New Spell: Simon's Recollection

[Zaarastara]

Hello.

I recently started a new campaign set in my world of Kalandor. One of my players is playing a cleric/wizard devoted to Alyassa, the goddess of the Three Moons, Stars, and Magic. Anyway, he has submitted a new spell and I would like the forum to rip it to shreds. I figure that there are too many bright minds on this messageboard to allow this spell to pass unchanged and unbalanced. A caveat, the format of the spell is from my player's draft - any mistakes in grammer are not mine. Thanks in advance.

Simon’s Recollection
Divination

Level: ?
Components: A small, clear crystal of any kind
Casting Time: One minute
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Special
Saving Throw: None
SR: No

Using magic can imprint perfectly one instant of one’s perception into the magical power contained in a spell slot of the appropriate level or higher (including the one to cast this spell). Whatever your sense are experiencing at the instant this spell is completed can be recalled to mind with perfect clarity, as long as you leave an open spell slot of level one or higher to contain the memory. This memory is the same having a picture for purposes of the teleport spell. You must concentrate on the memory to recall it, and thus can only cast spell that can be cast while concentrating on other things.

 

[ValarX]

Personally, I like spells that do things other than simply protect the caster and firends and deal massive damage to foes. There just seems to be too many 'You Can't Touch Me' and 'Boom' spells out there. Not all wizards can be adventurers and they have to come up with better things than just massive damage spells.

As for the spell itself...

First, I don't like the idea of using a spell slot to hold an image. The mage would start to decrease in effectiveness fairly quickly, and there's no balance to using a 9th level slot versus a 1st level slot.

Second, I'd make this a 4th level spell in terms of casting (place it with scrying which could be used for the same effect).

Allow the character to retain a number of images equal to their intelligence modifier (Int -10)/2 rounded down. Allow for discards of previously memorized locations for attaining new memorizations.

I'd increase the casting time to 1 hour. It takes a long time to memorize every detail of a place without having a photographic memory.

I'm not sure what this spell could be used for aside from the ability to teleport or just for quick memorization of a room. There might be something that I'm missing which would mean an adjustment, but otherwise, those are some of my suggestions.

 

[Zaarastara]

Agreed. I, too, like spells that are more creative and not designed solely for combat purposes. My campaign is a role-playing intrigue based setting, and the player thought this spell would make an excellent choice for someone who was working as an explorer/historian trying to write the definitive manual on the world of Kalandor.

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[Zhnov]

I agree with ValarX on several points: recommend against using spell slots to store memories, and agree with an increase in casting time... but only 10 minutes instead (long enough to walk around, looking through the crystal, making notes on things that are seen).

I'd recommend placing the image into the crystal which is the component for the spell, perhaps a fragile crystal of some non-significant value (100 gp), which is not consumed when the spell is cast, but only when the caster looks into it deeply and relives the memory of his visit to that place. Based on this concept, the target of the spell would be the crystal.

I would recommend the spell be 3d level, the same as the spells Clairaudience/Clairvoyance or Major Image.

OP

 

[Beholder Bob]

remember...

The spell gives photographic memory for a single moment snapshot – allowing them to do what? You can not use the memory for your spellbook (otherwise, why spend 200 GP/spell LV to write it in your book if just any copy will do), study foe for assassination, or any other gross abilities. Effectively, it gives a single photograph – at the cost of having a useless spell slot to hold the image in. Unless some special benefit is added, it sounds like a 1st LV spell. What LV would you make a camera spell, where only the caster can review the photo? Caveat, no supernatural, magic, or psionic effects are conveyed – even if you were listening to a bard song at the time, reviewing that memory does not covey the benefits, nor would a memory of being effected by a fear spell cause fear when reviewed. If not for the loss of a spell slot to hold the memory, I would say 2nd LV, but with that I would say 1st LV. Oh, and the spell slot LV used determines the # of memories that slot could hold, so a 5th LV spell slot holds 5 memories. I would drop the material component and drop the TTC to a full round action. Stationary for a round, click, memory stored.

 

[Zaarastara]

Yes, the spell is primarily for role playing. The spell would allow the character to investigate ancient ruins, geographical anomalies, and other strange sites and have perfect visual recall of the event. He would have accurate notes, without the mishap of subjectivity, to write his Encyclopedia Kalandorian.

The character will be sent on missions by his order and he is to report his findings before the board of scholars. He wants to insure that his information is as accurate as possible.

I am in agreement regarding the spell being around 1st level.

Thanks for your help!