Point-Based Magic or "buy a Spell"

[psyekl]

I'm looking for informed opinions about game balance:

Magic Points (Alternate Magic Casting Rules)

These rules are an alternate to the standard rules of magic, providing the magic-using classes with added flexibility in their # of spells per day.

Spells are cast using a points-based system, and the magic-using classes are given a pre-determined number of points per day based on their “spells per day” allowance to cast their spells.
0-level spells are worth 1/2 point each
1st-level spells are worth 1 point each
2nd-level spells are worth 2 points each
3rd-level spells are worth 3 points each
Etc...
All of the rules for memorizing spells, resting, study, etc. still apply, only the spells per day are affected by this new system.

For example, a 5th-level Wizard is allowed (bonus spells excluded):

4 / 0-level,
3 / 1st-level,
2 / 2nd-level and
1 / 3rd-level spells per day.

By the alternate points-based system, the Wizard would receive 12 points per day with which to memorize spells
(pts value x spells per lvl = points available)
.5x4 = 2 points for 0-level,
1x3 = 3 points for 1st-level,
2x2 = 4 points for 2nd-level and
3x1 = 3 points for 3rd-level,

2+3+4+3=12

With the points-based house rule, the Wizard may memorize any combination of spells available to her by purchasing the spells from the points total in any combination desired. Therefore, the same Wizard may choose to memorize (4 / 3rd-level spells) or (4 / 0-level, 2 / 1st-level, 1 / 2nd-level, and 2 / 3rd-level spells) etc, as long as the total of 12 points per day are not exceeded.

 

[Cheiromancer]

My favorite system has 3 cantrips a day for free: after that 1 cantrip costs 1 point. For higher level spells the cost is 1 plus the spell level: a 1st level spell cost 2 points, a 2nd level spell cost 3, and so on. You also get bonus spells from high ability scores.

An apprentice level wizard starts with 1 point. At each level he gets a number of points equal to the level he just reached. So a first level wizard has 2 points (1 from his apprentice level, +1 from 1st level). When he gets to 2nd level he gets 2 more points, enough for a second 1st level spell. At third level he gets 3 more points, and so on.

Such a system can be used to reproduce the charts for spells/day pretty well.

One weakness of any spell point system is that it allows high level spells to be turned in for absurd amounts of 1st level spells. It can also lead to a wizard casting an unusual number of high level spells each day. There are various ways of dealing with this; first, you can deny it is a problem; second, you can implement some kind of spell burn system that discourages too many spells from being cast, especially high level spells.

 

[index]

spell points : jump off that cliff!

In WotC's Unearthed Arcana, they based spell points on what
level a wizard has to be to cast that level spell: 1 for 1st
level spells, 3 for 2nd level spells, 5 for 3rd, etc.

I've seen many criticisms of UA's version of a spell point
system elsewhere (along with comments and approval), I don't
remember which forum exactly. People noted that WotC's UA
charts for spell points do not consistently match up with
the spells by spell level tables in the PH.

Everybody has their own version of how spell points should
work.

Some say giving wizards (and clerics) a spell point system
steals the thunder from sorcerers. I say good, but only
because I'm bitter from an ultra-stingy campaign where the
NPC sorcerer out-shone the two PC wizards. (The DM wouldn't
even allow us all of the two spells per level that wizards
are supposed to learn.) I'll probably remain so bitter
that I'll always be in favor of something that might make
wizards more powerful than sorcerers.

Psyekl, don't worry about game balance too much. If you're
already running a game, do NOT introduce a change this big
without the approval of all your players. If this is for a
new game, ask yourself: will everyone want to play clerics,
druids, and wizards if I make this change, instead of
playing fighters and rogues? (As I mention above, I don't
care about sorcerers.) If I introduced this AFTER people
made characters (not that you will), would the guy playing
the fighter choke the life out of me for this? Will I still
be able to give equal 'screen time' to non-spellcasters if I
use this rule?

(Many people worry about making fighters and rogues feel
like mere support cast for clerics and wizards. But in my
experience, the exact opposite problem already applies.)

Cheiromancer, I'm not sure that it's a weakness that spell
point systems allow hordes of low level spells at the
expense of high level spells, or more high level spells at
the expense of low level spells. I consider that a feature,
myself.

Of course, I've never understood the big deal about nerfing
wizards more and more with each new edition to attempt to
'balance' them with non-spellcasters. The mere fact that
wizards can do 'impossible' things with magic will always
make them 'unbalanced' except when played in the most
direct, unimaginative manner. Look at how hugely powerful
clerics are in 3e and 3.5e, and people STILL play wizards
for the flexibility of researching new spells without some
deity telling you 'no'.

off-topic:
For those who are worried about warriors being 'grogs' (Ars
Magica term, right?) compared to clerics and wizards -- most
legendary warriors had some magical ability.
(Multi-classing?) And if you think the hit point system is
overpowered? You could decide that PC-class heroes really
ARE that tough as a supernatural effect. A 20th level
fighter becomes something very special even compared to a
20th level wizard when he really CAN jump off a cliff,
painfully pick himself up at the bottom, and charge into an
opposing army.

off-topic :
I still have a fondness for GURPS (learn some spells, cast
them until you're exhausted), but there are no local GURPS
players. ( http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/lite/gurpslite.pdf
).

--index

 

[Myrddin ap Taliesen]

I really liked the use of power points in the original 3E Psionic Handbook. I don't remember the details and don't have the book on hand, but basically you had X-number of points depending on your level, could take feats to get more points, plus got bonus points for the relavent ability score. Then different level powers had different point costs.

IMO, it worked well for balancing how many powers you could use per day, since at higher levels you won't really be using many of your lower level spells anyways. It could probably easily be switched over to arcane (and probably even divine) spellcasters.

 

[Particle_Man]

If you really want to go to town, you could try Elements of Magic: Revised Edition. It combines the flexibility of the spell point system with the...er...flexibility of the Ars Magica/White Wolf verb-noun system. It makes things very...er...flexible.