Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="poilbrun" data-source="post: 56390" data-attributes="member: 532">Some help, but not very positive... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f641.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":(" title="Frown    :("  data-smilie="3"data-shortname=":(" />Things I like about your system :1. It is an easy way to lower the power of wizards in the game, which is cool when you want a low-magic setting. I prefer high-magic setting like the FR, but if I wanted to run a low-magic campaign, this system would be good as having a spell doesn't mean that you will be able to cast, thus creating some more tension.2. The ability to cast unprepared spells is pretty cool. However, I believe it weakens low-level wizards more than high-level ones, which is a pity since low-level wizards are already weaker than the other classes.Example 1 : A level 1 wizard with max ranks in Spellcraft (4) and 18 INT. Total in Spellcraft : +8. To cast a level-1 spell unprepared, DC 22. He thus succeeds on a 14-20.Example 2 : A level 17 wizard with max ranks in Spellcraft (20), 26 INT (18 + 4 at level 4, 8, 12 and 16 + 4 from objects, either Headband of Intellect or a book, or wishes...) and Skill Focus : Spellcraft (I would most definitely take this feat if I used this system) : +30 (or 31 since Skill Focus is +3 when I DM). To cast a level-9 spell unprepared, DC 38. He thus succeeds on a 8-20. And you mustn't forget that he can also cast as many level 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 spells as he wishes.3. The ability to cast higher-level spells than normally is cool. And here, low-level wizards have a boost. But one mustn't forget that a low-level wizard normally has less spells available than a higher-level one.Example 1 : The same wizard wants to cast a level-2 spell that he prepared. DC 19. He thus succeeds on a 11-20.Example 2 : The same wizard, but at level 16. The only difference is that he has 19 ranks in Spellcraft. He wants to cast a prepared level-9 spell : DC 43. He succeeds on a 14-20.Things I do not like about your system :1. Why mess with the system from the PHB? It works fine for me, so I don't need to change! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />2. When does a wizard needs more spells? During fights, dungeons, and the likes. A wizard can prepare less spells with your system than he would with the "normal" system. Thus, the wizard becomes either weaker (which he already does since he's not 100% sure that his spells, his only way of defending himself, will work), or he becomes the whiner who always wants to stop in the middle of the dungeon (and the game session) to re-memorize his spells.3. More dice! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> It means that fights will be slower and that when the party isn't in combat but investigating or dealing with others, there will be a need of throwing dice, taking away from the roleplay to throw dice (BTW, I'm not a big fan either of Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense Motive or this kind of checks, preferring to let the players roleplay and only roughly compare their skill with the opposing skill of the NPC).4. The system would be too easily breakable by a high-level wizard. At level 20, a wizard can easily have made a Headband of Intellect +6 and 5 scrolls of Wish to raise his INT. With the 5 raises at level 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20, he know has 34 in INT. If you add max ranks in Spellcraft and Skill focus : Spellcraft, he adds 37 to his Spellcraft checks, which means that a level-20 wizard developed to abuse this system (I agree that IT IS abusing the system, but I don't know many 20-level wizards that don't look like this anyway) is able to cast any unprepared spell that he wishes.CONCLUSION1. The full-round action to read a spell from one's spellbook when casting it unprepared is REALLY necessary. But then again, at high-level, I'd memorize 27 Time Stop. If I'm not lucky, I'll only have time to cast one unprepared spell during the duration of the spell. But If I'm lucky, I might have time to cast two spells and spend a round reading it from the spellbook to cast it the round following the end of the Time Stop.2. The system seem to be good at low- and mid-level, but becomes unbalanced at high level. It might not matter much for people who like low- and mid-level play, but as I'm a huge fan of high-level campaigns, that's one of the first thing I look when I see a new rule.3. Finally, I'd like to suggest a cosmetic change : make the time to prepare a spell related to its level : 10 min/level of the spell seems fine. It makes more sense that a spell taking 2 pages in a spellbook take a shorter time to prepare than a spell covering 18 pages.Sorry if I do not like your system much because I found flaws in your systems, but as you asked for feedback, I supposed that you'd prefer receiving bad feedback with (what I hope is) constructive criticism rather than none!</blockquote>

Verification