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View Full Version : 'Truenaming' approach to Spellcasting (PEACH)



Kane0
2012-09-01, 04:33 AM
Hello Playgrounders!

In that system rework I am in the progress of, have considered alternatives to Vancian spellcasting. I was vetoed in favor of a Vancian 'fix' in the long run, but was allowed to develop alternatives to be added as supplements. I've already seen many spell point systems so I though i'd put my development time into something a little more different and interesting, so I turned to the truenaming system.

Now I know that using a skill as a base for a spellcasting mechanic in a 3rd ed based game was not a good idea so I changed it to a level based mechanic, which is yet unnamed.

The basic framework I have so far is:

A Spellcaster gains this numerical spell ability, lets call it spell power for now, at a steady rate over his levels and uses it as a check to cast a spell.

The DC to cast a spell will be along the lines of 10 + Spell level +2 per time a spell of that spell level has been cast (not attempted) + other modifiers, resetting after 8 hours rest in a 24 hour period.
For example casting your first level 1 spell of the day is a mere DC 11, but your third 1st level spell of that day is a much more nasty DC 15.

Wizards and other prepared casters will generally progress slower than sorcerers and other spontaneous casters. For example a wizard might get 3/4 spell power progression where a sorcerer might get 1 to 1.

Instead of extra spells per day for a high casting modifier like in vancian, you add the modifier of your casting stat to your total amount of spell power.
For example a level 4 wizard with 18 INT might have a total spell power of 7, and a level 4 sorcerer with 18 CHA will have a total of 8.

Cantrips will still be infinite as per Pathfinder, so they will effectively be DC 0

Some items or abilities might provide rerolls to spell power checks but very few will provide straight bonuses.

Advantages of this system:
-Can theoretically cast all day as long as you beat the DC (a 20 is not an auto-success though)
-Allows a certain amount of flexibility over Vancian. Your spell slots are used to select which spells you want to be available, not how many of which you have ready that day. This means that you will have less slots. Sorcerers have all their spells known treated as available for casting and can cast more often.
-Concentration checks can easily be replaced by adding to the DC to cast, or by a spell power check replacing a concentration check

Disadvantages of this system:
-Every casting carries a chance of failure at higher DCs (A 1 is not an auto-fail)
-Casting gets tougher and tougher as the day progresses.
-As you level up you become able to cast many more spells per day than your vancian counterparts

Tell me what you think!

Edit: Updated. Less spell slots, 20s and 1s are not auto success/fail.

SinsI
2012-09-01, 09:48 AM
Memorization limit is still in effect? Don't see what is fixed then.

Obvious problem with 20 auto-success: once you've exhausted most of your useful spells, you are better off using you most powerful one, even if it only succeeds on a 20. Not something I would encourage.

willpell
2012-09-01, 09:52 AM
If they can cast more often at higher levels, then this is a bad fix, unless you thought the Wizard wasn't broken enough already. Combine this with my slower spell progression and it might not be completely insane.

toapat
2012-09-01, 11:01 AM
If they can cast more often at higher levels, then this is a bad fix, unless you thought the Wizard wasn't broken enough already. Combine this with my slower spell progression and it might not be completely insane.

he is rebuilding the spells

It looks interesting, not as interesting as Wordcasting is, but it has more inherent potential then Wordcasting (because wordcasting was developed to be severely underpowered)

LordErebus12
2012-09-01, 12:20 PM
pathfinder's answer to true names.

True Name (Sp) : Your researches into ancient tomes and your inquisitions of bound spirits have led you to one of the best-hidden secrets of the multiverse: the true name of an outsider—the name that defines the very essence of the creature and that gives the speaker control over the being. This outsider can have no more than 12 Hit Dice. Once per day, you can speak the common name by which the outsider is known, and the outsider travels to you as if you had cast planar binding upon it. It must obey you to the best of its ability, without pay or bargaining for its services, for its fear that you might release its true name to the wider world is enough to bring even the most recalcitrant of outsiders to bear.

If the creature is within 100 feet, as a move action, you may punish it by deliberately mispronouncing its name, wracking its very essence and giving it the sickened and staggered conditions for 1 round (even if the creature is normally immune to these conditions). You cannot use true name in an area of silence, but the creature does not have to be able to hear you for it to be harmed by the ability.

It is in your best interest to call this creature only sparingly, and occasionally reward it in some fashion to mollify its wrath. If you repeatedly fail to offer it a reward appropriate to its type and ethos, the creature may begin plotting ways to destroy the bond between you, whether by creating an accident that will destroy your memory of the name, by plaguing you with nuisances or dangers until you vow never to call on it again, or by actively seeking to destroy you through its own devices or those of an underling.

If this creature is of a lawful type and you are violating its ethos, its superiors may even destroy it or you rather than allow you to contaminate their servant further. Worse, they may establish situations where it is necessary for you to summon this outsider, opening gateways to infernal or angelic interference, in order to gain a foothold on the Material Plane. At 18th level the caster may treat this as greater planar binding and may control up to 18th hit dice.

EdroGrimshell
2012-09-01, 02:03 PM
pathfinder's answer to true names.

True Name (Sp) : Your researches into ancient tomes and your inquisitions of bound spirits have led you to one of the best-hidden secrets of the multiverse: the true name of an outsider—the name that defines the very essence of the creature and that gives the speaker control over the being. This outsider can have no more than 12 Hit Dice. Once per day, you can speak the common name by which the outsider is known, and the outsider travels to you as if you had cast planar binding upon it. It must obey you to the best of its ability, without pay or bargaining for its services, for its fear that you might release its true name to the wider world is enough to bring even the most recalcitrant of outsiders to bear.

If the creature is within 100 feet, as a move action, you may punish it by deliberately mispronouncing its name, wracking its very essence and giving it the sickened and staggered conditions for 1 round (even if the creature is normally immune to these conditions). You cannot use true name in an area of silence, but the creature does not have to be able to hear you for it to be harmed by the ability.

It is in your best interest to call this creature only sparingly, and occasionally reward it in some fashion to mollify its wrath. If you repeatedly fail to offer it a reward appropriate to its type and ethos, the creature may begin plotting ways to destroy the bond between you, whether by creating an accident that will destroy your memory of the name, by plaguing you with nuisances or dangers until you vow never to call on it again, or by actively seeking to destroy you through its own devices or those of an underling.

If this creature is of a lawful type and you are violating its ethos, its superiors may even destroy it or you rather than allow you to contaminate their servant further. Worse, they may establish situations where it is necessary for you to summon this outsider, opening gateways to infernal or angelic interference, in order to gain a foothold on the Material Plane. At 18th level the caster may treat this as greater planar binding and may control up to 18th hit dice.

Oh, I like this. I'd actually like to use this in a game some time, a character that specifically researches truenames... hm, maybe a connoisseur soul collector/merchant, that'd be interesting...

Kane0
2012-09-01, 04:34 PM
To elaborate: Spells known/avaliable per day will be reduced in response to the fact that you only need one spell to occupy a slot to cast it all day long, and spells will be restricted from 4th level and above unless you have spell focus for that school for 4th-6th level spells and greater spell focus for that school for 7th-9th level spells.

I'm still adjusting the numbers of spell power and such though.

TopCheese
2012-09-02, 10:08 AM
I like it.

Though how about letting spell power be based off Con? It will feel like a concentration check and the reason they can't cast as much is due to spell casting being a physical burden that mages just aren't used to.

I actually will playtest this system soon with a few friend. But with con replacing spell casting stat for spell power

Oh if you alllow 0 level spell infitnite casting... Then fix the spells at 0 level cause some of the pathfinder ones were a bit extreme for infinite casting.

toapat
2012-09-02, 10:59 AM
To elaborate: Spells known/avaliable per day will be reduced in response to the fact that you only need one spell to occupy a slot to cast it all day long, and spells will be restricted from 4th level and above unless you have spell focus for that school for 4th-6th level spells and greater spell focus for that school for 7th-9th level spells.

I'm still adjusting the numbers of spell power and such though.

I figured out why i was comparing Truenaming and Wordcasting to eachother, which besides the fact that they are Flavorfully the same thing, the PF version of Truenaming is Wordcasting