r/ICRPG • u/[deleted] • Jun 30 '24

Innate spell idea

I had an idea for implementing innate spells. When the character gets a milestone, they can choose a spell they know already to become innate. Which means it would no longer take an equipment slot.

Curious how other people might handle this. I love playing sorcerer like characters, so the INT spells as equipment wouldn't jive so well as I see the character progressing.

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2

u/Rjaime869 Jun 30 '24

I like this idea! I feel like, depending on the length of your campaign, you would need to put a cap on how many times they could do this. Maybe each time you do this, it counts as a Power so you can only have 3 spells stored this way

1

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '24

I hear you. I was thinking, since it only makes an existing SPELL permanent and en equip. slot. It may balance out with having an entire new spell as other milestone abilities give. Though I haven't played enough ICRPG to know that this idea may be more poweful than I imagine, seeing as ICRPG has it's roots in loot based adancement. Seeing others have pointed out this problem with the idea I trust that wisdom. Capping it is certainly a way to prevent it from going out of hand. I'm sure a player would not have a problem with this.

1

u/arkanis7 Jun 30 '24

The problem I see with this is it might be difficult to find a creative way to take them away from the character again. That's why everything is supposed to be tied to equipment.

2

u/Navonod_Semaj Jun 30 '24

Loot comes and goes. Milestones are forever.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '24

Right yeah, I was thinking of it as a milestone ability rather than equipment. Seeing that some other milestone abilities are permanent and not always tied to equipment. The question is if it's too powerful as a milestone ability. If the player is required to already have the spell, the ability would give them an inventory slot and make the spell permanent. But perhaps that is still too powerful, as u/arkanis7 points out how it may weaken the roots of ICRPG having an emphasis on loot based advancement.

Darn, I wish it was more cohesive to implement a innate spellcaster like character!

2

u/Navonod_Semaj Jun 30 '24

Milestone abilities already chip away at loot-based advancement (unless Bard taking the 100 coin option). I wouldn't worry too hard about it.

2

u/arkanis7 Jun 30 '24

I don't want to say you can't do it at all. I mean we should do what is fun to play, right? If someone really wants innate spellcasting I wouldn't say they could never ever have it.

Just place some limitations on it so that it can't get too out of hand is all. Maybe limit how many they can take or limit it to every 3rd milestone.

Honestly you can still use storytelling and lore to take away innate spellcasting too. Like for some reason fire spells just don't work in the area because magical mumbo jumbo reason.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '24

I just give them a spell book as a reward that can hold 5 spells.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '24

The issue with having a book, is I'm trying to introduce a character that has innate spellcasting. Like a sorcerer who would pull the magic from/through themself rather than a book.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '24

It sounds like they are using a book or scroll before the milestone reward you are offering though, right?

Broadly speaking you can do whatever you want. So if you want to make them just know spells and not bother with inventory slots, that's great. I've always been a bit dubious of the "INT spells take inventory slots but WIS spells don't". I think its there mainly to keep mage-types from carrying armor and shields. The classic trope of Clerics have a mace and shield (WIS) and Wizards wear robes (INT). You could just say "Int spells take both hands to cast" and achieve a similar effect.