Arcane spellcasters (and spell lists) for a low-magic world

[candidus_cogitens]

I'm looking to create an alternative spell list for the wizard and/or sorcerer that would be appropriate for a low-magic world. If any such thing exists, I would be glad to know about it. If not, I'd be happy to have some help. The trick is to make the class feel different but not simply weaker. I want a low-magic world, but if I weaken the arcane spellcasters too much, I might as well eliminate them because no one will want to play them.

Are there other ways to create this different feel, other than an altered spell list?

Should more powerful spells be deferred (bumped up) to higher levels, in exchange for greater quantity of spells per day?

More expensive spell components?

Greater difficulty learning new spells?

Other ideas?

 

[Velmont]

Way to see low-magic campaign:

Magic is pretty unstable things, and it is hard to master. Spells are more easily disrupt (give +X to dispel check), magical items may be drained when they are dispel (1% chance). That chance don't affect artifact. Everyone can conterspell with a spell of same level or higher of the same school (in other word, everyone have Improved Counterspell). Anytime a spell is use, there is a small chance that the spell don't take effect (1%) and instead nothing happen(50%) or some random effect happen(50%). The random effect is chosen by the master and don't necessary be a good thing for the caster. Magic items have a lifespan, so old magical items are rare. Weak magic items have a lower life span than greater (so a scroll can have a lifespan of 1 year, while a sword +2 100 years), and the knowledge to create them is rare (need to have the feat and a receipt to create one.

Doing a wizard is still interesting, as the partyu will have difficulty to take a hand on some good magic item, but at the same times, he is weaken by all those restriction.

 

[Knight-of-Roses]

I would just say that you canot have more than half your levels (rounded up) in Sorcerer or Wizard. That way arcane spell casters have to multiclass, that weakens their magic abilitites but not their overall effictiveness.

If you went that route, I would suggest having a 'True Wizard' and "True Sorcerer" PrCs to allow them to overcome that restriction but make them very difficult (role-playing wise) to obtain.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

I would just say that you canot have more than half your levels (rounded up) in Sorcerer or Wizard. QUOTE]

My co-DM had a similar idea. He proposed just not allowing the wizard or sorcerer as a first-level class. To me, even though that just puts the spellcaster one step behind where a pure spellcaster might be, it is still quite significant.

I'm not sure I like the idea though, for roleplaying reasons. Why shouldn't a character be able to specialize in magic? Just because magic is weaker or more difficult doesnt mean that no one devotes themselves to it completely.

What I am presently leaning towards is something like this:

Mages do not know the Read Magic spell by heart. Mages can read magic only as well as is reflected by their Spellcraft skill. At first level, the spellbook contains all cantrips and two first-level spells. However, these spells were not written into the spellbook by the mage herself and the mage does not know any of them until she succeeds at a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the spell’s level). No new spells are acquired automatically upon reaching new levels. All spells must be learned from another mage (usually a mentor), or else through the discovery and deciphering of arcane writings.

To me, this adds flavor by making the acquisition of new spells something that cannot be taken for granted. In order to compensate for this weakness, I added several class skills (Decipher Script, Speak Language, and Sense Motive), and a couple weapons (light mace and dart). I should probably add something else though, so that it is still a viable class, wouldn't you agree?

 

[candidus_cogitens]

Magic items have a lifespan, so old magical items are rare. Weak magic items have a lower life span than greater (so a scroll can have a lifespan of 1 year, while a sword +2 100 years), and the knowledge to create them is rare (need to have the feat and a receipt to create one.

I very much like the idea of decaying magic items. Items that are simply unpredictable or unreliable is another possibility. And of course, simply limiting the QUANTITY of magic items is an obvious strategy.

I don't care for the 1% unpredictability though. It's not enough to significantly alter the feel of magic.

 

[Velmont]

These are guideline, you can change anythig, but I like that idea and may start a game with such rules. I would maybe raise it to 5%...

 

[A'koss]

I'm in the middle of creating just such a system... Though it would be too long to type out here I can give you some idea of where I'm taking it.

Spell Progression is mana-based and you achieve new spell levels at roughly the rate a Bard would (0 - 6 Spell levels). However, you have the flexibility in being able to cast multiple weaker spells in a one round in leiu of a single, more powerful one.

Damaging spells see a number of nifty changes. They are nearly all require an attack roll of some sort, depending on the spell. Individually, damaging spells are weaker than their 3e counterparts, however the vast majority of them have No Save (or a conditional one) and Spell Resistance has been removed from the game. Elemental Resistances still apply and spell-based protections are still valid.

Here's an example of the new Fireball to illustrate...

The Fireball must be hurled at a solid target in order to detonate. The wizard may target an individual or an object in his line of sight. If an individual is targeted, the wizard must make a ranged touch attack to hit. If he misses, the Fireball continues along it's path to the end of it's range (where it discorporates harmlessly) or until it hits a solid object/individual in it's path. If the Fireball connects with a target it detonates for 1d8 damage / 3 levels [max. 6d8] in a 20' radius. The target struck takes full damage, no save (and, remember, no SR). Others beings caught in the Fireball blast may make a Reflex Save for 1/2.

Saving Throws are geared a little differently as well. Save DCs are now 10 + 1/2 class level + spell level. And because magic is quite a bit rarer, Saving Throw progressions are geared a little differently.

Good - +14 @ 20th level, Medium +12 @ 20th level, Poor +10 @ 20th level.

Saving Throws tend to be a somewhat easier now, but spells always have partial effects for making your save. All spells will have some effect when you cast them, no more, "Damn... spell resistance!" or "Damn... made his save again!"

For example a Charm spell reduces the target's Will Save by 1 on a successful Save for 1 round per caster level. With enough Charm spells you can erode someone's will to resist it. And with the multicasting options it can add up fairly quickly.

Some types of spells have been removed from the lists - Save or Die/Nerf spells, Teleportation (although there are a few rare gateway sites), Spell-based flight (find yourself a good flying mount if you want to go that way) and generally any of the big campaign breakers (mostly spells levels 7-9).

Some spells require rituals to complete. There is no polymorph spell for example, but there are a few shapeshifting PrCs. There is a ritual though where a wizard can astrally project himself and take the form of another animal or monster, but of course you leave yourself in a fairly precarious position... There is no Domination in the game, but there is a form of magic jar (but riskier).

Spells require a little extra effort to learn, but once you do, you've mastered it, and you don't need to lug around half-a-dozen spellbooks across the world (or even possess one for that matter).

The knowledge regarding how to create permanent magic items IMC is lost. Essentially, all a wizard can create are potions, scrolls and temporary enhancements. Permanent items are relics from (IMC) Ragnarok and are highly coveted. There may be only *one* Ring of Invisibility in existance for example. Adventurers will run across items of course, but mostly they rely on very well-crafted, but mundane, items. There are a wider range of "mastercraft" items and exotic materials IMC to compensate.

 

[Shadeus]

My co-DM had a similar idea. He proposed just not allowing the wizard or sorcerer as a first-level class. To me, even though that just puts the spellcaster one step behind where a pure spellcaster might be, it is still quite significant.

I'm not sure I like the idea though, for roleplaying reasons. Why shouldn't a character be able to specialize in magic? Just because magic is weaker or more difficult doesnt mean that no one devotes themselves to it completely.

You could treat wizards or sorcerers as if they had a level adjustment +1. So they would need to earn xp to be a 3rd-level character to become a 2nd-level wizard. That allows you to keep your devotion to magic but still makes becoming an arcane caster more difficult.

Or, if you want to be cruel, allow them to advance as a wizard, but slow spell progression to every other level. Just some thoughts.

 

[Velmont]

If you want a style of magic that alklow you to weaken spellcaster, just take the magic of Sovereign stone. Spells are cast like that:

All spells have a Casting Throshold (CT). Generally, CT will range between 5 and 100, but a few have greater than 100. The effect of the spell isn't affected by the level (a flare will always do 1d6 with a CT of 14 for exemple).

To cast, a caster declare the spell he want to cast than roll a d20 + his caster level + any other modifier (pretty rare to have any modifier, and don't expect more than +3). If the caster reach the CT, the spell is trigger. If the CT is not reach, the casting can be continued over the next round. Each round, the caster must do a fortitude check (DC:8/10/12) or take 1d4 subdual damage, and the DC raise by one each round.

Fire starter have a CT of 4 (and allow to start a fire, but not usefull in combat), a whirlwind do 2d20 damage over 40' radius during a short period of time and have a CT over 100, a bull strenght (talking 3.5) have a CT of 34. All the CT is approximate, as I don't have the book under my hand, but I hope it give you some good idea for your game.

 

[Knight-of-Roses]

I'm not sure I like the idea though, for roleplaying reasons. Why shouldn't a character be able to specialize in magic? Just because magic is weaker or more difficult doesnt mean that no one devotes themselves to it completely.

It is a styliztic reason, in that magic is so difficult that withoput aid (i.e. the suggested True Wizard/Sorcerer PrC) it is simply impossible to focus enough on it. In this case, represented by the limitation on the levels you can take in Sorcerer/Wizard.