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Nov 8, 2012 -- 9:26AM, XanderCage72344 wrote:

In one of the recent L&L articles it was implied that the Wizard might become the “Magic User” and that the player, or DM, would select the casting mechanic used. Well I would like to take this idea and run with it. Laying out what I would like to see from this idea. I want to state up front that this is just a rough idea, and would like critiques and constructive criticism.

First we would need to establish what casting mechanics we would like to see. I think there are three that would cover what most people would like to see, AEUD, Vancian, and spell points. There’s also the semi-spontaneous casting of the new Cleric, which I really like, but we’ll just pretend that is restricted to Clerics, or divine in general. Regardless these all need to use the same spell lists, it would be too difficult to manage a different spell list for each type of casting.

Spell points and Vancian casting should be pretty simple to balance, but trying to balance AEUD is a little more difficult. Encounter and Utility spells are where the issues arise. Utilities could be thrown out, because of the ritual mechanic. So that leaves encounter spells. An easy way to handle them would be to allow a PC using AEUD casting to select encounter spells X number of levels less than their highest level daily, this creates some issues at low levels when you don’t have a lot of different level spells though.

Now comes my favorite part of this idea. Class features would take the form of the characters power source. So the player decides where his magic comes from and is not restricted to a specific casting mechanic because of that choice. The top three I can think of would be Academic, Pact, and Bloodlines. So you could, if you wanted to, create a vancian based caster that gets his spells from a pact with a demon, or the wizard who has studied his whole life, but cast using the AEUD mechanic. The hard part here would be creating the power source features so they function with all of the different casting mechanics.

I would love to get some feedback and more ideas for this concept. So feel free to chime in.

The ritual mechanics were terrible, that is, I disagree that you can ignore utility spells or that a vancian wizard can use the same spell tables as an aedu wizard with rituals since the vancian wizard would have to be able to cast the utility spells via ordinary spell slots and they would most likely require another effect level compared to the rituals for the aedu wizard

Additionally, an aedu wizards at will spells would obviously be weaker than the available spells for a vancian wizard

Nov 8, 2012 -- 9:56AM, XanderCage72344 wrote:

Nov 8, 2012 -- 9:40AM, Gustaveren wrote:

The ritual mechanics were terrible, that is, I disagree that you can ignore utility spells or that a vancian wizard can use the same spell tables as an aedu wizard with rituals since the vancian wizard would have to be able to cast the utility spells via ordinary spell slots and they would most likely require another effect level compared to the rituals for the aedu wizard

Additionally, an aedu wizards at will spells would obviously be weaker than the available spells for a vancian wizard

I think I understand what you're getting at in regards to the rituals. So maybe specific utility spells will remain in the progression and just denote which spell can be selected as utilities in the spell description.

I’m not sure I understand your point about at wills. I figured regardless of what type of mechanic chosen at wills, or 0 level spells, would be the same. Thus putting at will potential pretty much equal across the board.

Well, depends upon what at wills we are talking
In case it is something like light, detect magic etc, yes, probably same mechanics, but if it is something doing damage, then something you can do at will is slightly more valuable than something requiring a spell slot.
At wills can for instance be used if you are captured and your spellbook removed from you

Nov 8, 2012 -- 10:10AM, Gustaveren wrote:

on the other hand,  i place no value in at will powers, aedu spellcasters could for my sake have their own tables with damage at will spells since those spells are in the category "not worth bothering with" for vancian wizards

That's one option.

Like I said this is a rough idea, but I like the idea of stepping up to the Magic User salad bar and building your own caster.