It was a fair point, and the impetus for me reviewing alternative methods to the existing GURPS Magic systems. If you are familiar with the Dresden Files novel series authored by Jim Butcher, that leverages a magical ruleset that I find quite suitable to a faster paced group dynamic, if the mage has a few foci and charms prepared ahead of time. So much so that an entire RPG was built around that system.
I was looking for something to emulate those magical processes and effects within the GURPS rule set while allowing for 'quick and dirty' spell casting. Syntactic Magic from GURPS Thaumatology is flexible and comes close to something workable for a game of gunslingers, monsters and magic. Then again, GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery allows for Advantage based spells.
Elizabeth McCoy's Chaos and Ritual: A Literary Magic System for GURPS Fourth Edition
is a good read. Advantage Based Magic for GURPS by Kevin J. Chase also offers some great thoughts.
Finally, I found this work by Murphy Barrett: https://dungeondeep.quora.com/GURPS-Magic-Homebrew, which I referenced in a prior post. I've expanded on Murphy's start with modifications to align the system with my views on magic.
Some of the adaptions:
- Ritual Advantages have been replaced with equivalent Skills,
- Disciplines and Effects have been modified.
- Alternative Power skills have been added.
- Additional Skill requirements have been added.
- I've added additional verbiage for Defensive Combat Magic.
There is a great deal more. Full details are found in this 30 page PDF, also linked under Rules Adaptions to the right.