I'm trying to make up a bunch of homebrew proficiencies for Magic-Users in a potential ACKS campaign, with major inspiration from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.
The idea is that a starting MU can select a proficiency, which gives them a choice of a starting spell, and gives a specific perk. Most of these are patterned after Black Lore of Zahar or Transmogrification (indeed two of these Lores replace them).
An MU's starting proficiency must be spent on one of the following Lores, which lets you pick a starting spell based from the lore list (the remaining spell is rolled as normal).
Lore of Light
Starting spell choice: Any
+2 to saving throws vs. chaotic arcane Magic (but not divine)
Spells that protect against magic have their duration extended by 50%Lore of Fire/Ice/Storms (replaces Elementalism)
starting spell choices: Magic Missile (picked element only) Burning Hands/Slipperiness/Light (based on element)
+1 damage per die for spells of selected element and -2 to saves for spells of that elementLore of Metal
starting spell choice: Sharpness, Shield, Floating Disc, Hold Portal, Read Languages
spells that imbue items or people with extraordinary properties last 1 round/turn longer (as appropriate to the original duration of the spell)
+2 magical research rolls to craft constructsLore of Clouds
starting spell choice: Sleep, Charm Person, Wall of Smoke
cloud spells you cast are saved against with a -2 penalty
+2 saving throws against cloud spellsLore of Death (replaces Black Lore of Zahar)
starting spell choice: Sleep, Choking Grip, Unseen Servant
Spells cast by this character that force save vs. death are taken at -2
+2 magical research rolls for NecromancyLore of Shadows
starting spell choice: Unseen Servant, Chameleon, Sleep, Ventriloquism
+2 saves vs. illusion attempts to disbelieve illusions created by character are at -2Lore of Transformation (replaces Transmogrification)
starting spell choice: Spider Climb, Magic Rope, Summon Berserkers
Polymorph is calculated at +2 CL, targets of polymorph other sufffer -2 to save
+2 magical research rolls for Crossbreeding
Any thoughts regarding balance or possible problems further down the line with a system like this?