Miscasts (4e Variant Rule)
From D&D Wiki
Miscasts[edit]
Magic is anything but predictable; one slurred word in your incantations or one lapse in control- however momentary- can bring disastrous concequences upon the caster, or (if they are in luck) their foes.
When you use an attack spell make the attack roll as normal. If the spell targets a single target or makes a primary attack against a single target and you roll a natural 1 on the attack roll, you have miscast. Roll 2d6 and consult the table below. If the spell targets multiple targets or has a primary attack against multiple targets and you roll a natural 1 on the first attack roll that you roll, you have miscast (as above). If the attack was against multiple targets and/or the attack has a secondary attack, only the first attack roll you make can achieve a miscast results; other rolls of natural 1 result in just an automatic miss.
| 2d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 2 | Disaster strikes as you lose control of the immense powers your magic. A blast of uncontrolled magic explodes from your outstreatched hand. Your hit points are instantly reduced to 0, and all creatures within 2 squares of you take 2d10+ your Charisma modifier damage. The spell fails completely and is not cast, but is still used up. |
| 3-4 | You loose control and lose the magical energies unshaped and unchecked. The spell fails completely and is not cast, but is still used up. You take 2d10+ your Charisma modifier damage, and and all creatures within 1 squares of you take 1d10+ your Charisma modifier damage. |
| 5-6 | You lose focus and fail to cast the spell, and one of your foes uses the time to cast a spell of his own. The spell fails completely and is not cast, but is still used up. In addition, one of your enemies can, as an immediate interrupt, use one of his powers, so long as it usually uses the same type of action as your spell did. |
| 7 | The attack simply misses as normal, with no additional effects. |
| 8-9 | You accidentally loose more energy than you normally would. The attack roll is counted as a natural 20 rather than a natural 1. |
| 10-11 | The spell is uncontrolled, but luckily you manage to direct it towards your foes before it becomes dangerous to you. The attack roll is counted as a natural 20 rather than a natural 1, and the target of the first attack roll takes 2d10+ your Charisma modifier damage, and and all creatures within 1 squares of him take 1d10+ your Charisma modifier damage. |
| 12 | The spell is filled with a raging storm of arcane power that you never meant to use. You take 2d10+ your Charisma modifier necrotic damage, and the attack roll, and all of the attack rolls the spell requires you to make, automatically count as having rolled a natural 20. |
Uncontrolled Spellcasters[edit]
A spellcaster is unbelievably dangerous to himself and those around him, friend or foe, when he lacks control over his powers. To represent this, when using this variant, a spellcaster who lacks control over his powers counts as rolling a natural 1 on a roll of a natural 1-10 rather than just a natural 1 (when his attack rolls have the possibility of miscasting). Even after a spellcaster has learned to control his powers he can still lose control. This rule is in effect if the spellcaster is in a position when he is unable to control his powers (such as being drunk). The DM determines when a spellcaster loses control.
Back to Main Page → 4e Homebrew → Rules
