Something has been nagging me, and I realized that somewhere along the way, I just simply converted 3.x to 4e. (don't recall who pointed this out, but I hear you now)
That was not my objective, but as was also pointed out earlier, My pure point system allowed for excessive high level spamming that threw the game way out of whack.
so I went back to work, and have version 3.0...
The big problem was that with infinite spells per day on a point system, high level spells get spammed too easily. Outside of combat that can be curbed by common sense, but in combat, we need to be sure that folks can access their 9th level spells every encounter, but not let them be spammed every round.
Solution:
By trippling the cost of instant type spells, this is going to greatly slow down that spam, and locking the duration points for buffing, debuffing, and conrolling the battle feild, the total pool gets reduced, but can be du mped for high level spells any round.
I got the tables fixed, so look at the cost per spell leve, and then at how many points a class has each level to distribute....
Spell Cost
Level Exigent Sustain
0 0 0
1 3 1
2 9 3
3 15 5
4 21 7
5 27 9
6 33 11
7 39 13
8 45 15
9 51 17
Spells cost different amounts to cast, depending on what type of spell it is: Exigent or Sustained.
Exigent Spells (exg): These spells have an immediate effect upon casting. SoD, blast, transportation, and most evocations will fall within this category.
Sustained Spells (sus): These spells have an enduring effect that often benefit allies, hinder enemies, or modify the environment. Haste, slow, solid fog, web all fall within this category.
Hybrid Spells (hyb): These spells are cast as Exigent Spells, but can be sustained after the initial affect like a Sustained Spell. Glitterdust is an example of a Hybrid Spell.
Full Caster 6/9 Caster 4/9 Caster
Class Spell Spell Class Spell Spell Class Spell Spell
Level Pool Refresh Level Level Pool Refresh Level Level Pool Refresh Level
1 6 2 1 1 4 1 1 1 x x
2 8 4 2 6 2 2 x x
3 10 6 2 3 8 3 3 x x
4 12 8 4 10 4 2 4 3 1 1
5 15 10 3 5 12 5 5 5 2
6 18 12 6 14 6 6 7 2
7 21 14 4 7 16 7 3 7 9 3
8 24 16 8 18 8 8 11 3 2
9 28 18 5 9 21 9 9 13 4
10 32 20 10 24 10 4 10 15 4
11 36 22 6 11 27 11 11 17 5 3
12 40 24 12 30 12 12 19 6
13 45 26 7 13 33 13 5 13 21 6
14 50 28 14 36 14 14 23 7 4
15 55 30 8 15 39 15 15 25 7
16 60 32 16 43 16 6 16 28 8
17 66 34 9 17 47 17 17 31 8
18 72 36 18 51 18 18 34 9
19 76 38 19 55 19 19 37 10
20 82 40 20 59 20 20 40 10
A caster begins an encounter with a full spell pool, minus any points currently used to sustain a spell.
When a spell is cast, subtract the appropriate amount of points whether it is Exigent, or Sustainable.
The level of spell, type of spell, and number of spells is dictated solely by the amount of points available in the pool.
A caster may recover lost spell points in one of two ways:
1. Spend a standard action to recover the number of points indicated by caster level. This amount cannot exceed the maximum spell pool determined by level, and if the number of sustained spells is high enough, the caster may not be able to recover the full amount of points typically allowed*.
2. The general feat, "Adaptive Style" may be selected to spend a full round action to recover the full spell pool, minus any points dedicated to sustaining existing spells*.
*A caster can potentially use every point in his pool to sustain a spell. This would result in NO spell points being recovered by either standard actions or Adaptive Style.
Any number of sustained spells may be dismissed as a free action prior to recovering spell points. The dismissed spells end their effects immediately, as though dispelled.
Spells Known
Each class has a set number of spells that can be prepared for use at any given time.
This is determined by the individual classes and class levels.
the list of spells "known" or "prepared" determines how many spells of each spell level a caster has available to spend spell points at any given time. Normal rules for acquiring spells, stat needed to cast, etc apply.
High stats allow for additional spells to be available of the appropriate level.
HIgh stats do not allow for additional spell points in the pool, or more points to be recoverd.
Spontaneous casters still function the same as before on known spells. Once a spell is known, it can be used repeatedly as dictated by spell point usage.
Prepared casters perform the same as Spontaneous casters, but an hour of time must be spent after full rest to study a spell book to set what the known spells for that day are.
Divine casters must spend an hour each day praying for the spells to be known. These may be any spells as normally dictated by the divine class.
Divine casters that have spontaneous spells available, and domain spells do not count against the total spells prayed for that day. They are essentially "free" and always "known", assuming the requisite hour of time is spent praying.
Psions, like Spontaneous arcane casters, never need to study to use their powers. Their powers are set as the same everyday.
Differences in classes:
1. Wizard and Sorceror are now the same class.
gain the wizard's feats per level, and prepared spells are the known spells per day.
Allow for both wizard and sorceror specific spells to be available for use.
2. Cleric replaces any instance of favored soul.
Heal spells, though fitting the general format of Exigent Spells, pay the Sustain Spell costs. This is strictly an incentive for healers to more readily heal as an inexpensive option during combat.
This stands true for Druids, Bards, or any other caster with access to the cure wound line of spells.
3. Druids are relatively unchanged.
4. Psions lose their current Psp progression, and conform to this method of progression instead.
Focus is no longer necesary to perform metamagic feats... though other feats may require focus as normal.
What about Metamagic?
1. Metamagic works as normal in that it increases the total leve of the spell cast.
This has not changed.
2. A caster must still be of sufficient level to cast the spell to take advantage of the feat.
-- Example: A 9th level wizard can cast a quickened magic missle. This will then be treated as a 5th level Exigent Spell, and will cost 27 points to cast, instead of the normal 3 as a level 1 unmodified spell.
-- Example: A 9th level wizard can cast a quickened mage armour. This will then be treated as a 5th level Sustain Spell, and will cost 9 points to cast, instead of the normal 1 as a level 1 unmodified spell.
------ in the case of a sustained spell, the metamagic only counts towards the initial casting, unless the metamagic has an ongoing effect.
------ Example: a 9th level wizard can cast a quickened mage armour as a 5th level spell, costing 9 points to activate, but to sustain the spell, it costs only 1.
------ Example: a 9th level wizard can cast a widened web spell as a 5th level sustain spell, costing 9 points to activate, and will cost the full 9 points, since the widened web is an ongoing effect... covering more area than normally allowed by a web spell.
-- IF insufficient points are available to cast the modified spell, it is an illegal action to cast.
-- Extend as a metamagic feat is no longer necesary... spells with a variable duration are now sustainable, and last as long as the caster is willing to invest spell points.
SO now, any time you gain access to a new spell level, it is going to take virtually all of your pool to cast an exigent spell. This will force a recharge by standard action or full round action after castin it. 5th level wizard can pop a fireball all day, but will have to spend a standard action next round recharging. Or can pop a few Exg spells before recharging, or can have a LOT of bufs active, and sacreice SoD's, and Blasting.
THis allows for archetypes to be maintained without overpowering others... the DMM priest can still do all te DMM tricks, and pay or the sustaining costs, while still having spell power available to heal, and occasionally drop some damage out of melee.
This still allows for the same flexibility that the ver1.0 had, but places reasonable limits on the classes like ver 2.0.
I think this is a better solution, feels a lot more like ToB mechanics from the book... use some good powers, take a moment to refresh.
Virtually all spells fit within exg, sus, or hyb spells costs.
Feedback appreciated here.
