this is why discworlds witches were fun. you could create "tricks" that would make it appear as though you were doing all this stuff

*cackles* poor newbies

to clarify for those who haven't played dw.
their spells can take up to five steps to cast each requiring you to pass a skill check (in the wizards and witches you can learn any spell even if you couldn't cast it)
tricks basicly become the same as any other spell, they can have requirements and consume things. but they will never do anything else

Kneeling on the ground, Sylphas places one palm firmly against the earth. As he stares at Kronoes, his eyes flash a brilliant emerald green, and the thrusts his other hand out, throwing a handful of thorns into the air. A gentle breeze soon builds to a howling gale, and the thorns twist and elongate in midair, the intense winds whipping them into a furious storm around Kronoes. As he writhes in agony, the vicious thorns tear his flesh from his bones in a spray of blood and gore.
Kronoes has been slain by the might of Sylphas Talnara.

Narrowing his eyes, Lume raises his staff and points it at a cow, who lets out a cry of pain as steam pours from his mouth and nose with a loud whistling noise. The clouds of steam soon begin to subside, as a cow's flesh begins to wither and char untill, in a final spasm of pain, a cow's legs give out and it collapses, dead.

What do you think?

Not all mobs have legs. And mouth. And nose. Come to think of it, not all of them are flesh...

Some of the ones I've seen proposed are too long. Anything more than 3 lines is too much...

Mine was the best.

Hey, wouldn't it be cool if druids had an instakill? You know, the way every other guild in the game does? Maybe we could trade fury for it.

nuh uh, mines now a castable spell on a completely unrelated game

Stag has Gore, which is instant kill at 25% health.

which if compared to trying to toadcurse someone with a mana potion could be considered easier

If the person doesn't have several health potions..

I'm just pointing out that Stag does in fact have an instant kill, whether is it practical in solo or group combat is another matter completely.

heh well i guess it could be considered balanced when you consider that toadcurse is easiest to use against the stereotype warrior.
Gore appears like it's designed to be used against the stereotype mage/guardian/wiccan/(perhaps druid)

igashos better, igashos bigger, faeling's faster, merian is shinyer, mugwump is unfair( ) and most importantly IGASHO'S ARE BETTER! mwuhuhahahahaha!

That doesn't seem very Richter. How about:

Intoning ritual symbols of arcane power, you lift your hands over your head, fingers twitching in intricate patterns. Swirling patterns of light and darkness form between your outstretched hands, coruscating in waves of eldritch energies. While he is distracted by all this, you steal 10 coins from Richter's purse. Richter implodes in soundless agony.

You have slain Richter.

Ok then... how about this: (demense spell)

Gritting his teeth, Lume tightly clenches his fists around his staff and twirls it in a wide circle around his body, creating a barrage of waves that slam into a rockeater, the force lifting it into the air. Finally, lume thrusts the tip of his staff into the water and the water quickly hardens into a column of ice which envelops a rockester completely, draining the last ebbs of life from his body.

Or, since that's way too long:

Lume closes his eyes and mutters an brief chant, then suddenly hurls his staff at a baby rat, who is paralyzed with fear as the staff lengthens and changes, becoming a large icicle that impales a baby rat and pins it to the ground.

Well... some creatures fly, so lifting into the air would be a bit weird too. And some mobs are undead...

By the time I have them low enough to gore instakill them, cudgel would do just as well, and not cost power.