Spell Research

For the creation of magic spells, a wizard requires two things: a laboratory and an arcane library. A laboratory suitable for the arcane arts contains spell components, magical instruments and implements, and all the other accoutrements a mage needs to safely experiment with new forms of magic. The price of establishing a laboratory varies with location; the larger the settlement and the greater the population of magic-users in the settlement, the less costly it will be. In a large city with many mages, it may be as little as 4,000 gold pieces. In a town with no mages, it may be as much as 7,000. The cost of an arcane library depends on the power and complexity of the tomes contained within - a library suitable for creating first level spells will cost no more than 2,000 gold. For level 2, 3, 4 and 5 spells, this price rises to 4,000, 8,000, 14,000 and 22,000 gold pieces respectively. Libraries rated above this level will cost even more.

Besides having the library and materials needed for research, many factors affect the research of a spell. Generally speaking, increasing your repertoire of spells as much as possible will make spell research easier, as your arcane vocabulary expands. You may need to seek out specific spells to deconstruct when trying to research a specific spell - Fly and Levitate for a spell that involves flight, for example. Certain classes of mage - such as specialists and elementalists - dedicate themselves to a specific sphere of magic, and this makes research in that area considerably easier for them, though research in other spheres is more difficult. Besides existing spells spells, spell research may also require the mage to seek out certain rare materials to experiment with. For example, a mage designing a spell to move through solid stone might need the carapace of an ankheg, or the eye of a xorn. Every spell is different, and researching a new spell can be an adventure in of itself.

Once a mage has a library, laboratory and materials suitable for spell creation, they may go about the actual process. Besides the requirements listed above, the cost of researching a new spell is equal to 100d10 gold pieces per spell level, which is consumed in broken equipment, gathering information, and replaced spell components throughout the process of spell research. Researching a new spell is also a drain on time and energy - this amount of time is equal to two weeks per spell level at minimum, at the end of which a Learn Spell check is made. If this is failed, they must spend another week in research and another 50 to 500 gold pieces in materials before they can make the check again. Once they succeed, they may add the new spell to their spellbook.

Wild Surge

(Evocation)
Level: 2
Range: 0
Duration: Instantaneous
Area of Effect: Special
Components: V
Casting Time: 1
Saving Throw: Special

This reckless spell taps into the power of wild magic, tapping into the raw force of the arcane to release chaotic energy into the world. It is in effect a broken spell, which draws on power but makes no attempt to shape or control it. Upon casting this spell, a Wild Surge is released in the vicinity of the caster. This is rolled for and adjudicated by the DM exactly as though it were a normal mishap of wild magic.

Fulmore's Fullbodied Fulmination

(Evocation)
Level: 4
Range: 30 yards
Duration: Instantaneous
Area of Effect: Special
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 3
Saving Throw: Special

This powerful evocation creates a wave of percussive force that can shatter stone and splinter rock as though it were nothing. When the spell is cast at stone of any kind, it must make a saving throw vs. structural damage as though struck by a siege weapon. The power of the spell is even greater than the impact of a large catapult stone; a successful saving throw means that no serious damage has been done, though the surface of the stone may crack and splinter, and large structures may tremor and shudder at the blow. Rough, solid stone saves on a 10+, while constructed walls of average quality save on a 13+. For every point that a stone structure fails its saving throw by, 1 cubic foot of stone is absolutely destroyed, reduced to flying splinters and fragments of masonry. The shrapnel produced by this spell is dangerous, and any caught within 5 feet take 1d4 points of damage per cubic foot of stone destroyed, with a saving throw vs. breath weapon for half damage.

This spell can also be cast to great effect against creatures of stone, such as xorn, gargoyles or earth elementals (but not golems). Against these, it deals 1d4 points of damage per level of the caster, with a saving throw vs. spell for half.

The material component of this spell is a tongueless golden bell worth at least 350 gold pieces, which is rung while the caster points at the stone to be affected.

Reverse Magic

(Alteration, Enchantment)
Level: 6
Range: Visual sight of the caster
Duration: Instantaneous
Area of Effect: 1 recently cast spell
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 6
Saving Throw: None

This powerful retroactive disjunction can dispel the effects of spells that have already completed. It is cast upon the residual magic left behind by a recently cast spell; if the caster sees the spell in question being cast, he may simply cast Reverse Magic on the point at which it was cast. A Detect Magic spell may also detect residual magic from spellcasting up to 1 round per spell level after the spell was cast. It cannot negate the effects that a spell has had on the world - for example, reversing a Fireball would do little more than undo the explosion, and would not negate the burns it has inflicted on a party member. However, casting it on a Teleport would cause those teleported to be returned to their original destination. As a result, it is ineffective at reversing the result of damaging spells or most Evocations, but is adept at undoing the changes created by Alteration spells, bringing back those sent away by spells of teleportation, and reversing Summoning spells - even if the spell in question is permanent or if the subject of the spell is not present.

The Reverse Magic spell can only reverse a single spell at a time, and it must be cast while the magical signature of the target spell still lingers. A spell's energy signature remains cohesive enough to be reversed for 1 round per spell level after it has been cast. Because this spell reverses the actual casting of a spell, it is effective for cancelling many spells that cannot otherwise be dispelled by means such as Dispel Magic

Lum's Sphere of Chaos

(Alteration)
Level: 8
Range: Visual sight of the caster
Duration: 1 turn
Area of Effect: 30' radius sphere
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 7
Saving Throw: Special

This powerful spell taps into the power of wild magic to create a field of unstable energy where chaos rules supreme. The caster himself is immune to the effects of the spell, but all other creatures within the sphere must make a saving throw vs. spell at the beginning of each round. If they fail, they must roll on the following table:

Haste until the duration ends
Polymorphed into a random creature (as per Polymorph Other)
Randomly teleported somewhere within 10 miles
Confused until the duration ends (as per Confusion)
Bursts into flames (1d6 damage + flammable items catch fire)
Paralyzed until the duration ends
Disintegrated
Healed 20 hitpoints
Rendered unconscious until the duration ends
Turned to stone

This spell was a favorite of the legendary Lum the Mad, and brought him great glee until he abandoned adventuring in favor of his fabled Machine.

Saldane's Alacrity

(Alteration)
Level: 9
Range: 0
Duration: 1 round/5 levels
Area of Effect: Caster
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 round
Saving Throw: Special

Amongst the most powerful of metaspells that a wizard can cast, this dweomer was devised by the so-called Time Wizard, Septimus Saldane. It makes the caster a conduit of magical energy, briefly connecting them directly to the source from which all arcane power flows. This influx of raw energy allows the mage tap into the power of the arcane as quickly as they are able to speak - for the duration of the spell, the normal rules surrounding the frequency of spellcasting are relaxed. Casting this spell is a tremendous strain on the spellcaster's body, however, and the caster is fatigued as soon as its duration ends.

As long as the duration of Saldane's Alacrity lasts, they may cast as many spells per round as time permits. Each time they cast a spell, its casting time is added to their current initiative. Spells cannot begin casting past initiative 10 of a round, and any spell that would increase their initiative above 10 takes place in the next round (starting from initiative 0). The effects of this spell can be combined with the initiative bonus received from Haste, causing the caster's rounds to start from -2 instead of 0. Likewise, any reaction adjustment from Dexterity will increase the window in which the wizard may cast. If the caster takes any damage during the round, his current spell will be interrupted and he may not cast any more spells until his initiative on the next round. Finally, the caster may hold his action for a round before casting this spell to change his initiative to 1, allowing him to cast more spells in the first round it is active.

For example, say that Saldane has an initiative of 6. Saldane can cast two Magic Missiles, increasing his initiative to 8. A final Fireball brings him to 11, meaning the Fireball is cast on initiative 0 of the next round. As such, Saldane's initiative for next round begins at 1, after his Fireball is cast. If he had been hasted, his fireball would have finished on initiative -2 of the next round, allowing him to act on -1.