[D&D 3.5] Prerequisite H-Rule: Magic is Magic

[Xuldarinar]

A simple thought that could have a huge effect on the game. Just hear me out and tell me what you think below.

Feat/PrC Prerequisite changes:

Able to cast X-level arcane spells = Able to cast x-level spells
Able to cast X-level divine spells = Able to cast x-level spells

Able to cast arcane spells = Able to cast spells
Able to cast divine spells = Able to cast spells

Arcane Caster Level X = Caster Level X
Divine Caster Level X = Caster Level X

Able to cast [Name of spell] as an Arcane spell = Able to cast [Name of Spell]
Able to cast [Name of spell] as a Divine spell = Able to cast [Name of Spell]

Theurgic PrC: Mystic Theurge would advance two spell-casting classes, regardless as to what they are. Same would go for True Necromancer. You may carry this logic to other things.



Would this break the game or simply open up more options? Ask any questions you'd like of course. If I potentially left something out, let me know.

[Frozen_Feet]

The primary thing that breaks casters are spell list. Next come invidual spells. This variant allows for loads of unintended spell list combinations, as well as hoarding much more spells than usual. It makes pulling off double and triple 9s much easier. It allows for class or magic type exclusive things like divine metamagic or sacred spell to be applied to any spell. It makes a lot of casting classes even more redundant than they were.

In short, it's not a very good idea.

[Just to Browse]

The primary thing that breaks casters are spell list. Next come invidual spells. This variant allows for loads of unintended spell list combinations, as well as hoarding much more spells than usual. It makes pulling off double and triple 9s much easier. It allows for class or magic type exclusive things like divine metamagic or sacred spell to be applied to any spell. It makes a lot of casting classes even more redundant than they were.

In short, it's not a very good idea.

I don't see how this increases spell lists by much at all. It's just that now druids can take incantantrix and wizards can take contemplative--there's really no spell list abuse going on.

The "double and triple 9s" is basically never going to happen. Entry requirements for mystic theurge/arcane hierophant/etc do not change in level, the only thing that changes is the class spell lists that you advance. So now we can have Cleric / Druid MTs with our Druid / Sorcerer MTs.

I'd say the magic-exclusive abilities being spread around is a good thing. Though DivMet could apply to anything anyways, having stuff like Sacred Spell on a wizard makes new and flavorful concepts for PCs to take on without hurting balance.

Casting classes do not change their spell lists, so casting classes do not become any more redundant than they already were. Druids still can't use protection from evil so they're not going to infringe on the role of the wizard or cleric.

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The thing this actually does is allows divine casters entrance to arcane casting everything. Arcana casters are basically divine casters with arcane spell failure, so they tend to be weaker. Now that divine casters can do arcane spellcasting everything, the best optimized builds will be clerics and druids entering wizard PrCs.

I'd say that this would hurt an actual D&D game because wizards lose so much that they had over clerics at high levels, but if you're trying to make a world where "magic is magic" is a theme, this should work fine. Of course, incarnum, shadow magic, binding, and truenames are all still there.

[Omnicrat]

...if you're trying to make a world where "magic is magic" is a theme, this should work fine. Of course, incarnum, shadow magic, binding, and truenames are all still there.

And psionics. Which is usually just brain magic.

[Xuldarinar]

Well, this actually addresses shadow magic. As it can enter into any PrC that requires casting but doesn't specify between arcane and divine, but the others your right. Psionics could be used if you emphasize the transparency enough but maybe I need to put that in.

I get that this would allow some more game breaking things, however It would also allow for more flavors to exist in magic. Off the top of my head, I know how with this how you can go from Sorcerer (Any variant) and enter into prestige paladin (You'd need some feats from the Dragon Magazine Compendium to meet the turn undead requirement). This would also allow, by raw, Archivist to enter Geometer (Which, lets face it, makes sense). Some restrictions in the game exist for good reasons, but others narrow themselves a bit much. I see no reason Prestige bards -have- to be arcane when there are divine bards for instance.

Some cases this may not be such a good idea, but others the character flavors could be so much more with this. Personally I feel this needs some work and in some cases the DM should be consulted first, but it could be a very helpful thing in a game.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how to address the other forms of magic, by all means post it. Psionic would be easy to toss in if necessary, but incarnum, binding and true names I'm not familiar with enough.

[Answerer]

Why not just change all prerequisites to Caster Levels and be done with it? Then you get Warlocks, too. And Sorcerers et al. don't get randomly shafted. And lost spellcasting levels don't necessarily put you behind on your PrC as well as your spells.

[Xuldarinar]

Why not just change all prerequisites to Caster Levels and be done with it? Then you get Warlocks, too. And Sorcerers et al. don't get randomly shafted. And lost spellcasting levels don't necessarily put you behind on your PrC as well as your spells.


I fail to see how either would get randomly shafted.

[Answerer]

Ah, that's a problem with the current system, I mean, not your proposal. They're randomly shafted because, e.g., they cannot start a PrC that requires 3rd-level spells until 7th-level, a level late, because of their already-stupid delayed spellcasting.