Alternate Vancian Magic System [Houserules]

[KaeYoss]

Yes, that's right! It's an idea for an alternate magic system, and it's still Vancian!

It borrows a bit from spell point systems, and especially from 3.5 psionics.

I had this idea a couple of days ago and thought I'd throw out here to see what you guys think, and whether you have some more ideas about it. This is meant as a houserule thread, but I didn't really find the right place for it, so it ended up here.

Now, for the idea itself:
The system still has spells, with spell levels, occupying spell slots you usually have to decide on in advance, just like D&D magic.

But you have some more control over the spell's details, and that without metamagic and the like:

Let's look at fireball for our example. Usually, that's 1d6/caster level damage, max 10d6, with a 20ft spread, at long range, with VSM components.

My idea would be this:
You have "spell-power points" equal to your caster level to distribute among effects.

The standard effect is 1d6 damage per SP. So if you're level 10, you can have a 10d6 fireball, or you can sacrifice some of those dice for other effects.

Effects would include:

Increasing the range, from close to medium to long to long x2, for 2SP per increase.

Increasing the area by 50%, 100%, and so on, for 3 points for each increase.

Change the energy type for 1 point.

Get rid of a component: Material/Focus (1), Verbal (2), Somatic (2) (more for expensive stuff, if that's even possible)

Decrease casting time to swift for 8 points.

Forego rolling the dice and get 4 damage per die (2) or 6 damage per die (6)

Other spells would have different effects, to, like increasing the duration, or pretty much everything you could usually do with a metamagic feat, archmage/hierophant power, and some more stuff besides.

Spell details derived from caster level (like duration or just how far the range is) would be based on total points used.

Each spell level would have a maximum spell cost, and a maximum number of points used for the primary function. For example, 3rd level could be up to 15 points, with up to 10 points usable for damage dice. If you want more than that, use a bigger slot. DCs are based on the slot used.

[Marty1000]

This interesting KaeYoss

Overall it is good houserule idea but I think it is overpowered as you have written.

I would suggest a couple things:

You can't apply spell points to purchase an effect that you don't already have the equivalent metamagic-feat for. Example: If he wants to use spell points to "buy" maximum damage, he must also have the maximize spell metamagic feat in his bag of tricks representing that he "knows how" to maximize a spell.

I would suggest that changing the energy type also bring a penalty to the damage dice (say half normal), unless you pay more spell points improve the damage. A fireball by a 10th level wizard would do 10d6 damage. If he changes energy to cold, the spell would do 5d6 cold damage - he is changing his energy on the fly so if he came up against an encounter that he wasn't prepared for, he still needs "to suffer" somewhat for not having the right spells lines up. But he could spend some additional spell points to get back to full normal damage dice. Or perhaps change energy should cost 2 or 3 spell points instead of just 1.

Maybe spell points could also be used to increase the save DC for a spell with some limit - maybe + 1 DC for 2 spell points up to max half caster level.

[KaeYoss]

Oh, the thread made it after all. I thought it lost. Welcome back!

I'm not sure whether metamagic feats should be in or not.