Advice on spell-casting class [Archive] - Wizards Community

Advice on spell-casting class [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sinon
03-04-05, 12:40 PM This is a character I am working on to replace the Sorcerer and the Wizard for a homebrewed campaign setting.
The setting is going to be low-magic, so I can't really have thirty different types of magic user. Arcane spell casters are going to be persecuted; they can be arrested, killed, exiled, etc. depending on the realm in which they are discovered.
There will be many magical items left over from a long-forgotten period of high-magic in the world’s history, and these will include spellbooks. I am hoping that I can use the search for these lost tomes as a hook to start the players adventuring, either to find the books for personal use or to keep others from getting them first. Some of these books will be powerful magic items in and of themselves, granting increased caster level or the ability to summon specific creatures. Some are going to be considered intelligent items.
As far as the class goes, I wanted to get rid of the Vancian mechanic (which I have never liked) but still have the flavor of a magic that relies on the researching old tomes of forgotten lore and using spellbooks. The core sorcerer lacks this.
The favored class of elves will change to ranger. Also, paladins and rangers will be of the non-spell-casting variant found in Complete Warrior. There will similar variants for other classes, such as the assassin. Bards will probably stay the same, but clerics are going to take a hit as casters; they will probably end up knowing and casting spells like a core sorcerer. Warlocks will be there as rivals to the mages.
Scrolls as a magic item will go, but they will be replaced by a single-use magic item with a similar mechanic.

What I am looking for is advice as to how this character might or might not be balanced. (I think low levels are going to be too brutal). I’d like advice and constructive criticism. Also, I don’t think that a lot (any) of the stuff I have here is that original. I am sure that some others of you have done something similar, and if you could show me what you have done and perhaps tell me about problems and success you have had, I would greatly appreciate it.

To give credit where it is due:
There are no psionics in this world, but I plagiarized a lot of the psionics material, and am going to take some powers and convert them into spells as well. I am specifically looking at Power Leach for example. In addition to the psionics material, I also owe some credit to the author of The Misenchanted Sword and A Single Spell. (I read these books in junior high, so I don’t remember his name. People who are looking for some warlock flavor might want to look at the latter.) I also made use of the SRD at Swiftshire.org as a resource and some of the tables as a template for mine. (I did this at work and my boss might have gotten curious if I had my books spread out all over my desk.)

Here it is; sorry about the length.

The Mage
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d4.

Class Skills
Concentration, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Decipher Script, and Spellcraft

Mages who specialize in a school add the following spells their class lists.
Abjuration: Listen, Spot
Conjuration: Craft, Tumble
Divination: Appraise, Search
Enchantment: Bluff, Diplomacy
Evocation: Intimidate, Sense Motive
Illusion: Disguise, Perform
Necromancy: Autohypnosis, Hide
Transmutation: Jump, Climb
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Stats:
Saves: As Wizard
B.A.B: As Wizard

Class level: 1 Spell Points/Day: 3 Maximum Spell Level Known:1st
2nd 4 1st
3rd 6 2nd
4th 9 2nd
5th 12 3rd
6th 17 3rd
7th 22 4th
8th 29 4th
9th 36 5th
10th 45 5th
11th 54 6th
12th 65 6th
13th 76 7th
14th 89 7th
15th 102 8th
16th 117 8th
17th 132 9th
18th 149 9th
19th 165 9th
20th 182 9th

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mages are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a mage’s gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.
Spells: A mage casts arcane spells which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. A mage may memorize a number of spell levels equal to his Intelligence score plus his class level. In addition, a mage must have an Intelligence of equal to or greater that 10 plus the spell level to be able to memorize the spell. Levels in a prestige class that allows caster progression can be added class levels for determining the number of spell a mage can memorize. For example, a mage 5/fighter 1/eldritch knight 3 with an Intelligence of 15 would be able to memorize 22 levels of spells (15 Int,+5 Mage,+2 E.K.)
A mage may only cast a number of spells levels per day up to his spell points. A mage can get bonus spell points per day from a high Charisma score. The DC of mage spells are influenced by a high charisma score.
A mage may cast any spell he has memorized as a spontaneous caster. When he does so, he pays the spell points for the spell. He also pays the spell points if the spell is disrupted or if he fails to make a required concentration check, e.g for casting on the defensive.
A mage may also cast a spell directly from a spell book. First he must full understand the spell, which requires a Decipher Script check (DC 10+spell level). This check only needs to be made once per spell, and a caster who devotes an hour or more of time can take ten on the check. Once a spell is understood, casting it requires a DC 10+spell level Spellcraft checks for spells at or below his max spell level. A mage can also attempt to cast a spell that is higher than his max spell level at DC 20+ 2xspell level. Casting a spell at higher than the max spell level also costs double the number of spell points. Failure still results in expenditure of spell points. If a mage is threatened, the DC for casting from a book is double. It also provokes an attack of opportunity and cannot be done defensively.
If a mage casts a spell that causes his spell points to drop below 0, he takes the remainder in temporary Charisma damage. If this causes the mage’s charisma to equal zero, he becomes catatonic. If the spell would have caused the mage’s Charisma to fall below zero, he is still reduced to zero Charisma and the spell fails.
Bonus Language: A mage automatically knows Draconic as a bonus language.
Familiar: A mage can obtain a familiar in exactly the same manner as a sorcerer can, or he can create a psicrystal in the same manner a psion can. A mage who has a familiar can still gain a psicrystal by taking the Psicrystal Affinity feat. A mage who has a psicrystal can still gain a familiar by taking the Acquire Familiar feat. Bonuses from psicrystals and familiars do not stack.
Spellbooks: A first-level mage begins play with a number of spells in his spell book. The sum of the levels of these spells is equal to 5 plus Intelligence bonus of the mage.
Recording New Spells: A mage can copy any new arcane spell into a spell book. Doing so requires him to first fully understand the spell he is about to copy, which requires a DC 10+spell level decipher script check. (No check is required if the mage is copying a spell he has memorized or if the spell being copied is one that he has himself recorded, for example if he is coping a spell from his book into another’s or if he is making a back-up book.) Once the mage understands the spell, recording it requires a Spellcraft check, DC 15+spell level. A mage will not know if his attempt was successful until he tries to cast the spell from the book. Even then, he will only know that the casting failed, not necessarily why it failed. Recording a spell requires special materials equal to 100gp/spell level/page.
A mage can record a spell he has memorized into a book with a Spellcraft check a 20+2xspell level.
Memorizing a spell: A first-level mage begins play with a number of spell-levels memorized equal to his intelligence bonus. These spells may or may not also be recorded in the mage’s book, at the player’s discretion. To memorize a new spell, a mage must have first successfully cast the spell, then must devote a full day per spell level per page of the spell to memorize it. At the end of this time, the spell caster must attempt to cast the spell at the same DC required for casting it from the book. If a caster devotes twice as much time to study, he can take 10 on this check. If this check succeeds, the spell has been memorized. If it does not, the caster must start over. If the caster chooses to memorize a spell that would take him over his limit, he must “forget” a number of spell levels (spells of his choosing) necessary to make it “fit.”
If a caster takes ability damage to his intelligence and this causes him to have exceeded his memorization limit, he forgets his highest level spell, or if he has more that one spell at the highest level, a randomly-determined spell at that level. Increased ability damage may result in further lost spells. This forgetting is temporary or permanent depending on the nature of the ability damage. A mage may re-memorize a permanently forgotten spell and doing so gives him a +5 on his Spellcraft check.
Memorization can take place at any time and at any level as long as the mage is able to fully devote himself to study.
Spellbooks: The language of magic is draconic. To read a spellbook at all requires the ability to read draconic.
Spellbooks are not magical in themselves (although many mages have imbued their books with magical power and in rare cases even sentience.)
Spellbooks are a record of how to cast a spell. They list the verbal and somatic components of the spell, describe its effects, and demonstrate how to cast it.
By reading a spell from a book, anyone who can read Draconic can figure out the general effects, level, and requirements for a spell by making a Knowledge (Arcana) check, DC 5 + spell level, as a standard action. You can take ten on the check by using a full-round action.
Anyone can cast a spell from a spellbook. To do so requires the ability to speak and read Draconic and a Spellcraft check (untrained Intelligence check) with a DC of 20+2x the level of the spell. Characters with 5 or more ranks in Decipher Script, Knowledge (Arcana), and/or Use Magic Device can get +2 synergy bonus for each area. Non casters who try to cast a spell still must pay the spell-point cost, and do so in the form of temporary Charisma damage.
All spells with a casting time of a standard action or less take up one page. Spells with a casting time of one round take up two pages. The number of pages required to record longer spells is noted with the spell description.
Metamagic: Characters take metamagic feats as normal, but they function differently when they are applied to memorized, as opposed to written, spell.
Applied to memorized spells: Applying a metamagic feat to a memorized spell is non-action and needs only to be declared by the character at the time it is cast. This can only be done three times per day (as per Sudden Metamagic feats). Applying a metamagic feat to a memorized spell does not affect its casting time. Quicken Spell can be applied. Casting a metamagiced spell uses up spell points as a higher level spell based on the description of the feat. For example, an Extended Shield spell would require an investment of two spell points.
Applied to written spells: Any metamagic feat a mage knows (except for Quicken Spell) can be applied to a written spell. Doing so required the caster to spend spell points at the higher level (e.g. six points for a Widened Fireball) and at the increased DC for the necessary check. For example, casting a Fireball from a spellbook normally requires a DC 13 Spellcraft check. Casting a Widened Fireball required a DC 16 Spellcraft check. If a caster attempts to apply a metamagic feat to a spell and doing so would increase the spell’s level to greater than his maximum spell level, the DC increases to 20+2xspell level. For example, a fifth-level mage can cast Fireball from a book at DC 13. Casting a Maximized Fireball (effectively a sixth-level spell) would require a DC 32 Spellcraft check. A mage can apply metamagic feats to written spells as many times per day as his spell points allow.
Taking one feat allows it to be applied to memorized spells and to written spells. A mage does not have to take Still Spell and Sudden Still Spell.
School Specialization: At first level, and only at first level, a mage can decide to specialize in any one of the various schools of magic (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation). Doing so a permanent decision; it cannot be altered later.
When a mage specializes, he chooses his primary school and two deficient schools. When he does so, he gains the skills associated with that school as class skills (v.s. Class Skills).
Specialization Advantages: When a mage makes a skill-related check having to do with a spell from his primary school he gains a +5 competence bonus. This includes checks to cast, to cast defensively, caster level checks, Spellcraft checks, Arcana checks, anything. The caster also adds 1 the DC of any spell he casts from his chosen school, similar to the effect of the Spell Focus feat. (This bonus will stack with the feat.) In addition, when a caster applies a metamagic feat to a spell from his primary school, the additional spell points applied are reduced by one, but with a minimum of one. For example an evoker’s Silent Burning Hands would still cost 2 spell points, but his Maximized Burning Hands would only cost 3 spell points.
Specialization penalties: When a mage makes a skill-related check having to do with a spell from his deficient schools he gains a -5 incompetence penalty. This includes checks to cast, to cast defensively, caster level checks, anything. In addition, a mage cannot apply metamagic feats to spells from his deficient schools. He may also not select either of these schools when taking the Spell Focus feat. He may still cast and memorize spells from these schools and use magic devices from those schools.
Multi-classing notes: A character who begins play as anything other than a mage cannot later become a mage unless he or she has first learned Draconic. Multi-classed mages who became mages after first level begin with no spellbooks or memorized spells; although, he can of course acquire, cast, and memorize spells as normal once he has a level in mage.
Sinon
03-04-05, 03:22 PM I neglected to mention that 0-level spells would be 1/2 a spell point.
Also, I am probably going to scrap material components of less than 1gp. It doesn't make sense that it takes a move action to draw a dagger but I can find, pull out of a component pouch, and then manipulate a ball of bat dung as a free action. I like the flavor, but dislike the mechanics. I don't want to make it a move-equivalent action though, because I've already made casting hard enough.
Hornswaggle
03-04-05, 03:46 PM I'm not entirely sure why the sorcerer class can't fit your campaign. I require sorcerers to learn new spells the same way wizards do - studying arcane texts. The tangible effect of this study is not felt until the sorcerer gains a level and becomes able to actually case these new spells. Whether they can learn a spell or not is the same mechanic as a wizard trying to add a spell to her spell book. The only difference is that the sorcerer doesn't have to carry the spellbook around to refresh his memory. The understanding of the spell becomes like a part of him.

Psionics is introverted study of one's spiritual self manifesting in supernatural powers. Arcane spells should be something completely different. They should be tangible power based on your understanding of mana, metaphysics, alchemy, and whatnot, and I think the sorcerer as described in the PHB fits your needs pretty well.

By the way, your versions of book casting and whatnot sound like great house rules. :)
Sinon
03-04-05, 04:25 PM Thank you.
I've never dealt with psionics, and maybe at some point I should. I just didn't want to do so with this setting. I tried to combine the sorcerer and the wizard in a way that was ballanced, while keeping the best of the flavor of both.
Thank you for your in put.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sinon 03-04-05, 12:40 PM	This is a character I am working on to replace the Sorcerer and the Wizard for a homebrewed campaign setting. The setting is going to be low-magic, so I can't really have thirty different types of magic user. Arcane spell casters are going to be persecuted; they can be arrested, killed, exiled, etc. depending on the realm in which they are discovered. There will be many magical items left over from a long-forgotten period of high-magic in the world’s history, and these will include spellbooks. I am hoping that I can use the search for these lost tomes as a hook to start the players adventuring, either to find the books for personal use or to keep others from getting them first. Some of these books will be powerful magic items in and of themselves, granting increased caster level or the ability to summon specific creatures. Some are going to be considered intelligent items. As far as the class goes, I wanted to get rid of the Vancian mechanic (which I have never liked) but still have the flavor of a magic that relies on the researching old tomes of forgotten lore and using spellbooks. The core sorcerer lacks this. The favored class of elves will change to ranger. Also, paladins and rangers will be of the non-spell-casting variant found in Complete Warrior. There will similar variants for other classes, such as the assassin. Bards will probably stay the same, but clerics are going to take a hit as casters; they will probably end up knowing and casting spells like a core sorcerer. Warlocks will be there as rivals to the mages. Scrolls as a magic item will go, but they will be replaced by a single-use magic item with a similar mechanic. What I am looking for is advice as to how this character might or might not be balanced. (I think low levels are going to be too brutal). I’d like advice and constructive criticism. Also, I don’t think that a lot (any) of the stuff I have here is that original. I am sure that some others of you have done something similar, and if you could show me what you have done and perhaps tell me about problems and success you have had, I would greatly appreciate it. To give credit where it is due: There are no psionics in this world, but I plagiarized a lot of the psionics material, and am going to take some powers and convert them into spells as well. I am specifically looking at Power Leach for example. In addition to the psionics material, I also owe some credit to the author of The Misenchanted Sword and A Single Spell. (I read these books in junior high, so I don’t remember his name. People who are looking for some warlock flavor might want to look at the latter.) I also made use of the SRD at Swiftshire.org as a resource and some of the tables as a template for mine. (I did this at work and my boss might have gotten curious if I had my books spread out all over my desk.) Here it is; sorry about the length. The Mage Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d4. Class Skills Concentration, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Decipher Script, and Spellcraft Mages who specialize in a school add the following spells their class lists. Abjuration: Listen, Spot Conjuration: Craft, Tumble Divination: Appraise, Search Enchantment: Bluff, Diplomacy Evocation: Intimidate, Sense Motive Illusion: Disguise, Perform Necromancy: Autohypnosis, Hide Transmutation: Jump, Climb Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier. Stats: Saves: As Wizard B.A.B: As Wizard Class level: 1 Spell Points/Day: 3 Maximum Spell Level Known:1st 2nd 4 1st 3rd 6 2nd 4th 9 2nd 5th 12 3rd 6th 17 3rd 7th 22 4th 8th 29 4th 9th 36 5th 10th 45 5th 11th 54 6th 12th 65 6th 13th 76 7th 14th 89 7th 15th 102 8th 16th 117 8th 17th 132 9th 18th 149 9th 19th 165 9th 20th 182 9th Class Features Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mages are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a mage’s gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail. Spells: A mage casts arcane spells which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. A mage may memorize a number of spell levels equal to his Intelligence score plus his class level. In addition, a mage must have an Intelligence of equal to or greater that 10 plus the spell level to be able to memorize the spell. Levels in a prestige class that allows caster progression can be added class levels for determining the number of spell a mage can memorize. For example, a mage 5/fighter 1/eldritch knight 3 with an Intelligence of 15 would be able to memorize 22 levels of spells (15 Int,+5 Mage,+2 E.K.) A mage may only cast a number of spells levels per day up to his spell points. A mage can get bonus spell points per day from a high Charisma score. The DC of mage spells are influenced by a high charisma score. A mage may cast any spell he has memorized as a spontaneous caster. When he does so, he pays the spell points for the spell. He also pays the spell points if the spell is disrupted or if he fails to make a required concentration check, e.g for casting on the defensive. A mage may also cast a spell directly from a spell book. First he must full understand the spell, which requires a Decipher Script check (DC 10+spell level). This check only needs to be made once per spell, and a caster who devotes an hour or more of time can take ten on the check. Once a spell is understood, casting it requires a DC 10+spell level Spellcraft checks for spells at or below his max spell level. A mage can also attempt to cast a spell that is higher than his max spell level at DC 20+ 2xspell level. Casting a spell at higher than the max spell level also costs double the number of spell points. Failure still results in expenditure of spell points. If a mage is threatened, the DC for casting from a book is double. It also provokes an attack of opportunity and cannot be done defensively. If a mage casts a spell that causes his spell points to drop below 0, he takes the remainder in temporary Charisma damage. If this causes the mage’s charisma to equal zero, he becomes catatonic. If the spell would have caused the mage’s Charisma to fall below zero, he is still reduced to zero Charisma and the spell fails. Bonus Language: A mage automatically knows Draconic as a bonus language. Familiar: A mage can obtain a familiar in exactly the same manner as a sorcerer can, or he can create a psicrystal in the same manner a psion can. A mage who has a familiar can still gain a psicrystal by taking the Psicrystal Affinity feat. A mage who has a psicrystal can still gain a familiar by taking the Acquire Familiar feat. Bonuses from psicrystals and familiars do not stack. Spellbooks: A first-level mage begins play with a number of spells in his spell book. The sum of the levels of these spells is equal to 5 plus Intelligence bonus of the mage. Recording New Spells: A mage can copy any new arcane spell into a spell book. Doing so requires him to first fully understand the spell he is about to copy, which requires a DC 10+spell level decipher script check. (No check is required if the mage is copying a spell he has memorized or if the spell being copied is one that he has himself recorded, for example if he is coping a spell from his book into another’s or if he is making a back-up book.) Once the mage understands the spell, recording it requires a Spellcraft check, DC 15+spell level. A mage will not know if his attempt was successful until he tries to cast the spell from the book. Even then, he will only know that the casting failed, not necessarily why it failed. Recording a spell requires special materials equal to 100gp/spell level/page. A mage can record a spell he has memorized into a book with a Spellcraft check a 20+2xspell level. Memorizing a spell: A first-level mage begins play with a number of spell-levels memorized equal to his intelligence bonus. These spells may or may not also be recorded in the mage’s book, at the player’s discretion. To memorize a new spell, a mage must have first successfully cast the spell, then must devote a full day per spell level per page of the spell to memorize it. At the end of this time, the spell caster must attempt to cast the spell at the same DC required for casting it from the book. If a caster devotes twice as much time to study, he can take 10 on this check. If this check succeeds, the spell has been memorized. If it does not, the caster must start over. If the caster chooses to memorize a spell that would take him over his limit, he must “forget” a number of spell levels (spells of his choosing) necessary to make it “fit.” If a caster takes ability damage to his intelligence and this causes him to have exceeded his memorization limit, he forgets his highest level spell, or if he has more that one spell at the highest level, a randomly-determined spell at that level. Increased ability damage may result in further lost spells. This forgetting is temporary or permanent depending on the nature of the ability damage. A mage may re-memorize a permanently forgotten spell and doing so gives him a +5 on his Spellcraft check. Memorization can take place at any time and at any level as long as the mage is able to fully devote himself to study. Spellbooks: The language of magic is draconic. To read a spellbook at all requires the ability to read draconic. Spellbooks are not magical in themselves (although many mages have imbued their books with magical power and in rare cases even sentience.) Spellbooks are a record of how to cast a spell. They list the verbal and somatic components of the spell, describe its effects, and demonstrate how to cast it. By reading a spell from a book, anyone who can read Draconic can figure out the general effects, level, and requirements for a spell by making a Knowledge (Arcana) check, DC 5 + spell level, as a standard action. You can take ten on the check by using a full-round action. Anyone can cast a spell from a spellbook. To do so requires the ability to speak and read Draconic and a Spellcraft check (untrained Intelligence check) with a DC of 20+2x the level of the spell. Characters with 5 or more ranks in Decipher Script, Knowledge (Arcana), and/or Use Magic Device can get +2 synergy bonus for each area. Non casters who try to cast a spell still must pay the spell-point cost, and do so in the form of temporary Charisma damage. All spells with a casting time of a standard action or less take up one page. Spells with a casting time of one round take up two pages. The number of pages required to record longer spells is noted with the spell description. Metamagic: Characters take metamagic feats as normal, but they function differently when they are applied to memorized, as opposed to written, spell. Applied to memorized spells: Applying a metamagic feat to a memorized spell is non-action and needs only to be declared by the character at the time it is cast. This can only be done three times per day (as per Sudden Metamagic feats). Applying a metamagic feat to a memorized spell does not affect its casting time. Quicken Spell can be applied. Casting a metamagiced spell uses up spell points as a higher level spell based on the description of the feat. For example, an Extended Shield spell would require an investment of two spell points. Applied to written spells: Any metamagic feat a mage knows (except for Quicken Spell) can be applied to a written spell. Doing so required the caster to spend spell points at the higher level (e.g. six points for a Widened Fireball) and at the increased DC for the necessary check. For example, casting a Fireball from a spellbook normally requires a DC 13 Spellcraft check. Casting a Widened Fireball required a DC 16 Spellcraft check. If a caster attempts to apply a metamagic feat to a spell and doing so would increase the spell’s level to greater than his maximum spell level, the DC increases to 20+2xspell level. For example, a fifth-level mage can cast Fireball from a book at DC 13. Casting a Maximized Fireball (effectively a sixth-level spell) would require a DC 32 Spellcraft check. A mage can apply metamagic feats to written spells as many times per day as his spell points allow. Taking one feat allows it to be applied to memorized spells and to written spells. A mage does not have to take Still Spell and Sudden Still Spell. School Specialization: At first level, and only at first level, a mage can decide to specialize in any one of the various schools of magic (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation). Doing so a permanent decision; it cannot be altered later. When a mage specializes, he chooses his primary school and two deficient schools. When he does so, he gains the skills associated with that school as class skills (v.s. Class Skills). Specialization Advantages: When a mage makes a skill-related check having to do with a spell from his primary school he gains a +5 competence bonus. This includes checks to cast, to cast defensively, caster level checks, Spellcraft checks, Arcana checks, anything. The caster also adds 1 the DC of any spell he casts from his chosen school, similar to the effect of the Spell Focus feat. (This bonus will stack with the feat.) In addition, when a caster applies a metamagic feat to a spell from his primary school, the additional spell points applied are reduced by one, but with a minimum of one. For example an evoker’s Silent Burning Hands would still cost 2 spell points, but his Maximized Burning Hands would only cost 3 spell points. Specialization penalties: When a mage makes a skill-related check having to do with a spell from his deficient schools he gains a -5 incompetence penalty. This includes checks to cast, to cast defensively, caster level checks, anything. In addition, a mage cannot apply metamagic feats to spells from his deficient schools. He may also not select either of these schools when taking the Spell Focus feat. He may still cast and memorize spells from these schools and use magic devices from those schools. Multi-classing notes: A character who begins play as anything other than a mage cannot later become a mage unless he or she has first learned Draconic. Multi-classed mages who became mages after first level begin with no spellbooks or memorized spells; although, he can of course acquire, cast, and memorize spells as normal once he has a level in mage.
Sinon 03-04-05, 03:22 PM	I neglected to mention that 0-level spells would be 1/2 a spell point. Also, I am probably going to scrap material components of less than 1gp. It doesn't make sense that it takes a move action to draw a dagger but I can find, pull out of a component pouch, and then manipulate a ball of bat dung as a free action. I like the flavor, but dislike the mechanics. I don't want to make it a move-equivalent action though, because I've already made casting hard enough.
Hornswaggle 03-04-05, 03:46 PM	I'm not entirely sure why the sorcerer class can't fit your campaign. I require sorcerers to learn new spells the same way wizards do - studying arcane texts. The tangible effect of this study is not felt until the sorcerer gains a level and becomes able to actually case these new spells. Whether they can learn a spell or not is the same mechanic as a wizard trying to add a spell to her spell book. The only difference is that the sorcerer doesn't have to carry the spellbook around to refresh his memory. The understanding of the spell becomes like a part of him. Psionics is introverted study of one's spiritual self manifesting in supernatural powers. Arcane spells should be something completely different. They should be tangible power based on your understanding of mana, metaphysics, alchemy, and whatnot, and I think the sorcerer as described in the PHB fits your needs pretty well. By the way, your versions of book casting and whatnot sound like great house rules. :)
Sinon 03-04-05, 04:25 PM	Thank you. I've never dealt with psionics, and maybe at some point I should. I just didn't want to do so with this setting. I tried to combine the sorcerer and the wizard in a way that was ballanced, while keeping the best of the flavor of both. Thank you for your in put.