Arcana Evolved Arcana Unearthed versus Arcana Evolved?

[Knightfall]

Query: What are the differences between Arcana Unearthed and Arcana Evolved?

A FLGS has Arcana Unearthed for CAN $29, which seems reasonable, but I'm not sure if I should get it or try to find the revised version.

Note: I just bought a copy of The Diamond Throne, so I don't really need more on the campaign setting for AU/AE. (I'm mainly interested in having access to the variant races and classes to use for World of Kulan.)

[Obryn]

I have both, and basically here's the rundown...

(1) Arcana Evolved uses more of the 3.5 rules than the 3.0 rules, so that's a pretty hefty revision.

(2) Arcana Evolved adds a very non-intrusive metaplot about the dragons returning. It gives some dynamism to what's otherwise a potentially stale setting. It repeats the information in Diamond Throne, but also adds new material.

(3) It includes a new race, and several other new options for existing classes. I can't point to all the differences, though. I know the Champion of Justice is new, and some class features incorporated the Arcana Unearthed errata.

(4) The Evolution mechanics are really cool - they add a lot to the setting, IMO. Basically, it adds new racial class levels for non-leveling races; and extends existing ones up to 6. These evolved levels are kinda special and tough to get - and it might kill you in the process.

That's about all I can remember, other than how colorful the Evolved book is. If you don't own either, I'd go for Arcana Evolved... It's well worth the additional price, IMHO, even if you don't end up using it.

I ran a wonderful campaign in it, but when we got to 12th level or so, it got to be too much. Magisters (and even Greenbonds with just a feat or two) get massively more powerful than 3.5 Wizards, and the bookkeeping is a bit more than in default 3.5. I know that Arcana Unearthed promised more balance to spellcasting, but I can only assume that claim was made in jest. It's much easier to get insanely high scores given racial levels, and the better-than-wizard-or-sorcerer spellcasting system ensures they can spam the best spells over and over again, at lower or higher power as the situation demands. Nevertheless, it's an amazing setting with exciting classes and races that's not quite like anything I've seen before or since.

EDIT: At one time, there was a conversion document on montecook.com, but I haven't looked there for a bit. You might be able to find it, still.

-O

[Voadam]

Originally Posted by Knightfall

Query: What are the differences between Arcana Unearthed and Arcana Evolved?

A FLGS has Arcana Unearthed for CAN $29, which seems reasonable, but I'm not sure if I should get it or try to find the revised version.

Note: I just bought a copy of The Diamond Throne, so I don't really need more on the campaign setting for AU/AE. (I'm mainly interested in having access to the variant races and classes to use for World of Kulan.)

Arcana Evolved was planned as a super deluxe high end version of Arcana Unearthed that used full color, more deluxe layout, a bunch of freebies from his website integrated directly (rune warrior, extra champion type, etc.), and the Diamond Throne setting supplement included. It advances the timeline of the DT setting to have dragons return and in tension with the overlord giants, it introduces a dragon man servant race, evolved levels taking racial levels to 6, extends level limits up to 25.

AE is pretty hard to find now so getting a good deal on AU, particularly when you already have DT is a good option.

I've seen better deals for used AU though on American Amazon.

[Knightfall]

Originally Posted by Voadam

AE is pretty hard to find now so getting a good deal on AU, particularly when you already have DT is a good option.

I've seen better deals for used AU though on American Amazon.

It sounds like I should buy AU; although, I think I'm going to try to find it cheaper. (I guess it will depend on whether or not I come across a copy of AE.)

Which of the other AE/AU books are worth getting?

[Voadam]

Originally Posted by Knightfall

It sounds like I should buy AU; although, I think I'm going to try to find it cheaper. (I guess it will depend on whether or not I come across a copy of AE.)

Which of the other AE/AU books are worth getting?

Spell treasury hugely expands the spell lists with srd and complete book of eldritch might ones done out AU style (enhancements and reductions). It doesn't really have good solutions for the every spellcaster has access to all the spells of their expanded spell lists problem though which applies to AU casters just like it does to clerics and druids in 3.5.

Legacy of Dragons is a decent bestiary.

I recently got the Lore one that Mike Mearls did which introduces low level ritual magic that is widely available and provides a lot of magic fluff/description, but I haven't read through it yet.

[Mentat55]

In terms of crunch, Arcana Evolved adds a new PC race (dracha, a dragon-man), gives races the option to take evolved levels, adds the ritual warrior class (and combat rites, mainly for the RW but also for the oathsworn and warmain), adds two champion types (knowledge and justice, I think), adds class progressions up to level 25, and a few spells, including level 10 ones.

In terms of fluff, as another poster mentioned, there is the return of the dragons. The AE hardcover contains all the Diamond Throne setting material in it, plus extra, as it details the Unknown West and the far southern regions in far more detail than DT, IIRC.

[Knightfall]

Originally Posted by Voadam

Spell treasury hugely expands the spell lists with srd and complete book of eldritch might ones done out AU style (enhancements and reductions). It doesn't really have good solutions for the every spellcaster has access to all the spells of their expanded spell lists problem though which applies to AU casters just like it does to clerics and druids in 3.5.

Does Spell Treasury completely reproduce the spells from CBoEM (and the SRD) in it, or does it only convert the key changes to AU? I guess what I'm asking is, do I have to reference CBoEM and the SRD to use it?

I do have CBoEM, regardless.

Also, does ST have any new spells in it? That's a key point for me.

Also, I'm assuming that I can use ST with the AU version without difficulty if I choose not to look for the AE version.

Originally Posted by Voadam

Legacy of Dragons is a decent bestiary.

I looked at that book today. I can probably get it for around CAN $15 (plus tax). It looks like a great monster book, however, I had to buy Tome of Horrors III today, instead.

[Robert Ranting]

AE also makes some revisions to various existing classes and equipment. For example, Champions gain the "Avatar's Allies" ability at 16th level, many weapons now have a parry modifier, so when used in conjunction with the total defense action or in the hands of an Unfettered, they grant a slight AC bonus, and many of the races had their racial level benefits changed.

A pdf listing of all the errata and changes between AU and AE can be found on Malhavoc Press' website here Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed Updates, Errata, and Clarifications


Also, the Spell Treasury presents full write ups of the converted spells, so you don't need the other books as a reference. You will note however, that some of the spells from the various listed sources are not included, such as D&D's inflict and cure spells, and nasty save-or-dies like Sussar's Death out of the CBoEM.

IMHO, however, the Spell Treasury has a great potential to break the game in half if the DM is not careful about what he allows at this table. While core AE casting is somewhat weaker than 3.5 D&D's (except evocation), some of the spells that made it into the Spell Treasury are quite simply, poorly converted, and often more powerful than the core rules version rather than a nerf. Meanwhile, others are so nerfed that you might never use them (Haste for example), and some just plain don't fit well with the setting (Greenbonds getting all Positive energy spells means they get a lot of converted Paladin spells, like Bless Weapon and Heartglow) Don't get me wrong, I love AE and I have been GMing it for years, but the Spell Treasury in my experience is a book that must be handled with care.

[Robert Ranting]

Regarding new spells, the Spell Treasury also converts a goodly number of spells from the Books of Hallowed Might that Monte wrote for 3.0. If you don't have those, then yes, there are new spells in the ST. Many of the spells from the SRD are significantly changed, especially with AE's lack of alignment, and the necessity of adding heightened and diminished effects, and various racial descriptors, which can give things a new flavor. Most of the spells also have new names, many of which are flavorful, but indicate more about the fluff than effect (Discern Lies becomes Gaze of the Sibeccai, True Seeing is Lion's Eye, Brambles is Cluatta (the Litorian word for punishment) etc.) While there is an index cross referencing the new names with the SRD names in the back of the book, I've found it somewhat annoying to convert.

As far as supplements go, none of the AE books Malhavoc put out are outright bad. Mike Mearls did most of the design work on them, and his stuff is always a mix of brilliance and terrible disappointment for me, but YMMV. (Obviously WotC liked his work for Malhavoc enough that they hired him to work on core D&D and to help design 4e, since he barely finished Iron Heroes before leaving Malhavoc)

Mystic Secrets: The Lore of Word and Rune presents a lot of new material despite it's short length. In addition to new spells and runes, it presents variant Runechildren and their opposite number, the Heralds of Annihilation, Rune weapons and runic templates that can be added to existing magic items, ritual magic that any character can learn, and several interesting magical locations and guidelines for making your own.

Transcendence expands on the idea of Evolution with evolved levels centering on evolving one of the six stats (Str, Dex, etc.), introduces a couple of new materials (daelren and Tylonian crystal), details the Totem Speaker base class (sortof a druid/bard that must be read to be believed...it's just exceptionally weird) and provides additional crunch for every core class in AE in terms of feats, PrCs, replacement levels, class specific items, new witchery manifestations, etc. In particular, the fighting classes gain a lot of new options from this book, balancing out the power creep the AE casters experience with Spell Treasury somewhat.

Ruins of Intrigue is a weird product. Half adventure, half setting book, it details a single city and it's factions and more or less presents the place as a huge sandbox giving the DM ideas rather than statting everything and giving it a linear plot. It has monsters and sample encounters and NPCs, and some really neat fluff.

As mentioned above, Legacy of the Dragons is a really nice bestiary, presented in a format that WotC would later emulate in MM 4 and 5, with sample encounters and lots of fluff for each monster. Some of my favorite monsters lurk in this tome, many of which are responsible for the most memorable moments of the first campaign I ever DMed. In particular, the Valloreans are a great villainous race that recaptures what made the drow scary before becoming watered down and mixes it with a dash of the Cthulhu mythos and Chaositech. Definately some of Mearls' best work.

Robert "One Man's Opinion, Formed By Seven Years of Play and Six of GMing" Ranting

[Voadam]

Originally Posted by Knightfall

Does Spell Treasury completely reproduce the spells from CBoEM (and the SRD) in it, or does it only convert the key changes to AU? I guess what I'm asking is, do I have to reference CBoEM and the SRD to use it?

I do have CBoEM, regardless.

Also, does ST have any new spells in it? That's a key point for me.

Also, I'm assuming that I can use ST with the AU version without difficulty if I choose not to look for the AE version.

Spell Treasury:

Magic may be the most fascinating of all the interesting aspects of Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved. This sourcebook expands that system with more than 500 spells -- magic converted from the System Reference Document, The Complete Book of Eldritch Might, and other sources, as well as all-new spells. Every spell in this 240-page book comes complete and ready to use with the flexible Arcana Evolved magic system, including heightened and diminished effects, magic item creation modifiers, and more.

This Spell Treasury more than triples the repertoire of Arcana Evolved spellcasters, from magisters and witches to runethanes, greenbonds, and mage blades. Also includes sidebars on the spells’ uses and introduces the new runic and soul descriptors. Suitable for characters of all levels.

Bold added.

So it is complete spell descriptions, uses srd, CBoEM, other malhavoc spells, plus a few new ones, and does not rely upon new stuff in AE so it is compatible with AU.

[Obryn]

Originally Posted by Robert Ranting

While core AE casting is somewhat weaker than 3.5 D&D's (except evocation), some of the spells that made it into the Spell Treasury are quite simply, poorly converted, and often more powerful than the core rules version rather than a nerf.

I suppose I didn't find it to be that way - but I did note that you mentioned how evocation in AE is more powerful than in 3.5.

While each individual spell was often less powerful or of a higher level, it was the combination of several things which broke the heck out of it in my group.

(1) Higher ability scores, in general. This adds to spells per day and - most critically - save DCs. The ability-enhancing spells are also significantly buffed.

(2) While there were no save-or-dies, there are still plenty of save-or-sucks like Resilient Sphere.

(3) The flexible spellcasting system often meant that a successful save just meant the Magister would try the same spell next round, until it works. So, it was just a matter of time until that Resilient Sphere would work.

(4) The evocations really are that bad, Sorcerous Blast in particular. When you add together long ranges, unrestricted elements, and the option to cast it as a 2nd-level spell against a single foe... It's crazy. And, as I mentioned, they can be freely spammed.

(5) A more or less must-have feat (Brandish Magical Might) lets spellcasters punch through spell resistance fairly easily, many times per day. This means that throwing creatures with SR against them is often fairly futile.

(6) A flying race + powerful evocation. Nuff said.

(7) And the biggie - templates. For the cost of a feat you would probably take anyway, you can add crazy buffs to most of your spells. A 20gp gem gets you an extra 2d6 on Fire spells. A 30gp gem adds a Stun effect to any damaging spell, or a two-round stun effect for any Electrical damaging spell. Runic spells are a little slow - but they can easily become an effective -6, -10, or more penalty to saves. And the worst is Acid, which is an auto-stun, no saving throw, lasting 1 round for every 20 points of damage, at the cost of a 20gp gem.


Please don't misunderstand me - I ran AE for several years, and it was one of the best character-driven games I've ever run. I'd rather play it than default 3.5 any day. I love the setting and I love the rules, overall. But weakening some individual spells doesn't really change the fact that spellcasters are nevertheless more consistently powerful in AE than in default 3.5. They kind of broke the game for my group, even sticking with the spells in the AE core book and largely ignoring everything from Spell Treasury.

-O

[Knightfall]

BTW...

Do I need to have AU/AE to use the Legacy of the Dragons monster book or does it stand on its own? Does it include all the feats required in the book or do I have to have access to AU/AE?

I'm assuming I'd have to tweak the skills but that's not a big deal to me.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Both the Iron Heroes and the Arcana Evolved monster books work well without the original system, I think. I highly recommend then, there are some interesting creatures in it. (Examples to mention: A creature that heals its victims because it can only procreate in combat thanks to its evil masters design, or a race of intelligent spiders that fear humans.)

I would generally suggest picking up Arcana Evolved if possible. It contains just more material and it uses more of 3.5, which might make it easy to unlearn/relearn things. Aside from that, the evolved stuff can be very interesting, as the return of the Dragons.

But if you already have the Diamond Throne, the AU might be sufficient.


I ran a long campaign using AU/DT (I think I later "upgraded" to AE mid-campaign). I am not sure, maybe we got around 12th level or so? At that point, I was unfortuantely getting a little tired of running a high level game and I had a lot of other ideas I wanted to run. In a way I wanted the campaign to move "faster" - but without missing elements and twists I created, which of course was impssobile.

[Ruland]

Perhaps it should be mentioned in this thread that AE is still available as a PDF on a rather well-known RPG-PDF-Outlet ...

The price seems reasonable, but printing the book on your ink-color-printer is going to drain your cartridges as if they were blood bags in the hands of a starved vampire.

On the other hand - its a possibility to get this extraordinary, but out-of-print book.

[Knightfall]

Originally Posted by Mustrum_Ridcully

Both the Iron Heroes and the Arcana Evolved monster books work well without the original system, I think. I highly recommend them, there are some interesting creatures in it. (Examples to mention: A creature that heals its victims because it can only procreate in combat thanks to its evil masters design, or a race of intelligent spiders that fear humans.)

After taking it a look at it the other day, I'm fairly certain that I want the Arcana Unearthed monster book. Still, getting it isn't my first priority right now.

I've never considered the Iron Heroes monster book, however. I was really interested in IH when it first came out but I lost interest in it almost right away.

Originally Posted by Mustrum_Ridcully

I would generally suggest picking up Arcana Evolved if possible. It contains just more material and it uses more of 3.5, which might make it easy to unlearn/relearn things. Aside from that, the evolved stuff can be very interesting, as the return of the Dragons.

But if you already have the Diamond Throne, the AU might be sufficient.

I mainly want the information on the races while everything else is secondary. If there was a way I could get the background information and statistics for the AU races without the rest of the book, I would.

I'm assuming that's not an option.

I bought the DT book on a lark. It was such a good price (CAN $10) that I said "what the heck."

[Arkhandus]

Nah, that's not really an option. The races and classes are only available in the AU book and the AE book (though a scant few have been previewed on Malhavoc's website to some degree, and one or two are found in other books, such as the Totem Speaker base class in Transcendance; it's sort of a druidic mediator class, that sprang up after the return of the dragons, trying to maintain balance and peace between the dragons and giants, nature and civilization; they are sort of a cross between Totem Warriors and Greenbonds).

Transcendance, as mentioned by others, details various new options and variants for improving characters in different ways. For one thing, it introduces the Totem Speaker class, which has a medium BAB, high Will saves, mediocre HD, above-average skills, medium spellcasting progression (like a Runethane, Witch, etc.), several totem trait choices over time, and few mediation, spirit-talking, and vitality benefits from the Green over time. Transcendance also includes replacement levels, more or less like substitution levels in D&D but not so race-related. It adds a few more feats other other abilities for each class to help them specialize or differentiate themselves, and includes other new options for the classes, like Akashic items, Exotic Combat Rites, and feats that require a level in the appropriate class and involve that class' features in some way. There's a prestige class or two mixed in there, such as the Living Oath prestige class for Oathsworn.

Transcendance also adds the ability-evolution classes, a set of six pseudo-prestige-classes that work similar to the Evolved racial levels detailed in Arcana Evolved. Each of these classes goes up to level 5 and improves the associated ability score by 2 points of the course of those levels, along with granting some additional benefits appropriate to their theme (for instance, the Strength Evolution levels can increase a character's size slightly with some limitations, while the Wisdom Evolution levels can increase a character's effective spellcasting every other level). The book/PDF (I bought it in PDF from RPGNow) also introduces some Runic Affinity feats for any character to take (though each may only take one), some Tylonian crystal weapons/armors/etc., and some Arcane Evolution options, granted by some replacement levels, which provide benefits based on a chosen spell descriptor such as air, electricity, force, etc.

I haven't read any of my Arcana Evolved PDFs fully yet, only skimming parts of them so far, since I only bought them a few months ago, so I don't have any direct experience or opinions on how it works in play yet. I bought Arcana Unearthed years ago in the bookstore (the FLGS didn't have it), and am more familiar with it, but haven't had a chance to play it run it yet.

AE's only new base classes are the Totem Speaker (in Transcendance) and the Ritual Warrior (in Arcana Evolved), as far as I know. I don't have an opinion yet on the Ritual Warrior, but other posters have already described it a bit. My first impression is that it might be a bit weaker than other AU/AE warrior-types, but I'm not sure, it might be on-par or a bit stronger. *shrug* Arcana Evolved adds the Dracha race (a winged race of dragon-created warriors, able to glide somewhat, more physically adept than the mojh). AE adds a few things for various classes, but not a lot. The Champion of Justice and Champion of Knowledge choices for Champions were added. Not much else as far as I've noticed (though I haven't finished reading the PDF yet).

Roleplaying-wise, Arcana Evolved has some expanded descriptions for the races and other stuff, and of course adds a bit of setting information related to the return of the dragons. It has only a few pages regarding lands outside Dor-Erthenos itself (two or three pages on the lands immediately around Dor-Erthenos such as Zalavat and Thartholan, a page about Pallambor, the land just west of there, under a page of detail on Skaraven to the south, and that's it).

Legacy of the Dragons, the monster-book, seems pretty good, but again, I haven't had a chance to see it in play yet. It includes notes for use of the critters in 3.0 and 3.5 D&D rules (such as 3.0 and 3.5 D&D versions of Damage Reduction). There's a Conversion Appendix in it for using the creatures in non-AU/non-AE games, such as replacing particular feats or gear of the creatures with equivalent ones from the D&D core rules/SRD. My impression from reading some of the creature entries is that, with the conversion appendix, you don't need AU or AE (and I don't think you need either particular version of those rules, it seems useable with both versions).

I'd recommend all three books, but if you already have The Diamond Throne, then you can do just fine with Arcana Unearthed instead of Arcana Evolved. I bought AE mostly because it was on sale and I didn't have The Diamond Throne yet, so I figured it was worthwhile just to get The Diamond Throne material along with the added or revised material that wasn't in my copy of Arcana Unearthed. AU will provide you with most of the AE book's material that you don't already have, though, since you already own The Diamond Throne. AE only adds a few things, like Evolved racial levels, Evolved class levels (21st through 25th), the Dracha race, the Ritual Warrior class, and little more. You could use Legacy of the Dragons or Transcendance without AE, though I think Transcendance's ability evolution and arcane evolution stuff might not be useable without AE (I forget if Transcendance details the evolution-level costs and such, since they are detailed in the AE book).

[Robert Ranting]

As I said, except evocation. Note that in AE, the best "Save or suck" spells, including Resilient Sphere, and Chains of Vengeance, are of the evocation school.

That said, evocation is a bit over the top in AE, as opposed to being the redheaded stepchild of 3.5. Everywhere I go online I run into people who patronizingly tell me that evocation is the weakest of all the schools in 3.5, and frankly, it is nice to have a game where that patently isn't the case.

Also, while I can come off as a "Gung-Ho Fanboy" for AE, I realize that the game has it's problems, and I have a significant list of houserules I have been using in my own games, especially when it comes to Magisters. Anyone interested can check out my wiki here volkheim / Magister

I also rather intensely despise the Dracha, Sprytes, the Runic and Psionic spell templates, and various bits of Transcendence, but I try not to dwell on these, especially when I am trying to convince someone that buying the books is a good idea...because really, the good outweighs the bad, and I genuinely want others to see the good in a product that has given me as much fun as AE has.

As a final note, the OGL bits of the AE races and classes are available online, if you search for the Akashic Record Wiki. The kicker is that the website leaves out just enough information that you can't really run the game without the core book (For example, it gives you the class charts, but when it comes to racial levels, the wiki does not list the individual SLAs, or the specifics on how the dracha breath weapon works, etc.)

Robert "No Game is Perfect" Ranting

[Obryn]

Oh yeah, I am a big fan of AE myself, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I just plain couldn't keep up after a while... At 12th level, I couldn't get groups of enemies together who would pose a challenge both to the spellcasters and to the non-spellcasters... who sadly became kind of the supporting cast. I also got bogged down in prep-work, because there are just about zero electronic aids available for it... Even the incredible Custom Spellbook Generator seems to have disappeared. I wanted something like Heroforge, but it was sadly not forthcoming.

I would love to run it again someday, but I would really need to do something about the magic system. It reads so elegantly, and it's honestly brilliant, but it's far, far too easy to break with just one or two feats. This is nothing new for a Monte Cook supplement - he always gives arcane spellcasters all the goodies - but it can become problematic. I also don't know if I'd go past 10th level...

Still, the setting, the races, and the classes are insanely cool. So much more interesting than vanilla 3.5, IMHO. I strongly, strongly recommend it - but I want to make sure that people getting into it have a good conception of what's actually involved with the spells, rather than the press. And especially that they shouldn't buy any claims that spellcasting is somehow weaker than it is in 3.5 based on the removal of a few spells and the nerfing of some others.

-O

[Knightfall]

Originally Posted by Arkhandus

Nah, that's not really an option. The races and classes are only available in the AU book and the AE book (though a scant few have been previewed on Malhavoc's website to some degree, and one or two are found in other books, such as the Totem Speaker base class in Transcendance; it's sort of a druidic mediator class, that sprang up after the return of the dragons, trying to maintain balance and peace between the dragons and giants, nature and civilization; they are sort of a cross between Totem Warriors and Greenbonds).

How well would the AU classes work with the standard v.3.5 classes?

Since I'd be using the AU book to enhance my own 3.5 homebrewed world, I'd want to be able add some of the classes to World of Kulan. It sounds like the magic system isn't something I'm likely to use for Kulan but I've heard good things about the martial classes in AU.

[Obryn]

Some of them would fit right in, but some are clearly beefier.

Warmains are basically Fighters+, and might out-compete them in your game. Then again, I think they are less powerful than Warblades from Bo9S, so if your fighters need a boost, go with these guys.

Magisters, see my post above. I've heard of one in a regular 3.5 game, but I don't know if it was powergamed to any degree. I have my doubts, obviously, but it might work. Still, this is the most problematic class for me.

Akashics are generally Rogues+ but don't get as hefty a sneak attack. I think they could work alongside regular 3.5 classes, but I'd keep an eye on them.

Greenbonds are Clerics/Druids+. They don't have the animal companion or the shapeshifting, but they have lots of spells, easily expanded spell lists, and a lot of crazy healing abilities. I think one could play well with others, actually, but I'd keep an eye on their feats & templates.

Unfettered, Mageblades, Witches, Runethanes, Totem Warriors, Totem Speakers, Champions, and Ritual Warriors are probably usable as-is without much modification at all. You might run into a problem where your Unfettereds' ACs get pretty high, but I never found that to be the case in my own games.

IMO, YMMV, etc.

After checking out the AU/AE classes, you might even decide you like them better than the regular 3.5 classes. They cover all the adventuring bases, just in a different way than 3.5's classes do.

My suggestions:
I'd advise keeping the AU/AE spell lists for AU/AE characters, but maybe limit access to templates (say, X times per day in addition to their components). Also, as a practical matter, you can solve several problems with AU/AE spellcasting by limiting the casters to one use of each specific spell per combat. It's clearly gamist, but you'll have to do something!

-O