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Incantations provide a useful way to introduce powerful magical effects in a lower-level game under controlled conditions. PCs will still use spells rather than expensive, risky incantations whenever they can. Incantations are also more specific than spells, so the DM can introduce them into the game without worrying that they'll spread beyond the immediate situation.
If you want characters in your low-level game to take a brief sojourn to Ysgard, you can introduce the incantation ''[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Hrothgar's Journey (Incantation)|Hrothgar's journey]]''. Because it requires the construction of a thatched hut in the middle of the forest and works only during the winter solstice, you don't have to worry about the characters exploring the Outer Planes whenever they get the urge. If you gave low-level PCs easy access to the ''[[SRD:Plane Shift|plane shift]]'' spell, on the other hand, they could wander the planes until they ran afoul of the first outsider more powerful than they are (which is almost any outsider).
=== Discovering Incantations ===
Each incantation description tells how many successful skill checks are required to cast the incantation. Unless otherwise specified, the caster makes skill checks involving more than one skill check every 10 minutes. If checks involving more than one skill are required, the checks may be made in any order, as desired by the caster. Failing one skill check means that 10 minutes have gone by, and the incantation is in danger of failing. If two skill checks in a row are failed, the incantation fails. Each incantation has a consequence associated with failure. Even if the incantation fails, the casting still consumes all the components (including expensive material components and experience points).
Because of the unusual outcomes possible on a failure, the DM may choose to make these skill checks in secret. Doing this prevents the player of the caster from knowing whether an incantation has succeeded or failed. If the consequence of failure is immediate and severe (such as death resulting from a failed ''[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Fires of Dis (Incantation)|fires of Dis]]'' incantation), the effect is obvious, and concealing it serves no purpose.
Many incantations have a backlash component, which is an ill effect suffered by the caster at the conclusion of the casting or upon failure of the incantation (see Backlash, below).
==== Saves and Spell Resistance ====
If an incantation allows a save, the formula to calculate the save is included in the incantation's description. For checks to overcome spell resistance, divide the incantation's skill check DC by 2 to get the effective caster level for the spell resistance check. For example, the caster of a ''[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Fires of Dis (Incantation)|fires of Dis]]'' incantation (DC 23) would add +11 to a d20 roll when attempting to overcome the spell resistance of the target.
==== Interrupting Incantations ====
Often, an incantation is hosted with more than the minimum number of casters. If the primary caster or a secondary caster is killed or disabled, one of these bystanders can step into a role.
If an incantation requires a check involving a skill other than [[SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge (arcana)]], any secondary caster can make that check if he or she has a higher skill modifier than the primary caster. Casters who favor the ''[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Hrothgar's Journey (Incantation)|Hrothgar's journey]]'' incantation, for example, keep bards on hand if they aren't highly skilled in [[SRD:Perform Skill|Perform (oratory)]] themselves.
==== Backlash ====
The following incantations are among the better-known incantations in existence- which means that no more than a few eldritch scholars know about them. Characters can learn of their existence during the course of an adventure by making a [[SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge (arcana)]] check (see Discovering Incantations, above).
*[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Call Forth the Dweller (Incantation)|Call Forth the Dweller]]*[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Fires of Dis (Incantation)|Fires of Dis]]*[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Hrothgar's Journey (Incantation)|Hrothgar's Journey]]
=== Creating New Incantations ===
Making unique incantations for your campaign is a tricky balancing act. Incantations are intentionally constructed to be much more idiosyncratic than spells are. And because incantations hinge on skill checks, it's possible for a character to get access to powerful magic before he- or the campaign- is ready for it. The following guidelines will help you balance the benefit of an incantation with its negative aspects, and also determine how difficult the incantation is to cast.
'''1. Determine School:''' When you design an incantation, first decide which school or schools the incantation would fit into if it were a spell. Each school has a specific DC, which serves as the base skill check DC for the incantation you're designing. Consult the descriptions of the schools of magic in chapter 10 of the ''Player's Handbook'' if you aren't sure which school an incantation should belong to. If you're designing an incantation that could qualify for more than one school, choose the most important one to provide the base DC. Other schools add one-third their DC to the total. For example, the ''[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Fires of Dis (Incantation)|fires of Dis]]'' incantation has conjuration as its most important school (because of the pit fiend it calls) and evocation as a second school (because of the fiery burst it creates). Thus, the ''[[UAPublication:Unearthed Arcana/Fires of Dis (Incantation)|fires of Dis]]'' incantation has a base DC of 41 (30 + 11) for all skill checks made during its casting.
Each summary below specifies the range, target, duration, and other aspects of an incantation associated with a particular school.
