Tony Vargas
Legend
I'll just take a shot at sub-systems for the archanists:
Wizards are the classic Vancian casters. They pour over ancient arcane secrets in musty tomes, unlocking occult formulae too potent and complex for a human mind to comprehend, and impressing them, through great will and mental discipline, by rote, upon their all-too mortal brains - a fatiguing and dangerous process that risks both life and sanity.
Wizards should have spellbooks, and be constantly searching for spells to add to their repertoire. Knowing many spells doesn't let the wizard cast any more, and the number he can memorize at one time should be small, closer to what Vance had his magicians doing in the Dying Earth, an upper limit of 6 or 8 or so. But the number he can collect is unlimited.
There are 'lesser' and 'greater' spells, it has nothing to do with level, just complexity. A wizard can memorize three lesser spells instead of two greater ones. Memorizing a lesser spell takes a few minutes (1/level?), and casting one can be recovered from enough to re-memorize in after a Short Rest. Memorizing a greater spell takes longer (5 or 10/level?), and can only be done if the wizard has cast no greater spells in the last 24 hours, or has had an Extended rest.
Now to really leave Vance behind:
Spells can be memorized in different 'modes:'
Mastery: A mastered spell can be cast as often as desired, though only 1/round, for it's has been permanently impressed upon your brain. Only lesser spells can be mastered. A wizard must have known a spell for a long time to memorize it in this mode, it must by much lower-level than he is, and have been in his book for at least a full level, or a year or so if not adventuring, and may take days or months of study per spell level to master. PC wizards start with one spell permanently mastered (not available for re-memorization as a different mastered or prepared spell), this 'signature spell' is the basis for all their other magical accomplishments. If he wishes to permanently master another, he gives up the ability to prepare 1 greater spell, permanently, to do so. Mastered spells cannot be re-memorized.
Prepared: The true 'Vancian' memorization and default, a prepared spell is cast once then forgotten. Lesser spells can be re-memorized after a short rest. Greater spells after an extended rest, or if no greater spells have been cast in the last 24 hrs. The wizard can prepare 3 lesser in place of 2 greater spells. All spells can be prepared.
Ritual: Cast directly from the book. Ritual casting requires as much time as memorizing, and requires additional material outlay based on the specific spell. Only spells with such an additional material outlay noted can be cast ritually.
A wizard gains spells slowly as he levels, topping out at 1 permanently mastered spell, plus the ability to prepare 6 greater or 9 lesser (or some combination). The level of spells he can prepare continues to go up after he tops out, of course.
Is that traditional "Vancian?" No, but it's more Vancian than the traditional D&D 'vancian,' and it incorporates the innovations of the 5e wizard without making at-wills seem trivial.
Warlock: The warlock, rather than learn magic through time and study like the wizard, makes a perilous bargain with powers beyond mortal ken to wield arcane power, with or without any real understanding of that power.
Warlock 'Pacts' are esoteric occult bargains, they are complicated, with many conditions and provisos. Rather than go into great and varied detail about the conditions of each pact, Warlock's spells are simply divided up into three categories, based on how often he can engineer the conditions he needs to fulfill his pact. Aside from the Eldritch Bolt, the Warlock's spells are the same spells as Wizards learn, just gained in a different way.
At-will: All warlocks have an 'Eldritch Bolt,' an unformed blast of the basic energy associated with their pact (hellfire or icy starlight or whatever). This blast is what happens when the warlock calls upon the power of his pact without meeting any of the more complex conditions it calls for.
Lesser: In the course of a battle or other challenge, the Warlock can fulfill the conditions use each of these spells once. This is an abstraction of luck and cunning. The Warlock may need to perform physical action several times, get a drop of an enemies blood, stand in a shadow, sustain a specific injury, or all sorts of other minor, weird things to successfully call upon a given spell. The Warlock could also expend a use of a higher-level Lesser spell to 'improvise' a second use of one already expended or even to call upon some spell he is not normally entitled to.
Greater: Greater spells can only be cast at certain times, and never twice in the same 24 hour period. When a Warlock learns a Greater spell, he chooses a general time (usually day or night) when it is available.
Sorcerer: The sorcerer does not learn or use magic, the sorcerer is magic. Somehow, usually due to heritage, the life force of the sorcerer is a font of arcane power. A sorcerer chooses a basic energy type that represents the nature of his power. A sorcerer with a draconic heritage would choose the energy of a dragon's breath-weapon, for instance. Over time, by trial and error, a sorcerer learns to direct his power in different ways. It is rare for a sorcerer to gain the subtlety and skill to consistently shape his power into the spells used by wizards and warlocks, but it is not impossible.
Elemental Bolt: As long as he lives, the Sorcerer's arcane power flows through him, that flow can always be tapped, if tapped cautiously, or when the sorcerer's vitality is at low ebb, the result is a simple Elemental Bolt. The damage type is dictated by the sorcerer's choice of power when he was created. An Elemental Bolt can be used every round, 1/round.
Elemental Burst: The Sorcerer creates a cone, line, or other area effect of his power. Powerful sorcerers can do so a few times between short rests (10 at top level?). Lower level ones only once. Useable once per round, but two uses may be expended at once for a greater effect, such as channeling (below) a Greater spell. Expending two uses at once prevents recovering those uses until the Sorcerer has completed an extended rest.
Elemental Channeling: The Sorcerer channels and shapes his Elemental Bolt or Burst into some specific or refined form, improvising a minor effect (like lighting a candle instead of vaporizing it with a Fire Bolt) or an existing arcane spell related to that energy. The exact results are dependent upon the success of checks called for by the DM.
Wizards are the classic Vancian casters. They pour over ancient arcane secrets in musty tomes, unlocking occult formulae too potent and complex for a human mind to comprehend, and impressing them, through great will and mental discipline, by rote, upon their all-too mortal brains - a fatiguing and dangerous process that risks both life and sanity.
Wizards should have spellbooks, and be constantly searching for spells to add to their repertoire. Knowing many spells doesn't let the wizard cast any more, and the number he can memorize at one time should be small, closer to what Vance had his magicians doing in the Dying Earth, an upper limit of 6 or 8 or so. But the number he can collect is unlimited.
There are 'lesser' and 'greater' spells, it has nothing to do with level, just complexity. A wizard can memorize three lesser spells instead of two greater ones. Memorizing a lesser spell takes a few minutes (1/level?), and casting one can be recovered from enough to re-memorize in after a Short Rest. Memorizing a greater spell takes longer (5 or 10/level?), and can only be done if the wizard has cast no greater spells in the last 24 hours, or has had an Extended rest.
Now to really leave Vance behind:
Spells can be memorized in different 'modes:'
Mastery: A mastered spell can be cast as often as desired, though only 1/round, for it's has been permanently impressed upon your brain. Only lesser spells can be mastered. A wizard must have known a spell for a long time to memorize it in this mode, it must by much lower-level than he is, and have been in his book for at least a full level, or a year or so if not adventuring, and may take days or months of study per spell level to master. PC wizards start with one spell permanently mastered (not available for re-memorization as a different mastered or prepared spell), this 'signature spell' is the basis for all their other magical accomplishments. If he wishes to permanently master another, he gives up the ability to prepare 1 greater spell, permanently, to do so. Mastered spells cannot be re-memorized.
Prepared: The true 'Vancian' memorization and default, a prepared spell is cast once then forgotten. Lesser spells can be re-memorized after a short rest. Greater spells after an extended rest, or if no greater spells have been cast in the last 24 hrs. The wizard can prepare 3 lesser in place of 2 greater spells. All spells can be prepared.
Ritual: Cast directly from the book. Ritual casting requires as much time as memorizing, and requires additional material outlay based on the specific spell. Only spells with such an additional material outlay noted can be cast ritually.
A wizard gains spells slowly as he levels, topping out at 1 permanently mastered spell, plus the ability to prepare 6 greater or 9 lesser (or some combination). The level of spells he can prepare continues to go up after he tops out, of course.
Is that traditional "Vancian?" No, but it's more Vancian than the traditional D&D 'vancian,' and it incorporates the innovations of the 5e wizard without making at-wills seem trivial.
Warlock: The warlock, rather than learn magic through time and study like the wizard, makes a perilous bargain with powers beyond mortal ken to wield arcane power, with or without any real understanding of that power.
Warlock 'Pacts' are esoteric occult bargains, they are complicated, with many conditions and provisos. Rather than go into great and varied detail about the conditions of each pact, Warlock's spells are simply divided up into three categories, based on how often he can engineer the conditions he needs to fulfill his pact. Aside from the Eldritch Bolt, the Warlock's spells are the same spells as Wizards learn, just gained in a different way.
At-will: All warlocks have an 'Eldritch Bolt,' an unformed blast of the basic energy associated with their pact (hellfire or icy starlight or whatever). This blast is what happens when the warlock calls upon the power of his pact without meeting any of the more complex conditions it calls for.
Lesser: In the course of a battle or other challenge, the Warlock can fulfill the conditions use each of these spells once. This is an abstraction of luck and cunning. The Warlock may need to perform physical action several times, get a drop of an enemies blood, stand in a shadow, sustain a specific injury, or all sorts of other minor, weird things to successfully call upon a given spell. The Warlock could also expend a use of a higher-level Lesser spell to 'improvise' a second use of one already expended or even to call upon some spell he is not normally entitled to.
Greater: Greater spells can only be cast at certain times, and never twice in the same 24 hour period. When a Warlock learns a Greater spell, he chooses a general time (usually day or night) when it is available.
Sorcerer: The sorcerer does not learn or use magic, the sorcerer is magic. Somehow, usually due to heritage, the life force of the sorcerer is a font of arcane power. A sorcerer chooses a basic energy type that represents the nature of his power. A sorcerer with a draconic heritage would choose the energy of a dragon's breath-weapon, for instance. Over time, by trial and error, a sorcerer learns to direct his power in different ways. It is rare for a sorcerer to gain the subtlety and skill to consistently shape his power into the spells used by wizards and warlocks, but it is not impossible.
Elemental Bolt: As long as he lives, the Sorcerer's arcane power flows through him, that flow can always be tapped, if tapped cautiously, or when the sorcerer's vitality is at low ebb, the result is a simple Elemental Bolt. The damage type is dictated by the sorcerer's choice of power when he was created. An Elemental Bolt can be used every round, 1/round.
Elemental Burst: The Sorcerer creates a cone, line, or other area effect of his power. Powerful sorcerers can do so a few times between short rests (10 at top level?). Lower level ones only once. Useable once per round, but two uses may be expended at once for a greater effect, such as channeling (below) a Greater spell. Expending two uses at once prevents recovering those uses until the Sorcerer has completed an extended rest.
Elemental Channeling: The Sorcerer channels and shapes his Elemental Bolt or Burst into some specific or refined form, improvising a minor effect (like lighting a candle instead of vaporizing it with a Fire Bolt) or an existing arcane spell related to that energy. The exact results are dependent upon the success of checks called for by the DM.
Last edited:
