Min/Max Boards

If I had to do BAB into a skill check, I'd...

0. Fix skill scaling; seriously, skills scale like a drunken monkey drives - too erratically and too quickly.

• healing (probably cure minor wounds
• harming (inflict minor wounds
• some sort of fear effect spell
• charming or compulsion spell
• dazing
• armor or physical protection
• summon (I guess number one on that list, no?)
• banish type (arcane anchor, IIRC)
• hiding spell
• detecting spel
• dispelling or countering (is there a mechanic difference?)
• energy spell
• force based spell
• slaying spell
• teleportation spell
• movement spell
• transformation or shape-shifting spell

I went over FrDave's dozen blog posts about deconstructing and breaking down the spells and spell groups. I tried to scrutinize the lines to a better view of the results.
I restate that the following is not something that I created or deem as a fitting solution. Only as a decent start.
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Each bullet has a price in {} at the end of the line.

• damage of 1d6/ level {1}
• area effect (total of 4 one inch squares) {1}
• turn touch to ranged {1}

• add any two of the following vs. specific source: {1}
  
  • +1 Save
  • +1 AC
  • +1 Morale
  • +1 Attack
• generalize the source from which the spell defends {1}
• affect area of 10 feet {1}
• turn touch to ranged {1}
• double movement speed {1}
• halve movement speed {1}

• 1d6+1 hp
• disease
• curse {require base level of 2 for arcane spells}
• poison {require base level of 2}
• turn touch to ranged  {1 - double for arcane}
• make the spell take effect immediately {1 - double for arcane}
• cure additional 1d6+1 hp {3}
• "cure" death — requires one other modifier {3}

• add 6 turns duration {1}
• add range of +6"  {1}
• 3"r. Area Effect {1}

• Duration = 1 day {1}
• Range = 12" {1}
• Affects 2-12 targets in a 6x6" area {1}
• Gain all non-combat traits — you look like a dragon and can fly like a dragon, but you don't have a breath weapon and you use the same combat dice you always do. {1}
• Traits affect combat (requires Gain all non-combat traits) — you look like a dragon and fight like one too {1}
• Ability to transform non-living inanimate objects into living objects or vice-versa. (requires Gain all non-combat traits) — when a caster turns himself into a non-living object this is not an instant kill; however, when cast upon another target, it is {1}
• Duration = permanent {2}

• Duration = fulfillment of a single task (no concentration necessary). {1}
• Range = 24" (the creature can appear/be anywhere within 24") {1}
• Number of Creatures = any number totaling the HD summoned (If 3HD are summoned, the base spell summons one 3HD creature. This allows those 3HD to be divided among a number of smaller HD creatures — three 1HD creatures or six 1/2HD creatures, for example). This is a general area effect (sewer, swamp, lake, etc.). {1}
• Creature Type = extra planar (creature does not need to already be available) {1}
• Creature HD = 7-12 (d6+6) HD {1}
• Duration = permanent {2}
• Creature HD = 12-18 (d6+12) HD {2}

• Affects all magic {1}
• Range = 12" {1}
• Area Affect = 3" r. {1}
• Duration = 6 turns {1}
• Affects summoned creatures (a missed saving throw = banishment; save = morale check failure) {2}
• Duration = 12 turns {2}
• Creates a shield that blocks spells in and out {2}

• Duration = 6 turns {1}
• May communicate with creatures that do not have obvious means of communicating (flora, for example) {1}
• Targets are predisposed to do what the caster asks of them (bonus to the reation roll) {1}
• Target is from a higher plane of existance (requires communication with non-fauna creatures and a Duration = 6 turns). This comes in two forms, depending on the spell caster. Clerics get 3 questions that will be answered honestly. Magic Users get up to 12 questions, but these must be "yes" "no." In addition the caster runs the risk of not only being lied to, but of going insane. The fewer the questions, the more likely they answers are false. The more questions asked, the higher chance of insanity. Maybe used no more than once/week. {2}

• {1}
• Duration = permanent {1}
• Area Effect = 30" sq./a single small geographic feature {1}
• Range = 12" {1}
• Effect = affects a specific group mechanically {1}
• Spell effect may be moved independently of the spell caster {1}
• Range = 24" {2}
• Effect = affects a general group mechanically {2}

• {1}
• Quantity adds (caster level x2) men {1}
• Quantity adds mounts {1}
• Substitute "create water" for "purify poisoned/spoiled food and water." {1}
• Substitute "create food" for "purify poisoned/spoiled food and water." {2}

• Teleport 12" with no chance of misjudging {1}
• Range = 1" {1}
• Teleport 36" with no chance of misjudging {2}
• Range = 3" {2}
• Range = 2" per caster level {3}
• Teleport anywhere as long as destination is known. Any uncertainty might result in death. {4}

• Duration = 1d6 + caster level turns {1}
• Speed = 12" {1}
• Range = 2" per caster level {1}
• Medium = Liquid {1}
• Axis = Both Horizontal and Vertical {1}
• Speed = 36" {2}
• Medium = Solid {2}

• Duration = 6 + caster turns (and thus possibly more than one command). {1}
• Range = 12" {1}
• Area effect = 1 person/creature of any HD {1}
• Save at penalty -2 {1}
• No save for creatures with less than 1/3 of caster level (1/2HD at 2nd level, 1 HD at 4th level, 2 HD at 7th level, etc.) {1}
• Target = monster {1}
• Target's basic personality & alignment are subject to change at the will of the caster {1}
• Duration = until dispelled {2}
• Range = 24" {2}
• Area Effect = 2d6 creatures + 1 per level above 8 {2}
• Save at penalty -4 {2}
• Some kind of withering disease or curse affects the target when they do not fulfil the command(s) of the caster. {2}

On a more on-topic note: how are you thinking of combining blocks? Like, do I smash summon/ice/fright together to summon a scary ice monster or a terrifying blizzard, or would there be more structure and nuance in place?

I'm not sure what the issue is with Magic Resistance. Do you mean overcoming it, or how some spells are SR: No?
Also, what is the issue with the obscurity of spellcaster checks? Do you mean that you want spells to fail more, or what?

The 15 minute workday is mostly a resource management issue. The obvious way to address it (outside of the DM contriving circumstances to discourage it) is to make it so spells come back faster. Imagine a scenario where the caster only gets a handful of spells in a combat, but they all come back in minutes. It's a paradigm shift, but it solves the problem.

Were you planning on anything similar to Entangle, Web, Grease, Stinking Cloud, Black Tentacles, or Solid Fog?
Were you planning on stuff like:

• Soften Earth and Stone/Stone Shape
• Polymorph
• Zone of Truth
• Alarm
• Light

Some of these are pretty broad effects and some are pretty narrow. I like having options for all of them. You could easily throw Soften Earth and Stone/Stone Shape into "earth powers" or "transmutation", depending on how you divide it up.

It might be a good time to start with some specifics on just a few of the blocks, to see how things work … Direct damage is probably one of the easiest to start with, because it's working with raw numbers,