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View Full Version : An alternate magic point system[3.5 dnd](PEACH)



Togath
2011-08-10, 04:54 PM
I thought I would try attempting to make a magic system that gives an advantage to casting a lower level spell over a high level one, at least part of the time, the table below shows how many MP(magic points) a character gains per level, to cast a spell a character must first have it on their list of known spells, and then expend the appropriate number of MP
prepared casters must still prepare their spells ahead of time, expending their MP at the beginning of the day to prepare their spells ahead of time, all casters, can use any un expended MP to add the effect of a meta-magic feat to their spell, without needing to prepare it as such ahead of time, the only exception being heighten spell, which has to be prepared ahead of time, a prepared caster can leave up to 1MP per level, and up to 3 bonus MP per level gained from a high casting stat uninvested, up to a maximum of 4MP/level total, sorcerers and shugenjas gain an extra +1MP per level;

MP per level;
{table] Level|Non-Caster|Semi Caster*|Gish Class**|Full Caster
1st|1|2|3|6
2nd|2|4|6|12
3rd|3|6|9|18
4th|4|8|12|24
5th|5|10|15|30
6th|6|12|18|36
7th|7|14|21|42
8th|8|16|24|48
9th|9|18|27|54
10th|10|20|30|60
11th|11|22|33|66
12th|12|24|36|72
13th|13|26|39|78
14th|14|28|42|84
15th|15|30|45|90
16th|16|32|48|96
17th|17|34|51|102
18th|18|36|54|108
19th|19|38|57|114
20th|20|40|60|120
[/table]
*semi caster= a class that can cast 0-4th level spells, such as a paladin
**gish-caster= a class that can cast 0-6th level spells, such as a duskblade
The cost to cast a spell is given on the table below

MP costs;
{table] Spell Level|Standard Spell|Healing Spell*|Illusion Spell**
lvl 0|0|1|0
1st|1|2|0
2nd|3|4|2
3rd|5|6|4
4th|7|8|6
5th|9|10|8
6th|11|12|10
7th|13|14|12
8th|15|16|14
9th|17|18|16
[/table]
*healing spell=any spell that recovers HP
**an illusion spell= any spell of the illusion school

Wish and Miracle spells & this system;
if a wish, limited wish, miracle, or similar spell is cast to create an effect other than the effect of another spell, raise someone from the dead, or cure a curse, poison or disease, it costs three times the MP of a standard spell(so wishing a dragon dead, with wish would cost 51MP, but raising someone from the dead would cost only 17MP if using wish), these costs are in addition to any XP, focus, or material components needed for the casting of the spell.

A note about meta magic;
using this system meta-magic increases the MP cost by the amount it would otherwise increase level(for example; a maximized spell costs +3MP to cast), the only exception is the heighten spell meta-magic feat, which boosts the spell a full level

Bonus MP per level
{table] Casting Score|Bonus MP
0-9|cant cast spells tied to this ability
10-13|no bonus MP
14-17|+1MP per level
18-21|+2MP per level
22-25|+3MP per level
26-29|+4MP per level
30-33|+5MP per level
34+|+6MP per level
[/table]

A note about races & MP
all races with wizard, sorcerer, wujen, shugenja, or cleric as a favored class receive +1 Mp at first level, if they take levels in a full casting class they gain an additional +1MP per class level in the casting class.

an example; a high elf warrior starts with an MP of 2(+1/level for non casting class, and +1MP at 1st level for wizard as a favored class)

example 2; a 5th level elven wizard with an intelligence of 15 possesses 40MP(30MP from his class, 5 MP from his race's favored class bonus, and 5 MP from his intelligence score)

posted bonus MP/lvl table
edits:
3:20PM pdt; fixed heighten spell typo
3:35PM pdt; added examples of MP and a favored class MP bonus
9:30PM pdt; clarified how spells are cast, and prepared
9:50PM pdt; changed font to standard
9:56PM pdt; clarified how wish works with this system

Ernir
2011-08-10, 08:45 PM
Interesting idea to have non-casting classes progress MP.

Can you explain the advantages your system has over the Spell Point system (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/spellPoints.htm) proposed in Unearthed Arcana?

Why do healing spells and illusions follow a formula different from the one used by other spells?


to cast a spell a character must first have it on their spell list
Their class spell list, or their spells known list? How does that work with classes who know their entire spell list?

prepared casters must still prepare thier spells ahead of timeHow does spell preparation work under your system?

Togath
2011-08-10, 11:44 PM
Their class spell list, or their spells known list? How does that work with classes who know their entire spell list?
Missed that when making the tables, fixed now.


Can you explain the advantages your system has over the Spell Point system proposed in Unearthed Arcana?

Why do healing spells and illusions follow a formula different from the one used by other spells?
The main advantage to this system is that casters who take gish or non casting levels loose less, and this system is meant to avoid the problem of being able to cast a level 6 spell 30 times per day, by both lowering the MP total of casters, and altering meta-magic and attempting to create a better balance between high level spells and lower ones, with the spell point system from UA spells around levels 5-7 are significantly better to cast then spells of level 8+ or 4 or below, and the changes to illusion, and healing magic are mainly to prevent any arguments about being able to heal 1HP/round as being over powered(I don't view it as such, but a lot of people seem too), and to give an advantage to an illusionist(whose main damage spells[shadow conjuration, and shadow evocation]) couldn't be used as often compaired to the standard spells per day system if they had the same cost as a standard spell