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Kizara
2008-04-26, 01:46 AM
From my Tome of House Rules v1.53, my list of Core spell revisions.

Note, a * means that I am not currently satisfied with this area/spell, and am needing to do further work on it. I'm open to suggestions on these in particular.
** designates a change that is largely based on flavor, instead of balance reasons.

Note: This is pretty long, and includes my revised spell lists for rangers and paladins. If you want to see the class changes of those, I suggest you look here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78162

The revised Concentration skill can be found here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78270


Also, the forums don't bring over the italitization of my original document, and I don't feel like going through and re-italitizing like 200 spells, so please don't mind the sub-optimal formatting.

Magic and Spells (Core):

Any spell less than 5th-level that effects the status of the target allows a save, generally Fortitude. This covers everything from Ray of Enfeeblement to Enervation. Spells that apply an ability penalty apply an enchantment penalty. Some basic cleric spells (Bane, Prayer, Doom) are an exception from this rule.

The caster level cap on Dispel Magic is removed. Greater Dispel Magic now gives you +4 to the check.

Spells that create permanent materials (such as Wall of Iron or Wall of Stone) create materials that are inherently inferior and worthless for use in all but the most primitive of crafting. This difference is one of the ways such a wall is identified from a mundane wall.

The ability score bonus spell chart is expanded to include cantrips/orisons, thereby granting casters bonus 0-level spells according to high ability score.

You may dismiss an active spell as a Swift action on your turn, although this disrupts your Concentration.

*I am generally dissatisfied with the logic and consistency of the assignment of spell schools. However, I do not currently intend to re-work the entire system. Thus, spell schools may be changed during play at an ad-hoc basis to support my view of what they should be. Specialist wizards are advised to take care with this, as it may lead to unbalancing within the spell schools.

Sorcerers and other unprepared casters may use Quicken Spell, and other metamagic feats that speed spellcasting normally, without the normal requirement of a full-round action when using a metamagic feat.

Players are encouraged to create alternate versions of existing elemental attack spells that deal a different primary elemental (acid, cold, electricity, fire) damage type. For example:
Lightning bolt (electricity) -> Line of Fire (fire)
Cone of Cold (cold) -> Cone of Fire (fire)
Fireball (fire) -> Frost Nova (cold)
Scorching Ray (fire) -> Caustic Tendrils (acid)
The new versions must make sense and might be modified to accommodate the new elemental types.

Also, see changes to Concentration skill (above).

Bard:

-Alarm duration is now 1hr/level.
-Add Detect Undead to 0-level list.
-Erase: Chance to erase held writing is 50%, DC to destroy magical writing is 10+ caster level.
-Undetectable Alignment lasts 2hrs/level.
-Comprehend Languages is a 3rd-level spell.
-Detect Secret Doors is a 2nd-level spell.
-Charm Person duration is now 10 min/level.
-**Identify M component removed.
-Grease: see sor/wiz list.
-Comprehend languages is a 2nd-level spell.
-*Hyponotism
-Tasha’s Hideous Laughter is a 2nd-level spell.
-Alter Self: See sor/wiz list.
-Blindness/Deafness duration is 2hours/level.
-Blur lasts 2rounds/level.
-Glitterdust: see sor/wiz list. It is a 3rd-level spell.
-Heroism has a casting time of 1 round.
-Invisibility: See sor/wiz list.
-Mirror Image: See sor/wiz list.
-Shatter: See sor/wiz list.
-Add Knock to 2nd-level list.
-Glibness only grants +15 to bluff, and the DC to overcome its effects is 12 + your caster level, instead of as written.
-Add Lesser Restoration to 3rd-level list.
-Phantom Steed speed is now 30ft + 10 ft/2 caster levels (maximum 100 ft).
-Tongues is a 4th-level spell.
-See Invisibility is a 2nd-level spell.
-Dimension Door: see sor/wiz list.
-Leomund’s Secure Shelter: see sor/wiz list.
-Shadow Conjuration is removed.
-Zone of Silence is a 3rd-level spell.
-Shadow Evocation is removed.
-Heroism, Greater has a casting time of 1 round.
-*Mislead
-Song of Discord allows creatures a +2 to +4 bonus to saves to resist its effects if they are starch allies, long-time friends or intimate with each-other.

Cleric:

-Create Water only creates 1 gallon/level.
-Divine Favor is a 2nd-level spell and has a duration of 1min/level.
-Find Traps is removed from the normal list, still exists as a Domain spell.
-Silence is a 3rd-level spell.
-Undetectable Alignment lasts 2hrs/level.
-Add Gust of Wind to 2nd-level list.
-Add Darkvision to 2nd-level list.
-Wind Wall is a 6th-level spell.
-Blindness/Deafness duration is 2hours/level.
-Divine Power now has a casting time of 1 round.
-Air Walk has a casting time of 1 minute. When the effect ends, you fall without any floating effect. Target must be within 1 size of the caster.
-Freedom of Movement grants a bonus equal to your caster level to resist grapple attempts and all Escape Artist checks, instead of immunity. It still grants immunity to the listed magical effects.
-Add Contact Other Plane to 5th-level list. If a divine caster fails the check, his Wisdom and Charisma are penalized (instead of as-written).
-**Raise Dead, Resurrection and True Resurrection cost 1,000 XP to cast.
-Righteous Might now has a casting time of 1 round, no-longer grants DR or natural armor, and the size bonus to strength is reduced to 6.
-Holy word/Dictum/Word of Chaos/Blasphemy do not allow caster-level boosting effects, such as Necklace of Prayer beads, to benefit them. Also, they are all negated by being unable to hear the spell (such as a Silence effect).
-Word of Recall has a casting time of 1 round.
-Regenerate is a 5th-level spell.
-Etheral Jaunt is a 6th-level spell.
-Etherealness is a 8th-level spell.
-Gate grants you no control over called creatures, ever. The HD restrictions on controlling are instead applied to summoning. The XP cost for the calling version is removed.

Druid:

-Entangle has a range of Medium and is a 20-ft radius spread. Entangled creatures are immobile, and movement through the affected area is at half speed.
-Faerie Fire is a 2nd-level spell.
-Warp Wood does not work on enchanted wood, or wooden magical items.
-You may apply your Armor Bonus to AC to your save vs. Spike Growth. Also, area is reduced to 1 10ft cube/level; casting time increased to 1 round.
-Casting time of Spike Stones increased to 1 round, and you may apply half your armor bonus to AC to your save.
-Add Leomound’s Tiny Hut to 3rd-level list.
-Air Walk: see Clr list.
-Add Wall of Stone to 5th-level list.
-Wind Wall is a 6th-level spell.
-Regenerate is a 7th-level spell.
-Shapechange is removed from normal play, exists as an epic spell.
-Reincarnate is a 5th-level spell. Bonuses accrued from aging do not transfer to new forms (nor do penalties).
-**Reincarnate and its variants cost 1,000xp to cast.
-Repel Wood and Repel Metal or Stone now both allow SR.

Paladin:

-Add Detect Magic to 1st-level list.
-Lesser Restoration is a 2nd-level spell.
-Undetectable Alignment, when cast by a paladin, allows him have his aura not have a lingering effect.
-Add Bear’s Endurance to 2nd-level list.
-Add Spiritual Weapon to 2nd-level list.
-Cure Moderate Wounds is a 2nd-level spell
-Cure Serious Wounds is a 3rd-level spell.
-Add Cure Critical Wounds to 4th-level list.
-Add Magic Vestment to 3rd-level list.
-Add Invisibility Purge to 3rd-level list.
-Add Dimensional Anchor to 4th-level list.
-Remove Restoration from the 4th-level list (add to 5th).

5th-level list:

-Cure Light Wounds, Mass
-Disrupting Weapon
-Righteous Might
-Spell Resistance
-True Seeing
-Spell Immunity
-Restoration
-Mark of Justice
-Find the Path

Ranger:

-Add Create Water as a 1st-level spell.
-Calm Animals is a 2nd-level spell.
-Delay Poison is a 2nd-level spell.
-Add Detect Magic to 1st-level list.
-Add Magic Weapon to 1st-level list.
-Resist Energy is a 2nd-level spell.
-Barkskin is a 1st-level spell.
-Protection From Energy is a 3rd-level spell.
-Cure Light Wounds is a 1st-level spell.
-Wind Wall is removed from these lists. (and added to 5th)
-Darkvision is a 2nd-level spell.
-Add Lesser Restoration to 3rd-level list.
-Add Dispel Magic to 4th-level list.
-Add Spike Stones to 4th-level list.

5th-level list.
-Wind Wall
-Animal Growth
-Commune with Nature
-Death Ward
-Stoneskin
-Tree Stride
-Wall of Thorns
-Wall of Stone
-Spell Resistance

Sorcerer/Wizard:

-Alarm duration is now 1hr/level.
-Detect Undead is a 0-level spell.
-Hold Portal range is now Close.
-Comprehend Languages is a 3rd-level spell.
-Detect Secret Doors is a 2nd-level spell.
-Charm Person duration is now 10 min/level.
-**Identify M component removed.
-Tenser’s Floating Disk is now 10 min/level.
-Grease invokes a Reflex save at the caster’s spell-save DC when first cast and on the caster’s turn. Creatures moving through the area also must save or fall.
-Color Spray is a 2nd-level spell.
-Jump gives +5/10/20 instead of the listed bonuses.
-Arcane Lock now has a 250gp M component (instead of as listed).
-Fog Cloud can be burnt away in the same manner as Obscuring Mist.
-Glitterdust is a 3rd-level spell, save is changed to Fort, and this spell negates concealment or displacement for its duration.
-Melf’s Acid Arrow now does 2d6 acid damage/round.
-Touch of Idiocy: Pick 2 scores to drop, not all 3. Damage is now 2d4. Will negates, lasts for 1 min/level.
-Held or attended objects are allowed a save, including the use of Shatter.
-Invisibility is broken by any strenuous action, including casting any spell. Essentially, recipients are restricted to actions such as mundane conversation or movement, possibly including actions such as swimming or climbing. Any action that would be difficult to perform under duress likewise breaks the spell. These rules cover Invisibility Sphere and Mass Invisibility as well.
-Mirror Image: An Enemy can strike at up to three adjacent ‘images’ as a full-attack action by sweeping his weapon through the area. He makes touch attacks against the targets; hits against the images dispel them, but hits against you in this fashion deal no damage.
-Ghoul Touch duration now simply 1d6 rounds.
-Tasha’s Hideous Laughter is a 3rd-level spell.
-Blindness/Deafness duration is 2hours/level.
-Blur lasts 2rounds/level.
-Knock functions as-stated in regards to barriers held closed by magical spells (such as a door with Hold Portal). However, against mundane means, it has the result of a DC 25 Open Lock check on the door in question. Alternately, it can give +10 to Open Lock checks and the ability to use the skill untrained (to creature touched) for 1 min/level. Finally, it’s range is now touch.
-Rope Trick is removed.
-Spider Climb also grants immunity to webs, including the Web spell. However, it is now 1 min/level.
-Alter Self: If your new form has wings, you may glide (but not fly) at your base movement speed (max). Other forms of movement are likewise restricted. You can gain a maximum natural armor bonus of +2. Although you gain the natural weapons of the assumed form, you are not proficient with them unless you have proficiency from another source (you took a feat, or you normally have similar natural attacks). You do not gain racial feats, and you may gain a maximum of +4 from racial skill bonuses.
-See Dispel Magic changes, above.
-Explosive Runes now has 250 gp material component cost (gold dust) and has a 1 minute casting time.
-Phantom Steed speed is now 30ft + 10 ft/2 caster levels (maximum 100 ft).
-Stinking Cloud: Only 1 save is needed against it, and you can try every round till you make it (suffering effects until you do). Once you make the save you are immune to the effects of that Stinking Cloud.
-Suggestion: While a reasonable suggestion imposes -1 or -2 to the save, an unreasonable one or one that is highly contrary to the subject’s desires simply will not work.
-Displacement is a 4th-level spell.
-Tongues is a 5th-level spell.
-Wind Wall is a 6th-level spell.
-Ray of Exhaustion cannot stack with itself, or with any other magical effect that creates fatigue. That is, you cannot simply cast it on someone twice to make them exhausted, regardless if they make their saves.
-Fly now has a casting time of 1 round and a duration of 2 rounds/level. Furthermore, you drop uncontrollably if the spell ends.
-Fire Trap is a 2nd-level spell.
-Dimension Door: If cast as a swift action, has a range of close. If cast as a standard action, has a range of close +40ft. If you take 1 round to cast it, it has a range of long.
-Leomound’s Secure Shelter is a 5th-level spell.
-Solid Fog allows you to make a strength check (DC 25) to be able to move through it at half speed, and not suffer the penalty to attacks.
-Crushing Despair is a 3rd-level spell.
-Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere has a casting time of 1 round. Note: This may result in you trapping yourself with enemies in the sphere.
-Shadow Conjuration is removed.
-*Polymorph: Aberration, Ooze, Plant and True Dragon forms are removed. Casting time is 1 round. A -4 circumstance penalty applies on all attacks, saves and checks due to disorientation. Pay 500 XP as an additional cost to cast the spell.
-Animate Dead is a 3rd-level spell.
-Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum is now 10ft cube/level, and the cubes must be continuous. Any spell or ability able to penetrate magical Darkness overcomes the screening effect of this spell.
-Teleport has a casting time of 2 rounds.
-Baleful Polymorph: You may not polymorph them into a fatal form. Duration is 1 round/2 levels. No secondary Will save (or subsequent penalties). Equipment melds into the new form and re-forms with the subject when the duration expires. Normal form is resumed after duration, with a -2 circumstance penalty to all actions for 1 round due to disorientation.
-Fabricate is removed.
-Feeblemind: The penalty to the Will save for arcane casters is removed. It can be dispelled by a Break Enchantment as well as the listed effects.
-Shadow Evocation is removed.
-Magic Jar is removed.
-Overland Flight now grants poor manoeuvrability.
-Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion: The entrance is a barrier that requires a Will Save to pass. If the mansion is dispelled (targeting the entrance), those inside are deposited outside where the entrance was and are stunned for 1 round (no save). Nothing can be removed from the mansion.
-Contingency’s triggered spell can’t have a casting time longer then 1 standard action. Triggering condition is based on your perceptions and must be external. “Cast stone skin when I’m attacked” is valid, “cast stone skin when I feel hungry” is not.
-Teleport, Greater has a casting time of 1 round.
-Teleport Object has a casting time of 1 round.
-Insanity is an 8th-level spell.
-Etheral Jaunt is a 6th-level spell.
-Delayed Blast Fireball does 1d8/level fire damage.
-Forcecage has a casting time of 1 round.
-Shadow Conjuration, Greater is removed.
-*Magic Jar
-Simulacrum is an 8th-level spell.
-Moment of Prescience does not apply to Initiative checks (this is not a house rule).
-Symbol of Insanity is a 9th-level spell.
-Otiluke’s Telepathic Sphere has a casting time of 1 round.
-Polymorph Any Object: Fortitude Negates. If cast on a person, acts as permanent-duration Baleful Polymorph. If cast on objects, it effects a 10ft cube/level, cannot create materials of great intrinsic value, and costs 1,000 XP. (similarity chart is removed)
-Shadow Evocation, Greater is removed.
-Etheralness is a 8th-level spell.
-Gate: see cleric list
-*Mordenkainen’s Disjunction
-Shades is removed.
-Shapechange is removed from normal play, exists as an epic spell.
-Time Stop is removed from normal play, exists as an epic spell.


Any feedback, even if its just one spell you have an issue with (or my changes to that spell) is appreciated.

Jasdoif
2008-04-26, 02:20 AM
**Identify M component removed....what do the double asterisks mean?


**Raise Dead, Resurrection and True Resurrection cost 1,000 XP to cast.Ow. Do you have something like psionic revivify (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psionicRevivify.htm) available to save some XP (and material component) costs?


Magic Jar is removed.
...
*Magic JarLists can be sneaky. Duplicitous, you might say.


*Mordenkainen’s DisjunctionI imagine your concern is that it destroys magic items, making it a dangerous choice in anyone's hands. Just to throw some ideas out here....
Make the effect centered on the caster.
Magic items are suppressed as if they were dispelled for the standard 1d4 rounds if they make the Will save; otherwise they remain suppressed for 24 hours.
Artifacts are no longer affected, unless they can be affected by dispel magic. In which case, they are automatically affected without needing a dispel check.

Kizara
2008-04-26, 02:56 AM
...what do the double asterisks mean?

Ow. Do you have something like psionic revivify (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psionicRevivify.htm) available to save some XP (and material component) costs?


I haven't gotten to psionics yet, but any psionic ability that roughly duplicates a phb spell will be subject to the same modifications I make to said spell.

They mean:
** designates a change that is largely based on flavor, instead of balance reasons.
I'll go edit it in to the OP now.



Lists can be sneaky. Duplicitous, you might say.

Good catch.


I imagine your concern is that it destroys magic items, making it a dangerous choice in anyone's hands. Just to throw some ideas out here....
Make the effect centered on the caster.
Magic items are suppressed as if they were dispelled for the standard 1d4 rounds if they make the Will save; otherwise they remain suppressed for 24 hours.
Artifacts are no longer affected, unless they can be affected by dispel magic. In which case, they are automatically affected without needing a dispel check.

More or less my exact intentions, I just need to write it out, refine it and iron out the kinks.

Thanks for your input.