Do Paizo plan on supporting the Words of Power rule a bit more?

[JiCi]

You know that alternate magic rule in Ultimate Magic? Yeah, do Paizo plan to expand it with new words, prestige classes and such?

[LazarX]

I doubt it. It was thrown in as something for DM's to experiment with like the supplemental rules in Ultimate Combat, not as a core mechanic.

At this pointm it's a safe assumption that we're on our own.

[Kolokotroni]

I believe there have been a few 3rd party products that expanded on it, but from paizo i wouldnt expect any more in the forseable future.

[Trinite]

You're not the only one I've heard ask about this. Maybe some third party publisher could put out some stuff for them? That's the beauty of the OGL, after all!

[Richard Moore]

Let me ask the community at large, then: what sort of support for Words of Power would you like to see from a 3PP?

No promises at all here, but good supporting material is a lot easier to deliver if we get a good idea of what you guys want!

[Michael Sayre]

Dotting...

[LazarX]

Richard Moore wrote:

Let me ask the community at large, then: what sort of support for Words of Power would you like to see from a 3PP?

No promises at all here, but good supporting material is a lot easier to deliver if we get a good idea of what you guys want!

Quite frankly, the mechanic doesn't sing to me. I'm more fond of the Ars Magica technique/forms model or the GURPS noun/verb version.

[Starbuck_II]

Richard Moore wrote:

Let me ask the community at large, then: what sort of support for Words of Power would you like to see from a 3PP?

No promises at all here, but good supporting material is a lot easier to deliver if we get a good idea of what you guys want!

Better words?

Some of the words work fine, but others really aren't very good.

[Kthulhu]

More expansive. Words that are good for more than just blasting.

[Serisan]

Kthulhu wrote:

More expansive. Words that are good for more than just blasting.

I think this is fair, but with caveats.

1. Based on the construction of WoP, any individual battlefield control word must be at least 1 level higher than the equivalent standard spell. Between the flavor of the system (namely, being primitive magic) and the ability to combine Effects, there needs to be a drawback that precludes, say, Black Tentacles + Ice Storm style control.

2. Effect Words must be balanced to accommodate the fact that the core of WoP includes Lock Ward, a.k.a. Brew Potion up to 7th level spells at no cost.

3. Additional feats related to WoP and its interaction with standard spells. Example: someone recently asked if you can take Expanded Arcana on a Wordcaster. Based on the special requirements, you cannot. You can, however, take Experimental Spellcaster as a standard caster to get WoP options, some of which are better than standard spells (see: Lock Ward + any buffs). This then opens up Extra Words to the standard caster. Recommendation: Modern Spell Training: Prerequisites: Caster 1st level, Special: Must be a Wordcaster - Effect: Allows a Wordcaster to select (x) spells from the normal spell list and add them to their Spells Known (Sorceror, Oracle, Inquisitor, etc.), Spellbook (Wizard, Magi, Alchemist), Spell List (Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger) or Familiar (Witch). Non-Wordspells require 2 spell slots when preparing or casting if selected through this feat or Extra Arcana.

Rationale on the drawback: WoP is driven by its customizability, while standard spells are driven by specificity. A few choice standard spells are significantly better than few choice Words.

4. Additional Metawords that let you twist your Wordspells in ways that are not duplicated by Metamagic Feats.

[Orthos]

Serisan seems to have the gist of it. Cant think of anything to add. Count me in for this though.

[Nosferatu]

+1

One tool of balancing spells with effects based on die-types, especially those which can be combined with other words, is to down-shift the die-type, and offer a boost option.

Based on word spells I've seen, I've noted that these are existing general purpose uses of 'boost'

Effect Words' Boost
- increase die types
- upgrade spell effect (such as Concealing words)
- upgrade spell function (such as 'Bleeding Wounds')
- grants more of an option (such as Change words)
- cast as an immediate action (without Quicken)
- modify target conditions (such as 'Suppress' and 'Repulse')
- modify target restrictions
- modify frequency of spell effect
- deny secondary saving throws
- be able to move an emanation

Target Words' Boost
- expand the coverage of the targets
(this one's mostly covered, I think)

Given that we have such boost options, it might also help to say that creating new Meta words should be careful to justify having a similar effect as a standard spell; is taking a meta word that allows you to turn a spell with an instantaneous duration, but one that persists, dealing a fraction of the damage over time, balanced by merely increasing the level of the spell? Does the power behind it adequately justify using a meta-slot?

Someone consider a meta word I'm making up (this is the kind I'd love to see), which I called "Ball" for simplicity, which can be applied to certain Effect and Target words, which I think need need some expression:

Ball Meta-word:

It may be applied to an instantaneous spell that deals damage, if so, the spell must use the "Selected" target word, and the target must be an empty square. Boosting 'Selected' does not alter this spell.
If such an effect is used with target word "Selected", the effect word's duration is changed to 1 round/level, the range is changed to medium (100ft + 10ft/level), and the damage is divided out evenly by the number of rounds the spell persists, plus 1/2 the caster's CL (so 'Burning Flash Ball' would now deal 1d4 + 1/2 CL, for CL rounds). The ball takes up a space of 5ft diameter where it manifests, and floats, awaiting command. The caster can direct the ball to move 30ft, or fly 30 ft (with perfect manoeuvrability), by making a Fly skill check. Either form of movement costs one of your move actions. It cannot push aside unwilling creatures or batter down large obstacles.

Basically, the idea behind Flaming Sphere, for all the juicy evocation spells

If applied to a 'barrier' target word, the spell forms a dome, which covers a an area encompassed by 10' radius burst, and increases to 15' radius at CL14, and if epic levels are in, radius 20' at CL 25. The dome fails to form, entirely, if a creature inside the area is too big for the dome to contain. Creatures standing in the space where the walls of the dome form are allowed a reflex save (DC as normal) to move into, or out of the dome.

I thought that barrier spells are really a bit dry, and also much too two-dimensional. Flying creatures could just ignore it, but not anymore!

This meta-word increases the spellword's level by 1.