OK, recently I have worked up a spell point system that I think really works so I would like to share it with the community. Plus if anyone is willing to give it a try or even give feedback on it I would love to hear it.
I designed this system to be based of the old spell slot system because I love how it create limits on a spell caster but hated it because it really made a spell caster not very flexible and was stuck playing the rock paper scissors with the DM on a constant basis.
So far we have had one test of the system and that was with my highly geared up Artificer against a highly geared up Druid (my friend). In the end my artificer won the battle only by wits and his gear. It was a tough fight and a interesting one. We literally had each other up against the ropes. It was also a lot of fun but I would like more testing of it.
Any thoughts?
P.S. please keep in mind when I wrote this up it it was for our less experienced players as well as experienced.
The Illogic of a Spell Slot System
This spell point system represents pure magical power of a caster instead of the “memorized” or “granted” spell. This makes for a more realistic and flexible view of spell casting. In the old days of gaming, wizards would “memorize” their spells but as soon as they cast the spell they would forget it and this was also very similar to clerics except they would pray for the spells and they were granted their power. It is very illogical that a person would memorize something over and over again only to never totally remember it. So does this suggest that a wizard has no long term memory of course not? These days the term was changed to “preparing spells” however this is just a cosmetic change to hide this old particular flaw in the logic of what was in fact merely a metagame mechanic.
Not All Magic is the Same
Not all magic is the same and unless special circumstances are in place Arcane and Divine magic do not mix and while Psionic power is not a form of magic it to does not mix with the Arcane or Divine power as well however these three different powers do effect each other indirectly as far as resistence and protection effects go. If as a player you create a multiclass character with both divine and arcane magic then that character uses separate pools of magic power for each class. There are however some prestige classes that does overt this rule of mixing different type of magic power.
How Spell Point Work
If you are playing a spell casting character then that character will have a pool of spell points which represents the character’s total mystic or divine power. These spell points are replenished each day with a total of 8 hours of rest. When your character casts a spell then that character pays a cost of 1 spell point times the spell level. For instance, a third level spell has a inherent cost of 3 spell points and a ninth level spell has a cost of 9 spell points. The cost of a spell is no more or no less then the cost of the spell’s level with exception of using metamagic, spontaneous casters like oracles and sorcerers or when pushing your spell casting past your current level limit. When your character runs out of spell points then your character can cast no more spells that day unless you find another source to power your spells.
Spontaneous Casters: Spontaneous casters are the exception to the spell level cost rule.
Before casting spell a spontaneous caster may elect to invest more spell points into a spell. For each spell point invested into a spell the caster may max out one of the lowest damage die or increase the saving throw DC of the spell by one point per extra spell point spent. There is a limit, a spontaneous caster may not invest more than 1 extra spell point for every two caster levels that spell came from and the extra investment must be paid before casting the spell.Metamagic Feats: Metamagic feats affect the total spell cost as it pertains to the higher spell slots requirements that accompany most metamagic feats. For example, the metamagic Feat “Maximize Spell” incurs three higher spell slots then the spell in question so a Maximized Magic Missile spell would have a total cost of 4 spell points instead of the standard 1 spell point but this would mean max damage for that spell.
Magic Spell Point Mixing: Unless specified by a class ability or converted feat the different magic types do not mix into one magic spell point pool but those of the same type do. For example, if you have a divine spell casting class and a arcane spell casting class they use separate spell point pools. However, if you have two classes of the same spell casting type they do mix, for instance, the spell points of a Paladin and a class of a Cleric do combine into one pool of divine spell points.
The Slots Are Still Around: The old spell slots will still to be used but as a meta-scaffold on which the spell points are calculated from, setting limits to spell casting and setting limits to how many spells you can prep a day.
Spell Point Formula: For each spell slot a character gains half that spell slot’s level rounded down to a minimum of 1 spell point is gained to the total spell point pool for that character. For instance, if a first level slot is gained then 1 spell point is gained however if a seventh level spell slot is gained then that character gains 3 spell points.
Primary Casting Attribute:For each spell casting level you gain in a class you gain half the bonus (rounded down and a minimum of 1) to your total spell casting pool for that type of magic from the primary casting attribute of that class. For example, a wizard with a INT of 18 would gain +2 spell points per level however a wizard with a 20 INT would only gain +2 spell point per level as well because half of the normal +5 bonus is 2.5 points rounded down it becomes a 2.
Magic Items: Magic items that permanently increase your primary casting attribute when worn does effect your total bonus gained for your spell points pools. However, the magic item must be kept worn while resting the standard 8 hours. If such item is removed, any points that were gain do to it’s effect is lost.
Potions: Potions that increase your primary casting attribute temporarily so not confer extra spell point but it still effects spell penetrating power of your spells like normal.
[b]Rings of Wizardry increase your ability to prepare spells by doubling the normal amount. They will also provide the wizard with 1 additional AP per new slot gained in this manner no matter what the level of the ring is. So if you gain 4 extra slots then you gain 4 extra AP to the max you can gain.[b]Bonus Spell Slots: Bonus spell slots from a high primary attribute or the cleric’s extra domain slot do not contribute to your total spell point pool for that type of magic but it does count toward the total number spells you can prep in a day and in the cleric’s case allows the cleric to prep on more spell but only from her domain.
Spell Slot Limits: Your spell slots, still in a way, limit how many spells you can cast of a particular spell level but only when it comes to cost in which case the character pays double the cost of the spell. For instance, a 10th level wizard has two 5th level spell slots and normally they each have a cost of five spell points each, however the wizard may elect to cast a third 5th level spell but it would then cost 10 spell points because he is casting beyond his spell slot limit.
Daily Spells: Daily spells gain from class abilities, racial abilities or even magical items that grant daily spells do not confer extra spell points.
Preparing Spells: Each day after a full 8 hours of rest a non-spontaneous spell casters must prep their spells by priming their souls in order to be able to channel the pattern of that spell. Preparing a spell by priming it comes with meditation and consulting a magic spellcasting book or through prayer. Once a spell is primed or prepared it stays with the caster and does not get used up with use. This means that a non-sponteous caster needs only prepare a particular spell once that day and can cast that spell as many times as he wishes as long as he has the spell points to do so.
Spontaneous casters do not need to prep their spells as their spells are always primed as a part of their souls and can be used any time as long as they have the spell points to cast them.
Quick Reference to spell Total Point Progression.
Class Lvl 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Wizard 1 2 3 5 6 8 11 14 17 21
Sorcerer 3 4 5 9 10 14 16 23 26 28
Cleric/Druid 1 2 3 5 6 8 11 14 17 21
Oracle 3 4 5 9 10 14 16 23 26 28
Paladin - - - 0 1 1 1 2 3 3
Bard 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 10 12 14Class Lvl 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Wizard 25 30 35 41 47 54 61 69 76 84
Sorcerer 30 45 48 60 66 81 88 104 112 116
Cleric/Druid 25 30 35 41 47 54 61 69 76 84
Oracle 30 45 48 60 66 81 88 104 112 116
Paladin 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 13 14 16
Bard 18 20 22 26 29 32 37 42 47 50