Monday 7 September 2009

Spell design

Browsing through spell list I noticed there is a spell detect alignment. The problem is that Kaduria doesn't have alignment system like D&D has, so what was I thinking with that spell? I guess nothing. In fact the whole idea of spells is just something to have, because all role-playing games have spells. But when you think of it, spells begin to look like another way to patch gameplay balance in high fantasy. You need spells to defeat epic monsters and dangers.

I don't yet know what to do with spells. Maybe I should just not have magic, just remove anything magical. It's very much possible. Still, I think something like magic should exist. Maybe alchemy (in role-playing context) and stuff like that.

4 comments:

  1. "to patch gameplay balance in high fantasy. You need spells to defeat epic monsters and dangers."

    Spells are the easiest and most known form of magic to everybody, beginning in childhood's fairy tales. This is the reason why fantasy RPGs have spells -- not to patch balancing issues.

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  2. I think that, more often than not, they create balancing issues instead of solving them :) But that's another discussion.

    A game with no D&D-style magic can be more atmospheric and gritty. You could forget the cliches and turn to medieval history for ideas. Of course, there's nothing wrong with epicness and bending reality a bit in a medieval context; it's just that a potion and a spell are not readily available to save the day.

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  3. Well, I talked about fantasy RPG, not historic medieval RPGs. I want fantasy :)

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  4. Kaduria will be something between realistic medieval rpg and high fantasy, without spells that use mysterious mana. It's just that I should stick to that plan. Maybe I wanted spells in that time, I can't remember.

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