Magic paths: Familiar vs. Eschew components

[Mercule]

I want to somewhat minimize the availability of Eschew Components in my game -- mainly because I want to be a rat bastard and remove the generic "component pouch" as a means of going for a lower magic feel. Yet, I still want some casters to be able to eschew components.

My question is this: Would it be balanced to allow a Wizard to choose to either have the ability to acquire a familiar or to be able to eschew components? Basically, at 1st level, they'd have to decide which they wanted. Is this going to be a brain-dead choice or would it be fair?

Final note: I dumped the Sorcerer class because we're using the spell points from UA, which makes the sorcerer a bit redundant.

 

[dvvega]

A familiar is a lot more useful than not having to use components - unless you are also allowing them to ignore costly ones.

One option you might want (and this is the option I use in one country in my homebrew) is Arcane Foci. The wizards in this country are very ritualistic (modelled after the Rosicrucians). They use swords, goblets, etc as magical foci. Each wizard has one or more foci for various spells/school depending on their flavour/training. If they lose their focus they have to get a new one or reclaim it before casting again. Much like a cleric and their holy symbol.

They (in effect) eschew material components but with a restriction.

They still get their familiars of course.

However this also means that ALL spells require material components (the focus).

 

[mercucio]

Not a bad idea. However, if you're going to ditch the familiar in exchange for essentially the Eschew Materials feat, you will probally want to give wizards and extra bonus feat to compensate for the loss of the familiar.

Alternately you increase the gold cost of components you can ignore to something like 5-10 gp per class level. Thus a 1st level wizard could ignore components costing up to 5gp, while a 10th level wizard could ignore the cost of components worth up to 50 gp.

 

[Mercule]

I like the idea of scaling the reward.

Strangely, my concern was whether the Eschew Materials would be too powerful. It won't be available to a wizard with a familiar, and I'm requiring the PCs to track all their components.

 

[Sigurd]

Foci - wand

For some of the really common components I allow characters to buy\acquire a wand that functions as the focus. Just like Harry Potter a whole class of simple spells can be cast with the right wand. Working wands are not cheap and more personal than a "component pouch". If the wand is broken or worn out (critical failure, theft etc....) the wizard can still use components.

I think players really like the idea of having a wand of their own.

I'm toying with the idea of wands costing about 2k to buy for real ones. Half that to make. Found wands are typically not compatable with other wizards so if they function they tend to burn out quicker.

2k - 4k is based on spells costing about 20g to cast each and 100 - 250 charges in the wand. That covers all spells with a component value under 25gp. For many spells its very expensive but very convenient. In play 250 spells are a lot (I dont count non game time spellcasting).

What do people think of these numbers.