Quantum Magical Randomness

[Senkusha]

Most magical girl stories featuring a main character who is gifted a wand that grants her magical abilities.  Yesterday, as I watched Magical Girl Site, I got to thinking about a mechanic that basically has a random magical effect each time the character transforms.  This effect is in duration during the entire time transformed as a magical girl.  The mechanic could be a deck of cards or a %d roll.

For example, you may get the power to shoot fireballs but the next time you transform, you may end up with an impenetrable barrier or the ability to turn anything into it's solid (ice) form.  The possibility of chaos would add tension to the overall plot, and force characters to work as a team, and learn how to work with abilities that don't necessarily come naturally.

[Senkusha]

I've decided that I'm going to go ahead and create this.  This morning I started playing with Chat GPT, only to brainstorm a list of 52 magical abilities.  Some of the results I must admit were a little strange, like, how could I use the power of Moonlight or manipulating the powers of the [Light] Spectrum?  So, I asked Chat GPT for some examples, and what I got was an entire list of possibilities.  This project may turn into a complete book with possibilities!

I'm thinking that we'd select a poker card from the deck.  This card is your main power for that transformation duration.  Then, for even more randomness, maybe roll a d20 for a specific magical ability when you use your power -- at least until you learn to use that special power/ability fairly well, then you can choose from a list of potential powers, and even design your own when you're high enough level in that "school" of power.

Combine this idea with a Roll Table and you create a random costume each time (which could prove most hilarious)!  This could also work as a Roll Mechanic with an ability score, so that eventually, you can "force" your costume of choice.

So now I need to think up of the set of mechanics of how this feature is going to work.  I don't want to create an entire role playing game system or engine, just a mechanic that can be added with just about any other role playing game -- if you wanted a random magical girl effect in the game.  Of course, this same technique could be applied to any other genre, such as Sci-Fi, Historical, Mystery, Horror, etc.  I would imagine that this mechanic would become deployed as a booklet for each genre.  I might look into developing that if there's any interest in it.

What do you think? (Or am I talking into the wind?)

[Senkusha]

Now I have a question, as I'm making this Deck, should I create a list of specific magical "spells" or should I just leave it open for improvisation?  So for example, if I have the power of "Fire".  Would I create a list such as the following for ideas:

1.  Ignite Flame.
2.  Fireball
3.  Wall o' Fire
4.  Plasma Cannon
5.  Flame Sword
...

[Senkusha]

The list so far:
 

Barter	Swap a random item from a foe for one of your (random) items.
Cold	Can cool objects (including the air) down
Density Manipulation	Can increase or decrease the density of an object/person
Dimensional Shift	Can open portals to other dimensions.
Duplication	Can duplicate themselves.
Earth	Controls and creates earth (forms of dirt/rock).
Elasticity	Becomes stretchy like rubber.
Fire	Controls fire, creates fire.
Flight	Can fly
Force-field	Can create and shape a wall of force.
Gravity Manipulation	Can increase, decrease or change the direction of gravitational forces.
Healing	Can heal themselves and others.
Heat	Can heat objects (including the air) up
Ice	Creates forms of ice.
Invisibility	Can cause objects to become invisible.
Lightning	Shoots electricity
Magnetism	Controls the power of magnetism
Master Disguise	Can instantly change their looks to impersonate anybody else, including the voice and mannerisms
Music Maiden	Causes music to start playing from out of nowhere, and affects the mood/actions of anybody hearing it.
Nullify	Can temporarily negate another's magical ability(s)
Plant Control	Can manipulate plant life (bend, shape, grow, wither, or blossom)
Prismatic Arcana	Can form and solidify light into various shapes.
Shadow Mistress	Controls shadows.
Shapeshifting	Can change their shape into any other create form.
Size Change	Can change their physical size, large or smaller
Sound Siren	Can create any sound effect.
Suggestive Voice	Can command others with their gentle voice.
Summoning	Can summon animals, mythological beasts, and other angelic/demon forces.
Super-speed	Becomes really, really fast, to include body movements.
Telekinesis	Can move objects with their mind
Teleportation	Can instantly move to another location
Time Manipulation	Can stop, reverse, speed up time, or slow it down.
Transmutation	Change the material of objects (example: lead to gold)
Walking Arsenal	Has instant access to any weapons, and an unlimited amount.
Water	Controls water, tidal forces, creates water.
Weather Control	Can cause weather phenomenon to occur
Wind	Controls wind, creates wind.