Sign Up/Discussion Luminous: An RP With A Convoluted DM-Ran Magic System

I think a short dash would be appropriate for Level 1, then once you hit a bit later, you can upgrade it to a longer speed boost.

@WavePearl
Fair enough! Well it'll all come down to the spells at the end of the day, so let me know of your choices there when you're ready.

 

"Anything is capable of being a Level 1 if you power it down enough" - ChocoChicken after forgetting I can't sleep with caffeine

It all depends on the effect you want. You can even take some inspiration from the Mario+Rabbids series for "effects" (like water being a splash that sends people backwards) since there's no elemental-type-effectiveness here, it's Luminous all the way down. Having a fire attack is fine since setting stuff on fire is a clear other use, but if you have a light attack and electricity attack too, those other two spells are really not going to do anything different at all.

If you want to have an "elemental-based" character I would suggest to stick to a small group of "elements", like a balanced 3-4 (fire-ice-water, fire-ice-lightning, water-earth-fire-air-longagothefournations) so you have points to go into aspects to round them out.

(I don't consider plants an element, by the way. That would go into Summoning because plants are things, not blasts.)

To build on that suggestion, if it helps, you can even assign your offense-defense-support-utility into elements - for example have Kanaru use fire-based spells to attack, water-based spells to defend, and wind-based spells to do more utility things (illusions of fake noises, summoning mists to hide in, etc).

Since @122 Generation is (planning on) putting Robin into some earth-based Terraforming and @ID Zeta was thinking of a wind theming for Ando (IIRC for both), you can talk with them and narrow down your options from there. Having unique spells helps everyone get their own niche, and also you guys get to build crazy team attacks with different spells which is a win for everyone.


Oh, and in case I haven't made it clear: for "alternative casters" aka using something else as a focus to affect usage, that's a Level 2 spell requirement. Like if you have a hovering spell, and you want to make your weapon float, you'll need a Level 2 spell for "cast spell through melee weapon". I hope that's not too restrictive, but the schools aren't just flavor text.

 

Well, I'm here to help with that!

Spoiler: Ramblings - Elio Spell List

3 - That can probably be put with the first spell as a general healing thing. I don't have a huge "status ailment" problem going on, you'll just be either in physical pain or your Luminous will be in danger. BTW, Luminous healing is known as Energy Restoration.

9 - can probably be the Level 5 version/combination of the earlier spells, so I'll allow those to be considered one "cat spell", with each level just being "you can add these more". The paws and fur can be considered one combo, or you can go for the speed+fall damage/dexterity in one go.

4 - I can combine speed and dexterity once the spell is high enough. However, if speed is a later priority, you can start with learning the other spells, then branch into speed from a higher-level Vitality spell.

10 - That only takes two points, so you can just pick that skill up whenever it makes sense/is the right time in-universe.

It looks like a good list so far. Just figure out your priorities for now, and then you'll have your first set.

 

SAF, for the first bit, I think the cat ears spell would be good - that would be enhanced hearing, yes? Though do keep in mind - while your spell limit is 10 spells, you do not need to have 10 spells. You can have 8 level 5 spells as well. It's just my hard limit so nobody shows up with "HEY CHOCO I MADE 40 LEVEL 1 SPELLS" and I break my screen.

On an unrelated note, just for reference - this is how Transmutationist spells will be handled btw.

Spoiler: Cat spell level-up-ing

Individual buffs can be learned starting from level 2, and leveled up on their own. Then at level 3, the spell will be "Elio can cast multiple buffs at once". At level 4, cat. And at level 5, multiple cat, or one strong cat. Level 6 is your super cat, idk, turn the whole team into cats? Least that's the one that kinda makes sense to me for a Transmutationist spell leveling.

BTW if you have the points, yes you can skip to level 6 immediately. I'm just gonna say you will need at least 3 spells related to corresponding animal at least known.

All right, what's the level distribution on those? To remind you, you have seven points. You can go 1-2-2-2, 1-2-3-1, or you can save points for later (1-2-3) or whatever.

---

Okay, I did just mention a couple things about status effects not really being a thing, so here's a few more clarifications for you to help narrow down some of the spells. Main reason being that fights are more sandbox-y so you can go "I throw sand at the opponent's face" or "I throw an inkwell at them" or "I punch them in the eyes" and I will go "yeah sure I'll force them to need higher rolls to hit you now".

Spoiler: Elemental balance thoughts

- The "speed down" spell might be more of a "physically freeze a thing" spell, though I can bend a bit and say the "basic attack" can physically freeze and environment, but the second spell would be the one needed to freeze a living being (freeze their arm, their leg, etc).

- "Paralysis" would have the same sort of deal. For balance reasons (aka there's 5 of you and 1 of them) I'm not allowing total freezing of someone unless they're already out of commission enough. You might want to consider somethin else for that one, or you can repurpose the "freeze something" to be the paralysis spell and run something else with the ice idea.

- This is just me thinking, but for the "attack" spell, I'm imagining a sort of Torchwood from Plants vs Zombies sort of thing going on, where it coats an attack in a fiery aura before it hits an opponent.

- Healing flame - There's the major distinction between "physical healing" and "energy restoration/Luminous healing". So I'll need you to differentiate which type of spell this is, or break it into two (is Kanaru more focused on what will always be used or preparing for the extreme?)

To explain, let me say this. In most fights, it is more practical to bring energy restoration, as that's what keeps you in the fight (remember, a destroyed Luminous is basically a free KO). But if you get physically stabbed or something, energy restoration will not help you. It's a what-risk sort of thing, because in most fights you're against opponents who aren't going to try and stab you, or accidentally stab you. Also, there's Elio.


You'll also need the two level 2 spells in order to cast through Kanaru's bow or flute. If that's a huge load on your spell list at the moment, I'm willing to negotiate turning it into one spell, but it does just mean your regular spells get more powerful.

Oh, by the way, you're all free to name your spells cool things. Like, uh, actually I don't have examples.

---
Anyway while I was writing this, I took so long, Jupjami responded. Hello, Jup! You get the same question as SAF (your proposed numbers distribution for now with your 7 points.)

Spoiler: Wow this is long! I'm not stopping. Hi Jup

- You asked about teleportation, so I assume the dash is for teleportation in the future. Well I'll accept your dash but teleportation is pretty late level. Depends on what you want out of the ability and how much you negotiate, scaling yeah wahoo yay.

- By hook you mean like... grappling hook? Lassoing? Cough cough vine whip? But thinking as to your last spell, I can say you can do something like that and use it to yeet things like a magical slingshot. It would, however, be a Duelist spell.

- Small shield is fair enough but are we saying it's like a shield that can be moved? Or does it somewhat work of its own volition. Depending on the wording here I can try and twist it into a Summoning spell, which will let you build on that for your birbs.

- Birb. I realized I haven't put that many birbs in Luminous thus far. Mistake is too late to be rectified, sorry. I rely on you to bring the birb now

- Not a lot of Alchemist at the moment, but nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day the schools are for the spells, not the other way round. Don't force it unless you really want it.

HOO BOY long post. Rewarding myself for that by putting something completely stupid down here that is not useful to anyone or required for any spells but I think it is funny and someone needs to keep the Lassus energy on the site.

Spoiler: Completely Irrelevant Battlemage-Vitalist Information

If you have healing and weapon infusion spells. Yes. You can heal using your sword. Yes you will stab the guy receiving healing and it will heal them without hurting.

 

Okay, so let me scale these:

Spoiler: choco does a rules

- Level 2 telekinesis hook lasso is fair enough, I'll call it a Duelist-type. For that level I'll make it able to grab up to like 2.5 meters for now, nothing extreme, but more difficult to break than normal rope with most means. Also, while visually I can make the chain bind to the Luminous, whatever's grabbed goes towards Wakeng rather than the Luminous. So you know, it doesn't get point-blank shot.
- Level 2 dash would get you a decent distance, but for its level, I'll limit it to the ground - no Celeste Madeline Up-dash. Duelist-type again by technicality.
- Right, so for the floating shield, to make it a Summoning spell (since you'll need one of those before learning any level 3s) I can make it so the shield remains where it is after summoning, rather than following the body like a weapon. That aight? It's movable, too.
- And to finish, the slight arm boost will be there. Since you want it for throwing speed, should I specialize it in that? Will give it a bit of range as well. Vitality/transmutation type spell.

So your possible Level 3 and above from this set are Vitality, Transmutation, Duelist, and Summoning. Sound good?

If that's final, I'll put them in my doc, and you can put them wherever you wanna put them, and that'll be good?

All right, I think you have a start there, but let me help explain some stuff here for ya.

Spoiler: Robin Stuff

Firstly, yes, one point is one level, and to level up your spell from 3-5 later will have two points, and so on. And the rules from before are fine.

Second, the way I'll treat Summoning - you'll get one spell per construct. You can have one summon create multiple weaker constructs, or one big construct.

The construct group must all focus on the same type of thing - like if you summon a swarm of bees, that's one spell, and if your high level spell summons three birds that do the same thing with slightly different flavor (say they sing songs where one draws fire and the other annoys enemies etc), that's one spell. But if you have a wyvern for a mounted summon, and a cuttlefish that shoots lava, those are very different and therefore two separate spells that level separately.

On the battlefield, you guys will probably have one Construct spell active at a time, just because this is a big party as is. So that's possibly one small group of birds or one big borb for Wakeng, and one Fake Minerva for Robin, maybe.

Any Construct takes Luminous damage, and therefore defeating a construct will take energy from your Luminous directly. Depending on its strength and yours that can dissipiate it. It also means Constructs heal from energy restoration, rather than health. Remember, it's not alive, it's just a Luminous extension.

For your current spells, it looks like you have three spells - a basic electricity one (which I guess is your basic attack)? You'll also want your sword infusion spell for Battlemage, just so you can cast through it, so that's a fourth spell.

Other Battlemage spells will probably enhance the sword further, like having it teleport/boomerang back to user when thrown, or fire slashes like X-Scissor style in the anime. Or you can have him blink to his sword after throwing it, something like that. It can still be lightning flavored teleports.

On your crow to Minerva summoning thing, you'll probably want to think about what you want Minerva to do specifically. Does she attack opponents? Meat shield? Rally the party? Transport people? You get the idea. Then consider what abilities you want to build on, and her skillset will "level" with her.
(I say "she" here, but a construct doesn't really have gender. Consider it more of a "sea-captain's-beloved-boat" she, or a more apt guess, "Robin really misses Minerva and is trying to pretend she is there with him" she.)

For example let's take Wakeng, say he has a Level 3 crow that can pick up items and drop them. When it levels up, he can make it possibly move faster, or blink to him with an item, or maybe he will let it use the item it picks up - and it will gain more abilities or power the more points he puts in the spell.

Finally, Terraforming. You mentioned earth raising, sand yeeting, walls, and some other stuff from earlier. You can consider some of those. A Terraforming spell for Level 2 would be as simple as possibly like a sand blast or throwing a rock the size of someone's head, or something about that scale.

I hope that helps you with some stuff. Also, not every spell needs to go to level 6, just do it for the stuff that really hits your fancy or your major skills. But for now I really just need your 7 points.

 

Okay, good. Limitations breed creativity, and the creativity what I like about DnD that's going into Luminous. The wackier your method is the more likely I'm going to lower the RNG needed for it to work.

And yes, your construct's abilities are not part of the spell quota. However, to make up for that, a construct's abilities themselves are also somewhat limited, in the same way Elio's transmutations are. A construct is really gonna specialize in one or two things at most - well, one construct is comparable to one spell, to be completely clear.

 

Level 2 spell would just be "imbue spell in glyph/potion" as you like. Then you can assign your spells glyphs and stuff and then you can start making them once you get the materials. As this spell upgrades you can have more glyphs/potions at the same time.

 

Oops. I did not see SAF. Whatever. Double post go I give up

Basic healing and energy restoration are fine. At their levels, you'll be able to heal a good amount of bruises and cuts with healing, and energy restoration... is at level two. It's not easy to explain, but it'll save you a few hits on your Luminous when you need it, that's what I can say.

On the other hand, the Transmutation spells being Level 1 will definitely nerf them or shut em entirely.
Level 1 is the most basic spell level, so:

Spoiler: Notes on Level 1s

- Fall damage reduction may not be great at Level 1. I would liken it to almost like shields showing up just before they hit the ground, but at Level 1 where it matters it won't really take off much an edge. I would highly suggest changin this one for something else.
- The cat ears might be too high-level to begin with Level 1 there as well. In fact I would say that would have to be Level 3 at least. That one's entirely out the question.
- Dexterity boost is fine for level 1. I'll let it be more of a reaction time thing, but at level 1 it will be more defensive than preventative against harm, if you get what I mean?

Remember when I mentioned Level 1 spells aren't very evocative of their schools? Yeah, if your spell can definitely be a way to show off your school, it probably isn't Level 1. So I might suggest a little rework there.