Alternative Spellcasting Systems?

[MaxKaladin]

Are there any published alternative spellcasting systems out there? If so, where can they be found? Preferably something lower powered than the current "Vancian" system.

I understand that Unearthed Arcana for 3.5 is supposed to have one, but I think thats not until next year...

Thanks!

 

[RangerWickett]

E.N. Publishing released The Elements of Magic, available at RPGNow.com. It's a build-yer-own system, letting you design spells as you need. It's slightly weaker than core D&D, giving you more flexibility in exchange for less raw power.

 

[nopantsyet]

The three I've got on my shelf are:

Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed, looks cool, haven't tried it, but it's going to play a strong role in my next campaign.
Sovereign Stone d20, cool in theory, but a bit too involved for my taste. Didn't last long in my game.
The aforementioned Elements of Magic, cool, fun. At lower levels it feels more flexible and powerful, at higher levels it feels more utilitarian. Which may be the opposite of the standard.

 

[Voadam]

Psionics handbook is basically an alternative spell point system. you can check it out for free on the srd.

Wheel of Time has its own non vancian system

Call of Cthulhu d20 has its own system

Sovereign stone has one.

Elements of magic pdf has one.

Mystic Warriors has a skill and point based mystic warrior technique system.

Bastion Press' Oathbound Plains of Penance and Wrack and Ruin have some prestige classes that use point based magic.

Everquest RPG has a point based system with spell levels only for when you learn spell and you have 8 slots for preparing spells you can spend your points on to cast.

Arcana Unearthed has a more flexible sorcerer like spellcasting system.

And there are more options.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Midnight has an alternative system as well. As presented it's quite lower powered than standard, but it can be modified to taste relatively easily.

 

[shadowlight]

I've been playing a Magister from Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed and I've really been liking it. It's a lot more flexible in letting you choose which spells you're going to cast each day -- you have a number of spells for each level that you "prepare" and you can cast any combination of them each day. You don't have to prepare each morning (unless you want to change which spells you get to choose from that day). So you could cast 2 1st level spells each day, but choose from 4 different spells.

To make up for the flexibility, it has fewer high powered spells (like magic missle, mage armor, sleep ... the stuff that you always choose when you play a wizard). This has made it a lot more fun to play because I'm able to use more flavorful spells.

Also, each spell has a reduced and heightened version (using a spell slot lower or higher for lesser or greater effect) and there are a ton of spell "templates" and weird spell components that you can use to modify spells even further.

The end result is a magic system that feels very different from standard D&D.

 

[johnsemlak]

E.N. Publishing released The Elements of Magic, available at RPGNow.com. It's a build-yer-own system, letting you design spells as you need. It's slightly weaker than core D&D, giving you more flexibility in exchange for less raw power.

Sorry for the side track, but has EoM been updated for 3.5 yet?

 

[Mercule]

Personally, I like the WoT system. It's got spell slots in there for balance, but they aren't as "visible" as in the standard system.

Unfortunately, the WoT spell list leaves a bit to be desired.

My wish is that someone would take the d20 spells and fit them into the WoT system.

 

[RangerWickett]

Sorry for the side track, but has EoM been updated for 3.5 yet?

We're working on it. It is one of several projects that are all coming to a close at about the same time.

 

[shadowlight]

Personally, I like the WoT system. It's got spell slots in there for balance, but they aren't as "visible" as in the standard system.

Unfortunately, the WoT spell list leaves a bit to be desired.

My wish is that someone would take the d20 spells and fit them into the WoT system.

I absolutely agree. Did the WoT adventure (Prophesies of the Dragon?) have any addional spells?