spell-creator

name: spell-creator description: > Create complete custom spells for D&D 5e 2024, formatted to match the 2024 Player's Handbook style. Covers all 10 spell levels (Cantrip → 9th), the eight schools (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation), every standard class spell list, and all casting frames (Action, Bonus Action, Reaction, ritual, minutes / hours / 24 hours). Each spell ships with PHB-format stat block (level, school, casting time, range, components, duration, classes), description text, scaling at higher levels (or cantrip scaling), and 1–2 plot hooks tied to origin or notable users. Use on "crée un sort", "create a spell", "cantrip homebrew", "3rd-level evocation", "wizard spell for X", "concentration spell that does Y", "ritual spell", "fabrique-moi un sort", "sort original", "homebrew spell with twist", "spell for a Storm Sorcerer", "necromancy at 5th level", "BBEG signature spell". Boundary: this skill produces ONE spell per call (or a small thematic set of 2–3 related spells). Class feature design — subclass abilities, monk forms, warlock invocations, fighter maneuvers, Eldritch Invocations, ki/focus features — is out of scope; those are class features, not spells. Magic item charged effects are handled by magic-item-creator. Monster spell-like abilities and innate spellcasting use monster-creator. Epic / 10th+ level / Mythic spells defer to a future skill. Targets 2024 rules only (PHB 2024 / DMG 2024 conventions).

Spell Creator

Create publication-ready custom spells for D&D 5e (2024 rules), formatted to match the 2024 Player's Handbook style. The output is what a publisher's mechanical designer would deliver for a class supplement, a spellbook product, or an adventure's signature spell.

The skill is mechanical and narrative: balance discipline is non-negotiable, but a spell without an identity, an origin, and a notable user is just a damage formula with a name.

Scope and Boundary

This skill covers standard 5e 2024 spells at all levels and schools.

For subclass features that resemble spells (a Stormwrack Sorcerer's "Tempest Sting"), build them via the dedicated class-feature design skill once it exists. This skill produces spells callable from a spell slot, not class-specific resources.

For iconic monster abilities (a Beholder's eye rays, a Dragon's breath weapon), these are not spells — use monster-creator.

Before You Begin

Six things to settle before designing:

1. Concept. What is this spell about? "A pulse of cold that binds the target's heart" beats "a spell that does cold damage and slows." Without a concept, you build a generic formula.

2. Level. Cantrip / 1st / 2nd / 3rd / ... / 9th. Anchor on the expected tier of use:

   • Cantrip: any tier; scales with character level.
   • 1st–2nd: Tier 1 (levels 1–4) baseline.
   • 3rd–4th: Tier 2 (levels 5–10) baseline.
   • 5th–6th: Tier 3 (levels 11–16) baseline.
   • 7th–8th: Tier 4 (levels 17–20) baseline.
   • 9th: capstone, identity-defining.

   Load references/spell-levels-and-tiers-2024.md for power-level benchmarks per level.

3. School. Pick one of eight. The school encodes the spell's conceptual flavor and certain mechanical tendencies (Evocation damages, Enchantment controls minds, Abjuration protects).

   Load references/schools-and-tradition-2024.md for school conventions and pitfalls.

4. Effect type. Damage / control / buff/debuff / utility / movement / divination / summon / battlefield-shape. Most spells do one primary thing well. A spell that does five things at once is a balance failure.

5. Class list. Which classes can cast this spell? PHB 2024 spell lists: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard. (Artificer if using the 2024 reprint.) Spell identity often hints at the right list — a Cleric spell evokes the divine; a Wizard spell often involves studied geometry; a Druid spell ties to nature.

6. Identity hook. The one thing that makes this spell itself and not interchangeable with another spell of the same level and school. The hook is usually in the delivery, the secondary effect, or the narrative consequence.

If any of these is unclear, ask before designing.

The Six-Step Creation Workflow

Every spell passes through these steps. Output assembles them into a PHB-style entry.

Step 1 — Concept and Identity

• Name. Distinctive, evocative, not generic. "Veilcall" beats "Summon Friend." "Hollowing Touch" beats "Necrotic Touch." A pattern often is [Single Distinctive Word] or [Adjective + Body Part / Element] or [Noun's / Maker's] [Effect].
• One-line pitch. What is this spell, in 15 words or fewer?
• Visual. 1–2 sentences of how the spell manifests — the caster's gesture, the visible effect, the sensory signature. Concrete: color, sound, smell, motion. Avoid generic "a magical effect occurs."
• Identity hook. The one feature that distinguishes this spell from same-level same-school neighbors. Examples:
  • Hollowing Touch (Necromancy 2): not just damage — the target's next healing fails.
  • Veilcall (Illusion 1): not just a sound illusion — the sound comes from a specific named source the caster designates.

Step 2 — Level, School, and Class List

• Level (Cantrip / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9).
• School (Abjuration / Conjuration / Divination / Enchantment / Evocation / Illusion / Necromancy / Transmutation).
• Class list. Pick from PHB 2024: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Artificer.
• Ritual? Eligible spells (most non-combat utility spells of any level) can be cast as a ritual, taking 10 extra minutes and consuming no slot. Combat spells (damage, control in combat) are not eligible for ritual. Use sparingly.

Match the level/school to the lore. A 1st-level Necromancy spell should not deliver 7th-level effect magnitude. A 6th-level Divination should not be a glorified Insight check.

Step 3 — Casting Frame

Build the casting envelope. Load references/casting-time-and-components-2024.md for details.

• Casting time. Action (default for offensive spells), Bonus Action (specialized, usually one-target buffs or self-buffs), Reaction (defensive or counter-spells, with explicit trigger condition), X minutes / hours (ritual-eligible, out-of-combat), 1 hour for elaborate effects, 8 hours for binding rituals, 24 hours for once-per-day major spells.
• Range. Self / Touch / 5 ft – 500 ft / Sight / Unlimited (rare). Most combat spells: 30–120 ft. Most defensive: Self or Touch.
• Components. V, S, M (with cost if consumed). Material components without listed cost are often handled by a spellcasting focus. Consumed materials (Diamond worth 300+ gp consumed) make a spell expensive and rare-to-use; reserve for powerful effects like Revivify, Raise Dead.
• Duration. Instantaneous (effect happens, no upkeep), fixed duration (1 round / 1 minute / 10 minutes / 1 hour / 8 hours / 24 hours / 7 days), Concentration (up to X), Until dispelled.

Concentration discipline:

• A caster can only Concentrate on one spell at a time.
• Most ongoing battlefield-control or duration-buff effects REQUIRE Concentration. This is the primary balance lever — it prevents stacking.
• Avoid creating high-impact ongoing effects without Concentration. That's a balance leak that lets a caster stack the spell with a second Concentration spell.

Step 4 — Effect Design

Build the mechanical body of the spell. Load references/spell-effect-library.md for recurring patterns and references/balance-and-anti-patterns.md for benchmarks.

Core mechanical elements (pick the primary, add 0–1 secondaries):

Damage effects:

• Saving throw vs damage (typically Dex / Con / Wis)
• Attack roll vs AC (spell attack)
• Area shapes: Cube (X ft), Sphere (X ft), Cone (X ft), Line (X ft long × 5 ft wide), Cylinder (X ft radius × Y ft tall)
• Damage type (acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, thunder, bludgeoning/piercing/slashing)
• Half on save (standard for AoE saves)

Control / Condition effects:

• Saving throw vs condition (Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Restrained, Prone, Blinded, Deafened, Paralyzed, Stunned, Incapacitated, Petrified, Poisoned)
• Save end-of-turn vs permanent until dispel
• Concentration usually required

Buff effects:

• Self-buff or single-target buff (AC, attack, save, speed, resistance, advantage on X, temp HP, hit point boost)
• Duration usually Concentration or 1 minute / 10 minutes / 1 hour

Debuff effects:

• Saving throw vs disadvantage / vulnerability / penalty
• Often Concentration

Utility effects:

• Movement (teleport, flight, climb, swim, phase-shift)
• Sensing (see invisibility, detect, scry, divine)
• Communication (telepathy, animal speech, tongues)
• Object manipulation (mage hand, telekinesis, animate)

Summon effects:

• A creature appears under caster's control
• 2024 design: use one statblock per spell with scaling per slot (e.g., Summon Beast casts a Beast Spirit; higher slots scale its CR)
• Duration usually Concentration

Battlefield-shape effects:

• Persistent area: Wall of X, Cloud of X, Sphere of X
• Damages, blocks, controls, or alters terrain in the area
• Concentration usually required

Divination effects:

• Yes/no answers, locations, futures, identities
• Often 1+ minute casting time; often ritual-eligible
• High-level: Wish-tier scope

Design discipline:

• One primary effect. A spell that both damages an AoE and imposes a condition on each target and persists for a turn is three spells at once.
• Secondary effects scale to ½ primary's power budget. A damage spell can have a 1-round debuff rider; a debuff spell can have a token damage rider.
• Saves vs Attacks. AoE → save (you can't roll attack against multiple targets). Single target → attack roll or save (your choice based on flavor; saves favor martial casters, attacks favor archetypal magic-blasters).

Step 5 — Scaling

Two scaling modes:

Cantrip scaling (character level): At character level 5, 11, and 17, cantrip damage / effect increases by one die or one step. Use this protocol:

• Cantrip with a damage die: starts at 1dX; gains another 1dX at levels 5, 11, 17 (final = 4dX).
• Cantrip with a non-damage effect: adds a secondary effect or doubles a numeric value at one of the scaling points.

Examples (PHB 2024):

• Fire Bolt: 1d10 → 2d10 → 3d10 → 4d10.
• Mage Hand: range/weight expand at character levels.

Leveled spell scaling (higher slot): A spell cast at a slot higher than its base level gains an "At Higher Levels" effect. Standard patterns:

• +1d/slot: Damage spells gain extra damage die per slot above base. Most common pattern.
• +1 target/slot: Single-target spells affect one extra creature per slot.
• +10/+5 ft/slot: Range or area expand per slot.
• +10 min/slot: Duration extends.
• Effect upgrade: Some spells change at higher slots (Spiritual Weapon: bigger weapon / more damage at 4th+).

Some spells (Wish, Resurrection-tier, Time Stop, divinations of specific knowledge) do not scale — they are level-locked.

Step 6 — Class Assignment, Lore, and Plot Hooks

Class assignment: Which classes get this spell? PHB 2024 lists are thematic:

• Bard: charm, illusion, knowledge, healing-light.
• Cleric: divine, healing, light, undead-rebuking, command.
• Druid: nature, animal, weather, healing, shape, plant.
• Paladin: smite, oath-flavored, divine.
• Ranger: nature, hunting, terrain, beast-bond.
• Sorcerer: elemental, damage, manipulation, blood-lineage.
• Warlock: patron-themed, eldritch, dark utility.
• Wizard: broad, often scholarly / studied; the default generalist arcane list.
• Artificer (2024 reprint): invention, contraption, brief utility, support.

A signature spell can be exclusive to one class (rare, like Eldritch Blast to Warlock) or shared across 2–4 classes. Default to shared with thematic logic.

Lore (paragraph):

• Maker / Discoverer. Who developed this spell? Named caster? Lineage? Forgotten archive? Accidental discovery?
• Cultural significance. Who currently uses it? Is it well- known, faction-locked, forbidden, sacred?
• Notable historical uses. What has the spell done in the world's history? Famous battle, infamous murder, miracle of healing, sealing of a great evil.

Plot hooks (1–2): Each hook is 1–3 sentences and answers: who knows this spell, who wants it, what's at stake. Examples:

• Bounty. A scholar wants the only surviving spellbook containing this spell; the spellbook is held by a hostile cult.
• Forbidden. This spell is banned in the kingdom; possession is a capital offense. The party finds it scribed in a noble's diary.
• Mentor. A retired caster will teach this spell — for a service.
• Trap. This spell appears in tomes, but the version preserved is subtly altered; casting it draws an entity's attention.

Output Format

Assemble all six steps into a single document formatted like a PHB 2024 entry. Use this structure:

# [Spell Name]

*[One-line pitch in italics.]*

[Visual description, 1–2 sentences, evocative prose.]

## Spell Entry

> **[Spell Name]**
>
> *[Level] [School] [(ritual)]*
>
> **Casting Time:** [Action / Bonus Action / Reaction (trigger:) / X
> minutes / X hours]
> **Range:** [Self / Touch / X ft / Sight]
> **Components:** [V, S, M ([material description, with cost if
> consumed])]
> **Duration:** [Instantaneous / fixed duration / Concentration, up
> to X / Until dispelled]
> **Classes:** [list]
>
> [Description: 1–4 paragraphs of mechanical and flavor text. Lead
> with what happens, then conditions, then exceptions.]
>
> ***Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot.*** [Scaling rule, 1–2
> sentences.]
>
> *(For cantrips, replace the scaling block with:)*
> ***Cantrip Upgrade.*** [Scaling at character levels 5, 11, 17.]

## Origin and Lore

### Maker / Discoverer
[Paragraph.]

### Cultural Significance
[Paragraph.]

### Notable Uses
[Paragraph.]

## Plot Hooks

1. **[Hook Title].** [1–3 sentences.]
2. **[Hook Title].** [1–3 sentences, optional second hook.]

Language: Match the language of the brief. If the brief is in French, write the entire entry in French (including stat block labels: Temps d'incantation, Portée, Composantes, Durée, Classes). See references/schools-and-tradition-2024.md for French school names and vocabulary.

Tone: PHB 2024 professional. Mechanical text precise, flavor text evocative but concise. Names should reflect identity, not generic fantasy. Avoid noun-soup ("Sword of Holy Burning Light").

Level-Specific Adjustments

Cantrip (Level 0)

• Damage cantrip: 1d8–1d10 single-target attack-roll, or 1d6 AoE save-half. Scales with character level.
• Utility cantrip: Persistent or repeatable minor effect. Examples: Mage Hand, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation.
• Identity test: Is this useful at level 1 and still useful at level 17? If not, it's a 1st-level spell with no scaling.
• Components: Often V, S; M only for utility cantrips.
• Lore: Brief, often a common-knowledge magical effect.

1st–2nd Level (Tier 1 baseline)

• 1st level: 2d8–3d8 damage, or 1 condition with save end-of- turn, or a major utility (Detect, Identify, Comprehend, Cure Wounds basic).
• 2nd level: 3d6 AoE, 4d8 single-target, mid-tier condition (Hold Person, Web), or expanded utility (Misty Step, Mirror Image).
• Plot hooks: usually local-scale.

3rd–4th Level (Tier 2 baseline)

• 3rd level: AoE damage (Fireball 8d6 baseline), powerful control (Counterspell, Hypnotic Pattern, Slow), or signature utility (Fly, Haste, Major Image).
• 4th level: Heavy battlefield effects (Polymorph, Banishment, Wall of Fire), major buffs (Greater Invisibility), or potent divination (Divination, Locate Creature).
• Plot hooks: regional-scale.

5th–6th Level (Tier 3 baseline)

• 5th level: Reality-bending (Hold Monster, Telekinesis, Animate Objects), major heals (Raise Dead), strong shape spells (Wall of Stone / Force, Cone of Cold).
• 6th level: Major control of large foes (Disintegrate at 10d6+40), powerful battlefield reshapes (Move Earth, Wall of Ice), strong divination (True Seeing).
• Plot hooks: kingdom-scale.

7th–8th Level (Tier 4 baseline)

• 7th level: Reality manipulation (Teleport, Mirage Arcane, Plane Shift), powerful instakill-with-save (Finger of Death, Power Word Pain).
• 8th level: Capstone control (Dominate Monster), powerful shape-spells (Sunburst, Earthquake), major battlefield (Maze).
• Plot hooks: continent-scale, planar implications.

9th Level (Tier 4 capstone)

• World-changing or campaign-defining: Wish, Time Stop, True Polymorph, Imprisonment, Mass Heal, Power Word Kill.
• Each 9th-level spell should be identity-defining for its class or for the campaign.
• Lore section: deep history, cosmic implications.
• Plot hooks: multi-planar, civilization-scale.

Interaction with Other Skills

• Spell is tied to a specific NPC (signature spell of a named caster) → run npc-creator for the caster, reference in lore. If the NPC is a major BBEG, this is their signature move.
• Spell is tied to a faction (the order's secret rite, the cult's forbidden incantation) → run faction-creator, reference in lore.
• Spell appears in a magic item (the staff casts X) → run magic-item-creator; that skill references the spell. Don't double-design.
• Spell appears in a monster stat block (innate spellcasting, spell-like ability) → run monster-creator; that skill handles the spell as a monster ability, often with slight modifications.
• Spell defines a unique scenario / event (the wizard is going to cast Ritual of X at midnight) → run scenario-writer; this spell is the McGuffin or the climax.
• Originality check (is my "Fire Bolt" too cliché?) → run ttrpg-cliche-buster on the spell concept before designing.
• Read-aloud for the spell's first appearance → run read-aloud-crafter on the dramatic casting moment.
• Pre-publication review (this spell is going into a class supplement) → run ttrpg-supplement-reviewer after designing.

Edge Cases

Brief is "create a spell" with no specifics: ask for level, school, intended effect (damage / control / utility / buff), and class list. Without these, you build a generic spell.

Brief asks for "the same as [PHB spell] but X": Don't reproduce copyrighted entries. Build from scratch with the requested twist as the differentiator. Don't write the new entry as a "modification of Fireball" — write it as its own spell that happens to share the genre with Fireball.

Brief asks for a spell that's actually a class feature (a Monk's quick-step, a Warlock invocation, a Bard's inspiration upgrade): defer. Class features don't consume spell slots and have different design constraints. Defer to a future class- feature design skill, or rebrand the request as a spell that happens to fit the theme.

Brief asks for a 10th-level / Epic / Mythic spell: defer. This skill targets PHB 2024 standard slots only. Either re-frame as 9th-level (the highest standard slot) or wait for the Epic Spells skill.

Brief asks for a "save-or-die" effect: carefully. A save-or-die at 5th level is acceptable on a creature with low Hit Dice (Power Word Kill targets ≤100 HP). A save-or-die at lower levels needs failure consequence with degree. Better design: "on a fail, save again at end of next turn — if fail again, unconscious — if fail third time, die." Saves with stages preserve drama without one-shot lethality.

Brief asks for a spell that consumes a specific costly material: good design when balance demands it. Consumed-component spells limit casting frequency naturally. Use for: Revivify (300 gp diamond), Raise Dead (500 gp diamond), Resurrection (1,000 gp diamond), Wish-tier effects. Components should be available-but-significant, not arbitrary.

Brief asks for a ritual spell: check eligibility. Ritual- tagged spells are non-combat, often utility / divination / binding spells. Most damage and combat-control spells are not ritual-eligible. Ritual lets the spell be cast for free outside combat, at the cost of 10 extra minutes.

Brief asks for a Concentration-free big-effect spell: carefully. The lack of Concentration lets a caster stack it with another Concentration spell — that's a balance leak. Most big-effect persistent spells SHOULD require Concentration. Only Instantaneous effects, very short fixed durations (1 round), or self-only buffs should escape Concentration.

Brief asks for a spell exclusive to one class: acceptable when identity warrants it (Eldritch Blast = Warlock signature). For most spells, share across 2–4 classes. Exclusive spells are rare in PHB 2024 — most class-uniqueness comes from class features, not spell lists.

Adult content: standard 5e produces SFW spells by default. Adult-themed flavor can be layered after this skill produces the mechanical baseline.

Publication Checklist

Before considering a spell complete:

• Name (distinctive, evocative).
• One-line pitch.
• Visual / manifestation paragraph.
• Spell entry block: level + school (+ ritual), casting time, range, components, duration, classes.
• Description: lead with effect, then conditions, then exceptions. 1–4 paragraphs.
• Scaling (cantrip upgrade or "At Higher Levels").
• Identity hook visible (the spell isn't interchangeable with a same-level same-school neighbor).
• Power budget appropriate to level (load balance-and-anti-patterns.md).
• Concentration assigned correctly (ongoing impact → yes).
• Save / attack chosen with reason (AoE → save; single ranged → attack possible).
• Components reasonable (V, S default; M only if needed).
• Ritual tag only if eligible (non-combat utility).
• Class list thematic.
• Lore: maker, significance, notable uses.
• At least 1 plot hook.

Reference Files

Load these as needed — not all at once.

• references/spell-levels-and-tiers-2024.md — Cantrip → 9th-level scaling. Expected magnitude per level (damage curves, condition cadence, utility scope). Spell slot economy by character level (how many slots of each level a caster has). Choosing the right level for a given concept. Anti-patterns ("under-leveled bloater," "over-leveled trinket").
• references/schools-and-tradition-2024.md — The 8 schools (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation) detailed: thematic conventions, mechanical tendencies, pitfalls, anti-patterns ("damage-spell-mislabeled-as-Necromancy"), classic spells by school. French school names and vocabulary.
• references/casting-time-and-components-2024.md — Action / Bonus Action / Reaction / minute / hour / 24h. Reaction trigger syntax. Components (V, S, M with vs without cost). Ritual rules. Concentration discipline (when required, anti-patterns).
• references/spell-effect-library.md — Recurring effect patterns: damage shapes (cube, sphere, cone, line, cylinder), saves vs attacks, condition imposers, control effects, utility, buffs / debuffs, summons (2024 design pattern), battlefield-shape spells, divinations. With example formulae per level tier.
• references/balance-and-anti-patterns.md — Damage-by-level benchmarks (per PHB 2024 reference points). Save vs attack choice rules. AoE shape budgets. Scaling math (+1d / slot, variants). Condition cadence (save-end vs permanent-until- dispelled). Concentration vs no-Concentration discipline. Common anti-patterns: save-or-die at low level, no-save high damage, action-economy abuse (Bonus Action that's an Action-level effect), must-have-or-die (universal anti-everything spell), Concentration leak, ritual abuse, ceiling-buster (spell breaks encounter design).