Who wants to help me with names?
Working on Steamspace, my Steampunk + Star Control + Spelljammer-esque system I'm working on and I went into the subject of magic. I broke it down into several categories, the equal to D&D schools I suppose, given how the magic works. While I have gone through several iterations of this, the more input I get the better I feel about things. I have the following:
Dynamancy: Magic which creates direct energy effects, adding or subtracting heat or vibrations or the sort. Sort-of-evocation.
Fatamancy: The manipulation of luck and probability. There are "luck" things and divination within here.
Chronomancy: Manipulation of spacetime. Involves things like speeding time up and down, and moving through space at high speeds or even without moving.
Alteration: The transmutation of pre-existing material, ala Full Metal Alchemist (though probably no where near as strong). Most just change shape, like a lump of iron to a sword, but high level stuff can turn lead into gold.
Phonomancy: Manipulation of the mind and one's senses. A combination of enhancement, illusion, and psychic things in general (telepathy mostly).
Metamancy: Magic-altering magic. Dispel magic, many abjurations, and the sort end up here.
Necromancy (or Animancy, still up in the air about the name): Magic about the soul. In this setting there aren't technically undead, though you can pull off a Frankenstien or other "tech-undead". Mostly it involves healing and harming on a non-physical level (draining life-force), moving around a person's life force, and placing spirits in living or unloving objects (golems, machine spirits, their version of AI, etc). At it's extreme, it can return the dead.
Mostly I wanted to see if anyone had any good idea about names. Given the subtle steampunk background, "-mancy" seemed fitting since it seemed alchemical and occult. Namely I'm still trying to think of what to do with Necro/Ani, given that it's less dealing with corpses and more dealing with life forces, and yet necromancy seems a better as far as recognition goes. That's one of the issues: the best names are recognizable for what they do. So you know Chronomancy is at least somewhat time based, and Dynamancy sounds like Dynamics, so it's some kind of thing involving forces.
Ideas? Suggestions? Approval? Those who post get to be exempt from the Apocalypse scheduled for a later date.
The above issue has been "solved" and just not deleted for sake of the curious. Changing the title and contents, and giving it a second shot with a new problem.
I've come upon a debate of using a 3.5e style system of rounds, vs an (apparently) AD&D style system of initiative counts. That is, you could act on count 20, do an action that takes 3 counts to complete, and have your action go off at count 17. If someone is at 18, they could totally interrupt you or change what they are doing.
While I like it, it seems like it may be overly complex and slow things down.
What are your opinions on it?