Recharge Magic revisited

[CasualViking]

Back in the misty days of yore, Recharge Magic was published as an optional rule in Unearthed Arcana, and was received with a resounding "meh". Personally, I love the huge gonzo pile of spells that is D&D, but not so much the daily resource scheme, and I'm none too happy with huge buffstacks and duration tracking either.

I am tinkering with a different take on Recharge Magic and "not tracking durations. I would appreciate input.

google doc

[Segev]

If I understand this correctly, casting any combat-length buff spell means your CL is reduced by that spell’s level for the duration of the fight. So a 7th level wizard casting Haste and then Invisibility can’t cast anything above a first level spell, and even that’s only at CL 2? And after that, he’s down to CL 1, then 0 and unable to cast anymore.

It’s a huge nerf to casters. Harsher than 5e’s change to Concentration rules. (Which looks more forgiving at first, until you realize that tons more spells require it now.)

[CasualViking]

If I understand this correctly, casting any combat-length buff spell means your CL is reduced by that spell’s level for the duration of the fight. So a 7th level wizard casting Haste and then Invisibility can’t cast anything above a first level spell, and even that’s only at CL 2? And after that, he’s down to CL 1, then 0 and unable to cast anymore.

It’s a huge nerf to casters. Harsher than 5e’s change to Concentration rules. (Which looks more forgiving at first, until you realize that tons more spells require it now.)

Huh. Yeah, blocking all recovery seems overly harsh. It should probably just make the stress spent to cast it unrecoverable.

So, level 7 wizard opens with Black Tentacles, he is down to level 3. That locks him into using 2. level spells, and if he uses anything but instant spells, he gets knocked down into 1. level spells. He should be recovering 2-3 stress every turn.

If he opens with Haste instead, he has room for a pre-cast Mirror Images as well

If he opens with Phantasmal Killer, he should be able to follow it with Fireball next round.