Pathfinder 1E Sphere's of Power Kickstarter

[cgraph]

Apparently, the playtest document is now available for kickstarter contributors.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-power-a-new-pathfinder-magic-system/comments

So, I'm assuming at least a few people here are contributors-- so can you spoil anything about the system and what you think about it from the playtest doc? If there's one thing I'm never tired of it's new magic systems (sadly, at the time of the kickstart4er, I ah, was dealing with a level 4 witch spell: Curse of the dropped Auto Transmission.).

Thanks!

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I am a backer, and I've been reading it since it came out, and just started to playtest it.

I like it in a lot of ways, but I don't have the experience to tell if it is overpowered. But there are concepts that it works really well for that you cannot do with traditional magic classes.

Each sphere is a themetic grouping of effects - Destruction for example. Every sphere gives you a basic ability that you can do at will, with no expenditure of magic points. In Destruction it is a force blast that does 1d4/every 2 levels ranged touch.
A spell point spent makes it 1d4 / level. Spellpoints for a standard starting character would be in the 3-5 range.

Then there are "talents" that add to the basic effect - in destruction you can shape it into a Burst at range (Fireball), or make it elemental instead of force damage (fire makes it 1d6 instead of 1d4 and can set things on fire).

I wizard gets a sphere or choice of talents 3 for 2 levels (so 1/2/1/2). Sorcerers get 1. Partial casters like bards have less. Caster level is an interesting mechanic.

There is not Arcane/Divine split, but the rules make it easy to add them in.

I really like it.

 

[Cantroy]

Comparison?

I have been reading ENWorld's EOM books and liked them so much that I was even thinking of having them in use for the next game, but it seems this one is very similar. Is there a reason to prefer one or the other?

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I have been reading ENWorld's EOM books and liked them so much that I was even thinking of having them in use for the next game, but it seems this one is very similar. Is there a reason to prefer one or the other?

Not sure - I have not read the Elements of Magic books.

SoP has the one thing I haven't seen in other non-vancian spell systems. Each sphere gives you an ability that you can use with no spell points. So even if you never "cast a spell" you have stuff you can do that can define your character. I've not seen that anywhere else used the way it is in Spheres.