Grail Quest
First Post
I am experimenting with changing some of the per-day abilities of Monks and Druids and Bards and even Barbarians, into a Rolemaster-style system where the spell system is generalized into a special-ability system.
To systematize the development of new "spells" to simulate abilities, I am trying this spell-modification system, which I have tentatively called D20 Spell Elements (also available is the full pack of house rules I work with, conveniently packaged as "D20 Elements").
Constructive feedback is sought on "D20 Spell Elements".
Concepts
Spells are stripped of their SFX and broken down into two components: the Template, and separate Elements.
The Template is the basic effect of the spell. For example, the spell bull’s strength grants a +4 enhancement to Strength. The Template for this spell is a +4 enhancement to ability scores. The Elements of this spell can include: having Verbal and Somatic spell-casting requirements, and a duration of 1 minute/level.
By choosing a Template and adjusting it with Elements, we can generate a wide variety of custom spells easily and on-the-fly.
Spell Elements
Components
-1 Verbal Component
-1 Somatic Component
-0 Consumes a common/cheap component
-1 Consumes an uncommon/costly component
-2 Consumes a rare/expensive component
-3 Consumes an extremely rare/unusual component
-4 Consumes 100 XP per final spell level
-0 Common Divine Focus
-1 Special Divine Focus (e.g., consecrated holy symbol)
-2 Exceptional Divine Focus (e.g., relic)
-1 Uses a spell focus
-2 Uses a rare/exotic spell focus
Casting Time
+6 Triggered (spell activates on a certain condition; will not overcast to activate)
+4 Free Action
+0 1 standard action
-1 1 minute
-2 10 minutes
-3 1 hour
-4 4 hours
-5 1 day
-6 1 week
-7 1 month
Range
+0 Self
+1 Touch
+2 Very Close (10’ + 1’/level)
+3 Close (25’ + 2’/level)
+4 Near (50’ + 5’/level)
+5 Medium (100’ + 10’/level)
+6 Far (200’ + 20’/level)
+7 Long (400’ + 40’/level)
+8 Line of Sight
+9 Unlimited
Direction
+0 Spell originates from caster and fires directly away from caster
+1 Spell can originate from any location within range, including behind a barrier; fires away from the caster
+2 Spell can originate from any direction and fire in any direction
Effect
+0 Self
+2 1 target, 1 square, or 1 point
+4 Small Area (5 ft. per final spell level)
Basic Area types:
- Sphere: 5’ radius, +5’ per +1 level
- Cone: triangle with 10’ sides, +10’ per +1 level
- Line: 20’ row of 5’×5’ squares, +20’ per +1 level
+1 targets × (level ÷ 3)
+2 targets × level
Duration
+0 Instant
+2 1 round
+4 1 minute
+6 10 minutes
+8 1 hour
+10 4 hours
+12 1 day
+14 1 week
+16 1 month
+18 1 year
+1 duration × 2
+2 duration × (level ÷ 3)
+4 duration × level
Saving Throw
+1 Save DC +2
+2 Save DC +5
+3 Save DC +10 or no save
-1 Save for no effect
Damage
+1 Maximum Spell Damage +2d6, maximum damage 1d6 per caster level
+2 Maximum Spell Damage +5d6, maximum damage 1d6 per caster level
+0 Subdual Damage only
Miscellaneous Adjustments
+1 Disguised - it is not apparent that a spell has been cast or used
-1 Affects only one creature class
-2 Affects subset of one creature class
If a spell has different effects on different types of creatures (e.g., healing spells harm undead), calculate the spell level separately for each effect, and add 1 to the highest spell level for each additional possible effect.
-0 Can be used any time
-1 Common circumstance required (e.g., during the day only)
-2 Uncommon circumstance required (e.g., afternoon only)
-3 Rare circumstance required (e.g., midnight only)
-4 Extremely Rare circumstance required (e.g., solstice only)
-5 Near-Unique circumstance required (e.g., planetary alignment)
SPELL TEMPLATES
For a spell that uses multiple Templates or has multiple effects, use non-linear adds to get the final spell level. Add a minimum of 1 spell level.
Ability Score Enhancement (-5)
The subject gains a +4 enhancement bonus to ability scores.
Bless Weapon (-5)
+1 enhancement bonus versus DR. Gives weapon an alignment. Critical Hits do not need to be confirmed.
Cripple (-10)
Target is either blinded or deafened.
Energy Burst (-2)
1 Damage Rank of energy damage per caster level, maximum 10 ranks (3d6+1).
SAMPLE SPELLS
Adrenalin Surge (L6)
This spell grants +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution.
-3 Template: Ability Score Enhancement (-5) ×2
-1 Components: Verbal (roar to psych caster)
+0 Components: None
+4 Casting Time: Free Action
+0 Range: None
+0 Target: Self
+6 Duration: 1 round / level
Bless Weapon (L1)
This transmutation makes a weapon strike true against evil foes. The weapon is treated as having a +1 enhancement bonus for the purpose of bypassing the damage reduction of evil creatures or striking evil incorporeal creatures (though the spell doesn’t grant an actual enhancement bonus). The weapon also becomes good, which means it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. (This effect overrides and suppresses any other alignment the weapon might have.) Individual arrows or bolts can be transmuted, but affected projectile weapons (such as bows) don’t confer the benefit to the projectiles they shoot.
In addition, all critical hit rolls against evil foes are automatically successful, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not apply to any weapon that already has a magical effect related to critical hits, such as a keen weapon or a vorpal sword.
-5 Template: Bless Weapon (-5)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+1 Range: Touch
+0 Target: 1 weapon
+8 Duration: 1 minute / level
-1 Miscellaneous: only creature class only (Evil)
Blindness/Deafness (L2)
You call upon the powers of unlife to render the subject blinded or deafened, as you choose.
-10 Template: Cripple (-10)
-1 Components: Verbal
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+5 Range: Medium
+0 Target: 1 creature
+8 Duration: 1 hour
Bull’s Strength (L2)
The subject becomes stronger. The spell grants a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, adding the usual benefits to melee attack rolls, melee damage rolls, and other uses of the Strength modifier.
Arcane Material Component: A few hairs, or a pinch of dung, from a bull.
-5 Template: Ability Score Enhancement (-5)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic, Common Component or Divine Focus
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+1 Range: Touch
+0 Target: 1 creature
+8 Duration: 1 minute / level
Bull’s Strength, Mass (L6)
This spell functions like bull’s strength, except that it affects multiple creatures.
-5 Template: Ability Score Enhancement (-5)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic, Common Component or Divine Focus
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+3 Range: Close
+2 Target: 1 creature / level
+8 Duration: 1 minute / level
Burning Hands (L1)
A cone of searing flame shoots from your fingertips. Any creature in the area of the flames takes 2 Damage Ranks of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10 Damage Ranks or 3d6+1). Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action.
-2 Template: Energy Burst (-4)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+0 Range: Self
+5 Target: Small Area (20’ long cone)
Chi Fire (L1)
With a brief kata, you summon your inner strength to invoke chi fire that swathes your fists. Your attacks (or if you simply touch someone or something) beginning in the next round are loaded with fire that burns for 2 Damage Ranks of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10 Damage Ranks or 3d6+1). You have a number of chi fire “charges” equal to your level.
You must use the charges of Chi Fire stored, or dismiss the entire spell. E.g., If you successfully Cleave, you cannot skip delivering fire damage to Cleave targets.
Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action.
If your attack is somehow reflected back to you, you are not affected by your own chi fire, as it is of you and one with you.
-2 Template: Energy Burst (-4)
-1 Components: Somatic
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+2 Range: Touch
+2 Targets: 1 target per level (D)
Chi Fire, Supreme (L6)
As Chi Fire, except your command of your chi is so strong that by simply willing it, you can call it into being. Unlike Chi Fire, you have full control of your chi fire charges and from target to target you can choose to deliver your fire strikes or not, without canceling the spell.
-2 Template: Energy Burst (-4)
+4 Casting Time: Free Action
+2 Range: Touch
+2 Targets: 1 target per level (D)
To systematize the development of new "spells" to simulate abilities, I am trying this spell-modification system, which I have tentatively called D20 Spell Elements (also available is the full pack of house rules I work with, conveniently packaged as "D20 Elements").
Constructive feedback is sought on "D20 Spell Elements".
Concepts
Spells are stripped of their SFX and broken down into two components: the Template, and separate Elements.
The Template is the basic effect of the spell. For example, the spell bull’s strength grants a +4 enhancement to Strength. The Template for this spell is a +4 enhancement to ability scores. The Elements of this spell can include: having Verbal and Somatic spell-casting requirements, and a duration of 1 minute/level.
By choosing a Template and adjusting it with Elements, we can generate a wide variety of custom spells easily and on-the-fly.
Spell Elements
Components
-1 Verbal Component
-1 Somatic Component
-0 Consumes a common/cheap component
-1 Consumes an uncommon/costly component
-2 Consumes a rare/expensive component
-3 Consumes an extremely rare/unusual component
-4 Consumes 100 XP per final spell level
-0 Common Divine Focus
-1 Special Divine Focus (e.g., consecrated holy symbol)
-2 Exceptional Divine Focus (e.g., relic)
-1 Uses a spell focus
-2 Uses a rare/exotic spell focus
Casting Time
+6 Triggered (spell activates on a certain condition; will not overcast to activate)
+4 Free Action
+0 1 standard action
-1 1 minute
-2 10 minutes
-3 1 hour
-4 4 hours
-5 1 day
-6 1 week
-7 1 month
Range
+0 Self
+1 Touch
+2 Very Close (10’ + 1’/level)
+3 Close (25’ + 2’/level)
+4 Near (50’ + 5’/level)
+5 Medium (100’ + 10’/level)
+6 Far (200’ + 20’/level)
+7 Long (400’ + 40’/level)
+8 Line of Sight
+9 Unlimited
Direction
+0 Spell originates from caster and fires directly away from caster
+1 Spell can originate from any location within range, including behind a barrier; fires away from the caster
+2 Spell can originate from any direction and fire in any direction
Effect
+0 Self
+2 1 target, 1 square, or 1 point
+4 Small Area (5 ft. per final spell level)
Basic Area types:
- Sphere: 5’ radius, +5’ per +1 level
- Cone: triangle with 10’ sides, +10’ per +1 level
- Line: 20’ row of 5’×5’ squares, +20’ per +1 level
+1 targets × (level ÷ 3)
+2 targets × level
Duration
+0 Instant
+2 1 round
+4 1 minute
+6 10 minutes
+8 1 hour
+10 4 hours
+12 1 day
+14 1 week
+16 1 month
+18 1 year
+1 duration × 2
+2 duration × (level ÷ 3)
+4 duration × level
Saving Throw
+1 Save DC +2
+2 Save DC +5
+3 Save DC +10 or no save
-1 Save for no effect
Damage
+1 Maximum Spell Damage +2d6, maximum damage 1d6 per caster level
+2 Maximum Spell Damage +5d6, maximum damage 1d6 per caster level
+0 Subdual Damage only
Miscellaneous Adjustments
+1 Disguised - it is not apparent that a spell has been cast or used
-1 Affects only one creature class
-2 Affects subset of one creature class
If a spell has different effects on different types of creatures (e.g., healing spells harm undead), calculate the spell level separately for each effect, and add 1 to the highest spell level for each additional possible effect.
-0 Can be used any time
-1 Common circumstance required (e.g., during the day only)
-2 Uncommon circumstance required (e.g., afternoon only)
-3 Rare circumstance required (e.g., midnight only)
-4 Extremely Rare circumstance required (e.g., solstice only)
-5 Near-Unique circumstance required (e.g., planetary alignment)
SPELL TEMPLATES
For a spell that uses multiple Templates or has multiple effects, use non-linear adds to get the final spell level. Add a minimum of 1 spell level.
Ability Score Enhancement (-5)
The subject gains a +4 enhancement bonus to ability scores.
Bless Weapon (-5)
+1 enhancement bonus versus DR. Gives weapon an alignment. Critical Hits do not need to be confirmed.
Cripple (-10)
Target is either blinded or deafened.
Energy Burst (-2)
1 Damage Rank of energy damage per caster level, maximum 10 ranks (3d6+1).
SAMPLE SPELLS
Adrenalin Surge (L6)
This spell grants +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution.
-3 Template: Ability Score Enhancement (-5) ×2
-1 Components: Verbal (roar to psych caster)
+0 Components: None
+4 Casting Time: Free Action
+0 Range: None
+0 Target: Self
+6 Duration: 1 round / level
Bless Weapon (L1)
This transmutation makes a weapon strike true against evil foes. The weapon is treated as having a +1 enhancement bonus for the purpose of bypassing the damage reduction of evil creatures or striking evil incorporeal creatures (though the spell doesn’t grant an actual enhancement bonus). The weapon also becomes good, which means it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. (This effect overrides and suppresses any other alignment the weapon might have.) Individual arrows or bolts can be transmuted, but affected projectile weapons (such as bows) don’t confer the benefit to the projectiles they shoot.
In addition, all critical hit rolls against evil foes are automatically successful, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not apply to any weapon that already has a magical effect related to critical hits, such as a keen weapon or a vorpal sword.
-5 Template: Bless Weapon (-5)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+1 Range: Touch
+0 Target: 1 weapon
+8 Duration: 1 minute / level
-1 Miscellaneous: only creature class only (Evil)
Blindness/Deafness (L2)
You call upon the powers of unlife to render the subject blinded or deafened, as you choose.
-10 Template: Cripple (-10)
-1 Components: Verbal
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+5 Range: Medium
+0 Target: 1 creature
+8 Duration: 1 hour
Bull’s Strength (L2)
The subject becomes stronger. The spell grants a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, adding the usual benefits to melee attack rolls, melee damage rolls, and other uses of the Strength modifier.
Arcane Material Component: A few hairs, or a pinch of dung, from a bull.
-5 Template: Ability Score Enhancement (-5)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic, Common Component or Divine Focus
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+1 Range: Touch
+0 Target: 1 creature
+8 Duration: 1 minute / level
Bull’s Strength, Mass (L6)
This spell functions like bull’s strength, except that it affects multiple creatures.
-5 Template: Ability Score Enhancement (-5)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic, Common Component or Divine Focus
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+3 Range: Close
+2 Target: 1 creature / level
+8 Duration: 1 minute / level
Burning Hands (L1)
A cone of searing flame shoots from your fingertips. Any creature in the area of the flames takes 2 Damage Ranks of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10 Damage Ranks or 3d6+1). Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action.
-2 Template: Energy Burst (-4)
-2 Components: Verbal, Somatic
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+0 Range: Self
+5 Target: Small Area (20’ long cone)
Chi Fire (L1)
With a brief kata, you summon your inner strength to invoke chi fire that swathes your fists. Your attacks (or if you simply touch someone or something) beginning in the next round are loaded with fire that burns for 2 Damage Ranks of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10 Damage Ranks or 3d6+1). You have a number of chi fire “charges” equal to your level.
You must use the charges of Chi Fire stored, or dismiss the entire spell. E.g., If you successfully Cleave, you cannot skip delivering fire damage to Cleave targets.
Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action.
If your attack is somehow reflected back to you, you are not affected by your own chi fire, as it is of you and one with you.
-2 Template: Energy Burst (-4)
-1 Components: Somatic
-0 Casting Time: Standard Action
+2 Range: Touch
+2 Targets: 1 target per level (D)
Chi Fire, Supreme (L6)
As Chi Fire, except your command of your chi is so strong that by simply willing it, you can call it into being. Unlike Chi Fire, you have full control of your chi fire charges and from target to target you can choose to deliver your fire strikes or not, without canceling the spell.
-2 Template: Energy Burst (-4)
+4 Casting Time: Free Action
+2 Range: Touch
+2 Targets: 1 target per level (D)
