Downtime Activities + Carousing Table

These are straight from my house rules, so some of them are going to refer to rules that you might not necessarily use. 

Resting in town is important. DMs who have experience with multi-day hikes and heavy backpacks know how incredible it feels to sleep in a real bed at the end of it all.

I want to have rules that make downtime more important.

A player loses 1 insanity point for every week spent in town, engaging in non-stressful activities (no adventuring).

Each week, a random person in the party has a 5% chance to make a Charisma check. If they succeed on this check, they gain an ally. If they fail it, they gain an enemy. Roll a 1d6 to see how important that person is.  

Each week, a player can pick how they want to spend their time.

1. Philanthropy allows a player to spend money and gain reputation in a neighborhood. This costs 1000c in a poor neighborhood and 10,000c in a rich one. You gain +1 to all reaction rolls in that area. If you succeed on a Charisma check, you also gain a permanent friendly ally in that neighborhood.  You can also choose one small change to make to the neighborhood that your money makes.  Perhaps all of the street urchins are in a free orphanage school now, or the shitty roads finally get repaid.  Players should be able to easily see how their money has changed the neighborhood for the better.  This is how they change the world for the better--one neighborhood at a time.  Villages and towns are so small they usually only count as a single neighborhood.  +1 Rumor.

2. Relaxing for at least a week allows a character to be cheered (+1 HP per HD) until the end of the first day where HP actually matters.  (So hanging out in town or travelling on roads doesn't cause you to lose your Cheered condition, but getting into combat or exploring a dungeon will cause you to lose the Cheered condition after you've had a day to enjoy it. +1 Rumor.

3. Prayer is mechanically identical to Relaxing (above), except that you can simultaneously engage in Philanthropy (above) as long as you are donating money to the temple or church. If you are a cleric or priest, you will instead be expected to lead ceremonies.  +1 Rumor.

4. Boasting after completing a significant adventure, the party can spend a week boasting of their accomplishments.  The whole party must engage in this together.  This earns them an additional +5% of the XP of the adventure they just finished.  This is basically a roleplaying activity, where the party can recapitulate their adventures in dramatic narration (and open lies) while the DM queries, cheers, and heckles them while roleplaying as drunken tavern patrons or opium-addled nobles.  (If you come back from Dragon Mountain with a bunch of treasure, there's going to be at least one noble who invites you to their house, eager to hear all of your stories.)

5. Skill Training allows a player to gain a check mark in a skill (within reason—you cannot train swimming in the desert, nor study marine biology without access to either fish or a good library). This takes 1 week. This may cost money.

6. Skill Mastering allows a player to test their skill to improve it. Erase all three check marks and roll a d6. If the result is higher than the character's current skill rank, the rank improves by 1. This takes 1 week.

(I should probably post my skill rules, since they've changed a lot since I posted them on this blog.)

7. Spell Study allows a character to learn a new spell. This takes 1 day and 100g if the spell belongs to the caster's chosen school. If a wizard attempts to learn a spell from outside of their school, it takes 1 week, 700g, and takes up a skill slot.

(Players have skill slots equal to their Intelligence.  Skills and off-school spells both compete for skill slots, which makes the Intelligence stat more in-demand for wizards.  It also helps limit how many off-school spells a wizard can learn, so while a necromancer can learn all necromancy spells, they have to be more selective about which illusion spells they want to learn.)

8. Spell Invention allows a spellcaster to invent a new spell. This requires expensive (1000g or more) or rare (quest) items (or both) and takes a month (or a year, at the DM's discretion). At the end of the month, a successful Intelligence check allows the caster to invent the spell that they were seeking. DMs are encouraged to say yes to whatever the character proposes, modify it to ensure it's not exceptionally broken, and then put a cost on it that reflects it's value.  More powerful/exploitable spells are more difficult.

For example, a version of fireball that does cold damage instead of fire is very reasonable for a wizard who already knows the fireball spell. This might only cost 1000g in icethorns and seed diamonds and require a month.

9. Working earns reliable money. The character gets a job that earns 2d6g per week (this money is worth no XP). If they have a relevant skill, they earn an additional +1d6g for every skill rank. If a character is willing to engage in risky/unethical work (such as burglary for a thief, selling demonic consultations for a wizard), they earn triple, but there is also a 1-in-6 chance of a mishap (the thief is arrested, the wizard is cursed).  +1 Rumor.

10. Carousing for a week allows a character to spend money and gain XP at their own risk. 100g = 100 XP, 400g = 200 XP, 900g = 300xp, etc. Then learn +1 Rumor and roll on the carousing table.

Decide beforehand how much equipment and money you want to carry when carousing. Weapons and gold might come is useful, but they might also be lost or stolen. No one parties in armor.

Decide with the DM what sort of form your carousing takes, so that you can create the fiction together. Gambling, drugs, prostitutes, extravagent tea parties, river cruises, etc.

There is a 50% chance that your carousing will be fun and uneventful. Otherwise, roll on the following table.

Players can choose to carouse together, consolidating their roll into 1, thereby allowing them to share in the same fate (whether good or bad).

Carousing Table

1	Horseplay! d6: 1-4 lose your mount to thievery, gambling, or negligence, 5 gain a horse, 6 gain an exotic mount, such as a camel or riding bird.
2	Shanghaied! Wake up on a pirate ship that's already set sail, or in the back of a slaver's wagon.
3	Friendship! You saved their life, or they were really impressed with your toasts! Roll a 1d6 to see how relatively important your new friend is.
4	Animosity! You insulted a noble, or hit on the wrong girl. Roll a 1d6 to see how relatively important your new enemy is.
5	Windfall! You gain 1d6 x 100g in a risky venture.
6	Losses! You lose 1d6 x 100g in a risky venture. If you do not have enough money on you, the debt is doubled and you may face jail time.
7	Wake Up In Bed With Someone! d6: 1 servant, 2 dead prostitute, 3 someone super hot, 4 random other PC, 5 important local NPC, 6 1d4 halflings.
8	Public Fool! You'll be mocked as long as you stay here. Maybe you kissed a donkey or something.
9	Arrested! Facing 1d6 weeks of jail time, unless a bribe is paid (~1d6 x 100g, discreetly).
10	Wounded! Roll on the Death and Dismemberment Table, with Severity 1d4+4.
11	Unusual gift! d6: 1 baby, 2 taxidermied pegasus, 3 slave, 4 pet cat, 5 obviously cursed item, 6 tavern.
12	Good reputation! You'll be welcomed in most places around here. People seem to know you, even though you have no memory of them
13	Wanted for crimes! 50% chance you were framed. Penalties as Arrested entry (above).
14	Fall in love! Describe you who fall in love with to the DM. If you make a Charisma check, it's reciprocated.
15	Combat! D3: 1 barfight vs 1d6 drunkards in a free-for-all, 2 1d4 thieves in a dark alley, 3 cage fight vs level 1d6 opponent.
16	Robbery! Lose all carried money.
17	Disease! Probably dirty cups or unprotected sex. Roll a Con check to avoid it, and roll a d6 to see how severe it is. 1 = cold, 6 = plague.
18	Inducted! You seem to have joined some sort of secret society and/or cult. If there are no obvious candidates, roll a d6 to see how powerful the cult is and another d6 to see how harmless they are.
19	New Tattoo! Exact design is decided by a random player around the table (including the DM).
20	Fire! You accidentally burn down either the current carousing location or the most important building in town (50% each). d3: 1 everyone knows you did it, 2 only your new blackmailer knows, 3 only you know.

Roll Under Attack Rolls + Players Roll More Dice

I sort of love the whole idea of roll-under mechanics.  So do other people.  I use them in my homebrewed home game for everything from skills to saves to ability score checks.  And now I'm thinking about applying them to attacks.  So none of this d20 + attack bonus, then compare to enemy AC.  I know, sacred cow, barbecue, etc.

I'm also playing around with the idea of making the players roll all the dice.  Or at least, they get to roll the dice when the monsters attack.

The math is totally the same. Characters have the same odds to hit and be hit, but it feels very different, maybe?

Defense

A character has a Defense of 9 +/- Armor bonus +/- Dex bonus. Armor bonuses range from 2 (for leather) to 6 (for plate).

Players roll a d20 whenever an enemy attacks. (DMs don't normally roll enemy attack rolls.) A hit results when the result is equal-or-less to the character's Defense value. Defense rolls are made with a penalty equal to the enemy's Attack bonus.

Example: Alice has a Dex bonus of +1 and is wearing leather armor (+2 AC). Her Defense is 12. Whenever she is attacked by a HD 0 creature (e.g. 1 hp goblins), she needs to roll a 12 or lower on a d20 to dodge the attack (because the goblins have +0 to attack). So she dodge's goblin attacks 60% of the time.

If she is attacked by a HD 8 golem (with +8 to attack), she needs to roll a 4 or lower on a d20, so she dodges the attack 20% of the time.

Because you're telling the player the monster's attack bonus during the Defense roll, they'll immediately know what a monster's attack bonus is. This might be fair--it gives players more information about about what they're fighting, so they can make more informed decisions. And it makes sense that a fighter would be able to quickly assess his enemy's skill after a few seconds of combat.

If you don't like telling players what the monster's to-hit bonus is, you can always just ask them to tell you how many points they successfully dodged by, and then compare it to your monster's to-hit bonus.

Attacks

A character has a Melee Attack of 11 +/- Str bonus + attack bonus.

A character has a Ranged Attack of 11 +/- Dex bonus + attack bonus.

Attacks are rolled on a d20. A hit results when the result is equal-or-less to the character's Attack value. Attacks are made with a penalty equal to the enemy's Armor bonus. 

Example: Bob is a level 3 fighter (+3 to hit) with 10 Str, so his Melee Attack is 14.  He's trying to hit an antipaladin wearing full place (AC +6 = Armor 6), which applies a penalty of -6 to the roll.  So he has to roll an 8 or less to hit, giving him a 40% chance of beaning the antipaladin on any particular turn.  

Pretty much everything that I've said disclosing enemy to-hit bonuses would also apply to disclosing enemy armor.

Discussion

It's mechanically identical. The probabilities are the same, and technically it doesn't matter who rolls the dice. But does it still feel like DnD?

The question of "should the players roll all the dice?" is something I'm still pondering. On one hand, you lose the sense of symmetry, so that it feels like the monsters don't follow quite the same mechanics as the PCs (though you can argue that's always been the case). But on the other, it's a lot easier to explain and calculate your chances of success (and that's something that Numenera fans are always gushing over).

I'm thinking about implementing this in my home game, just to see how it feels.

yayayayayayayayaaaaa

Inevitable Damage Rules

The way I see it:

So, HP represents your ability to dodge, deflect, and soak up blows in combat.  And nearly everything does HP damage.  But certain types of damage bypass that system entirely.  It doesn't matter how much HP you have—if you are shoved off a 20' building, you are going to be injured.  Same thing if you are submerged in acid.  Skill cannot help you.  Your levels cannot help you.

So here is a system to model that.

So a few days ago I posted a Death and Dismemberment table designed to give injuries when a character took more damage than their HP could handle.  Here's a slightly newer one with a few more tweaks and polish.

The important things to look at are the numbers along the left hand side, the Severity, which are normally generated by rolling 1d8 + lethal damage (i.e. damage in excess of HP).

click me

INEVITABLE DAMAGE

It is possible for an attack to deal 5 damage that is both HP and Inevitable.  It's also possible for an attack to deal only one or the other.

The vast bulk of all damage will be HP damage, which works exactly as you are familiar with.

Inevitable damage means that you are guaranteed an Injury with a Severity at least equal to the Inevitable damage (on the Death and Dismemberment table, above).  This is true even if you wouldn't normally get any Injuries, or took no HP damage at all.

Important consequence of this rule: if a character ever takes 13 or more Inevitable damage at once, they're dead, regardless of HP.

FALLING

Falls deal 1d6 HP damage for every 10' fallen and an equal amount of Inevitable damage (see below).

Jumping down from a height doesn't deal any HP damage, but you do take 1d6 Inevitable damage for every 10' fallen.  If you hang off a ledge and then drop down, treat the fall as if it were 10' shorter.  If you make a Dexterity Test, treat the fall as if it were 10' shorter.

Examples:

A character with lots of HP falls down a 40' pit and takes 14 damage.  Normally, the character's HP would soak up the damage with no ill effect, but because fall damage is always Inevitable Damage, it is exactly as if the character had rolled on the Injury Table and gotten a Severity of 14 (dead).

A character jumps off a 10' ledge and fails their Dexterity Test.  Because they intentionally jumped (and weren't pushed) they take no HP damage, but they do take 1d6 Inevitable damage.  So, even though their HP doesn't fall, they have a equal chances of

• landing prone
• disabling a foot/leg for 1 day (possibly an impacted heel?)
• disabling a foot/leg for 2d6 days (a rolled ankle?)

This hasn't been playtested yet, but I intend to write up some rules for Inevitable burns and sneak attacks and whatever.  Does this look sane?  Does it look too complex?  Does it look fun?

Improved Death and Dismemberment Table

Remember the last time I tried to write a Death and Dismemberment table?  I liked it, but it kind of sucked.  Not quite usable, not quite generic enough.  So I rewrote it.

click me

It even all fits on one page.  Nice.

Necromancers

Still working on spell lists.  Holy fuck, spell lists.

I'm using a flexible MP system instead of spell slots (1 MP = 1st level spell).  And also, nearly all spells are first level spells that can be promoted into more powerful forms by spending more MP on them (equivalent to preparing them in a higher level spell slot).  A fuller discussion is here.

Here's the Necromancer.  They can raise undead minions, which is flipping sweet, but when they use a spell to raise one, the MP (spell slot) remains expended for as long as the undead is a minion of the necromancer.

SCHOOL OF NECROMANCY

Masters of undead minions. All three basic types of minions are flawed: Skeletons cannot recover lost HP in any way, zombies can be healed but their maximum HP erodes by 1 HP every day, and skin kites have a cumulative 1% chance of going berserk every day. The two kinds of advanced minions are better, but still have drawbacks. Poppets require your blood, while the crack zombies eat themselves to death in just a few rounds.

Perks

• +4 to Save vs Level Drain.
• Unlike other wizards, you can control the undead minions that you raise. However, the MP that you spent on that spell will never be regenerated as long as you control the minion (it stays expended). Commands that you can give mindless undead are limited to a single verb, optionally accompanied by pointing at something.

Drawbacks

• The hatred and fear of paladins and peasants everywhere.
• When you die or get knocked unconscious, you lose control of your undead minions, who will then behave erratically. Roll a d3: 1 – Return to your body and guard it against everyone, even your allies, 2 – Wander off in different directions, 3 – Attack everything, and when there is nothing left to attack, devour your body.
• Most hirelings will refuse to work for you.

spells 1-10 are ones you potentially start with, 11-30 are the ones you find on your journeys.

Spell List

Charm Undead Detect Undeath Fear Gentle Repose Invisible Servant Raise Skeleton Raise Skin Kite Raise Zombie Rot Speak With Dead

Blindness Blood Elixir Blood Funnel Call to Restless Spirit Curse of Undeath Essential Salts Explode Undead Exterminate False Death False Life

Gaseous Putrefaction Graft Undead Gnashing Shadows Kill Possess Undead Minion Raise Poppet Raise Twitcher Ruin (Frailty) See Invisible Wrack (pain)

And here's a selection of the more interesting spells:

Blood Elixir 1 Mana

R: touch T: corpse D: permanent

This spell takes 1 minute to cast, must begin within 1 round of the corpse's death, and requires reagents costing 100s (usually bat's blood, colloidal silver, and a Small vial). The brief ritual produces a blood-red elixir imbued with the knowledge of a random spell that was in the corpse's mind at the time of his death. If drunk, the spell is transferred to the drinker's brain, who is then free to either cast it or add it to their spellbook. Obviously, this spell has no effect on corpses who didn't have any spells Prepared at the moment of their death.

Call to Restless Spirit 1 Mana

R: dungeon T: - D: 0

You call out to restless ghosts. The call goes out throughout the entire dungeon, building, graveyard, battlefield, or whatever. If there are any aggressive ghosts or incorporeal undead anywhere in the dungeon, the nearest one will answer your call.

If there are no aggressive spirits, the nearest restless one will appear. Restless spirits usually want someone to deliver a message to a loved one, or to bury their corpse in a proper graveyard. If it is placated, usually by bundling up a mouldering skeleton in someone's Inventory, it will answer 1d6 questions about the place. (If there is a corpse of an adventurer in the dungeon, you have at least one restless corpse. But a particular dungeon may have more, or it may have none.)

Detect Undeath 1 Mana

R: - T: - D: constant

When you have this spell Prepared, you can activate it to determine if something is alive, undead or neither. 50' range.

Essential Salts 1 Mana

R: touch T: corpse D: permanent

This spell takes 1 minute to cast, must begin within 1 round of the corpse's death, and requires reagents costing 100s (usually ash from holy books, black salt, and a Small jar). The brief ritual produces a heart-sized pile of crystallized ashes, which contain the soul of the recently deceased.

Reversed: Call to Captured Spirit – This is a 1 hour ritual that requires only a fire. The soul contained in the salt is called forth, and can be conversed with freely while it is manifested within the smoke. Each spirit has a characteristic type of smoke, and they vary by color, density, odor, etc.

You have no special power over the spirit. All you can do is talk to it, although it the spell prevents it from leaving or from ignoring you—it must respond to your questions with something. Spirits that opposed you in life will continue to oppose you. If there is nothing that the spirit cares about anymore, it will be difficult to motivate. Some spirits are naturally helpful, some are perpetually stubborn. (When in doubt, roll a reaction roll.)

You can converse with the spirit for up to an hour, unless you wish to dismiss it earlier. The salts can be recovered from the ashes of the fire with a simple process. However, if the salts are scattered, or if a single drop of holy water touches them, the spirit will depart forever.

Explode Undead 1 Mana

R: 50' T: undead D: 0

If the target corporeal undead fails a Save, it explodes, dealing 1d6 damage to everything within 20', Save for half. No effect on incorporeal undead. No effect on undead with greater than 4 HD. +1 MP: +2d6 explosion damage, and +2 maximum HD.

Exterminate 1 Mana

R: 50' T: 20' diameter D: 0

Everything in the area take 1 damage, no Save. Swarms in the area instead take 2d6 damage, Save for half. Alternatively, this spell can be cast over 1 minute, which will allow it to kill all vermin in a house, including rats and fleas. +1 MP: +3d6 damage to swarms.

False Death 1 Mana

R: 0 T: creature D: 1 day

Willing creature dies. While dead, it does not rot (see gentle repose) but has no similar protection against being dismembered, eaten, or buried. When the duration has elapsed, the creature returns to life in exactly the same condition that it left it. You can set the spell to have a shorter duration if you wish. +1 MP: Duration extends to 1 month.

False Life 1 Mana

R: 0 T: creature D: 1 minute

Target creature gains 1d10 HP, which does not allow it to exceed it's maximum HP. Record this number. When this spell ends, the creature takes damage equal to the HP it gained.

This spell can even be used to (imperfectly) resurrect creatures that died within the last round with 2d6 HP. Creatures that are resurrected this way die permanently at the end of the spell's duration. The spell ends early if the creature notices that it is dead (no heartbeat, slashed jugular). +1 MP: +2d10 HP.

Kill 1 Mana

R: touch T: creature D: 0

Make a touch attack and then roll 1d10. If the amount rolled is greater than or equal to the targets remaining HP, the target dies, no Save. Otherwise, this spell has no effect. +1 MP: +2d10 rolled.

Ruin 1 Mana

R: 50' T: creature D: 1 min

If the target fails its Save, all damage it takes is increased by 2. +1 MP: +2 damage.

Rot 1 Mana

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

Target takes 1d6 damage as part of it darkens and rots. No Save. Can be used to rot out a center section of a wooden door wide enough for passage, or rot the shaft of a wood-hafted weapon. Doesn't work on anything immune to rotting. (So a zombie would be affected, but not a mummy full of preservatives.)

Wrack 1 Mana

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

If the target fails a Save, it takes 1d10 non-lethal damage from excruciating pain. +1 MP: +2d10.

And because I figure that the biggest appeal of being a necromancer is bossing around zombies, there are five different kinds of undead you can raise, and a few interesting spells that you can use on them:

You guys get how it works, right?  A 1 HD zombie costs 1 MP (a 1st level spell slot) for as long as it around.  A 3 HD zombie costs 2 MP (a 2nd level slot).  And of course, you need to get those corpses in the first place.  All the undead (except the poppet) have some sort of planned obsolescence baked into them, so you can't keep them around a long time (or you won't want to).

Raise _____
R: touch T: corpse D: permanent
Spells that raise undead have a lot in common.  Exceptions will be noted under the individual spell.

The spell takes 1 minute to cast.  It creates a 1 HD undead, unless the corpse came from a creature with fewer HD.  The spell requires reagents costing 10s per HD, usually in the form of black peridots and silvered coffin nails.  Any wizard can raise undead, but only Necromancers can control them (pXX).  Undead have attack bonuses equal to their HD.  None of the undead listed below are capable of speaking.  +1 MP: +2 maximum HD.

Raise Autophage 1 Mana

R: 50'

Autophages look like zombies on crack. They twitch so violently and move with so little coordination that they literally tear themselves apart. Theya are constantly eating themselves and fidgeting.  An autophage uses d12s for HD, has AC 10, Movement 12, and does 1d4+HD damage. It takes damage each round equal to its HD, and is incapable of standing still or being quiet. +1 MP: +2 maximum HD.

Raise Poppet 1 Mana

T: parts from 10 corpses

A poppet is not created from 1 corpse, but from the leftovers of at least 10 corpses whose HD is irrelevant.  (Any fewer will result in an insane poppet.)  It's appearance depends on the exact parts that went into its construction. Poppets are the only undead that show signs of emotion. They watch you while you sleep. A poppet uses d4s for HD, has AC 12, Movement 10, Stealth 10, and does 1d4+HD damage. It also does +3 damage when it attacks an unsuspecting target. Each day, a poppet must be fed 1 HP of your blood for every HD it possesses, or else it crumbles away into powder. +1 MP: +2 HD.

Raise Skeleton 1 Mana

A skeleton has AC 14, Movement 9, and does 1d4+HD damage. They can wield a weapon, if given one. There is no way to restore HP to a Skeleton once it has been lost. +1 MP: +2 maximum HD.

Raise Skin Kite 1 Mana

A skin kite uses d4s for HD, has AC 12, Fly 12, and attaches to a target on a successful attack. While attached, it automatically deals 1d4+HD damage per turn. Although they lack sentience and emotions, skin kites are about as smart as a well-trained dog, and are capable of remembering locations, people, and names. Each day, a skin kite has a cumulative 1% chance of going berserk, usually at the worst possible time. +1 MP: +2 maximum HD.

Raise Zombie 1 Mana

A zombie uses d12s for HD, has AC 10, Movement 6, and does 1d4+HD damage. They get -2 to hit, but if the attack roll succeeds by 4 or more, they grab their opponent. Each day, a zombie decays, causing its maximum HP to decrease by 1. +1 MP: +2 maximum HD.

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.