this is just mage the ascension
this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2025
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Most times I see "Great D&D ideas" posts are scenarios better suited for any game that's not D&D
This would be great in a more free-form, narrative TTRPG
Literally, this is just mage the ascension.
I feel the same, but tell myself that for many people "DnD" is a stand-in for any sort of imagination game. Like people say "kleenex" for tissue or "xerox" for copy.
I agree with you, but find it absolutely hilarious that the two examples you gave are the ones I almost never hear people around me using.
This is all expected in the "Powered by the Apocalypse" (PTBA) system and it's spin offs.
I feel like people use “D&D” like “Google” when people say “D&D idea” they generally mean “any TTRPG idea” and when people say “Google It” they mean “look it up”
Good fit for Dungeon World.
Man I forgot all about Dungeon World. I think I backed a kickstarter they did a long time ago. Never got around to playing it tho. I'll have to dig it out and see if my game group is interested.
Would work pretty well in Fabula Ultima
Quick way to end up with Calvin-ball magic. "Oh, but the red ribbon disintegrates if I toot my wooden whistle, making it doubly weak to fire!"
Turnabout and all that; now the enemies all start carrying wooden whistles they use right before casting fireball at you. At the very least, it would be silly and should hopefully get the players being extra careful as they craft their spells!
Ah, but they don't know about the anti-wooden whistle wax I dipped my ribbon in!
Presumably you have a limited number of wishes.
But then they're too awesome to use, so you never use them and never find out the enemies can use them against you.
There are a few TTRPGs that let you build a magic system for yourself. The most developed one is called Ars Magica. I recently discovered a newer game called Tattered Magicks that also lets you craft magic for your spellcaster.
D&D is fun, but it's not the only rpg out there
Hell, there's even Kids On Broomsticks, if you're looking for some Calvinball Lite shenanigans.
I spend a Fabula point - do we all agree that red things have resistance against Fire element?
The DM, nodding along fiercely and holding the skull tokens he uses as Ultima points:
I started introducing my kids to tabletop RPGs and this is exactly how we play.
I kinda like this ribbon idea. It's like flag football but the flag prevents you from being instantly fireballed to the face.
final fantasy accessories make sense now
Is the second post included in the screenshot for some reason I'm not getting?
I think it's a reference to someone entrenched in the FF universe, probably a fan of D&D campaigns, who is being tongue-in-cheek AT'd
So... I take it they're not familiar with Mage? 😜
Man, I need to play this again at some point
Only round I had the chance of playing was a very short round 15 or so years ago at a convention, where I played a character that basically scripted reality around him with code
The system was certainly before its time and, like many of its kin (heh [WoD]), still holds value as a fantastic structure to weave collaborative stories with strangers & friends alike.
IMHO, if it weren't for those rulesets blazing trails outside of D&D's sandbox (too often resembling a litter box, NGL), we wouldn't have so many OGs today willing to run and/or teach a different way of gaming.
I'm quietly ecstatic to see the adversarial DM trope, toxic AF that it is, getting left in the dust as GMing becomes far less off-putting as people grasp how different it can be: with very little prep & stress, one can focus more on facilitating and inspiring fun for the whole table — which is more rewarding for everyone, really. 💚
p.s. "short round", Docta Jones? 🤓🤌🏼
Nope, I'm not. What is it?
My guess would be that they are referring to "Mage: The Ascension". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mage:_The_Ascension
Thanks, sounds interesting!
Very unconventional, but I'm going to allow it.
This sounds kinda like Mage: The Ascension.
Exactly. 🤣