ROUGH DRAFT-UNFINISHED

I created this system, based on the Cinematic Unisystem Magic in Ghosts of Albion, back before Genesys came out. I never finished it but folks can see where it is going. I've now perused the Genesys system and found it lacking in many respects so this may assist others who feel the same way.

The only drawback to this is that without the Power Trees it is Strain-consuming. Adding a Magicka (similar to Wounds/Strain) pool would help this. You could also decrease costs. But be careful, there is a fine line where deregulation of magic results in uber-mages that overshadow other PCs even from the beginning. I favor the Power Trees because they make a character focus on specific effects and allow room for more than one mage and other types of PCs. Basically the Power Trees make it more affordable to cast big magic by upgrading the default powers available.

[DIF]=Difficulty dice

[CHA/DES]=Challenge/Despair dice

[ADV/TRI]=Advantage/Triumph

BASIC UNISYSTEM MAGIC

-This system can work with one skill for Magic with "Force Trees" for the various effects (Shapechange, Elemental Control) which would make a specialist more effective/efficient. In other words, the character would use one skill but have to purchase Effects through the Trees. Otherwise, instead of "Power Trees", a GM could simply create 4-6 magic skills such as Alteration, Attack, Defense, Conjuration etc.

An incantation has the base following difficulties:

-Strain Cost is the [DIF]+[CHA]+[Additions] dice rolled.

The main purpose of the effect (see Cinematic Unisystem/Ghosts of Albion/or The Magic Box):

Change/Effect

Minor (Tier 1 Ability): [DIF]

Moderate (Tier 2 Ability): [DIF][DIF]

Severe/Complex (Tier 3 Ability): [DIF][DIF][DIF]

Monumental: [DIF][DIF][DIF][DIF]

Ability/Quality/Feature/Flourish: [DIF] per level/type (OR just additional ones)(CAP: Magic)

(the above Ability/Quality/Feature/Flourish was designed to work with the Ability/Quality lists on http://swrpg.viluppo.net/ )

-Cast as Maneuver (Incidental only possible with Talent/Path, not possible otherwise)

Base Attack w/ Damage [Will+Magic]: [DIF][DIF][DIF]

+2 Strain per +1 Damage increment

[Every full increment of Base =[+1/DIFF](Or Upgrade)(not surpassed)(can’t go in the middle).

So someone with Base Damage of 5 increases the base Damage to 15, they add +[2/DIFF] and +4 STrain

Target (1)

1: --

Increase +1: (Strain or [DIF])(?)

Minion Group: [UPGRADE] or [DIF](?)

Range (Engaged)

Personal: [-DIFF]

Touch/Engaged: --Default

Short: [DIF]

Medium: [DIF][DIF]

Long: [DIF][DIF] [DIF]

Can increase to Planetary only via Power Tree...

Duration (Instant)

BASE: # per [SUC]

-Increase # rather than increment via [+2 Strain]

Instant: 0

Instant: [-DIF] (this really only kicks in with attack spells and such)(shouldn’t be a bonus to throw spells)(TURNS & INSTANT)

Turns: (# per [SUC])(Possibly-Magic+SUC) [1]

Minutes: [DIF]

Hours: [DIF][DIF]

Days: [DIF][DIF][DIF]

Casting Time (Instant)

Difficulty Reduction

-[UPGRADE] removes 1/[DIF] [2] and moves another to [CHA] [3]

-Casting Time (bands=DIFF) (#=Strain)

-Additional Strain (+3 per [-DIFF])

Silhouette/Area

This only applies if making a large change [Silhouette/2]. Silhouette of yourself is always 0. Modifications are also 0. Attacks are always 0. To increase Silhouette, [UPGRADE].

Adjusting Silhouette/Distance (Optional rule to make adjusting range/silhouette more difficult)

Increasing the Silhouette, unless otherwise indicated in a power description requires Prepare/1 per Strain*Silhouette(-base Silhouette).

-OR the Duration of Prepare goes up by increment (Instant/Turn/Minutes/Hours…).

To reduce this requirement, the caster must add [DIFF] per reduced increment of Prepare Duration. (or Downgrade?)

Maximus decides to use his Flower power to cover an entire house (Silhouette/4) in daisies. The Strain cost is 6. His base Silhouette is 1 so he must Prepare for (4-1=3 Duration Increments) a total of 6 hours. This is too long so he adds a Difficulty Dice/Upgrades

WITH NEW DIFFICULTIES

FLIGHT (Alteration-Wings/Manipulate)

His Flight Spell has Range: Personal [-DIFF]. It requires two Abilities in series (Hover, Flyer) for [2/DIFF]. This gives us Flyer/1 (Speed/1). Default Duration Interval/Band is Turns. We want to increase that to Hours so we move two Intervals (Turns-Minutes-Hours) for [2/DIFF]. We add +1 Duration increment/hour for +2 Strain to ensure some flying ability. Casting Time is Instant so we decide to move that to Prepare/1 (Turns) for [-DIFF]. We decide to increase the Speed to Speed/3 to match that of a Windspeeder. This is two additional levels of an Ability [2/DIFF]. And our new spell is…

RANGE: Personal

CASTING TIME: 1 Turn

DURATION: 1+ [SUC] in hours

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Flyer/3

STRAIN: 6

ROLL: [4/DIFF]

WATER BREATHING (Alteration)

Cast Water-Breathing for the group. This is a casting of Amphibious. The caster is trying to give Amphibious [2/DIFF] to a group of characters (5). The range is Engaged (0). Duration Band is increased from Turns-Minutes-Hours [2/DIFF]. The Duration increment is boosted to +1 (+2 Strain). Target of 5 makes it +5 Strain. Caster makes it Prepare/1 (turns) for [-DIFF] and increment +3 to reduce Strain by -3. The end result is [3/DIFF] and 7 Strain.

RANGE: Engaged (0)

CASTING TIME: 3 Turn

DURATION: 1+[SUC] in Hours.

TARGET: 5

QUALITY/EFFECT: Amphibious

STRAIN: 7

ROLL: [3/DIFF]

Doing it one at a time is not cheaper…

RANGE: Engaged (0)

CASTING TIME: 3 Turn

DURATION: 1+[SUC] in Hours.

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Amphibious

STRAIN: 2

ROLL: [3/DIFF]

POWER TREES

- Branches/Effects of magic should have their own Trees much like Force Powers. These would have the same upgrade categories:

Strength

Control

Mastery

Magnitude

Duration

Ease (cost)

Effect/Speed/Damage/Silhouette

Duration

Round/Minute/Hour/Day/Week

Cost (strain)

Range

Engaged/Short/Medium/Long/Extreme

Personal v. Planetary

Some upgrade reduce Strain, others allow caster to buy things with Success/Advantage/Triumph. All powers can be modded with Strain so the upgrades reduce the cost of such mods.

Tier 1-5pts

Tier 2-10pts

Tier 3-15pts

Tier 4-20pts

PATHS OR DISCIPLINES

Each career gets a choice of three. The other two are Career Specializations (or less? 5xcurrent). Each Discipline will provide access to modifications of such a spell. Maybe only three Trees?

OFFENSIVE/Elemental Attack [4]

Basic Power (3 Strain) Caster may roll Magic to cause elemental damage… Base Damage : (Will+Magic)

Basic Difficulty : [DIF][DIF]

Base Range : Engaged

Base Casting Time : (CHECK THIS)

Base Damage : [Will+Magic]+[#/SUC] (increase base damage by 1 per 2 Strain)

Additional Targets : -2 Strain per 1 target

Quality: (Base Qualities per Element)/DIFF

Critical: Base 5 (reduce +2 Strain)

A.1—Range Increase (base range increased)

A.2—Control (Quality Cap+1)

A.3—Strength (bonus damage from [SUC] is +1x)

A.4—Ease (reduce cost by -1)

B.1—Magnitude (bonus targets/ x1 )(per additional Strain)

B.2—Magnitude (bonus targets/x1)

B.3—Mastery (one free quality/boost/effect with no added strain or additional spell tree effect)

B.4—Great Magnitude (5x damage to planetary scale)(Triumph) [5]

C.1—Control (Free Blast/1, Burn/1, Disorient/1 or Stun/1)(May cause Stun Damage)

C.2—Strength (base damage is +1x per Strain)

C.3—Range Increase (base range increased)

C.4—Control (Quality purchase*+1/including base)

D.1— Strength (base damage is +1x per Strain)

D.2—Ease (reduce Strain cost by -1) [6]

D.3—Control (Quality Cap+1)

D.4—

VARANOS TEST (NEW)[Base 2/DIFF]

Fireball

Varanos is a starting Wizard with 150pts. He gets into a fight and wants to let loose with a Fireball! He has Int/3, Willpower/3 and Magic/2. He has spent 35pts on his Path. He has increased his default range to Short and has a free Quality/1 with the elements. He goes with Blast/1. His Quality Cap is 3(+1). In addition, he gets +2 Damage per additional Strain. He has Base Damage/5.

This is his base spell:

RANGE: Short (0)

CASTING TIME: Instant

DAMAGE: 5 +[SUC]

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Blast/1

COST: 2

ROLL: [DIFF][DIFF]

Improved Fireball

He decides to give his Fireball a bit more oomph. He increases the Range: Medium [+1/DIFF]. He adds another level to his Free Quality (Burn)[+DIFF]. He increases his Base Damage to 9 (+4=2 Strain).

RANGE: Medium

CASTING TIME: Instant

DAMAGE: 9 +[SUC]

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Burn/2

COST: 6

ROLL: [4/DIFF]

Unisystem Example-FireTrap

Varanos is a starting Wizard with 150pts. He gets into a fight and wants to let loose with a Fireball! He has Int/3, Willpower/3 and Magic/2. He has spent 35pts on his Path. He has increased his default range to Short and has a free Quality/1 with the elements. He goes with Blast/1. His Quality Cap is 3(+1). In addition, he gets +2 Damage per additional Strain. He has Base Damage/5.

This is his base spell:

RANGE: Short (0)

CASTING TIME: Instant

DAMAGE: 5 +[SUC]

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Blast/1

COST: 2

ROLL: [DIFF][DIFF]

He wants to create a “mine” that will explode when triggered. First, he needs to add the Trigger [+DIFF]. Then he needs to change the Duration Band from Rounds, to Minutes, to Hours [+2/DIFF]. Now he wants to increase the damage by +6 [+3 Strain]. His current Roll is [5/DIFF] and 8 Strain. He decides that he needs to reduce that so he adds Prepare/1 (Turns)[-DIFF]. He makes it Prepare/3 for [-2 Strain].

RANGE: Short (0)

CASTING TIME: Turns/3

DURATION: [SUC] in Hours

DAMAGE: 11 +[SUC]

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Blast/1, Trigger-Trap/1 (movement)

COST: 5

ROLL: 4/[DIFF]

He rolls 2 Success, 4 Threat. To dispatch the Threat, Varanos gives anyone who trips the mine an additional [BOOST] to avoid it (-2 Threat). For the last two Threat, Varanos decides to take 2 additional Strain.

Mage Without Path Casting The Same Fireball (essentially Burning Hands)

He has Int/3, Willpower/3 and Magic/2. He has Base Damage/5.

This is his base Attack spell:

RANGE: Engaged (0)

CASTING TIME: Instant

DAMAGE: 5+[SUC]

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: None

COST: 2

ROLL: [DIFF][DIFF]

To match Varanos’ Improved Fireball , the Mage needs to increase his Range Band to Medium [+2/DIFF]. He has to increase base Damage by +4 [8 Strain] and add two Quality levels of Burn [+2/DIFF].

RANGE: Medium

CASTING TIME: Instant

DAMAGE: 9+[SUC]

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Burn/2

COST: 14

ROLL: [6/DIFF] or [4/DIFF, 1/CHA]

Mage Without Path Casting Varanos’ Base Fireball

RANGE: Short (+1/DIFF)

CASTING TIME: Instant

DAMAGE: 5 +[SUC]

TARGET: 1

QUALITY/EFFECT: Blast/1 [+DIFF]

COST: 4

ROLL: [4/DIFF]

DEFENSIVE/Elemental Protection

Basic Difficulty : [DIF] [DIF]

Base Range : Engaged

Base Casting Time : Instant

Base Duration : Turns [SUC] OR [Will+Magic]+SUC

Base Effect : Soak/1 v. Energy OR Melee/Ranged

Quality: Soak is treated as Quality/2 (Ability Tier II)(2/DIFF)?

Strain : 2

Silhouette : [+DIFF] per increase over 0/Personal

Stationary unless [+DIFF]

A.1—Control (additional category/protect against All)

A.2—Control (Quality Cap +1)

A.3—Magnitude (can protect multiple +1 per 1 Strain)

A.4—Ease (reduce cost by -1 per level)

B.1—Magnitude (increase base Silhouette/Area Effect) [7]

B.2—Strength (add per level of Strength+1/buy)

B.3—Ease (reduce cost by -1)

B.4—Range (base range +1)

C.1—Duration (+1x)

C.2—Duration (Base Duration Increment=Minutes)

C.3—Control (expend 2/[ADV] to gain Defense) [8]

C.4—Mastery (Spend Destiny or Triumph to use as Incidental)

D.1—Upgrade/Power (Mobile)

D.2—Strength (add per level of Strength+1/buy)

D.4—Duration (

MANIPULATE SUBSTANCE

Building things, flying, charging things etc. Can Hover.

Using Air/Speed (1 ^st Speed increase provides Aerodynamic Flight/Spd1)

Shape/Change:

Base/-1 Strain

Moderate/-3 Strain

Complex/-6 Strain

A.1 Control (Basic shapes/changes)(

A.2 Control (Moderate Shapes/Changes)

A.3 Duration (increase # of range)

A.4 Control (Complex Shapes/Changes)

B.1 Strength (Increase Speed/XXXX/Soak/Defense etc)

B.2 Magnitude (increase # of affected?/Silhouette)

B.3

C.1 Duration (increase duration band)

D.1 Magnitude (increase Silhouette)

D.2 Magnitude (increase Silhouette)

D.3 Strength (increase Speed/XXXX)

D.4

ENHANCEMENT/WEAKEN

Allows the ability to strengthen or weaken a living being or inanimate object.

Can also grant Ability (see NPC Abilities)

A.4—Control (Commit to gain +1 Attribute)

BINDING

DOMINATION

A.1—Magnitude

ILLUSION

SUMMON/CONJURATION

FAR CASTING/SCRYING (includes telepathy)

Base Power: Locate

Duration : Instant

Range : Engaged

Base Power: Telepathy

Duration : Instant

Range : Engaged

B.2 Upgrade/Power (Beacon) An object/person located may be “tagged” on [ADV][ADV]/[TRI] and function as Beacon. This provides constant location updates to the caster or empowered device/scroll etc. The Tag lasts for [Intelligence] in Hours. Additional [ADV] can upgrade this Duration. Anything that has the Beacon quality adds [BOOST] to any distance castings or additional Far Casting powers. This can be enchanted into an item/device. In doing so, the caster benefits from any Prepare/etc to upgrade duration or range. Base Difficulty/Base Range :

UNVEILING

WARDING (see Protection) [9]

Base Power: General Ward (v. one thing)

Duration : Instant (+ [DIFF] per increase)

Range/Silhouette : Personal/0

Base Power: Cloaking (v. Scrying)

Duration : Instant (+ [DIFF] per increase)

Range : Personal

Effect : Adds [Upgrade] to any attempts per

A.3 Upgrade/Power (Glyph) : A Ward may be affixed to a location. Requires materials and preparations adds Prepare/1 per Strain. To increase Silhouette, increase Duration of Prepare action.

POLYMORPH/TRANSMUTATION

Shapechange into Silhouette/0. Duration/Instant.

Strain: (Silhouette)+(new Silhouette)*2

Duration: Rounds per Willpower+Successes (-3 per step increase)

Casting Time: (Strain Cost)

A.1 Magnitude (Increase Silhouette)

A.2 Control (gain Underwater/Flight/Ability)

A.3 Control (Selective Transmutation)

A.4 Control (Instant Change/Fluid Change)

-Incidental

B.1 Duration (increase # of duration)

B.2 Duration (increase duration band)

B.3 Control (decrease time to shift/2)

B.4 Range (increase Range Band)

C.1 Control (decrease time needed to shift)

C.2 Duration (increase # of duration)

C.3 Magnitude (increase Silhouette)

C.4 Duration (increase Duration band)

D.1 Control (can speak while polymorphed)

D.2 Polymorph Other

D.3 Magnitude (affect additional person/strain)

D.4 Hostile Polymorph

DURATION BANDS

-Instant/Rounds/Minutes/Hours/Days/Weeks

DICE RESULTS

Setback

Increase Strain Cost

Triumph

-Increase Duration Band

-Increase Range

-Add Quality

-Upgrade Difficulty/Skill of target or ally next check

Despair

-Feedback damage (requires two or more)