren Magic System presented on this web site is basically a Rote Casting model with abilities divided along types of Powers. However it also requires a series of "unlocking" Talents to open up categories of Powers and is thus a hybrid system.
NON-FRAMEWORK BASED
Some Magic Systems eschew Power Frameworks and require that individual Magic abilities be paid for separately to some extent or another. The sheer cost of doing this can be prohibitive, making this sort of Magic System typically less broad than a Framework-based system.
COLLEGE CASTING
A type of Non-Framework Based Magic is a collection of abilities grouped together and bought in lots or otherwise linked by some guideline enforcing a relationship between Magic abilities of the same "College".
One such example of this type of system that most HERO Gamers should be familiar with is the 4th Edition Fantasy HERO Magic System, which I'm not a big fan of, but some people like. For those not familiar with it, the basic idea revolved around Power Constructs grouped thematically into Colleges with three strata (Basic, College, Unique; roughly equivalent to Common, Uncommon, Rare) with set lists of 10 to 20 "Spells" per College. To keep Colleges somewhat intra-related a non-standard Limitation was used called "Must have X points in College", starting off at "Must Have 10 Points In College; -1/4), with each increment of 10 points worth another -1/4 Limitation. A related Skill Roll by College was also used and RSR was a requirement of the Magic System.
DIVISOR CASTING
Another type of Non-Framework Based Magic System is something I call a Divisor Casting system, whereby Powers are bought directly one-for-one, but their Real Cost is divided by some number to reduce their cost.
This concept is introduced in Fantasy HERO for HERO System 5th Edition, and is the default Magic System of the Turakian setting from HERO Games. It is an extremely simple system whereby Power Constructs aka "Spells" are bought without the benefit of inclusive Power Frameworks and the Real Cost of each Power Construct is simply divided by 3. This makes for a very powerful Magic System, cutting the throat of EC based systems outright and coming in cheaper than most Framework Based models with no real downside. Personally, I do not care for it, but it is catching on among those who like their Magic Systems simple and to the point.
MAXIM SYSTEM
Another example of Non-Framework Based Magic Systems is a concept I call a Maxim System, which describes a Magic System built around a single very flexible open-ended base Power that can be bought once and then used to do many different effects. This makes for more limited Magic Users, but if done correctly can still be fairly powerful.
For instance rather than buying a lot of different effects with the SFX of "Illusions" a Character could reasonably just buy Images and configure it in such a way that it can be used for just about any sort of "Illusion". Similarly a viable Summoner could be designed that simply has a very flexible and powerful Summon power.
This sort of Magic System is extremely simple and easy to play and really doesn't require much in the way of guidelines beyond the core rules themselves unless the GM wishes to introduce some flavor or restrictions. Some sample "Magic Systems" that could exist in this fashion include:
  • True Summoner (Summon Power)
  • True Stormcaller (Change Environment)
  • True Illusionist (Images)
  • True Dreamcaller (Mental Illusions)
  • True Transmuter (Transform)
  • True Seer (Clairsentience)
  • True Healer (Healing)
  • True Skinshifter (Multiform)
Of course this idea can be extended a bit to cover Powers that have related effects; for instance perhaps a True Illusionist can take Images, Mental Illusions, and Invisibility; but at a certain point it becomes more efficient to put such Powers into a Framework such as an Elemental Control, or some other cost savings option and it ceases to be a "Maxim" Magic System.
A GM could even go so far as to define all of the Magic Systems available to a given setting in this fashion. Whether or not such types of Magic are exclusive or if an individual Character could learn multiple types of Magic Systems would be up to the GM's discretion (but the cost involved should typically be sufficient deterrent).
STANDALONE ABILITIES
Finally, some Magic Users may just have one or more standalone abilities bough separately and paid for outright. Often these Magic abilities are not "casted", but are instead usable at will or on all the time. This can be used for characters with special Gifts or inherent Magical abilities. In some cases such standalone abilities will be associated with a more formalized Magic System and represent thematically associate abilities that are not cast at "Spells" or equivalent effect but are instead innate or inherent or on all the time.
In some cases Stand Alone abilities might actually be granted to a Character by practitioners of another Magic System. For instance the Derwydd Magic System provided on this web site has rules allowing Standalone Powers, called "Gifts", to be granted to others via the Transform Power.
The Elementalism Magic System provided on this web site allows practitioners to buy standalone abilities related to a practitioners mastery of the Elements, such as Pyromastery, Hydromastery, Aeromastery, and Geomastery. Other options are possible as well; the sample Elementalist Kjar Kvarensen has two signature Elemental standalone powers for instance; Elemental Embrace and Elemental Ward.
The Heilligkampfer religion from the San'Dora setting includes the concept of Divine Gifts that can be taken by the faithful (which is a general feature of many religions in San'Dora). 
NON-POWER BASED
Less common but no less interesting are Magic Systems wherein Magic abilities stem from Skills or Talents.
SKILL BASED
Described in Fantasy HERO for HERO System 5th Edition on page 240, there are many variations on the basic idea of a character not paying the Real Cost of Magic abilities they are able to use but instead effectively "proxying" their Magic abilities with one or more Skills. Unfortunately I can't go into laborious details without violating DOJ dba HERO Game's IP, but a few sample systems are provided that are loosely based on this concept.
BUNDLED CASTING
An example of a Skill Based Magic System is a concept I call Bundled Casting, where in a Power Construct is "bundled" into a 3/2 Skill. This sort of Magic System is generally very easy for unskilled players to understand and master, and it unifies their Magic usage with the Skill Resolution mechanic. However on the downside this sort of Magic System is very generic and does not lend itself well to having multiple different flavors or variations.
The Magecraft Magic System provided on this web site is an example of this sort of approach. The Active Points of its Spells are equal to the applicable Spell Skill Roll x 5, and the Spell Skill Roll to cast a Spell suffers a penalty equal to the Real Cost of the effect divided by 10. Each Spell Skill is bought separately and are improved independently of each other. It is END based but allows an Endurance Reserve. Since the AP range for this System's Spell effects starts at 55 AP and goes up, and since the HERO System base power mechanics allow a Character to be effective with one each of an Attack, Defense, Movement, Detect, and perhaps a Utility effect, this Magic System is very effective.
FAMILIARITY CASTING
Another example of a Skill Based Magic System is a concept I call "Familiarity Casting", where in there is a set list of Magic abilities and a character buys a Familiarity with each Magic ability they wish to be able to use. The list of Magic abilities should be relatively minor effects or this approach can get rapidly out of hand, but can make for a very simple Magic System, particularly useful for settings where everyone can learn a little Magic.
Several Magic Systems of this sort are provided and grouped together under the heading of Validus Familiaritas Magic Systems on this web site. This is a very simple approach to Magic Systems and can be very flavorful and fun to use.
LOCUS CASTING
Another example of a Skill Based Magic System is a concept I call Locus Casting. Similar to Bundled Casting, a 3/2 Power Skill is purchased, in this case however each Power Skill "Spell" represents any non-Special Base Power a Magic User has access to. This Skill acts essentially like a VPP for one Base Power.
The Spellweaver Magic Systems provided on this web site are examples of this sort of Magic System. A series of penalties and bonuses are applied to the Magic Skill Rolls of practitioners based upon the Active Points of the effect they are currently trying to cast, Limitations applied to the casting, time spent casting, and external events such as being in combat to arrive at a final modified Skill Roll for any given Power Construct. This type of Magic System is END based, and can be somewhat powerful with between 15 and 30 character points dedicated to it. The Magic System scales very well, making it usable for a variety of campaigns and as a campaign progresses over time. However it is a more complex model that can be difficult for players to master the concepts of.
PERK/TALENT BASED
Described in Fantasy HERO for HERO System 5th Edition on page 241 and similar to Skill Based Magic Systems. In my opinion the most useful idea to be gathered from this concept is that of an "Access" system using custom Talents, unlocking either groups of abilities or setting an "on" state for eligibility for abilities. Again I can't go into laborious details without violating DOJ dba HERO Game's IP, but a couple of sample systems are provided that are loosely based on this concept.
UNLOCKED CASTING
An example of a Talent Based Magic System is something I call Unlocked Casting, whereby a Talent is purchased to grant access to a suite of Magical abilities. The Gift sample Magic System on page 265 of Fantasy HERO for HERO System 5th Edition is an excellent example of this type of system.
INSTANTIATED CASTING
Another example of a Talent Based Magic System is something I call Instantiated Casting; whereby the GM takes various Power Constructs for Magical abilities they want to be available and add them to the Talent list in that format. Magic Users may buy individual Talents as they wish, but cannot design their own Magic abilities. This is useful for settings where just about any character can work basic Magic but the effects are fairly cookie-cutter.
HYBRID SYSTEMS
Of course some Magic Systems combine elements of two more more schemas. Such systems usually combine specific elements of multiple schemas, or use features on one scheme to add flavor or constraints to another schema.
NPA + FAMILIARITY CASTING
The Metruvius Magic System provided on this web site combines Naked Power Advantages (NPA's) bought as standalone abilities and Familiarities taken with base effects which are combined at casting time to create different effects. It is a powerful approach to Magic, but it is complex and requires a full understanding of how Naked Power Advantages work.
ROTE + UNLOCKED
The Aeldenaren Magic System is primarily an Elemental Control based "Rote Casting" model, but also requires a series of "unlocking" Talents to open up categories of Powers.
FAMILIARITY + PROFESSIONAL SKILL
The Runecrafting Magic System  requires that each Rune a Runecrafter knows be bought as a Familiarity, and also requires a series of Professional Skills with various Media that the Runecrafter  knows how to work with. Thus one Runecrafter  might know many Runes via Familiarities, but only know how to work with one Media (Metal for example), while another Runecrafter  might know fewer Runes but how to work with multiple Media, and other permutations.