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Originally Posted by some dude, oh, it's Danny East... 3. Use Monster Parts For Spell Components
From: Danny East
Merlin and Gandalf. How do you imagine these iconic gentlemen? I see a tall, slender fellow, bearded, with crow's feet and ink stained fingers. I see them in robes, with a thin sword tucked into their belt, a gnarled walking staff in one hand, and a leatherbound spell book, fat with torn pages and notes, being cradled against their chest.
What I do not imagine is Barry, the guy at the auto parts store downtown, who can find a single spark plug or fuse amongst thousands in a moment's notice. Yet, this is the way spell components are treated in the rules of most of our fantasy games.
So I decided to change the rules. My thoughts turned to that initial image I had of Merlin and Gandalf. Ink stained fingers. Though I was able to picture an owl in a cage, I could not imagine him keeping an octopus in a bucket or some such nonsense.
From now on, the only necessary spell component (other than speaking it) would be the ink used to record the spell. My players loved this idea, and the added fun has persuaded a few to make mages.
Here's how it works:
One vial has enough ink in it to write a total of five spell levels. A fifth level spell takes one total vial.
They can buy the vials from shops or hermit mages. The price, of course, will change with the contents.
Adventurers can obtain the ink for their mage friends or for sale. Could these be quest options? Heck yeah.
Similar spells necessitate similar ink. For my group, all fire spells need red dragon's blood for ink. Mind control spells need tears or barbarian blood, depending on the control desired. Cold spells use mountain ice, magic missiles need storm clouds, and so on.
As far as the research of the spell goes, this enables them to act more like wizards and less like Barry, trying to get smarter and more experienced, and learning how to figure it out instead of learning how to find. This "spell ink" also enables them to become creative with inventing their own spells. Mixing elemental ink is a fun way to add a little fun to the campaign.
And this system makes it easy and quick to throw together a short session. They now have a reason to look for and fight a hydra other than XP. |