How to increase spell ability

[Beholder Bob]

Currently, there are 3 major steps in casting:

Full (cleric, sorcerer, wizard)
Slow (Bard)
Afterthought (ranger, paladin).

What would you charge a Hex Warrior to step up his spell ability to slow? Reduced HD to d6 or d8?

Prestige classes that ongoing spell ability fail to take into account the difference it holds for the class in question. Say a hex warrior takes spellblade prestige class, his reduced spell ability should increase by 1 for each level as he gains very little from additional caster levels compared to a wizard or cleric.

BB

 

[Beholder Bob]

Honest, I'd love feedback. What would you take away/how would you reduce a hex blade/warrior (I'm not sure of the proper name) to increase their spell ability to match a bard? Drop HD, BA, ????

BB

 

[Gnome]

Not sure how I'd rework this class to increase its spellpower, but I just have to say that the prestige class problem for non primary casters bothers me as well. It ends-up being a rip-off getting one of these prestige classes if you're anything other than a cleric, druid, sorceror, or wizard.

Not sure I have a great solution, but perhaps allowing an increase in casting by 2 levels at a time for the "afterthought" casters and 3 every 2 levels (starting with 1, then going to 2, then back to one) for "slow" casters might be more fair.

 

[Terath Ninir]

Hmm. Let's see. I'd probably knock the hexblade HD down to d8. I'd then either knock the BAB down to average (easy solution) or reduce the powers and knock them back levels (harder but better solution).

 

[Beholder Bob]

Hmmm: For prestige classes
The #'s are X/Y: y=caster levels gained in X levels
* cast at +2 level, to a maximum of level = total level. Gain +1 at 5th, +2 at 10th
** cast at +4 level, to a maximum of level = total level. Gain +1 at 2nd, then an additional +1 increment 4th, 6th, and 8th.
* and ** do not allow additional spells per day, nor access to higher level spells. This is simply an increase in the level spells are cast at.

....................+10/10.....+7/10......+5/10
Full Caster......+10/10......+7/10.....+5/10
Slow Caster....+10/10*....+10/10.....+7/10
Afterthought...+10/10**..+10/10*...+10/10

I know several folks have their own systems for calculating classes & balance. Perhaps one of these folks would be so kind as to take a look at the hex warrior casting increase?

BB