CinuzIta
2013-08-31, 05:24 AM
Hello!
I'd like to have your opinions on a spellcasting system based upon replenishing magic (or mana) points I've created.
Mana Pool
Every spellcasting class has a certain number of Magic Points (mp) that fill their Mana Pool (MaP). This number is equal to:
(Spellcaster level x Spellcasting Ability Modifier) + Spellcasting Ability Modifier
Along with this, a spellcaster also gains bonus mp for an high ability modifier, following the same progression of psionic bonus power points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/#tableAbilityModifiersandBonusPowerPoints).
Example: Vishkan, a 20th level wizard with 22 in Int, has 186mp [120 (from his spellcaster's level) +6 (from his Int modifier) + 60 (from bonus mp due to his high Int modifier)].
The Spellcasting Abilities are Intelligence for Arcane spellcasters, Wisdom for Divine spellcasters and Charisma for Natural spellcasters.
Focus
The Focus represent the ability of a caster to maintain certain spells while performing other actions. Every spellcaster gains a certain amount of Focus Points during his career equal to his Base Focus Progression (listed on the Class Progression) + 1/2 his spellcaster level + Spellcasting Ability Modifier.
A spellcaster can use the Focus Points from his Focus Pool to maintain active more than one spell at a time, but the costs of the active spells can never exceed the total points of the Focus Pool (See below).
Casting Spells
To cast a spell, a spellcaster must pay a certain amount of Magic Points from his Mana Pool. The spells' costs by level are:
{table=head] Spell's Level | Spell's Cost
1st | 1 |
2nd | 4 |
3rd | 9 |
4th | 16 |
5th | 25 |
6th | 36 |
7th | 49 |
8th | 64 |
9th | 81 |[/table]
The magic points continually recover with a fixed ratio of 1mp/round.
A spellcaster can also use a standard action in order to recover an amount of mp equal to his Spellcasting Ability Modifier.
All the spells follow the same rules as per the normal spellcasting system, with this exception:
Maintaining Spells: some spells require the caster to continually focus his mind on them, in order to keep their effects active over time. In order to maintain spells that has a duration longer than "Instantaneous", a spellcaster must invest a certain amount points from his Focus Pool equal to:
Spell Level +1 for each person after the first one that are affected by the spell.
These points are invested for all of the Spell's duration and are regained one turn after the spell has expired. Once the spellcaster recover his Focus Points, he can invest them again.
The sum of the spells' levels cannot exceed the total of Focus Points; if a caster cast a spell without enough Focus Points to maintain it, the spell simply fails but the Magic Points are considered to be spent.
The caster can dismiss an active spell with a swift action.
Rituals: there are some spells that require much more effort from the spellcaster in order to be casted. All of those spells that require a casting time longer than a full-round action must be casted using a ritual. A ritual takes 10 minutes/Spell Level to be completed and requires the complete attention of the Spellcaster in order to be casted. A spellcaster attempting to perform a ritual cannot do anything else during the time the ritual takes to be completed and he also need to have his Focus Pool free (meaning he cannot maintain any spell while performing a ritual, as he needs to concentrate only on the current spell). A spellcaster also need to make a successfull Spellcraft check at the end of the required time in order to successfully cast the spell [Dc 20 + (2xSpell Level)].
Metamagic
Metamagic feats can be applied: the caster have to pay an extra amount of mp equal to:
[(Spell's level to be added to the spell on wich the metamagic feat is being applied) +1] Squared.
More than one metamagic feat can be applied to a single spell.
So, for example, a maximized 3rd level spell would raise its cost by other 16 points (in the normal system maximizing a spell occupies the slot of spell three levels higher), to a total of 25. If we also wanted to apply Empower Spell (9 more mp), Silent Spell (4 more mp) and Still Spell (4 more mp) along with Maximize Spell, we would have payed 42 mp.
Spellcasting classes on the way...
Classes
All the pure spellcasters classes share the progression table below as a basic line. Every spellcasting class has different Skills, Focus Pool, Special Abilities and Spell Known based on their magic type (arcane, divine or natural).
HD: d4
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Maximum Spell Level Known
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|
1st|
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|
1st|
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|
2nd|
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|
2nd|
5th|
+2|
+2|
+2|
+4|
3rd|
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
3rd|
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
4th|
8th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|
4th|
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|
5th|
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|
5th|
11th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+7|
6th|
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
6th|
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
7th|
14th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|
7th|
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|
8th|
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|
8th|
17th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+10|
9th|
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
9th|
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
9th|
20th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+12|
9th|[/table]
Skill Points: 4+Int (x4 at first level). Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Arcane Caster
{table=head]Level|Base Focus Progression|Special|Spells Known
1st|
+2|
Bonus Feat, Familiar|
2|
2nd|
+3|
Still Mind|
3|
3rd|
+3|Arcane Resistance|
5|
4th|
+4||
6|
5th|
+4|
Bonus Feat|
8|
6th|
+5|
Will Mettle|
9|
7th|
+5||
11|
8th|
+6||
12|
9th|
+6||
14|
10th|
+7|
Bonus Feat|
15|
11th|
+7||
17|
12th|
+8||
18|
13th|
+8||
20|
14th|
+9||
21|
15th|
+9|
Bonus Feat|
23|
16th|
+10||
24|
17th|
+10||
26|
18th|
+11||
27|
19th|
+11||
28|
20th|
+12|
Bonus Feat|
29|[/table]
Additional Skills: Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arcane Spellcasters are proficient with all simple weapons but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster’s movements, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.
Bonus Feat: At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, an arcane caster gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, she can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery. The arcane caster must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The arcane caster is not limited to the categories of item creation feats, metamagic feats, or Spell Mastery when choosing these feats.
Familiar: An arcane caster can obtain a familiar (see below). Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.
The arcane caster chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the arcane caster advances in level, his familiar also increases in power.
If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the arcane caster, the arcane caster must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per arcane caster level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, an arcane caster’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Consitution point when this happy event occurs.
A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.
Still Mind (Ex): An arcane caster of 2nd level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the school of enchantment.
Arcane Resistance (Su): At 3rd level, an arcane caster gains a bonus equal to his Intelligence bonus (minimum +1) on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
Will Mettle (Ex): At 6th level and higher, an arcane caster can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower. If he makes a successful Will save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping arcane caster does not gain the benefit of will mettle.
Divine Caster
coming soon
Natural Caster
coming soon
I'd like to hear your thoughts about this idea, so what do you think about it?:)
I'd like to have your opinions on a spellcasting system based upon replenishing magic (or mana) points I've created.
Mana Pool
Every spellcasting class has a certain number of Magic Points (mp) that fill their Mana Pool (MaP). This number is equal to:
(Spellcaster level x Spellcasting Ability Modifier) + Spellcasting Ability Modifier
Along with this, a spellcaster also gains bonus mp for an high ability modifier, following the same progression of psionic bonus power points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/#tableAbilityModifiersandBonusPowerPoints).
Example: Vishkan, a 20th level wizard with 22 in Int, has 186mp [120 (from his spellcaster's level) +6 (from his Int modifier) + 60 (from bonus mp due to his high Int modifier)].
The Spellcasting Abilities are Intelligence for Arcane spellcasters, Wisdom for Divine spellcasters and Charisma for Natural spellcasters.
Focus
The Focus represent the ability of a caster to maintain certain spells while performing other actions. Every spellcaster gains a certain amount of Focus Points during his career equal to his Base Focus Progression (listed on the Class Progression) + 1/2 his spellcaster level + Spellcasting Ability Modifier.
A spellcaster can use the Focus Points from his Focus Pool to maintain active more than one spell at a time, but the costs of the active spells can never exceed the total points of the Focus Pool (See below).
Casting Spells
To cast a spell, a spellcaster must pay a certain amount of Magic Points from his Mana Pool. The spells' costs by level are:
{table=head] Spell's Level | Spell's Cost
1st | 1 |
2nd | 4 |
3rd | 9 |
4th | 16 |
5th | 25 |
6th | 36 |
7th | 49 |
8th | 64 |
9th | 81 |[/table]
The magic points continually recover with a fixed ratio of 1mp/round.
A spellcaster can also use a standard action in order to recover an amount of mp equal to his Spellcasting Ability Modifier.
All the spells follow the same rules as per the normal spellcasting system, with this exception:
Maintaining Spells: some spells require the caster to continually focus his mind on them, in order to keep their effects active over time. In order to maintain spells that has a duration longer than "Instantaneous", a spellcaster must invest a certain amount points from his Focus Pool equal to:
Spell Level +1 for each person after the first one that are affected by the spell.
These points are invested for all of the Spell's duration and are regained one turn after the spell has expired. Once the spellcaster recover his Focus Points, he can invest them again.
The sum of the spells' levels cannot exceed the total of Focus Points; if a caster cast a spell without enough Focus Points to maintain it, the spell simply fails but the Magic Points are considered to be spent.
The caster can dismiss an active spell with a swift action.
Rituals: there are some spells that require much more effort from the spellcaster in order to be casted. All of those spells that require a casting time longer than a full-round action must be casted using a ritual. A ritual takes 10 minutes/Spell Level to be completed and requires the complete attention of the Spellcaster in order to be casted. A spellcaster attempting to perform a ritual cannot do anything else during the time the ritual takes to be completed and he also need to have his Focus Pool free (meaning he cannot maintain any spell while performing a ritual, as he needs to concentrate only on the current spell). A spellcaster also need to make a successfull Spellcraft check at the end of the required time in order to successfully cast the spell [Dc 20 + (2xSpell Level)].
Metamagic
Metamagic feats can be applied: the caster have to pay an extra amount of mp equal to:
[(Spell's level to be added to the spell on wich the metamagic feat is being applied) +1] Squared.
More than one metamagic feat can be applied to a single spell.
So, for example, a maximized 3rd level spell would raise its cost by other 16 points (in the normal system maximizing a spell occupies the slot of spell three levels higher), to a total of 25. If we also wanted to apply Empower Spell (9 more mp), Silent Spell (4 more mp) and Still Spell (4 more mp) along with Maximize Spell, we would have payed 42 mp.
Spellcasting classes on the way...
Classes
All the pure spellcasters classes share the progression table below as a basic line. Every spellcasting class has different Skills, Focus Pool, Special Abilities and Spell Known based on their magic type (arcane, divine or natural).
HD: d4
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Maximum Spell Level Known
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|
1st|
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|
1st|
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|
2nd|
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|
2nd|
5th|
+2|
+2|
+2|
+4|
3rd|
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
3rd|
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
4th|
8th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|
4th|
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|
5th|
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|
5th|
11th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+7|
6th|
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
6th|
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
7th|
14th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|
7th|
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|
8th|
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|
8th|
17th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+10|
9th|
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
9th|
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
9th|
20th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+12|
9th|[/table]
Skill Points: 4+Int (x4 at first level). Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Arcane Caster
{table=head]Level|Base Focus Progression|Special|Spells Known
1st|
+2|
Bonus Feat, Familiar|
2|
2nd|
+3|
Still Mind|
3|
3rd|
+3|Arcane Resistance|
5|
4th|
+4||
6|
5th|
+4|
Bonus Feat|
8|
6th|
+5|
Will Mettle|
9|
7th|
+5||
11|
8th|
+6||
12|
9th|
+6||
14|
10th|
+7|
Bonus Feat|
15|
11th|
+7||
17|
12th|
+8||
18|
13th|
+8||
20|
14th|
+9||
21|
15th|
+9|
Bonus Feat|
23|
16th|
+10||
24|
17th|
+10||
26|
18th|
+11||
27|
19th|
+11||
28|
20th|
+12|
Bonus Feat|
29|[/table]
Additional Skills: Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arcane Spellcasters are proficient with all simple weapons but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster’s movements, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.
Bonus Feat: At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, an arcane caster gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, she can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery. The arcane caster must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The arcane caster is not limited to the categories of item creation feats, metamagic feats, or Spell Mastery when choosing these feats.
Familiar: An arcane caster can obtain a familiar (see below). Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.
The arcane caster chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the arcane caster advances in level, his familiar also increases in power.
If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the arcane caster, the arcane caster must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per arcane caster level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, an arcane caster’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Consitution point when this happy event occurs.
A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.
Still Mind (Ex): An arcane caster of 2nd level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the school of enchantment.
Arcane Resistance (Su): At 3rd level, an arcane caster gains a bonus equal to his Intelligence bonus (minimum +1) on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
Will Mettle (Ex): At 6th level and higher, an arcane caster can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower. If he makes a successful Will save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping arcane caster does not gain the benefit of will mettle.
Divine Caster
coming soon
Natural Caster
coming soon
I'd like to hear your thoughts about this idea, so what do you think about it?:)