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[number9]

I think "keeping magic in balance" and designing it to be "modular where you can group different elements together to create your own unique spells", are mutually exclusive concepts.

Add this on top of very flexible racial/class construction and I think you've created a pool of variables you likely can't insure proper balance for. Now there isn't anything particularly wrong with systems that are out of balance, just that the onus of balancing opposing forces for a game falls on the shoulders of the participants or a GM, and not the rule system. If there are unaccounted for "broken" combinations of abilities and effects in your system, players will intentionally or unintentionally discover them. This can cause disappointment and a lack of "faith" in your rules.

I like fantasy games that equally value melee, missile, and magic forms of combat. If I am given options I want to be assured my choices in any given direction are reasonably valid against any other combination. I do not like any of those three main concepts to be designed to be a lesser option unless I am very clearly told that is so within the rules; before I buy and paint models; before I play games or convince others to play games.

[Heldrak]

I agree with you there Heldrak.  Keeping Magic in balance is one of my key missions.

The game system is pretty intuitive to begin with, so keeping that element will be easy.

One discussion I've had with Drew over this is whether or not to build prepackage spells, give them 'eldritch' sounding names and set effects, or to keep them more generic and almost modular where you can group different elements together to create your own unique spells.

Any one want to sound off on those ideas?

I lean towards prepackaged spells for simplicity myself. Personally, I like spell names to be rather prosaic, so that you can remember what they do (Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Summon Skeletons, whatever). People get all caught up in tongue-twisting pretentious names for spells and it becomes impossible to remember what they do or how they work.

[Faust23]

Excellent points from both of you.

This is perhaps the one topic of discussion I am most interested in having on the forum.  The quandary of specific over general is best represented by magic.

I want it to be less dominating than most systems present it.  I also want each spell to have one or two different functions that the player can employ.