This might be something that already exists, but what if you had the option to increase the potency of your spells at the expense of your well-being? Lots of fantasy literature gives us the theme of magic as being physically exhausting or taxing, but PF / D&D doesn't emulate that, as far as I know.
But, it could. If there was an option to take hp or non-lethal damage in exchange for a higher Spell DC, wouldn't that be interesting? I think a 4 for 1 or a 2-for-1 ratio might work.
You'd probably want to limit the bonus to a maximum of the caster's level and/or limit the effect only to casters doing this with spells in their own specialty or domains.
The idea hit me a couple of days ago, so I wanted to get your impression of it.
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I doesn't seem too bad as an option, off the top of my head how about:
- Making it a stackable feat option for casters, limit it so it can only be taken twice or so. (Definitely no more than 3)
- A backlash effect that deals 1d6 of non-lethal damage per spell level "pushed" which will add +1 DC to that spell.
- Taking the second tier causes the backlash effect to deal 1d6 Lethal damage per spell level "pushed" which adds a further +1 to the spell DC, for a total of +2 DC to that spell.
What I just jotted down helps to give your lower level spells some extra oomph, with manageable backlash. Your mid-level range spells benefit with a more significant cost for the caster. Finally, the high level spells are more of a "cast at your own risk" level.
Hope some of this helps and good luck.
Maybe suffer Str and/or Con damage in exchange for the ability to cast a Empowered, Enlarged or Heightened spell?
Maybe make it so this attribute damage must be healed through magic means, such as Lesser Restoration...
Lots of fantasy literature gives us the theme of magic as being physically exhausting or taxing, but PF / D&D doesn't emulate that, as far as I know.
I believe the current excuse for casters having a limit to spells per day is just this, as in it exhausts them to cast spells so they can only cast so many a day.
But I find it strange that a professional wizard would become exhausted so much faster than a dude swinging a 2-handed sword at full strength for the entire battle... He nether gets exhausted no matter how long the battle goes for, yet the wizard will soon run out of spells. To me its just a balance mechanism because they made casters to strong in relation to melee, no real fluff.
I don't like ideas like this as it soon leads to DM's making the casters get exhausted from casting normal spells, and as I said why should the wizard get exhausted when melee don't. If you link it to being like Rage for spells so a DM don't make that mistake then I would be fine with it. Otherwise there is that chance, so no I wouldn't recommend it.