To cast, you need Catalyst. Implementation?

[curiosity]

In my brewing campaign world, arcane magic will be impossible without the assistance of a powdered metal, called Catalyst (imaginative, no? ). This substance will be mined in a specific area of the campaign world, and control over the the mining and distribution of Catalyst will be a hot issue (think Dune/'spice').

I like this concept fluff-wise, and I think it helps to explain a magic-rich society (which I want) where there still isn't a heavy reliance on magic (because no-one wants to waste precious Catalyst). I also want to make getting enough Catalyst a bit of a challenge for PC mages.

So the question is how best to implement this rules-wise. At the least extreme end, I could just ban Sorcs, and say that any spell with an M component requires a pinch of Catalyst per spell level.

At the most extreme end, I could toss the entire Vancian magic system for one based just on character level and Catalyst. Probably too difficult to balance something like this though.

In the middle, I could say that all spells require their spell level in pinches of Catalyst to work (so 0th level are free). Simple but effective. But then I am still tempted to mash Wiz and Sorc together to form just one class, I think because I want to integrate Catalyst more closely into spellcasting - tie it to learning/memorising as well...

Now, to make this not a total bummer for mages, I figured that they would be able to choose to burn <i>more</i> catalyst than needed in order to get some benefit - perhaps in order to heighten spell level, like the feat (mimicking metamagic feats in general might be the way to go). But maybe there would be some risk associated with this (a la wild magic).

Incidentally, Catalyst will be a necessary part of creating magic items as well. However, I was thinking that because Catalyst is present in low amounts almost everywhere, it would be possible for mundane items to 'spontaneously enchant' in suitably heroic circumstances - I really like this idea, saw it in a feat here: http://juergen.the-huberts.net/dnd/urbis/feats.html

I HUMBLY REQUEST COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS ON MY IDEAS.

Thanks!

 

[Thanee]

You could use the spell point system from UA and for every spell one has to spend one (really small) unit of Catalyst for every spell point used.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Pyrex]

Along a similar line to Thanee's thought, have you considered dumping Wiz/Sor entirely, using Psion (& Wilder) instead, and simply stating that Catalyst is worth xx GP per Power Point?

 

[Thanee]

OTOH, this is just completely pointless, since it's just another way to say spell levels have a cost in Catalyst units.

Maybe you could make it, that the Catalyst is used to replenish the magic slots, that is during the daily preparation. So every spell slot, that has been drained (or is being changed for prepared casters), needs some Catalyst (one unit per spell level) to be used again.

I guess that would work fine and would be a bit easier to bookkeep as well, since you don't need to keep track during combat and such.

Bye
Thanee

 

[curiosity]

Yesss... maybe you need Catalyst to prepare spells, and also you can use it voluntarily during casting to get some metamagic effect(s)... Not bad, but can we do better? (nb: not really sure what 'better' would be here)

I did think about Psions, but I Psionics just don't do it for me. But yes, that would be simpler.

 

[ARandomGod]

Yesss... maybe you need Catalyst to prepare spells, and also you can use it voluntarily during casting to get some metamagic effect(s)... Not bad, but can we do better? (nb: not really sure what 'better' would be here)

I did think about Psions, but I Psionics just don't do it for me. But yes, that would be simpler.

I like the thought that you need the catalyst as a spell component during spell prep, and you can also consume the catalyst to give you some additional spell boost when casting, if you choose to use this additional stored power. And, of course, it's addictive. Very like spice.

 

[Pyrex]

OTOH, this is just completely pointless, since it's just another way to say spell levels have a cost in Catalyst units.

I may not have been clear, let me try again.

The model I was proposing was that caster(psionic) classes wouldn't have a reservoir of and/or naturally regain spell(power) points. Whenever you want to cast a spell (activate a power), the spell(power) points are supplied by the Catalyst.

Want to cast a spell? Use Catalyst. Want to cast a metamagiced spell? Use more Catalyst.

The caster could keep casting spells all day long if he had enough Catalyst

 

[Kisanji Arael]

no, no, don't ban sorcs

I'll try to cover all the classes, though I'm not familiar with the Hexblade or a few of the other expanded core classes. Hate to steal your idea, but this is going to be rather expansive. Here's how you go about it:

Wizards: Just like you said it: they require the catalyst to cast their spells. Wizards have an acute addiction to the stuff, starting out at a small amount of it at lower levels, but as they get access to higher level spells, this gets much more potent. In short, for every ounce you take, you gain access to one level of spells. The high takes one round/two ounces to start up, and wears off at a rate of one level/two hours, enough that taking nine ounces will only give you access to only 1st level spells if you don't recharge. However, mere exposure to the stuff gives you access to 0 level spells for twenty four hours. Metamagic feats require a refined dosage, taking one ounce of this more expensive stuff powers your spells equal to a +1 metamagic bonus for all of your spells for a number of rounds equal to the bonus, but unless they can keep the high up they operate with a -5 caster level until they get a full night's sleep(8 for most, four for some) Even if the caster has found a way to not require sleep, he has to get it for this effect to wear off, and he can't cast spells that he couldn't cast five spellcaster levels ago.

Sorcerers: Sorcerers are special. Very special. They were born with the stuff literally secreting from their veins, due to a special organ that they were born with. Now, it isn't actually the spice, but it acts nearly identically for anyone magically inclined. (ooh, you can have "sorcerer's blood as a special spell charge for evil spellcasters, and that says nothing of Blood Magus ) Sorcerers might need a different way to administer the spice. Maybe as an incense , and they could be literally charging the air to react in a certain way. So they would need a different incense phial for every metamagic.

Bards: Bards, at least in terms of spice, work more like wizards, however it's more like you described earlier. They take a little of it right before they cast spells, but the spells are still instantaneous. They only need a little of it, but it only lasts for five rounds.

Rangers: Probably the same as bards.

Clerics, paladin: Clerics and palys require a small amount every day. Their spell focuses (now required with every spell they cast) is, in addition, made of the stuff. It's pure, crystallized, and the masterwork varieties probably took about a hundred years to get as pure as they are today. In this case, it is literally the God channelling his spells through the character, to the symbol with his magic. Ask and ye shall receive, I guess.

Druids: I have no clue. Ask around.

Psions, Psychic Warriors: you could run this in one of several ways. One, they simply don't need the stuff, and I guess you'd have to play with the psionics are very, very different so leave us alone rules. Two, they've found a cache in a pocket dimension, and a small amount trickles down every day straight into their blood. They would have to spend a small amount of time (a day) searching at each new level to find a new cache, until they could spare the time, they would get the powers, but not the PP/day.

Soulknives: My favorite class. I honestly don't have any bright ideas for them, though, except a small amount daily, mayhaps

Wilder: Go nuts, have fun. Wilders take addiction to a whole new level. Like psions, they've found their own personal source, but it's just not enough, so they've taken to "supplementing" their powers with a little all natural catalyst, required with every power, for that exrtra kick early in the morning. They'd have to get bonuses, though.

Wow, i have completely hijacked this. Go me.