Is there an elegant way to deal with the interaction of these two things?
My group uses the spell point variant from Unearthed Arcana and one of the players wants to start using the Pearls of Power listed in the magic items in the core book.
The problem I've run into is that simply converting a pearl of power into the requisite spell points needed to cast a spell of that level makes it illogical to buy anything more than level one pearls.
For example, a level 1 pearl of power costs 1000 gold. This grants a first level spell slot, or 1 spell point. A level 2 pearl of power costs 4000 gold, or 3 spell points. However, 3 level 1 pearls of power grant 3 spell points too...at 1000 gold cheaper. Since pearls of power are slotless items and are stackable, I run into a problem.
I wouldn't bother with them except one of the players wants them in her special item (every player has one). When she gets to level 20, she is getting 56 extra spell points - which can equal 3 extra level 9 spells, a level 8 spell and a level 1 spell (time stop, prismatic sphere and 2 gates, with a quickened (from a rod) magic missile for kicks). If we were using Vancian slots, she could have an extra 6th level spell, two 5s, two 4s, a single 3, two 2s and two 1s. Vastly different. Rather than a nigh invulnerable caster flanked by two solars, she just has a little more durability and versatility in her mid and low level spells.
So what do you guys think? How should we handle the unintended consequences of spell points and spell boosting items?
Is there an elegant way to deal with the interaction of these two things?
My group uses the spell point variant from Unearthed Arcana and one of the players wants to start using the Pearls of Power listed in the magic items in the core book.
The problem I've run into is that simply converting a pearl of power into the requisite spell points needed to cast a spell of that level makes it illogical to buy anything more than level one pearls.
For example, a level 1 pearl of power costs 1000 gold. This grants a first level spell slot, or 1 spell point. A level 2 pearl of power costs 4000 gold, or 3 spell points. However, 3 level 1 pearls of power grant 3 spell points too...at 1000 gold cheaper. Since pearls of power are slotless items and are stackable, I run into a problem.
I wouldn't bother with them except one of the players wants them in her special item (every player has one). When she gets to level 20, she is getting 56 extra spell points - which can equal 3 extra level 9 spells, a level 8 spell and a level 1 spell (time stop, prismatic sphere and 2 gates, with a quickened (from a rod) magic missile for kicks). If we were using Vancian slots, she could have an extra 6th level spell, two 5s, two 4s, a single 3, two 2s and two 1s. Vastly different. Rather than a nigh invulnerable caster flanked by two solars, she just has a little more durability and versatility in her mid and low level spells.
So what do you guys think? How should we handle the unintended consequences of spell points and spell boosting items?
Wow, that's a pretty rabid abuse of the system. There's the standby solution of the DM simply saying "No, now quit trying to break my campaign and play nicely." A lot of people don't seem to like this solution on the boards, though, so I offer another:
Make the first pearl use a freebie. After that, she must make a concentration check (DC 15+the pearl's level) in order to get the spell points. At 20, this ain't so hard to do, but add a kicker. Every time she does it again, the DC increases by 2. She can pull this off for a few pearls, but by the time she hits the 7 or 8 mark it starts getting hard. You could even make it a little taxing- say, if she fails the concentration check she LOSES that amount of spellpower.
Seems fair to me.
Well, the abuse isn't coming from the player. I was building the item for her and then realized what the pearls could do. I'm fine with banning them if need be, but I'd like to find a way to use them if there can be an elegant solution (the Concentration checks aren't a bad idea).
I actually do play with spell points and we use pearls of power. The freebie idea works well, but they use pearls rampantly if you let them buy pearls instead of casting for the lower levels.
Limit the amount of pearls per day by their modifier. This knid unbroke it for us.
Well, the abuse isn't coming from the player. I was building the item for her and then realized what the pearls could do. I'm fine with banning them if need be, but I'd like to find a way to use them if there can be an elegant solution (the Concentration checks aren't a bad idea).
Just make them recover spell points but only for a spell just cast (the next round) and make it a standard action to use the pearl.
This way they can only use one pearl, and if they cast a high level spell they need the higher level pearl to get all the points back.
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People normally do run around with a bag full of pearls of power. one of the first major expenses of most clerics I knew in a big campaign was crafting like 5 pearl 1's and then it was focusing on making the higher level ones. Hell, my paladin bought a Pearl of Power 1 just because I had a thousand gold laying about.
This is why I don't like spell point systems. You can't radically alter the magic system in an RPG without actually doing work and saying how the various magic items interact with it. :/
This post isn't very helpful.
(The original Unearthed Arcana was way better then the 3rd edition one! Had better cover art too!)
The way the psionic (power point) version works is that they provide the power points for casting (rather than helping you recover power points) and you can only use one pearl of power (psionic capacitor) per casting. So you cannot use 3x pearl of power I to cast a level two spell, but you could use a single pearl of power to reduce the cost from three points to two.
I'd think it would be easy. A POP allows you to cast one spell of its level or lower for no power cost.
That way, you can only use a level 1 POP for a level 1 spell.
I think this is the best and simplest solution.
Each Pearl of Power 1 allows you to cast any level 1 spell you have prepared without using up spell points once per day.
Just a quick point of interest -- Pearls of power are command word activated:
"Once per day on command, a pearl of power enables the possessor to recall any one spell that she had prepared and then cast that day."
Meaning using one is supposed to take a standard action that doesn't provoke...
However I've seen plenty of people (myself include) ignore that.
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mmmm
Pearl of Power lvl 1 provides enough power to power a level 1 spell.
Pearl of Power lvl 2 provides enough power to power a level 2 spell.
Now since you must use a Command Word to activate the Pearl, you cannot use three Level 1 Pearls to power a level 2 spell.
The wizard can carry 50 level 1 Pearls all day, that just means he can recall 50 level 1 spells. He can never manage to muster enough power to cast even one level 2 spell.
That seems to me to be ample justification for increased cost. Does he wish to ONLY cast level spells or does he ever wish to cast higher level spells?
I know that it's not what you wanted, but.
Since you're using the Unearthed Spell point system, I thought I might suggest this for you instead.
http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Mana-Based_Spellcasting_%283.5e_Variant_Rule %29
It's MUCH better from what I can see, and have been informed of.