I think mechanical complexity and technical presentation are inter-related. The more complexity you have, the more prose you need to offer to explain these complexities. (Prose that was often lacking even in the prosaic editions.)
By the way, I'm not eschewing prose. I've said repeatedly that I want prose in the PHB descriptions of the spells, and plenty of it. The PHB description is where you are supposed to be intrigued and drawn in.
For the DM, however, the one line would go a long way to making it easy to run a NPC caster without having to have be as good a player of a caster as the player of a caster.
Here's an example. One of the more prosaic spells is animate rope. Seriously. Here's the 3e version.
ANIMATE ROPE
Transmutation
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One ropelike object, length up to 50' + 5'/level; see text
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
You can animate a nonliving ropelike object. The maximum length assumes a rope with a 1-inch diameter. Reduce the maximum length by 50% for every additional inch of thickness, and increase it by 50% for each reduction of the rope’s diameter by half. The possible commands are “coil” (form a neat, coiled stack), “coil and knot,” “loop,” “loop and knot,” “tie and knot,” and the opposites of all of the above (“uncoil,” and so forth). You can give one command each round as a move action, as if directing an active spell.
The rope can enwrap only a creature or an object within 1 foot of it—it does not snake outward—so it must be thrown near the intended target. Doing so requires a successful ranged touch attack roll (range increment 10 feet). A typical 1-inch-diameter hempen rope has 2 hit points, AC 10, and requires a DC 23 Strength check to burst it. The rope does not deal damage, but it can be used as a trip line or to cause a single opponent that fails a Reflex saving throw to become entangled. A creature capable of spellcasting that is bound by this spell must make a DC 15 Concentration check to cast a spell. An entangled creature can slip free with a DC 20 Escape Artist check.
The rope itself and any knots tied in it are not magical.
This spell grants a +2 bonus on any Use Rope checks you make when using the transmuted rope.
The spell cannot animate objects carried or worn by a creature.
Whew! That's a lot of words. Here's how I would wrecanify that spell:
ANIMATE ROPE
Wizard 1
Transmutation
Standard Action
Close burst 20
Attack: Int v. Reflex (see below)
With your mastery of matter and motion, you can animate rope to slither around the field like a snake, and to enwine your enemies. You can animate one ropelike object in the burst that is unattended, up to 50' in length, and up to 1" in diameter. If the rope is of greater diameter, decrease the amount of rope that can be animated by 10' per extra inch of diameter.
On your turn, as a minor action, you can cause the rope to travel up to 30' (which can provoke attacks), or to coil around or uncoil from an object, loop or unloop, or to tie a knot. If the target is unwilling, you make an attack to grab the target. Your attack roll determines the DC to break the rope or escape from it. Any damage inflicted on rope will destroy it. The enchantment otherwise lasts as the rope is within 20 squares of you and you spend a minor action each round to command the rope or to sustain the spell.
Animate Rope (close burst 20; Int vs. Ref (sets the DC to escape, break or avoid the rope) animate one 50'-rope; minor action to command or sustain)
There you go. The full description has plenty of prose, and the niggly details a player likes to fool around with, but the one-line text has everything the DM will need to play the spell if it comes up in combat. Everyone wins.
By the way, I'm not eschewing prose. I've said repeatedly that I want prose in the PHB descriptions of the spells, and plenty of it. The PHB description is where you are supposed to be intrigued and drawn in.
For the DM, however, the one line would go a long way to making it easy to run a NPC caster without having to have be as good a player of a caster as the player of a caster.
Here's an example. One of the more prosaic spells is animate rope. Seriously. Here's the 3e version.
ANIMATE ROPE
Transmutation
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One ropelike object, length up to 50' + 5'/level; see text
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
You can animate a nonliving ropelike object. The maximum length assumes a rope with a 1-inch diameter. Reduce the maximum length by 50% for every additional inch of thickness, and increase it by 50% for each reduction of the rope’s diameter by half. The possible commands are “coil” (form a neat, coiled stack), “coil and knot,” “loop,” “loop and knot,” “tie and knot,” and the opposites of all of the above (“uncoil,” and so forth). You can give one command each round as a move action, as if directing an active spell.
The rope can enwrap only a creature or an object within 1 foot of it—it does not snake outward—so it must be thrown near the intended target. Doing so requires a successful ranged touch attack roll (range increment 10 feet). A typical 1-inch-diameter hempen rope has 2 hit points, AC 10, and requires a DC 23 Strength check to burst it. The rope does not deal damage, but it can be used as a trip line or to cause a single opponent that fails a Reflex saving throw to become entangled. A creature capable of spellcasting that is bound by this spell must make a DC 15 Concentration check to cast a spell. An entangled creature can slip free with a DC 20 Escape Artist check.
The rope itself and any knots tied in it are not magical.
This spell grants a +2 bonus on any Use Rope checks you make when using the transmuted rope.
The spell cannot animate objects carried or worn by a creature.
Whew! That's a lot of words. Here's how I would wrecanify that spell:
ANIMATE ROPE
Wizard 1
Standard Action
Attack: Int v. Reflex (see below)
With your mastery of matter and motion, you can animate rope to slither around the field like a snake, and to enwine your enemies. You can animate one ropelike object in the burst that is unattended, up to 50' in length, and up to 1" in diameter. If the rope is of greater diameter, decrease the amount of rope that can be animated by 10' per extra inch of diameter.
On your turn, as a minor action, you can cause the rope to travel up to 30' (which can provoke attacks), or to coil around or uncoil from an object, loop or unloop, or to tie a knot. If the target is unwilling, you make an attack to grab the target. Your attack roll determines the DC to break the rope or escape from it. Any damage inflicted on rope will destroy it. The enchantment otherwise lasts as the rope is within 20 squares of you and you spend a minor action each round to command the rope or to sustain the spell.
Animate Rope (close burst 20; Int vs. Ref (sets the DC to escape, break or avoid the rope) animate one 50'-rope; minor action to command or sustain)
There you go. The full description has plenty of prose, and the niggly details a player likes to fool around with, but the one-line text has everything the DM will need to play the spell if it comes up in combat. Everyone wins.
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