Sorcery in low magic worlds - a proposal for my gaming world

[Moniker]

Here is my proposal for my gaming world for low magic sorcery. It has the intention of limiting Magic Item creation, creating a temporary Constitution cost per level spell cast and enhances casting levels at specific astronomical times and locations. Please PEACH!

Sorcery
 

Casting a spell involves gathering the building blocks of magical energy called aether (the Weave), and shaping them to your will to alter reality in a way that you desire. Changing reality is very difficult however, and most magical effects can only be maintained a very short time.

 

The process of gathering aether and manipulating it with your mind is a skill that can be very dangerous for the wielder of this power. Sorcery is unpredictable and when even small amounts of it get out of control it can drain the vitality of the wielder. If a large amount of aether were to get out of the wielder's control, it could easily kill him. For this reason, most Sorcerers tend to be very conservative when casting spells and reserve the most powerful spells for desperate circumstances.

 

This campaign's magic system extends the standard D&D magic system and spells. D&D spell and magic system rules and requirements are in effect unless explicitly overwritten by any of the campaign-specific magic rules.

 

 

Arcane and Divine Magic
An Adept must choose at 1st level whether to focus on Arcane or Divine magic. This choice has no impact on the spells that she may learn, but affects which ability score controls her spellcasting. An arcane-focused Adept may designate either Intelligence or Charisma as the ability score that determines the highest-level spell she can learn or cast, and the Difficulty Class of her spell's saving throws. A divine-focused Adept must use Wisdom to determine the highest-level spell she can learn or cast, and the DC of her spell's saving throws. In the case where a spell is listed as both an Arcane and Divine spell, assume that it can be learned at the lowest spell level.

 

Adepts have access to the Wizard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin and Ranger lists in the PHB.

 

 

The Well of Souls and Ba'ator: Minimum Casting Levels
Beyond the sight and ken of mortal man, lay the realm of the Well of Souls and the teeming darkness known as the Ba'ator. Through blood and sweat, a secretive and powerful few have learned to breach the boundaries of our physical world and commune with the unnatural forces of these other realms.

 

As with the standard D&D magic system, the complexities of powerful magic can shatter the mind or tear apart the bodies of unprepared Adepts. Adepts can only perform magic of a level that they have prepared themselves to handle without destroying themselves. This is realized as a minimum Adept level necessary to cast each spell level. These minimum Adept levels are identical to those specified in the Adept class listing.

 

As with the standard D&D magic system, Adepts must have an Intelligence or Charisma (for arcane) or Wisdom (divine) of at least 10 + the spell's level to be able to learn or cast a spell.

 

 

The Price of Sorcery
Performing the rituals of magic demands a life-cost to break through the boundaries of the physical world and command otherworldly forces, leaving the Adept drained and weak. Adepts take 1 Constitution of temporary ability damage per spell level cast. Adepts take 0 Constitution damage when casting a 0-level spell.

 

Adepts are unable to cure their own spell-casting related Constitution damage with spells or Leechcraft.

***Note that under this system, there isn't a limit to the number of times an Adept can cast his spells in any given day.

 

 

Magic Item Creation
The boundaries between the physical world and the Well of Souls are weakened in times of astrological power. Use of the feats that allow Adepts to create magic items (Wonderous Items, Magic Arms and Armor, Wands, Staffs, Rods, Rings and the like) may only be used at these unique and specific times; on the Spring Equinox (March 21st), Summer Solstice (June 21st) Autumnal Equinox (September 21st) and Winter Solstice (December 21st). Additionally, the cost of sorcery is 0 Constitution damage on these days from sun up to sun down.

 

 

Nexuses and Ley Lines Nexuses
There are locations where the boundaries between the physical world and the Well of Souls are weaker. The Well of Souls is sometimes easier to reach in locations where many people died or are buried, particularly in those locations associated with traumatic histories. Adepts can sense these nexus locations with a Spellcraft check of DC 15 + 1 per mile from the location, or automatically in the case of graveyards. This action takes ten minutes of uninterrupted concentration. These specific locations where the boundaries are breached allow Adepts to use their magic at one level higher than normal.

 

Ley line nexus locations allow Adepts to use their magic unimpeded, giving total immunity to Constitution damage when casting. Adepts can sense these locations with a Spellcraft check of 25 +1 per mile from the location. This action takes one hour of uninterrupted concentration.

 

During an eclipse, an Adept casts his spells at 2 levels higher at that time. This can stack on top of Nexus and Ley Line Nexus casting.

 

 

Memorization & Automatic Casting
No Adept classes have to memorize specific spells. All Adepts can cast any known spell at whim, in a similar manner as the standard D&D Sorcerer class.

 

 

Maximum Spells Known
There is no maximum number of known spells per level. Adepts can learn as many spells as they are able to acquire, decipher and master, providing that they meet the minimum level requirements by ability stat.

 

 

Automatically-Learned Spells
Adept classes are assumed to perform a certain amount of spell research during downtime. Each time a Adept achieves a new spell level, she gains two spells of her choice from the appropriate to add to her spellbook. The two free spells must be of a level the character can cast.

 

The written magical language, such as is found in sorcerer's grimoires, is not a complete language unto its own. To understand the writing, a character must be able to read the base language. Spells must be acquired, deciphered and mastered.

 

 

Learning New Spells
Learning a new spell from another Adept or a spellbook requires 1 days of dedicated study per spell level and a Spellcraft check with a DC of 15 + 1 per spell level. Spellcraft checks will be modified by the quality and comprehensiveness of the Adept's notes and/or instruction. (meaning access to books and so-such can give a considerable bonus). The DM will inform players of any modifiers prior to the character's attempt to cast the spell. The player may take 10 on this roll.

 

Learning a new spell that is listed in the PHB but the materials are not onhand, requires 3 days per level of the spell intended and a Spellcraft check with a DC of 20 + 1 per spell level. Spellcraft checks will be modified by the quality and comprehensiveness of the Adept's notes and/or instruction (meaning access to books and so-such can give a considerable bonus). The DM will inform players of any modifiers prior to the character's attempt to cast the spell. The player may take 10 on this roll.

 

Creating an entirely new spell requires 1 week per level of the spell intended and a Spellcraft check with a DC of 25 + 1 per spell level. Spellcraft checks will be modified by the quality and comprehensiveness of the Adept's notes and/or instruction (meaning access to books and so-such can give a considerable bonus). The DM will inform players of any modifiers prior to the character's attempt to cast the spell. The player may take 10 on this roll.

 
Teleportation
Teleportation can only work between the moonmetal (starstone) monoliths and stone circles spread throughout Deismaar.

 

Sacrifice
As some Adepts expand their knowledge, they learn to grow their power by drawing in life-force from others. This is realized through such rites as Sacrifice and Greater Sacrifice. It is also rumored that there are ancient artifacts imbued with latent magical energy waiting to be consumed.

 

Sacrifice
You can sacrifice an animal or other insentient living being at the culmination of a spell, consuming its life-force in order to power your magic.

 

Benefit
The Adept must kill the animal while casting the spell. Because Adept must concentrate on the spell, the victim must be unconscious, bound or otherwise immobile. The Adept is allowed to take a full-round Coup de Grace attack against one helpless foe while casting a spell. This is a one minute action, and provokes an attack of opportunity.

 

If the sacrifice is completed, the Adept can consume and use up to 1 Constitution per HD (maximum of 6 Constitution) of the victim in powering his spell. All spells always cost the Adept a minimum of 1 CON. The Constitution gained through the sacrifice can only be used in powering the life-cost of the spell being cast. Any unused life-force is lost, not transferred to the Adept.

 

Greater Sacrifice
You can sacrifice a human being at the culmination of a spell, consuming the victim's life-force in order to power your magic.

 

Benefit
Adepts must kill the victim while casting the spell. Because Adepts must concentrate on the spell, the victim must be unconscious, bound or otherwise immobile. The Adept is allowed to take a full-round Coup de Grace attack against one helpless foe while casting a spell. This is a ten minute action, and provokes an attack of opportunity.

 

If the sacrifice is completed, the Adept can draw in the victim's entire Constitution to power his spell. All spells always cost the Adept a minimum of 1 Constution. The Constitution gained through the sacrifice can only be used in powering the life-cost of the spell being cast. Any unused life-force is lost, not transferred to the Adept.

[Pellanor]

Please PEACH!

You are aware that the P in PEACH stands for Please, right?

Anyway, I shall be reading the rest of it shortly. I just had to get that out of my system first :P

[Pellanor]

Adepts have access to the Wizard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin and Ranger lists in the PHB.

Careful here. Some of the 4th level Paladin and Ranger spells can but notably more powerful than the 4th level spells of Wizards and Clerics. That and they also get some spells at earlier levels. For example a Ranger gets Resist Energy as a 1st level spell, where as a cleric gets it as a 2nd level spell. Also I've heard that the ability to have the same character caste spells from both the sorc spell list and the cleric spell list can be quite potent.

Reading further, this really shouldn't be an issue. Casters are getting nerfed hard enough as is.

As with the standard D&D magic system, the complexities of powerful magic can shatter the mind or tear apart the bodies of unprepared Adepts.

This makes it sound like you should be able to cast spells of high level, however you're likely to go insane or have your head explode if you try. Is that the case, or is your character simply incapable of exceeding the level of spell they can cast? Would there be any way to bypass this?

 

Adepts take 1 Constitution of temporary ability damage per spell level cast. Adepts take 0 Constitution damage when casting a 0-level spell.

I think this may make adepts all but unplayable. A fifth level adept would need a Con Score of at least 17 in order to cast all of his spells in one day. And then he would be unable to do so again for another week while healing. A 20th level adept would need 182 con to cast all of their spells for the day, assuming they only had a 19 in their primary casting attribute.

Reading further I see that Ley Line Nexuses allow adepts to bypass this cost. That will add the interesting bit where adepts are all fighting over control over nexuses, in order to make use of their powers.

Another thought, how will this work with creatures that don't have a Con score? Do liches exist in your world?

... on the Spring Equinox (March 21st), Summer Solstice (June 21st) Autumnal Equinox (September 21st) and Winter Solstice (December 21st).

Unless you're modifying the magic item creation rules, a character couldn't make any item with a market value greater than 1000gp, due to the limit of one day at a time.

Nexuses and Ley Lines Nexuses
*snip*

This section is a little confusing. You use the term Nexus to refer to both the locations where the many people may have died, as well as ley line nexuses. I would try to rename one or the other.
 

Memorization & Automatic Casting
*snip*
Maximum Spells Known
*snip*
Automatically-Learned Spells
*snip*
Learning New Spells
*snip*

I do kind of like what you're doing here. I've always preferred spontaneous casting over prepared casting, and the ability to cast spells spontaneously and yet have an unlimited sized spell list is quite nice. I also like how you've increased the time required to learn a new spell, to help offset this potent ability.
 

Sacrifice
*snip*

While the idea of sacrificing another to cast spells is always good fun, the standard DnD Spell List just doesn't work well with this style of magic. The vast majority of spells are of very short duration, typically used in combat, and wouldn't work with a sacrifice that requires a minute to perform.




Overall I feel this magic system will lead you into one of these three scenarios:
If the current scene takes place on a Nexus, and the DM has decides that it's an eclipse, then anybody who isn't an adept shouldn't bother to show up. Adepts will destroy all.
If the current scene takes place on a Nexus or the DM decides that it's an equinox or a solstice, then anybody who isn't an adept will make okay meat shields. Adepts will overshadow other classes.
If the current scene takes place at any other time/place then the adepts needn't bother showing up. Adepts will be all but useless.

I understand that you're trying to create a low magic setting, however you seem to be in a situation where magic can be extremely potent at the whim of the DM.

I think this system would make very potent and flavourful adept NPCs, villains in particular, however I would never want to play and adept as a player.


I would suggest altering the adept to give more "free" abilities. Ones that you don't have to pay out the nose for. Then I would tone down the overall potency of spellcasting. This will allow casters to still be competent when not in special situations, while still allowing them to do cool stuff when appropriate.

[Moniker]

Regarding the Lich, that's not something I've ever given much thought to. I'll have to take that into careful consideration.

As for unlimited spell use, you bring up a good point in your three scenarios. I'll have to take a closer look at that.

The Constitution loss is something we've been playing with for a long time, and I am loathe to abandon it (as it has made instances where folks have casted spells truly unique). School Specialization (as a Feat in my game for our Three Core class system) allows players to also ignore 1 Constitution point of damage for spells cast.

I'll need to reexamine many of your points in the rules to balance them out more favorably I think. Perhaps regarding your second point (in allowing casters to cast beyond their level or something).

Hmm.

Either way, thanks for the quick feedback!

[Moniker]

I am thinking that a Hit Point loss, as opposed to a Constitution loss, may be more appropriate. On the same note, there definitely needs to be the limited spells per day as in the current rules. There are too many situations where the rules could be abused.

As for magic item creation, the limit of creating an item means that the last spell or ritual has to be cast on that day. Preparation beforehand allows a player to cast the beginning spells.

Made changes to Nexus - now called

Focus Location
Ley Line Nexus

[Seraph]

I like the flavor of what you're setting up here, but yeah.  1 Con damage per spell level casts would sap an adept in a few rounds.  Really, (and I bet you were going for this) it affects higher level spells and casters more than low level spells and casters.  Low level casters can't cast 9th level spells where casting two in a day would kill practically anyone.  They can only cast first level spells which they could theoretically cast about ten in a day and survive (Assuming that no enemies attacked them).  This creates an interesting dynamic whereby as adepts increase in power, they learn incredibly powerful magic that they don't dare use out of fear for their lives.  It makes for very interesting role-playing, but perhaps a less than satisfactory gaming experience.

Really, spells per day become a moot point as well most of the time, since the constitution damage they take from spellcasting quickly leaves them incapable of using the most of their alloted spells (once they get past the very low levels).  If it weren't for Nexuses and Solstices, you might as well forget them entirely and just have them cast until their sense of self-preservation stops them from casting any further.

 [blockquote=Pellanor]Another thought, how will this work with creatures that don't have a Con score? Do liches exist in your world?[/blockquote]
Pellanor brings up a good point here.  IF liches exist, the fact that they have no CON score to draw from would mean that their magical ability was all but unlimited (at least compared to other casters, and if you got rid of spells per day, then truly unlimited.) Making them by contrast even more uber-God-complex-mosters-of-death.

EDIT:  I see you have already seen Pellanor's post.  Ok then.
As to the HP damage instead of CON damage, that is more or less what I have decided to use in Avayevnon.

[Pellanor]

Yeah, in the system I'm working on "spells" will have a VP cost (since I'm using the vitality / wounds system) equal to the power point cost it would have if the ability was a psionic power (so 1 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, 5 for 3rd, etc...).

The one issues I've come across with this is that Gish like characters (casters/fighters) who have a lot of HP will be able to use their abilities much more often. Thus I'm planning on giving casters a VP cost reduction as the advance in levels. That way at high levels they can use low level abilities at will, while at the same time still being able to use the their high level abilities quite frequently, despite a lower VP score.

Of course my setting isn't low magic, so the system may not translate across perfectly.

[Moniker]

We use a modified version of the Hit Points/Shock Rules from Game of Thrones d20 as well. Coupled with the three core classes rules, armor as damage reduction and reflex as true AC, it works fabulous.

[Seraph]

Yeah, in the system I'm working on "spells" will have a VP cost (since I'm using the vitality / wounds system) equal to the power point cost it would have if the ability was a psionic power (so 1 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, 5 for 3rd, etc...).

The one issues I've come across with this is that Gish like characters (casters/fighters) who have a lot of HP will be able to use their abilities much more often. Thus I'm planning on giving casters a VP cost reduction as the advance in levels. That way at high levels they can use low level abilities at will, while at the same time still being able to use the their high level abilities quite frequently, despite a lower VP score.

Of course my setting isn't low magic, so the system may not translate across perfectly.

are you refering to the Unearthed Arcana version or something different?  I think we're using the same thing.  In my campaign that's an advantage to taking fighter levels (gaining endurance for spellcasting benefit.  As is always the case in multi-classing, this makes it harder to reach high level abilities, but on the flip side, it boosts the caster's ability to sustain casting many low power spells and also survive casting powerful spells.  So if you balance the right amount of fighter you can be a super-caster.  As to your Gish problem and VP cost reduction, it seems like they do about the same thing to me (but maybe I just don't get it.)  Honestly though, there's ways around anything.

Moniker, I'd suggest using the damage system instead of Constitution damage becuase it keeps the feel without nerfing the casters quite so bad (and then four times a year having them pwn everyone)

[Seraph]

We use a modified version of the Hit Points/Shock Rules from Game of Thrones d20 as well. Coupled with the three core classes rules, armor as damage reduction and reflex as true AC, it works fabulous.

I think Ra-Tiel has explained shock rules to me, but just explain to me how they work alongside armor as DR

Gaah!  Sidetracking.  Sorry.

[Moniker]

We use Reflex+Shield Bonus+Miscellaneous Modifiers+Magic Modifiers for the Armor Class roll, which is 1d20+ your total bonus. This roll is made everytime a dice is cast for an attack action on both sides. The attacker makes an attack, the defender attemps to defend with his Armor Class roll. Dynamic defense, all rolled into the d20.

Damage Reduction by armor type works as normal DR does, but instead confers diff. reductions by the type of weapon you're using against your opponent. For instance, Pierce is an extremely viable tactic to use against someone in Chain, whereas Slash is almost useless against Plate Armor. I've divided it up by Crush, Pierce and Slash for armor, as you can see here: http://deismaar.pbwiki.com/Armor+Resistances+by+Weapon+Type The system emphasizes using the right tool for the job, and adds a bit more realism without mucking it up with complex rules (like the old ICE combat rules).

In most cases, higher DR would increase combat time (therefore reducing immersion due to rounds and rounds and rounds of combat), but we've cut Hit Points in half for all the three core classes we use (a highly modified and more balance UA class system here): http://deismaar.pbwiki.com/Core+Classes

So, combat becomes more dangerous with Constitution as Shock value: http://deismaar.pbwiki.com/Hit+Points+and+Shock and promotes group synergy to play tactically on the battlefield. My group and I have found that combat actually is cut by a 1/3 of time and the players seem to love the more swift sort of combat (for those rare instances where we do have combat, as we're a 90%rp/10%combat group).

[Pellanor]

are you refering to the Unearthed Arcana version or something different?  I think we're using the same thing.  In my campaign that's an advantage to taking fighter levels (gaining endurance for spellcasting benefit.  As is always the case in multi-classing, this makes it harder to reach high level abilities, but on the flip side, it boosts the caster's ability to sustain casting many low power spells and also survive casting powerful spells.  So if you balance the right amount of fighter you can be a super-caster.  As to your Gish problem and VP cost reduction, it seems like they do about the same thing to me (but maybe I just don't get it.)  Honestly though, there's ways around anything.

It's based on the system in Unearthed Arcana, with some changes to critical hits and death/dying.

For the Gish issue let's examine two characters. Assume the both have a Con of 20 at 20th level.
Wizard 20. Caster Level 20. HP 151
Fighter 1 / Wizard 6 / Spellsword 3 / Eldrich Knight 10. Caster Level 17. HP 176.

The second build has a lower caster level, but has 25 more hit points allowing it to cast almost three more ninth level spells per day.
What I've been considering would be to effectivley give the wizard a -1 to the cost of their spells at levels 5, 10, 15 and 20. So that would mean the wizard would only have to pay 13 vp for a 9th level spell where as the gish would be paying 16. That would mean 11.6 9th level spells for the wizard and 11 for the gish, making the pure caster better at casting spells than the hybrid.


Due to the lack of hybrid classes in Moniker's system, he shouldn't run into this issue.
^^ See, not totally off topic :D

[Ivar]

A bit late to the discussion maybe, but I've been thinking about how to implement a low magic system into a campaign I'm working on and came across this page from a Conan D20 site.  It seems really similar to what you are trying to do and may help some.  In fact, it looks like this system is a modification of the one in this link:

http://hyboria.xoth.net/sorcery/low_magic_system.htm