Identifying spells being cast

[Xar]

The problem is that it kinda takes away the mystique of spellcasters. He is not "that guy that throws special effect after special effect" anymore but a "at least 7th level mage with an ice storm and haste". I better like to let my players know what spells are being cast by giving flashy descriptions than rolling dice, checking DC's and bonuses and plainly saying that it's a 'Fuzzikar's Fearfull Force'.
It is also disrupting the flow of the game. 3 players demanding what spells are being cast every time they see a spell effect gets quite annoying after a couple of rounds...

Also, I love to give the NPC's their own unique spells or to tweak around exsisting spells to give slightly different effects. Again, it would take away the mystique if I would plainly tell them that it seems to be an alternate version of Fireball, or to explain that they can't identify the spell (why not! we can identify everything! even divine spells we have never seen before!) .

So, any suggestions how to solve this?

 

[James McMurray]

The best solution, and most lasting one, would be an out of game solution. Sit down with your players and explain to them how it is disrupting the flow of the game. Let them know that you would prefer to runt he game differently. However, you should also be willing to compromise. the Spellcraft skill is fairly useful, and can make or break a combat in my game. For example, a NPC wizard cast Spell Turning. Had both the party sorcerer and wizard failed their Spellcraft checks, it would have been pretty painful for them.

What you have to do is find a medium where good description and Spellcraft rolls will allow the player characters to identify spells. Tell them you will let them know when to roll Spellcraft, and then stick to it. If an enemy casts a spell they could recognize, be sure to tell them to roll. If its a spell they couldn't recognize (because its new) then tell them not to bother.

Above all, it is necessary for DM and players to maintain a level of trust. Games are always much more fun and flow more smoothly when that occurs.

Finally, to counter any arguments of "but we can identify anythign" explain to them that the known spells (i.e. spell in the PHB, T&B, DotF, and any other supplements the group uses) are widely known spells that have been partof magical history for several hundred years, and are thus subject to instant recognition. However, any new spells, or variants, are not so widely known.

They should be able to get a vague idea of what the spell does, perhaps school and purpose (defensive, offensive, conjuring, etc.) But to actually learn the exact ranges, damage dice, etc. of such spells is beyond the scope of a Spellcraft check. After all, the wizard in question doesn't even know what "damage dice" and "saving throws" mean.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

Also, I love to give the NPC's their own unique spells or to tweak around exsisting spells to give slightly different effects. Again, it would take away the mystique if I would plainly tell them that it seems to be an alternate version of Fireball, or to explain that they can't identify the spell (why not! we can identify everything! even divine spells we have never seen before!) .

So, any suggestions how to solve this?

Piece o cake -
Each character must make two checks:
A knowledge Arcana check and a spellcraft check:

1. For spells in the PHB (or other "legal" book for your setting) that the PC may not have seen or heard of before, there exists a skill called knowledge arcana. (DC 15 + spell level reccomended) If they make the knowledge check; they can identify the exact spell.

2. For unpublished spells that are "unique" to a single character, or "published" spells upon which the PC has failed the knowledge arcana check, the PC or NPC still makes the spellcraft check, but they may only deduce the effect of the spell, the level of the spell, and the school of magic involved; not its actual "name".

You might apply the following modifiers to the base DC !5 + spell level check of knowledge arcana:

+2 Spell is of a general category uncastable by the character. (i.e. A wizard or psion attempting to identify an arcane spell)
+5 Spell is of a specific category uncastable by the character*
(i.e. A wizard attempting to identify a spell from a school barred to him)
+20 It is practically impossible; but a character may have heard of another character's unique spell indirectly.

You might apply a bonus to the knowledge check given any of the following;

+2 The character makes a Bardic Knowledge check DC 15 + spell level
+5 The spell is religously significant for the caster, and a character can make a knowledge = religion check to identify this spell as such. (i.e. Animate dead spell of a cleric of Nerull, the god of undeath).