VANCIER MAGIC SYSTEM [B/X]

Quick post I’ve been thinking about lately. I recently read Jack Vance’s The Dying Earth after going down an Appendix N rabbit hole during the pandemic. I’ve always liked the Vancian casting system old d&d uses but reading the book really solidified my appreciation for it. Vancian casting just makes sense now. That being said I wanted to toy around with a system emulates the Dying Earth magic that’s still somewhat balanced for b/x-esque games.

Dying Earth Art by George Barr

Here’s what I’ve got jotted down so far:

BRAIN SLOTS (Name pending)

• A magic-user begins play with a number of Brain Slots equal to 1 + their Intelligence Modifier. Thus a magic-user must have a score of 9 or higher in order to hold and cast spells at all.
• Brains Slots represent a magic-users ability to hold the esoteric spells they find during their careers.
• On level up the magic-user may roll an Intelligence check (roll under INT) adding their level to the attempt to gain a new Brain Slot. This check represents the character’s natural talent, mental exercises and meditation they undergo to increase brain plasticity. The penalty represents the slump and hubris that comes with success.
• A human brain can only have a maximum of 10 Brain Slots. [My first instinct was max 6 brain slots since B/X spells only go up to level 6 but I liked the nice simple 10 that b/x uses a lot. Rounds, turns, ect]
  
  

SPELLS

• Spells are held in Spellbooks and must be prepared and contained in the Magic-User’s Brain Slots before they can be cast.
• Preparing spells to hold in Brain Slots takes 1+1 turn for each spell level above 2. This represents the caster "priming" the spell and performing the necessary chants and gestures before imprisoning it in their brain to cast when needed.
• Spells weigh a number of Brain Slots equal to their level. So a Third Level spell would take 3 Brain Slots to contain.
• Spells may also be found imprisoned on Scrolls and can be cast from them without utilizing Brain Slots.
• Spells can be transferred from scrolls to Spellbooks or Spellbook to Spellbook but comes with risks and costs.
  
  

NOTES

So using this system a 1st level magic-user with a 17 INT could prepare and cast a Fireball spell (3rd Level) but just that one spell. Or they could prepare and hold three 1st level spells.

One thing I'm really liking is that it's not guaranteed that a M-U gets a new brain slot each level. The most powerful magicians in the Dying Earth could only hold a few powerful spells. I think this system showcases that well. But let me know what you think, is this playable? What would you change to make it feel more Dying Earth?

That hat, goddamn. Yum.

The Berserker Armor [RIP Kentaro Miura]

The Berserker Armor [PLATE +1]
"May we run rampant with hatred and wild joy just to crush with these fangs the true light that burns us." – The Beast of Darkness

Those who don the Berserker armor experience the following:

• The armor circumvents their bodies natural limiters, allowing them to exude terrible strength and speed [STR & DEX become 18 in combat].
• Damage Reduction 1 as the armor allows the wearer to ignore the pain from injuries. 
• If an attack would reduce the wearer's HP to 0 or less, roll 1d8+1 and you gain that much temporary HP as the armor inserts metal rods to bind and mend the body to keep the wearer fighting. Each round afterwards you lose 1hp from blood loss and the armor's insertions, if the wearer's HP would become 0 due to the armor, the wearer dies.
• Once the wearer's HP has been reduced to 0 or less the armor's Berserker Rage activates; only melee attacks can be made and are rolled with advantage, all melee damage is doubled, and finally the armor begins to take the shape of a beast of the player's choice and the wearer can no longer differentiate between friend or foe, all within melee range are attacked. 
• The wearer may attempt to end the Berserker's Rage at anytime by making a CHA check, however doing so before combat ends costs 1 permanent point of Charisma. A pass means the Berserker Rage effect ends. A failure means you lose 1 permanent point of Charisma and become temporally consumed by The Beast of Darkness; i.e losing control off the character for a number of turns equal to your CHA score. Only a sleep spell or death will end the Beast's rampage.
• If the wearer's CHA becomes 0 the The Beast of Darkness consumes the wearer's mind and exerts control over the body permanently (becoming a NPC that seeks to cause as much chaos and destruction as possible).
• Once combat is over the wearer loses all temporary HP gained and their HP becomes 1 + CON MOD (min 1) and must rest for at least a turn before continuing with the adventure. After the current adventure ends the wearer must rest for a minimum number of days equal to their CON score.

[Referee Notes: To me the CHA score has always represented force of personality or "spirit/soul and seems a good sub for Berserk's Ode].

The passing of Berserk's creator Kentaro Miura was the first time that I felt a personal sense of loss for someone that wasn't family or friend. I started reading Berserk when I was 16, I'm turning 32 this year, literally half my life. I can say with no exaggeration that Berserk gave me my love of manga and dark fantasy. The above magic item is my small homage to Miura, thank you for everything, and rest in peace.