#Custom Wild Magic Surge Table - Feedback Wanted
1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)
okay i can't find them available easily. So maybe scratch that 
It was stuff like "all knots in a 10 mile radius become undone. "
Give this one a readthrough too https://eldritchfields.blogspot.com/2020/07/miscast-tables-now-in-single-pdf.html
There's also a d10000 wild magic table you can mine for ideas.
As for feedback:
I think you're biting off a lot more than is worth chewing. Especially with your design goal of having both flavour and combat impact contained in the same table where every outcome is equally likely.
I suggest you pivot into a minor/medium/major/catastrophic surge structure each with max 100 for now. This way you can control the impact of the individual surges more and make them feel more pertinenent to the stakes of the moment and the specific spell being cast.
Basically these huge dxxxxx tables are super hard to balance while still feeling impactful. In my personal opinion, losing control of your magic should be a "big deal and should carry with it danger. At least if we're operating above a minor miscast structure.
Regardless of whether you pivot i also suggest you try to order the severity of the surges so that higher number on the die increases the severity of the effect. At least in your subjective estimate.
This is work of course, but will result in a table that is easier to use in play because you can give modifiers on the roll in response to various exacerbating or mitigating circumstances
Thanks for the resources. I've previously looked into the d10000 table but I find that table too random and in many cases underwhelming or overwhelming.
The miscast table is interesting but these are all pretty harsh for a wild magic table. I'm trying to keep the number of negatives and the positives relatively even.
I get where you're coming from but the table isn't designed for dangerous miscasts. It's meant for whimsy, both good and bad.
Generally I'm looking for feedback on the existing entries, and less so, the yet to be completed ones.
In this case i think you're gonna struggle with hitting your design goal of being able to "turn the tide of battle". Because that implies a level of impact and danger to me at least 
The 120 feet expansion one is sorta "dangerous stuff" if like a firebolt or or magic missile or whatnot is cast
And like entry 18 as well
number 39 to get turned into a lich
That basically turns you evil instantly 
I think these are fine design restrictions i just think i see some clashes in the intent 
Akin to WOTC wild magic, not all of them are dangerous. There should be a pretty even ratio of harmful to beneficial effects.
The lich one, is specifically set to the target of the spell. While self casts are truly possible, it's also likely to target a neutral or hostile creature as well.
Lichdom doesn't inherently imply an alignment change. Typically evil liches are evil before they reach such a transformation.
I did make the entry pretty early on. I think a time limit for the effect is more than warranted. 24 hours seems appropriate.
Custom Wild Magic Surge Table - Feedback Wanted
Some of these are a little iffy here. Some are good basically once, meaning that if you reroll them they're duds.
The eldritch blast one would be very inconvenient if you've lost all your fingers already.
Unfortunately, some of these are pretty volatile, which goes against your stated goals.
Summoning dueling archon/archdevils and accidentally casting a 10th level spell being the most obvious offenders here.
There's also a few too many setting specific things here, like name dropping Forgotten realms gods and opening a portal to Barovia.
Obviously that last point isn't a problem if its just for your own game in your own cosmology, but it does mean it has less utility for people who aren't playing in a similar setting to yours.
Honestly this sounds like a headache to run. There's some pretty fun outcomes on here, but a huuuuge headache.
Alright well I'll have to take a look at the duds. It may just be setting specific then, to the Forgotten Realms then.