Post by Zulgyan on Jul 25, 2019 0:29:06 GMT -6
So I started revising some spells for my next campaign with the intention of:
1. Seeing more casting of spells that get little love.
2. Simplifying and clarifying some spells.
Hold Portal: A spell to close and hold shut a door, gate, coffin, chest, or the like. Creatures hit by the closing portal might get damaged. A strong anti-magical creature will shatter the enchantment and a Knock or Dispel Magic negate it. Range: 30". Duration: 2d6 Turns.
Light: to cast a bright light in a circle 30" in diameter. Creatures that are undead, or are used to darkness, will have -1 to hit and -1 morale while this spell is in effect. It may also aid in finding secret doors at the dark dungeons (+1 in d6). Duration: 6 turns +1 per level.
Notes: the spell is more power and useful now. And I like the flavor of it
Magic Missile: a conjured missile that hits automatically and does 1d4+1 damage to any creature it strikes. For every two levels the magic-user has attained he may add an additional missile, so a 3rd level magic-user may cast two missiles, an 5th level magic-user three, and so on. Missiles can be divided between multiple targets. Range: 30".
Protection from Evil: This spell hedges the conjurer or someone else with a ward to keep out attacks from undead, demons and summoned or possessed creatures. Such enemies must successfully save vs. magic before attacking the receptor of the spell. It also serves as an "armor" from various evil attacks, adding a + 2 to all saving throws and making evil enemies attack at -2 penalty. Duration: 6 turns.
Read Magic: The means by which the incantations on an item or scroll are read. Without this spell, a scroll is unintelligible even to a magic-user. The caster may also understand magical runes inscribed in swords, maps or whatever. Duration: 1 Turn (enough for 1 or 2 readings).
Read Languages: The magic-user will be able to read a language unknown to him, follow the directions of a map or help decipher a coded message, and so on. Duration: enough to read up to small book (1 or 2 hours approx.).
Sleep: this spell affects 2d8 hit dice of creatures (enemy or friend) in a 30" area, making them fall into a deep slumber (will only awake with a hard hit). Creatures of lower hit dice fall first. Creatures with hit dice 4+1 or above are immune to this effect. So are creatures that don’t normally sleep (such as undead). Range: 24". Duration: 8 hours.
Unseen Servant: this spell invokes a non-visible force (1 HD) that obeys the command of the magic-user. It can carry only light-weight items (a maximum of 200 gold pieces), but twice that amount moving across a relatively friction-free surface such as a smooth stone or wood floor. It can open normal doors, drawers, lids, pull levers, enter keys, sweep the floor, etc. The Unseen Servant cannot fight or push people and is harmed only by magic. Duration: 6 turns +1 per level.
Charm Person and Detect Magic, no changes.
What do you guys think?
1. Seeing more casting of spells that get little love.
2. Simplifying and clarifying some spells.
Hold Portal: A spell to close and hold shut a door, gate, coffin, chest, or the like. Creatures hit by the closing portal might get damaged. A strong anti-magical creature will shatter the enchantment and a Knock or Dispel Magic negate it. Range: 30". Duration: 2d6 Turns.
Notes: the spell can now also close from afar an open door. It can also affect more objects, basically everything that can be shut. If something gets caught in the shutting door or object, the spell can deal damage. Typically 1d6 but it could be more in the case of a heavy gate!
Light: to cast a bright light in a circle 30" in diameter. Creatures that are undead, or are used to darkness, will have -1 to hit and -1 morale while this spell is in effect. It may also aid in finding secret doors at the dark dungeons (+1 in d6). Duration: 6 turns +1 per level.
Notes: the spell is more power and useful now. And I like the flavor of it
Magic Missile: a conjured missile that hits automatically and does 1d4+1 damage to any creature it strikes. For every two levels the magic-user has attained he may add an additional missile, so a 3rd level magic-user may cast two missiles, an 5th level magic-user three, and so on. Missiles can be divided between multiple targets. Range: 30".
Notes: 1d4+1 are the iconic magic missiles, to me. You also have to wait less for it to begin to scale.
Protection from Evil: This spell hedges the conjurer or someone else with a ward to keep out attacks from undead, demons and summoned or possessed creatures. Such enemies must successfully save vs. magic before attacking the receptor of the spell. It also serves as an "armor" from various evil attacks, adding a + 2 to all saving throws and making evil enemies attack at -2 penalty. Duration: 6 turns.
Notes: more types of creatures affected, a bigger bonus, can be cast on friends, and the spell also has a "Sanctuary" effect (AD&D spell). It's a reasonable interpretation of the original text "hedges the conjurer round with a magic circle to keep out attacks from enchanted monsters".
Read Magic: The means by which the incantations on an item or scroll are read. Without this spell, a scroll is unintelligible even to a magic-user. The caster may also understand magical runes inscribed in swords, maps or whatever. Duration: 1 Turn (enough for 1 or 2 readings).
Notes: spell now works like a pseudo-identify (not complete rules-info but hints).
Read Languages: The magic-user will be able to read a language unknown to him, follow the directions of a map or help decipher a coded message, and so on. Duration: enough to read up to small book (1 or 2 hours approx.).
Notes: can "help" decipher codes with a hint, if I want the deciphering be more about player skill. Otherwise it straight deciphers the code.
Shield: Shield: By means of this spell the user imposes a self-moving magical barrier between himself and his enemies. It provides the equivalent of class 2 armor vs. missiles and class 4 armor vs. other attacks, and negating any magic missiles cast at the user. Duration: 2 turns. Duration: 2 turns.
Notes: added magic missile immunity. Might want to add ability to cast shield on others for more versatility.
Sleep: this spell affects 2d8 hit dice of creatures (enemy or friend) in a 30" area, making them fall into a deep slumber (will only awake with a hard hit). Creatures of lower hit dice fall first. Creatures with hit dice 4+1 or above are immune to this effect. So are creatures that don’t normally sleep (such as undead). Range: 24". Duration: 8 hours.
Notes: straight 2d8 roll for simplicity. I'm still not sure if it should allow a save or not. With no save it's the MUST CHOOSE spell at level 1, cause it's too powerful.
Unseen Servant: this spell invokes a non-visible force (1 HD) that obeys the command of the magic-user. It can carry only light-weight items (a maximum of 200 gold pieces), but twice that amount moving across a relatively friction-free surface such as a smooth stone or wood floor. It can open normal doors, drawers, lids, pull levers, enter keys, sweep the floor, etc. The Unseen Servant cannot fight or push people and is harmed only by magic. Duration: 6 turns +1 per level.
Notes: imported and adapted from AD&D. It's a spell I love and provides a missing "small telekinesis" edge to the low level magic user. It covers somewhat what the "Floating Disk" spell does, too.
Ventriloquism: As the name implies, this spell allows the user to make the sound of his voice issue from someplace else, including such places as a statue, animal, etc. He may also imitate perfectly the voices of other creatures, in their own language. Range: 6". Duration: 2 turns.
Notes: can now imitate the voices of other creatures, including their language! Not sure about this one.
Charm Person and Detect Magic, no changes.
What do you guys think?
Personally I prefer 2-7 damage but see also 
