Rules for Spell Points in D&D 3Ed. Josh Horowitz Created: 3/16/02 $Revision: 1.2 $ $Date: 2002/03/20 00:17:50 $ Introduction The spell-casting rules in D&D always seemed silly to me. Why does a character forget a spell after she casts it? And why is it that a 20th level wizard, capable of casting 4 9th level spells, like Meteor Swarm, is only able to able to cast 4 1st level spells, like Magic Missile? It just doesn't make sense to me. The 3rd Edition rules try to fix this a bit by adding Sorcerors, but what they really needed to do was add a spell point system. I had a very successful 1st Edition spell point system, and I've modified it a bit for 3rd Edition. I have yet to actually try this system in a 3rd Edtition game, but I have done some calculations, and believe that it will balance out very well. In general, this system should give spell-casters much more flexibilty in how and which spells they cast. It also makes beginner spell-casters a bit more powerful, while decreasing the power of high-level casters yet still keeping them balanced with other high-level classes. Overview Every spellcaster gets a certain number of spell points based on his level. The spell point determination is similar to hit point calculation. Each class of spell caster has a different spell-die which they roll every time they gain a level. Bonuses for high (or low) ability scores are added to this roll. Casters can still only memorize the number of spells per level listed in the Player's Handbook, but this memorization takes much longer than the hour listed in rules. Once a spell is memorized, however, it does not disappear after it is cast. Instead, casting a spell costs the spell-caster a number of spell points based on the spell's level. Lost spell points are regained over time. Spell Points Spell points are determined like hit points. Each casting class gets a spell-die which they roll every time they gain a level. Any ability bonus is added to this die roll. At first level, Wizards, Clerics, Druids and Sorcerers get to roll twice to simulate the fact they have already spent a 0 level in apprenticeship. Bards only get to roll once. Instead of rolling each level, players are allowed to take the average die score. Wizards: use d6, Intelligence Clerics: use d6, Wisdom Druids: use d6, Wisdom Bards: use d4, Charisma Sorcerers: use d12, Charisma Rangers: use d4, Wisdom (beginning at 4th level) Paladins: use d4, Wisdom (beginning at 4th level) Initial Spell Points (Wizards, Clerics, Druids): (1d6 + ability bonus) + (1d6 + ability bonus) average (w/16 Ability) = 12 Initial Spell Points (Sorcerers): (1d12 + ability bonus) + (1d12 + ability bonus) average (w/16 Charisma) = 18 Initial Spell Points (Bards): (1d4 + ability bonus) average (w/16 Charisma) = 5 Casting Cost Spells cost (3 * Spell Level) + 1 spell points to cast. Here is a summary: 0 Level Spell = 1 spell point 1st Level Spell = 4 spell points 2nd Level Spell = 7 spell points 3rd Level Spell = 10 spell points 4th Level Spell = 13 spell points 5th Level Spell = 16 spell points 6th Level Spell = 19 spell points 7th Level Spell = 22 spell points 8th Level Spell = 25 spell points 9th Level Spell = 28 spell points Regaining Spell Points Spell points are regenerated during periods of rest or minimal activity. Sleeping or Meditating: 4pt/hour Resting, Studying, Sitting, Talking: 2pt/hour Level Walking, minor exertion: 1pt/hour Hard exertion, spell-casting: 0 Memorization Before casting a spell, Wizards, Clerics, and Druids must memorize them. The number and level of spells allowed in a casters memory are exactly the same as the rules stated in the Players Handbook. Memorizing a spell takes time, however. To determine how long it takes to memorize a spell, take it's casting cost in spell points and divide by 4 to get the number of hours of study required. The table below summarizes memorization times: 0 Level = 15 minutes 1st Level = 1 hour 2nd Level = 1.75 hours 3rd Level = 2.5 hours 4th Level = 3.25 hours 5th Level = 4 hours 6th Level = 4.75 hours 7th Level = 5.5 hours 8th Level = 6.25 hours 9th Level = 7 hours Once a caster has memorized a spell, he normally does not forget it, even after casting it. This assumes that the character spends some time (~15 minutes) each day studying her books, praying to his deity, etc. A serious head wound, like a concussion, might make a character forget the spells she has memorized. Casters can also intentionally "forget" a spell so that they can replace it with a different spell, but this takes the normal memorization time. In no case can a caster hold more than limit mentioned in the Player's Handbook. Note that Sorcerers and Bards do not memorize spells, but rather just know them. Once a spell is known, it can never be forgotten. Multi-Class Characters Characters who multi-class in 2 (or more) different types of spell-casters need to have seperate spell point totals and spell lists for each class. This represents the inherently different ways spell-casters manifest their powers. While this might seem obvious for the difference between Wizards and Clerics (arcane vs. divine magic), even Wizards and Sorcerers focus their arcane magic differently (study vs. nature). Read Magic Wizards do not have to memorize Read Magic. They always know it, but it still costs 1 spell point to cast. Other classes need to memorize this spell. Effects on Game Play This spell point system affects the game 3 ways: it gives spell-casters more flexibilty, low-level casters are more powerful, and high-level casters are less powerful. Here are some comparisons: Imagine Bookeesh, a 1st level wizard with 16 Int using the old system. He is able to cast 3 0 level spells, and 2 1st level spells. He memorizes Sleep, Magic Missile, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, and Mending. He can now cast each of these spells once and only during the day. Now take Spelponticus, also a 1st level wizard with 16 Int, but he uses this spell point system. He can also memorize 3 0 level spells, and 2 1st level spells, and memorizes the same list. He also takes the average number of spell points for a starting 1st level wizard with 16 Int, 12 points. He can cast Magic Missile 3 times or Sleep 3 times or Detect Magic 12 times or some combination of these. While the actual magic power both casters can use per day is similar (It would cost Bookeesh 11 points to cast all his spells), Spelponticus's flexibility makes him more powerful. In the future, Bookeesh and Spelponticus make 20th level, and things are a little different. Bookeesh is able to cast and memorize 4 spells of each level from 0 to 9 (plus one bonus spell for levels 1 to 3 for his 16 Int). But he is only able to cast these spells. Even though he can cast 4 meteor storms, he can still only cast 5 magic missiles! And only if he memorized 5 magic missiles ahead of time. Spelponticus takes the average spell point roll at every level, and at 20th level has 126 points, much less pure magic power than if we took Bookeesh's spells and converted them to points (601). Spelponticus still has more flexibility, however. He can cast 4 ninth level spells, just like Bookeesh, or he can cast 32 1st level spells. Using all of his power is much more draining on Spelponticus. Bookeesh regains all his spells the next day, while it will take Spelponticus 31 hours of sleeping or meditation to regain his spell points. Yes, Spelponticus can theoretically turn himself into a human fireball gun for a short period of time, but he won't be casting spells for a while afterwards. Similar calculations can be done for the other classes, and the numbers are pretty close.