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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tilla the Hun (work)" data-source="post: 1128111" data-attributes="member: 14214">So that's the original version of my core class mage concept.Since then, the following changes were made:DC to cast lowered to 5 + spell levelSpell Mastery feat removedAdditional features were added:  A mage can choose to 'prepare' a spell, expending the chosen amount of mana at the time of preparation.  They can add in metamagic effects or heightened mana expenditures at this time.Preparing a spell is precasting the spell and hooking it to a final trigger.  This allows the mage to cast it at a moments notice, regardless of the normal casting time required (always a standard action).  However, these spells are difficult to maintain in this state, and any event that significantly disrupts the mage can result in the spell being lost (being hit, sleeping, getting drunk, etc.)  Any such event causes a concentration check at a DC of 10 + the spell level + any damage taken.  If the check is failed, all of the spells 'prepared' in this manner trigger in a chain reaction.It's my intention as a designer to allow a mage to cast both prepared and spontaneous spells from the same spell list (the spellbook) provided they have learned and studied those spells.  However, this manner of casting should never significantly exceed the maximum spells per day allowed to either a sorc or wiz of the exact same stats.The size of a casters mana pool is their character level times their CHA modifier.  This can significantly alter the number of spells a mage can cast when compared to another, but the cap remains similar to that of a sorc of the same level, with greater flexibility.  With a CHA mod of 1 at 1-3 levels, the 3rd lvl char has only 3 mana.  At 4th they bump their CHA mod to 2, and suddenly they have 8 mana.  Compare the 8 mana to what a Sorc or a wizard could do at lvl 3 could do with the same cha mod.Sorc = 6/6, Wizard = 4/3/2 (Int+1)Mage = 8 Mana or 14/0/0 (6 free cantrips plus 8 for 1 mana apiece), or 6/8/0 (6 free cantrips + 8 lvl1 spells at 1 mana apiece) or 6/0/4 or 6/4/2 etc.At least for the first few levels, mage appears to compare favorably as far as balance goes - just more flexibility at the cost of a higher rate of spell failures.What about lvl20?Sorc = 6 across 0-9, and wizard = 4 across 0-9.Ignore mod bonuses for a second... (assume mod=0)Mage at 20 = 20clvl * 0 (cha mod) = 0.  No mana.So Cha Mod 1 means 20 points, way underpowered compared to the sorc.But Cha Mod 2 means 40 points.  That's 4 9th level spells if you don't cast much else.Cha Mod 3 means 60 points.  That's 6 9th lvl if you don't cast much else.However, at +4 mod (reasonable for a mage) you get 80.You could do 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6 for only 54 points...  nicely outpowering the sorc - but requiring a high CHA.That's the only part of this class that troubles me is how easily the mage out powers the sorc and wizard at later levels.</blockquote>

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