I Teach D&D a lot and one of the biggest hang ups I have is explaining, spell level versus spell slots. I have never liked spell slots. I also do not like how there is not cost to magic. There must be some drawback to wielding cosmic power.
I hacked together some ideas for this and have play tested it twice it seems ok. I would like to hear what you have to say on it and if you would give it a try.
Goals and basics.
1.No more spell slots. Spell level occurs where you get access to that level as per normal. Spells are chosen as per normal.
2.A magic save is d20 plus proficiency bonus. Make a magic save when casting a chosen spell
3.Full spell casters (Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers) are clearly magic users from 100 feet away. Magic has changed their appearance in ways that make them unmistakably marked. Everyone is marked differently, but it is clear “this person plays with the energies of creation and destruction”. These are easily hidden with illusions as the changes are purely cosmetic in nature. Full caster Magic saves are are calculated at 8+spell level
4.Half casters (Eldritch Knight, Arcane Thief, Ranger, Paladins) appearance change when they cast a spell and stay until the next short or long rest. Their magic save difficulty are calculated at 10+spell level
5. New cantrip ‘casting circle’
Casting Circle
Casting: 1 action
Requirements: VS
Duration: Until used or cast again
Description: A small magic circle about 3 foot in diameter magically raises from any surface the caster can reliably stand on. If the surface is rough terrain or becomes rough terrain the spell is disrupted. The circle allows its caster to make Magic saves with advantage. Once completed, success or fail, the circle dissipates and must be cast again. The circle also dissipates if its caster steps out of the circle before it is used.
Wizards- Magic Twisters
Magic is Volatile
The fundamental building blocks of reality are refused to most normal people, those that take that poorly become wizards. Wizards are magical cheaters, learning how to identify, separate and recombine the volatile energies of the universe. They don’t start off volatile, but when you change what is into what you want to be, universal energies become quite dangerous.
When the Wizard Fails a save they take a level of exhaustion and suffer its effects immediately. The exhaustion passes after a short rest. This does not reduce exhaustion suffered for any reason other than magic saves. If a wizard is at the 6th level of exhaustion and fails a magic save they are converted into pure magical energy and dissipates leaving nothing behind. Any objects on the wizard are likewise converted.
Sorcerer- Magic Sources
Magic is Addictive
Magic emanates from the being of Sorcerers. Thus casting magic instills a will testing euphoria. It is highly pleasurable for sorcerers to cast their spells. Many sorcerers fall victim to the pleasures of their source. Those that have cast until they are killed, or die from “the wasting” a condition that ravages the body with residual magical energy.
When a Sorcerer Fails a Magic save they must cast another spell of higher level on the next available action, If they cannot cast a higher level spell they go into withdrawal but do not risk the wasting. The sorcerer can at any time choose not to cast a spell after failing a magic save, however this brings on immediate withdrawal and risks wasting. The spell cast after a failed magic save comes with a number of free Sorcery points equal to the level of the spell being cast and access to any metamagic, not just the ones known by the sorcerer. Using any of the free sorcery points imposes disadvantage on the current magic save. Sorcery points may be spent after the Magic save to increase the roll at a cost of 1 to 1. If a Sorcerer fails a save they may continue to cast until they succeed a magic save to stop casting without suffering the effects of withdrawal. They call this riding the lightning as they try to control their access to the source and purge their body of residue while at the same time remaining in control of their decisions
Withdrawal
Withdrawal lasts until the end of a long rest or the Sorcerer fulfills the requirement in their last magic save. While under the effects of withdrawal all D20 rolls are at disadvantage.
The Wasting
If a Sorcerer stops casting without making a Magic save first is at risk of the wasting. Roll 1d20 and add the level of the spell. If it exceeds the sorcerer's current CON score, reduce it by the level of the spell cast. If the Sorcerer is suffering from withdrawal, make it at advantage. CON can be recovered with a lesser restoration spell from a source other than the casters. Alternatively it can be healed after a long rest by expending 1 hit dice for every CON point recovered, This can take more than one long rest. Until all CON is recovered fully the Sorcerer does not recover hit points from any non magical healing.
Bard/ Eldritch Knight/ Arcane Thief - The Dabblers
Magic is Fickle
For the Dabblers, wielding magic is a tricky affair, not necessarily dangerous but not dependable. When a Dabbler fails a magic save, the spell they just cast is lost to them until they can finish a short rest. When they do they may expend hit dice equal to the spell they wish to restore rather than roll them for Hitpoints. On a long rest all spells are fully restored.
Cleric/Paladin
Magic is Duty
For the followers of a faith, casting spells is a matter of getting their god to pay attention to their desires. Gods are busy and can’t answer every prayer so they need to prioritize the incoming requests. This is represented by Piety.
A class of faith and duty, the piety of a character is their level +1 for full casters and half the level +1 for half casters. When the Character fails a Magic Save they subtract the spells level from the current Piety. The caster cannot cast spells of a higher level than their current piety. Thus a Character who has their piety reduced to 2 only has access to their first and second level spells.
After a long rest Piety is regained equal to the character's primary casting attribute modifier.
Druid/Ranger
Magic is Life
For those who wield the magic of the land, its use tends to be an all or nothing affair, winter or summer. Using the life of the land as a powersource is potent but diffuse. There is not enough energy in one place to cast even the most minor of cantrips. So before it can be used it must be gathered, and intensified into a usable form called a wellspring. Creating a wellspring is a relatively simple affair with enough time. The practitioner takes a number of minutes equal to the intensity of wellspring required to cast spells, with the energy gathered and contained by their will spell casting becomes possible. Then intensity of a wellspring is equal to the highest level spell it can cast. When a user of Land Magic fails a Magic save, their will falters and their wellspring pops, this renders magic inaccessible.
Forming a wellspring on the fly is a much more difficult affair. The player first decides what intensity of wellspring they need, pulling together a weak wellspring is much easier than an intense one. Then they take an action to make a Nature or Arcane spell check with a difficulty of 10 + the intensity of the wellspring required. With a success they can start casting spells up to the intensity of the wellspring. A failure means they must try again, but subsequent attempts are made with advantage. Druids alone may try to build a Wellspring with a bonus action, but it is done at disadvantage and does not give advantage on subsequent attempts.
I hacked together some ideas for this and have play tested it twice it seems ok. I would like to hear what you have to say on it and if you would give it a try.
Goals and basics.
1.No more spell slots. Spell level occurs where you get access to that level as per normal. Spells are chosen as per normal.
2.A magic save is d20 plus proficiency bonus. Make a magic save when casting a chosen spell
3.Full spell casters (Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers) are clearly magic users from 100 feet away. Magic has changed their appearance in ways that make them unmistakably marked. Everyone is marked differently, but it is clear “this person plays with the energies of creation and destruction”. These are easily hidden with illusions as the changes are purely cosmetic in nature. Full caster Magic saves are are calculated at 8+spell level
4.Half casters (Eldritch Knight, Arcane Thief, Ranger, Paladins) appearance change when they cast a spell and stay until the next short or long rest. Their magic save difficulty are calculated at 10+spell level
5. New cantrip ‘casting circle’
Casting Circle
Casting: 1 action
Requirements: VS
Duration: Until used or cast again
Description: A small magic circle about 3 foot in diameter magically raises from any surface the caster can reliably stand on. If the surface is rough terrain or becomes rough terrain the spell is disrupted. The circle allows its caster to make Magic saves with advantage. Once completed, success or fail, the circle dissipates and must be cast again. The circle also dissipates if its caster steps out of the circle before it is used.
Wizards- Magic Twisters
Magic is Volatile
The fundamental building blocks of reality are refused to most normal people, those that take that poorly become wizards. Wizards are magical cheaters, learning how to identify, separate and recombine the volatile energies of the universe. They don’t start off volatile, but when you change what is into what you want to be, universal energies become quite dangerous.
When the Wizard Fails a save they take a level of exhaustion and suffer its effects immediately. The exhaustion passes after a short rest. This does not reduce exhaustion suffered for any reason other than magic saves. If a wizard is at the 6th level of exhaustion and fails a magic save they are converted into pure magical energy and dissipates leaving nothing behind. Any objects on the wizard are likewise converted.
Sorcerer- Magic Sources
Magic is Addictive
Magic emanates from the being of Sorcerers. Thus casting magic instills a will testing euphoria. It is highly pleasurable for sorcerers to cast their spells. Many sorcerers fall victim to the pleasures of their source. Those that have cast until they are killed, or die from “the wasting” a condition that ravages the body with residual magical energy.
When a Sorcerer Fails a Magic save they must cast another spell of higher level on the next available action, If they cannot cast a higher level spell they go into withdrawal but do not risk the wasting. The sorcerer can at any time choose not to cast a spell after failing a magic save, however this brings on immediate withdrawal and risks wasting. The spell cast after a failed magic save comes with a number of free Sorcery points equal to the level of the spell being cast and access to any metamagic, not just the ones known by the sorcerer. Using any of the free sorcery points imposes disadvantage on the current magic save. Sorcery points may be spent after the Magic save to increase the roll at a cost of 1 to 1. If a Sorcerer fails a save they may continue to cast until they succeed a magic save to stop casting without suffering the effects of withdrawal. They call this riding the lightning as they try to control their access to the source and purge their body of residue while at the same time remaining in control of their decisions
Withdrawal
Withdrawal lasts until the end of a long rest or the Sorcerer fulfills the requirement in their last magic save. While under the effects of withdrawal all D20 rolls are at disadvantage.
The Wasting
If a Sorcerer stops casting without making a Magic save first is at risk of the wasting. Roll 1d20 and add the level of the spell. If it exceeds the sorcerer's current CON score, reduce it by the level of the spell cast. If the Sorcerer is suffering from withdrawal, make it at advantage. CON can be recovered with a lesser restoration spell from a source other than the casters. Alternatively it can be healed after a long rest by expending 1 hit dice for every CON point recovered, This can take more than one long rest. Until all CON is recovered fully the Sorcerer does not recover hit points from any non magical healing.
Bard/ Eldritch Knight/ Arcane Thief - The Dabblers
Magic is Fickle
For the Dabblers, wielding magic is a tricky affair, not necessarily dangerous but not dependable. When a Dabbler fails a magic save, the spell they just cast is lost to them until they can finish a short rest. When they do they may expend hit dice equal to the spell they wish to restore rather than roll them for Hitpoints. On a long rest all spells are fully restored.
Cleric/Paladin
Magic is Duty
For the followers of a faith, casting spells is a matter of getting their god to pay attention to their desires. Gods are busy and can’t answer every prayer so they need to prioritize the incoming requests. This is represented by Piety.
A class of faith and duty, the piety of a character is their level +1 for full casters and half the level +1 for half casters. When the Character fails a Magic Save they subtract the spells level from the current Piety. The caster cannot cast spells of a higher level than their current piety. Thus a Character who has their piety reduced to 2 only has access to their first and second level spells.
After a long rest Piety is regained equal to the character's primary casting attribute modifier.
Druid/Ranger
Magic is Life
For those who wield the magic of the land, its use tends to be an all or nothing affair, winter or summer. Using the life of the land as a powersource is potent but diffuse. There is not enough energy in one place to cast even the most minor of cantrips. So before it can be used it must be gathered, and intensified into a usable form called a wellspring. Creating a wellspring is a relatively simple affair with enough time. The practitioner takes a number of minutes equal to the intensity of wellspring required to cast spells, with the energy gathered and contained by their will spell casting becomes possible. Then intensity of a wellspring is equal to the highest level spell it can cast. When a user of Land Magic fails a Magic save, their will falters and their wellspring pops, this renders magic inaccessible.
Forming a wellspring on the fly is a much more difficult affair. The player first decides what intensity of wellspring they need, pulling together a weak wellspring is much easier than an intense one. Then they take an action to make a Nature or Arcane spell check with a difficulty of 10 + the intensity of the wellspring required. With a success they can start casting spells up to the intensity of the wellspring. A failure means they must try again, but subsequent attempts are made with advantage. Druids alone may try to build a Wellspring with a bonus action, but it is done at disadvantage and does not give advantage on subsequent attempts.
