Obsessive Magick without those pesky paradoxes.
Many people have Neurotic tendencies, a complusion to obsess over one behavior and do it over and over again, for those that cannot function in society the label of Nerotic exists. However, there is a tiny, tiny fraction that maganges to transcend even this. These few people are able to make magick out of pure obsession without a paradox. They have no taboo, but are only able to pull off one effect.
How this works in game terms: The character starts off with the skill neurotic at 1% every time they perform their ritual(Which has to take a decent amount of time, at least 15 mins) Add one to the score and roll. If it succeds the skill goes back to 1% and the effect is activated. If it fails the skill is now at the modified value.
Example: John worries constantly about his retirment fund. Every day he spends 2 hours going over it and making changes, which end up leaving him in essentialy the same place he was when he started. His current percentage for his skill is 20%. He does his thing during the day and the roll fails, leaving it at 21. Two weeks later John has been spending almost all of his time on his obsession, causing his skill to be around 70% his roll succeds this time and one day later he finds out his fund as doubled. He cheers and starts making changes on it right away.
I kind of feel this is half finished. I also think there should be a static cap like 5% for every failed notch the character possesses. Only by increasing or decreasing failed notches does the skill go up or down.
Keep the skill as a singular item but stack the power levels (like Avatar channels).
I do believe each Obsession skill should be a singular effect.
Cheers,
Chris.
This kind of reminds me of a paranormal phenomenon called “kindling”, where repeated energetic exposure to certain stimuli will cause a larger reaction than a constant, steady exposure. It’s supposed to cause plants to grow like crazy when their lights flicker, and in parapsychology it makes people more open to stuff like telepathy.
For really powerful stuff that breaks down normal rules, you’d need paradox, but for stuff that just “colored inside the lines”, so to speak, you wouldn’t need to get reality fighting itself.