Making Incantations more Accessable

[shadowlight]

If you're an evil DM (and who isn't?), you can keep the incantation DCs secret

Oooooh. . . I like it! I think I'll make their Knowledge (arcana) rolls in secret as well... that way they'll have no idea (other than from my descriptions) whether it failed or succeeded....

 

[shadowlight]

I would be careful about the CON damage, it can kill a PC pretty quick, especially those Mystic types.

1d6 Con damage shouldn't kill them, but it would severely limit how frequently they could try the incantation. I think I'll use Con damage as backlash for failed incantations though... I'd like the mystic types who can make the high DCs to be able to cast more than one incantation every week.

 

[Nifft]

From what I've seen in the media -- Buffy, Charmed, etc. -- the idea of Backlash from successful casting is important, too. Especially as a measure of "caster level" -- a high level caster isn't someone who can do what a lower level guy can't do, he's just a lot more likely to survive doing it twice in a row!

-- N

 

[shadowlight]

From what I've seen in the media -- Buffy, Charmed, etc. -- the idea of Backlash from successful casting is important, too. Especially as a measure of "caster level" -- a high level caster isn't someone who can do what a lower level guy can't do, he's just a lot more likely to survive doing it twice in a row!

-- N

I think I'll probably have incantations with effective-levels of higer than 2 start doing nonlethal damage (maybe Xd6 where X is the equivalent spell level).

 

[shadowlight]

By the way, I just picked up Modern Magic by The Game Mechanics and it has a great system of low level spell seeds (used just like in Urban Arcana/Arcana Unearthed) to make less powerful incantations (some where in the 20s for the DCs). It also has "Laws of Magic" (that are basically different ways to decrease the DC modifier) and Ritual Tools (which are magical foci that give you a bonus on your Knowledge check).

It's pretty good and fills out my d20 Modern - Buffy meets Dark*Matter style magic system.

 

[jeff37923]

How about instead of Con damage, have the incanter suffer Charisma damage to represent how the incanter's personality has been affected by the backlash of the incantation? Its just a thought that might allow for some interesting role-play.