Dynamic Spell Creation System

[M.V.Tuynman]

At 06:49 24-01-99 -0600, you wrote:
>Although this may not be appropriate for this list, I am posting it here to
>get the opinions of the obviously intelligent fans of Powers and Perils.
>
>My own game, Dark Fantasy, is based almost entirely on Powers and Perils,
>although, at this revision date, it looks almost nothing like Powers and
>Perils.  One of the elements of this game is the dynamic spell creation
>system - a system where the spellcaster can, ahead of time and before the
>game, create spells suitable to his own level of experience and expertise,
>given the time and the resources.  The spells that he can create are truly
>customizable; i.e. he can create any sort of spell that he desires.  Of
>course, once again, this is limited by his level of experience, and
>expertise in the magical arts.
>
>The system as it has been playtested has remain unchanged (with minor
>balancing tweaks) for the last 3 revisions (I am at revision level 5 now).
>I am at the point that I am going to have to scrap it, as it is functional,
>and has been functional so far, but the spells that it creates are very
>generic, and the system is far too complicated and contains far too many
>objective elements and requires many arbitrary rulings by the gamemaster.
>
>So, I present it here.  How would _you_ handle this problem?
>
>David Jackson
>
The idea seems OK, but of course I don't know the specifics of your system
yet. If I would want to give my players lots of freedom in developing
spells, I would prepare a basic standard system that is valid for all
spells. This system in turn determines the BMC of the spell developed. It
would be something like this:

            NA    LITTLE          NORMAL          MUCH          VERY MUCH
BMC:      -1 or+0   +0          +1              +2 or x2        +3 or x3
Duration:   once    phases   turns to hours  days to weeks      permanent
Range:      touch   0-1"        (EL+1)"         miles           unlimited
Area Effect: none   0-1"        (EL+1)"         (EL+1)x2"       miles
Damage:     none    EL+1        (EL+1)D6        dmg per phase   fatal
Roll modif: none    EL+1        (EL+1)x10%       --             (EL+1)x100%

Of course, this is very global, but it gives an impression of what I mean.
The Referee can impose restrictions, such as the need for a portion of the
victim's anatomy, etc.
Then I would assign some "magical spheres", more or less coinciding with the
P&P supernatural languages system. A PC would have to state in which
sphere(s) he wants to specialize in, and he may only develop spells that
derive their power from that sphere. For example, there could be spheres
like: animal, plant, air, water, fire, earth, sun, healing, death,
necromancy, emotional, etc.

Now you have the basics for a spell system. If, for example, a PC would want
to develop a fire dart spell that does (EL+1)D6 damage to one target at
(EL+1)", he would have to be a fire specialist, and the spell would be BMC 2
(as it does "normal" damage at a "normal" range).

Mathijs (not Matijs)