I recently began a new campaign world, and put a lot of thought into its development. One of the key concepts is that everything is "new". With less than 30 wizards in the world, I had to make some heavy changes to the wizard class. If you'd like to know more about the system, or the world let me know and I'll post some info.
These changes were made to promote the idea of spell research in the field, instead of a lab. In the world there are three magical practices for wizards, each specializing in a different area of magic. To represent this, and to give all wizards a reason to travel I added in a few new systems. Research Points, Channeling and Seeds. Research points allow a wizard more freedom to design his or her own spells, and are also used in channeling. Channeling is a wizard “testing” magical theory by tapping into a node of power, and seeds are items/materials infused with magical energy, that allow a wizard to tap into these nodes or can be used to reduce the cost of creating spells.
Following changes to the abilities of wizards:
Spells: A wizard will not gain the normal two spells upon gaining a new level. A wizard will have research points to use on spells they want to gain. Wizards begin play with all zero level spells from the PHB, four 1st level spells from the players handbook, and 1 + their intelligence modifier in research points. In addition, a wizard receives 1 bonus players handbook spell of their choice from a level they can cast upon advancing to a new level.
Familiar: Wizards do not gain a familiar as normal at first level, they gain their familiar at 3rd level instead.
Research Points: A wizard gains (new level + intelligence modifier) in research points each time he goes up a level. These points represent the studying he has done during his adventurers, and his trial and error with magical affects. Wizards may be given bonus research points for completing research in play, and gain bonus points on an exceptional “risk”, explained below. These points may be spent in the following way:
Buying PHB Spell: Cost to buy a spell from the PHB.
Buying Other Spell: Cost to purchase a spell printed in any book other than the PHB.
Making His Own Spell: This is the cost to create your own spell. The cost to create this spell can be modified by having seeds related to the spells function. Use the spell damage step chart below to figure out what level of spell a damaging spell should be. For functional spells, consult existing spells to get an idea of what level the spell should be.
Modifying Energy: This is the cost to create a different version of a spell already known. Such as changing a fireball spell to a coldball spell. The wizard must already know a version of the spell he wishes to alter.
Amplifying Spell: This is the cost to make an already known spell more powerful than it was before. This cost represents one “Step” up on the spell creation chart. Such a step could change magic missile to 1d6 +1 damage per missile, or fireball to 1d8 per level. Researching an amplified spell grants the character 2 research points once the spell is completed.
Completing a Thesis: Must be at least 5th level. The wizard publishes a spell they have personally researched prior to writing the thesis. The thesis is then circulated through the wizard community. The thesis is a detailed description of the spell created. It gives you the advantage of the Arcane Thesis feat for the chosen spell. It also gives other wizards a +2 bonus on spellcraft rolls to identify the spell, and makes it available for them to research at the “Buying other book spell” cost. After completing the thesis, your character gains an additional research point per level. The cost of writing a thesis increases each time it is done.
Seeds: Special items exist in the world, infused with arcane power. These research components can be used to reduce the cost of developing new spells. They can be used to lower the material cost and the research point cost of any spell, depending on their power.
The seed items are very specific in their uses, though. An example would be the brain juice of a mind flayer. Such a component could be used to reduce the costs of telepathy, whispering wind, power word stun, or dominate person.
Channeling: A wizard gains this ability at second level, and it improves as they level according to the chart below. By “Risking” research points, a wizard can attempt to create greater effects with their spells, by taping into the latent power of areas around them or the magic contained within seeds.
To channel, the wizard must first locate a power node. Most nodes are too weak to access without a seed of the same type, but some are so powerful it is practically impossible to fail to channel. To locate a node, the wizard must first cast Detect Magic, or Arcane Sight. Then they make a spellcraft roll against the DC listed below:
Once a node has been located, or is already known the wizard may attempt to channel his magic through the latent power. To do this, he can either “risk” research points or expend a seed. The wizard may risk his own research points, or use points that exist within a seed.
Elemental Burst: Instead of increasing a spell, a wizard can attempt to channel direct spell energy from their source node. This spell has a type the same as the nodes, and deals a number of dice of damage up to the highest level spell memorized. Source node determines range and die type. All elemental bursts give a save as a spell of that level.
Node/Seed Strength Die Type Area
Faint 1d4 5 foot spread
Moderate 1d6 15 foot line or 10 foot cone
Strong 1d8 20 foot line or 10 foot radius with close range
Overpowering 1d10 50 foot line or 15 foot radius with medium range
Casting: Once the node type, and risk costs have been determined the character then begins to cast the spell. He must make a spellcraft check. If the check fails, he must then make a fortitude save. Both DCs listed below:
Spellcraft DC = 20 + Spell Level + Risk Cost
Results: If the spellcraft roll succeeds, the character gets the desired results. If it succeeds and the wizard rolled a natural 20, he receives a reward of 1 bonus research point. If points were risked, the wizard keeps them on a success. If a seed was used, the points are expended regardless.
On a failed roll, the wizard looses the invested research points if they were risked. If a seed was used it looses the invested points plus one. The character then must make the fortitude save.
Fortitude DC = 15 + Caster Level + Risk Cost
Fortitude Save results:
Failed by 1-5: Shaken for 1d4 minutes
Failed by 5-10: Suffers 1 point of constitution damage, is exhausted, and the above
Failed by 10-15: Stunned for 1d4 rounds, and the above
Failed by 15+: Suffers 1d6 constitution damage plus all of the above
These changes were made to promote the idea of spell research in the field, instead of a lab. In the world there are three magical practices for wizards, each specializing in a different area of magic. To represent this, and to give all wizards a reason to travel I added in a few new systems. Research Points, Channeling and Seeds. Research points allow a wizard more freedom to design his or her own spells, and are also used in channeling. Channeling is a wizard “testing” magical theory by tapping into a node of power, and seeds are items/materials infused with magical energy, that allow a wizard to tap into these nodes or can be used to reduce the cost of creating spells.
Following changes to the abilities of wizards:
Spells: A wizard will not gain the normal two spells upon gaining a new level. A wizard will have research points to use on spells they want to gain. Wizards begin play with all zero level spells from the PHB, four 1st level spells from the players handbook, and 1 + their intelligence modifier in research points. In addition, a wizard receives 1 bonus players handbook spell of their choice from a level they can cast upon advancing to a new level.
Familiar: Wizards do not gain a familiar as normal at first level, they gain their familiar at 3rd level instead.
Research Points: A wizard gains (new level + intelligence modifier) in research points each time he goes up a level. These points represent the studying he has done during his adventurers, and his trial and error with magical affects. Wizards may be given bonus research points for completing research in play, and gain bonus points on an exceptional “risk”, explained below. These points may be spent in the following way:
Code:
[B]Research Points Materials Time*[/B]
Buying a PHB spell: spell lvl 100g x spell lvl 1 day x spell lvl
Buying other spell: spell lvl + 2 150g x spell lvl 3 days x spell lvl
Making his own spell: caster lvl +2 200g x caster lvl 1 week x spell lvl
Modifying Energy: spell lvl 50g x spell lvl 1 day x spell lvl
Amplifying Spell: caster lvl +1 300g x caster lvl 1 week x spell lvl
Specialty School: -1 -- -1 day x wizard lvl
Completing a Thesis: (1+thesis)xcaster lvl 1000g x wizard lvl 1 week x spell lvl
[SIZE=2]Cost: No spell can ever cost less than 1 research point.
Time*: All times are a minimum of 1 day.[/SIZE]Buying Other Spell: Cost to purchase a spell printed in any book other than the PHB.
Making His Own Spell: This is the cost to create your own spell. The cost to create this spell can be modified by having seeds related to the spells function. Use the spell damage step chart below to figure out what level of spell a damaging spell should be. For functional spells, consult existing spells to get an idea of what level the spell should be.
Modifying Energy: This is the cost to create a different version of a spell already known. Such as changing a fireball spell to a coldball spell. The wizard must already know a version of the spell he wishes to alter.
Amplifying Spell: This is the cost to make an already known spell more powerful than it was before. This cost represents one “Step” up on the spell creation chart. Such a step could change magic missile to 1d6 +1 damage per missile, or fireball to 1d8 per level. Researching an amplified spell grants the character 2 research points once the spell is completed.
Completing a Thesis: Must be at least 5th level. The wizard publishes a spell they have personally researched prior to writing the thesis. The thesis is then circulated through the wizard community. The thesis is a detailed description of the spell created. It gives you the advantage of the Arcane Thesis feat for the chosen spell. It also gives other wizards a +2 bonus on spellcraft rolls to identify the spell, and makes it available for them to research at the “Buying other book spell” cost. After completing the thesis, your character gains an additional research point per level. The cost of writing a thesis increases each time it is done.
Code:
Spell Creation Chart:
[B]Spell level Single Multiple Dice Steps[/B]
1 5 -- 1d6 NL, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8
2 10 5 Same
3 10 10 1d6, 1d8, 2d4, 1d10, 2d6
4 15 10 Same
5 20 15 1d8, 1d10, 2d6, 2d8
6 20 15 same + chance death*
7 25 20 1d10, 1d12, 2d6, 2d8
8 25* 20 same
9 30* 25 1d10, 2d6, 2d8, 2d10
* These levels of spells are capable of inflicting instant death, though number
of dice and size of dice need to be stepped down.Seeds: Special items exist in the world, infused with arcane power. These research components can be used to reduce the cost of developing new spells. They can be used to lower the material cost and the research point cost of any spell, depending on their power.
The seed items are very specific in their uses, though. An example would be the brain juice of a mind flayer. Such a component could be used to reduce the costs of telepathy, whispering wind, power word stun, or dominate person.
Channeling: A wizard gains this ability at second level, and it improves as they level according to the chart below. By “Risking” research points, a wizard can attempt to create greater effects with their spells, by taping into the latent power of areas around them or the magic contained within seeds.
To channel, the wizard must first locate a power node. Most nodes are too weak to access without a seed of the same type, but some are so powerful it is practically impossible to fail to channel. To locate a node, the wizard must first cast Detect Magic, or Arcane Sight. Then they make a spellcraft roll against the DC listed below:
Code:
[B]Node Strength DC* Example[/B]
Faint 20 Scene of an animal death, weak seed, after a storm
Moderate 20 Magnetic iron veins, graveyard, fork in a river
Strong 18 Powerful seed, glacier, volcanic vent
Overpowering 10 Volcano, during an earthquake, lightning strike
*Arcane Sight gives a +10 bonus to the roll.Once a node has been located, or is already known the wizard may attempt to channel his magic through the latent power. To do this, he can either “risk” research points or expend a seed. The wizard may risk his own research points, or use points that exist within a seed.
Code:
[B]Effect Cost*[/B]
Apply a known metamagic feat to the spell Feat adjustment
Apply an unknown metamagic feat Feat adjustment x 2
Change the energy type 1
Cast an already cast spell Spell level
Increase caster level Level increase +1
Elemental Burst Number of dice +1
[SIZE=2]Cost*: Strong Nodes have a 50% chance of lowering the final cost of the effect by 1 and
an overpowering node has a 50% chance of lowering the final cost by 1d4 -1. These cost
changes do not affect the DC of the casting rolls below.
Metamagic feats without adjustments have a minimum cost of one point. Sudden
metamagic feats cannot be applied.[/SIZE]Elemental Burst: Instead of increasing a spell, a wizard can attempt to channel direct spell energy from their source node. This spell has a type the same as the nodes, and deals a number of dice of damage up to the highest level spell memorized. Source node determines range and die type. All elemental bursts give a save as a spell of that level.
Node/Seed Strength Die Type Area
Faint 1d4 5 foot spread
Moderate 1d6 15 foot line or 10 foot cone
Strong 1d8 20 foot line or 10 foot radius with close range
Overpowering 1d10 50 foot line or 15 foot radius with medium range
Casting: Once the node type, and risk costs have been determined the character then begins to cast the spell. He must make a spellcraft check. If the check fails, he must then make a fortitude save. Both DCs listed below:
Spellcraft DC = 20 + Spell Level + Risk Cost
Results: If the spellcraft roll succeeds, the character gets the desired results. If it succeeds and the wizard rolled a natural 20, he receives a reward of 1 bonus research point. If points were risked, the wizard keeps them on a success. If a seed was used, the points are expended regardless.
On a failed roll, the wizard looses the invested research points if they were risked. If a seed was used it looses the invested points plus one. The character then must make the fortitude save.
Fortitude DC = 15 + Caster Level + Risk Cost
Fortitude Save results:
Failed by 1-5: Shaken for 1d4 minutes
Failed by 5-10: Suffers 1 point of constitution damage, is exhausted, and the above
Failed by 10-15: Stunned for 1d4 rounds, and the above
Failed by 15+: Suffers 1d6 constitution damage plus all of the above
