Spells and stats

So, I've pretty much decided to cannabalize the spell system I was talking about for use in my game.  The way it works isn't important to you guys really, as far as the code goes, but here is what it actually will do and/or allow:

Firstly, you can know a spell, or not know it.  You have no way of knowing what spells exist or anything about them until you actually know the spell itself.  I can make things or actions give you spells, or you can learn them from scrolls by casting the memorise spell on them.  Everyone starts off knowing that spell.

Casting a spell requires a certain number of strength points (like mana points).  Could be 0 for free spells, or 3-5 for a midlevel spell, or up to 10 or more for the most powerful spells.  Some spells require you to have certain objects or materials on hand in order to cast them.  Metal or wood is an example.  Things can be made of these materials, like a pencil or a pair of scissors.  These would work as the materials for the spell.

Spells could cost more or less strength points to cast depending on if you have certain things in your possession, if you are in certain areas, what your stats are like at the moment, or any number of other conditions I can think of.

Spells can be targetted or untargetted.  Untargetted spells you just cast, and they have whatever effect, typically on yourself, your surroundings, or possibly all creatures in your area.  Targetted spells you cast at a single target, like the creepy bald guy or the flower pot.  Only one target at a time, and it can't be yourself.

Now, before I can even begin to properly code this, i have to work out how I'm going to be handling stats and descriptions.  This is really the trickiest part of any TF game.  I could do each stage of every possible combination of TFs for every person in the game individually...but that would be time consuming, ineffectient, and would drive me nuts.  I could reuse the old system for it, which certainly works, but doesn't allow me to customize the NPC's appearance much.  It's always a trade-off, and I'm still racking my brains for the answer.

On top of this all...I need to work on map design.  I'm strongly considering basing my maps at least in part on a few places in Second Life that I have visited.  We shall see.