D&D 5E Wild Magic surge for all?

[Trit One-Ear]

Hey friends,

Been ages since I posted anything, but I'm launching the next "chapter" of my campaign this weekend, and wanted to run some thoughts by folks.

The party is currently en route to a city in which, for mysterious reasons, magic has always been heightened and strengthened. Recently, however, something has happened, and it has also become unstable.
One player is playing a Wild Magic sorcerer, and we also have a wizard in the party.
I'm considering implementing a temporary rule while they explore this arcanely-charged city:

Wild Magic casters must roll on the Wild Magic Surge table whenever they cast a spell of level 1 or higher.
All other arcane casters must roll 1d20 whenever they cast a spell of level 1 or higher. On a result of a 1, roll on the Wild Magic Surge table.

I'm not really concerned about "balance" with this rule, as I'm more interested in having the flavor of this city feel a bit more tangible. Does this sound like a fun experience? Should I increase the chance for non-wild magic casters (a 1-3 or a 1-5 on a d20 for example)?

All thoughts are welcome!

Trit

 

[OB1]

Sounds like fun!

It might be interesting to allow the WMS to roll twice and pick which result as sort of a preview to the (level 14?) sub-class ability or can roll just one die but gets to recharge Tides of Chaos.

I'd keep the surge at a result of 1 for the other casters.

 

[ethandrew]

Like OB1 said, for the Wild Mage, I'd suggesting having them roll twice and choose their result. WMS can have massively varying results, some of which could result in major damage to allies. Without knowing your party's level, having a WMS after every spell could be uncontrollable. The other thing I'd do is make the Wild Mage roll the d20 for WMS for cantrips. You can do the auto-surge for 1st level spells and above.

More importantly in my eyes is how a city like this would actually function. I'd have to imagine that despite its heightened and strengthened aura of magic, citizens just aren't willing to risk casting spells lest they deal 4d10 lightning damage to three of their friends.

 

[pukunui]

The city has become a wild magic zone. It's a legit thing (in the DMG iirc).

 

[cooperjer]

If you're willing to do the work to modify the wild magic table, I would suggest revising it some. There are a few results that just drag the game to halt for a character and would not add much fun for the player. I'm thinking of the polymorph to a potted plant and similar lines. If you have a theme for the city, i.e. a city with strong fire magic, then adjust a few of the lines to be flavored with that theme. In the case of a city with strong fire magic, then a potted plant result might be a flaming shrub with immunity to fire damage and does 1d6 fire damage to any creature that ends it's turn within 5-ft of it. Instead of bubbles from the mouth preventing talking maybe it's small balls of flaming charcoal that come out and now a character can spit small fireballs. Instead of a long beard, maybe the character has a flaming strip of hair on the top of their head.

Instead of applying an elemental theme, you could apply a theme associated with fey, a shadow realm, mechanization, etc.

 

[OB1]

More importantly in my eyes is how a city like this would actually function. I'd have to imagine that despite its heightened and strengthened aura of magic, citizens just aren't willing to risk casting spells lest they deal 4d10 lightning damage to three of their friends.

Well they certainly would be casting a lot less magic in the city! Perhaps even outlawing it's use until the crisis is over.

Which brings up an interesting opportunity. Perhaps the WMS can not only gain some control over her surges, but lends the ability to roll twice and pick one to anyone within 5' of her when they cast. Could lead to all kinds of fun scenarios where the different power centers of the city are trying to get the WMS on their side.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

More importantly in my eyes is how a city like this would actually function. I'd have to imagine that despite its heightened and strengthened aura of magic, citizens just aren't willing to risk casting spells lest they deal 4d10 lightning damage to three of their friends.

I will likely do as you all suggest, and allow a roll twice and pick option. Some wild magic results can be pretty disruptive to the party, and to the story as a whole.
FWIW, the wild magic element is a new development for the city. Previously magic had just been enhanced, but the unstable aspect is a new development, and has caused some complications for the city.

The city has become a wild magic zone. It's a legit thing (in the DMG iirc).

I wasn't able to find this in the DMG (assuming 5E) - do you have a page number?

Trit

 

[Satyrn]

?Should I increase the chance for non-wild magic casters (a 1-3 or a 1-5 on a d20 for example)?

I think you should, but not quite as you mean.

Instead, start off with the 1 in 20 chance, then increase the chance as time advances.

It could be as simple as this gets worse as time goes on, or you could tie it to some celestial cycle (as simple as the chances increase as the moon waxes, decrease as the moon wanes; or whatever works for you).

Or instead of time, modify the chances based on location. The simplest example of this would be the chances going up the closer you get to whatever ground zero caused the effect.

 

[pukunui]

I wasn't able to find this in the DMG (assuming 5E) - do you have a page number?

It's on the "Weird Locales" table on page 109.