Elementalist Wizards

So I'm still trying to kludge all my house rules into a system.  

No wizard is just a "wizard".  Everyone belongs to a school.  So far, I've got Elementalists, Illusionists, Necromancers, and Noise Wizards.  I'll probably throw in a Grognomancer for reverse compatibility.

Every wizard school has perks and drawbacks.  They also have a mostly-unique spell list.  Wizards can learn spells from other schools, but it costs them a Skill Slot.  Hopefully, this will be enough that a necromancer will never feel like an illusionist, even if they've both learned some of each other's spells.

(Every character has a number of Skill Slots equal to their Intelligence, which they can fill with skills, languages, and special abilities that they learn in the course of their journeys, like kung fu.  Spells from a different school compete with all of those other cool things.)

Anyway, elementalists are the most boring of those schools, because half of their spells focus on dealing straight damage (which is a lot of spells).  But I've tried to make them interesting both mechanically and flavor-ly.

Interpreting this bullshit:

If you see 1 MP or 1 Mana, that just means its a first level spell.  2 MP = 2nd level spell, etc.  You'll notice that everything down there is a 1st level spell.

Some spells can be reversed and prepared as their opposite.  This is familiar to you, hopefully.

Some spells can be promoted, and prepared as a higher MP spell (higher level spell).

If a spell can be promoted, you'll see something like "+1 MP: +2d6 damage".

That means that if you prepare the spell in the next higher slot, it'll deal +2d6 damage.

Check out the fireball spell; it'll make sense.

The whole point of making spells promotable is to prevent the quadratic wizard thing. Which is to say, a spell doesn't get more powerful just because the caster is a higher level.  If you want a more powerful spell, spend more MP on it, i.e. prepare it at a higher level.

A lot of these spells might be more powerful than what you're used to seeing.  This is because I've tried to make every spell (nearly) as useful as the benchmarks of sleep, fireball, and magic missile, and certainly more useful than an arrow fired by the party fighter (attack roll, ~1d6+1 damage).  For example, Acid Arrow, if prepared as a level 2 spell, will deal 5d6 (17) damage over 5 rounds, which is an insane amount.  But it seems more balanced when you consider that it requires an attack roll to hit, the target has 5 rounds to wash the acid off by jumping in some water, and the wizard just spent half of his daily MP to cast that wicked bit of magic.

Also, some of these spells are constant spells.

That means that preparing them and casting them are the same thing--you can enjoy the spell's effect for as long as you have the spell prepared.  Sometimes the effect is passive, and sometimes the spell is activated.  If it's an activated effect, it's pretty much the same thing as "If you've prepared this spell, you can cast it as many times as you want today."

There are five constant spells below: feather fall and four different control whatever element spells.

There's 30 spells below.  The first 10 are the introductory spells that you roll on whenever you roll up a new wizard.  The remaining 20 you'll have to discover over the course of your travels. 

There's a lot of spells down there, and you've probably seen most of them, so I've tried to label the interesting ones in red.

SCHOOL OF ELEMENTALISM

The Elements (and their Sub-elements) are Fire, Water (and Ice), Earth (and Acid), and Air (and Lightning).  The explicit Element of each spell is not labeled, but suffice to say that if a spell is about making the ground grab someone's feet, it's an Earth spell.

Perk

• +3 to Save vs elemental damage. No bonus on things that don't involve damage.

Drawbacks

• Cannot cast Fire spells if soaking wet or underwater.
• Cannot cast Water (or Ice) spells if dehydrated (i.e. have you drank water today?).
• Cannot cast Earth (or Acid) spells unless touching the ground, or a building that is touching ground.
• Cannot cast Air (or Lightning) spells unless you have access to the sky (i.e. could a sparrow fly from your mouth to the sky?). A good reason to leave the window ajar when you sleep.

Spell List

Anklecrusher Buoyancy* Control Fire Control Water Control Air Control Earth Feather Fall Ice Breath Ignite Shocking Grasp

Acid Arrow Burning Hands Circle of Frost Dissolve Evaporate* Fireball Frozen Zone Hide in Stone Light Lightning Bolt

Protection from Fire* Purify Elemen t Scorching Ray Stoneskin Water Breathing* Wall of Earth Wall of Wind Wall of Wind Wind Scythe Whispering Wind

Acid Arrow 1 Mana

R: 50' T: object/creature D: 1 rnd

Target takes 1d6 acid damage, which repeats 1 round later unless the target washes it off by jumping in some water (or whatever). Requires a ranged attack roll to hit your target. +1 MP: +3 round duration.

Anklecrusher 1 Mana

R: 50' T: 2 obj/creatures D: 0

Target creatures or objects are grabbed by the ground itself. If a creature fails a Dex Test, it takes 1d6 damage and is immobilized until it can win a Strength Contest against the ground. The effective Strength of the ground depends on what it is made out of: Dirt 8, Clay 12, Limestone 16. Obviously, this spell has no effect on things that aren't touching the ground. If cast on a creature that is prone, they automatically fail their Dex Test. +1 MP: Double number of targets.

Bouyancy* 1 Mana

R: 50' T: object/creature D: 10 min

If cast on an object, it will float on top of the water. Underwater objects will be brought to the surface. If cast on a person, it will allow them to walk on top of the water. Works in anything that's mostly water. Works on things no larger than a rowboat. Unwilling targets get a save.

Reversed: Drown, forces an object to stay below the surface of the water. Trying to get your head above water is like pushing against a lead blanket. It is possible to get your head out of the water, but only if you can get your feet on solid ground (shallows) and beat the spell in the Strength Contest (Str 18). A snorkel would also work.

Burning Hands 1 Mana

R: 20' T: cone D: 0

Does 1d4 damage to all targets, Reflex Test for half. Highly flammable stuff (e.g. paper) will ignite. +1 MP: +2d4 damage.

Circle of Frost 1 Mana

R: 0 T: 10' radius D: 3 rnds

Does 1d4 damage to all targets, Reflex Test for half. Everything that fails its Test is frozen to whatever surface they were touching. Boots are frozen to the ground, keys are frozen in their locks. Creatures are usually immobilized from the boots down unless they were playing in a fountain or something. Attempting to break loose is a free action that can be attempted once per round, and requires a successful Strength Contest vs the ice (usually Str 10). +1 MP: +1d4 damage and +3 to Str.

Control Air 1 Mana

R: - T: - D: constant

While you have this spell Prepared, you can control a gust of wind within 50'. The exact effects of this spell never last longer than 1 round (unless the caster is concentrating on it) and are subject to DM interpretation, but should include: (a) clear away fog or gas, (b) extinguish a fire no larger than a torch, (c) blow all the papers off a desk, (d) with concentration, provide enough of a breeze to power a tiny sailboat. Additionally, non-magical gusts of wind will never extinguish a torch you are holding or interfere with a missile you shoot. +1 MP: More awesome effects; talk to your DM.

Control Earth 1 Mana

R: - T: - D: constant

While you have this spell Prepared, you can control a smallish amount of earth within 50'. The exact effects of this spell never last longer than 1 round (unless the caster is concentrating on it) and are subject to DM interpretation, but should include: (a) excavating a bucket's worth of dirt, (b) excavating the same amount, (c) causing the earth to quickly swallow a small item, or quickly swallow a non-resisting person, chest, or signpost, (d) exhume something at the same rate, (e) knock over some hobo's shack with a tiny tremor. +1 MP: More awesome effects; talk to your DM.

Control Fire 1 Mana

R: - T: - D: constant

While you have this spell Prepared, you can control a smallish amount of fire within 50'. The exact effects of this spell never last longer than 1 round (unless the caster is concentrating on it) and are subject to DM interpretation, but should include: (a) causing a fire to double in size, power, and brightness, (b) create a huge amount of smoke, (c) extinguish a fire no larger than a torch, (d) have a small ember (0 damage) jump 1' off the fire, (e) ignite something that is meant to be burnt, such as a match, cigarette, or fuse, (f) heat up a cup of tea to a pleasant temperature, (g) cause a creature that is on fire to take double damage. +1 MP: More awesome effects; talk to your DM.

Control Water 1 Mana

R: - T: - D: constant

While you have this spell Prepared, you can control a smallish amount of water within 50'. The exact effects of this spell never last longer than 1 round (unless the caster is concentrating on it) and are subject to DM interpretation, but should include: (a) propelling a small boat, (b) carrying a small item through the water, (c) allowing someone to swim at 2x speed, (d) forcing someone to swim at half speed, (e) splash something no more than 5' away, (f) dry out something that is wet, (g) freeze a small amount of water, (h) cool down a hot cup of tea. +1 MP: More awesome effects; talk to your DM.

Dissolve 1 Mana

R: 50' T: object/creature D: concentration

While casting this spell and continuously concentrating on it, the object that you are staring at takes 1d4 acid damage per round as it begins to dissolve (Constitution Test for half). You can even use this spell to bore holes in walls, but it only makes a hole 1' and creates a lot of acidic sludge on the floor. Makes a hole through stone at about 1” per 10 minutes; or about 1” per minute in wood. No effect on metal. +1 MP: +2d4 damage per round.

Evaporate 1 Mana

R: 50' T: object/creature D: 0

About a bucket's worth of water evaporates from the target. Most animals take 1d6 damage, with a Constitution Test for half. Creatures that have contain no water take no damage, but creatures that are made of water (e.g. water elementals) take double damage. This spell also creates a cloud of steam in a 10' radius around the object (see the fog cloud spell). This spell has other uses: it can kill a patch of green slime (and create an acidic cloud) or cause a potion pop its cork and evaporate. +1 MP: +2d6 damage.

Reverse: Condense – condenses a fog or mist into a very brief rain. Affects a 20' radius area.

Feather Fall 1 Mana

R: - T: - D: constant

If you have this spell Prepared an suddenly find yourself falling, you can slow your fall to a silly degree (60' per round) so that you take no damage from the fall. You can cast this spell instantly, even when it's not your turn. 

Fireball 1 Mana

R: 50' T: 10' radius D: 0

Everything in the area take 1d6 fire damage, Save for half. Does not ignite anything. +1 MP: +2d6 damage.

Frozen Zone 1 Mana

R: 50' T: 10' radius D: 2 turns

Area rapidly begins losing heat. Every creature that finishes their turn in this area take 1d6 ice damage, Save for half. Will freeze water solid by the end of the spell's duration. +1 MP: +2d6 damage.

Hide in Stone 1 Mana

R: touch T: stone surface D: 10 min

Your body merges into the stone surface you touch. The stone must be continuous and not smaller than you. You can hear through the stone, but cannot see. If the stone is damaged or messed with via magic, you are expelled and stunned for 1d6 turns. +1 MP: Bring 2 willing people along with you.

Ignite 1 Mana

R: 50' T: object/creature D: 0

Target object takes 1d6 damage and catches on fire. Creatures can make a Save to avoid catching on fire. (Rules for being on fire: take 1d6 at the end of each turn until a turn is spent putting the fire out.) +1 MP: +2d6 damage.

Ice Breath 1 Mana

R: 20' T: cone D: 0

Does 1d4 damage to all targets, Constitution Test for half. Extinguishes all fires smaller than a big bonfire. +1 MP: +2d4 damage.

Light 1 Mana

R: touch T: object/creature D: 2 hr

Touched object shines as bright as a torch where you touch it. Alternatively, this spell blind a creature by expelling all of its light as a bright flash in the eyes. This requires an attack roll. Most creatures are only blinded for 1d6 turns, but light-sensitive creatures (orcs, drow, etc) are blinded for 1d6 hours.

Lightning Bolt 1 Mana

R: 200' T: 1' wide line D: 0

Everything in the line takes 1d6 lightning damage, Save for half. +1 MP: +2d6 damage.

Protection from Fire 1 Mana

R: touch T: object/creature D: 10 min

Reduce all fire damage the target takes by 4. Alternatively, the spell can be cast on the whole party to protect them from the negative effects of heat, as if from a hot desert, for the next 8 hours. +1 MP: reduce all fire damage taken by a further 6 points.

Reversed: Protection from Ice – This should be pretty self-explanatory.

Shocking Grasp 1 Mana

R: 0 T: self D: 10 min

You enchant your hand so that it discharges 1d8 damage worth of electricity into the next thing you touch with it. Touching an unwilling opponent requires an attack roll (but they get no save). +1 MP: +2d8 damage.

Purify Element 1 Mana

R: 50' T: varies D: 0

Causes an element to reject impurities. Affects a variable amount of matter, depending on the element: a large bucket of water, a bonfire of fire, a small boulder of stone, or a large room full of air. Impurities will usually condense/accumulate as pellets and be pushed to the surface/bottom/floor. Doesn't work on creatures.

Scorching Ray 1 Mana

R: 50' T: object/creature D: 0

Fire a ray at a target, dealing 1d10 fire damage with a successful attack roll. +1 MP: Fire +2 additional rays, possibly at separate targets.

Stoneskin 1 Mana

R: 0 T: self D: 10 min

Reduce all physical damage that you take by 2. +1 MP: reduce damage taken by a further 2 points.

Water Breathing 1 Mana

R: touch T: creature D: 2 hr

Target can breath under water, in addition to their normal modes of respiration.

Reversed: Air Breathing – Target can breath air.

Wall of Earth 1 Mana

R: 10' T: 10' x 10' wall D: 1 min

Create a wall in an empty space (not occupied by anything) with any orientation, but if it is horizontal, at least two sides of it must be anchored or the spell will fail. You can mold the wall, similar to cutting holes and notches in a 10' x 10' sheet of paper. Wall is solid—it's a wall. Wall is not hard to destroy, as it has AC 0 and HP 2d8. +1 MP: +2d8 HP.

Wall of Fire 1 Mana

R: 10' T: 10' x 10' wall D: 1 min

Create a wall in an empty space (not occupied by anything) with any orientation. You can mold the wall, similar to cutting holes and notches in a 10' x 10' sheet of paper. Wall does not block sight, but it will deal 1d6 fire damage to anything that passes through it (Save for half), as well as ignite adjacent flammable things after one round. +1 MP: +2d6 fire damage.

Wall of Wind 1 Mana

R: 10' T: 10' x 10' wall D: 1 min

Create a wall in an empty space (not occupied by anything) with any orientation. You can mold the wall, similar to cutting holes and notches in a 10' x 10' sheet of paper. Wall does not block sight, but powerful winds will knock small projectiles out of the air and prevent vermin (anything smaller than a rat) from passing. Ranged attacks (arrows, etc) that pass through the wall get -3 to hit. +1 MP: Additional -5 penalty to ranged attacks.

Wind Scythe 1 Mana

R: 50' T: object/creature D: 0

Make a melee attack roll with the slashing weapon in your hand, and apply it to any object/creature within 50'. If you have no slashing melee weapon, it is as if you attacked with a dagger. The attack gets +2 to hit and deals +1d4 damage.

Whispering Wind 1 Mana

R: 200' T: point in space D: 1 rnd

The wind carries your voice to a point you designate (even through keyholes and cracks in stone, even if you don't give it any message to carry) where it then speaks/shouts/whispers your message. The wind listens for 1 round, and then returns to tell you what it heard.