[Grim Tales] Spell lists?

[Wrathamon]

curious if anyone has a spell list they use that they can share?
I was thinking of running a Grim Tales game (fantasy) and I am not an expert on spells and power levels and I was wondering if anyone had a handy spell list for a grim game that they have play tested that really worked out well?

thanks

 

[Old One]

The GT spell list is whatever you want it to be, based on genre and GM preference. The beauty of GT is that the GM has complete control over the spells introduced during play. In a "typical" GT game - a spell-caster might only know a handful of spells garnered from consulting ancient texts or making a deal with a powerful outsider.

Nothing prevents a GM from creating spell lists or setting up a mechanism for obtaining spells more easily (such as a School of Magic or a Church), but the system is designed for magic to be rare, fairly difficult to obtain and to retain a mysterious feel.

~ Old One

 

[Turanil]

-- For a "grim" setting I would not give typical flashy D&D spells such as magic-missiles, fireball, fly, or teleport. I would give more subtle spells, possibly borrowing heavily from other supplements.

-- Since caster level is dependant on the number of appropriate talents a caster has, rather than level, try to give spells which effects don't scale on level. For example, give Ice Storm rather than Fireball.

 

[tameszu]

-- For a "grim" setting I would not give typical flashy D&D spells such as magic-missiles, fireball, fly, or teleport. I would give more subtle spells, possibly borrowing heavily from other supplements.

-- Since caster level is dependant on the number of appropriate talents a caster has, rather than level, try to give spells which effects don't scale on level. For example, give Ice Storm rather than Fireball.

Then again, providing effects that scale on level actually reflect the low-magic setting better due to how hard it is to gain levels. This may be adequate to offset the "flash" or physical rule-breaking factor of level-variant spells. That is, that a Fireball initially deals 3d6 damage may be appropriate to the nature of the setting. In contrast, spells whose effects are level invariant (especially those that do not have a level-dependent duration) are significantly more powerful relative to their impact in regular D&D.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

-- For a "grim" setting I would not give typical flashy D&D spells such as magic-missiles, fireball, fly, or teleport. I would give more subtle spells, possibly borrowing heavily from other supplements.

That's good advice-- essentially, choose spells that are thematically appropriate.

I just ran a game that was a nod to the movie Dragonslayer. I wanted the spellcaster (a 5th level caster, actually, and pretty tough) to have some combat spells.

I gave him Stinking Cloud, Confusion, Greater Heroism, and for his main "offensive" spell, Call Lightning Storm.

All great combat spells, but nothing so "flashy" that it overtly breaks the rules of physics or intrudes too heavily on verisimilitude-- as fireball would do.

Wulf

 

[Turanil]

Then again, providing effects that scale on level actually reflect the low-magic setting better due to how hard it is to gain levels. This may be adequate to offset the "flash" or physical rule-breaking factor of level-variant spells. That is, that a Fireball initially deals 3d6 damage may be appropriate to the nature of the setting. In contrast, spells whose effects are level invariant (especially those that do not have a level-dependent duration) are significantly more powerful relative to their impact in regular D&D.

Its an opinion... I disagree with it. As a player, or even as a DM running an NPC, I wouldn't want to suffer a 3d6 spell-burn damage (for a 3rd level spell) to just inflict something like 9 points of damage on average, when a fighter type using a greatsword will potentially do as much without getting temporary strength damage. As such, IMO spells like Fireball are almost useless for a GT caster.

 

[Maester Luwin]

Hey Wulf was the wizard a 5th lvl Pc or was he a 5th LvL caster taking improved caster 4x with the magical adept talent making 5 caster LvL's. Love the game by the way! Thanks Maester Luwin

 

[Serps]

I'd stick to non-gamebreaking spells. I'd start spellcasters off with some small, self-limiting spells like Sleep and Endure Elements. if they want something flashier, then an arcane version of Produce Flame would make for a very good fireball-substitute. Given the lack of magical items around, Mage Armour or Shield would always be useful, even at caster levels 1-3. Eventually, they'll want higher-level spells, but by that time, you'll have a better idea about what's good and what's not.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Hey Wulf was the wizard a 5th lvl Pc or was he a 5th LvL caster taking improved caster 4x with the magical adept talent making 5 caster LvL's.

Character was a Dedicated 12, with Magical Adept and +4 Improved Caster Level. (His 1st level Dedicated Talent was Insight: Knowledge Arcana, I think.)

He also had the Spell Preparation feat.

He was built to cast spells.

 

[Maester Luwin]

That made more sense. Thanks for the info Wulf! Maester Luwin