Spell Points & Erudite style Prepared Casters

[Kobold-Bard]

Ok, this was something I thought about a while ago, but never finished properly. I don't know about everyone else but I really like the Erudite's way of manifesting, and wanted to transfer it to casters (getting rid of Vancian casting in the process. Actual rules are highlighted in blue.

Brief intro to Erudite style casting:

Spoiler

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Essentially formerly Vancian casters replace spells/day with a certain number of unique spells/day. These are slots that start empty after the caster refreshes their spell points (by resting for 8 hours and studying/meditating/praying/etc.

When the caster wants to cast a spell, they choose from their entire available spell list at the time of casting. From then on the spell is locked into one of their unique spells/day slots, and cannot be changed until they rest to refresh their spell points (at which point they all become empty again).

It's more versatile then Vancian casting as they can choose any spell on their list/in their spellbook at the time they need it. However it's also less versatile as every spell they cast reduces their versatility, meaning the "every spell for every occassion" style of casting disappears.

Under this system casting a spell costs 1 Spell Point/spell level, including changes for metamagics etc. (I chose spell level rather than caster level since there's no augmentation mechanic in spells).

Spell Point totals were worked out as follows:
1. A spell slot grants Spell Points = it's spell level.
2. Add up all the Spell Points the class gets at that level.
3. Multiply this total by 0.75 (aka three quarters) to get the final total.

The 1/4 reduction is to balance out the increased versatility Spell Points grants over spell slots (since the caster can just go all out on top level spells if they choose).

Clerics get a separate, smaller pool of Spell Points that can only be spent on their Domain Spells (and their normal Spell Points can't be spent on Domain spells). They choose 1 domain spell for each spell level whenever they refresh their Spell Points, which can't be changed until the next time.
Specialist Wizards receive a similar pool to cast their bonus specialisation spells with, and must also choose their specialisation spell for each spell level for the day when they refresh their Spell Points.

Clerics & Druids may spontaneously spent Spell Points on an appropriate spell that equals or exceeds the level of a spell they already have "locked in" in a unique spell/day slot. If they have slots left & want to cast a spontaneous spell then they may choose to lock in a different level of the spell they wish to use, but instead receive the benefits of the spontaneous spell.

eg. A Cleric who has cast Prayer already that day could spontaneously cast Cure Light, Moderate or Serious Wounds. If however they have filled all their unique spell/day slots with 2nd level spells, then they could only spontaneously cast Cure Light or Moderate Wounds that day.

eg2. A Druid who had not yet cast any 2nd level spells that day who wanted to cast Summon Nature's Ally II could either lock that spell into one of their unique spells/day slots, or chose a different 2nd level (or higher) spell into the slot instead eg. Owl's Wisdom, but then receive the benefit of the Summon Spell instead.

Non-spontaneous casters receive a number of unique spells/day equal to their class level. These are up from the Erudite since individual spells are by design less flexible than individual powers. Spontaneous casters keep their usual number of spells known.

Spell Point totals for PHB classes:

Spoiler

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SP = Spell Points
D-SP = Domain Spell Points
S-SP: Specialist Spell Points.

Bard:
{table]Class Level|SP
1|0
2|0
3|1
4|2
5|5
6|7
7|7
8|12
9|15
10|15
11|22
12|26
13|26
14|35
15|41
16|41
17|57
18|67
19|78
20|84[/table]

Cleric:
{table]Class Level|SP|D-SP
1|1|1
2|2|1
3|3|3
4|3|3
5|6|6
6|12|6
7|15|10
8|21|10
9|26|15
10|33|15
11|39|21
12|48|21
13|56|28
14|66|28
15|75|36
16|87|36
17|98|45
18|111|45
19|123|45
20|135|45[/table]

Druid:
{table]Class Level|SP
1|1
2|2
3|3
4|3
5|6
6|12
7|15
8|21
9|26
10|33
11|39
12|48
13|56
14|66
15|75
16|87
17|98
18|111
19|123
20|135[/table]

Ranger:
{table]Class Level|SP
1|0
2|0
3|0
4|0
5|0
6|1
7|1
8|1
9|1
10|2
11|2
12|5
13|5
14|5
15|8
16|9
17|12
18|12
19|20
20|23[/table]

Paladin:
{table]Class Level|SP
1|0
2|0
3|0
4|0
5|0
6|1
7|1
8|1
9|1
10|3
11|3
12|5
13|5
14|6
15|9
16|10
17|12
18|13
19|20
20|23[/table]

Sorcerer:
{table]Class Level|SP
1|3
2|3
3|4
4|9
5|11
6|19
7|23
8|34
9|39
10|54
11|60
12|78
13|86
14|106
15|116
16|139
17|150
18|177
19|189
20|196[/table]

Wizard:
{table]Class Level|SP
1|1|1
2|2|1
3|3|3
4|3|3
5|6|6
6|12|6
7|15|10
8|21|10
9|26|15
10|33|15
11|39|21
12|48|21
13|56|28
14|66|28
15|75|36
16|87|36
17|98|45
18|111|45
19|123|45
20|135|45[/table]

Bonus Spell Points for a High Ability Modifier:
{table]Modifier|Bonus SP
+1|1
+2|3
+3|5
+4|8
+5|12
+6|18
+7|27
+8|34
+9|47
+10|52
+11|59
+12|69
+13|80
+14|86
+15|93
+16|102
+17|114[/table]

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If I get some positive feedback I'll do other classes that get different totals than mentioned here already.

I'm also thinking Spell Points might still be a bit too high, opinions welcome.

Thoughts, queries comments, insults?
K-B

[Shadow Lord]

I... really like this. Out of curiosity, would this be ok for use with Pathfinder, or are there some changes necessary to make it ok?

And, on the system itself: I think that it's okay, but I'm honestly not too sure. However, I very much do like the fact that there's a really big difference between the Spell Points of a Wizard and a Sorcerer; I might even suggest more for the Sorcerer, but that's just me saying that because a Focused Specialist Wizard still gets as many Spell Points as a Sorcerer...

[Kobold-Bard]

I... really like this. Out of curiosity, would this be ok for use with Pathfinder, or are there some changes necessary to make it ok?

And, on the system itself: I think that it's okay, but I'm honestly not too sure. However, I very much do like the fact that there's a really big difference between the Spell Points of a Wizard and a Sorcerer; I might even suggest more for the Sorcerer, but that's just me saying that because a Focused Specialist Wizard still gets as many Spell Points as a Sorcerer...

I couldn't say. Does Pathfinder give caster's different amounts of spells/day?

Hadn't notice that about specialist Wizards. Maybe you're right.

[Shadow Lord]

I couldn't say. Does Pathfinder give caster's different amounts of spells/day?

Hadn't notice that about specialist Wizards. Maybe you're right.

I don't know; You tell me.

Of course I'm right! I'm Lord Shadow; I'm always right!

[Kobold-Bard]

I don't know; You tell me.

Of course I'm right! I'm Lord Shadow; I'm always right!

Bard, Paladin & Ranger would need to be modified. The full casters look to be the same.

[Shadow Lord]

Bard, Paladin & Ranger would need to be modified. The full casters look to be the same.

Alright then, just checking with you.

[Maho-Tsukai]

I have a question for you, may I use this spell points system as a part of a little project of mine? A while back I had started to create a caster class meant to act as the only caster in a setting and eventually wanted it to have a mana system instead of Vaccian casting. Yours seems along the lines of what I want so do I have permission to use it's basic premise for my class?

[Kobold-Bard]

I have a question for you, may I use this spell points system as a part of a little project of mine? A while back I had started to create a caster class meant to act as the only caster in a setting and eventually wanted it to have a mana system instead of Vaccian casting. Yours seems along the lines of what I want so do I have permission to use it's basic premise for my class?

Go for it. If you do & it's recognisable at the end I'd appreciate a mention.