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View Full Version : Random Spell Creation: Phase 1



nimrodd
2015-11-15, 03:24 PM
First off, first post! Woohoo!

Anyway, so I'm trying to make a program that creates random spells and I've compiled lists of all the mechanics details like target, duration, damage type, etc. What I'm trying to get a better sense of now is of the different general or abstract categories and uses of spells. Like, why is the caster using this spell? What are the mechanics helping them achieve?

If y'all could help me out and just dump any and all ideas you got that'd be awesome! Even categories of mechanics, it's good to be thorough. Everything helps!

_nimrodd

inuyasha
2015-11-15, 05:03 PM
1. What edition is this for? That's extremely important
2. What do you mean exactly? Like, do you want us to give broad categories of spells like damage (fireball, cone of cold, lightning bolt), lockdown type stuff (web, sleep), and manipulation stuff (charm, suggestion), or is there something I'm not understanding?

nimrodd
2015-11-15, 06:12 PM
Thanks for responding!

This is going to be for 5th edition. (Thanks for pointing that out btw) And yes, the kind of broad categories you've been listing are exactly what I was hoping for!

I'm trying to move in broad stokes first and then just narrow down bit by bit. By narrowing down I like to try and find out what more subtle differences are like.

I'll use charm and suggestion as you mentioned as an example, but ignoring their actual effectiveness for a sec, game balancing stuff is way down the road. Charm seems like it's less obtrusive, allowing it to potentially be used in more situations, but doesn't guarantee desired outcomes. Suggestion seems much better at getting results, but also potentially more obvious to onlookers when used. So manipulation could be further broken down into subtle and direct.

Hope this has cleared things up a bit.

Keep the ideas coming! It's all very much appreciated!

inuyasha
2015-11-15, 06:34 PM
Darn I was hoping for third edition as that's the one I most regularly play.

Still, some other important categories include transportation (be it plane shifting or teleporting), buffing/protection/ (death ward, cure light wounds), and summoning (both summon monster/nature's ally and animate dead could count)