Converting Sovereign Stone magic system to D&D
- Thread starter Soldarin
- Start date
WaterRabbit
Explorer
What do you mean ? SS is already "converted" to D&D.
If there is a spell you want, just remake it using the rules presented in the Codex.
The "core" 3e spells are not necessarily balanced enough that you can just multiply spell level by 15 to get the CT.
If there is a spell you want, just remake it using the rules presented in the Codex.
The "core" 3e spells are not necessarily balanced enough that you can just multiply spell level by 15 to get the CT.
Soldarin
First Post
I mean to replace the D&D slot system with the SS magic system, while keeping the spells from D&D the same. That way all those books with new spells will still be useful, but some of the weirdness of the D&D system is taken out.
I run into several problems when I try to do this, though.
How to set CT for d&d spells (preferably on a general basis as opposed to case-by-case). The metamagic feats in SS suggest the spell level *15 I mentioned before.
Will spells like Summon Monster still have a point when they take 2 or 3 rounds to cast?
The 8 schools are meant to be used together, but I feel giving access to all of them will make wizards too powerful when they are no longer limited by number of spells per day.
Giving access to only 1 will hamper a wizard too much though, even multiclass wizard/wizards.
Any thoughts on that?
I run into several problems when I try to do this, though.
How to set CT for d&d spells (preferably on a general basis as opposed to case-by-case). The metamagic feats in SS suggest the spell level *15 I mentioned before.
Will spells like Summon Monster still have a point when they take 2 or 3 rounds to cast?
The 8 schools are meant to be used together, but I feel giving access to all of them will make wizards too powerful when they are no longer limited by number of spells per day.
Giving access to only 1 will hamper a wizard too much though, even multiclass wizard/wizards.
Any thoughts on that?
Thorvald Kviksverd
First Post
Okay, I don't have d20 Sovereign Stone, but I'll take a shot--and hope I'm not too far off-base...
OPTION I
Allow one casting roll as a Standard Action.
Allow two casting rolls as a Full-Round Action (but only if applied towards the same spell).
OPTION II
Have casting bonuses progress in a fashion similar to BAB progressions--thereby eventually allowing for multiple rolls (but, again, only if applied to the same spell).
OPTION III
Allow for multiple rolls to be applied to a particular spell, but increase the chance of failure on each roll. As an example (the numbers are for illustrative purposes only, since I don't have the books), if the chance of spell failure was normally 5% the caster could choose to make 3 rolls in one round with a 15% chance of failure on each roll (+5% for each additional roll)--for a cumulative chance of failure equal to 45%, as opposed to the normal cumulative chance of 15% if spread out over 3 rounds.
This allows for both the "slow and sure" and the "hurried and uncertain" method of casting.
OPTION I
Allow one casting roll as a Standard Action.
Allow two casting rolls as a Full-Round Action (but only if applied towards the same spell).
OPTION II
Have casting bonuses progress in a fashion similar to BAB progressions--thereby eventually allowing for multiple rolls (but, again, only if applied to the same spell).
OPTION III
Allow for multiple rolls to be applied to a particular spell, but increase the chance of failure on each roll. As an example (the numbers are for illustrative purposes only, since I don't have the books), if the chance of spell failure was normally 5% the caster could choose to make 3 rolls in one round with a 15% chance of failure on each roll (+5% for each additional roll)--for a cumulative chance of failure equal to 45%, as opposed to the normal cumulative chance of 15% if spread out over 3 rounds.
This allows for both the "slow and sure" and the "hurried and uncertain" method of casting.
Soldarin
First Post
In the SS system, the power of a wizard is limited by the fact that spells cost a lot of time to cast (about 1.5 rounds per spell level) and more importantly that learning high level spells is very difficult (and may only be attempted once per level for any particular spell).
Thorvald's options cut the time it takes to cast spells, thus increasing power. But it does make it easier to use the D&D combat spells that are meant to be cast quickly. Hmm...
Thorvald's options cut the time it takes to cast spells, thus increasing power. But it does make it easier to use the D&D combat spells that are meant to be cast quickly. Hmm...
If D&D combat spells retain their speed and usefulness, I think it could be unbalanced that there are no limits on how many times a caster can cast them per day. The time limitation seems like one of the significant factors that limits a caster's power in Sovereign Stone.
Also, have you considered converting the D&D spells into elements instead of retaining the spell school division?
Do you have the Codex Mysterium? It has rules that you can use to convert core D&D spells to the Sovereign Stone system. Unfortunately I don't think you can apply a simple formula to convert all of the D&D spells without any work. When you change the underlying mechanics of how spells are cast, the balance of spells relative to one another is no longer the same, so spell level in D&D is not really an reliable gauge of power when converting. Consider animate dead in D&D versus similar spells in Sovereign Stone.
This seems like something that would be useful to numerous people though. I think that a little conversion guide would be pretty cool. It could take a form similar to the spell conversions in If Thoughts Could Kill. Assign each spell to an element, give it a casting threshhold, and note any special alterations that need to be made to the spell. Roll it up in a chart, make it a collaborative project so you don't have to do all of the work yourself, and share it with the community. I could do some conversions too.
Also, have you considered converting the D&D spells into elements instead of retaining the spell school division?
Do you have the Codex Mysterium? It has rules that you can use to convert core D&D spells to the Sovereign Stone system. Unfortunately I don't think you can apply a simple formula to convert all of the D&D spells without any work. When you change the underlying mechanics of how spells are cast, the balance of spells relative to one another is no longer the same, so spell level in D&D is not really an reliable gauge of power when converting. Consider animate dead in D&D versus similar spells in Sovereign Stone.
This seems like something that would be useful to numerous people though. I think that a little conversion guide would be pretty cool. It could take a form similar to the spell conversions in If Thoughts Could Kill. Assign each spell to an element, give it a casting threshhold, and note any special alterations that need to be made to the spell. Roll it up in a chart, make it a collaborative project so you don't have to do all of the work yourself, and share it with the community. I could do some conversions too.
DreamChaser
Explorer
for the most part I think DnD combat spells would need to be modified so that they imbue the caster with the ability to use the effect as a later action. Here is what I'm thinking.
Magic Missile--you cast it then as a standard attack action you can throw a missile until your maximum missiles have been used (determined by your casting/level) or a set time (maybe 1 minute per level) is reached. If you get multiple attacks then you can use that many missiles per round.
this type of thing could be done with most of them to make it more limiting on wizards but keep combat spells useful with longer castings.
Magic Missile--you cast it then as a standard attack action you can throw a missile until your maximum missiles have been used (determined by your casting/level) or a set time (maybe 1 minute per level) is reached. If you get multiple attacks then you can use that many missiles per round.
this type of thing could be done with most of them to make it more limiting on wizards but keep combat spells useful with longer castings.
Thorvald Kviksverd
First Post
kenjib said:
I agree. I think Option III adresses this somewhat though, by introducing an increased chance of spell failure where none may have existed before. So the spells will take just as long to cast as in Sovereign Stone, unless the caster is willing to accept this uncertainty.
Similar Threads
