D&D 5E Spells as abilities....for PCs

[Bill Zebub]

In addition to my regular gaming, lately I've been running games for a group of kids, ages 6-10. One of the most complicated parts of the game for this group is spellcasting.

I'm about to start a new game (using Humblewood) and instead of normal spellcasting rules, I want to make each spell a separate ability, usable X times/rest. Which means a lot less flexibility, but probably more overall slots/rest.

Anybody thought about...or know about...a system for doing this in a fairly balanced way? I can make something up, but if somebody has already compiled some ideas and advice I'm all ears.

 

[jgsugden]

4E was essentially this. Go check out a 4E PHB.

If you want to run 5E: When working with kids, I give them spell cards that spell out what spells they can use and what spell slots they can use to power them - and then I give them tokens for spell slots that I stack up by level - I use these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007P94ZA.

The cards I build have spots to show what happens when you use different spell slots to power the spells. They're bigger - 3 by 5. It works well.

 

[Charlaquin]

AEDU got you covered. Just go through the spell list and use your best judgment as to whether a spell is in the right power level range to be fair at 1/encounter or if it would be better at 1/day. The Warlock can serve as a good point of comparison - spells on their spell list or a patron’s expanded spell list are probably safe at 1/encounter. Spells that an invocation allows you to cast with a Warlock spell slot 1/day should be 1/day. Spells that an invocation allows you to cast at-will are good candidates for utility spells. Anything 6th level or higher should probably be 1/day. Maybe allow players to gain an additional use of a spell (at the same “recovery speed”) instead of learning a new, different spell.

 

[Steampunkette]

Aside from the very minimal algebra, 4e is probably the best game for 6-10s, in fact, yeah.

 

[Bill Zebub]

AEDU got you covered. Just go through the spell list and use your best judgment as to whether a spell is in the right power level range to be fair at 1/encounter or if it would be better at 1/day. The Warlock can serve as a good point of comparison - spells on their spell list or a patron’s expanded spell list are probably safe at 1/encounter. Spells that an invocation allows you to cast with a Warlock spell slot 1/day should be 1/day. Spells that an invocation allows you to cast at-will are good candidates for utility spells. Anything 6th level or higher should probably be 1/day. Maybe allow players to gain an additional use of a spell (at the same “recovery speed”) instead of learning a new, different spell.

I didn’t think of encounter vs daily. Just times/rest. Great idea; thanks.

 

[Bill Zebub]

4E was essentially this. Go check out a 4E PHB.

If you want to run 5E: When working with kids, I give them spell cards that spell out what spells they can use and what spell slots they can use to power them - and then I give them tokens for spell slots that I stack up by level - I use these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007P94ZA.

The cards I build have spots to show what happens when you use different spell slots to power the spells. They're bigger - 3 by 5. It works well.

I’ll check out the cards. Thanks.

 

[Garthanos]

Aside from the very minimal algebra, 4e is probably the best game for 6-10s, in fact, yeah.

I introduced my kids with it. 4e is probably the easiest D&D to DM too til perhaps you hit skill challenges I suppose.

 

[Stormonu]

As others have indicated, 4E probably did that best.

The 5E Warlock's invocations are somewhat similar, though.

 

[Bill Zebub]

As others have indicated, 4E probably did that best.

The 5E Warlock's invocations are somewhat similar, though.

Yes, I'm loosely basing this off Warlock invocations.

I don't own any 4e materials so that's not really a route I want to take.

 

[Charlaquin]

As others have indicated, 4E probably did that best.

The 5E Warlock's invocations are somewhat similar, though.

I could easily see the 5e Warlock in 4e. It’s more or less an AEDU class, with some added flexibility with regards to what type of power they gain when instead of following a fixed progression. With just a few small tweaks it would be right at home in a post-Essentials book. Which is part of why they’re my favorite 5e class.