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First, I feel its important to make it very clear that I have not play tested the new edition of pathfinder. So please keep that in mind as you read what I have to say. The details may not be complete, however this isn't about the details.
So, we begin with what everyone already knows. When it comes to magic, "Everything is Awesome". This is the most simple and basic truth when it comes to magic. It is fact. It can not be argued otherwise. When it comes to magic... everything is always awesome, all the time. I will elaborate more later.
I was inspired to write this after I read a thread about this "resonance" mechanic in the new edition. Now as I said earlier, I have not play tested the new edition. So the complete details escape me. However, they truly aren't important. What is important for this thread isn't the details, but the idea of resonance.
What is resonance at its most basic? Well that is simple, it is a control mechanic to balance magic. It doesn't matter how it works, or what problem it seeks to fix. It is a mechanic to control magic. But magic is, as we know, awesome. So it will fail. Doesn't matter how you work it or change it, it will always fail. Just like every control mechanic that has come before has failed.
What are spell slots? What are item body slot restrictions? These are simply put, attempts to control magic. Attempts to balance magic. Attempts that have all failed.
So why have they all failed.
They fail because it doesn't matter how many spell slots you have, or don't have. Magic is always awesome. It doesn't matter how many potions you can or cant drink in a day, because magic is always awesome.
All these "balancing" rules come at the end of the long road that is magic. You can not balance magic at the end of the road. Not when the foundation of all magic is... "everything is awesome".
You see, there is never not a reason to use magic. If you have magic, it is always a good idea to use that magic. Restricting access to magic doesn't change this. There are no situations where its not a good idea to use the magic you have. Magic is awesome. It doesn't matter how many spell slots I have for spells, if its always a good idea to use those slots. Players will always use them.
It doesn't matter how much resonance you have or don't have, you are always going to use what you have. And since magic is awesome, there is no reason to continue with out magic. Not when you can wait until you can use magic again, and then proceed. So restricting access to magic, will never balance magic. Restricting access to awesome, doesn't change how awesome it is.
Magic is pure advantage, and zero disadvantage. So players will always use any advantage they have, to its fullest. They will never not use advantages, and never not try to maximize advantage. That is just a logical fundamental of gamers.
How do you balance magic? You make it less awesome at its foundation. You make it have a disadvantage or consequence, at the foundation level that makes players have to consider alternate solutions for their problems. Or want to consider other solutions.
What is magic? How does it really work? How does it actually function in a realistic world that has magic?
Why doesn't every peasant in the land know a cantrip or a low level spell? There is no reason they shouldn't. Why don't clerics walk through the cities blowing their whole load of spell slots, on healing magic, before bed every night? Why isn't every king or queen layered with protective magic every moment of their lives? Why are their mundane healers, if clerics have magic? Why doesn't everyone use wands? Or use potions, for everything.
The questions go on and on. There are hundreds of questions like these, and never a reason to say no to magic.
You want to balance magic, then change the laws of magic. Make magic not be the end all be all perfect solution. Magic has to be a double edged sword. There has to be consequences to using magic all the time. There has to be a reason to just say No. There has to be a reason to respect magic, to say it isn't always the best solution. Players have to have a choice between wanting to use magic, or not wanting to risk it.
How would I do it?
Well, first what is magic if not pure mystical energy. So why is it okay to just run pure mystical energy through your body all the time, at any quantities you want with out any thought to how it will effect your body in the long term.
So why shouldn't using magic, or having magic used on you, have a negative effect in the long term.
Don't use a resonance pool to artificially instill a restriction on magic usage, like a water tap with an artificial off switch when you use to much. This doesn't stop players from wanting to use magic, or waiting for their recharge.
However, what if magic accumulates in the body. Using some magic isn't a problem, and in fact can be used all day every day... in moderation. However, if you over use far to much magic over short periods of time. Well then there are consequences to your health.
What if you have gauge, a tolerance to how much magic you can be effected by over the course of an hour and be okay, instead of a pool. You stay under your tolerance and you are fine, no problems. During fights or challenges, the gauge fills up as magic is used on you or you are exposed to magic. The gauge empties every hour you go without magic being used on you or around you.
The gauge has no hard limit. Players get to choose when and how much magic they are exposed too. So if they choose, they can go over their limit... and accept the consequences.
You go over your limit, and small things start to happen. You get sick, you suffer ailments, or your tolerance lowers. You go way over your limit... you overdose. You suffer major side effects. Physical and mental side effects. Long term side effects, that are real and have substance. Consequences that aren't just hand waved away with the use of magic spells.
When magic isn't always awesome, players will balance themselves. Suddenly its not the best option to blow through all your spell slots in one fight. Suddenly, you don't have worry about balancing how many spell slots wizards have... but how fast they use them. You don't need to limit the number of consumables the use in one day... but just how fast they should use them.
You make players want to stretch out magical resources over the length of a long day... instead of short 30 minute bursts. The key words are want to. You don't force, you give players a choice. But you make it a real choice. If magic isn't always the awesome, if it costs you... then its now a tactical choice of how and when do you use it. This creates opportunities to want to use mundane solutions. And it creates situations for non magic users to step up.
All of a sudden you create a reason why magic isn't everywhere. Why everyone doesn't just use magic. Even why people might not want to ever use magic or have it used on them.
Why isn't magic "healing" the go to healing for everyone... because in the long term it might be worse for your health or mental stability then what ever you are suffering from.
Why aren't the rich always guarded by massive protection magic all the time? Because they do not have that kind of tolerance. It can be dangerous. Maybe to dangerous.
Its a staple of fantasy fiction, that some wizards go to far with magic...take it to far and go crazy by magic. Or are even destroyed by magic. However, currently that's not possible. So make it possible.
Make magic a double edged sword, that it should be. Real, applicable consequences. Do that, and you change the fundamental truths of magic and how it is used in game. Only then do you have a chance at bringing magic under any kind of control, or balance.
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