Spell Framework

I love D&D spells, their twisted logic, the ways they work, and the things they let us do.

But after a few campaigns many spells start to feel disconected with the players. I always imagined that the spell would be more tied with the spellcaster. Maybe a specific spell caster have a preference for cold damage, while another would love to have a focus on debuf spell. Some spellcaster would also have the interest of split damage for example.

So I started this framework breaks that pattern by giving players a structured way to craft their own spells while keeping game balance in sight. It does three things:

Identify the building blocks: Every spell can be boiled down to a primitive effect. Damage, healing, summoning, and so on. These effects (detailed next part) are the lego bricks of magic.
Create base spells: A base spell is a single primitive effect wrapped in your choice of imagery, narration, and class flavour. You decide what it looks and feels like, the framework supplies the numbers.
Evolve into derived spells: Combine two primitives or enhance a base spell to invent something new, Maggard’s Freezing Bolt, Seraphina’s Song of Renewal, University Margrave’s Force Spear. Derived spells always carry their creator’s name and a signature twist.

Why bother?

Distinctiveness: No two wizards spell lists need look alike. I also want to have a list of spell from disting universities.
Player agency: Inventing magic is as satisfying as finding magic items.
Balance knobs: Enhancements, drawbacks, and clear parameters let the DM keep homebrew spells fair without stifling creativity.

Base Spells

A Base spell, is the minimun distiled version of a spell. This is the least amount of magic that a magic can be. This very often will define what a mage can do afterwards to make the spell to become, his spell. Some spellcasters like to have a big boom, while other spellcasters like to have a different spell.

For that we need a base spell, and this can be done with the following steps:

Define the Verb

These are the 13 core effects that power every spell in the game. Think of them as verbs in the language of magic.

Effect (the verb)	What it really does	Typical knobs you can turn
Damage	Reduce hit points	damage type, dice, AoE?, save / attack
Healing	Restore (or temp) hit points	dice, cap, range
Condition	Apply or remove a condition	condition, save DC, duration
Stat Shift	Buff or debuff numbers	amount, ability, concentration
Mobility	Move someone somewhere	distance, method (fly, teleport, push)
Summon or Animate	Create controllable allies/objects	CR cap, number, duration
Creation or Terrain	Bring matter or reshape ground	size, material, persistence
Illusion	Fake sensory data	senses, size, interaction
Information	Reveal or hide facts	target, sense, range, plane
Mental Influence	Bend thoughts or emotions	save type, commands, duration
Transformation	Change form or substance	new stats, size, duration
Teleport or Planar	Relocate across distances / planes	distance, targets, circle?
Life or Death	Tinker with mortality	time limit, cost, CR cap

Some example from the SRD

Primitive Effect	Representative SRD Spells
Damage	Fire Bolt, Magic Missile, Fireball
Healing	Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Heal
Condition	Hold Person, Sleep, Lesser Restoration
Stat Shift	Bless, Haste, Hex
Mobility	Misty Step, Fly, Telekinesis
Summon or Animate	Find Familiar, Conjure Animals, Animate Objects
Creation or Terrain	Wall of Stone, Fabricate, Demiplane
Illusion	Minor Illusion, Major Image, Mirage Arcane
Information	Detect Magic, Identify, Scrying
Mental Influence	Charm Person, Suggestion, Dominate Person
Transformation	Polymorph, Shapechange, Flesh to Stone
Teleport or Planar	Dimension Door, Teleportation Circle, Plane Shift
Life or Death	Revivify, Raise Dead, Animate Dead

Define the school of magic

Very often a school of magic will be associated with the verb, in this case treat each as the following. Later on we will be able to make few changes on this. But at the start the verb will define the school of magic.

School of Magic	Verb	Save Ability
Abjuration	Condition, Stat Shift	Wisdom
Conjuration	Healing, Mobility, Summon or Animate, Creation or Terrain, Teleport or Planar	Charisma
Divination	Information, Life or Death	Charisma
Enchantment	Condition, Mental Influence, Illusion	Intelligence
Evocation	Damage, Healing	Dexterity
Illusion	Illusion, Mental Influence, Transformation	Wisdom
Necromancy	Life or Death, Damage, Summon or Animate	Constitution
Transmutation	Stat Shift, Mobility, Creation or Terrain, Information, Transformation, Teleport or Planar	Constitution

Define the spell Level

A spell will always have a level. Starting from 1 up to 9. There is no spell with level higher than 9. Unless your DM approve this. Otherwise this is reserved to gods and forgotten magic.

Define the basic of the spell

There is a few basic definition that a spell needs, these are:

Casting Time
Range
Components
Duration

Casting time is always Action.

The general components are Verbal and Somatic. You can replace one of these with material (no cost).

The Range and Duration are defined by the verb. Also, the targets that the spell affects are also defined by the verb. Very often the spell will be a single. This can be modified later on.

Effect (the verb)	Range	Targets or Area of Effect	Duration?
Damage	Self, Touch or Ranged (60ft)	Single or Area of Effect	Instant
Healing	Self or Touch	Single or Area of Effect	Instant
Condition	Touch	Single or Area of Effect	Short
Stat Shift	Self or Touch	Single	Short
Mobility	Self or Touch	Single	Instant or Short
Summon or Animate	Ranged (60ft)	Single	Medium
Creation or Terrain	Ranged (60ft)	Area of Effect	Medium
Illusion	Ranged (60ft)	Area of Effect	Short
Information	Touch	Single	Instant or Short
Mental Influence	Touch	Single	Short
Transformation	Touch	Single	Short
Teleport or Planar	Self or Touch	Single	Instant
Life or Death	Touch	Single	Instant

For the Area of Effect, needs to select from the following shape template.

If the spell is Ranged:

Level	Cone	Line	Sphere	Cube
1	10ft	15ft by 5ft	5ft radius	5ft side
2	15ft	20ft by 5ft	10ft radius	10ft side
3	20ft	25ft by 5ft	15ft radius	15ft side
4	25ft	30ft by 5ft	20ft radius	20ft side
5	30ft	35ft by 5ft	25ft radius	25ft side
6	35ft	40ft by 5ft	30ft radius	30ft side
7	40ft	45ft by 5ft	35ft radius	35ft side
8	45ft	50ft by 5ft	40ft radius	40ft side
9	50ft	55ft by 5ft	45ft radius	45ft side

Every level is equal to additional 5ft to each dimension, after the first level.

If the spell is Self or Touch:

Level	Cone	Line	Sphere
1	20ft	30ft by 10ft	10ft radius
2	30ft	40ft by 10ft	20ft radius
3	40ft	50ft by 10ft	30ft radius
4	50ft	60ft by 10ft	40ft radius
5	60ft	70ft by 10ft	50ft radius
6	70ft	80ft by 10ft	60ft radius
7	80ft	90ft by 10ft	70ft radius
8	90ft	100ft by 10ft	80ft radius
9	100ft	110ft by 10ft	90ft radius

Every level is equal to additional 10ft to each dimension, after the first level.

If the duration is instantaneous, the effect takes place immediately, otherwise use the following:

Level	Medium	Short
1st	1 round	1 round
2nd	1 minute	1 round
3rd	10 minutes	1 minute
4th	1 hour	1 minute
5th	8 hours	10 minutes
6th	24 hours	10 minutes
7th	7 days	1 hour
8th	30 days	1 hour
9th	Until dispelled	8 hours

All the duration require concentration, unless the duration is equal of greater than 8 hours. In this case there is no concentration for the spell.

Define the basic effect of a spell based on it’s verb

A vervb define the most basic elements of a spell. In this case each verb will provide the base rules for each spell description for it’s mechanical rules. Each spellcaster should make changes on these to create variations on the spell and improving with enhancements on the spell.

Damage

Damage spells deal damage. If the spell is single target should use an spell attack. If the spell is area of effect, should use a saving throw otherwise the creatures inside the area should receive the damaging effects. Succeciding on the save will still cause half of the damage.

The amount of damage depends on both the target type and the spell level. A higher spell level will result in a higher damage output.

Spell Level	Single-Target	Area-of-Effect
1st	2d8 (9.0)	2d6 (7.0)
2nd	3d8 (13.5)	3d6 (10.5)
3rd	4d8 (18.0)	4d6 (14.0)
4th	5d8 (22.5)	6d6 (21.0)
5th	6d8 (27.0)	9d6 (31.5)
6th	7d8 (31.5)	13d6 (45.5)
7th	10d8 (45.0)	18d6 (63.0)
8th	13d8 (58.5)	23d6 (80.5)
9th	16d8 (72.0)	30d6 (105.0)

Damage table which were used for

In case you wander how the damage from the previous table comes from, this is the baseline idea. The damage averaged and aproximated to the d8 for single targets, and the damage for area using d6.

Spell Level	Single-Target (Avg PHB)	Area-of-Effect (Avg PHB)
1st	Chromatic Orb – 3d8 → 13.5	Burning Hands – 3d6 → 10.5
2nd	Scorching Ray – 3×2d6 → 21.0	Aganazzar’s Scorcher – 3d8 → 13.5
3rd	Lightning Bolt – 8d6 → 28.0	Fireball – 8d6 → 28.0
4th	Vitriolic Sphere – 10d4 → 27.5	Ice Storm – 2d8+4d6 → 23.0
5th	Banishing Smite – 5d10 → 27.5	Cone of Cold – 8d8 → 36.0
6th	Disintegrate – 10d6+40 → 75.0	Circle of Death – 8d6 → 28.0
7th	Finger of Death – 7d8+30 → 61.5	Delayed Blast Fireball – 12d6 → 42.0
8th	—	Sunburst – 12d6 → 42.0
9th	—	Meteor Swarm – 20d6 fire + 20d6 bludgeoning → 140.0

Template for quick use

Make a ranged spell attack, on a hit the target takes 1d6 [damage-type] damage.
Each creature in a [area] must make a [ability] saving throw. A target takes 1d6 [damage-type] damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one

You can also break down the damages, or build up the damage dices for higher level. Use the following table to create diversity on the damage dice.

Dice	Break to
1d2	1
1d3	2
1d4	2d2
1d6	2d3
1d8	2d4
1d10	2d5 or 3d3
1d12	2d6 or 3d4
1d20	2d10 or 3d6

For example, if you have a 3rd-level spell with damage of 6d8, you could break it down to 12d4 instead of using 6d8. Alternatively, a second-level spell with damage of 4d6 in area can be built up to deal 2d10 points of damage in area. These are base values that can be modified by improvements later on when deriving the spell.

Weird die types. If you have a weird die, like 6d3 damage, remove a die to improve it to the next damage tier, for example, 6d3 would become 5d4 damage. This makes it easier to roll the damage. And avoid using weird dies in the table.

If you’re interested in using numbers instead of rolling dice, each spell level has an average damage. If you want, you can use the average damage to build your final result. For instance, if you’d like to add a fixed number, like +5 to damage, this could be achieved by averaging out the damage. Keep in mind that fixed values are typically twice, and sometimes three times, stronger than rolling dice. So be cautious and get your DM’s approval.

Healing

Healing will remove damage from a target. The amount of healing depends on the range and targets.

Range and Target	Healing (per spell level)
Self, Single	1d8
Self, Area of effect	1d6
Touch, Single	1d6
Ranged, Single	1d6
Ranged, Area of effect	1d4

Condition

Spells from this verb will give or remove a condition from the target. Very often these conditions are negative effect, still some conditions can be considered positive effects. This will can always affect the target if the target is willing to receive the effect, otherwise should have a saving throw to protect it. Additionally, at the end of each turns the affected creature should be able to make another save to remove the condition.

The spell level will define which conditions can be used.

Condition	Min Level
Blinded	2nd
Charmed	1st
Deafened	2nd
Exhaustion	4th
Frightened	3rd
Grappled	1st
Incapacitated	4th
Invisible	2nd
Paralyzed	4th
Petrified	6th
Poisoned	1st
Prone	1st
Restrained	3rd
Stunned	4th
Unconscious	5th

* The exhaustion is a single level of it. Increasing of reducing.

Alternativaly, the spellcaster can make new contitions to use with special effects for each conditino.

Stat Shift

Stat shift alters the way a ability score from a user exists with a custom value. The most common use is to increase ability scores with this type of spells. But other lesser common are the increase of Armor Class for defense or increase of damage deal to targets with elemental damage. A spell som stat shift will provide a bonus from a single entry, is very rarely to a spell to provide bonus from multiple entries. For example a flaming sword would increase elemental damage. Another use for the stat shift is to provide another type of speed. Very common this one provides the flying speed.

Level	Ability	AC	Attack	Damage	Speed
1st	–	+1	+1	1d4	10ft
2nd	+2	+2	+1	1d4	15ft
3rd	+4	+2	+2	1d6	20ft
4th	+4	+3	+2	1d6	25ft
5th	+6	+3	+2	1d8	30ft
6th	+6	+3	+3	1d8	35ft
7th	+8	+4	+3	2d6	40ft
8th	+8	+4	+4	2d8	45ft
9th	+10	+5	+4	2d10	50ft

Alternativaly, you can use this stat shift to reduce instead of increase the stats, in this case the affected creatures should have a saving throw to avoid this shift. Additionally at the end of each turns the creature should be able to make another save to remove the shifted stat.

Mobility

Mobility effects alter how a character moves, either by enhancing their speed across multiple turns or by instantly relocating them. Distance is a key factor for these spells. Spells that grant movement over multiple turns generally provide a smaller increase in movement each turn, while quick teleportation spells allow a larger distance in a single use but do not extend movement beyond that moment. The instant movement may require the line of sight to make the movement.

If this range is self, you affect yourself. If the range is touch, a creature should have a saving throw to avoid the effect. In the case of touching a target, if the target is unwilling to move, this is considered a forced movement, and will require a saving throw.

Level	Instant Move	Line of Sight	Short‐Duration
1st	up to 10ft	Yes	+10ft
2nd	up 25ft	Yes	+15ft
3rd	up to 30ft	Yes	+20ft
4th	up to 60ft	Yes	+25ft
5th	up to 100ft	No	+30ft
6th	up to 120ft	No	+35ft
7th	up to 250ft	No	+40ft
8th	up to 500ft	No	+45ft
9th	up to 1000ft	No	+50ft

Summon or Animate

Spells with this verb conjure or enliven creatures or objects that serve the caster for a limited time. At its most basic, this verb lets you create a single ally (beast, elemental, construct, etc.) whose Challenge Rating (CR) scales with the spell’s level. The summoned or animated entity appears within 60feet of you, obeys simple mental commands (no action required on your part to direct it beyond choosing targets or basic tactics), and acts on your turn in initiative order. If the creature’s hit points drop to 0 or your concentration ends, it vanishes.

Spell Level	Max CR	Examples
1st	1/4	owl, toad
2nd	1/2	wolf pup, sprite
3rd	1	wolf, small elemental
4th	2	air elemental, brown bear
5th	3	fire elemental, dryad
6th	4	earth elemental, young white dragon
7th	5	water elemental, wraith
8th	6	shield guardian, couatl
9th	7	solar, balor

All of these base Summon/Animate spells require concentration for their full duration. If concentration ends early, due to damage or voluntarily, the creature vanishes immediately. If the summoned or animated creature is reduced to 0 HP, it also disappears (leaving behind any nonmagical items it carried, if applicable). At the spellcaster discretion, the summoned/animated creature could stay in the battlefield, but would rage attacking the nearest creatures around (common to animate corpse and undead).

Creation or Terrain

Spells with the this verb conjure matter from nothing or reshape existing ground, stone, or other natural materials. At base, these spells let you form a nonmagical volume of material (earth, stone, water, wood, vegetation, or similar) into a desired shape (walls, barriers, pits, or patches of difficult terrain) within the range moving the maximum amount from the duration, the same is a cube with all equal sides. The created material persists for a limited duration, once the duration ends the created materials disappear. For the duration of the spell, the spellcaster can move or create the material within the limited size based on the spell level.

Level	Cube (Move Existing)	Cube (Create New)
1st	10ft side	5ft side
2nd	20ft side	10ft side
3rd	30ft side	15ft side
4th	40ft side	20ft side
5th	50ft side	25ft side
6th	60ft side	30ft side
7th	70ft side	35ft side
8th	80ft side	40ft side
9th	90ft side	45ft side

Illusion

Spells with the this verb fabricate false sensory information (sight, sound, smell, touch, and rarely taste) to deceive observers. At base, illusion spells create a figment or phantasmal effect that looks and sounds real but has no true substance. Illusions can obscure, mislead, or distract, and may interact with creatures perceptions. Observers can attempt to disbelieve or see through an illusion with saving throw.

Level	Illusion Size Cube	Affected Senses	Details level
1st	5ft side	Single	static image or minor moving effect
2nd	10ft side	Two	larger or partially animated
3rd	15ft side	Two	figment with accompanying noises
4th	20ft side	Three	more detailed, multiple animated sources
5th	25ft side	Three	roaring fire with heat smells
6th	30ft side	All	multi-layered, region-wide
7th	35ft side	All	gusts of wind, brushing ‘leaves’
8th	40ft side	All	visual, sound, scent, tactile, highly convincing
9th	45ft side	All	cold/fire heat, temperature change

Information

Spells with the this verb reveal or obscure facts, perceptions, or knowledge about a target or area. At base, these spells grant the caster sensory or informational insight (detecting magic, identifying weaknesses, reading thoughts, or scrying from afar) or conceal information from others (hiding objects, shielding secrets). An Information spell typically operates instantaneously (or for a brief ‘Short’ duration) and does not deal damage or impose conditions, its purpose is purely to know or hide knowledge.

These are common magical effect to be used:

Basic Trait Check A simple yes/no or true/false determination about a single attribute (e.g., ‘Is this creature undead?’ or ‘Is this item magical?’).
Broad Categorical Insight A one‐word or short‐phrase fact, such as an approximate HP range (full/half/low), AC bracket (high/medium/low), or ‘presence of magic’ within a small radius.
Surface Mental or Hidden Feature Reveal A fleeting glance at a creature’s surface thoughts (single sentence) or detection of any illusions/hidden doors in a modest area, enough to know they exist, but not their full details.
Spell Effect or Motivational Glimpse Identification of the school (but not level) of any ongoing spell on a target, or learning one shallow motive/emotional state (e.g., ‘fearful’, ‘hostile’, ‘curious’).
Remote Sensor Link Creation of an unseen sensor (sight or sound) at a chosen distant point, allowing observation for up to ten minutes (but without any deeper context about the observed subject).
Limited True Seeing The capacity to perceive through invisibility, illusions, and polymorph for up to one minute (either for yourself at range or by touch to grant the same to a creature). You see what’s actually there but cannot learn motivations or hidden lore.
Standard Scrying Establishing a magical connection to a known creature within 1000ft, seeing and hearing them for up to ten minutes, subject to a saving throw to resist but yielding no deeper personal secrets beyond what they say or do.
Legendary Lore Retrieval Instant access to extensive history, weaknesses, and hidden secrets about a legendary person, place, or object, enough to weave strategy but not to alter or conceal that knowledge.
Cosmic Truth Inquiry A single, precise question about the multiverse or a cosmic entity (e.g., ‘Where is the lost artifact hidden?’ or ‘What is the true name of this god?’), answered unambiguously (and potentially made opaque to other divinations for a limited time).

Level	Level of Information
1st	Basic Trait Check
2nd	Broad Categorical Insight
3rd	Surface Mental or Hidden Feature Reveal
4th	Spell Effect or Motivational Glimpse
5th	Remote Sensor Link
6th	Limited True Seeing
7th	Standard Scrying
8th	Legendary Lore Retrieval
9th	Cosmic Truth Inquiry

Mental Influence

Spells with this verb bend, probe, or hijack the thoughts and emotions of creatures. At base, these spells impose charms, create compulsions, plant suggestions, or instill fear or confusion. Mental Influence effects generally target a single creature, require the target to make a saving throw, and last for a brief duration.

This are common magical effects to be used:

Minor Compulsion: Target must use its reaction immediately to move up to 10ft in a direction of your choice (if able).
Command: Target follows a simple one-sentence command on its next turn (e.g., ‘Drop your weapon’, ‘Remain silent’).
Fear Induction: Target becomes frightened of you (disadvantage on checks and attacks while you’re in line of sight).
Calm Emotions: Suppress strong emotions (calms angry or frightened creatures, can render them neutral).
Sense Emotion: You perceive its current emotional state (fearful, angry, joyful, etc.) and the intensity of that emotion.
Read Thoughts: You focus on a single creature within ‘listen’ to its surface thoughts (concentration). Each time the target speaks, you automatically know the meaning of its words.
Suggestion: Target follows a more complex course of activity, so long as it sounds reasonable, and will follow for the duration of the spell.
Dominate Person: You touch one humanoid, you can issue a telepathic command each round (target obeys if it fails its save).
Dominate Monster: Target one non-humanoid, you control its actions telepathically.
Psychic Override: You seize full telepathic control of the target’s mind (you can access memories and force complete obedience for up to 1 hour, concentration).

Mental Influence	Min Spell Level
Minor Compulsion	1st
Command	2nd
Sense Emotion	2nd
Fear Induction	3rd
Read Thoughts	3rd
Calm Emotions	4th
Suggestion	5th
Dominate Person	6th
Dominate Monster	7th
Psychic Override	8th

Transformation

Spells with this verb change the form, substance, or physical properties of a creature or object. At base, these spells let you alter a single target’s shape, size, or essential material, granting new statistics or functions for a limited duration. Transformation effects typically require you to touch (for objects or willing creatures) or target at range (for unwilling creatures), force a saving throw to resist. After the duration ends the effects revert back, converting the creature and properties to it’s original form.

You can apply one of the following effects:

Minor Object Transmutation: Turn a nonmagical object into another harmless object of similar size and mass (e.g., a stone to a wooden ball).
Alter Creature: Change your skin texture (camouflage), grow claws or small horns (magical but cosmetic), and adjust hair/eye color.
Lesser Polymorph: Transform a willing/unwilling creature into a Small or Medium beast of CR less or equal 1/4 (e.g., wolf, panther).
Enlarge/Reduce: Enlarge or shrink a creature (willing or unwilling) by one size category (e.g., from Small to Medium, or Medium to Large), adjusting Strength and reach accordingly.
Polymorph: Transform a willing/unwilling creature into a beast of CR less or equal to 1 (e.g., brown bear, panther).
Stone to Flesh / Flesh to Stone: Either turn a petrified (stone) creature back to flesh, or petrify a living creature.
True Polymorph: Transform a creature into any other creature whose CR is equal to or less than its current CR, or transform a nonmagical object into a creature (max CR 1).
Shapechange: Assume the form of any creature you have seen whose CR is equal or less than your level (max CR 8). You gain all game statistics except alignment and possessions.

Effect Category	Min Spell Level	Target Type
Minor Object mutation	1st	Object
Alter Creature	2nd	Creatue
Lesser Polymorph	3rd	Creature
Enlarge/Reduce	4th	Creature
Polymorph	5th	Creature
Stone to Flesh / Flesh to Stone	6th	Creature
True Polymorph	7th	Creature or Object
Shapechange	8th	Creature

Teleport or Planar

Spells with this verb instantly relocate creatures (or open brief portals) across distances or between planes. At base, these spells affect a single target (you or one creature). You can teleport yourself, or (with a touch) create a portal that lasts for 1 minute. Unwilling creatures get a saving throw to resist. All effects appear instantaneous, but the actual transit time scales by spell level.

You do not need line of sight to teleport, but you must have a clear description or direction for the destination. If a table entry lists two distances, the first is the minimum range and the second is the maximum range the spell can cover. Choosing a point outside that range causes the spell to fail immediately. If the destination is inside a solid object, the spell fails and neither teleportation nor portal creation occurs.

To open a portal, you must designate an existing anchor point (such as a permanent teleportation circle, a sequence of sigils, or a keyed material component) that marks the destination. This anchor can be created when you learn the spell or provided as a focus (e.g., a special crystal, engraved runes) at casting time, this decision is done at the spell creation.

Alternativaly the spell can be used to change planes. A spell needs to be at least 5th level to change plane and it’s teleportation time is 1 hours.

Spell Level	Distance Self (min–max)	Distance Touch (min–max)	Portal Distance (min–max)	Teleport Time
1st	30ft	15ft	100m	1 round (6 sec)
2nd	35ft ~ 50ft	20ft ~ 25ft	300m ~ 300m	1 round (6 sec)
3rd	50ft ~ 80ft	30ft ~ 50ft	1km ~ 1km	1 round (6 sec)
4th	80ft ~ 100ft	50ft ~ 75ft	3km ~ 3km	1 round (6 sec)
5th	100ft ~ 150ft	75ft ~ 100ft	1km ~ 10km	10 seconds
6th	150ft ~ 200ft	100ft ~ 150ft	10km ~ 30km	20 seconds
7th	200ft ~ 300ft	150ft ~ 250ft	30km ~ 150km	30 seconds
8th	300ft ~ 500ft	200ft ~ 400ft	100km ~ 500km	1 minute
9th	500ft ~ 1000ft	250ft ~ 500ft	500km ~ 1000km	10 minutes

Life or Death

Spells with this verb manipulate the boundary between living and dead (restoring fallen allies, ending mortal life, or preserving a soul’s spark). At base, these spells affect a single target (a living creature, a dying/dead creature, or a soul). Unwilling creatures usually get a saving throw if subject to a harmful effect (e.g., a death effect). Most ‘life’ effects are instantaneous with no duration, some ‘death’ or ‘soul‐preserving’ effects last briefly.

This are common effects for this verb:

Soul Tether: Touch a dying creature (0 HP). If it dies within the next 1 round, it immediately stabilizes with 1 HP instead of dying.
Soul Shield: Touch a willing creature. For 1 minute, if it would be reduced to 0 HP, it instead drops to 1 HP and the spell ends.
Revivify: Touch a creature that died within the last minute. It returns to life with 1 HP.
Death Knell: Target a creature below half its maximum HP. On a failed Con save, it is reduced to 0 HP (dies instantly) and cannot be revived by mortal magic for 1 minute.
Raise Dead: Touch a creature that died within the last 10 days. It returns to life with 1 HP (all nonmagical injuries restored, but all missing limbs and missing teeth grow back slowly over 2 weeks)
Reincarnate: Touch a humanoid corpse that died within the last 10 days. Its soul returns in a new adolescent body determined by a table (roll 1d10)
Resurrection: Touch a creature that died within the last 100 years, no corpse required. It returns to life at full HP, and any missing body parts are restored.
Life Ward: Touch a willing creature, for 24 hours, if a roll would reduce it to 0 HP, it is instead reduced to 1 HP and the spell ends.
True Resurrection: By touching the ground, you call back a creature that died within the last 200 years (no body required). It returns to life at full HP, with all conditions cured.

Effect Category	Min Spell Level
Soul Tether	1st
Soul Shield	2nd
Revivify	3rd
Death Knell	5th
Raise Dead	5th
Reincarnate	6th
Resurrection	7th
Life Ward	8th
True Resurrection	9th

Step by Step Example

Below is a walkthrough of how you might use the framework to build a simple, balanced 1st‐level base spell. We’ll choose the Damage verb, but you can follow the same steps for any of the other primitives.

Frigid Spike

Choose Your Verb (Primitive Effect), we decide for a simple Damage.
- What it really does: Reduces hit points.
- Knobs to turn: Damage type (fire, cold, etc.), dice, area vs. single target, save or attack roll.
- By picking Damage, we know our base spell must either hit a single target (with a spell attack) or impose a saving throw for area damage.
Assign a School of Magic
- Damage is most often associated with Evocation.
  - You can also justify Necromancy (if you want it to feel more ‘draining’ or undead‐themed), but we’ll stick with Evocation for a straightforward elemental bolt.
  - Save Ability for Evocation: Dexterity (for area saves) or (for a spell attack) no save, the target rolls AC vs. your spell attack bonus.
Pick a Spell Level
- We’re creating a 1st‐level base spell.
  - At 1st level, Damage spells are typically 1d8 on a hit (single target) or 1d6 against all in a small area (if area‐focused).
Define the Basic Spell Parameters
- In every base spell, you fill out Casting Time, Range, Components, and Duration according to the verb’s guidelines. For Damage (1st level):
  - Casting Time: Always 1 Action for base spells
  - Range: Damage can be Self, Touch, or Ranged (60ft). We want a simple ‘ranged bolt’, so we choose Range 60ft.
  - Components: by default Verbal (V) + Somatic (S). We’ll keep it V, S only, no material component needed for a simple energy bolt.
  - Duration: The duration is Instant, the damage happens immediately, no ongoing effect.
  - Target or Area of Effect: We’ll make this a single‐target spell. (If we had made it area, we’d choose one of the 1st‐level shapes: a 10ft cone, a 15ft by 5ft line, a 5ft radius sphere, or a 5ft cube.)
Define the Mechanical Effect
- Now we apply the Damage template for 1st‐level, single‐target:
- Template (Damage – Single‐Target): ‘Make a ranged spell attack, on a hit, the target takes 1d8 [damage type] damage.’
- We can also pick a damage type. Let’s say our wizard specializes in cold.
- Finally, give it a simple, evocative name and short description flavor:
  - Spell Name: ‘Goltard Frigid Spike’
  - Flavor Text (optional): You extend your hand, gathering frost in the air. A shard of concentrated ice streaks toward your target, freezing their skin on contact.
Write the Base Spell Block
- Putting it all together yields a complete 1st‐level base spell:

Frigid Spike 1st‐level Evocation

Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 60ft Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous

You hurl a shard of ice at a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 cold damage.

Simple, yet flavourfull, this is a baseline for the spellcasting. There is a multitide of ways this can be modified, enchanced and adapted. Very often spells will not have a specific way to address the effect, this is expected. Use other spells from the PHB as a guideline, or the suggestions on this list as a base. You will notice that the base spells will feel a little bit weaker than the spells on the base D&D book. This is intentional.

Derived Spells

A derived spell is a base spell modified. I’ve done a fairly compreensive detail on how to create a base spell, but any spell in the players handbook can be used as a base spell. With this spell in mind, there is a few considerations to be done. To make a derived spell you combining two base spells (the secondary spell will be half of the level of the first base spell) or enhancing a base spell.

All derived spells must have the name of the spellcaster who created, for example if Maggard crafts a cold-damage version of Magic Missile, it should be called ‘Maggard’s Magic Dart’. This is a important, a spell needs to carry its creator’s name.

Combining two base spells

When you create a combined spell, you start by choosing two existing spells, either two of your own base spells or one base spell and one Player’s Handbook spell. One of these must serve as the Primary Spell (the higher‐level or more complex effect), and the other as the Secondary Spell, which cannot exceed the half of Primary Spell’s level. In practice, this means that if your Primary Spell is, for example, 5th level, the Secondary Spell must be a 1st and 2th level spell.

Whenever possible, combine two of your own base spells rather than a PHB spell plus a base spell. By using base‐to‐base pairings, you minimize the risk of creating an over‐powered combination, since each base spell already obeys the framework’s level‐based limits. If you must include a PHB spell as one of the components, you should carefully trim or downgrade its dice, duration, or save DC to match the Primary’s slot budget, ensuring that the final derived spell remains balanced.

The combined spell’s spell level is always the level of the Primary Spell.

When both component spells are area‐of‐effect, the derived spell uses that same area, and both effects apply to everyone within it. If both are single‐target, then the combined spell still affects a single creature, applying both effects to that same target. In situations where one component is area and the other is single‐target, you default to the area dimensions of whichever spell is area‐based: everyone in that area is subject to both effects, with the secondary effect effectively ‘copied’ to each creature in the zone.

Because you are merging two effects into a single spell, you may find it necessary to reduce one of them to avoid an overly powerful outcome. Commonly this means halving the Secondary’s damage dice or shortening its duration. For example, if the Primary already deals 8d6 damage and the Secondary also deals 8d6, you would trim the Secondary down to 4d6 or change it from a minute‐long effect to one that is instantaneous. The goal is to respect the Primary’s ‘budget’ or balance framework so that combining two spells does not exceed what is appropriate for that slot level.

Below a few examples

Valeria’s Mindfang

For this example I’ll use two base spells.

Surface Mind 3rd-level Divination

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Self (30-foot radius)
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You reach out with your mind to probe a single creature’s surface thoughts or to reveal hidden mental echoes in the immediate area. Choose one creature within 30 feet. That creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or you hear its most prominent thought (a single sentence or emotion that occupies its mind at that moment). If the creature speaks during the next 10 seconds, you automatically understand its words.

Numbing Grasp 1st-level Enchantment

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round

You lay your hand on a creature, infusing it with a brief, paralytic poison that sears its nerves. You touch one creature, that creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of its next turn. A poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. On a successful save, the target suffers no effect.

Below is a step-by-step walk-through of how Valeria the Mind-Smith crafts a new derived spell by merging two base spells, Surface Mind (3rd-level Information) and Numbing Grasp (1st-level Condition). Read through Valeria’s notes at the end for insights on balancing and flavor tweaks.

Valeria’s Mindfang merges Surface Mind (3rd-level probe of thoughts) and Numbing Grasp (1st-level poisoned touch) into one seamless effect. Because Surface Mind is the higher-level base, the derived spell is 3rd-level (half of the 3 level is 1.5, so round down). Both effects target a single creature on a Touch (the psychic sigil that opens thoughts also injects toxin). Instead of two saves, a single Intelligence save resists both the mind breach (revealing a fleeting thought and granting automatic understanding for 10 seconds) and the brief poisoned condition (disadvantage on attack rolls and checks until the end of its next turn). If the save succeeds, the target suffers neither effect. By keeping range, duration, and save in line with the original bases, Valeria’s Mindfang remains balanced and clear as a unified 3rd-level spell.

Valeria’s Mindfang 3rd-level Divination

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous (target poisoned until end of its next turn on a failed save)

A swirl of scarlet runes and violet mist flickers around your outstretched fingertip, coalescing into a jagged sigil of bleeding thought that lances into the target’s mind and infuses it with a paralytic toxin in one seamless strike. The creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or you instantly perceive its most urgent thought (a single sentence or overwhelming emotion) and for the next 10 seconds any words it speaks are automatically intelligible to you, while the same psychic toxin leaves it poisoned until the end of its next turn. If the save succeeds, the target resists both the mental breach and the poison.

Cassian’s Shadowstride

To make this spell let’s start with this base spell

Trivial Walk 2nd-level Transmutation

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You lay your hand on a willing creature, weaving transmutative energy into its essence, the target you touch received 15foot bonus to movement speed.

Cassian’s Shadowstride merges the 4th‐level PHB illusion Greater Invisibility (the Primary) with the 2nd‐level stat‐shift base Trivial Walk (the Secondary). Because Greater Invisibility is the higher‐level effect, the resulting spell occupies a 4th‐level. Both component spells originally required touch and concentration for up to one minute, so the combined spell likewise has a range of touch and demands concentration to maintain both invisibility and the extra 15 feet of movement. In practice, you place your hand on a willing creature and a swirl of silvery mist cloaks them in perfect concealment while their legs surge with speed. As long as you concentrate, just as you would for Greater Invisibility, the target remains unseen even while attacking or casting spells and also benefits from the Trivial Walk bonus to movement. If concentration breaks, both invisibility and heightened speed end immediately. By keeping the touch‐only delivery and matching durations, Cassian’s Shadowstride remains a clear, balanced 4th‐level fusion of concealment and enhanced mobility.

Cassian’s Shadowstride 4th-level Illusion and Transmutation

Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Touch Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A faint ripple of silvery mist and glimmering runes spirals from your fingertips, enveloping a willing creature in perfect concealment even as its legs suddenly surge with untapped vigour. For the duration, the target is under the effect of Greater Invisibility (it cannot be seen even while attacking or casting spells) and its movement speed increases by 15 feet. Both benefits require concentration, if concentration is broken, both invisibility and the bonus movement immediately end.

Improvements

An enhanced spell takes an existing base spell or a Player’s Handbook spell and augments it with two distinct improvements. If you choose a PHB spell as your starting point, the enhanced version occupies one level higher than the original. You can select an amount of improvements equal to half of the spell level (minimum of one) from the lists below, they could be from the general enhancement or tied to its broader tradition (Arcane, Divine, or Natural) or its school of magic.

General Enhancement Options

Add Additional Dice: Add extra damage die of the same type, e.g., a ‘2d6’ becomes ‘3d6,’ or ‘1d8’ becomes ‘2d8’. The amount of dice is half of the spell level (minimum of one die).
Add Additional Target: If the spell affects a single target, allows to affect multiple targets. In general a single extra target.
Add Fixed Bonus: Add a fixed bonus to the total value, such as a spellcasting modifier or proficiency bonus. This is a static bonus that is provided by the caster. Any fixed value is sufficient for this purpose.
Add a Minor Secondary Effect: Grant a small, separate effect appropriate to a 1st-level base spell. Examples: the target gains advantage on one skill check, or the caster senses the nearest creature’s mood. Keep it minimal so it does not overshadow the primary effect.
Change Damage Type: Convert the spell’s damage to a different element or source. For instance, a fire‐based spell might become cold or lightning. (If the spell is for clerics could use Radiant, if this is necromancy spell this could be Necrotic).
Eliminate a Component: Remove either the Verbal, Somatic, or Material component entirely (not multiple). If the spell originally required material components with a cost, those must be retained unless replaced by a thematic focus (e.g., a jeweler’s prism instead of a diamond).
Extend Duration: For a spell whose duration is Short or Medium (per the base framework’s progression), increase it by one step in the table. For example, a Short duration of 1 round becomes 1 minute, 1 minute becomes 10 minutes, 10 minutes becomes 1 hour, and so on. If the spell comes from the PHB verify with your DM.
Filter Area Targets: Modify the area effect so that it only affects creatures of a chosen alignment relative to you (e.g., only allies or only enemies), rather than all creatures within the area.
Increase Area of Effect: Expand a cone, line, or radius by one step in the framework table (e.g., a 20ft radius becomes 30ft, or a 15ft by 5ft line becomes 20ft by 5ft). Always increase no more than one increment.
Increase Damage Die: Replace each damage die with the next larger die. For example, change all d6s to d8s, or d8s to d10s.
Lasting Spell: The spell gains a duration, use the short or medium table to guide on this selection in the case of PHB, for base spells use the next level duration. For instantaneous spells it becames 1 minute, if it’s a harmful effect it also grants a save to remove the effect after initial hit or failed save.
Modify Range: Spells with self becomes touch. Spells with touch becomes Ranged (30ft), and spells with already existing range are doubled.
Multiple Hits: If the spell is single target, you can break the spell into two or more hits. You can’t break the effect into more hit’s than it’s damage die amount.
Reduce Casting Time: Shorten a action spell to a bonus action or a bonus-action spell to a reaction (subject to DM approval).
Remove Concentration Requirement: If the original spell demands concentration, the enhanced version no longer does, preserving its effects until duration ends or conditions expire.
Upcast Scaling: Add the option to cast the spell at higher levels. By definition no spells can be cast at higher levels. With this the spell can be cast with additional benefits, increase damage, duration or area for example.
Use an Unusual School: Reschool the spell in an uncommon combination, such as an Evocation spell that heals instead of harming, or a Divination spell that grants temporary hit points.

Downgrades

A downgrade is a drawback on the base spell or PHB spell, each downgrade you pick for the spell allows you to select another improvements. If you reduce the damage you can increase the amount of dice for example. The base downgrade are improvements in its opposite, for example, instead of increasing every damage die (d6 becomes d8), you decrease it to the next smaller die (d6 becomes d4), instead of doubling range, you cut it in half, instead of removing concentration, you add a requirement to concentrate, and so on. You are free to stack multiple downgrades on a single spell, but in practice it’s best to focus on one or two to avoid crippling the spell. You can add a downgrade to mixed spells if you want, this would reduce the spells effectiveness to receive a improvement in a different area.

Below are a handful of additional downgrade options you might apply:

Add Concentration: If the original spell does not require concentration, you can add it.
Add a Saving Throw Where None Existed: Introduce a save for an effect that originally auto-hit or auto-affected, using a reasonable ability (e.g., Dex save for a non-damaging control).
Class Restriction: Make the spell function only if cast by a particular tradition (Arcane, Divine, or Natural). Others must spend resources (e.g., an extra bonus action or a specialty focus) to emulate it.
Creature Type Restriction: Limit the spell so it only affects a specific creature type (e.g., only fey or only giants) or cannot affect a given type (e.g., cannot affect nonhumanoids).
Lower Save DC or Attack Bonus: Decrease the spell’s save DC by 2 or reduce its attack roll bonus by 2, making it easier to resist or harder to hit.
Material Component: Replace one of the spell components (verbal or somatic) with material, and this material will have a cost:
- Consumed: The spell now requires a specific material (such as a diamond or rare herb) that is consumed when casting. The cost is the spell level squared times 10gp.
- Non-Consumed: The spell requires a particular focus (gem, feather, or small talisman) that is not destroyed, but must be present at each casting. The cost is the spell level squared times 50gp.
Reduce Maximum Number of Targets: If a spell could affect multiple creatures, limit it to one, or reduce the batch size (e.g., from ‘all creatures in a 20-foot radius’ to ‘one creature you choose’).
Shorten Duration: If a spell lasts 1 minute, reduce it to 1 round, if it lasts 10 minutes, reduce to 1 minute, and so on, moving down the framework’s ‘Short’ or ‘Medium’ scale.
Weaken Secondary Effects: Any minor secondary benefit is removed. For example, if a spell originally granted temporary hit points to allies within 5ft, the downgraded version no longer does.

Alaric’s Gale Stride

To make this spell let’s use this spell as a base line.

Gale Stride 4th-level Transmutation

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You touch a willing creature and channel the elemental force of wind into its legs. The target immediately teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. If the destination is occupied or cannot be seen, the spell fails and has no effect.

Let’s pick a couple of drawbacks for this spell. Material Component, casting requires a specialized whirlwind gem (cost = 4² × 50 gp = 800 gp). This focus is not consumed by the spell but must be present each time you cast and Creature Type Restriction Only affects humanoids, other creature types cannot be targeted.

With 2 drawbacks, we can select up to four improvements for this spell. Modify Range: Converted from Touch to a 30 foot ranged teleport. Add Additional Target, Allows teleporting up to two willing humanoids instead of one. Add a Minor Secondary Effect, Grants each teleported target a 10-foot movement bonus for 1 minute. Upcast Scaling: When cast at levels 5+, the teleport range increases by 30 feet per slot above 4th. This minor effect could be a 30 foot for a single round, but a 10 foot for a minute had a better appeal for the spell.

Alaric’s Gale Stride 4th-level Transmutation

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 30ft
Components: V, S, M (a small whirlwind gem worth 800 gp, not consumed)
Duration: Instantaneous (secondary speed boost lasts 1 minute)

Alaric stretches out his hand and conjures a swirl of wind-charged motes around his fingertips. Choose up to two willing humanoids within 30 feet, each instantly flies to an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet of its starting position. If any chosen destination is occupied or unseen, that creature’s flight fails (though the other may still succeed). Immediately after teleporting, each target gains a 10 foot bonus to movement speed for 1 minute, no concentration required.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a slot of 5th level or higher, increase its maximum teleport range by 30 feet for every slot level above 4th (to a maximum of 120 feet at 8th level).

Uniqueness

What makes a spell unique? Why bother learning the ‘Algedar’s Firebolt’ or ‘Magrave’s University Flame Seeking Arrow’?

A spell should be unique. The idea behind the improvements is to create uniqueness in spells, making them significantly different, thereby increasing their robustness. This way, spellcasters from different regions can have distinct spells, even if they’re based on the same core idea. Some legendary spellcasters could even take it a step further by adding special improvements that only they possess. In this case, the DM should approve such unique spells.

The whole concept of this system is to empower creativity, uniqueness, and diversity in storytelling. Finding a rare spellbook with ancient teachings becomes more intriguing than simply learning another ‘Fireball’ for the fifth time.