What "backdoors" did wizards built into the spells named after them?

[Dioltach]

Maybe whenever anyone casts a "named" spell, the creator receives 1XP/spell level.

 

[jasper]

jasper's finger's. Cantrips. 1/2 xp. .
Range 120, S.
Jasper pinching fingers Pinch someone you can see.
Jasper scratching fingers. Scratch that itch you can't get too, or it would not be polite to in public.
Jasper's Middle Finger. No need to explain.

 

[Seramus]

Tenser’s Transformation
“When Tenser casts this spell, he simply becomes himself. What else did you expect to happen?”

 

[Henry]

Maybe whenever anyone casts a "named" spell, the creator receives 1XP/spell level.

Well, according to It's a Wonderful Life,

Look, Daddy! Teacher says, every time a spell's cast, a wizard's XP dings!

...or something like that...

 

[MNblockhead]

jasper's finger's. Cantrips. 1/2 xp. .
Range 120, S.
Jasper pinching fingers Pinch someone you can see.
Jasper scratching fingers. Scratch that itch you can't get too, or it would not be polite to in public.
Jasper's Middle Finger. No need to explain.

Yeah, I stopped learning Jasper spells after I cast Jasper's Brown Thumb

 

[MNblockhead]

Originally Posted by Dioltach
Maybe whenever anyone casts a "named" spell, the creator receives 1XP/spell level.



Well, according to It's a Wonderful Life,

Originally Posted by Zuzu
Look, Daddy! Teacher says, every time a spell's cast, a wizard's XP dings!



...or something like that...

The reverse of this idea could make for a great campaign hook or villain. For higher-level spells, perhaps some great powers are upset with their existence and not pleased with the Wizard who invented them and let those secrets out into the world.

This might work best as a mid-tier complication, so the spell should not be too high level and it should be a spell that the wizard is likely to cast with some frequency. It would also be good if in your campaign world the spell is not widely known and the wizard can't just select it from the player's handbook, but instead comes across it in her explorations. You also wouldn't want to make it a much loved spell like fireball. It needs to be a helpful spell but one that wouldn't ruin the game for your players if they didn't have it, unless you want to force them into a life or death battle over the spell.

For example, perhaps with Otto's Irresistible Dance, Otto was able to create the spell after stealing magic secrets of the fey, angering an arch-fey. Every time this spell is cast, Otto suffers a level of exhaustion, which he much cure with rest and magic. He has spent many years hunting down all copies of the spell, entreating or forcing wizards to remove it from their spell books, destroying scrolls, etc. Otto hunt's down the wizard in your party using it.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I love the idea of Mordenkainen building in a literal secret backdoor to his Mansion which only he can access, leading to the Astral Plane. Originally an escape route from his own mansion, it also serves as a way for him to sneak inside anyone else's.

If you ever lost anything in the Mansion, now you know why.....

 

[Satyrn]

The reverse of this idea could make for a great campaign hook or villain. For higher-level spells, perhaps some great powers are upset with their existence and not pleased with the Wizard who invented them and let those secrets out into the world.

This might work best as a mid-tier complication, so the spell should not be too high level and it should be a spell that the wizard is likely to cast with some frequency. It would also be good if in your campaign world the spell is not widely known and the wizard can't just select it from the player's handbook, but instead comes across it in her explorations. You also wouldn't want to make it a much loved spell like fireball. It needs to be a helpful spell but one that wouldn't ruin the game for your players if they didn't have it, unless you want to force them into a life or death battle over the spell.

For example, perhaps with Otto's Irresistible Dance, Otto was able to create the spell after stealing magic secrets of the fey, angering an arch-fey. Every time this spell is cast, Otto suffers a level of exhaustion, which he much cure with rest and magic. He has spent many years hunting down all copies of the spell, entreating or forcing wizards to remove it from their spell books, destroying scrolls, etc. Otto hunt's down the wizard in your party using it.

Now I'm thinking about how to do something similar in my megadungeon. There's a couple possibilities that spring to mind.

I've got dwarven chronomancers in the past, whose experiments result in monsters being sent to the present, but twisted into timewarped (chaositech) monstrosities. They might be seeding their future with scrolls with custom spells so that the present adventurers will find them and somehow progress their work.

The Pharoah, a warlock patron who oversees the Bonegarden and Necropolis (Necromancer Games products!) in the Dust (The Borderlands 2 map!) could seed some strong custom necromancy spells that the players will find useful but empower him or his allies every time they're cast. Ooh, I like this one. I will think on it more.

Excellent thread!

 

[MarkB]

If you ever lost anything in the Mansion, now you know why.....

Likewise if you've ever found something there.