RPG with best spellcasting?

[laclongquan]

Any RPG is a lot more fun as a spellcaster! Specially AD&D games.

Wrong! Arcanum is a lot more fun to fiddle around as a techie healer gunslinger. Spellcaster is just plain vanilla there.

 

[Fowyr]

It's like fallout 2 that way.

Was it really necessary to insult Planescape like that, SCO?

Also play Planescape like mage with high int and wis. NOW!

 

[Seven-headed Gentleman]

If we're counting PnP, then Mage the Ascension has the best spellcasting mechanics. And metaphysics.

Ars Magica has a great PnP spell research/casting system.

Seconding Ultimas in cRPG spellcasting.

Darklands has a unique feel to its magic system that I liked. Though you brew potions with alchemy instead of casting anything. There's reagents, you need a philosophers stone and alchemy skill, you need to hunt for recipes etc. It fits the game world very well, but its application in combat is not that interesting which is a big minus.

 

[JudasIscariot]

If we're counting PnP, then Mage the Ascension has the best spellcasting mechanics. And metaphysics.

Ars Magica has a great PnP spell research/casting system.

Seconding Ultimas in cRPG spellcasting.

Darklands has a unique feel to its magic system that I liked. Though you brew potions with alchemy instead of casting anything. There's reagents, you need a philosophers stone and alchemy skill, you need to hunt for recipes etc. It fits the game world very well, but its application in combat is not that interesting which is a big minus.

Don't forget praying to the local patron saints in some villages. Prayer would give you a buff other bonuses, IIRC.

 

[deus101]

Any system that forces you to memorize spells...

This way for each encounter you got a limit on what you can use....so...mana pools are OUT!

 

[Mastermind]

You can limit what you can use with a mana pool too.

 

[Excidium]

Any system that forces you to memorize spells...

This way for each encounter you got a limit on what you can use....so...mana pools are OUT!

I prefer spell points. Memorizing spells is a bit annoying.

 

[Raapys]

There's not really any game where playing a spellcaster is more fun than in Baldur's Gate 2+ToB. The sheer spell selection, spell power and spell diversity makes it unlike anything out there. Soloing the game with a sorcerer is worth a play-through all by itself, at least to the point where you get bored because of the lack of challenge.

 

[Phage]

You gonna get raped.

Though i agree, i wish the lulz was kept to a minimum. Though the content is appreciated.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed playing through Fallout 2, but I cannot personally put it on nearly the same level as its predecessor or Planescape.


As for the actual topic - I'm probably going to play Baldur's Gate 2 + ToB as a spellcaster, followed by Ultima 6, followed by a replay of Planescape or Ultima 5.

Unless something changes my mind. Either way, thanks for all the advice

 

[Jaesun]

Play Ultima IV and V. Both those spell systems are awesome.

 

[Phage]

Which one should be played first!?

 

[Jaesun]

You don't miss anything playing them out of order. But play IV first. It's interesting to see the changes from IV to V if you do it that way. As well as having a big grin on your face after finishing IV and then heading into V and going WHAT IN THE FUCK IS HAPPENING to the world.... The impact of you achieving Avatarhood in IV and then heading to V is most satisfying plot and story wise.

 

[Phage]

Sounds pretty good. Are the first three Ultima's must-plays as well?

 

[Jaesun]

NO. Ignore them. Us Ultima Fags just try to ignore them and pretend they never existed.....


Like Ultima IX.

 

[Phage]

I see, so play Ultima 4-8?

 

[Jaesun]

yup. Thats what I do every few years. Best fucking time you will ever have. Very rewarding to play through them all and see all the changes between games, and get all the inside jokes/lore.

 

[SCO]

Try to play Aleshar. It's a bad game but interesting runic magic system.

Arx Fatalis of course. But if you're one of those no-player skill guys, i pity you.

Ultima underworld has a no-player skill (except to check out rune combinations with the words they mean) version of the Arx system. It's the other way around of course. I know it pedants.

 

[Shagnak]

The Four Crystals of Trazere aka Legend

Spell making screen:

http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/1054/ ... C+The.html

I'm in a hurry (off to get drunk pre-rugby game), so couldnae be fooked explaining its awesomeness. Maybe some other time.

 

[SCO]

Yeah, nice combinatorial system that.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

That reminds me of usurper's drink mixing system. I do not think anyone has even come close to figuring that one out yet.

 

[SCO]

That reminds me of usurper's drink mixing system. I do not think anyone has even come close to figuring that one out yet.

Jesus fucking christ.

http://www.knaper.com/usrp/drnks/drink-studies.html

 

[Lunac]

Asheron's Call, 1999-2000 era, where you had to experiment with combining various plants, powders, and ores in order to get spells. Sometimes they had awesome results like killing you if you were a lower level, or causing your attributes/skills to drop. Of course all this got dropped within months since player feedback indicated this system was simply too difficult for your average subscriber to grasp. Instant gratification and all that. Soon monsters were dropping scrolls, (a lowly rat carrying several scrolls, yeah that makes sense) somebody broke the system behind the various component combinations and developers refused to do anything about it, so pretty soon everyone had EVERY spell. Finally, they introduced shops were you could buy pretty much any spell anyway. Game ovah. Downhill from there. Microsoft finally abandoned it all and sold the Asheron's Call IP back to Turbine Entertainment in 2003.

But those few months in 1999 and 2000 were awesome. Combing random components gotten from shops, looted off corpses, and picked from landscape, and then casting and hoping you don't kill yourself were something special.

Alas, you need a time machine to be able to enjoy this.


...
..
.

 

[Elwro]

That reminds me of usurper's drink mixing system. I do not think anyone has even come close to figuring that one out yet.

Jesus fucking christ.

http://www.knaper.com/usrp/drnks/drink-studies.html

Oh boy, the dedication!

 

[deus101]

You can limit what you can use with a mana pool too.

yes...quaffing mana potions is so limiting.

 

[Mastermind]

You can limit what you can use with a mana pool too.

yes...quaffing mana potions is so limiting.

The inherent assumption here being that:

1) Mana potions should be abundant
2) Mana potion use should be unrestricted
3) Mana potions should be extremely effective

Which of these are necessary for a mana pool?

hint: none.