Trappings (to borrow a term from Savage Worlds)

[Siberys]

One thing that I do quite a lot in my games is reskinning - for example, a player in a 4e game I ran last year wanted a soulknife. We made an Avenger, modified some keywords and descriptions, and ran with it.

What I'd like to see is what Savage Worlds already does with Trappings - make this sort of reskinning a normal part of the game, and explained right in the rules. It helps to cut down on needless repetition of rules elements while at the same time allowing a greater variety of effects.

I personally doubt this will become as central to D&D as it is in SW - named, individual spells are a hallmark of the game, after all - but I would be very impressed if it were. I mean, I'll still use it in 5e if I end up playing it - no reason not too - but how do you think it would go over if it were assumed? What do you all think of Trappings?

 

[amerigoV]

As a Savage, I LOVE trappings. In a Ptolus game (with SW) I am running a Psionist -- and it actually feels like one to me since for the first time the spell effects match exactly what they should (because I get to define them). As a GM, I love them even more since I can customize the enemy. For example, I am going to run Village of Hommlet at Origins this year. I just converted Lareth over. So he gets to actually cast spells that have some relationship to spiders (Lolth) instead of generic "hold person" (although I am still deciding between web effect or spider appears on your neck and bites with a paralysis poison effect).

D&D could do it, but it would require their to be some balance between energy/damage forms. Otherwise, everyone will be a Sonic caster (since almost nothing is resistant to sonic damage). But as you say, it probably will not happen due to the "named" spells.