What's wrong with having Rangers spontaneously cast?

[JDRay]

Could someone give me feedback on game balance issues that would be incurred if the Ranger was allowed to spontaneously cast spells?

It seems to me that they achieve new spells slowly enough, and get few enough of them when they do, that spontaneous casting wouldn't overbalance them much, if any.

All opposed...????

 

[peterka1]

Spontaneous casting is always esier for players... But when you have access to all spells of your class as dive caster, it might be unbalanced.

Sorcerers have access to few spells but cast more spells a day.
For my custom shaman (see my tread), I gave 2 less spells/ spell level for spontaneous casting. Here, since rangers have less spells, I would say -1 spell/spell level.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

I assume you mean by spontaneous casting that rangers should cast as sorcerers but know all the spells on their shorter list. I would never allow this option. Either prepare spells like a druid or cast like a sorcerer and choose the spells you know. You would have to come up with a spells known chart. No other caster spontaneously casts freely from a spell list. They must choose which spells they know.

This is the balance of the 3e magic system. To be a spontaneous caster and have access to all of your spells, even a limited list such as the rangers, is not balanced almost by definition. Also, that limited list has grown if you allow the new ranger spells from the WotC Spellbook and MotW, not to mention if you play in the Forgotten Realms, which would really give a power boost to rangers, especially at higher levels.

 

[BluWolf]

While I don't allow Rangers to cast at all, I have altered the classes in my campaign to essentially change ALL faith based casters to spontaneously cast.

It has not been unbalancing as domain availability to is pretty limited based on faith and I'm not a tournament kind of guy.

I would say allowing the ranger to spontaneously cast shouldn't upset things too much.

 

[Chacal]

One of the problem when allowing a divine class, even with a very small list to spontaneously cast, is that the divine lists are expanding with every new supplement.

Someone on these boards suggested that
divine casters should have a spell list limited to the one in the PHB, and should only add new spells by removing old ones on the list.


I agree with all the posters who think you should limit it. I would probably use its
spell slot list +1/level or something along these lines for its spell known list.


Spontaneous casting fits better the concept of the ranger than preparing spells, IMO.



Chacal

 

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

How about something along the following lines...

At creation, the player chooses to either have his Ranger be of:

A) A religious bent, praying for and receiving spells as normal, or

B) A less consciously religious persuasion--sometimes having his spells come to him spontaneously during times of need. He might not even recognize any deity, though he often serves one's purposes.

To balance this latter ability I would probably add some type of spell failure chance--to reflect his less than perfect attunement to, or recognition of, his unseen benefactor.

Perhaps a 5%-10% chance of failure, plus an additional 5% per point of WIS below 18.

This may also serve to balance the character somewhat by encouraging a higher score to be placed in WIS, rather than STR, DEX, etc.

 

[JDRay]

Okay, how about this...

I've always taken some issue with the Sorcerer because of his lack of ability to change out spells. I agree that he should be able to cast fewer spells from a Spells Known list, but having them so fixed has bothered me.

For divine casters, there may be a solution, here for your review:

Pray in the morning for the spells you want to know for the day, limited to (as someone suggested) spell slots per level +1. From that limited list, cast spontaneously for the number of spell slots you have at each level.

Did that make sense? I think you'll get what I mean...

JD

 

[Tarin Greenflame]

Seems like a good solution, imo. A good balance between flexibility, versatility, and restriction.

 

[Chacal]

Very interesting solution, JDRay. But be aware that it's superior in every way to the current ranger spellcasting abilities.( not that it will awfully unbalance the Ranger, but to be noted though).


Chacal