So, I finially got a copy of Ars Magica 1, with it's hypnotic black and red cover. Looking through it I saw a bunch of cool spells that haven't been in Ars for a while. As I am always looking for new spells to introduce, I thought I'd try to transcribe them into the current rules system. Plus the names are so very cool.
All hail Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein*Hagen, Arch-magi.
Creo Animalem (hehe)
Full Health of Beast and Bird: Gen
THEN: Touch, Perm, Ritual
Cancels the effects (short of death) of a malign animalem spell, such as Falcon’s Hood or Enfeeble the Mighty Beast, if you can match the Level of the spell on die+Level.
NOW: Level: Gen R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Cancels the effects (short of death) of a temporary malign Animal spell cast upon a beast of Size +1 or less if you can match the Level of the spell on die + Level.
Base Effect
NOTE: I realise there is a Vim spell that does this better, but it's nice to have multiple ways to do the same thing.
Bear’s Cloak: 5
THEN: Near, Sun/Inst
Makes a bear pelt. As a blanket, it keeps one warmer than a normal blanket would.
NOW: Level: 20 R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes a size +1 bear pelt
(Base 5 , +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Conjuration of Savory Beef: 10
THEN: Near, Sun/Inst
Produces a hind of well cooked, highly spiced beef, enough to make a hearty meal for 5 adults.
NOW: Level: 20, R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
Produces a whole young cow worth of well cooked, highly spiced beef, enough to make a hearty meal for 300 adults.
(Base: 10, treated and processed +2)
NOTE: Would the “treated and processed†bump cover cooked, spiced meat? How many adults could a +1 size cow feed? In my mind the best use for this spell would be Moon duration, allowing it to be used for emergency rations for an extended time, making the total level 35 (!!). This way, by the time the spell wore off, it would already be through the body. Under any circumstances, the level is quite large, I wonder what sort of level would be required to either allow someone to eat dirt or equivalent to get sustenance (Muto Corpus Base Effect 4? Based on Animal add major ability, add Touch (+1) and Diam (+1) for a level 10 spell?) Or Rego Corpus to eliminate the penalties of hunger (Level 5? 1 mag less than eliminate penalties of Fatigue and wounds, add Touch (+1), and Sun (+2) for Level 20).
UPDATED: Included the approx amount of meat into the spell (500 lbs). Thanks Fruny. Also changed to a Ritual so it will be of maximum benefit. Does anybody else think there may be some justification to have a level below individual to reduce spell effects levels, especially in Creo and Perdo. Certainly it takes less magic to conjure a single hamburger than 500 lbs, or to kill a fly rather than a bear.
UPDATED: Changed cow weight to 300 lbs because a typical cow is larger than +1.
Conjuration of the Tiny Killer: 20
THEN: Near, Sun/Inst, Perdo
Creates a shrew, whose bite is poisonous. Any one bitten by it must make a soak roll using Size and Stamina only versus +10 poison damage. A person affected by the poison will become numb and bloated within 30 minutes, and will recover in one to three days. The shrew has enough poison to bite up to three people a day, but additional bites against a single target have no effect.
NOW: Level: 35 , R: Voice, D: Sun
Creates a shrew, whose bite is poisonous (see Stats, below). A shrew is a vicious animal who will attack whatever is moving and closest, unless further skills or spells are applied.
(Base: 15, Voice (+2), Sun (+2))
NOTE: Ahhh! Such high level! I would make the duration Diam, since there’s not a lot of use for a rampaging shrew with limited poison over several hours unless you want to leave it in somebody‘s shoe for a bedtime suprise. As the shrew is a mundane animal, is it required to have a Perdo Requisite? If so, does this actually increase the level since there are not any non-poisonous shrews (in the paradigm)? Since it has no Magic Might, does it need a Vim Requisite? To quickly quantify it, I would base the shrew on the Viper from the ArM5 Mundane Beasts, changing its stats based on it’s much smaller size (Viper -4, shrew -10: Strength (and Dam) reduced by 12 (to -20); Quickness (and Def) increased by 6 (to 9). I would use the Viper’s Venomous Bite (basically gets the venom in if it hits with Advantage greater than the target’s Armor Protection or the target must make a Stm check of 6+ or take a light wound).
UPDATED: Removed Perdo req per Fruny's opinion
Twin Eyes of the Stalking Shadow: 25
THEN: Reach, Sun/Inst
Creates a black cat whose tail has a white tip. The cat is exceptionally stealthy.
NOW: Level: 30 , R: Touch, D: Sun
Basically as the Shrew above, but since a cat isn’t likely to attack you, Touch range is fine.
Conjuring the Behemoth: 40
THEN: Reach, Sun/Inst
Creates a wild elephant of immense strength.
NOW: Level: 45 , R: Voice, D: Sun
(Base: 15, Voice (+2), Sun (+2) Size (+2)
NOTE: This creates a “wild†+4 Size elephant (thus the requirement for Voice range at least), but could it just as easily create a tamed one? The Wizard’s Mount creates a trained riding house that isn’t disturbed by the gift. Is it simply a matter of creating an animal that does actually exist? Could a horse that is trained to desert race be just as easily conjured, or one trained for war, or a tame tiger? Let’s say there are no trained dolphins in the world. Could one be summoned? Is it possibility or availability or something else?
Conjuring the Lord of Air: 50
THEN: Reach, Sun/Inst, Aurum
Creates an especially ferocious griffin, as described in the Fastastic Beasts section of the Beastiary chapter.
NOW: Level: 80, R: Voice, D: Sun, Ritual, Req: Vim
(Base: 20, Voice (+2), Sun (+2) Size +2)
NOTE: I assume a Griffin is a natural animal of the paradigm, but due to its multiple natures (mammal and bird), I’ve set its base level at +1 Mag above mammal. Since it has no “powers†would it require the Auram req? Again, I haven’t added the Mags for the Req as they are required to summon the animal.
UPDATED: Removed Auram req per Fruny's suggestion. Added the Griffin's Magic Might to the spell. Does anybody know of a non-Animae guideline for summoning a beast with might? This makes the spell crazy large. I guess Might is more useful than previous editons.
I’m not aware of a 5th Ed Griffin, but here’s the tweaked 1st Ed Stats:
Griffin
Magic Might 30 (Animal)
Size +4 Cun 0
Per +6 Stm +9
Talons: Init: +6 Atk: +7 Dam +22
Fat: n/a Def +2 Soak +26
Brave +6 Cowardly -6
This creature has a lion’s body in the back and an eagle’s in the front. It attacks with its talons, reserving its beak for tearing its dead victims and for emergency fights. It is ferocious when threatened or hungry, but it is not an innately malicious beast. Its heart is worth 20 pawns of Animal Vis.
Muto Animalem
Curse of the Crawling Meat: 5
THEN: Near, Inst
Gradually turns meat, cooked or raw (but dead) into vermin: flies, spiders, maggots, mice, etc. The inside of each piece transforms first, so viewers watch as the meat first begins to bulge and moves as the vermin inside struggle to get out. Then, when they ear their way free, they crawl and fly about. This spell affects up to a full boar or an equivalent amount of meat.
Now: Level: 4, R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
(Base: 2, Voice (+2))
NOTE: Shouldn’t this really be Perdo, since this is what the paradigm thinks happens naturally with time?
The Immaculate Beast: 15
THEN: Touch, Sun/Perm
Makes an animal into a flawless specimen of its type, amplifying its outstanding features. The animal gets +3 on rolls related to its strongest feature. It will improve a hawk’s vision, a racehorse’s speed, a draft horse’s strength, etc.
NOW: Creo Animal Level 15 , R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
(Base: 4, Touch (+1), Sun (+2))
NOTE: I used the recovery bonus as a base, and added +1 Mag for a more general bonus, though one could argue this is more natural for many creatures than healing faster. One could also argue its much more useful and increase the base effect by quite a bit. I wouldn’t allow a spell like this for a human, because there are no set features for a perfect human (except maybe worshipfulness).
UPDATED: Changed base effect to 4 as Fruny suggested.
Perdo Animalem
Shed Fur: 5
THEN: Sight, Perm
Removes the fur from any pelt or living animal.
NOW: Level: 10, R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind
Removes the fur from any pelt or living animal up to size +1
(Base 3, Sight (+3))
NOTE: This spell affects both living (Level 3) and dead (Level 2) animals, should it use the highest guideline, or a higher one for multiple uses? I also think “sight†is a bit much, and would reduce the range to “voice†for a level 5 spell
Alleviate the Serpent’s Bite: 10
THEN: Touch, Perm
Makes one dose of animal toxin harmless. If cast on toxin already injected into someone, it requires a corporem prerequisite, and it will keep the person from suffering further damage. It can make poison in a poisonous animal harmless if you can touch the animal in question. It has no effect on herbal or mineral poisons.
NOW: Level: 10 , R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Casting Req: Corp
(Base: 5, Touch (+1))
NOTE: Should there be an Aquam Req? When cast on a poisonous animal should its next bite not be poisonous, or should it add a bonus to all following saves? That is, does it dilute or make one “charge†negated? Should this be Muto since it changes the poison instead of just destroying it?
Cleanse Verminous Infestation: 25
THEN: Near, Inst
Eliminates all vermin from a single building, such as a castle keep or covenant gatehouse. All spiders, snakes, rats, mice, lice and other little creatures emerge from their hiding places and kill themselves or each other until all are slain. Any animal Size -3 or greater is not affected.
NOW: Level: 55, R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Structure, Ritual
(Base: 30, Voice (+2), Structure (+3)
NOTE: Not very likely to be ever used. If reduced to touch, it isn’t a Ritual. A better spell might be:
Rego Animal Level 20 , R. Touch, D: Diam, T: Structure
Causes the vermin come out and to kill each other or themselves. There will be some survivors.
(Base 2, Touch (+1), Diam (+1), Structure (+3), complex suggestion (+1)).
NOTE: If there were a way for Perdo Animal to deal damage, even a tiny damage would kill most vermin, making the spell pretty low level and balancing the very high level to “kill†an animal.
The Hunter’s Lethal Arrow: 30
THEN: Touch, Inst
Enchants an arrow to slay an animal. The arrow must be fired on the round after the spell is cast. If it hits an animal, the beast must make a Stm + Size Roll of 12+ or die. If it makes the roll, it still suffers normal arrow damage +10. The target gets normal magic resistance.
NOW: Level: 35, R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell long ago passed from the secret pages of House Mercere and their Mutantum spells. It has since fell back out of common knowledge. This spell has been mutated to be more inline with Hermetic Magic, and knowledge of it does not allow a caster to create or cast other Mutantum spells.
(Base 30, Touch (+1), Tethered)
NOTE: Is the +1 level required for the damage if the target makes its save?
UPDATED: Removed the "extra effect" mag per Fruny's suggestion. Ulf pointed out there is a version of this in HoH:TL, but there's no need to design two similar spells identically.
Rego Animalem Spells
Circle of Beast Warding: 20
THEN: Spec, Ring
No natural animal will come within 15 paces of the spot where you cast the spell as long as you do not move more than 15 paces from the spot yourself.
NOW: Level: 5 , R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
As a Ward.
(Base 2, Touch (+1), Ring (+2))
Ward Against Shapeshifters: 25
THEN: Spec, Ring
Creates a magical ring around you seven paces in diameter that lasts until you leave it. The story guide secretly rolls a simple die and adds your Rego + Animal + Int. No lycanthrope can enter the ring unless it can make a magic resistance roll equal to this total. It rolls once when it attempts to enter. The ring can be seen as a golden-hued dome at certain angles during the night.
NOW: Level: General, R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
As a Ward. A Magus shape shifter must beat the level with his Animal Parma roll. A Bjornaer magus would be uneffected as they are considered normal animals.Sweet! 
Very!
In my book, it would.
Good question. A quick search reveals this Ask Metafilter thread.
There also is the problem that it is not nourishing unless made a ritual. Although Creo magic might indeed be used to alleviate hunger, just like it can put wounds on hold.
I wouldn't require it, no, unless you are trying to increase the venom's potency.
I would require two things, assuming you don't have a lab text: first that the creature exist and second that the magus inventing the spell be reasonably familiar with it, which may require some research. Creating/summoning an animal trained for a specific purpose could entail an extra magnitude and a bit of knowledge. I certainly wouldn't require actually having the relevant skills (although Philosophiae is always a good thing to have); if you have access to someone with Animal Handling during the time you are working on the spell, it would probably be enough.
For spontaneous magic, paint what you want in broad lines and keep your fingers crossed. Finesse, finesse, finesse.
Creating beasts with Might seem to require adding that Might to the level of the spell. See Animae Magic in HoH:MC for example.
Up to the 4th edition, birds had an Auram requisite and fish Aquam. This is no longer the case: drop it.
I seem to remember one in the revised bestiary, but I don't have it with me.
There is a "gradually turn meat into vermin" Muto Animal guideline. shrug.
The 4th edition of the spell made it correspond with the "make a major change in a beast, while leaving it recognizably the same sort of animal" guideline (level 15, duh). That's a base of 4 in ArM5, leaving the spell again at level 15.
The distinction here is small enough that I would just go with the level 3 guideline.
The animal would be non-poisonous until it naturally produces more poison, which may take some time (off-hand: a day). Making it permanently non-poisonous would be harder as it "wounds" the animal, like The Falcon's Hood does.
Yes, Touch is much more plausible. Unless you are designing a spell that will be used during a siege or similar situation, most Structure spells do perfectly well at Touch range.
There are no guidelines as to when spells allow natural resistance. If you just stick to the guidelines they would theoretically never be required, although SGs are encouraged to use their discretion. The damage probably shouldn't considered as an additional effect, but the fact that the spell can be conveyed by an arrow sure should.
And Bjornaer magi are unaffected.
While your at this. DO me a favor if you can find it.
I don't have accesss to the 3rd edition books anymore(not that I am too sure I want them.. but...).
There was one spell that to this day makes everyone shudder with glee, and I'd like to see it get a 5th edition treatment. I would do it myself, but as I said. I havent; seen a 3rd Ed book since... 96?
Whitefire Chant, you know. blazing white flaming sword that purged demons, and attacked demonic influence in the soul? But othewise did no harm?
I believe that was the whole gist of it. Sure there was more, maybe less, but it's been a LONG time.
The Wizard's Grimoire 3rd Ed. page 107
Whitefire Chant : Lv 40
Perdo Vim
spell focus : miniature silver sword (+03)
R: self/touch , D: special
Intoning this spell brings a blade of pale fire into existence in the caster's hands.
It exists only as long as there are physically manifested demons in the immediate area of the wielder
(i.e. within his sight) ,
and it only harms the denizens of Hell.
Against such foes , the blade has the following statistics :
First Strike: +07
Attack Bonus: +06
Weapon Damage: +22
Parry Bonus: n/a
Strength: n/a
Load: 0
Space: 02
The Finesse Ability is used in place of any Weapon Skill to determine combat totals.
The blade requires both hands ,
so spells cast while the sword is manifest are affected by the No Gestures penalty ,
if applicable.
This allready exsists in HoH:TL.
PeAn Mutantum 40
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Ind
This spell causes an animal to suffer a fatal wound, just as if it had been pierced through the heart. Casting this spell while intending to touch the animal is dangerous, as it may take several minutes to die, during which time it may thrash around wildly or strike the caster. For this reason, Milvi usually tether the spell to an arrow or javelin (though any sort of tether may be used), allowing them to cast it in secret from a safe distance. The beast will die after it is struck, and the increased duration ensures the caster has time to fire the arrow after casting the spell.
(Base 30, +1 Touch, +1 Diam; Tethered)
Thanks so much for your help, Fruny.
Are you sure about this? The size of poison is 1 dose, certainly an animal has more than 1 dose in it at a time. It seems to me that destroying 1 dose in a creature that may have 10 would either make the next dose a "blank" or each dose 1/10th as effective.
Once more - cheers to Angafea for bringing us this thread. And to Fruny for is efforts in the last tuning. These spells brings up fond memories and many of the spells are worth bringing back to life on account on their well-phrased names alone!
I really dont have anything to add except me reservations toward one of the spells (though the title is so great I'd want to find some kind of use for it), namely:
My reservation is not to any of the calculations or that sort, but just to bring up an earlier discussion whether it is at all possible to create nourishing food without using a ritual and vis. I know I might be alone on that one, but nevertheless it is my stand that you cannot. That is not to say that you can't give people a feast and a feeling of having eaten their full, just that they'd very soon become hungry again. On the plus side - If you go with this you'd be able to downside the effect by two magnitudes due to removing the Sun duration when making a mom creo ritual.
Creo Aquam Spells
Douse the Fiend of Flame: Gen
THEN: Near, Inst
Puts out a fire elemental if you can beat its Summon Factor on die + Level.
NOW: Level: Gen , R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Weakens and possibly destroys a creature composed of fire, such as a Fire Elemental. If the spell penetrates the creature's Magic Resistance, the Elemental loses Might equal to the spell’s level.
(Base effect, +2 Voice)
Burden of the Watery Load: 5
THEN: Near, Inst
Water forms on one target. Unless the target is naked, the water will soak into furs and clothes, increasing the target’s Load by at least one point. The target will also leave wet footprints.
NOW: Level: 10 , R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Attack and Defense in Combat are reduced by this extra Encumbrance if the total exceeds the target’s Strength.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Diam)
NOTE: I really like this spell and effect!
Douse the Fire: 5
THEN: Near, Inst
Creates water in a fire and puts it out if the fire is no larger than a bonfire. This spell causes a good deal of steam.
NOW: Level: 5, R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
(Base 3, +2 Voice)
Lungs of Water and Death: 35
THEN: Near, Inst, Perdo
Fills a target’s lungs full of water, drowning it. The target must roll a Stm roll of 8+ or drown within 3 minutes. Casting prerequisites: Animalem: animals; Corporem: people.
NOW: Level: 25, R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Casting Requisites: Animal, Corpus
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Diam, very unnatural +2)
UPDATED: Dropped the "part" target per Fruny's suggestion, reduced the "unnatural" a bit, but kept the diam duration as I think that is sufficient to justify the save to survive, plus what's a minute amoung friends?
Muto Aquam
Water to Wine: 5
THEN: Reach, Sun/Perm, Herbam
Changes a bottleful of water into decent wine. The many variations of this spell create different type of wines of varying qualities.
NOW: Level: 10 , R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Changes a large cask of water into decent wine.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
UPDATED: Removed Herbam req per Fruny's suggestion.
Ice Lock: 30
THEN: Sight, Spec, Terram
Over the course of an hour, one body of water up to the size of a small lake (no more than 2 miles in diameter) freezes. If the water is running, it will either freeze up (if it is small) or fill with ice floes (if it is large).
NOW: Rego Aquam Level: 35, R: Sight, D: Sun, Target: Part
(Base: 3, +3 Sight, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +2 Size)
UPDATE: Fruny rightly notes that the freezing slowly is a special effect of this spell, which could just as easily be much much quicker. I would happily make a spell that gives up this amount of power a magnitude lower if it were proposed of my saga. Otherwise, I assume the wizard who invented it had a good reason to make the ice for slowly (to allow ships to retreat , or not be overtly magical).
Perdo Aquam
Destroy Spirit of the Water: Gen
THEN: Near, Inst
Destroys any water elemental if you can match its Summon Factor on a die +Level -5.
NOW: Level: Gen, R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Weakens and possibly destroys a creature composed of water, such as a Water Elemental. If the spell penetrates the creatures Magic Resistance, the Elemental loses Might equal to the spell’s level.
(Base effect, +2 Voice)
Rego Aquam
Bind Spirit of the Water: Gen
THEN: Near/Spec, Sun
You can control a water elemental if you can roll its Bind Factor or higher on a die + Level. If the elemental is already bound by a higher level binding spell, your spell will not work. A botch means the elemental will attack you to the best of its ability. If you try to bind an elemental again when its first binding wears off, you risk one extra botch die for every day the elemental has been in your service.
NOW: Level: 45, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
You can control a creature made of water, and may give it one complex command at a time. The creature may resist a specific command on an Intelligence or Cunning roll of 12+, but this does not end the spell.
(Base 25, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Summon Spirit of the Water: Gen
THEN: Reach, Spec, Ritual, Vim
You can summon any type of water elemental you know of if you can roll its Summon factor on die + Level. You must summon the elemental out of its natural element. A botch you means you have summoned the wrong kind of elemental, perhaps an unusually strong or hostile one.
NOW: Level: Gen, R: Arc, D: Sun, T: Ind
(Base ??, +3 Arc, +2 Sun, + Summoned‘s Might)
NOTE: Are there even animal intelligence non-fairy elementals in ArM5, or have these been purposefully kicked out as being non-authentic? If these sort of elementals are still “around†do they inhabit all sorts of areas that their elements are in, so the distance transported is small?
Gift of the Floating Wood: 10
THEN: Near, Sun (Spec)
Lets any object or creature of Size +3 or smaller float in water. Lasts until the object leaves the water or Sun.
NOW: Level: 30, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Casting Req: Based on Form
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Size)
UPDATE: This spell acutally makes the water float the object, unlike a Rego Terram or Corpus that makes the object lighter than water. Just another way to do the same effect that favors the Aquam mage.Thanks for the encouragement Furion.
Certainly there is something to be said for lowering the level to 20. I could easily see burning 4 pawns of Vis to get 500 lbs of meat in an emergency.
But yah, I still favor the idea the spell "leaves you hungry" at the end of the duration, even if you ate it exclusivly for a moon.
Yeah, I agree. I like the image of grogs coming back ravenous, ready (and able!) to eat a whole moon's worth of food in a day to catch up on what they didn't really eat. (Phew, that was a mouthful. 
)
Or they simply die in an instant : /
I like that image too - as long as I am not one of those poor grogs - but I am still sceptical. I still think it could be abused, not neccesarily by the players (but just as well feeling that being able to make food without vis would have been used on a larger scale at some time, sooner or later, and lead to events in ME on a larger scale - it simply imposes on my vision of ME as a at times struggling poor existence for the majority of people), and that it needs some limit.
Hmmm - is that pro or con?
Well that is a bit sad too... must be a middle ground somewhere.
Someone else pointed out that Healing without Vis , returns wounds to their original state.
The same could apply to magically created food.
You return to the same state of hunger as you originally had.
I was always under the impression that non-vis created food or drink was satisfying ,
but not nourishing.
Which is why Magi always created non-vis alcohol for their grogs ,
so that they would not suffer from hangovers.
Might have been me. in that other thread I linked to. But I did that mostly to question the unquestioned assumption that many had that it didnt matter at all. I do think there is and even stronger argument in that ME and the Order of Hermes would look very different if magi had the power to create nourishment without a limit - unrestricted by any ressource (namely vis).
Might be quite worth considering! Still had to make a consideration on whether the effects "stack". Most magic - short of circle/ring or Rituals are limited in duration - and that would leave the person(s) back at "base hunger" every month or so, or how to handle that?
So was I - untill it was discussed in the Creo Cheese-thread (beginning to get the munchies myself 
) - and really the RAW does leave the question open for interpretation and that discussion showed that we do interpret it differently. I personally skeptic - but I would like to find a middle ground - also in terms of what makes the best stories and scenes.
Then there is that - I hadnt thought of it and it didnt appear in the other thread either as far as I can remember.