Uller
Adventurer
Two things I'd like to accomplish with this:
1) I'd like to make it a bit easier for arcane casters to wear armor. IMO, the rules on Arcane spell failure make it a bit too difficult to make fun Fighter/"Magic-users".
2) I'd like to make magic a bit more dangerous, less predictable. Give people a reason to fear wizards and sorcerers(by making accidents a possibility).
What I don't want to do is make things too difficult for wizards and sorcerers, thus making people not want to play them...
Hear is what I am thinking...
1) Do away with Arcane Spell Failure checks due to armor.
2) When an arcane caster casts a spell or uses a spell completion device(like a scroll), he must make a casting check(in addition to the caster level check for a scroll if necessary).
The check is as follows:
DC = Spell Level + Cast Level(so it is easier to cast a less effective spell)
Check = d20 + Caster Level + Ability Modifier + Armor Penalty(this is negative...applies only when somatic components are part of the spell)
On the roll of a natural 1 that is a failure, the player must roll again. If he fails a second time, it is a critical failure resulting in some negative effect(the spell is centered on an unintended target, give the opposite effect, etc).
Here is the break down of what a wizard who starts with a 16 Int needs to cast his best spell to maximum effect while not wearing any armor:
Level/min roll needed/% chance of critical failure
1/1/0
2/1/0
3/1/0
4/1/0
5/1/0
6/1/0
7/1/0
8/1/0 --Int mod = +4 now
9/1/0
10/1/0
11/2/0.25
12/2/0.25
13/3/.5
14/3/.5
15/4/.75
16/3/.5 --Int mod = +5
17+/4/.75
So your typical non-armor wearing wizard wll be weakened slightly assuming he gets no int boosting magic items by 11th level(then he'll be completely unaffected). Wizards with lower ints and or armor will be effected to a greater degree. A wizard without a high int or who wears too much armor will quickly find he is unable to consistantly control the forces of magic and will be a danger to himself and others...
I don't know if this accomplishes what I want or not...I'm open to suggestions.
Also...I'm considering making expanding the list of spells that are Good, Evil, Lawful and Chaotic...In my campaign world, magic is basically cast by manipulating/controlling/dealing with spirits of various sorts. If you want to cast a Fireball, you essentially call a fire spirit and request/command it to explode on a designated spot. If the you can't control the spirit or displease it, it explodes on you. So if this rule seems harsh, then maybe it would only apply to spells that are in opposition to you or something...I haven't thought it out that far yet...
1) I'd like to make it a bit easier for arcane casters to wear armor. IMO, the rules on Arcane spell failure make it a bit too difficult to make fun Fighter/"Magic-users".
2) I'd like to make magic a bit more dangerous, less predictable. Give people a reason to fear wizards and sorcerers(by making accidents a possibility).
What I don't want to do is make things too difficult for wizards and sorcerers, thus making people not want to play them...
Hear is what I am thinking...
1) Do away with Arcane Spell Failure checks due to armor.
2) When an arcane caster casts a spell or uses a spell completion device(like a scroll), he must make a casting check(in addition to the caster level check for a scroll if necessary).
The check is as follows:
DC = Spell Level + Cast Level(so it is easier to cast a less effective spell)
Check = d20 + Caster Level + Ability Modifier + Armor Penalty(this is negative...applies only when somatic components are part of the spell)
On the roll of a natural 1 that is a failure, the player must roll again. If he fails a second time, it is a critical failure resulting in some negative effect(the spell is centered on an unintended target, give the opposite effect, etc).
Here is the break down of what a wizard who starts with a 16 Int needs to cast his best spell to maximum effect while not wearing any armor:
Level/min roll needed/% chance of critical failure
1/1/0
2/1/0
3/1/0
4/1/0
5/1/0
6/1/0
7/1/0
8/1/0 --Int mod = +4 now
9/1/0
10/1/0
11/2/0.25
12/2/0.25
13/3/.5
14/3/.5
15/4/.75
16/3/.5 --Int mod = +5
17+/4/.75
So your typical non-armor wearing wizard wll be weakened slightly assuming he gets no int boosting magic items by 11th level(then he'll be completely unaffected). Wizards with lower ints and or armor will be effected to a greater degree. A wizard without a high int or who wears too much armor will quickly find he is unable to consistantly control the forces of magic and will be a danger to himself and others...
I don't know if this accomplishes what I want or not...I'm open to suggestions.
Also...I'm considering making expanding the list of spells that are Good, Evil, Lawful and Chaotic...In my campaign world, magic is basically cast by manipulating/controlling/dealing with spirits of various sorts. If you want to cast a Fireball, you essentially call a fire spirit and request/command it to explode on a designated spot. If the you can't control the spirit or displease it, it explodes on you. So if this rule seems harsh, then maybe it would only apply to spells that are in opposition to you or something...I haven't thought it out that far yet...