sinmissing
First Post
Azgulor said:
My pleasure.
You might also ask yourself if the reason the spellcaster always takes magic-missile and fireball is because of lack of options. One idea I have toyed around with quite a bit is replacing the tried-n-true fireball/lighting bolt and other direct energy attacks with the energy <area of effect> powers from XPH. ie:
Energy Ball, Energy Bolt, Energy Burst, Energy Cone, Energy Current, Energy Missile, Energy Push, Energy Ray, Energy Retort, Energy Stun, Energy Wall, Energy Wave
This has worked pretty well for me, and my players enjoyed the option of throwing a Sonic Ball, or Cold Bolt a lot more instead of the tired fireball, lighting bolt.
I have toyed with the idea of making each energy type it's own spell, and making players memorize specific energy type spells vs. letting them choose the energy type when they cast, but my ruling seems to change with the style of the campaign.
Oriental Adventures has some particularly flavorful spells in my opinion. Lightning Sword is perhaps one of my favorite spells of all time.
That's a possibility, but I was actually thinking of the standard "Ranged Touch Attack" BAB + Dex.
As far as the TW system as a whole, I modified the rules slightly for my own particular style. I personally dislike that the sorcerer class' spell slots are forever frozen with the spell selections they've made over their career. I also enjoy the stylistic elements of scrolls and grimoires, so I added memorization and grimoires back into the rules like so:
All spells are written in an arcane language. This language literally writhes with energy, and changes shape if idly watched. The nature of this language is such that the memory of anything written in this language will fade from memory very quickly, without a great deal of effort to commit the script to memory. Scrolls written in arcane do not exhibit this property.
Complete spells are kept in grimoires. Only from grimoires may a sorcerer cast spells that are neither Known nor Familiar. Studying from a grimoire is the only method to memorize a spell.
Known, Familiar, Unknown
Each spell is classified as Known, Familiar, or Unknown. This classification is relative. Because magic is so difficult to retain, unless a sorcerer purposefully retains the complete spell in memory, a spell quickly becomes unknown. A sorcerer may remember having cast the spell Fireball, for example, but unless he’s gone through the motions to retain the spell formula (as a Known or Familiar spell), he is unable to recall the formula for the spell at all.
Memorizing spells is both time consuming and mentally taxing. Willing arcane script to remain legible can only be done for about an hour per day. It requires one day per spell level to imprint a spell from a grimoire to the caster’s mind and requires a successful spellcasting check (either base or ritual, player’s choice). The DC is 10 + Spell Level. An Unknown Spell becomes Familiar, and a Familiar Spell becomes Known. Therefore, it takes 2 days per spell level to make an Unknown Spell a Known Spell. A sorcerer cannot just use a scroll to change his familiarity with a spell.
If the sorcerer is replacing one spell with another, he must clear his mind of the memorized spell before committing the new one. Forgetting a spell takes a full-round action.
A wise spellcaster will often prepare spells from a grimoire while in the comforts of his own study, then set out with scrolls of any spells he is only Familiar with, leaving his heavy and unwieldy grimoire safely at home. Wealthy sorcerers sometimes travel with a grimoire, but usually if they have copies of the spells stashed elsewhere.
Scrolls and Grimoires
A spell inscribed on a scroll is a subset of the more complete work found in grimoires. A scroll cannot be used to cast a spell if the sorcerer is not at least Familiar with the spell. Unlike a grimoire, a scroll can be readied with a Ready action.
A grimoire is a large and unwieldy text containing complete descriptions of one or more spells. Because of their size, they are difficult to ready in combat, and are usually too valuable to travel with. A spell inscribed in a grimoire can be cast by a spell caster who is not Familiar with the spell.
Creating Scrolls and Grimoires
To create a scroll, a character needs a supply of choice writing materials, the cost of which is subsumed in the cost for scribing the scroll—12.5 gp x the level of the spell x the level of the caster.
All writing implements and materials used to scribe a scroll must be fresh and unused. A character must pay the full cost for scribing each spell scroll no matter how many times she previously has scribed the same spell.
The creator must know the spell to be scribed, or have another grimoire from which to copy. He must provide any material component or focus the spell requires. If casting the spell would reduce the caster’s XP total, she pays the cost upon beginning the scroll in addition to the XP cost for making the scroll itself.
Likewise, a material component is consumed when she begins writing, but a focus is not. (A focus used in scribing a scroll can be reused.) The act of writing triggers the prepared spell, making it unavailable for casting until the character has rested and regained spells. (That is, that spell slot is expended from her currently prepared spells, just as if it had been cast.)
Scribing a scroll requires one day per each 1,000 gp of the base price.
Item Creation Feat Required: Scribe Scroll.
The process for creating a grimoire is the same as for a scroll, except all costs, except when the spell would reduce the caster’s XP total, are doubled.
60 new spells with complete descriptions, component lists, and casting processes. And even though you may not be looking for more rules specifiically, I think you'll find a lot of the supplemental non-magic oriented rules useful for filling out a low-magic campaign. Let me know if you have any questions. Cheers.
