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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Crazy Jerome" data-source="post: 5930473" data-attributes="member: 54877">Here's another related thought. I'll present it as stand-alone with nothing else changed, but obviously it can be mixed and matched with some of the previous ideas, readily enough: To finish casting a spell, the caster must make an ability check, which will naturally vary by the type of spell (e.g. Cha for charms, Con for draining spells, etc.) Failing the roll does not kill the spell, but mean the caster can try again next round. By default, once a spell starts, the caster must either finish it or abandon it--i.e. if he stays with it, it will eventually cast or be allowed to fizzle out, but once started the slot is used. The DC to cast is 10+spell level. If hit while so casting, the next check is at disadvantage. Comments: That makes this check effectively a "casting time" mechanic. You can always get the spell off, but you don't know exactly when it will go off. Simple spells are highly likely to go off on the first try, and thus never give a foe a chance to interrupt. Powerful spells are likely to take at least two rounds, and if pounded on, even longer. I'm assuming that the flat math makes the DC reasonable, but if not it could be higher or scale differently. The added complexity is kept to a minimum here, and I think many new players would find the check intuitive. I'm not the only one that has had players confused by the wizard not needing to roll at all, but this form is "cast the spell on time" instead of a copy of melee or ranged attack rolls. It also has the side virtue of giving powerful casters pause where powerful spells are concerned.  People have proposed may similar such systems before, but the key bit is not losing the spell on a failed casting check, as the usual proposals have.  That doesn't really work with D&D because of the nature of the slots. Alternative: I like this one better actually, but more confusing to explain without giving the preceding first. Make the prime casting stat (e.g. Int for wizards) work as the casting check above on all spells, then vary the saving throws by different abilities. This has a more direct flavor application, make the prime casting stat still very important, and I think would probably work better with hybrid and multiclass casters.</blockquote>

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