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View Full Version : A New Wizard - a tweak for the UA Spellcaster [3.5]



Altair_the_Vexed
2010-05-09, 02:46 PM
EDITED: to account for suggestions and advice below.

I'm thinking about making a sorcerer-based version of the generic Spellcaster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm#spellcaster) class, to replace the wizard and sorcerer, for a game setting I'm working on.

Being based on the sorcerer, it will have the same spells per day (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#sorcerer)as that class (where Unearthed Arcana's has marginally less).

However, I'd like to allow for some greater versatility in spells used. That has to come at the expense of blasting power - spells per day. With that intent, I've invented this feat to allow players to select the more versatile option of an academic caster over the raw power of the undisciplined caster.

The Feats:
Spellbook
You can tap into the myriad options of arcane writings on a daily basis.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast Read Magic as a known spell.
Benefit:
At the same time that you refresh your spells for the coming day, you may give up one or more spells per day of any level you can cast (leaving a minimum of 1 spell per day of each level you can cast), up to 3rd level spells. In exchange, you may learn an equal number of spells of the same level or levels from a spellbook, taking 15 minutes per spell thus learned. These spells now count as part of your list of known spells, for that day only.
Normal:
You may only cast spells from your list of known spells.

Improved Spellbook
Your understanding of arcane writing increases to encompass more advanced magic.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast Read Magic as a known spell, ability to cast 4th level spells, Spellbook feat.
Benefit:
At the same time that you refresh your spells for the coming day, you may give up one or more spells per day of any level you can cast (leaving a minimum of 1 spell per day of each level you can cast), up to 6th level spells. In exchange, you may learn an equal number of spells of the same level or levels from a spellbook, taking 30 minutes per spell thus learned. These spells now count as part of your list of known spells, for that day only.
Normal:
You may only cast spells from your list of known spells.

Greater Spellbook
You are a master of arcane lore, able to transform the most obscure written theory into magical practice.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast Read Magic as a known spell, ability to cast 7th level spells, Spellbook and Improved Spellbook feats.
Benefit:
At the same time that you refresh your spells for the coming day, you may give up one or more spells per day of any level you can cast (leaving a minimum of 1 spell per day of each level you can cast), up to 9th level spells. In exchange, you may learn an equal number of spells of the same level or levels from a spellbook, taking 1 hour per spell thus learned. These spells now count as part of your list of known spells, for that day only.
Normal:
You may only cast spells from your list of known spells....

The fluffy idea behind this is to have casters who know a few spells off the top of their heads, but have the ability to look up and learn new ones as the occasion dictates.
I think this reflects more of the fantasy literature out there than the Vancian magic system that D&D normally has.
We're used to wizards and witches in fiction being able to cast a bunch of spells without needing to re-learn them, and we're used to those same casters being able to look up new spells in a book and add them to their repertoire.

I must stress, though: this is a feat for a game where the only casters are UA generic Spellcasters, who get the same spell progression as Sorcerers. This is not for use in a regular, all-caster-classes-are-available game.

Normal SRD rules for spellbooks apply.

With all that in mind, and the comments below: do these feats look good?
Are they useful?
Are they too useful, and broken?
Are they underpowered, and unlikely to be taken by anyone with a well-developed sense of optimising?

Southern Cross
2010-05-10, 04:25 PM
I'd suggest that this feat have the following prerequisites: Spellcaster must have the read magic cantrip and the Scribe Scroll feat.

Fizban
2010-05-11, 12:42 AM
Being able to change your entire spell list every day and cast spontaneously from it is crazy awesome even if everyone can do it. Now, if you meant to a maximum of one spell at each level you can cast, then I think it's pretty good. As is the only balancing factor is that everyone would have it. Except the non-casters of course.

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-05-12, 02:37 PM
I'd suggest that this feat have the following prerequisites: Spellcaster must have the read magic cantrip and the Scribe Scroll feat.
I agree that you neede Read Magic, but I'm less sure about Scribe Scroll. Adding the feat to the requirements means you need to burn two feats to get this ability - so only humans would be able to start out this way.


Being able to change your entire spell list every day and cast spontaneously from it is crazy awesome even if everyone can do it. Now, if you meant to a maximum of one spell at each level you can cast, then I think it's pretty good. As is the only balancing factor is that everyone would have it. Except the non-casters of course.
Note that you lose a spell per day for each spell that you learn from your book.
The sorcerer spell progression only puts it two spells per level per day ahead of the wizard - and that's if we ignore the faster access to higher levels that wizards get.
You fairly quickly end up with the same spells per day as a wizard, albeit with the advantage of spontaneous casting.
To gain more spells from your book, you end up reducing your spells per day below that of an equivalent level wizard.

With that in mind, do you still feel that it's too powerful?
I had been thinking of an alternative method to achieve this - setting this feat to a maximum of 3rd level spells, and making a feat tree for mid and higher level spells.

Aroes
2010-05-12, 10:23 PM
Note that you lose a spell per day for each spell that you learn from your book.

You could make the time per spell more variable; 5 minuets per spell level, and 1 minute for cantrips. The more powerful the spell, the longer it will take. Don't forget you can add a spellcraft role to see if they added the spell successfully.



The sorcerer spell progression only puts it two spells per level per day ahead of the wizard - and that's if we ignore the faster access to higher levels that wizards get.

Just to nitpick; wizards can specialize for more spells per day. Would your substitute wizard/sorc do likewise?



With that in mind, do you still feel that it's too powerful?
I had been thinking of an alternative method to achieve this - setting this feat to a maximum of 3rd level spells, and making a feat tree for mid and higher level spells.

I would compare it to the currently existing idea for wizards: Signature spell. Each time you take this feat, you can substitute it for a spell of its level or higher spontaneously. You could mod this feat instead to do something similar.

Also, what would you do to creating new spells? This is one of the reasons I allays play a wizard over a sorc: The ability to create my own spells to suite the campaign setting or my play style.

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-05-13, 04:43 AM
You could make the time per spell more variable; 5 minuets per spell level, and 1 minute for cantrips. The more powerful the spell, the longer it will take. Don't forget you can add a spellcraft role to see if they added the spell successfully.I have a bad experience with variable spell learning times - in certain editions, it would take a high level wizard more than a day to prepare spells...

Just to nitpick; wizards can specialize for more spells per day. Would your substitute wizard/sorc do likewise?No.
The selection of spells known is where your specialisation comes from under this system.

I would compare it to the currently existing idea for wizards: Signature spell. Each time you take this feat, you can substitute it for a spell of its level or higher spontaneously. You could mod this feat instead to do something similar.I actually modelled this feat on Spell Mastery, whereby you can prepare spells without reference to a spell book.
This feat does effectively the opposite of that - granting access to a spell book when you normally don't use one.
More on this below...

Also, what would you do to creating new spells? This is one of the reasons I allays play a wizard over a sorc: The ability to create my own spells to suite the campaign setting or my play style.
I would rule that Spellcasters can research new spells for their spell book.

...

It seems from the discussions and points raised that the feat I proposed allows a little too much versatility.
I'm going to go with my Plan B method, and have three feats: Spellbook, Improved Spellbook, and Greater Spellbook.

Spellbook will be limited to 3rd level spells.
Improved Spellbook will be limited to 6th level spells.
Greater Spellbook will have no limit.

Each feat will require the previous. I'll update the OP shortly.