Open ended magic systems

[Blu]

So i want to know if there are open ended magic system variants for the D20/D&D 3.5 system.
By open ended i mean systems where players can create their own spells.
Dragon magazine, 3rd party books and homebrew(as long as it is good) is fair game.
PS: I already know of Elements of magic and Monte Cook's World of Darkness.

Thank you in advance.

[Scots Dragon]

There's True Sorcery (https://greenroninstore.com/products/true-sorcery-pdf) by Green Ronin.

[Necroticplague]

So i want to know if there are open ended magic system variants for the D20/D&D 3.5 system.
By open ended i mean systems where players can create their own spells.
Dragon magazine, 3rd party books and homebrew(as long as it is good) is fair game.
PS: I already know of Elements of magic and Monte Cook's World of Darkness.

Thank you in advance.

I know if Wordcasting, a home brew found here (https://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Wordcasting_(3.5e_Variant_Rule)), and the Words of Power from Pathfinder (no relation to spheres of Power*).
There’s also the ELH’s rules for Epic Spells. Could be used to make non-epic spells easily enough, but the system is kinda crap and abusable.
*=however, on that note, SoP has spellcrafing rules (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/variant-magic-rules/spheres-of-power/spellcrafting/)

[stack]

I wonder is anyone has ever hacked the Ars Magica magic system to 3.X?

[Manyasone]

The "Tome of Channeling" from Dreamscarred Press 3.5 is also pretty damn good

[Hiro Quester]

Well, even in core there are epic spells (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/developingEpicSpells.htm) that individuals can create.

[InvisibleBison]

Incantations (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/incantations.htm), from Unearthed Arcana, are basically a non-epic version of epic spells that non-spellcasters can use.


Well, even in core there are epic spells (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/developingEpicSpells.htm) that individuals can create.

Epic spells aren't core. They come from the Epic Level Handbook, which isn't one of the three core rulebooks.

[thorr-kan]

Incantations (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/incantations.htm), from Unearthed Arcana, are basically a non-epic version of epic spells that non-spellcasters can use.
Expanded on in d20 Modern, specifically Urban Arcana, and included in the d20 Modern SRD.

Zombie Sky Press has further support in Incantations in Theory and Practice and Incantations from the Other Side.

[Calthropstu]

Open ended magic? Players making their own spells?
I am intrigued *Nuclear missle ready* by this idea. I wonder what spells *God mode enabled* I would enable. There's so much I would love for my characters *Nuclear launch detected* to do.

[Crake]

Spheres of power has some spellcrafting rules associated with it, though they allow some pretty powerful stuff. I made a blood mage that could grant everyone a +4 armor bonus a +2 deflection bonus and a +2 shield bonus, along with fast healing 1 for 6 hours to 4 targets..... at level 1.

Admittedly, it used up his entire daily spell resources to do so, as well as 2 feats (one of which was actually to increase his spell points per day, because otherwise he wouldn't have enough to use it), but spheres of power still has at will abilities you can use without spell points, so he can still contribute.

My GM allowed it, but the entire system is of course down to GM adjudication, so ymmv

[Blu]

Spheres of power has some spellcrafting rules associated with it

But are these rules a part of it or more like general guidelines, like pathfinder already has for spells?

[EldritchWeaver]

But are these rules a part of it or more like general guidelines, like pathfinder already has for spells?

They are optional hard rules with the possibility to ad-hoc modify the result.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

But are these rules a part of it or more like general guidelines, like pathfinder already has for spells?

Actual rules, but DM-dependent for the exact result since it’s fairly open-ended

[Quertus]

Spheres of power has some spellcrafting rules associated with it, though they allow some pretty powerful stuff. I made a blood mage that could grant everyone a +4 armor bonus a +2 deflection bonus and a +2 shield bonus, along with fast healing 1 for 6 hours to 4 targets..... at level 1.

Admittedly, it used up his entire daily spell resources to do so, as well as 2 feats (one of which was actually to increase his spell points per day, because otherwise he wouldn't have enough to use it), but spheres of power still has at will abilities you can use without spell points, so he can still contribute.

My GM allowed it, but the entire system is of course down to GM adjudication, so ymmv

I mean, that's not much better than a crusader with the right stance, and he still hits hard and heals while boosting AC all day long. So, sounds legit.

[Crake]

I mean, that's not much better than a crusader with the right stance, and he still hits hard and heals while boosting AC all day long. So, sounds legit.

+8 AC and fast healing 1 to the whole party is definitely not even close to the capability of a crusader at level 1

[Quertus]

+8 AC and fast healing 1 to the whole party is definitely not even close to the capability of a crusader at level 1

+8 AC to up to 4 targets, vs +4 AC to up to 8 targets (Untyped, stacks with other bonuses, and may even stack with other Crusaders).

Fast Healing 1 to up to 4 targets, (which doesn't stack with DMM Persist Lesser Vigor fast healing or Dragon Shaman auras?) vs heal 1d8+1 (even to unconscious party members or those not present at initial casting) every 3 rounds.

And that boost lasts how long? And can be dispelled (not that 1st level characters should worry about such things)?

Sounds pretty comparable to me, honestly.

Then the crusader adds other tricks, on top of a good fighter tank chassis.

It's good, absolutely. But I'm just not seeing this as completely outside the range of existing balance points.

[Quarian Rex]

+8 AC and fast healing 1 to the whole party is definitely not even close to the capability of a crusader at level 1

Also, remember that this is really just raising the floor, not significantly boosting the ceiling. That +8 only really applies to the party wizard or monk (which is great, don't get me wrong). When you give that to the party martial they already have better armor bonuses and probably an equivalent shield bonus. For them, that buff functionally gives them a +2 to AC (the deflection bonus over what they had before) and the ability to 2-hand their weapon.

It is some versatile quality of life boosts (fast healing especially allows the adventure to continue when it would otherwise have to stop), but it is not something that needs an adjustment to the campaign to compensate.