Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Michael Morris" data-source="post: 752212" data-attributes="member: 87">Ok, now I'm going to discuss some of the problems (or at least wrinkles of) my system.The first is that the low level casters actually get much stronger under this system.  A first level wizard has 8 base spell points - that's enough to throw 4 magic missiles.  When you include the 4 bonus spell points for an 18 intelligence you have 6 magic missiles.  This is quite a step up from 3 possible under the old system for a specialist invoker.  The sorcerer with an 18 charisma gets even scarier, tossing 8 magic missiles compared to the 4 possible under slots. On the healing side of the coin the cleric with an 18 wisdom is throwing 4 cure light wounds spells compared to the 3 he had. The 1st level bard has enough spell points to pop 6 cantrips, a whopping change from the 2 she had.Speaking of cantrips, all this is assuming the non-bards are not using their cantrips, so in the end it sort of balances out.  Still, until about 5th level the casters are stronger under this system.  Using the wizard as a guide, look at the number of spell points they gain under the new system compared to the spell point VALUE of the spells they gain under the old system (In a slot system a wizard casts all spells at maximum caster possible since there is no reason to cast a spell at a lower level than one is able).  Note that both wizards in this example are presumed to have an 18 intelligence, not because this is the most common case but because it is potentially the most unbalancing.[code][color=white]    Old    NewLevel    sys    Sys1    9    122    17    203    30    324    54    405    81    526    117    607    156    728    197    80[/color][/code]Quite a difference eh? Geometric vs. Linear progression The chart above reveals a fundemental problem with the slot system - it is a geometrical system.  If this chart were carried out to 20th level it would show the wizard with the equivalent of 1010 spell points under the slot system, compared to 196 under the Dusk spell point system.  Little wonder then that fighters, rogues and other non-casters fall behind in power compared to the casters.For those who aren't up to speed on their math, a gemometric progression is one that increases in two dimensions.  The slot system does this because not only do the number of slots increase, but so too does the power of each slot.  A 10th level fighter and a 1st level fighter gain the same bonus for their 1st level feat slot - a +1 to AC against certain opponents (dodge) for instance.  A first level wizard's magic missile doesn't begin to compare with a 10th level wizard's, which is 5x as potent!!In recognition of this 3e has spell caps on spells to try to arrest this growth which, left unrestricted, can grow to riduculous proportions (anyone who's watched 20th level 1st edition casters knows what I'm talking about here..  10 magic missiles per volley is NOT cool).  Spell caps are at best a hasty patch, they don't really solve the problem and, what is worse, they are unpopular with some groups and get thoughtlessly left out.By comparison, the Dusk spell point system is a linear progression.  The spell potential of casters grows at a fixed one-dimensional rate like everything else in the game.  While 196 points is more than enough for a single encounter, it isn't an overwhelming amount.Playing SmarterCasters aren't up the creek without a paddle though.  Where the slot system didn't reward intelligent use of spell power, the spell point system does.  There is now a very real reason to cast a fireball at the 5th level of ability to blast some kobolds rather than use a 10th level one.  This really comes into play with cantrips and divinations.  For instance, is there really a point in casting detect magic at the 20th level of ability??  No.  So this utility spell stays at 1 point per use.On the other end of the scale, the spell point system makes it possible to ignore artificial spell caps because low level spells cast at high power levels cost roughly the same amount of spell points as their high level cousins.  A 20d6 20th level fireball gulps an astonishing 23 spell points.  A 20th level meteor swarm is 29 points, only 6 points more (for a much better effect).And now, the proposed changesThe spell point system on the Dusk site is simple enough to be quickly learned and elegant enough to not require the GM to readjust every spell he comes across in other books.  But it still isn't perfect.  These are some revisions I have in mind, most of which deal with class balance issues.Better DruidsDruids use their spells more often than clerics, so putting them at 4 points / level has over weakened them.  In the proposed revision druids gain 6 spell points / level.  This puts them between a wizard and a cleric in spell point allotments.  They no longer continue to gain 6 skill points / level in the spell point system.Divine CastersAll divine casters continue to prepare spells and not lose them when cast as described in the spell point system.  With the changes to the wizard they will have less more flexiability than the wizard or even the sorcerer (since they can change their spells each day) but they will lag behind both in sheer firepower.  Along with the changes above this makes the druid considerably more dangerous than before.Cleric ChangesClerics lose their spontaneous casting abiliy entirely - they won't need it since if they bother to prepare even one cure spell they can use it as often as desired.  In exchange they consider both their domains "prepared" but they still must use their spell points to cast their domain spell (they can cast it as often as they can afford to).  Hence the healing domain sort of replaces the spontaneous curing ability already - and players that always want a cure on the fly should seriously consider taking this domain.Clerics also gain a new ability:  They can use their spell points to supplement their turning attempts for the day.  To make a turning attempt this way they pay X spell points, where X is the turning level they desire.  They can also can turn at a lesser level by spending fewer spell points. than their actual level (useful for ridding oneself of skeletons and other lesser undead).Clerics have the fewest spell points of the major casters now that druids move up to 6 points / level.  However, clerics have always had a strong fighting arm and armor selection - options the druid has been weak at and the arcane casters never really could consider.  Still, this sytem drops them out of being the strongest class in the game to somewhere in the middle.BardsBards lose the ability to freely apply metamagic feats.  They return to their 1 round casting time increase.WizardsWizards aren't so lucky.  As a default they now lose their preparations Vancian style when they cast a spell.  At low levels they can easily run out of spells before they run out of spell points.  The exception to this rule are spells that the wizard has masterd with their spell mastery feat.  When a wizard uses these spells the preparation remains - making this feat far more useful to the wizard.Wizards also have the option of applying metamagic feats to spells on the fly if they haven't prepared them this way.  Doing this increases the casting time by 1 round.  Hence if a wizard wants to use quicken spell he still has to prepare it that way.SorcerersSorcererers are unchanged in the revision. Metamagic featsMetamagic feats no longer increase the level a spell is prepared at - they merely increase the cost to use the spell by 3 points per level they would have raised it.  Hence even a 1st level wizard can prepare a quickened magic missile, but it will cost him an extra 12 points to cast it.  Metamagic feats that do not list a level increase will increase the spell point cost by 1 (This stops some rather broken combos when the same metamagic feat is applied to a spell multiple times).All ideas and comments are welcome.</blockquote>

Verification