Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

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Nnesk
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Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

Post by Nnesk »

I've been working on a new patron - Zahi Ma the Ship of the Stars - and the 3rd level spell I want him to grant is Limited Wish. That's actually the reason I started making him, I thought of a genie-like patron who loves to grant wishes, usually in the most horrible, specific ways. Since then the patron changed a lot, but the spell remains.

However, I've got tons of problems with this spell.
1. It seems the current write-up allows for almost any sort of wish. That's not very limited, and surely not a 3rd level spell.
2. I don't think the current phrasing is good enough.
3. It doesn't seem cool enough.

Would love to get some opinions, and will probably post the patron later on.


Limited Wish
Level: 3 (Zahi Ma) Range: Varies Duration: Varies
Casting time: 1 round Save: Will save vs. spell check if unwilling

Zahi Ma travels between all possibilities, embracing all. A brave, or foolish enough caster, can try to harness the helm of the Traveller of Destinies, turning it toward a desired reality. With this powerful spell, the caster attempts to re-make reality to his own liking.
However, the multiverse is endless, and Zahi Ma does not discriminate between realities. Whenever the spell check ends with a failure, there's a cumulative 1% chance that the caster is taken to a world in which his wish comes true, but nothing else ever happened - a barren, empty universe, containing nothing but the caster and the outcome of his wish. Whenever the spell check succeeds, the caster loses 1d3 points of luck, as fate doesn't like being mocked.

The caster must destroy a celestial sphere while casting the spell. (these spheres are used by all of this patrons spells. Here, specifically, it allows the GM to control the availability of this spell))

Zahi Ma is equally interested in any result, and doesn't bother to try and understand the motives behind a wish. The GM is encouraged to interpret the exact phrasing of the wish in any interesting way he chooses.
Note that a Limited Wish cannot change the past, only affect the present. "I wish Darga the Dreaded died ages ago" won't work, but "I wish Darga the Dreaded was dead" might, depending on the spell check.

Manifestation

Roll 1d3: (1) distorting waves emanate from the caster, like in a mirage, changing the world in their wake; (2) everything crumbles around the caster, who remains the only stable thing in the world, then everything rebuilds itself around him; (3) the caster screams as he's torn from his old reality and thrown into a new one, piece by piece.

Spell Check

1 Lost, failure, and patron taint.
2-11 Lost. Failure.
12-15 Failure, but spell is not lost.
16-17 The caster utters a single sentence, starting with "I wish..." , describing what he would like to achieve, using the following guidelines (to the GM's discretion). Note that the phrase can't include any clauses or sub-clauses; as a general rule of thumb, the word "and" can't be used.
* Creating or destroying a non-living, non-magical tiny-sized object (the size of an apple).
* Changing the physical characteristics of one small-sized item (sword, shield) or limb. For example, transmuting an iron shield to gold. The change is permanent.
* Imbuing a small-sized item or a 30' diameter area with unusual or magical properties for 1d5 rounds. For example, water starts pouring into the area, or everything within its limits loses most of its weight.

18-21 As above, but:
* The created or destroyed object can be small-sized.
* The caster can permanently change medium-sized objects, like a person. A character's attributes, saves, attack rolls or AC can be raised or lowered by 1d8, for a duration of 1d10 rounds.
* The area can be up to 100' in diameter, and the duration is 1d10 rounds.

22-23 As above, but:
* The created or destroyed object can be human-sized.
* The caster can permanently change large objects, such as tables or walls. A character's attributes, saves, attack rolls or AC can be raised or lowered by 2d6. The duration is 1d5 minutes.
* The area remains changed for 1d3 hours.

24-26 As above, but:
* The created or destroyed object can be huge, such as a whole room, including its contents. Or, the caster can create a tiny living creature, such as a flower or a mouse.
* The caster can permanently change huge objects, such as a gate house. A character's attributes, saves, attack rolls or AC can be raised or lowered by 2d6, or they can be given new features, such as changing the face or adding fingers. The duration is 1d3 hours.
* The area remains changed for 1d3 days.

27-31 As above, but:
* The created or destroyed object can be immense, such as a three storied house. Or, the caster can create a small living creature, such as a cat.
* The caster can permanently change immense objects, such as a hill. A character's attributes, saves, attack rolls or AC can be raised or lowered by 2d6, or they can be given new features, such as changing the face or adding fingers. The duration is 1d3 days.
* The area remains changed for 1d3 weeks.

32-33 As above, but:
* The wish can create or destroy several different objects, up to 5,000 tons in mass collectively. For example, a whole castle.
* The caster can permanently raise or lower an attribute, by 1d3 points. The receiving character immediately loses an equal number of permanent Luck points.
* The area remains permanently changed, or, the affected area is 300' in diameter and remains changed for 1d3 weeks.

34-35 As above, but:
* The wish can create or destroy several different objects, up to 15,000 tons in mass collectively. For example, a whole fleet of ships.
* The caster can permanently change a major physical feature of a character, such a granting them wings, or turning them to stone.
* An area up to 300' is permanently changed.

36+ The exact phrasing of the wish is answered in the fullest, most extensive way possible.
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Pesky
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Re: Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

Post by Pesky »

I like it Nnesk; I imagine that a little play testing might be necessary to iron out the kinks. The only thing that occurred to me is that there doesn't seem to be many results for manipulating time ("I wish I hadn't mentioned that secret to the NPC", "I wish that I had turned left at the fork instead of right", etc.). This may be too powerful for a limited wish, but I thought I'd mention it nonetheless.
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Re: Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

Post by TheNobleDrake »

I will apologize ahead of time: I am sorry if sharing my opinion on the matter of wishes is not the kind of feedback that you find helpful in getting your home-brew in order.

I think it is a bad plan to put any kind of wish, limited or otherwise, into the hands of a PC like that. I think it is the worst of wish-related plans to turn it into a spell.

My reasons:

1) If it doesn't have some increased difficulty or added expense to using it (abnormally high range of failure or corruption, mandatory spell burn) or a limit built in as to how often it can be cast, it would be the most useful spell of whatever spell level it happens to be because it would have to be the most versatile spell of its level in order to even "feel" like being a wish-based spell in the first place.

2) If it does have increased difficulty or added expense to use or built in limit, it immediately becomes limited to the point of effectively being cast only when the Judge specifically allows for it - which is kinda of like saying "I gave up a possible spell known in exchange for getting to claim it was my character's doing when plot events happen."

3) Wishes are, in my opinion, best delivered as rewards for quests - and then are best served by being as powerful and corrupted by the cruel creatures that grant them as in the stories and legends of those very creatures.

4) Last, but not least - the phrase "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it." Limited wish, or wish, as a spell would be - like you are working on at this point - a strict framework with predictable results... and that spoils the wonder, magic, potential, and danger of the whole deal.

Just my shiniest pair of coppers, sorry again if this is all just rain for your parade.
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Nnesk
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Re: Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

Post by Nnesk »

Pesky, I deliberately avoided all sorts of time manipulation, in order to keep the "limited" feel of the spell, and also trying to keep the GM's head from exploding from having to cope with a potentially campaign-wrecking wish ("I wish we knew where to find the artifact, six months ago!")

Noble Drake, I would have responded point-by-point, but I'm persuaded anyway. I've thought about giving up on this spell for some time, and your words swayed me further.

Off to devise a new spell for the patron!
Thanks all for your feedback.
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Re: Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

Post by Ravenheart87 »

Nice spell, the patron seems to be interesting to.
Nnesk wrote:Pesky, I deliberately avoided all sorts of time manipulation, in order to keep the "limited" feel of the spell, and also trying to keep the GM's head from exploding from having to cope with a potentially campaign-wrecking wish ("I wish we knew where to find the artifact, six months ago!")
Kudos for that. I already have two parties in the same setting, and since they are two weeks away from each other in time, I'm starting to be afraid of possible retcons once they get close to each others area.
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Nnesk
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Re: Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

Post by Nnesk »

"A mysterious magical barrier prevents you from entering the country! (where the other party is at!)"

Really, it's hard to think of a more subtle solution!
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Re: Working on a new spell - Limited Wish

Post by Ravenheart87 »

Nnesk wrote:"A mysterious magical barrier prevents you from entering the country! (where the other party is at!)"

Really, it's hard to think of a more subtle solution!
A pretty bad solution I don't want to use.
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