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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Uller" data-source="post: 223227" data-attributes="member: 413">If this has been discussed before, please point me to the appropriate thread.   Otherwise...I've never been real found of how difficult it is for arcane spell casters to cast in armor.  I think it should be somewhat difficult based on the armor and I think reducing this difficulty should not be easy, but it should be possible.   So here is what I propose:1) Do away with Arcane Spell Failure % chances.  2) Instead, anytime an arcane spell caster casts a spell while wearing armor, do an Arcane Failure check with a d20:DC = 2 or 3(see below) or possibly slightly higher(4 or 5 at most)Check = d20 + Dex Bonus + Check Penalty for armor(and shield) worn.Given a caster with an average dex and normal armor, the percent chance of failure is the same or 5% less if the DC is 2, the same or 5% more if the DC is 3.   The better a character's dex heavier the armor he can wear and cast without punishment.  Include the fact that heavier armors have a rather low max dex bonus, it becomes increasing difficult to get around arcane spell failure for those armors.   Given a DC of 2 and Masterwork Fullplate and a +1 dex bonus, the % chance of failure is 25%(gotta roll at least a 6).  Make it Mithral(max dex 3 and check penalty of -3) you get a 5% failure rate.   Adding a shield makes it worse.Optional:  Create couple feats...something like Armored Casting:  +2 to Spell Failure Checks.  Maybe also Improved Armored Casting: +4 to Spell Failure checks.  With these feats, it would be possible to completely eleminate spell failure for even the heaviest armors.Implications:  For casters with a decent dex, Mage Armor and shield are less "must have" spells because the caster can don some simple armor, especially if they are bards or multiclassed and have an armor proficiency.  Pure casters like wizards and sorcerers will still be unlikely to wear medium or heavy armor as it it still requires some serious feat costs and they'll still need a good dex. In my mind, this makes Arcane casters/Fighter-types a more viable options, especially Fighter/Sorcerers since now if the character has a decent dex, he doesn't have to waste as many prescious spell slots on defensive spells, particularly at low levels.Edit:  Oh yeah:  And Take 10 would be allowed for non-combat and non-rushed situations.   This avoids such sillyness as "I take off my armor so I can cast without failure..."  Take 20 is obviously not possible since failure still results in loss of the spell.</blockquote>

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