This the magic system I am planning to use for my campaign worlds of Oceana, Spire and Sky World. I found the basic BESM magic / psionics attribute system to not fit the form of fantasy magic I desired. I could have used Dynamic Sorcery, but I don't like the total free-form method that usually entails.
I wanted a system where characters can know a lot of different spells. Dynamic sorcery permits essentially unlimited quantity of spells to be known, unlike the magic / psionics attribute which limits the number of spells known based upon the attribute level. I wanted a system where the spells are pre-designed and mechanically simple to design like the magic attribute. I feel that dynamic sorcery is to open to arguements about what is or is not appropiate for a given level of Dynamic Sorcery. Also I wanted a system where I could require spells to learned from books, scrolls and research. Dynamic Sorcery, while it be done that way, is generally viewed as a wide open system. I wanted a system that is similar in some ways to the AD&D spell system or the Harry Potter novels.
With the help of the people on the Guardian of Order boards, this is what was created. This is my spin on it, but I have taken ideas from a number of people.
Magic spells cost the same energy points as per the standard magic / psionic rules in BESM 2R. Spells are built the same as per standard rules with regards to point costs for casting, continued usage and point values.
Characters have the same energy points as per standard rules. They can buy more levels of energy via the appropiate standard rules.
The first change is how many spells a character can know. Chacters spend skill points to know spells instead of magic attribute points. This allows characters to know lots of spells for fairly cheap. Spells cost 1 skill point for every 5 energy points of the spell design. The cost keeps the power of the spells known to a more reasonable level.
The second change is the use of the magic attribute. The magic attribute controls the maxium power that any spell can use. Characters might know powerful spells and have the energy needed by the spell, but they would not be able to cast it since it would be to powerful. Characters can use in a single spell a maximum of 10 times the levels of their magic attribute. Hence a mage with Magic Level 2 can cast a 20 energy point spell.
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