Designing the Perfect D&D

[jmucchiello]

24 --- Spine shattered, 3d6 Dex drain.

No associated Str loss?

 

[the Jester]

No associated Str loss?

Nah, the Dex drain is enough.

I knew a guy who shattered his spine in a skydiving accident. He still had impressive strength in his arms. (He also eventually walked it off, literally- when I met him he was barely able to walk with a cane, but over time he has gotten to where he barely needs a cane to walk.

 

[Hautamaki]

Critical Hits
When a creature deals a critical hit, it typically inflicts double damage. The critical hit also inflicts a critical effect, determined by a severity roll. When a creature inflicts a critical hit with a melee attack, if its Strength score is 12 or higher, it gets a +1 bonus to its severity. If its Strength is 15 or higher, it instead gets a +2 bonus to severity; if its Strength is 21 or higher, it gets a +3 bonus to severity; and if its Strength is 30 or higher, it gets a +4 bonus to severity. The same applies to spell attacks, but based on the attacker's Charisma score, and ranged attacks, based on the attacker's Dexterity score.

Critical Hit Inflicts... --- Critical Severity Roll
50% of less of target's current hit points --- 1d12
More than 50% of current hps but target still conscious --- 2d10
Target reduced to 0 or fewer hit points --- 2d10+5
Target slain (-10 or fewer hps) --- 2d8+15

Critical Effects Chart
If a critical effect cannot apply to a creature (for example, you cannot cut the hand off of a beholder), use the next lowest result until an applicable result comes up. This does not apply if the creature is immune to a condition or effect imposed (e.g. oozes can't be knocked prone); in this case, there is no extra effect.


SEVERITY --- CRITICAL EFFECT
1 --- Attacker may maneuver target 10'.
2 --- Target knocked prone.
3 --- Break ribs; -1 to speed.
4 --- Lose shield; lands 1d4 squares away (attacker's choice of exact space).
5 --- Lose weapon; lands 1d4 squares away (attacker's choice of exact space).
6 --- Target's armor gains 1d2 wear points.
7 --- Ear lopped off, -1 to checks involving hearing.
8 --- Jaw broken, loose some teeth, -2 to checks involving talking.
9 --- Nose lopped off, requires regeneration to fix, -2 to checks affected by looks.
10 --- Break hand, -1 to attacks and damage with that hand.
11 --- Break foot, -2 to speed.
12 --- Break arm; -4 to attacks and damage with that hand.
13 --- Break leg; -3 to speed, can't shift.
14 --- Lose an eye; -2 to checks involving spotting things, -1 to ranged attacks.
15 --- Lose a hand
16 --- Lose a foot
17 --- Internal damage; target also takes 1d4 Con damage.
18 --- Lose an arm; also take ongoing 3 damage (save ends on a 10+).
19 --- Lose a leg; also take ongoing 5 damage (save ends on a 10+).
20 --- Gutted; 1d6 Str, Dex and Con damage; each time the target moves without shifting, there is a 50% chance he tangles his feet in his guts and falls prone, dealing an additional 1d3 Str, Dex and Con damage to himself.
21 --- Dain bramage; 1d4 Int, Wis and Cha drain.
22 --- Both eyes put out, blinded.
23 --- Throat slit, vocal cords ruined, can't talk
24 --- Spine shattered, 3d6 Dex drain.
25 --- Groin destroyed
26 --- Heart destroyed
27 --- Brain destroyed
28 --- Decapitated
29 --- Unseemed from nave to crotch
30 --- Head pulped and sprayed over a large radius
31 --- Cut in two
32 --- Cut in three
33 --- Utterly dismembered
34+ --- Entire body pulped and sprayed over a large radius

A lot of these attacks seem to assume that the victim is being hit with a particular weapon/damage type. How would a club cut you in three for example? That mostly seems to just be a flavor issue though, readily resolved by a judgment call at the table. The guy's dead in any case, probably doesn't matter exactly how many pieces the corpse is in most of the time.

I love the lose shield/weapon options, that could really make for a dynamic battle scene with fun and interesting tactical options.

 

[the Jester]

A lot of these attacks seem to assume that the victim is being hit with a particular weapon/damage type. How would a club cut you in three for example? That mostly seems to just be a flavor issue though, readily resolved by a judgment call at the table. The guy's dead in any case, probably doesn't matter exactly how many pieces the corpse is in most of the time.

I love the lose shield/weapon options, that could really make for a dynamic battle scene with fun and interesting tactical options.

If a club "cuts you in three" I would describe it as smashing you into three pieces. Warhammer Fantasy gives great examples of how to reflavor crits (although their crit charts all assume the weapon in use is a hammer, so it's especially grisly, hurray!).

I've been considering lowering the base damage of a crit to x1 and a critical effect- the hit points in this system are pretty darn low! That would also mean that x3 weapons become x2... I'm not sure, but am giving that serious and active consideration.

Coming up: More schools, including polymorph, transmutation and illusion.

 

[the Jester]

Divination School Spells
Divination spells magically gather information.

Journeyman (must be 3rd level wizard, must have Int 11 or Wis 11): You gain access to the second valence of each divination spell you know.

Thaumaturge (must be 5th level wizard, must have Int 12 or Wis 11): You gain acccess to the third valence of each divination spell you know.

Mage (must be 8th level wizard, must have Int 14 or Wis 14): You gain access to the fourth valence of each divination spell you know.

01-20 --- Examine Aura
21-40 --- Foresight
41-60 --- Question Spirits
61-80 --- True Seeing
81-00 --- Wizard's Discernment

EXAMINE AURA (Divination)

1st Valence: You spend one minute examining an object or creature, maintaining physical contact with it while doing so. The dm makes an Intelligence or Wisdom check with a bonus equal to the highest divination valence you can cast, opposed by a Charisma check for the creature or object (you choose the dice). This check always fails on a 10 or less. If you succeed, you discern whether the object or creature is strongly aligned to a philosophical force such as good or evil. If you fail and your check was a 5 or less, you receive false information.

2nd Valence: You spend an hour examining an item, effect, area, etc. that you know to be magical, maintaining physical contact with it while doing so, and expend 100 gp in ritual components. (A pearl worth at least 25 gp can be substituted for components equal to double the pearl's value.) The dm makes an Intelligence or Wisdom check with a bonus equal to the highest divination valence you can cast, opposed by a Charisma check for the creature or object (you choose the dice). This check always fails on an 8 or less. If you succeed, you discern one quality of the magic item or learn that it is fully identified. If you fail and your check was a 4 or less, you receive false information. Whether you succeed or fail, you may then expend an additional 25 gp in ritual components and 15 minutes to make an additional check on the same dice and attempt to identify another property of the item in question (or a different item that you know to be magical). You may continue doing this as long as you have sufficient components and unidentified items.

3rd Valence: As a minor action, you read the emotional aura of one creature in within a range of 50'. You can tell its emotional state, whether it is hostile or friendly, whether it has a language, and the creature's types (anidian, beast, humanoid or ooze). If you spend a second minor action in the same round, you can also tell whether it is living, undead, elemental or a construct; whether it is native to the area and plane you are encountering it in; whether it is aware of you and any allies with you; and whether it is healthy, wounded, bloodied, diseased or cursed. You gain a +2 bonus to any skill checks to influence the creature, understand its motives or otherwise interact in ways where your reading might help for one minute.

4th Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature within 50'. If you hit, you can read the surface thoughts of the target until the end of the next round. You gain a +3 bonus to any skill checks to influence the creature, understand its motives or otherwise interact in ways where your reading might help while the effect persists, in addition to any information you gain by reading the target's mind.

5th Valence: You spend ten minutes handling and examining an object and receive a vision of your choice from the following list: its most recent possessor, the moment of its creation, the moment when visible changes were made to it (such as a crack or a fresh coat of paint), the moment of greatest emotional significance that it was present for or the moment of greatest historical significance that it was present for. Each vision is very short, lasting only a few seconds.

FORESIGHT (Divination)

1st Valence: As a standard action, you grant yourself limited prescience until the end of the next round. This gives you a +1 bonus to initiative. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence: As a standard action, you grant yourself limited prescience until the end of the next round. This gives you a +1 bonus to initiative, and you never grant combat advantage while this effect lasts. Sustain minor.

3rd Valence: As a minor action, you grant yourself or a creature you touch limited prescience until the end of the next round. The target gains a +2 bonus to initiative and never grants combat advantage while this effect lasts. Sustain minor.

4th Valence: As a standard action, you grant yourself limited prescience for one minute. You are immune to surprise and never grant combat advantage while this effect lasts. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus to initiative and a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex.

5th Valence: As a standard action, you grant yourself limited prescience for one minute. You are immune to surprise and never grant combat advantage or trigger opportunity attacks while this effect lasts. Additionally, you gain a +3 bonus to initiative and a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex.

QUESTION SPIRITS (Divination)

1st Valence: You spend an hour performing a ritual requiring 100 gp in ritual components to contact spirits that you can interrogate. You ask the spirits a question and the dm makes a Charisma check for you on 4d6. This check always fails on a 6 or lower. If you succeed, the spirit truthfully answers your question as best it can with a single word. If you fail, you receive no answer. If this check is a 6 or less, you receive a false answer. You may continue the ritual by spending another hour and another 50 gp in ritual components. The spirit you are interrogating knows nothing of anything more than one mile from its location, nor does it know anything about events more than one week in the past.

2nd Valence: You spend an hour performing a ritual requiring 200 gp in ritual components to contact spirits that you can interrogate. You ask the spirits a question and the dm makes a Charisma check for you on 1d20. If you succeed, the spirit truthfully answers your question with a single word. If you fail, you receive no answer. You may continue the ritual by spending another hour and another 50 gp in ritual components, but the dm makes your Charisma check on 4d6. This check always fails on a 6 or lower, in which case you receive a false answer. The spirit you are interrogating knows nothing of anything more than 10 miles from its location, nor does it know anything about events more than one month in the past.

3rd Valence: You spend an hour performing a ritual requiring 500 gp in ritual components to contact spirits that you can interrogate. You ask the spirits a question and the dm makes a Charisma check for you on 1d6. If you succeed, the spirit truthfully answers your question with a short answer of up to three words. If you fail, you receive no answer. You may continue the ritual by spending another thirty minutes and another 100 gp in ritual components, but each question adds 1d6 to the dice of your check. If you fail this check by at least 5, you receive a false answer. The spirit you are interrogating knows nothing of anything more than 100 miles from its location, nor does it know anything about events more than one year in the past.

4th Valence: You spend an hour performing a ritual requiring 1000 gp in ritual components to contact spirits that you can interrogate. You ask the spirits up to six question and the dm makes a Charisma check for you on 1d20 for each question. If you succeed, the spirit truthfully answers your question with a short answer of up to three words. If you fail, you receive no answer. If you fail by at least 5, you receive a false answer for that question. The spirit you are interrogating knows nothing of anything more than 250 miles from its location, nor does it know anything about events more than twenty years in the past.

5th Valence: You spend ten minutes performing a ritual requiring 100 gp in ritual components to contact spirits that you can interrogate, burning your own vitality to power the spell by taking 2d4 points of Constitution damage. You ask the spirits up to three question and the dm makes a Charisma check for you on 1d20 for each question. If you succeed, the spirit truthfully answers your question with a short answer of up to three words. If you fail, you receive no answer. If you fail by at least 5, you receive a false answer for that question. The spirit you are interrogating knows nothing of anything more than 500 miles from its location, nor does it know anything about events more than 100 years in the past.

TRUE SEEING (Divination)

1st Valence: As a minor action, you gain a +2 bonus to checks involving vision. You also halve any miss chance granted by concealment that you must check. These effects last until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence: As a minor action, you gain a +2 bonus to checks involving vision and the ability to see invisible creatures. You also halve any miss chance granted by concealment that you must check. These effects last until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

3rd Valence: As a minor action, you gain a +2 bonus to checks involving vision and the ability to see invisible creatures. You also halve any miss chance granted by concealment that you must check. If you are the target of an illusion spell, you gain a +3 bonus to the targeted defense. These effects last until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

4th Valence: As a minor action, you or a creature you touch gain a +3 bonus to checks involving vision and the ability to see invisible creatures. The subject also ignores any miss chance granted by concealment and is immune to the effects of illusions of the 1st valence. If a higher valence illusion targets the subject, it gets a +3 bonus to the targeted defense. These effects last until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

5th Valence: As a minor action, you or a creature you touch gain a +3 bonus to checks involving vision and the ability to see invisible creatures. The subject also ignores any miss chance granted by concealment and is immune to the effects of illusions of the 2nd or lower valence. If a higher valence illusion targets the subject, it gets a +3 bonus to the targeted defense. These effects last until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

WIZARD'S DISCERNMENT (Divination)

1st Valence: As a minor action, you gain the ability to see magic within 30' until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence: As a minor action, you gain the ability to see magic within 40' until the end of the next round. You can also discern whether a creature has a base spell attack of +1 or higher. Sustain minor.

3rd Valence: As a minor action, you gain the ability to see magic within 50' until the end of the next round. In the case of spells, prayers or effects with a valence, you can discern what valence they are. You can also discern whether a creature has a base spell attack of +1 or higher or +5 or higher and which of its non-AC defenses is highest. Sustain minor.

4th Valence: As a minor action, you or a creature you touch gains the ability to see magic within 60' until the end of the next round. In the case of spells, prayers or effects with a valence, you can discern what valence they are. The subject can also discern whether a creature has a base spell attack of +1 or higher or +5 or higher; whether it casts spells or prayers, and if so what the highest valence spell or prayer it can cast; and which of its non-AC defenses is highest. Sustain minor.

5th Valence: As a minor action, you or a creature you touch gains the ability to see magic within 80' for the next minute. In the case of spells, prayers or effects with a valence, you can discern what valence they are. The subject can also discern whether a creature has a base spell attack of +1 or higher or +5 or higher; whether it casts spells or prayers, and if so what the highest valence spell or prayer it can cast; and which of its defenses are highest and lowest. Sustain minor.

Illusion School Spells
Illusions fool the senses.

Journeyman (must be 3rd level wizard, must have Int 11): You gain access to the second valence of each illusion spell you know.

Thaumaturge (must be 5th level wizard, must have Int 12): You gain acccess to the third valence of each illusion spell you know.

Mage (must be 8th level wizard, must have Int 14): You gain access to the fourth valence of each illusion spell you know.
01-20 --- Invisibility
21-40 --- Mirror Image
41-60 --- Phantasmal Image
61-80 --- Phantasmal Killer
81-00 --- Phantom Ally

INVISIBILITY (Illusion)

1st Valence: As a standard action, you become invisible until you attack or the end of the next round.

2nd Valence: As a standard action, you become invisible until you attack or the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

3rd Valence: As a standard action, you touch a willing creature and it become invisible until it attacks, to a maximum of one minute. If you cast this spell upon yourself, you instead use a move action to do so and shift 10' after you become invisible.

4th Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a full action, you touch up to four willing creatures and they become invisible until the end of the next round. You may sustain the effect on two creatures with one minor action.

5th Valence: As a standard action, you touch up to six willing creatures and they become invisible until they attack, to a maximum of one minute.

MIRROR IMAGE (Illusion)

1st Valence: As a standard action, you create a duplicate of yourself that shimmers and shifts position, making it impossible to tell it from you. When a non-area attack targets you, it actually randomly targets you or the image of you. Your image's defenses are all 10, and any damage to it causes it to vanish. The image lasts until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence (recharges on a 10+): As a standard action, you create 1d3 duplicates of yourself that shimmer and shift position, making it impossible to tell them from you. When a non-area attack targets you, it actually randomly targets you or an image of you. Your images' defenses are all 10, and any damage to an image causes it to vanish. The images last until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

3rd Valence (recharges on an 18+): As a minor action, you create 1d3 duplicates of yourself that shimmer and shift position, making it impossible to tell them from you. When a non-area attack targets you, it actually randomly targets you or an image of you. Your images' defenses are all 12, and any damage to an image causes it to vanish. The images last until the end of the next round.Sustain minor.

4th Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a minor action, you create 1d4+1 duplicates of yourself that shimmer and shift position, making it impossible to tell them from you. When a non-area attack targets you, it actually randomly targets you or an image of you. Your images' defenses are all 12, and any damage to an image causes it to vanish. The images last until the end of the next round. You may spend one or two minor actions to sustain the images; if you spend two, you also create an additional image, to a maximum of 5.

5th Valence (recharges on a 19+): As a minor action, you create 1d4+1 duplicates of yourself that shimmer and shift position, making it impossible to tell them from you. When a non-area attack targets you, it actually randomly targets you or an image of you. Your images' defenses are all 12, and any damage to an image causes it to vanish. The images last until destroyed, to a maximum of one minute. While at least one image persists, you may spend a minor action to create an additional image 1/round, to a maximum of 6 images.

PHANTASMAL IMAGE (Illusion)

1st Valence: You create an illusion filling a 15' diameter area within 50' of you. The illusion affects only one sense of your choice. When a creature perceives the illusion, make an Intelligence check with a bonus equal to the highest Illusion valence you can cast opposed by the creature's Wisdom check (you choose the dice). If the illusion is missing sensory components (e.g. a slavering wolf that makes no sound) or is especially unbelievable, the creature receives a bonus to its check of from +1 to +5 at the dm's discretion. If you succeed, the creature believes the illusion is real. A creature may spend a minor action 1/round to attempt to disbelieve the illusion by making another opposed check against you. A phantasmal image cannot deal damage but can distract, deceive or fool a creature. The illusion lasts until the end of the next round or until a creature touches it. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence: You create an illusion filling a 20' diameter area within 50' of you. The illusion affects only two senses of your choice. When a creature perceives the illusion, make an Intelligence check with a bonus equal to the highest Illusion valence you can cast opposed by the creature's Wisdom check (you choose the dice). If the illusion is missing sensory components (e.g. a slavering wolf that makes no sound) or is especially unbelievable, the creature receives a bonus to its check of from +1 to +5 at the dm's discretion. If you succeed, the creature believes the illusion is real. A creature may spend a minor action 1/round to attempt to disbelieve the illusion by making another opposed check against you. A phantasmal image cannot deal damage but can distract, deceive or fool a creature. The illusion lasts until the end of the next round or until a creature touches it. Sustain minor. You may spend a move action to case the illusion to move up to 15' or to change its appearance (although it is limited to the senses you have chosen to affect until you create a new illusion).

3rd Valence: You create an illusion filling a 20' diameter area within 60' of you. The illusion affects three senses of your choice. When a creature perceives the illusion, make an Intelligence check with a bonus equal to the highest Illusion valence you can cast opposed by the creature's Wisdom check (you choose the dice). If the illusion is missing sensory components (e.g. a slavering wolf that makes no sound) or is especially unbelievable, the creature receives a bonus to its check of from +1 to +5 at the dm's discretion. If you succeed, the creature believes the illusion is real. A creature may spend a minor action 1/round to attempt to disbelieve the illusion by making another opposed check against you. A phantasmal image cannot deal damage but can distract, deceive or fool a creature. The illusion lasts until the end of the next round and is not dispelled by a touch. Sustain minor. You may spend a move action to case the illusion to move up to 15' or to change its appearance (although it is limited to the senses you have chosen to affect until you create a new illusion).

4th Valence: You create an illusion filling a 25' diameter area within 80' of you. The illusion affects four senses of your choice. When a creature perceives the illusion, make an Intelligence check with a bonus equal to the highest Illusion valence you can cast opposed by the creature's Wisdom check (you choose the dice). If the illusion is missing sensory components (e.g. a slavering wolf that makes no sound) or is especially unbelievable, the creature receives a bonus to its check of from +1 to +5 at the dm's discretion. If you succeed, the creature believes the illusion is real. A creature may spend a minor action 1/round to attempt to disbelieve the illusion by making another opposed check against you. A phantasmal image cannot deal damage but can distract, deceive or fool a creature. The illusion lasts until the end of the next round or until a creature touches it. Sustain minor. You may spend a move action to case the illusion to move up to 15' or to change its appearance (although it is limited to the senses you have chosen to affect until you create a new illusion).

5th Valence: You create an illusion filling a 30' diameter area within 100' of you. The illusion affects five senses of your choice. When a creature perceives the illusion, make an Intelligence check with a bonus equal to the highest Illusion valence you can cast opposed by the creature's Wisdom check (you choose the dice). If the illusion is missing sensory components (e.g. a slavering wolf that makes no sound) or is especially unbelievable, the creature receives a bonus to its check of from +1 to +5 at the dm's discretion. If you succeed, the creature believes the illusion is real. A creature may spend a minor action 1/round to attempt to disbelieve the illusion by making another opposed check against you. A phantasmal image cannot deal damage but can distract, deceive or fool a creature. The illusion lasts until the end of the next round or until a creature touches it. Sustain minor. You may spend a move action to case the illusion to move up to 15' or to change its appearance (although it is limited to the senses you have chosen to affect until you create a new illusion).

PHANTASMAL KILLER (Illusion)

1st Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature within 20'. If you hit, it perceives a terrifying phantom that no other creatures can see that attempts to devour it. The target takes 1d4 points of lethal Charisma damage.

2nd Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature within 30'. If you hit, it perceives a terrifying phantom that no other creatures can see that attempts to devour it. The target takes 1d4 points of lethal Charisma damage and ongoing 1d2 lethal Charisma damage (save ends on a 10+).

3rd Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature within 40'. If you hit, it perceives a terrifying phantom that no other creatures can see that attempts to devour it. The target takes 1d6 points of lethal Charisma damage and ongoing 1d2 lethal Charisma damage (save ends on a 13+).

4th Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature within 50'. If you hit, it perceives a terrifying phantom that no other creatures can see that attempts to devour it. The target takes 2d4 points of lethal Charisma damage and ongoing 1d3 lethal Charisma damage (save ends on a 15+).

5th Valence (recahrges on a 12+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against up to three creatures within 50'. If you hit, each perceives a terrifying phantom that no other creatures can see that attempts to devour it. The target takes 1d4 points of lethal Charisma damage and ongoing 1d3 lethal Charisma damage (save ends on a 15+).

PHANTOM ALLY (Illusion)

1st Valence: As a standard action, you create an illusory ally in one unoccupied square within 50' of you. The phantom ally's defenses are all 10. Enemies cannot enter its space, but any damage causes it to vanish. Allies can use the phantom ally to help determine flanking. The phantom ally remains until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence: As a standard action, you create an illusory ally in one unoccupied square within 60' of you. The phantom ally's defenses are all 10. Enemies cannot enter its space, but any damage causes it to vanish. Enemies adjacent to the phantom ally grant combat advantage. The phantom ally remains until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

3rd Valence: As a standard action, you create an illusory ally in an unoccupied space within 60' of you. At your option, the phantom ally may be medium or large sized, filling either one square or four squares. The phantom ally has one defense of your choice of 12; its other defenses are all 10. Enemies cannot enter its space, but any damage causes it to vanish. Enemies adjacent to the phantom ally grant combat advantage, and if an enemy moves away from it without shifting, that enemy takes 1d6 psychic damage. The phantom ally remains until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

4th Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a standard action, you create up to four illusory allies in unoccupied squares within 60' of you. The phantom allies' defenses are all 10. Enemies cannot enter the space of a phantom ally, but any damage causes it to vanish. Enemies adjacent to a phantom ally grant combat advantage. The phantom allies remain until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

5th Valence (recharges on an 18+): As a standard action, you create up to six medium or two large illusory allies in unoccupied squares within 60' of you. The phantom allies' defenses are all 12. Enemies cannot enter the space of a phantom ally, but any damage causes it to vanish. Enemies adjacent to a medium phantom ally or wtihin 2 squares of a large phantom ally grant combat advantage. If an enemy adjacent to a medium phantom ally or within 2 squares of a large phantom ally moves without shifting, it takes 1d4 psychic damage and you may maneuver it 10' after it finishes its move action. The phantom allies remain until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

Transmutation School Spells
While the polymorph school involves changing a creature's form, transmutation spells involve changing the nature or characteristics of a creature or material.

Journeyman (must be 3rd level wizard, must have Str 11 or Dex 11): You gain access to the second valence of each transmutation spell you know.

Thaumaturge (must be 5th level wizard, must have Str 12 or Dex 12): You gain acccess to the third valence of each transmutation spell you know.

Mage (must be 8th level wizard, must have Str 14 or Dex 14): You gain access to the fourth valence of each transmutation spell you know
01-20 --- Disintegrate
21-40 --- Flesh to Stone
41-60 --- Harden Substance
61-80 --- Modify Size
81-00 --- Rock to Mud

DISINTEGRATE (Transmutation)

1st Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature or object within 50'. If you hit, the target takes 1d8 points of damage that ignores all resistances except insubstantial and those that specifically protect against disintegration.

2nd Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature or object within 60'. If you hit, the target takes 1d8 points of damage that ignores all resistances except insubstantial and those that specifically protect against disintegration and gains vulnerable all 2 until the end of the next round.

3rd Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature or object within 60'. If you hit a creature, it takes 2d8 points of damage that ignores all resistances except insubstantial and those that specifically protect against disintegration, plus ongoing 5 damage (save ends on a 10+). If you hit an object, a cube up to 3' on a side is utterly destroyed.

4th Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature or object within 60'. If you hit a creature, it takes 2d10 points of damage that ignores all resistances except insubstantial and those that specifically protect against disintegration, plus ongoing 5 damage (save ends on a 10+; aftereffect: gain vulnerable 2 all until the end of the next round). If you hit an object, a cube up to 5' on a side is utterly destroyed.

5th Valence (recahrges on a 16+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature or object within 60'. If you hit a creature, it takes 2d10 points of damage that ignores all resistances except insubstantial and those that specifically protect against disintegration, plus ongoing 8 damage (save ends on a 15+; aftereffect: gain vulnerable 3 all until the end of the next round). If you hit an object, a cube up to 10' on a side is utterly destroyed.

FLESH TO STONE (Transmutation)

1st Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature within a range of 30'. If you hit, the target takes 1d4 points of Dexterity damage. If this reduces its Dexterity to 0, the creature is petrified.

2nd Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature within a range of 40'. If you hit, the target takes 1d6 points of Dexterity damage. If this reduces its Dexterity to 0, the creature is petrified.

3rd Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature within a range of 50'. If you hit, the target takes 1d6 points of Dexterity damage plus ongoing 1 Dexterity damage and slowed (save ends both on a 15+). If the damage reduces its Dexterity to 0, the creature is petrified.

4th Valence (recharges on a 10+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature within a range of 50'. If you hit, you deal 1d6 points of Dexterity damage plus ongoing 1d3 Dexterity damage (save ends on a 15+). If the damage reduces its Dexterity to 0, the creature is petrified.

5th Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a full action, make spell attacks vs. Fortitude against up to three enemies no more than 15' apart from each other. Each enemy hit takes 1d6 points of Dexterity damage plus ongoing 1d3 Dexterity damage and slowed (save ends both on a 15+). If the damage reduces a creature's Dexterity to 0, it is petrified. Alternatively, you can touch a petrified creature and restore it to flesh.

HARDEN SUBSTANCE (Transmutation)

1st Valence: As a full action, you touch an inanimate, nonliving object of medium or smaller size or up to one square of a surface such as a wall, floor, etc. The target gains resist all 3 for one minute.

2nd Valence: As a full action, you touch an inanimate, nonliving object of large or smaller size or up to four square of a surface such as a wall, floor, etc. The target gains resist all 5 for ten minutes.

3rd Valence: You spend ten minutes performing a ritual and touching up to four objects of huge or smaller size or up to twenty squares of a surface such as a wall, floor, etc. The ritual requires components worth 5 gp per square of surface of 25 gp per object protected. The target gains resist all 8 for one hour.

4th Valence (recharges on a 10+): As a standard action, you touch an inanimate, nonliving object of huge or smaller size or up to four square of a surface such as a wall, floor, etc. The target gains resist all 15 until the end of the next round.

5th Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a standard action, you touch an inanimate object or a square of surface such as a wall, floor, etc. The target gains resist all 15 until the end of the next round and is repaired of 3d6 points of damage.

MODIFY SIZE (Transmutation)

1st Valence: As a standard action, you cause an unattended, inanimate, nonmagical object of up to medium size that you touch to either grow or shrink one size category. This effect lasts until the end of the next round. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence: As a standard action, you cause an unattended, inanimate, nonmagical object of up to medium size that you touch to either grow or shrink one size category. This effect lasts for one minute. Alternatively, you can make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature that you touch to cause it to grow or shrink one size category until the end of the next round. A creature that shrinks takes a -2 penalty to melee attacks and damage but gains a +1 bonus to Reflex. Any exceptional reach it has is reduced by 5' and if it becomes tiny or smaller, its attacks without reach require the creature to enter an enemy's square to attack it. A creature that grows gains a +2 bonus to melee damage and a +1 bonus to Fortitude, and if it grows to large or larger size it gains a bonus of 5' to its reach with melee attacks. If you use this spell on a creature, you may sustain the effect with a minor action.

3rd Valence: As a standard action, you cause an unattended, inanimate, nonmagical object of up to medium size that you touch to either grow or shrink up to three size categories. This effect lasts for one minute, but for every 10 gp in ritual components you expend when you cast the spell, the duration increases by ten minutes.

4th Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature within a range of 30'. If you hit, you cause it to grow or shrink one size category until the end of the next round. A creature that shrinks takes a -2 penalty to melee attacks and damage and a -1 penalty to speed. Any exceptional reach it has is reduced by 5' and if it becomes tiny or smaller, its attacks without reach require the creature to enter an enemy's square to attack it. A creature that grows gains a +2 bonus to melee attacks and damage and Fortitude, and if it grows to large or larger size it gains a bonus of 5' to its reach with melee attacks. Sustain minor.

5th Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature within a range of 30'. If you hit, you cause it to grow or shrink two size categories until the end of the next round. A creature that shrinks takes a -3 penalty to melee attacks and damage and a -1 penalty to speed but gains a +2 bonus to Reflex and a +2 bonus on skill checks to conceal itself. Any exceptional reach it has is reduced by 10' and if it becomes tiny or smaller, its attacks without reach require the creature to enter an enemy's square to attack it. A creature that grows gains a +2 bonus to melee attacks and a +4 bonus to melee damage and Fortitude. If the creature begins with a reach of 0 and grows to small or larger size, it gains a reach of 5'. If it grows to large size, it gains a reach of 10', and for each additional size category it gains its reach increases by 5'. Sustain minor.

ROCK TO MUD (Transmutation)

1st Valence: As a full action, you cause a layer of natural unworked stone several inches thick to become mud at your touch. You can use this to create a muddy hole up to 3' in diameter and 3' deep in a stone object or create a single square of difficult terrain.

2nd Valence: As a standard action, you cause a layer of stone several inches thick to become mud at your touch. You can use this to create a muddy hole up to 3' in diameter and 3' deep in a stone object or create up to four contiguous squares of difficult terrain (at least one of which must be adjacent to you).

3rd Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Fortitude against a creature with the earth keyword within a range of 50'. If you hit, the target suffers a -3 penalty to all defenses (save ends on a 16+).

4th Valence: As a full action, you cause stone you touch to flow like mud and reshape it to suit your design. You can reshape a cube of stone up to 2' on a side as if were as soft as wet clay, molding it with your hands.

5th Valence: As a standard action, you cause a mass of stone to become mud. Using this spell, you can create ten squares of contiguous difficult terrain, create a muddly hole up to 5' in diameter and 5' deep in a stone object or create up to four squares of deep mud. (Any creature that starts its turn in a square of deep mud must make a Dexterity check on 4d6 to move out of the deep mud; any creature entering a square of deep mud immediately loses 15' from its remaining movement for the round.)

 

[the Jester]

I haven't yet done the prestige classes for these schools, but they're probably next up, followed by additional spheres for clerics.

My goal, eventually, is to not have the wizard and cleric locked into their starting spheres/schools- or rather, not all of them. My current rough plan is to have something like this for wizards:

Schools and Spells: You have studied the three schools of magic. Choose one from the list of schools associated with your highest ability score. Roll the other two randomly, or maybe they'll be locked in.

As for clerics, I'll prolly have them locked in to one or two domains that all deities offer (Healing) and then assign the others based on their deity.

 

[His Dudeness]

have you thought about starting a wiki?

I'm in the process of scavenging D&D modifications to make a game that fits the setting I'm writing and I like what I see.

Keep it up!

 

[the Jester]

have you thought about starting a wiki?

Oh heck no, I'm still too early in my design, although I'm really liking what I have so far. But I imagine before I hit version 1.0 it will undergo a lot of tweaks and changes.

I'm in the process of scavenging D&D modifications to make a game that fits the setting I'm writing and I like what I see.

Keep it up!

Thanks, I'm glad you're liking it. I am really enjoying the feedback people are giving and it has helped me spot a number of flaws, omissions and errors already!

 

[the Jester]

Here's yet another school, along with the specialist prestige classes associated with all the new ones I've done so far (although Conjuration is proving a little more challenging than I expected).

Teleportation School Spells
Teleportation spells allow instantaneous movement or travel into other planes.

Journeyman (must be 3rd level wizard, must have Int 11 or Dex 11): You gain access to the second valence of each teleportation spell you know.

Thaumaturge (must be 5th level wizard, must have Int 12 or Dex 12): You gain acccess to the third valence of each teleportation spell you know.

Mage (must be 8th level wizard, must have Int 14 or Dex 14): You gain access to the fourth valence of each teleportation spell you know.
01-20 --- Baleful Teleport
21-40 --- Blink
41-60 --- Filch
61-80 --- Plane Shift
81-00 --- Teleport

BALEFUL TELEPORT (Teleportation)

1st Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature you can touch. If you hit, you teleport small parts of the target's body, dealing 1d3 damage to it and inflicting a -1 penalty on its initiative for the next round.

2nd Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature you can touch. If you hit, you teleport the target to a solid surface within 30'.

3rd Valence: As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature you can touch. If you hit, you teleport small parts of the target's body, dealing 1d6 damage to it and inflicting a -1 penalty on its initiative, attacks and defenses until the end of the next round.

4th Valence: As an interrupt when a creature within 50' of you teleports, you inflict 3d4 damage on it (no attack roll required).

5th Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature you can touch. If you hit, you teleport the target anywhere within 50'.

BLINK (Teleportation)

1st Valence (recharges on an 18+): As an interrupt when a creature makes a melee attack against you, you teleport onto a solid surface within 15'.

2nd Valence (recharges on a 16+): As an interrupt when a creature makes an attack against you, you teleport onto a solid surface within 15'.

3rd Valence (recharges on a 15+): As an interrupt when you are hit by a melee attack you teleport onto a solid surface within 20'.

4th Valence (recharges on a 12+): As a move action, you move 10', phasing through solid objects along the way. (A thin sheet of lead prevents phasing through an object.)

5th Valence (recharges on a 15+): As an interrupt when you are hit by an attack you teleport anywhere within 30'.

FILCH (Teleportation)

1st Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a standard action, you touch an unattended object of small or smaller size and teleport it to a solid surface within 20'.

2nd Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a standard action, you touch an object of small or smaller size. If it attended by a creature, make a spell attack vs. Will against that creature. If you hit (or if the target is unattended) you teleport it to a solid surface within 30'.

3rd Valence (recharges on an 18+): As a standard action, you cause a medium or smaller unattended object within a range of 20' to teleport to a solid surface within 40' of it. Alternatively, you can do the same to an attended object, but you must make a spell attack vs. Will against the attending creature.

4th Valence (recharges on an 18+): As a standard action, you cause a medium or smaller unattended object within a range of 40' to teleport to a solid surface within 60' of it. Alternatively, you can do the same to an attended object, but you must make a spell attack vs. Will against the attending creature. If you spend an action point when you cast this spell, you may instead cause a large unattended object that you touch to teleport to a solid surface within 30' of it.

5th Valence (recharges on an 18+): To use this valence, you must first perform a ritual requiring 24 hours and 500 gp in components on an object of small or smaller size that you own. Then, when you cast this valence of this spell, that object teleports to you from any distance as long as it is on the same plane.

PLANE SHIFT (Teleportation)

1st Valence: As a standard action you cause an area within a range of 50' to become a zone of revelation 20' in diameter until the end of the next round. Within this zone, you can see translucent images of anything on a coexistent plane. Sustain minor.

2nd Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a full action, you fade into the Shadowfell until the end of the next round. While you are in the Shadowfell, you can faintly see translucent shapes in the world. On your turn in the next round, the only actions you can take are those that affect only things on the Shadowfell and to move your speed.

3rd Valence (recharges on a 16+): As a move action and up to two creatures that you touch you slip into the Shadowfell. (You must hit an unwilling creature with a spell attack vs. Will.) While you are in the Shadowfell, you can faintly see translucent shapes in the world. On your turn in the next round, the only actions you and your fellow travelers can take are those that affect only things on the Shadowfell and to move your speed.

4th Valence: You perform a ritual taking an hour. You and up to six willing companions either fade into the Shadowfell, translate into the Feywild, project into the Astral Sea or transition into the Elemental Chaos, at your option. You arrive 1-100 miles from your chosen destination in a relatively safe place. You remain on the alternate plane for 24 hours or until you spend three full actions in three rounds to end it, in which case you and any other subjects of the ritual within a range of 50' return to the world. Performing the ritual requires you to expend ritual components worth a base 1000 gp (to enter the Shadowfell or Feywild) or 10,000 gp (for the Astral Sea or Elemental Chaos), plus 200 gp per subject of the spell. If you spend an hour and ritual components equal to 10% of the base price, you can sustain the ritual for a day.

5th Valence (recharges on an 18+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature that you can touch. If you hit, you banish the target to either the Feywild or the Shadowfell, at your option.

TELEPORT (Teleportation)

1st Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a move action, you teleport onto a solid surface within 30'.

2nd Valence (recharges on a 15+): As a move action, you teleport onto a solid surface within 60'.

3rd Valence (recharges on an 18+): As a move action, you and a willing or unconscious ally within a range of 60' teleport, swapping places.

4th Valence: You perform a ritual that takes 10 minutes and create a temporary teleportation circle which opens until the end of the next round and leads to a circle within 100 miles for which you have the coordinates. You must expend ritual components worth 10 gp per mile that you will teleport.

5th Valence (recharges on an 18+): As a move action, you and up to three willing or unconscious allies within a range of 15' teleport up to 60'. You designate the destinations of each target.


Wayfarer
A wayfarer is a master of the lore of the Teleportation wizard school. To become a wayfarer you must already be a mage of the teleportation school (and thus have access to the 4th valence of that spell's schools).

WAYFARER ADVANCEMENT
When you gain a wayfarer level, add 3d10% to your Dexterity and 2d10% to your Intelligence. Once this reaches 100%, your ability score increases by one point.
Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points --- Features
1 --- None --- +1 Ref --- None --- Archmage of Teleportation
2 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Follow teleport
3 --- +1 spell --- None --- +1d4 --- Come to me

Archmage of Teleportation: You gain access to the 5th valence of the teleportation school's spells.

Follow Teleport (recharges on a 16+): When a creature within 40' of you teleports, you may teleport to a space adjacent to its destination as a reaction. Alternatively, when a creature teleports to a space within 40' of you, you may teleport to a space adjacent to it as a reaction.

Come to Me (recharges on an 18+): As a standard action, you teleport a willing or unconscious ally within a range of 60' to a space adjacent to you.


Diviner
A diviner specializes in the school of Divination. To become a diviner, you must already be a mage of the divination school (and thus have access to the 4th valence of that spell's schools).

DIVINER ADVANCEMENT
When you gain a diviner level, add 3d10% to your Intelligence and 2d10% to your Wisdom. Once this reaches 100%, your ability score increases by one point.

Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points --- Features
1 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Archmage of divination
2 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Ritual diviner
3 --- +1 spell --- None --- +1d4 --- Discern weaknesses

Archmage of Divination: You gain access to the 5th valence of the divination school's spells.

Ritual Diviner: Divination spells that take longer than a full action to cast take you half as long as normal to cast, and you need only spend half the normal value in ritual components for divinations that you cast that require ritual components.

Discern Weaknesses (recharges on a 14+): As a standard action, make a spell attack vs. Will against a creature within 50'. If you hit, you learn any vulnerabilities it has, which of its defenses is lowest and which of its ability scores is lowest.


Illusionist
An illusionist specializes in the school of Illusion. To become an illusionist, you must already be a mage of the illusion school (and thus have access to the 4th valence of that spell's schools).

ILLUSIONIST ADVANCEMENT
When you gain an illusionst level, add 3d10% to your Intelligence and 2d10% to your Charisma. Once this reaches 100%, your ability score increases by one point.

Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points --- Features
1 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Archmage of illusion
2 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Persistent illusion
3 --- +1 spell --- None --- +1d4 --- Persistent illusion improves

Archmage of Illusion: You gain access to the 5th valence of the illusion school's spells.

Persistent Illusion: When an illusion spell that you can sustain ends, roll 1d20. On an 18+, it lasts until the end of the next turn. At 3rd level, it instead lasts until the end of the next round on a 16+.


Transmorgifier
A transmorgifier specializes in the school of Polymorph. To become a transmorgifier, you must already be a mage of the polymorph school (and thus have access to the 4th valence of that spell's schools).

TRANSMORGIFIER ADVANCEMENT
When you gain a transmorgifier level, add 3d10% to your Dexterity and 2d10% to your Intelligence. Once this reaches 100%, your ability score increases by one point.

Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points --- Features
1 --- None --- +1 Fort --- None --- Archmage of polymorph
2 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Swift change
3 --- +1 spell --- None --- +1d4 --- Master transmorgifier

Archmage of Polymorph: You gain access to the 5th valence of the polymorph school's spells.

Swift Change (recharges on a 17+): As an interrupt, you cast a polymorph spell you know on yourself.

Master Transmorgifier: You may cast any polymorph spell that normally affects you on a creature you touch. (You may not combine this ability with your swift change ability.)

Transmuter
A transmuter specializes in the school of Transmutation. To become a transmuter, you must already be a mage of the abjuration school (and thus have access to the 4th valence of that spell's schools).

TRANSMUTER ADVANCEMENT
When you gain a transmuter level, add 3d10% to your Strength and 2d10% to your Dexterity. Once this reaches 100%, your ability score increases by one point.

Level --- Attacks --- Defenses --- Hit Points --- Features
1 --- None --- +1 Fort --- None --- Archmage of transmutation
2 --- None --- +1 Will --- None --- Transmuter's stance
3 --- +1 spell --- None --- +1d4 --- Expert transmuter's stance

Archmage of Transmutation: You gain access to the 5th valence of the transmutation school's spells.

Transmuter's Stance
Your transmutation spells target one extra creature or inanimate object or area.
Expert: You gain a +4 bonus to the recharge rolls of your transmutation spells.

 

[the Jester]

EXPERIENCE AND TREASURE

Treasure is the basic goal of an adventure: not merely the gathering of it and using it to improve one's gear, skills and relationships, but the spending of it for its own sake.

EXPERIENCE POINTS

GAINING EXPERIENCE POINTS
Experience points (or xps) are the main way a character advances. Once a character accumulates sufficient xp to gain a level, she must spend a full day resting, studying and training; this is in addition to any other training, time or cost requirements for gaining a level in a specific class (see the Advancement section). After she rests again, she awakens refreshed and with a bit more potency.

Experience points come from two sources: Overcoming Challenges and Frivolously Expending Treasure.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Pcs earn experience by defeating monsters, evading traps, navigating through social challenges, etc. However, it is important to realize what constitutes a challenge. For an event or encounter to be considered a challenge, failure must have serious consequences for the pcs. “Serious consequences” might not mean death, but a pc should not earn xp for a friendly arm wrestling match or a bar brawl where the stakes are a bump on the head and a small fine to pay for the damages. When in doubt, do not award xp.

FRIVOLOUSLY EXPENDING TREASURE
This is one of D&D Jazz' few explicitly gamist constructions. When a pc spends money frivolously, he gains experience points at a rate of 1 xp per gp spent frivolously. For money spent to earn the pc experience, it must be spent in a way that gives the pc nothing more than fleeting pleasure: feasting, ale and whores, drugs, downtime vacations, etc. If the character ends up with something on his character sheet in exchange for the money spent, it does not qualify. Likewise, money that improves the character's relationships, repairs damaged equipment, gains the character fame or notoriety, is donated to an organization that may later aid the pc or otherwise has any gain for the pc does not qualify. (However, note that a pc cleric could “spend money frivolously” by donating it to his church anonymously; as long as there is NO POSSIBILITY of a “return on investment”, the expenditure qualifies.)

This rule exists for the following reasons:

-To promote treasure-gathering as a primary pc motivation;
-To ensure that spending money on improving your character's gear is not always the best use for money;
-To help drain the pcs' resources so that those who become rich have given up something else.

THE PACE OF ADVANCEMENT
D&D Jazz is designed with a pace of advancement similar to 1e in mind. However, a great deal of the pacing is in the hands of the pcs, since they can decide to plumb more dangerous areas in search of greater treasure (which they can spend to gain xp) or stick to easier, less dangerous areas at the cost of slower advancement.

A character can never advance more than one level in one game session, and the pace should be substantially slower.

Ideally, pcs should level more and more slowly as they go up in levels.

All pcs use the same chart for advancement, as follows:

Experience Point Total --- Level
0 - 999 --- 1st
1,000 - 2,999 --- 2nd
3,000 - 5,999 --- 3rd
6,000 - 9,999 --- 4th
10,000 - 19,999 --- 5th
20,000 - 31,999 --- 6th
32,000 - 45,999 --- 7th
46,000 - 59,999 --- 8th
60,000 - 77,999 --- 9th
78,000 - 97,999 --- 10th
98,000 - 130,999 --- 11th
131,000 - 166,999 --- 12th
167,000 - 205,999 --- 13th
206,000 - 247,999 --- 14th
248,000 - 317,999 --- 15th
318,000 - 381,999 --- 16th
382,000 - 449,999 --- 17th
450,000 - 521,999 --- 18th
522,000 - 597,999 --- 19th
598,000 - 697,999 --- 20th
698,000 - 802,999 --- 21st
803,000 - 912,999 --- 22nd
913,000 - 1,027,999 --- 23rd
1,028,000 - 1,147,999 --- 24th
1,148,000 - 1,297,999 --- 25th
1,298,000 - 1,453,999 --- 26th
1,454,000 - 1,615,999 --- 27th
1,616,000 - 1,783,999 --- 28th
1,784,000 - 1,957,999 --- 29th
1,958,000 - 2,167,999 --- 30th

EXTRAPOLATING THE XP CHART TO HIGHER LEVELS: It is easy enough to figure the xp required to attain higher levels as follows.

Each level requires additional xp equal to Level * N to advance.

N is equal to 1,000 + 1,000 per five full levels attained.

Thus, from 1st to 4th level, a character needs Level * 1000 to advance; from 5th to 9th, a character needs Level * 2000 to advance; and so on (the top of the chart, 30th level, reaches the point where the pc requires Level * 7000 xp to advance).

TREASURE
Treasure is found in the hordes of monsters, in payment for services rendered, as a reward or hidden in ancient burial chambers. It is one of the primary goals for adventurers.

That said, remember the value of a gold piece. Only the mightiest monsters have hundreds or thousands of gold pieces; most have a much smaller amount of money. Eventually each monster will be assigned a Treasure Type (similar to 1e) but for now, determining the amount of treasure in a given horde is an exercise left to the dm, using the xp chart as a guide.

The best and greatest treasures, of course, are magic items.

Magic items are rare. Almost all have unique histories, and many have individual names. Just because a sword's only mechanical benefits are a +1 bonus to attack and damage doesn't mean it isn't a valuable historical artifact with a storied history as the blade of a great hero.

Consumable items are the exception. Since they are typically single-use, most consumable items don't have a history. Even here, though, there are cases where they do, such as a scroll penned by the famed Acererak containing a powerful spell nobody dares unleash.

Any type of magic item from D&D's history can be converted for use in this system with a little work. Typical magical treasure should be generated randomly but should be in use by its possessor (except in cases where that is impossible).

Pcs are free to provide the dm with “item wish lists” so long as those lists have plenty of room to be used as scratch paper before being mockingly discarded or are soft enough for the dm to use as toilet paper before flushing them away. If a pc wants a specific magic item, he should focus on learning the ritual in question and making it himself- which is far closer to 1e or 2e levels of difficulty as opposed to 3e or 4e levels of difficulty- or on locating and questing for the item.

CREATING MAGIC ITEMS
Creating magic items is an arduous and time-consuming process. To do so, a character must know the proper item creation ritual and the recipe for the item in question. The character must then perform the ritual, expend the required time, ritual components and ingredients and perform the various procedures required to create the item. If necessary, multiple creatures can work together to create the item, but all must work the entire time. Any interruption in the enchantment process will spoil it, with the loss of all ingredients and components; thus, most would-be item creators seclude themselves to make a magic item.

The item to be enchanted must be of high quality, although it can be disguised as a cheap or old item. The price to purchase such an item is anywhere from triple to ten times normal cost at a minimum.

Sometimes the enchantment process goes wrong, creating an item that is either cursed, intelligent or otherwise not as intended. Magic is never a sure thing. The more powerful an item is, the more likely it is to go awry, while the more powerful the creator is, the less likely it is.

INGREDIENTS
Most of the ingredients required for creating a magic item are subsumed in the cost of its ritual components and of buying the base item to be enchanted. All magic items require at least one ingredient that is not so easy to find, as specified in its description.

BUYING AND SELLING MAGIC ITEMS
Magic items are rarely for sale, but it happens once in a while. But what do they cost? There is no set cost, but look at the cost to create such an item for a beginning guideline. Note that, in addition to the cost of the components, the creator must go to the hassle of finding the ingredients, then must spend a great deal of time and effort to make the item. All that time and effort costs! On the other hand, an adventurer who is short of cash but recently found an item he cannot use might let it go at a much lower price than one would expect, especially if unaware of its properties and true value.

RANDOM MAGIC ITEM GENERATION
About 10% of discovered magic items should be cursed. About 50% of discovered magic items should be consumable.

The lists given should not be seen as exhaustive by any means.