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Old 05-22-2020, 08:33 AM   #79
ZooProfessor
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Default Re: Show me the magic!

A few notes:

A "texahex" is a megahex of megahexes.

We have an IQ 9 spell called Plantspeak, but I didn't include it because it is very similar to the Plantspeak Potion from the Book of Unusual Potions by Phil Reed (which is excellent as a resource, by the way) and I modified the wording of my spell to be internally consistent with the potion, so I am concerned that my spell has copy-written language in it.

If you see a *C* at the end of a spell this is a spell that non-wizard Priest or Theologian characters can take for the standard wizard IQ/XP cost according to our house rules.

Here are the notes and disclaimers that I included at the end of our house rules grimoire.

NOTES ON SUMMONING SPELLS IN THIS GRIMOIRE:
AT ISSUE: It seems to ignore logic to think that a wizard who could summon a wolf could not also summon a dog, a cat, a chimp, or some similarly sized animal of similar dangerousness.
This is already possible with the Summon Scout spell which is clearly intended to allow players to use the spell in inventive ways that will add to the flexibility of the spell and also add to how well the spell fits in with the creatures in the area of the game’s campaign.
Here is a list of summoning spells that are meant to replace the listed spell: Summon Primus (replaces wolf), Summon Secundus (replaces bear), Summon Tertius (replaces gargoyle), and Summon Quartus (replaces giant). The spell is not intended to allow summoning of creatures that are more powerful than the spells that they replace. Since this change increases the flexibility (and arguably the power) of these spells, in order to have the most powerful of the layered summoning spells one must know the earlier versions as well. That is why each stronger spell has the weaker spell as a prerequisite.
The summoning spells for Dragons and for Demons are just as in the rules as written. Dragons and Demons are special beings and require specialized spells. The only change to these are the clarifications below:
If a wizard knows the Summon Demon Spell, it includes the Summon Lesser Demon Spell. Both are not on the spell list--- as the wizard learns the “better” spell it replaces the old spell and wizard can cast either.
If a wizard knows the Summon Dragon Spell, it includes the Summon Small Dragon Spell. Both are not on the spell list--- as the wizard learns the “better” spell it replaces the old spell and wizard can cast either.

The Summon Scout, Summon Swarm, Summon Demon Familiar, Summon Spirit, and Summon Myrmidon spells are not in the layered Summon Primus, Secundus, Tertius, and Quartus spells because they work differently. The Swarm is very different from a summoned being meant to fight for the wizard and the Myrmidon is a warrior who uses armor and weapons. The layered summoning spells bring animals or magical beings, usually to fight but in the case of demons perhaps for other purposes. The Scout spell is not meant to bring a fighter and its length is not measured in turns, so it is also special and a standalone spell. The Summon Demon Familiar spell is not a summoning spell at all in the traditional sense as it is a pact with a specific being. The Summon Spirit spell brings an insubstantial being, so this is different than the layered spells.

NOTES ON PERMANENT SPELLS IN THIS GRIMOIRE:
There are certain expert level spells that have a permanent (until removed or reversed by magic or other means) effect. One example of this is the Expert Shrink/Grow Creature spell. It is very expensive in ST cost to do this spell (10 ST for every 10% size change desired for a creature ST of less than 20--- 15 ST if the creature is ST 20 or more), so this is unlikely to be a good combat spell. Maybe most combat wizards would find such a spell a poor use of one slot on their spell list, but this could be something that could enhance gameplay and it would be very interesting to find an entire zoo of living animals that fit inside a shoe box. Clever GMs might find good uses for this spell and others with a permanent effect, BUT if desired a GM could just say that no spells that have a permanent effect are allowed to be chosen by player characters. This last would get rid of any possibility that such a spell could unbalance the game, though these spells were carefully written to try to keep such a possibility very very low to begin with.

Last edited by ZooProfessor; 05-22-2020 at 09:16 AM.
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