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jamie_noone 04-14-06, 09:52 PM

First, a little context: I'm not a big fan of Vancian casting, but I prefer to tweak rather than overhaul. So I was pretty excited to read Andy Collins' Daily Spell List house rule in Unearthed Arcana (pg 153) - it was the perfect compromise. But I feel like it makes sorcerers redundant/obsolete. I've thought about eliminating sorcerers altogether. I've thought about replacing the sorcerer with Mongoose Publishing's Chaos Mage. Right now, I'm toying with the idea of making a few changes to compensate the sorc for losing his unique class ability (spontaneous casting), and to make him more closely resemble the naturally gifted spellcaster I've always envisioned. These changes have been influenced by many of the "fixes" I've considered before (Generic Spellcaster and Battle Sorcerer from UA, sorc fix threads here, etc) - perhaps by too many. Let me know if you think so. I've listed my alterations below: Skills: remove Knowledge: Arcana, add Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Use Magic Device Skill points: (4 + Int mod) × 4 at 1st level; 4 + Int mod at each level thereafter Weapon Proficiency: Proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, as a wizard. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a sorcerer’s gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail. Class Features: Spells: Can choose spells known from any spell list. The idea is that the sorcerer is naturally gifted with the ability to manipulate the forces of magic by his will (with practice), so if something can be done by magic, he can learn to do it (up to the limits of his knowledge, ie, spells known) - he's not limited by arcane/divine distinctions. Metamagic: It does not require a full-round action for a sorcerer to apply a metamagic feat to a spell he casts spontaneously. Remove Summon Familiar at first level and replace with revised Eschew Materials described below Gains bonus feats at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20 to be chosen from metamagic or item creation feats. Revised/New Feats: Eschew Materials: Prereq: Sorcerer level 1 Benefit: You can cast any spell that has a material component without needing that component. (The casting of the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.) If the spell requires a material component that costs more than 1 gp, you must meet the requirement by spending 1/5 the price of the material component in XP. Utilize Material Component: You've learned to use material components in your spells. Prereq: Sorcerer level 1, knowledge of at least one spell requiring a material component costing more than 1 gp Benefit: You may use the required material component for a spell instead of expending XP to meet the requirement. Would appreciate any comments. jamie