Condensing Spells

[zot]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

There are places in the Spell Table where a higher level spell should arguably be the same as the lower level spell, just cast with more understanding and therefore a more potent result.

Why have separate listings for spells that improve with IQ? What about mashing all the versions of a spell into the same listing? Like just have "Create Wall" and list the sizes, IQs, and costs? That will put then all in the same place, make the other versions easier to find, and save space.

[Rick_Smith]

Originally Posted by zot

Why have separate listings for spells that improve with IQ? What about mashing all the versions of a spell into the same listing? Like just have "Create Wall" and list the sizes, IQs, and costs? That will put then all in the same place, make the other versions easier to find, and save space.

Hi Zot,
Good point. Some of my rites for the cleric powers say things like, "Does X points of healing, where X = 1/2 your IQ (round down)." Such descriptions automatically scale as the player improves.

Rick.

[schoon]

Well put Zot.

I think that's the way to go.

[zot]

Originally Posted by zot

What about mashing all the versions of a spell into the same listing?

Just don't put "augmentable" in the spell summary or you'll alienate a whole group of D&Ders... ��

[The Wyzard]

Well, if it turns out to work badly, you can always release Advanced Advanced Wizard in 12 months.

[Oneiros]

Originally Posted by zot

Why have separate listings for spells that improve with IQ? What about mashing all the versions of a spell into the same listing? Like just have "Create Wall" and list the sizes, IQs, and costs? That will put then all in the same place, make the other versions easier to find, and save space.

I agree with this approach. Keep IQ thresholds and ST costs, but for presentation, fold them into one spell that only has to be learned once. It also gets rid of game-ish names like “3 Hex Fire”. Now it’s just “Fire”, “Shadow”, etc

[tomc]

Originally Posted by Oneiros

I agree with this approach. Keep IQ thresholds and ST costs, but for presentation, fold them into one spell that only has to be learned once. It also gets rid of game-ish names like “3 Hex Fire”. Now it’s just “Fire”, “Shadow”, etc

I think it's a great idea. You can add all the granularity you want in the table (4 hex fire anyone?) while only having one spell entry.

[KevinJ]

Originally Posted by Rick_Smith

Hi David, everyone.
When I rewrote the magic item list, I made all items non-self powering for consistency. Many items became cheaper, but the flesh spell items became non-self powering at no reduction of cost.

Getting magic armor is so powerful that I wanted it to be expensive.

Warm regards, Rick.

It is more expensive, it requires more IQ that costs a big chunk of XP. But let's always ignore how having to increase IQ costs XP and get hooked up over the lower ST cost.

Oh, and the progression is just 1pt of protection and some people are acting like it's the difference between no armor and plate armor.

For most of this it states right in ITL that all the creation spells include the lesser versions, not that only casting 1 hex of fire in the 7 hex fire spell requires the same ST as the 7-hex fire, only the coist of the 1-hex fire. Why is this so hard for people who claim to have been playing for decades.

[Rick_Smith]

>> I was talking about how I made the Flesh magic items much more expensive to buy.

Originally Posted by KevinJ

It is more expensive, it requires more IQ that costs a big chunk of XP. But let's always ignore how having to increase IQ costs XP and get hooked up over the lower ST cost.

Oh, and the progression is just 1pt of protection and some people are acting like it's the difference between no armor and plate armor.

For most of this it states right in ITL that all the creation spells include the lesser versions, not that only casting 1 hex of fire in the 7 hex fire spell requires the same ST as the 7-hex fire, only the coist of the 1-hex fire. Why is this so hard for people who claim to have been playing for decades.

Hi Everyone, Kevin.
Kevin, I am not sure what you are saying, or what it has to do with my post which you quoted. Could you elaborate?

If you are talking about the difference between Stone and Iron Flesh, it is two points of protection (stops 4 and stops 6).

Warm regards, Rick.

[Buzzardo]

I like the notion that smarter mages cast better spells, so opening new ranks of the same spell at higher IQ levels suits me just fine.