New Spell: Expeditious Magic

Expeditious Magic
Level: Cleric 6; Magic-user 7
Range: Self
Duration: 1 round / 2 levels
This spell causes other spells cast by the caster to take less time to invoke. The Initiative adjustment of spells cast are cut in half (round fractions down) while this spell is in effect.

New Spell: Fiery Burst

Fiery Burst

Spell Level: Magic-user 1

Range: 30 ft

Duration: Instant

The Magic-user points his finger and a bolt of flame lances to the target point, bursting in a 5 ft radius fire blossom. Any creature in the area receives 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional point per 2 levels of the caster (maximum of +6).

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.

Vendee's Missile Magnifier

Vendee's Missile Magnifier
Spell Level: Magic-user, 2nd Level
Range: Touch
Duration: 48 turns (8 hours)

The caster may 'magnify' up to 20 pieces of ammunition per 4 caster levels, lasting until the missiles are fired or the duration expires (whichever occurs first). Missiles affected by this spell inflict 50% more damage on a successful hit. Magnified missiles are considered +1 per 4 caster levels (maximum of +3) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction as well.

Ethereal Barrier

Ethereal Barrier
Spell Level: Magic-user, 5th Level
Range: 60 ft
Duration: 1 turn / level

Ethereal Barrier causes a bit of Ether to be drawn into the caster’s presence and formed into a wall, cage or sphere. The barrier is indestructible to any means short of a disintegrate, wand of negation, limited wish or a full wish or an etherite weapon inflicting a total of 10 points per caster level on the wall. Magic cannot be cast through the wall or sphere versions of the Ethereal Barrier. The barrier also extends into the Ethereal Plane, thus creatures such as shifter cats can be trapped and even teleport-type magics are useless to escape the sphere version. The wall is 1 inch thick, and has a surface area of 200 feet (usually 10 ft x 20 ft); the cage can affect up to a 20 ft cube while the sphere affects roughly a 10 ft radius.

Ray of Weakness

Ray of Weakness
Spell Level: Magic-user, 2nd Level
Range: 90 ft
Duration: 1 turn

When cast, this spell creates a grey beam from the caster’s hand that receives a +2 bonus on the ‘to hit’ roll. If a successful hit is made, the victim receives a -1 penalty on all melee ‘to hit’ rolls and damage rolls per 6 levels of the Magic-user and has his encumbrance limit halved.

Power Word Sleep

Power Word Sleep
Spell Level: Magic-user, 6th Level
Range: 120 ft
Duration: 6 turns

When a Power Word Sleep is uttered, 4d6 hit dice worth of enemies of 7 Hit Dice or less in a 20 ft cube are put into an enchanted slumber, beginning with the weakest creatures first.

Dispelling Chances

According to the rules, the caster of a Dispel Magic or Dispel Evil (and a handful of other spells that refer to the chance of success Dispel Magic uses, notably Remove Curse), has a percentage chance to dispel the magic against which they are faced. The chance for a successful Dispell attempt is 50%, +5% per level of the Dispeller, but -5% per level of the caster of the magic being diepelled. I created a simple chart for fast reference (covering levels 1-10 for posting purposes since tables sizes can run off of the visible area):

Dispel Magic Chance of Success

Spell Effect Caster Level

Dispeller Level	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
1st	50%	45%	40%	35%	30%	25%	20%	15%	10%	5%
2nd	55%	50%	45%	40%	35%	30%	25%	20%	15%	10%
3rd	60%	55%	50%	45%	40%	35%	30%	25%	20%	15%
4th	65%	60%	55%	50%	45%	40%	35%	30%	25%	20%
5th	70%	65%	60%	55%	50%	45%	40%	35%	30%	25%
6th	75%	70%	65%	60%	55%	50%	45%	40%	35%	30%
7th	80%	75%	70%	65%	60%	55%	50%	45%	40%	35%
8th	85%	80%	75%	70%	65%	60%	55%	50%	45%	40%
9th	90%	85%	80%	75%	70%	65%	60%	55%	50%	45%
10th	95%	90%	85%	80%	75%	70%	65%	60%	55%	50%

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).

Lightning Strike

Lightning Strike
Spell Level: Druid, Magic-user, 1st Level
Range: Caster
Duration: 1 round / 2 levels

Lightning Strike encases the caster's empty hand in a sheath of visible lightning. The first creature the caster strikes with a +2 bonus on his to hit roll recieves 1d8 points of lightning damage, plus 1 point per 2 caster levels. Metal armor and shields are useless and provide no benefit in defending against this spell.

Sympathetic Transformation

Since the World of Onn uses a System Shock saving throw to determine how well a character deals with massive physical changes to his body, such as being petrified or having his body reformed into something else, there is a little-known magic from the Zuhn Empire's heyday that allowed casters to take other forms without worry of the magic overcoming them and possibly malforming their bodies or the stress of taking on new shapes killing them.

Sympathetic Transformation

Spell Level: Magic-user, 4th Level

Range: Touch

Duration: Special

When this spell is cast, if a transformation spell of some type (enlarge, polymorph, stone to flesh, etc) immediately follows on the target, he automatically succeeds any required System Shock saving throw the transformation effect may call for. This spell will last as long as the transformation spell affecting the character lasts.

Analyze Magic

Analyze Magic
Spell Level: Magic-user, 2nd Level
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 item per 2 levels

When this spell is cast, the caster gains the knowledge of a touched magical item's properties and any associated command words. All items must be handled in succession, else the spell ends. This spell will reveal cursed items 10% of the time, otherwise identifying then as something beneficial. This spell may not reveal the properties of an artifact, at the Referee's discretion.

Lightning Stroke

Though impressive in name, this spell is a simple one for budding Magic-user-types and Druidic Initiates...

Lightning Stroke

Spell Level: Druid, Magic-user, 1st Level

Range: 90 ft

Duration: 1 round

When this spell is cast a small, rumbling stormcloud immediately forms over the head of the designated target. On the round after the spell is cast, the cloud emits a small stroke of lightning, inflicting 1d6 points of damage, plus one point per caster level. There is a 10% chance of a forked stroke of lightning, also affecting a single victim within 5 ft of the target (chosen randomly if more than one creature is near the target). Victims of this spell gain a Dodge saving throw for half damage.

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

Strength Spell

Strength
Spell Level: Magic-user, 2nd Level
Range: Touch
Duration: 48 turns

For the duration of the spell, the recipient becomes stronger and able to deal more damage. Warriors (Fighting-men and their subclasses) roll 1d10+2, Bards and Clerics (Clerics and their subclasses) roll 2d4 and Wizards (Magic-users and their subclasses) roll 1d6 on the chart below to determine the spell’s effectiveness:

Die Roll	Damage Adjustment	Weight Allowance
1-3	None	+25 lbs
4-6	+1	+50 lbs
7-8	+2	+100 lbs
9-10	+3	+200 lbs
11-12	+4	+400 lbs

Longevity

The Magic-users of the Zuhn Empire had magics at their disposal that have been lost since the Fire in the Sky obliterated most of their knowledge from history. Though the Gods did not claim a hand in the event (even the most vile and destructive of demonlords has not claimed such a triumph over mortals) they did acknowledge they altered the way magic functioned so mortals could never eclipse the power of the gods again. One of the few spells that is encountered rarely and known to still function as it once did is the Longevity spell.

Longevity
Spell Level: Magic-user, 7th level
Range: Touch
Duration: Special

When cast, Longevity stops the biological clock for the recipient. For 1d6+4 years he ceases to age physically (though his mental abilities will still be affected normally). This spell can only be cast on the same person once every decade from the first application. There is a 5% chance with each casting on the same recipient that all of the previous Longevity spells are undone.
Alternatively, this spell can be used to remove 1d6+4 years supernatural or magical aging. The recipient must succeed a System Shock roll or 1 year of aging permanently remains.

Tania's Spellcapture

Tania’s Spellcapture
Spell Level: Magic-user, 7th level
Range: Caster
Duration: 1 turn / level

This spell captures spells targeted at the caster and siphons them into the caster’s mind if he makes an Ego saving throw with the incoming spell’s level applied as a penalty to the save. The caster can capture a total number of spell levels equal to his highest level spell capability. Once a spell is captured, the caster can either treat it as if he memorized it (if he has an unused or ‘open’ spell slot of the appropriate level), or can instantaneously create a scroll with the spell on it for use later.

Regis' Teleportation

One of the longtime players and Referees that I've gamed with was a fellow named Scott Scallorn. Over the years he's moved away and back, fronted for bands, managed (and turned around) some venues in York and has kept a busy and interesting life. Because of his many commitments, his ability to solidly make most game days was limited at best and the running joke was that he was in the Player Bag of Holding (this was long before the Gamers made the gag a a bit of visual fun with the Paladin just standing in every scene). Basically the Player Bag was always part of the group's inventory. They couldn't store anything in it, but if a player couldn't make a game, his character went into the bag and was always safe from harm. If a TPK happened, the next time the player showed up he would be safe and be given a few different options. Anyway, Scott had grown fond of his Magic-user named Regis and whenever he could play (which by this time was once in a blue moon) Regis would just appear. Now, Regis was a Forgotten Realms character (by description only really), and whenver he would appear he would always ask "Is this Daggerdale? Am I near Daggerdale?" and if he knew any of the PCs from actual past adventuring he would be invited to join the group. If not, he would introduce himself (in the most flamboyant manner possible, and let me tell you, Scott was flamboyance in action and great entertainment at the table) and petition to join the group until he made enough gold and added a story or 2 to his memiors and would be on his way. After a while the group adopted Regis' Teleport without Destination as a way to get an experienced PC into a group they had never adventured with before and now I'll share his little wonderment of magic with you:

Regis’ Teleportation
Spell Level: Magic-user 4th Level
Range: Touch
Duration: Immediate

This spell functions like the teleport spell, but without any chance of arriving too high, too low or being lost, or exact control of the destination. This spell will deposit the targets 1d100 miles away from any desired destination and blindly teleporting with no destination in mind lands the targets 1d100 miles away from the location teleported from, most of the time.

Vargas' Chaos Curse

Vargas’ Chaos Curse
Spell Level: Magic-user, 4th Level
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent until dispelled

This spell enchants the victim with bad luck; everything they touch goes awry (axe heads fall off, armor becomes unbuckled, visor’s constantly fall down at inopportune moments, etc) and they become clumsy and forgetful at the worst possible times. The effects of the spell are usually annoying, but not dangerous; however, it is inadvisable for the victim to place himself in situations where luck can have an important effect on the outcome, such as fighting or adventuring.

Thaumaturgic Circle

Thaumaturgic Circle
Spell Level: Magic-user, 5th Level
Range: 30 ft
Duration: Special

This spell has three applications, chosen at the time of casting:

~ If cast onto a prepared thaumaturgic circle, the caster can summon a planar creature of not more than 1 HD per 2 levels he knows the true name of and hold it powerless inside the circle for up to 1 day per level. When initially summoned the creature gains an Ego saving throw and magic resistance check and if either is successful the summons fails.

~ If cast onto a prepared Thaumaturgic circle, the caster can erect an impenetrable ward and then cast a summoning spell, placing the creature inside. This application lasts as long as the summoning spell.

~ If cast and then immediately followed with as summoning spell (such as monster summoning or conjure elemental), creatures summoned in this manner are more powerful types of their kind, gaining a +2 bonus on to hit rolls, damage and saving throws as well as +2 hit points per Hit Die and the duration of the summoning spell is doubled.