MTG Card Caster Subclass

[Ivor_The_Mad]

I with the help of Brazenburn (Gaius Hermicus) have come up with an interesting new class for D&D involving MTG.

Basically, it is a spellcasting class that uses a Magic deck to cast spells. Let me just add that I just thought of this idea and have not had a ton of time to work on a lot of the details.

So far it's like this:
A spellcaster who has a Magic Deck. Mana cost correlates to spell level. A one-mana shock is a first level spell, a Summary Judgment is second level etc.

Every day at dawn the player shuffles their library and draws 7 cards. the cards they have in their hand ar reusable (except lands) and they can swap out cards (by discarding X and drawing X) every short rest.

Instead of spell slots casting works on a point system. The caster has X points and regains them after a long rest. Or if they use a land card to replenish some.

at 1st 5th 10th 15th and 20th, the player can choose a new color of mana to use or more power in their color. (each new color they have to choose how many of the casting points they have for each color.)

the points would be like the alternate spell slots in the... DMG? Spell points I think they are.

Other stuff:
once a land is used it goes to the graveyard.
the graveyard is shuffled into the library every dawn.
Instants are used on your turn or as reactions.
you can only have creatures under your control = half your level in this class rounded down (min of 1)

As I said this is still a work in progress and I am working on making it balenced. It seems a bit weak right now with the lack of cantrips (maybe they get cantrips as a bonus) and the bonuses you get for choosing a color need to be figured out.
Is this possible? (this is obviously just for fun)

[Kadesh]

After competing a short rest, you can draw a number of cards equal to your Proficiency modifier plus your casting Stat mod (Int?) . These spells count as prepared until the end of your next short rest, when you must discard them, and draw another set of cards. Your deck of cards is made up of a number of spells which you know (Spells Known are as per Bard casting)

As spell points takes away the issue of not having spell slots, you're good.

Seems simple enough, no idea about actual Magic The Gathering Cards.

[Ivor_The_Mad]

Yah the cards need a bit of reworking. Mostly figuring out what abilities do and also scaling damage.

After competing a short rest, you can draw a number of cards equal to your Proficiency modifier plus your casting Stat mod (Int?) . These spells count as prepared until the end of your next short rest, when you must discard them, and draw another set of cards. Your deck of cards is made up of a number of spells which you know (Spells Known are as per Bard casting)
This might work better. Redrawing cards every short rest. The problem is having too many cards. Ideally they should have 7 or less.
Thanks for the input!

[Ganymede]

I'm not sure many D&D players have dreams of roleplaying as one of those guys from the Magic tournaments.

Wouldn't it make 100% more sense to base a class on MtG's actual planeswalkers instead of the people playing the game?

[utopus]

There was a curated homebrew called the tarrochi a while back. Their whole class was about drawing cards. Perhaps looking into that might give you some inspiration

[Kadesh]

Yah the cards need a bit of reworking. Mostly figuring out what abilities do and also scaling damage.

This might work better. Redrawing cards every short rest. The problem is having too many cards. Ideally they should have 7 or less.
Thanks for the input!

Use half Prof round down, +Main Stat, then, and they will only have more than 7 when they are at Max Int, level 17.

[MrStabby]

If I have this right, it could be fun. Basically you build a deck and each day are playing with a random subset of it?

And you are looking to work out what cards do? So 1 mtg damage might equal d10 damage? And the player builds their own deck?

It sounds like a fun optimisation challenge as well as potentially giving rise to some diverse and really flavourful characters.

I worry that the two games may have a bit of a different emphasis (easier to make an MTG summoning deck for example).

Are cards exhausted or recycled when played? Or do they remain, to be cast again? Spells like dark ritual could end up a bit broken. Some protection spells are likely to be a bit good as well (beloved chaplain springs to mind).

If I am honest, I think this might be better as a separate campaign with everyone playing it, rather than trying to directly make it mesh.

[Ivor_The_Mad]

I'm not sure many D&D players have dreams of roleplaying as one of those guys from the Magic tournaments.

Wouldn't it make 100% more sense to base a class on MtG's actual planeswalkers instead of the people playing the game?

I wanted a class that uses Magic cards as props. I think it would make an interesting class (assuming it works)

[Ivor_The_Mad]

If I have this right, it could be fun. Basically you build a deck and each day are playing with a random subset of it?

And you are looking to work out what cards do? So 1 mtg damage might equal d10 damage? And the player builds their own deck?

It sounds like a fun optimisation challenge as well as potentially giving rise to some diverse and really flavourful characters.

I worry that the two games may have a bit of a different emphasis (easier to make an MTG summoning deck for example).

Are cards exhausted or recycled when played? Or do they remain, to be cast again? Spells like dark ritual could end up a bit broken. Some protection spells are likely to be a bit good as well (beloved chaplain springs to mind).

If I am honest, I think this might be better as a separate campaign with everyone playing it, rather than trying to directly make it mesh.

So while playing you have a hand of 7 and every short rest you can switch out cards. when you cast a spell you can cast it again. The card stays in your hand untill you exchange it during a short rest or until the end of the day.

Also thanks. I was thinking that it might not fit great in a normal campagin but i never thought about the impact of it in a party.

Also I think that d10 is the perfict damage type. So a shock deals 2d10 at 1st level.


Use half Prof round down, +Main Stat, then, and they will only have more than 7 when they are at Max Int, level 17.
That works.

[Vogie]

That reminds me, I have a Cardcaster base class concept that is like 60% done. I'm going to have to finish it.

[Ventruenox]

This is an interesting concept, but I'm not sure how viable it would be. I foresee more homebrew mechanics and impromptu DM rulings than what justifies the effort that will go in to translating a Magic deck to D&D. I'm more than a decade removed from MTG, so my interpretation of the current verbiage of cards is probably out of date.

How will you stat the summons? Reskin MM entries, or does each deck have a binder of statblocks? How will you translate abilities? Flying is easy, but Banding? Trample? Swampwalk? Poison counters? How do you activate abilities that require Mana with a 7 card daily draw?

What is to prevent adding draw effect cards to bypass the 7 card daily limit? Throw in the Library of Leng to coffeelock the class? What effect would forced discard spells have on the opponent?

I must admit, I would love to see the DM's face when the BBEG meets Chaos Confetti.