D&D 4E Arcane Spell Failure in 4E

[frankthedm]

I never understood why the arcane casters were penalized for casting spells when the divine casters were not.

Because Divine casters were supposed to have weaker spells than arcane casters. Clerics had better combat ability and were able to wear armor, but thier spells were far more limited

D&D had them get spells at second level rather than first level
AD&D capped thier spell levels to 7th for a long time

This wound up going out the window in 3E though.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Because Divine casters were supposed to have weaker spells than arcane casters. Clerics had better combat ability and were able to wear armor, but thier spells were far more limited

D&D had them get spells at second level rather than first level
AD&D capped thier spell levels to 7th for a long time

This wound up going out the window in 3E though.

That was what I was trying to say when I mentioned the 2e and earlier argument about wizards casting more powerful spells, while clerics waded into melee and how it died with 3e, but I suppose you said it clearer.

 

[Danzauker]

I think the sacred cow of "armored wizards cannot cast" is going the way of the tricetatops, with fighters getting a "martial power source" that grants them access to supernatural manouvers and tricks.

There's no more need to enforce a cliché to tone down the raw power of casters in order to keep them in par with non casters I think.

At most I could see a leveling factor like effective caster level = caster level - a value depending on armor worn.

This would make multiclassing more effective.

But it's hard to tell now.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

I think the sacred cow of "armored wizards cannot cast" is going the way of the tricetatops

It's getting a huge Con bonus and a trample attack that uses d12s??? Awesome!! That will be one rockin' sacred cow. Sure, it might go down eventually, but it will take some of those evil "sacred cow-haters" with it. And really, there's always a need for more things that use the d12.

 

[Blacksmithking]

Yay or Nay?

Nay. ASF is unneeded.

You can encourage arcanists to avoid heavy armor by providing cheap magical defenses that compare favorably to armor (and shields), such as inertial armor or mage armor. An arcanist with mediocre strength isn't going to bother with the expense, weight, ACP, and speed reduction of heavy armor when magical alternatives are available.

 

[Rakin]

I like the excitement of the insane powerful caster but has to pull of his spells. It adds exctiement and unperdictability to the game.

If was going to be playing 4e I'd like to see the casting times come back, along with more powerful and fun spells.

remember back in the day: "Oh ^#@$! That guy is casting somehing! Hit him! Hit him! HIT HIM!!!! SOMEONE FOR THE....you get the point."

All this instant spell stuff takes a lot of the excitiement and feeling of danger out of the game. imo.

 

[Merlion]

Nay. ASF is unneeded.

You can encourage arcanists to avoid heavy armor by providing cheap magical defenses that compare favorably to armor (and shields), such as inertial armor or mage armor. An arcanist with mediocre strength isn't going to bother with the expense, weight, ACP, and speed reduction of heavy armor when magical alternatives are available.

This sounds about right to me.

 

[Stalker0]

1) Keep in ASF, but only for armors you are not proficient with.

2) Like SAGA, if you multiclass you only pick up one of the feats in the new classes starting package, as opposed to all of them.

Done and done. A wizard can have no ASF in full plate with 3 feats (light, medium, and heavy armor prof) or with 2 feats and a multiclass into a fighter type. Gishes can get there full armor love, wizards can wear full plate if they want but they have to pay.

 

[Klaus]

Some form of ASF should stay. For instance:

- Cast Somatic spells in armor entails a Concentration check modified by the armour's check penalty. Nonproficiency penalty also applies.
- Armored Mage (a la Bard, Hexblade, Battle Sorcerer, Duskblade) should be a feat or Talent, bypassing spell failure for Light Armor.
- It should also be scalable, so you take it again to use Medium Armor and again to use Heavy Armor. Proficiency in the specific armor type should be a prerequisite, as well as a minimum competence in Concentration.

 

[Christian]

Eh... that means mages would be starting off with medium armor most times (-3 or -4 penalty is cancelled out by a +4-5 bonus), and wearing plate mail by L18 (when they'd have +25-30 Concentration), if not before.

Not necessarily. Since (a) defenses will likely go up about as quickly as attack bonuses, and (b) skill bonuses will probably go up about as quickly, if not slower. (Both of these are predicated that SWSE is a reasonable preview of some of the D&D 4 rules.) A high-level wizard's abilities would let him affect low-level opponents even with a big penalty to his check; but if he wants to nail another high-level character or monster, he'll want to ditch the plate mail ...