AgentPaper
2008-08-02, 11:45 PM
This is an idea I'm mostly just throwing out there, for anyone to use if they want. I don't know if stuff like this has been thought of before, but a precursory search brought up nothing. So, here we go:
My idea was something like a Channeler. Instead of casting spells like other casters, he merely has to "channel" magical energies of various types through himself to create a desired effect. The spells themselves would be the same as those on the sorcerer/wizard spell list, though you could easily make a divine variant, or druid even. However, a channeler doesn't prepare spells each day, and in fact doesn't even have a specified number of spells each day.
The basis of the channeler is that, when he casts a spell, he has to make a constitution check. This check would likely be something like: 10 + Spell Level + Exhaustion. Exhaustion would be a modifier that goes up the more spells you have cast that day. Casting any spell adds 2 to your Exhaustion for that encounter. After that encounter, that spell would only increase your exhaustion by 1, instead of 2. So if you cast 5 spells in a single battle, all of your DC checks to cast spells increase by 10. After that fight, though, in your next battle, your DCs would only be increased by 5. If you then cast 4 more spells in that fight, casting a fifth spell in that same fight would have a DC mod of +13. After THAT battle, the DC would go down to +10 for the rest of the day.
I believe that this system allows you to improve spell casting by, for one, not explicitly limiting spells you can cast per day, but also not making each spell cast trivial. If you cast a bunch of spells early in the day, it's not impossible for you to cast later on, (a natural 20 always succeeds) but it will be much riskier. For example, if you fail to cast a spell by more than 10 or so, it backfires, you take damage based on the spell level, and take "permanent" (has to be healed) constitution damage as well. A natural 1 automatically fails, though it doesn't automatically backfire. (if a natural 1 puts you 10 below the check, the spell backfires, of course)
This system is, of course, still very raw, but it's just a very basic idea for someone else to homebrew up a class from. I just like the idea of a con-based caster.
Edit: Not sure how this got here, instead of the homebrew section. If someone could move it there, that would be nice. :smalleek:
My idea was something like a Channeler. Instead of casting spells like other casters, he merely has to "channel" magical energies of various types through himself to create a desired effect. The spells themselves would be the same as those on the sorcerer/wizard spell list, though you could easily make a divine variant, or druid even. However, a channeler doesn't prepare spells each day, and in fact doesn't even have a specified number of spells each day.
The basis of the channeler is that, when he casts a spell, he has to make a constitution check. This check would likely be something like: 10 + Spell Level + Exhaustion. Exhaustion would be a modifier that goes up the more spells you have cast that day. Casting any spell adds 2 to your Exhaustion for that encounter. After that encounter, that spell would only increase your exhaustion by 1, instead of 2. So if you cast 5 spells in a single battle, all of your DC checks to cast spells increase by 10. After that fight, though, in your next battle, your DCs would only be increased by 5. If you then cast 4 more spells in that fight, casting a fifth spell in that same fight would have a DC mod of +13. After THAT battle, the DC would go down to +10 for the rest of the day.
I believe that this system allows you to improve spell casting by, for one, not explicitly limiting spells you can cast per day, but also not making each spell cast trivial. If you cast a bunch of spells early in the day, it's not impossible for you to cast later on, (a natural 20 always succeeds) but it will be much riskier. For example, if you fail to cast a spell by more than 10 or so, it backfires, you take damage based on the spell level, and take "permanent" (has to be healed) constitution damage as well. A natural 1 automatically fails, though it doesn't automatically backfire. (if a natural 1 puts you 10 below the check, the spell backfires, of course)
This system is, of course, still very raw, but it's just a very basic idea for someone else to homebrew up a class from. I just like the idea of a con-based caster.
Edit: Not sure how this got here, instead of the homebrew section. If someone could move it there, that would be nice. :smalleek: