u/Cantuca

I have been struggling to find a magic mechanic system that I am happy with. I feel like having a system with predefined spells is helpful for players to learn the system, but it limits what I want the system to be. On the otherhand, I have no idea how to make a system that is able to be completely fluid with its rules while still being balanced against itself.

I saw a description of how systems using a "noun+verb" system and that seems like something I would like to try.

For reference, my premise for magic is iron is magic and those who are born with magic can cast spells. My schools of magic are Augemancy (potion making), Custodimancy (create charms that protect the bearer), Hemomancy (the manipulation of blood), and Ferromancy (alteration of iron properties). I also have creation a fictional language, would using it for the noun+verb system work or would it confuse players?

I'm looking for guidance on improving my magic system. I've been working on a system for over two years. While I am happy with almost everything within the world building, mechanics, and rules I am still uncertain how I feel about my magic system.

The world is built on one premise: Iron is magic. Whether it is raw ore, a forged weapon, or a structure if it contains iron it is magical and sapient. Additionally, 10% of the population are born with an iron lattice woven into their skeleton. These Faerim can manipulate the iron within themselves to cast spells. This magic is more diluted than an iron tool, so the spells are less powerful than pure iron weaponry, but they are still strong. Like how a smith forged a weapon to his design, these Faerim select from two of the major schools of magic. The schools are:

Necromancy: Manipulation of life-force. This school specializes in transferring life from one location to another. This can be healing minor wounds while harming small animals, healing grievously injured allies with your own life-force, or at high levels reviving the dead by killing another human.

Biomancy: Manipulation of your own body's abilities. This school specializes in enhancing your own abilities. This can be making you stronger, faster, or completely altering your appearance.

Geomancy: Manipulation of flora. This school specializes in using your natural surroundings to your benefit. This can be creating walls made of stone, creating a dense thicket to slow enemies, or doubling the crop output of a field.

Thermomancy: Manipulation of temperature. This school specializes in altering the temperature around the caster. This can be keeping yourself cool/warm in extreme climates, freezing a pond solid, or casting a massive fireball.

Ferromancy: Manipulation of Iron. This school specializes in controlling iron around them. This can be speaking with iron objects, telekinesis, and using the iron in peoples blood to hold them in place.

I'm not sure if these schools are unique enough from each other. I also really like the drawbacks of necromancy and kind of wish the other schools had something similar. Let me know what you think

I have been working on a skill tree based TTRPG fantasy game and have been indecisive with what dice mechanic system I enjoy best. I want two systems, one for "low stress" and the other for "high stress" situations. I like the consistency 3d6 roll under your skill creates for making skill checks as well as making it easier for players to predict how likely they are to succeed.

The other system I have been unsure what to use. It would primarily represent combat or other in-the-moment actions like trying to convince your combatant to yield, making attack/dodge rolls, etc. I know for sure I want combat to be an opposed skill check between the attacker and defender but the GM has a static dodge value but I am stuck between having a dice pool system or 2d6 roll higher system.

For the dice pool, something like rolling x dice equal to your skill and adding the highest 2 values together would be my initial idea for a dice pool system.

I want to avoid having the system be too consistent since I want there to always be a chance of failure no matter how skilled the fighter is. This is supposed to be a more luck based system than 3d6 roll under.

I have been working on a skill tree based TTRPG fantasy game and have been indecisive with what dice mechanic system I enjoy best. I want two systems, one for "low stress" and the other for "high stress" situations. I like the consistency 3d6 roll under your skill creates for making skill checks as well as making it easier for players to predict how likely they are to succeed.

The other system I have been unsure what to use. It would primarily represent combat or other in-the-moment actions like trying to convince your combatant to yield, making attack/dodge rolls, etc. I know for sure I want combat to be an opposed skill check between the attacker and defender but the GM has a static dodge value but I am stuck between having a dice pool system or 2d6 roll higher system.

For the dice pool, something like rolling x dice equal to your skill and adding the highest 2 values together would be my initial idea for a dice pool system.

I want to avoid having the system be too consistent since I want there to always be a chance of failure no matter how skilled the fighter is. This is supposed to be a more luck based system than 3d6 roll under.

The main system that uses 3d6 roll under your stat score, but I want combat to feel more dynamic. I like having an opposed check where both attacker and defender roll at the same time to keep players engaged but I don't know how to capture the flow of martial combat with a dice roll.

My main idea has been the dice rolled is 2d4 and you can spend stamina points to increase the dice to a d6, d8, ect. Is this too different from the main system that it detracts from the main system? I really don't want to compare degrees of success for combat since that doesn't feel quite right.

EDIT: The comments have been extremely helpful thus far and I feel the need to expand on my initial post with some information brought on.

My system follows heroes who all have an amount of magic, although it ranges how much they invest into combat vs spells. I use 3d6 roll under skill score for checks because I believe that being skilled in an ability means you are more consistent.

However, I feel combat has a much higher amount of luck involved. No matter how well trained a sword fighter is there will always be a David to their Goliath. That is why I like the opposed checks using 2+ dice and no modifiers. I suppose I'm looking for a dice pool system where you roll higher than your opponent. (Someone mentioned using degrees of success as dmg and spending dmg to do extra actions.)

Disliking "degrees of success" may not be the best way to word what I am going for. I don't want a static number that the attacker needs to reach in order to deal dmg, I want an opposed roll system where each strike and each dodge has an impact on the combat and wider story.

When I say "dynamic" I mean I want to encapsulate the flow of a fight without bogging down players with multiple HP pools, types of attacks, etc. I want combat to flow from moment to moment so the final decisive blow is earned and glorious.