Magic: Spell Points
All Casters--whether Arcane or Divine--use his method for determining their spell points. They get their modifier (Int for Wizards, Wis for Druids, etc) times the level they have in the class that grants them spells.
For instance, a 1st level Sorcerer with a Cha of 20 will have 5*1 = 5 Spell Points.
A 15th level character With an Int of 20 that has 5 levels in Wizard and 10 levels in a class that only grants advancement in spellcasting every other level (Such as Blood Mage) Will have 50 Spell Points, NOT 75.
Note that this is not affected by caster level changes such as from the Practiced Caster Feat, et cetera. Those Feats are meant to improve how the caster casts spells, not how many they have access to.
Spell Cost:
The Cost of Spells is as Follows: It is Equal to the level of the Spell. Yes, this means that they have unlimited 0 Level Spells. It is not unbalancing to the game for these minor spells to be cast at will.
Sorcerer and Favored Soul Caveat:
To keep these classes worthwhile and to keep the balance in the game, Sorcerers and Favored Souls have half the cost as other classes when casting spells. Just like in a normal game, the point of these classes is to be able to cast a LOT more spells with the restriction of only having a few ever to choose from. This means that a 1st Level Favored Soul casting a Bless Spell will only use 0.5 Spell Points to do it (Yes, Fractions are possible; if it is easier for you math wise, simply double the number of spell points that you have and apply the standard spell cost; this works out exactly the same).
Spells Known/ Spells Prepared:
Use the spell charts in Pathfinder appropriate to your class to find the number of spells known as normal for a Spontaneous caster. For a caster who has to select their spells ahead of time (Everyone who isn’t a Favored Soul or a Sorcerer), select which spells you have access to for that ‘rest period’ at the beginning of the day. Apply the Modifier Bonuses as normal for the daily memorization (For instance, a 1st Level Druid with a Wis of 20 will have three 0 level spells [base from the class] and three 1st level spells (one base and two bonus for having a high stat).
How This Works With Spellcasting:
Say the same first Level Druid chooses Cure Light Wounds, Entangle, and Endure Elements for her Spells for the day (a pretty typical choice). Whenever she spends spell points, she has those three spells to choose from (remember she has unlimited 0 level spells). She can cast those spells in any combination, as long as she has spell points to do it. If she casts five Cure Light Wounds and is out of spell points, she cannot cast anything higher than a 0 level spell, even though she chose other spells that haven’t been “cast yet”! If a modern analogy helps, think of Spells as the guns that you are using and the Spell Points as the total ammunition that you have between them (Assuming of course that they all take the same kind of bullet—but I digress). Once you are out of Bullets, it doesn’t matter that you have other guns.
Metamagic Feats:
These work just like normal; the Spell Point Cost is equal to the adjusted level of the spell. i.e., a Fireball (3rd Level Arcane) that has been Maximized (+3 Level adjustment) will Cost the same as a 6th level spell. Note that, just like with spell slots, you cannot increase a spell cost beyond the max level you are capable of casting (A 1st level Sorcerer cannot heighten a Sleep Spell to 5th level, for instance).
Spell Cost: Equal to the level of the Spell.
I don't this is going to work out quite as well as you think it might, spells don't scale linearly, a 9th level spell is far, far more powerful than 9 1st level spells.
Sorcerer/Favored Soul: To keep these classes worthwhile and to keep the balance in the game, Sorcerers and Favored Souls have half the cost as other classes when casting spells.
This is going to get extremely nuts. Just a quick example to show why: Lets say you have a 12th level sorcerer, with a 20 base Cha, +2 from levelling, +4 from an item, so you're looking at a +8 Charisma modifier. With 12 caster levels, that means the Sorcerer has 96 spell points to cast with. Since 6th level spells only cost 3 points, that means they can cast 32 maximized fireballs a day.
Metamagic Feats: The Spell Point cost is equal to the adjusted level of the spell. i.e., a Fireball (3rd Level Arcane) that has been Maximized (+3 Level adjustment) will Cost the same as a 6th level spell. Note that, just like with spell slots, you cannot increase a spell cost beyond the max level you are capable of casting (A 1st level Sorcerer cannot heighten a Sleep Spell to 5th level, for instance).
Again, using the flat level as the cost is going to lead to trouble. For the same reasons as above.
Magic: Spell Points
All Casters--whether Arcane or Divine--use his method for determining their spell points. They get their modifier (Int for Wizards, Wis for Druids, etc) times the level they have in the class that grants them spells...
This is the mana pool solution and the one I use in my homebrew. It actually works out quite well but you have to dismiss the Sorcerer class completely. In my homebrew all casters cast spontaneously anyway - believe it or not it doesn't break the game and all those spells that you never use because you never prepared them because they are so situationally specific actually get used.
What is the mana pool solution?
This is the mana pool solution and the one I use in my homebrew. It actually works out quite well but you have to dismiss the Sorcerer class completely. In my homebrew all casters cast spontaneously anyway - believe it or not it doesn't break the game and all those spells that you never use because you never prepared them because they are so situationally specific actually get used.Magic: Spell Points
All Casters--whether Arcane or Divine--use his method for determining their spell points. They get their modifier (Int for Wizards, Wis for Druids, etc) times the level they have in the class that grants them spells...
What is the mana pool solution?
Oh! - meaning that you have a pool of points to cast from rather than spells per day. Here's the write-up from my campaign:
Warning! BIG LONG text:
Spellcasters channel or draw power either through sacred knowledge of communion, a divine gift granted to them by a godly being or through voice, motion and mental acuity. Unlike in a typical setting, none of the spellcasting classes are required to memorize or prepare their spells in order to cast them, nor do they have a number of spell slots per day that they can cast. Instead, a character’s potential to manifest power is drawn from both their ability and their experience, and this is represented by a pool of mana points.
In order to cast a spell a spellcaster simply has to have a number of points remaining in their mana pool equal to the level of the spell they wish to cast. The act of casting a spell reduces the number of points remaining in their mana pool by one point per level of the spell. So, in order to cast a 5th level spell a spellcaster has to have at least 5 points remaining in their mana pool. When the spell is cast their remaining points are reduced by 5 points. Any components that are required to cast a spell, however, are still necessary.
A spellcaster’s mana pool is restored to its full level after the caster has had a full night of uninterrupted rest. This is the only way to replenish a caster’s mana pool as no spells, potions or magical items can be created to transfer or restore points into a caster’s mana pool. Some legends tell of magical places that may hold such powers, but they are just the fancies of myth...
Determining a Caster’s Mana Pool: The number of points in a spellcaster’s mana pool is calculated by multiplying their primary ability bonus by their level. So, a 10th level druid with a wisdom score of 14, which gives a +2 modifier, has 2 × 10 = 20 points in their mana pool. And likewise, a 6th level mage with a 16 intelligence score, which gives a +3 modifier, has 3 × 6 = 18 points in their mana pool.
Multiclass spellcasters simply add the number of mana points from each class into their mana pool and spells cast from either class draw mana from the same pool. So, a character who is a 5th level cleric and a 5th level mage with a 15 wisdom score and a 15 intelligence score has a total of 20 points in their mana pool from which they can cast either clerical or magical spells (cleric: 2 × 5 = 10, mage: 2 × 5 = 10, mana pool: 10 + 10 = 20).
Determining a Caster’s Maximum Spell Level: The maximum spell level that a character can cast is equal to half their caster level rounded up. So, our 10th level druid from above can cast spells of up to 5th level. When that druid attains 11th level they would then be able to cast 6th level spells. However, the maximum spell level is also limited by the primary ability score for the class and so a spellcaster can only cast spells that are equal to or lower than their primary ability score minus 10. So, since our druid from above has a wisdom score of 14, they can only cast up to 4th level spells – regardless of their level.
Temporary Primary Ability Score Changes: If a spellcaster receives a temporary ability score change that affects the modifier used to determine the maximum available points in the caster’s mana pool, such as from the effects of a fox’s cunning spell or a magical item such as a periapt of wisdom, recalculate the maximum point total for the caster’s mana pool based on the temporary ability modifier. This becomes the caster’s temporary mana pool. The maximum spell level that a caster can cast is not affected by a temporary ability shift caused by an effect that has a limited duration, such as those from spells, scrolls and potions, but is affected by magical items that augment the casters ability score while equipped.
If the caster’s mana pool has increased in size due to an ability score shift, any points that had been expended prior to the change are still considered to be spent from the new total. When the caster’s ability score returns to its normal state the maximum mana point value also returns to its normal level and any points that have been expended are subtracted from the mana pool’s normal maximum value. If the number of remaining points in a spellcaster’s mana pool is below zero when the affected ability score returns to its normal value, the spellcaster suffers from the effects of mana burn (see below).
If a spellcaster’s mana pool decreases in size due to an ability score shift, such as from the effects of a feeblemind spell, only the maximum number of available mana points in the pool is affected. The number of points remaining in the pool is unchanged if it is still below the new maximum value of their pool – effectively decreasing the number of points considered to have been spent from the pool. Neither the maximum number of points for a mana pool nor the remaining points in a mana pool can ever be reduced below zero in this way. When the ability score returns to its normal value, the maximum value of the mana pool is restored but the number of remaining points in the pool is unchanged. The difference between the remaining points and the restored maximum number of points are considered to have been spent from the pool.
For example, a 10th level mage with an intelligence score of 15 initially has a maximum of 20 points in her mana pool. She casts three 3rd level spells which reduce the number of points remaining to 11. She then drinks a potion of fox’s cunning that temporarily increases her intelligence score to 19. Her mana pool now has a temporary maximum of 40 points, from which 9 points have already been expended, bringing the number of remaining points in her pool to 31. In the ensuing battle, she casts two 5th level spells and two more 3rd level spells, bringing her remaining mana points down to 15. A few rounds later, when the effect of the potion dissipates, her mana pool returns to its normal maximum level of 20 points. But since she has expended a total of 25 points of mana from her pool, her remaining mana points are at -5! Since her remaining points are below zero, she immediately suffers from the effects of mana burn.
In another example, our 10th level mage from above succumbs to a feeblemind spell that reduces her intelligence score to 1 when she has a full mana pool of 20 points. Her mana pool and remaining mana points are instantly reduced to 0, and she cannot cast spells at all. If she had been hit by the feeblemind at the end of the combat, after drinking the potion of fox’s cunning and after casting the extra spells she gained by the temporary ability point bonus, her mana pool and remaining points are still reduced to 0, but whether she suffers from mana burn or not is dependant on when she recovers from the feeblemind spell.
If her companions manage to release her from the feeblemind before the fox’s cunning dissipates, her maximum mana pool value returns to 40, her available mana points remain at 0, and the total number of points considered to have been spent from the pool are 40. When the effects of the fox’s cunning dissipate she will indeed suffer from 20 points of mana burn! If, on the other hand, her companions wait for the effects of the fox’s cunning to dissipate before they release her from the feeblemind spell, her maximum mana pool value returns to her normal level of 20, her available points remain at 0, and the total number of points considered to have been spent from her pool are 20. While she cannot cast any more spells until she rests, she at least will not suffer from mana burn.
Mana Burn: Mana burn is the result of wielding more power than a caster can actually handle. Typically this results when the effects of an ability augmenting spell wear off, or a magical item with continuous effects is removed from the caster after they have expended more mana points from their pool than they naturally could without the aid of their enhanced abilities.
If at any moment the number of mana points remaining in a spellcaster’s mana pool is below zero, their strength, dexterity and constitution scores are immediately reduced by 1 point for each point of mana that has been spent beyond the capacity of their mana pool, to a minimum score of zero. Any adjustments to the caster’s hit points, armor class, carrying capacity etc are instantly applied. As always, if the caster’s constitution score reaches zero due to mana burn, they will die.
The effects of mana burn are alleviated only after the caster has been able to enjoy a full night of uninterrupted rest.
Sampel spell point cost
Prepaerd catser
1stlv 1sp 2nd lv 3sp 3rd lv 5sp ext.spontanous caster
1stlv 1sp 2nd lv 4sp 3rd lv 6sp extit costs 1 point more per caster level for spontaious casters but thay get 1 point more for each of thear spells above 1st.
basikly take the number of spells that thay can cast of a given spell level and multiply it by the level that thay can 1st cant that level spell spell. repeat for all levels get u your spell points. a caster can not use more spell points in a spell than caster level
Can you explain how you formulated the spell point cost?
I have tried spell points a number of times but they always turn out to be a new way for the casters to belt out a huge number of their top spells.
I prefer to have a mixed system where the prepared caster picks the normal number of spells but then instead of casting each spell they just keep track of spells cast.
For instance
Level 5 druid has 4 4 3 2
He picks two level 3 spells Cure Moderate wounds and Dominate Animal. If he never finds an animal to use the spell on he can still use Cure twice or if he finds two animals to charm he can do that instead.
It makes the prepared casters more flexible and the book keeping is easier to keep track of.
I use the already made spell point system in Unearthed Arcana. The spell points raise in strength, ending with a 9th level spell costing around 18 or something and spell point pool being somewhere around 250-300 at 20th level. Now you may think this makes wizards/Sorcerers too powerful but my roleplaying group hasn't had a problem with it so far. I actually doubled the spell points cost for each spell and that helped a lot.
You'll usually find the party casting spells that make themselves look cool or using high level spells for trivial things. It makes spellcasters seem more spellcastery if you get my meaning. If you are not looking for spellcasters casting spells 24/7 my advice would be to double the spell cost and half the spell point total. That should make them maybe be able to cast a few more spells then they normally would, without being overly powerful.
The Unearthed has some very interesting variant ideas, you might want to check it out sometime.
You could use a quadratic or exponential growth in spell points to keep the top-end balanced - level 1 spells cost a single spell point, level 2 spells cost 4, level 3 spells cost 9, and so on.
This is roughly in line with what you get normally, at least at lower levels.
You could use a quadratic or exponential growth in spell points to keep the top-end balanced - level 1 spells cost a single spell point, level 2 spells cost 4, level 3 spells cost 9, and so on.
This is roughly in line with what you get normally, at least at lower levels.
I like that idea. The level 9 spell would cost 81 and the 7 only 49.
It would make low level spells nearly inexhaustible.
Thanks everybody for your comments and feedback. I think I came up with something that I feel comfortable with. Now to just play test it!