Magic

If the Game Master wishes to include magic in the campaign, it may be easiest to translate whatever magic system she is familiar with into Fudge. If she wishes to craft her own Fudge magic rules, she should consider what she wants magic to be like in her game world.

Questions to ask include:

• What is the source of magic?
• Is it a natural process, such as mana manipulation? If it does use mana, does the mage create the mana, or is it inherent in a locale? Or does the mage summon otherworld entities to do his bidding? Or must the mage find a source of Power and channel it to his own ends? Or is the source of magic something altogether different?
• Can anyone learn to work magic, or is it an inherent talent (that is, does it require a supernormal power)? Are there levels of Power available, and what would having more levels mean? Is a skill also required? Of course, even if a magician must have a Power to cast spells, there may also be magic items that anyone can use these are common in tales and legends.
• If beings are summoned, are they evil, good, neutral, confused? How do they feel about being commanded to work for the magician? Can they adversely affect the magician if he fails a spell roll? If Power is being channeled from an external source, is that source in the physical plane or astral? Is it from a living being, or contained in an inanimate object as inert energy, like a piece of coal before going into a fire?
• What is the process of using magic? Does it involve memorized spells? Physical components? Meditation? Complex and time-consuming ritual?
• How long does it take to cast a spell? Can a spell be read out of a book? Improvised on the spot? How reliable is magic?
• Are there any drawbacks? Any societal attitudes toward magicians? Is it common knowledge that magicians exist, or are they a secret cabal, whose doings are only whispered about in everchanging rumors?

Once these issues have been resolved, and the degree of magic in the game decided on, the magic system can be created using Fudge mechanics. A sample magic system, Fudge Magic, is included in Chapter 7, The Addenda.