Playing Pool Of Radiance got me learning the ins and outs of 2nd edition AD&D and I came to the realization today that I prefer games with a magic points or mana system. Probably because I grew up with JRPGs which exclusively deal with MP over spell slots. Don’t get me wrong, D&D is great, but it’s such a pain when you get into battle and you realize you forgot to memorize Detect Magic and now you have a bunch of potential good loot.
Magic is an input combo system where there’s only a handful of basic spells, but you can literally “spell” bigger spells using those basics in certain orders
Spell slots but it’s a tetris inventory
Spell fatigue system where it’s technically unlimited but you accumulate temporary penalties/injuries
I’m actually kinda liking this dumb idea, imagine if every level you could increase the X or Y dimension of your inventory, so if you wanted to eventually cast some W I D E spells you’d have to focus on columns and give up the ability to cast TALL spells that need lots of rows to fit. Or you could forgo both and just go for the maximum-area square full of generic moderately-shaped spells.
Sounds like you should play Backpack Hero.
I realized halfway through describing this that I was just describing Jump Super Stars lmao
Give me the GEP Spell