Limited Magic Setting

[BooDoo]

I'm trying to pull together ideas for a setting where magic is limited in nature and primarily drawn from the elements and nature. Magic like necromancy, teleportation, shapeshifting, all that would be out. In terms of acceptable domains, this would mean stuff like elemental, plant, animal, sun/dark, etc. Wizards and paladins are a no-go, probably.
In looking at spell lists for things like clerics and sorcerers, there are tons of spells that don't really fit the type. I'd have to pare down the spell lists for every class, since so many of them are vastly divergent in form and function. I *do* want spellcasters in this setting to feel rarer and more specialized, but I don't want to totally shut down the player's options. Plus, I'd prefer to use existing material than try creating totally new classes. Anyone know of any possible avenues to explore?

[Otherwhere]

Rather than eliminate the other spells, you could make them cost an extra spell slot so they are less attractive to carry about. You could also require a concentration/spell-craft check to cast these other spells due to their being harder to cast.

Only the elemental- and nature-based spells have their usual cost.

[RDM42]

Raise the objectionable spells by a level or two?

[Lazlo.Arcadia]

I made all of my arcane casters be specialists, and then restricted non-spec school magic to level 3 or lower. Semi-Casters like the Bard or Ranger work normally. It resulted in more flavor to all of the casters, because you no longer have the generic mage, but rather you have Battle Mages, Seers, Summoners, etc.

[Lathiira]

You might want to look at some third-party products (3pp), like Spheres of Power, as that has a magic system that might suit you.

For clerical magic: if all you have is elemental and nature magic, you might just toss clerics out the window and oracles with them. Keep druids instead. If you still want clerics, they're going to lose their entire spell list pretty much, with a few exceptions. As an alternative, keep clerics, but only those with elemental and nature-oriented domains (e.g. Weather). Allow them to cast their domain spells in their standard spell slots. They won't be casting many spells in terms of variety.

Be prepared for potential issues with status effects if you take these ideas for clerics, as that's one thing they're very good at, dealing with negative levels/curses/blindness/deafness/disease/poison/acne/halitosis/brain tumors/unibrows etc.

[Sissyl]

So... Cause unibrow or ray of unibrowness, Lathiira?

[Cyrad]

I second Spheres of Power. You can simply refluff or remove Spheres you don't like.

[Lathiira]

Sissyl wrote:

So... Cause unibrow or ray of unibrowness, Lathiira?

Hey, in some cultures that's a serious disease to have lol