Falling Icicle
Adventurer
Here's an idea. Wizards still prepare spells, as they always have, and those spells that they have prepared can be cast quickly. But then allow casters to cast spells directly from their spellbook if they aren't prepared. Rituals would take at least 1 minute [Edit: one full round] to cast. Of course, some spells would be ritual-only, like rasing the dead or other spells that always had long casting times. Why should you have to prepare those spells anyway? They're so situational.
I think this would be a great way of bridging the gap between spells and rituals, and addressing alot of the problems people have with vancian casting in a way that makes sense. I always wondered why my wizard couldn't cast a spell directly out of his spellbook, given enough time. Wizards in 3e could effectively do this by leaving slots open, but I think this is a better way.
[Edit: So to summarize my idea (and with a few refinements after thinking about it some more and reading your replies), it would work basically like this:
1. Wizards still "prepare" spells. This gives them a list of spells that they can call upon quickly and reliably that day.
2. If a wizard needs to cast a spell that he hasn't prepared, but he has learned and copied into his spellbook, he can attempt to "book cast" it, i.e. cast it directly out of his spellbook. This would take a full round of casting (like 3e summon monster spells, you start casting on your turn and finish on your next turn). The wizard must obviously have the spellbook in hand, and must make a Spellcraft check (or similar check, depending on how skills are implemented). Failure on this check means the spell slot and action are wasted. It may even be possible that failing by 5 or more (or some other appropriate margin) would cause the spell to miscast.
3. There would still be ritual spells. These spells wouldn't be prepared at all. They'd only be cast directly from a spellbook, and their casting time could be minutes or even hours, depening on the spell. This would include spells that have always had long casting times, like Raise Dead.
I think this would be a great way of bridging the gap between spells and rituals, and addressing alot of the problems people have with vancian casting in a way that makes sense. I always wondered why my wizard couldn't cast a spell directly out of his spellbook, given enough time. Wizards in 3e could effectively do this by leaving slots open, but I think this is a better way.
[Edit: So to summarize my idea (and with a few refinements after thinking about it some more and reading your replies), it would work basically like this:
1. Wizards still "prepare" spells. This gives them a list of spells that they can call upon quickly and reliably that day.
2. If a wizard needs to cast a spell that he hasn't prepared, but he has learned and copied into his spellbook, he can attempt to "book cast" it, i.e. cast it directly out of his spellbook. This would take a full round of casting (like 3e summon monster spells, you start casting on your turn and finish on your next turn). The wizard must obviously have the spellbook in hand, and must make a Spellcraft check (or similar check, depending on how skills are implemented). Failure on this check means the spell slot and action are wasted. It may even be possible that failing by 5 or more (or some other appropriate margin) would cause the spell to miscast.
3. There would still be ritual spells. These spells wouldn't be prepared at all. They'd only be cast directly from a spellbook, and their casting time could be minutes or even hours, depening on the spell. This would include spells that have always had long casting times, like Raise Dead.
Last edited: