Leveling up from 0 to Wizard level 1
Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:20 am
I happened across an old thread expressing doubt about the plausibility of a 0-level character hitting 10 XP and suddenly having full access to a full spread of wizard spells without any period of study, scribing into a grimoire, etc. I agree with the sentiment, but I can't justify depriving the character (and party) of the added power level that may be necessary to complete the funnel adventure. So I'm mulling over this alternative:
1) When the newly 1st-level wizard realizes that she's getting a sense of how to manipulate magical energies, she can attempt to use those energies to create any effect that might be imagined within the scope of level 1 spells.
2) The wizard makes a spell check and multiplies the result by her luck modifier.
3) The wizard rolls percentile dice and adds the outcome of step 2.
4) Consult the Mercurial Magic table using the outcome of step 3.
5) Interpret the MM result according to the spell check -- that is, use it as a template for the effect of the casting, and apply it in a progressively more positive fashion for high spell checks and a progressively more negative fashion for low spell checks.
For example:
Philgroth the Nascent (Int 12 luck 10) attempts to shoot flames from his hands at a monster. His spell check is a 13. Multiplying 13 x 0 gives us 0. His percentile roll is 95: Psychic focus. Ordinarily this would be a +4 bonus to spell checks for 1d4 rounds, but he only rolled a 13, barely a success, so instead he receives an (arbitrarily determined) +2 bonus for 1 round.
Millivria the Studious (Int 16, Luck 5) attempts to create a rope to climb up a cliff that confronts the party. Her spell-check is 21, resulting in a negative modifier of 42. Her percentile roll is 38, reduced below 1 by the modifier: At Great Cost. The result is that someone Millivria knows dies. But with an exceptionally good spell check, the judge applies this result to mean that the person who dies is an evil rival of Millivria. Had her spell check been 9 (normally a failure) the victim of the effect might have been a party member, but they would receive a saving throw against Millivria's spell check.
Osbert the Uninitiated (Int 14, Luck 17) attempts to control the actions of an NPC (or perhaps another PC). His spell check is 16, times 2 makes 32. His percentile roll is 66. Adding 32 gives us 98: Natural Born Talent. Osbert therefore gets to make a new spell check with a d30 and use the result to actually cast Charm Person.
This gives the newly leveled wizard access to magical powers in a way that reflects total inexperience and provides only a small likelihood of actually achieving the intended result, while still rewarding high spell checks and giving negative consequences for low ones.
1) When the newly 1st-level wizard realizes that she's getting a sense of how to manipulate magical energies, she can attempt to use those energies to create any effect that might be imagined within the scope of level 1 spells.
2) The wizard makes a spell check and multiplies the result by her luck modifier.
3) The wizard rolls percentile dice and adds the outcome of step 2.
4) Consult the Mercurial Magic table using the outcome of step 3.
5) Interpret the MM result according to the spell check -- that is, use it as a template for the effect of the casting, and apply it in a progressively more positive fashion for high spell checks and a progressively more negative fashion for low spell checks.
For example:
Philgroth the Nascent (Int 12 luck 10) attempts to shoot flames from his hands at a monster. His spell check is a 13. Multiplying 13 x 0 gives us 0. His percentile roll is 95: Psychic focus. Ordinarily this would be a +4 bonus to spell checks for 1d4 rounds, but he only rolled a 13, barely a success, so instead he receives an (arbitrarily determined) +2 bonus for 1 round.
Millivria the Studious (Int 16, Luck 5) attempts to create a rope to climb up a cliff that confronts the party. Her spell-check is 21, resulting in a negative modifier of 42. Her percentile roll is 38, reduced below 1 by the modifier: At Great Cost. The result is that someone Millivria knows dies. But with an exceptionally good spell check, the judge applies this result to mean that the person who dies is an evil rival of Millivria. Had her spell check been 9 (normally a failure) the victim of the effect might have been a party member, but they would receive a saving throw against Millivria's spell check.
Osbert the Uninitiated (Int 14, Luck 17) attempts to control the actions of an NPC (or perhaps another PC). His spell check is 16, times 2 makes 32. His percentile roll is 66. Adding 32 gives us 98: Natural Born Talent. Osbert therefore gets to make a new spell check with a d30 and use the result to actually cast Charm Person.
This gives the newly leveled wizard access to magical powers in a way that reflects total inexperience and provides only a small likelihood of actually achieving the intended result, while still rewarding high spell checks and giving negative consequences for low ones.