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View Full Version : Flip -- Transmutation Spell Idea



ourobouros
2005-10-26, 12:15 AM
This is my first post, and so I hope this is the correct thread to post this in.

The recent comic (#236) contained the line by Haley, "Or were you bitten by a woman, and now you turn into one when the moon is full?", which gave rise to the spell idea below.

I've never created any sort of game rules before (and frankly, I rarely think about the D&D outside the weekly game). However, I've attempted to take into account the most common possibilities and also make balance it. This idea may already exist as another spell, but if it does I don't know of it.

Descriptive text is followed by the technical aspects of the spell. I'm interested to learn the thoughts others have on this spell.


Flip [Transformation 3]
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**Notes and explanations listed at the bottom of the test are referenced by numbers in text in the form [##]**
**If this is used in a campaign, it is recommended that a separate sheet listing the changes be used**
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Descriptive text:
Not all periodic changes brought forth by a transformative spell are equal in their ability to cause a person to be expelled from society. Some in fact are strange enough as to be mistaken for periodic mental illness, yet still capable of being hidden by those afflicted with it. Flip is such a spell.

Flip does as would be expected, altering an individual both mental and physical opposites. The gender of the individual is sometimes changed, but more frequently it is a mental change that is created. While the change in gender is the most often reported, other transformations are actually the common effect. Occurrences include the withering of a hearty individual or temporary senility are better examples, but often mistakenly attributed to other causes.

Colloquially it is known by many names. Some call it the "Man Disease" or "Woman Disease" after such individuals were discovered in the community. Sometimes the discovery of these individuals leads to panics, the rise of local superstitions, and even misplaced (and often fatal) searches for a scapegoat.

Officially, the orders of magic settled on "(Lunar) Flip" for description in literature, due to the nature of the effects to start on the evening of the full moon. Two full moons in a month have only been noticed to induce two flips in a month on the rarest of occasions (averaging over the centuries approaching one change in twenty blue moons). It is described incorrectly by most as a curse, but in actuality it is a flawed spell.

The origin of the spell Flip is uncertain, but more recent events suggest that early transmutative wizards may have accidentally created it, with its delayed effects leading to incorrect theories on the cause. Current tranmutative theory holds that the spell itself likely was to have a command word, but improper implementation disabled the command word and left it susceptible to the potent mystical force of the full moon. This is supported by the all too common tendency of poorly crafted magical items to activate upon exposure to sufficient magical energies. An example often cited is the tendency of a shoddy ring of invisibility to cause the wearer to look like a spastic blink dog.

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Technical information:
Contraction:
(1) Cast as a Level 3 Transmutation spell
(2) Transmission may also occur during kissing or more intimate contact between the afflicted and another, but if blood is transferred between the individuals (i.e. during combat), transmission may also occur (DM discretion). Probability for either case would likely be similar to that for an instant kill (i.e. roll three natural 20's in a row).

Cures:
(1) Greater Dispel Magic {PHB 223} may be used to dispel Flip permanently
(2) Dispel Magic {PHB 223} will prevent the effects of Flip from taking place that month and may be used prophylactically. Cast once per month on the afflicted individual for six months will deactivate the spell permanently; multiple castings in a month will not speed up this process. Flip can only be affected by Dispel Magic if it is the only spell affecting the individual at the time, otherwise, the Dispel Magic will not act upon it.
(3) As it is not a true curse, but instead a flawed spell, Remove Curse {PHB 270} will remove the effects of the curse for that month, but only after the effects have become active and the spell is identified. Remove Curse will not dispel Flip permanently.

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Effects:
On the evening of the (typically) monthly full moon:
(1a)Roll saving throws to determine if the character saves against the effects:
Gender(fortitude): Character level + Number of previous transformations
Skills(will): Character level + Number of previous transformations + 5
Attribute pairings(will & fortitude; two seperate saves): Character level +

Number of previous transformations + 10
Alignment(will): Character level (DM discretion)
Personality(will): Character level (DM discretion)
(1b)Saving against one of the effects does NOT mean subsequent effects on the list are intended to be ignored.

If applicable:
(2a) Roll a d8 to determine the number of days the character will switch genders.
(2b) If switching to female (i.e. a male flipping to female), roll a d4. If 1-3, nothing additional happens. If 4, you are menstruating. Increase the will save DC to avoid switching alignment or personality traits by 2 (due to unfamiliar and distracting abdominal pains).
(3) Roll a d4 to determine the number of days the character will flip alignment, personality, skills, and one attribute pairing (see below). This effect starts ((1/2*d8)-d4) days into the cycle. If this roll exceeds the d8 roll, character switches alignment, personality, and/or skills for entire cycle, but not beyond that.

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Alignment changes (DM discretion):
For characters with the Lawful/Chaotic and Good/Evil pairings, switch accordingly (i.e. Lawful Good becomes Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Good becomes Lawful Evil, etc.). Changes involving neutral alignment occur as follows. Roll a d6, and change the according to the following list.
1-Lawful/Good 2-Lawful/Evil 3-Chaotic/Good 4-Chaotic/Evil

As an idea for DM discretion, the transformation could be considered an issue of Lawful versus Chaotic. In this way, issues of Good/Evil alignment in the party do not cause excess trouble.

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Personality change examples (DM discretion)
-Emotional becomes stoic, and vice versa
-Introverted becomes extroverted, and vice versa
-Etc.

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Attribute pairing
Roll a d6 for each failed save and switch the attribute scores (and thus the attribute score bonuses) of the pairings corresponding to the number.

Fortitude save failed
1-Str/Dex 2-Str/Con 3-Dex/Str
4-Dex/Con 5-Con/Str 6-Con/Dex

Will save failed
1-Int/Wis 2-Int/Cha 3-Wis/Int
4-Wis/Cha 5-Cha/Int 6-Cha/Wis

LONG explanation of why I set it up this way [10]

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Skills (switch modifiers between skills) [1]
-Spot modifier becomes search modifier, and vice versa [2]
-Balance modifier becomes concentration modifier, and vice versa [3]
-Sense motive modifier becomes bluff modifier, and vice versa [4]
-Escape artist modifier becomes use rope modifier [5]
-Survival modifier becomes Knowledge (nature) modifier, and vice versa [6]
-Diplomacy modifier becomes Intimidate modifier, and vice versa [7]
-Jump modifier becomes Tumble modifier, and vice versa [8]
-Handle Animal modifier becomes Ride modifier, and vice versa [9]
-Etc.

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Notes:
[1] Synergies still apply, but as players may have only placed enough points into the skill to gain the synergy bonus this could become an issue. Double checking this may be necessary {synergies list - PHB p.66}
[2] Derived from the idea of skill in far off sight versus noting close significant difference, nearsighted versus farsighted, forest for the trees, etc.
[3] Derived from the notion of physical balance versus mental balance
[4] Derived from the difference between seeing through a deception versus deceiving another
[5a]Conditional usage with ropes or similar item
[5b] Derived from the idea of knowing of how a rope works in the escape of bindings could be reversed to manipulate the rope properly to bind another
[6a] Because knowing NOT to eat THOSE berries is useful, and so is being able to transmit this understanding into a form of knowledge which others could use
[6b] If the intelligence attribute modifier of the character is negative when switching the survival modifier switched to knowledge (nature) modifier, the character may not know the terms needed for their description, but could otherwise describe it

Roll a d6, and then add the intelligence modifier; if it is above zero, the character knows the terms
[6c] If the wisdom attribute modifier of the character is negative when switching the knowledge (nature) modifier to survival modifier, the character may only know the textual description but hasn't seen it for themselves or seen an illustration (i.e. reading a movie review but having not seen the movie)

Roll a d6, and then add the wisdom modifier; if it is above zero, the character has no difficulties in converting book knowledge to practical knowledge.
[7] Derived from the idea that both say the same thing, but often requires speaking softly and the other often requires a big stick
[8] Derived from whether one is moving with gravity or against it
[9] Derived from notion that you can control Cerberus with a powerful force, or by simply being the first one to treat him with kindness
[10] This may seem like the most unfair of the switches, particularly with the high DC, but it has a purpose. As a significant fraction of players may have a lowered/unraised ability score (i.e. "dump score"), a switch in skills could severely affect the character when the skill modifiers are adjusted for ability. Thus, this could benefit the character by switching one of the needed stats. However, it could also make the situation worse, and so balances the other direction, as well.

Second, because it requires separate will and fortitude saves, it will allow a significant portion of the players to avoid one switches per flip cycle.

Additionally, this can serve to keep the character from knowing that they are cursed. By knowing a character's attribute scores and modifiers, a DM could adjust the DC of checks for that character accordingly. To the character it would seem like they were "having an off day", although if the players roll the dice (instead of the DM rolling for them), the discrepancy may become an out of character issue. How you, as the DM, deal with revealing or not revealing this discrepancy is up to your judgment. However, regardless of direct/indirect revelation to the player, it is critical to offer reassurance that this is not favoritism or prejudice. This is to make sure you don't lose a player because they don't know what is going on.

Seffbasilisk
2005-10-26, 12:25 AM
Seems overtly complex.

Why not just say "You've got boobies. Roll a d4 to see if you're menstrating." and each day they take 1 con damage from bleeding.

(another sheet would be needed for the flip)

Lysander
2005-10-26, 12:51 AM
Welcome to the boards ourobouros. Nice book ;D

I like the spell idea but Seffbasilisk is right. It needs to be condensed quite a bit. How about this:


At each full moon you undergo a transformation that lasts for one week. You suffer the following effects:

Reversed Gender

Reversed alignment
Good to evil, chaotic to lawful, etc. Neutral alignments are unaffected.

Revesed Stats The distance of all stats from 10 is reversed. For instance 13 strength would become 7 strength, or 5 wis would become 15. A stat 18 or higher becomes a 3.

ourobouros
2005-10-26, 01:50 AM
Ah, sorry about that guys. I forgot to include the shorthand piece I made for all of that before I went to the grocers.

Contracted by:
_(1) Cast as Lvl 3 Transmutation
_(2) Intimate encounter or blood (chance=1/20*1/20*1/20)
Removed by:
_(1) Greater Dispel Magic
_(2) Six castings of Dispel Magic (1/month;1+/month, duration same)
_(3) Remove curse - Revert to normal;doesn't remove;Flip must be in effect
Switch effects:
_At monthly full moon (Gender--DC--duration)
__1)Gender--DC(fort)=(Char lvl)+(# prev trans)--d8 days
__2)Skills--DC(will)=5+(Char lvl)+(# prev trans)--d4 days
__3)Attr. pair 1--DC(will)=10+(Char lvl)+(# prev trans)--d4 day
__4)Attr. pair 2--DC(fort)=10+(Char lvl)+(# prev trans)--d4 day
__Effect 2,3,4 start 1/4 into effect 1;if d4>d8, then duration(all)=d8
___Attribute pair 1 switch list (determined by d6):
____1-Int/Wis_2-Int/Cha,3-Wis/Int
____4-Wis/Cha_5-Cha/Int_6-Cha/Wis
___Attribute pair 2 switch list (determined by d6):
____1-Str/Dex_2-Str/Con_3-Dex/Str
____4-Dex/Con_5-Con/Str_6-Con/Dex
___Skills modifier switch list
____Spot/Search, Balance/Concentration, Sense motive/Bluff
____Escape Artist/Use rope, Survival/Knowledge (nature)
____Diplomacy/Intimidate, Jump/Tumble, Handle Animal/Ride
Optional effects(DM discretion) (effect--DC--duration)
__5)Alignment--DC(will)=Char lvl--d4 days (Flip L/C and G/E)
___If neutral, shift determined by d4:1-L/G, 2-L/E, 3-C/G, 4-C/E
__6)Personality--DC(will)=Char lvl--d4 days


Anyhow, as for its length, it does shorten considerable once the descriptive text is removed (as that was just more for fun), along with my reasons. It's kind of like I did the errata ahead of time, because I see the issues likely to arise.

I thought this would give DMs a tool to modify the effects in a subtle, yet semi-random way (thus, die rolls instead simple). Also, it doesn't affect everything and the gender change DC is low, at first, thus obscuring why and making it so the effect could last for a while but will show itself eventually.

I tried to balance it back toward the player aspect by allowing for saves, and the fact that if more than one stat were affected the problem for the player may be limited. I set the gender reversal with the character level DC as an eventual flag showing the PCs what happened, so the player wouldn't always have an inept character.

Lysander, you have a good notion of what I was aiming at there. In what you typed, it's broken apart, which is also a good way of approaching things. I was looking toward an all-in-one concept.

I hope this clarifies what I meant. I had not meant to obfuscate the description with how much I wrote.

richelieu
2005-10-26, 11:49 AM
Good concept, but needs to be higher than level 3 IMO, especially if it changes someone's alignment.
Otherwise, the PCs use it to essentially "kill" the BBEG.
Oh, Evil Wizard, now you're a Good Wizard. Help us.
At least level 7 spell.

Gamebird
2005-10-26, 11:56 AM
Also, too many complicated saving throws. Reduce it to a single save.

I'm a little unclear - is this a lycanthropic condition (magical disease) or is it a spell you cast on someone?

Talanic
2005-10-26, 12:36 PM
Seems to me like it's both. Starts as a spell, then is capable of spreading like a disease, lycanthropic or not.

Also, the caster doesn't get to choose the way that the target is affected...and the change only affects the target for a few weeks every month (unless I'm reading wrong)...so no, don't count on using it to take out a BBEG. Not for long, at least.