I’m looking for inspiration for spells and effects that would be available in the “Arcana School” of Art Magic (I thought of posting in the Magic Burner section, but it looks like no one has posted there since 2012).
Looking through the Standard spells, the only ones using Arcana are Eldritch Shield and Magesense. Two spells seems kind of weak for a magic school. What spells and effects would you add to this? I’ve got the other schools pretty well fleshed out.
Ideas:
[ul]
[li]Hindrance or Trait spells affecting Sorcerous skills
[/li][li]Advantage to Sorcerous skills (Alchemy, Circination, etc.)
[/li][li]Beneficial Sorcerous Traits (like Versatile)
[/li][li]Evoke and Arcane Action Effects (flinging yourself, others, and things around with raw arcane power)
[/li][li]Hinder almost anything with raw arcane power
[/li][li]Sorcerous Weapon?
[/li][li]
[/li][/ul]
Any thoughts on what “Arcana” should encompass are appreciated. It is the most expensive Element in Abstractions and Distillations at 13 rps, so I thought it should should have some nifty effects in Art Magic.
So, it’s all about interacting with magic, right? I think you should go deep here instead of broad. Make arcana all about magic (probably no sorcerous weapon, unless it’s “ethereal blade that only cuts up other wizards”). (It may be helpful to look at what Blue does in Magic: the Gathering.)
One way to make “magic about magic” powerful is to slightly break the Recursive Curse in some fashion. Having it give you big bonuses to actual spellcasting is a bad, bad idea. But something like “I can grant myself a bonus / substitute for a skill when I’m opening other schools” is damn powerful and flavorful. I had a concept for an Art-Magic “necromancer” who would call the spirits of the dead to learn other magics, forbidden and forgotten.
One way to make “magic about magic” powerful is to slightly break the Recursive Curse in some fashion. Having it give you big bonuses to actual spellcasting is a bad, bad idea.
Yeah, this seems bad and is forbidden in Art Magic rules.
Alex
But something like “I can grant myself a bonus / substitute for a skill when I’m opening other schools” is damn powerful and flavorful.
This could be done using the trait Versatile with the Trait effect in Art Magic.
Alex
I had a concept for an Art-Magic “necromancer” who would call the spirits of the dead to learn other magics, forbidden and forgotten.
I see this more as the domain of Summoning.
I’m curious what BWHQ envisioned for “Arcana” when they wrote the Magic Burner. They thought it viable enough to give it its own element in Abstractions & Distillations and also used it as an example “Magic School” in the Art Magic chapter (Wheel of the White Hand). I mainly want to know because I’ve got a whole list of Art Magic schools and Arcana is the missing piece. All of the other elements listed in Magic Burner are pretty easy to figure out as to what Effects they’d cover in Art Magic; Arcana less so. It’s easy to describe what Fire magic, Wind magic, even Mind magic would be. What is raw magic? What spells would raw arcane power cover?
I’ve noticed that Art Magic questions sometimes get little reply on this forum from BWHQ. Since it is one of the most popular magic systems, I’ve concluded that a revised Magic Burner is in the works and BWHQ doesn’t want to give away its new stuff on the forums prematurely. This is cool but it would be nice to have answers on how to play the system “as is.” Not meaning to complain, I just really want to create an Art Magic school for Arcana to complete my Setting. It’s kind of an abstract concept; I’d happily do the research myself if there was something to look at- I can’t find anything.