papastebu
First Post
I still want the "spells as skills" idea. I've never been happy with the Vancian system that D&D uses--it reads well, but I think that something as powerful as magic should be naturally harder to use than a simple "learn and burn" system. At the same time, I think that wizards should be able to use their main weapons more often, though arguably, casting your most powerful spell every round is kind of over-the-top.
With spells being actual skills that the wizard can improve in, the player can choose which spells the character is going to be best at casting, and how powerful these things are going to become.
I am not opposed to the 7th-level caster being able to cast 4th level spells with relative ease. The rule of 1--automatic failure--would apply, I think, as would the rule of 20--automatic casting success, with a second 20 granting free maximization. Metamagic feats in use would raise the DC by the requisite number of levels.
1st-level caster with an eighteen intelligence, with three "spell points"--I still can't decide what to call these--in fireball, and maxed skill-ranks for that spell.
The DC of the Fireball is at 13 with the system as I've written it, but if a spell gained its consecutive level in difficulty for each level the spell exceeds the caster's class level, then it would have a base DC of 13, then add +2 and +3.
This gives a third-level spell a DC of 18 to cast for a 1st-level wizard, which won't be easy, even for the example wizard's +9 to cast.
This wizard would need a 9 or better to successfully cast the spell.
Add in the double DC modifier for a second casting, and the spell is pretty much out of the character's reach until he rests for 9 rounds, or at least doesn't cast the fireball for that long.
Of course, the wizard could decide to cast it anyway, hoping for an inspired casting, but a failure still means that he would have to lay off the spell for 18 rounds, now.
This system sort of leans toward more spells at lower spell levels, because they would naturally be easier to cast at the outset, and become even easier as the wizard gains levels.
Also, if the "spell points" used to get spell-levels are spent at a rate of spell-level times point-cost, minus wizard level, it would become increasingly difficult for the character to gain spells beyond his own class-level.
Further, if the balance between skill-ranks and spell-levels isn't maintained well, then the spells are going to become either ridiculously easy, barring a natural 1, or ridiculously hard, barring a natural 20.
The idea behind this system is not make it impossible--or even, necessarily, difficult, in the right situations--to cast spells, but give a possibility of failure, just as the fighter character can miss with her sword swing, while at the same time making it possible to use magic for a greater amount of time, again, just like the fighter with her sword.
More opinions? Comments? Suggestions?
Thank you,
Steve
With spells being actual skills that the wizard can improve in, the player can choose which spells the character is going to be best at casting, and how powerful these things are going to become.
I am not opposed to the 7th-level caster being able to cast 4th level spells with relative ease. The rule of 1--automatic failure--would apply, I think, as would the rule of 20--automatic casting success, with a second 20 granting free maximization. Metamagic feats in use would raise the DC by the requisite number of levels.
1st-level caster with an eighteen intelligence, with three "spell points"--I still can't decide what to call these--in fireball, and maxed skill-ranks for that spell.
The DC of the Fireball is at 13 with the system as I've written it, but if a spell gained its consecutive level in difficulty for each level the spell exceeds the caster's class level, then it would have a base DC of 13, then add +2 and +3.
This gives a third-level spell a DC of 18 to cast for a 1st-level wizard, which won't be easy, even for the example wizard's +9 to cast.
This wizard would need a 9 or better to successfully cast the spell.
Add in the double DC modifier for a second casting, and the spell is pretty much out of the character's reach until he rests for 9 rounds, or at least doesn't cast the fireball for that long.
Of course, the wizard could decide to cast it anyway, hoping for an inspired casting, but a failure still means that he would have to lay off the spell for 18 rounds, now.
This system sort of leans toward more spells at lower spell levels, because they would naturally be easier to cast at the outset, and become even easier as the wizard gains levels.
Also, if the "spell points" used to get spell-levels are spent at a rate of spell-level times point-cost, minus wizard level, it would become increasingly difficult for the character to gain spells beyond his own class-level.
Further, if the balance between skill-ranks and spell-levels isn't maintained well, then the spells are going to become either ridiculously easy, barring a natural 1, or ridiculously hard, barring a natural 20.
The idea behind this system is not make it impossible--or even, necessarily, difficult, in the right situations--to cast spells, but give a possibility of failure, just as the fighter character can miss with her sword swing, while at the same time making it possible to use magic for a greater amount of time, again, just like the fighter with her sword.
More opinions? Comments? Suggestions?
Thank you,
Steve
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). Also, if you make casters spend skill points for their spells you'll have to give them more skill points and that gets hard to balance as well. 
. All use of the spell has to stop for the accumulated number of rounds for the resistance to dissipate.
