Spell Mastery

[Infiniti2000]

Does anyone have ideas on alternatives for the feat Spell Mastery? I like the concept, but I think the feat itself pretty much is just not worth it. A Google search brought it zilch, but maybe my Google-fu is weak today. A few alternatives I came up with that I would appreciate comments on:

1. Choose one spell that you already know and you no longer need to refer to your spellbook to cast it. For each level you attain after taking this feat, you may choose another spell.
2. Each time you take this feat, choose a number of spells equal to double your Intelligence modifier that you already know. From that point on, you can prepare these spells without referring to a spellbook. (Note: Same as existing but double.)
3. Each time you take this feat, choose a school. From that point on, you can prepare any spells from that school that you already know without referring to a spellbook.
4. You may prepare any spell that you already know without referring to a spellbook if you succeed on a Spellcraft check at DC20 + spell level * 2. If you fail this check, the spell slot is lost for the day. Preparing spells this way takes twice as long as normal (e.g. 2 hours for all your spells).

 

[Psimancer]

I likewise find the Spell Mastery feat to be weak.

And although I like the concept, I also think IMHO that the Spontaneous Casting feat from the Eberron Campaign Setting to be equally under-powered (maybe it is the associated Action Point cost).

What if Spell Mastery did this?

Select one known spell; you no longer need to prepare this spell and you may cast it with a spell slot prepared with another spell of equal or higher level.

If you still feel this is too weak, increase the number of spells to which this feat gives access (two, Int bonus, etc).

 

[Infiniti2000]

Spell Mastery and Spontaneous Casting are totally different concepts. While I appreciate the idea of spontaneous casting, that's not what I'm looking to change Spell Master into. Are all the alternatives, including the four I listed, so untenable that Spell Mastery should just be stricken from the book? I'm starting to wonder.

Thanks for the response.

 

[Stalker0]

Here's my problem with spell mastery, its a catch 22.

If you take it, in order for it to be really useful your dm has to screw you and take away your spellbook at some point or the feat is wasted.

 

[Psimancer]

Spell Mastery and Spontaneous Casting are totally different concepts...

Granted; it was merely a ‘two birds with one stone’ thing

Here's my problem with spell mastery, its a catch 22.

If you take it, in order for it to be really useful your dm has to screw you and take away your spellbook at some point or the feat is wasted.

Good point; okay, since it is based on the ‘DM is screwing me’ concept, instead of having Spell Mastery apply to X number of spell, why not have it apply to all spells for X number of days.

Alternatively, you need an ‘and/or’ option on the feat; with spellbook: X, without spellbook: Y.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Maybe, when prepared with the aid of a spellbook, you cast these spells at +1 caster level...

Later
silver

 

[Jack Simth]

A variation on option 1 could make it let a Vow of Poverty Wizard be a viable character to advance; something like....

"Choose a number of spells in your spellbook equal to your Wizard level. You can thereafter prepare any of those spells without your spellbook. Additionally, every time you gain a wizard level, choose another spell in your spellbook (you may also chose a spell gain at level-up to be able to prepare without a spellbook, instead of one that is currently in your spellbook). This feat can be taken mulitiple times. It's effects stack. If you do not have enough spells in spellbooks to fill all your Spell Mastery spells known, you may leave them open for learning later, either from scrolls, others' spellbooks, research, or those gained at level-up."

Or would that make it too powerful?

 

[Ezechiel]

You could possibly create other feats that depend on spellmastery as a prerequiste, I think there is one in the player's guide to faerun- spontaneous casting , if I am not misstaken.. the feat allows you to loose a memorized spell of equal or lower level to spontaneously cast a spell associated with this feat and which has to be chosen as one of your spells, with the spellmastery feat. This works just as spontaneous casting the way a cleric does, including the use of metamagic feats.

 

[gamecat]

Perhaps spell mastery could be the wizard's answer to the fighter's Weapon Specialization - You pick a spell and add +3 to the save dc, or perhaps you apply metamagic feats with a -1 bonus to the level modification.

 

[Infiniti2000]

A variation on option 1 could make it let a Vow of Poverty Wizard be a viable character to advance; something like....

"Choose a number of spells in your spellbook equal to your Wizard level. You can thereafter prepare any of those spells without your spellbook. Additionally, every time you gain a wizard level, choose another spell in your spellbook (you may also chose a spell gain at level-up to be able to prepare without a spellbook, instead of one that is currently in your spellbook). This feat can be taken mulitiple times. It's effects stack. If you do not have enough spells in spellbooks to fill all your Spell Mastery spells known, you may leave them open for learning later, either from scrolls, others' spellbooks, research, or those gained at level-up."

Or would that make it too powerful?

I'm thinking that's probably the best option. While the other suggestions are fine, they are more like brand new feats than altering this one. I don't have a problem with such feats, but I really just wanted to 'fix' Spell Mastery or get rid of it.

Are there any Feats or PrC's that require Spell Mastery? If so, I might need to revise those given the power boost here.