Need help for a Cast-on-the-fly spell system

[SonOfLilith]

I've been working on a spell system that allows the caster to "creat" the spell they cast while there casting it.
Basicly:
There are 8 elements, and each element has a corisponding magic school.
Fire:Offensive
Earth: Defensive
Wind: Travel
Water: divination
Ice:Chrono
Lightning:Illusion
Positive:healing
Negitive: Death

there are also paraelements: Snow, Fog, Storm, Metal, Crystal, Magma, and Ash, as well as white and black (eg., White flame, Black Ice."

Now, when you cast a spell. You first chose the basic element oo magic class. Then you pick what type of range you want your spell to have (eg. ray, cone, cylinder, circle, sphere, slef, individual...you get the idea.) Different areas make spells "cost" more. (this is the trouble spot, I'll explain later.) Also, there are specific spells you can cast (flame jet, ect), and specific spells that "cost" more then one element (i.e. a spell that cost a fire and an earth might be "volcano" ect."

Now is where I ask for help. How much should things cost, and how would you determin how much a player has to spend? I was thinking of making it almost like a skill, where you put points into certain element types, then you can use thoes points to cast spells and increase range, ect. However, I don't know how maney points each character should get per. level and stuff like that. Any advice/comments are welcom and needed, but please try to be nice.

 

[Morrus]

Check out Mongoose Publishing's "Chaos Magic: Wild Sorcery" book. It's basically what you're describing:

http://www.enworld.org/d20reviews.asp?sub=yes&where=currentprod&which=ENCM

 

[RangerWickett]

Hmm. As things progress, I'm coming more and more to just think we should simplify things this way: you have x spell slots of a given level per day, and so each day you can cast up to x spells of that level. You know every possible spell, and can cast everything spontaneously.

So my 5th level wizard, with 5 1st level spells per day, can cast any 5 1st level spells each day. No preparation, no limits to spells known. Sure, it's overpowered, but it's simple.

 

[UD]

Check out the magic system in Talislanta 4th Edition, its not d20, but quite similar and with a little tweeking could be modified.

 

[FullTinCan]

Sean K Reynolds posted a cast on the fly magic system (http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/misc/magicsys.html).

Also in Asgard, issue #3 I believe, there is a mana point system.

 

[A'koss]

Once upon a time...

I went and created something very similar to what Sean has done, but for clerics alone. I warn you now, that while the *idea* of creating custom tailored spells on the fly is very attractive, I found the reality in play to be something else entirely.

Now YMMV, but now when a player is confronted by so many choices and so many modifiers - casting any spell can be ardious. The player is enivitably going to want to "play the numbers" so as to get the *most* benefit with the *least* amount of points and *tailored* to that specific instance. Naturally, the more familiar you are with the system the better, but there can be a ton (and I mean a *ton*) of DM-fiat when the player tries something which isn't cut and dried. Spells with secondary, unusual or multiple effects... You'll know more when and if you try and run it. I eventuallly just threw my hands up and said, "Forget it - back to standard spells.".

On that note, I do allow some latitude in the existing spells. Currently I'm allowing my path magic wizards free Spell Sculpting as per the feat and also allow them to scale down any die rolls for their spells. Eg. A 10 dice fireball can be shaped as desired (within the Sculpt Spell perameters) and can inflict anywhere from 1 to 10 dice using d1, d2, d3, d4 or d6 for damage (only up to the max. die allowed for the spell.)

This gives wizards a little more freedom without having to resort to the hair-pulling the custom spellcasting gave me.


A'koss.