Altair_the_Vexed
2006-12-28, 12:25 PM
I just had a dream - no, really - in which Clerics were better, more real. I don't normally dream about D&D mechanics, so I thought I'd better write this down before I forget.
In the RAW, Clerics pray for spells and their stingy god(s) grant them a list at the start of the day, no matter how useless it will be at the end of that day.
I don't like this anymore. It doesn't sit right.
What if, instead... Clerics pray - and they get all their spells spontaneously, like a sorcerer with access to the whole Cleric list? The number they can cast is still the same, but they can choose any Cleric spell normally accessible to them at the time of casting.I dunno - that seems a bit too powerful.
What if... Clerics pray and they ask for spells, and they get a list which they can choose from as though it were the sorcerer's known spells list? This keeps the restriction of a list of spells, but gives more flexibility that I feel is more consistent with Divine power.
Druids, Rangers and Paladins will get the same treatment.As far as balance goes, don't panic. Giving some much variety to Clerics and the like without altering the rest of the classes will break the game and everyone will just be praying their butts off and laughing at the puny arcanists. I know. Here's my plan:
Wizards are going to be getting a similar makeover, too. I hate that "learning a spell twice" thing, it just sucks conceptually. I think Wizards ought to get to revise a list of spells (up to the maximum per level they could cast), then cast from that each day in whatever order and number they like.
I'll be chucking out Sorcerers with this ruling, or giving them light armour like the Bard. Maybe they ought to get some metamagic feats as compensation for losing their schtick to other classes...
To the non-casting classes I will be granting access to a track of Super Weapon Focus and Specialisation (available as feats to casting classes, but automatic to fighters, barbarians and rogues at certain appropriate levels) that really beef up their skill with one (or two) chosen weapon(s).
The system for this I will be modifying from the Classic D&D game. In that system you got increased base damage (eventually, vastly increased), and stuff like "Deflection", whereby you can turn aside a few attacks per round. It let Fighters stay toe-to-toe at higher level with the wizards of that old game, who were far more powerful otherwise.
I understand the balance limitations, but that's why I'm posting concepts here, so they can be ripped up and stuck back together in a working way.
Have I gone mad? Is this just stupid? Let's talk.
In the RAW, Clerics pray for spells and their stingy god(s) grant them a list at the start of the day, no matter how useless it will be at the end of that day.
I don't like this anymore. It doesn't sit right.
What if, instead... Clerics pray - and they get all their spells spontaneously, like a sorcerer with access to the whole Cleric list? The number they can cast is still the same, but they can choose any Cleric spell normally accessible to them at the time of casting.I dunno - that seems a bit too powerful.
What if... Clerics pray and they ask for spells, and they get a list which they can choose from as though it were the sorcerer's known spells list? This keeps the restriction of a list of spells, but gives more flexibility that I feel is more consistent with Divine power.
Druids, Rangers and Paladins will get the same treatment.As far as balance goes, don't panic. Giving some much variety to Clerics and the like without altering the rest of the classes will break the game and everyone will just be praying their butts off and laughing at the puny arcanists. I know. Here's my plan:
Wizards are going to be getting a similar makeover, too. I hate that "learning a spell twice" thing, it just sucks conceptually. I think Wizards ought to get to revise a list of spells (up to the maximum per level they could cast), then cast from that each day in whatever order and number they like.
I'll be chucking out Sorcerers with this ruling, or giving them light armour like the Bard. Maybe they ought to get some metamagic feats as compensation for losing their schtick to other classes...
To the non-casting classes I will be granting access to a track of Super Weapon Focus and Specialisation (available as feats to casting classes, but automatic to fighters, barbarians and rogues at certain appropriate levels) that really beef up their skill with one (or two) chosen weapon(s).
The system for this I will be modifying from the Classic D&D game. In that system you got increased base damage (eventually, vastly increased), and stuff like "Deflection", whereby you can turn aside a few attacks per round. It let Fighters stay toe-to-toe at higher level with the wizards of that old game, who were far more powerful otherwise.
I understand the balance limitations, but that's why I'm posting concepts here, so they can be ripped up and stuck back together in a working way.
Have I gone mad? Is this just stupid? Let's talk.