4.7.0 Developing New Spells
To research a new spell, the wizard’s player first writes up the spell they want to develop. The GM then judges its appropriateness for the campaign. If it passes, an appropriate level is assigned to the spell and the PC can begin the research process. Researching a spell requires a properly-equipped laboratory, raw materials, and time.
4.7.1 Preparing To Develop a Spell
The laboratory must be established in a secure, serviceable room or building. A lab sufficient for researching a level 1 or 2 spell can fit into a room, one for a 3rd level spell can fit into a house, one for a 4th level spell can fit into a wizard’s tower, and a lab suitable for devising a new 5th level spell needs its own subterranean research complex or similar edifice. The cost for the lab is given on the adjacent table; this does not include the price for the building itself. The necessary materials for a lab can generally be acquired in any major city, provided it’s not hostile to sorcerers.
The raw materials must also be purchased in a city or gathered from ransacked lairs by adventurers. They include occult materials, esoteric creature body parts, specialized lab equipment, and obscure monographs and grimoires. These materials are used up in the process of research.
The time required for researching a spell varies with its complexity, as given on the table. A wizard can halve this time by spending twice as much on raw materials, and adventuring for certain lost grimoires or special ingredients might further decrease the time required.
A wizard can adventure and perform other tasks during their research time, including the development of Workings or the construction of magical items, but they can’t simultaneously research two spells at once. Wizards kept entirely away from their labs for weeks or months at a time might suffer a halt to the work until they can get back to it.
Spell Research
| Spell Level | Lab Cost | Materials Cost | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50,000 sp | 25,000 sp | 1 month |
| 2 | 125,000 sp | 50,000 sp | 2 months |
| 3 | 250,000 sp | 100,000 sp | 4 months |
| 4 | 500,000 sp | 200,000 sp | 8 months |
| 5 | 1,000,000 sp | 400,000 sp | 2 years |
4.7.2 The Development Skill Check
Once the lab is established, the raw materials gathered, and the necessary time taken, the mage makes an Int/Magic skill check against a difficulty equal to 10 plus the spell level. If they have apprentices to assist them, they can add +1 to their skill check. Specialist mages researching spells in their own field add an additional +1 to the skill check, so an Elementalist researching an Elementalist spell would get the bonus, as would a Necromancer researching a spell about undeath. Special resources or uniquely apposite grimoires gathered on an adventure might add an additional bonus to the roll.
If the roll is successful, the spell is perfected and added to the caster’s grimoire. They can teach it to other wizards if they wish, or keep it to themselves. Specialist magic can only be learned by wizards of the same tradition; if they took the spell research skill check bonus, it’s a specialist spell. Spells devised by High Mages are almost inevitably rediscovered High Magic and can be learned by any mage capable of casting such.
If the roll is a failure, the wizard has a choice. They can abandon their research and start over from scratch, expending new resources and time, or they can roll on the formula flaw table. This flaw becomes part of their spell, as adjusted by the GM. Some flaws might not be problematic at all; a spell only ever designed to affect the caster isn’t much hindered by only being usable on willing targets. Other flaws might make the spell worthless or force the PC to start over. If the caster decides to live with the flaw and continue research, they can spend half the required research time and make a new skill check at a cumulative +1 bonus, with no need to spend additional resources.
A determined and unlucky mage may repeat this process several times, accruing new flaws each time and increasing their bonus until they eventually come up with a functioning spell. It may be so gnarled by flaws as to be scarcely recognizable as their original intent, but they can add it to their grimoire all the same.
| d10 | Spell Formula Flaws |
|---|---|
| 1 | The spell can only target the caster. |
| 2 | The spell only works on willing targets. |
| 3 | Your prior work is mistaken; the formula is not changed, but you don’t get the cumulative +1 bonus on the research roll for this or prior research continuations. |
| 4 | The spell can only target people other than the caster. |
| 5 | The spell is unusually slow, taking at least a Main Action to cast, or two Main Actions over the course of two consecutive rounds if it already takes a Main Action to cast. |
| 6 | The spell is very draining, exhausting two spells worth of energy for the day instead of one. |
| 7 | The spell inflicts a severe backlash on the caster, adding 1d4 System Strain to them. If this maximizes their System Strain, they fall unconscious for ten minutes and can’t cast this spell again until some System Strain is lost. |
| 8 | The spell is more difficult than it seems, being one level higher than expected. This doesn’t increase the research costs or time, but if you can’t cast a spell of that level, the entire project fails. |
| 9 | The spell is simply unreliable in its effects; whenever it’s cast, roll 1d6. On a 1, the spell fizzles uselessly and the casting slot is wasted. |
| 10 | The whole effort was a tragic mistake. All progress and research materials are lost and everything must be done over from the start. |