Spell Points Issue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Spell Points Issue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rysiek
01-21-08, 04:54 AM Hi,

I'm running a campaign and have partially implemented the Spell Point system from Unearthed Arcana. The idea is great and I like it a lot, as does one of my players, who is a Druid. However, another player, who is a Sorcerer specializing in magic missiles would suffer greatly by using the system.

Right now he's level 6th Sorcerer and can cast seven 1st level spells, which basically means seven magic missiles. Each spell shoots three missiles based on his caster level.

According to the rules in Unearthed Arcana, in order to get the same effect (three missiles), he would have to spend 5 spell points each time (1 spell point to cast 1st level spell + 4 spell points to raise the caster level to 5th). He gets 33 spell points (29 base + 4 for Charisma bonus), so if all he cast was magic missiles at 5th CL, he could cast a total of 6 magic missiles and little else. Naturally, he's much better off sticking with the RAW system.

On the other hand, if I said that each spell is cast at your current caster level without you having to spend additional spell points, that would instead allow him to cast 33 magic missiles instead of 7, which is also ridiculous.

Could anyone suggest a way to make this work for a magic missile sorceror? I see no way to do this, since he either gets too much or too little power no matter what I do. For the time being, the Druid is using the spell points and the Sorceror uses the RAW system, but I don't really like having two different systems.
kuonji
01-21-08, 07:24 AM Split the difference. Have 1 spell point add 1 extra missile, up the the normal maximum allowed, in this case, 2 extra. It would then cost 3 points per spell rather than 5, allowing for 11 total castings. Though he would still be better off using the basic system since he could cast 16 magic missile spells, assuming he used all his available spell slots for magic missile.
Kas_the_undead
01-22-08, 12:53 AM or do a combined way like my group you can cast up to the normal spells per day with the standard spell point cost but after they cast there limit it cost them double the spell points.

for example lets say you could cast 3 level 2 spells per day the first 3 would cost 3 sp each while any after cost double that so 6 sp each.
ragoftag
01-25-08, 12:59 AM HypertextD20 has a better system, though I use a formula of 2(spell level) + 1, rather than their's of 2(spell level) - 1. I have not had any real problems with the system, and it allows greater flexibility and RP than the hardcore Vancian system. And, yes, I am a cheerleader for Hd20.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rysiek 01-21-08, 04:54 AM	Hi, I'm running a campaign and have partially implemented the Spell Point system from Unearthed Arcana. The idea is great and I like it a lot, as does one of my players, who is a Druid. However, another player, who is a Sorcerer specializing in magic missiles would suffer greatly by using the system. Right now he's level 6th Sorcerer and can cast seven 1st level spells, which basically means seven magic missiles. Each spell shoots three missiles based on his caster level. According to the rules in Unearthed Arcana, in order to get the same effect (three missiles), he would have to spend 5 spell points each time (1 spell point to cast 1st level spell + 4 spell points to raise the caster level to 5th). He gets 33 spell points (29 base + 4 for Charisma bonus), so if all he cast was magic missiles at 5th CL, he could cast a total of 6 magic missiles and little else. Naturally, he's much better off sticking with the RAW system. On the other hand, if I said that each spell is cast at your current caster level without you having to spend additional spell points, that would instead allow him to cast 33 magic missiles instead of 7, which is also ridiculous. Could anyone suggest a way to make this work for a magic missile sorceror? I see no way to do this, since he either gets too much or too little power no matter what I do. For the time being, the Druid is using the spell points and the Sorceror uses the RAW system, but I don't really like having two different systems.
kuonji 01-21-08, 07:24 AM	Split the difference. Have 1 spell point add 1 extra missile, up the the normal maximum allowed, in this case, 2 extra. It would then cost 3 points per spell rather than 5, allowing for 11 total castings. Though he would still be better off using the basic system since he could cast 16 magic missile spells, assuming he used all his available spell slots for magic missile.
Kas_the_undead 01-22-08, 12:53 AM	or do a combined way like my group you can cast up to the normal spells per day with the standard spell point cost but after they cast there limit it cost them double the spell points. for example lets say you could cast 3 level 2 spells per day the first 3 would cost 3 sp each while any after cost double that so 6 sp each.
ragoftag 01-25-08, 12:59 AM	HypertextD20 has a better system, though I use a formula of 2(spell level) + 1, rather than their's of 2(spell level) - 1. I have not had any real problems with the system, and it allows greater flexibility and RP than the hardcore Vancian system. And, yes, I am a cheerleader for Hd20.