Ideas for Creative Casting? Balanced Magic System?

[bloodymage]

Aw gee, shucks!

This sounds like a pretty cool system you have worked out.

Thanks for the praise.


But I am curious about the balance issues it may bring up. How high of a level are clerics and mages allowed to "overcast"? Like, could a cleric attempt to cast really high level divine spells even at low levels?

I've not had a balance problem in my game. Both wizards and clerics do have a lot of power IMW but for them to attempt the highest reaches of that power before they are ready is difficult and costly. It is easier for a cleric, though. Conceivably, a 1st level cleric could cast a 9th level spell. He would have to know the ritual well enough to attempt casting it and he would have to spend about 1 1/2 hours in supplication. Not likely. Even if they did everything just right, the deity would have to grant the request. That, ultimately makes it a DM call. I allow my clerics to succeed if they stretch and the dice are right, but there are limits! This system makes the limits easy to set as the situation dictates because all clerical spells are at the pleasure of a fickle deity. And even LG deities are fickle. It's in the nature of divinity.


Also, if a cleric wanted to cast a spell really badly, could they just keep trying to cast it, if they werent in a battle or something, and eventually cast it?

Yes, that is possible, though it just might aggravate that fickle deity!


Im just curious, I really do like your creative system, it has given me a lot of ideas and If i get impatient with creating my own, I may use yours.

Be my guest and enjoy.


Oh, and i tried to visit your web page, but it said that i was not a member and couldnt enter or something, maybe i went to the wrong link?

You could always join, doesn't cost anything and it's a "community," yours (as a member) and mine. You can post there, too. But you don't have to join to read what's there. I think you may have clicked on "Member House Rules" and got nothing. That's 'cause there's nothing there! Go to "The Reliquary" (link above). Once at the site go to the menu on the left and click on "Game Rules in Faerûn". Then click on "Game Rules in Faerûn.rtf". That's it!


Thanks again for actually reading this thread and helping me out.
--RB Gnome

You're welcome!

 

[nopantsyet]

my in-progress system is for a low-magic world and has some similar concepts to the first system. there are three spheres of arcane magic, element, spirit, and mind. each has a different key ability (ELEMENT=CHA, SPIRIT=WIS, MIND=INT), and a separate spellcraft skill.

each sphere has four energies, each of which has five levels of powers. each of the five levels manifests a different effect. lvl0 fire is a small flame, lvl1 fire is a flame burst. l lvl0 air is a small wind, lvl1 wind is lightning. each power has a fixed effect. lightning does 1d6 damage. to increase the effect you simply add more levels: a lvl3 lightning does 3d6 damage.

energies can be combined with a force element to propel, shape, or otherwise modify the effect. so combining propel with flaming burst gives you a small fireball. well, it's a fireball without being propelled, but it's centered on you and that sucks.

this manner of combining one energy with an optional force component provides many basic spellcasting options. the body energy in the spirit school gives healing (as arcane, not divine--normal divine magic exists in theory in this world, but the world is devoid of faith so the gods are dormant.)

that's the easy part. that covers the basic spells right there. only an expert can use the next level. by combining energies, you get different effects. combining air and water energies can create weather effects. combining mind with dimension can create scrying effects. these effects follow the same basic system, except the exact effects of different combinations is long lost knowledge, so you have to experiment.

it's a point-based system using the wiz spell table and adding the total number of spell levels together. you are limited in # levels per day and max level you can cast, but both can be pushed with overcasting rules.

this is a low-magic world. magic is a frightening and exhausting practice. casting a spell does subdual damage most of the time. overcasting increases subdual damage and can deal temp ability damage. there is always a chance of failure, and the consequences of failure are harsh. for a 20th level caster to cast Wish they have to overcast and could kill die in the process.

oh it's a bleak and godless world.

 

[rootbeergnome]

nopantsyet-- Sounds like a bleak world indeed! The system that you describe is similar to the beginnings of the system I am attempting to create. I still don't know which one I will be using in my game.

BloodyMage-- Ok, I'm just trying to understand the system you use a little better. According to your example, a first level Mage would have 21 Mana Points at first level on average. Also you said a first level spell costs 2 mana to cast (spell level+1). So does this mean that a first level mage could cast Magic Missile about 10 times (with 1 mana left over) a day? That would be 1d4+1 damage, 10 times a day. I am curious as to how this is balanced in your game. Im not trying to be critical, i just dont want to use a system in my game that may make all the players want to play mages. Thanks again for all the help.
--RB Gnome