Which is better?

[Desdichado]

don't forget us neithers.

That's where my vote is too...

 

[I'm A Banana]

Spell points make the game feel too much like a CRPG.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

The UA system is quite well balanced, including for the scaling power levels of spells. It is quite well thought out.

That said, I won't argue that slots aren't easier to design, and don't have a "D&D" feel to them. That's part of the reason I went away from them in my FFd20 system.

Still, the HP analogue stands......I'm sure a 'wound slots' system that governed how you took damage would be easier to design, too, and have an easy controlling force on damage, health, and ability. But as long as health is in points, I think mental endurance, magical capacity, should be, too.

Still, there's really no problem with slots. Points, IMHO, just make more interesting choices between high and low level spells, function better with scaling (and things such as metamagic). And the Arcana Unearthed system is flexible enough to overlap onto a point system with no big deal (though again, it doesn't really NEED to).

 

[RFisher]

Neither. Because to me, slots is just a particular kind of point system. The Sorcerer class makes this fairly clear by eliminating the memorize/prepare bit.

Memorization/preparation is really a different issue. It could be used in a spell point system as well. In some OAD&D campaigns I played in, all casters could cast w/o memorization/preparation like the Sorcerer.

I find magic systems that try to eliminate the slot/point thing altogether more interesting. Like S. John Ross' UMana for GURPS. I'm also looking forward to looking at Feng Shui sometime because I heard it had a magic system that didn't use points.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Because to me, slots is just a particular kind of point system. The Sorcerer class makes this fairly clear by eliminating the memorize/prepare bit.

Memorization/preparation is really a different issue. It could be used in a spell point system as well. In some OAD&D campaigns I played in, all casters could cast w/o memorization/preparation like the Sorcerer.

Got it in one...slots and points aren't markedly different.

 

[Zappo]

Psssttt. you could always do that with the spell slot system too. in your example just use higher lvl slots for lower lvl spells...ie instead of 3rd lvl fireball...take 1 first lvl spider climb when you are memorizing for the day.

And if you cast Mnemonic Enhancer, you can convert a 4th level slot into 3 1st level slots... and then prepare the boatload of Spider Climb spells you need.

Really, there is not that much difference between slots and points when you actually put them in practice. The main difference is that with slots you can't cast many high-level spells. And that suits me just fine.

 

[Mercule]

Really, there is not that much difference between slots and points when you actually put them in practice.

Agreed. I've taken to calling spell points "quantum slots" for just this reason.

My vote is neither. Anything that works on a fire-and-forget mechanic strains credulity. Anytime the limit comes into play, it immediately pulls back the curtain and shouts "this is a game!" The only reason to use slots or points is metagame balance.

I agree with Psion that slots are simple, but I disagree that they are elegant. They are clumsy. They are the easy way out for game balance.

That said, things can be done to cloak the mechanic. Wheel of Time uses slots, but with overchannelling and the way weaves scale the slots don't show through the seems. I just don't have the time to redo all the D&D spells to the WoT model.

Spell points are a bit more flexible, so they are more to my liking. I plan on using the UA system with a few tweaks.

I'm not a fan of Monte's AU system, either. This is for the simple fact that hanging your spellbook daily makes even less sense to me than hanging you actual spells.

I'd like to see a skills and feat based magic system. Something that made a wizard's library important to him, but didn't require him to lug it around with him. If you know a spell, you should be able to use it. I've got other 'wants', but those are the big ones.

 

[Zappo]

Agreed. I've taken to calling spell points "quantum slots" for just this reason.

Heh. What are D&D spells then - electrons orbiting the caster's head? The whole level thing now makes sense!

 

[diaglo]

Heh. What are D&D spells then - electrons orbiting the caster's head? The whole level thing now makes sense!

yeah, i like that too. hmmmm...ain't science and magic grand when you can combine them.

 

[DragonLancer]

I was wandering from the general D20 community of what is their thoughts D20 rules. Which is better, Spell Slots or Magic/Spell Points?

I perfer the spell slots way of handling spells. One, its part of D&D (yeah, I know most of you will think thats a cop out) and second, the system actually works. I once tried a spell point system under 2nd edition and found that it made spellcasters just a bit too good, and had too much paperwork for me as a DM.

 

[Kemrain]

No one's plugged Rangerwicket's Elements of Magic system? Ok, I guess I will. Whole new spell lists, already done for you.. Scalability on the grandest scale.. The only downsides I can see is learning another system (a trivial annoyance, at best) and the fact that, as far as I know, it hasn't been released yet.. Not that that's stopping anyone; there's a prieview on the EN Publishing page, free for download.

I vote for Spell Points. Couldn't stand it any other way.

- Kemrain the Patient...