TFT=The Fantasy Trip.

Ok, so the only thing in TFT I really don't like is the magic system. It works fine in its original context of a man to man combat system, but expanded to rpg form it's very dull.

It also includes basically no non-combat spells.

Thing is, I've never seen any alternate rules for it. I've seen no TFT psychic power rules. No rules for having a more swords and sorcery-esque system based around summoning or whatever. No variants at all in fact.

Given how much this game used to get played that's odd. So, anyone know of any?

I haven't seen any either. So get cracking!

Crap, lost my post in an iPod finger slip. Let's try again.

Are you looking at Advanced Wizard?

Have you checked Brett Slocum's pages?

GURPS seems likely a good source but there are many options. Any particular model of magic you want?

A general issue is that TFT wizards regain fatigue quickly outside combat. Moving to a mana system might be advisable.

There are a good number of non-combat spells in advanced Wizard (list), and more that are combat-oriented but can be creatively repurposed.

I don't know of any overhauls of the magic system, but Brett Slocum's site has links to other conversions.

I had a look at that stuff, thanks.

Thinking about it it's not really surprising. Most games after all don't have alternate magic systems made for them.

Still, I do think TFT's lets it down. It's just dull.

Elliot,

Ideally something with a more S&S feel. The magic seems very mechanical (so did Gurps IMO). Very logical. I'd rather something that felt a little more idiosyncratic.

Say what you like about D&D, it's magical system was idiosyncratic. I tend to view that as a strength. Why should magic be wholly logical?

Yes, I think that's a fair characterization. There are the Advanced Wizard rules on enchantment, which add some texture in terms of allowing/requiring wizards to work together.

The fundamental structure of TFT magic is:

1. Spells as skills; you always roll your IQ to cast successfully.
2. Spell costs, including variable costs for variable effects IIRC.

D&D's simple memorization & slot system I think may be a little more amenable to inclusion of wildly different types of spells. I'm not sure you could just take the D&D spell list and adapt it to TFT, but if you did, I'd have costs for non-variable-power spells (i.e., not fireball) being calculated from the spell level. Note that very high costs are practicable due to the availability of power stones in TFT. About those, I'm forgetting the exact mechanics, but you could add texture again by making it harder (or impossible) to recharge them. That would mean you'd have to go through a whole re-enchantment process, or make an expedition to locate new stones (shades of the IOUN stones in The Dying Earth & D&D), or acquire exotic/forbidden/immoral ingredients.

Making all spell costs higher, so that Wizards are even more dependent on power stones, could add to the S&S feel somehow, I think.

Note that demonic summoning is included at least in Advanced Wizard. Perhaps just going through the spell list, and removing the artillery spells (or increasing their costs), will help.

You could also require spell preparation, wherein most spells take a long time to cast unless they are "imbued" into a power stone--but then that stone is good for nothing else. (Again, I'm forgetting exactly how wands work in TFT--or if they're there at all. The basic idea here is to make offensive combat spells the province of enchantments instead of off-the-cuff superhero-like powers.)

For a moment there, I thought this thread was going to be about Two-Fisted Tales.

RPGPundit

Quote from: D-503;444895I had a look at that stuff, thanks.

Thinking about it it's not really surprising. Most games after all don't have alternate magic systems made for them.

Still, I do think TFT's lets it down. It's just dull.

The GURPS advice is a good idea since at its core TFT is really "proto-GURPS". For various legal or copyright reasons Steve Jackson had to start his own company before taking another stab at making a role playing game.


- Ed C.

Thanks for all the thoughts folks, particularly you Elliot.

Would like to know what you come up with. Good luck.