Arcane Spell Failure

[Daz]

Does anyone think that arcane spell failure is all that necessary for game balance. I mean, psionic characters don't suffer from this penalty, and yet the archetypal roles don't seem compromised. You don't see a psion in plate armor that often. And when you do, that is the archetype that character is trying to emulate.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if the armor proficiencies stay the way they are, then there is no point in further limiting the arcane spellcasters ability to cast spells.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Honestly, I don't think it'd blow up the game to ignore Arcane Spell Failure, or destroy archetypes entirely, but the only problem is, why would anyone not wear armour, if it didn't?

I think that's what they need if they remove Arcane Spell Failure entirely - an actual benefit beyond "The skills you don't have? They don't take a penalty!". What that is, is up to them, but possibly some kind of magical defense, or a bonus to casting spells acquired from wearing the correct occult robes (which is why "real" magicians wear them, one presumes), and so on.

 

[Howndawg]

I would agree. I would like to see it go. In part because I'd like to see someone play a big fat wizard with a DEX of 8.

Howndawg

 

[Masquerade]

Similar thread: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=206931

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

TANSTAAFL.

Arcane spell failure (or equivalent mechanic) should remain. Wizards spellcasting in armor should not be free. Heck, clerics spellcasting in armor shouldn't be free, either!

 

[Sadrik]

I agree with Olgar Shiverstone, make it a wizard, cleric and psion problem. However, let everyone have access to an easily accessible talent that would mitigate or negate the effects of the problem.
For instance psions could take a talent that gave them silent and still spell all the time. Clerics could take a talent that let them just have their holy symbol on their person to forgo somatic components (finally allowing them to use a heavy shield + weapon and cast a spell), and the wizard could get something to lower their penalty.

ASF, should also be based on the cast check- for instance if they use the SWSE method for saves.
The cast check would be CasterLevel + CasterStatMod + 1d20 - ASF vs. REF, FORT or WILL
A success would be if they roll equal or higher than the save. (duh)

Deafness penalty could also be added in to the casting check of verbal spells.