Ratinyourwalls
First Post
As per poll above:
There are several ways to nerf magic-users. As a wizard/sorcerer/etc. player, which of the following appeals most to you:
Limiting Options
In this option, we constrain all wizard classes to narrow thematic bands, such as "Elementalist" or "Necromancer". Fighters suddenly become a more versatile class than magic-users, in some ways, since the Fighter likely has more skill-based solutions to things.
Limiting Power
Basically, just lower the effectiveness of spells, or increase the level require to cast them. Fireball becomes a level 5 spell; Time Stop and Wish and such get pushed right off the end of what PC's can do, ever. Spells like Spider Climb last a round or two, and give you a slower speed than an Athletics climbing check could manage.
Limiting Reliability
Right now, except for the 4E essential classes most fighter tricks are unreliable - you only get the bennie if you hit, and if you don't you wasted your chance. Many wizard spells are the opposite - with a fireball, even if you miss you're doing half damage. What if it was the other way around? All fighter feats that expend 'fatigue' or whatever only trigger on a hit, so you know you can use them reliably, while spellcasting always has a chance of outright failure?
Costing Resources
Going back to the 3.5E idea of spells costing money, but they could also cost other resources - hit points, surges (if we're using that system), etc. Technically, "spells/day" is a resource, so the default assumption all the way from 1E is to use this system; so perhaps this should be named "costing MORE resources than they do now".
Casting Time
This could be pretty straightforward - you want to cast a level 2 spell? You're gonna take 2 turns to do it. Level 3 spell? three turns. Or something; numbers can be tweaked. Both Exalted and Earthdawn do something like this, and it can be very thematically appropriate.
There are several ways to nerf magic-users. As a wizard/sorcerer/etc. player, which of the following appeals most to you:
Limiting Options
In this option, we constrain all wizard classes to narrow thematic bands, such as "Elementalist" or "Necromancer". Fighters suddenly become a more versatile class than magic-users, in some ways, since the Fighter likely has more skill-based solutions to things.
Limiting Power
Basically, just lower the effectiveness of spells, or increase the level require to cast them. Fireball becomes a level 5 spell; Time Stop and Wish and such get pushed right off the end of what PC's can do, ever. Spells like Spider Climb last a round or two, and give you a slower speed than an Athletics climbing check could manage.
Limiting Reliability
Right now, except for the 4E essential classes most fighter tricks are unreliable - you only get the bennie if you hit, and if you don't you wasted your chance. Many wizard spells are the opposite - with a fireball, even if you miss you're doing half damage. What if it was the other way around? All fighter feats that expend 'fatigue' or whatever only trigger on a hit, so you know you can use them reliably, while spellcasting always has a chance of outright failure?
Costing Resources
Going back to the 3.5E idea of spells costing money, but they could also cost other resources - hit points, surges (if we're using that system), etc. Technically, "spells/day" is a resource, so the default assumption all the way from 1E is to use this system; so perhaps this should be named "costing MORE resources than they do now".
Casting Time
This could be pretty straightforward - you want to cast a level 2 spell? You're gonna take 2 turns to do it. Level 3 spell? three turns. Or something; numbers can be tweaked. Both Exalted and Earthdawn do something like this, and it can be very thematically appropriate.