Spellpoints

[Trajan22]

The WOTC Unearthed Arcana book has an optional rule rule for using spellpoints for wizards, sorc. and other classes.

The rule can be found here Spell Points :: d20srd.org.

Why are the amount of spellpoints a wizard or sorc. receives less than what a psion gets?

 

[Theroc]

I think I saw somewhere that it was because the Wizard and Sorcerer spells are slightly stronger than the psionic powers, but that may have simply meant healing.

 

[Starbuck_II]

The WOTC Unearthed Arcana book has an optional rule rule for using spellpoints for wizards, sorc. and other classes.

The rule can be found here Spell Points :: d20srd.org.

Why are the amount of spellpoints a wizard or sorc. receives less than what a psion gets?

Because they don't even have a forumula for getting them: they kinda picked numbers out of a hat.

I mean, compare Wiz to Sorceror: Sorceror gets little in comparison.
He gets 17 points in exchange for 5 bonus feats.

The only factor they use in UA was Damage.
That was only balancing factor: One balancing factor is the cost for casters to increase the damage dealt by their spells. This cost helps to maintain balance between spells of different level.

Also, spellcasters have three + (x) 0 level spells: cast for free.

Remember, only damaging is used as a balancing for spell usage. Caster level is never affected by amount used.

Glitterdust: cost 3 forever, but Fireball is 5-10 points.
Evard's Tentacles never needs more than 7 (because 4th level spell) even if it gets better as you level.

So since Arcane magic wasn't meant to be balanced this way: they gave that many points.

 

[Kristian Serrano]

UA rules for spellpoints were created before the 3.5 psionic rules. I could be mistaken, but IIRC the spellpoint system (prior to its inclusion in UA) was the prototype Bruce used for developing the 3.x powerpoint system.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

IIRC the spellpoint system (prior to its inclusion in UA) was the prototype Bruce used for developing the 3.x powerpoint system.

That would explain a lot.

 

[Runestar]

Starbuck hit the nail on the head.

The spell-point system does not really mesh well with arcane spellcasting.

You have the problem of non-scaling spells which are equally efficacious regardless of which lv they are cast, without the need for augmentation. Imagine, at higher lvs, a wizard can freely spam forcecages, mazes, disjunctions, gate and other similar spells as long as he has points to spare. Simply avoid those with an effect primarily keyed off caster lv, such as direct damage (so you need to spend more SP than you need to). In effect, you are trading in your useless lower lv slots for more higher lv slots. As and when you need/want them.

Hence the overall to the psionics system, where the powers are custom-designed to cater to the spell-point system.