Converting core spells to Arcana Unearthed system

[Beholder Bob]

Has anyone converted core spells to the Arcana Unearthed spell system: with Simple, Complex and Exotic spells? I really like this system and would like to be able to adapt it. Has anyone heard about such a conversion?

Thanks, BB

 

[Staffan]

I haven't done anything myself, and I'd be careful when converting D&D spells to AU. Part of the balance of AU is that while the spellcasters have a lot more flexibility than D&D casters, the spells are generally weaker, and many spell effects are missing/weakened for a reason. Not saying that no D&D spell should ever be converted, just that there's more than just simple/complex/exotic and diminished/normal/heightened going on.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Ah - I wasn't more clear. I do not play in that setting, but I like the spell system & division. I'm looking at altering the core spell system to follow similar guidelines.

 

[law]

Well heres are my homebrew ones. Two are based on spells wizo has made. Ones from the PHB.


Blazing Star
Evocation [Light]
Level: 3 (Exotic)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area: 40 ft. radius sphere
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
A flash of light blinds anybody in the area of effect for 1d4 minutes. Creatures with darkvision or low-light vision are especially susceptible and are blinded for twice the normal duration.
Diminished Effects: The area becomes a 20 ft. radius sphere.
Heightened Effects: The effect lasts 2d4 minutes.

Bone Rot
Necromancy
Level: 2 (Exotic)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: Up to four undead creatures within 20 feet of each other.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Bone rot is a specialized spell that damages corporeal undead by rotting their bodies past the point of usefulness. Undead creatures with a (more or less) intact body suffer 2d6 points of damage. Skeletal undead take 4d6 points of damage.
Diminished Effects: The spell deals 1d8 points of to undead creatures with a (more or less) intact body and skeletal undead take 2d6 points of damage.
Heightened Effects The spell can effect a number of undead creatures equal to one half the characters caster level so long as there within 30 feet of each other.

Chill of the Void
Evocation [Cold, Negative Energy]
Level: 4 (Exotic)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

A purple ray springs from your hand. You draw power from the void giving you the power to chill more then just one part of the flesh but all the flesh of the target. You must succeed at a ranged touch attack to strike the target. The target takes 1d4 points of cold damage per caster level (maximum 10d4) there is no save for this part of the spell. The target creature also takes 2 points of temporary Constitution damage unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw.
Diminished Effects: The range becomes Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels).
Heightened Effects: The temporary Constitution damage becomes 6 points of temporary Con damage.

Eldritch Blast Missile (Mordicanense blast missile Wizo web site) (Magic Missile
Evocation [Force]
Level: 4 (Exotic)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: One or more blast missiles
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None or Reflex half (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You create a powerful missile of powerful magical energy that shoots forth from your fingertips. You may fire one blast missile, plus an addirional missile for every three levels beyond 8th (to a maximum of five at 20th level). Each blast missile requires a ranged attack to hit and deals 2d6 points of force damage. The blast missile then bursts in a 5-foot blast of force that inflicts half this amount of damage to any creatures in the area (other than the primary target). The primary target is not entitled to a saving throw against the burst, but creatures affected by the burst may attempt a Reflex save for half damage.
If the blast missiles’ burst areas overlap, secondary targets make only one saving throw attempt (and only one SR check, if applicable). A character can be struck by one missile (or more) and also be caught in the burst of another missile. In such a case, the character may attempt a Reflex save to halve the burst damage, and SR might apply. The spell can target and damage unattended objects.
Diminished Effects: Each blast missile only deals 2d4 points of force damage.
Heightened Effects: Each blast missiles blast area becomes 10 ft.

Eldritch Missile (Magic Missile)
Evocation [Force]
Level: 1 (Complex)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: One or more missiles
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A missile of magical energy shoots forth from your fingertips. You may fire one missile, plus an additional missile for every two levels beyond 1st (to a maximum of five at 9th level). Each missile requires a ranged attack to hit and deals 1d4+1 points of force damage. The missiles may be fired at the same or different targets, but all missiles must be aimed at targets within 15 feat of each other and fired simultaneously. The Defensive Field spell negates eldritch missile spells with out loseing any HP.
Diminished Effects: Each missile only deals 1 point of force damage.
Heightened Effects: Each missile deals 1d6+1 points of force damage.

Fire Dart
Evocation [Fire]
Level: 1 (Complex)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: One dart of fire
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A fiery dart springs from your hand and flies at your target. You must succed at a ranged attack to strike a target. The dart deals 1d4 points of fire damage per caster level (max 5d4).
Diminished Effects: The dart has a range of close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) and only deals 1d4 points of fire damage which does not scale.
Heightened Effects: Two firey darts spring from your hand. You can hit two targets dealing 1d4 points of fire damage per two caster levels above first (to a max of 5d4 points of fire damage at 9th level for each dart). To hit each target of a target you must succed as a ranged attack to strike them. They also must be within 15 ft. of each other.

Sickening Ray
Necromancy
Level: 2 (Exotic)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

A gray ray projects from your pointing finger. You must succeedat a ranged touch attack with the ray to strike a target. The target becomes Sickened on a failed Fortitude save. Thus the creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
This spell has no effect on creatures with Intelligence of 2 and below as they do not have the mind to be sickened.
Diminished Effects: The Duration becomes 1 round/2 levels.
Heightened Effects: The Duration becomes 1 minute/2 levels.

Zap
Evocation [Fire, Electricity]
Level: 0 (Complex)
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25-ft. +5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

You release a small, thin, orange colored beam. You must make a ranged touch attack to deal damage to a target. The spell deals 1 point of electricity and 1 point of fire damage.
Diminished Effects: N/A
Heightened Effects: The range becomes Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level).

 

[Gez]

I started working on it. Not finished, and interrupted by other projects, though.

Anyway, here's my recipe:

Simple spell list classes: paladin (except [Good] spells), ranger, bard (except illusion and enchantment spells). Any spell on the spell list of these classes is deemed simple. The exceptions correspond to special strengths of the class, that are not necessarily simple.

Complex spell list classes: Cleric (except domains), druid, sorcerer/wizard (except named spells).

Exotic spell list "classes": Any spell exclusive to a domain, and any named spell (by named spell, I mean spells like "Tenser's floating disc" or "Mordenkainen's disjunction").

If you want to adapt it further to the AU system (that is, also to the AU spell power scale), you should also consider exotic spells that are in the upper end of their level, like the famous magic missile.