Intent: To rework magic to function along a series of design assumptions
Assumption 1: Magic is easier to balance below fifth spell-level, so the system should be made to work with the d20 Modern 3-tier class system.
Assumption 2: Cantrips should be outright at-will abilities that take an attack action to resolve. They should do no more than one point of damage at range and 1d3 points of damage at touch and require a touch attack to resolve. Daze, Mage Hand, Resistance, light, Arcane Mark and Prestidigitation should work normally otherwise.
Assumption 3: Distinction between Arcane and Divine magic will be removed. The only division between types of spells will be Rituals and regular Spells
Assumption 3a: Spells that require a casting time of longer than one round or are otherwise cast during downtime shouldn't require a spell-slot to cast These spells should be reworked into ritual-style magic that can be performed on the fly, take 10 minutes to several days to complete, require no spell-slot use by the character but are balanced by requiring a Spellcraft check, expensive material components, and ability damage.
Assumption 3b: Regular Spells should require no preparation, consume no material components, and should not require any spells known. Spells will be grouped together on themes like “Healing” and “Movement” and “Elemental”, have levels that go 1-5 and having a spell group gives you access to all spells within those groups. Each spellcasting class will give out Spell Group Rankings anywhere from once every two levels to as frequently as perhaps three times a level. Each ranking will give access to the next level of a spell group. The maximum spell level you could cast would be equal to one-half your class level, rounded up.
Assumption 3c: You cannot have more than one class that grants a spellcasting progression.
Assumption 3d: Spell slots will be as per PHB Wizard, with bonus slots given out for high charisma.
Assumption 4: Spellcaster concepts such as “Necromancer” “Abjurer” and “Battle-Mage” will be classes in their own right, as well as a generalist magic-user class.
Notes:
- This is a project that's been stewing in my head for some time now. I think I've finally got it defined enough to start some real work on it. I hope to update it periodically with material. Any questions and comments are entirely welcome.
- It's my hope to be OGL-Compliant with this. Help on that front is appreciated as well.
- This system would be for my homebrew game, which also included d20 Modern’s Occupation system. Therefore you would be able to gain access to skills like Spellcraft at first level as a permanent class skill.
- I’m toying with the idea of setting the maximum spell level you can be capable of casting to a static Fifth, instead of a level-dependant cap. Instead, each level beyond what you would normally be able to cast spells from, instead of having the number of spell slots listed as “-“, would be listed as “0”. Therefore, a character with five levels of a spellcaster class who has managed to secure five spell-levels of Healing, would be able to cast fourth level healing spells only if she had a charisma of 18 or better, and would only be able to cast fifth level Healing spells if she had a charisma of 20 or better. Alternately, I may make this a class feature unique to the generalist mage.
- "3.Rup" is an in-joke. my real name is Kris Ruppert, alot of people call me "Rup" (rhymes with "loop").
- I need to create some new terms to clear some things up. Any help there would be appreciated.
- I will eventually be coming up with rules for casting spells level 6-9 that aren't ritualized, but I don't consider that of core importance to the system.
-K. Ivan Ruppert, (AKA Desdan Mervolam)