Wizard spells

[Aldrin]

Hello!
Im pretty new to D&D. and ive started to play Birthright with couple friends (they are expirienced) And i choosed a wizard as my class (my first priest died:P)
Well the question i got is:

When im on the battlefield, (not that far yet tho) And gonna try to defeat several units. And i do got some source spells ,but i want to make my own.

Any suggestions? (im a fire wizard)
Cause i think alot of the PH and ToM spells are to "easy" i want something thats feels like my own and would make me special.

Any suggestions? Any spells u have made urself etc?

Btw its 2nd edition, and im current lvl 13.

Thanks alot. :)

[Doyle]

The key to personalized spells is that they should be personal to the caster. I run a 2nd ed game and three of the casters (getting around 8-9th level) have a repetoire of customised / personal spells that are based around their character history and philosophy. For example the priest investigator (Mickey Spilane meets Brother Cadfael) has developed a spell called research which copies the contents of an office or library that has been way too useful to him (I really should have thought harder on the use of that one). The Khinasi fire-mage's spells almost all have a fire component or honour Avani in some other way. Then there's the druid and the living / unliving stuff that he's working on.
Only the druid is actually working on stuff for realm spells (I really don't want the fire mage loose at that level of power), but a lot of thought has gone into the creation of each of these personalised spells.
To your own mage: by 13th level, he / she should have quite an interesting history and presumably a well set philosophy / view of life. Perhaps if you could give us an idea of the characters interests or roleplay style something appropriate might spring to mind.

[Aldrin]

Thanks for replying.

Well i have just killed the king of Endiere. And i have taken the throne and become the new king. Ive got a highlvl mage who i am his apprentice.

And ive have left the elf lands because i dont belive in what they say and do against humans.

Ive gotten some sources, and have Some RP saved up. And war is comeing. and some selfmade usefull spells would be really nice.

[irdeggman]

What race (subrace)?

This is important since it determines the shunned/favored schools which should serve as the basis for wizardly spells, IMO.

[Aldrin]

My character is a Elf. if it was that what u ment?

[Jarod_Lindfaller]

One trick of self-made spells is to think about what you want it to do, and see if there is a similar spell in the core books already. Inspiration has to come from somewhere, and I can imagine current spellcasters looking at their established predecessor to improve or change a few details to tailor a spell.

The way a friend of mine did it is that he had a mage who was alright with sleeping in a tent and outdoors with his party and all, but he refused to either not bathe for a bit, or bathe in a stream. So he took the idea of Mordekainens Secure Shelter and fashioned himself a spell that only made him a bathroom.
The spell made a little bath-house at low levels, but came complete with a green hag outside the door. The material component also included a copper coin to put on her saucer.
At higher levels the bathroom became more and more luxurious, to being a complete marble affair with gilded taps and hot, running water. The hag also wanted to have a gold coin at that point.
She'd beat up anyone who wanted to disturb his bathing before he came out.

Naturally, in the manner of all wizards across the multiverse, he added his name into the title of the spell. How else are people going to remember and acknowledge his genious mind?

[irdeggman]

My character is a Elf. if it was that what u ment?

Shunned school: Necromancy

Unlikely schools: conjuration/summoning, invocation/evocation

So, unless he's a Manslayer type of elf - no spells from necromancy and not real likely to have spells from conjuration/summoning, invocation/evocation.

These "classifications" apply to all wizardly spells, standard, battle and realm since they all have "schools".

Unlikely doesn't mean none - it just means they aren't as popular, so there shouldn't be as many from those on the spell list.

Also spells that may cause damage/harm to the forest are real, real iffy (like fire-based spells).

Information from Book of Magecraft.

[Doyle]

My character is a Elf. if it was that what u ment?

Thats a part of what we meant.
Ok, he's an Elf - would the be Sidhe or Gallie Sidhe? I'm guessing the former as you mention in your second post that he left the Elf lands because he disagreed with 'what they say and do to humans'. You also mention that he is a fire mage in the first post - I think from the book of magecraft that few elves would be fond of a wielder of fire magic regardless of their feelings for / against humans.
So far we have Elf, fire mage, able to cast level 6 battle spells and the desire to be really destructive on the battlefield. I don't have the books easily to hand, so I won't detail the specifics (just look up an equivalent damage level 6 battle spell and copy over the RP & GB costs), it is mostly the description you want to change:
Lands Fury: "The wizard casts the spell on an adjacent battle square calling forth the natural pent up energies of the land. Each square adjacent to the target square (including the wizards own, although the wizard himself is unaffected) is wracked by earthquake - all units in these squares are at -2 move (cav at -3) and no charges can be made in the next battle move. Further to this, in the target square, through the cracks in the earth caused by the earthquake, molten lava splashes up causing 2 hits to all units in the target square - dead units cannot be looted as their equipment will have been burnt / melted beyond salvage. Appeased for the time being, the land ceases to move and the lava receeds back below the now disturbed surface"
Another that springs to mind given the state of bushfire in my home state and to give a lean to positive Sidhe philosophy:
ScrubFire: Requires access to teleport and realm magic -"Drawing from a forest fire somwhere in Cerilia, the effects of the calamity are teleported from the effected area (putting out the forest fire) to an adjacent target battle square. Flames quickly die (unless the target is something nice and flamable - ie trolls), but smoke, cinders, burning debris and random wind currents fille the affected square. All units in the target square take one hit, units in heavy armour take 2 hits (combination of heat effects and cinders getting into armour). All animal (including cavalry, but not knights) units rout automatically. Given the smokey visibility no missiles or further spells can go into / out of this square this war move (/turn - I've forgotten the terminology). On the following turn the smoke blinded troops (if any remain in the area) must exit the squre by random direction (roll d4, 1=towards enemy, 2-4 clockwise from 1). There is perhaps a chance that the emerging unit is unable to attack that next round as well."

Is that the sort of thing you were after, or parhaps something more personal to the caster?

[Aldrin]

Thanks alot. well that help. i really liked both. But, i have a picture in my head that everyone on cirilia would look up on a battle field and say: This haveto be the work that mighty Mage (ye i know im a dreamer, but i do like to roleplay alot)
perhabs something that people be scared/feared of. So when i meet them in a battle or something, he know what i can do:)

Well. Got any other tips that would be to help? Just post whateever you belive would help a mage with few friends and more enemys:P

And again, thanks alot:)

[irdeggman]

Make your spells special and unique. Like having them be a specific color - green magic missiles, lightning bolts and fireballs.

There was some things in 2nd on tailoring spells for flavor. Nothing that affects how they function, only something that gives them that personal touch.

I think they called them signature spells, but I'm old and can't readily recall those things.

[The Swordgaunt]

I think they called them signature spells, but I'm old and can't readily recall those things.


I think you're correct. The jist of it was, if im not mistaken, that a wizard could have a green fireball, or a firebolt, with the rules differing little fro tha atandard spells. I'd assign a slightly higher DC to the research roll.

[Doyle]

Thanks alot. well that help. i really liked both. But, i have a picture in my head that everyone on cirilia would look up on a battle field and say: This haveto be the work that mighty Mage (ye i know im a dreamer, but i do like to roleplay alot)
perhabs something that people be scared/feared of. So when i meet them in a battle or something, he know what i can do:)
<...snip...>

Hmmm... so not just shift the earth and scorch the enemy, you want to be unsubtle as well ...hmmm...

Scorched Earth (lesser)
Level 1 battle spell
Components V,S, & M (1gb, 2rp)
Area of effect: all soldiers (or mounts thereof as appropriate) that are loyal to the caster within the same province as the caster (or perhaps the realm controlled by the caster).
Duration: 1 month
Physical Effect: As each recipient of this spell lifts their feet (/hooves) small flames ignite and while the flames do not harm the recipient, as the foot / hoof is placed down again, a neat burnt imprint is made.
Psychological Effect: while only a simple effect, this will give all the soldiers a feeling of supernatural power and loyal commanders will be able to pick which soldiers do not have the 'right attitude'. During the night enemies will see the flames on marching feet from some distance as if doom is marching to them from hell itself. Scouts and peasants that come across the tracks of the passing army will know for certain at least two things - Who is in command of the army - and that the commander is confident enough that he doesn't care who knows.

[Lord Rahvin]

by Chris Hepler and Jennifer Brandes
*

PLAYER: So, will the Great Callicantzaros teach me how to cast Fireball or
not?

GM: He slams the door.

PLAYER: Huh? Wait a minute, everybody learns Fireball! I beat on the door.

GM: He sticks his head out and says, "Look, kid, you want me to teach you
how to throw

a ball of flame. That`s the same thing as wanting to learn how to kill
people. Horribly.

And don`t tell me you need it to defend yourself, `cause there`s plenty of
spells that do that

without destroying everything within a forty-foot area. And not only that,
you also want

to set it on fire, so it will *catch*, and you can burn down an entire
forest, so people and

animals you`ve never even heard of get roasted alive. Sorry, no. Don`t know
the spell."

He slams the door.

PLAYER: What the hell? I yell that there are plenty of other people who know
it, and they

can have my money just as easily!

GM: There`s no response.
*

[Gurgi the Goblin Mage]

What about a wizardly veriation of the Erik's mighty forests spell from the Book of Priestcraft? A treant legion would certainly be an impresive sight on the battlefield and could prove a devistating weapon against the Spider.