Spell Revision (House Rules)

 Some spells have been revised as they are too powerful to play as is in the current campaign. This is a small write up on how I've altered the use of these major factor's in our campaign. 

ORIGINALLY POSTED AUGUST 2015 --> https://underthepalemoonrpg2.blogspot.com/2015/08/updated-spells-for-house-rules.html

Teleport 

Here is how I address teleport. 

Imagine you find a map, to an ancient lost city in the mountain, miles to your east. It's lost to time and hasn't been touched by man in over 500 years. The city hosts a special temple where a dangerous demon now infests and he guards what you've come to find out is an powerful artifact.  

This is a campaign for level 1-20 for the PC's to enjoy as they make their way into the wilds outside the city. Here they find new friends, allies, fight monsters, find secret locations, treasure and more. With many side quests and new discoveries the PC's spend months on adventure and hardship to reach the mountains and enter the lost city. Here they they have to solve puzzles and riddles to enter the temple and face the demon with all that they've gained to best him and retrieve the artifact . . . or do they?

What if simply at level 1 the mage used the map as a known place and cast teleport? Here the part is in one nights gaming session at the temple and use a trick to get around the demon, snatch the artifact and teleport back to town. Done, over, simple right?

That is why 'teleport' as written is too powerful. I think back to the days of one of the first mmo's and reference 'Ultima online', the game's not important but the idea it presented is. In this game the wizard had a book in which he/she would 'save' locations, that (once reached) would then be used as places to teleport to. 

This lead me to the idea that the PC's have to 'attune' through a long rest to a location to be able to teleport to it. Let's look at this in practice . . . 

Eg). Jackson knows the city well and has spent many days here, so he can easily add this to his book of places to teleport to. As he set's out on adventure, he comes to a small town where he can rest up and also takes the time to 'attune' to this place so he can come back here via teleport. Later he goes underground into some drow tunnels and hides in a secret room off the main hall with his allies. Here he rest's and 'attunes' to this location, also noting that it's a great place to come back to so he can branch off into another area much later. Finally he makes it to the secret city and to the temple where he makes a final 'attunement' to this place, before proceeding into battle. Here an ally falls and they must regroup, Jackson decides to 'teleport' back to town to find a new ally and bring him in. They arrive back to the group to where they last camped and he 'attuned', gear up and battle the demon, ultimately winning. Once they claim the treasure they then 'teleport' back to the city, having already explored the wilds and have a drink at the local inn. 

I still have the 'mishap' chances and such, but this addresses the big problem with teleport IMO. 

Endure Elements

This is how I address Endure Elements and similar spells. 

You've come to the plane of cold and have to endure, blowing show, freezing temps and chilling water hazards . . . or do you?

What if all you had to do was cast a simple level 1 spell that any kid off the street in the local city can cast?

One moment your struggling for you life in a hostile place and the next, your laughing in a blizzard and prancing across a lake of ice while having nothing to penalize you for doing so. As a player you laugh at the table as the many published adventure and source books all focusing on hardships in extreme cold of the north and the heat of the desert are tossed aside and never referenced for your gaming experience, because you can cast a level 1 spell . . .

IMO these spells are removed from the game, due to them being so overpowered that you simply have defeated nature herself with one easy spell. There is no challenge, no adventure to be had, no effect of the world around you as it simple doesn't matter anymore.