Drawn Charge (Magic Variant) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Drawn Charge (Magic Variant) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Thomar_of_Uointer
04-05-07, 02:44 AM Drawing a little bit from Tome of Battle, some from various video games, and a lot from psionics, I finally worked out a pretty cohesive system for making a magic system that works better with encounters per day. It meshes well with Vancian casting and other systems, and could easily be made into standard 20-level classes. Feedback is welcome.

Charge
This is a variant magic system intended for use with generic classes as a unique substitute for magic. Charge is raw magic, which any character can tap into and store with a little training. Spellcasters must draw and focus magic from their surroundings in order to use it properly, a proces known as "drawing charge". Once a spellcaster has drawn an acceptable quantity of charge, he can release it in the form of a spell he knows. A character can draw magic from his surroundings as a standard action to increase his charge by 1, to a maximum equal to his Spellcaster level. When he casts a spell, he spends an amount of charge based on the spell and its variable effects.
Drawing charge provokes an attack of opportunity. A character may draw defensively with a DC 15 Concentration check. A character damaged while drawing charge must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage dealt) or fail to gain anything from this draw.
Spellcasters can hold charge as for long as they are conscious without many ill effects (though see Side Effects below). A spellcaster who falls unconscious instantly loses all of his accumulated charge and must draw again to regain it.
The Spellcaster has a maximum charge equal to his level, and learns a new spell each odd-numbered level. All other classes do not gain charge, though they can acquire the ability to cast spells and gain charge by taking certain feats.

Casting Spells
First, you must choose which spell to cast. To cast a spell you must have a focus presented. A focus can be any item that costs no less than 100 gp, and the caster must spend 24 hours attuning himself to the item. A caster can only have one focus at a time, if he attunes a new focus the old one may no longer be used as such.
A focus is presented as long as it is exposed (similar to line of effect) and on your person. A weapon must be completely unsheathed, a stone must be totally uncovered, a pendant must be worn outside of clothing, and a tattoo must be entirely exposed. If you are grappling an opponent, ensuring that your focus is presented is part of the opposed grapple check made to cast a spell in a grapple.
If you have a familiar, you may also use it as a focus as long as it is touching you and presented.
When you cast a spell, you must have enough charge to cast it.

Options
Almost every spell has multiple options, different ways to manipulate the same effect. When you cast a spell, you choose which option to use and how to augment it. Each effect has a base charge cost, which you must be able to pay when you cast the spell. In addition, each effect describes how you can spend additional charge to augment its effect. You cannot cast a spell whose total charge after augmentation is greater than your spellcaster level (or your spellcaster level + 1/2 your oth
Arcade
04-05-07, 09:25 AM This looks pretty good. Personally, I would like to see it adapt the current spell list rather than make up entire new spell descriptions, but otherwise really nice.

Though please change the name "Quick Draw". There is already a feat called that. Even "Charge" is slightly misleading due to the charge attack option. Gather Energy/Chi/Mana/whatever might be better.

Great Draw seems a little useless to me. Why not just take Quick Draw and take two move actions to get 2 charge- or do the effects stack?

I love the familiar draws. And using the familiar as a focus. It's perfect. I can also see having different familiars provide different abilities to draw- such as owls casting divination spells with an augmentation, eagle's casting enchantment spells with an augmentation, etc.

All in all, I think this shows promise.
RobbyPants
04-05-07, 10:53 AM Great idea, and I appluad the effort you put into this! :D :clap:

I've often thought of a similar system. The "drawing" and "charge" idea are different, but I like them. It sort of turns the caster into a capacitor for magical charge. In the system I was trying to set up, I was doing something similar to what you did with your fire spell; where one spell had many different functions, based on the amount of SP put into it. Sadly, it proved to be too much work for me, so I never completed it.

As mentioned by Arcade, consider changing the name of the "Quick Draw" feat tree you've made (as the name conflicts with a standard PHB feat). Perhaps it could be called "Quick Spell Draw", "Quick Magic Draw", or something similar, to remove confusion.

Again, nice work! :D If you get a chance to play-test it, post your results here. I'm quite curious.
Thomar_of_Uointer
04-05-07, 11:53 AM Though please change the name "Quick Draw". There is already a feat called that. Even "Charge" is slightly misleading due to the charge attack option. Gather Energy/Chi/Mana/whatever might be better.
D'oh! I'll fix that...

Great Draw seems a little useless to me. Why not just take Quick Draw and take two move actions to get 2 charge- or do the effects stack?
Great Draw stacks with Improved Draw, and Quick Draw can't benefit from Improved draw.

As mentioned by Arcade, consider changing the name of the "Quick Draw" feat tree you've made (as the name conflicts with a standard PHB feat). Perhaps it could be called "Quick Spell Draw", "Quick Magic Draw", or something similar, to remove confusion.
I know, I know!
MarkusCryst
04-05-07, 06:14 PM Not bad. I like the way it works, and the fact that it's so malleable. Works well, can't wait to see it in action!

However, you might want to come up with limits for the spells powers, or something, I could easily see a player capitalizing on a unsuspecting DM ;)
Maybe you could just make a maximum limit for powers or cap them at a certain point to reduce the problem with that.
Thomar_of_Uointer
04-05-07, 07:06 PM However, you might want to come up with limits for the spells powers, or something, I could easily see a player capitalizing on a unsuspecting DM ;)
Maybe you could just make a maximum limit for powers or cap them at a certain point to reduce the problem with that.

Vancian spellcasting has that problem worse. Wizards can learn as many spells as they care to haul around, and need bookkeeping to keep track of what they have prepared. In this case, each spellcaster's list is finite and static, easy for a DM to handle (even if it's still pretty versatile).
Thomar_of_Uointer
04-08-07, 03:33 PM Okay, I have a new spell of each realm up, added and clarified feats, and changed the spell descriptions to be easier to read. I'll add formatting ASAP.

After working out a basic healing spell for this system, I've realized how depricated, sloppy, and terrible Vancian healing is. Even psionics suffers from it!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Thomar_of_Uointer 04-05-07, 02:44 AM	Drawing a little bit from Tome of Battle, some from various video games, and a lot from psionics, I finally worked out a pretty cohesive system for making a magic system that works better with encounters per day. It meshes well with Vancian casting and other systems, and could easily be made into standard 20-level classes. Feedback is welcome. Charge This is a variant magic system intended for use with generic classes as a unique substitute for magic. Charge is raw magic, which any character can tap into and store with a little training. Spellcasters must draw and focus magic from their surroundings in order to use it properly, a proces known as "drawing charge". Once a spellcaster has drawn an acceptable quantity of charge, he can release it in the form of a spell he knows. A character can draw magic from his surroundings as a standard action to increase his charge by 1, to a maximum equal to his Spellcaster level. When he casts a spell, he spends an amount of charge based on the spell and its variable effects. Drawing charge provokes an attack of opportunity. A character may draw defensively with a DC 15 Concentration check. A character damaged while drawing charge must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage dealt) or fail to gain anything from this draw. Spellcasters can hold charge as for long as they are conscious without many ill effects (though see Side Effects below). A spellcaster who falls unconscious instantly loses all of his accumulated charge and must draw again to regain it. The Spellcaster has a maximum charge equal to his level, and learns a new spell each odd-numbered level. All other classes do not gain charge, though they can acquire the ability to cast spells and gain charge by taking certain feats. Casting Spells First, you must choose which spell to cast. To cast a spell you must have a focus presented. A focus can be any item that costs no less than 100 gp, and the caster must spend 24 hours attuning himself to the item. A caster can only have one focus at a time, if he attunes a new focus the old one may no longer be used as such. A focus is presented as long as it is exposed (similar to line of effect) and on your person. A weapon must be completely unsheathed, a stone must be totally uncovered, a pendant must be worn outside of clothing, and a tattoo must be entirely exposed. If you are grappling an opponent, ensuring that your focus is presented is part of the opposed grapple check made to cast a spell in a grapple. If you have a familiar, you may also use it as a focus as long as it is touching you and presented. When you cast a spell, you must have enough charge to cast it. Options Almost every spell has multiple options, different ways to manipulate the same effect. When you cast a spell, you choose which option to use and how to augment it. Each effect has a base charge cost, which you must be able to pay when you cast the spell. In addition, each effect describes how you can spend additional charge to augment its effect. You cannot cast a spell whose total charge after augmentation is greater than your spellcaster level (or your spellcaster level + 1/2 your oth
Arcade 04-05-07, 09:25 AM	This looks pretty good. Personally, I would like to see it adapt the current spell list rather than make up entire new spell descriptions, but otherwise really nice. Though please change the name "Quick Draw". There is already a feat called that. Even "Charge" is slightly misleading due to the charge attack option. Gather Energy/Chi/Mana/whatever might be better. Great Draw seems a little useless to me. Why not just take Quick Draw and take two move actions to get 2 charge- or do the effects stack? I love the familiar draws. And using the familiar as a focus. It's perfect. I can also see having different familiars provide different abilities to draw- such as owls casting divination spells with an augmentation, eagle's casting enchantment spells with an augmentation, etc. All in all, I think this shows promise.
RobbyPants 04-05-07, 10:53 AM	Great idea, and I appluad the effort you put into this! :D :clap: I've often thought of a similar system. The "drawing" and "charge" idea are different, but I like them. It sort of turns the caster into a capacitor for magical charge. In the system I was trying to set up, I was doing something similar to what you did with your fire spell; where one spell had many different functions, based on the amount of SP put into it. Sadly, it proved to be too much work for me, so I never completed it. As mentioned by Arcade, consider changing the name of the "Quick Draw" feat tree you've made (as the name conflicts with a standard PHB feat). Perhaps it could be called "Quick Spell Draw", "Quick Magic Draw", or something similar, to remove confusion. Again, nice work! :D If you get a chance to play-test it, post your results here. I'm quite curious.
Thomar_of_Uointer 04-05-07, 11:53 AM	Though please change the name "Quick Draw". There is already a feat called that. Even "Charge" is slightly misleading due to the charge attack option. Gather Energy/Chi/Mana/whatever might be better. D'oh! I'll fix that... Great Draw seems a little useless to me. Why not just take Quick Draw and take two move actions to get 2 charge- or do the effects stack? Great Draw stacks with Improved Draw, and Quick Draw can't benefit from Improved draw. As mentioned by Arcade, consider changing the name of the "Quick Draw" feat tree you've made (as the name conflicts with a standard PHB feat). Perhaps it could be called "Quick Spell Draw", "Quick Magic Draw", or something similar, to remove confusion. I know, I know!
MarkusCryst 04-05-07, 06:14 PM	Not bad. I like the way it works, and the fact that it's so malleable. Works well, can't wait to see it in action! However, you might want to come up with limits for the spells powers, or something, I could easily see a player capitalizing on a unsuspecting DM ;) Maybe you could just make a maximum limit for powers or cap them at a certain point to reduce the problem with that.
Thomar_of_Uointer 04-05-07, 07:06 PM	However, you might want to come up with limits for the spells powers, or something, I could easily see a player capitalizing on a unsuspecting DM ;) Maybe you could just make a maximum limit for powers or cap them at a certain point to reduce the problem with that. Vancian spellcasting has that problem worse. Wizards can learn as many spells as they care to haul around, and need bookkeeping to keep track of what they have prepared. In this case, each spellcaster's list is finite and static, easy for a DM to handle (even if it's still pretty versatile).
Thomar_of_Uointer 04-08-07, 03:33 PM	Okay, I have a new spell of each realm up, added and clarified feats, and changed the spell descriptions to be easier to read. I'll add formatting ASAP. After working out a basic healing spell for this system, I've realized how depricated, sloppy, and terrible Vancian healing is. Even psionics suffers from it!