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When I began hearing about the Pathfinder Playtest rules, I was very excited about what I saw as the promise of Resonance and Focus (Spell Points); a relatively straightforward and flexible way to handle magic items and class powers that was resistant to abuse. I don't think that either the current playtest rules or the Resonance Test rules really delivers on that promise, but I do think that it is possible, so I'm posting my framework for doing so to see what the community at large thinks. Resonance: Resonance is how permanent magic items are used. Consumables are invested at the time of crafting and do what they do, and the Level/Price/Effect reflects this (you could, if absolutely necessary, make some sort of rule about how often the same sort of consumable could be used on the same target, but I think that in the end it would be too much trouble to write and adjudicate). Permanent items use Resonance for investment or activation much like the original Playtest rules as appropriate (including there being types of items that don't need either). I would avoid using charges in general; if item spamming is a problem I would limit problem items to one use per minute/10 minutes/hour/day as necessary. Staves being invested and then usable with either Resonance or spell slots is a great system and I'd keep it, but I don't think additional charges or the like is needed (investing still gives access to a cantrip, after all). I'd change typical Wands to a single spell that doesn't use charges, just activation with Resonance or spell slot (time-limiting them if that turns out to be a problem); I don't think investing on top of that is necessary. Resonance starts out low (basing on CHA is fine) and increases with level, because that's pretty much how magic item access/use works and not including consumables makes that much less of a problem. No overspending. Classes/builds that would be unduly hampered by a lack of Resonance can have class features or feats available to increase their total. Focus: Focus is how class features that aren't persistent (or just don't need limiting) are used (unless they are time-limited instead, like Barbarian Rage, if that system is kept). This includes all of them; Bloodline Powers, Domain Powers, Channels, Wild shape, Daily/Quick Alchemy, Ki Powers, Lay on Hands, etc. One pool, one thing to track. The key to making this work is realizing that a character's Focus can vary by need; not all Classes/builds have to have the same totals and ways to obtain Focus, and some may not need it at all, any more than all classes need spell slots. We saw a version of this with Spell Points; what I'm proposing is similar, just with all the side pools folded into it. Besides working out when and how much Focus should be provided to each character build, the other major issue with Focus is balancing the powers that it fuels. I doubt that trying to make every possible power equally worthwhile is going to be practical (especially when Multiclassing is taken into account), so a Major/Minor 1-2 Focus per use or Lesser/Regular/Greater 1-3 Focus per use cost system will probably be needed, which will affect how appropriate Focus totals will be designed; it's not the easiest thing to work out, but it's doable (I think. It may be that Multiclassing is going to requite multiple Focus pools to work, but it requires multiple sets of spell slots where that's an issue, so I'm okay with that). Thoughts? Do you think this would work? Am I oversimplifying, or opening things up to abuse? I'd like to know.
In chapter one of Doomsday Dawn, it has players use a set of Backgrounds specific to the adventure. Is there a player handout for these? The actual page in the adventure contains some spoilers.
Is there a final, official, unambiguous ruling on which 0-level spells are included for free in a starting spellbook? The Hero Lab people are claiming that it's Core-only, and citing an Ultimate Magic Web Extra that I can't find. |