Witches and Warlocks, Hogwarts students of all ages! Magical beasts and Eldritch Abominations too!!
Since there seems to be an influx of "magic fixes" running around, I decided to jump the bandwagon! Well, sorta...I had these a few months ago, but it was this recent summer, where the conditions were right (people interested in homebrewing solutions, one small group I used to playtest the new material including the Retools), when I decided to adventure forth into releasing part of the material.
As you know, the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 rules rarely favor martial combat (despite being the core of the system itself: combat). Classes such as clerics, druids or wizards end up several degrees of power beyond the martial-inclined classes. While it may be understandable (within fantasy, magic usually becomes a tool of great power), given their “humble” beginnings, fighters and other martial characters end up severely underhanded in comparison.
By first level, it is reasonable that fighters are stronger than wizards, or even rogues. Within a frame of six levels (the usual “pre-heroic” level range), the fighter, the rogue, the cleric, the wizard and similar classes end up growing at relatively similar rates. The fighter has few magical weapons, several methods of attack and few restrictions to combat; wizards and clerics have spells of reasonable power but several limitations, and rogues have a reasonable challenge within skills, not to mention a reasonable fighting ability right between the lack of fighting ability of the wizards (but strangely enough, not of the clerics or druids) and the larger fighting ability of the fighters.
After seventh level, things begin to change. Most wizards, specifically those that choose the right spells, end up already bypassing the fighter in combat capability, and most importantly in utility. While fighters gain another attack on a full attack (an iterative attack) and access to stronger feats, wizards (and to an extent, sorcerers) gain a series of spells with which they can provide benefit to allies, cripple or kill enemies, and generally serve of greater utility upon the party than the fighters. Clerics, with spells such as divine power, end up practically replacing the fighter in their own turf, and druids end up both replacing the fighter with their animal companion and being of greater utility to the party. As the levels go, the benefits of fighters become severely crippled by such restrictions as size, flight capability, reach, and other similar traits. By 15th level (pre-epic, where the characters are meant to regularly travel to other planes and face creatures of incredible might), the fighter becomes relegated to fewer and fewer duties, the effect minimized by such things as magic items and reasonable feat and prestige class choices that cause the fighter to become a “one-trick pony”.
Fixing these design irregularities is a massive, or so to say mammoth task. For all means, it would imply recreating the game.
For most of us (forgive me if I use the Royal "We" in here), which admire this set of rules and have played with them for several years (or else GitP wouldn't be one of the few places that harbors so many 3.5 players), it may be easier to reach a compromise. These sets of alternate rules may or may not allow for some equality between the classes, but are an attempt to reduce the immense power of spellcasters while providing greater benefits for martial characters. The rules, of course, are not enough: changes to the classes and to the feats are to be done, not to mention to magic items. Some are meant to be creative, some have been suggested for so long and done in other attempts to alter the rules of the game that it would be unreasonable to ignore them, and some may seem unbalanced at first, but reasonable on the long run. Consider this a disclaimer on the experiment in here overall; this isn't meant to be the end-all-be-all of fixes, but if it starts a movement, well...
So, without further ado...let's explain what in heathenly tarnation I'm speaking about regarding the "new rules for full spellcasters". Note: this doesn't just affect full spellcasters, but all spellcasters; it's just that the pun only works on those who cast 9th level spells.
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The ability to use magic is usually the province of spellcasters; that by itself is reasonable. However, the ability to cast spells by itself is extremely powerful, and such effects only magnify because of the ability to stack as many metamagic feats as possible unto one single spell. Thus, the humble enervation spell turns into the aberrated twinned empowered maximized split-ray enervation spell. The developers, seeing as how this could turn abusive really fast, tried to fix this by applying restrictions such as spell levels, and in the case of spontaneous spellcasters a time restriction. But, then came such things as the Arcane Thesis feat, metamagic rods and such and things effectively screeched into a halt. All of a sudden, a wizard could cast two spells of the same kind while perfectly still and muted, without any kind of trouble.
Undoubtedly, the biggest problem of the spellcasters is the spells themselves. However, that cannot be blamed; a responsible DM may ban some problematic spells, but things are eventually going to spiral out of control very, very soon. Thus, a reasonable method of removing some power from the spellcasters is to limit their access to metamagic. Because, of course, metamagic implies necessarily an enhancement to magic; however, instead of a practice in which a character applies a magical technique to enhance a spell, it acts like a template in which you try to stack as many benefits to a spell before firing it off. If that is reduced, spellcasters will be a bit weaker but they can still fall on their already universe-shattering spellcasting.
First, the bad news. Remember that virtually all spells had a standard action casting time? Well, scrub that “standard action” casting time with a really, really strong erasing agent and replace with “full-round” action. Why a full-round action, forcing the spellcaster to remain still? Because one of the big problems of a spellcaster is that it, of course, won’t remain still. Besides, it already has lesser celerity to gain a move action (albeit it will be dazed instead), so it’s not like they will lose anything… So, to politely tell the laws of physics to sit around on a corner and cry, the spellcaster requires six seconds (this is the laws of magic giving the proverbial finger to the spellcaster). Is this a punishment? No, not really; rather, it is an adjustment so that spellcasters think twice before casting a spell. But still; magic IS powerful. More powerful than you may think.
So…returning to metamagic. A spellcaster already knows how to “cast defensively”; that is, it makes a Concentration check (a very easy check, to boot) and never needs to fail spellcasting (or even get attacks of opportunity from casting the spell!). And spellcasters now require a full-round action for virtually all spells (except those nifty spells with swift or move action casting times, which remain as-is since they are meant to be cast faster…), so…what can be done? There is a feat called Rapid Spell that usually works to aid with other metamagic feats for those suffering spontaneous spellcasters. And, checking on other videogames, there is a nifty idea of casting spells quickly or casting spells on the defensive. So…what does this imply?
Let’s call “casting spells quickly” Rapid Spell, and let’s call “casting spells on the defensive” Defensive Spell. Now, let’s say these are metamagic techniques, that all spellcasters learn from extensive training just by entering into the class.
Rapid Spell: this is one of the metamagic techniques all spellcasters learn from their 1st level in a spellcasting class. When using Rapid Spell, the spell’s casting time is reduced by one step. Thus, full-round action spells are reduced to standard action spells, 1-round action spells are reduced to full-round action spells, and spells with more than one round casting time (such as lesser restoration) are reduced by one round. A spell cannot be reduced to less than a standard action, and spells with casting times of one minute or more cannot be reduced by this feat. Unlike other metamagic techniques, a spellcaster may apply Rapid Spell at every round.
Defensive Spell: this is one of the metamagic techniques all spellcasters learn from their 1st level in a spellcasting class. When using Defensive Spell, the spellcaster never risks an attack of opportunity from casting a spell within the threat range of a creature. Furthermore, the spellcaster makes a Concentration check; if the spellcaster is then attacked or disrupted, the spellcaster may roll again and use the best of the two results to prevent disruption. Unlike other metamagic techniques, a spellcaster may apply Defensive Spell at every round.
What does this mean? Well, spellcasters can use one of these techniques to enhance their spellcasting without trouble; either they cast their spell faster but with greater risk, or they cast their spell at the same speed but with lesser risk.
Note the premise, “spellcasters can use one of these techniques…” This is crucial, since it deals with how metamagic will work. A spellcaster can only include ONE metamagic technique (either Rapid Spell, Defensive Spell or a metamagic feat) on a spell. One. This is to prevent abuses such as from combining Empower Spell, Twin Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, and Split Ray into a single spell.
The second deal is with how metamagic is applied. Normally, a spellcaster either prepares a metamagic version of the spell (if it’s a prepared spellcaster) or uses the metamagic technique on a spell on the fly (if it’s a spontaneous spellcaster). Psionics has a reasonable tactic for this: since the character, the psychic, needs to expend its psionic focus to use the metapsionic feat, it can use only one metapsionic feat. Psionics has only one unified theory, so there is no need to “prepare” a power with the metapsionic feat already expended. This is what makes the psionics system less broken than the spellcasting system of Dungeons & Dragons (only less; real optimizers know how to make psionics a nightmare). Thus, metamagic techniques adopt the style of metapsionics: only one of them can be applied, but it can be applied on the fly (the only difference is that you don't need to spend any "focus"). For the wizard, the cleric and the druid, this is a small loss; for the sorcerer and the bard and the favored soul (and other spontaneous spellcasters), it is nothing. Oh, that goes without saying that adding a metamagic feat does not alter the casting time of the spell; all full spellcasters are already forced to delay their spellcasting, so delaying their use with metamagic is a kick on the nads. But, that was what happened with spontaneous spellcasters anyways. Time to give the spontaneous spellcasters a bit of love.
Finally, there is the concept of dealing with spell slots. Spell slots, for spellcasters, are precious. While making metamagic feats expend spell slots of higher level seems balanced at first, the magic items and the feats and the prestige classes (Incantatrix, I am looking at you…) turn into a minor annoyance at best. Thus, let’s remove that restriction at all, shall we? The new method of “balancing” the use of metamagic is replacing the term “a spell enhanced by this metamagic feat takes up a spell slot X levels higher” with “after using this feat, a spellcaster must wait X turns before reusing”.
Other Metamagic Feats: A spellcaster may use any metamagic technique it has learned by means of a feat. The spellcaster may use only one metamagic technique per spell cast, and it may not use the metamagic feat for a number of rounds indicated on the feat (if not available; the number of turns before the metamagic feat is recharged is equal to the increase in the spell slot’s level).
Heighten Spell: when using Heighten Spell, the spellcaster may determine the desired spell level, and the amount of turns required to recharge is equal to the increase in the spell’s level.
Persistent Spell: unlike other metamagic feats, Persistent Spell has a much larger recharge time. A Persistent Spell takes six hours to recharge, instead of six rounds as it would normally be. Thus, in any one day, a spellcaster may persist four spells at intervals of six hours. Persistent Spell cannot be reduced by any means, making it an exclusive metamagic feat.
Metamagic Feats with no level adjustment: any metamagic feat that provides no spell slot level adjustment may be used at any single round.
Thus, the effect would be as follows: let’s say Willie the Wizard (lame name, but puns are worth it; else, call it Thaddeus or Werdna ^_~) is about to cast fireball. He may decide to cast the spell normally, cast the spell swifter via Rapid Spell (reducing fireball to a standard action), cast the spell defensively, or cast a maximized version of fireball. Time being of the essence, Willie (or Thaddeus, or Werdna) goes for maximized fireball, since that way he’ll finish the battle earlier. As a full-round action, he casts maximized fireball and ends the battle in one swift stroke (let’s just assume there was no resistance to fire, that there was no one around, and that by all means the unspecified amount of opponents was weakened enough already to be finished with one fireball) Now, if for some reason he needed to cast a maximized version of a spell, he would have to wait three turns (starting with the turn after he cast the spell) before he can regain the ability to use Maximize Spell.
Arcane Thesis and similar metamagic reduction feats, class abilities or items: when using metamagic reductions, the amount of time that a spellcaster needs to recharge the metamagic feat is reduced.
Metamagic Rods: a metamagic rod works exactly as if the character had the feat (including using only one rod, not three or four or five as you’re focusing the spell on the rod, mind you…), but it can only be used once per encounter. If the character does have the metamagic feat, it may use the rod immediately after using the feat and use the same metamagic on a consecutive round without disrupting the recharge time of the metamagic feat. Holding and using the metamagic rod does not grant knowledge of the feat for purposes of item creation.
Spell Casting Time and non-full spellcasters: for half spellcasters (such as paladins, rangers and similar classes) and 2/3 spellcasters (specifically bards, but also any class that follows the spellcasting progression of a bard and does not allow to reach 9th level spells), the spell’s casting times are standard actions, as usual. Since part-time spellcasters starve for actions, their limited spellcasting is comprised of simpler spell gestures and less complex wording (even if, for all means, it is the same spell as that cast by a full spellcaster) and thus they may move and cast a spell as they desire.
SpoilerAlright, the Cliffs Notes of all that:
First, that means you cast spells such as Fireball, Cure Light Wounds and Haste as full-round spells. Feather Fall, being an immediate action, is still cast as an immediate action. Since most of the spells have a standard action casting time, that means most will be cast as full-round actions. Of course, a Bard can cast Cure Light Wounds or Sound Burst or Haste as standard actions, because they aren't full spellcasters. Paladins can cast Cure Light Wounds as a standard action (and if using Battle Blessing, as a swift action!). Rangers can cast Cure Light Wounds as a standard action, and Swift Haste as a swift action.
The example is pretty nice, but to make it simpler: you can use only one metamagic, and the ability to cast defensively or cast as a standard action (the latter for full spellcasters) counts as metamagic. Once you use it, the metamagic feat recharges. Believe it or not, this makes metamagic easier to use, despite the slight amount of extra book-keeping. Of course, Heighten Spell and Persistent Spell work on different grounds anyways. By the way, since Rapid Spell is meant to provide full spellcasters with a chance to cast as a standard action (and other spells at a reduced action, much like the original metamagic feat), it is mostly redundant to classes that CAN cast as standard actions, such as Bards, Paladins, Rangers and whatnot.
Also, in case you're confused:
Full Spellcaster is the one that can cast up to 9th level spells. This includes Cleric, Druid, Favored Soul, Archivist, Healer, Sorcerer, Wizard, Beguiler, Warmage, Dread Necromancer, Wu Jen, Shugenja, and so on.
Partial Spellcaster or "non-Full Spellcaster" is the one that casts spells, but doesn't reach 9th level spells. This includes Bards, Paladins, Rangers, Duskblades, Hexblades, as well as prestige classes that grant partial spellcasting such as Assassins, Blackguards and whatnot.
The Exceptions to the Rule are as follows: the Warlock is an invocation user, as well as the Dragonfire Adept; these aren't considered Full Spellcasters. Ur-Priests are considered Full Spellcasters; Sublime Chords aren't considered full spellcasters because they require a non-full spellcaster chassis to enter. Classes such as Nar Demonbinder, which require you to already cast spells of a specific level in order to enter and merely increase your spellcasting chances, aren't considered full spellcasters. Shadowcasters are treated as Full Spellcasters on the mysteries cast as arcane spells; once you can cast them as spell-like abilities, they are used as standard actions.
And of course, this applies only to Spellcasters. Manifesters are treated differently; if such a rule were to apply, that'd apply only to Psions, Wilders and Ardents.
What does this mean with spell-like abilities, then? Of course, those are cast as standard actions unless the casting time is longer (or shorter) OR there's an exception to the rule that mentions they can be cast faster or slower. That's why Warlocks and Dragonfire Adepts don't count as Full Spellcasters under this revision; they cast spell-like abilities, not spells. In the case of Manifesters using this alternate rule, the same applies to psi-like abilities.
