# Is it possible to add more variety to the Create A Spell table without breaking game balance? [closed]

I have a homebrew spell in mind, probably sorcerer only, called Elemental Manipulation, it's something that requires creating spells on the go depending on the caster's description. Sometimes those require some effects other than just damage. What i have in mind is essentially a 'Create A Spell' table similar to that in the DMG (p. 283) with more variety to include different ways of targeting multiple creatures and adding debuffs to the spells.

So what will the spells do?

For a 1st level spell the DMG says:

If the spell is single target, it deals 2d10, if they want to hit multiple targets the damage drops to 2d6.

Is this correct?: High level aoe spells do more damage compared to other single target/smaller aoe spells cast at same level and I assume that’s balanced with a risk of friendly fire. (also the possible critical hit with attack rolls, something most aoe spells don’t have)

Yes: Cones and radius aoe damage becomes 3d6, lines, adjacent only and alike stay 2d6 No: All multiple target options are 2d6, booring.

Alternative Yes: Aoe with possible friendly fire is 3d6, enemy only multiple target options are 2d6

I’m thinking of using a tier system that will hopefully make it easy to calculate damage/debuff balance.

Tier 1 High Damage and AoE (3d6): Possible friendly fire.

Tier 2 Regular Damage (2d10): Single target, no additional effects.

Tier 3: Regular Damage Aoe (2d6): Multiple target, enemy only. (Similar to Chain Lightning or Acid Splash)

Tier 4: Low Damage (2d6): Single target, minor* debuff

*A minor debuff would be suitable for a 1st level spell while major debuff may require a higher spell slot. (Requires examples.)

For the type of damage:

The spell I had in mind when I started was about these elements. More 'rare' types of damage will require tinkering. When multiple dice are rolled they can choose which dice deals which type of damage within these limits:

Fire: At least 1 die of Fire damage, can change any number of dice to bludgeoning.

Water/Ice: At least 1 die of Cold damage, can change any number of dice to slashing, piercing or bludgeoning.

Earth&Air: Damage type is either slashing, piercing or bludgeoning.

Flames/Ice/Earth etc. created by this spell normally disappears after the initial effect.

Saving Throws will be DEX based to avoid AoE damage with possible exception to Earth type damages which maybe STR based.

My intent is for my sorcerers to simply describe how they are manipulating the elements to strike their opponents and what kind of effects they want to get out of it. Then use this tablenecessary to decide the amount of damage they can do. I know I can simply find a similar spell to what they want to do and use it's damage as a base value and that's what I've done before. The reason I'm working on this now is to be able to give my players a reference point for damage amount and some ideas on other ways to use their power.

Another thing to note is casting this spell at higher levels: I don’t think this spell should be a reliable damage dealer for higher levels and by then simply used for more debuffs or environmental stuff. I have something in mind for that as well, tiered as above:

Tier 1: Adds 2d6 to damage, increase aoe or add lingering effect. Fire: Flames don’t extinguish for 1d4 rounds Water/ice/earth makes difficult terrain, air makes it hard to see or maybe disadv. to non-magical ranged attacks going through the area of the spell. And others depending on the caster’s description.

Tier 2: Adds 1d10 to damage

Tier 3/4: Adds 1d6 damage and applies relevant conditions / major disadvantage(no reaction, disadv. to ability checks etc. as appropriate, this is where the major debuffs come in) Fire requires target to stop drop and roll as reaction or (bonus) action otherwise it keeps dealing small amount of damage at the start of each of it’s turns. Air causes blinded until saved and earth restrains with a str. check to break etc.

Aside from possible balance issues, bonus points to answers including:

• Some examples of minor debuffs and some major ones for higher levels.
• Pros and cons about the damage types. I know some are less common and 'harder to resist' than others, not sure of the exact nature of this.
• Any ways to abuse this in any way to break the game. (probably with some combinations of features I don't even know)

## closed as too broad by Theik, KorvinStarmast, SeriousBri, NautArch, SdjzJun 5 '18 at 13:46

Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• This question is way too broad, it looks a lot more like a "please help me brainstorm a homebrew" post for a forum than a question fit for a stackexchange. – Theik Jun 5 '18 at 13:27
• I like where this is going, allowing sorcerers to overcome their lack of spells. And have a few questions for you: Have you tried using excel to create a list of every single spell (sprayed by spell level) that you feel this spell is imitating and using that to calculate tier levels for this spell? Have you considered the cosy of versitility (jack of all trades matter of none) – Garret Gang Jun 5 '18 at 13:29
• @GarretGang Sorcerer spell choice is a balance factor against their versatility in other areas. Eliminating that tends to tip the scales. Honestly, I hate that metamagic is a class feature. – Slagmoth Jun 5 '18 at 13:34
• It's already been put on hold as being too broad; I believe that if it stays on hold for a day or two, it's converted to "closed"? Also, RPG.SE isn't really suited for iterative design within a single thread; see this answer on RPG.meta.SE. It would probably be best to pose specific answerable questions, yes. You can always use Role-playing Games Chat to help refine what it is you want to ask before you do so. – V2Blast Jun 5 '18 at 16:23
• I have another read. I tried to make an edit to make the prose a little clearer, but (1) browser dumped it, can't save and (2) you are still very much in the brainstorming phase as @V2Blast pointed out. Take a look at my question on the Stampede homebrew spell and notice how narrow the focus was on that. You have about four sub elements to this, which include in some ways changing some core parts of the system. (Stop drop roll versus fire damage, etc ....). You need to narrow this down to one spell, for starters. – KorvinStarmast Jun 5 '18 at 16:48

• RE: "Not in D&D 5e, and not in anything else either." Point-based systems sometimes include the (usually very expensive) option for a PC to spend a certain number of points on an ability that can be used to create another ability costing far fewer points (e.g. it may cost the PC 50 points to be able to create on the fly an ability costing 10 points). (In Champions this is called a Variable Power Pool, for example.) It works in those system because, theoretically, all options that cost the same number of points are balanced because they cost the same number of points. Just sayin'. :-) – Hey I Can Chan Jun 5 '18 at 13:45