I am working on a different take on magic. Not really a new system, as a new approach. My approach assumes that some spells come more naturally to casters than others. To reflect this, I have divided the schools of magic by the associated casting stat, rather than spell lists by school. This approach has every caster with a prime stat for casting, which is used to determine bonus spells. Otherwise, his different stats determine the max level of spell that he can cast in a particular school. This leads to built in specialization. I know that this will have many screaming about MADS. That is true, but probably not as bad as some other classes. Also, there are many players out there that neglect certain schools to a greater or lesser extent anyway.
At the most basic form of implementation, you should just use wizards, bards, and magi as the casting classes. Implement archetypes for the various neglected classes. I would eliminate clerics as a class. Take a lesson from Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved setting & have priest be a calling available to any class, not a class unto itself. All spells would be available to any that have the appropriate stats to cast them.
I am making a couple of classes that are built with this approach in mind. I will be using a spell point system pretty much identical to psionic power points. Before I finish it, I think I will be running a few games with just the base use implemented.
The schools of magic & casting stats are as follows
Abjuration (Intelligence)
Conjuration (Charisma or Wisdom) (This is a dual stat school. This represents 2 differing approaches to casting these spells, as well as making each stat able to draw from 3 schools apiece).
Divination (Wisdom)
Enchantment (Charisma)
Evocation (Intelligence)
Illusion (Charisma)
Necromancy (Wisdom)
Transmutation (Intelligence)
Universal (Any)
I admit that this would basically create a different feel for any campaign that uses this. It is really a flavor mechanic, as much as a different approach to magic.
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Well if you wanted to have an older feel to it you could always make it the old:
Abjuration - Wisdom
Conjuration - Constitution
Divination - Wisdom
Enchanting - Charisma
Illusion - Dexterity
Evocation - Constitution
Necromancy - Wisdom
Transmutation - Dexterity
At least those were the old specialist wizard requirements.
Well if you wanted to have an older feel to it you could always make it the old:
Abjuration - Wisdom
Conjuration - Constitution
Divination - Wisdom
Enchanting - Charisma
Illusion - Dexterity
Evocation - Constitution
Necromancy - Wisdom
Transmutation - DexterityAt least those were the old specialist wizard requirements.
No, I am going with what feels right for each school based on the modern casting stats.