Quoz
2018-01-20, 02:35 PM
I recently finished GMing a lengthy game of Force and Destiny in Star Wars. One of the aspects that I felt make the setting come alive was the mechanic for vergences, which could change how players could tap into the force at a given location. In some areas teeming with life, it was easier to access and gave more powerful results. In other places, like a dead planet or an abandoned Jedi prison block, could make it much harder to use at all. Still other locations could be highly attuned to a specific aspect, such as a temple that gave powerful visions of the past and future.
I would like to introduce something like this into D&D, but I think the spell-based magic would be harder to strike the right balance. I would love to run in a world where a bleed from the Feywild makes illusion more difficult to pierce, or a corrupted graveyard empowers necromancy and hinders healing. The effects should be real enough to have a tactical impact, but not so overwhelming that it would sideline characters who are not positioned to take advantage.
Some of the terrain based effects I am looking at now:
Give advantage or disadvantage on saving throws for one school of spells
Any spell cast counts as being cast at two levels higher
Healing effects that include rolling dice heal only the minimum amount
Any creature summoned gains a temporary buff (extra HP, higher AC or saves, ect)
When you use a spell slot to cast a spell, roll a d10. If the die is equal or lower than the spell level, it causes a wild magic surge as per sorcerer. If the caster is a wild magic sorcerer, instead roll d10-2.
Has anyone ever used a mechanic like this in D&D? What works, what doesn't, and what should I consider when setting up an encounter with terrain modifiers?
What kind of interesting effects would you want to see as a player or GM using this mechanic?
I would like to introduce something like this into D&D, but I think the spell-based magic would be harder to strike the right balance. I would love to run in a world where a bleed from the Feywild makes illusion more difficult to pierce, or a corrupted graveyard empowers necromancy and hinders healing. The effects should be real enough to have a tactical impact, but not so overwhelming that it would sideline characters who are not positioned to take advantage.
Some of the terrain based effects I am looking at now:
Give advantage or disadvantage on saving throws for one school of spells
Any spell cast counts as being cast at two levels higher
Healing effects that include rolling dice heal only the minimum amount
Any creature summoned gains a temporary buff (extra HP, higher AC or saves, ect)
When you use a spell slot to cast a spell, roll a d10. If the die is equal or lower than the spell level, it causes a wild magic surge as per sorcerer. If the caster is a wild magic sorcerer, instead roll d10-2.
Has anyone ever used a mechanic like this in D&D? What works, what doesn't, and what should I consider when setting up an encounter with terrain modifiers?
What kind of interesting effects would you want to see as a player or GM using this mechanic?