Just making sure I have this right. In the First Edition Core Rulebook, I find "Spells come in two types: arcane (cast by bards, sorcerers, and wizards) and divine (cast by clerics, druids, and experienced paladins and rangers)." I think the equivalent in the Second Edition CRB would/will say "Spells come in four types: arcane (cast by some sorcerers, and by wizards), divine (cast by clerics, experienced paladins and some sorcerers), occult (cast by bards and some sorcerers), and primal (cast by druids, experienced rangers, and some sorcerers)". Did I miss anything?
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Well... Paladins and Rangers don't have spells anymore, the former have focus spells and the later we don't know yet if they have focus spells too in the CRB.
But yeah, four lists of spells.
Ah. Okay. But... what's a focus spell? How does it differ from any other kind of spell?
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It feels like anything you do to create a magical effect is a spell (no more SLAs or Sus), and all spells fall into one of four bins: Arcane, Divine, Primal, or Occult.
Some classes who have focus spells (like a monk's ki powers) have a choice as to how their spells are categorized (monks can choose divine or occult.)
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Focus spells differ in what resource you use to cast them.
There are three types of spells (when defined by how often you cast them)
Cantrips:Infinite use. Spell level is always character lvl /2 rounded up
Slotted Spells: Prepare and expend as in PF1 (or just expend if spontaneous). Spell level depends on slot used to cast spell. Note spell magnitude (damage, duration) no longer scales with caster level only with spell slot used. However DC now scales with caster level instead of spell slot used so it's kind of a wash IMO.
Focus Spells: Characters have a focus pool that starts at 1 point at lvl 1 and you can use that point to cast a focus spell. Think of it as a single focus spell slot if that helps. Spell level is always character lvl/2 rounded up.
Focus can be regained by spending 10 minutes doing a specific thing (praying for a cleric/champions, studying spellbook for a wizard, meditating for a monk, etc.)
So focus spells are kind of soft 1/encounter type mechanic.
Focus spells are replacing things from PF1 like the cleric domain abilities and the wizard school abilities that were usable 3+modifier times per day as well as the monk's ki powers and the paladins spells.
There are probably ways to get more focus points but probably not a ton.
Hm. That's... okay, I'll wait until I see the book. :-)
I'm pretty sure that any thing that gives you a new focus spell also increases your focus pool by 1. I would also expect there to be a general feat that increases your focus pool by 1. That being said, having a large focus pool is not necessarily good, since it still takes you 10 minutes to regain 1 FP, regardless of how many points you have. Just means you spend 10 minutes after the NEXT encounter to gain a point instead of this one.
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Rituals (requires 8 hours, several participants, and skill checks) are also spells, and can be cast by anyone with sufficient proficiency in relevant skills.
A few former spells have been recategorized as rituals (e.g. Resurrection, Legend Lore, Control Weather, Planar Binding) and are thus available to anyone who can make hard skill checks.
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Well... Paladins and Rangers don't have spells anymore, the former have focus spells and the later we don't know yet if they have focus spells too in the CRB.
Focus Spells do have a type, however. Paladin spells are specifically and explicitly Divine, for instance.
Wasnt the focus pool based on your primary ability or was that scrapped?
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Wasnt the focus pool based on your primary ability or was that scrapped?
That seems to have been scrapped when they introduced a 10 minute activity to recover a point of Focus. IE, Seelah can pray to Iomadae for 10 minutes to recover a Focus Point and use her Lay on Hands again.
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That was scrapped. Now Focus starts at a flat 1 and increases slowly. But it can be recharged by spending 10 minutes praying/studying/singing/meditating/looking at grass/etc.
I like the 10 minute break but I think the pool based on primary ability + a few other things wasnt that bad, gonna read that twice and think about how to do it in the end
Speaking of 10 minute breaks, I can't recall any dungeon-delving group ever stopping for lunch along the way. Seems.. unrealistic, especially if there are halflings in the group. :-)
you are rught, halfling don't STOP for lunch - and if you disturb their lunch they get angry *cue halfling barbarian*
but seriously, a moment after bettle to catch breath sounds really good, from a story point of view it doenst have to be 10 minutes (especially if it was an easy battle) but taking a moment resprite while looting corpses, drinking from your waterskin and maybe insert a little prayer if you are religious sounds good
of course, if one takes a break to pray after every encounter i would say they should keep it a little down or throw the next encounter quick enough that there isnt time to let them rest ;)
you are rught, halfling don't STOP for lunch - and if you disturb their lunch they get angry *cue halfling barbarian*
but seriously, a moment after bettle to catch breath sounds really good, from a story point of view it doenst have to be 10 minutes (especially if it was an easy battle) but taking a moment resprite while looting corpses, drinking from your waterskin and maybe insert a little prayer if you are religious sounds good
of course, if one takes a break to pray after every encounter i would say they should keep it a little down or throw the next encounter quick enough that there isnt time to let them rest ;)
OSR style D&D has more structured dungeon exploring rules, where each exploration move takes 10 minutes specifically to abstract all of these little things happening in-character. I used to think it was kind of a dumb rule, but it does make things more realistic and makes time/distance easier to track.
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The Devs hinted at more spells might have a 10 minute duration, now with the focus break. So after battle you have a choice to either pause to refucos or carry your buffs into the next battle. Can't have both :)
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I like the 10 minute break but I think the pool based on primary ability + a few other things wasnt that bad, gonna read that twice and think about how to do it in the end
The nice thing is that the new system is much more forgiving of 12 charisma dwarf paladins, though.
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Spell duration is one of the main thing I'm worried about in second edition. I'll really miss casters being able to fly all day or have other utility spells more readily available. I do know that spells needed to be toned down, I just wish it was more damage or debuff wise. I love buffing spells :C
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Spell duration is one of the main thing I'm worried about in second edition. I'll really miss casters being able to fly all day or have other utility spells more readily available. I do know that spells needed to be toned down, I just wish it was more damage or debuff wise. I love buffing spells :C
Good news then, durations were extended significantly in the final version.