Simplifying spellcasters

[Jürgen Hubert]

One of the really annoying things about D&D is how long it takes for players of high-level spellcasters to prepare their spell list for the day. It's entirely possible to have to think about 30 or 40 spells each time in the morning, and the game can be held up for quite some time if the player is indecisive. And it's even worse for NPCs - coming up with appropriate lists of prepared spells is one big chore, and the time wasted on this could be better used for preparing the adventure itself...

Therefore, I propose the following rule: When a spellcaster would normally reach the maximum possible spells per day for his class for a certain spell level, he can not actually cast that many spells. Instead, the spell slots for that spell level are one spell less - but he can spontaneously cast any of the spells he knows for that level instead!

So a 10th level wizard would, instead of the following number of spells per day (without bonus spells from Intelligence or other sources):

0: 4
1st: 4
2nd: 4
3rd: 3
4th: 3
5th: 2

have the following number of spells per day:

0: 3*
1st: 3*
2nd: 3*
3rd: 3
4th: 3
5th: 2

Spell slots marked with a "*" can be cast spontaneously. Bonus spells from high Int, magic items, etc. add normally.

This would still retain the flavor of the class (i.e. preparing spells) for the powerful spells that really matter, but allow the player to ignore the weaker spells until they actually need to cast them.


Your thoughts?

 

[ashockney]

I love the concept, but it messes with the rules something fierce. In particular it treads pretty heavily into the Sorc and Cleric territory. Further, most players would prefer the min/max effect of more, powerful spells.

I was always a big fan of "recallable" spells from Dangerous Journeys, which works fundamentally like Sorcerers, but instead of it being "you know less, but cast more" it's: "you recall more, but cast less". The simple version of this rule we used to use in 2nd Ed that worked very well was: All classes have spell level +2 recallable spells, and can cast your normal allotment per day. It did away with the need to mem Cure Light x6, as long as it was one of your "recallable spells", you could cast it on an as needed basis. This then allowed you to be ready much easier before every gaming session, because recallable lists wouldn't really change from session to session, except to add "a couple new spell options". The disadvantage of this, as you've described is that it is a HELL of a lot to keep track of at 15th level!

Another system that I found outstanding in this regard was the d20 Everquest game. They use a flat "power point" system, and you have access to gobs of spells, but you must CHOOSE 6 to 12 to put into your "castable slots". More time must be spent in prepping the right spells up front, but this gave you great options with a real need for "lower level" spells for their unique abilities and/or lower cost, while there were some clear winners for your most potent offensive weapons, at the highest level you could cast (most mana-efficient and greatest damage dealing). But, the caster basically never had to keep track of more than 10 options + magic items "in game".

 

[Asmo]

My thoughts is that this should be in House Rules.

Asmo

 

[shilsen]

Why not just have a sample "prepared spells" list and change out a spell or two as needed? My group of 9th lvl PCs has three primary spellcasters (wizard + 2 druids) and one multiclassed caster (cleric/paladin), and we never waste a second on people preparing spells, because they all have a standard prepared list that they modify when needed. Some of them keep a couple of different lists ("adventuring", "city", etc.).

 

[schporto]

I think you'd end up just pushing the long prep time into long time deciding what to do in combat. I kinda expect folks to have spell lists set up for 'general' situations. I.e. Here's what I would use in the city, here's my wilderness list. Then prepping is just a matter of 'is there something different I know I'll need for today'.
-cpd

 

[MadMaxim]

I'd advise people to play either a Bard, Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, Favored Soul, Sorcerer, Warmage or some other base class with a limited set of spells, if they're not interested in spending time preparing spells. There are pretty large number of spontaneous casters after all so why not use them.

Or as shilsen mentioned, make theme lists for what you're most likely to prepare for certain events and/or places.

 

[Hussar]

How often do people change their entire list? And, really, why do your casters have access to so many spells? 2/level plus whatever they can beg/borrow/steal. Unless they're humping around two or three spell books, they actually can't carry 50 spells. Well, I suppose they could carry 50 2nd and 1st level spells, but, typically, no.

Just the example you give Jurgen, with each spell slot being filled with a different spell, takes up 47 pages. Almost half his book is gone without having a single optional spell.

Remember, pages=spell level. By 10th level, he could have 2 more 5th level spells, bumping his page count to 57. At most, you likely only have 5 or six spells per level to choose from.

 

[Staffan]

How often do people change their entire list? And, really, why do your casters have access to so many spells? 2/level plus whatever they can beg/borrow/steal.

Additional spells cost ~150 gp/spell level (50 gp for access to the spell and 100 gp to scribe it). That's not a particularly high cost, especially at 10th level.

Unless they're humping around two or three spell books, they actually can't carry 50 spells. Well, I suppose they could carry 50 2nd and 1st level spells, but, typically, no.

Well, there's Boccob's Blessed Book. It is entirely possible to have a 12,500 gp item at 10th level (standard PC wealth = 49k) - and note that having one makes scribing new spells cheaper, so it saves money in the long run. BBB gives you 1,000 pages of spells. Let's look at a high-level wizard, say 17th level. He fills his BBB with equal numbers of spells at each level. That gives him 1,000/(1+2+...+9) = 1,000/45 = 22 spells per level. That should be enough for most wizards, and give him a total of about 200 spells.

You could also have a Heward's Handy Haversack, or even a normal backpack, with multiple normal spellbooks in it. There's nothing at all that says you can only carry one.

 

[Hussar]

My original question was, how often do people change their entire spell list?

Other than switching out a couple of spells dependent on the situation, why would anyone redo an entire list?

 

[Klaus]

These time problems are so easily solved by leaving open slots for later use. Don't prepare every last knock or detect magic spell. Leave about half of your spell selection open and you can fill them up later as you go with just a 15 minute break ("wait a minute, I have to replace that magic missile I just cast").