spacelem
Level 1 Medium
Green haired rodent
Posts: 23
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Post by spacelem on Nov 21, 2015 14:47:14 GMT -6
I'm always tinkering with my perfect set of house rules, and different games demand different tweaks.
For my current OD&D game, I'm introducing signature spells. At each spell level Mages get to choose one signature spell that they can always swap in at the time of casting (a bit like the 3e cleric's healing, so CLW might be the Cleric's signature spell).
The advantage is that since they never need to prepare signature spells, they can prepare other less favourable spells which might see less use, so the table will see more variety (rather than every 1st level Mage choosing Sleep). It's not truly Vancian, but I think adds a nice flavour.
A mage will be defined by their set of signature spells, so I'd be tempted to provide some sort of bonus if people chose a theme which they could label themselves, say "Tim the Enchanter", chooses Charm Person, Levitate, Suggestion, Confusion etc. or "Aleph the Pyromancer", chooses Magic Missile, Pyrotechnics, Fireball, Wall of Fire etc. And feel free to suggest other spells you like, I'm flexible.
What do people think?
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premmy
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 295
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Post by premmy on Nov 21, 2015 16:37:21 GMT -6
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Post by Porphyre on Nov 23, 2015 14:58:53 GMT -6
I use to give to spell casters one extra spell by level/day for Int or Wis above 15 , but the Magic User must choose his "favorite" spell (for clerics it is determined by their god/church)
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Post by howandwhy99 on Nov 23, 2015 17:51:39 GMT -6
I like it. Balancing in my mind is the reason it isn't in the rules. The easier, more often a M-U can cast spells, the weaker the spells must be to balance them with the other classes. The game has 1 spell at 1st level per day. And it requires preparation beforehand making the game all about planning and ingenuity with spell effects.
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spacelem
Level 1 Medium
Green haired rodent
Posts: 23
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Post by spacelem on Nov 25, 2015 15:37:49 GMT -6
It does make the MU a bit more powerful, but that's more of an issue at higher levels when they are considered to be ahead of the other classes, I'm not too worried about it at lower levels, which is where most of my D&D experience has been.
I'll be making a few tweaks to the other classes too, which will hopefully even things up. And my combats are usually pretty quick, so I can always chuck a few more monsters into the mix.
Also, knowing that the characters always have certain options available to them makes it easier for me to plan obstacles. Tim the Enchanter should have no problem talking his way past a bunch of guards. Or blasting some random scenery...
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Post by Finarvyn on Nov 26, 2015 7:42:27 GMT -6
Personally, I like the idea that magic-users can shuffle spells while in play and I have played it that way for years. (I currently favor a spell point model where they have total flexibility.) It may seem to make the MU powerful, but they still have a pretty limited number of spells they can cast and so it tends not to be too overblown. Also, this will encourage them to use those utility spells instead of always loading up on combat stuff.
This thread did get me thinking about how I might apply signature spells to my current flexible system, however, and it might be fun to let them cast one spell chosen at creation at one level lower. There might be some limit to this, but I'm thinking that "Bored Flak, the bolt lobber" might be able to cast Lightning Bolt at 2nd level instead of 3rd. Must ponder, as this really mixed up the power level of the game.
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spacelem
Level 1 Medium
Green haired rodent
Posts: 23
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Post by spacelem on Nov 26, 2015 9:00:46 GMT -6
Personally, I like the idea that magic-users can shuffle spells while in play and I have played it that way for years. (I currently favor a spell point model where they have total flexibility.) It may seem to make the MU powerful, but they still have a pretty limited number of spells they can cast and so it tends not to be too overblown. Also, this will encourage them to use those utility spells instead of always loading up on combat stuff. I do currently allow Mages and Clerics to re-prepare spells in play, but it takes them 10 minutes per spell to do (so probably a wandering monster check). This thread did get me thinking about how I might apply signature spells to my current flexible system, however, and it might be fun to let them cast one spell chosen at creation at one level lower. There might be some limit to this, but I'm thinking that "Bored Flak, the bolt lobber" might be able to cast Lightning Bolt at 2nd level instead of 3rd. Must ponder, as this really mixed up the power level of the game. Thanks! It is the flavour of signature spells that I'm attracted to, rather than the specific mechanic. It could even be something as mild as "enemies take a -2 to saving throws against your signature spells, and you get a +2 to the save when facing them". I just like the idea that two casters can't be interchangeable by just swapping spell books, they really do have different strengths, due to the choices of spells that they have mastered.
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Post by starcraft on Nov 27, 2015 9:52:25 GMT -6
My $.02.
I allow for bonus spells for high Intelligence. So a 16 Int is +1 1st level spell.
i also allow any lower level spell to be cast in place of a higher level spell.
So for instance (and forgive me if I am off a bit with spells allowed, I don't have a book in front of me!)
A fifth level magic-user has 3 1st, 2 2nd and 1 3rd level spell prepared for the day (no bonus for this example).
Sleep, Read Magic, Shield
Web x2
Fireball
After using all of his first level and second level spells, he is ambushed by crossbow armed orcs and is taking fire. He sacrifices his fireball spell for the first level shield spell and retreats while protected. Or he could use it to cast web and immobilize them all.
Or he could cook them with fireball of course!
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