Greetings fellow Elder Scrolls fans. I am currently working on a pnp Elder Scrolls game using rules loosely based off of the d20 system and the CODA system (or 2d6 system; used by the LOTR and Star Trek RPGs).

I am currently in a brainstorming process for potential spell effects and the purpose of this discussion is to come up with any missing effects, discuss the placement of spell effects, and other topics relating to how magic will work in this game.

In this concept, I made Spellcasting a set of skills that you spend ranks in to become skilled in, such as Spellcasting (alteration) or Spellcasting (destruction). The basic mechanic for casting a spell is making a Spellcasting check against a set difficulty number that you have to achieve to succeed in casting the spell. You add your rank in the Spellcasting skill, the appropriate attribute modifier, and any other relevant modifiers to a 2d6 roll to determine your check result. Pretty simple and fits the progression theme associated with the Elder Scrolls.

Anyways, here is what I came up with so far in terms of spell effects.

Alteration (Willpower-based) Spell Effects
Mage Armor (grants a bonus to your Defense rating [the result enemies must make on Combat checks to strike you in physical combat].)

Light (s/e) - placed this in alteration because it alters a property, not the mind of a creature.

Open Lock (s/e) - Alters the state of a lock, which is why this effect is not under thaumaturgy.

Ease Burden (otherwise known in earlier games as Feather; simply increasing max encumberance level)

Lock (the exact opposite of Open Lock)

Resist Elements (two parts to this; includes both ignoring elemental damage like fire or cold, but another spell like this could allow the character to live comfortably in the dead of winter in Skyrim or in the sands of Elsweyr in mid-summer).

Water Breathing (alters the property of a creature, whereas water-walking is thaumaturgy because it breaks the laws of physics).

High Jump (s/e) Simply grants a bonus on the Jump skill.

Fabricate (creates useful items out of raw materials in a fraction of the time it would take normally)

Transmute (change lead to gold, water to wine, etc)

Polymorph (shame this isn't in more modern Elder Scrolls video games, eh?)

Paralyze (had trouble deciding whether this belonged to Alteration or Illusion. Then I figured that it more affected the target's nervous system rather than the target's perception.)

Burden (opposite of Ease burden)

Swift Swim (simple bonus on the Swim skill)

Resist Magicka (grants a bonus on reactions [D&D equivalent of saves] vs magic)

Enlarge (makes things bigger)

Reduce (makes things smaller)

Animate Object (very amusing effect, try it on suits of armor )

Darkness (the opposite of light)

Alter Self (granting yourself a special characteristic that grants you a benefit, such as werewolf claws or dragon wings)

Petrification (turn creatures to stone of course)

Free Movement (frees creatures from binding effects)

Telepathy (s/e)

My next post will cover Conjuration effects.

Conjuration (Personality-based) Spell Effects
I made Conjuration personality based because you need to have a leadership personality to control the nasty beasties that you summon to tear your foes limb from limb.

Summon Daedra (comes in 5 tiers, one for each level of mastery, you don't need a separate spell for each different creature)

Summon Nature's Ally (like Summon Daedra, but allows you to summon Animals, Nymphs, Spriggans, Minotaur, and other creatures of nature)

Bind Daedra (like Summon Daedra, but permanent; you will only be able to have 1 bound Daedra at a time, and you can only bind up to a 3rd tier Daedra)

Bound Weapon (s/e)

Bound Armor (s/e)

Call Animal Companion (like Bind Daedra, but with Summon Nature's Ally)

Call Item (retrieve an item you have marked with your personal brand)

Conjure Wall (non-offensive wall spells)

Destruction (Willpower-based) Spell Effects
Destruction spells will mostly be comprised of two components; what it is made of and what shape it will take

Elements: Fire, Cold, Electricity, Acid, Sound, Raw Magicka

Shapes: Cone, Line, Burst, Ray, Cylinder, Spread, Projectile

Other Destruction Effects: Disintegration, Weakness to _____

Next post will cover Illusion effects.

I've played a DnD in Skyrim with some friends for a while. Perhaps I can get the GMs there interested in this and help you out.

Illusion (Personality-based) Spell Effects
Charm (make people your friend)

Image (conjure illusory images)

Daze (makes others unable to act, but they aren't unable to defend themselves)

Fear (RUN AWAY!!!)

Demoralize (causes penalties to enemies' checks)

Frenzy (MUST KILL!!!)

Sleep (s/e)

Inspiration (opposite of demoralize; grants bonuses to allies)

Hesitation (makes enemies hesitate in their actions)

Ventriloquism ("Hey skeever butt!"

Blur (Makes vision blurry)

Calm (removes powerful emotions, including aggression and fear)

Displacement (you aren't where you appear to be; a water refraction effect essentially)

Invisibility (s/e) dispels if you attack unless you cast Greater Invisibility

Silence (cannot cast spells)

Truth (force them to tell the truth)

Chameleon (grants bonus on Stealth skill)

Blind (s/e)

Night-eye (can see up to a specific distance in total darkness)

Sanctuary (prevents people from attack you and you alone)

Deafen (s/e)

Confusion (makes enemies act randomly)

Disguise (makes you appear like someone else)

Create Sound (good for distractions)

Adjust Sound (good for distorting words spoken or moving quietly)

Modify Memory ("Oh you know me puny mortal, you just don't know it")

Rally (might get rid of because of redundancy with Inspiration)

Next post. Mysticism. The "redundant" school, or is it? WRONG!

Mysticism (Intelligence-based) Spell Effects
Todd made the claim that mysticism was redundant. I scoff at this notion, as I see a pattern in the school.
All mysticism spells can be defined into two main categories:
1. The manipulation of mystical energies such as soulstuff, raw magicka, time, and other almost unknowable energies.
2. Divination magic.

here we go!

Soul Trap (five categories of soul trap based on the power of the soul. Yes you have to be a master of mysticism to trap grand souls for reasons of balance.)

Reflect (turn caster's spells on himself)

Clairvoyance (see long distances)

Clairaudience (hear long distances)

Locate Object (includes detect key spells and even locate text spells [sure beats using the Dewey decimal system])

Locate Creature (know the way to find a specific person or creature)

Detect Poison

Detect Magic

Dispel magic

Know Direction (discern north without a compass)

Read Magic (read magical scrolls and magickally ciphered spellbooks)

Teleport (traverse long distances in no time flat? Sounds mystical.)

Absorb Spell (absorb spells to replenish magicka)

Block Spell (completely block spell effects)

Plane Shift (it was done in the Infernal City)

Slow Time (s/e)

Foresight (see the future)

Hindsight (see the past)

Augury (learn answer to a yes or no question)

Blink (Wink in and out of existence randomly as a defense)

Tongues (speak and understand any language)

Detect Life

Detect Dead

Detect Thoughts (I heard that)

Scry (see longer distances through use of a reflective surface)

Next post. Ooooo.... necromancy.

Necromancy (Intelligence-based) Spell Effects
We always see necromancers in the game, but we never get to taste true necromancy.

Raise Zombie (use an intact corpse to make a pet zombie; note you can only control a certain number of undead pets at a time)

Raise Skeleton (animate a pet skeleton)

Lich Apotheosis (become a lich)

Vampirism (become a vampire or grant vampirism)

Corrupt Soul Gem (turn a grand soul gem into a black soul gem)

Command Vampire (gain control of a vampire)

Command Lich (gain control of a lich)

Command Undead (gain control of lesser undead)

Disease (inflict a disease upon your foes)

Pain (make them scream in agony)

Poison (poison your foes)

Speak to Dead (have corpse answer your questions)

Illness (make your foes ill)

Drain Attribute (s/e)

Summon Undead (calls an undead creature from the rift to serve you for a short time)

Curse (inflict a debilitating curse)

Energy Drain (drain the enemy's life force, make them inferior in power to you)

Fatigue (don't let them catch their breath)

Next post. Restoration.

Restoration (Willpower-based) Spell Effects
Restore Health (s/e)

Restore Magicka (grant your magicka to allies)

Restore Stamina (s/e)

Cure Poison
Cure Disease
Remove Curse

Prevent Reanimation (prevents necromancers from reanimating a corpse)

Resist Poison (grants bonus on reactions vs. poison)

Regeneration (restore health quickly over time)

Cure Paralysis

resist paralysis

Turn Undead

Fast Healing (make you heal wounds naturally more quickly)

Fortify Attribute (might make this alteration)

Delay Poison (delays effects of poison)

Delay Disease

Remove Petrification

remove Blindness
Remove Deafness

Restore Attribute

Thaumaturgy (Intelligence-based) Spell Effects
Yes, I'm bringing this spell school back from Daggerfall. It is different from Alteration in that Thaumaturgy bends or breaks the laws of physics.

Water Walking

Levitation

Telekinesis

Slowfall

Creation (create matter out of nothing but magicka)

Push/Pull (move things around with a sudden burst of force. FUS RO DAH!!! or HAD OR SUF!!!)

Magnetism (make things magnetized)

Control Nature (control the direction and strength of wind, the water and tides, the weather, cause earthquakes, move soil and earth around with a wave of the hand.

Alter Gravity (reverse gravity in an area; intensify it, reduce it, make it so each surface has its own gravity so you can walk on walls and ceilings, or make an object or creature the center of gravity in an area.)

That is all I got so far.