More uses for Spell Slots in a Vancian World

I don't know about all gamers or other people's games, but from playing D&D for over 30 years I know this has happened to me more than a few times...my favorite class are Magic-users (Wizards, Arcanists, Arcane Spellcasters, however you want to call them). Being that 1st level noob to the career is always fun when you find ways to make your cantrips last, load up on normal gear and find interesting ways to use a wet bedroll, 10 ft of rope and a 10 ft pole to confound your enemies and amaze your friends. To say the least, having a vancian spell casting system makes you think hard not only in spell selection, but how to survive without spells too.

There comes a time though, if your lucky and smart, where you reach the level when your character is ready for the heady power of a 2nd level spell...and you don't have any. Back in the day the Referees I've played under have run the gamut from 'tough luck' to allowing the use of the spell slot for lower level spells and adding some wild effects. In more recent years I've toyed with the extra effects for using a higher powered slot for lower level spells. When 3e came out it provided more of a template for what those slots can do (via Metamagic feats). Now don't turn your nose up Gentle Reader! While 3e may have been a departure from D&D (only in my own humble opinion) it took alot of things from what WAS in many homegrown D&D campaigns. So presented here is one such retro system that grants more felxability to those spell casters that may be suffering from a small spell selection, hopefully allowing them to remain useful for their party.

As a side note, we've allowed this for all spellcasting classes (including Clerics). While it might not seem like much use, it is impressive when a Cleric uses a 4th level slot to make a Cure Light Wounds spell into a range 30ft magic that increases the healing done by +50% and can be cast even while silenced, allowing him to keep an ally on his feet that's in melee while he guards the Magic-user.

Mixing Spell Slots

If a player wishes to do so, he may use higher level spell slots to memorize lower level spells by exchanging the slots (not the spell’s level vs the spell slot level used to memorize it) on a 1-for-1 basis. For example, an Arcanist (3rd level Magic-user) could use his 2nd level spell slot to memorize a 1st or 2nd level spell if he desired to.

If a spell is memorized in a slot 1 level higher than normal the caster can apply one of the following effects:

·          Increase the base duration of a spell by 50%.

·          Inflict a -2 penalty on saving throws against the spell’s effect.

·          Increase the range of a spell by 50% or give a touch spell a range of 30 ft.

·          Remove the need to use somatic (gestures) or the need to recite the spell’s chant to cast.

If a spell is memorized in a slot 2 levels higher than normal, the caster can apply one of the following effects:

·          Apply any 2 separate effects from above.

·          Change the area of area effect spells to a cone, cube or diameter of the same size.

·          Increase all dice effects of a spell by 50%.

·          If the spell deals elemental (Cold, Fire or Lightning) damage, change it to another element.

·          Inflict a -3 penalty on saving throws against the spell’s effect.

If a spell is memorized in a slot 3 levels higher than normal, the caster can apply one of the following effects:

·          Apply any 2 separate effects from above.

·          Double the area of effect.

·          Increase all dice effects of a spell by 100%.

·          Increase the range of a spell by 100% or give a touch spell a range of 60 ft.

·          Inflict a -4 penalty on saving throws against the spell’s effect.

Transmute Flesh to Shadow

Transmute Flesh to Shadow*
Spell Level: Illusionist, 6th Level
Range: 20 ft
Duration: Permanent

When cast, if the victim fails a Toughness saving throw he becomes a shadow in all respects but he retains his armor class, hit dice and hit points unless those of a shadow are better. He will resemble his former self, even using shadow versions of his weapons and armor (these do not affect the combat statistics of the shadow).
The reverse of this spell, transmute shadow to flesh, will restore a transformed victim back to normal, or can be used to transform a shadow creature into a flesh and blood creature of a kind closely resembling the shadow with a failed Toughness saving throw (Flesh 'Shadow' - AC 7[12], HD 3+3, Att claw (1d4+Str drain), Save 14, Morale 7, MR Nil, Special strength drain, Move 120 ft (40 ft), CL/XP 4/120). In either case, if a System Shock saving throw is failed, the victim recieves 6d6 points of damage from the transformation.

Shadow Link

Shadow Link
Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 30 ft
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round / level

Shadow Link creates a metaphysical link between a creature and his shadow. If the target fails a Toughness saving throw, his shadow can be attacked with normal physical attacks and the damage inflicted on him as if he took the blow. The armor class of a shadow is 7[12], adjusted for Dexterity.

Shadow Bolt

Illusionists dabble in more than merely the mind - they depend wholly on as much local conditions as much to produce magical effects that seem believable so their opponents believe they are real. Some of their magic comes from places and planes of eternal twilight and shadow however. Because they access these planes moreso than a Magic-user manipulates the Ether, they can turn seemingly innocent or harmless things into semi-real and highly dangerous things.

Shadow Bolt
Spell Level: Illusionist, 3rd Level
Range: 40 ft
Duration: Immediate

When cast, the Illusionist throws a crackling bolt of charged shadow energy 30 ft in length that follows the same rules as per a lightning bolt with respect to obstructions. Victims in the path of the Shadow Bolt recieve 1d4 points of shadow energy damage per level of the Illusionist and are blinded for 1d4 rounds. Victims succeeding a Toughness saving throw recieve half damage and are blinded for 1 round.

Hideous Merriment

Hideous Merriment
Spell Level: Illusionist, 2nd Level
Range: 60 ft
Duration: 5 rounds

When cast this spell will affect 1d6 living creatures. For victims that fail an Ego saving throw, they begin laughing hysterically and dancing a mad jig for the spell’s duration, unable to attack and losing any positive Dexterity adjustments and possible shield bonuses to armor class. When the spell ends, the victims are forced to make a Toughness saving throw, with failure indicating they suffer from exhaustion.

Hand of Ether

Hand of Ether
Spell Level: Illusionist, Magic-user, 1st Level
Range: 30 ft
Duration: 1 turn

This spell forms a roughly hand-shaped field of translucent and faintly glowing energy from the caster's Ethereal Field. While this spell is in effect, any spell the caster casts with a range of 'touch' can be chanelled through the hand and directed by the caster to strike a target within 30 ft (which gains the same combat adjustments 'to hit' as the caster normally does).

Friends

Friends
Spell Level: Illusionist, Magic-user, 1st Level
Range: Caster
Duration: 48 turns

This spell makes the caster appear more visually appealing to everyone who views him. The caster rolls 2d6. For the duration of the spell, the caster gains the indicated bonus to his reaction adjustment in addition to any adjustment granted by his Charisma ability score.

Die Roll	Reaction Modifier
1-3	+1
4-6	+2
7-9	+3
10-12	+4