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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 6022298" data-attributes="member: 7006">With all this talk going around and around about whether classes should have Vancian mechanics, pseudo-Vancian mechanics, at-will spells, encounter spells, rechargeable spells after a short rest, rechargeable spells after a long rest, etc. etc. etc... I think one thing has become clear to me:Casting *mechanics* should not appear in ANY class description, and instead get reassigned to the Magic chapter.  Wherein the DM and players then select for themselves which mechanics will get used by each of the spellcasting classes the players will play in the game.Now before I go any further... yes, I know this will be confusing for a lot of "new" or "inexperienced" players.  To which I would reply that it seems like the game is already being built and set up to assign "default" Backgrounds, Specialties, Domains, Styles etc. for those players who want a VERY stripped down and "basic" game... so I'd say they assign default casting mechanics to each class as well.But if this "base version" of the game is cordoned off in perhaps it's own chapter (my own take is that there should be several appendixes which each have their own particular build of the rules to recreate the style of AD&D, 2E, 3E, 4E etc.), the actual class descriptions can just list at Level 1 an ability called "Casting Tradition", which tells the player to go to the Magic chapter and select from several options how their class casts spells.  And thus what you're left with in each Class description, is the class gets described and defined not by HOW it casts spells, but rather WHY it casts spells.  And WHO it is that acquires the magic to do it.  And WHERE that magic come from that powers it.   So a Wizard remains a studious spellcaster who delves into ancient tomes and runs experiments in an effort to unlock magic's secrets.  Clerics remain devout members of a church that receive blessings from their deity and can use those blessings to create miracles.  Sorcerers are still born with magic inside of them, bursting to get out.  Warlocks still make pacts with extradimensional beings, receiving gifts in exchange for their devotion.  Bards continue to use the power of sound to gather and release magical energy.  Druids still walk hand in hand with the primal spirits of the earth, borrowing the spirits' power to create magical effects.We keep all those stories intact.  Those don't change.  In fact, perhaps they get expanded.  But in no case does the class description say "and here are the game mechanics you use to casts this."  Instead, the player flips back to the Magic chapter to select a Casting Tradition at the same time he goes to the class's spell list to select his spells.I think this is the ONLY way we're going to find common ground with ALL D&D players.  Take all the currently designed casting mechanics (Full Vancian, the current Wizard's Vancian + at-wills, the current cleric's Pseudo-Vancian, AEDU style, Warlock invocation encounter style, the Sorcerer's willpower/power point style etc.) write them up one at a time as generic mechanics, then tell the players and DMs to choose and assign them to the different castings classes in your individual game based upon how they see the class's story and what makes the most sense / will be the most fun for the players (either each class gets its own, or every class uses the same one, or something in between.)Maybe then we'll finally be able to make most people happy.</blockquote>

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