Post/Author/DateTime	Post
wizardofowls 07-07-07, 11:27 PM	(A Note To Moderators: I was not sure whether to put this here or in the Spell section. If this is in the wrong place, please feel free to move it wherever you feel it would be more appropriate.) Hello! For those of you have not read my other threads, I am working on a Homebrew setting in which the world has been shattered into 1000 floating islands called shards. Transport from shard to shard is acheived by flying ships called windriggers. Here are links to my other Shattered World threads if you are interested in reading more. http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=869812 http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=879127 I have some ideas for some new spells which would be unique to my world. I've never created any new spells before so I would like to get your advice on some these, as in what level they should be, duration, etc. Any help you could offer would be GREATLY appreciated! Spells: Forcebridge: This spell would allow the caster to create a bridge of magical force that would allow characters to walk/ride across to another shard. Shards are never closer that 1 mile to each other, so the forcebridge would have to last long enough to allow party to cross. It could possibly even disappear behind the party as they advance, thus preventing being followed. Magic Boat: This would create a small magical flying boat which would carry caster and others from one shard to another. Magic Ship: This would create a large ship capable of transporting many people as well as cargo. Locate Shard: This would allow the caster to locate any shard he or she knows the name of, regarless of where it is. Identify Shard: This would allow the caster to know the name of any shard he can see, unless the name has been magically hidden in some way. Shard Lore: This would allow the caster to know the history and other interesting details of a shard he can see. Hide/Obscure Shard: This would make a shard invisible to anyone who was not actually on the shard upon which it was cast. Bind Shards: This would bind two shards so that they would remain within one mile of each other for the duration of the spell. Could create a "Permanent Binding" too. Move Shard: This would allow the caster to actually steer the shard in a direction of his choosing for the duration of the spell. Close Borders: This would allow a caster to close the borders of a shard, creating a sphere of force around the shard which would prevent anyone from entering or leaving the shard for the duration of the spell. This is similar to the Ravenloft power. Tenser's Superior Disk: This advanced verson of Tenser's Floating Disk would create a disk of force capable of carrying the caster and others from one shard to another. Winged Mount: This improved version of the Mount spell would summon a flying mount (pegasus/hippogriff/asperii). Any other suggestions for new spells would also be welcomed. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
wizardofowls 07-08-07, 09:44 PM	Here are some comments I have received at other sites I subscribe to: Forcebridge: This spell would allow the caster to create a bridge of magical force that would allow characters to walk/ride across to another shard. Shards are never closer than 1 mile to each other, so the Forcebridge would have to last long enough to allow a party to cross. It could possibly even disappear behind the party as they advance, thus preventing being followed. ● Larger and longer-lasting than wall of force Magic Boat: This would create a small magical flying boat which would carry caster and others from one shard to another. ● Magic Boat could work ● like Overland Flight, but affect multiple creatures. Magic Ship: This would create a large ship capable of transporting many people as well as cargo. ● With the windriggers, I think that Magic Ship is unnecessary as well as being somewhat clunky to work with. ● like Overland Flight, but affect multiple creatures. Locate Shard: This would allow the caster to locate any shard he or she knows the name of, regardless of where it is. ● Locate and Identify Shard are probably the best new spells of the bunch. Identify Shard: This would allow the caster to know the name of any shard he can see, unless the name has been magically hidden in some way. ● Locate and Identify Shard are probably the best new spells of the bunch. Shard Lore: This would allow the caster to know the history and other interesting details of a shard he can see. ● Shard Lore I disagree with, that's what Bardic Knowledge is for. ● You might want a more powerful version of Shard Lore, which gives the caster not only full knowledge of the Shard's history, but also all relevant information on the Shard key. It doesn't have to say what, where etc, about the Shard Key, but it could give hints about it. Hide/Obscure Shard: This would make a shard invisible to anyone who was not actually on the shard upon which it was cast. ● The Hide/Obscure Shard should have the shard-key as the focus, so that a random mage can't hide a shard from it's master. ● For Hide/Obscure Shard, you might want to make the shard key the focus component. ● Holy crap. Invis for an entire continent? ● Hide/Obscure Shard should probably be at least 8th level because it represents a major change to the world, possibly even a permanent one. It should also have a costly component and/or a high XP cost. ● If it makes the shard invisible, then it should be epic, but if it only conceals against divination I can see it being an 8th or 9th level spell. Bind Shards: This would bind two shards so that they would remain within one mile of each other for the duration of the spell. Could create a "Permanent Binding" too. ● Bind Shards should be very high level/probably Epic, since I doubt it happens often. It might work for the smaller shards better, so some sort of scaling XP and/or spell component cost based on size would be in order. ● Bind Shards should probably be at least 8th level because it represents a major change to the world, possibly even a permanent one. It should also have a costly component and/or a high XP cost. Move Shard: This would allow the caster to actually steer the shard in a direction of his choosing for the duration of the spell. ● Move Shard should be very high level/probably Epic, since I doubt it happens often. It might work for the smaller shards better, so some sort of scaling XP and/or spell component cost based on size would be in order. ● For Move Shard, you might want to make the shard key the focus component. ● You're just asking for the players to drop a nation on the BBEG's lair. ● Move Shard should probably be at least 8th level because it represents a major change to the world, possibly even a permanent one. It should also have a costly component and/or a high XP cost. ● Move shard. Definitely Epic. Close Borders: This would allow a caster to close the borders of a shard, creating a sphere of force around the shard which would prevent anyone from entering or leaving the shard for the duration of the spell. This is similar to the Ravenloft power. ● Close Borders should have the shard-key as the focus, so that a random mage can't hide a shard from it's master. ● Close Borders should probably be at least 8th level because it represents a major change to the world, possibly even a permanent one. It should also have a costly component and/or a high XP cost. Tenser's Superior Disk: This advanced version of Tenser's Floating Disk would create a disk of force capable of carrying the caster and others from one shard to another. ● Tenser's Superior Disk is a maybe Winged Mount: This improved version of the Mount spell would summon a flying mount (pegasus / hippogriff / asperii). ● Winged Mount sounds good Possible New Spells: ● a spell that allows the caster to walk on the underside of a shard as if it was the top side ● a detect shard key spell ● You might want a more powerful version of Shard Lore, which gives the caster not only full knowledge of the Shard's history, but also all relevant information on the Shard key. It doesn't have to say what, where etc, about the Shard Key, but it could give hints about it. ● another good one would be Shard Gate or something that allows gates on 2 shards to be permanently linked so that there can be instantaneous travel as long as both gates are open. Perhaps you could make artifacts that are permanently attached to the ground which can have spells cast into them that they then transform into the inter-shard variants of those spells.
Alltat 07-09-07, 06:40 AM	A link to the setting thread(s) might help you get some more feedback. I'll give it a shot. Forcebridge This would have rather limited use, depending on how far apart the shards are, but considering that there are numerous other options for inter-shard travel, I don't see it being used too much unless people love the idea of walking between continents. Magic Boat Sounds like an overall useful spell. Essentially the same effect as Forcebridge, but presumably much faster. You might want to limit its 'overland' usefulness to prevent it from becoming 'Magic Airship', unless of course that's what you want. You could possibly include that as a separate spell, and make Magic Boat slowly drift to the ground if it comes too close (within one mile?) of the top-side of any shard. Magic Ship Doesn't seem all that useful. If you've got that many people or that much cargo to transport then you could just get a proper ship. Locate Shard Sounds very useful, and would probably be used very often in the world. You could tie it to the name of the shard key instead of the shard for a little extra twist, although that might just prove a nuisance. Identify Shard Things might get a bit more interesting if this spell didn't exist, but again removing it could also simply become a nuisance. Shard Lore I'd tie it to the name, like Locate Shard, to increase the usefulness. You might also want to be a bit more specific (and limited?) in what can be found out this way. Possibly limit it to what that shard key is aware of (assuming the shard keys are capable of such a thing). Hide/Obscure Shard Sounds extremely powerful. This, Bind Shards, Move Shard, and Close Borders should probably all have the shard key as a focus, to prevent wizards from playing too much with the world. Especially considering that the shard keys were specifically made to limit the effects of wizards playing with (in this case by destroying) the world. Move Shard This should probably include a few restrictions, such as not being able to move a shard within one mile of another shard. The premise of the world is that the shards are separate from each other; if it was possible to move two shards next to each other and then bind them there, effectively merging them into one larger shard, then this would probably have been done long ago to create one huge continental super-shard. You could explain it by saying that the magic of the shard keys will push away any other shard that comes too close. As for other spells, a lesser version of Obscure Shard that only prevents people from using Locate Shard to divine its location comes to mind. Also see the comment on Magic Boat.
wizardofowls 07-09-07, 03:52 PM	Thanks for the comments! I was only wanting to provide a few alternate means for inter-shard travel. I have images of adventures where the group gets stranded on an uninhabited shard with no way off, either through shipwreck or double-cross (ie "I need you to check shard X for a runaway thief. We'll drop you off there and OF COURSE we'll pick you up in x days.") I have been thinking about some competition for the windriggers. Some ideas I'm batting around in my head are the Gnomish Clockwork ship and the Dwarven Dirigible. The only porblem is the lack of gravity. Perhaps the Dwarves and/or Gnomes have created some sort of boots/gloves with Spiderclimb ability.
wizardofowls 07-13-07, 05:59 AM	I was looking through the Stormwrack book and found a spell called Mordenkainen's Capable Caravel which creates a magic ship for water travel. It is a Sorc/Wiz 8 spell. So would a flying version be level 9? Or should it remain level 8?
Aneutralshadeofblack 07-13-07, 08:37 AM	So would a flying version be level 9? Or should it remain level 8? Given that in the Shattered World, air travel is even more common than seafaring in Greyhawk, I'd say leaving it at level 8 wouldn't be too bad, since it'd be setting-specific.
wizardofowls 07-13-07, 12:06 PM	Hide/Obscure Shard: This would make a shard invisible to anyone who was not actually on the shard upon which it was cast. I am going to separate this into two spells: Hide Shard: This would make a shard invisible to anyone who was not actually on the shard upon which it was cast. Obscure Shard: This spell makes a shard undetectable by any means, including magical scrying or by natural homing instincts, like those of dragons and Twyll (Halflings).
wizardofowls 07-17-07, 01:37 PM	Okay everyone, this is my first ever attempt at creating a new spell. Please let me know what I need to do to make this good. Locate Shard Divination Level: Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V,S,M Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Unlimited Target: One shard Duration: 10 min./level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You sense the current location of a shard in relation to your current location. An Obscure Shard spell will prevent you from discerning this information. To locate a shard with this spell, its name must be known. Sources: Discern Location, Locate Object, Locate Creature
wizardofowls 07-19-07, 09:05 PM	Hello again! A friend of mine on another site, who calls himself LeadPal designed a version of the Forcebridge spell for me. I am still new to 3e, so I was wandering if you guys would look at it for me and tell me if its okay. Here it is... Rainbow Bridge Evocation [Force] Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: Bridge up to 5 ft. wide/level and 1/4 mile long/level Duration: see text Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No A rainbow bridge spell creates a horizontal plane of force of any colouration that slowly extends from one shard to another. The bridge cannot be moved from its position relative to the two shards it connects, it is immune to damage of all kinds, and it is unaffected by most spells, including dispel magic. However, disintegrate immediately destroys it, as does a rod of cancellation, a sphere of annihilation, or a mage’s disjunction spell. Breath weapons and spells cannot pass through the wall in either direction, although dimension door, teleport, and similar effects can bypass the barrier. It blocks ethereal creatures as well as material ones, supporting an infinite amount of weight without being damaged. Gaze attacks can operate through a rainbow bridge. The spell immediately stabilizes the motion of the two shards it connects for its duration, making the question of its viability only one of distance. When cast, the bridge slowly extends from its origin at 20 feet per round, until it reaches the target shard or until it can travel no further. At this point, the bridge begins to vanish at the other end at the same rate. (If the bridge is followed to the end and is discovered to not reach all of the way, the caster most likely has a very serious problem.) This spell does not protect against any hazards that may present themselves on the journey across, most notably high winds on the Ways. Although the spell can be of any colouration the caster wishes, a vivid rainbow of seven colours has become a popular cliche amongst the few mages that can cast it, and it is from this that the spell takes its name. Material Component: A fire opal with a value of 500 gp per mile of distance between the shards. Unlike most spells, rainbow bridge can be cast without its material component, but this prevents the shards from being stabilized and it is very likely that the bridge will end in mid-air.
Alltat 07-20-07, 07:12 AM	Unless you actually want people to get in trouble, I'd have the spell target a shard, and then 'construct' a bridge between that shard and the one you're currently standing on. Targetting the shard you're currently standing on - whether knowingly or unknowingly - would cause the bridge to be instantly completed and thus instantly start vanishing again, effectively resulting in no bridge being constructed at all. The precise point on the other shard that the bridge connects to would be determined by the DM (if you want potentially interesting results every now and then), or simply be the closest point. It would then be able to bend and stretch a bit as the shards moved, but I assume the shards aren't moving all that fast anyway. This also keeps the number of spells that can influence shard movement to a minimum. That way the bridge 'knows' in advance how long it's going to be, as well as any potential height difference between the two shards, and can form a nice rainbow-like arc. Staying true to the theme, I'd specifically disallow color choices not part of a common rainbow, so no black, white, brown, etc. As a bit of a side note, you might want a minimum time that must have passed before the bridge starts vanishing. In its current form the bridge has rather limited usefulness for travel between shards which are close to each other, which seems like the one time you'd actually prefer to use this over other means of travel.
wizardofowls 07-20-07, 10:57 PM	I intended today to write a spell that would summon a winged mount. I looked through the source books I have (which aren’t many) and 4 comparable spells: Mount (PHB) Conj/Sum Sor/Wiz 1 Fly (PHB) Trans. Sor/Wiz 3 Travel 3 Phantom Steed (PHB) Conj/Creat. Bard 3 Sor/Wiz 3 Winged Mount (Comp. Div) Trans. Blackguard 4 Paladin 4 Mount summons a land based mount. Fly gives the caster the ability to fly. Phantom Steed conjures a quasi-real horse-like creature. At 14th level the caster can make it fly. Winged Mount causes an existing mount to sprout wings. I thought with Phantom Steed and Winged Mount that there would be no need to create a new. Then I looked a little deeper. A Phantom Steed lasts for 1 hour/level. Not bad, but it only has average maneuverability, and since the caster cannot make it fly until 14th level, that makes it the equivalent of a 7th level spell. Winged Mount, which is 4th level only lasts 10 min/level! Not very practical for inter-shard travel! And in addition, it can only be used by Blackguards and paladins! So maybe I do need to write a spell. I looked at schools. Two of the spells, are Transmutations and have terrible durations. Fly only lasts 1 min/level and Winged Mount only lasts 10 min/level. On the other hand, Phantom Steed, a Conjuration/Summoning, lasts1 hour/level, and Mount, a Conjuration/Creation, lasts two hours/level. So what I need is a Conjuration/Summoning that summons an aerial mount (pegasus / hippogriff / asperii) which lasts at least an hour per caster level, and can be used by Sorcerors and wizards. Opinions? Advice?
Artifact 07-20-07, 11:46 PM	Hey wizardofowls :). I've checked the Spell Compendium and right off hand, I don't see any spells that would be of any help. This doesn't mean the spell hasn't appeared elsewhere, but the SC was my best shot. If I had any talent for game design, I'd help design one, but no such luck ;). For mystelf, I tend to hunt and peck from book to book until I find a design that's close to what I'm aiming for. I just wanted to drop by and say that our game is coming up next weekend. I'm developing a story right now where the shard is in Darkfall and the heroes get entangled in a plot by a priestess of Selene (who may become a recurring villain). Nothing real concrete as of yet, still a work in progress, but I can't wait to run it with the guys. Oh and while I'm all gushing and stuff: I absolutely love the part about why Navigators can't be touched. That is just too :cool:! I love that you've set a grand scope, without ignoring the details. Keep up the good work! I'm definately anticipating more. Anyway, I'll drop by in few days and let you know how things went.
wizardofowls 07-21-07, 09:10 AM	Hi Artifact! Sounds like fun! Ihope it goes well for you! Be sure and post details for us. You can even start a new thread for it if you want to, to keep us up to date! Be sure and post details for us, like details of the shard, priestess, and anything that you can share without giving details away to the players. One thing... about the priestess of Selene... It is your version of the world, and since I hadn't posted anything about her, feel free to use her as a bad guy, but in my original campaign, the Selenites were good. I'll start a new thread - Religions of the Shattered World and post details of her there.
wizardofowls 07-22-07, 10:50 AM	Here's another new spell I wrote. Check it over for me and tell me what you think, okay? Identify Shard DivinationClr 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Sight Target: One shard Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No The spell reveals the name of a single shard which the caster must be able to see. An Obscure Shard spell will prevent the caster from discerning this information. Source: Identify
wizardofowls 07-28-07, 08:48 PM	One of the rules of my world is that some of the humaoid races - specfically orcs, ogres, goblins, hobgoblins and kobolds - are not true races. They are normal people of various races who have been transformed - corrupted - by magic into these new forms to serve the Nameless One. What I need is a spell that would do this. Of course only those of evil alignment would use such a spell. I have found two similar spells which could be useful to base it on: Create Darkenbeast and Create Chosen One. Both are 5th level spells. Would my Corrupt spell be 5th level or should I make it higher? And what about a Mass Corruption which the evil ones could use to transform more than one at a time? I'm not sure the title of the book these apells are in... I think it's the Magic of Faerun. The spell would be permanent (unless some magical means of reversing it is found), and the victim would become evil. I'd love to hear your opinions on this.
wizardofowls 07-29-07, 08:22 PM	Okay... what do you think of these? Corrupt Transformation [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M (One helpless being) Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Touch Target: One helpless being Duration: Permanent Saving Throw: Fort / Will saves negate changes Spell Resistance: Yes This spell transforms one helpless being into a monstrous humanoid. The type of humanoid is determined by the victim’s race: Twyll (Halfling) - Kobold Gnome - Goblin Dwarf - Hobgoblin Elf - Orc Human - Ogre The victim’s alignment becomes evil and all previous memories are erased. These changes are permanent unless reversed by some means. A Fortitude save negates physical changes, and a Will save negates the mental ones. This spell can only be cat by an evil character. Sources: Create Darkenbeast, Create Chosen One Mass Corruption Transformation [Evil] Level: Sor/Wiz 9 Target: Up to CL/2 helpless beings This spell is identical to the 6th level spell Corrupt in all ways except that it can be used to affect up to half the caster's level in helpless beings.
wizardofowls 07-31-07, 12:17 PM	No comments? :(
wizardofowls 08-12-07, 11:06 PM	Anybody have any feedack for me on these spells? also, I will be starting on 5 other spells soon. Hide Shard (will make a shard invisile to anyone not on the shard), Obscure Shard (Prevents divination of anything on a shard), close borders(prevents anyone from anyone entering or leaving the shard), Bind Shards (keeps 2 shards within 1 mile of each other), and Move shard (Moves a shrd to another location). I am thinking that all 5 will be 9th level. Any advice on designing these spells? Of course, if these spells are cast by anyone other the holder of the shard key, the Shard Lord is immune to the effects and can dispel any he does not want. By the way, I've been doing a lot of work on my wiki. check it out at http://oramis.wetpaint.com Let me know what you think, okay?