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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Wild Spell - Chance of "random" spell, or chance of magic surge?



Greywander
2019-09-28, 12:51 AM
Hi all, I was considering a feature for wild magic users that allows them to attempt to cast a spell they don't know (possibly capped at 5th level to prevent some serious exploits). What I'm trying to determine is what should happen if the "attempt" fails: cast a "random" spell, or trigger a wild magic surge?

I've already written my own version of a wild magic system (based on the magic system from Warhammer Fantasy) that is basically complete (might need some more cleaning up) and should be able to be applied to any normal caster. This includes a collection of wild magic surge tables, all d100, in three levels of severity. So I already have wild magic surge tables that can be used.

Here's a potential write up of each version of the ability:


Wild Spell (random spell version)

Your skill at manipulating chaotic magic allows you to attempt to cast a spell you don't know. Choose a spell from any class list that is of a level you can cast, up to 5th level. You use that spell's components, range, and casting time for the attempt, and expend a spell slot as normal. Then roll 1d6. On a roll of 6, you cast the spell you intended. The DM will choose five spells, one for each level, 1st through 5th. On a roll of 1 to 5, you instead cast the spell the DM chose of the same level, ignoring range or target restrictions.

Once you reach 5th level, your wild spell die increases from 1d6 to 1d8, with you casting your intended spell on a roll of 6 or higher. Your wild spell die increases again at 11th level (1d10) and 17th level (1d12).

Note to DMs: It's not necessary to choose five new spells every time this feature is used. Start with a list of five spells at the start of a session, and then only replace a spell when that result gets rolled. E.g. if the player casting a wild spell rolls a 3, then you should replace the 3rd level spell for the next time they cast a wild spell, but you can keep the other spells the same as they were. As long as the player doesn't know what the spells are, they have no way of knowing they aren't "random". Choosing them ahead of time also shifts any blame away from you that you intentionally chose a spell that would hurt the players, as at the time of choosing the spell you won't know the context in which the wild spell is used. As a general rule, the list should always contain at least one helpful spell and at least one harmful spell, as you never know if the wild spell will be targeting an enemy or ally.

I may include a table with some example spells to use, where the DM can select a spell randomly by rolling a die. The table would probably be pretty small, though, and certainly wouldn't cover every possibility.


Wild Spell (wild surge version)

Your skill at manipulating chaotic magic allows you to attempt to cast a spell you don't know. Choose a spell from any class list that is of a level you can cast, up to 5th level, and expend a spell slot as normal. Then roll 1d6. On a roll of 6 you cast the spell successfully. On a roll of 2 to 5, you trigger a minor wild magic surge instead. On a roll of 1, you trigger a major wild magic surge.

Once you reach 5th level, your wild spell die increases from 1d6 to 1d8, with you successfully casting the spell on a roll of 6 or higher. Your wild spell die increases again at 11th level (1d10) and 17th level (1d12).

Honestly, I really like the first version, but I can understand if it seems a bit clunky.

Edit: For context, a minor wild magic surge is temporary and inconvenient; most go away after a long rest, some after a short rest. A major wild magic surge is usually permanent or directly harmful, such as casting Fireball on yourself or permanently losing a limb. I tried to avoid using terms specific to my wild magic system here, but this part was kind of unavoidable.

Bjarkmundur
2019-09-28, 07:10 PM
Both Kane0 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?555697-Houserules-and-homebrew)and Trickery (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ryLQS4Ubr) used a similar feature, you should compare notes! :D