Would you play in a spontaneous-only spellcaster game? FT: Should complexity vary...

[Runestar]

I will play a sorc only if the DM lets me prc out at 6th lv.

Though I am still a little ambivalent about sorc. I do not deny that spontaneous spellcasting is very useful, but the problem here is that wotc apparently over-priced it, since sorcs seem to have to pay through the nose for this ability.

And I would likely find it boring to just keep casting the same spell over and over again. For instance, if I were a 5th lv focused specialist conjurer, I could prepare 1 each of stinking cloud, haste, iron bands and summon monster3. This offers me more variety, which ensures that combat remains interesting, because no 2 fights will be the same. Likewise, I have more options, which lowers the chances of me being caught with an inappropriate spell.

As for spells known, collegiate wizard (CA) gives me 4 new ones every lv, and I honestly think that only the most sadistic of DMs will expressly go out of his way to prevent the wizard PC from acquiring new spells.

Not to mention complete champion lets a wizard spontaneously cast any divination spell...that alone puts a wizard light years ahead of any sorc...and if your DM allows magelord...

As a 6th lv sorc, I would be stuck with just 1 of those 4 spells. Say I select haste. Each combat will likely start with me hasting the entire party, followed up with a control spell of choice, probably either glitterdust or web. It will get repetitive very quickly.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Hey, try a Warlock some time. Then you know what gets repetitive.

(And I still liked that class...)

 

[Fenes]

As a 6th lv sorc, I would be stuck with just 1 of those 4 spells. Say I select haste. Each combat will likely start with me hasting the entire party, followed up with a control spell of choice, probably either glitterdust or web. It will get repetitive very quickly.

That depends on what spells you have. Shadow evocations offer a wide range of options. Metamagic is also very useful for a sorcerer, since they can choose when to apply that "silent, still" option. The summon spells also offer a lot of options.

And of course, the ability to cast as many dispel magics or fireballs as you have 3rd level or higher slots is very useful in many situation.

People always seem to think of the "not having the right spell" situation, and seem never to encounter the "I had the spell prepared, but used it up already" situation, or the "we need X of those spells for this plan" situation.

Scrolls and wands, depending on campaign, can cover a lot too.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Absolutely.

I've played in an all-psionics/non-CPsi/Dreamscarred-Press-welcome game and although it involved psionics instead of spellcasting it is essentially the same dilemma. The psionic characters involved were essentialy all spontaneous in their build (except the used powerpoints rather than slots). But it worked well.

If it can be done in psionics, it can be done in magic. I'd be in.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

* There is no wizard class. Sorcerers replace them.
* The same goes for Clerics. Its replaced either by the spontaneous variant in Unearthed Arcana, or the Dragonlance Mystic.
* Druids are replaced with the spontaneous variant in UA.
* Paladins and Rangers are either limited in spells known akin to the hexblade/spellthief table or use the spell-less variants in Complete Warrior.
* Prestige-classes are on a case-by-case, but any that grant their own pool of spells known will be limited accordingly (probably using the assassin spells known)
* Metamagic would no longer require a full-round action to cast, just the higher spell slot.
* Bards, fighters, barbarians, rogues, and monks stay as-is.
* Magic Items, monster CR, and such would be typical core.

Well, would you play? Would you be a spellcaster? Why or why not?

That depends upon my inspiration du jour. It certainly wouldn't STOP me from playing a spellcaster.

My current PC, a Sorcerer (loaded up on electrical spells and spells without somatic components), is in a Core + First 4 Completes only campaign that doesn't use PrCls and only allows the Favored Soul of all the alternative base classes.

Campaign constraints rarely stop me from playing a particular class, unless its totally gimped or barred.

That depends on what spells you have. Shadow evocations offer a wide range of options. Metamagic is also very useful for a sorcerer, since they can choose when to apply that "silent, still" option. The summon spells also offer a lot of options.

My PC in a new campaign is a Sorcerer, and the Shadow Conjuration/Evocation spells were high on my list until the PC's concept became more refined. Other than that particular PC's quirks, they rock.

I managed to convince my DM to adopt a single house rule that really opened things up for spellcasters, especially those with limited spell lists: a spellcaster could learn a spell (from their class list, of course) in its metamagically altered form as a discrete spell without taking the feat itself.

IOW, this means a particularly focused PC (like mine, but moreso) could take Burning Hands as a 1st level spell, Transdimensional Burning Hands as a 2nd level spell, Empowered Burning Hands as a 3rd level spell, Silenced Stilled Empowered Burning Hands as a 4th level spell and so forth.

How does this help?

Typically, the spontaneous classes learn spells of a given level dependent upon a chart. If you get a 3rd level slot, you must learn a 3rd level spell. But if you don't like any of your options of that level for that PC- perhaps you've taken all of your faves, perhaps none fit your PC's theme or schtick- you can learn a metamagically altered spell instead.

And you don't have to burn a precious feat to do so- remember, this is an entirely distinct spell from its lower-level cousin. (You must still abide by the no doubling up on metamagic stricture, though, and casting times get boosted.)

 

[Mercule]

Without hesitation. I started playing a Conjurer in a 3.5 game last month. Now I remember why I lobbied the DM in 2000 to switch to 3e -- so I could play a sorcerer instead of the wizard I was playing. Slotting spells sucks. Period.

I actually really, really like the 4e system for magic where a wizard has a few tricks that he knows by heart and has a fair amount of utility in his time-consuming rituals, with the two types of spells not overlapping.

 

[Graybeard]

I would definitely play in a game like that. Any spellcaster I play is a spontaneous one since I dislike picking spells each day. I'ts so much easier knowing that your spells are preselected.