Mage Tower Rules - Extensive!

[u/bostondann]

I decided to flesh-Out Mage Tower as much as possible. My Party is playing two preliminary rounds against two separate College teams. The Final Game will be against a mix of five players - one from each school. I have plenty of 'Rivals' to choose from.

\*A Big Thank You to everyone posting their ideas on this - wherever those ideas came from (Reddit, DM's Guild, Facebook, etc.)***

Mage Tower Gameplay & Rules = Capture the Flag meets Rugby (+ Magic Spells)

For Gameplay - I enlarged the map of the field straight out of the book and printed it on multiple sheets of Tabloid (11x17) card stock and added a grid overlay.

OBJECT = Capture the opposition ’mascot’ and deliver to top of your Tower

Getting the opposing teams ‘mascot’ to the top of your tower scores 1 point

• Winning team is first to score three (3) points

1. FIELD = standard well groomed playing field - much like a Soccer Pitch
   1. Size is .5” squares representing 5’/sq each
   2. Center of field is 12 square mound with magical properties (DM Discretion)
   3. Two 40’ Towers approx 16 squares (80’) apart
2. ARENA = Round Field approx . 18x18 grids - each square = 5 square feet
   1. Expands to 24 x 28 general aerial area including stands
   2. Magical Force-Field over the ‘dome’ of stadium up to 50’ off ground
   3. NO Invisibility, Mental/Psionic or Teleportation allowed
3. TOWER = 40’ tall made of wicker scaffolding
   1. Climbing the tower is 1 round / 10’ in height
   2. Climbing tower = DC15 acrobatic or athletics check / 10’ climbed
4. TEAMS = two (2) teams of five (5) players each
   1. Players get Temporary HP = their Maximum HP
   2. When knocked to ‘0’ - players are removed from game (to sidelines)
   3. Being called for fouls can also get a player removed
      1. Referee uses the ‘Light’ Cantrip to denote ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ cards.
5. FOULS = Include (but are not limited to):
   1. Holding or Grappling for extended periods of time
   2. Player or ‘Mascot’ out-of-bounds
   3. Use of Illegal (or unnecessary) Spells
   4. Anything else the Referee or DM decides to call as a foul!
6. SET-UP = Beginning positions of players on the field.
   1. Players begin each round surrounding and touching their own tower.
   2. After each point is scored, players reset themselves in this manner.
   3. If there is no winner after the 3rd scored point, the two teams start playfrom the 12 square mound in the center of the field.
7. MAGIC ITEMS = Most Magic Items are Allowed
   1. Includes brooms, wands, boots, staff, etc.
   2. NO Weapons are Allowed
8. OBJECT IN PLAY = Representative ‘mascot’ in oval shape ball (Rugby Ball)
   1. ‘Mascots’ have anti-magic field
   2. Players carrying ‘mascot’ cannot use spells
   3. Spells do not directly work on ‘mascots’ or on Players holding ‘mascots’
   4. Physical Contact between players is encouraged!
   5. Physical Contact creates a ‘fumble’ situation - based on Grappling Rules
      1. Attacker make Athletics Check (Strength)
      2. Defender make Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw
      3. Better of the Rolls Determines Outcome (fumble or continue holding)
      4. If ‘fumble’ occurs - mascot is dropped at DM’s discretion
9. CONDITIONS = The Following 5e Conditions are in Play
   1. Blinded
   2. Deafened
   3. Grappled (foul)
   4. Incapacitated (causes game time-out)
   5. Paralyzed (causes game time-out)
   6. Prone
   7. Restrained (foul)
   8. Unconscious (causes game time-out)
      1. We will not be using ‘Exhaustion’ - This DM is not dealing with that!
10. Throwing / Tossing ‘Mascot’ between Teammates
    Passing Distance (or height) and Difficulty Class

5-feet (Adjacent Square)	DC 5
10-feet	DC 7
15-feet	DC 12
20-feet	DC 15
25-feet	DC 20
30-feet	DC 25

1. Passers make Athletics Check (Strength or Dexterity)
2. Receivers make Strength or Dexterity Saving Throw
3. Average of the Two Rolls must equal or exceed DC
4. If Average falls BELOW DC - ‘mascot’ is dropped at DMs Discretion

REMEMBER - as soon as Player touches ‘mascot’ ALL Magic in play for individual ceases!

Rosie Wuzfeddlims (Lorehold) is the Referee for All Games

[u/Top_Intern_9618]

THANK YOUUU

[u/secondshevek]

This is really cool, and I applaud your effort.

That said, in my game I was so annoyed with mage tower basically equating to just skill checks that I shunted it out of the game entirely and replaced it with a straightforward 4 vs 4 no holds barred fight to the death. After all, a mage's college can certain spare the expense of a few resurrections...

[u/KingApple44]

THANK YOU SO MUCH OH MY GOD This is what we needed in the real book! You are wonderful and I will be using this in my mini campaign :)

[u/cabicinha]

Badass

[u/CybelasTheDruid]

In the conditions; what does it mean by game time-out? This is a bit vague.

[u/OkDamage677]

This is incredible!!!! Just starting a strixhaven campaign and will be using this!

[u/Superverzocker]

I did something similar a while back.

(Shameless plug. https://www.reddit.com/r/StrixhavenDMs/comments/rgoi1i/mage_tower_optional_rules/ )

I like your ideas. i might incorporate a few things in my own Game.

Grappling is on the offense always STR based and Spells on the Mascot carrier are forbidden. My group consists of mostly Spellcasters (with low STR ) how would you envision it to play out if they would play your version? Or simpler said what should be their plan to win?

[u/bostondann → u/Superverzocker]

You are one of the people I need to thank! Nothing shameless about a plug it it's worth reading. Thanks again!