Overhaul of Arcane magic system
ZanathKariashi
Member Posts: 2,869
Give specialists all the bonuses and penalties they're supposed to have.
Benefits - (Wild mages gain only the +1 spell per day per spell level)
+1 spell per day per spell level
+15% chance to learn spells of their chosen schools
-1 save penalty on spells cast from their chosen school that allow a save
+1 save bonus vs spells of their chosen school that allow a save
Disadvantages- (Wild mages only suffer the chance of wild surges)
-15% chance to learn spells not from their school.
Barred schools of magic, shown below.
School restrictions -
Mage - None
Bard - None, up to 6th level only
Wild Mage - None
Abjurer - Alteration/transmutation and Illusion
Conjuror - Greater Divination, Invocation/Evocation
Diviner - Conjuration/Summoning
Enchanter - Invocation/Evocation, Necromancy
Illusionist - Necromancy, Invocation/Evocation, Abjuration
Invoker - Enchantment/charm, Conjuration/Summoning
Necromancer - Illusion, Enchantment/Charm
Transmuter - Abjuration, Necromancy
Create a Lesser divination school that encompasses all divination of 4th level or lower, as per PnP.
Allow mages (excluding Bards) to choose 1 new spell to add to their spell book every time they level up, up to their highest cast-able level (if there's room in their spell book). Specialists (excluding Wild Mages, who are a mage kit, not a specialist) get 2, but 1 must be from their chosen school, if possible. (Wild Mages gain Chaos Shield for free at 3rd level, and Greater Chaos shield at level 14)
Enforce the Sorcerer spell level progression (1 level after a mage gains a new spell level)-
10 and under is correct
13 - 6th
15 - 7th
17 - 8th
19 - 9th
Enforce the stat requirements for arcane spell casting -
(int for mage/bard or charisma for sorcerer) (up to)
9 - 4th
10-11 - 5th
12-13 - 6th
14-15 - 7th
16-17 - 8th
18+ - 9th
Enforce spells known per level intelligence limit
(potions and items aren't supposed to increase the cap, only raw ability)
Benefits - (Wild mages gain only the +1 spell per day per spell level)
+1 spell per day per spell level
+15% chance to learn spells of their chosen schools
-1 save penalty on spells cast from their chosen school that allow a save
+1 save bonus vs spells of their chosen school that allow a save
Disadvantages- (Wild mages only suffer the chance of wild surges)
-15% chance to learn spells not from their school.
Barred schools of magic, shown below.
School restrictions -
Mage - None
Bard - None, up to 6th level only
Wild Mage - None
Abjurer - Alteration/transmutation and Illusion
Conjuror - Greater Divination, Invocation/Evocation
Diviner - Conjuration/Summoning
Enchanter - Invocation/Evocation, Necromancy
Illusionist - Necromancy, Invocation/Evocation, Abjuration
Invoker - Enchantment/charm, Conjuration/Summoning
Necromancer - Illusion, Enchantment/Charm
Transmuter - Abjuration, Necromancy
Create a Lesser divination school that encompasses all divination of 4th level or lower, as per PnP.
Allow mages (excluding Bards) to choose 1 new spell to add to their spell book every time they level up, up to their highest cast-able level (if there's room in their spell book). Specialists (excluding Wild Mages, who are a mage kit, not a specialist) get 2, but 1 must be from their chosen school, if possible. (Wild Mages gain Chaos Shield for free at 3rd level, and Greater Chaos shield at level 14)
Enforce the Sorcerer spell level progression (1 level after a mage gains a new spell level)-
10 and under is correct
13 - 6th
15 - 7th
17 - 8th
19 - 9th
Enforce the stat requirements for arcane spell casting -
(int for mage/bard or charisma for sorcerer) (up to)
9 - 4th
10-11 - 5th
12-13 - 6th
14-15 - 7th
16-17 - 8th
18+ - 9th
Enforce spells known per level intelligence limit
(potions and items aren't supposed to increase the cap, only raw ability)
Post edited by ZanathKariashi on
2
Comments
And not that much. BG1 enforced the Invoker restrictions, but didn't for other classes. All in all, it's actually a buff for most schools, since they would benefit from their proper -1 save penalty, and aside from school changes, would help mitigate a lack of finding the right spell you need, since they are in fact entitled to a free spell on every level up (two for specialists).
The decision to be a specialist isn't supposed to be easy. Ask people what they think the best mage is? they say the conjurer. Why? Because they lose almost nothing in the exchange. It's not supposed to be that way. People are supposed to ask themselves, is getting a bonus to my daily spells, an extra known spell per level, and better save bonus/penalties worth giving up several schools for.
In 2nd Ed, the spell progression is just as it appears in BG. New spell level on odd levels up to 9th level (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th). New spell levels on even levels thereafter, starting with 12th (12th, 14th, 16th, 18th).
The progression you're suggesting is too contemporary for our 14 year old game. The current progression was technically correct during the time it was produced.
Though actually, shouldn't Sorcerers continue to be delayed by 1, since it's stated as one of their disadvantages that they gain new spell levels 1 level after a mage does?
13 = 6th
15 = 7th
17 = 8th
19 = 9th?