Spontaneous Spellcrafting

[magic_gathering2001]

Does anyone have a rules set for spontanously creating spells (or any rules on mana based spell creation)?

 

[Frostmane]

You might try AEG's Magic..it has freeform spell creation rules.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

These rules were originally made for Dragonlance, but they are easily adaptable.

http://www.dl3e.com/fan/rules/11061.aspx

http://www.dl3e.com/fan/rules/11055.aspx

http://www.dl3e.com/fan/rules/11056.aspx

 

[jdrakeh]

Does anyone have a rules set for spontanously creating spells (or any rules on mana based spell creation)?

There are some extremely simple rules for freeform spellcraft in the Core Elements revised manual here. There are also some alternate rules for more horror-appropriate magic in the Strange Aeons download. Note that I no loger have anything to do with Core Elements and the new developer may have plans that I'm unaware of for the line (or I may be aware of those plans, but would rather he tell you about his super cool idea himself ).

 

[magic_gathering2001]

Frostmane: wHAT is AEG?

Galeros: My computer doesn't like your links

jdrakeh: where are the actual mechanics?

 

[jdrakeh]

jdrakeh: where are the actual mechanics?

If you mean 'Where are the charts, lists, etc. for creating spells?' - there aren't any (because that's not spontaneous). If you mean 'Where are the rules for spontaneous (i.e., on the fly) spellcrafting?' they're on pages 4-5 of the Core Elements Revised PDF and on pages 8-10 of the Strange Aeons Revised PDF.

That said, note that the very basic system in Core Elements is much less restrictive than that found in Strange Aeons (as the system therein is set up to emulate very specific genre conventions). In the Core Elements rules there are sevral 'schools' or types of magic that are good for certain things, each of which is represented by a skill. Characters can add ranks from multiple schools to achieve different spell effects.

Note that this means magic in Core Elements is actually skill-based and doesn't 'just happen' like a lot of d20 magic. This might be a deal-breaker for you.

[Edit: Click on the link in my previous post to get to the PDF files - the underlined word 'here' in the body of said post.]

 

[JimAde]

And of course there's Elements of Magic from EN Publishing. They just put out the Mythic Earth version on RPGNow:

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=5531&

I have EoM: Revised and it's very good.

 

[magic_gathering2001]

jdrakeh: Right its skill based but how does one determine the DCs

JimAde: I don't think that is what im looking for

 

[jdrakeh]

jdrakeh: Right its skill based but how does one determine the DCs

Common sense in Core Elements (an Easy DC is 5, Near Impossible is 30, and Average is 10 - per the SRD). It's really designed for people who posssess a working knowledge of d20. That said, Strange Aeons contains rules for assigning DCs based on whether the character is casting spells from memory or from a written text. The rules for DCs associated with casting from memory can be easily applied to spontaneous spell casting, as well.

Alternately, (an excerpt from something that I'm working on for my personal use)...

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Assigning a Difficulty Class

For saving throws or character actions that are not being actively opposed by another character or creature, you’ll need to assign a difficulty class (DC) ranging from 5 (easy) to 30 (near impossible) based on your best judgement. When a character is attempting to perform an action that is being actively opposed by an opponent, the player of the opposing character or creature makes a check and the result of that check serves as the DC.

Assigning Situational Modifiers

Situational modifiers are simply negative or positive die roll modifiers that you may stipulate a given player add or subtract from the result of a check they have made, based upon environmental factors or other such variables that may have a direct bearing upon an action being attempted. For instance, a you may assign a -8 situational modifier to a character’s attempt to scale a steep cliff face during the middle of a raging ice storm using nothing but their bare hands. Similarly, you may wish to assign a +5 situational modifier to a character attempting to climb the same cliff during the summer, in good weather, with a full compliment of proper equipment.
Ultimately, the situational modifier is a tool that gives you the ability to further adjust the difficulty of performing a given task in games of Hail & Kill based upon variables specific to the situation at hand.

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Even here, though, the hard and fast rule about DCs and Situational Modifiers is 'use you best judgement' - much as it is in any game that utilizes sliding difficulties. Trust in your ability to assess a situation and assign an appropriate DC to it.

 

[Frostmane]

AEG is the abbreviation for 'Alderac' the company that made 'Magic' and still makes Legend of Five Rings.