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Source Ultimate Magic pg. 136
When designing a new spell, you should always compare it to the spells in the Core Rulebook to get a sense of whether the spell is strong or weak for its level. You can compare it to spells in other books as well, but you should use the Core Rulebook as a baseline. This is because if a spell in another sourcebook pushes the boundaries of what’s acceptable or balanced, even just by a little bit, it’s easy to push the boundaries a little more with your new spell, which means that over time, new spells end up more and more powerful compared to those in the Core Rulebook. The Core Rulebook spells are the most playtested, optimal versions of spells in the game—new spells shouldn’t be significantly better than them (see also the Benchmarks section on pages 138–139).

Remember that it’s acceptable to make a spell that isn’t as powerful as an existing spell. Just because it’s not the best spell of its level doesn’t mean it won’t get used by adventurers. In fact, that’s why easily crafted scrolls are a significant part of the game—to allow parties access to spells they wouldn’t normally prepare or learn, but may find useful in some circumstances.

Archives of Nethys

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Core is King