nightspaladin said:
Ok, anyone come up with a good way to divide spells up into per encounter chunks.
Techincally, it should be 1/4 the spell slots, but it seems a clumsy way to do it.
I am less worried about the per day spells and at will, though any thoughts about how to do this would be greatly appreciated
I think one could combine it with the idea of silos:
Here is one take on it:
Spellcasters prepare spells as usual.
1)
Spells of your highest available level can still be cast only once per day, but there is a further limitation: In any given encounter, you can cast only 1 attack, 1 defense and 1 utility spell. These "encounter" slots return 1 minute after you have cast the spell and performed only light activities.
2)
Spells of your second and your third highest level can be cast each encounter. You again have 1 attack, 1 defense and 1 utility slot for both levels These slots only regenerate after 1 minute of light activity, and the spell effect must have ended (if other than instantaneous) by then.
3)
Spells lower than that can be cast at will. A spell with a duration other than instantenous must have ended before you can cast it again (if you prepare the spells multiple times, count each spell slot individually)
4) Specials:
For 1 and 2, each spell caster can select one extra "encounter" slot, using it for any type of spell he wants. You can cast a spell per encounter no more often than you have prepared it.
I am not sure how to balance Sorcerors and Wizards here. Sorcerors might have the advantage that they can use their highest level spells more often each day, but I am not convinced that this alone is worth the limited spell selection.
The slot limitations for your highest level spells exist mostly to limit "novaing" further
Maybe the slot limitations for 2) are to harsh, but I think otherwise it is hard to balance these spell.s
The limitations for the 3rd spell category are in place to avoid that every party member is buffed with all available buff spells, all the time, because this would seriously change the balance. On the other hand, at least characters are guaranteed on the buffs they get and there is no need to rest just because the fighters Bull Strength and Magic Circle vs Evil have run out...
I think that some spells might become more powerful, or at least too useful if they can be cast every encounter or every round. It should be obvious that, if there is just one healer character, hit point damage will never last beyond a single encounter, which might make you want to change the cure spells (unless you know and accept the same experience with the tons of Wands of Cure Light Wounds many parties employ for the same purpose)
