Pros and Cons: spell components and visibly-prepared spells

[memesis]

I'm thinking of proposing two "thematic" house rules to my DM, but I want to see if there are any major unbalancing issues people can think of.

1. Visibly-prepared spells: spell prep leaves behind a distinctive mark - runes on the forearms, for example, or something fairly standardized. The marks fade away with each spell cast, and read magic and/or Spellcraft and/or Knowledge (Arcana) can finger the schools or even the particular spells someone has prepared. Long sleeves obviously are useful for stealth.

2. Spell components (but not foci) used up during spell prep, not casting - in this case, you're essentially doing the "bubble bubble toil and trouble" business with your ingredients, expending the pricy gems/bat guano/whatever to pepare a spell, rather than expending components at casting time.

Thoughts?

 

[shilsen]

The first thing that comes to mind with the 2nd rule is that it makes things a lot easier on spellcasters. For example, not needing material components on hand makes it possible to cast a number of spells when grappled which could not normally be cast (without components already in hand). A spell without somatic components (or a stilled spell) can now be cast with both hands occupied. It's a nice flavor idea, but it removes a significant restriction on the spellcasting classes, and I personally wouldn't use it.

 

[Petrosian]

The second makes spells wioth expensive components very pricey... pay the cost when prepping and the money is lost whether you cast or not? This seems very expensive.

I would be the upshot would be that expensive component spells would rarely be prepared ahead of time, using open slots and prep time when needed.

Overall, it would not see a balance issue as long as the tatoos or markings can be found and disabled... maybe by carving thru the flesh they are on?

it sounds like a neat effect.

I would suggest that spontaneous casters make more permanent tatoos, bonding with their magic long term, Maybe their tatoos would glow when that specific spell was cast?

 

[memesis]

First, I think I screwed up and put this in D&D Rules instead of House Rules. Duh.

The second makes spells wioth expensive components very pricey... pay the cost when prepping and the money is lost whether you cast or not? This seems very expensive.

I would be the upshot would be that expensive component spells would rarely be prepared ahead of time, using open slots and prep time when needed.

This is basically one of the balancing factors to the previous post, about stilled spells and components. It means that major spells with expensive components really do seem major - the caster goes through the preparation ritual and then actually casts the spell, lending more of an air of ceremony to the proceedings (instead of "I bring his dead ass back from the grave with the aid of this expensive gem in my pocket").

Overall, it would not see a balance issue as long as the tatoos or markings can be found and disabled... maybe by carving thru the flesh they are on?

it sounds like a neat effect.

I would suggest that spontaneous casters make more permanent tatoos, bonding with their magic long term, Maybe their tatoos would glow when that specific spell was cast?

I think that's fair, and provides a way for opponents to disable a wizard's magic beyond the simple "I grab his leather pouch, rendering his years of training and study useless", which I find just a bit distasteful

The note on permanent markings for sorcerers appropriate; I'm not sure if it would work as well for bards, but for everyone else it would apply to, it's quite sensible and I'm embarrassed it didn't occur to me.

 

[Pax]

I think that's fair, and provides a way for opponents to disable a wizard's magic beyond the simple "I grab his leather pouch, rendering his years of training and study useless", which I find just a bit distasteful

Frankly, any wizard who doesn't take and use Eschew Materials (T&B) ... deserves what he gets when someone snatches his Components away.

OFC, they could always go Blood Magus (also T&B), and use their own BLOOD to power their spells. 8) "I bring his dead ass back to life, by making a blood sacrifice that HURTS like HELL" ... hehehehe.

 

[AuraSeer]

The second makes spells wioth expensive components very pricey... pay the cost when prepping and the money is lost whether you cast or not? This seems very expensive.

It doesn't seem that bad to me. Barring effects that actually wipe spells from your mind, every preparation will usually lead to one casting, eventually. In most cases, a spell with expensive components will be an important one that you always want to have ready, like True Res; after preparing it, you probably weren't going to swap it out for a different spell anyway.

This rule would restrict clerics a bit, since they wouldn't want to give up those expensive preparations in exchange for healing. I expect wizards would not mind so much.

I wonder, what would the equivalent rule be for spontaneous casters? Since they don't prepare spells at all, when would their components be used up? The existing spell Forcecage already specifies that its component is used up at preparation time, and IIRC there has never been a ruling on what that means for a sorcerer.

 

[memesis]

For instantaneous casters, the rules would be more or less as they are - use the material when you cast the spell.

As for limiting clerics a bit, well... Frankly, that's something they could use anyway.