Every Spell is Unique

Most editions of D&D assume that the spells in the PHB are mass commodities. PCs will frequently know some of the same spells. Wizards can copy spells from other wizards’ spellbooks. NPCs and monsters cast recognizable spells. And these spells work to the same ISO strictures. A Magic Missile anywhere in the world looks and behaves just like any other Magic Missile. 

But magic doesn’t work this way in most Appendix N fiction. What if it was weirder? What if every spell was unique? 

First-Come, First-Serve

If a player builds a character and selects a spell, that spell is unavailable to other PCs. If an NPC wizard shows up and casts Fireball, that’s it – that’s this world’s only Fireball spell. You want to cast Fireball? You need to go through that wizard – defeat them in a wizardly duel, or conduct a daring raid on their tower and steal the arcane tome that holds the magic.

The Problem of Must-Have Spells

Sure, fine. But in D&D 5E, certain spells are either so good (Shield) – or so central to a class’s intended gameplay loop (Eldritch Blast) – that it’s a mistake not to take them. The book doesn’t teach them what they are “supposed” to take. Unique spells force us to confront this problem, either just accepting the wild variation in spell power level, or finding another solution…

Tailoring and Innovation

Bespoke Weird Spells. You won’t miss Spiritual Weapon if you have Whirling Leaf Screamer instead.

Magical Synonyms. Look at Magic: The Gathering card names. Think about how many times the Magic creators have had to go to the thesaurus (and beyond) to make a new version of "counterspell.” There is endless variation possible with minimal prompts.

Magic Words. Wizards wield ur-magic, shaping spells from the formless aether. This is getting pretty far from D&D 5E’s base design, but who am I to stop you? You’re a wizard!