Magic Systems
Magic Point System
This is the most familiar magic system. Spells cost magic points, which can be regenerated over time or replenished via items. Spells can only be cast when their cost in magic points is available.
- Spells can only be cast when enough magic points are available.
- Spell casting is instant, if enough MP is available spells can immediately be used.
- Magic points can regenerate over time or through items. Special classes could regen MP in other ways - a spellsword could generate magic points by doing damage, for example.
- Spells can have multiple power levels, which cost more MP.
The main advantage of this system is that it is easy to understand and implement. The main disadvantages are that it doesn't take a lot of skill to use and if you don't have enough MP there isn't a lot you can do other that wait around. We can alleviate this somewhat though by creating alternate ways to gain MP other than the passage of time.
Timing-Based System
Under this system, the limiting factor on spells in time taken to cast, rather than a point cost.
- Spells must be charged before being cast.
- The longer a spell is charged the more powerful it becomes.
- Mobility is decreased while charging.
- Once a spell is charged it continually loses charge (and therefore power) until cast.
- Optional: Some amount of charge is lost when damage is taken.
- Optional: Overcharging a spell leads to a feedback explosion.
The thing I find very appealing about this system it isn't based on an economic resource model of collect resource -> cast spells -> collect resources again. It leaves a lot of room for player skill to make the difference in effectiveness and encourages team play in that charging mages will greatly benefit from protection. This reduced mobility constraint exists because otherwise mages would always be charging. (The would be no reason not to charge.) The losing charge over time constraint exists so that a mage can't charge in the safety of a base, then run across the map and let loose a giant spell. Under this system if a mage wants to charge a powerful spell they will have to be somewhat close to the action. The optional components of the system may be needed for balancing purposed.
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