Working on a playbook for The Sprawl to use with a shadowrun hack of the system, this is the Mage template which I want to playtest in a game at UK Games Expo in June.
Any comments/ideas welcomed!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bz5AQXOKmOnHQk5oczBvUFBVaU0
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bz5AQXOKmOnHQk5oczBvUFBVaU0
Where is the SR hack?
Nice!
On to comments — hermetic magic backgrounds a more flexible than I remember, which is OK! The combination of Hermetic (contact with order) and became Mage with Stolen Knowledge (hunted) is a…complicated situation, and may want either a rethink or a few lines of clarity.
I also remember voudoun, wu wei, totemic idol worshippers for non-shamanic types, and psionicists…you allude to some with the spirit types, but don’t call out clear connections.
Manipulation has only two spells, which may be intentional — when we played shadowrun, everyone always took bonuses for Manipulation spells, as they did everything.
If you want to make manipulation more potent, you could offer them one spell from any other list done through “manipulation.”
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Francisco Blanca Im sort of winging it and giving folks Races with racial moves and a mage class – no adept yet!
Jesse Cox Yea I was trying to fit alot of ideas into not alot of space on the character sheet. A hunted hermetic mage id assume is part of a group who have stolen the knowledge – though I agree its a strange combination. Im sure it could be solved in the fiction though with a little thought.
I should definitely extend the types to include all those other interesting types, I wanted to have hermetic mages include all these quazi-religious organised groups too but wasnt sure of a good term for it.
Hmm I did make 3 spells for Manipulation, must have missed it out. I stayed away from all that mind and body control stuff and instead allowed summoned spirits to have the possession move which was alot more interesting.
I am concerned about the spirit powers, they are vaguely defined, but id leave it up to the MC to interpret what they did. Im also concerned there is no move to see if the spirits power works, I will have to see how it comes out in play.
Robin Poole I forget — does Sprawl have rules for drones, gang, minions?
Also I might round out the spell list to 4-5 spells per school, but im worried it might make the class unbalanced.
Jesse Cox Yes Drones are in the Driver playbook, borrowed from that for the spirits. Gang rules too but not really minions from memory.
I think three spells/school is fine. More starts risking the “Swiss army Mage does everything” problem.
Also, the only thing I think you’d need to roll for spirits is “acting under pressure” when they face opposition — no need for a special move. The fact that you spend Hold balances it nicely.
I love the summoning. Summoning is my favorite bit of shadowrun. So, in the next comment, Ideas You Don’t Need…
I added some spells, most of them are interesting utility ones, but may reconsider how many spells they get to start – the class is a bit light on advances as it is.
Did you update the file in place, or is there an updated version at another URL?
For a more involved summoning system:
(Minor power marked with asterix)
Minor powers, adjacent to all: Accident, Search
Man/Ancestor: glamour, conceal object*
Plant/Earth: paralysis, animal control*
Sky/Sea: change weather, increase movement*
Fire: cause fear, enhanced sense*
Demon/Toxic: hypnosis, mimicry*
Insect: possession, mist form*
(Man/Ancestor again — loops)
Minor Spirit — minor power and search.
Intermediate Spirit — both powers, adjacent minor power.
Major Spirit — both powers, and all four minor adjacent powers OR both powers of an adjacent type.
Summoners start with two types.
Advances allow summoning one additional type, summoning great form spirits, or getting an extra service with every summoning.
(Edit — put two Spirit types in reversed. Fixed now!)
Looks really good, i like the idea of default powers for certain types and yes I definitely should add more summoning advances than the basic one – was wondering if i should make summoning a basic move but hmm maybe not.
The whole adjacent power thing is cool, but might be complex in practise, and also i like the idea of form being independant of abilities, tho that isnt canon. Still yes having to summon a demon to get certain powers is a cool idea.
Alfredo Amatriain Not yet, I will tonight to add the extra spells and correct some other mistakes.
Robin Poole
The paired power bit also allows summoning more “complicated” spirits — with more powers — with the same number of choices at the moment of summoning. The complexity — consequences — falls out of the list.
Not everybody’s thing. Just mine : ‘ )
If I were more clever, I’d work out a way for “hermetic” and “shamanic” contacts and flaws to be mapped across Spirit types.
Alfredo Amatriain – Updated with the new spell list. Will think about these summoning changes and incorporate them I think some great ideas here Jesse Cox