UA Spell Points discrepancy???

[BobbyMac]

Click here for SRD version of Spells Points system

I was reviewing the Spell Point system in Unearthed Arcana and I think I have found a problem.

This paragraph entitled Preparing Spells:

With this variant, spellcasters still prepare spells as normal (assuming they normally prepare spells). In effect, casters who prepare spells are setting their list of "spells known" for the day. They need not prepare multiple copies of the same spell, since they can cast any combination of their prepared spells each day (up to the limit of their spell points).

For example, a 4th-level wizard with an Intelligence score of 16, when using the spell point system, would prepare four 0-level spells, four 1st-level spells (three plus her bonus spell for high Int) and three 2nd-level spells (two plus her bonus spell for high Int). These spells make up her entire list of spells that she can cast during the day, though she can cast any combination of them, as long as she has sufficient spell points.

clearly says that you get your number of "spells known" for the day as 'normal'. The examples given bear this out clearly.



And yet the following paragraph entitled Bonus Spell Points and Bonus Spells:

Any spellcaster who would normally receive bonus spells for a high ability-score receives bonus spell points instead. In effect, the character can simply cast more of her spells each day.

contradicts this.


Any thoughts on this? How do you guys read this?

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

I think this probably slipped by editing.
Ex: The person typing the example didn't read the chapter very well, or that second quote was written later but the example was not changed.
I would think the text over-rides the examples.
Ex: It says you prepare 'as normal' but with the change that you don't get bonus spells for high ability mods.

Aside from making wizards infinitely better than sorcerers (even more so), the system works pretty well, especially if you have a player new to playing a spellcaster who doesn't know which spells are most "useful".
I ran a 20th level one-shot game using spellpoints, and it made choosing spells pretty easy. (I ditched the whole 'spend more Sp to cast with a higher casterlevel' bit because otherwise instant-kill spells, like finger of death, become way better choices than Delay Blast Fireball.)