Spell Creation Guide

How do Spells and Glyphs Work in Domhan Marbh?

You have the ability to create your own, unique spells or glyphs in this campaign. In addition to this creative freedom, the ways to create spells is unique to each class. No matter what class you play, you will have access to powerful spells and glyphs. Casters and half casters have larger mana pools, and the larger your mana pool is, the bigger the spells and glyphs you can create.

Converting DnD 5e's standard spell system into this homebrew mana system

If the spell is not otherwise restricted due to the laws of magic or other rules, then DnD 5e spells can be converted easily! Cantrips from the old system will require 0 mana and can be cast exactly the same way. If a spell would require a level 1 spell slot, then it will instead cost you 10 mana. Level 2 spell slot will require 20 mana. And so on. Exceptions at your DMs discretion. This simple translation from the standard system will help you design similar spells and glyphs and is the quickest way to get started creating spells.

Laws of Magic

• Law of the Divine: Magic cannot affect Gods or the Divine.


• Law of True Emotions: Magic is unable to affect love, faith, friendship, or other emotional feelings.


• Law of Immortality: Magic is unable to create a soul or immortality. This includes bringing dead people back to life. Animals and plants with no soul are exempt from the latter.


• Law of Core Nature: Any ability that transforms, affects, or otherwise changes the core nature of the target must be maintained. examples would be shapeshifting, glyphs, giving sight to a blind man who has been blind from birth, or changing rocks into gold.


• Law of Time: Magic cannot affect the passage of time. This includes time travel, scrying the past or future, and stopping, slowing, repeating, looping or speeding up time. Another part of this law is that magic cannot reverse, stop, or slow the affects of aging.


• Law of Creation: Anything created by the use of magic must be maintained.


• Law of Limits: Magic is unable to create more magic ability. Also, any use of magic that requires maintaining cannot be refunded, borrowed, or otherwise used until the spell or glyph has finished, cancelled, or otherwise ended.


• Law of Intelligence: Magic is unable to reduce, increase, or otherwise change the intelligence of any creature, animal, plant, or object.

Mana

Since all spells and glyphs use mana or mana reserve, it's important you know how much mana you get. In DnD, classes are labeled as casters, half-casters, and martial. Caster classes get mana equal to Intelligence times 20. Half-casters get mana equal to Intelligence times 15. Martial classes get mana equal to Intelligence times 10 For example: If your wizard, a caster class, has 20 intelligence, then you have 400 mana. If your barbarian, a martial class, has 5 intelligence, then you only have 50 mana. Cantrips, or 0 mana cost spells, are not allowed to be created, used, or given to martial classes due to their unrefined magic abilities.

Mana Restoration

Mana is restored at a rate of 10 per hour, even during combat. If your character takes a short rest, 4 hours, you recover half of your mana. When characters take a long rest, 8 hours, all of their mana is restored.

Mana Reservation

Mana can be reserved for glyphs and spells to continue the affects indefinitely. The reserved mana cannot be used for other spells until the glyph or spell has ended in some way. For example: A glyph of blacksmithing tools proficiency was placed on a blacksmithing toolkit to assist apprentices learn the craft. John Henry created the glyph and has reserved 20 mana from his total mana pool. He now has 60/80 mana left to use. He cannot use his 8th level spell that costs 80 mana because he only has 60 mana, and cannot recover more until the glyph has been ended. The apprentice has become a journeymen and no longer needs the proficiency bonus. So John removes his glyph, and would then start regaining mana at his normal mana recovery rate of 10 per hour. Maintained spells that reserve mana act like glyphs, but can be cancelled at anytime the spell caster wishes without destroying an item or glyph. You are then subject to rolling concentration checks, spell component requirements, and counter spells should someone see you and use their reaction to stop it. Glyphs and maintained spells have their own advantages and disadvantages, so choose carefully what you pick.

Power Levels of Spells and Glyphs

Once you create a spell or glyph it has a power level. Power level affects the spell or glyphs damage, duration, radius, range, targets, and effects. Refer to the following table of max spell or glyph power level you can obtain at your level.

Casters	Half-Casters	Martial
Level 1 = Max Power Level can be 3. Level 2 = 4 Level 3 = 6 Level 4 = 8 Level 5 = 10 Level 6 = 12 Level 7 = 14 Level 8 = 16 Level 9 = 18 Level 10 = 20 Level 11 = 22 Level 12 = 24 Level 13 = 26 Level 14 = 28 Level 15 = 30 Level 16 = 30 Level 17 = 30 Level 18 = 30 Level 19 = 30 Level 20 = 30	Level 1 = Max Power Level can be 2. Level 2 = 3 Level 3 = 4 Level 4 = 5 Level 5 = 6 Level 6 = 7 Level 7 = 8 Level 8 = 9 Level 9 = 10 Level 10 = 15 Level 11 = 16 Level 12 = 17 Level 13 = 18 Level 14 = 19 Level 15 = 25 Level 16 = 26 Level 17 = 27 Level 18 = 28 Level 19 = 29 Level 20 = 30	Level 1 = Max Power Level can be 1. Level 2 = 2 Level 3 = 3 Level 4 = 4 Level 5 = 5 Level 6 = 6 Level 7 = 7 Level 8 = 8 Level 9 = 9 Level 10 = 10 Level 11 = 11 Level 12 = 12 Level 13 = 13 Level 14 = 14 Level 15 = 15 Level 16 = 15 Level 17 = 15 Level 18 = 15 Level 19 = 15 Level 20 = 15

Stat Requirements

All spells require you have a minimum Intelligence of 10 to cast. Intelligence is your spell casting ability and affects your spell attack bonus, Spell Save DC, and your total mana pool. Secondary stats should be based on your classes preferred spell creation style. Glyphs require a minimum of 6, which is the equivalent of a gnoll...

Component Requirements

All spells requires one of 3 components to use. Verbal, Somatic and/or Material. Verbal components means you must be able to speak freely. Somatic components means you must be able to move your hands freely, and Material components means you must possess and be holding the material and it will be consumed. Your spells components depend on your desired outcome and should be considered when creating a spell. If your spell creates an ogre to fight for you, then you will need an ogre bone or similar material, have the hand holding the material be able to move freely, and be able to speak freely to cast. Be sure to tell your DM what materials you may need for future spell or glyph creations so they can dropped in your loot!

Attributes Template

Use this template to help you think about all aspects of the spell or glyph you create. Not all attributes are used for every spell or glyph. For example, glyphs cannot use ritual casting because they are not cast like spells. If you are struggling with one or more aspects of the spell or glyph, consult spells from DnD 5e, ask your party members, or your DM for advice.
Casting Time: 1 action, 1 hour, or something else?
Range: Can you cast your spell from 100 feet away? Does your glyph affect creatures in a 50 foot radius? Or something else?
Target: Does your spell or glyph target yourself, groups, a spot on the ground or something else? Are you required to see the target or do you only need to know they are within your range?
Components: Does your spell or glyph require a verbal, somatic, or material component to cast or create? If material is required, what options can you use? If you play a mute monk then your spells need to avoid verbal components to cast them and should require freedom of movement or components to cast.
Duration: Is it instantaneous, maintained indefinitely, lasts 1 hour or something else?
Ritual Casting: Can your spell be cast as a ritual over the course of 2 hours to remove all mana costs?
Description: Explain the effects in detail. If you cast a fireball, is it in the shape of a sphere or ellipsoid? If you breathe fire, is it narrow and reaches 25 feet away from you in a straight line or is shaped like a cone? Does it affect every creature within its radius or does it stop after the first creature is hit? What kind of saving throw can used to prevent some or all of the damage? Does your spell help you remove glyphs of any power level or item level? How many hit points can you heal? Anything else?

Creation Methods

Every aspect of creation for a spell or glyph can effect at least 5 power levels. Some can affect more! The mana cost of a spell increases by 10 for every power level. Glyphs mana reservation are different, see glyphs below. All creation methods require 4 hours to create. Each spell creation method has 3 components and affect your spells power differently. Only the spell creators magic ability applies to the creation and all other people participating in your spell or glyphs creation must be willing participants, with exceptions to this rule given at DMs discretion.

Glyphs - Strength

Glyphs are the most widely used among all forms of magic in the world. Since the majority of people aren't adventurers, it's lower cost to mana helps with their everyday life. Laborers create strength glyphs for their clothes or tools, Investigators use investigation check glyphs, and psychologists will use insight glyphs to understand their patients better. Glyphs can also be used to buff spells! You may reduce the total level of the glyph during the creation process to your desired level to lower mana reservation costs if needed. Removing a glyph, without destroying the item its attached to, takes 1 hour and can only be done by the glyph owner or a spell created for this purpose.
Quality - Roll a strength check for the quality. You get advantage if the glyph buffs your character's primary stats, or if you have proficiency in the skill, talent, class feature, etc. associated with it. Your roll will give you a 1:1 ratio of power levels. If you roll a 15, then your glyph has a power level of 15.
Creation Material - Some glyphs will require items for it use. If your glyph is meant to create an ice shield, then you will need some form of magical ice for the spell. Most creation material can be purchased, but rare or excessive amounts may need to be found. Be sure to tell your DM what materials you may need for future glyphs so they can dropped in your loot!
Item - Glyphs must be attached to an item. In order for the glyph to benefit someone, they must be wearing or holding the item. The item must be capable of holding that glyph without breaking. A power level 30 glyph cannot be placed on a piece of wood, but it could be placed on heavy plate mail armor, a magic necklace, or bound items. This is up to the DM if the item is capable of holding the glyph. This is a pass or fail with no addition to the power level of the glyph.
Mana reserved - The mana reserved equals power level times 7.5 and round up to the nearest whole number. For example: If the glyph's power level is 5, then you reserve 38 mana until the glyph has ended.

Rituals - Wisdom

Rituals are for the creatures who serve a patron and require wisdom checks t perform. Patrons can be demons, genies, and other non-divines with power to grant spells. These are usually chaotic and usually evil alignments. Whether you made a deal with one, blindly follow the voice in your head, or were forced into servitude, you must perform rituals to create new spells. What will you sacrifice for your patron?
Quality - Roll a wisdom check for the quality of your ritual. RP a ritual for advantage! Rolling less than 5 gives 1 power level, 5-9 gives 2 power levels, 10-14, gives 3 power levels, 15-19 gives 4 power levels, 20 or higher gives 5 power levels.
Regulations - All rituals require basic regulations like maintain concentration and avoid interruption (Roll for success level of this step), but you may place additional rules in this section to increase the power of the spell. Examples: Must be raining, laying on top of spikes, must be done underwater, no other spells are allowed, etc. You get 1 power level for every regulation you include, and difficult regulations can provide more at DM's discretion.
Sacrifice - The sacrifice must be a personal sacrifice to the spell creator and can give up to 20 power levels. Examples are material, knowledge, even creatures! Giving your patron an entire kingdom or raising an undead army is far better than giving all your equipment to their shrine, but are both still considered perfect sacrifices according to your patron's demands. The closer you match or exceed your patron's demands, the better the sacrifice.

Prayer - Charisma

Prayer is for players that pledge themselves to divine beings. Many clerics and paladins serve a divine being such as Gods, demigods, or angels. Divine beings are usually good and are usually lawful. Divine beings love prayer, require to be your one only God, and converting others to your religion. If you obey these commands, then you can receive very powerful spells.
Location - Some places are better for prayer than others. Depending on the divine's plans for you, it may be in a church or after a battle, but where you pray will affect the spell power. Praying in a standard place of worship or shared worship hall will give 3 levels. Dedicated place of worship gives 4 levels. If you are capable of praying directly in front of your divine or are in their plane of existence, then you will get 5 levels.
Quality - Roll a charisma check for quality. You can RP a prayer for advantage! Rolling less than 5 gives 1 power level, 5-9 gives 2 power levels, 10-14, gives 3 power levels, 15-19 gives 4 power levels, 20 gives 5 power levels.
Numbers - A prayer's true strength lies in number of people praying for a common goal. You can receive up to 20 levels for the number of people praying for your spells power! If you have 5 people praying with you, your spell gains 1 power level, 10 people gives 2 levels, 20 people gives 3 power levels, 40 gives 4 power levels, 80 gives 5 power levels, then continues to double for a grand total of 2.5 million people needed to grant 20 power levels. PC's count as 5 people, Those who believe in the same religion as you count as 10, divine beings count as 10,000. Divine beings, that are of the same religion as you, and are PCs, count as 500,000. Other reductions to this number can be achieved based on DM discretion.

Training - Dexterity

For those that have always known how to use magic or accidentally discovered the art, the only thing holding back their true potential is practice. You continue to get stronger with every breakthrough in training, but you are not perfect and need a wise trainer to help you realize something you've been missing.
Quality - Roll a dexterity check for quality of your practice. RP your training exercises for advantage! Rolling less than 5 gives 1 power level, 5-9 gives 2 power levels, 10-14, gives 3 power levels, 15-19 gives 4 power levels, 20 or higher gives 5 power levels.
Location - Where you train is as important as how long you train. If you set up a basic training area you get 3 levels. High quality locations such as army training stations will give you the full 5 power levels.
Trainer - Finding teachers with the ability to train you can be difficult. The only one who truly knows your limits is yourself, but wise master's can bring out your potential. Standard trainers from cities and towns can only give a maximum of 5 power levels. You need someone special who can give you up to 20 power levels! What if you found an old Tortle who has studied martial arts for 500 years, created a dojo explicitly for his craft in a mountain forest, and you convince them to train you?

Study - Constitution

Not everyone has been blessed with innate power like sorcerers. Some don't believes in gods. And even fewer are willing to make deals with devils. But some have the intelligence and constitution to study hard, and become some of the most powerful magic users in the world! Is magic a science? You are certainly willing to test that theory.
Quality - Roll a constitution check for the quality of your studying. Show the group your notes from this session for advantage! Rolling less than 5 gives 1 power level, 5-9 gives 2 power levels, 10-14, gives 3 power levels, 15-19 gives 4 power levels, 20 or higher gives 5 power levels.
Location - Studying with no light in a dungeon is much harder than studying in a quiet, well lit library. Dungeon will give you 1 power level. A medium town library will give 3 power levels. And a capital city's library or a private wizard's library will grant 5 power levels.
Books - The most important part of any study session is the material used. Standard books about magic can only give up to 3 power levels. Find a secret cult's horde of books? +10 power levels! Collect all the spell books from a dead army of wizards? +20 power levels!!