Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (
More info?)
Jim Davies <jim@aaargh.NoBleedinSpam.org> wrote:
> Behold! for Jasin Zujovic <jzujovic@inet.hr> spake unto the multitude
> thus:
>
>>In article <1118095442.770693.116670@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
>>forumite@netzero.com says...
>>
>>> Consider that Wish is actually more versatile than Miracle. The only
>>> thing the cleric can really count on is the ability to cast an
>>> "anyspell" or something similar along those lines, such as a
>>> spontaneous metamagic spell which if applied by normal rules would take
>>> no higher than an 8th level spell slot.
>>
>>IM(somewhat limited)E, the anyspell aspect is the most commonly useful
>>and used one.
>>
>>As a wizard, I'd rather have a no-XP-needed spell that let me cast 8th
>>level Sor/Wiz spells and 7th-level other spells (which is only a part of
>>what miracle does), than have wish.
>
> Or you could just Rule0 that to mimic an nth level spell costs 300n
> xp, or 300(n+2) for a non-Wiz spell. Add 1 to n for a banned school.
An interesting idea. Basically an 'anyspell' ability that costs XP.
Play/spotlight considerations make this an interesting problem. Part of
me figures 'no way' -- this effectively gives the character 'knowledge'
of all spells, spontaneously. It costs XP, but...
Now, you're charging a *lot* of XP (see the table below for the
calculated XP and gp equivalent, compared to the cost of a scroll
containing the same spell).
level gpcost xpcost xp->gp**
1 25 300 1500
2 150 600 3000
3 375 900 4500
4 700 1200 6000
5 1125 1500 7500
6 1650 1800 9000
7 2275 2100 10500
8 3000 2400 12000
9 3825 2700 13500
10* 4750 3000 15000
11* 5775 3300 16500
12* 6900 3600 18000
* non-wizard and/or barred school [I don't know that I'd allow the
barred school... you can't usually use *anything* from a barred
school, after all].
** 1 xp : 5 gp, common exchange rate
The cost you give above ranges from about 1/3 the amount needed to
advance (first level) down to about 1/6 at 17th level (assuming a spell
of highest level).
What if the cost included consideration of the caster level -- treat it
as an XP-driven 'itemless magic item', as it were.For the sake of
argument, say it takes the same number of XP a scroll would normally
cost. This effectively means each 'anynonscroll' (sorry) costs five
times normal.
In exchange you can cast without preparation any spell you could
normally (for your level, better cap that) cast, taking class and
specialization into consideration. At first level, anyspell costs 1/40
the amount of XP needed to advance. At 17th level a first-level
anyspell (cast as 17th level) still costs 1/40th the amount of XP needed
to advance (probably advisable to undercast for most spells, of course).
A ninth-level anyspell would cost almost a quarter of the XP needed to
advance to the next level (*ouch*)... but consider how powerful that
ability is.
heh. At that, this is cheaper than /wish/ normally is -- /wish/ has a
base cost of 5000xp. If you double the cost (simple) from the previous
calculation you go from 1/20 (1*1 @ 1st) to almost 1/2 (9*17 @ 17th ==
7650/17000). This ability costs, effectively, 10 times what a
comparable scroll would cost (1xp:5gp, doubled), with the benefits of
not having to *have* such a scroll handy, no preparation required, no
spell knowledge needed (spell from a different class) or outright barred
(barred school if specialist), though these last two have additional
cost (increased effective spell level, and still capped by caster
level).
Metamagic would probably be comparable -- anyspell used for a silent
/fireball/ would be treated as a 4th-level spell with a 7th-level caster
level minimum.
I could see some wizards taking it, but not all. It'd be handy to have
as a last ditch option, but too expensive for casual use.
Rather than a wizard ability, though, it might be worth pursuing as a
prestige class ability (10-level class, primary feature is +1 caster
level in previous class per level, anyspell for $classlevel-1 spells...
an Any1 could anyspell 0-level spells, Any4 could anyspell 3rd-level
spells, etc.).
Optionally you could go for feats. I'd probably require severel in
succession (with increasing skill rank and caster level prereqs) for the
full abilities, and probably additional feats to anyspell spells from
other classes or barred schools. Something like
Anyspell [can anyspell cantrips]
Improved Anyspell [anyspell <= 3rd level]
Greater Anyspell [anyspell <= 6th level]
Master Anyspell [anyspell <= 9th level]
(Anymiracle) [can anyspell divine spells of allowed levels]
(Anybarred) [can anyspell spells from barred schools]
The above are written assuming an arcane caster; if any caster can do it
then 'Anymiracle' probably becomes 'Anyalternate' (divine can anyspell
arcane and vice-versa) and 'Anybarred' probably doesn't apply to divine
casters... though a case might be made to differentiate between types of
divine caster (druid vs. cleric is the main one here).
> Likewise for some of the other uses
>
>>As a sorcerer, even more so.
>
> Oooh yes...
A not cheap sorcerer, though.
Keith
--
Keith Davies "Trying to sway him from his current kook-
keith.davies@kjdavies.org rant with facts is like trying to create
keith.davies@gmail.com a vacuum in a room by pushing the air
http://www.kjdavies.org/ out with your hands." -- Matt Frisch
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