Spells Known Changed Every Level?

[caith]

How much would it affect game balance to allow an oracle/sorceror/other spont caster to change a Spell Known every level rather than every other?

[TriOmegaZero]

Not a bit.

[Dazaras]

I agree, you wouldn't notice any difference at all.

[kyrt-ryder]

It would just a little, in a positive way. Spontaneous Casters would be less screwed over by poor choices in that they could more easily replace spells that didn't work/ they didn't enjoy at level up.

[caith]

So where is the limit? What if a spontaeneous caster could change their whole loadout every even level? Or every level? How would that affect balance?

What if arcane Spont casters memorized spells known like a wizard? They maintain a spellbook, and each day can pick a small number of spells to cast spontaeneously?

What if divine Spont casters memorized spells known like a cleric? They have access to all spells and select a few each day at preparation?

How much do you think this would affect game balance?

[Artanthos]

caith wrote:

How much would it affect game balance to allow an oracle/sorceror/other spont caster to change a Spell Known every level rather than every other?

Ring of Spell Knowledge

Why wait when you can gain access to new spells on the fly? You don't even need to wait until the next day, skill checks are standard actions by default.

[lemeres]

Well, depending on how often you level, it should not be a problem. I've heard that once every three times your group meets makes for a nice general benchmark for leveling.

This means that choosing specific, situational spells is still not worth it since it takes so long to get them. At best, it would be used to waste a spell known to benefit at the moment, and then go to waste once the campaign is past that section. Mostly, this would be a good choice to ease spell selection on spontaneous casters, especially for newer players that would generally use such classes in order to ease into magic use.

[soupturtle]

caith wrote:

So where is the limit? What if a spontaeneous caster could change their whole loadout every even level? Or every level? How would that affect balance?

What if arcane Spont casters memorized spells known like a wizard? They maintain a spellbook, and each day can pick a small number of spells to cast spontaeneously?

What if divine Spont casters memorized spells known like a cleric? They have access to all spells and select a few each day at preparation?

How much do you think this would affect game balance?

My guess is that changing all spells known every level could be quite powerful in the right campaign, and would also be useful in general, especially in the mid levels, as there is quite a difference between the low level spells you want to use at low levels and low level spells you want to use at higher levels.

Changing spells known every day would definitely be overpowered. It's all the benefits of being prepared for exactly what's coming of the prepared caster with none of the downsides of having to guess exactly what you'll want to cast. And it gives you even more chance to get off situationally awesome spells than prepared casters have, as you can know them without having to cast them.

[Vod Canockers]

If you have some idea of what you will be facing in the upcoming level, it can be very powerful. If you can swap out all your fire spells before facing the Fire Giants, or cold spells before facing the Cold Giants, choosing spells that aren't affected by SR, or just losing those spells that aren't effective beyond low levels, you have a huge amount of flexibility that previously didn't exist.

You no longer have to think long term, because this spell that very useful right now can be used right now, without worry if it isn't useful later.

[Parka]

Tie it to something in-game. An undead bloodline sorcerer must travel to the oldest tomb in the country of his birth and rest there alone during the three-day holiday of mourning, during which he dreams, half-dead. When he awakens, his spells have changed. A fire mystery oracle must climb an active volcano, bathing in every caldera lake en route, and speak with the elemental that resides in the magma basin. After a long conversation, the new spells are taught, while the knowledge of the old spells was washed away in the sulfurous springs that were on the way.

Not only is it flavorful (always a plus), the GM has ongoing control over the refresh rate. The process doesn't even have to be the same each time; magic is weird and non-scientific. What works now might not work when it's raining.

Having spell relearning tied to something with so many other metagame consequences (like leveling) means that when you want to prevent it or induce it, a lot of side-effects will happen as a result.