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This paradigm represents a generic High Fantasy implementation with all the basic
tropes of the subgenre. While at its most basic this paradigm should be very familiar
to players and GM's alike, it can be expanded in a variety of directions making
it a powerful starting point for a campaign.
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The primary distinguishing factor of High Fantasy is the prevalence of Magic not
only for Spellcasters, but for non Spellcasters in the form of plentiful Magic Items.
Further, Magic is very reliable, and is generally at least as useful in a combat
situation as a weapon would be. Spellcasters are often dangerously powerful, and
a non magic user frequently has to put on their best game to counteract the advantages
of the Spellcaster, particularly at higher power levels.
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EXAMPLE SOURCE MATERIAL
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High Fantasy is most often found in role-playing; the most prevalent example is
most of the various D&D settings such as Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Planescape,
Ebberon, and so forth. Competing or derivative products such as World of Warcraft,
Everquest, Earthdawn, Lodoss, and Battlechasers can fall into this category as well
with some minor modification. A few recent literary forays into the realms of High
Fantasy include the Wheel of Time series by Jordan, and the Rune Lords series by
Farland.
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KEY NOTE: MAGIC IS A PROVABLE CONSTANT
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In most High Fantasy campaigns Magic is a steady, reliable, pervasive force. It
can be counted on, and almost always works. Using Magic is not usually unduly difficult
or straining on a Spellcaster, though their ability to cast Magic over a particular
period of time is usually finite.
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In some campaigns this is even more clear cut, with Magic taking the place of Science,
with very well structured and understood behavior. In that sort of setting Magic
Users are the equivalent of mystic scientists; conducting research and experimentation
into the forces of Magic and expanding the capabilities of magical application much
as as physicists probe the boundaries of the universe and engineers push the boundaries
of technology in the real world. This isn't a prerequisite of the subgenre, but
it is a logical extension expressed in some forms of it.
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KEY NOTE: NON MAGIC USERS ARE GOOD TOO
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Despite the prevalence of Magic in this paradigm, characters that don't use Magic
are still generally very capable and powerful. While Spellcasters have open ended
capabilities via their Magic System, non Spellcasters usually have abilities that
are conceptually "skills" or other forms of learned or trained ability,
but which are expressed as either Power Constructs or expensive implementations
of Skills and Talents beyond the norm.
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So for example a "Rogue" style character might be so skilled at Stealth
that they are effectively invisible to a degree that violates common sense, while
a "Fighter" style character might be so skilled and durable that he is
able to take on entire armies in a fashion that is clearly not realistic, but which
is entirely appropriate to the subgenre.
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ASSUMPTIONS
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The following options are assumed to be in effect for this paradigm.
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No Formal Race Package or NCM
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X
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Formal Race Package with NCM
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END Cost = Active Points / 10
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X
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END Cost = Active Points / 5
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Knockback
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X
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Knockdown
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Generalized Damage
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X
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Hit Location Damage
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No Long Term Damage
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X
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Injury & Impairment Damage
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Literacy Standard
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X
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Literacy Not Standard
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Super Skills Available
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X
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No Super Skills Available
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Combat Luck Allowed
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X
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No Combat Luck Allowed
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No Deadly Blow Allowed
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X
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Deadly Blow Allowed
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No Armor Proficiency
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X
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Armor Proficiency
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No Skill Maxima
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X
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Skill Maxima
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No STR Minima
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X
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STR Minima
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Equipment Costs Points
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X
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Equipment Doesn't Cost Points
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Bases & Vehicles Cost Points
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X
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Bases & Vehicles Don't Cost Points
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Followers Cost Points
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X
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Follower Don't Cost Points
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Superheroic CSL Conversion
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X
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Heroic CSL Conversion
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No Encumbrance
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X
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Encumbrance
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No Long Term Endurance
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X
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Long Term Endurance
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Normal Damage Default
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X
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Killing Damage Default
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HEALING: COMMON
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High Fantasy characters get hurt with some frequency at the lower power levels,
less so at higher power levels. Regardless, Magical Healing is usually fairly accessible,
and characters often have the Rapid Healing Talent.
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STARTING POINTS: 75+50
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It is assumed that new characters in this paradigm start with 75 Base Points and
up to 50 points from Disadvantages. This value can be altered by the GM at will.
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This paradigm is expected to explode on the higher end of the point scale. A GM
can easily kick start the campaign to a higher level of play by granting large chunks
of Experience to characters to represent their status as veteran adventurers when
the campaign starts. Similarly the GM could downscale the characters to represent
that they are somewhat green when the campaign starts
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The following chart vaguely indicates relative status levels by adjusted character
points. The status titles are not intended to have any literal meaning; they are
just intended to give an idea of the status of a character with that many character
points.
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Sheltered Neophyte
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50
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25
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0
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75
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Neophyte
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50 |
50
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0
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100
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*Youngblood
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75 |
50 |
0
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125
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Seasoned Youngblood
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75 |
50 |
25
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150
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Veteran
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75 |
50 |
50
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175
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Seasoned Veteran
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75 |
50 |
75
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200
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Hero
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75 |
50 |
125
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250
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Champion
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75 |
75 |
150 |
300
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Famous
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75 |
75
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200 |
350
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Legend
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75 |
100 |
225+
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400+
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* Assumed Default
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RACES: CLASSIC FANTASY
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Many different Races are appropriate to High Fantasy, but for purposes of convenience
it is assumed that the following classic fantasy Races exit in this paradigm. Note
that individual GM's might add or remove Races, branch Races in to multiple subtypes,
and that they might keep some or all of the listed Races but with a different Race
Package Deal.
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MAGIC SYSTEMS: VANCIAN
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Numerous Magic Systems are appropriate to High Fantasy; also many Magic Systems
can be mixed and matched to good effect as well. However for purposes of convenience
the following "Vancian", fire and forget oriented Magic System is assumed
to be the default for this paradigm.
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The Vancian System described on this site has custom rules for the concepts of "Spell
Resistance", "Spellcraft", and "Anti-Magic". These concepts
are described in the relevant Magic System descriptions.
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PROFESSIONS: CLASSIC ADVENTURING
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A very broad variety of Profession are appropriate to High Fantasy. In general High
Fantasy Professions tend to be very powerful, with individual characters being quite
competent. While all manner of Professions are likely to fit well in a High Fantasy
campaign, the following classic and familiar Professions are assumed to exist in
this Paradigm.
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