Okay I have a vary creative player that wants to write his own spells. on principle I said ye sure. then he tried to talk me into a few spells that combine other spells and all he wound give me are the spells he wants to mix.
I have no problems with a player that tries to write a spell in the form of a spell entry. this is not a spell entry I am unsure of how to deal with this. I have told him to make a spell entry for the ideas he has and I will look over them.
I do not have the time of the inclination to write spells for him. We run custom campaigns I tend to write the week before (mainly out of a lack of cash.) Is there a web sight or walk though online I can end him to for custom spells.
Will
Edit note: moved from Rules Questions sorry I never real am sure were to post stuff.
If he writes one spell that has the abilities of two spells then it cuts down on action economy. That is a very powerful thing. I would be very careful about it. I would also have him pay research money for any spell that he made, and the spell should take time to develop in game.
Writing spells is not an exact science. If you don't have time to go over every spell he writes, and consider how it might affect the game you might have to tell him no. Otherwise post the spells here, and let the forums decide.
I like the Idea of letting the forums decide. I have always like to encourage creativity in my players. If a player wants to use a custom weapon or a creative mount he$$ I am even open to new classes and races.
As a rule of thumb I would say that a spell that combines two others, depending on which two they were, would at the least be considered a spell equal to Level of Spell A + Level of Spell B +/-1.
And if you have a policy of New Spells must be in Spell Format then just tell him that and have him submit it ahead of time. There is nothing unfair about asking that format be followed to evaluate it.
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Say NAY until he spends the time to create a spell entry. If he can't be bothered, then you shouldn't worry about it.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic#TOC-Research-and-Designing-Spells
If you haven't read it already, this may help with at least a basic outline you can refer too.
It would really depend on what spells he's mixing and what the spells' overall use is.
If it's a utility spell look up similar utility spells for the level, if it's a save or die or damaging spell, read a few other spells similar for the level. Try and judge it's usefulness in comparison and if it performs the same or less effect.
An easy example is if a damaging spell does 5d6 for that level while another does 3d6, figure out the reason why. Perhaps it has a larger spread, a save, SR or energy type outside the norm, etc.
Refer the player to the PRD, in the Ultimate Magic section there is a whole chapter on designing spells... It has lots of info including things to watch out for/avoid (such as the action economy issue mentioned already)
But yeah, needless to say spells are not acceptable until they are approved, and can't be approved until they are SEEN.
So if he wants custom spells he has to put in the footwork and get them written up to show you.
That said, once they are written up if you don't want to try figure out if they are balanced yourself just go ahead and post his custom spells on here and we will figure that out. :)
:) I will If he ever does the foot work. I have plenty of things to work out; writing the adventures my self.
Will
As far as combining spells, you can also use the Words of Power variant spellcasting from Ultimate Magic as a baseline for what level a particular combination of effects should be.