An Idea for Recharge Magic... [Archive] - Wizards Community

An Idea for Recharge Magic... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FlameLover
07-01-06, 01:19 AM I was just reading a thread about unlimited casting per day, and I thought about another way to handle it.

You have a pool of mana points equal to your caster level. In combat, when you cast a spell, you lose mana points from this pool equal to the caster level required to cast the spell. Over a small period of time you would regain these points, i'm considering main casting stat every round or something along those lines.

Here's an example. Fred a 5th level Wizard has just learnt Fireball. He runs into a Troll and starts the encounter with 5 mana points because he has a CL of 5. He then casts Fireball, bringing his pool down to 0. At the beginning of the next round he regains 3 mana points because of his 16 Int and casts Scorching Ray.

I'm worried the regeneration is a bit too fast though, and I'm now considering 1 point at level one, and an additional 1 per 2 caster levels. So Fred would regain the same amount as in the example above, but he couldn't get 5 back in a round from an Int of 20.

Taking this idea to a "per encounter" balance change, you could let them have the same mana points but they do not regain them until the end of a fight. This would mean they'd enter every encounter fully suped-up, but they'd only be able to get 1 or 2 of their highest level spells off before they were depleted.

Thoughts? My players want a mana/recharge/unlimited magic system but realize there has to be some balancing factor. I don't think variability is the way to go, so I thought this might work instead.
Darth Sephiroth
07-01-06, 01:43 AM I'd give them starting Mana points equal to their caster level plus caster stat. Different for the three types of casters. Sorcerers ought to gain a slight bonus to them though or recharge them slightly faster. I like the recovery spped one, but I would reduce it slightly 1+1/2 caster stat mod would work great. Sorcerers need a boost to keep them up to par

Here is a bit more cleaned up version.

Spells are still prepaired for the day.

Mana Amount

Divine Caster: Wisdom modifier plus divine caster level
Prepaired Caster: Intelligence Score plus learned arcane caster level
Other Caster: Charisma modifier plus arcane caster level

Recharge Rate
1+1/2 caster stat (Int, Wis, or Cha). Sorcerers use thir full Cha modifier. You may double this as a full round action and making a Spellcraft check (DC 10) and a Concentration check (DC 10).
Vaelan
07-02-06, 08:12 AM I find it helpful to start from an established rule. It might help to look at the Recharge Magic system in Unearthed Arcana and the SRD and see what you don't like about it and work from there.

Here's an example. Fred a 5th level Wizard has just learnt Fireball. He runs into a Troll and starts the encounter with 5 mana points because he has a CL of 5. He then casts Fireball, bringing his pool down to 0. At the beginning of the next round he regains 3 mana points because of his 16 Int and casts Scorching Ray.

Here's another example.

Fred, a 5th level Grey Elf Wizard, runs into a troll. He starts the encounter with 5 mana points because he has a CL of 5. He then casts Fireball, bringing his pool down to 0. At the beginning of the next round, he regains 5 mana points because of his 20 Intelligence and casts Fireball again.

Oh, or how about this...

Fred, a 6th level Grey Elf Wizard, runs into a troll. He starts the encounter with 6 mana points because he has a CL of 6. He then casts Scorching Ray, bringing his pool down to 3. He then casts Invisibility, Swift, bringing his pool down to 0 and moves away from the troll. At the beginning of the next round, he regains 6 mana points because of his 22 Intelligence and casts Scorching Ray and Invisibility, Swift.

One more...

Joseph, a 20th level Druid, runs into something. He starts the encounter with 20 mana points because he has a CL of 20. He then casts [something hellishly expensive] and [something swift and low level]. At the beginning of the next round, he regains 20 mana points because of his 51 Wisdom (18 natural, +3 age, +2 racial, +6 enhancement, +5 level, +5 inherent, +12 insight thanks to Owl's Wisdom and a Karma bead) and casts a lot more stuff.

I could make a few more examples that take advantage of the inexact wording of the costs of spells, but I will desist. Suffice it to say, most unconventional spellcasters such as Chameleons will either be pretty well off or horribly gimped.
FlameLover
07-04-06, 04:23 AM Because of these issues, I have changed how I shall deal the mana point regeneration.

As before, mana pool equals caster level. The cost to cast a spell is the CL you want to cast it at (which must be sufficient to cast a spell of its level). You do not regain mana points in a fight - once spent, they're gone until out of combat.

Once out of combat, they'd either have a reserve pool (like the reserve hit points but for mana) or they'd just heal up over time. They produce similar results, although the second can cast their highest level spells all day given time to recuperate inbetween.

Does that sound balanced? It severley weakens casters, so I might need to adjust it a bit at higher levels. A 3/2 progression or something like that. So 1 MP at level 1, 3 at 2nd level, etc.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FlameLover 07-01-06, 01:19 AM	I was just reading a thread about unlimited casting per day, and I thought about another way to handle it. You have a pool of mana points equal to your caster level. In combat, when you cast a spell, you lose mana points from this pool equal to the caster level required to cast the spell. Over a small period of time you would regain these points, i'm considering main casting stat every round or something along those lines. Here's an example. Fred a 5th level Wizard has just learnt Fireball. He runs into a Troll and starts the encounter with 5 mana points because he has a CL of 5. He then casts Fireball, bringing his pool down to 0. At the beginning of the next round he regains 3 mana points because of his 16 Int and casts Scorching Ray. I'm worried the regeneration is a bit too fast though, and I'm now considering 1 point at level one, and an additional 1 per 2 caster levels. So Fred would regain the same amount as in the example above, but he couldn't get 5 back in a round from an Int of 20. Taking this idea to a "per encounter" balance change, you could let them have the same mana points but they do not regain them until the end of a fight. This would mean they'd enter every encounter fully suped-up, but they'd only be able to get 1 or 2 of their highest level spells off before they were depleted. Thoughts? My players want a mana/recharge/unlimited magic system but realize there has to be some balancing factor. I don't think variability is the way to go, so I thought this might work instead.
Darth Sephiroth 07-01-06, 01:43 AM	I'd give them starting Mana points equal to their caster level plus caster stat. Different for the three types of casters. Sorcerers ought to gain a slight bonus to them though or recharge them slightly faster. I like the recovery spped one, but I would reduce it slightly 1+1/2 caster stat mod would work great. Sorcerers need a boost to keep them up to par Here is a bit more cleaned up version. Spells are still prepaired for the day. Mana Amount Divine Caster: Wisdom modifier plus divine caster level Prepaired Caster: Intelligence Score plus learned arcane caster level Other Caster: Charisma modifier plus arcane caster level Recharge Rate 1+1/2 caster stat (Int, Wis, or Cha). Sorcerers use thir full Cha modifier. You may double this as a full round action and making a Spellcraft check (DC 10) and a Concentration check (DC 10).
Vaelan 07-02-06, 08:12 AM	I find it helpful to start from an established rule. It might help to look at the Recharge Magic system in Unearthed Arcana and the SRD and see what you don't like about it and work from there. Here's an example. Fred a 5th level Wizard has just learnt Fireball. He runs into a Troll and starts the encounter with 5 mana points because he has a CL of 5. He then casts Fireball, bringing his pool down to 0. At the beginning of the next round he regains 3 mana points because of his 16 Int and casts Scorching Ray. Here's another example. Fred, a 5th level Grey Elf Wizard, runs into a troll. He starts the encounter with 5 mana points because he has a CL of 5. He then casts Fireball, bringing his pool down to 0. At the beginning of the next round, he regains 5 mana points because of his 20 Intelligence and casts Fireball again. Oh, or how about this... Fred, a 6th level Grey Elf Wizard, runs into a troll. He starts the encounter with 6 mana points because he has a CL of 6. He then casts Scorching Ray, bringing his pool down to 3. He then casts Invisibility, Swift, bringing his pool down to 0 and moves away from the troll. At the beginning of the next round, he regains 6 mana points because of his 22 Intelligence and casts Scorching Ray and Invisibility, Swift. One more... Joseph, a 20th level Druid, runs into something. He starts the encounter with 20 mana points because he has a CL of 20. He then casts [something hellishly expensive] and [something swift and low level]. At the beginning of the next round, he regains 20 mana points because of his 51 Wisdom (18 natural, +3 age, +2 racial, +6 enhancement, +5 level, +5 inherent, +12 insight thanks to Owl's Wisdom and a Karma bead) and casts a lot more stuff. I could make a few more examples that take advantage of the inexact wording of the costs of spells, but I will desist. Suffice it to say, most unconventional spellcasters such as Chameleons will either be pretty well off or horribly gimped.
FlameLover 07-04-06, 04:23 AM	Because of these issues, I have changed how I shall deal the mana point regeneration. As before, mana pool equals caster level. The cost to cast a spell is the CL you want to cast it at (which must be sufficient to cast a spell of its level). You do not regain mana points in a fight - once spent, they're gone until out of combat. Once out of combat, they'd either have a reserve pool (like the reserve hit points but for mana) or they'd just heal up over time. They produce similar results, although the second can cast their highest level spells all day given time to recuperate inbetween. Does that sound balanced? It severley weakens casters, so I might need to adjust it a bit at higher levels. A 3/2 progression or something like that. So 1 MP at level 1, 3 at 2nd level, etc.