Doctor Doom
Explorer
I wanted to create a more freeform spellcasting method. I've read the chaos magic system in the Chaos magic book but it was even too complicated for what I wanted. Here's a rough draft of what I have now, it's not complete but here are the basics. I'm kind of using the old WW Mage system as a template. I haven't read Ars Magica yet but people tell me it's similar too.
CASTING SPELLS
CHOOSE A TYPE OF MAGIC
Each spellcaster knows at least one type of magic. These types describe the primal magical source of the energy the spellcaster is trying to channel to produce the magical effect. The types of magic are air, chaos, cold, darkness, earth, electricity, evil, fire, force, good, lawful, light, sonic, and water.
CHOOSE A SPELL LEVEL
The level of spell determines the amount of magical energy that is being channeled to produce an effect. Higher level spells channel more energy and produce greater effects. The base Difficulty to cast a spell is equal to 10 + Spell Level
The default parameters for a spell depend on the spell level as described below:
1st and 2nd level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal or Touch
Duration (if not instantaneous effect): 1 round per caster level
3rd and 4th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Short
Duration: 10 rounds per caster level
5th and 6th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium
Duration: 1 minute per caster level
7th and 8th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long
Duration: 1 hour per caster level
9th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Unlimited
Duration: 1 day per caster level
CHOOSE AN EFFECT
Augmentation: Augmentation spells imbue an object or creature with magical power for a specific purpose.
An augmentation spell can provide a bonus to Attacks, Movement, Ability Scores, or Skill checks for the duration of the spell. It grants a +1 bonus per caster level for attacks, +5 per caster level to Movement, one half the caster’s level to Ability Scores, and a +2 bonus per caster level for Skill checks.
Charm: A charm spell ‘tricks’ the subject to act in some manner or changes the way the person acts. It can also be used to make the subject sense things that aren’t there (illusions).
Evocation: Evocation spells channel raw magical energy to directly affect things in the world. This energy can be used to cause damage and manipulate objects. If an effect does not fall under any other category use Evocation as the default.
This is the amount of damage each spell can produce based on the level of the spell. Against a single target a spell does 1d6 points of damage per caster level. Against multiple targets a spell does 1d4 points of damage per caster level.
Evocation spells can also be used to cancel other magical affects.
Divination: Divination spells enable you to be perceptive beyond your five basic senses. This perception can cross the boundaries of time and space.
Life: Life spells deal with the spark of life that exists in all living creatures and can be used to heal or harm creatures. The study of Life and channeling it into lifeless vessels is called necromancy.
Life spells can heal or cause 1d4 points of damage per caster level. It can be used to create and control undead up to one half the caster’s level.
Protection: Protective spells create magical barriers around a target or area. They can provide a bonus to Defense, Saving Throws, and Damage Reduction. They provide a +1 bonus per caster level to Defense and Saving Throws and a bonus of one half the caster’s level to Damage Reduction.
Summoning: A summoning spell instantly brings a magical creature or object to a place you designate. A summoned creature or object goes away if it is killed or if its hit points drop to 0.
When the spell that summoned a creature ends and the creature disappears, all the spells it has cast expire.
Summoning spells can summon creatures with hit dice up to the caster’s level.
Teleportation: A teleportation spell transports one or more creatures or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these spells can cross planar boundaries. Unlike summoning spells, the transportation is (unless otherwise noted) one-way and not dispellable.
Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. Anything that blocks astral travel also blocks teleportation.
Transmutation: Transmutation spells manipulates matter into a form or state the caster desires and can change the properties of some creature, thing, or condition. It can affect 5 square feet of material per caster level. Drastic changes (such as changing a material from one element to another) increase the Difficulty of the spell by 2.
MODIFY SPELL PARAMETERS
A spell’s parameters can be altered from the base parameters for the spell’s level. Increasing the parameters increases the Difficulty for the spell and decreasing the parameters decreases the Difficulty.
Components: Casting a spell requires at least a verbal, somatic, or material component. Removing the need for one of the components increases the spell’s Difficulty by 1. Adding the need for a specialized component decreases the Difficulty by 1.
Casting Time: A spell’s casting time cannot be shorter than 1 standard action. Increasing the spell’s casting time by each full round action decreases the spell’s Difficulty by 1.
Range: Increasing the spell’s range by one category (touch to short, short to medium, medium to long, long to unlimited) increases the spell’s Difficulty by 1. Decreasing a spell’s range likewise decreases the spell’s Difficulty.
Duration: Increasing a spell’s duration by one category increases it’s Difficulty by 1 and decreasing the duration likewise decreases the Difficulty by 1.
MAKE A CASTER LEVEL CHECK
Determine the spell’s Difficulty by adding the spell’s level and Difficulty modifications to 10. Then make a caster level check of D20 + Caster’s Level + Caster’s Spellcasting Attribute Modifier versus the spell’s Difficulty. If successful the spell is cast.
CASTING SPELLS
CHOOSE A TYPE OF MAGIC
Each spellcaster knows at least one type of magic. These types describe the primal magical source of the energy the spellcaster is trying to channel to produce the magical effect. The types of magic are air, chaos, cold, darkness, earth, electricity, evil, fire, force, good, lawful, light, sonic, and water.
CHOOSE A SPELL LEVEL
The level of spell determines the amount of magical energy that is being channeled to produce an effect. Higher level spells channel more energy and produce greater effects. The base Difficulty to cast a spell is equal to 10 + Spell Level
The default parameters for a spell depend on the spell level as described below:
1st and 2nd level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal or Touch
Duration (if not instantaneous effect): 1 round per caster level
3rd and 4th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Short
Duration: 10 rounds per caster level
5th and 6th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium
Duration: 1 minute per caster level
7th and 8th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long
Duration: 1 hour per caster level
9th level spells
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Unlimited
Duration: 1 day per caster level
CHOOSE AN EFFECT
Augmentation: Augmentation spells imbue an object or creature with magical power for a specific purpose.
An augmentation spell can provide a bonus to Attacks, Movement, Ability Scores, or Skill checks for the duration of the spell. It grants a +1 bonus per caster level for attacks, +5 per caster level to Movement, one half the caster’s level to Ability Scores, and a +2 bonus per caster level for Skill checks.
Charm: A charm spell ‘tricks’ the subject to act in some manner or changes the way the person acts. It can also be used to make the subject sense things that aren’t there (illusions).
Evocation: Evocation spells channel raw magical energy to directly affect things in the world. This energy can be used to cause damage and manipulate objects. If an effect does not fall under any other category use Evocation as the default.
This is the amount of damage each spell can produce based on the level of the spell. Against a single target a spell does 1d6 points of damage per caster level. Against multiple targets a spell does 1d4 points of damage per caster level.
Evocation spells can also be used to cancel other magical affects.
Divination: Divination spells enable you to be perceptive beyond your five basic senses. This perception can cross the boundaries of time and space.
Life: Life spells deal with the spark of life that exists in all living creatures and can be used to heal or harm creatures. The study of Life and channeling it into lifeless vessels is called necromancy.
Life spells can heal or cause 1d4 points of damage per caster level. It can be used to create and control undead up to one half the caster’s level.
Protection: Protective spells create magical barriers around a target or area. They can provide a bonus to Defense, Saving Throws, and Damage Reduction. They provide a +1 bonus per caster level to Defense and Saving Throws and a bonus of one half the caster’s level to Damage Reduction.
Summoning: A summoning spell instantly brings a magical creature or object to a place you designate. A summoned creature or object goes away if it is killed or if its hit points drop to 0.
When the spell that summoned a creature ends and the creature disappears, all the spells it has cast expire.
Summoning spells can summon creatures with hit dice up to the caster’s level.
Teleportation: A teleportation spell transports one or more creatures or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these spells can cross planar boundaries. Unlike summoning spells, the transportation is (unless otherwise noted) one-way and not dispellable.
Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. Anything that blocks astral travel also blocks teleportation.
Transmutation: Transmutation spells manipulates matter into a form or state the caster desires and can change the properties of some creature, thing, or condition. It can affect 5 square feet of material per caster level. Drastic changes (such as changing a material from one element to another) increase the Difficulty of the spell by 2.
MODIFY SPELL PARAMETERS
A spell’s parameters can be altered from the base parameters for the spell’s level. Increasing the parameters increases the Difficulty for the spell and decreasing the parameters decreases the Difficulty.
Components: Casting a spell requires at least a verbal, somatic, or material component. Removing the need for one of the components increases the spell’s Difficulty by 1. Adding the need for a specialized component decreases the Difficulty by 1.
Casting Time: A spell’s casting time cannot be shorter than 1 standard action. Increasing the spell’s casting time by each full round action decreases the spell’s Difficulty by 1.
Range: Increasing the spell’s range by one category (touch to short, short to medium, medium to long, long to unlimited) increases the spell’s Difficulty by 1. Decreasing a spell’s range likewise decreases the spell’s Difficulty.
Duration: Increasing a spell’s duration by one category increases it’s Difficulty by 1 and decreasing the duration likewise decreases the Difficulty by 1.
MAKE A CASTER LEVEL CHECK
Determine the spell’s Difficulty by adding the spell’s level and Difficulty modifications to 10. Then make a caster level check of D20 + Caster’s Level + Caster’s Spellcasting Attribute Modifier versus the spell’s Difficulty. If successful the spell is cast.
