Alternative Magic System

[SeaJay]

Aside from the way sorcerers (who I want to keep unique) choose/cast spells, is there another way of casting spells other than the 'fire and forget' default method?

Using a manna/point system doesn't seem to be the best bet, because it makes certain spells, like magic missle, way too powerful.

Thanks

 

[RangerWickett]

How much work do you want to do? There's original 3.5 Tome of Magic with binders and shadow magic. Psions have power points. Book of 9 Swords had weapon-based magic.

If you really want something toolkit-esque, there's Elements of Magic, by E.N. Publishing. Build your own spells, based around specific traditions of magic.

 

[Crothian]

Ultimate Magic has a slightly different way of doing things. It really depends on what you want.

 

[SeaJay]

I don't really want to revamp the entire magic system. I just don't like the idea that spells get wiped once cast. I'm trying to figure out a work around for it.

 

[Crothian]

I don't really want to revamp the entire magic system. I just don't like the idea that spells get wiped once cast. I'm trying to figure out a work around for it.

Make each spell cast a skill check. Make the DCs high enough so there is actual chance of failure. Or maybe there is only a chance that a spell gets wiped from the castor's mind when it is cast. Or perhaps spells can be cast as often as one likes but all spells take more rounds to cast or have hard to get material components. None of these are perfect solutions but I offer them as options.

 

[SeaJay]

Make each spell cast a skill check. Make the DCs high enough so there is actual chance of failure. Or maybe there is only a chance that a spell gets wiped from the castor's mind when it is cast.

I like this a lot

I'll give the players a choice

1. Cast the spell normally, and it's wiped
2. Cast the spell via a DC, if successful, it's not wiped, if unsuccessful, it's wiped as usual, if failed by 5 or more, it's wiped, and not cast

Something like that.

Any ideas on the DCs? I'm quite new to PF and wouldn't want to botch the game before I even play it

 

[SkredlitheOgre]

Any ideas on the DCs? I'm quite new to PF and wouldn't want to botch the game before I even play it

You could make it a caster level check instead of a Skill check. DC is, say 10 + spell level? Maybe 15 instead. Roll d20 and add your caster level. Or you could use Intelligence modifier, Spellcraft or Knowledge (Arcana) instead of caster level.

Just a thought.

 

[N'raac]

You could make it a caster level check instead of a Skill check. DC is, say 10 + spell level? Maybe 15 instead. Roll d20 and add your caster level. Or you could use Intelligence modifier, Spellcraft or Knowledge (Arcana) instead of caster level.

A lot depends on how often you want this option used. It's pretty easy to bump INT and skill checks to high levels. A caster level check is tougher to manipulate.

At 10 + Spell Level, a 1st level wizard has a 55% chance (10+) to retain his L1 spell and a 25% to botch the roll by 5 or more and lose it without casting it. But by 6th level, he has an 80% chance to retain it and no chance to fail by 5 or more (unless a 1 always fails), and a 10th level wizard keeps his spell every time (again, unless 1 is an auto-fail), so Magic Missile becomes "cast at will", even worse than a spell point system.

I'd expect any option to be used only when the player is pretty confident he'll keep the spell, so this will enhance wizards' power in game. Apply this to clerics, and they can use a single L1 spell to cure the entire L15 party up to full hp between each encounter.

Make the DC 15 + level, and the auto success problem goes away (or at least moves to a higher level), but the failure chance will be great enough that the option will rarely, if ever, be used.

 

[IronWolf]

Did you look at the Words of Power system from Ultimate Magic?

 

[SeaJay]

No-memorization required


Players have two options when casting spells:

1. Cast the spell normal, and it gets wiped as normal.

2. Roll against DC 10 + Spell’s level adding the character’s Intelligence modifier.

Success = Spell is cast and it doesn't get wiped

Fail = Spell fails, but isn't wiped

Fail by 3 or more = Spell fails and is wiped

All other variables; spells per day etc, are exactly the same.

Repetitive Castings: The same spell cast repetitively carries a penalty equal to the number of times the spell is cast in a row. For example, twice in a row, -2, three times in a row, -3 and so on. There’s no penalty for casting a spell the first time, only after the first time.

You know the same number of spells.

You can cast the same number for your level – you just don’t have to memorize/pick them ahead of time.

Level DC Int +0
1 11 (50%)
2 12 (45%)
3 13 (40%)
4 14 (35%)
5 15 (30%)
6 16 (25%)
7 17 (20%)
8 18 (15%)
9 19 (10%)