RMS Oceanic
2012-04-04, 05:48 AM
Did you ever want a Magic System that is a hybrid of Epic Spells and Truenaming? Too bad, you're getting it anyway!
The idea behind this is Flexibility. I was looking at the seeds for Epic Spells and thought "wouldn't it be great if you could adjust these things on the fly rather than lock them into a painfully expensive spell?" Well here's my chance!
Skill: Spellcraft (Int) [Trained Only]
In order to cast any spells, a spellcaster must make a Spellcraft check. The DC is 10 + the spell seed + the shape seed + any factors. The caster cannot attempt a Spellcraft check with DC greater than 15+Caster Level. The caster must declare what DC he is attempting to make before making the check. A caster can take 10 on this check. For each spell successfully cast, the caster gains a cumulative penalty on every other spell cast that day. By spending eight hours sleeping or resting they can eliminate this penalty and start anew. The penalties look like so:
{table=head] Spell Seed Level | Penalty
0th | 0 |
1st | -1 |
2nd | -1 |
3rd | -1 |
4th | -2 |
5th | -2 |
6th | -2 |
7th | -3 |
8th | -3 |
9th | -3 |
[/table]
Other factors
{table=head] Factor | Modified DC
Raise Save DC | +2 per +1 DC |
Raise Spell Resistance | +1 per +1 on check |
Extend | +2 |
Still | +3 |
Silent | + 3 |
Empower | +4 |
Maximize | +6 |
Reduce Casting Time* | +2 |
Cast as a Swift Action** | +8 |
Use an expensive material component | -1 per (Seed Spell Level * 100) GP value |
Use an expensive focus | -1 per 5,000 GP value |
Deals nonlethal damage (must deal damage to take) | -2 |
Take an additional penalty to future spellcraft checks that day | -1 per -1 penalty***[/table]
*One hour -> Ten minutes, Ten Minutes -> One Minute, One Minute -> Full Round Action, Full Round Action -> Standard Action. Applying this factor multiple times stack.
** Must take a standard action or less to cast.
***Penalty cannot exceed the Seed Spell Level
And then here are some sample seeds.
Energy, Lesser (Wiz/Sor 1, Cleric 1)
Evocation [Acid, Fire, Electricity, Cold, Or Sonic]
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
The caster chooses an energy type. He fires a ray and makes a ranged touch attack. On a successful attack the target takes 1d6 damage of that energy type. To add another 1d6 damage, raise the Spellcraft DC by 1 (maximum 5d6).
Shape Seeds: Burst, Line, Cone
Energy (Wiz/Sor 3)
Evocation [Acid, Fire, Electricity, Cold, Or Sonic]
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
As Lesser Energy except where noted, and the maximum damage cap is 10d6.
Shape Seeds: Burst, Line, Cone
Burst (Wiz/Sor 2)
Shape Seed
Effect: 10 foot radius spread
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Burst affects the Spell Seed it is applied to by making the following changes where appropriate. To increase the radius by an additional 10 foot, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4.
Cure (Clr 1)
Conjuration [Healing]
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half (harmless); see text
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless); see text
The target is healed of 1d8+1/caster level damage (max +5). By raising the Spellcraft DC by 2, add another 1d8 and increast the damage cap by 5 (maximum 4d8+20).
Seed Shapes: Mass
Restore (Clr 3)
Conjuration [Healing]
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half (harmless); see text
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless); see text
This spell can remove all ability damage from one ability score, but not ability drain. For each additional ability score healed this way, increase the DC by +2.
This spell can also dispell negative levels and restore levels drained, as long as the level was lost within 1 day per caster level. For each day beond this time limit the caster level was lost, increase the DC by +1.
Seed Shapes: Mass
Optional Material Components: Diamonds
Mass (Wiz/Sor 4, Clr 3)
Shape Seed
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Two creatures within 30 feet of each other.
The Mass Shape Seed mostly affects spells with a range of touch, allowing two creatures to gain the effects of the spell. For each additional target, increase the DC by +1, to a maximum of the caster level. All targets must be within 30 feet of each other.
So that's my poorly thought out prototype magic system. The basic gist for the seeds is that Wizards would gain more spell seeds, while Sorcerers would gain more shape seeds and have a bonus to their Spellcraft checks to reflect the fact they can cast more spells in a day. What do you think?
The idea behind this is Flexibility. I was looking at the seeds for Epic Spells and thought "wouldn't it be great if you could adjust these things on the fly rather than lock them into a painfully expensive spell?" Well here's my chance!
Skill: Spellcraft (Int) [Trained Only]
In order to cast any spells, a spellcaster must make a Spellcraft check. The DC is 10 + the spell seed + the shape seed + any factors. The caster cannot attempt a Spellcraft check with DC greater than 15+Caster Level. The caster must declare what DC he is attempting to make before making the check. A caster can take 10 on this check. For each spell successfully cast, the caster gains a cumulative penalty on every other spell cast that day. By spending eight hours sleeping or resting they can eliminate this penalty and start anew. The penalties look like so:
{table=head] Spell Seed Level | Penalty
0th | 0 |
1st | -1 |
2nd | -1 |
3rd | -1 |
4th | -2 |
5th | -2 |
6th | -2 |
7th | -3 |
8th | -3 |
9th | -3 |
[/table]
Other factors
{table=head] Factor | Modified DC
Raise Save DC | +2 per +1 DC |
Raise Spell Resistance | +1 per +1 on check |
Extend | +2 |
Still | +3 |
Silent | + 3 |
Empower | +4 |
Maximize | +6 |
Reduce Casting Time* | +2 |
Cast as a Swift Action** | +8 |
Use an expensive material component | -1 per (Seed Spell Level * 100) GP value |
Use an expensive focus | -1 per 5,000 GP value |
Deals nonlethal damage (must deal damage to take) | -2 |
Take an additional penalty to future spellcraft checks that day | -1 per -1 penalty***[/table]
*One hour -> Ten minutes, Ten Minutes -> One Minute, One Minute -> Full Round Action, Full Round Action -> Standard Action. Applying this factor multiple times stack.
** Must take a standard action or less to cast.
***Penalty cannot exceed the Seed Spell Level
And then here are some sample seeds.
Energy, Lesser (Wiz/Sor 1, Cleric 1)
Evocation [Acid, Fire, Electricity, Cold, Or Sonic]
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
The caster chooses an energy type. He fires a ray and makes a ranged touch attack. On a successful attack the target takes 1d6 damage of that energy type. To add another 1d6 damage, raise the Spellcraft DC by 1 (maximum 5d6).
Shape Seeds: Burst, Line, Cone
Energy (Wiz/Sor 3)
Evocation [Acid, Fire, Electricity, Cold, Or Sonic]
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
As Lesser Energy except where noted, and the maximum damage cap is 10d6.
Shape Seeds: Burst, Line, Cone
Burst (Wiz/Sor 2)
Shape Seed
Effect: 10 foot radius spread
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Burst affects the Spell Seed it is applied to by making the following changes where appropriate. To increase the radius by an additional 10 foot, increase the Spellcraft DC by +4.
Cure (Clr 1)
Conjuration [Healing]
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half (harmless); see text
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless); see text
The target is healed of 1d8+1/caster level damage (max +5). By raising the Spellcraft DC by 2, add another 1d8 and increast the damage cap by 5 (maximum 4d8+20).
Seed Shapes: Mass
Restore (Clr 3)
Conjuration [Healing]
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half (harmless); see text
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless); see text
This spell can remove all ability damage from one ability score, but not ability drain. For each additional ability score healed this way, increase the DC by +2.
This spell can also dispell negative levels and restore levels drained, as long as the level was lost within 1 day per caster level. For each day beond this time limit the caster level was lost, increase the DC by +1.
Seed Shapes: Mass
Optional Material Components: Diamonds
Mass (Wiz/Sor 4, Clr 3)
Shape Seed
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Two creatures within 30 feet of each other.
The Mass Shape Seed mostly affects spells with a range of touch, allowing two creatures to gain the effects of the spell. For each additional target, increase the DC by +1, to a maximum of the caster level. All targets must be within 30 feet of each other.
So that's my poorly thought out prototype magic system. The basic gist for the seeds is that Wizards would gain more spell seeds, while Sorcerers would gain more shape seeds and have a bonus to their Spellcraft checks to reflect the fact they can cast more spells in a day. What do you think?