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Rune Magic System for The Black Hack

A very rough draft of a Rune Magic system for The Black Hack

Every rune belongs to a clan of three runes. In this example, the Abrogation rune belongs to the Shield clan.

The image in the top left is the rune itself.

Each rune provides 10 to 14 spells. To cast a spell, roll d12. Compare the roll to the chart: a white box means success, a black box means failure.

For example, casting Dispel Magic, roll d12. A roll of 6 or 7 and the spell will fail, otherwise, it will be a success.

Eggs are magic items specific to Rune Mages. An egg can either guarantee success with a spell or a specific roll. Looking at the chart, a Rune Mage using this rune would be very interested in an egg that makes rolls of 6 and 7 successes.

Whether an egg affects a spell or roll is determined when it is discovered as the egg attunes to the Rune Mage. In other words, you can't go to a magic shop to find a 6 Egg or a Spell Resistance egg. If your world has magic shops, they wouldn't sell unattuned ones because once a Rune Mage touches one, the egg would be useless.

This rune chart is completely filled out. Usually, a player would begin with the Rune, Clan, Name, and all 1st level spells. The rest of the spells become available as the character levels.

The roll to add a new spell could add a spell from the same rune or for a spell from the same clan of runes. It could add one spell, two spells, or replace an existing spell.

More to come. Thoughts welcome.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ws-6xYlqPIiiXuwOi6yOqLx2cch0IoFp

Black Hack Magic


Been quiet for a while. Some of that is life stuff, mostly, it was a decision to not post anything until I had actually done something.

Will post later today about a bunch of spells I'm adding to my Black Hack inspired game.

For now, screenshot or it didn't happen. This is a partial list of the spells I'm working on for a Rune Magic system and for a Color-Based system.

Two quick updates:

    Two quick updates:

* Completely revamped chart-based spellcasting
* Got another color finished for Color-Based Magic

You may be thinking All the words are English, but the meaning is uncertain.

I know, despite being an English major, I write like a breathless eight year old. I guess I'm showing my regression in mental age. 🙂

Color-Based magic is a project to categorize spells by a color. Each color represents a group of spells that share one or more common themes. The colors are not like D&D spell categories. For example, there isn't one color to represent all evocation spells.

Chart-Based Spellcasting is a project to change how spellcasters in The Black Hack cast spells. Instead of memorizing spells from a book, these spellcasters reference a self-made chart. Each chart provides access to five or six spells, but due to their homemade nature, there is a chance the spell will fail.

In the setting I am working on for the month of November, these spellcasters scour the world for alien devices to make the charts. Through a stone-like buckler strapped to their off-arm, they access the charts they make to cast spells.

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