OD&D Magic Champions Style Part 2

Buff Spells

The next category I'd like to tackle (because it's one of the easiest mechanically) is the Buff Spells. Here are the OD&D spells with their mechanics in ( ):

Protection from Evil (+1 Save, -1 to be hit, no range, 6 turns [MU] 12 turns[Cl])
Bless (+1 Morale, +1 Attack, 6 turns)
Protection from Evil 10'r. (+1 Save, -1 to be hit, no range, area effect, 12 turns)
Protection from Normal Missiles (immunity to normal missiles, 12 turns)
Haste (+50% move, area effect, ranged, 3 turns)
Slow (1/2 move, area effect, ranged, 3 turns)

Examining these mechanics there are two anomalies.

1. The first is that there are two different durations for Protection from Evil. As I see it, there are two ways to deal with this. One would ignore it and have the base duration be 6 turns. The other way would be to have clerics get a boost with duration, but take a penalty with area effect. Neither is a perfect solution; however, the former is simpler, so I will use it.
2. The other is that the base duration for Haste/Slow is 3 turns (as opposed to 6 & 12); however, the area affect of these spells is 6x12" which translates as 60 ft x 120 ft! Since this is exponentially larger than 10'r. (thus difficult to quantify) and a remnant from Chainmail (thus intended to affect whole units of battlefield troops) I am going to ignore both the 3 turns and reduce the area effect to 10'r. It does suggest a future consideration of spell level reducers; however, that very likely would produce more min/maxing than I am comfortable with.

Therefore, the base Bluff Spell affects a specific group/attack (i.e. evil), has no range and has a duration of 6 turns.

Any two of the following will be one spell level:

• +1 Save
• +1 AC
• +1 Morale
• +1 Attack

The following add an additional spell level:

• Affect a general group
• Area Effect 10'r.
• Ranged
• Duration +6 turns
• +50% move
• 1/2 move

Finally, this will add two spell levels:

• Immunity to one specific type of mundane attack (i.e. normal missiles, piercing melee attacks, normal fire, etc.)

As an example of a Buff Spell we can do Protection from Fire:

3rd Level Spell. Duration 6 turns. No Range. Immunity to normal fire attacks (two levels) and +2 saves vs. magic fire (one level).