Random Spell System?

[yonah]

I'm a relatively inexperienced DM (3.5e) and I'm trying to figure out how to institute a system by which a player could use a spell entirely at random, somewhat like the move Metronome in Pokemon. In the campaign setting a chaotic-aligned god gave the players a temporary boost which allows them to use a spell at random a certain amount of times. I looked at wild magic but that mostly seemed to add effects to spells already cast.

Any ideas/advice?

[Remuko]

Create a chart and assign potential spells to results on a d% roll. sounds like the easiest way

[Jack_Simth]

I'm a relatively inexperienced DM (3.5e) and I'm trying to figure out how to institute a system by which a player could use a spell entirely at random, somewhat like the move Metronome in Pokemon. In the campaign setting a chaotic-aligned god gave the players a temporary boost which allows them to use a spell at random a certain amount of times. I looked at wild magic but that mostly seemed to add effects to spells already cast.

Any ideas/advice?
Try the scroll generation treasure tables in the DMG (Also online (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/scrolls.htm). You're just... using them for casting a spell, rather than handing someone a scroll.

You'll need a d% for Scroll type, Spell Level (could just use a d10-1 for this, or just assign them as "major" arbitrarily and roll a d% as on the table - it did come from a deity, after all, so should be powerful), and specific spell.

Edit: Do be warned: A spell selected randomly at time-of-use is usually going to be useless for the situation. Let's do three examples, use the "it's from a deity, so of course it's Major":

14,85,85: Arcane: 7th: summon monster VII
4,24,66: Arcane: 5th: Prying Eyes
17,86,84: Arcane: 8th: shout, greater

Yes, there are uses for all of those. But a Summoned Monster isn't very grand of a combatant (at least, not at the level where you should be dealing with deities directly...), and is mostly useless outside of combat. Prying Eyes is great... if you need disposable scouts/spies. If you happen to be in a fight at the time... not so grand. Greater Shout: Handy in a fight (save or Stun... but stunning is a very common immunity), but let's hope you weren't in a social situation, or needed to be stealthy.

Edit 2:
If you want to put in some actual work... you could make several "situation" tables from relevant spell lists.

Make a spreadsheet, give yourself some columns labeled something like:
Social (e.g., Detect Thoughts, Disguise Self, Polymorph, etcetera)
Combat (e.g., Meteor Swarm, Polymorph, Summon Monster, etcetera)
Information Gathering (e.g., Arcane Sight, Polymorph, Commune, etceter)
Protection (e.g., Resist Energy, Polymorph, Foresight, etcetera)
Stealth (e.g., Invisibility, Polymorph, Silence, etcetera)
Healing (e.g., Heal, Raise Dead, Polymorph, etcetera)

Then go through spell lists, and categorize each spell as one or more of them, adding it to whichever lists they fit. Then divy up your lists with suitable dice sizes. Ask the player what sort of effect they want (give them the headers) and then roll on that specific category.

[Mnemius]

Check the rod of wonder table?
https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Rod_of_Wonder

Or I suppose, if you limited it to core rule book, roll a d10 (1 is 1st, 2 is 2nd, 3 is 3rd, etc. 10 or 0 is a cantrip)
Then, hope there's less than 20 spells per level and then roll a d20?

[unseenmage]

Hmm, how much would a custom magic item of 'random spell using the s to scroll generation charts' cost I wonder. .

[yonah]

Thanks you all were very helpful! I did intend for many spells to be useless in the situation because that’s rather chaotic.