Which iconic D&D spells shouldn't be included ?

[geordie racer]

Are there are that you don't want to see in the Core Rules, maybe because they're module breakers, bogus options, overpowered, infinite loops etc ?

[Harley Stroh]

Lol. Also a great thread.

//H

[Kruvil]

I don't want to see Mage Armor. Doesn't have the flavor of shield.

Polymorph is a big trap spell. I'd rather see some iconic spells like Transform to Animal, Transform to Troll, Transform to Giant, and Transform to Dragon and call it good.

Baleful Polymorph could just become Turn into Frog and call it good.

[jmucchiello]

I don't want to see Mage Armor. Doesn't have the flavor of shield.

Polymorph is a big trap spell. I'd rather see some iconic spells like Transform to Animal, Transform to Troll, Transform to Giant, and Transform to Dragon and call it good.

Baleful Polymorph could just become Turn into Frog and call it good.

But this doesn't follow the variable result system. Polymorph would be a single spell that results in a frog at 12-13 and frog or bird at 14-15, etc. At 20-21 you can transform someone into a Troll or frog. So polymorphing a character into a more combat worthy form like a troll or giant works when the result die is 20 or better but roll a 19 and you get a frog or a bird or maybe a squirrel.

[geordie racer]

My problem with Polymorph is players using it to farm creatures for XPs. Or Mighty Morphin' Mages turning into a Troll in combat. Maybe it should have serious side effects/greater chance of corruption or be a ritual.

But I'd rather have a wizard have to turn into a crow to fly somewhere than have a Fly spell.

[meinvt]

Affect normal fires.

I mean, really?

Although I suppose I could see it being the lowest level affect of a spell that becomes like burning hands and then wall of fire as you get higher results.

Also, I agree that it would be far cooler if the easiest way to fly was to turn into a relatively harmless bird, and actually flying in human form was far more difficult.

I'd be fine with a whole suite of polymorph related spells where perhaps the highest level results in some allowed you to pick effects from the weaker ones (maybe even on a round by round basis).

[jmucchiello]

My problem with Polymorph is players using it to farm creatures for XPs.

What? Are you kidding? What do they do turn squirrels into dragons? I don't get it. I certainly wouldn't give out XP for killing a dragon with the brain of a squirrel.

Or Mighty Morphin' Mages turning into a Troll in combat. Maybe it should have serious side effects/greater chance of corruption or be a ritual.

But I'd rather have a wizard have to turn into a crow to fly somewhere than have a Fly spell.

That's certainly possible in my version of Polymorph above. You can't turn into a mighty morphin mage troll if you don't roll high enough on the check roll. Otherwise you might end up as a squirrel.

[Ducaster]

Polymorph spells are a staple of Heroic fantasy and should I feel be included someplace in DCC. In fantasy literature we have the "Shape shift" of many characters as well as the classic turn to toad etc spell of the fair tails. So two spells seem to be required for this purpose like AD&D 1st ed had it set out.

I suggest a Mage can ONLY transmogrify a target to a creature they have PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF IE if they have MET a Dragon then thats a legal change but until then they are limited to choices from the background or past adventuring experience.

So shape-changing to a crow for recon work or escape is fine for most. But turning a foe (or a friend) to a special monster is a tricky proposition!

Also Polymorph other (or whatever it gets called here) should be like the sleep spell; a reversion Condition should be set at casting just so we can get the princess's kissing the toads in here.....!

Edit: Have made up a possible interpretation of a Polymorph spell for DCC on my spell worksheet. Link to that is in my sig let me know if it gives you any further ideas.