Eodin

Maybe my brain is tired, but I'm having trouble with a magic system I'm creating, and I need some suggestions. I'm trying to come up with a reasonable way of having long-lasting spells that cost END in END per turn or END per minute or END per hour. Here's an example: Torchlight...Images to Sight (10), 2-hex radius (+1/4); Only to create light (-1), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Concentration (-1/4), Magic Skill (-0). This spell should last 1 hour for every 3 END from the END Reserve that the caster spends at casting time. I could add the Uncontolled advantage, but then it costs 1 END per phase. If I make it Half END, it's still 1 END per phase; If I make it Zero END, it's Zero END. And maybe that's the answer...bring it down to Zero END, but apply an arbitrary (I hate arbitrary) -0 that defines it to be whatever I want... 3 END per Turn, 2 END per Hour, etc. Anyway, I'm looking for something not quite so arbitrary. Anyone have some bright ideas?

Something I'd really like to see covered in the magic systems is ideas on how to have spells with long durations...like the old "3 minutes per level" kind of thing from D&D...Some way to have spells that cost END to cast but that END is paid per turn or per minute or per hour to maintain them.