Crisis21
2019-04-17, 12:05 AM
So, some of you may be familiar with an alternative spellcasting rule for 5e called Spell Points. If not, I'll summarize here: Instead of having set spell slots, you generate spell slots with spell points. The highest level spell slot you can generate is determined by your caster level as normal.
Spell slots cost as follows: 1st=2, 2nd=3, 3rd=5, 4th=6, 5th=7, 6th=9, 7th=10, 8th=11, 9th=13. You can determine how many spell points a caster should have by converting their set spell slots at that level to points and adding them up.
(Note:I have seen much debate over how this should work for Warlocks, but that's not the point of this post and so I shall politely ignore it. Assume the Warlock still works as usual under this rule.)
I'm sure most of you can see the potential for abuse with high level spells, but there's a rule for that which I'll paraphrase like so: Spells of 6th level or higher are especially taxing and a spellcaster cannot generate more than one per long rest.
Okay, simple enough, except that full casters can get more than one 6th and 7th level spell under the slot system. Meaning this might be seen as a debuff to spellcasters at higher levels.
So... here's my proposed alternative:
High level spells can be especially taxing on a spellcaster. When casting a spell of 6th level or higher, you must make a Constitution saving throw equal to 10 + the spell's level. On a failure, you gain one level of exhaustion. If the spell is the highest level of spell you are currently capable of casting, this saving throw is made with disadvantage. For every level of exhaustion you possess, the maximum level of spell you can cast is decreased by 1.
You could adjust this for half-casters to be 4th level or higher spells and third casters to be 3rd level or higher spells if you like.
As a reminder, Exhaustion levels look like this:
Exhaustion Level
Effect
1
Disadvantage on Ability Checks
2
Speed halved
3
Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Saving Throws
4
Hit point maximum halved
5
Speed reduced to 0
6
Death
And, yes, these stack. Also, a long rest only reduces Exhaustion by 1 level, and only then if the character has also had food and drink.
So, you might manage to spam high level spells this way... at the risk of literally running your caster into the ground long-term. Going big one battle might leave you all too vulnerable the next.
Spell slots cost as follows: 1st=2, 2nd=3, 3rd=5, 4th=6, 5th=7, 6th=9, 7th=10, 8th=11, 9th=13. You can determine how many spell points a caster should have by converting their set spell slots at that level to points and adding them up.
(Note:I have seen much debate over how this should work for Warlocks, but that's not the point of this post and so I shall politely ignore it. Assume the Warlock still works as usual under this rule.)
I'm sure most of you can see the potential for abuse with high level spells, but there's a rule for that which I'll paraphrase like so: Spells of 6th level or higher are especially taxing and a spellcaster cannot generate more than one per long rest.
Okay, simple enough, except that full casters can get more than one 6th and 7th level spell under the slot system. Meaning this might be seen as a debuff to spellcasters at higher levels.
So... here's my proposed alternative:
High level spells can be especially taxing on a spellcaster. When casting a spell of 6th level or higher, you must make a Constitution saving throw equal to 10 + the spell's level. On a failure, you gain one level of exhaustion. If the spell is the highest level of spell you are currently capable of casting, this saving throw is made with disadvantage. For every level of exhaustion you possess, the maximum level of spell you can cast is decreased by 1.
You could adjust this for half-casters to be 4th level or higher spells and third casters to be 3rd level or higher spells if you like.
As a reminder, Exhaustion levels look like this:
Exhaustion Level
Effect
1
Disadvantage on Ability Checks
2
Speed halved
3
Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Saving Throws
4
Hit point maximum halved
5
Speed reduced to 0
6
Death
And, yes, these stack. Also, a long rest only reduces Exhaustion by 1 level, and only then if the character has also had food and drink.
So, you might manage to spam high level spells this way... at the risk of literally running your caster into the ground long-term. Going big one battle might leave you all too vulnerable the next.