Eliminating ASF

[Sammael]

Arcane spell failure (ASF) is an aberrant mechanic that does not comply with the basic philosophy of the d20 system (roll d20, add modifier, check against the DC; higher is better). Thus, I have decided to eliminate it from my games.

Now, there is no particular mechanical or balancing reason why sorcerers and wizards shouldn't be able to cast spells in armor (when clerics have always been able to do the same thing), but it adds some flavor, so I am not going to do away with it completely. Instead, I propose the following solution:

Arcane Spells and Armor
Arcane spells with somatic (S) components often require complicated gestures that are difficult to perform while wearing armor. The heavier and more encumbering the armor is, the more difficult it is to cast such spells. Thus, casting arcane spells in armor requires the caster to make a DC 5 Dexterity check. Failure on this check indicates that the spell is miscast with no effect.

Armor check penalty of armor and shields applies to this check. If the caster is nonproficient with armor he is wearing, he takes a -4 nonproficiency penalty on the check.

d20 + Dexterity modifier [-total armor check penalty] [-nonproficiency penalty]

If the caster’s total check modifier is +4 or greater, the check automatically succeeds.

Armored Arcana
You are adept at casting arcane spells while wearing armor.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast arcane spells, Armor Proficiency (any).
Benefit: Your get a +4 bonus on Dexterity checks made to cast arcane spells while wearing armor.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects are cumulative.

Why a Dex check instead of Concentration or Spellcraft? Well, because armored casters should be likely to actually fail this check every once in a while. Furthermore, it increases the value of Dexterity for arcane casters (it is currently not as important as Constitution), which encourages them to think more about their character concept when assigning stats. It also helps reinforce the elven fighter/wizard stereotype (an elf's chance of falure is 5% less than a human's because of the racial +2 to Dex).

 

[Yair]

Why not a concentration check? A failed concentraetion check already leads to a lost spell.
Just up the DC, and the casters will still have problems doing it. I don't agree it is not as important as constitution; both are great.

But to be honest, I don't like the armored wizard concept. Then again, I don't like the armored priest concept either. Personally, I'd just let all spellcasters take the Armor Check Penalty, regardless of Somatic or any other components. And, really, there is no need to compensate the cleric for this. Really.
But I am sticking to the core. Anyone wants to play an armored cleric - go for it. It's fun.

 

[Pbz]

The magic user can always take the "Still spell" feat and be able to use armor as any one else. No need to change anything as far as I can see.

The system works Jiiipiii

 

[Sammael]

Did you even read my post, or did you just read the title?

 

[Aaron2]

Arcane spell failure (ASF) is an aberrant mechanic that does not comply with the basic philosophy of the d20 system (roll d20, add modifier, check against the DC; higher is better). Thus, I have decided to eliminate it from my games.

I'm also considering getting rid of it. Mostly because I always forget to roll it.
Besides, why put a spell failure chance on armor that gives you less than +4 since Mage Armor does that no problemo? I also have no problem with armored spell casters.


Aaron

 

[Vrecknidj]

Arcane spell failure (ASF) is an aberrant mechanic that does not comply with the basic philosophy of the d20 system (roll d20, add modifier, check against the DC; higher is better). Thus, I have decided to eliminate it from my games.

Not all rolls in this game are d20. Concealment and stabilization are both d%, so I wouldn't say that ASF is aberrant. That said, what you've done here is interesting and definitely worth a closer look. So, I'll be nit-picky.

Arcane spells with somatic (S) components often require complicated gestures that are difficult to perform while wearing armor. The heavier and more encumbering the armor is, the more difficult it is to cast such spells. Thus, casting arcane spells in armor requires the caster to make a DC 5 Dexterity check. Failure on this check indicates that the spell is miscast with no effect.

Wait a minute. If encumbrance and weightiness are the reasons, shouldn't the ability score be Strength?

If the caster’s total check modifier is +4 or greater, the check automatically succeeds.

I'd add something like "unless there are applicable circumstance modifiers to the roll." After all, every DM wants opportunities to say to the player "Ah yes, you normally don't have to make this roll, but you're not normally up to your neck in a river either."

If you want to stick with Dex instead of Str, then I'd like to see something other than encumbrance and the weight of armor as the reasons why casting in armor is so tough.

Dave

 

[Halivar]

I'm not sure the analogy with clerics in the OP is correct. I would figure in these two reasons why arcane spellcasters shouldn't have the same armor proficiency as clerics:
1) A lot of people think clerics are too powerful, anyway, and
2) Clerics have fewer "destroy-everything-in-the-room-in-six-seconds" spells.

I find that wizards without armor are still every bit as formidable as a fighter in plate of the same level. The main use I see in getting rid of ASF is helping out multi-class Ftr-MU's, which suffer greatly from not being able to wear armor.

I like the feat idea. Something I might do instead is put ASF on a gradient, proportional to spell level. For instance, level 1 spells don't have any ASF at all, while level 9 spells simply can't be cast in anything heavier than leather.

As for whoever said the still spell feat was the answer; metamagic feats suck. Using up a higher level spell slot just to avoid a 15% ASF isn't very good.

 

[Sammael]

Not all rolls in this game are d20. Concealment and stabilization are both d%, so I wouldn't say that ASF is aberrant. That said, what you've done here is interesting and definitely worth a closer look. So, I'll be nit-picky.

True. However, the Skirmish game has turned concealment (as well as incorporeality) into d20 rolls, and I have taken steps to eliminate other % rolls from the core rules (IMC, stabilization is a Con check, and teleport requires a Spellcraft check).

Wait a minute. If encumbrance and weightiness are the reasons, shouldn't the ability score be Strength?

If you want to stick with Dex instead of Str, then I'd like to see something other than encumbrance and the weight of armor as the reasons why casting in armor is so tough.

Strength and encumbrance are already figured into it, kind of. Without appropriate Strength, a caster wouldn't be able to wear armor. Encumbrance results in the armor check penalty, which mostly applies to Dex-based skills.

The logic is as follows: casting spells with somatic components requires precision (more precision than swinging a sword, for example). Wearing heavy armor reduces maneuvrability (reflected by the armor check penalty). Thus, to compensate, you have to be really careful with somatic components. Ergo the Dex check.

I agree that Strength makes a bit more sense from the point of realism. However, there are other rules that purpusefully forego realism (such as adding the Str bonus on melee attack rolls, instead of Dex) to promote balance. Thus, I'd rather leave it a Dex check and not force armored sorcerers and wizards to have to put points into what is otherwise a dump stat for those classes - Strength.

I'd add something like "unless there are applicable circumstance modifiers to the roll." After all, every DM wants opportunities to say to the player "Ah yes, you normally don't have to make this roll, but you're not normally up to your neck in a river either."

Fully agreed.

 

[Merlion]

Sounds like a good idea. I dont get why Clerics get to cast spells in full plate with no problem either. Aside from preserving the image of a wizard with no armor...but because of that, few people are going to play an armor-wearing single classed wizard anyway. It mainly just makes multiclassing with wizard or sorcerer far more viable.

And yea, using Silent Spell is, like not really an option.