In my last post I trained GPT-2 to write Star Trek scripts. Lately I’ve been experimenting with Dungeons and Dragons spells with some amazing results.

I like tabletop roleplaying material for generation because tabletop rules often require a good faith effort at human interpretation anyway. That same effort can make some sense of the silliest of machine generated rules.

I picked out a bunch of of my favorites and there are a lot more spells at the bottom of this blog post for anyone who wants to hunt for some more good stuff. Also I’ll be posting more on my twitter.

A Bot Makes D&D Spells Dragon Hit and Run Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You hurl a dragon of unknown power within range. Until the spell ends, the target is restrained and must spend at least 1 round in an iron or steel cage to be affected. The target is also affected only once by this spell, but it has a shorter duration. When a successful slam attack against the target destroys it, the spell ends. Tiddlywink Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Duration: Instantaneous You make a dazeful noise and vanish into a harmless pond. There are no spells or other effects to detect you. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move up to 5 feet in any direction along the shore. Abiogenesis Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Duration: 24 hours By means of a high-energy burst of activity, a queen bee blossoms. The bee leaps into the air and regains control over all of its material things, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet for 24 hours. The spell ends when the queen has killed all its young.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the duration of the effect increases by 48 hours for each slot level above 1st. Bitter Truth Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet feet

Duration: Instantaneous You whisper, “I’m sorry. I had a dream about it.” It is a dream, and it has a horrible ending. You are a vampire, and you are the subject of a spell. You have a total of 10 hit points, and you must be within 60 feet of the target for the spell to occur. The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 1d6 necrotic damage and loses all its hit points.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can use your action to dismiss the spell as an action. Witch Eyes Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes You gain the ability to see through the wisps of womanhood. You can see through the glories of a woman’s deepest fears, the whispers of false servants, and the crackling of the flames of the burning city. Additionally, your eyes shed bright light on the deepest fears of your victims. In addition, whenever a creature within your reach reaches out to touch you, you gain an additional +5 temporary hit points. Hair restoration Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Duration: 10 minutes You use your mind to restore a creature’s hair to a pristine, silvery state. The spell can’t remove a creature’s normal hair, nor hair from some creatures or objects within its reach. The spell ends if you cast it again or if you choose to end its duration. When a creature uses its action to examine its hair, the creature can determine the nature of its problem by examining the mineral structure of the material within. For any teeth, strands, or any other defects in the creature’s hair that are visible in the light, the creature can use its action to determine whether such hair is restored. If so, the creature’s hair appears intact, though some creatures or objects within its reach are likely damaged. If the creature’s hair regains its previous status, the creature is no longer blinded, deafened, and affected. Objectified Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (60-foot radius)

Duration:Concentration, up to 1 hour You send an object directly into the magical world for the first time in a long time, dealing 3d6 radiant damage to it. The object is one hundred percent human body, and the spell ends. Mendenhall Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet

Duration:1 Hour You create a small, harmless creature that spends its days sleeping. The creature doesn’t need to be alive to create the spell. When the creature enters a graveyard or a tomb, it has advantage on saving throws and ability checks. When you cast this spell, you can make the creature immune to disease and poison for the duration. 1

A Bot Makes D&D Spells Huge Bomb Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes There are whispers in the halls of Hogwarts. The voices of your enemies whisper lies that you heard, as the Prophet says, and to which your friends reply, “we wonder what it is that the people of the forest see? Surely there is something in the forest of gold and rare magic for sale in great temples?” So they ask how you can protect the forest from these dangers. As soon as you receive a reply and you understand the meaning of their words, you cast the magic. It instantly causes a great wave of magic, originating from somewhere between the flames of the bomb and its surroundings, to sweep up any creatures of your choice within 30 feet of the burning structure, burning them in a cloud of smoke for 24 hours until they have turned black. Then cast the spell, which lasts for the duration, and the smoke explodes in flames. Each creature affected by the spell takes 20d6 fire damage at the start of your next turn. Gone to the Past Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Duration: Instantaneous You arrive at a place where you were once, but you no longer exist. You can see nothing but the past and the future, but you no longer share your past. You can no longer talk to anyone who hasn’t left the place you left it. You can’t speak to anyone who isn’t already dead. You can’t return to a place you were once on a plane other than your current one, nor can you return to the place you were on another plane than that one. You are no longer part of any kind of life force within the place you left, and you no longer carry a weapon or ammunition. Taste Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Duration: Instantaneous You take a deep, deep liking to anything you find within range. Choose any number of creatures you can see within range, and the sound of a trifle or slurping of a turd fills them with terror. Each target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s intellect and intelligence drain away, leaving it completely vulnerable to all damage. At the end of each of its turns until the spell ends, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails this saving throw, it can’t attack or be damaged. Conjure Child Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Duration: 1 Hour This spell transforms a willing creature you choose within range for the first time on a succeeding turn of your next turn into a child of light and intelligence. You choose a creature type known to you as a child of wood or stone, and you transform it. The spell fails if the creature’s Intelligence is 4 or higher. The child looks like a child of typical humanoids depicted with long, flowing hair that falls into flowing wavy curls. The creature can be as young as one month old. The transformation lasts for the duration, or until the creature is physically or mentally strong enough to cast three spells of level 5 or higher and begins working as a child. The child doesn’t need to be large or strong to be affected by the spell. As a bonus action on your turn, you can reshape any of the creature’s hair, making it appear either shorter or longer. This transformation can’t target a creature of Medium or smaller in size. You can have the creature’s hair become pony or short, or you. Charmander’s Scepter Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour You call forth the power of the Charmander’s Scepter. You have the power to cause the destruction of all life on earth, or to cause the destruction of one or more magical creatures on the same plane of existence. You can use your action to issue an edict to an unwilling creature that it must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the target doesn’t make a Wisdom saving throw, it is killed by the spell. If the target does make a Wisdom saving throw, it is killed by the spell. The target must succeed on each of its saving throws by 1. If it fails, it is killed by the spell. If it succeeds on its saving throw, it is killed by a curse.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can target one addition Tiny crab Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour You create or tint up to 50 pounds of crab-shaped appendages, each of which must be of a size equal to or larger than your hand. The size of the appendage determines the size of the garment. The crab’s food consists of pieces of the specified crab’s food’s normal food’s, crab food that is soft and bland, crab food that is bitter 2

A Bot Makes D&D Spells Clone Flowers Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Duration: 24 hours You touch a flower and create flowers within range. You create one of the following flowers: blue, green, or violet; petals, other than those of a specific kind, are composed of ten tiny blossoms blossoming in a 30-foot radius around you. You can send the flower in any direction streaking with acid and fire. The flower bears a striking resemblance to a human being. Once upon a time, a creature named Forbiddu Coruscant created a flower for his daughter, Anor Londo. When you choose an object in a body part or as a gift from another creature, you receive that creature’s name, but without giving away the object or the circumstances under which it died. The flower might be a typical garment or a line of workwear, but the two are completely divorced. Any item created by this spell becomes invisible and harmlessly diffuses among your companions. The spell ends for a creature when it deals 5d6 cold damage to the target. Atomic swarm Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Duration: Instantaneous An invisible, nonmagical swarm of bees appears in a 10-foot cube centered on a point you choose within range. The swarm spreads around corners. Its area is heavily obscured. Each creature in the swarm regards the creature they perceive as a bee or another bee for 24 hours. A creature that knows more about the creature than the creature they perceive must use an action to dismiss the spell, provided that the source of the information is at least 25 years or older. Masturbation Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Duration: 1 minute A harmless odor spreads from your hands, revealing precious metals and precious gems. The mist fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point within range and lasts for the duration. Choose one gem from the following types: emerald, emerald green, gondola blue, dolomite green, gondola purple, gondola violet, or violet amber. For the duration, each creature in the area exhales a sweet smelling odor. The ground in the area is difficult terrain. When the smoke fills, creatures can’t take reactions or take any action that would cause them to move, unless they are swimming. Mendoc® Food Spray Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour Flour, sugar, or simply a drop of soup, soup, or some other vegetable nourishment spreads throughout your body and gradually transforms one humanoid within 60 feet of it into a snack. Each creature within 30 feet of the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target becomes charmed by the lentil and celery lentil butter dishes. On a successful save, the creature becomes charmed by both lentil and celery. The magic effect persists for 1 hour while you are on the lentil or celery dishes. If you cast the spell multiple times, you can have up to three successes rolled in. Snilloc’s Trick Room Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Duration:1 hour You open a secret service office and lay out a map of the United States, Europe, and, eventually, the Pacific. The map predicts a time when the coming war will be fought in secret. For two years, you are the only person awake, aware, and free of the effects of magic in the office, but then something bad happens. You either awaken in the middle of the night or you waken up at the start of the next morning, depending on the day. The two years count against you, though. You can awaken only when certain conditions are met, such as a woman wakes up at nine in the morning, and someone has just awakened at ten. During the duration of the spell, you can make a Wisdom saving throw, using your spellcasting ability, to check the existence of a time-traveling spell on the same plane of existence. On a failed save, you waken up no matter what.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of two levels higher than the slot you used to cast this spell, you can cast twice as many spells of two or more levels higher. Rumble Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You cause up to ten trees to leap from the ground to intercept a ranged spell. Make a ranged spell attack against the nearest tree, and the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. Each target that fails its save before the spell ends must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be pushed prone. 3

A Bot Makes D&D Spells Furnish pot Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You create a pot of stew that fills a 10-foot cube within range. Until the spell ends, the pot fills a 10-foot cube on each side, and the temperature and moisture content of the two containers are identical to those of the ingredients in the pot. The stew is rich with flavor. A full meal is possible with a full foodband. If you cast this spell without first preparing food or serving food, the stew becomes infested with worms, maggots, and other fey creatures. A continual grumbling or wrangling sounds throughout the sanctuary. Leopard make contact Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Duration:Instantaneous You instruct a quiver of ravenous beasts in a harmless activity—playing fetch, mending a deal, or taking a long walk. The spells might target one beast or several beasts, depending on the nature of the activity. The tasks might range from simple (fly us across the chasm to protect a sacred grove or guard a holy entrance), to complex (spy on the mentally ill or the downtrodden). The spells don’t necessarily target beasts, especially if the activity is particularly dangerous. True Name Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Toucht

Duration: Instantaneous You choose a name for a creature you touch, and it becomes your true name. It always has been, and always will be, and always will be. Your true name will always be inscribed in stone, upon which you will forever be based. Your true name also has magical properties, so long as you are friendly to her. She is your mother, your father, and your only child. She will always be with you, always welcome in your surroundings, and always with you. She will always be with you when you are hungry, whenever you want her, and always with you when you want her. She will always be with you when you are ill, whenever you want her, or whenever you want her. You will always remember her as your wife, your mother, and your only child. Her soul will always remain with you, always willing to listen to your every need, no matter how long it takes for her to heal. Your true name also has magical properties, so long as you are friendly to her. She is your only child, and she will always be with you. Your soul will always remain with you, always willing to listen to your every need, no matter how long it takes for her to heal. Her soul will always remain with you when you are sick, when you feel faint, or when you simply can’t bear the thought of her dying. Your soul will always remember you, and she will forever be with you. Gentle Hands Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Duration: Instantaneous, up to 10 minutes A hand of soft, warm, precious, and warm-skinned skin appears on both of your hands. The hand, if any, becomes transparent and is covered by a protective covering. Each hand is immune to damage, and it can’t attack or use a weapon. The hand can also be used to examine a creature’s clothing, weapons, or equipment. You can even use the hand to examine a magical object. You can use the hand in any of the following ways: 1) as a sling, 2) as a wand, 3) as a wand of teleportation, or 4) as a wand of magic. Melf’s natural curiosity Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour You and one Medium or smaller creature you can see within range gain insight into the surrounding terrain. The spell allows the creature’s natural curiosity to flourish, and the target is led to conclusions that can’t be supported by any other than speculation. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be led astray. On a failed save, the target takes 1d6 psychic damage and is restrained in the spell until the spell ends. Bonescrackle Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour You touch one diseased creature and cause it to implode, leaving behind a scar on both its head and facial hair. The creature is blinded and deafened until the spell ends. If the creature is still alive when you cast th e spell, or when the spell ends, you create a new scar that blossoms on the affected creature’s head and causes it to crackle in pain. 4

Dungeons and Dragons Spells are Terrible Training Material

Making spells turned out to be tricky. In general, the more material you have for training, the better your results. There are only about 500 Dungeons and Dragons 5E spells — they all fit in one 400 kilobyte text file! This is a terrible dataset for a neural network. It quickly memorizes every single spell word for word. But this same challenge makes the topic a great test case to try out different techniques to keep the output creative. And while larger datasets work a lot better overall, one downside is that it can be harder to know when a network is just copying the source material. You can sometimes tell with simple search, but often the copying is a lot looser and not exact. The Fifth Edition spell list is small enough that you can generally look at a spell and recognize if it’s basically the same as a Fireball..



But Even the Worst Case Can be Amazing

The tiny dataset here really shows off the capabilities of GPT-2. With earlier networks you either get words already in your source material, or new gibberishy words — statistical combinations of letters that make a kind of sense but don’t connect to the real world. But you will not never see real world language that isn’t found in the source material. If the word ‘blue’ isn’t in the original material then nothing the network spits out will ever be blue. If President Obama isn’t in an existing Star Trek holodeck episode he will never star in a bot-written episode. This is because earlier stuff was usually starting from a blank slate and the neural network had to learn everything from the training material. It had to learn what a word is, rules of grammar and capitalization, what words mean, oh, and also everything about how the world works. Imagine trying to deduce everything about the Universe looking only at list of D&D spells.



World Knowledge is Magic and Harry Potter is World Knowledge

But what makes OpenAI’s GPT-2 so fun is that it is already pre-trained on essentially the entire internet. It already knows a lot of stuff about both language and the world. It can already write complete sentences. It knows fire is hot and is cold. It knows tornado is a word related to terrible weather and wind, even though tornado isn’t in the source material. It knows Severus is the proper name of a famous wizard. So it really *can* generate a spell name like Severus’ Feast. It actually could (in theory) drop President Obama into a Holodeck episode (update: Obama Cameo in Star Trek Olive Garden commercial) since it knows those scenes feature historical figures.

Sometimes you can guess why a proper name comes up. I noticed a few of the weirder proper nouns were names of glaciers. Wall of Ice is a canon spell name and ice features prominently in the spells. (Mendenhall is a glacier name in the list above, kind of fits a spell for a creature that sleeps all day.)



That GPT-2 can do this is pure magic. This has got to be one of the worst-case datasets but you can still get an amazingly wide range of vocabulary, expressions, and world knowledge expressed, in a style that reads like real spells.

Want More Spells?

Here’s 300 more hand picked spells from my friend Sam.

Here’s a few hundred unfiltered samples from a later model I’ve been playing with after I made this post. I think it has a better hit rate at making cool spell *names*, but some of the spell descriptions are overfitting. For example, the spell Harshness is almost exactly the same as Hold Person, Shackle = Mental Prison, and there are a few others. Still I’m really impressed by the consistently solid names. Maybe I could combine a network to make names with a network to fill out descriptions to get the best of both.

Even More Spells?

Below is a giant list of unfiltered spells. I would love if people posted great stuff they find in the comments! This includes spells made from some terrible models. These below are all the same list:



It’s a 25 megabyte file so be patient it might look like your browser is frozen. (Or try the .txt version with no formatting.)



Update 1: Making Spells from Names

A new post on Filling Out Spell Descriptions Based on Names From An Older Neural Network from @JanelleCShane’s neural network D&D spell names.

Update 2: How to Use These Spells in Your Game

I love this idea to incorporate the weird beauty and insanity of neural network spells into a tabletop game as cursed spells.

Melf’s Natural Curiosity masquerades as a benign magical effect however it is cursed, do not under any circumstances cast this spell… liable to get you killed in the heat of a battle, none of the information in regards to your surroundings can be relied upon. ‘That’s not necessarily a pit trap in front of me’. It would appear you perceive your surrounding as usual however those perceptions can not be relied upon. That’s extremely dangerous. It’s given me a great idea for D&D, like we have cursed magic items that are thought to be one thing but in fact turn out to be something mostly unwelcome, now get ready for cursed spells. I get the idea that cursed spells are something that wizards who are capable of devising them plant intentionally in their spell books as a nasty surprise for a would be plagiarist. The cursed spell appears as something else entirely, the plagiarist thinks he’s learning the cover spell when in fact he’s learning a cursed spell, some spellcraft D.C check to realize in time he’s learning a cursed spell made in secret by the D.M, if he fails the check he’s learned the cursed spell and when he memorizes his spells for the day he has a set chance for each slot of that level he has available to have in reality memorized the cursed spell in its place. Usual rule about removing curses apply. D.M is free to invent his own cursed spells, Melf’s Curiosity is one such example. That’s the rough draft off the top of my head I’m going to refine the details later, along with adapting Melf’s curiosity for 3.5, it sounds a bit like a Confusion spell though it would be nice to preserve and reflect the batshit insane beauty of the neural net in some respects.

thisismyusername151 on reddit

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