[3.P] Revamped Spell Resistance

[Curious]

Inspirations: Psionics, and Seerow.

Alright, this is my revamped system for spell resistance, using psionics/ spell points as a base.

Changes in Spell Resistance
Spell Resistance, rather than being a binary yes/no opposing check, instead reduces the number of power points carried in a spell. When a creature with spell resistance is affected by a spell, the number of spell points invested in the spell is reduced by an amount equal to the creatures spell resistance, with corresponding consequences to the power of the spell. The spellcaster may make an opposed will check against a creature with spell resistance, reducing it's effective spell resistance by 1 for every one higher his will save is than its own. However, if the creatures opposed will check is higher than the wizards, its effective spell resistance is instead increased by 1 for every one by which it beats the wizard.

All spell points lost as a result of spell resistance are gone for the day as if they were cast in a spell, but have no further effect. If the number of spell points lost from a spell puts it below the lowest number necessary for it to be cast, the spell instead counts as the next lowest spell in it's chain.

For example: The 7th level wizard Australwitz casts a lightning bolt at a Drow, which he invests 6 spell points in. The Drow has Spell Resistance 3, which would reduce the power of the spell to near impotence, so Australwitz decides to risk an opposed will check. The wizard achieves a solid 21, but the drow gets lucky and manages a 20. Australwitz has still overborne the drow, however, and its effective spell resistance is reduced to 2, which then negates two of the spell points invested in his lightning bolt. The lightning bolt now contains only 4 spell points, and deals damage appropriately.


So, too complicated, or no?

[Daverin]

I don't know about the rest of it, but that SR system looks really cool, not going to lie.

[bobthe6th]

might just let the spells augment. though a set of classes that get like 5 spell chains from a discipline might be fun.

[Tenno Seremel]

Don't go overboard with reducing the amount of spells known. Psions get 36 powers known total and sometimes I think it's too small.

Well, unless you allow Pathfinder's favorite class bonus, human wizard/sorcerer style (additional spells known per level). Actually pretty nice choice instead of taking a prestige class. For example, instead of going Sangehirn with its Heal 9 requirement you learn Channel Power and research some healing.

[bobthe6th]

also, with this change, you could just toss wizard/sorceror. just use psions/wilders. would mean a lot of changes to the current spells, but it could be fun.

but this leads to my sugestion of not trying to fix arcane/divine, and just make them all psionic...

[InfiniteNothing]

Hmm... This has potential. I'll be keeping an eye on this.

[Curious]

Oh yay, I actually got responses!

I was thinking that since you are essentially getting 10 spells total from each chain, it would be good to let each spellcaster have up to, say, 17 chains, maybe a bit more. Does that seem like too little, or too much? I'm aiming for a tier 3 area here.

[Tenno Seremel]

Well, some utility / support spells will have no chains or only short ones. If you make everything have those, maybe you could do it as you essentially learn more spells, you just pick them in thematic packs.

[Curious]

Well, some utility / support spells will have no chains or only short ones. If you make everything have those, maybe you could do it as you essentially learn more spells, you just pick them in thematic packs.

Hm. I'm actually reconsidering the whole chain idea, now that you bring up utility and one-off spells. Spells like invisibilty, charm person, most illusion spells and a ton of others only really work on their own, not as a whole scaling line. Eh.
Maybe I should just recommend the use of these converted spells with my SR system.

[Curious]

Oh, right, I forgot to mention: you can convert most monsters with SR to this system by dividing the current spell resistance by 2, rounded down. In the case of golems and such, their SR remains infinite.

[Prime32]

When a creature with spell resistance is affected by a spell, the number of spell points invested in the spell is reduced by an amount equal to the creatures spell resistance, with corresponding consequences to the power of the spell.

I've done something similar.

[Curious]

I've done something similar.

Hm, kinda similar. Probably better than the default method anyways.

[SpaceBadger]

I hope this thread isn't too old to revive without necromancy (less than a month since last post), but I just now followed the link from your sig, so...

What is the spell point system that you are referencing in your spell resistance idea? I see that you said it is inspired by Psionics - do you have a reference for adapting that to spell points for magic? (I don't have a Psionics book; is it in there? Or somewhere online?)

[Dragon Star]

I hope this thread isn't too old to revive without necromancy (less than a month since last post), but I just now followed the link from your sig, so...

What is the spell point system that you are referencing in your spell resistance idea? I see that you said it is inspired by Psionics - do you have a reference for adapting that to spell points for magic? (I don't have a Psionics book; is it in there? Or somewhere online?)

I think it's from Unearthed Arcana.

[Curious]

I hope this thread isn't too old to revive without necromancy (less than a month since last post), but I just now followed the link from your sig, so...

What is the spell point system that you are referencing in your spell resistance idea? I see that you said it is inspired by Psionics - do you have a reference for adapting that to spell points for magic? (I don't have a Psionics book; is it in there? Or somewhere online?)

There is the Unearthed Arcana variant, which is okay and official, and then there is Ernir's variant, which is probably better balanced and is homebrew.

[Dragon Star]

There is the Unearthed Arcana variant, which is okay and official, and then there is Ernir's variant, which is probably better balanced and is homebrew.

I never knew about that one. It looks amazing, much better the the official version.