Quick & Dirty Magic for Fate

This is the magic system I invented for my perpetually-in-progress fantasy RPG. My goal was a system that could roughly approximate the feel of D&D magic, but with no bookkeeping. I also wanted to stick closely to established elements of Fate Core. So no spell points or other innovations.

The Basic Package

Magic is an extra. There is no refresh cost. The only prerequisite is to have an aspect that justifies your magical powers. Add two skills to your character sheet: Magic Power and Magic Finesse. If you don't have the magical gift, these skills are non-existent to you.

Magic Power is the ability to channel the raw power to shape into a spell. Magic Finesse is used to shape and direct it into the effect you want. Without any extra gifts expended on magic, a magic user is limited to cantrips and rituals.

Ritual Magic

Ritual Magic is magic as engineering. The magic user invests time and effort into creating an effect with lasting consequences. Each ritual has a minimum Magic Power.

1. Find or invent the recipe / instructions. 
2. Meet the Magic Power requirements.
3. Gather reagents. 
4. Spend hours chanting and concentrating. 

This can be however difficult the GM rules. It can be as simple as a resources check to buy the reagents, or a lore check to work out the alignment of the stars. A high powered ritual could take a whole adventure. Delving into forgotten libraries, searching for exotic components, or even finding the right place and time to enact a ritual can all make great adventure hooks. 

Cantrips 

AKA Stupid Wizard Tricks. These are essential things every wizard worth his pointy hat should know. The most important one is the ability to sense magical phenomena. Other cantrips include minor telekinesis, lighting small fires, creating flashy but harmless light shows, or conjuring a floating ball of light. 

Cantrips require no preparation, but are still not fast. See the magic in action scenes rules below. Make a Magic Finesse check to do anything tricky with a cantrip. 

You don't need any fancy tools or components to do cantrips, only basic tools. A simple wooden wand will do. Your choice of implement is a matter of style. 

Major Spells

Like with any other skill, you can expand your abilities with Stunts. You can't attack with a cantrip, but with a Bolt of Fiery Doom stunt you can attack, create advantage, or overcome in any way that involves setting things on fire. 

Spell Stunts can work like any type of Stunt. Use Fate's stunt design guidelines. Most add a new action to the magic skill or are a rules exception. A spell that lasts all day is treated as a passive stunt. An especially powerful Spell might be limited to once per day or once per session. 

Change your mind about your selection of spells? Not a problem. Swapping one spell for another is just a ritual. Attuning yourself to a new type of supernatural power is expensive and time consuming, not something you want to do every day. 

Magic in Action Scenes

Magic is normally pretty slow. In a fast-paced scene, such as a fight, the caster needs to tag an appropriate aspect to cast any spell. In a pinch, a PC can spend a Fate Point. The normal way is to use Magic Power to create an advantage, adding a "focused power" aspect to yourself. This lets you cast a spell as your next action, but that aspect is fragile, and goes away if anything disrupts your concentration. 

Either way, the benefit of the tag is applied to the casting, usually granting a +2 bonus to a Magic Finesse roll. Combat magic is slow but powerful. 

Next Steps

I'd like to make a big list of rituals and spell stunts, but that would not be quick or dirty. I might do a follow up of ways to add flavor to this system.