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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
    
USA
12020 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2013 : 14:02:27
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There's no secret here.... I love wizards more than sorcerers. The mere idea that wizards study their magic and constantly strive "for that next spell" is wondrous to me. Consequently, wizards in my campaigns are usually running around with fat spellbooks. This of course makes being a sorcerer even less of a likelihood by those who know my leanings.
However, I like the core concept of the sorcerer too, just the mechanics make them... well garbage in my eyes. I've seen some alternative rules where like sorcerers can create lesser/greater versions of their spells and they detail the spells and their specific changes. This seems doable, but it seems like a lot of extra work. My thoughts are more along the lines of sorcerers should get extra metamagic abilities... maybe ones that are only for them. Maybe one called "weaken spell" which is the exact opposite of an empower spell for damage and also reduces any radius in half and lowers a spells level by 1. Maybe another called "area effect to single target" that turns an area effect spell into a single target spell with all parameters the same and reduces spells level by maybe 2. Then obviously the various magic empowering feats (empower, maximize, widen, etc...). Maybe these "special metamagic feats" come from a pool and they can use any mix of them X times per day (maybe once per four levels), and they do so without quite understanding how. They could then learn the regular feats if they plan on using metamagic even more often.
Has anyone seen a system even roughly mirrored to what I'm showing above written for 3.0/3.5? I'd be interested in reading any such ideas, because the ideas I have above are a bit nebulous on the numbers etc...
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief

    
USA
36877 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2013 : 15:45:34
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I've always liked sorcerers simply because they aren't limited to what they thought were the best spells to memorize for the day. Wizards can cast more spells, but sorcerers won't be at a disadvantage because they decided to memorize a utility spell instead of a combat spell, or vice-versa.
I like both, and I don't think either class is better than the other... But I love the tactical versatility of a sorcerer more than the increased spell load of a wizard.
That said, I don't really see a need to change anything for either class. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
    
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2013 : 17:06:48
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In my 3e-based games I had a good way of differentiating the two, even though I used a point system for both. Wizard had more spells they knew, but had to memorize. Sorcerers could 'cast on the fly' (no memorization), but knew less spells off-hand (so it was very similar to how it worked in RAW - I just used Spell-points).
I haven't folded the concept of Sorcerers in my current, PF-based, Frankensteined rules. I'd like too keep the core concept (as above), but somehow implement my Fatigue system into it. In 4e, I would have just said they don't know any rituals as memorized... but they could cast them from a tome. Since I don't know much about 4e's mechanics, I'm not sure how it handled it in RAW.
I am trying to adapt a few of 4e's core-concepts into my new HB system - I like the idea of at-will powers, coupled with 'other kewl stuff' they could do here and there. It seems to me every caster should have some sort of 'magical blast' spell. The problem arises in that how do you differentiate the Wizard from the Sorcerer when both are throwing around the same 'blast' most of the time? After all, their power isn't different, only how they go about learning it. The sorcerer should be generally weaker, yet more versatile, and I am not sure how to implement that.
I may make him an outgrowth of the Witch/Hedgewizard/Shaman class(es) - it seems he belongs more with the 'natural casters' then with the 'schooled' ones. If I take the idea that the word itself is derived from Middle-Eastern origins (which it is), then I could say the term 'Sorcerer' is a debased, northern/western version of Sha'ir. That isn't too far away from my Shaman/Witch concept for him, since Sha'ir also rely heavily on a 'familiar' (the Dgen).
So you have one caster (Wizards) that rely on books and schooling, and another (Sorcerers) who rely on 'gifts from strange beings'. So the Wizard deals with other mortals (mostly) for their spells, but the sorcerer (witch/Shaman/etc) must deal with extra-planer beings for their magical knowledge.
Strangely, it almost seems to me that reversing how they cast might work - that sorcerers should forget their spells (Vancian magic), because they are granted them by something else, similar to how a priest gets their spells (even if we simply say that it is due to a bloodline). Why do wizards forget their spells? They spend all their time studying...just to forget? Yet Sorcerers don't have to memorize (and therefor forget) anything? Seems a little arse-backwards to me. I think it is only this way because the terminology itself is 'grandfathered', and they just didn't want to change what a wizard was all that much. Had they just decided to apply new mechanics to Wizards in 3e, and turned Sorcerers into our old wizards, I think it could have turned out better (even if it would have been a harder 'pill to swallow' initially).
Anyone have any idea when 5e (rules) will be released? If I want to trump them I had better get a move on.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Xar Zarath
Senior Scribe
  
Malaysia
552 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2013 : 05:21:31
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Strangely, it almost seems to me that reversing how they cast might work - that sorcerers should forget their spells (Vancian magic), because they are granted them by something else, similar to how a priest gets their spells (even if we simply say that it is due to a bloodline). Why do wizards forget their spells? They spend all their time studying...just to forget? Yet Sorcerers don't have to memorize (and therefor forget) anything?
I have never considered it like that. I am also a Wizard lover, and have accepted the Sorcerer. However their reasoning on how they get their spells while sometimes plausible does not help the fact that their spells are all the same with the wizard only the amount they can choose. I think like what they did in 4e with the Sorcerer spells have to be created specifically for the sorcerer with the same system in 3e/3.5e Honestly though, I leave it to someone else. Wizards are what I love so the rest to me do not matter as much. |
Everything ends where it begins. Period.
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Kyrel
Learned Scribe
 
151 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2013 : 22:04:14
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Honestly I'm not much of a fan of the 3rd ed. magic system in general, let alone Vancian magic at all. It simply doesn't make sense to me, and frankly if we are to go with something resembling the current system, I'd much prefer to use a spellpoint like system like the system from the 2nd ed. Netheril supplement with Arcanists. Optimally, however, I'd prefer a system where there was
A) A much greater difference between the different spellcasters in what spells they can cast, meaning that there should be a significant difference between picking a Sorcerer, Wizard, Dread Necromancer, Bard, Cleric, Hexblade etc. B) A Skill check to cast spells, meaning a possibility of screwing up the spell, and thereby an arguable downgrading of the power level of the casters. C) No restrictions at all on how many spells a day a mage can cast, short of the limitations of screwing up the spells, and the possible results of a miscast.
Anyway, just my two c. |
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Aldrick
Senior Scribe
  
909 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2013 : 04:21:13
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I always loved the fluff of the sorcerer class, and felt that it worked very well with the Realms.
...long ago one of your ancestors intermingled with a powerful being with a strong connection to magic. Now, centuries later the traces of your ancient lineage are re-emerging as you forge an ever stronger connection with the Weave, enabling you to draw upon the raw forces of magic through sheer force of will, and through the power of your long forgotten bloodline.
To me this is infinitely more interesting than a wizard.
However, I roleplayed out how the vancian magic system worked differently for each class.
For wizards, they spent hours studying their spell book. Magic for wizards involved long and complicated rituals, and so as they were studying and preparing their spells for the day they were casting those rituals. Each ritual ended in such a way that the magic could be "released" with a few physical and verbal gestures which act as "triggers" to activate the ritual. I described the Weave like a giant tapestry woven across reality, drawing its energy and power from many different sources, and making magic easily accessible and manipulable. A wizard was drawing on the many different threads of the tapestry attempting to "Weave" a new pattern - altering reality. Spells were often called "Weavings" or "Weaves".
For sorcerers, things were different. They lacked the same understanding of magic as wizards do. They operate through gut and intuition. They're not "casting" spells they're "reaching with the power of their ancient blood", and "grabbing" hold of the "threads" of the Weave and through sheer force of will *imposing* the pattern they want to create - altering reality. This is an exhausting process, and spells for sorcerers are more like "tricks" they learn. They intuitively learn through trial and error that if they do X then Y happens, but probably can't explain what they did or how they did it. Sorcerous powers often manifest between the ages of eight and sixteen, especially during moments of great stress. Sorcerers are dangerous if they don't learn how to control their abilities, as they could inadvertently harm themselves or someone else. They need to rest after casting spells, either through meditation or sleep, because what they do is exhausting both mentally and physically.
Bard magic is a bit of a mix between the two. Bards have learned to manipulate the Weave in a similar way that wizards have, but they do so through dance, instruments, and song. Bard magic is less precise than that of a wizard, and is focused less on carefully "Weaving" the right threads of the pattern together and more on brute force like the sorcerer. So in that way the Bard has learned to use his force of will to manipulate the Weave much like the sorcerer. Like for the sorcerer, it is exhausting, and he must rest.
Psionics is also a bit of a mix between the two, but they have learned alternate methods of doing similar things. Instead of studying the tapestry of the Weave itself, Psions have turned inward. They focus on learning how to master their minds, and through intense discipline learn how to carefully impose their will upon the Weave. This is much less brute force like sorcerers, and even less brute force than bards. However, it is still not as precise and as careful as a wizard. Despite what some psions claim they access their power through the Weave as well. Like with sorcerers what they do causes them exhaustion and they need to rest.
Warlocks, Clerics, and other divine spell casters are different from those who practice arcane magic. They do not access their magic directly; they channel it instead. They make pacts with powerful beings who then grant them the ability to channel certain powers through them. The beings they serve limit the amount of power that they can channel each day, otherwise they run the risk of their servant drawing too much and causing them harm. Warlocks get this power through pledging service or making an agreement with this power. Clerics and Druids get this power through worshiping and serving the powers interest in the mortal world.
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One of the ways I "enhanced" the sorcerer was to make sure that people knew that it was VERY different from playing a wizard. This is mostly a focus on fluff.
"No, you're not 'casting' Magic Missile. You're drawing upon something deep inside yourself, and then reaching out to seize control of something that you can't quite see - only sense and feel. You're then ripping off a part of it - pure magical energy - and hurling it at your foe."
"But the spell says it has verbal and somatic components. Aren't I speaking in some arcane language and using precise hand gestures?"
"Absolutely not! There is nothing precise about what you do. You're standing there in the heat of the moment, and you're grabbing a hold of something - you have no real idea what it is... you just can sense and feel it there. You're grabbing this thing and you're hurling it at the goblin. You're not speaking in some arcane language, you're roaring with anger as you grab this stuff, or you're yelling an enraged battle cry - you feel more alive than you ever have before! - or maybe you're wailing in terror as you touch this - what the hell is it?! You're not using precise motions you're flailing with your arms as you yell out - trying to grab something you can't see - then you're hurling it at the goblin. You're not some stuffy ass wizard who grew up in some dusty old library, you have no idea what you're doing - this is all by the seat of your pants - it's exhilarating , it's terrifying, you're filled with a tremendous sense of power... think EMOTION! Think INTUITION! GUT INSTINCTS!
You're roaring with rage, trembling with the power you've pulled into your body, grasping upon -SOMETHING- and then HURLING it at the goblin. As you gesture at him malformed orbs of pure arcane energy emerge from your hands - ripping through the goblin's body. The creature howls in absolute agony, as one of your missiles hits him in the face and another in the stomach. The one that hit him in the face has seared his flesh as if he was struck by flame, his eye dangles from a socket as he whips his head back and forth in terror and pain. The one that struck him in the stomach has ripped open his flesh, and his insides are starting to spill out. The goblin glances down and panics instinctively grabbing his intestines as he falls to his knees. It is clear that he won't last long... he is going to bleed to death."
"I want to finish him off, can I finish him?"
"Yes."
"I want to cast acid splash in his face."
"You walk up to the goblin who is starting to cough up blood. He is clearly defenseless. As you get closer his one remaining eye widens with terror, it cries out something in a strange tongue, something you think is a plea for mercy. But still filled with the rush of battle, you step up to him, he leans back - his one good eye growing even wider. You reach for the power behind your site once more then **SEIZE** it, with another roar you thrust your hand toward the goblins face and an orb of acid emerges from your hand. The moment it strikes the beast there is a loud 'HISSSSSSS' as its flesh begins to melt, a sound which is rapidly drown out by the defenseless creature howling in pain. The howl quickly becomes a gurgling sound as the goblin collapses backwards, the good side of his face now completely melted - both eyes gone - the acid having melted his cheek as well and filled his mouth, which is now mixed with a froth of acid and blood. The gurgling soon ceases as well, the goblin twitches a few more times, and then is completely still.
As the adrenaline from the battle begins to fade, you're left feeling somewhat tired and exhausted... and confused. What the hell did you just do? How did you do it? You feel lightheaded and unsteady on your feet.
Okay, what do you do now? Do you get how this goes with sorcerers and how they're different from wizards?"
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Aside from fluff, I'd make up free feats for the PC that were relevant to their bloodline. I was never a stickler for balance, and always leaned more toward the "Rule of Cool" and the "Rule of Drama."
So for that reason, I'd always lean toward discouraging bloodlines that wouldn't result in some interesting problems. This pretty much rules out most benevolent fey and celestial types. My personal favorite are aberrations. So, let's say someone is playing a sorcerer with a beholder bloodline.
Maddening Whispers Ahhh! They won't stop! No matter how hard you try the whispers at the back of your mind keep coming back. It's like having tiny little teeth gnawing on your brain - arrgh! It's hard to think! "Yes, I am perfect." "Wait?! Did I say that? No.. no... It was them, wasn't it? Gods! It's getting hard to tell the difference!"
Prerequisite: Level 3 Sorcerer. Little did you know when you first became aware of your "special" lineage and started walking down this path that it would have a price... but doesn't power always have a price? What's the loss of ones sanity compared to UNLIMITED POWER? Well, that's what the whispers seem to think, at least.
Benefits: Select a knowledge related skill. By listening to the maddening whispers you gain a +3 bonus on all checks involving that skill; this stacks with Skill Focus. The maddening whispers may drive you a little insane, but they seem to hold deep knowledge.
Special: The whispers seem to have a will of their own. You cannot control them. Yet, they have an intense effect on you. The whispers occasionally attempt to compel you to do things you would not otherwise do. Obeying the whispers is completely voluntary (resulting in you using your force of will to maintain your control and composure), but if you choose to obey you will be rewarded an agreed upon amount of Bonus XP.
I AM THE SYMBOL OF PERFECTION! Pathetic fools! Why can't they see that you, and you alone are the symbol of perfection? You are what your race was meant to be! All others are inferior by far, does your power not prove that? What?! How dare that one look at you as if you were mad. You are not mad! "I'M NOT MAD!" Yes... saying it like that makes it true, doesn't it? Wait... did you say that out loud? Why is he running away?
Prerequisite: Level 5 Sorcerer (and every five levels thereafter)
Benefits: Select a sub-type of your race. From this point forward you view this sub-type as inferior to yourself, and you have trouble hiding your disdain for them. You receive a -3 penalty on your Bluff and Diplomacy checks. However, you receive a +3 to your Intimidation checks. Your disdain for them is also such that you can draw upon additional power when facing them in combat. You gain +1d4 bonus damage whenever you use your magic to deal damage to them in battle.
Special: Whenever you slay an individual of the selected sub-racial type, you develop a gnawing hunger. You have the urge to consume their flesh - raw and uncooked. Should you decide to give into this urge the penalties are erased and your bonus magic damage increases to +1d6 until the next time you rest.
Cannibalistic Tendencies You never knew your own people (inferior as they are) could look so delicious... You're quite certain their livers would go well with some fava beans and a nice Tethyrian tanagluth.
Prerequisite: Level 6 Sorcerer
Benefits: You gain a +1 Charisma Bonus that lasts for one day if you consume the flesh of someone of your own race. This bonus increases to +2 if it is of a sub-race that you find inferior to yourself. The meat MUST be fresh - killed within the last week, at least.
Special: This bonus can be doubled if you consume the flesh raw. Thus a sub-race you find inferior grants a +4 bonus, and all others of your race grant a +2 bonus if their flesh is consumed raw.
You get the idea.  |
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Xar Zarath
Senior Scribe
  
Malaysia
552 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2013 : 06:57:44
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@Aldrick: *All the stuff you posted* Awesome and very nicely detailed. Got anything for Wizards? |
Everything ends where it begins. Period.
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
    
USA
12020 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2013 : 19:59:20
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Aldrick, I love the fluff you just put in. That's a perfect definition for the feel I'd like to evoke, except that I'd like for sorcerers to still have to somewhat "study" at least initially a spell before they know how to cast it (study can be as simple as having seen someone cast it or simply having read about the idea in a book in detail). The problem I have is the rules at present don't really focus on this type of thing (and just to note, I'm talking 3.5 rules). I do like how I've seen the systems start to focus on "where" the person draws their power from. Oh, your feat ideas are definitely interesting, and I agree... the tougher to play/understand backgrounds should have some interesting draws (but not so much that everyone draws their blood from beholders... as that stretches credulity).
Over the weekend, I came up with a rough idea that I "THINK" could make the class a lot more playable and wouldn't be hard to implement. What if all sorcerors have access to certain specific spells (i.e. detect magic, see invisibility, teleport, various planar travelling spells, dispel magic, etc... and it could be a decent list), and maybe have some from non-wizard spell lists as well. Then, lets say that all sorcerers are attuned to one school of arcane spellcasting... no matter the discipline (i.e. bardic, wizard, assassin, etc....), such that if they've studied it conceptually they can add it to their list of spells known. Maybe even make it two schools of magic to make sorcerers a bit more adaptable (in fact, I'd probably say make it two). They could cast any of these spells at any time (of course, with the normal uses per day limitations based on caster level) if they've recently associated themselves to a certain "pattern" or "power source". Thus, give the sorcerer the ability to change their spells known daily within their schools based on current situations (and personally, maybe double the number of spells known). Mechanically, you don't have to change them much and it gives them a lot more flexibility, such that wizard lovers would at least give them more of a second glance. However, by limiting them to only a few schools, it makes the flexibility of the wizard also shine (if they're properly prepared).
In this idea, I'd say that the alternate base classes like warmage, dread necromancer, and beguiler have their class abilities beefed up a little bit as well to either improve their melee capabilities OR enhance their flavor capabilities in their chosen "school" of magic. In my book, both the warmage and the dread necromancer should simply be more militant/melee capable so that they can intermix with the front-line or fall to the back and be support. The beguiler.... not sure what to do to enhance the class... though the idea of mixing the beguiler with the spellthief mechanics just screams at me at this second, as well as the focus on non-magical skills of rogues. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Aldrick
Senior Scribe
  
909 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2013 : 21:01:34
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I think what's key to keeping the idea of the sorcerer separate from the wizard is that the source of their power comes from their blood. So, I think that the types of enhancements they receive should reflect that fact. And it's probably more than just tapping into their blood, but also HOW they tap into it and how it shapes them as a character.
I'd try not to have a sorcerer thinking that they're drawing from a wizard's spell list. For example, someone with an infernal bloodline isn't casting a fireball, they're drawing upon their blood and seizing upon the Weave to hurl a ball of pure Hellfire. Hell, if necessary I'll completely re-fluff a spell, and even make changes to its mechanics if necessary.
Rather than trying to create a universal mechanic, I'd instead just help the player customize their character in such a way that is awesome, cool, and relevant. I'd also listen to what they'd hope to accomplish.
So someone with a Fey bloodline, for example, I'd slowly have them tapping more and more into nature itself. I might even eventually open up some druid spells to them - or grant them some druid spells for free.
Here is an example...
Ensnared By Nature
Wherever you walk you can sense the plants around you. They are beginning to bend to your will in strange and unusual ways. Should you wish it, they will even defend you.
Prerequisite: Level 3 Sorcerer
Benefits: Once per day you gain the spell-like ability to call upon nearby plants to entangle your foes. This functions exactly as the spell Entangle.
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With things like this, it's more interesting fluff wise for the character and the player. However, my style is - as I said - less about balance and mechanics and more about the "Rule of Cool" and the "Rule of Drama." And in the end it's about ensuring the player is having fun, and it adds something to the story (both for their character and the collaborative narrative). |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
    
USA
12020 Posts |
Posted - 27 May 2013 : 08:22:56
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yeah, I'm trying to figure out a publishable mechanic that also wouldn't require a lot of "upkeep" work by myself (and by publishable, I mean something concrete that I could hand out to players to explain away the differences immediately). You can still keep their source of their power being their blood and put in special "add-ons" for each bloodline path, but the core spellcasting should be a relatively simple system. Otherwise you end up developing a new spell list for each bloodline, which is time prohibitive. However, if the system is already separating all spells into schools, and all spell lists show the spells by class and then by level and then by school (which yeah, isn't always the case), it does make it somewhat easy to create a sorcerer's base spell list if they choose it by simply picking a school. Now, if the base set of spells that all sorcerers had was variable based on the bloodline, that might be doable since that list should be relatively short.
Another idea is that perhaps certain bloodlines can only pick certain schools of magic.... for instance, fey sorcerers might not be able to pick evocation and necromancy, whereas chromatic draconic ones might not be able to pick enchantment and illusion. Not sure if I like this idea, but throwing it out just to see if it seeds something better. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Aldrick
Senior Scribe
  
909 Posts |
Posted - 27 May 2013 : 09:48:23
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That sounds overly complicated to me. However, I also think it's limiting, which seems to be going in the opposite direction you want. If I'm not mistaken they reworked the sorcerer a bit in Pathfinder, so maybe you can draw ideas from there?
Personally, I wouldn't focus on spell schools for a sorcerer - that gives them too much of a wizard feel. I'd just talk to the player and ask that they let me know ahead of time which spells they plan to pick as their character advances. We'd discuss how that particular spell relates to their bloodline, and we'd re-fluff it as necessary.
For example, let's say a character has an elemental bloodline - particularly the element of water. It wouldn't make sense for the character to go around hurling fireballs. So I'd just re-fluff it as his character drawing in water vapor from the air and hurling shards of ice. Instead of the "fireball" doing fire damage it does cold damage instead.
It's not really more work per-say, as it only takes a few minutes and a discussion with the player in question. Of course, there may be some sticking points, "How is it that your character with a Celestial Bloodline is able to animate the dead?" But these issues would be rather rare, I think. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
    
USA
12020 Posts |
Posted - 27 May 2013 : 14:31:38
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Yeah, except for the schools piece, a lot of this sounds like the pathfinder sorcerer. Guess I just hate the idea of only say 2 spells known.
On the idea of a person of X bloodline not being able to cast a "contradictory" ability, I guess I'm seeing the sorcerer as something a little bit different. In my view, a sorcerer is granted the "path" to magic by their blood, but their blood doesn't absolutely lock them into certain roles. They've got some abilities that dovetail with their bloodline (which would be the bloodline spells in PF), but their force of will allows them to shape certain magics despite their blood's tendencies. My idea of having them pick schools would be that they find themselves attuned to certain types of magic (i.e. energy magic/evocation, death magic/necromancy, summoning&planar magics/conjuration, transformational magic/transmutation, protective magic/abjuration, deception magic/illusion, influencing magic/enchantment ... and giving them the main/minor divinations free.... ). The more I think on it too, I really like the "across any arcane path" part of it, as it can allow sorcerers to be healers like bards, cast plant spells like a wu jen, and have wizardry effects. I would almost even say spread it across both arcane and divine paths, but still only within a single school or two. The one part of all this that would feel definitely different than how you describe your sorcerers would be that my version would have their known spells, but they could change them. Changing them should be a lot more complex than a wizard though. For instance, maybe a sorcerer can only swap out a single spell per day after meditating for an hour. Thus, at low levels, sorcerers could be fairly versatile in their spell list, whereas at upper levels it could take weeks to completely change their spell list. However, the sorcerer player could thusly have their spell list change nearly if not entirely between play sessions. This replaces the ruling that every 4th level they can swap out a spell.
Not sure if I truly like the idea yet or not, but it has been fun to at least flesh out the idea and give it some air to breathe here. Its definitely better than the original idea I was talking about with metamagic feats. It does feel a little wizardly. Guess I'll stew on it a bit. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Darsson Spellmaker
Seeker

56 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2013 : 06:35:02
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I tend to use Monte Cook's variant sorcerer from the Book of Eldritch Might series (better Hit Die, more skill points, no need for material components, and most importantly, more spells known). I also like that, with access to the Divine Companion ACF from Complete Champion, and the spell Undying Vigor of the Dragonlords from Dragon Magic, sorcerers have easier access to healing magic than wizards, and thus, have more survivability. Finally, it also helps that sorcerers get more out of putting cross-class ranks in Use Magic Device than wizards, due to their much higher Charisma scores/modifiers. |
"Know, O mages, that there is learning, and there is wisdom, and they are very far from being the same thing."--Azuth the High One, Utterances from the Altar: Collected Verbal Manifestations of the Divine and Most Holy Lord of Spells (holy chapbook, assembled by anonymous priests of Azuth circa 1358 DR)
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Galuf the Dwarf
Senior Scribe
  
USA
709 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jun 2013 : 04:51:04
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If given a chance, sleyvas, I was contemplating trying to work on a system of heritage abilities that progress as a sorcerer takes more levels in the class, just to try to give the class some more flavor as well as effectiveness. As some may guess, this is inspired by the sorcerer heritage feats presented in 3.X edition sourcebooks like Complete Arcane and Complete Mage, among others.
For instance, there could be progression of stats, abilities or what-not. Still need to really work that out so it's equal parts crunch & fluff without being overpowering.
Granted, I don't know how soon I could crank all this out. I'm currently living with my brother, his wife, her son, and my grandmother, and there's LOTS of work to be done with a baby on the way.  |
Galuf's Baldur's Gate NPC stats: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8823 Galuf's 3.5 Ed. Cleric Domains: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14036 Galuf's Homebrew 4th Edition Races: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13787 Galuf's Homebrew Specialty Priest PrCs: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14353 Galuf's Forgotten Realms Heralds and Allies thread: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8766 |
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Xar Zarath
Senior Scribe
  
Malaysia
552 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2013 : 06:44:08
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I read up on this guy's who had an idea on how the magic system (well the wizard class) should be changed. I kinda like it, so I post it up here for you all to check out.
http://www.korpg.com/blog/magic-the-first-thing-id-change-in-dd/ (link)
Magic – The first thing I’d change in D&D (Title of Article) |
Everything ends where it begins. Period.
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Xar Zarath
Senior Scribe
  
Malaysia
552 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2013 : 05:55:38
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What do you scribes think? Is it a viable option? |
Everything ends where it begins. Period.
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