Random magic system idea based on Four by Five magic for M20 and FUDGE.

    Random magic system idea based on Four by Five magic for M20 and FUDGE.

I promise it's the last gematria based idea for a while.

Four by Five magic is similar to Ars Magica. There are four actions (verbs) and five realms (noun) to describe the effect of the spell.

The four actions:
Enhance (inganta): Strengthen, Heal, Enlarge, Repair, Sharpen, etc.
Diminish (ra-ghe): Weaken, Damage, Injure, Reduce, Break, Dull, Deteriorate, etc.
Communicate with (sadarwa): Sense, Read, Seek, Inform, Determine, Understand, etc.
Control (iko): Shape, Hold, Command, Form, Direct, Dictate, etc.

The five realms
Body (jiki): Living body of sentient beings, animals, plants.
Mind (hankali): That which normally inhabits and animates a body
Spirit (ruhu): The essence or soul.
Energy (makamashi): Fire, water, air, magic, [electricity, etc.] Matter (al'amarin): Solid material with no mind - stone, metal, wood, leather, paper, [plastic, etc.]

So a spell to damage a living creature would be Diminish Body.

I want something like a Fireball, but using a blast of cold, instead. I want the final spell to be a 3rd level spell, just like Fireball.

Each action and realms is worth a number of points. In this case, Diminish is 4 points and Body is 1 point. 4+1 is 5, so I have a fifth level spell by default.

Here's the MacGuffin to modify it to a third level spell. I call them blood runes because using them costs the spell caster hit points.

Blood runes also number from 1 to 9. I can use the 2 rune to lower it to third or use the 7 rune to do the same thing. (5+7=12, 1+2=3).

Not wanted to take 7 points of damage, I choose the 2 blood rune. Now I have a 3rd level spell that I have described as a ice variation of a fireball.

The kicker is that the spellcaster masters blood runes as they advance. On even levels, the spellcaster rolls a d10 to determine which blood rune is mastered. If the result is a rune already mastered, re-roll. If the result is 10, re-roll. If the result is 1-9, use the result. if it is 10 again, the spell caster chooses which rune they master.

That's the idea. Refinement required, but wanted to get it out there.