airwalkrr
Adventurer
In my ever present desire to simplify the game and reduce calculations that are needed at the table, I present two variant rules for simplifying spell range and duration.
Variant: Fixed Spell Ranges
Under this variant, all spells with variable range based upon level have their range changed to a fixed range. Spells with a range of close now have a range of 30 feet. Spells with a range of medium now have a range of 120 feet. Spells with a range of long nor have a range of 600 feet. As an additional variant, spells of fifth level or higher have twice the range listed above. Overall, this variant reduces the range of most spells after 1st level, reducing the power of spellcasters and requiring them to think more tactically. However, it does obviates the need to calculate spell ranges in the middle of the game. Additionally, it makes Enlarge Spell more useful.
Variant: Fixed Spell Durations
Under this variant, many spells with variable duration based upon level have their duration changed to a fixed duration. Spells with duration of 1 minute/level now have duration of 5 minutes. Spells with duration of 10 minutes/level now have duration of 1 hour. Spells with duration of 1 hour/level now have duration of 6 hours. Spells with duration of 2 hours/level now have duration of 12 hours. Other spell durations (like divine favor or grease) remain the same. This variant is better for low-level characters because it gives their spells an increased duration, making them more useful. A 1st level wizard now has a better reason to prepare alarm because it will actually be able to warn him and his companions throughout the night. This also reduces the ability of high level characters to use Extend Spell to make hour/level spells last into the next day, thus effectively giving them more spells than the core rules usually presume they have. It also prevents high level spellcasters from using the same trick simply by casting a number of hour/level spells eight hours before they recover their spells. (This depends on whether or not you consider using Extend Spell in this manner a loophole to get more spells per day, as I do, or whether you think it was intended to be used this way; if the latter, this variant might not be for you.)
So what do you think? The main purpose of these variants is to try to flatten the power curve of spellcasters. Per the RAW, spellcasters like the wizard are traditionally weak at low levels and very powerful at high levels relative to non-spellcasters like the fighter. At low levels, the low stamina of spellcasters can be partially offset by the use of scrolls and wands, but at high levels, spellcasters skyrocket in power. This variant does not limit the physical power of the spells of high-level casters, but it does force them to be more judicious and tactical, which I think is good for the game. A 12th-level cleric can no longer cast extended magic vestment and have it last until he prepares his spells again.
Variant: Fixed Spell Ranges
Under this variant, all spells with variable range based upon level have their range changed to a fixed range. Spells with a range of close now have a range of 30 feet. Spells with a range of medium now have a range of 120 feet. Spells with a range of long nor have a range of 600 feet. As an additional variant, spells of fifth level or higher have twice the range listed above. Overall, this variant reduces the range of most spells after 1st level, reducing the power of spellcasters and requiring them to think more tactically. However, it does obviates the need to calculate spell ranges in the middle of the game. Additionally, it makes Enlarge Spell more useful.
Variant: Fixed Spell Durations
Under this variant, many spells with variable duration based upon level have their duration changed to a fixed duration. Spells with duration of 1 minute/level now have duration of 5 minutes. Spells with duration of 10 minutes/level now have duration of 1 hour. Spells with duration of 1 hour/level now have duration of 6 hours. Spells with duration of 2 hours/level now have duration of 12 hours. Other spell durations (like divine favor or grease) remain the same. This variant is better for low-level characters because it gives their spells an increased duration, making them more useful. A 1st level wizard now has a better reason to prepare alarm because it will actually be able to warn him and his companions throughout the night. This also reduces the ability of high level characters to use Extend Spell to make hour/level spells last into the next day, thus effectively giving them more spells than the core rules usually presume they have. It also prevents high level spellcasters from using the same trick simply by casting a number of hour/level spells eight hours before they recover their spells. (This depends on whether or not you consider using Extend Spell in this manner a loophole to get more spells per day, as I do, or whether you think it was intended to be used this way; if the latter, this variant might not be for you.)
So what do you think? The main purpose of these variants is to try to flatten the power curve of spellcasters. Per the RAW, spellcasters like the wizard are traditionally weak at low levels and very powerful at high levels relative to non-spellcasters like the fighter. At low levels, the low stamina of spellcasters can be partially offset by the use of scrolls and wands, but at high levels, spellcasters skyrocket in power. This variant does not limit the physical power of the spells of high-level casters, but it does force them to be more judicious and tactical, which I think is good for the game. A 12th-level cleric can no longer cast extended magic vestment and have it last until he prepares his spells again.
