TT Ep 149 Learn the Basics of Magic in Savage Worlds
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- Carl talks about the basic rules of Savage Worlds magic system. He goes over the differences with D&D (Dungeon and Dragons) and how powers are activated, modified, and trappings. #SavageWorlds #weplaysavageworlds #tabletoptango
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![Going Savage [SWADE Fantasy Companion]](/img/n.gif)
Thanks for explaining these little details of SW system. This channel is like a treasure trove of all the SW references!
Nice thorough overview of basic magic. If people are interested in simulating the feeling of D&D magic, one thing we tried before as alternate rules was having spell casters commit spells to their spellbook/grimoire and that's what they could use in combat. So point cost and any trappings were locked. (In combat only tho).
They could have multiple versions of a power that various extra effects and trappings. It didn't restrict them too much since they were pretty good about designing their powers.
Also on the topic of magic missle, probably the best low key power in Savage Worlds is Elemental manipulation. By hurling rocks or fire you basically get magic missile. As long as you pass the original activation casting you get 5 rounds of damage. Light damage mind you but exploding 2d4 can really crank out damage sometimes. Even with the new fantasy companion rules, points wise it's a super efficient power and when used with the right edges can really be powerful. It does a better job of simulating Magic Missile better than bolt I think.
Easist way to describe the main damage powers:
Bolt - Magic Missile (think straight shot power)
Blast - Fire Ball (something with a small, medium, large template)
Burst - Lightning bolt, Dragon's Breath (Cone or line template.)
Complexity varies depending on what you want. This is the basic stuff. Complicate it as you wish.
A little note to new players:
I've always made the "Range" of powers dependent on the Arcane Background basic Attribute. So AB: Miracles uses "Spirit" instead of "Smarts" for ranges of powers.
That's a very solid house rule. Thank you for sharing with everyone.
That is an EXCELLENT house rule, will be adopting it!
I love the flexibility of Powers in Savage Worlds, and how easily new things can be modded in. For my own high-magic setting I'm cooking up, I'm going HAM on the Arcane Backgrounds and giving them additional mechanics and edges/Flaws. :P
For Gifted mages, they only get a single trapping (their elemental focus) which they *need* in their presence in order to cast their powers... But they get advantage to casting when that element is in abundance, and with the right edges they can basically become Benders.
For Bard casters, they have to have a musical component to their spells and suffer penalties without their signature instrument... But they roll an extra d6 alongside their Wild Die when casting, which provides additional benefits based on how the two d6 numbers "harmonize". (stuff like distracting an opponent, the spell being cheaper to cast, etc)
For Wizard-y casters who studied magic, they can pick universal trappings and modifiers that cost less to cast, or other things to make their casting even MORE more flexible.
And for Wild/Fae Magic, they get way more starting powers and power points than the others... But every time their Wild Dice "aces" they suffer a random bout of Wild Magic that's usually somewhat detrimental.
I am both excited and terrified about what kinds of spellcasters my future players could create. XD
Great video. Solid overview of the system
I think the magic system is a perfect demo of both the strength and weakness of the core Savage Worlds game. It’s strength is the incredible flexibility but that’s also it’s weakness. So much is left to the players to flesh out and that can lead to bland, generic powers. Obviously experienced and creative players thrive but it puts a heavy load on beginners.
Magic is pretty well made in Savage Worlds. I much prefer it over having a separate book with 300+ pages of spells where most of them are the same but deal with different element or do the same thing but slightly different. On the subject of trappings, I do like the idea of them mattering enough so to allow the power to change its effect or strength based on the situation. For example, the party is fighting a boss fight inside an active volcano, and party wizard's ice spells dealing less damage because of all the ambient heat messing with the magic, or the wizard using both fire and ice magic consecutively on a padlock to break it more easily and simulate other powers that the wizard may not have at the moment, or allowing the wizard to use electric based bolt to damage multiple opponents when they're partially submerged in water even though bolt normally can hit only one target, or sometimes the power not being usable at all, or giving it a major boost when the situation or narrative would make sense for it. I've been wondering how other GMs deal with trappings for powers and how far, if at all they allow them to be pushed beyond what the core rules describe?
There is the concept of Synergy in the Powers rules I didn't cover which provides mechanical benefits from trappings in situations where it makes sense (such as electric trapping when someone is standing in water doing more damage). In the end, the GM can really allow smart play to make a difference.
Good stuff as always, thanks for doing an actual example.
(My comment isn't the most interesting thing you've ever read but I try to leave them to help out with the algo.)
Awesome!
Any chance of a video on Interface Zero? I heard you talk about it on the sprawlrunners video and as someone who is looking to do a cyberpunk campaign it would be cool to get a video on that
Can put it in the hopper of settings to look at. I've had IZ 3.0 for some time but never had a chance to use in a campaign (I used IZ 2.0)
When you select a background edge that gives you powers it gives you a skill though doesn't say if you have a D4 in that skill or if you need to spend another point to give them a rank in the skill. It seems like you start with a D4 like the core skills though I wanted to confirm.
On page 147 of SWADE, it states "Each type of power has a particular arcane skill listed in its description. Take this skill and buy it just like any other on the skill list." That indicates you spend a skill point to take the skill (which is at d4). I've read this as you can take the AB edge but still not have the skill if you don't spend a skill point.
@@ASavageWorldsGM Ok. Thanks. That make sense.
Love the channel. Very helpful.
How possible do you think it would be to create a witcher character using this system
It is very easy to create a very tailored character. You can mix and match a variety of edges for specific needs and add in Arcane Backgrounds or Mystic Powers (Fantasy Companion). Definitely, the Fantasy Companion would be something to check out with the SWADE core book.
NO! NOT THE BEES!