Harry Potter Inspired Spell

[Michael Morris]

I may slide this into Art of Magic. It's inspired by the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. I haven't playtested it yet.

[bq]
Animated Writing
Illusion (Glamer) [Blue]
Level: (0), Sor/Wiz 0, Brd 0
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 0 ft; see text
Effect: One 1'x1' animation
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell allows you to scribe animated text or pictures onto a 1 square foot surface. The animation can be up to one second / caster level in length. It plays continously while viewed. The spell lasts as long as the surface it is cast upon endures. This spell can be ended by an erase spell.
Material Component: Special inks costing 1 gp per casting.
[/bq]

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Wouldn't a duration of Instantaneous be better? Unless you wished it to be particularly vulnerable to Dispel Magic and similar effects, of course.

 

[Michael Morris]

Wouldn't a duration of Instantaneous be better? Unless you wished it to be particularly vulnerable to Dispel Magic and similar effects, of course.

A spell that's instantaneous can have lasting effects - but those effects won't detect as magical (though they can be identified as magic created effects).

This cantrip should detect as magical even after it is cast. Anyone looking at the page should see that magic is at work (even if it is for taunting classmates). Since magic is present even after casting, the duration is permanent.

This cantrip is a rudimentary permanent image, though it's much smaller in scope than it's 6th level big brother. The spell's vulnerability to dispel magic isn't a consideration in it's creation - though yes - it should be dispellable.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

What's the material component?

 

[Michael Morris]

What's the material component?

Special Inks costing 25 gp per spell casting sound good? It would fit in with the rich kids who used the spell being able to waste their time and money on such taunting.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

That fits the standard formula... but it seems like rather a lot of money for such a small effect. Of course, it is a permanent effect.

What about a drop of ink from each of the seven colors?

Does this spell need to be cast upon parchment specifically? The spell description implies that it does... although most DMs would consider that merely an example.

 

[Michael Morris]

That fits the standard formula... but it seems like rather a lot of money for such a small effect. Of course, it is a permanent effect.

What about a drop of ink from each of the seven colors?

Does this spell need to be cast upon parchment specifically? The spell description implies that it does... although most DMs would consider that merely an example.

Hmm.. Probably better to follow the example of the symbol spell series (symbol of death, symbol of pain, et al) Hence

[bq]
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 0 ft; see text
Effect: One animated writing
Duration: Permanent
[/bq]

And drop the cost to 1 gp. I'll apply edits to the first post.

 

[Sigurd]

Is this animation or evocation?

Are you trying to skillfully animate a quill to write in a normal fashion? Or are you trying to make letter magically appear on a page.

If the quill is being animated I think this could be a fairly common concentration testing/training spell for wizards. Duration should be limited by concentration check.

Concentration would have to both animate the quill and see the quill's perspective in their minds eye.

An unseen entity that actually does the writing might also be possible.

sigurd

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Well, I have no problems with that mechanics-wise. Ten minutes is quite a long time to work on something that will presumably be used as a prank. I favor the one-minute casting time, myself.

Silly question: just how much information can be stored in this animation? With sufficiently small print and a fast shifting of the image, one square foot can display a terribly large amount of text even in a second, particularly if there's some means available of perceiving the image more slowly.

 

[Michael Morris]

Are you trying to skillfully animate a quill to write in a normal fashion? Or are you trying to make letter magically appear on a page.

If the quill is being animated I think this could be a fairly common concentration testing/training spell for wizards. Duration should be limited by concentration check.

Concentration would have to both animate the quill and see the quill's perspective in their minds eye.

An unseen entity that actually does the writing might also be possible.

sigurd

The spell creates animated writing - A magically powered cartoon. This has nothing to do with the quill.