The CRPG Addict: Magic in Ultima 5
The CRPG Addict, feeling that he is fairly close to completing Ultima 5, has paused his playthrough of the game in order to take a look at its magic system and compare it to the magic system in other Ultima titles. His conclusion, which is not unlike my own, is that while the magic system in the game is itself very interesting and well-implemented, it is also almost totally superfluous.
This was a problem of the magic systems in several Ultima games, especially Ultima 6 and Ultima 7, and is probably the reason why today I tend to eschew the use of magic — or its equivalents — in modern RPGs. (Mass Effect 2 might be the one exception to that rule; I’m actually quite keen on certain biotic abilities in that game and use them constantly.)
The magic systems across the Ultima series weren’t particularly consistent; the earlier games (Ultima 4, Ultima 5) had more complicated systems requiring the mixing of reagents; Ultima 6 and Ultima 7 only required you to possess the reagents. Ultima 9 re-introduced the need for mixing…but you could pass that entire game using just the “linear spells” that did not require any reagents. (Ultima 8’s magic system was just bonkers, whereas Ultima Underworld’s runic magic stands out as the singular example of an Ultima magic system that I found both interesting and useful.)
Magic systems tend to add a layer of complexity to RPGs that feels 1) out of place 2) not worth the effort.
It’s a lot more difficult to anticipate which spells to buy and prepare, and where and when to use them, than it is to just equip the sword with the most plusses and use standard battle tactics (tanks in front, archers behind, try to make a flank attack). It’s almost like you have to learn to play an entirely different game when you select that mage PC.
So, I wouldn’t blame Ultima specifically for your neglect of magic.
I find the magic system of U5, as detailed by the Addict, to be intriguing.
In terms of pure gameplay it sounds over complicated, and they don’t give you enough reason to use your full array of spells. On the other hand, I love what it does for the lore.
As I’ve said about Pagan’s magic system, all the preparation and ritual surrounding the casting of spells gives it a real feeling of mystery and magic. Summoning a demon in U8, for instance, was no small feat: You studied the spell, took a test on the spell, and then you spent 30 frustration filled minutes carefully arranging a series of candles, reagents, and wands with pixel perfect precision… But it made the ensuing demon summoning feel that much more rewarding. It wasn’t just clicking something on a hotbar.
I had a completely different experience to what CRPG wrote, and I was stunned that he was pretty much right.
When I played through Ultima 5, I didn’t know magic axes were any good at all. For weapons, I used slings/morningstars/halberds.
For magic, apart from heal/cure, in the latter part of the game, the key spell I kept coming back to was energy wind, which makes pretty quick work of everything. I even used magic unlock a lot – I never even knew about being able to use a cannon to get to the magic carpet/sandlewood box until I read it on his blog.
I agree with Handshakes above too – U8’s appeal, intentionally I think, is in its intricate use of magic. I always thought the fact it had such a complicated magic system made it more appealing, not less. The point of the game was to master that magic, and they wove with it a nice anti-virtuous story that we’ve all come to know and love.
Magic is commonly abused as an excuse for sloppy gameplay, which gives it a bad rep. Ultima has always done it properly. Whether it’s unnecessary or not, I always liked it. Vas Corp Bet Mani