Making my own system; suggestions for spell effects?

[Stormonu]

You mention programming languages - I think that would be actually a cool way of "building" spells. Spells work by essentually altering or setting the properties of objects. Complex spells are routines or "functions" that require multiple properties to be set.

A basic spell would be

object.property

So, for the wizard to become invisible, it would be something like

wizard.visible=false

A "fireball" might look something like

procedure fireball (byval caster as arcane)

- manifest bead
- bead.size=diminutive
- bead.range=120 feet
- bead.target=ground
- bead.location=caster.location)

- while bead.location<>target.location
--move bead.location
- loop

- bead.composition="Fire"
- bead.size=20 ft. radius
- bead.damage=10d6

-bead.destroy

end procedure

I wouldn't put that anywhere a player would see it, its just a bit of programming humor. But I think that'd be a cool way of doing magic, for say, shadowrun.

As for effects, theres conjuration, sense alertation, transmutation, energy creation/manipulation, stat adjustment, healing, movement, mental control, defense/avoidance, divination.

If you have access to the Epic handbook or the epic SRD, there are "spell seeds" listed there that I think may be helpful.

 

[GMMichael]

Free rules - use at will

M600 - Spell Creation. Players are welcome to create their own spells. The DMs approval is always required before using a new spell in-game. If a character has skill points to spend, he may use them to memorize the new spell as a skill. If not, the new spell should be enterred into a spellbook.
Designing a spell is a cost-benefit process. Each spell has casting actions, caster damage, target damage, and an effect.
Cost: ```````````````````````````````````Benefit:
Caster Metaphysical damage, 1d8, required ````Ability to cast a spell.
Metaphysical action, Spell roll, required ```````Establish caster's success level.
Caster Metaphysical damage, 1d8 ```````````Target Metaphysical damage, 1d8.
Caster Physical damage, 1d8 ````````````````Target Physical damage, 1d8.
Caster Mental damage, 1d8 `````````````````Target Mental damage, 1d8.
Physical action ```````````````````````````Reduce caster Physical damage by one die roll.
Mental action ````````````````````````````Reduce caster Mental damage by one die roll.
Metaphysical action ``````````````````````Reduce caster Metaphysical damage by one die roll.
Metaphysical action, succeeding round ```````Continue effects of non-damaging spell.
Bonus to Spell roll opposition, +0/4/8/12 ``````Cast spell range touch/short/medium/long.
Bonus to Spell roll opposition, +8 ````````````Cast spell around or behind obstacles.
Bonus to Spell roll opposition, +4/8 ``````````Attack non-adjacent targets/separate parties.
Reduce target damage die to d4 ````````````Target cannot defend against spell.
Reduce target damage die to d6 ````````````Target takes half damage on successful defense.
Caster damage corresponding to effect/level ``Cast higher than spell effect tree level one

M600.0 - Spell damage limit: one die per caster level.

M600.0 - Spell target limit: one target per caster level.

M600.0 - Spell effect tree. The spell effect tree is how a spell creator works backwards to discover the damage dice required to cast his spell. If a character wants to cast a permanent illusion of a circus, he can do that. He creates a tree of diminishing spell complexity levels like this:

Full spell, permanence, intelligible sounds, movement, many entities, few entities, single entity, sound.

With DM approval, this spell uses 8 levels of complexity, so it can be cast with 8 caster damage dice, in addition to the metaphysical damage requirement.

 

[System Ufera]

You mention programming languages - I think that would be actually a cool way of "building" spells. Spells work by essentually altering or setting the properties of objects. Complex spells are routines or "functions" that require multiple properties to be set.

(...)

That's an interesting way to look at it. I'm not sure if it'll actually help me when designing the spell effects (it may, it may not, who knows?), since in your example, you're making a complete spell, which, again, is not how my system as it is will work... To elaborate, the system will be, by default, one of combining one or more effects with a spell "shape" (determining the range and area, if any), while the option to add in metamagic will probably be added in a supplementary book. As a side note, I will try to have most or all spells I include in the system have a scaling mechanic for measurable effects, making it unnecessary to learn new versions of the same spells to remain effective.

(stuff)

With DM approval, this spell uses 8 levels of complexity, so it can be cast with 8 caster damage dice, in addition to the metaphysical damage requirement.

I'm assuming you're quoting something from another system there? It looks to me like set of rules for an already-made system. That said, without the context of the rest of the system, I can't make heads or tails of what you're saying, save for the sentence I left in the quote. That sentence which I do understand implies that creating spells in whatever system this is would require a lot of work, far too much to allow the recommendation even the thought of putting spells together on the fly (which will be possible in my system, even if pre-recording spells would be recommended).

 

[GMMichael]

Sorry Jadebrain. Context follows:

The above rules are based on the idea that a spell caster (being a highly-trained magic user) is free to design his own spells. Casting a spell takes certain types of actions, which limits how much you can do in a combat round, and in this particular system, you get three actions per round. Furthermore, casting a spell always uses 1d8 mana points (measured in Metaphysical hit points), and mana regenerates at a rate of one point per minute.

So for example, under the above rules, a spellcaster could teach himself a spell of fire-puffballs, which doesn't actually do damage but has the effect of distracting an enemy. So there would be the required 1d8 Metaphysical damage (or mana points) to the caster, one Metaphysical action required (one of three per round), and one level of effect complexity (since anything less than a enemy distraction isn't useful), for 1d8 more Metaphysical damage. Like this:
Fire-Puffball
Actions: 1 Metaphysical
Caster Damage: 2d8 Metaphysical
Effect: target becomes distracted, failing in its current action if the caster's spell roll is higher than the target's action roll.

Or more interesting:
Icey Destruction
Actions: 1 Metaphysical, 2 Physical
Caster Damage: 3d8 Metaphysical, 2d8 Physical
Required Caster Level: 5
Effect: 5 enemies become encased in ice, taking 4d8 ice damage, and becoming frozen in place until caster fails a spell maintenance check.

 

[Memnoch3434]

I'm sure you have a group that has experienced players, but it seems to me that newbie players hate restrictive magic systems. You could try to simplify by giving each effect a number. So for each 1dx damage of fire (starting as a touch) is 1 point. each enhancement of that same "fire" could cost so many points, maybe to throw the fire is another point, to cone the fire is a few points maybe 2. Then you can metamagic the fire as well, enhancing the distace is a few points, maximizing is alot of points, changing the casting time is a few points. Then as characters grow they can cast any number of spells and as they advance they can increase the maximum number of points alotted. Something like this.

I also really Like what DMMike came up with that's pretty cool.

Anyway I always think of magic in d&d at least in being in terms of the following.
The cost: What am I paying for this? (This is why I HATE all of the low level summoning spells) Is the price worth what I am paying for this?
The effects: What is it doing? What can I do to make this spell better than it's intended purpose. Shrink armor is a great spell with the right dm and the wrong armored guy walking around.
The impact: How will this help my party succeed? (if this particular character cares) Is it really that important to use this spell now?

You want characters to feel like they can accomplish at least a few of these things at their respective level because nothing is worse than feeling you aren't accomplishing anything.


There could be some cool effects your casters could do too. Maybe a blood ritual enhances the magic at the cost of con or the lives of others (and possibly a good alignment to, as a cost that is). Maybe some sort of good kharma enhances spells, so you can reward characters of the right alignment by giving them temporary enhancements too. You should have shields to protect casters and their allies from all the different types of magic that is mental shields and physical shields. There should be things that enhance characters, like increasing "strength" and the like. There should be things that make spell effects feel "unnatural" like rope trick and bags of holding. And of course Illusions too.