A GREAT plot, imho is having a kabal of wizards get together perform some serious prep-work and such to cast a powerful spell. Now, there are powerful spells that are tough to cast, but a single caster can perform them if they have the spell slots. I am talking about casting above your level, like a bunch of 1st or 2nd level wizards pooling their power, doing some chanting, and then busting out some third level spell, like animate dead, or to spy on someone (clairvoyance), or preserve the body of their fallen leader (gentle repose)
So you get a bunch of them together and they do their chants and then boom, fireball in a crowded square! it's pretty devastating at first level, non? i decent plot-hook.
The issue is how to determine how many casters are needed to step up how many levels. I'm thinking some kind of geometric progression, or something based on levels, so it takes:
2 or 3 casters with first level spells to emulate a 2nd level.
3/4 casters with 2nd level slots to do 3rd level spells, adn 2 or 3 with only first level spells to replace a 2nd level caster.
It takes 9 or 10 wizards with 8th level slots to cast a 9th level spell, so the higher level the spell the harder for lesser casters to emulate, and the more steps, the more casters you need.
it's hard, but doable...
whatcha think?
I always liked the idea, but instead of needing several casters for a single spell level higher I prefer some sort of time and skill check.
Hours or days to cast a single spell and risk of backfire from a failed skill check should be sufficient.
having it be possible to cast a higher level spell is cool, and there would be crazy components, mis-fire chance and time bump, but that doesn't do the Kabal thing.
I can't cite any instances, but the image of a circle casters chanting and eventually summoning a Demon (planer binding) when one of them couldn't possibly call one from the abyss is really cool. That's what i would liek to see emulated. Just donno how to make it so you can't get a few wizards and start granting wishes
Homebrew forum instead maybe?
Maybe you've looked at them already, but there are (OGL) rules in Unearthed Arcana for "Incantations" tha tyou might find interesting:
that's what i thought i was doing...
is this not homebrew?
It was in Off-Topic when I flagged it.
Collateral damage from the "What is Evil?" mess, I presume. All is well now.