Spells into Maneuvers?

[SlashRunner]

After recently reading the one thread about converting D&D spellcasting into the psionics system, I had a flash of inspiration. If that could be done with psionics, why couldn't it be done with everyone's FAVORITE subsystem: martial maneuvers.
Of course, this doesn't mean taking current D&D spellcasting and just slapping on a maneuver recovery system, a la Arcane Swordsage. This means homebrewing it from the ground up.
So far, what I had in mind was that spellcasters would basically get the whole ToB system ported over into a casting format. Maneuvers would be called spells, stances could be focuses or something similar. The whole thing would work with various homebrewed schools (or disciplines: I like discipline better than school as a word).
So, does this idea have any potential? I'm just canvassing to see if anyone thinks it's a good concept, and whether anyone's done it yet. If the reaction is positive, I'll undertake this project.

[Amechra]

There is a general system to pull this off ON THESE VERY BOARDS, and there is also the Spellshaping project over on brilliantgameologists, which is awesome.

[SlashRunner]

There is a general system to pull this off ON THESE VERY BOARDS, and there is also the Spellshaping project over on brilliantgameologists, which is awesome.

Really? Would you care to grace me with a link, for my experience with GitP's Search function has been rather poor, and I don't actually know what the thread is called.
Meanwhile, I shall go check out the Spellshaping project on BG.
Though, if neither of them really appeal to me, I'll do it myself, since I like homebrewing anyways.

[Amechra]

Arcane Swordsage: Making it actually WORK (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187632)

And I'll leave you to find the other :smallwink:.

If neither of them satisfy you, then you are REQUIRED to homebrew a solution.

I am being serious, by the way...

[SlashRunner]

Arcane Swordsage: Making it actually WORK (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187632)

And I'll leave you to find the other :smallwink:.

If neither of them satisfy you, then you are REQUIRED to homebrew a solution.

I am being serious, by the way...

Tis cool, but twas not really what I meant. I don't want to turn the extant spellcasting system into a ToB-like system (copying over spells), I want to be able to create a new set of spells and abilities that shares ToB's maneuver/stance and recovery mechanics.
I've checked out the Spellshaping stuff, and it looks pretty cool, but I still have this concept in mind and am still considering actually doing it myself...

[Yitzi]

Definitely a possibility; rather than "spells" and "focuses", though, I'd say that they're both spells, but some spells can be cast once and you're done with them, and some require ongoing concentration.

It'll be a lot of work, though. (That said, it's definitely nice flavor-wise, which is one of the big two problems with ToB, as I see it*.)

*
The other big problem, of course, is that it makes non-ToB melee-ers even weaker in comparison and less fun to play than they already were.

[Garryl]

Arcane Swordsage: Making it actually WORK (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187632)

And I'll leave you to find the other :smallwink:.

If neither of them satisfy you, then you are REQUIRED to homebrew a solution.

I am being serious, by the way...

Shame on you, Amechra, taunting the poor man so.

Here you go, dearie (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11341.0). Shape those spells to your liking.

[SlashRunner]

Definitely a possibility; rather than "spells" and "focuses", though, I'd say that they're both spells, but some spells can be cast once and you're done with them, and some require ongoing concentration.

It'll be a lot of work, though. (That said, it's definitely nice flavor-wise, which is one of the big two problems with ToB, as I see it*.)

*
The other big problem, of course, is that it makes non-ToB melee-ers even weaker in comparison and less fun to play than they already were.

Actually, if this is made with ToB as a rough balance guideline, it would actually increase the relative effectiveness of non-ToB melee as it would eliminate most of Tier 1 (assuming that this would take the place of standard casters...)

[SlashRunner]

Shame on you, Amechra, taunting the poor man so.

Here you go, dearie (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11341.0). Shape those spells to your liking.

I already found that. I googled Spellshaper. I think it's a really cool idea, but I still want to make my own version, as I sort of have a vision and the Spellshaper isn't exactly fulfilling it, though it is awesome. Also, homebrewing is fun.

EDIT: Oops, double post. Ah well, it isn't an egregious offense...

[Yitzi]

Actually, if this is made with ToB as a rough balance guideline, it would actually increase the relative effectiveness of non-ToB melee as it would eliminate most of Tier 1 (assuming that this would take the place of standard casters...)

Definitely; I was criticizing ToB, not this plan. (Just make sure to spell out how things work rather than just saying "like in ToB", or it'll make any games in which it's used unplayable as casters for some people.)

[Eldan]

I did have a half-finished system once that was a bit similar. The basics were this:

Spell schools consisted of three parts (names weren't done, they would need to be better and fluffier):

Cantrips: Minor effects (think level 0 spells) that can be cast at will. Everyone who knows at least one spell of a school knows this one.
Staple Spells: Spells with more powerful effects that can be used at will. Their power depends on the most powerful spell of a school the caster has memorized. Think reserve feats. Similar to cantrips, you get these automatic with learning a spell from a school.
Spells: this, here only includes combat spells. This, similarly, has three subcategories: Normal spells all take one round to cast and come into effect at the beginning of the next turn. These are, basically, the maneuvers of this system.
Sustained spells stay in effect for a longer time, but the caster is limited in how many he can have up at a time. These are buffs, or the "stances" of this system. Basically, a level one wizard could have one buff active at a time, and more as he leveled. A more buff-focused caster like a cleric would have more of these.
Metamagic is this system's boosts. You can apply one metamagic effect to a spell, and you learn them as spells.


In combination with this would be rituals, similar to Invocations in the SRD. All spells with long casting times or very powerful or long-lasting effects would be their own system.

You'd have an example like the Fire School:

Cantrip: Flame. Creates a one-inch flame from the caster's finger that deals one point of fire damage.
Staple: Fire blast. Deals 1d6 points of fire damage per level of the highest-fire spell known as a ranged touch attack.
Fireball would a third level spell of this school. Fire Shield would be a fourth level sustained spell. Searing Spell or Explosive spell would be metamagics.


Somewhere, I should have word documents with all this stuff in them.