Elements of Magic: Questions for the Designer

[RangerWickett]

RangerWickett,

Could you clarify how Evoke Acid's extended damage works?

Kemrain's explanation is correct. Regardless of how much damage the initial Evoke Acid spell does, you can spend 1 MP to have acid cling to things struck for another round, doing 1d6 damage. The benefit of this is that the damage is enduring, so it forces spellcasters to make Concentration checks without having to ready an action to hit them as they start casting.

I do, however, very much like Primitive Screwhead's idea, since it evokes memories of Aliens and their acid blood chewing through steel.

 

[RangerWickett]

Here's one about free cantrip effects, and targeting.

If I cast a Create Shadow 1/Gen 0 spell to make my natural weapons deal 1d6 Shadow damage, can I throw in a 0MP Gloom effect for free?

Can I cast Create Shadow 1/Gen 0 on both of my swords at once, or only one of the pair? (I'd rather enchant my swords than my claws, but I'll take what I can get.)

Kemrain the Clawed Gloom.

Sure, take the gloom for free.

As for the question of two swords, hmm. I'd run this by having you take the 'discerning' enhancement and choosing two targets - the two swords. So for Create Shadow 1/Gen 1, sure.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Transform.. and standardization

Greetings!

I was perusing the boards and ran across a debate on the Polymorph spells, which led to the WOTC articles on the topic. They have done a pretty good job of showing how to adjudicate those spells.

In TEoM, there really isn't the same level of detail, kind of an 'all or nothing' approach. Since changing shape has lots of rules issues, I would like to steal WOTC's work on the detail.

Any comments on the idea of having 3 types of transform, purchased similar to the side effects of Evoke lists:
Ambient 0MP, as the Alter Self spell
Moderate 3MP, as the Polymorph spell
Major 5MP, as the Shapechange spell
The spell would still have the cost for HD differences.


I am looking at the potential of standardizing all the lists into the side-effect like categories for simplicities sake. I am not sure how feasable this is, but I figure it could cut down on some of the tables. I prefer either common tables or easy to calculate formula.. mainly becuase I am a computer geek and would rather have a spreadsheet than a pencil and paper.

 

[Kemrain]

I would also like to see the Transform lists explained more thoroughly. My game can not use the current CR system, and our game's economy is completely different so the Create list limitations are scued. I'd be interested in alternative methods of determining MP cost, or at least a clarafication of your intent behind the rules.

I'm also curious about why, with Transform spells, you get the Supernatural and Spell-Like abilities of the form you take. That's a very powerful change to the system from Core, and I wondered why you'd made that decision.

Off topic, what do you think of this feat? I'm not sure how balanced it is...

Adaptive Dispelling
If you succeed on the Spellcraft check to determine the Spell Lists involved in a spell you intend to counterspell, your Dispel Magic check is modified as if you knew some, but not all of the spell lists involved, even if you don't and the spell uses only one list. In addition, treat the Dispel Magic DC as if the dispeller spent 2 more MP than they actually did, upto the dispeller's MP limit.

I'm not sure what to have for prerequisites, save for 5+ ranks in Dispel.

- Kemrain the Adaptive.

 

[Kemrain]

I've had the idea of modifying a PrC's casting progression by giving a caster level every other level, and granting them a level of Overcharge for the remaining levels. Overcharging increases your MP limit, without effecting your caster level, MP, spell lists, or anything else. I'm toying with the idea that the Overcharged MP can only be spent on General enhancements, but haven't decided on it yet. I also haven't decided on whether or not to have a cost to Overcharging. It would cost the full MP ammount, and when you're casting above your level you run out of MP much faster, but the idea that for each MP over your Caster Level costs a HP is interesting. We play in a Grim and Gritty game, so I doubt costing HP will fly, but, it's an idea.

Any thoughts?

- Kemrain the Overcharged.

 

[RangerWickett]

The Transform spell list deserves to be revised a smidgen. The guidelines of Create and Transform for making objects of a particular value are there mostly to keep people from creating houses or magnificent full plate at low level, and if you use a different monetary system, just eyeball it. You shouldn't be able to afford large structures early on.

As for creatures, well, that's where it needs a bit of revising. Now first I will say that I fully stand by my decision to have Transform grant supernatural and spell-like abilities. If you want to just have a beefy body, pick Transform Animal and be a dire critter. If you want to look like a beholder but not have its magical abilities, use the Cosmetic enhancement (0 MP) with maybe another 1 or 2 MP tossed in because you're larger, though that won't actually help you since beholders don't get reach.

What does need revising is that the system doesn't take advantage of the 3.5 Level Adjustment rules in the Monster Manual, and it ought to. I plan to get to that soon.


The feat Adaptive Dispelling seems a bit too good. It's balanced if you don't include the second benefit of +2 pseudo-MP, but as is it's granting effectively a +5 bonus to a skill check in a specific circumstance. That's good enough, I think.

I don't quite understand the 'overcharge' you're discussing.

 

[Kemrain]

Okay, let's see if I can't explain it better.

Overcharge:
Say a 10th level Mage has the Overcharge ability from, somewhere. She is a 10th level caster, with all the spell lists, signature spells, and MP of a 10th level caster. However, because of the Overcharge ability, she can cast 11MP spells. You should be able to get this ability more than once, as a class ability.

Optional Modifications to this idea:
Each time you cast an overcharged spell you take damage equal to the ammount of MP spent over your caster level. (Just an idea, don't much like it.)

Overcharged spells require a Caster Level Check to cast succeddfully, and failure to make the CLC causes the spell to fail, and the MP to be spent. (Perhapse you take Damage equal to the Overcharged MP. I like this idea better.)

Overcharged MP can only be spent on General enhancements.

Sorry for being unclear. Perhapse this idea could be a Metamagic feat, or a class ability. I'm just curious to know what you think. There are feats that bump your MP, Number of Spell Lists, Signature Spells, but not MP Limit.

- Kemrain the Optional.

 

[RangerWickett]

Well, let me post the next teaser for Lyceian Arcana, then. I'll see what you think of it.

 

[Kemrain]

Well, let me post the next teaser for Lyceian Arcana, then. I'll see what you think of it.

The next teaser? You posted one already?! Where?!

- Kemrain the Needy.

 

[Kemrain]

RW, thank you for the teasers. I'm really looking forward to Lycean Arcana. I really like the rules for ritual casting, and my GM was psyched when he read them. It's just what he was looking for, for his campaign. (Massive spell to Lock the Plane, like in your teaser.) The Godhand looks useful, but I doubt we'll use it in our game just yet. That said...

More than one caster combinging their power to cast a spell is great, but it's not what I'm looking for with the aforementioned Overcharge ability. What I wanted with that was a way to cast higher MP spells, while not giving more Signature Spells, Cantrips, Spell Lists or MP. (In our game we don't have free Cantrips, we double that number and call them "Spells per Day," costing one each time you cast a spell [but not use a Magic Skill.]) I wanted to know what you thought of the idea, outside of the context of the PrC I'm building that will utelize the ability. I'll post my class iseas in my next post, if theres no objections.

- Kemrain the Overmastered.