Sitzkrieg
2011-07-29, 12:43 AM
In an attempt to change the Vancian spell-casting mechanic in 3.5 to a more superhero style, I'm considering the following system. Please let me know if you think the three different sources of magic are unbalanced. I'm not really concerned if the system as a whole is stronger or weaker than traditional DnD, just if you as a player would consider one of the three choices as superior.
Homebrew Rules:
Only two classes are available: Generic Expert or Generic Warrior (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm).
These classes give a decent amount of flexibility, but they have no spellcasting and no dramatic class features. Those will be provided by the spellcasting section, below.
Additionally, pick one Cleric Domain (http://home.comcast.net/~ftm3/ASMoNM/domains.html) (subject to DM scrutiny). You gain that domain's granted power. You may cast the spells on that list at will. You may only cast a spell that has a spell level equal to or lower than your character level. You may choose to cast your spells from any mental ability score you want, but once chosen this cannot change. The ability score you choose will determine save DC's, but there is no minimum score needed to cast spells of a certain level, and there are no bonus spells.
All PC's are spellcasters! In this setting, if you're not a spellcaster, you shouldn't be adventuring. It's supposed to be a superhero-style setting. In that, not everyone has the amazing powers the PC's have, but rivals and enemies will. The cleric domain limitation gives the players lots of different themes to choose from for their hero, but once they choose a theme they are locked into it, and need to learn how to use their powers creatively to overcome their problems. Luckily, their narrow focus gives them unlimited spells per day. Also, the access to high level spells (you get ninth level spells at level nine) will help to make them feel powerful, even though their limited spells known makes them somewhat more predictable to the DM (this is a good thing). I know there are a lot of spells that are completely borked if you let them be cast at will (Wish, Gate, etc.) but each spell will be considered very carefully before it's allowed into the game.
You must pick the source of your power (these replace Arcane, Divine, Psionic, Invocations, etc):
Mysticism- You cast your spells using mystic powers and body movements. You may cast your spells at will without restrictions, but all your spells have verbal and somatic components, so you invoke ASF chances when casting in armor or while carrying a medium or heavy load. Additionally, casting time for your spells is always at least one full-round action, or the normal casting time, whichever is longer.
Good for: Battlefield Control, Team Buffers
Metamagic: Metamagic increases casting time to 1 full round (different from a full-round action). Spells with a longer casting time than a full-round action increase their casting time by 1 full round. Quicken Spell metamagic has no effect.
Possible feats: Ignore ASF for light armor.
These casters are the closest thing to standard Vancian magic. They are unarmored and vulnerable, and extremely slow casters. They do have the ability to completely spam the battlefield with control spells, or to buff the entire party with everything they have before the battle starts, but since they cast so slowly, they will often need to decide between casting a spell or moving out of danger. Without the wide variety of defensive spells a wizard would usually have, their lack of armor actually matters, although their hit points aren't any lower than anyone else's. They also get the most out of a variety of metamagic, since they can use it every round, but it emphasizes their weaknesses even more because it can so easily be interrupted by attacks. I'm still worried that these guys are the most powerful in the end, but I don't know. I hope that their melee vulnerability prevents them from just spamming battlefield control until everyone else in the party is bored.
Psychic- You cast your spells using your mind to reshape reality. Only one of your spells may be active at any one time, because it is difficult to maintain focus. You do not require any particular movements or words to cast, and so you do not invoke ASF penalties. Maintaining an already cast spell requires no actions, but casting another spell automatically ends the first effect.
Good for: Armored Blasters, Healers
Metamagic: After casting a spell modified by metamagic, you may not cast another metamagic'd spell until you have used a full-round action to regain focus.
Possible feats: You can maintain a spell with an unexpired duration for one round after casting a second spell, but no more.
Psychic casters borrow a little bit from Psionics (mechanically), but not too much. They're pretty bad at battlefield control and buffing, since those strategies require using many spells at once, but they're great at blasting. They're the only source that can fire off a quickened spell and a regular one in the same round. They also cast while fully armored (although heavy armor proficiency is only available through the feat) so they can stand on the front lines and use spells as their primary source of damage, without worrying about running out of spells. They're slightly more limited than optimized DnD blasting, but they get access to strong spells earlier. I'm not worried that they are the most powerful choice, but they should still hold their own and be lots of fun.
Supernatural- Your spells derive from the supernatural ability of your body. Your casting does not require any words or particularly difficult movements, and you may have multiple spells active at once. However, you may not cast the same spell more than twice per encounter, and all beneficial spells with a range of touch instead have a range of personal. You do not need your hands free to cast your spells.
Good for: Self-buffers
Metamagic: You may only use metamagic if you have two castings of the spell left this encounter, and it consumes both castings.
Possible feats: Casting limit increases to 3/encounter; One of your spells with a range of touch is no longer limited to personal range only.
The supernatural route is best for self-buffers who don't rely on spells as their primary source of damage. Mystics aren't good at frontlining, and psychics aren't good at stacking buffs, so this role falls to supernaturals. As a Gish, they will rarely need to cast a spell more than once in a battle, so the limitations shouldn't affect them too much. They can still fight in full armor, and should be an extremely capable combatant. However, they won't be able to do much to help out other members of the party besides standing in the way of the enemy. They could conceivably be used for battlefield control, but will quickly be outpaced by Mystics once metamagic comes onto the table.
Let me know if you see any balance concerns, or if you think the whole system is great/terrible. Thanks!
Homebrew Rules:
Only two classes are available: Generic Expert or Generic Warrior (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm).
These classes give a decent amount of flexibility, but they have no spellcasting and no dramatic class features. Those will be provided by the spellcasting section, below.
Additionally, pick one Cleric Domain (http://home.comcast.net/~ftm3/ASMoNM/domains.html) (subject to DM scrutiny). You gain that domain's granted power. You may cast the spells on that list at will. You may only cast a spell that has a spell level equal to or lower than your character level. You may choose to cast your spells from any mental ability score you want, but once chosen this cannot change. The ability score you choose will determine save DC's, but there is no minimum score needed to cast spells of a certain level, and there are no bonus spells.
All PC's are spellcasters! In this setting, if you're not a spellcaster, you shouldn't be adventuring. It's supposed to be a superhero-style setting. In that, not everyone has the amazing powers the PC's have, but rivals and enemies will. The cleric domain limitation gives the players lots of different themes to choose from for their hero, but once they choose a theme they are locked into it, and need to learn how to use their powers creatively to overcome their problems. Luckily, their narrow focus gives them unlimited spells per day. Also, the access to high level spells (you get ninth level spells at level nine) will help to make them feel powerful, even though their limited spells known makes them somewhat more predictable to the DM (this is a good thing). I know there are a lot of spells that are completely borked if you let them be cast at will (Wish, Gate, etc.) but each spell will be considered very carefully before it's allowed into the game.
You must pick the source of your power (these replace Arcane, Divine, Psionic, Invocations, etc):
Mysticism- You cast your spells using mystic powers and body movements. You may cast your spells at will without restrictions, but all your spells have verbal and somatic components, so you invoke ASF chances when casting in armor or while carrying a medium or heavy load. Additionally, casting time for your spells is always at least one full-round action, or the normal casting time, whichever is longer.
Good for: Battlefield Control, Team Buffers
Metamagic: Metamagic increases casting time to 1 full round (different from a full-round action). Spells with a longer casting time than a full-round action increase their casting time by 1 full round. Quicken Spell metamagic has no effect.
Possible feats: Ignore ASF for light armor.
These casters are the closest thing to standard Vancian magic. They are unarmored and vulnerable, and extremely slow casters. They do have the ability to completely spam the battlefield with control spells, or to buff the entire party with everything they have before the battle starts, but since they cast so slowly, they will often need to decide between casting a spell or moving out of danger. Without the wide variety of defensive spells a wizard would usually have, their lack of armor actually matters, although their hit points aren't any lower than anyone else's. They also get the most out of a variety of metamagic, since they can use it every round, but it emphasizes their weaknesses even more because it can so easily be interrupted by attacks. I'm still worried that these guys are the most powerful in the end, but I don't know. I hope that their melee vulnerability prevents them from just spamming battlefield control until everyone else in the party is bored.
Psychic- You cast your spells using your mind to reshape reality. Only one of your spells may be active at any one time, because it is difficult to maintain focus. You do not require any particular movements or words to cast, and so you do not invoke ASF penalties. Maintaining an already cast spell requires no actions, but casting another spell automatically ends the first effect.
Good for: Armored Blasters, Healers
Metamagic: After casting a spell modified by metamagic, you may not cast another metamagic'd spell until you have used a full-round action to regain focus.
Possible feats: You can maintain a spell with an unexpired duration for one round after casting a second spell, but no more.
Psychic casters borrow a little bit from Psionics (mechanically), but not too much. They're pretty bad at battlefield control and buffing, since those strategies require using many spells at once, but they're great at blasting. They're the only source that can fire off a quickened spell and a regular one in the same round. They also cast while fully armored (although heavy armor proficiency is only available through the feat) so they can stand on the front lines and use spells as their primary source of damage, without worrying about running out of spells. They're slightly more limited than optimized DnD blasting, but they get access to strong spells earlier. I'm not worried that they are the most powerful choice, but they should still hold their own and be lots of fun.
Supernatural- Your spells derive from the supernatural ability of your body. Your casting does not require any words or particularly difficult movements, and you may have multiple spells active at once. However, you may not cast the same spell more than twice per encounter, and all beneficial spells with a range of touch instead have a range of personal. You do not need your hands free to cast your spells.
Good for: Self-buffers
Metamagic: You may only use metamagic if you have two castings of the spell left this encounter, and it consumes both castings.
Possible feats: Casting limit increases to 3/encounter; One of your spells with a range of touch is no longer limited to personal range only.
The supernatural route is best for self-buffers who don't rely on spells as their primary source of damage. Mystics aren't good at frontlining, and psychics aren't good at stacking buffs, so this role falls to supernaturals. As a Gish, they will rarely need to cast a spell more than once in a battle, so the limitations shouldn't affect them too much. They can still fight in full armor, and should be an extremely capable combatant. However, they won't be able to do much to help out other members of the party besides standing in the way of the enemy. They could conceivably be used for battlefield control, but will quickly be outpaced by Mystics once metamagic comes onto the table.
Let me know if you see any balance concerns, or if you think the whole system is great/terrible. Thanks!