Now available!
I like it. The idea of giving spells variable effects that allow you to memorize them as one higher or lower level (increasing or decreasing the spells power) is great. I'm really interested in seeing how this idea would carry over to 1st level and higher spells.
The PDF looks good, I really like the background on the pages.
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I allways thought about feats that modified cantrips to raise their utility sometimes per day.
Like :
Slippery Frost
Requisits: Can cast Ray of Frost Cantrip, can cast 3rd level arcane spells.
Benefits: Three times per day, any square hit by a casting of ray of frost become slippery as per a casting of Grease by the same caster level that casted the original Ray of Frost.
Anything like that ?
More along the lines of boosting the spells power, Ray of frost deals more damage, virtue lasts longer and grants more temp hp, that sort of thing. Some of them are really creative. And I didn't see any that I thought were overpowered. Its a really good idea.
I started reading the description and thought (before it was mentioned) Arcana Unearthed style casting. Then the next sentence said that. :D
I've loved that idea ever since I read it in AU. Buying this one. I want to see them all.
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Note that this book is 0-level spells only. If this does well enough (and it's looking like it will) I'll move on to increasingly higher-level spells. Here's one example:
School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 0, witch 0
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of sweat)
EFFECT
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
You channel negative energy through your touch, fatiguing the target. You must succeed on a touch attack to strike a target. The subject is immediately fatigued for the spell's duration.
This spell has no effect on a creature that is already fatigued. Unlike with normal fatigue, the effect ends as soon as the spell's duration expires.
Heightened Effects The spell’s duration increased to 1 minute/level and the target suffers 1 point of Dexterity damage for the duration of the spell.
I am very excited to see such a positive response! So far I have converted all of the 0-2nd level spells from the CRB, APG, UC, and UC. And I am about halfway through converting the 3rd-5th level spells (working on M & N spells right now). After that I will begin work on the 6th-9th level spells. I really hope that this project produces enough interest for d20pfsrd.com to be able publish all 10 spell levels (0-9th). It has been a fun ride so far.
Sincerely,
Tim Wallace
As a whole I like the idea. It always struck me as weird to be able to cherry pick the best spells rather than spells to grow into other spells, (Ray of Frost should turn into Frotbite and then into Frigid Touch ect) but either I missed something or I think there should be a limiting factor. Wouldn't these essentially be free spells that don't take up pages in a spellbook for wizards and free spells known for sorcerers?
Granted I haven't taken too deep of a look into how these are supposed to work but they feel like huge versatility boosts to casters and I may houserule an 'Evolved Arcana' feat or make the boosted spells function as separate spells for the purposes of selection.
Either way this is an exciting product that opens a lot of doors and strikes me as an idea that is more 'new' than others I've seen. As far as I can tell it is considerably less glitchy than previous products.
Hi Malwing,
Thank you for stopping by and asking probing questions! =D
While scaling each spell throughout the spell levels would be awesome, it would also be a lot more work (and therefore take a lot more time). As of now, the only time I really have for game design is my breaks at work and a few hours on the weekends, so this is a bit more in the scope of my abilities right now.
While, in effect, these could be considered "free spells," each casting still costs a spell slot. A good example would be the multi-variable version of invisibility:
INVISIBILITY
School illusion (glamer); Level alchemist 2, antipaladin 2,bard 2, inquisitor 2, magus 2, sorcerer/wizard 2, summoner 2; Domain trickery 2; Bloodline arcane 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (an eyelash encased in gum arabic)
Range personal or touch
Target you or a creature or object weighing no more than 100 lbs./level
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless) or Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless) or yes (harmless, object)
The creature or object touched becomes invisible. If the recipient is a creature carrying gear, that vanishes, too. If you cast the spell on someone else, neither you nor your allies can see the subject, unless you can normally see invisible things or you employ magic to do so.
Items dropped or put down by an invisible creature become visible; items picked up disappear if tucked into the clothing or pouches worn by the creature. Light, however, never becomes invisible, although a source of light can become so (thus, the effect is that of a light with no visible source). Any part of an item that the subject carries but that extends more than 10 feet from it becomes visible.
Of course, the subject is not magically silenced, and certain other conditions can render the recipient detectable (such as swimming in water or stepping in a puddle). If a check is required, a stationary invisible creature has a +40 bonus on its Stealth checks. This bonus is reduced to +20 if the creature is moving. The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character's perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the subject attacks directly, however, it immediately becomes visible along with all its gear. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.
Invisibility can be made permanent (on objects only) with a permanency spell.
Diminished Effects The duration is reduced to 1 round/per level (maximum of 5 rounds).
Heightened Effects The spell confers invisibility upon all creatures within 10 feet of the recipient at the time the spell is cast. The center of the effect is mobile with the recipient. Those affected by this spell can see each other and themselves as if unaffected by the spell. Any affected creature moving out of the area becomes visible, but creatures moving into the area after the spell is cast do not become invisible. Affected creatures (other than the recipient) who attack negate the invisibility only for themselves. If the spell recipient attacks, the spell ends.
Notes This spell combines the effects of the following spells: invisibility, invisibility sphere, and vanish.
So, say you are a 7th level magus, and you know you just want to go invisible long enough the stab someone with your spellstrike-imbued longsword. You are going to prepare the diminished version of invisibility. But if you are a 5th level wizard and you know that you need to sneak your party through a den of lizardfolk. Then you are going to prepare the heightened version of invisibility.
I have been told that this system is also really helpful if you are using a spellpoints spellcasting variant.
Also, I think as a GM it would be entirely appropriate for you to require a Arcana Evolved feat for your players to gain access to the multi-variable versions of spells.
I hope my answers were somewhat helpful.
--Tim
Reviewed first on Endzeitgeist.com, then submitted to Nerdtrek and GMS magazine and posted here, on OBS and d20pfsrd.com's shop.
Reviewed first on Endzeitgeist.com, then submitted to Nerdtrek and GMS magazine and posted here, on OBS and d20pfsrd.com's shop.
Thank you for taking the time to review this, Endzeitgeist.