jjpickar
2007-12-05, 05:38 PM
Why are there more mundane classes in D&D worlds than magic ones? Magic is superior in every way mechanically and thus when viewed in a vacuum it does not make sense that every creature with the ability would take at least one level of wizard, sorcerer, cleric or druid. How would you guys fix this? Or, would you even try to fix it? Does it even bother you? Discuss:smallsmile:
Here is my proposed fix. You may discuss this as well.
To do this we will first make a few rules about magical ability. First, only five percent of the population will be born with the ability to take any levels in cleric, druid, sorcerer, or druid. Most of that five percent will only have the potential to take five levels in those classes. The player characters will by default fall into this category. Only ten percent of magical capable characters will be born with the ability to take 20 levels in these classes. Mechanically, each player will roll a d20. If they roll a 19 or a 20 they can take 20 levels in their magic casting class of their choice instead of 5.
A few clarifications on these rules are necessary. Characters may multiclass freely in caster classes but may only take 5 levels in any single casting class (druid 5/wizard5 for example). If a player gets the ability to advance 20 levels in a casting class may only take twenty levels in one magic class of their choosing. In either case a player may not use spell casting increases from prestige classes to exceed these limits. Also, rangers, paladins, and bards (though they cannot utilize prestige classes, such as the sublime chord, to alter their spell casting progression to gain higher than 6th level bard spell casting) are available to all characters.
I also believe that full spell casters must be required to take some downtime to gain their new spell casting increases. I propose 1 day of downtime per level of their new level. This downtime must be spent at a location appropriate to their class and must be spent doing activities of equal appropriateness. So a level 13 cleric must spend 13 days praying, fasting, and teaching at a local temple of their deity, a druid of the same level spending time in the wilds in solitude for 13 days, a sorcerer must spend 13 days in introspection somewhere by himself, and a wizard must spend the same amount of time in an arcane library, wizard school, or even in a private but well stocked study (costing at least 50,000 gp to amass the necessary resources). In addition, a wizard must spend an extra day for every spell other than the two free ones copied into his spell book.
All other classes may spend this downtime in the following ways:
1. They may train by themselves and gain 100 exp per day spent.
2. Do work related to their class and gain 300 gp per day spent.
3. Go on a minor quest and gain 11 d10 exp. and 3 percent dice gold per day spent.
In this way, full casters are very special, even to players, in the world and non-full casters are given some reward for their patience with the study required for the full casters.
Here is my proposed fix. You may discuss this as well.
To do this we will first make a few rules about magical ability. First, only five percent of the population will be born with the ability to take any levels in cleric, druid, sorcerer, or druid. Most of that five percent will only have the potential to take five levels in those classes. The player characters will by default fall into this category. Only ten percent of magical capable characters will be born with the ability to take 20 levels in these classes. Mechanically, each player will roll a d20. If they roll a 19 or a 20 they can take 20 levels in their magic casting class of their choice instead of 5.
A few clarifications on these rules are necessary. Characters may multiclass freely in caster classes but may only take 5 levels in any single casting class (druid 5/wizard5 for example). If a player gets the ability to advance 20 levels in a casting class may only take twenty levels in one magic class of their choosing. In either case a player may not use spell casting increases from prestige classes to exceed these limits. Also, rangers, paladins, and bards (though they cannot utilize prestige classes, such as the sublime chord, to alter their spell casting progression to gain higher than 6th level bard spell casting) are available to all characters.
I also believe that full spell casters must be required to take some downtime to gain their new spell casting increases. I propose 1 day of downtime per level of their new level. This downtime must be spent at a location appropriate to their class and must be spent doing activities of equal appropriateness. So a level 13 cleric must spend 13 days praying, fasting, and teaching at a local temple of their deity, a druid of the same level spending time in the wilds in solitude for 13 days, a sorcerer must spend 13 days in introspection somewhere by himself, and a wizard must spend the same amount of time in an arcane library, wizard school, or even in a private but well stocked study (costing at least 50,000 gp to amass the necessary resources). In addition, a wizard must spend an extra day for every spell other than the two free ones copied into his spell book.
All other classes may spend this downtime in the following ways:
1. They may train by themselves and gain 100 exp per day spent.
2. Do work related to their class and gain 300 gp per day spent.
3. Go on a minor quest and gain 11 d10 exp. and 3 percent dice gold per day spent.
In this way, full casters are very special, even to players, in the world and non-full casters are given some reward for their patience with the study required for the full casters.