Scaleable spells

[Blackwarder]

It seems like spells in 5e are going to more flexible in relation to their spell rank placement, for example shield as a first level spell will have the normal duration that we know from previous editions but if the wizard will learn it as a second level spell it's duration will become one hour instead of one round.

So let's get out head together and try to think about classic spells and how they would fit in different spell slots. Here are some of mine (note those are just some random ideas to get the thread rolling)

Feather fall- second level- could be cast on up to six people in a 10 feet radius or can be cast as a quick action on another character. Spell component- a feather of a large bird for each recipient, the feathers are consumed during the spell.

Knock- second level- the spell creat a golden magical key that can be used to open locked doors up to 1d4+1 times, the key will disappear after 3 hours. Spell focus - a key worth 50 GP, the key have a 50% chance of disintegrating if all the spell charges are used.

What are your ideas?

Warder

 

[Savage Wombat]

I want a shield or mage armor effect that can be cast as a swift action.

 

[YRUSirius]

I thought spells are going to be non-scalable?

-YRUSirius

 

[Blackwarder]

I think it was in one of the rules of three articles where they mentioned a second level shield lasting an hour.

Warder

 

[dkyle]

I thought spells are going to be non-scalable?

-YRUSirius

Sounds like they won't scale automatically with level, but could be prepared in higher level slots to have greater effect.

So a Fireball in a level 3 slot might always be 5d6, but could possibly be prepared in level 9 slot for 17d6 damage. For utility spells, scaling would have to be more qualitative, so a higher-slot version might be a Mass version, or be castable as a swift action.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Sounds like they won't scale automatically with level, but could be prepared in higher level slots to have greater effect.

So a Fireball in a level 3 slot might always be 5d6, but could possibly be prepared in level 9 slot for 17d6 damage. For utility spells, scaling would have to be more qualitative, so a higher-slot version might be a Mass version, or be castable as a swift action.

Me want...

Mage armor becomes mass Mage armor

 

[Doug McCrae]

I want a shield or mage armor effect that can be cast as a swift action.

Do not want. Unless there are several equally viable options to spend your swift action on.

The point of combat, from a gamist perspective, is that there must be a number, 3-9 is reasonable, of equally viable options to choose from. If mage armour only costs a swift action, and there's nothing else on which to spend a swift action, it becomes a no brainer. The game is now merely Simon Says, which, to me, isn't an interesting game.

 

[Janaxstrus]

I like the idea, personally.

I would rather see spells scale somewhat, personally, especially Magic Missile, as it's iconic, but if implemented properly by increasing the spells abilities or adding bonuses for memorizing it in a higher slot, I'd be open to not scaling by caster level.

They started doing this in 3e with the mass and greater spells, but I think just leaving it the same spell and adding the effects would be more clean. It would add more info to the individual spells, but remove a bunch of redundant spell info from the rest of the books.

Teleport - 5th - You may teleport to any location you have visited previously within 1000 miles
Teleport - 6th - You may teleport to any location you have visited previously on the same plane
Teleport - 7th - You may teleport to any location you have scryed upon on the same plane

It allows you to keep the spells, but perhaps tone down some of the goodies and make them higher level without moving the spell itself.

Divine Power - 4th - You gain the attacks of a fighter of your level
Divine Power - 5th - You gain the attacks of a fighter of your level and a +x divine bonus to strength.

Obviously the math may be flatter..but you get the gist

 

[dkyle]

Do not want. Unless there are several equally viable options to spend your swift action on.

The point of combat, from a gamist perspective, is that there must be a number, 3-9 is reasonable, of equally viable options to choose from. If mage armour only costs a swift action, and there's nothing else on which to spend a swift action, it becomes a no brainer. The game is now merely Simon Says, which, to me, isn't an interesting game.

It would still cost a prepared spell.

Or if it's at-will, it would still cost a feat (or several) to make it at-will.

 

[YRUSirius]

I think it was in one of the rules of three articles where they mentioned a second level shield lasting an hour.

Warder

And I took that as there is a 1st level and another 2nd level shield spell. Or a 3rd level fireball and a 5th level greater fireball or something. Like healing light wounds and mass healing light wounds or something. Scalable utility spells don't seem so simple to write. Seems pretty complicated to write 20 different possible effects for utility spells...

-YRUSirius