Magic the Gathering RPG

[quote] I know that this has been attempted in a relatively unsuccessful manner a few different times. [/quote]

The problem was that most people weren't sure whether or not they were playing an RPG or playing M:TG. This goes for most games based off of card/board games. (Like... Yu-Gi-Oh)

[quote] However, I think building up an RPG system around a different kind of manipulation of the cards may be the key into getting a whole new use out of the MtG cards that may be collecting dust [/quote]

It would be kinda cool, but making it work without the aforementioned problems is the key... and I doubt people have solved the problem yet.

EDIT: Oh, and yes, the game mechanics would be a problem too. I mean, could I just cheat a bunch of land, summon a Plated Slagwurm, and go ape on everyone?

I have actually been tossing an idea around that conserns this. Basicly, it follows the Magic: The Gathering basic storyline, the amount and type of lands you control dictate how much power you have as a Mage and such. I am yet to find a way to make a multiplayer version, though, like many other things, it would work best with one PC in a solo campaign.

sounds like a solitaire version of magic. I thinking more along the lines of a regular table top RPG.

stripping the rules of the MtG card game away from the cards would be the first step in development. So that few, hopefully no, preconceptions about the cards come into play.

I propose a few ideas as a basis for a game:

Premises
1.) A world of regular joes and elemental mages. The level of a mage (who would start at level 0) must gain levels in order to use the summons and spells of the world, which are cards.

This idea ties almost directly into to the game initial idea. The difference is that a character must gain levels in order to cast more powerful cards. For example a mage must gain 1 level of Forest/Nature magic in order to summon Llanowar elves. A spells duration like AD&D is limited to the caster's level. And summoned creatures are not actual physical beings but energy constructs of intelligent spirits. This would be akin to pulling spirits across the threshold.

2.) Rather than gain levels to cast spells and summons a character must find special stones (think ion stones) which are imbued with elemental energy. These stones have a daily limit as to the amount of mana they can draw upon.

Game Mechanics
3.)players must collect cards (think computer game adventure mode), they occupation in the world is that of card mage. The magic of decks is limited to a particular number and in a given day a characer can only draw so many cards. For example, a player may construct a 30 card deck and that's all he gets in a day to use for good or bad. Mana restrictions may come into play a player may burn half a deck before being useful. Replenish rule like ion stones above.

4.) Cards act as a different spell set than what is available from the regular D&D books. Treat as scrolls and don't allow players to learn from traditional means. Like a new class entirely. As different as a mage is from a psionicist or cleric. Spell Levels are determined by casting costs.

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These are 4 quick ideas all separate from one another. I'm willing to help develop any one of them. However I have to ask in the nature of constructive criticism, if you think the idea is completely and utterly stupid, please explain why. Also you can go a step further and thinking along the same lines, propose an idea that would work in its stead.

JOE--

Do it like the books. I have never seen any characters in the books summon off a bunch of creatures "I summon my pet brother, Llanowar Elf Bob"

Some are capable of weilding magics, others aren't. The magic is always stronger when closer to home (Like an elf in the mountains is far away from her wooded homelands, and therefore makes it more difficult to tap into its mana supply.

Just use the MtG setting, making an underlying system, then convert the monsters from the cards to monsters from the system, likewise with the spells and such. I could probably help out with this if anyone else is interested....

How bout just use the Magic The Gathering story line from the books and card flavor text and turn that into an RPG. I was thinking of something like that if they made an RPG for Magic The Gathering

I would agree that books and card text are good places to start if someone were going that route. They give a feel for the atmosphere of the world at large as well as established locale and flora/fauna/monster.

Following this kind of idea however, allows a game creator to drop ideas into any system. So estenially you can make d20 MtG. (WotC will be happy about that one).

Hmm... I suppose someone could make a MtG supplement book complete with prestige classes, modified races, and the like for a little bit of money... (If I only had the time and inclination).

JOE--