If I might...
As others have said, and does not seem to be implemented yet, it would be a
great thing if the effects were scaled by spell cost, so that the more powerful the magics used, the greater the harm that could be done if they go awry...and conversely, the less chance an apprentice will explode.
On the subject of Miscast Chance, I
do not believe that 20% is too high. This is for two reasons. First, as you must
fail to cast the spell to miscast, this is the second of two checks; meaning that
the odds are actually lower than they appear. Second, you can look up your odds of spell failure and thus
have been warned. However, I think that a static value is less than ideal. I would suggest a variable chance...at least for the player. (Warning: Convoluted thinking ahead!)
- First, set a base chance of 75 percent. The reason will be apparent in a moment.
- Next, reduce the base by the average of the player's INTELLIGENCE, PERSONALITY, WILLPOWER, and LUCK. (Fail value will now range from 42-30)
- Finally, impose an adjustment based on player's specialization: Combat (+18), Stealth (+/-0), Magic (-10), thus the final range is from 60% (Totally unsuited) to 20% (Born mage). And note that this is for first level, chances would reduce as players get better...and most would fall in between.
- Alternately, a non-adjusting variable with a base of 40% adjusted +/-20% would give 60% chance to Fighter-types, 40% to Rogues, and 20% to mages.
- OR... Use a base as above, but reduce the base by ten every X levels, to a minimum of 20 (No penalty to pure mages.)
Note, all of the above are geared toward the traditional class dichotomy, favoring stealth classes as falling between caster and non in role. This is a personal bias. You could also use stat-based adjustment without adjusting by specialty, a different degree of variance, or chuck my suggestion out the window entirely.
Also, I support having effects that consist of normal spells gone horribly
right. Not everything has to be a curse. In fact, maybe one curse per spell school would be more appropriate, as the "you screwed up bad" portion of each list. Or alternately, go "Weak Effect and Duration, Reg. Effect/Duration, Reg. Effect
and Duration, Reg. Effect + Duration or Weak Effect Curse, Reg. Effect Curse or Strong Effect (Immediate)" as your tiers.
Note, each tier might also "benefit" from effects unique to spells of that tier. For example the lowest (and only the lowest) tier might bestow "Levitate 0" for a few seconds, while the highest has a chance of damaging your armor and weapons for thousands of points (enough to break
everything you had equipped). For fairness, though, that might mean the lowest and highest tiers could only be triggered by player-created spells. Also, I think that your mod should also more greatly raise the availability of Dispel and Remove Curse effects...as they will be more needed.