Learning Spells

[ZeroGear]

As I mentioned in my previous thread, I will be running a campaign where the PC's are students at a particular training school, using classes to explain how the PC's learn feats, skills, saves, and class features (simplyfied by the fact that we will be using Generic classes (and a slightly modified version of the psion, and a generic meldshaper class I designed)).

As I was thinking about the spellcaster learning spells, I was struck by inspiration: why not require a spellcaster make a spellcraft check the first time she casts a spell to see if s/he learned it properly?
Here is my reasoning: since the generic spellcaster can cast spells sontaneously, we are assuming that they are simply able to chanel X amount of magical energy (which I will refer to as mana) per day (easily simulated by the use of the spell point system described in UA). However, a spellcaster is still required to study the proper incantations, gestures, and ingrediants that make the spell work. As such, like in real life, accidents tend to happen. When casting a spell for the first time, there is a chance of succeding, but something could also go wrong. All spells have a chance of failing, causing a magical backlash that deals damage, or causing a random effect that does not actually do anything (like turning someone's hair purple) and waisting the spell points.
There are also some special cases:
-Since I will require specilized summoning lists, summoning spells have a chance of calling a completely different creature. (summoning a bager instead of a riding dog, for example)
-Spells that use energy have a chance of utilizig a different type of energy. (a fireball may end up as a coldball for example, or a orb of acid may end up being a orb of electricity)
-Utility spells will have no special changes, since their intentions are too specific.

If the check failed, the caster can opt to cast the spell again at a different time and retry the check, or immediately make a spellcraft check to see if he can memorize the altered version of the spell. a caster cannot intentionally fail their check, as it is rolled secretly by the DM (Me).

Im my opinion, this leads to a more realistic feel of magic, and some interesting situations for role playing when a spell ends up being something completely different.

What do you all think?

Ps: here is the link to my other thread.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160778&highlight=magitech

[kr20esp]

I think as a concept it's pretty awesome, but it could be a little hard to manage everything for all the different spells/possible spell outcomes. Are you planning on rolling a D% to figure out the outcome of a Spellcraft fail? And is this based on the spell cast, or is there going to be one table that covers all possible spells?

If you're willing to do the work, it'd be pretty awesome for the players to deal with the possible risk of spell failure

[ZeroGear]

I think as a concept it's pretty awesome, but it could be a little hard to manage everything for all the different spells/possible spell outcomes. Are you planning on rolling a D% to figure out the outcome of a Spellcraft fail? And is this based on the spell cast, or is there going to be one table that covers all possible spells?

If you're willing to do the work, it'd be pretty awesome for the players to deal with the possible risk of spell failure

Yes, I intend to roll a percentile dice.

The breakdown is sorta like this:

1-24--Spell causes magical backlash, 1d3 points per level of the spell
25-49--Spell fails, spell points waisted
50-74--Spell replaced by non-damaging effect (determined by DM according to spell)
75-100--Spell is altered, player can make a spellcraft check to learn altered version instead.

With the exceptions of multiple versions of the spell (such as the orb of [fire; ice; electricity; acid; sonic; force], each spell can only be learned once. If the player intends to learn the original version instead of the altered version, she can forgo the spellcraft check and try to master the original spell on the next casting of it.

To make sure this does not end up being fatal to the party, I intend to have her cast the spell at a type of exam. and the spellcraft DC would be 15+spell level.

[kr20esp]

I think that'll work great while in the academy/school, but how about out of the school, where a fireball cast as a coldball could screw with things

Like:

"I just memorized Fireball for the first time, and we're fighting a bunch of pissy ice things...hope it doesn't turn into a coldball"


It could lead to an unintentional TPK :smalleek:

Regardless, it seems like a much more useful idea for spellcraft pre-epic level

Keep me posted on how it works out in play

[ericgrau]

I think I would cast every spell outside of combat the first time I try it.

[ZeroGear]

I think that'll work great while in the academy/school, but how about out of the school, where a fireball cast as a coldball could screw with things

Like:

"I just memorized Fireball for the first time, and we're fighting a bunch of pissy ice things...hope it doesn't turn into a coldball"


It could lead to an unintentional TPK :smalleek:

Regardless, it seems like a much more useful idea for spellcraft pre-epic level

Keep me posted on how it works out in play

As you said, it's a university. The teachers would proboly be smart enough to not let their students use a spell outside of the school if the studen't hadn't mastered it.
And yes, students are required to study the spell, and are tested on it during the non-practial part of the school term.
Besides, I created this system because I was starting to get fed up with my players not using the skill when they were supposed to. It also gives them a reason to carry a few wands, scrolls, staves, and bullets with them, since they were made by people with more experience (psionic powers work in a simmilar fasion in my world) (see my previous thread for more information on Spellguns and Arcane Bullets).
It might take a while to test though, since I have to get a game started in the fist place.