Would it be disruptive to allow everyone spontaneous spells?

[ConnorSB]

i actually like the way AU does it, where you "remember" a set number of all the spells from the big list, and can spontaniously cast any of those. It lets you have a flexable amount of choice, 'cause you can always just wait a day to cast those "special cases" spells. If you are a wizard, you do this anyway, but for a sorcerer it stinks to have to know "limited use" spells in favor of others. That is, it's a nice balance between the two. Not as rigid as the wizard, not as limited as the sorcerer, but still about as powerful.

 

[Staffan]

i actually like the way AU does it, where you "remember" a set number of all the spells from the big list, and can spontaniously cast any of those. It lets you have a flexable amount of choice, 'cause you can always just wait a day to cast those "special cases" spells. If you are a wizard, you do this anyway, but for a sorcerer it stinks to have to know "limited use" spells in favor of others. That is, it's a nice balance between the two. Not as rigid as the wizard, not as limited as the sorcerer, but still about as powerful.

Note, however, that the AU casters are balanced by their spells generally being slightly worse than equivalent-level D&D spells (note the lack of Magic Missile, or that Mage/Eldritch Armor requires a feat). If you use D&D spells with the AU system, the result would be more powerful than either system used on its own.

 

[ConnorSB]

i'd just lower the number of spells "memorized" or "castable" until it seemed about balanced. That or go with AU outright...

 

[Charwoman Gene]

The way I am balancing the sorceror without preparation is to give him more skill and hit points, and allow him to know a few more spells.

My final system (which I have not finished) will have some kind of AU-ish features, and a complete rebalancing of Clerics, Wizards, and Sorcerers.

 

[Will]

I also really like the way AU does things...

There are some big potential problems with making all spellcasting spontaneous.

One, you make prep casters much more powerful. Not just wizards, but clerics, too!

Two, sorcerers are significantly weaker. This might not bug you too much, but you also make bards significantly weaker. Both classes rely on their freedom to cast as part of their 'power.'


I've seen these effects in a spell point system (which magnified the problem even more), and it wasn't pretty. Clerics... god.

One thing I'm curious about... do your prep casters regularly leave slots open? If they find themselves strapped for spells, maybe they need some reminders. By leaving a few spells unprepped, they can get whatever they need, as it comes up. Sure, there's a delay, but in many cases pulling out the books (or the prayer beads) to prepare water breathing isn't a rush issue. 15 minutes is fine.

In short, prep casters can have the freedom to cast any of their spells, provided they leave slots open and take a little time to fill up when needed. In fact, I'd suggest that all prep casters leave at least 1/3 of their daily allotment unfilled, unless they know absolutely that they are going to hit a big confrontation. And even then, at higher levels, fill up your highest spell levels, but leave the lower level spell slots more unfilled. Lower level spells are less likely to be key in a conflict, and more likely to be handy in some random and circumstantial scene.

If you are worried about wizard spellbooks, I'd recommend instituting some sort of 'study book' rule. I personally hate the issue of 'ok, wizard has this vital piece of stuff. If the DM screws with it, it can make the situation suck mightily.' I don't like that kind of arbitrary screw. So instead, the wizard's 'valuable' spellbook sits at home or in a safe vault at his guild, while he refreshes his memory with a cheap set of notes. If you want to limit this somewhat, perhaps limit his notes to the number of slots he has. (This is somewhat like the Ready thing from AU)


If you do choose to make things non-prep, my suggestion is to model all casters on sorcerers, though possibly switch slots with learned for some. That is, switch 6 slots and 4 learned with 4 slots and 6 learned.

So a cleric would be a sorcerer with Wis as a key ability and different skills, and a cleric spell list, turn/rebuke instead of familiar, and domains. But low BAB, saves, etc.

Wizard, sorcerer based on Int.

Druid would be altered tremendously. Balance-wise, I'd use sorcerer with Wis and druid list, skills, and limitations and swap slots with learned. Animal companion instead of familiar. I personally think druids are a little too powerful in 3.5, but opinions obviously differ.

Anyhow, some ideas.

 

[tmaaas]

Hmm. . . since we're throwing out ideas.

Eliminate the sorcerer.

Have other spellcasting classes have equal spells known and spells cast. Have primary stat add to spells cast, but not spells known.

Each day, spellcasters may memorize spells per standard rules, but then may cast any of these spells spontaneously.

To balance the added power gained from versatility, change 0 level spells to 1st level spells, 1st to 2nd, etc. Eliminate the current 9th level spells.

 

[A'koss]

For years we ran a Path Magic variant wizard of ours called the Talist until we started up our low magic game. They are spontaneous casters who are limited by being able to only choose spells in the Paths they know (and there are 12), and each Path requires a feat to pick up (but you get 1 for free at 1st level).

I've also used a Spell Point system where you have a fairly limited amount of points, but a quicker replenshment rate. This has also worked well for us in the past.

You can find them here if you're interested...

http://members.shaw.ca/infinity/Main_Page.htm

Cheers!

 

[ThirdWizard]

*twitch twitch*

Just to get the termonology straight, spontaneous casting is when you drop a prepared spell for another spell. Clerics dropping bless for cure light wounds is spontaneous spellcasting. Sorcerers casting magic missile need not prepare the spell ahead of time, but they are not considered spontaneously casting spells.

 

[blackshirt5]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm gonna do TW; you can choose a few spells to be able to be spontaneously cast; this'll hopefully make characters more versatile.

 

[ThirdWizard]

In a high level game I was DMing, I gave out an artifact that was a spellbook containing every Necromancy spell ever penned. Slowly over time, he gained certain "benefits" from the book by sacrificing... erm... taking penalties in certain areas. One of these benefits with the ability to start spontaneously casting Necromantic spells. It wasn't particularly overpowering, although it made him much more versitile in play, and it was great roleplaying and made the game much more interesting. I don't think it would be overpowering to allow spontaneous casting to every class with limits, but I would advise giving something back to clerics (and druids in 3.5) to make up for the versatility increase of the other classes.