Making an Arcane Fusion ability for an Arcanist

[Arc_knight25]

I would like to give one of my players a boon. They are playing an Arcanist and I figured that since Piazo hasn't put a spell like Arcane Fusion into their system, I would create an ability to give the Arcanist.

I was thinking of 3+Int(or Cha) mod times per day they can cast two spells at the same time. These spells use up spell slots when cast. These spells need to add up to highest spell level the character can cast. Cantrips cannot be used.

Eg.

A caster with access to 5th level spells could cast a 1st or 4th level spell or a 2nd and 3rd level spell.

My wording isn't the best but I hope you get the idea.

What are peoples thoughts?

Will create the ability in the spoiler and edit as we begin to move forward.

Arcane Fusion


Arcane Fusion

The Arcanist can cast 2 spells as a standard action using points of their Arcane Reservoir. The amount of points used must be equal to the highest spell the Arcanist can cast. The Arcanist may not use Arcane Reservoir to boost spells cast with this ability. The spells cast must be prepared by the Arcanist. No Metamagic feats maybe used to augment the spells being cast. These spells must take no longer then a standard action to cast. The spells levels must add up to equal the highest spell level the caster can cast. (Eg. if the caster can cast a 5th level spell, they can cast a 1st and 4th, or a 2nd and 3rd level spell)

[Âmesang]

Any reason you couldn't just let him learn the spells normally? (Besides "sorcerer only.") :smallsmile:

[Gallowglass]

I would like to give one of my players a boon. They are playing an Arcanist and I figured that since Piazo hasn't put a spell like Arcane Fusion into their system, I would create an ability to give the Arcanist.

I was thinking of 3+Int(or Cha) mod times per day they can cast two spells at the same time. These spells use up spell slots when cast. These spells need to add up to highest spell level the character can cast. Cantrips cannot be used.

Eg.

A caster with access to 5th level spells could cast a 1st or 4th level spell or a 2nd and 3rd level spell.

My wording isn't the best but I hope you get the idea.

What are peoples thoughts?

[Insert paragraph here about how high powered caster don't need MORE tricks to expand the gap between them and the other characters.]

Seems overpowered. Bear in mind Arcane Fusion was a 5th level spell, so the number of times the sorcerer in 3.5 could cast it was limited by how many 5th level slots they had. They were spending that 5th level slot to get two less powerful spells (one 1st and one 2nd,3rd or 4th.)

What you have built is instead, Haste for spellcasting. a minimum of 8 times a day your caster can cast two spells a round. As you are a SAD character, as you level up the times per day you can use this rise arithmetically.

You have built a nova machine... on a class that is already kind of a nova machine. So your arcanist, already kind of a 15 minute workday kind of guy, is now going to favor the five minute workday approach.

So, if you really want to give them haste for spellcasting, I would instead tie it to the arcanist arcane pool/arcane exploit mechanic. Something like

"By spending points from their arcane pool, an arcanist can weave two spells together to cast them simultaneously. By spending points equal to the spell levels of the spells (i.e a 2nd and 3rd level spell will cost 5 points), the arcanist can cast they both with the same standard action. The maximum number of points the arcanist can use is equal to the arcanist's class level. If the spellcasting requires a concentration check a check must be made for both spells and both spells are lost if either is lost. Any counterspell attempt can target either of the two spells being cast and a successful counterspelling will counterspell both spells."

That way it turns it from a "I will use this every round I cast a spell" class feature to a "I really only have the points to do this once so I better make it count" nice-to-have.

[Gallowglass]

Any reason you couldn't just let him learn the spells normally? (Besides "sorcerer only.") :smallsmile:


https://s32.postimg.org/yi5zzf6tx/read_the_post_maybe.png

:smallsmile:

[Arc_knight25]

So, if you really want to give them haste for spellcasting, I would instead tie it to the arcanist arcane pool/arcane exploit mechanic. Something like

"By spending points from their arcane pool, an arcanist can weave two spells together to cast them simultaneously. By spending points equal to the spell levels of the spells (i.e a 2nd and 3rd level spell will cost 5 points), the arcanist can cast they both with the same standard action. The maximum number of points the arcanist can use is equal to the arcanist's class level. If the spellcasting requires a concentration check a check must be made for both spells and both spells are lost if either is lost. Any counterspell attempt can target either of the two spells being cast and a successful counterspelling will counterspell both spells."

That way it turns it from a "I will use this every round I cast a spell" class feature to a "I really only have the points to do this once so I better make it count" nice-to-have.

This is a good approach as well. I still like the "has to equal highest spell the caster can cast". So it guarantees them to have to use the maximum each time they use the ability.

Now do you think it should be based on the spells the Arcanist has prepared at the time of using the ability, or the ones he knows in his spellbook?

[Gallowglass]

This is a good approach as well. I still like the "has to equal highest spell the caster can cast". So it guarantees them to have to use the maximum each time they use the ability.

Now do you think it should be based on the spells the Arcanist has prepared at the time of using the ability, or the ones he knows in his spellbook?

Prepared. Otherwise its an exploit to let them bypass the core limiting mechanic of the class.

[Eldonauran]

The Mystic Theurge (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/core-rulebook/mystic-theurge) actually gets an ability similar to this and you might be able to key it off the existing mechanic. It is their capstone for a reason, since it is very powerful.


At 10th level, a mystic theurge can cast two spells, one from each of his spellcasting classes, using one action. Both of the spells must have the same casting time. The mystic theurge can make any decisions concerning the spells independently. Any target affected by both of the spells takes a –2 penalty on saves made against each spell. The mystic theurge receives a +2 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance with these two spells. A mystic theurge may use this ability once per day.

[Arc_knight25]

Having to always pay the highest spell able to cast in arcane reservoir points should limit the amount of abuse.

Since they only have 3+Arcanist level as a max. And only gain 3+1/2 Arcanist level back when they rest ensures they won't be spamming the ability.