Power Components

Vhane

First Post
Rough Draft:

Power components for spells could have a variety of effects, all of which would be a DMs call.

Examples of effect types:

+1-4 caster levels for effect determination
+ bonus to DC
+ bonus to dice rolled in spell resolution
+ number of extra dice
changes in area of effect, range, duration, other all DMs call
Some could add to one aspect but subtract from others (duration Halved effect at +4 caster levels)

Samples

Fire bat Guano: increases potency of fire spells of the damaging sort. Adds +1 per die of damage SDM=5

Effreet Ichor: Increases fire spell potency by +2 to DC for saves SDM=10

Use of Power components

Spell Craft check (or Know Arcana?) DC 10 + Spell Level + Substance difficulty modifier(SDM)

Substance difficulty mod should be from 5-20. 5 being readily usable and 20 being very difficut to work with.

You could add as many substances as you are willing to add SDMs for.

Failure of the Spell Craft check ruins the spell.

Example from Samples:

Larry the Archmage wishes to cast a fire ball with Power Components. Being high level he has an empowered Fireball in memory, and some fresh Firebat guano and Effreet Ichor. Larry is 17th level.

Larrys player must hit a DC 30 to cast this spell using both of the power components

10+Spell Level 3 +2(empower) + 5 (Guano) +10(Ichor) = 30

If he makes it he gets 10d6 + 5d6(empower) +15(Guano) points of damage and the Save DC for his spell is +2 over what it would have been.

How does this system look? As long as a DM pays attention to what he gives his players it shouldn't be broken in that manner.
Until I come up with an idea to balance this in enchanting you cant. But if anyone sees a way please share.
 

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This is a good idea, but the DM would really need to control this. THis stuff could not be bought at the local store. You need to quest far and wide just to get a little. This really adds a use for Material Components. You could have different copments do different things for the same spell.

I like it!!:D
 


Vhane said:
We used the concept in the pre3e days. Its just that the mechanics were a pain back then.

Ya, I did something similiar to this with a mage who could cast using previously made compmants that he embued with spells.

d20 makes things like this so nice.
 

Crothian: Has anyone posted any good rules for Libraries? and or Labs? I'm looking for something of more substance than the +2 to Alchemy checks the rules offer. There should be some advantage to having a 50,000gp lab vs a 300gp lab or library. I know its role playing but it seems more real with an attatched mechanic.
 

Not that I've seen. For labs, I still use Aura's Realm Catalog for Forgootten realms it was a second eition product. I know I got that name wrong. In it is everything one needs to build a lab. It's all individually priced and you can know exactly what you lab has.

I have a list of mystical sounding books I use. Many of them were titles used in shows and books. I find it adds something to be able to say what is in one's library instead of just a saying it's filled with books. :D
 

In our campaign we recently compiled a few pages of book titles from various libraries and adventures we've made, I guess this means we'll start recycling now.

Aurora's Whole Realms Catelog, one of the best products for any campaign world ever.
 

Can you post your list of Book Titles? I'd love them to add them to my colection. I'm even a Bibliophile in game, how sad is that?:cool:
 
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