CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
The more I playtest the next edition, the more I am reminded of why I do not like Vancian magic or at-will spells. But that's not what this thread is about. Enough complaining; let's do something about it. Help me make spell-point magic system for the 5E playtest.
This is my first draft. Take a look at it and let me know what you think, and help me make it work better.
[SBLOCK="MP System First Draft"]The way it works: Spellcasting characters start with a fixed amount of MP, which they can spend to cast spells. It's a fairly simple concept. True, it does create another resource for the player and DM to manage, but it is arguably a much less-complicated one.
SPELLS KNOWN
The number of spells known is equal to the character's key spellcasting ability modifier. Clerics with 18 in Wisdom would start the game with 4 spells, for example, and gain 4 new spells at each level-up. The player can choose spells of any level equal to one-half his caster level, rounded down (0 minimum). Thus, spellcasters with 11 or lower in their key ability can only learn zero-level spells.
MP COST
The MP cost for each spell is equal to its spell level x its caster level. DMs who do not wish to have at-will magic in their game could also assign an MP cost of 1 to each zero-level spell.
MP PER LEVEL
Spellcasters gain MP in a manner similar to gaining hit points: they have a MD (Mana Dice), which they roll at each level-up. Some DMs might allow characters to start with max MP, and/or assign a fixed value at each level, as well.
MP RECOVERY
Spellcasters can recover MP when resting in the same way that they can recover hit points: they use their Mana Dice to recover MP for a short rest, and recover all of them on a long rest. This recovery is in addition to hit point recovery.
Like a character with a healing kit can recover lost hit points on a short rest, a wizard with his spellbook or a cleric with his holy symbol can recover MP. DMs who want slower MP recovery can use the same variants for slower HP recovery in the playtest material.
Bard
MD: 1d6
Key ability: Charisma
Recovery: short rest needs musical instrument
Cleric
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs holy symbol
Druid
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs animal talisman
Paladin
MD: 1d4
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs holy symbol
Ranger
MD: 1d4
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs animal talisman
Sorcerer
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Charisma
Recovery: short rest needs arcane focus
Warlock
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Charisma
Recovery: short rest needs arcane focus
Wizard
MD: 1d10
Key ability: Intelligence
Recovery: short rest needs spell book[/SBLOCK]
EDIT: Looks like I was a day late and a dollar short--the 5E sorcerer uses point-based magic! Woo! Now we have a reliable framework for developing our own non-Vancian spellcasters of all walks of life!
Let's talk about how we can do that. What does a cleric, wizard, or druid look like, if we use willpower instead of arbitrary spell slots per day?
This is my first draft. Take a look at it and let me know what you think, and help me make it work better.
[SBLOCK="MP System First Draft"]The way it works: Spellcasting characters start with a fixed amount of MP, which they can spend to cast spells. It's a fairly simple concept. True, it does create another resource for the player and DM to manage, but it is arguably a much less-complicated one.
SPELLS KNOWN
The number of spells known is equal to the character's key spellcasting ability modifier. Clerics with 18 in Wisdom would start the game with 4 spells, for example, and gain 4 new spells at each level-up. The player can choose spells of any level equal to one-half his caster level, rounded down (0 minimum). Thus, spellcasters with 11 or lower in their key ability can only learn zero-level spells.
MP COST
The MP cost for each spell is equal to its spell level x its caster level. DMs who do not wish to have at-will magic in their game could also assign an MP cost of 1 to each zero-level spell.
MP PER LEVEL
Spellcasters gain MP in a manner similar to gaining hit points: they have a MD (Mana Dice), which they roll at each level-up. Some DMs might allow characters to start with max MP, and/or assign a fixed value at each level, as well.
MP RECOVERY
Spellcasters can recover MP when resting in the same way that they can recover hit points: they use their Mana Dice to recover MP for a short rest, and recover all of them on a long rest. This recovery is in addition to hit point recovery.
Like a character with a healing kit can recover lost hit points on a short rest, a wizard with his spellbook or a cleric with his holy symbol can recover MP. DMs who want slower MP recovery can use the same variants for slower HP recovery in the playtest material.
Bard
MD: 1d6
Key ability: Charisma
Recovery: short rest needs musical instrument
Cleric
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs holy symbol
Druid
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs animal talisman
Paladin
MD: 1d4
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs holy symbol
Ranger
MD: 1d4
Key ability: Wisdom
Recovery: short rest needs animal talisman
Sorcerer
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Charisma
Recovery: short rest needs arcane focus
Warlock
MD: 1d8
Key ability: Charisma
Recovery: short rest needs arcane focus
Wizard
MD: 1d10
Key ability: Intelligence
Recovery: short rest needs spell book[/SBLOCK]
EDIT: Looks like I was a day late and a dollar short--the 5E sorcerer uses point-based magic! Woo! Now we have a reliable framework for developing our own non-Vancian spellcasters of all walks of life!
Let's talk about how we can do that. What does a cleric, wizard, or druid look like, if we use willpower instead of arbitrary spell slots per day?
Last edited:
I'm checking right now.
This is an exciting development, to say the least. I was really getting worried there for a minute, with the direction that spellcasting seemed to be heading. This is the best development I've read in the new material since Advantage.
