So in the coming weeks I'm going to be running a one shot mini campaign. I won't have my books or reliable access to the net so I am throwing together a rules light d20 game. As part of the game I want magic but don't really feel like writing down or modifying pages of spells.
Today I was thinking about how I can have my cake and eat it too and hit on the idea of making spells a skill check. (for skills I've gone with Castle and Crusades primary ability/seconday ability system.)
The nuts and bolts of it go like this.
Wizards cast arcane spells and use Intelligence to make the check. The spells a wizard can cast are related to their chosen school of magic. DC checks to cast the spell start at 12, provided that whatever the caster wants to do falls within their school. For exapmle an evoker hurling a bolt of arcane energy is normal. An evoker attempting to commune with a demon not so much but it might be normal for a conjurer. The DC then increases depending on how powerfull a spell the caster is trying for.
For clerics "normal" spells are not limited by school but by what realm of influence their god controls. So a cleric of the sun might easily create light or fire or what ever but probably couldn't whip up a storm.
I'm not really sure how to handle failing a check though. I don't want to do straight up damage to the character but I would like some kind negative aspect.
I was thinking to just handle it on a case by case basis (adding to the freefromedness)
I also want magic to be sympathetic (for lack of a better word) whereby magic is easier to cast the less it changes things. So an evoker trying to envolpe foes in a torrent of fire on an windswept glacier would be hard. But using the torches in a hall way to summon forth a wall of flame might be easier.
I dunno just some random mechanincs. Comments or thoughts welcome.
Today I was thinking about how I can have my cake and eat it too and hit on the idea of making spells a skill check. (for skills I've gone with Castle and Crusades primary ability/seconday ability system.)
The nuts and bolts of it go like this.
Wizards cast arcane spells and use Intelligence to make the check. The spells a wizard can cast are related to their chosen school of magic. DC checks to cast the spell start at 12, provided that whatever the caster wants to do falls within their school. For exapmle an evoker hurling a bolt of arcane energy is normal. An evoker attempting to commune with a demon not so much but it might be normal for a conjurer. The DC then increases depending on how powerfull a spell the caster is trying for.
For clerics "normal" spells are not limited by school but by what realm of influence their god controls. So a cleric of the sun might easily create light or fire or what ever but probably couldn't whip up a storm.
I'm not really sure how to handle failing a check though. I don't want to do straight up damage to the character but I would like some kind negative aspect.
I was thinking to just handle it on a case by case basis (adding to the freefromedness)
I also want magic to be sympathetic (for lack of a better word) whereby magic is easier to cast the less it changes things. So an evoker trying to envolpe foes in a torrent of fire on an windswept glacier would be hard. But using the torches in a hall way to summon forth a wall of flame might be easier.
I dunno just some random mechanincs. Comments or thoughts welcome.
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