Yanno, it occurs to me that adapting something like Saga of Ryzom's skill/spell building into a pen and paper game wouldn't serve too poorly in terms of balance, so long as you got the numbers right.  Mages in that game most defintely don't overpower the other classes, in fact I think Magic is actually worse than Fighting.  

But the basic structure of putting together stanzas for the effects you want, and then balancing them with a cost, is a pretty nifty way to do it.

Quote from: SosthenesI think Black Company/True Sorcery looks okay.

The sorcery rules in Black Company are a blight on the house of anyone foolish enough to attempt to use them. Been there, done that, have the scorch marked T-shirt to prove it. :/

EDIT: On the topic of magic and the original question: Wild Magic (commonly random effects from spells), Deck of Many Things, and most instances of magic beans.  Deck of Many Things in particular should have been named the far more appropriate Deck Of Flushing A Campaign Down The Crapper In 15 Minutes Or Less.

Snipers. As a general idea in RPGs, it sounds cool, esp when the pcs are doing it but then when the tables are reversed...not so cool - at least to the pcs anyway.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: MaddmanI'll see Pundit's 'tattoo magic' and raise him 'Rune Casting'.

Maddman for the win.

I once was able to talk out DM into letting me play a dwarven rune caster for AD&D 2nd ed.  One of the worst gaming mistakes I've ever made.

Quote from: GrimGentThat's basically the Nob combat system in a nutshell, and it can get flashy and strange.

What's Nob?  Not ringing a bell this morning.

Quote from: NicephorusWhat's Nob?  Not ringing a bell this morning.

Nobilis. Since mundane weapons are often utterly useless in that game (as even the weakest PC can survive several consecutive nuclear strikes), open confrontations tend to come down to miraculous duels. In fact, even the damage caused by those weapons ís resolved by comparing them to roughly equivalent miracles: the same system is used for all conflicts.

Quote from: David RSnipers. As a general idea in RPGs, it sounds cool, esp when the pcs are doing it but then when the tables are reversed...not so cool - at least to the pcs anyway.

I dunno.  The only time I've had the PC's under sniper attack, they really enjoyed it

Modern day characters with secret occult knowledge/powers (Hunter, Fireborn, Immortal) they almost always fall down--part of it is the powers are more 'superpower without tights' than much of the fiction its drawn from.  
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Quote from: Jack Spencer Jr"Cinematic"

I don't know about you, but I still can't see anything. This is radio, not television.

Cinematic isn't a rule, it's a style.  It generally means that the measuring stick for what is reasonable isn't 'reality' or 'common sense' but 'what would happen in an action movie'.

My favorite magic system is the one for Buffy.  I know, you're all shocked.    In many ways it has the best of both worlds.  It features predefined spells of different power levels, but has a fast, easy, consistant system for creating your own effects.  At the same time the characters have to make a magic roll to cast a spell correctly.  Something almost always happens, the trick is in getting enough successes so that you control the magic.  Otherwise it goes wrong and wackiness ensues.  It can also be addictive.

Not really balanced, but fun and interesting is more important than balance to me.

Quote from: Hastur T. FannonI dunno.  The only time I've had the PC's under sniper attack, they really enjoyed it

Snipers has occationally be used as "punishment" tool or they have Godmode turned on because they are NPCs that the GM doesn't want to let die, and those generally really, really suck.

So I guess the "Ideas in RPGs that sound cooler than they are" there would be "for 'plot' sake using GM fiat to make sure the BBEG doesn't get killed or captured by the PCs".

Before a game begins, I usually ask my players if they want sniping rules in effect or not - similarly with commando-type kills, meaning sneak up behind the guy and kill with a successfull sneak. Usually, they prefer them on.

-clash

Quote from: blakkieSnipers has occationally be used as "punishment" tool or they have Godmode turned on because they are NPCs that the GM doesn't want to let die, and those generally really, really suck.

That's not a problem with snipers.  That's a problem with grudge monsters (thank you Hackmaster for that term)

Feats: Nine times out of ten they're either something you'd expect a fellow to learn in childhood, or in training for a career. The rest of the time they're video game crap.

Balance: RPGs are too complex and too dynamic for balance to ever be an achievable goal. RPGs are, by their very nature, chaotic systems where momentary outbreaks of equilibrium occur, but such are short lived and soon replaced by the more usual confusion. Trying to impose stability by the use of balancing elements only leads to the breakdown of order and even wilder swings than would have occurred otherwise.

Quote from: MaddmanMy favorite magic system is the one for Buffy.  I know, you're all shocked.    

No more than I was that Grimgent popped up with Noblis three times....

I really need to find a favorite system I can gush about.