Homebrew Design (d20 and RPG)Roll up your sleeves and get working: there's lots of homebrewin' to be done! Post your custom creation for critiques or review those of your peers.
This is an attempt to build a useful d20 framework in which to play Harry Potter. See also the similar projects on the Wizards boards and here on OOTS, started by Terror_Drone. This draws on my own material from the latter thread, reorganized and tidied up for your viewing pleasure.
Thanks to PsychoticBarber, for his significant contributions and conversations.
Characters begin at Third Year. This allows access to all 12 subjects at Hogwarts from the start, and reflects the fact that no one has ever done magic while under the age of 13. (Or something like that.) To represent development in magical prowess, there are four levels per year, roughly working out to Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and exams. Over 5 years, that's 20 levels. (Remarkable!) Your level is equal to (Year*4)-3.
Year
Level
Gimmick
3
1
Magic!, Feat
3 1/4
2
Magic Stat Raise
3 2/4
3
Feat
3 3/4
4
Magic Stat Raise
4
5
Feat
4 1/4
6
Magic Stat Raise
4 2/4
7
Feat
4 3/4
8
Magic Stat Raise
5
9
Feat
5 1/4
10
Magic Stat Raise
5 2/4
11
Feat
5 3/4
12
Magic Stat Raise
6
13
Feat
6 1/4
14
Magic Stat Raise
6 2/4
15
Feat
6 3/4
16
Magic Stat Raise
7
17
Feat
7 1/4
18
Magic Stat Raise
7 2/4
19
Feat
7 3/4
20
Magic Stat Raise
Upon graduating... EPIC! If we ever get to this point, you can begin earning experience-based levels. Profession: Ministry bureaucrat, here I come! (More class gimmicks to be added.)
Ability scores are generated as D&D, 4d6 drop 1.
Characters get 5+Int skill points per level, 4x at 1st level. Students may choose 10 skills to be class skills.
Characters get 35 magic points at 1st level, and 10 points per level thereafter. Costs for magic are as follows:
At character creation, choose two or three electives. (The five elective subjects are Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies.) You may not allocate magic skill points into two or three unchosen electives.
One point in every Stat and Skill at creation is free. (Ignore points in unused electives.) Beyond that, the limit at creation is 3 points in any Stat, and 3 points in any skill - paying for two points of increase. This cap will raise by one per level for magic skills, and one per even-numbered level for magic stats. Unused magic points may be held in reserve to be used at the next level-up.
There will be a system for buying specific spells/potions in each discipline. For now, select 4 spells per category at 1st level. Transfiguration 'branch' spells count as 2.
(Again, I'm working the balance still. I want the two options of how players might spend their points to be roughly equal (always leveling up the (expensive) Stats for a generalist, or focusing on skills for a specialist.) Feats will allow you to raise those caps, say by two points in a given skill or two.)
Equipment is insignificant at first level. All students are assumed to have come into spellbooks, scales, and potion ingredients one way or another, shiny-new or second-hand. Students may have a pet (Owl, Toad, or Rat - others acceptable. Use PHB familiar list as suggestions). There will be some opportunity to earn/scam money or receive an allowance as the game goes on, for Hogsmeade trips or mail-order widgets or black market sweets.
Balance
Bluff
Climb
Concentration - I'm mixed on whether this is necessary.
Diplomacy
Disable Device - It can be used for locks, and booby traps, I guess...
Disguise
Escape Artist - Necessary?
Forgery - Rare, as with D&D, but we know Dean Thomas was good at it.
Gather Information
Hide
Intimidate
Investigate
Jump
Knowledge - See below
Listen
Move Silently
Repair - Adapted for magic items?
Research - Integrated into magic skill points? Related to Spellcraft.
Ride - CoMC?
Search
Sense Motive
Sleight of Hand
Spot
Survival - It's rough in the halls of Hogwarts, G.
Swim
Treat Injury
Add: Dodge, Flying (Broom), Quidditch-related skills, by position?
Several of these are *conceivably* useful, but practically quite useless, often in the same way as they are in D&D. Skills will be de-emphasized due to the role of magic as the primary ability, obviously, but you still need to sneak around the hallways at night and listen for Filch coming. I'd be fine with dropping the physical skills (Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, Tumble), same as I always have in D&D. (Balance and Tumble have their uses, but those uses will appear even less in HP.)
Other skills I eliminated: Computer Use, Craft, Decipher Script, Demolitions, Drive, Gamble, Handle Animal, Navigate, Perform, Profession, Read/Write/Speak Language. All fairly obvious. (Craft is subsumed into various Magics or aspects of Craft Magical Item. DS and HA are in Magic. Profession is for suckers.)
Knowledges... Astronomy, History of Magic, and Muggle Studies are magical studies and actual classes at Hogwarts, so they will be shifted there. The other (mundane) knowledges which might apply are few; that said, there are some things which fall outside of the classes' purview. They're largely flavorful, but you never know...
-Art
-Business
-Civics
-Current events - Daily Prophet readers get a +2!
-Popular culture - You have to know how badly the Cannons lost today!
-Streetwise
-Technology, Magical - Flying cars. Pretty esoteric.
Dropped: Any of the 'Sciences', History, Tactics, and Theology and Philosophy. (Muggle Studies will allow access to bits of Muggle history, but it's really not important to wizards.)
Knack
You may raise the point cap on two of your classes by one point each. This feat may only be taken once, and must be taken at first level. You are considered to have a "Knack" in the classes you raise. Only one of these classes may be a wandwork class.
Magical Revelation
Gain three magic points.
Alertness
+3 on Listen and Spot checks.
Class Mastery (Prerequisite: Level 15)
Reduces the botch range for the chosen class to a natural 1 only, instead of 1-5. This feat may be taken multiple times. Its effects do not stack, instead chose another class to apply the mastery to. The natural one is considered to be a reduced botch.
Transfiguration/DADA/Charms/Potions/Herbology Prodigy (Prerequisite: Ability 15+)
Add a +1 circumstance bonus to all magic done in one of the above classes. This feat may be taken multiple times, its effects do not stack, but instead each feat applies to a different class.
Skilled Morpher (Prerequisite: Level 9)
Gain a +2 circumstance bonus when casting morphing spells.
Skilled Meddler (Prerequisite: Level 11)
Gain a +2 circumstance bonus when casting meddling spells.
Skilled Maker (Prerequisite: Level 13)
Gain a +2 circumstance bonus when casting making spells.
Craft Magical Item (Prerequisite: Level 9)
Dude. Make magical stuff.
Magical ability is governed by three properties: Magic Stat, Magic Skill, and Ability Score. (I'll be using the phrase 'caster level' as a synonym for 'total magic power' in a given discipline. We all love that phrase, why get rid of it?) This applies equally to all 12 subjects taught at Hogwarts, though only three are overtly 'magical' and require the use of a wand. (Producing a Patronus, brewing Veritaserum, or taming a thestral might require CL 15.)
‘Caster level' is determined by a wizard’s strength in each of the four magic studies categories and its corresponding Magic Stat (Wandwork – Spelling, Handiwork – Handle Magical Thingie, Thinkwork – Discern, or Bookwork - Reading), and adding to it the Magic Skill ranks placed into the derivative fields of magic (which applies to Charms, Potions, Divination, and Astronomy, et al.), plus the relevant Ability Score, e.g. Spelling + Charms + Cha = Charms caster level
Magic!
-
Wandwork
Handiwork
Thinkwork
Bookwork
Stat
Spellcraft
Handle
Decipher
Knowledge
Int
Transfiguration
Potions
Ancient Runes
History 'o Magic
Wis
DADA
Herbology
Divination
Astronomy
Cha
Charms
CoMC
Arithmancy
Muggle Studies
The first two categories are the key ones, and contain 5 of the 7 core subjects plus CoMC. They're obviously the more interesting ones, and will be where most people focus their characters.
Some random ideas of specializations, based on existing characters. (These may end up being feats, and you'll probably be able to just choose any two disciplines.) Knacks
Harry
Hermione
Ron
Neville
Luna
Ginny
Cedric
DADA
Charms
Good at
Herbology
CoMC
DADA
Charms
Potions
Transfig’n
nothing.
DADA
Transfig’n
Charms
Herbology
A spell/potion/plant will have a Learn DC in order to master it. A caster level check then goes something like this: Learn DC vs. Magic stat + Magic skill + Ability Score
The cap on Stats and Skills will (hopefully) force a wizard to spend points across all of his school subjects. This prevents having a completely unbalanced wizard with Charms 15 and Herbology 2. (We’d like to think that some of the schooling rubs off each year, so you learn something even if by accident) I’m still sorting out how to compute the start DCs to learn a given spell.
You may attempt to cast a spell you do not know, assuming you’ve been exposed to it in some way. There is a limit or one (or two) levels above the spell level you can currently cast. You will have to roll a Magic check vs. the Learn DC +5 (or +10). This allows you to pull of fun feats of magic in desperate circumstances as last ditch moves – or to experiment with things above your level. This will hopefully strike a balance between accessibility and reliability – if you really plan on having this spell/potion/effect in your arsenal, then you’d better invest the Stat and Skill points necessary to improve it permanently.
There will be expanded rules for botches; botches are the best part of magic! A natural 1 will be some sort of spectacular disaster – blowback from your wand, getting a chomp from the Venomous Tentacula, the shrinking solution turns you into a toad… on a roll of 2-5, the spell fails with some interesting display, but nothing disastrous. You’ll be laughed at by friends and enemies.
Simple wand effects require no effort to learn or cast. These include producing sparks, writing glowing characters in air, making 'bang' or 'pop' noises, casting off light (Lumos), and blowing bubbles.
Entries with an asterisk* indicate cross-class spells, accessible by more than one discipline. Whether I remembered to re-index them all remains to be seen. When a spell only has a proper name, I have supplied a Latinate incantation for your casting pleasure. (e.g. Extinguishing Charm - Confutaduro - 'Stop burning'. I could have used the literal 'Extinguo', but that's boring. )
Transfiguration
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Color change
Fur growing
Hair-thickening
Tergeo
Defodio
Fera verto
X-fors
Vermillius
-
-
Feather-light
Unbreakable
Duro (stone)
Episkey
Protean
-
Obliteration
Flame freezing
Glisseo
-
Bluebell flames
Hot air
Ferula
Aguamenti
Geminio
Incendio*
Bubble-head
Orchideous
Evanesco
Avis
-
-
-
-
-
Morphing 3
Morphing 4
Morphing 5
Morphing 6
Morphing 7
Meddling 3
Meddling 4
Meddling 5
Meddling 6
Meddling 7
Making 3
Making 4
Making 5
Making 6
Making 7
Students will start with a selection of Transfiguration effects from Level 3, and gain access to higher categories each year. The student will have the opportunity to learn new spells in an accessible category and/or refine their abilities in one of the three categories at each level. In addition to purchasing individual spells (useful for dabblers), focused students of Transfiguration will purchase 'spell branches', which are limited only by your imagination (and some common sense). A branch will have a higher price commensurate with its incredible versatility.
Transfiguration theory
Spoiler
There are three branches of Transfiguration: Morphing, Meddling, and Making. Each represents a more sophisticated step in Transfiguratory abilities. (Many examples of these will be given when I write out individual entries.)
Morphing is the first thing students always learn - Matches to Needles, for example. It is dependent on some (rough) correlation between the two items - as a general rule, firstly size (Beetles to Buttons), secondly similarity in name (Guinea Hens to Guinea Fowl), thirdly sharing some demonstrable characteristic (Owls to Opera Glasses - keen sight). This also includes switching spells, whereby an attribute of one thing is transfered to another (Rabbit ears on a cactus). Transfiguring humans is an advanced topic, not usually studied until OWL-level. In ascending order of difficulty,
1) Inanimate-Inanimate
2) Animate-Inanimate
3) Animate-Animate
4) Inanimate-Animate
Meddling is an effect that changes the constitution of or nature of an object - turning cloth to stone, making an object feather-light, or enabling a figuirine to walk around. As a general rule, this transformation is not immediately obvious by looking at the target, as the change is largely of an internal nature. Healing magic stems from this branch.
Making is the most difficult branch of transfiguration, and entails conjuring something from nothing. Drawing chairs, water, or birds from thin air falls under this branch, as does Vanishing (Evanesco). The bulk of this material is OWL and NEWT level, with early-level effects producing largely insubstantial results (flame, a bubble-head, or hot air). A rough outline for abilities in the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Year conjuration abilities are Silly Putty, Big as a Breadbox, and Bigger than a Breadbox. (Assume you have a lump of clay - or Silly Putty, as the case may be - of the indicated size, and fashion a shape from it.) Examples include a flask or ball, a stool or bucket, and a chair or bureau, respectively. Conjured objects have a defined duration set by the wizard before lapsing to nonexistence (explaining why anyone can pull up a chair - for the time being - and why poverty still exists in the wizarding world.)
Note: Vanishing does not 'delete' its target; rather, it banishes them into non-being (think of it as atomizing), able to be reconstituted elsewhere. (Consider Bill Vanishing blueprints from the table at 12 Grimmauld Place, or Snape Vanishing Harry's potions. They likely ended up in a nearby cupboard and drain, respectively.) Likewise, food can explicitly *not* be conjured out of nothing, though there have been instances in the series of wizards (seemingly) doing so. Transfiguration theory thus dictates that this bread or mead is reconstituted from a premade 'store' of food Vanished at some earlier point by a wizard. Apparently, wizards came up with the idea for just-add-water instant meals.
Transfiguration spells A-L
Spoiler
Aguamenti Avis Bluebell flames Bubble-head
Color change - Inficio (Color)Trans 3
Red - Rosa; Blue - Putulus; Green - Viridis; Yellow - Crocus; Black - *****; White - Alba; Purple - Blatta; Stripes - Virga; Spots - Maculosus; To simulate bruising - Livor
Making 3 Making 4 Making 5 Making 6 Making 7 Meddling 3 Meddling 4 Meddling 5 Meddling 6 Meddling 7 Morphing 3 Morphing 4 Morphing 5 Morphing 6 Morphing 7 Obliteration - Annullo Orchideous Protean Tergeo Unbreakable - Inconvulsus Vermillius X-fors
Dit dit dit dit...
DADA
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Expelliarmus
Impedimenta
Protego
Patronus
Salvio Hexia
Finite (3)
Counterjinx 4
Counterjinx 5
Counterjinx 6
Counterjinx 7
Stinging hex
Everte Statum
Incarcerous
Stupefy/Rennervate*
Expulso
Trip jinx
Glacius
Verdemillius
-
Claudosempra
Leg-locker
Petrificus Totalus
Jelly-legs jinx
Levicorpus
Babbling curse
Rictusempra
Densaugeo
Langlock
Confringo
Salvio hexia
Tarantallegra
Bat-bogey hex
Furnunculus
Conjunctivitis
Bedazzling hex*
Students will start with a selection of DADA spells from Level 3, and gain access to higher categories each year. The student will have the opportunity to learn new spells in an accessible category at each level.
DADA Theory
Spoiler
There are three kinds of DADA spells: Defense (utility), Attack (immediate ow! effect), and Darn Annoying (effect which lasts for some time and require a countercurse). There's no mechanical distinction at present - I just like cutting things neatly into thirds.
DA spells require a countercurse (/counterjinx/Finite Incantatem, same thing). Counterjinxes can only dispel jinxes of the same level - you don't *have* to have this in your spelllist, but if you ever want to stop dancing, it's highly recommended. (Technically, you should have to learn a separate countercurse for each one, but I am merciful. )
Students will start with a selection of Charms from Levels 2 and 3, and gain access to higher categories each year. The student will have the opportunity to learn new spells in an accessible category at each level.
Charms spells A-H
Spoiler
Accio/DepulsoCharm 4 Range: Varies; requires line-of-sight Duration: Instantaneous Target: One object of Small or smaller size
The target is summoned to the wizard, flying through the air more or less into his hand. It is the equivalent of extending the wizard’s reach, and can move any object that could reasonably be picked up and thrown. Though he need not know the precise name, identity, or location of the spell’s target; the wizard must aim the spell. As a rule of thumb, he ought to be able to point right at it, even if he cannot precisely see it. For intance, calling vaguely “Accio Book” in a library will not summon every book. Valid targets include “Hogwarts: A History”, “That book”, “Book underneath the blanket”, and “Unknown object under the blanket”. (“Book that may or may not exist and may or may not be about a subject and somewhere in a room over there”, i.e., “Dumbledore’s book on Horcruxes”, is not a valid target. Screw you, JKR.) Depulso, the banishing charm, works in exactly the same way, except that the target moves away instead of toward the caster. The name of the target is often added to the end of the incantation; as with Locomotor, it need not be Latinate.
AlohomoraCharm 2 Range:Touch Duration: Instantaneous Target: A locked door
The targetted door, if locked through mundane means, is instantly unlocked; at the option of the caster, it may also pop slightly ajar. If the door is magically sealed, the wizard must make a caster level check against the wizard who sealed the door. (See Colloportus for resolving opposed door checks.)
AnapneoCharm 5 Range: Touch Duration: Instantaneous Target: The poor sap who's choking
This spells causes the target's windpipe to involuntarily relax, then produces a burst of air moving outward from the target's stomach to expel any foreign object or obstruction to proper breathing. The target is seized by a terrific coughing fit for 2 rounds, at which point he burps to properly release the confusing bits of air newly floating about within him.
ApareciumCharm 3 Range: 15 ft Duration: Instantaneous Target: Alleged location of invisible text
Aparecium dispels a Flagrate charm – rendering the invisible text visible again, and/or erasing a Flagrate mark.
AscendioCharm 4 Range: Personal Duration: Instantaneous
The caster is rocketed upward 30 ft in a steep arc. (A firm wand grip is highly recommended.)
Bedazzling hex*
BombardaCharm 5 Range: 15 ft Duration: Instantaneous
This is your boomstick. It is capable of blasting a 1 ft diameter hole in solid stone, and can be used for carving chunks and bits out of many surfaces. It would take out slightly more of a plant, but it is fairly focused explosion (though the edges of the area of effect would be singed and could conceivably be stoked for greater fiery effect). This spell would blast a hole roughly 6 inches in diameter from a solid metal object.
CaterwaulingCharm 7 Range: 50 ft Duration: 1 hour/level Area A location measuring not more than 300 ft square
This spell wards an area with an alarm. A piercing shriek emanates from the ground where an unauthorized person has trod. The noise can be heard clearly over 1 mile of open land. The caster may attune others to the spell at the time of casting, so that they do not register as unauthorized persons. (The caster does not set off his own spell.) If activated, the alarm will continue until its caster ends the effect while standing within its perimeter or its duration expires, whichever comes first. If the area targetted by the spell is not contained within the given range, the caster must move along the perimeter within 50 ft of the edge.
Cheering Charm - LaudateCharm 3 Range: 15 ft Duration: 10 minutes + 1 minute/level Target: One creature
The target is filled with a pleasant, uplifting, happy sensation. This happiness dispels the effects of any items or spells currently putting the target in a bad mood, and grants a +2 to Diplomacy checks due to increased confidence and diminished fear of failure.
ColloportusCharm 4 Range: 25 ft Duration: Permanent (Until dispelled)
A doorway is sealed, with an odd squelching sound. It cannot be reopened by anyone but the caster unless dispelled with Alohomora. The Alohomora caster makes a caster level check against the CL of the sealed door (Alohomora caster: 1d20+Charms CL. DC to dispel = 10 + Colloportus CL at the time the door was sealed.)
Confundus Charm - ConfundoCharm 7 Range: 25 ft Duration: 1 hour Target: One sentient creature
The target of this spell is extremely forgetful, easily confused, and looses some degree of physical coordination, analogous to having had a few too many firewhiskeys.
Counterjinx
Cushioning - Demulceo
Depulso See Accio
DescendoCharm 2 Range: 10 ft Duration: Instantaneous Target: One folded or telescoping object
An object or feature which can be unfolded or telescoped in some way is opened up, as a ladder lowering, a rope uncoiling, or a collapsed spiral staircase unwinding. The spell can be used again to reverse the motion.
DiffindoCharm 4 Range: 25 ft Duration: Instantaneous Area: 5 ft line
The wizard makes a slashing motion with his wand, effecting a smooth, straight cut as with a sharp blade.
Disillusionment
Engorgio/Reducio
EpoximiseCharm 2 Range: Touch Duration: 1 week/level Target: Object of Small or smaller size
This is magical duct tape. It bonds an item to another item or a surface firmly for the duration of the effect. It can be dispelled by Waddiwasi or a Counterjinx. (You could probably get away with Epoximising Neville’s robes to the wall and pinning him, if you were wondering. )
ErectoCharm 4 Range: 15 ft Duration: Instantaneous
With a wave of the wizard's wand, unassembled pieces of a structure of Large or smaller size fly together and arrange themselves in their intended positions. This only causes a physical arrangement; does not grant any special stability or connectivity, so additional means (Epoximise, nails, scotch tape) may be required to solidify the structure's integrity.
Extinguishing Charm - ConfutaduroCharm 4 Range: 25 ft Duration: Instantaneous Target: A conflagration of Medium or smaller size
A fire measuring less than or equal to 5 ft square is instantly snuffed out, reduced to embers and ash. Larger fires require repeated or combined castings.
Finite Incantatem* See Counterjinx
FlagranteCharm 6 Range: Touch Duration: 1 day/level Target: One object of Tiny or smaller size
The target of the spell grows hot when touched, reaching a painful temperature almost immediately upon contact.
FlagrateCharm 2 Range: 15 ft Duration: Instantaenous[/i] Target: Varies
Flagrate is used to modify writing magically. With this spell, the caster may make a glowing mark (some character – a number, letter, rune, smiley face) not larger than 1 ft. square on a surface. At his option, the mark may be invisible to all but himself. Alternately, he may invisinate the text of a book or other written document. The text is visible only to the caster, and can be rendered fully visible again with an Aparecium charm.
Hominem RevelioCharm 5 Range: Personal Duration: Instantaneous Area: 25 ft radius, centered on caster
The caster knows the number of humanoid creatures and their approximate location within the radius (The spell identifies which square they are in, but does not negate any miss penalties. It does not specify the nature or identity of those present.) Creatures detected by means of this spell are aware of its effect, feeling a light, ephemeral wave wash over them.
Charms spells I-Z
Spoiler
Immobulus
Imperturbable Charm See Repello 2
ImperviusCharm 3 Range: Touch Duration: 1 hour/level Target: 1 object, creature, or surface not larger than 5 ft square
The target is rendered waterproof.
Knitting See Vigoro
Locomotor XCharm 4 Range: 25 ft Duration: Concentration Target: One object or helpless creature of Medium or smaller size, up to 30 lbs/level
The target is lifted several feet in the air, as by an invisible rigging, and can maneuvered in any direction. The target may not be raised higher than 10 ft above the caster. It may be ‘parked’ for 2 rounds/level, remaining stationary and allowing the caster to divert his attention and action to another use. The name of the target is added to the end of the incantation; as with Accio, it need not be Latinate.
Mobili-X Charm 2 Range: 25 ft Duration: Concentraion Target: One object of Medium or smaller size, up to 20 lbs/level
The target hovers several inches above the ground, and may be maneuvered laterally within the range of the spell. The Latinate word for the target is added to the end of the incantation. (Mobiliarbus - Move tree; Mobilisaxum - Move boulder)
MuffliatoCharm 6 Range: 25 ft. Duration: 10 minutes Target: Designated creatures Area: 10 ft. radius, centered on the caster
All creatures designated by the wizard at the time of casting have their ears filled with an unidentifiable buzzing when within the spell's radius. This prevents eavesdropping, though it does not in anyway disguise the fact that the caster is speaking.
ObliviateCharm 7 OppugnoCharm 6
Point meCharm 2 Range: Personal Duration: Instananeous
The caster places the wand in his palm and recites the incantation. The wand tip rotates to point North. The effect is instantaneous must be recast to track North; it does not function as a perpetual compass.
ReductoCharm 4 Range: 25 ft Duration: Instantaneous
This is the equivalent of swinging a +1 Baseball Bat to your target.
Relashio 1 Charms 4 Range: 25 ft. Duration: Instantaneous
This spell shoots a jet of fiery sparks from the caster’s wand, causing the target to leap and jerk spasmodically. The target drops whatever he is holding and is knocked 5 ft in a random direction, but no closer to the caster.
Relashio 2 Charms 6 Range: 25 ft Duration: Instantaneous Target: Magical bonds
This spell releases a person or thing from the grip of magical bonds, such as chains or tied ropes. (The ropes conjured by Incarcerous act more as solid bands than a tied rope, and must be cut away or dispelled.)
Rennervate See Counterjinx
ReparoCharm 3 Range: Touch Duration: Instantaneous Target: Smashed doohickey
This spell restores a broken object of Small or smaller size to its intact state. It does not replace any contents previously inside, nor does it restore magical properties lost in the object’s original destruction. The size limitation refers only to the area affected by the spell; it can be used to repair individual parts of a larger whole (such as a car's flat tire, broken window, or bent fender), but not a completely destroyed item (a car that has been wrecked).
Repello 1Charm 5 Range: Personal Area: Up to a 50 ft radius Duration: 10 minutes/level Target: Tiny or smaller Animate object/creature
The target of this spell cannot approach within a certain radius of the caster, as set at the time of casting. (The object is often, but not necessarily indicated in the incantation – as Repello Pigwidgeon or Repello Snidget .(This spell was used by spectators to keep the Snidget (precursor of the Golden Snitch) within the boundaries of playing field during Quidditch matches.)
Repello 2Charm 6 Range: Touch Duration: 1 day/level Target: Objects only
The target object is protected by an invisible barrier, preventing objects of a tiny or smaller size from making contact. Any objects moving toward or thrown at the target are repulsed and thrown back several feet.
Repello 3Charm 7 Range: 25 ft Area: 25 ft radius sphere Duration: 1 day/level
The chosen location is warded from a particular category of animated objects or creatures. The target category will unconsciously steer(The warded category is often, though not necessarily, indicated in the incantation – as Repello Muggletum (Muggles), Repello Rosacaput (Red-heads), or Repello Dancingchessmen (Oh god, they’ve found me!))
Sonorus/QuietusCharm 3 Range: Personal Duration: Concentration Target: Self
Sonorus magically enhances the caster’s voice, acting as a megaphone. Quietus ends the effect. Due to the same internal logic that guides Star Trek communicators, the word Quietus is not magically enhanced.
Specialis revelio
VigoroCharm 5
WaddiwasiCharm 3 Range: Touch Duration: Instantaneous Target: A stuck object of Tiny or smaller size
An object that is firmly wedged into another aperture – gum in a keyhole, egg in a bottleneck, Pooh’s bottom in a rabbit hole – is freed and propelled outward from its former place of enwedgement. This spell also dispels Epoximise.
Wingardium LeviosaCharm 2 Range: 20 ft+5 ft/2 level radius Duration: Concentration Target: Object weighing 10 lbs + 5 lbs/level
An object hovers in place within the radius. The caster can maneuver the object at a speed of 30 ft. This cannot be used as a weapon as such, but dropping the object may be sufficient to cause damage.
Other! (Thinkwork, Bookwork, Combat, and miscellanea)
Combat
Dueling will be based on an attack bonus derived from levels and DADA rank, exact formula TBD. It will be opposed by a Dodge, a counterspell, Protego, or block. (This is the order in which students will likely progress in their defensive methods - not that any of the first methods will become outmoded as the student advances, just one among more options.)
If two wizards are facing each other directly in combat, they will alternate actions. (Initiative will be Dex based. Feats such as Quickdraw may come in handy for those caught wandless and unaware.) When a wizard makes an attack, his opponent will get an immediate defense action (one of the four mentioned above).
Dodge: Dodge will be a roll vs. the attack roll. 'Technique' for Third Years. Counterspell: A creative application of an opposite spell effect (Fire vs. Water) can nullify the attack. A successful casting of the same spell can nullify the attack (also related: Hex deflection). An opposing jinx can deflect the attack, sometimes hitting unexpected targets. Attempting to 'hit' the opposing spell may require an opposed attack roll (consider: grappling in D&D). Technique(s) for Fourth Years. Protego: A Shield Charm may be maintained for a duration of (Concentration), but may also be bashed through. (This is among the spells that scale with level.) Its benefits include an area of effect. allowing protection without the need for great precision, as well as a physical presence which may stagger opponents in near proximity. Technique for Fifth Years. Blocking: An extension of rudimentary hex deflection, this entails batting opposing spells out of the air. This will require an opposed roll of some sort, but with a bonus vis-a-vis counterspelling due to the fact that a wizard is blocking the incoming spell right in front of him, instead of trying to shoot it down. Technique for Sixth Years and Seventh Years.
Multiple jinxes may be combine on a single target, often with hilarious results, Such an example would be turning Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle into slug-creatures oozing pus from newfound orifices. (This in no way diminishes the grim and grit inherent in the world of Harry Potter. Harry Potter is serious business. )
Injuries will use a wounding system analogous to d6 SWRPG or M&M in lieu of Hit Points. Different levels of injury will cause the wizard to lose actions, require concentration checks, suffer penalties to attacks and skill checks, etc.
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
For now, I'm just going to be copying over swatches of my ideas from the TD thread, hopefully in a more professional format. As this starts filling up, please critique along the way. I'll likely be posting any new material in TD's thread, too.
I like the defense options, that's fairly well put together. It all needs a touch of work, but it's coming along nicely!
I'm trying to figure out how to create a character. You may with to be more clear about the "abilities" of the characters. Does it use all 6 (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha), and if so, how are they determined (point buy, roll'em, etc.)?
I'm sure you have this figured out, you just have to be a little more explicit about it on the page .
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
Avatar by Starwoof! Thank you kind sir!
Last edited by psychoticbarber : 08-14-2007 at 03:53 PM.
My only question... Why d20? I can't see the setting working in the system. At high level, character have so many hit points and the advantage of being high level is overwhelming. Regardless of all the magic in the world, getting stabbed is still gonna hurt a lot. A 20th level character wont even feel it. If you get hit by that death spell, you die. A mid level character would probably just save and be fine.
Spoiler
Sirius was probably pretty freakin' high level, and he still died in one good shot, as I recall.
Look at the World of Darkness system. It's made for horror, but I think it would fit a lot better, especially for games in the style of the later books, which seem to get darker. If anyone would be interested in making Harry Potter d10, I'd be in. I haven't read past book 4, or seen past movie 5, but I know the system at least. Especially old World of Darkness, but new works fine for this.
Anyways, if you've got your hearts set on d20, good luck. Harry Potter is fantasy enough to work okay in it.
mf11: It was decided by ditto on the last thread that Transfiguration would be less of learning a spell and more learning how to transfigure things(I.e, Changing a match to a needle and changing a mouse into a bird are basically the same thing, but the ladder is just harder to do)
Goober4473: On TD's thread, someone suggested(might have been ditto, can't recall), hit points don't matter much in Harry Potter(Stupefy or Petrificus Totalus= Your Down). And its not a gritty dungeon crawler where people will get stabbed or hit by a greataxe, because chances are your group will only be getting into minor trouble and childish Hyjinx. There might be an occasional big Voldemort-like situation in seventh year to end the campaign(at least the non-epic one )
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
I added DADA and Charms last night, putting Transfiguration up as we speak. There are a number of spells that fit the definitions, as well as some charms that are rather clearly Transfig'ns. I'm setting up the three kinds of Transfig'ns, and since it's a broad category rather a spells based one (like Charms), you buy a 'category' instead of individual spells - for those who specialize. For a dabbler, you can buy one of the individual spells at the normal rate of a charm or DADA instead of making the larger investment.
Combat and character creation need filling out - I'm just throwing up what I have as I figure them out. I'll be adding descriptions for the abilities of each spell in the categories as we go. Stats will be rolled.
Twas indeed I who suggested dropping hit points. I've indicated such in the combat section. In Harry Potter, everyone's human. (Except the non-humans. Shut up.) Levelling up just means you're smarter and cleverer and more experienced.
I need some suggestions for wizard-y feats. There will be specializations in the various disciplines, but other things would be handy too. (Craft Magical Item, for example.) HP-ish adaptations of existing feats are perfectly good - splatbooks have all manner of esoteric feats that I know nothing of.
d20 is how we started, and it's the system I know best (and have an SRD for ) Harry Potter is inherently skills-based, and I like d20 for skills. Magic is almost entirely divorced from dice rolling, though, so... I dunno. HP is very suited to freeform as it is. A lot of the mechanics there to *limit* what we uppity wizards can do to prevent our thirteen-year-old selves from conjuring Patronuses and brewing Veritaserum.
Please critique and add suggestions. If something's quite bare then I haven't gotten to it yet, but the Wandwork, Magic System, Character creation, and Skills are all fairly shaped and could use refinement. Combat needs work to - I'm not sure if I should give a flat BAB. For the other component, it'll probably be half of the DADA rank or something.
I hate to argue, but D&D isn't. It's level based. BAB, saves, hit dice, etc., have nothing to do with skills. Something like d10, where it's always Attribute + Ability (skill) for actions is skill based.
But if you want it to work more like a D&D wizard school than a varient of the real world, d20 is the way to go.
Is this going to be a roll to cast a spell, a point system, or spells per day like D&D? I believe a roll to cast a spell would be the thing to do.
Last edited by Goober4473 : 08-14-2007 at 08:35 PM.
I hate to sound like a stick in the mud, but you didn't answer my question about stats . It got edited in, so you probably missed it. I figure the best way to critique your system is to build a character and tell you whenever I don't know how to do something .
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
Why have you said that the students earn/scam money, then remove gamble? I can imagine the scene where neville has his rememberall taken off him by draco, draco flies off and harry flies after him. the other students might make small wagers on whether harry could catch draco or if draco would get away. kind of like "bet you 5 sickles that harry catches draco"
"nah, harry hasn't ridden a broom before, bet you 10 sickles that draco gets away".
Or 2 people are playing wizards chess and a crowd gambles on the outcome
Like to see how you handle the room of requirement, chamber of secrets and magical languages that cannot be learnt.
"On the other hand, maybe all of this could have been prevented if you had just managed to get laid once in a while. You can't tell me you would have been as tightly wound if you had been getting treasure type O once in a while"
Roxas avatar made by Adghar. The keyblades are Diamond dust and One Winged Angel
ah, sorry then. I tried homebrewing harry potter spells as well. feel free to take from my old thread and modify it. it's calle "Harry Potter Related Homebrew"
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
Avatar by Starwoof! Thank you kind sir!
Last edited by psychoticbarber : 08-14-2007 at 10:41 PM.
Wandwork, Handiwork, etc are stats, yes?
And: DADA, Charms, etc are skills?
I'll build with that assumption, unless you correct me.
I think its more like Wandwork, Handiwork, etc are like Craft, or Knowledge. big catogories with smaller ones underneath.
However, u can buy ranks in Wandwork, Handiwork, etc, and they boost all the stuff under them, it just costs alot more.
__________________
Much thanks to Elrond for the awesome avatar.
Quote:
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I think its more like Wandwork, Handiwork, etc are like Craft, or Knowledge. big catogories with smaller ones underneath.
However, u can buy ranks in Wandwork, Handiwork, etc, and they boost all the stuff under them, it just costs alot more.
Yeah, I'm not sure, 35 points for stats AND skills if you have to do the 6 normal stats isn't very much...
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
I've added Transfiguration. It's a fun one! Definitely my favorite discipline. I'll start working on spell descriptions tomorrow... potions, plants, and pygmy-puffs will be tomorrow night or later.
PB: Sorry, yes, all 6. 4d6 drop one for ability scores. 35 points is JUST for Magic. (It's pretty generous, I think... enough to improve just about everything one rank, *minimum*, so your character will have definite favorite disciplines maxed from the start. I might need to adjust the amount of points... we'll see...) "-work" is a Magic Stat, and affects its three disciplines just as your Dex score affects Ref saves, Tumble, and AC. Charms, DADA, etc. are magic skill ranks in the discipline itself. You also add your relevant Mental score (Int, Wis, Cha). FOr instance, you could spend 15 points to buy one new rank in Wandwork (9), plus two ranks in Charms (4) and one in DADA (2). Your total scores are now:
Jimmy Grue is looking fine so far. I'll try to post my spreadsheet with the Google-thing...
I'm also going to come up with a way to choose spells, probably another point-pool. That way, you choose your spell list and get a *little* differentiation from your peers, and nobody has ALL of the spells. I imagine this individualism will show up as we homebrew jinxes. For building purposes, just choose three or four from each level to keep it easy. Transfiguration category spell counts as two.
Goober: I concur, D&D is level based. I didn't mean to say that D&D and HPd20 are linked to d20 mainly because of skills; I like the skills mechanic in d20 (as seen in D&D), which is why I'm inclined to keep the same system - if only for skills use. This will become more relevant when I sort out how you master spells more completely (practice/Research), and when I sort out Handiwork (Handle Animal checks are *definitely* subject to chance more than Charms).
SoG/mf: Right. CoMC is now Handle Animal, just as Potions is Craft: Alchemy or Brew: Potion or (Feat) Brew Potion. I'll look for your thread, SoG. We don't need Handle Animal anymore. There's no such thing as a mundane animal in the wizarding world. Anywhere. >.>
knightsaline: Similarly, no one learns other languages in the wizarding world. Anywhere. <.< If you want to play in this system, speak American! (Er... English! ) Everyone else in the books did. The only person who spoke languages was Dumbledore, and he's got too much time on his hands. I'm sure he Researched the skill, invented it, and then put ranks into it all on his own. If we find dealings with recidivist goblins and merfolk become common, we can always add it in for Gobbledegook and Mermish. There's no such thing as a magical language that can't be learned, since we saw Parseltongue can be spoken by a non-'native' speaker. Parselmouths do it automatically, but it has not been stated they do it exclusively. I don't think they'd be keen on teaching anyone the language, and Harry's now lost that particular talent even if he *did* want to try.
The Room of Requirement is largely RP. Of course, we have a bunch of intense players out there who are going to pull some open-source Wish lawyer-speak. I'm going to say everyone has to find it on their own, though - you don't get to have an eternally-stocked hidey-hole at character creation. The Chamber of Secrets shouldn't come up.
Gamble might fit in... I had the mechanic for Deadlands' Gamblin' skill in mind, which was frankly very silly. You could basically play cards with yourself. I'm not intrinsically opposed to it, and you make a good point.
There's not a skill for Gambling in the D&D books, and I figure that gambling can be rp-ed well enough. But that's just my take. Thanks for your reply, I've edited Jimmy Grue to match. Awesome stat rolls, too.
Edit: Idea! Characters should be able to sell back the first free point in one Class and say that they're horrible at it.
Example: Jimmy is absolutely horrible at charms. He reduces his starting charm skill to 0 and gains 2 points (wandwork skill) to spend on other classes.
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
Avatar by Starwoof! Thank you kind sir!
Last edited by psychoticbarber : 08-14-2007 at 11:02 PM.
I'm trying to GoogleDoc this Excel, and it won't let me... If I make a spreadsheet in Word, it just uploads it as a picture. See?
Did you publish that document? I don't have access to it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ditto
If this ever gets working, round fractions down. (I didn't write the formulas to take odd ability scores into account.)
I was looking at the d20 Modern skill set as the base for the one above, with one or two additions.
Making a dump discipline is an idea, but is obviously open to abuse... it could be a drawback to taking a Knack feat, though.
The only thing that I think makes this less open to abuse is that you only get the number of points that the single point is worth. If you dump a bookwork or thinkwork discipline you only get a half a point. Dumping Transfiguration or Charms is much more dangerous, and therefore worth the number of points that a wandwork skill is worth. If that at all makes sense.
The wizard sleeps the fighter, and/or greases him for sneak attack, and/or uses color spray. And/or makes him too weak to use his armour. And does the laundry.
RSS Feeds: 
Harry Potter d20 (á la Ditto)
Sauron vs. Voldemort 
When a spell only has a proper name, I have supplied a Latinate incantation for your casting pleasure. (e.g. Extinguishing Charm - Confutaduro - 'Stop burning'. I could have used the literal 'Extinguo', but that's boring. 
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. It got edited in, so you probably missed it. I figure the best way to critique your system is to build a character and tell you whenever I don't know how to do something 
"On the other hand, maybe all of this could have been prevented if you had just managed to get laid once in a while. You can't tell me you would have been as tightly wound if you had been getting treasure type O once in a while"
If I make a spreadsheet in Word, it just uploads it as a picture. 
