Spell casting matrix in WOIN statblocks

I'm pretty sure nobody reads these updates, but here's how I've decided to approach spell casting in monster stat blocks.

I've been struggling with an easily presented stat-block way of showing a critter's magical capabilities in WOIN. Because it's a freeform spell creation system (verb-noun style) there's a lot of possibility. I think I've settled on a little "spell casting matrix" in the stat block, like how I've done with the vampire below. That way it's really easy to see everything at a single glance - the vampire can create mist, or summon beasts, or charm humanoids, or any other combination the GM can think of a use for (not sure why he'd want to charm mist, but I guess you never know if you're going to run into a creature made of mist!)


The matrix contains everything you need to know. The MAGIC attribute (8) tells you how many Magic Points can go into an individual spell. 8 is reasonably powerful. The dice pools are made of combining the skill and the attribute (in this case, all the skills are at 3d6, so all the dice pools will be 6d6, which is convenient). If the creature had an implement like a wand, staff etc. which would give an equipment contribution to the dice pool, that would be mentioned there, also. This vampire doesn't have an implement.


I think that's about as "at a glance" as it can get.

I'm reading the updates. I just usually don't have anything constructive/witty to say.

I read these as well... so that's at least an audience of two!

With regard to the stat block, I would put it after skills and before gear. Also, I would add a couple {perhaps a number equal to the creatures INT dice pool} of spells that the creature relies on the most.

And if there is room, a line describing the casting style.. for those people who use that variation.

Summon and Create are two of the more difficult spell lists to use on the fly. I don't know if you planned on having a spell-book as summons and create spells to use as a base.

Typical spells of a Vampire with those skills would probably include;
- Charm Human
- Summon Bat Swarm
- Form Obscuring Mist
- Deepen Shadows
- Mass Slow

The greatest challenge for a DM running the verb-noun build-as-you-go spell system is that NPCs and monsters are very short lived, which means you have to have either a high level of system mastery or 'cheaters' list spell paths and stock spell cards.

SKid4 said:

I'm reading the updates. I just usually don't have anything constructive/witty to say.

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It doesn't have to be witty. Just an acknowledgement that somebody out there has seen it is enough.

Primitive Screwhead said:

Also, I would add a couple {perhaps a number equal to the creatures INT dice pool} of spells that the creature relies on the most.

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All magic-using monsters have one or more pre-designed spell exploits in their stat block. The idea is that you can completely ignore the spellcasting matrix and just use the exploits. But if you as the GM somehow find yourself in need of exploring the critter's overall magical abilities because the players went off-base, the information is there.

And if there is room, a line describing the casting style.. for those people who use that variation.

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Just a line? Monsters have pages of description!

The greatest challenge for a DM running the verb-noun build-as-you-go spell system is that NPCs and monsters are very short lived, which means you have to have either a high level of system mastery or 'cheaters' list spell paths and stock spell cards.

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That's exactly why monsters explicitly don't have an MP budget. All their spells are at-will, and enough common ones are included as exploits in the stat block that the GM never *needs*to design a spell... but he can if he wants to.

I'm reading these updates too! I take them and use them in the groups I'm in too. We are using WOIN for all of our games now. I don't usually post unless I have questions but I'll try to post a reply more often. In regards to this update, I like the quick matrix. I agree with Primitive about the difficulty of on the fly spell use. It is one of the main difficulties of the spell users in my groups. That said, they all love the spell system (as do I) and I think once you are used to it the spells become easier to come up with.

Angusto Macintosh said:

I'm reading these updates too! I take them and use them in the groups I'm in too. We are using WOIN for all of our games now.

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That's wonderful! It's hard to know if the game's being played or not, because folks obviously play at home but don't necessarily post about it online. That's why it always gives me the warm fuzzies every time I hear somebody is playing it!

I agree with Primitive about the difficulty of on the fly spell use. It is one of the main difficulties of the spell users in my groups. That said, they all love the spell system (as do I) and I think once you are used to it the spells become easier to come up with.

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For players, I would definitely recommend that they pre-design some favourites that they can refer to when they need them. It's kind of weird, because the effect is that players actually start to build their own spell book of spells they've designed. One of my playtest group had a notebook, which he wrote SPELLBOOK on the front of, and had a dozen or so spells in there he'd designed and used frequently. That was awesome, and something I've never seen in another game. It felt very immersive when he was thumbing through the spellbook he'd written himself.

Morrus said:

For players, I would definitely recommend that they pre-design some favourites that they can refer to when they need them. It's kind of weird, because the effect is that players actually start to build their own spell book of spells they've designed. One of my playtest group had a notebook, which he wrote SPELLBOOK on the front of, and had a dozen or so spells in there he'd designed and used frequently. That was awesome, and something I've never seen in another game. It felt very immersive when he was thumbing through the spellbook he'd written himself.

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This is exactly what I recommended to my biggest magic user. Sadly he does not have an awesome notebook labelled Spellbook because that would be amazing! He does usually make a list of spells he plans to use should a battle occur and the rest he works out on the fly using a sheet of paper and an iPad with the website open.