Michael Tree
First Post
Recently there's been a lot of discussion about how people would ideally like multiclassed spellcasting to work, how they would like it to work in future editions. I've compiled the various ideas and opinions, and added a few of my own here.
A common idea is that if there is a generic spells/day chart for all spellcasters, in the same way that there is a general "iterative attacks/round" chart for combat, then spellcasting multiclassing could work the same way that all other multiclassing does - cumulatively.
If a single chart is used, then instead of unique spellcasting progressions for each class, classes have a "caster level" column, and a "spells per day" column, which indicates what row on the chart the caster uses for spell slots. For example, wizards and clerics would have +1/level in both caster level and spells/day, rangers and paladins would have +1/2 levels in both caster level and spells/day, while a bard would have +1/level caster level, but only +3/4 levels spells/day.
Non-spellcasters could then be given a "caster level" bonus of +1 per 2 or 3 levels. Fighter/Wizards and the like won't gain any more spells for non-caster levels, but they won't fall too far behind in caster level, so their spells won't be too easy to dispel or useless against opponents with SR.
The main snags with this system are how to handle the difference between vancian and spontaneous casting and how to handle different spell lists and the difference between vancian and spontaneous casting. Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed has a good fix for the former, with a system that works like an amalgam of both: Characters can have big spell lists, but choose a number of spells they have available for casting every morning, like if a Sorcerer could re-choose their spells known every day from a spellbook.
How to deal with different spell lists is more complicated. Does anyone have suggestions?
Most of the other complications with D&D classes could be easily fixed with class abilities. For example, a cleric's domain spells wouldn't be on the spells/day chart, but instead the cleric would get a class ability of "Domain spell: 1st level" at 1st cleric level, "Domain spell: 2nd level" at 3rd cleric level, "Domain spell: 3rd level" at 5th cleric level, and so on. A similar class ability progression could be created for spontaneous casting of cure spells.
A sorcerer's delayed acquisition of spell levels would be handled by giving the class +0 spells/day at 3rd level instead of +1, and the greater number of spells/day overall would be handled by giving sorcerers the class ability "+2 1st level spells/day" at 1st level, "+2 2nd level spells/day" at 4th level, "+2 3rd level spells/day" at 6th level, "+2 4th level spells/day" at 8th level, and so on.
These might also solve the problem of sorcerers and clerics not giving up anything when taking prestige classes.
I personally like the way this all works together, but I may have overlooked something important.
A common idea is that if there is a generic spells/day chart for all spellcasters, in the same way that there is a general "iterative attacks/round" chart for combat, then spellcasting multiclassing could work the same way that all other multiclassing does - cumulatively.
If a single chart is used, then instead of unique spellcasting progressions for each class, classes have a "caster level" column, and a "spells per day" column, which indicates what row on the chart the caster uses for spell slots. For example, wizards and clerics would have +1/level in both caster level and spells/day, rangers and paladins would have +1/2 levels in both caster level and spells/day, while a bard would have +1/level caster level, but only +3/4 levels spells/day.
Non-spellcasters could then be given a "caster level" bonus of +1 per 2 or 3 levels. Fighter/Wizards and the like won't gain any more spells for non-caster levels, but they won't fall too far behind in caster level, so their spells won't be too easy to dispel or useless against opponents with SR.
The main snags with this system are how to handle the difference between vancian and spontaneous casting and how to handle different spell lists and the difference between vancian and spontaneous casting. Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed has a good fix for the former, with a system that works like an amalgam of both: Characters can have big spell lists, but choose a number of spells they have available for casting every morning, like if a Sorcerer could re-choose their spells known every day from a spellbook.
How to deal with different spell lists is more complicated. Does anyone have suggestions?
Most of the other complications with D&D classes could be easily fixed with class abilities. For example, a cleric's domain spells wouldn't be on the spells/day chart, but instead the cleric would get a class ability of "Domain spell: 1st level" at 1st cleric level, "Domain spell: 2nd level" at 3rd cleric level, "Domain spell: 3rd level" at 5th cleric level, and so on. A similar class ability progression could be created for spontaneous casting of cure spells.
A sorcerer's delayed acquisition of spell levels would be handled by giving the class +0 spells/day at 3rd level instead of +1, and the greater number of spells/day overall would be handled by giving sorcerers the class ability "+2 1st level spells/day" at 1st level, "+2 2nd level spells/day" at 4th level, "+2 3rd level spells/day" at 6th level, "+2 4th level spells/day" at 8th level, and so on.
These might also solve the problem of sorcerers and clerics not giving up anything when taking prestige classes.
I personally like the way this all works together, but I may have overlooked something important.