Some thoughts on a roll-based magic system varient for D&D.
I'd like to up-gun magic in a game I may be running soon, but also want to add some more complexity & uncertainty to acts of magic. Here are some rules I'm toying with. I have no idea how well these may or may not ballance.
Basics
No 'spells per day', rather casting magic adds to Weariness. An hour of sleep removes one point of Weariness, and you must add it to the DC for all spellcasting.
A casting check is made with d20+Ability Bonus+Level+Other vs 10+Spell Level+Extra Power+Weariness+Other.
Extra Power- additional caster levels added to his base caster level (figured as normal).
Save DC = Casting Roll.
Touch & Ranged Touch Attacks: Figured with the same rolled value off the d20 as the casting check, only modified with Attack bonus rather than casting bonus.
Other Bonuses
Extra Time: each 'step' of time incriment adds 2 to your casting check. For example, a spell which can be cast in 1 action, requires 1 round. 1 round, becomes 1 minute. 1 minute becomes 10 minutes. And so on.
Familiar: If in physical contact with your familiar, add 2 to your casting check.
Object of Power: add the basic plus modifier from a single magic item like a staff or wand.
Place of Power: places with great inherent magical energies can add between 1 and 10 to casting checks.
Spell Focus: Adds 2 to a casting check.
Anything which would otherwise add to the spell's save DC now adds to the casting roll.
Other Negative Modifiers
Distraction: Where normally you would require a Concentration skill check, you now add to the DC to cast the spell. The Concentration skill cancels out these penalties on a 1:1 bases before the roll is made.
Magical Dead Zone: Adds between 1 and 10 to the casting DC.
Weariness:
Critical Failure (natural 1 plus failure): +1 Weariness
Casting Check Fails by 10 or more: 2 Weariness
Casting Check Fails by 5 or more: 1 Weariness
Casting Check Fails: 0 Weariness
Casting Check Succedes by 1 or more: 2 Weariness
Casting Check Succesed by 5 or more: 1 Weariness
Castinc Check Succedes by 10 or more: 0 Weariness
Critical Success (natural 20 + Success): -1 Weariness
Sorcerers vs Wizards
Sorcerers get a +3 casting bonus, and suffer 1 less point of Weariness on all casting checks. They recover Weariness at the rate of 1 + Their Con bonus for each hour of rest (min 1).
Wizards can learn new spells, but only roll Ability bonus + level to cast, and suffer the full and normal Weariness for spellcasting. They recover Weariness at the rate of 1 + Their Con bonus for each hour of rest (min 1).
Sorcerers are better at what they do, and can do more of it, but much more narrow than Wizards.
Other Spell Casting Classes
All other spellcasters add their Level to their ability bonus to cast- for classes whcih pick up spellcasting later (palidins and rangers), they only add 1 for each level after they get spell casting abilities, discounting all levels below the spellcasting threshold for this purpose.
I think this covers everythig I was playing with. Here is an example:
A 1st level Sorcerer wishes to throw a magic missile, but needs it to hit 2 atatckers rather than just one- casting it at 2 levels higher than his own actual caster level. He has the folowing basic casting bonus:
Level 1 + Sorcerer Bonus 3 + Familiar 2 + Charisma Bonus 3 = +9
vs
Spell Level 1 + Extra Power 2 + Distraction 3 + 10 = DC16
He rolls a 10, for a total casting check of 19. If Magic Missile granted a saving throw this would be the DC. As it is, his casting check is 3 more than what he needs, so casts the spell, zaps his 2 enemies with a caster level 3 magic missile, but gains 1 weariness (it would have been 2, but he's a sorcerer so suffers less from weariness).
And there you go.
I'd like to up-gun magic in a game I may be running soon, but also want to add some more complexity & uncertainty to acts of magic. Here are some rules I'm toying with. I have no idea how well these may or may not ballance.
Basics
No 'spells per day', rather casting magic adds to Weariness. An hour of sleep removes one point of Weariness, and you must add it to the DC for all spellcasting.
A casting check is made with d20+Ability Bonus+Level+Other vs 10+Spell Level+Extra Power+Weariness+Other.
Extra Power- additional caster levels added to his base caster level (figured as normal).
Save DC = Casting Roll.
Touch & Ranged Touch Attacks: Figured with the same rolled value off the d20 as the casting check, only modified with Attack bonus rather than casting bonus.
Other Bonuses
Extra Time: each 'step' of time incriment adds 2 to your casting check. For example, a spell which can be cast in 1 action, requires 1 round. 1 round, becomes 1 minute. 1 minute becomes 10 minutes. And so on.
Familiar: If in physical contact with your familiar, add 2 to your casting check.
Object of Power: add the basic plus modifier from a single magic item like a staff or wand.
Place of Power: places with great inherent magical energies can add between 1 and 10 to casting checks.
Spell Focus: Adds 2 to a casting check.
Anything which would otherwise add to the spell's save DC now adds to the casting roll.
Other Negative Modifiers
Distraction: Where normally you would require a Concentration skill check, you now add to the DC to cast the spell. The Concentration skill cancels out these penalties on a 1:1 bases before the roll is made.
Magical Dead Zone: Adds between 1 and 10 to the casting DC.
Weariness:
Critical Failure (natural 1 plus failure): +1 Weariness
Casting Check Fails by 10 or more: 2 Weariness
Casting Check Fails by 5 or more: 1 Weariness
Casting Check Fails: 0 Weariness
Casting Check Succedes by 1 or more: 2 Weariness
Casting Check Succesed by 5 or more: 1 Weariness
Castinc Check Succedes by 10 or more: 0 Weariness
Critical Success (natural 20 + Success): -1 Weariness
Sorcerers vs Wizards
Sorcerers get a +3 casting bonus, and suffer 1 less point of Weariness on all casting checks. They recover Weariness at the rate of 1 + Their Con bonus for each hour of rest (min 1).
Wizards can learn new spells, but only roll Ability bonus + level to cast, and suffer the full and normal Weariness for spellcasting. They recover Weariness at the rate of 1 + Their Con bonus for each hour of rest (min 1).
Sorcerers are better at what they do, and can do more of it, but much more narrow than Wizards.
Other Spell Casting Classes
All other spellcasters add their Level to their ability bonus to cast- for classes whcih pick up spellcasting later (palidins and rangers), they only add 1 for each level after they get spell casting abilities, discounting all levels below the spellcasting threshold for this purpose.
I think this covers everythig I was playing with. Here is an example:
A 1st level Sorcerer wishes to throw a magic missile, but needs it to hit 2 atatckers rather than just one- casting it at 2 levels higher than his own actual caster level. He has the folowing basic casting bonus:
Level 1 + Sorcerer Bonus 3 + Familiar 2 + Charisma Bonus 3 = +9
vs
Spell Level 1 + Extra Power 2 + Distraction 3 + 10 = DC16
He rolls a 10, for a total casting check of 19. If Magic Missile granted a saving throw this would be the DC. As it is, his casting check is 3 more than what he needs, so casts the spell, zaps his 2 enemies with a caster level 3 magic missile, but gains 1 weariness (it would have been 2, but he's a sorcerer so suffers less from weariness).
And there you go.
