Different scopes of magic - worth using?

[Al the Absentminded]

I've been thinking about how I'd want to change the magic system. Here's an idea I'm offering for feedback:

Magic-users have four broad scopes of magic that they can use.

Trivial: Magic of trivial scope can generally be used whenever and wherever the magic-user wishes. Particularly potent trivial spells may require some resource expenditure, or perhaps the possession of a required focus, but most trivial spells will not.

Limited: Magic of limited scope may only be used a limited number of times between character downtime, or some other similar restriction. Such spells will usually have a powerful effect - one such spell should be able to decide the outcome of a significant encounter.

Singular: Magic of singular scope will usually only be available once per adventure - probably due to the effort required to make use of it. Singular magics are, usually, best employed at the climax of an adventure - rat bastard DMs will seek to get PCs to use up Singular magics prematurely.

Epic: Magic of epic scope requires effort equal to a quest to enact. The effects are generally considered worth it, however. As long as someone doesn't interfere and ruin everything.


So, thoughts? Traditional spell valences would be in the 'limited' category.

-Albert

 

[GreatLemur]

I like the sound of the Trivial category a lot. I've always thought allowing unlimited use of 0-level spells would turn lots of ignored spells into fun roleplay props without really unbalancing things (although, personally, I'd want to remove the combat cantrips and define prestidigitation a bit better before trying this).

 

[Spatzimaus]

My group has actually taken this a bit further. We've been playing a homebrew system where all the really low-level stuff can be cast more or less at will, for any of the caster classes. (It increases as you go up, and also increases more within your specialty, so a Wizard that can cast 8th or 9th level spells can pretty much cast level 0-1 spells at will and even level 2 within his specialty.)

It's worked really well, in practice, although it's drastically altered certain points of balance. For instance, once a cure spell can be cast at will (even cure minor wounds), there's really no more issue of "downtime healing"; as long as there's a little time between encounters, the party will enter the next encounter fully healed. Also, the group becomes drastically stronger if certain low-level buffs (especially ones like bear's endurance) can be cast at will. (One possible fix is to say that the "free" aspect of these buffs only applies when you cast them on yourself, a la the Psionic versions.)

My point is, if you make the change you suggested, I think it'll work fine. The only caveat is that certain low-level spells become unbalanced when cast at will, so you might need to tweak the spell lists a little, or at least alter a few spells' effects. But actually, we had LONG ago house-ruled that read magic and detect magic could be cast at will by all spellcasters, if only to keep them from filling up every 0-level slot with those spells.

 

[Ilium]

Many people (as GreatLemur alludes to) allow 0-level spells to be used at will. So your categories map neatly to the existing system (with an optional rule from UA):

Trivial: 0-level
Limited: 1st-9th level
Singular: Incantations
Epic: Plot devices cooked up by the GM.

So while you're looking to make a new system, this will give you a good benchmark for referencing published adventures and supplements. Cool.