Category: homebrew

5e, homebrew, houserules, rules

Do Spell Scrolls Need Fixing?

Posted on by jmutchek

TLDR: Rather than try to “fix 5e Spell Scrolls” just don’t use them. You can get the same effect, and frankly have more fun, with custom scrolls and all sorts of other trinkets that create the same opportunity to turn mundane encounters into memorable ones.

I recently saw some discussion online about house ruling scrolls in D&D 5E. Folks were looking for ways to make scrolls more accessible to non-spellcasters and maybe more common at their table. Creative and unexpected use of magic items is always welcome at my table so exploring ways to get more scrolls into players’ hands sounds like a fun time.

First, let’s look at scrolls themselves. Scrolls are usually pieces of parchment on which a spell has been stored in written form. In the Rules As Written, scrolls are described as a category of consumable magic item that can be used by anyone that can read the language written on the scroll (DMG p139). As with all rules in D&D, more specific rules such as those within an item description can override this rule. Fair enough.

Strangely, there are only two items on the DMG magic item list classified as scrolls: the Scroll of Protection and the Spell Scroll. The Spell Scroll is the only scroll in the Basic Rules at all. The Scroll of Protection works as described on page 139 but the description of the Spell Scroll overrides the page 139 rule by stating that the item can only be used by classes that would otherwise know the spell inscribed on the parchment. Hey now.

While there are lots of different variations on the lore behind scrolls, D&D 5E states that scrolls are “spells stored in written form”. They are physical manifestations of a spell already cast. When a scroll is created the arcane or spiritual power channeled by a spellcaster is woven into written words on parchment. Later, when the scroll is read, the power of the spell is released from the parchment and the full effect of the original spell is released.

So how much knowledge of the original spell does the user of a scroll need to have? I suppose it is not unreasonable to expect that the user/reader need to have some foundational knowledge to effectively access the magic embedded in the parchment, but that expectation seriously limits the usefulness of scrolls. Again, it’s strange that the most ubiquitous examples of scrolls in D&D are WAY less useful and interesting than they could be.

There are evidently a lot of house rules on this topic and, at first, I was tempted to follow suit. What might I change at my table to make scrolls more useful and more exciting for the party? Frankly, I think the simplest house rule is to just ignore the restrictions placed on Spell Scrolls. But as I wrote this article I realized that house rules aren’t required here. I agree that Spell Scrolls in D&D 5E are boring but I don’t think they need fixing. Just don’t use them! Use scrolls and other single-use items instead.

Umm. Did he just say don’t use Spell Scrolls, use scrolls instead? Yup. Spell Scrolls (notice the capital letters… I am referring to a specific magic item here, not the category of magic items called scrolls) can only be used by casters. But scrolls (lower case) can be used by anyone. So instead of giving the fighter a Spell Scroll with fireball written on it, give them a scroll called Scroll of Fireball. It’s an easy solution and still within RAW (yes, you need a simple homebrew magic item, but no house rule required).

Relics are more fun than scrolls anyway

That said, I still don’t use many scrolls. I like rewarding my party with consumables of wondrous power because, time and time again, creative use of consumables makes for a great gaming session. I want to encourage that as much as I can. Scrolls and potions are intended to do the heavy lifting here, but I actually think it is more fun to use other forms of single-use magic items. Sly Flourish’s Single-use Magic Items are my go-to.

Single-use magic items work like scrolls but don’t have the class limitations of Spell Scrolls. Anyone can push a button or speak a command word to release the magical effect. A ruby that is warm to the touch and explodes into a 3rd level fireball when thrown at a target is way more interesting than that Scroll of Fireball I recommended above. As a single-use item, the ruby could even have an interesting backstory while the scroll just feels like an extra spell slot. Of course, as a DM you are free to introduce any prerequisites to an item’s use that makes sense for your game. I think the Fireball Ruby would explode no matter who throws it, but perhaps only creatures of fey descent can activate the Twig of Invisibility.

For more ideas on single-use magic items, head over to Sly Flourish’s 2015 post on the subject, Relics: Single-use D&D 5E Magic Items. I find them way more interesting than scrolls and, because they are really homebrew and don’t require house rules, they are easy to introduce into your game.

Have fun out there.

/jm

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5e, homebrew, spell

New Spell – Cannibalize

Posted on by jmutchek

Many years ago I wrote a homebrew magic system for AD&D that centered around the idea of a universal magical force. I realize that this idea might not be 100% original. 🙂 Anyway, spell-casters in this system had a shared hit point and spell point pool… their own life force powered their spells. It actually worked very well and created some interesting opportunities as the players explored other sources of magical energy (force vampires are fun).

I’m still fascinated by the concept and have been thinking about how I might work this into a Sorcerous Origin for the 5e sorcerer class. As a stepping stone to that end, and with dungeonmook’s help, I wrote a cantrip that gives 5e spell-casters an option to dig deep, tapping into their life force to cast beyond their normal abilities. It comes at a hefty price though… so be careful out there.

NOTE: We’ve gone back and forth a number of times tweaking this one… debating the balance between the cost of casting such a spell and the potential benefit. I keep picturing this as a “last ditch” spell, one that you might use when you are out of spell slots and need one last punch to defeat an adversary; even at the cost of your own life. That said, it should be somewhat useful at other times as well. The first version below is closest to the original idea and directly burns hit dice and hit points in exchange for spell slots. The second taps into the exhaustion framework in the PHB to simulate the drain on the spell-caster’s body. Which one do you like better?

 

Cannibalize I

Transmutation cantrip
In the Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, and Warlock class spell lists.

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You tap into the very life force that keeps your heart pumping to power your next spell, sacrificing hit dice and hit points to regain a spent spell slot. When you cast Cannibalize choose how many hit dice you will sacrifice up to your current hit die count. You regain one spell slot equal in level to the number of hit dice you choose to expend. You can only regain a used spell slot and cannot gain a spell slot that you would not normally have.

When you use the regained spell slot, you gain advantage on one spell attack roll (or you can impose disadvantage on one targets’ saving throw against the spell). The regained spell slot is usable until the end of your current turn, at which time it expires.

At the end of your current turn, as an additional cost to casting Cannibalize, roll each expended hit die and you lose hit points equal to the result.

 

Cannibalize II

Transmutation cantrip
In the Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, and Warlock class spell lists.

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You tap into the very life force that keeps your heart pumping to power your next spell, pushing yourself to the limit to regain a spent spell slot. When you cast Cannibalize you regain one spell slot. You can only regain a used spell slot and cannot gain a spell slot of a level that you would not normally have.

When you use the regained spell slot, you gain advantage on one spell attack roll (or you can impose disadvantage on one targets’ saving throw against the spell). The regained spell slot is usable until the end of your current turn, at which time it expires.

At the end of your current turn, as an additional cost to casting Cannibalize, you suffer from exhaustion as determined by the level of spell slot regained.

Spell Slot Level Regained Effect (as per PHB 291)
1 1 level of exhaustion
2 1 level of exhaustion
3 2 levels of exhaustion
4 2 levels of exhaustion
5 3 levels of exhaustion
6 3 levels of exhaustion
7 4 levels of exhaustion
8 5 levels of exhaustion
9 6 levels of exhaustion
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5e, homebrew, magic_item

New Magic Item – Powder of Precognition

Posted on by jmutchek

This magical consumable was inspired by the incredible magic system in Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn fantasy novels. I know a lot of work has been put into bringing the forces of Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy to tabletop role-playing, including the Mistborn Adventure Game, and I’d love to see some of these ideas folded into rules modules for D&D – maybe new classes or variants of Sorcerer? But that’s a project for another day. For now, here is a consumable that takes inspiration from the effects of burning Atium, but with a somewhat more colorful delivery mechanism.

 

powderRuin’s Presage Powder

Rare, consumable

This chalky white powder is refined from the ground bones of a long dead god or demigod. Sniffing the powder induces a narcotic high that enables you to see just into your future. Appearing as a ghostly overlay to your normal vision, you observe the actions of those around you just before they happen. The longer you observe the future in this way the further ahead into your own timeline you can see (never exceeding more than 5 seconds). But be careful, because the more intensely you embrace and react to the vision, the more your body will be feel its loss when the effect of the powder ends.

Inhale the powder from its small paper packet as an action. Beginning immediately, and for the next 1 minute, add a d4 die to a new, precognition dice pool each time that you:

  • make an attack roll,
  • are attacked or required to make a Dexterity saving throw, or
  • make an ability or skill check that uses your Charisma modifier.

After the normal dice related to any of these events are rolled you may choose to roll all of the dice in your precognition dice pool and add them to the result of the original roll (or to your AC until the end of the current turn if you were attacked).

At the end of any turn during which you have rolled your precognition dice pool, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 10 + result of your precognition dice roll) or the effects of the powder end immediately.

When the effect ends (either after 1 minute or due to a failed save), you suffer 1 level of exhaustion for each time you rolled your precognition dice pool since inhaling the powder

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5e, homebrew, spell

New Spell – Distract

Posted on by jmutchek

Distract

2nd-level enchantment
In the Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard class spell lists.

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You attempt to put a sentient creature that can hear you at complete and total ease, placing them in a pleasant, waking dream. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this effect. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be distracted. Once distracted, the target becomes unaware of their surroundings and will allow you and your allies to circumnavigate them unnoticed and unmolested.

At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target. The spell automatically ends if the target takes damage or is shaken vigorously as if waking someone from a deep sleep. If the spell ends before the spellcaster wishes, the target is immediately aware that it was mysteriously distracted.

At the end of the spell’s duration, or when the spellcaster ends the spell, the target will have no memory of the distraction.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional sentient creature for each spell slot above 2nd level.

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5e, homebrew, magic_item

New Magic Item – The Apprentice’s Spell Die

Posted on by jmutchek

ApprenticeDie

Apprentice’s Spell Die

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a spellcaster)

This rough-hewn, die of bone is worn smooth at the edges. Its four runic inscriptions are stained dark from years spent in the pocket of a nervous young adept. Often crafted as an exercise by a student of the arcane, the runes on each of the four sides are imbued with the magical energy of its maker.

When the die is cast by a spellcaster, its own power can contribute to the strength of some types of spells.

As you cast a spell that has an “At Higher Levels” clause in its description, choose the spell slot level that you will use to cast the spell. Before any attack, saving throw, or damage rolls are made roll the Apprentice’s Spell Die as a somatic spell component of the original spell (use a d4 at the game table). Add a number of spell slot levels equal to the result on the die to the spell slot level you chose to cast your spell. Use the new, combined spell slot level to determine the effects of the spell, but only the original spell slot level is consumed. Once cast, the die remains inert and cannot be used again until the next midnight.

2
5e, homebrew

Unearthed Arcana

Posted on by jmutchek

One of my favorite things about D&D content through the years has been the variety of extended content that seemed to flow like a river from the minds at TSR and Wizards of the Coast. New monsters, magic items, spells, classes, specialties, and more. I poured through every Monster Manual, Player’s supplement, Dragon Magazine and even the work independent publishers to find strange and powerful new tweaks to add to my game.

And, when I am feeling creative, I still try to add my own twist to the elements of my game. Today, there’s no shortage of creative minds adding their own spark with homebrew magic items and the like. I’ve got a few of these hanging around myself and it seems to me that at least a few of them could brighten somebody else’s game as well. I’m going to start posting these types of homebrew items here in hopes that they land in a treasure hoard in your game.

I’m also looking at this as an opportunity to emphasize a micro-blog structure here on Strangedice. While I might occasionally get to longer form writing, I hope to publish a stream of quick posts that feature a new spell, item, or creature for the D&D 5E gamer.

Next post: our first little magic item. The Apprentice’s Spell Die.

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