Dragon's Egg RPG - Magic

The magic system for this game is a homebrew combination of a number of systems, with some of my own ideas thrown in. Please ask any questions you have. I'm open to comments and suggestions for incongruities only; the basic system set forth here will not change. Below is provided an overview of how magic will work, with details for specific classes to come tomorrow. We'll see if anyone wishes to play a spell-caster after reading this.

Baseline Mana

All sentient races have a baseline innate ability to tap into magic. This is called Mana. For any non-caster, the number of base Mana Points available is equal to their greater of their INT or WIS modifier. Characters of spell-casting classes, at first level, have 6 + (relevant attribute modifier) Mana Points at level 1.

For example, a Fighter with an INT bonus of 2 and a WIS bonus of zero has 2 Mana Points. This will not change as he levels, absent some magical effect. A Wizard with an INT bonus of 2 has 8 Mana Points at level 1, and this number will increase as he levels.

Every spell requires Mana to cast. The amount of Mana required is equal to the level of the spell, plus one. Thus, a zero level spell requires 1 point of Mana to cast. A third level spell requires 4 points of Mana. A character can attempt to cast any spell they know, regardless of the level of the spell, provided they have sufficient Mana (they can attempt it even if they do not, as outlined below).

Once a spell is cast, the Mana used regenerates at an hourly rate equal to the character's level. Thus, a level one character gains 1 Mana Point per hour. If the character is suffering from "negative Mana" (see below) the character gains ¼ point per level per hour until she is in positive territory.

Although Mana is used, the traditional D&D idea of preparing spells also comes into play. A caster can prepare a certain number of spells per day, depending on class and level (see below) in order to cast the spell quickly at a later time. Spells that are not prepared in advance may still be cast if the character has enough Mana, but may take longer. Non-caster classes may not prepare spells in advance.

How Spells are Cast

Spells that draw on Elven life-energy (such as healing spells) are cast as normal. There is no check needed to ensure that the spell is cast successfully, so long as the spell belongs to the spell list of the class of player attempting to cast it. Casters casting life-energy spells not on their spell lists must make a check, at a penalty (as must all casters attempting spells not on their class lists). There is no penalty for failure other than the lost Mana. Non-caster classes may not attempt to use Elven life-energy.

All other spells are subject to checks in order to ensure that the spell is cast successfully. To make the check, the player rolls a d20, adds the appropriate attribute modifier (INT or WIS), and adds her caster level. The difficulty for the check is 12 plus the spell's level for casters. For all others, it is a standard ability check, with Prime / Non-Prime abilities factoring in as normal. Mana Points are spent whether or not the casting is successful.

If the spell check is successful, the party is greatly relieved. If the spell check is not successful, the caster must make a saving throw in order to control the runaway magic that results from the failed cast. Non-caster classes have no experience in dealing with runaway magic and get no save. If the caster's save to control runaway magic is successful, there are no other negative consequences.

If the save to control runaway magic is unsuccessful (or if there is no save), the runaway magic has an effect. The effect can be mild for low-powered spells, and can cause serious injury or death to the caster and those around her for powerful spells. The more "corruption" a caster has (see below), the more likely the effect is to be bad.

If the spell check made by the caster fails by five points or more, the caster must make a save against corruption or become tainted by the forces she has drawn upon. In this situation, a caster always gains at least one point of corruption, and if the spell attempted is higher than her caster level, she gains a number of corruption points equal to the difference between the level of the spell and her caster level. For example, a third level caster who fails to cast a fifth level spell and suffers corruption will gain two corruption points. Corruption not only worsens the effects of runaway magic, it can also start to manifest as physical or mental effects over time, if the caster accumulates a great deal of it. A non-caster must make a save against corruption on any failed spell attempt.

A caster may attempt to cast a spell when she has insufficient Mana. By doing this, she opens herself up bodily to the forces of magic and attempts to call on more than she can safely handle. The spell check is made at a penalty of -10, and the caster receives negative Mana whether or not the spell is successful. If such an attempt fails, there is always runaway magic.

 

Below are the spell lists for the various classes, with level 0 and level 1 spells provided. To begin the game, you pick whichever spells you want to flesh out your currently known spells. From that point forward, spells have to be discovered in-game.

NOTE: Casting spells from another classes spell list means you only add half of your caster level to your roll to get the spell off. When new spells are found, I'll tell you what spell list they go with.

Spells Known

Wizard and Illusionist

A Wizard or Illusionist with an INT of 12 or lower begins play with 4 Level 0 spells and 2 level 1 spells; with a INT of 13 or higher, the character receives 3 level 1 spells.

Cleric and Druid

A Cleric or Druid with a WIS of 12 or lower starts with 4 level 0 spells and 2 level 1 spell; with a WIS of 13 or more, the character gets 3 level 1 spells.

Spell Lists

Below are lists of spells, by class and level, that the characters may start with. An (L) is provided after the name of any spell that draws on life magic rather than the more dangerous sort. If you don't see a description after a spell it means it has been described on a previous list.

Cleric

Level 0:

Create Water - creates 2 gallons of pure water.
Detect Chaos / Evil / Good / Law - reveals an aura around creatures, spells, or objects.
Detect Magic - detects a magical aura and its strength in a 50' path
Detect Poison - detects poison in one creature or small object
Endure Elements - protects from natural elements and weather
First Aid (L) - stops bleeding from a wound and prevents infection
Light - an object shines like a torch
Purify Food and Drink (L) - makes spoiled, contaminated, or otherwise rotten food or water pure

Level 1:

Bless - allies gain +1 to hit and +1 on saves versus fear
Bless Water - makes holy or unholy water
Command - subjects obey a one-word command for one round
Cure Light Wounds (L) - cures 1d8 of damage
Detect Secret Doors - reveals hidden doors within 60 feet
Detect Undead (L) - reveals undead within 60 feet
Invisibility to Undead - undead cannot perceive the subject
Protection from Law / Chaos / Good / Evil - +2 to AC and saves, plus other defenses
Remove Fear - protects against fear; grants new save versus fear
Resist Elements - grants +2 bonus to saves versus selected element
Sanctuary - opponents cannot hit the caster; negated if subject attacks
Shield of Faith - aura grants +2 bonus to AC and saves
Sound Burst - pulse of sound causes 1d8 damage

Druid

Level 0:

Create Water
Detect Neutrality - reveals creatures, spells or objects
Detect Poison
Endure Elements
First Aid (L)
Know Direction - the caster discerns north
Light
Purify Food and Drink (L)

Level 1:

Alarm - wards an area and alerts caster to intruders
Animal Friendship - gain a permanent animal companion
Calm Animals - calms animals, beasts, or magical beasts
Detect Snares and Pits - reveals natural or primitive traps
Entangle (L) - plants entangle everyone in 50 feet (plants must be present)
Faerie Fire - outlines target with light, cancels concealment and provides +1 to hit against target
Goodberry (L) - produces 2d4 goodberries, each curing 1 hp (max 8 hp/day)
Invisibility to Animals - animals cannot perceive subject through sight
Magic Stones - three stones gain +1 attack, 1d6+1 damage (thrown or used in sling)
Obscuring Mist - fog surrounds caster and obscures all sight
Pass Without Trace - subject leaves no track or scent
Shillelagh - makes a club a +1 weapon (1d6+1 damage)

Wizard

Level 0:

Arcane Mark - inscribes a personal rune, visible or invisible
Dancing Lights - creates figment torches or other lights
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Endure Elements
Ghost Sound - creates figment sounds
Light
Mage Hand - telekinesis of objects five pounds or less
Mending - makes minor repairs to an object
Message - short, whispered communication at a distance
Open/Close - opens or closes small or light things
Prestidigitation - performs minor tricks or tasks

Level 1:

Alter Size - object or creature grows or shrinks 10%/ level (max 50%)
Burning Hands - 1d2+1/level fire damage
Change Self - changes the caster's appearance
Charm Person - makes one person the caster's friend
Comprehend Languages - understand spoken and written languages
Erase - mundane or magical writing vanishes
Feather Fall - creatures or objects fall slowly
Floating Disk - 3 foot diameter horizontal disk that can hold 1000 pounds
Hold Portal - holds a door shut
Identify - determines a single feature of a magic item
Jump - make astounding leaps for 1 minute/level
Magic Missile - Strikes for 1d4+1 damage; +1 missile per 2 levels
Protection from Good / Evil / Law / Chaos
Read Magic - read magical writings
Shield - raises AC and blocks magic missile
Shocking Grasp - electric touch deals 1d8+1/level damage
Sleep - put 2d4 HD of creatures to sleep
Spider Climb - grants ability to walk on walls or ceilings
Summon Familiar - summons and binds a unique companion to wizard
Unseen Servant - creates invisible force that obeys caster's commands

Illusionist

Level 0:

Arcane Mark
Dancing Lights
Detect Illusion - detects illusions along a 50' path
Dragon Mark - creates a dragon sound on the other side of a door
First Aid (L)
Ghost Sound
Influence - a temporary charm
Light
Magical Aura - grants an object a false magic aura
Message
Mending
Prestidigitation

Level 1:

Change Self
Charm Person
Color Spray - knocks unconscious, blinds, or stuns 1d4+1 level worth of creatures
Darkness - 20 foot radius of supernatural darkness
Daze - creature loses next action
Dragon Armor - phantom armor grants +1 AC to anyone the caster touches
Dragon Image - illusion of dragon and breath weapon; 1d6 damage
Erase
Faerie's Glamour - makes another appear to be the illusionist
Head Fog - victim suffers -4 to hit for 1d4+1 rounds
Hypnotism - fascinates 2d4 HD of creatures
Illusory Hounds - two hounds distract opponents
Minor Dark Chaos - whiplike tendrils cause 3 hp damage; last 2 rounds
Obscuring Mist
Read Magic
See Invisiblity - reveals invisible creatures or objects
Silent Image - creates minor visual illusion
Undetectable Aura - masks a magic item's aura
Ventriloquism - throws voice or sound
Ward's Temporary Strength - +1 STR for 1 turn/level


If you want more information about any spell, just let me know.

 

I'm traveling all weekend, so most of these questions will have to wait until Monday when I get back.

As far as anyone knows, there is no way to remove corruption once a caster has been touched by it. I'll take a look at negative mana at higher levels, but keep in mind that in this system the chances of accumulating stacking bonuses sufficient to wipe out a -10 penalty are very slim.

 

@tbgg

The way the system is set up (which is subject to change as we go along depending on how it plays out, particularly at higher levels, but which will never change to make it harder for casters), is that you roll d20, add your appropriate ability modifier, and add your level.

So Thak, the level 2 caveman shaman with an Int modifier of +1, rolls a d20 and adds 3 to try to get spells off.

The rolls needs to meet or exceed 12 plus the spell's level. So if Thak is casting a level 1 spell he needs to roll a 13 to get the spell off. If he misses, he has to repeat the roll to try to stop any runaway magic. It's the exact same roll - d20+INT Mod+ level, and the result has to be 13 or more to avoid runaway magic.

If the initial spell check missed by 5 or more, Thak gets one point of corruption, unless he makes still another check and succeeds this time (as initially envisioned you always get at least one point of corruption in this scenario. If you're casting a spell more than one level higher than your caster level, the number of corruption points you get is equal to the spell's level minus your caster level).

I have a table for runaway magic and corruption, but they haven't been shared since magic is a great unknown, even to PCs that play with it. Runaway magic has immediate effects, corruption is more long-term. For example, a wizard with lots of corruption points might develop physical disfigurements.

Let's just say the worst runaway magic could potentially kill off the party as well as their enemies, but that's impossible until you get to higher level spells and much more likely if you have a low level wizard trying to cast a very high level spell--the runaway magic increases in severity as the caster misses the save roll by greater numbers. So if a level 1 wizard tries a level 9 spell and misses the runaway magic save by rolling a total of 5, the difference between what the wizard needed (21) and what he rolled (5) is 16 and you start to see some pretty nasty effects. A ninth level wizard trying to cast that same spell could, at worst, miss the roll by only 11, assuming they roll a 1 and have no INT modifier. The difference between missing a spell by 11 and by 16 is significant. If you miss the roll by 20 or more you're really in trouble.

Missing by 20 or more is more of an issue with non-casters. They don't get to add caster levels, and they don't get a save against runaway magic. A target roll even for a spell of, say, 4th level, could be 22, for example, as in the situation of a fighter trying to cast a level 4 spell (the baseline needed is 18, plus the level of the spell). Unless the fighter has an Int modifier of +3, she needs a natural 20 to get the spell off. If Int Mod=3, she'd still need a 19. If she misses there is automatic runaway magic based on how badly she missed. If she rolled a 1, for example, she'd have missed the roll by 19 to 21 points and all hell would break loose (fighter likely wouldn't live to tell the tale).

I have the natural 20 rule to keep it interesting. That means there is always a possibility for anyone to get any spell off. Once, at a table-top session, the entire party was down--dead or dying--except for the fighter, who managed to grab the wizard's spell book in a last ditch effort to keep the party alive. He tried to cast fireball. Amazingly, the guy rolled a natural 20 and the cheers that went up around the table were deafening.

The spell casting system is house-ruled based on some things my old table top group came up with in play, as well as some other gaming systems that use dangerous magic systems. It is open to input from players, because the playtesting has been limited, especially at high levels. For instance, initially even healing spells were subject to these same spell casting rules. It became apparent fairly quickly that this tilted the campaign too far to the dangerous side. Players who came in with backgrounds in something like Warhammer might roll with it, but people with D&D backgrounds didn't want characters dying left and right. So now healing-type spells don't require a check, the rationale being that the magic for those spells comes from a separate, uncorrupted source. Likewise, though no one is playing a dwarf, the dwarven rune magic comes from a different source (but is more difficult to use for specific effects, at least at first).

Magic being dangerous is a core part of the world lore (and tied to the party's quest), so it is important that it be there. However, playing casters needs to be fun and have rewards as the players move along.

I hope the above makes sense.

 

#1 yes.

#2 traditionally it has been two checks, but if there's no runaway magic one can argue against corruption so let's go with that. Helps casters a bit.