Magic

Internal Sources
     The spell caster channels the power of their own spirit into their spells.  They can cast a number of spell levels equal to their spell casting skill before exhausting their capacity.  Internal magic is reliable but limited as it takes a full night's sleep to restore the energy expended.
 
External Sources
     Magical energy can also be drawn from the spell caster's surroundings.  This energy is volatile and unpredictable.  The difficulty of casting a spell from ambient external sources is 20 + Casting Level.  If the spell is not successfully cast it cannot be attempted again that day.  If the roll is less than the Casting Level the spell caster suffers 1d6 backlash damage per Casting Level.  It is possible to use some Internal energy to reduce the difficulty of using External energy.
 
Rote Spells
     The character learns spells through practice and study.  They can learn one spell per Level.  The spell learned must be of a lower level than their Spell Casting skill.

Talismans
     The character pre-casts spells from a spell book, containing them in talismans and fetishes for future use.  Only the person who charged a talisman can activate the spell it contains.  It takes one hour per Casting Level to charge a talisman.  This method allows the use of every spell in book, but requires them to be prepared before they can be cast.  While a talisman is charged its creator cannot regain the energy used to power the spell.  External energy is spontaneous and localized and thus useless for charging talismans.

Tomes
     Spells can be cast directly from written sources.  This takes one minute per Casting Level and power must still be obtained from Internal or External sources.

Granted Spells
     Those who gain their powers from their service to a deity do not learn spells or channel power from their spirit and surroundings.  Instead they are granted one Casting Level per skill level per day from a category of spells that are appropriate to their deity's sphere of influence.  Deities are notoriously fickle and saving throws are required for recipients of beneficial spells cast upon those who don't worship them.

Avoidable Spells
     Avoidable spells allow their target a chance to dodge out of the way.  The difficulty is ten plus the caster's Total Level.   If the target can meet or exceed the difficulty on 1d20 + Dexterity Bonus + Total Level they take half damage.

Resisted Spells
Resisted spells allow their target a saving throw.  The difficulty is ten plus the caster's magic-user or cleric level, but this can be increased by increasing the spell's casting level.  If the target can meet or beat the difficulty on 1d20 + Wisdom Bonus + Total level the spell does not affect them.

Spells

Banish
     Range: 30'
     Resisted
     Casts one creature back to its plane of origin.  Obviously, this spell is only useful against creatures that are not on their native plane.  Additional casting levels can be used to overcome resistance or affect additional summoned creatures.

Burning Hands
     Area: 5 x 5 cone
     Damage: 1d4
     Fans an area with flames from the magic-users outstretched hands.  The fire is only hot enough to ignite tinder, paper, dry grass, and oil.

Charm
     Duration: 1 hour
     Resisted  
     The target's mind is befuddled, making their memory hazy and imprinting the notion that the magic-user is a trusted friend.  The spell conveys no ability to communicate and is significantly less useful when cast on those who do not speak a language the magic-user does. Their personality and alignment is not changed and as such they may argue with the magic-user, question and even refuse orders.  Consider their loyalty to be 12 should any doubt arise.  Additional casting levels can be used to overcome the target's resistance, increase their loyalty, affect an additional creature, or increase the spell's duration.

Dispel Magic
     Range: 60'
     Puts an end to a spell of a lower casting level.  If the caster gets the initiative Dispel Magic can be cast preemptively on a spell that is being cast.

Enchant Item
     Duration: Permanent
     Binds a single spell permanently to an item.  This allows the person who holds it and knows the word of command to use that spell at will.  Enchant Item must be cast at twice the level of the spell being bound in the item at which the item must make a saving throw against a crushing blow or be shattered by the energies unleashed within it.  For this reason a great deal of care is put into creating an item intended for enchantment.  Usually it will be of the highest possible quality and ritually prepared to reduce the innate magic resistance of the materials used.

Ensorcel Item
     Duration: 1 hour    
     A single tool, weapon, shield, or suit of armour is entwined in a mystical aura that makes it more durable, sure, and sharp, giving a +1 bonus for its use.  Additional casting levels can increase the duration or the bonus.

Fireball
     Range 100'
     Area: 5' Radius
     Damage: 1d6
     The magic-user hurls a small gout of magical fire towards the target where it explodes in a holocaust of flame.  If the fireball fills the available area it will rush down corridors and fill out into intersections until its maximum volume is reached.  Additional casting levels can be used to increase the radius or damage.
     
Floating Disc
     Duration: 1 hour
     Conjures a simple ectoplasmic entity which follows the caster around, hovering a few feet above the ground.  The entity is flat, dish shaped and able to be loaded with up to one hundred pounds of goods.  Additional casting levels can be used to increase the duration or the load capacity / size of the entity by another hundred pounds, though such large Floating Discs only fit through double doors.

Magic Missile
     Range 150'
     Damage: 1d6
     Conjures a dart of magical energy which unerringly strikes a target selected by the caster.  Additional casting levels produce additional darts.

Monster Summoning
     Duration: 1 hour
     Calls up a single, first level creature from the outer planes to serve the caster.  Creatures from the material, elemental, ethereal planes cannot be summoned because the outer planes are not congruent with locations on the material plane.  The creature willingly responds to the magic-user's commands but will not violate its alignment, if a conflict or doubt arises its Loyalty is 10.  The type of creature is chosen by the caster when the spell is cast.  Additional casting levels can extend the duration or the level of the creature summoned.

Shield
     Duration: 1 minute
     Gives the target protection equivalent to a large shield, reducing the chance to hit for ranged attacks by three and for melee attacks by one.  A shield spell also provides absolute protection from magic missiles.  Additional casting levels increase the protection provided by one point or increase the spell's duration.

Sleep
     10 x 10 area
     Resisted
     Causes targets in the area to fall into a deep but natural sleep.  Loud noises and injuries will cause them to awaken but it takes a full round to shake off the drowsiness.  The length of time the targets sleep depends entirely on how tired they were in the first place.  Extra casting levels can be used to expand the area affected or to overcome resistance.

Well there's where I'm at with the magic.  There's many spells to be written yet.

I'm also wondering if I should ditch the weapon table even though it's a distinguishing feature and goodness only knows D&D variants need a few of those.  Never the less, sacred cows occasionally need to be sacrificed.

Instead I'm thinking that simple blunt weapons like clubs and staves should be +1 to hit, while swung piercing weapons and flails should be +2 penetration but -1 to hit.  I'd integrate a -1 to hit into the range stats for longbows as well and possibly a +1 for crossbows.  It's not as detailed as the table but it's less cludgy and more flowing.

It would also let me do partial armour, though it wouldn't go much beyond doubling the defense bonus for a type of armour.  That would be closer to the classic AC range and balance a bit better with the higher attribute bonuses.

Okay, here's the current state of affairs.  There's a lot of little changes here and there as well as some more spells and monsters.  I still havent decided how I want to set spell levels but I do want them to correspond pretty closely to their traditional levels.

http://www3.telus.net/public/uncouths/AM&M.pdf

Quote from: John MorrowNow, allow the Magic User to change the Damage, Casting Roll, Tactical Role (e.g., additional targets, stackable damage, special effects, etc.), and Saving Throws (including a reduction to No Save) by trading them off against each other.  

Check out the OMNI system (Talislanta). You can create your own spells on the fly, and each variable for a spell (area of effect, damage, duration, etc.) has a value. Add up the values and you have the spell difficulty. You can try to cast a spell of any difficulty level. However, your casting roll (d20 + mods) has to meet or exceed the spell difficulty in order to cast it successfuly. If you fail to cast it successfully, the spell may have weaker effects, it can fail altogether, or it can backfire with calamitous results.

I haven't used the system in practice, but it looks very flexible and it provides the uncertainty and riskiness that I like to see in magic. The Talislanta 4th Edition Sampler includes a rundown on the magic system.

I'm going to re-state my design objectives here just to make them clear.

Advanced Men & Magic is a redesign/rewrite of Dungeons&Dragons that is focused on the miniatures based heroic adventure aspect of the game.  My core goal is to streamline the system while making it as close to AD&D as possible.  The as close to AD&D as possible aspect includes trying to get spell levels to match up.  The only reason I've made the spell levels scalable is that I feel it's important that magic-users not get the free exponential power gain that they get in AD&D.

I'm just finishing an updated method of character creation that makes the skills for each class more distinct and clear as well as dovetailing class abilities into the skill concept.

Incidentally this is still a class and level system with pre-set skills by class.  I've loosened it up a bit so that all skills improve by one per level so you can just add your level to rolls for the most part.  But there are two elective skills per level that can be used for other things like getting your wizard a sword.

Well, a bit of a slow week, I'm stuck on how to do spells, but it's coming a little at a time.  I've also finished the skill revision.

So anyhow here's what I'm thinking.  One level of a spell generally does 1d6 damage at a range of 120 yards.  That's magic missile as the base line.  Uping the die type takes 30 yards off the range lowering it adds 30.  Increasing the area by 5'radius takes 60 yards off the range.

So, for example Fireball L3 - 1d12 at 90 yards and 30'r, why a d12?  Well I want mook blasters to only need one die per target.

Now, general effects are a bit harder but figure that 10'r is one level and 180' is one level more or less.  Every +/-1 is worth a level but if it's only to one skill type then it's only half a level.

The actual power of the general effect is tied to the level and the planes.

First Level spells have effects that can generally be mimicked by mundane means and skills with a little more time.

Second Level spells match up with the capabilities of minor magical beings such as nymphs and dryads but are unable to break the planar bounds.

Third Level spells are on the level of minor etherial beings being able to cross planar bounds and carry effects over into the etherial plane.

Fourth Level spells are able to cross into the elemental planes and create effects similar to those of moderately powerful etherial and elemental beings and minor divine servitors.

Fifth Level spells are equal to the powers and spheres of greater divine servitors and elemental creatures and can cross into and effect the astral planes.

Sixth Level spells are on par with the capacities of minor dieties and able to reach the lower spheres of the outer planes and create effects on par with the abilities of minor deities including power over life and death.

Seventh Level spells are able to match the powers of greater gods and reach the higher spheres of the outer planes.  Such spells can grant the power of giving life to the unliving to their weilders.

Eighth Level spells are able to reach the positive and negative material planes and in doing so provide powers of anhilation and creation.

Nineth Level spells equal the powers of the kings of the gods and give mastery over time and space.

Okay here's the pretty much final version of spell design and some spells.  All spells can be scaled by simply multiplying the effects and the casting level or by adding levels of effects that the spell already contains.

Also, I'm getting closer to done the character creation and class revision.  Essentially each class gives you a list of skills much like Palladium used to and lets you pick a couple skills.  The skills still get a +1 per level but each class has a skill or two that aren't available elsewhere.  The reason I'm going this direction is that it codifies things and makes some balancing issues easier.  One side note is that Hit Dice are an elective choice for all classes other than Fighters and Races.  This makes it a little easier to do the mage who knows how to fight though you're still better off grabbing a level of fighter.

Saving Throws
   All spells allow a saving throw to reduce their effects by half, usually in terms of damage or duration.  A critical success divides the effects by four while a critical failure doubles them.  A character is never required to make a saving throw if they are willing to accept the consequences.

Attribute Bonus + Resistance Skill vs Intelligence or Wisdom + Spell Casting skill

Determining Level of New Spells
   The level of a spell is mainly based on what it does.  A first level spell cannot create matter only shape it.  A ninth level spell can create intelligent life from a handful of dust.  All spells allow a saving throw, normally based on Wisdom to for half duration of general effects and Dexterity for half damage.  Additional effects must be stacked on top of the level of the base effect.  The effects can also be divided between effects as long as the base capability level is maintained.

   For instance, a fire ball does 1d12 damage, with a five foot radius and a range of 360 yards it's a third level spell.

Area: 10' radius hemisphere per level
Bonus: +6 to one specific action per level
Damage: 1d12 per full level
Duration: 1 hour per full level
Movement: 360' per level
Range: 360 feet per full level
Summoning / Shape Change = change by level

First Level
   Capabilities: alter base matter
   Reach: Line of Sight

Second Level
   Capabilities: alter elemental matter
   Reach: etherial plane

Third Level
   Capabilities: transmute base matter
   Reach: elemental planes

Fourth Level
   Capabilities: separate and purify elemental matter
   Reach: positive & negative planes

Fifth Level
   Capabilities:  transmute elemental matter
   Reach: astral plane

Sixth Level
    Capabilities: power over life and death
   Reach: friendly outer planes

Seventh Level
   Capabilities: create base mater and plants
   Reach: allied outer planes

Eighth Level
   Capabilities: create beasts and animals
   Reach: hostile outer planes

Ninth Level
   Capabilities: create sentient life
   Reach: all space, time, and dimensions/interstellar

Level One

   Armour
      Duration: 20 minutes
      Saving Throw: Dexterity for half duration
      Increases the target's Armour Class by 4 without impeding movement or other actions.

   Bless
      Duration: 30 minutes
      Saving Throw: Wisdom for half duration
      A kindly word of comfort fills the target with hope and renewed determination giving them +1 to morale checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.

   Burning Hands
      Area: 45 degree arc, 10' radius
      Saving Throw: Dexterity for half damage
      Fire sprays from the caster's outstretched hands causing 1d4 damage to all targets in the affected area.

   Charm Person
      Duration: 30 minutes
      Saving Throw: Intelligence for half duration
      Causes the target to believe themselves to be the caster's close friend.  They will respond to reasonable requests favorably and fight to protect the caster.

   Cure Wounds
      Saving Throw: Dexterity for half healing
      The caster lays their hands on the target's wounds, healing 1d12 points of damage.

   Curse
      Duration: 30 minutes
      Saving Throw: Wisdom for half duration
      A spiteful word fills the target with doubt and confusion giving them a -1 to their morale checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.

   Dispel Magic
      Cancels out one first level spell or prevents the target from casting one in the current round.

   Enlarge
      Duration: 30 minutes
      Saving Throw: Wisdom for half duration
      Doubles the target's height and increases their weight four fold.  This gives +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and -1 Dexterity.

   Floating Disc
      Duration: 30 minutes
      The caster calls up a shimmering disk of magical force that floats five feet behind them and can be loaded up with as much as a person with a Strength of 13 could carry.

   Magic Missile
      Range: 180'
      Saving Throw: Dexterity for half damage.
      A glowing dart of mystical energy leaps from the caster's hand to unerringly strike the target for 1d6 damage.

   Protection From Alignment
      Duration: 30 minutes
      Saving Throw: Wisdom for half duration
      The target is surrounded with a shimmering aura that provides +1 to Defense, Saving Throws, and Morale when facing supernatural creatures of the specified alignment.

   Reduce
      Duration: 30 minutes
      Saving Throw: Wisdom for half duration
      The caster's touch shrinks the target to half their normal height and reduces their weight by a factor of four.  This gives them +3 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, and -1 Strength.

   Shield
      Duration: 30 minutes
      Saving Throw: Dexterity
      A translucent dome appears before the target giving them +6 to their Defense from the front only.  The shield moves with the target but always faces their front.  A shield spell also negates magic missiles fired at the protected individual.

   Sleep
      Range: 60'
      Area: 10' Radius
      Saving Throw: Wisdom to negate
      The caster's whispered lullaby and a pinch of sand cause all of the targets in the area to fall fast asleep.  This is non-magical sleep.  Noises and being bumped will wake the target if they can make a saving throw.  Loud noises like screams and fighting wake them automatically after the first round.

   Spider Climb
      Duration: 10 minutes
      Saving Throw: Wisdom for half duration
      The target can climb like a spider, getting a +5 to all climbing rolls.