The Cost of Magic (potential house rule)

[Rabbit503]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. There have been some good points and ideas that will help for sure. I agree that the Fortitude save (or any save) may have some consistency issues and seems easy enough for a player to circumnavigate with stat buffing.

I think using a Spell Pool (Spell Points :: d20srd.org) with a Vitalization option would be more consistent.When a spellcaster’s spell point pool falls to half of his maximum or less, he becomes fatigued. When his spell points drop to one-quarter of his maximum or less, he becomes exhausted. Additionally, a spellcaster can exceed his normal pool of spell points, but at a risk. Doing so successfully requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Each time a character fails the Concentration check, he takes both lethal and nonlethal damage equal to the level of the spell cast.

Does that answer the "burdened by magic” issue I mentioned? Not so sure.

I was considering requiring casters to specialize and adding curses to each school. The curse gets worse as they progress in levels (falling deeper into the madness of magic, bwa-ha-ha.) An Evokers body starts to wear down from being a "gun" for magical energy, Illusionists start hallucinating, Diviners run the risk of possession, Transmuters start mutating, Necromancers... well we all know what they do. This all would also require some more thought. And want to check out hollowleg's suggested links.

 

[Tonguez]

Skill based spellcasting DC 10+ spell level (a level 1 character can attempt to cast a level 20 spell). failure results in taint (as SRD) (severity =>degree of failure)

 

[TheYeti1775]

Just start the Athasian Age

Incorporate the old casting times of 1E/2E to your spell lists. They would become a negative modifier to the initiative of the player each round they cast.
Let that modifier be adjusted by negative effects the Character is willing to endure.

Use Fireball for a basic example.

On average Wizards get it at 5th level for 5d6.
3rd Level spell, lets start with a -3 mod to init in a round your casting it.
Lets add in something like for every d6 past the 5d6 is an additional -1 to init for the round. So a full 10d6 fireball would be -8 to Initiative for the round.

Now for adjusting from there, just use the Athasian (i.e. Darksun) methods. Allow them to spend a hitpoint per adjustment or centered on them, 1' radius per point draining the land.

Druids and rangers would hate an irresponsible (i.e. Evil) wizard naturally.

For divine casters you could work out similar things for them as well.

The big part is the initial work going through the spell list you have available to the players and giving the casting times to everything. And what penalities are possible to elminate it.

That's just a basic thought to it. I used to like Casting Times and Weapon Speeds because it seemed to vary player choices a heck of a lot wider than in 3E in weapon/spell selections.

 

[jefgorbach]

sounds ok, provided a similar Wisdom check is required to properly wield ANY weapon to avoid self-inflicted harm.