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Adding new spells can be great for spellcasters. 3E and 3.5E is pretty much caster heaven, there's a lot of source material.

Design Considerations

Some thoughts on new spells (and on rebalancing some existing spells):

Following the NWN spell model we want to:
- Simplify spell target selection where possible (all, enemies only, allies only, mixed)
- Generally stick to 3.0E spells but 3.5E is doable with tweaks. Rarely we might update a spell to the 3.5E edition, but not really a huge need.
- Have no spells need a casting time longer than 1 round. Yes technically there are means and ways but they're all very janky.
- Concentration based spells should be avoided (Black Blade is already pretty janky and needs a pass at the concentration check).
Utility spells that are useful would be good to add, especially short duration ones, but only if they do something. Disguise Self for instance wouldn't really be viable since no module would support recognising it.
Adding spells that extend what is available to Domains would be good to target since we could expand the usefulness of underused domains
Utilising some of the new effects and script commands in NWN:EE would be good (EffectRunScript, CreateArea, EffectIcon, etc.)

Also note on martial classes - we should think about adding more abilities they can use.

Epic Spells will probably live on another page. They're technically feats anyway.

Spell Sources

Obvious sources are other videogames:

NWN2 - This is the most obvious choice since they've already considered the NWN engine design limitations (more or less). Noting they added new functions to deal with some advanced behaviours (mainly Warlock abilities) https://nwn2.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Spells
Temple of Elemental Evil - a 3.5E turn based game, and limited to level 5 spells due to the level cap of the game. Example list: https://lilura1.blogspot.com/2020/03/The-Temple-of-Elemental-Evil-ToEE-Sorcerer-Wizard-Spells-List-Index.html
Pathfinder: Kingmaker since Pathfinder is mostly 3.5E based: https://pathfinderkingmaker.fandom.com/wiki/Spells

Beyond that there are several 3.0E sourcebooks to look into before looking into 3.5E spells specifically.

Requirements for Spells

Materials needed for a spell primarily is a spell icon (and scroll icon) and of course the spell script(s). VFX and AOE, which may include sounds, may also be required.

New Spells

Putting here for now. Need to put a final manual elsewhere and we can just use that instead.

General

Spell Name

Sources

Class/Spell Level

Description

Notes

Work Required

Read Magic

3.0E

Brd 0, Clr 0, Drd 0, Pal 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 0

Reads scrolls. Nice thematic cantrip.

Mainly because utility spells are limited in the game, and we'll be changing how Identify works so helps scroll users.

Extended like ToEE to be both scrolls and potions. Will need to make these unidentified more though in the blueprints to be worthwhile.

Icon

Could use a nice VFX. We play the read animation maybe replace that.

Abjuration

Spell Name

Sources

Class/Spell Level

Description

Notes

Work Required

Break Enchantment

3.0E

Brd 4, Clr 5

Breaks some specific things; enchantments, transmutations, curses, petrification.

Good healing spell that has some real benefit especially if we add better curses. Only works on spells level 5 or lower (we'll use Innate level for this)

Icon

Could use a better VFX

Protection from Arrows

3.0E

Sor/Wiz 2

+DR versus ranged attacks

Makes use of the new bVersusRanged parameter in the effects.

Icon

(Already has VFX)

Conjuration

Spell Name

Sources

Class/Spell Level

Description

Notes

Work Required

Greater Mage Armor

3.5E

3.5E But Better?

Pathfinder

Sor/Wiz 3

+6 Armor AC Bonus

Just an upgraded Mage Armor with clear usefuleness

Pathfinder version goes and adds a +2 every 5 levels beyond the 5th up to a maximum of +10 at 15th level. Not sure we want to do that to have it improve, maybe? (The "But better" version of 3.5E scales even better than this!)

Arelith makes it a level 6 spell but does +2 in each of the 4 AC types the original Mage Armor does.

Epic Mage Armor for reference will be a flat +20 bonus compared to this.

Icon

VFX: A better version of the current VFX for Mage Armor, perhaps more involved

Divination

Spell Name

Sources

Class/Spell Level

Description

Notes

Work Required

Power Word, Blind

3.0E SRD

Sor/Wiz 8, War 8

Blindness for creatures in an area up to 200HP.

This goes along well with Stun and Kill power word spells.

The blind is permanent against low hit point creatures but the AI should be able to cope, and when the PC rests it gets removed.

Seems to be indiscriminate as Power Word, Kill is.

For now leaving them as Divination. Until perhaps more Divination spells are in play.

VFX from Spellmans.

New sound might be good. For now using Blindness/Deafness one.

Transmutation

Spell Name

Sources

Class/Spell Level

Description

Notes

Work Required

Baleful Polymorph

3.5E

Drd 5, Sor/Wiz 5

Polymorph the target into a chicken

This is a fun disabling spell. We'll simplify it significantly and make the duration shorter.

It won't work against certain creature types (Shapechangers). Arelith balanced this more by having it only affect medium or smaller humanoids as well which may make sense (no changing dragons etc.).

The "Polymorph Other" spell could be another spell that essentially allows you to buff allies instead of attack enemies.

Icon

VFX: Could use an anti-polymorph VFX and sound effect to match (maybe reverse the sound polymorph uses)

Disintegrate

3.0E

3.5E

Sor/Wiz 7

Magical damage and chance to turn them to dust

We should add the 3.5E version which is more solid - damage and if they're killed by it, we get the cool effect. Else it's "just" another save-or-die spell.

Icon

Bioware included a Disintegrate ray in the games default files

We have a VFX from spellmans for the dust

Shocking Grasp

3.0E SRD

Sor/Wiz 1

1d8 + caster level electrical damage on melee touch attack.

Simple and effective level 1 spell. Easy to implement.

Icon

Doesn't really need anything else, can use existing VFX. A new VFX might be nice though.

Potential New Spells

A rough list which is in no particular order.

Spell Name	Sources	Class/Spell Level	Effects	Notes	Work Required (Beyond an icon and basic script work)
Spell Matrix Spell Sequencer Spell Trigger Contingency Chain Contingency	All in Guide to Fearun (as "Simbul's..."): 3.0 Spell Matrix 3.0 Spell Sequencer 3.0 Spell Trigger 3.5 Contingency (PHB) 3.5 Chain Contingency (Tomb and Blood)	Sor/Wiz 5 Sor/Wiz 7 Sor/Wiz 9	Allows a pre-cast spell or set of spells to be released instantly or sometimes with a triggering condition.	Mages get some more prepared defensive or offensive power and I like BG2 mages, and this cuts down on some of the time taken to do things.	NUI selection menu to set it up properly (and for Spell Trigger to have a triggering action). Can just decrement the spells instead of having them cast, as long as not in combat. Then a NUI panel to cast one or all the spells from it with player target selectors and either a proper spell cast (cheat-cast) added or it just does it in a script. Choosing how best to do these 3.0E or 3.5E ones will depend on how it feels in NWN in general.
Iron Body	3.0E SRD	Wiz/Sor 8	Polymorph into Iron Golem, or apply a load of bonuses	Just a great defensive spell.	Might not add but might see how it goes. Can do a lot of the effects (and catch potion uses I guess) to allow 50% spell failure (can't just do arcane spell failure - unless creature hide).
Spell Immunity	3.0E SRD	Clr 4	Cleric spell to provide immunity to very specific enemy spells, level 4 or lower, and 1 per 4 caster levels	Clerics get a buff versus mages again. But it's easily implementable.	Probably a NUI selection menu (searchable spell list) and a way to save presets in subdial spells.
Shield Other	3.0E SRD	Clr 2, Pal 2	Target gets +1 defelection AC and +1 to saves, and caster takes 50% of the damage they take	Would be fun to have OnDamaged used and do something semi useful	Can't account for being damaged to death, so need to note that. Would apply EffectHeal and EffectDamage on the various people involved. Easy enough except if the damage is high enough to kill a person outright.
Summon Natures Ally I - XI	3.0E SRD	Drd 1-9, Rgr 1-9	Summoning creatures for Druids	This allows spontaneous casting of Summoning spells for Druids.	If added will need to have the base healing spells duplicated for Druids so they are not spontaneously castable by them. Bit of a faff annoyingly. This is unless the engine has support to limit what spells are spontaneously castable per class.
Lionheart	NWN2	Paladin: 1, Other: Cleric w/ Law domain 1	Immunity to Fear for 1 round/level.	Paladin spell addition, also used for Law domain in NWN2	VFX would be good.

Maze	3.0E SRD	Sor/Wiz 8	Sent straight to a Maze for time depending on their intelligence score.	This is simple, and fun to do with CreateArea. Possibly easier to just do with plot flag + cutscene ghost + cutscene immobilise + cutscene invisibility.	It needs some balancing possibly, since it is very powerful, and can potentially break things so needs some structure around it (eg; what if a PC disconnects during being in a Maze, or their spells kill the enemies when they are in a Maze and the game attempts a cutscene...!) TBH the game logic breaking things make me wary about this spell.

Shillelagh	3.0E SRD	Drd 1	Quatertstaff or club becomes a +1 weapon and deals extra damage.	Druids need some help, this can be pretty helpful early on.	Damage rolls become +1d10 but may be easier to make it do the "same again" damage.
Invisibility to Animals	3.0E SRD	Drd 1	Invisibility to allies but only against animals. If anyone affected by it attacks, all other instances of the invisibility are also lost	Interesting spell and the engine supports vs. racial types for Invisibility.	Can do EffectRunScript for the removal part.
Snare	3.0E SRD	Rgr 2, Drd 3	Essentially creates a snare trap. The best way to do this probably is to generate an actual trap object, which essentially has a save DC else entangled.	Since it only snares one creature not too bad balance wise. Could also make it not usable in combat. Or make it usable. Dunno.	Need to test creation of traps via. scripts out.