You got MtG in my D&D! Mirrodin mechanics help

[BornValyrian]

I recently found this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186026) which inspired me to eventually run a game in the compleated Mirrodin, where the PC's are Mirran survivors. I planned on using this spellcasting variant (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Mana-Based_Spellcasting_(3.5e_Variant_Rule)) as it seems to capture magic's system better than Vancian Spellcasting (and allows better transcription of cards like Chancellor of the Annex (http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=218083). As I was looking around the scars of Mirrodin block looking for material to make spells out of, I couldn't figure out what to do with the mechanic Metalcraft.

The main question for me is this: What would you do to mechanically display the metalcraft keyword for cards like Galvanic Blast (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=208251), Dispatch (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=218072), and Mirran Mettle (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=213819) or even the abilities of creatures like auriok edgewright (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=208260) or Argent Sphinx (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=215085)?

My idea was that suppressing magic items would power up the effect, but that seems really clunky to make work.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

My idea was that suppressing magic items would power up the effect, but that seems really clunky to make work.

That was my first thought as well, and I dismissed it for a similar reason.

You could do something similar to Chakra binds: for every wearable body slot on the character currently occupied by a magic item, allow them to "bind" a single Metalcraft requirement.

You can thus limit the number of Metalcraft "binds" by adjusting the number required for a certain item. If an item or ability has Metalcraft 3, for example, I'd need 3 available item slots to use it, and those slots would be "filled" for as long as I maintain the effect.

Just make sure to keep Metalcraft on long-duration effects rather than instantaneous ones, so that it becomes more of a choice which effects you want to have the Metalcraft bonus for.

[BornValyrian]

Ok, that's definitely a good idea. I just had the idea that for some instant or round/level effects like the Aforementioned Mirran Mettle, making it a mix of the spell and the infusion, where the spell has a greater effect when cast on a (or series of) magic items. Like perhaps the following:

Mirran Mettle
Transmutation [Metalcraft]
Sor/Wiz 2 (or so)
Components: V,S
Range: close
Target(s): One Creature, or up to one Boddy slot magic Item, Waist slot magic Item, and Torso slot Magic Item worn by the same creature
Casting time: 1 Standard Action
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving throw: Yes(harmless)
Spell Resistance:Yes(Harmless)

When cast on one creature or one item, the creature or creature wearing the item gets a +2 enhancement bonus to Str and Con. For each additional item targeted, increase the enhancement bonus to Str and Con by 1.


Or perhaps the spell could be enhanced for each item you cast through, like for galvanic blast.

[Anachronity]

You could just make those abilities conditional on literal metal, like there must be a metal deposit of at least large size nearby to use it, but that's not particularly engaging.

Since artifacts in Magic are most similar to magic items, you could also scale the effect off of the collective caster level of the magic items you possess. Such an effect would give a huge incentive for large metalcraft monsters to gather magical hordes.

Something like

Galvanic Blast
Evocation [Metalcraft]
Sor/Wiz x
Components: V,S
Range: Medium
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread/120-ft.-line/x-ft.-whatever
Casting time: 1 Standard Action
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster releases a line of lightning, dealing 4d6 electric damage. For every 3 caster levels of magic items worn on the caster's body, Galvanic Blast deals 1d6 more damage.

This could also lead back to suppressing magic items, with metalcraft suppressing the items used to fuel it.

[BornValyrian]

Galvanic Blast
Evocation [Metalcraft]
Sor/Wiz x
Components: V,S
Range: Medium
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread/120-ft.-line/x-ft.-whatever
Casting time: 1 Standard Action
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

The caster releases a line of lightning, dealing 4d6 electric damage. For every 3 caster levels of magic items worn on the caster's body, Galvanic Blast deals 1d6 more damage.

This could also lead back to suppressing magic items, with metalcraft suppressing the items used to fuel it.

This looks really cool, but perhaps we should limit it to worn magic items? At least no potions. I'm imagining people just getting a lot of low cl scrolls in their backpacks and going to town.



That was my first thought as well, and I dismissed it for a similar reason.

You could do something similar to Chakra binds: for every wearable body slot on the character currently occupied by a magic item, allow them to "bind" a single Metalcraft requirement.

You can thus limit the number of Metalcraft "binds" by adjusting the number required for a certain item. If an item or ability has Metalcraft 3, for example, I'd need 3 available item slots to use it, and those slots would be "filled" for as long as I maintain the effect.

Just make sure to keep Metalcraft on long-duration effects rather than instantaneous ones, so that it becomes more of a choice which effects you want to have the Metalcraft bonus for.

The Reverse chakra idea sounds really cool, but how would a character access it? A set of prestige classes? Feats? A base class?

[Anachronity]

This looks really cool, but perhaps we should limit it to worn magic items? At least no potions. I'm imagining people just getting a lot of low cl scrolls in their backpacks and going to town.

Yea, it would probably either be limited to worn items or else there could be a limit to how many caster levels you could use (maybe keyed to casting stat?). In either case it should probably suppress the magic items a la Dispel Magic, although I think you said you didn't want that in the first post.