Drolyt20: Generic Spells: Energy Blast

[Drolyt]

This is an idea someone gave me. Instead of having a giant spell list like D&D, Drolyt20 could have far less customizable spells. I'm not sure how it will work in the end, but I'm presenting this example using spell points that work like Psionic power points. Note that there is no such thing as a level in this system, but presumably spells will have prereqs.

Energy Blast
Evocation [Fire]
Level: N/A For purposes of Save DC, half the caster's level
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature or object
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Spell Points: 1

You fire a blast of energy at a single creature or object, dealing 1d6 + Casters primary spellcasting ability modifier points of Fire damage.

Augmentations:
For 0 Spell Points you may change the type of damage to Acid, Cold, or Electricity. The spell loses the Fire descriptor and gains the descriptor of the damage dealt.

For 2 Spell Points you may change the type of damage to Sonic. The spell loses the Fire descriptor and gains the Sonic descriptor.

For 4 Spell Points you may change the type of damage to Force. The spell loses the Fire descriptor and gains the Force descriptor.

You may spend up to (your caster level - 1) in Spell Points to increase damage. For each Point so spent increase the damage dealt by 1d6.

For 2 Spell Points you may change the school to Conjuration (Creation). The spell no longer allows spell resistance.

For 2 Spell Points you may change the Range to Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level). For 4 Spell Points you may change the Range to Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level).

For 4 Spell Points you may change the spell from Target: One creature or object to Area: 20 ft. Radius Spread or Area: Cone Shaped Burst or Area: 120 ft. Line.

For 2 Spell Points you may make the spell Shapeable.

For 2 Spell Points you may cast the spell without a verbal component.

For 2 Spell Points you may cast the spell without a somatic component.


So on and so forth. Some of these augmentations might be metamagic. Different casters would use this differently. A Wizard might know the base spell and be able to apply any augmentations he wants but must prepare it beforehand while a Sorcerer only knows a specific version of the spell. A Warlock would be like a Sorcerer that can cast constantly. A Psion could modify spells at will but would have some other drawback. Clerics and Druids will probably work like Wizards. And so on.

[Latronis]

how do you explain preparation when the spell is just the base parts thrown together, and how does that compare too... let's say sorc = RAW psion (create and augment spells until points are gone) what changes happen to point limits and how do mesh that with spell slots (or at least pseudo-spell slots) that preparation would require?

[DragonOfUndeath]

maybe the wizard has {insert point number here} points per day and can prepare parts.
Example: a wizard prepares 2 fireballs, ice desciptor, without somantic and without verbal. the wizard can cast an iceball without verbal or somantic and a normal fireball OR an iceball without somantic and a fireball without verbal.

[Drolyt]

how do you explain preparation when the spell is just the base parts thrown together, and how does that compare too... let's say sorc = RAW psion (create and augment spells until points are gone) what changes happen to point limits and how do mesh that with spell slots (or at least pseudo-spell slots) that preparation would require?

Wizard would have so many spell points and could prepare spells that total those points. Sorcerers would instead learn spells pre built and be unable to ever change them.

[DragonOfUndeath]

that seems a bit unbalanced

[Dead_Jester]

The damage increase augmentation is, as written, ambiguous. One could interpret it as "For every 1 Spell point you spend (on this spell no matter the augmentation), you may increase the damage by 1d6, to a maximum of (caster level)d6" or as "For every 1 Spell point you spend (on this augmentation), you may increase the damage by 1d6, to a maximum of (caster level)d6".

I think the second one is the correct one, but it should probably be clarified.

[Latronis]

well you know some smartass is going to try and say since it says for each point spent you may increase the damage and augment the hell out of it for free damage increases.

So it might be better worded like

You may spend 1 point to increase the damage by 1d6 per point spent to a maximum of your caster level or somesuch

[Drolyt]

I changed it, although it's kind of missing the point since this was just an example.