Skip to content

Magical Research🔗

Many spell-casting character classes can also perform research into new spells, magic items, and other magical effects, as noted in the class description. This requires time, monetary outlay, and sometimes rare and unusual ingredients.

Chance of Failure🔗

All forms of magical research have a minimum 15% chance of failure. If the research fails, the money and time invested are lost.

Creating New Spells🔗

The player must write up the spell they wish to create and show the referee. The referee then decides what level the spell will be and may request changes (or deem the magic impossible to research).

Restrictions🔗

The character can only research spells of a level they can cast.

Cost and Time🔗

Researching a new spell takes two weeks per spell level and 1,000 gp per spell level.

Creating Magic Items🔗

The player must write up the item they wish to create and show the referee. The referee then decides what materials are required and may request changes (or deem the item impossible to research).

Restrictions🔗

Divine spell casters: May only create items they can use themselves.

Arcane spell casters: May create any item except those that may only be used by divine spell casters.

Materials🔗

Creating magic items often requires rare components such as expensive gems or body parts of monsters or rare animals. Often, adventures will be necessary to acquire these materials.

Cost and Time🔗

Duplicating spell effects: Single-use items (e.g., scrolls, potions) that recreate the effects of a spell cost one week per spell level and 500gp per spell level.

Multi-use items: If the item created can replicate a spell effect multiple times (for example, a wand with charges), the cost in time and money is multiplied by the number of uses.

Other items: The referee must judge the requirements for creating items that do not recreate the effects of a spell. More powerful items should require more time, money, and special materials or quests. Some examples: 20 arrows +1 (10,000 gp, one month), plate mail +1 (10,000 gp, six months), crystal ball (30,000 gp, six months), ring of x-ray vision (100,000 gp, one year).

Other Magical Research🔗

Characters who can research spells or magic items may also attempt to research other magical processes. For example, a character may wish to sanctify a holy site or create magical traps, constructs, or portals.

As with magic item creation, the referee decides the time and cost of the research. The following may also be required:

  • The casting of certain, specific spells.
  • Rare ingredients.
  • Sometimes, it may also be necessary to repeat the ritual to renew the magical effect periodically.