| Fuzzy Skinner |
I am not a fan of the 3.5/Pathfinder initiative system. Yes, it speeds things up, but I've run into the problem (as both a player and a GM) that everyone 'checks out' after they're done with their turn. So, to keep everyone focused on the game, I'm going to implement the initiative system from old-school D&D. Specifically, the one from Darker Dungeons.
For those who don't know, Dark Dungeons is a retro-clone of the 1991 Basic D&D Rules Cyclopedia (not to be confused with the 4e Rules Compendium), a book that is a damn good game in its own right. Darker Dungeons is an updated version of those rules, adding a 3e-esque unified skill system. Here's how the initiative roll in that game goes down.
First, everyone announces what their character (or, in the GM's case, the monsters) is going to do. After that's been determined, everyone rolls to determine in what order the actions occur. There are different situational modifiers; a player who waits to see what the monsters are doing before deciding what they're doing gets a -2, someone who states their intent before the monsters gets a +2, etc.
Since this is done every round, it makes the combat less static, at the expense of making the encounter play out a bit more slowly. The good thing about using the version given in Darker Dungeons is that, since it uses a d20 roll rather than d10, feats that improve initiative (like, say, Improved Initiative) still work as normal; feats that allow someone to shift their spot in initiative order would do so in a slightly modified fashion.
Now, on to my idea for altering magic. For a while, I've been thinking about one of the problems with most roleplaying games: the fact that wizards/mages tend to become far more powerful than fighter-based classes. I also think it takes away from the mystery - what makes magic seem magical - when players can throw fireballs at only 5th level.
I actually came up with a solution while I was working on an AD&D 2e campaign: slow down spell progression. In Pathfinder, the way I would implement this is by limiting 1st-level characters to cantrips. At 3rd level, they would get access to 1st-level spells such as magic missile, they'd get 2nd-level spells at 5th level, and so on. It also postpones the point where their power starts to overshadow that of fighters.
The reasoning behind this was also from a setting standpoint; the most powerful magic is only capable of being wielded by truly legendary figures, not any smart one who just lives long enough. I'd probably ban certain spells outright, or postpone their use.
Unfortunately, due to my difficulties getting enough people together in one place, I've not had the chance to try this out yet. Any thoughts from someone with more hands-on GM experience?