View source for Spell guidelines

'''Spell guidelines''' (also ''spellcasting guidelines'' or ''spell design guidelines'') are the starting point in creating a new Hermetic [[Spell | spell]] or item effect.  They recommend a Level for the spell or effect based on what it does.  This base Level is then modified according to Range, Duration, Target, and Size (and, occasionally, other factors such as [[Requisite | Requisites]]).

Bear in mind that spell guidelines are meant to be exactly that: guidelines.  While they cover a great many possible effects, they are by no means comprehensive.  Sometimes, applying them may result in a spell whose Level seems too high or too low for the players' liking.  In those cases, players should let their judgment (and group consensus) override the written guidelines.

== Deuterocanonical Spell Guidelines ==

The core rulebook provides an extensive list of spell guidelines in the Spells chapter. Further guidelines were later provided in supplements, forming the "deuterocanonical" (i.e. "belonging to the second [[canon]]") spell guidelines. Atlas Games provides a [http://www.atlas-games.com/pdf_storage/ArM5Guidelines.pdf|free download] of these extra guidelines. Note that the current file (as of March 2010) is updated through [[Realms of Power: Magic]], containing all deuterocanonical spell guidelines published up to and including it.

== Spell Guidelines in Past Editions ==

Spell guidelines were introduced in [[ArM4]].  Compared to [[ArM5]], they were fewer and less consistent.  They were also more complicated to apply because every Technique-Form combination had a different default Range, Duration, and Target.  The spells in the rulebook did not include any notes saying what guideline was used, so players had to reverse-engineer the spell Level to figure that out.

In [[ArM1]], [[ArM2]], and [[ArM3]], there were no formal guidelines for designing spells.  Players had to estimate the Level of new spells by analogy with existing spells.
===  Legacy Page  ===
The history of this page before August 6, 2010 is archived at [[Legacy:spell_guidelines]]