RW, did you see SKR's take on absolutes here http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/misc/variantfewerabsolutes1.html ? It is a great idea, which should be included in EoMR.
Also I think, that the feat Extra MP shouldn't give 1 MP/HD (in the revision), but increase the caster level by +2 for determining the MP per day only. How do I get this figure? I assume, that the effects of a new caster level including extra MP and spell lists are 0.4 CR worth. A feat is 0.2 CR worth, so you could spend two bonus feats for the above listed effects and you wouldn't have to take a level in a class with a caster level progression.
Regarding the spell lists, we ignore the anomalies at first and second caster level, so you get always 2 lists. In the revision, Extra Spell Lists give 2 lists, so we can say, that one entire feat is devoted to the spell lists. How is the other feat splitted? A look at Spell Penetration suggests, that a bonus of +2 is worth a feat, but that bonus is limited for overcoming spell resistance. I think, that this bonus can be applied for everything (feat prereq, dispel magic, ritual magic, ...) except for determining the amount of known spell lists and extra MP. So we would have the value of 0.1 CR for the caster level, which leaves nicely the value of 0.1 CR for the MP. Because a feat is worth is 0.2 CR, the Extra MP feat should give twice the boost, one could expect.
Is it balanced? After my calculations, yes. Take a creature with lots of HDs and a low caster level. In this case, taking the original version gives you far more MP than taking a magical class. The choices aren't equal, but they should be equal. Does it use an existing mechanic? Yes, even the inbuilt-one, instead transferring another used mechanic. Does it increase calcalution? No, it even decrease it compared to the original version.
The only thing one needs, is the cost of a feat, which increases the MP limit. Is it broken, if such a feat increases the MP limit by +2 and thus a 18th level human mage can cast spells with MP costs of 35 or more? Every feat he gained has been used for increase the MP limit only.
Also I think, that the feat Extra MP shouldn't give 1 MP/HD (in the revision), but increase the caster level by +2 for determining the MP per day only. How do I get this figure? I assume, that the effects of a new caster level including extra MP and spell lists are 0.4 CR worth. A feat is 0.2 CR worth, so you could spend two bonus feats for the above listed effects and you wouldn't have to take a level in a class with a caster level progression.
Regarding the spell lists, we ignore the anomalies at first and second caster level, so you get always 2 lists. In the revision, Extra Spell Lists give 2 lists, so we can say, that one entire feat is devoted to the spell lists. How is the other feat splitted? A look at Spell Penetration suggests, that a bonus of +2 is worth a feat, but that bonus is limited for overcoming spell resistance. I think, that this bonus can be applied for everything (feat prereq, dispel magic, ritual magic, ...) except for determining the amount of known spell lists and extra MP. So we would have the value of 0.1 CR for the caster level, which leaves nicely the value of 0.1 CR for the MP. Because a feat is worth is 0.2 CR, the Extra MP feat should give twice the boost, one could expect.
Is it balanced? After my calculations, yes. Take a creature with lots of HDs and a low caster level. In this case, taking the original version gives you far more MP than taking a magical class. The choices aren't equal, but they should be equal. Does it use an existing mechanic? Yes, even the inbuilt-one, instead transferring another used mechanic. Does it increase calcalution? No, it even decrease it compared to the original version.
The only thing one needs, is the cost of a feat, which increases the MP limit. Is it broken, if such a feat increases the MP limit by +2 and thus a 18th level human mage can cast spells with MP costs of 35 or more? Every feat he gained has been used for increase the MP limit only.
