A new way to be wizardly

[Beholder Bob]

Hello - I am trying to make spell casting more interesting - and different from each other. I have a system for Wizards, Bards, Divine casters, and psionics. Below is the system for Wizards.


WIZARD SPELL CASTING

DC 14+(2*spell LV) spell craft to cast w/out subdual damage.

Gain additional spell/day at 1 LV lower then cast spell if roll made by 5. This is applyed as if gained from a pearl of power.

Extra time in casting lowers spell DC, DMG (for failure) & bonus spell as if 1 LV less per unit.
1 full R / 5 full R / 2 Minutes, 15 Minutes, 1 Hour

Items that boost the Spell Craft roll are not counted for purposes of qualifying for the additional spell per day when the roll is made by 5 or more.

Spell focus gives +2 roll with that type of spell

Specialization gives +2 roll with that type of spell, but a –2 to all other rolls

Failure to make roll still results in spell being cast, but causes the caster 2*(LV) subdual damage. If the caster is unable to take subdual damage (due to item, being undead, etc.), take 1/2 this amount as normal damage instead.

Increase spell by +4 DC (not with casting “on the fly”) and if fail you: take no damage, fail to cast the spell but do not lose the spell. Also, do not gain a bonus spell if roll made by 5. Not usable to cast meta magic “on the fly”

Add meta-magic modifiers “on the fly”, increasing DC by 4 + (3*meta magic LV modifier). If the roll is failed, the spell is lost, and caster takes normal damage equal to 1d6 per (LV of spell + meta magic LV mod).

Casting spell from a magic device (reading a scroll) with spell completion require spell craft checks, and a failure does damage to the caster.

Physical contact with familiar grants a +2 to the casting check.


Examples: 3rd LV wizard specialized in evocation, and with 7 ranks in spell craft and a 17 INT, casts a few spells. His has then, 12 modifier with Evocations, and an 8 modifier with the other schools.

He casts Cold Snap (2nd LV EVO), DC 18, with +12 roll. If the roll equals or exceeds a 23, he gains an additional casting of a 1st LV spell that day. If he fails, he takes 4 subdual damage. If he takes an extra round to cast this spell, the DC drops to 16, a roll of 21+ gives extra casting of a 0th LV spell, and if he fails his roll, the spell still goes off but he takes 2 HP subdual damage.

He casts Burning Hands (1st LV ALT), DC 16, with +8 roll. If the roll equals or exceeds a 21, he gains an additional casting of a 1st LV spell that day. If he fails, he takes 2 HP subdual damage.

He casts Cold Snap (2nd LV EVO), DC 18, with a meta magic on the fly (+2 LV adjustment, so the DC 18 + 4 + 6 = 28, failure does (2+2)d6 damage, and the spell does not go off. If the roll equals or exceeds 33, he gains an additional casting of a 1st LV spell that day.

 

[Phaedrus]

Is this intended for a low magic campaign?

A first level wizard doesn't have many HP and is 50% or so likely to take damage when he casts (1st level spell, DC16, Spellcraft ranks max 4, Int likely to give +2 maybe +3).

Why would a player choose this system?

 

[Spatzimaus]

Well, the advantage of a drain-based system is that you can give the caster more spells per day (or even make it unlimited) without it getting too unbalanced, because he'll still be limited in how many high-level spells he can throw in one round.

Personally, though, if I was to make something like this (which, come to think of it, I have), I'd toss the "spell slot" concept entirely and increase the drain. Maybe later I'll post the system we came up with for my homebrew campaign.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Wizards and their spells

This is for a moderately low magic world. A caster would likely choose to have his familiar in contact with him for +2 roll, and casting in your specialty garners another +2. You could then, assuming 4 ranks and INT 14, cast a 1st LV spell (14+LV*2)=16 with a +10 roll (4 rank, +2 INT, +2 specialty, +2 familiar), or have a 75% chance of casting w/out damage. You also have a 50% chance of gaining an extra casting of a 0th LV spell that day.
The caster gains the listed (per PHB) # of spells per day, but gains additional castings of lower LV spells. The spell encourages casting in your specialty – particularly at lower LV.
The player is given no choice, this is the way magic for wizards works. The spell works, but with a price. A natural 1 is always results in the caster being damaged. This system encourages the use of meta-magic with wizards. It was also meant to encourage the wizard to have a familiar, but using the familiar for a scout or touch attack has an offsetting disadvantage – it will still be done, but at price.