Downtime Activities

Spell Research

With a bit of creativity, a great deal talent and a lot of gold and patience a spellcaster, usually a wizard, can discover an existing spell or create one of their own. The Spell Research downtime activity allows a spellcaster to add new spells to their arsenal.

Resources. Typically, a spellcaster needs access to a library or a sage to conduct spell research. Assuming such access is available, conducting research requires varying degrees of time and material components spent, aswell as a spell slot of equal level to the researched spell.

Spell Research Cost

Spell Level Time Cost 1st 1 workweek 300 gp 2nd 2 workweeks 500 gp 3rd 3 workweeks 800 gp 4th 4 workweeks 1200 gp 5th 6 workweeks 2500 gp 6th 8 workweeks 4000 gp 7th 16 workweeks 10000 gp 8th 20 workweeks 20000 gp 9th 32 workweeks 40000 gp

Resolution. The character declares the focus of the research — a specific existing spell or a brand new one. After each workweek, the character makes an Arcana check with a +1 bonus per 100 gp spent beyond the initial 100 gp, to a maximum of +6. In addition, a character who has access to a particularly well-stocked library or knowledgeable sages gains advantage on this check. Determine the characters succes after each week using the Spell Research Outcomes table.

Spell Research Outcomes

Spell Level DC 1st 10 2nd 12 3rd 14 4th 16 5th 18 6th 20 7th 22 8th 24 9th 26

Progress. If you manage to beat the DC you are one step closer to completing the spell. When you have succeeded the required number of times (equal to the number of workweeks needed), you have your brand new spell. This spell is already inscribed into your spellbook, requiring no additional gold. If, however, the character does not manage to succeed, they gain no progess towards the research of their spell. In addition they must pay gold equal to 10% of the cost to continue the research.

Complications. Creating a new spell is usually a solitary task, unlikely to attract much attention, unless of course, something goes horribly wrong. If the characters rolls a 1 on their Arcana Check, they have messed up the the process somehow. Maybe they messed up some magimatical calculus, pronunced a syllabel wrongly or spoke a bit too loudly near a priest, nevertheless they need to roll on the Complications Table.

Complications Table

d8 Complications 1 Roll once on Wild Magic Surge table 2 You are in dire need of a test subject, you need to aquire one, willing or not. 3 You have no idea why everyone thinks your work requires you to make blood sacrifices, but that’s what folk are saying. 4 The priest of a temple of good accuses you of trafficking in dark magic. 5 A wizard eager to collect one of your spells in abook presses you to sell the spell. 6 This spellwork is a lot harder than you thought: the time required is increased by one workweek 7 Well, that was a bit more combustible than you thought. The process costs and additional 1d10*10 gp 8 All this exciting spellwork has left you little time to sleep. At the end of this workweek, you receive a point of exhaustion.

Author's Notes Class availability: In this homebrew, it is sort of implied that spell research is a "wizard-thing". That is not necessarily the case. But the scholarly and pseudo-scientific approach of this, lends itself more towards the bookish wizards. If you wish to use this for different class, just flavour it up! Spell Research Cost: Both time and cost are merely suggestions. If they do not fit your campaign’s setting, go ahead and change them! Nevertheless, price and time critique are still very much appreciated.