# Spells A number of spells have been changed or removed from the game to provide balance or ensure stability of the game style. ## Excluded Spells * Teleport – game breaking and immersion breaking spell. Long distance teleportation can only be accomplished through teleportation circles, teleportation technology, or magical artifacts. * All spells from Acquisitions Incorporated - they're just dumb. * Druid Grove * Find Traps * Mighty Fortress * Temple of the Gods * Create Homunculus * Remove Curse ## Altered Spells ### Generic * Smite (any variant) – Smite spells can now be triggered by ranged attacks, but the dice for a ranged smite are decremented by 1. * Counterspell – You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell. You and the caster of the spell make contested Arcana checks, if you win, the spell fails, if the caster wins or there is a tie, the spell is cast as normal. * Faerie Fire – affected creatures can roll to end the effect on themselves at the end if each of their turns. * Plane Shift – Casting time is changed to 24hr. * Teleportation Circle - Added cost: a piece of chalk imbued with gem dust worth 250gp that is consumed by the spell. * Transport Via Plants - Added cost: a clear piece of amber worth 300gp that is consumed by the spell. ### Resurrection Spells * Necromancy is frowned upon in general, but resurrection spells are particularly taboo in most cultures. A successful resurrection is wondrous miracle, but a failed one usually costs far more than the equivalent success provides. When a resurrection is attempted, it involves opening a gate for the soul to return to the body, but this gate isn't only accessible by the creature being resurrected... These necromancy spells are one of the main ways in which powerful devils make their way to the material plane. * Whenever a resurrection spell is cast, it involves a ritual requiring multiple skill checks for a success. A number of creatures equal to the level of the spell being cast may aid in these checks, but each individual may only help with a single step. Aid can be given after the roll is made, but before the result is known. * The first step of the ritual is to open a gate so that the soul may be located and have a way back. The caster must succeed on an Arcana or Religion check with a DC equal to 10 + the level of the character being resurrected or 10 + the CR rating of the creature. The caster gets a bonus to their Arcana check equal to the spell level of the resurrection spell being cast. This is the safest step for a ritual to fail at, as it would simply result in the failure to open a gate. * The second step is for the caster to locate the soul of the creature being resurrected. The caster must make an Arcana or Religion check with DC 10 modified by the following: * Familiarity to the creature: * Family/Close Friend/Loved One: DC increases by 2. * Friend: DC increases by 4. * Acquaintance: DC increases by 6. * Know the name of: DC increases by 8. * Unknown: DC increases by 12. * Bonuses from aiding character: * Know the creature well: DC decreases by 3. * Vaguely knows the creature: DC decreases by 2. * Does not know the creature: DC decreases by 1. * The third step is to convince the soul to return with you to the prime material plane. The caster must make a Persuasion or Deception check with DC 12 + the soul's proficiency bonus modified by the following: * Trust: * The creature trusts you: DC decreases by 1. * The creature does not trust you: DC increases by 3. * The creature is hostile toward you: DC increases by 5. * Evil creatures have a far lower desire to remain in their suffering in the Nine Hells, and are thus easier to resurrect. The DC decreases by 2. * Chaotic creatures relish the opportunity to break the laws of life and death. The DC decreases by 2. * Lawful creatures are more likely to obey the laws of life and death. The DC increases by 2. * Lasting promises/oaths/etc. can modify the DC according to the DM's discretion. * A soul that does not want to return increases the DC by 15. * Bonuses from Aid: * Each individual that the soul trusts decreases the DC by 1. * The fourth step is to pull the soul of the creature back through the gate. The caster must make an Arcana or Religion check with DC 10 modified by the following: * Time since death: * Less than 10 min: DC increases by 2. * 10 min to 1 day: DC increases by 4. * 1 day to 1 month: DC increases by 6. * 1 month to 1 year: DC increases by 8. * Longer than 1 year: DC increases by 10. * State of the body (note, some of these options may disqualify the use of a particular spell already.): * Perfectly Preserved: DC increases by 1. * 25% of body is missing: DC increases by 2. * 50 of the body is missing: DC increases by 4. * 75% of the body is missing: DC Increases by 6 * 95% of the body is missing: DC increases by 8 * Whole body is missing: DC increases by 10. * Outside influence: Some deities or beings who have a hold of the soul may be unwilling to let it go, or are actively trying to help the soul return. These being could include the gods of clerics, patrons of warlocks, devils who hold a contract to the soul, etc. The DC modification from these sources is up to the DM's discretion. * Bonuses from Aid: * Each individual without proficiency in Arcana or Religion decreases the DC by 1. * Each individual with proficiency in Arcana or Religion decreases the DC by 2. * The final step consists of warding off other entities that may try to steal the use of the gate. The caster must make an Arcana, Religion, Intimidation, or Deception check with DC 10 modified by the following: * Size of the gate: * More powerful souls require a more powerful gate to return them to the material plane. The DC increases by the soul's proficiency bonus. * The DC increases by half the level of the spell used in the ritual (rounded down). * Enmity of a fiend may increase the DC by the DM's discretion. * Awareness of the ritual by fiends may increase the DC by the DM's discretion. * Bonuses from aid: * Each individual may expend one spell slot to decrease the DC by half the level of the spell slot (rounded down). * If, at any point after the gate is created, the caster fails a check, skip to step 5. The check at this step is made at disadvantage because of the failure. A failed check on step 5 results in a fiend being summoned through the gate with a CR equal to the character level of the soul + the level of the spell used in the ritual. ## Spell Lists Spell lists are thematically malleable. For example, a storm sorcerer, by RAW, does not usually have access to Call Lightning, however, it thematically makes sense that they would have access to that spell. So if there is a spell that your you would like for **thematic reasons only**, ask and the answer will likely be ‘yes’. ## Spell Customization Highly thematic and cohesive characters are by far my favorite to play and interact with, and the current spell system can severely limit creativity when it comes to playing a certain themes. Playing a evocation wizard with a focus on fire magic is easy, for example, because there are a huge number of fire spells to choose from. On the other hand, playing an ice themed sorcerer would be almost impossible because of the rather few ice themed spells. To fix this, I encourage reflavoring spells and possibly changing damage types. Want a projectile-based ice cantrip? Firebolt becomes Frostbolt – the cantrip now does cold damage and freezes liquids and creates frost on items instead of setting them on fire. Want the functionality of Dimension Door but hate how the visual effect of the spell is described? Maybe the visual effect for your character casting it is now something like ‘they slice a tear in the fabric of the plane with their dagger and jump through, emerging from a similar tear on the clifftop above.'