A variant for Magic Word spellcasting

For Magic Word spellcasting, see, e.g., Papers & Pencils or d4 caltrops! The gist is that instead of a fixed spell list, the Magic-Users are given a list of words which they can combine on the fly into spells. So it leads to more free-form and varied magic.

Here’s a simple variant on using such a system.

• Magic Words are recorded in the M-U’s spellbook.
• Every day, a set number (depending on level) of Words can be memorized.
• The M-U can opt to cast one-, two- or even three-Word spells. The more Words, the more powerful the spell can be.
• After casting, all but one Words are crossed off the memorized list. If a one-Word spell was cast, that Word is crossed off.

There is a tactical element: if you want to keep a particular Word, keep casting it with other components, so that you can keep your lil’ favorite. But, of course, don’t be afraid to kill your idols either.

As for the number of Words available for daily memorization, 2 + caster level feels alright. So that’s three Words for a starting M-U.

Example

Gambozo, Magic-User 2, memorizes these Words from their spellbook: Darkness, Mind, Water, Free (rolled from the d4 caltrops list)

During their next adventure:

1. They cast Water of Darkness, a sort of flowing/mobile darkness that engulfs creatures (Darkness, Mind, Water, Free)
2. Then they cast Free Mind to break out a comrade from under vampiric influence (Darkness, Mind, Water, Free)
3. Then they cast Mind Darkness to wipe the memories of a guard (Darkness, Mind, Water, Free)
4. And they have a weak single-component Darkness to cast if they need to cover their escape.

 

Quick recommendations for interpreting new spells:

Caster level	Range	Area of effect	No of targets	Damage
1	10’	1’	1	d6
2	20’	5’	2	d6
3	30’	10’	3	2d6
4	40’	15’	4	2d6
5	50’	20’	5	3d6
6	60’	25’	6	3d6

etc.

Putting more component Words in a spell can bump it up a bit.

Sun Ra, because why not

Wizard duel/Counterspell house rule

A quick house rule for magical duels!

A Magic-User character can try and counter an opposing caster’s spell by entering into a duel. Depending on the combat/initiative system in use, this must either be declared first or the declared action must be cancelled in favor of counterspelling. The countercaster has to be aware of, or at least anticipate that the enemy is about to cast a spell.

Resolution

Both duellants roll d6 and add their character level.

Caster’s roll > Countercaster’s roll	Caster’s initial spell works as intended, Countercaster must roll on the Effects chart
Caster’s roll = Countercaster’s roll	The two wizards are locked in duel! Repeat the procedure next time, unless one participant decides to withdraw or is distracted or takes damage (in which case this duellant must roll of the Effects chart)
Caster’s roll < Countercaster’s roll	Caster’s initial spell is cancelled (and the spell (slot) is lost)

 

Effects chart (d6)

1. Suffers the effect of Feeblemind for a full day
2. Falls unconscious for 2d4 hours
3. Loses spellcasting ability for a full day
4. Causes an eruption of uncontrolled arcane energy, everybody in a 20’ radius must save against Breath weapons or fall to the ground
5. Suffers d6 damage
6. Is thrown back 10’ and must spend the next round getting up

Simple Folk Magic system

A simple magic system for "cunning folk" type casters. I've used it as a feature of bucolic Halflings and in pseudo-historical settings.

These little spells (rhyming verbal incantations) either replicate a low-level Cleric or Magic-User spell or achieve a small desired effect (Referee’s discretion).

Cleric spells: Bless, Command, Cure Light Wounds, Protection from Evil, Purify Food & Drink, Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Delay Poison, Heroism, Resist Cold
Magic-User spells: Faerie Fire, Feather Fall, Light, Mending, Unseen Servant

The maximum number of attempts (successful or failed) each day is equal to the character’s level (or one, in the case of unlevelled NPCs). The chance of success increases as the character progresses in level:

Level Chance of success
0*            1-in-6
1-2           2-in-6
3-4           3-in-6
5-6           4-in-6
7-8           5-in-6
9+    automatic success

Spells can be cast as a group effort. Each member of the group must be of the cunning folk. Add up the levels of all participants (treat level-0 as a "half" for this purpose), and use the total to define the chance of success.

An attempt can also be expanded to gain “advantage” on an attack roll or a saving throw (roll 2d20 and take the higher result). This works automatically, but has to be declared before the roll is made.

[Spell] Bloody Communion

A quick homebrew spell, before the summer ends...

Bloody Communion

Level 1

Duration: 1 + 1 turn/caster level

A group of 2-7 targets (which might or might not include the caster) enter into a blood pact. Each participant pours 1 hit point worth of blood into a chalice, then each participant drinks from it. Afterwards, for the duration of the spell, they can communicate telepathically, regardless of distance. To send a message to one or a select few participants, the sender must concentrate (which counts as an action); message heard by the whole group do not require concentration.

Each participant must also save against Poison, or possibly suffer a malady (d10). The spell works as intended, regardless of the save’s result.

	Effect
1-5	No effect.
6	Bad Blood. The character loses the ability of natural healing for 1 week/caster level. Magical healing still works.
7	Weakness. The character’s total hit points are reduced by d6 for 1 week/caster level.
8	Involuntary Thought-Projection. The character is unable to shield their thoughts from the others. The communication network suffers from a constant “noise” emanating from this participant. Every time somebody sends a message, there is a 1-in-6 chance the message gets drown out by noise. The chance is cumulative if more participants get this malady.
9	Unmasking. One of the character’s secrets is disclosed to all other participants.
10	Bloodlust. The character is cursed with vampirism and must drink fresh blood every day to function properly. For each day without sating this urge, the character loses a hit die.

Some say the spell will even work if the blood of a recently deceased person is added to the mix…

Demons & Diabolists: alternative Magic-User class and infernal entities for weird historical settings

I expanded the demonic True Name generator. Now you can roll domains of power, spells, and unique physical manifestations for the entities! And I wrote up a Diabolist class (for LotFP) that calls up and binds such demons (they basically act as the spellbook of the summoner).

The project is loosely based on The Lesser Key of Solomon, but instead of the high-level Dukes and Marquises of the demon kingdom it concentrates on the "footsoldiers" and "officers", the ones that a diabolist has a chance to summon AND control. I tried to strike a balance between evocative historical flavor and playability.

Download the PDF

(Prints as a nice little 8-page booklet)

True Name Generator

Here's a random generator of infernal True Names™, for weird/occult historical games!

Also available as an Inspiration Pad Pro file.

Update: now also available as a Perchance online generator, thanks, Redwood!

Structure of the name (d20):

1-6	Two syllables
7-12	Three syllables
13	Four syllables
14	Five syllables
15	One syllable, followed by a syllable repeated twice
16	The same syllable repeated twice, followed by another
17	Two syllables, then the first syllable repeated
18-19	The same syllable repeated twice
20	The same syllable repeated three times

* insert apostrophes, hyphens, sanity-shattering glyphs as needed

Roll for each syllable (d5 for column, d100 for row)

	1	2	3	4	5
1-4	Abd	Akl	Ab	Ar	Aaa
5-8	Bux	Blu	Bak	Bo	Ba
9-12	Cax	Cri	Cul	Ci	Cx
13-16	Dup	Dro	Dit	De	Dor
17-20	En	Exl	Eg	Ex	Es
21-24	Fer	Fri	For	Fuv	Fxu
25-28	Gik	Gho	Gul	Gi	Gee
29-32	Hab	Hni	Hax	Hed	Hnaa
33-36	Id	Ixl	Ip	Ix	Ibb
37-40	Ju	Jed	Jur	Ja	Jah
41-44	Kep	Kfu	Kax	Ko	Kna
45-48	Luc	Lhg	Lun	La	Ll
49-52	Mef	Mla	Mor	Mid	Maa
53-56	Na	Ndo	Ne	Nux	Nbu
57-60	Ox	Okk	Ob	Oph	Oo
61-64	Pul	Psi	Paq	Pox	Pla
65-68	Rip	Rer	Rum	Ro	Rxo
69-72	Sat	Sla	Seb	Su	Sin
73-76	Ten	Tfo	Tax	Ti	Tu
77-80	Unk	Ukl	Ur	Uq	Uu
81-84	Vox	Vru	Vif	Ved	Vop
85-88	Wih	Wun	Wer	Wa	Wur
89-92	Xal	Xro	Xin	Xa	Xx
93-96	Yoq	Yed	Yuk	Yi	Yad
97-100	Zex	Zox	Zap	Za	Zz

And here's twenty of them:

Abab	Aklpox	Arzox	Babaved
Frinuxmef	Hedhed	Hnihnihni	Kaxnejed
Kepwerhax	Lungul	Oxarzex	Psipsimor
Tisla	Uklox	Uqabab	Uqartidromid
Wurbaakl	Xalculnaculna	Xando	Zoxdepox

Abracadabra, suckers! Let's get goetic!