Muny Freeform Magic System

This ruleset is currently unfinished and in testing. Changes happen often, so wiki pages may be out of date until things are finished. Check the core doc HERE for the up-to-date rules.

Introduction and Overview
This is an alternate ruleset for unicorn/alicorn magic, intended to counter some of the issues in the present Muny system. Compared to the standard magic rules, these are substantially thinner - in particular, there’s a lot less to memorize and keep track of. The goal is to make magic more of an RP activity and less of a “pull out a calculator and dive into a set of lists that are as fat and balanced as an elephant on a diving board” activity.

Here, the greatest limiters on a character’s magical potential are the player’s creativity and the GM’s sense of fairness. With that in mind, this system works best when everyone’s playing to have fun - number crunching and min-maxing are trickier with this ruleset, and smooth operation depends on players and GM (especially GM) not being shitlords.

On the other hand, TK has a bit more crunch to it than before - mostly to make it a bit less ridiculous than in the standard rules. As a tradeoff, there’s a whole new set of unicorn/alicorn perks and traits, including several dedicated to making TK stronger (or allowing you to do cool things with it).

How to Use This Ruleset
This ruleset is split into two documents - the primary rules are explained below, and a separate Google Sheets document contains a character sheet tab that you can plug straight into the standard Muny character sheet, as well as perk/trait, item and example spell lists. Read this document first, then use the other for the character sheet tab and as a reference.

When using this system, consider the old muny magic rules (including perks and traits) completely obsolete and overridden.

This ruleset is deliberately designed to be relatively open-ended and RP-heavy. When the rules are vague, the final arbiters of whether or not something works are GM approval and COMMON SENSE.

Quick Overview

 * Magic system greatly simplified across the board, with an aim towards being accessible and flexible. 1-2 rolls per action. No long, complicated spreadsheet formulas or calculus. No need for multiple versions of the same spell.
 * Magic in general is now more heavily biased towards RP, as opposed to calculators and tables. Balance can be adjusted on the fly to fit with game difficulty, players/GMs' own ideas of the limitations of magic, etc.
 * More freeform system allows for greater level of on-the-spot player innovation. GM retains ultimate power for the sake of arbitration - the better people are at not being shitters, the better the system works.
 * Potency is now an eighth SPECIAL stat and dictates raw magical power, similar to how Strength governs physical brawn.
 * Strain and Versatility have been cut for the sake of simplicity.
 * Standardized AP costs.
 * Mundane spells have been made redundant.
 * Kkat's shit spell list is gone. No more ‘go back in time to do nothing’ or ‘speed up pregnancy’ spells unless you’re REALLY into that kind of thing. A handful of spells remain in simplified forms as Alicorn racials or examples for the new system.
 * Unicorns no longer start with Light.
 * Alicorn racial spells have been nerfed across the board, particularly Alicorn Shield.
 * Invention and customization of spells is strongly encouraged and less constrained, with an aim to making progression more organic and RP-based.
 * TK and the Magic skill have tighter, clearer rules.
 * TK nerfed. No more ‘grab 20 enemies, smoosh them into a ball and throw them into a fire for 0 AP’. No more levitating Thunderheads.
 * Whole new set of perks and traits. Highlights include perks that strengthen TK and Alicorn Shield in particular, and others that synergise with non-magical skills.

Potency
Potency is an eighth SPECIAL (SPPECIAL?) stat possessed only by unicorns and alicorns. It functions as a measure of raw magical power, in much the same way that Strength represents physical brawn. It directly controls the strength of telekinesis, and is the go-to stat for rolls where casters must heavily exert themselves. As with all SPECIALs, Potency is capped at 10.

For the most part, Potency functions in exactly the same way as other SPECIALs - it also draws from the same 40-point limit for base stats.

As a racial restriction, alicorns must dedicate at least 6 points to base Potency.

Magic Skill
The Magic skill represents your character's understanding and skill at manipulating magic on an intellectual and practical level. For all intents and purposes it functions as a standard skill, used for magic-based attack rolls and tests of competence. It covers all magic-based rolls that call for more than simple power. Like Potency, the Magic skill is unique to unicorns and alicorns.

All unicorns and alicorns begin with a flat 35 points in Magic. It may be tagged and increased with skill points in the same manner as any other skill.

Category
All unicorns and alicorns' innate magical abilities fall into one of five categories, and one must be chosen at character creation. Not counting their racial abilities, the character may only cast spells that fall under that category. Experienced casters may eventually unlock a second category, diversifying their abilities. The available categories are:

Offense - Spells that cause harm and destruction. The inspiration and basis for many MEWs.
 * These spells always require a successful Magic roll in order to hit their targets, and should be treated as ranged attacks similar to gunshots and MEW bolts (or explosives, if applicable).

Defense - Spells that create temporary magical barriers and enchantments to protect people and objects from harm. Forcefields, domes, deflectors, etc.
 * Only one copy of each Defense spell can be active at a time.

Support - Spells that influence mundane skills and abilities, either enhancing or confounding them.
 * Support spells are primarily buffs and debuffs that affect stats and skills, or spells that affect situational and tactical awareness. They take the form of illusions, projections, mental effects and so on, primarily affecting the mind and senses. Effects from multiple casts of the same Support spell do not stack. Similar effects also do not stack - the strongest takes priority.

Alteration - Spells that transform or translocate physical objects.
 * Alteration spells influence the shapes and positions of objects in the world - teleporting, transforming, modifying, and so on. These spells are almost always temporary. Altering living beings, especially in combat, is extremely difficult and always requires a penalized Magic roll.

Creation - Spells that heal, conjure, or otherwise add to and repair the world.
 * Creation spells turn magical energy into solid objects. Most of these spells are temporary, the created object(s) vanishing after a set duration. Spells that restore health or item durability do not have a finite duration, but more advanced repairs (complicated mechanisms, injuries requiring specialist treatment, etc) may require the caster to have non-magical expertise in those areas or assistance from someone else who does.

Note: Category primarily serves as a method of game balance and is mostly independent of worldbuilding or DEEPEST LORE. Bear in mind that casters like Twilight Sparkle (adept in many forms of magic) and Littlepip (limited to but uniquely talented in a single spell) are exceptions to the norm that would likely merit their own unique rules. Education - especially in magic - is rare in the wasteland, so unicorns need to focus their learning in order to do well.

Nature
Each pony is unique, and the personality traits of a unicorn are often evident in their magic. Nature is largely an RP ‘stat’, which describes how a pony's personality and skillset is reflected by their spells. This provides a thematic baseline for all of their magical abilities. Note, of course, that a character is much more likely to struggle with magic that is unrelated to, or contradictory of, their nature. A timid illusionist isn’t about to start hurling fireballs, and a magic-assisted berserker isn’t going to have the patience to ease open a fragile lock.

Unicorns and post-Unity alicorns may have their natures written by the player at character creation, and natures are best kept concise and simple. For example:


 * Backing up his confrontational attitude and habit of charging straight into battle, Ironheart’s spells are simple, brutish displays of kinetic force.


 * Soft Touch is a gentle soul whose soothing magic helps her to bring comfort to others.

Don’t be a 'tard and write things like “my unicorn wants to be super powerful so his magic does whatever he wants”. If it sounds mary sue on paper it’s probably mary sue in game.

Nature should not be changed except in extreme circumstances of character change or development, and with GM approval.

Unity alicorns have a preset nature that cannot be changed under any circumstance, with the sole exception of becoming permanently disconnected from Unity:


 * This being’s spells are blunt, simplistic manifestations of raw magical power. As an extension of the Goddess' might and glory, she will do whatever is necessary to achieve her goals with little regard for subtlety.

Starting Spells
Unicorns begin play with Telekinesis and one codified spell of their own creation per two levels. A level 3 character starts with one codified spell  (see below for information on Telekinesis and creating/codifying spells).

Alicorns begin play with Telekinesis and one of the following racial sets, depending on their colour:
 * Alicorn Shield, Teleport (Purple)
 * Alicorn Shield, Invisibility (Blue)
 * Alicorn Shield, Telepathy, Matrix Boost (Green)

Casting Spells
A unicorn’s spells can do virtually anything that falls within the bounds of the user’s Magic Category(/ies) and Nature. So long, of course, as it’s within reason and the tolerances of the GM. Ideally, a unicorn player should be able to ask “can I cast a spell to do X?” as easily as an earth pony player can ask “can I push this boulder out of the way?”

Casters with different natures or access to different spell categories might approach the same problem in different ways - for example, a Defense unicorn might create a shield to block a piece of falling rubble, while an Offense unicorn would simply blast it into pieces. An Alteration unicorn could turn it into a harmless pudding. All of these actions would likely require similar rolls.

Potency and Magic serve as measures of power and skill respectively - which one is rolled to determine the success of a given cast, and whether the roll carries penalties or bonuses, is context-dependent. Particularly difficult feats of magic might require rolls of both.

Unless otherwise stated, all spells originate from the tip of the caster’s horn, require an unobstructed line of sight to their targets, and have an absolute maximum range of 40 meters, along with the category-specific restrictions mentioned above.

Codifying Spells
Obviously, coming up with appropriate spell effects and rolls on the spot can get tedious and time-consuming. Codifying allows you to write down consistent descriptions of your character’s spells, so that you can build a character-specific repertoire and have a quick reference for the ones you use frequently.

Codified spells do not require a Magic roll to cast successfully, with the exception of Offense spells (which require a roll in order to hit their targets) and Alteration spells aimed at living beings (which are exceptionally difficult).

That said, codified spells should be: A character may codify a maximum of one spell every two levels.
 * Spells your character is very familiar with - whether through study, practice, repeated practical use, or some combination of those.
 * Balanced to the GM’s satisfaction.

Examples of codified spells can be found in the resources document.

Multi-Category Spells
Unicorns with access to more than one category can create and cast spells incorporating effects from up to two categories at once. For instance, an Offense/Support spell might fire a chilling blast to damage an enemy and temporarily reduce their movement speed. The resources document has other examples.

Matrix Casting
With planning, practice and (in extreme cases) the correct equipment, two or more unicorns or alicorns can combine their powers to create spells of even greater strength and complexity. In the past, spell matrices formed the core of Equestria’s most advanced technology - up to and including the infamous megaspell devices that ultimately brought about the apocalypse.

When matrix casting, spells can incorporate any and all categories and/or natures available to the participants. Rolls for success use the highest Potency and Magic skill amongst the participants, plus 1 Potency and 10 Magic skill per participant past the first, potentially exceeding the normal Potency and Magic skill limits.

Matrix casting is extremely difficult - it requires training and setup time, and demands total concentration from all involved. Therefore it cannot be used in combat. The potential of matrix-cast spells, however, far outshines what even the strongest unicorns can do on their own.

Horn Health and Damage
A unicorn or alicorn’s horn counts as a limb with (Maximum Health)/2 Health and (Pot) DT.

Crippling damage means that the horn is burnt out or cracked, but still salvageable. It’s extremely painful to use, though - a crippled horn inflicts an indefinite -3 penalty to Potency and -30 penalty to Magic skill until repaired.

A broken or outright severed horn prevents all use of magic, including telekinesis. For all intents and purposes, Potency and Magic skill are set to zero until the horn is regrown or replaced somehow.

Telekinesis
The signature spell of unicorns and alicorns alike. Telekinesis allows a unicorn or alicorn to exert force and manipulate objects without touching them. Telekinesis is "always on" with regard to simple tasks like carrying everyday objects, but costs AP if used for more complex actions or in combat. The limits of a unicorn's telekinesis are primarily decided by their Potency stat.

You can use TK to interact with objects within 40 meters of your character. Think of this range as the radius of a sphere - you can move objects inside that sphere. Objects leaving the sphere or exiting line of sight are automatically dropped.

Manipulation Limit
A character’s Manipulation Limit is equal to their Potency/2, rounded up. They can use TK to carry and/or use a maximum of this many weapons and/or complex, fragile or living things at a time. These are things like ponies, guns, pieces of delicate science equipment, etc.

Size Class Limit
Characters with 2 Potency or less can only lift objects or beings of size class -2 or below.

3+ Potency is required to lift class -1.

5+ Potency to lift class 0.

7+ Potency to lift class 1.

9+ Potency to lift class 2.

Objects larger than class 2 cannot be lifted without exceptional circumstances and GM approval. Lifting objects larger and heavier than tanks, train cars and so on is beyond the abilities of all but the most exceptional magic users and/or mary sues. :^)

Particularly heavy objects may require Potency rolls to successfully lift, even if they fall within a unicorn’s ability to lift based on size alone. Penalties or bonuses should be applied at GM discretion. Naturally, a metal crate is going to be harder to lift than a plastic one, and both will be harder to lift than a balloon of equivalent size.

Telekinesis as a Weapon
Using TK to interact with an object or character while in combat counts as a General Action (25AP). Using or drawing objects from your inventory with TK costs 20AP (as in the standard rules).

Attempting to interfere with the equipment of another character in combat counts as a called shot against the target object, and requires a Magic roll with penalties equal to those of called shots with ranged weapons.

Taking telekinetic hold of a living being without their consent counts as an attack but does not require a roll to carry out. Instead, the potential victim may roll Strength (opposed by the caster's Potency) or Agility (opposed by the caster's Magic skill) to resist. They may receive contextual bonuses to their roll if they have (for example) functional wings, a solid surface to kick off from such as a wall, etc.

A successfully lifted character or creature may be moved up to (Potency/2) meters in any direction by the unicorn lifting them for 15 AP, so long as they remain within TK range and line of sight.

If attempting to lift multiple targets in a single action, dual/multi wielding attack rules apply to the relevant Magic or Potency rolls: no additional AP cost, but a cumulative -20 Magic and/or -2 Pot penalty for each additional target, not counting the first.

Dropping a lifted object or character is a free action. If a caster is rendered unconscious or unable to use magic, anything they are lifting at the time is instantly and automatically dropped to the ground.

A character or creature held in telekinesis is effectively immobilized and suffers -20 to all skill rolls for as long as they are held. They may struggle to escape the hold for 25 AP, with the same options as if they were rolling to resist being lifted in the first place - (Str vs Pot) or (Agi vs Magic).

Wielding Weapons with Telekinesis
All weapons wielded in TK are treated exactly the same as with non-magic users for hit calculation, using the relevant skills for rolls. Conventional weapons use Small Guns or Big Guns, MEWs use the MEW skill, and so on.

All weapons wielded in TK use Potency instead of Strength for strength requirements.

Melee weapons wielded in TK use Potency instead of Strength for damage calculations. Melee and ranged weapons wielded in TK must be kept close to their user to remain effective. For all intents and purposes, they're "equipped on" your character as if you were playing any other race (on a saddle, held in claws, mouth, etc), and will follow you as you move at no AP cost.