Magic house rules

[Paradoxish]

This is an issue that's been coming up in my game quite a lot lately. The melee/non-spellcasting class players are arguing that spellcasters of all kinds are completely broken at higher levels. The spellcaster-playing players are obviously arguing about this, but I can definitely see what they're getting at. As a DM, I can think of plenty of ways to design adventures so that spellcasters and non-spellcasters are equally important, but it seems cheap to specifically design an adventure to prevent a player from using his character to its fullest.

So, short of handicapping characters in-game, how do you deal with magic? I really need some advice on this issue, since at least half of my group is considering suiciding their current characters and going with spellcasters (which I can tell they really don't want to play) purely because they feel as though they'll be left out and weaker at higher levels.

Have you guys found that spellcasters really aren't all that overpowering at higher levels? Or have you come up with some house rules to tone them down a bit? Specifically, are there any spells in particular that you've found completely destroy game balance? Besides harm, of course.

Thanks a lot for any advice, hopefully I'll be able to figure out a good compromise that'll work well for my game.

 

[Michael Morris]

I use my spellpoint system to curtail the power of the magic users at higher levels...

Oh, it's on my site in the Magic section.

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

If you want to have a lot of fun with your players (while proving a point) have them roll up a set of characters for a one nighter and don't allow any of the dedicated spell casting classes. (not even clerics)

This works best if you run through one of the WotC published adventures.

By the end of the night everyone should be completely convinced that the spell casting classes are a bit over the top after about 10th level.

As to what we did about DnD magic, we just went ahead and banned it.

YMMV but we found that doing so led to a much more plot based game without the "Save or Die" and "Insta-Heal" mechanics.

 

[Kevin O'Reilly]

Magic can be fatiguing.

All Wizards need to roll a casting roll (Spellcheck) equal to 15+(2*spell level). Any failure means the spell succeeded, but the caster takes hit point damage equal to 2*spell level.

Modifiers can make spell casting more difficult - in combat vs 1 opponent +2; two plus opponents +5. Casting in armor has further mods based on the armor check penalty.

Any fail by 5-9 the caster is fatigued. Any fail by 10+ the caster is exhausted. This has a nasty cumulative effect.

Also, in our campaign we play that criticals do "wound" damage directly to Constitution, and cause fatigue and exhaustion. Armor can absorb these wounds, so a spell caster is at serious disadvantages as it doesn't take much to fatigue a Wizard.

It seems to work and keeps Wizards in check. As we heal hps per hour of rest, the super healing ability of clerics is less important, except to treat wounds.