DFU Mod:Kab's Unleveled Spells/Spell Effects

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In order to make non-scaling (aka unleveled) spells viable, certain spell effect costs had to be changed compared to classic. Some effects required lots of level scaling to be even worth casting, for example most Chance-based effects. Also, for almost every effect in the spellmaker, it was always optimal to have values like "1 + 5 per level", because the scaling value was much more cost efficient than the flat one. That is, "20 + 1 per level" was probably more expensive, and was worse for a level 5 character or above.

Because this scaling in spells always introduced a tipping point where after a certain level, it was strictly better than flat values, it was impossible to balance, and would have most likely always ended up being boring. This is the problem that led me to create this mod, so that spells just wouldn't have this level scaling.

Formulas

Here's the two formulas used for calculating the spell effect's costs (gold and spell points), as well as the variables involved.

Each spell effect has three attributes: duration, chance, and magnitude. For each attribute, classic has three costs associated with it: flat value cost, scaled value cost, and fixed cost. For example, a Jump effect of duration "5 + 1 per level" has a flat value of 5, and a scaled value of 1, per level. The flat value cost is multiplied with the flat value, the scaled value cost is multiplied with the scaled value, and both are added to the fixed cost.

In Unleveled Spells, all scaled value costs and fixed costs have been reduced to 0, and are not represented in the table.

"Factor" is a new value for certain spell effects. If present, the effect uses a different formula from the classic one.

The formula is:

If Factor is 0, then

• gold cost = duration cost * duration value + chance cost * chance value + magnitude cost * magnitude average
• spell point cost = gold cost * (60 - skill / 2) / 400

If Factor is not 0, then

• If the spell has magnitude and duration, base cost = factor * duration value ^ 0.7 * (magnitude value)
• If the spell has duration and chance, base cost = factor * duration value * chance value ^ 1.28
• gold cost = base cost * 40 / 6
• spell point cost = base cost * (60 - skill / 2) / 60

The "Factor" formula rewards chance values lower than 100%: casting a 50% chance spell twice is cheaper than casting a 100% chance spell once. It also rewards high duration, low magnitude effects more than low duration, high magnitude effects (relevant for Continuous Damage or Regenerate, for example).

Effect Tables

The following tables highlight the differences between classic and Unleveled Spells. Differences are shown by two values, with an arrow from the previous to the new (ex: 100 -> 0, from 100 in classic to 0). Single values means that this value is unchanged from classic.

Simply multiply that "cost" value with the associated value in the effect (ex: Jump of 5 duration * 20 cost = 100 gold).

As described above, effects with a "Factor" value use a new cost formula. Effects without that "factor" use the classic formula.

Alteration

Effect	Duration	Chance	Magnitude	Factor
Climbing	20
Elemental Resistance	100 -> 0			0 -> 50
Jumping	20
Paralyze	28 -> 0	28 -> 0		0 -> 50
Shield	28 -> 8		80 -> 8
Slowfall	20
Water Breathing	20

Destruction

Effect	Duration	Chance	Magnitude	Factor
Continuous Damage: Fatigue	20->0		40->0	0->0.6
Continuous Damage: Health	28->0		40->0	0->0.75
Continuous Damage: Spell Points	40->0		40->0	0->0.9
Damage: Fatigue			20->4
Damage: Health			20->5
Damage: Spell Points			20->6
Disintegrate		80->0		0->500
Drain Attribute			8
Transfer Attribute			60->16
Transfer Fatigue			60->16
Transfer Health			60->24

1Base cost of 116 from classic removed

2Base cost of 40 from classic removed

Illusion

Effect	Duration	Chance	Magnitude	Factor
Chameleon (Normal)	20
Chameleon (True)	40
Invisibility (Normal)	40
Invisibility (True)	60
Light	8
Shadow (Normal)	20
Shadow (True)	40

Mysticism

Effect	Duration	Chance	Magnitude	Factor
Comprehend Languages	60->0	40->0		0->40
Create Item	60
Dispel Daedra		120->0		0->120
Dispel Magic		120->0		0->120
Dispel Undead		80->0		0->80
Lock (Leveled)		28->0		0->75
Open (Leveled)		20->0		0->100
Lock (Unleveled)		28->0	0->42.6
Open (Unleveled)		20->0	0->71
Silence	20->0	20->0		0->40
Soul Trap	60->8	40->8

1You can switch between "leveled" (classic) and "unleveled" Lock/Open in the mod settings.

2Base cost of 120 from classic removed.

Teleport has a fixed cost of 240 gold (or 21 spell points at 50 skill).

Restoration

Effect	Duration	Chance	Magnitude	Factor
Cure Disease		8->0		0->200
Cure Paralysis		20->0		0->100
Cure Poison		8->0		0->200
Fortify Attribute	28		40->28
Free Action	20
Heal Attribute			40->12
Heal Fatigue			8
Heal Health			20->16
Regenerate	100->0		8->0	0->2.4
Spell Absorption	28->0	28->0		0->100

1Base cost of 120 from classic removed

Thaumaturgy

Effect	Duration	Chance	Magnitude	Factor
Charm		40->0		0->100
Detect Enemy	20->8
Detect Magic	20->8
Detect Treasure	20->8
Levitate	60
Pacify Animal		60->0		0->80
Pacify Daedra		60->0		0->100
Pacify Humanoid		80->0		0->120
Pacify Undead		80->0		0->120
Spell Reflection	28->0	28->0		0->120
Spell Resistance	20->0	20->0		0->80
Water Walking	20

1Base cost of 160 from classic removed

2Base cost of 36 from classic removed

3Base cost of 60 from classic removed

Identify has a fixed cost of 240 gold (or 21 spell points at 50 skill).