Dungeon Master Forum

Okay, I know some people will not agree with the idea because it reduces some flexability with creating new dungeons. I'm suggesting that the actual rune code for new spells be agreed upon here in the RTC forums. If one sticks to the traditional maximum 3 rune code (igonore the power runes), then there are a total of 6^3 = 216 possible rune combinations (if I'm calculating my permutations correctly). Actually, there are more since I'm not including the spells that only use 1 or 2 runes. So for example, I'm saying that the rune code for the new spell levitate should be the same for all new dungeons, but it's up to the dungeon designer to implement the code that's been agreed upon after some debate about which runes make sense for that spell. My reasoning behind this is that the "core" spells in RTC/DM are always there and those spells don't change, so why not the same for spells that are surely to become popular and reused in new dungeons created in the future?
Good idea? Bad idea?

No, completely unnacceptable as all games will nto be set in the DM dungoen,

I would even put foreward that different areas in the DM world may have different effects of the trunes. Spells are the natural combination of the elements, in a desert who is to say FUL doens't instantly create a fireball, and FUL IR is actualyl needed to control it enough to disasipate it safely into the atmosphere

Also, it's a bit agrrogant for the regulars of the forum here to dictate to designers who dont' register here

Or, to put it another words, terrble idea : )

In case you did not realise all the original spells can be disassociated with v0.38

If that's the case, then I take back my suggestion.

Of course, not all dungeons will have the FUL rune as you can change all the runes in RTC - so you could have a PHUT rune, or a PSST one in a custom dungeon...

Changing the rune combinations (and even the runes themselves) is a great thing IMHO. As Beowuuf said, if you have a different setting to the standard DM-type adventure, then this can add an extra dimension.

The main reason I like it is because it is a much better way than "restricted runes" to restore the discovery element of spell casting. As I've said before, restricted runes sucks. Other RPG games follow the fascistic AD&D tenet of having to find a spell then learn it. DM on the other hand has a wonderful free magic system that I think is one of its most endearing features.

I think it worked a treat in Conflux II - you could guess some of them aided by the supplied text file, and only if you didn't get lucky would you need to find a scroll.

You could always combine the two if you wanted as well. For example, you could disperse runes around the dungeon, but equally disperse the complete spells (say, phonetically or by hints / clues, but specifically without the runes themselves) in different locations.

That way you'd have the best of both worlds - by clever placement of them all, you'd have the situation where:

1) You knew what spell you wanted to cast, but couldn't (because you didn't have the right runes).

2) You had a bunch of runes, but no idea what to do with them (because you havn't found any relevant scrolls).

The point is, that you can tailor the spell system to the dungeon rather than it being prescribed. Going back to the original point of this thread (a universal spell list), I'm sure dungeon designers will have a universal concept list (i.e. for a levitate spell, there'll probably use an "air" like rune), but what that rune is, how it's found or put together is likely to vary.

Of course, RTC also allows you to have a *completely* different spell system whereby there's only a single combination of runes that work, but by clever use of the SWAP action, generates different effects depending on what items are in your hands (i.e. you have to have ingredients to cast spells).

I had an idea of invoking gods to do stuff : )

And you can restrict spells now by filtering the spell through a counter and relay so only when you find and activate a spell, as with conflux, can you ddo it

restricted runes were there to allow you to still experiment while also allowing the dungeon designer to not have to worry about someone casting fireball right away. Every RPG has the ethos of player versus charatcer knowledge , thsi is just the RTC way to enforce it

What about importing the spells from Dungeon Master 2 or something like that?

Being able to send a Summoned minion to battle for you would be cool.