Arcana Unearthed Simple Spell List
Nov. 13th, 2010 09:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sarah_tvIt's funny. I sat down and started to copy, by spell level, the spells from Arcana Unearthed, so I could figure out what needed to be fixed and such for a game like Pathfinder. I marked the problem spells in Red and the spells I had to change because of things that just are too specific in Blue ... it's been quite a chore.
The spell list tells a lot about the game, though. First thing is that direct combat spells are a rare thing, restricted to mainly complex spells and exotics. From your simple list, at first level, you can choose Mudball or Mindthrust. Mudball deals more damage, but you actually have to hit with it, in a regular attack, which (at least in case of the witch) isn't going to be an easy thing to do. The Mind Thrust spell is at least a touch spell, but it only deals subdual damage.
The question really comes with the Heightened effects. If you cast the spell at a higher level then it is, then you can either daze or blind a person for a round.
Status Effects are very common in the Simple Spells. Your big combat spell at second level is one that will blind a person for a number of rounds equal to your spellcasting level. That's a lot of time...
Still, a lot of the Cantrips are +2 to enhance a to hit/damage or a skill check. The To Hit Ones are not a big deal, as it targets only the user, and that means they are attacking only every other round. It's not a horribly efficent way of fighting. However, the Skill Boost is problematic, and might cause problems. I've flagged it as a problem.
However, it's the noncombat spells that are interesting. There is a spell that lets you make a tiny image that can't move... or if you make it a 1st level spell, it can move. It's not a very large object, so it's not horribly impressive until you consider that the Sprite Race in the game is a tiny creature.
There is also a lot of spells that let you sway people to your will, but they all require you to touch a person, or it involves ceremonies like sharing food. The Glamor Spell will make you seem pretty, even if you really aren't. There is a spell that helps plants out that must be cast three times a year. (This is weird. Why 4 months instead of 3? Seasonally makes more sense!). There are illusions, there are a lot of flavorful things. Not all of the spells are useful. Some of them are notably less useful then their D&D counterparts. Boost Ability, for example, adjusts the characters highest Unenhanced statistic by 2. While this seems cool, it could mean instead of increasing someone's key stat, you end up boosting something, like, Charisma or something.
The thing is I know from experience that the Complex spells are pretty buff. The low level Fireblast spell, for example, when heightened can deal at 8th level 5d6 of fire damage in a 10' radius for up to 4 rounds! With a First level spell! Okay, so you cast it as a second level spell, but it's still impressive, especially if you can find a way to keep your targets there.
By far, though, a lot of the low level effects are all status effects. Damage is suppose to be dealt by warriors for the most part in Arcana Unearthed, and while Complex Spellcasters are indeed fearsome, the Mageblades and the Witches and other simple spellcasters are expected to mix it up, using their spells to enhance their natural abilities. While calling the elements does happen, they rarely call down the heavens upon people.
The spell list tells a lot about the game, though. First thing is that direct combat spells are a rare thing, restricted to mainly complex spells and exotics. From your simple list, at first level, you can choose Mudball or Mindthrust. Mudball deals more damage, but you actually have to hit with it, in a regular attack, which (at least in case of the witch) isn't going to be an easy thing to do. The Mind Thrust spell is at least a touch spell, but it only deals subdual damage.
The question really comes with the Heightened effects. If you cast the spell at a higher level then it is, then you can either daze or blind a person for a round.
Status Effects are very common in the Simple Spells. Your big combat spell at second level is one that will blind a person for a number of rounds equal to your spellcasting level. That's a lot of time...
Still, a lot of the Cantrips are +2 to enhance a to hit/damage or a skill check. The To Hit Ones are not a big deal, as it targets only the user, and that means they are attacking only every other round. It's not a horribly efficent way of fighting. However, the Skill Boost is problematic, and might cause problems. I've flagged it as a problem.
However, it's the noncombat spells that are interesting. There is a spell that lets you make a tiny image that can't move... or if you make it a 1st level spell, it can move. It's not a very large object, so it's not horribly impressive until you consider that the Sprite Race in the game is a tiny creature.
There is also a lot of spells that let you sway people to your will, but they all require you to touch a person, or it involves ceremonies like sharing food. The Glamor Spell will make you seem pretty, even if you really aren't. There is a spell that helps plants out that must be cast three times a year. (This is weird. Why 4 months instead of 3? Seasonally makes more sense!). There are illusions, there are a lot of flavorful things. Not all of the spells are useful. Some of them are notably less useful then their D&D counterparts. Boost Ability, for example, adjusts the characters highest Unenhanced statistic by 2. While this seems cool, it could mean instead of increasing someone's key stat, you end up boosting something, like, Charisma or something.
The thing is I know from experience that the Complex spells are pretty buff. The low level Fireblast spell, for example, when heightened can deal at 8th level 5d6 of fire damage in a 10' radius for up to 4 rounds! With a First level spell! Okay, so you cast it as a second level spell, but it's still impressive, especially if you can find a way to keep your targets there.
By far, though, a lot of the low level effects are all status effects. Damage is suppose to be dealt by warriors for the most part in Arcana Unearthed, and while Complex Spellcasters are indeed fearsome, the Mageblades and the Witches and other simple spellcasters are expected to mix it up, using their spells to enhance their natural abilities. While calling the elements does happen, they rarely call down the heavens upon people.
