A couple of these probably appeared in earlier versions of SR, but I haven't seen one like them in SR4. Its also been a while since I created spells.

Hive Cleaner [Insect Spirit] (direct, area)
Type: P * Range: LOS * Damage: P * Duration: I * DV: (F/2) + 1

A spell designed for those who frequently come into contact with Insect Spirits. It is is designed with the Very Restricted target option limiting it to Bugs only, which allows one to cast it around team mates and allied spirits without fear. The spell is physical and is resisted by body to get around a Queen's Hive mind power. Only affects Flesh and True forms and Manifested Spirits.

(Possible variant is to change damage to Stun, which would lower drain to DV: (F/2). It would not kill the bug spirits but it could still disrupt them taking them out of the fight all the same. Killing the Queen later should prevent them from returning)

Sunburn [Indirect/ Elemental]
Type: P * Range: LOS * Damage: P * Duration: I * DV:(F/2) +3

Primarily used again creatures with Allergies to light such as Vampires and Wendigo. Has full environmental effects including the glare penalty for through the next combat turn and may set flamable materials on fire. Critters with a Light Allergy suffer additional damage as per the allergy rules p. 80, SR4. So, a moderate allergy would grant +2 power to the spell and give the target a -2 penalty through the next combat turn. Impact armor resists this spell with half its value.

Vertigo [Mental]
Type: M * Range: LOS * Duration: I * DV: (F/2)

Intended to take a target out of the fight without harming them, though also useful for interrogations or embarassing someone by making them vomit all over themselves. Resistance is a straight check. If the target succeeds, there is no effect. If they fail, they are subject to the effects of nausea as described on p. 245, SR4. This is a manipulation spell rather than illusion because it actually rattles the body causing a physical effect rather than simply the illusion of one.

Variant: Area effect with DV:(F/2)+2.

I like these, especially the sunburn spell.

Thane--You could also add "Honey, come kill this" and "Insecticide" as touch and single target versions of Hivecleaner, along the same vein of One Less and Slay.

Ooh, I've got an idea for a spell!

Quicksand [Manipulation, Environmental]
Type: P Range: LOS (A) Duration: S DV: (F/2)+3
This spell liquefies a targeted area of the ground, turning it into a fluid. The spell's Force is the radius of the targeted area and the spellcaster must make enough hits to overcome the ground's Object Resistance; additional hits decrease the density of the fluid (and make it easier to sink).

Examples of use: cast it at the ground underneath your foe; if it's in a building, you're basically melting the plascrete and sending him tumbling to the floor below. If you're outdoors... how does an instant tomb when you stop sustaining the spell sound?

One of the best spells I made for SR3 was the Pain spell. It was an illusion spell that caused extreme pain in the target while the spell was sustained (causing a +F modifier to all rolls while in effect). I even made a area effect version called Agony.

Here is what I think the SR4 version would be like:
Pain:
Type: M; Range: LOS; Duration: S; Drain (F/2)+1
Agony:
Type: M; Range: LOS(A); Duration: S; Drain (F/2)+3

These spells cause an intense pain that will bring even the most strongest people to fall to the ground crying. The pain spell was first developed by the Mossad during the early 2040's to help improve their interrogation methods. They preferred the use of magic that didn't harm the target (thus making the spell technically legal under the Geneva Accord). Once the UCAS and CAS governments learned of the spell, they quickly implemented it in the many law enforcement agencies in their respective countries. The spell was easy to learn and was great for mass suppression of crowds. Human rights groups around the world have been fighting hard to ban the spell stating that the spell is inhumane.

I've got another (and, yes, I was reading Star Wars earlier this evening)

Telekinetic Crush (Physical)
DV: (F/2)+3
This rather impressive and intimidating attack, a modified Levitate spell, physically lifts the target free of the ground and, as s/he is floating, her/his body is literally imploded by the magician's will. The caster must make enough hits to lift and crush the character, equal to one hit for every 150 kg of the character's mass. The damage value for this attack is the caster's Willpower+Spellcasting Test net hits (over the lifting threshold; net hits are limited by the spell's Force); this attack bypasses armor; targets resist damage only with Body. If the caster is already Levitating the target, then the lifting threshold is ignored.

Ex: Big Tommy the dwarf is being hassled by Little John the ork. Tom has Spellcasting 5, Magic 6, Logic 5 and Willpower 6. John weights 140 kg and has Body 8. Tommy gets tired by being bothered by the oversized enforcer and turns and casts Telekinetic Crush with a Force of 6; his DV is 6, which he resists with Willpower+Logic without too much of a problem, getting 4 hits. However, he also gets 7 hits, i.e. 6 net hits, on his Spellcasting test, which brings the Damage Value of his attack to 12. John is in deep trouble; he rolls his Body and only gets 3 hits, taking 9P damage.

Tommy drops the moaning ork on the sidewalk, takes a deep breath to shake off the mild headache and gives John's suddenly silent ganger buddies a grin, which makes them step back a few steps as Tommy continues down the sidewalk, whistling nonchalantly, having made his point and earned some respect from the gangers who saw their boss get lifted into the air, his body squeezed as if by some invisible fist and then dropped on the sidewalk.

~*~

So, whaddaya think? I think that it's primary use would be intimidation: there are easier spells (like manabolt) to use to kill people, but this one's flashy and decidedly intimidating.

[Energy] Aura (Physical)
Type: P • Range: T • Duration: S • DV: (F ÷ 2) + 1
This spell creates an aura of damaging elemental energy around the caster. Melee attacks made by the magician gain an additional +4 modifier to the Damage Value. Additionally, treat the damage as Cold, Electricity, or Fire damage (see p. 155), as appropriate to the aura. Such attacks are resisted with half Impact armor.
Any successful attack against a magician using energy aura means the attacker also takes damage from the attack. The attacker must make a Damage Resistance Test against a Damage Value equal to the magician’s Magic. Impact armor protects with half its value.

@Tomothy: go buy the Street Magic. you come close, but didn't hit perfectly ...

@bibliophile20: any reason, why the spell ignores armor? make it use half impact (or even full) and i'm fine. by all means, you like to do some "force" sruff. you crush the target telekineticly (from the outside). so impact should give some protection. as for the intimidation: if someone was to pull up a lightning out of the air and threw it at me (or a bolt of fire, ... any indirect combat spell), that would be intimidation enough for me.

with only body to resist, i feel this is overpowered. with half impact added in, it fits as an indirect combat spell, IMHO.

Nature's Call (Realistic, Single-Sense)
Type: M • Range: LOS • Duration: S • DV: (F ÷ 2) – 2
Halftime (Realistic, Single-Sense, Area)
Type: M • Range: LOS (A) • Duration: S • DV: (F ÷ 2)
This spell induces the strong feeling of the need to use the bathroom. While it's great for pranks at school or camp, this spell is also a great way to distract your enemies. Each net hit scored by the caster applies a –1 dice pool modifier to all of the target’s actions as they contemplate a potty dance. At the gamemaster’s discretion, a character who suffers a dice pool modifier higher than his Willpower is convinced of their need and may leave their post (if any).
Nature's Call affects a single target, Halftime is area effect.

...any new Mental Manipulation spell is definitely not going to be in my players' grimoire. I have already toned down several of these spells and eliminated Mindprobe because they are campaign wreckers.

Don't need to give mages any more advantages over mundanes.

Ignorance:
Type: M Range: LOS Duration: S DV: (F/2)

This spell is perfect to sneak past guards and, if you are astrally perceiving, even spirits. It is used like invisibility but, while it doesnt make you invisible, everybody affected by the spell will simply ignore you. Attacking or otherwise attention dragging actions will ruin the effect.

If you were ever daydreaming while walking from A to B you know what the guards will feel like. They did see you, they just didnt act.
If interrogated or mindprobed they will remember you being there.

@Ignorance: the point that this should work against spirits as well (for a DV of F/2) is something i don't like. using magic to bypass magic ...

the part about daydreaming is cool, nevertheless.

maybe you should name the area-version PoP-field. (everybody how knows what i mean gets a cookie!)

I thought it was actually a SEP-field, as in Somebody Else's Problem. People saw you, it just wasn't their problem to deal with you, so they didn't do anything about it.

Well that would just be a variant of the invis spell (not improved invis). Maybe this could be a specific traditions version?

First of apologies for dragging up this old thread.

I was looking for spell ideas when I stumbled across this thread and the one that really got my attention was quicksand, and I was thinking whats to stop you changing it so its not just floors you can effect....

So now you can pass from one room to another without having to worry about breaking down doors etc.... seems a little.... overpowered?

Your thoughts please.