Does the game need 9 spell levels?

[Minigiant]

I like 9 levels. It could simplify saving throws (10+spell level) and lead to faster play. Especially if ability mods are removed form the formula.

 

[YRUSirius]

If you're going to have that many spell levels, you might as well just have spell points instead. 4e had spell levels that were the same as the level you got them, but even that system didn't have 20 or 30 levels of spells, since you only got a new spell every couple levels or so and dropped lower levels ones as you went up in level. That, and you didn't have to worry about preparing most of them or deciding which spell should go in which slot for greatest effect. Having to micromanage spell preparation when spells can be prepared in different levels and having 20 levels of spells to work with would be a nightmare, IMO.

20 spell slots can be pretty easy to handle in the low levels (1-10), if you get a new spell from the appropriate level every new level. Say at level 5 you get 1 level 1 spell, 1 level 2 spell, 1 level 3 spell, 1 level 4 spell and finally 1 level 5 spell. High levels could prove to be a little bit more work to micromanage, but vanilla 3E gets hairy in the high levels too, maybe even more so.

AND I wouldn't allow spell preparation of spells in higher spell slots. It just feels unnecessary and clunky and could throw the wizard/fighter balance off (quadratic wizard, linear fighter). Just keep the spells static (keep ability mod riders though); easier to balance and keeps the balance in check. There might be seperate bigger spell versions higher up in the spell level ladder IF you'd need a bigger magic missle instead of a fireball...

-YRUSirius

 

[howandwhy99]

6 spells may be for divine spellcasters. They have 6 to choose from and cast 1/day at 2nd level. Then perhaps they can pay/bargain to change that list with their patron deity?

Or 6 spells / day / spell level could be a reference to AD&D's (basically) top end Magic-User (at least level 28). So PCs might top out at 6 spell slots per spell level, presumably a whole lot earlier.

Or 6 spells / day could be a new Total Known Spells maximum for every level. Perhaps they are gained all at once as with clerics or gained over time as with magic-users?

Or ... who knows?

 

[Ellington]

9 spell levels is a bit much. I could see something like 6 or so, and at the highest level the cleric/wizard could choose a single very powerful spell as sort of a signature move. Something you've spent all of your adventuring career researching, perfecting. Time Stop, Gate, Storm of Vengeance, whatever. You could only have one.

Then you could have all sorts of adventures where you'd have to seek out different characters that have access to these incredibly powerful spells instead of just waiting for the party cleric/wizard to prepare it the next day.