Arcana Unearthed Magic System?
- Thread starter Gomez
- Start date
Odhanan
Adventurer
I prefer AE's magic system. First, the spells are not as obvious to choose. Which 3.5 wizard wouldn't choose to prepare fireball or lightning bolt? Magic Missile, Invisibility? While many spells of AE replicate standard spells, this usually makes them either more balanced, more adaptable, or both at the same time.
More balanced, as in Mud Ball (dmg 1d8+1/level, blinds target) compared to a Magic Missile spell. Or Raise the Dead (Cast seven times during seven days to bring subject back to life).
More adaptable, as in Energy Bolt (type of energy depends) compared to Lightning Bolt.
Speaking of adaptability, spell templates as well as rules to weave and laden spell slots makes the whole thing much more versatile without using stuff like Power Points, like say Psionics - I do not really like PP because it's like a double-system for supernatural abilities when used with standard spellcasters.
Which explains as well why I would not mix AE's magic system with the PHB's. It is possible to use them both though, some on this board did mix them. And I wouldn't be against the use of the sorcerer of BOEM in my AE campaign.
More balanced, as in Mud Ball (dmg 1d8+1/level, blinds target) compared to a Magic Missile spell. Or Raise the Dead (Cast seven times during seven days to bring subject back to life).
More adaptable, as in Energy Bolt (type of energy depends) compared to Lightning Bolt.
Speaking of adaptability, spell templates as well as rules to weave and laden spell slots makes the whole thing much more versatile without using stuff like Power Points, like say Psionics - I do not really like PP because it's like a double-system for supernatural abilities when used with standard spellcasters.
Which explains as well why I would not mix AE's magic system with the PHB's. It is possible to use them both though, some on this board did mix them. And I wouldn't be against the use of the sorcerer of BOEM in my AE campaign.
Khorod
First Post
You can use it side by side. I have no desire to. I have always hated Vancian magic. I'm not constrained by an active campaign though.
Another great effect of AE's magic that Odhanan skirted the edges of was spellcaster uniqueness. By 20th level most wizard statblocks are very boringly similar. In AE there are enough feats that take you in enough wildly different directions that it doesn't happen so much.
Another great effect of AE's magic that Odhanan skirted the edges of was spellcaster uniqueness. By 20th level most wizard statblocks are very boringly similar. In AE there are enough feats that take you in enough wildly different directions that it doesn't happen so much.
Varianor Abroad
Explorer
I've imported it in. Worked great. My players are trying to get me to change over their D&D PCs to AE style readied spells. The big pain is coming up with heightened/diminished versions of everything. But you can also use it side by side with 3.5 magic, as if both were different "traditions." This is what Monte does in Ptolus.
Just another voice added to those who have already spoken on behalf of AU's magic.
When using the full AU magic system (classes, feats and spells) you will have a game which has more variety, flavor and balance than the standard PHB magic. The system breaks so many of the common D&D paradigms (divine vs arcane, mandatory healing class required etc) that it was a real breath of fresh air.
My only concern was in some situations I have thought that the magic classes / spells were too powerful when I looked at them on their own. But the changes that were made to the other AU classes (non magical) brought them in-line with each other.
When using the full AU magic system (classes, feats and spells) you will have a game which has more variety, flavor and balance than the standard PHB magic. The system breaks so many of the common D&D paradigms (divine vs arcane, mandatory healing class required etc) that it was a real breath of fresh air.
My only concern was in some situations I have thought that the magic classes / spells were too powerful when I looked at them on their own. But the changes that were made to the other AU classes (non magical) brought them in-line with each other.
Gomez said:
After playing spellcasters in AU, I no longer have any desire to play any of the major D&D spellcasting classes. They just feel too clunky.
Gomez said:
The only thing I dislike is the material component cost for some of the spell templates, it leads to a bit of finicky bookkeeping. I like pretty much everything else. IMHO, AU's magic system is the best implementation of a D&D-style magic system yet published.
Gomez said:
Sure. You could either run AU spellcasters side-by-side with regular D&D spellcasters each using their own rules, or convert the D&D spellcasters to AU-style readied spells and spell slots. I would recommend the former, although I think back when AU was first released somebody did the latter and came up with heightened and diminished versions of every spell in the PHB. No idea where that list would be now.
Varianor Abroad
Explorer
SWBaxter said:
Nobody ever finished the list. A few people did some low level versions, and Monte recently posted some conversions on his site done by a fan. There's conversions for clerical spells on diamondthrone.com too.
ruleslawyer
Registered User
I've done breakdowns by simple/complex/exotic, but not diminished/heightened versions. My feeling is that some of the PHB spells are "better" enough than AU/AE spells that the lack of diminished and heightened versions actually serves to balance them out.
And yes, the AU/AE spellcasting system rocks. I use it in my D&D games, though, as I said, deciding which spells were simple/complex/exotic (especially when I had to throw in all the FR and other expansion-book spells) was a real pain in the tuckus.
And yes, the AU/AE spellcasting system rocks. I use it in my D&D games, though, as I said, deciding which spells were simple/complex/exotic (especially when I had to throw in all the FR and other expansion-book spells) was a real pain in the tuckus.
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