Advice/Help I need some feedback regarding the magic system for a roleplay.

[Cogwork]

Hi, I need some help with an roleplay I'm planning on running.

The gist of the roleplay is that it's a pretty bog standard Isekai thing but everyone plays as historical figures (so like Joan of Arc or Julius Caesar). But the problem is that when I and some friends did a test run of the roleplay, I wasn't too happy with how the magic system turned out.

So the way it currently works is that each historical figure gains a small number of magical abilities based on their previous life. I.e Yaoya Oshichi might get the ability to manipulate fire based on her being famous for her attempted arson while Demetrius Poliorcetes might get some time manipulation ability of some sort based on the time he changed the Attic calendar so he could be initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries in a single month instead of waiting the traditional eighteen.

Now, in theory, this works pretty well. But what I discovered is that this magic system results two issues. 1) People going for more well-known people with more accomplishment and legends behind them. For example, why should someone pick Oshichi when they can pick, say, Oda Nobunaga and give him similar fire abilities based on the Siege of Mount Hiei while also giving him other abilities based on other things? 2) The people who do pick more obscure characters who are famous for one or two things get easily overshadowed by those that don't. 3) I noticed that a lot of the abilities people gave their character ended up being fairly similar for the most part.

Obviously this can be somewhat solved by limiting every character to a single power. But I think that is a bit boring.

So instead, my idea was that each character will be summoned to the new world by a mythological figure. The magic system would then work so that the characters gains a small number of magical abilities either based on their previous life or based on the figure that summoned them. However, I worry that might be a little too much. But I'm probably just overthinking it.

So lastly, I thought of limiting the magic system so that characters can only get abilities based on the figure that summoned them. But I think that's a bit too far removed from the original point of the roleplay.

Honestly, I can't really decide so I'd love some input from all of you. If you have questions that might affect your choice, please let me know.

The roleplay is aiming for a fairly standard Shonen battle manga tone if that helps.

 

[Daisie]

Idk if I'm following this right, but my thought was that while the players can pick their historical figure, you as the DM can pick their ability. That way you can manipulate things to not be as similar with just a little creativity.

 

[Cogwork]

but my thought was that while the players can pick their historical figure, you as the DM can pick their ability. That way you can manipulate things to not be as similar with just a little creativity.

While I like this idea in theory, there are two issues with it in practice.

1) I don't think people are going to like that rule. Most of the people I know prefers to be in control of choosing such things for their character on their own.

2) It hinges on me being more creative than the players which probably won't be the case.

 

[Daisie]

Mmm... in that case you could just bring up the problem to your players and get their ideas on sorting it out?
That is, get them chatting about how to make their powers stand out amongst themselves. Or even see if the problem bugs them in the first place.

 

[Sir Les Paul]

Given what you have outlined, the idea to prevent "ability-stacking" that first comes to mind for me is to hybridize the system.

Either using the culture the character was from, type of warrior archetype they were, or perhaps the mythological figurehead that summoned them, you would provide them one ability. This could either be standardized or just chosen by you. People often like the idea of "being part of something" or "on a team" of some kind, and this gives them that which should off-set the issue of not picking the ability. Furthermore, you could divide it even further down in that each figure grants an ability of some type of "archetype", like archer, mage, warrior, etc.--all depending on the type of playstyle you are trying to cultivate.

A note here is that this style of design would promote a type of diversity between different archetypes/roles, but would at least explain the overlap that might exist between some characters.

Then I would allow one major ability as you were doing. So they have control over one half of the power set, but not the whole thing.

And, finally, this is an idea I would toy with, but the creative of a type of "signature attack" or "signature move" that was something they could specifically do that was pretty strong/unique and acted as a combination of both of their abilities. Something super narrow that they got input on making, but that would truly be unique to their character.

As the game progressed, then, they could elect to train which of their main abilities they want to, get better with their signature ability, or even try to make a second albeit lesser technique (similar to their signature ability).