Could the Epic Spell system be translated down to lesser levels?

[Greybar]

I don't have the Epic Level Handbook, so here's a question for those that do:

Could the "make your own spell" system in the ELH be adapted down to lesser spell levels?

I know I've seen comments in Sep's story hour about how the system has to be watched and carefully considered, so I'm only looking for a system that gives a good starting point.

thanks,
john

 

[hong]

When the creeping HEROization of D&D is complete (ETA 2006, at last count), all spells will be build-your-own.

 

[Greybar]

[grin] Ah, the Hero system. I have the books but I don't think I ever actually ran a game.

Seriously though, the concept I'd heading for is half-inspired by Welcome to the Halmae and half by my ideas of what my campaign would should ideally be like. My objective isn't so much to have the PCs constantly making new spells, with ever caster in the world only doing their own thing, but to create the feel of a world that has only just begun to tap into magic (arcane and divine).

Different sects and cults would have distinct spells potentially. Granted, a huge number of them may have spells that are essentially renamed Bless or somesuch, but others might be more unique. And yes, PCs who are on the cutting edge of those exploratory groups might make their own spells.

john

 

[Wombat]

Personally I'd like to figure out how to Ars Magica-ize the D20 spell system

 

[jmucchiello]

I don't have the Epic Level Handbook, so here's a question for those that do:

Could the "make your own spell" system in the ELH be adapted down to lesser spell levels?

Your question doesn't exactly make sense within the context of epic spells as defined in the ELH. Epic spells do not have level. Spellcraft determines the number of Epic spells you may cast per day. So yes and no are valid answers to your question:

No, epic spells have no levels and thus you cannot use them with the lower spell system of levels.

or

Yes, you could make epic spells that are as "weak" as 1st thru 9th level spells but nothing in the system will tell you what level the spell is equivalent to.

Hope that helps.

 

[Nine Hands]

I think the basic system could be used for spell creation but it would require a good deal of effort to make it work. When we did the playtest of the ELH several of my players and I had thought of building a system for use at lower spell levels but we never got around to it as the benefits did not outweight the time to complete it.

 

[Greybar]

Ah, the problems with asking about a system in a book I haven't bought.

Thank you for being clear on how it works - good points and that does help. So basically I would be getting into an entirely variant system with a lot of potential for problems and goodly need of oversight.

I could be up for "levelless" spells, since one of the ideas for the campaign (particularly on the arcane side) is that real "wizards" and "sorcerers" haven't come about yet. So taking some feats and levels in Spellcraft would be the way to power. The setting would have nobles dabbling in an expensive and dangerous hobby, for instance.

So players get access to "Epic Spellcasting" as a class ability, and then can cast as many spells/day as they can stand? Or a certain number of "epic spells"? The SRD's section on Epic Levels really doesn't touch on that.

john

 

[RC Hagy]

Ah, the problems with asking about a system in a book I haven't bought.

Thank you for being clear on how it works - good points and that does help. So basically I would be getting into an entirely variant system with a lot of potential for problems and goodly need of oversight.

I could be up for "levelless" spells, since one of the ideas for the campaign (particularly on the arcane side) is that real "wizards" and "sorcerers" haven't come about yet. So taking some feats and levels in Spellcraft would be the way to power. The setting would have nobles dabbling in an expensive and dangerous hobby, for instance.

So players get access to "Epic Spellcasting" as a class ability, and then can cast as many spells/day as they can stand? Or a certain number of "epic spells"? The SRD's section on Epic Levels really doesn't touch on that.

john

Epic Spellcasting feat is needed which allows:

Epic Spells per day equal to one tenth their Knowledge (arcana/religion/nature), just so you know.

If it is pre-formal magic and you do not mind using Spellcraft
checks, the spell seeds should work alright. It would take some
work and a bit of comparing to to the base spells in the PHB.

One could come up with some halfway unique stuff though.

Hagy

 

[Seravin]

You might want to check out Urban Aracana, a d20 modern source book.
IIRC they have a rule set for incantations that seemed to follow the model of epic spell creation.
These incantations duplicated baneful polymorph as well as a few others and it used a spell-seed sort of system.

This is all from memory though...