Point Buy Magic, Updated Jan 22

[anarkeith]

I'm attaching an RTF of the Magic Menu for spell casters. I believe that it will be relatively easy for players to implement because they can choose the details of the spell to match observed circumstances or create certain effects, rather than trying to fit a pre-defined attack to those circumstances. This also allows for multiple uses of an effective attack in a single encounter.

Note that this is intended to replace the existing 4e spell-like powers, and so includes some translational elements (e.g., converting the 16 4e conditions to three).

Also, I've been "mucking with the maths" to try and scale the damage capabilities with 4e characters.

Attachments:

[anarkeith]

I'm looking at a system for magic items that will relate to the point-buy system for spells. For example an exceptional +1 item might have up to 12 points available to be used on a "daily" capability made up from the area, duration, effect menus for magic.

Example:
+1 Dagger of Fireblast
Fireblast (Fire) -- Total cost = 7 pts
Once per day, you may activate a fiery blast, area 2x2 (4pts), duration Instant (0 pts), 2d6 + Ability bonus damage (3 pts). Attack is INT bonus + 1 vs REFL.

[randy]

I like tying the magic system into magic items (at least standard ones- never hurts to have a few special ones that don't make sense within the character's understanding) since that gives you good continuity and helps build cool items more easily.

On the "Action Point" progression, it seems an unusual pattern. You may want to consider something more straight line, or perhaps scaling up (or down) over time, depending on your vision of how skills progress over time. A simpler pattern also makes it easy for players to understand what happens each time they increase in level.

[anarkeith]

Dec 6, 2010 20:12:04 GMT -5 randy said:

On the "Action Point" progression, it seems an unusual pattern. You may want to consider something more straight line, or perhaps scaling up (or down) over time, depending on your vision of how skills progress over time. A simpler pattern also makes it easy for players to understand what happens each time they increase in level.

Yeah, the pattern is weird because I've assigned values to the different powers from 4e, and when a 4e character gets a new power, I grant points. (The 4e power progression includes a variety of attack powers and utilities.) The idea being that a point-buy character can do approximately the same amount of damage as a 4e character, and the same amount of utility actions, but they have more choice in the scale of those actions and in how they're applied.

It may be that the system is robust enough to break away from the 4e progression a little bit, but that gets pretty deep into the math of it. Not my strong suit. I'd just as soon see if the system works at all, and then delve in to tuning.

I agree with you on keeping patterns intuitive for players.

[anarkeith]

Per Randy's suggestion, I'm going to try adding 3 Action Points per level, still starting at 12. This will give the even progression that Randy recommended, and doesn't move me too far off from where I was (which was admittedly based as much on intuition as any real mathematics.)

Per my estimate of values, I assigned a 4e encounter power a value of 3, a utility power 2, and a daily power 4. Since I'm really doing away with daily powers, other than the slow attrition of of Action points (since they don't all refresh after an encounter), I wanted to maintain some fatigue element while still giving players as many options as possible. I felt like the once per encounter, and once per day restrictions were too artificial. But, I wanted to keep the capabilities of the new characters approximately in-line with existing 4e characters.

So, a 1st level character normally has one encounter power, and one daily, valued at 7 points per my estimate. Heroic-tier 4e characters also have two at-will powers that have some effects beyond a melee or ranged basic attack, so I wanted to account for those as well, so I allotted 5 points extra. In addition, a 1st level character can refresh 1d6 worth of Action points as a "feat" once per session, which represents being able to pull off extra stunts (effects and damage) in combat or spellcasting.

[anarkeith]

REVISED 1/22/11:

Spells for magic-based effects in 4e D&D

Players want a mechanic for spell casting that allows for creative problem solving using magical energy. The “old-school” model of a memorized list of spells from a book, representing the sum of known spells, has always seemed limiting to me. I prefer the sorcerous model of channeling and fashioning magical energies to suit the situation at hand. However, the mechanics I’ve outlined below can be skinned with the memorized-book model as part of role-playing, without changing the mechanics. You have an economy of magical actions that represents fatigue and skill in the abstract. Players are dealt cards based on their character's experience level according to the table below to represent their available resources and talents.

A basic, at-will, magic-based attack always does 1d6 + ability modifier damage (alternately, 1d6 damage may be exchanged for 1 point credit towards one of the spell options listed below). A spell caster chooses to either make a basic attack or expend points by turning cards in hand face down to make a spell attack according to the spell construction rules outlined below. A player is limited to spending points equal to, or less than, the maximum shown on the table on any one magic-based attack. Damage and/or effects are only applied when the die roll indicates a hit against the target.

On a critical hit (20 on a d20), you may expend points equal to your highest value card in hand for maximum damage.

Level	Aces	Twos	Threes	Fours	Fives	Max
1 (8)	2	1	-	1	-	6
2 (10)	2	2	-	1	-	6
3 (13)	2	2	1	1	-	6
4 (13)	2	2	1	1	-	6
5 (18)	2	3	2	1	-	7
6 (20)	4	3	2	1	-	7
7 (23)	4	3	3	1	-	7
8 (23)	4	3	3	1	-	7
9 (28)	4	3	3	1	1	8
10 (30)	4	4	3	1	1	8

4e point-value equivalent: Utility (2); Encounter (3); Daily (5)

In addition, spell casters may acquire a “wild-card” with the value depending on type of magical energy used and primary ability, according to the following distribution:

Arcane spell caster or other intelligence-based class: intelligence bonus +1
Divine spell caster or other wisdom-based class: wisdom bonus +1

For example, a cleric with wisdom 16 (ability modifier: +3) would have a wild-card number of 4. The player would thus be able to add a card with face value 4 to their hand.

Spell construction
Spell effects are “built” by the player according to available resources and desired effects. Magical damage uses the d6. Also, for determining targeted defense, the type of energy used must be declared. The player’s spell description may, at their discretion, include flavor elements that help describe the spell for the benefit of other players.

• Enchantment – alter creatures’ emotions, thoughts, and actions, including beguiling onlookers, terrifying foes, and encouraging allies.
  
• Illusion -- deceive the senses or the mind.
  
• Transmutation – transforms the target, changing form, composition, or abilities.
  
• Evocation -- explosions, rays of magical energy, and lingering environmental effects. This is the most widely practiced school of magic.

Spells come in the form of natural energy (e.g., Lightning, Poison, Psychic, Thunder), supernatural energy (Force, Necrotic, Radiant), and elemental forces (Acid, Cold, Fire, Force, Lightning, Thunder).

Some energies and forces occur in multiple forms, such as Lightning (e.g., electricity) and Thunder (e.g., sonic), which are natural energies and elemental forces. Force can be a supernatural energy, and an elemental force (e.g., air). Psychic (e.g., illusion, charm, fear) energies can enhance or deceive the senses or the mind. Radiant (e.g., healing, light) energy can be used to heal wounds and enhance abilities, while Necrotic energy can do the opposite. Some classes are limited to specific energies or forces.

Energy and Force Types vs. Defenses

Acid vs. FORT	Fire vs. REFL
Cold vs. FORT	Lightning vs. REFL
Force vs. FORT	Psychic vs. WILL
Necrotic vs. FORT	Radiant vs. WILL
Poison vs. FORT	Thunder vs. AC

Options (1pt each):
a) a die (d6) of damage, or healing for PC wielding divine magic, as defined by player

b) an effect or applied condition

• No move
  
• No attack
  
• No senses
  
• +/- 2 to attack, defense (grant combat advantage), or check
  
• +/- 1 to ability

c) duration in 1d4 rounds after 1st; 1 pt = 1d4 duration

d) expanded area of effect (initial progression shown)

• 1 pt = burst 1, or 4 (contiguous) squares
  
• 2 pt = burst 2, or 5 (contiguous) squares
  
• 3 pt = burst 3, or 6 (contiguous) squares

e) movement technique

• +2 squares movement, or push, pull, slide, shift 1 square

[anarkeith]

Here are some sample spells and attacks:

Burning Hands — Wizard/Sorcerer Spell (2pts)
A spray of searing flame shoots from your fingertips.
Fire (Evocation)
Attack: vs. Reflex
Target: Each creature in squares

1pt	4 (contiguous) squares
1pt	Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier fire damage

Disguise Self — Wizard/Sorcerer Spell (3pts)
You make yourself — including clothing, armor and equipment — look different.
Psychic (Illusion)
Attack: Intelligence vs. DC 12
Target: You

2pts	Anyone attempting to determine your identity receives a -2 to the Perception check (opposed, vs. Bluff) for each point spent. In this example, they would receive a -4 on the Perception check.
1pt	Add +1d4 rounds (minutes, outside of a combat encounter) duration after 1st

Hold Portal — Wizard/Sorcerer Spell (3pts)
Magically holds shut a door, gate, window, or shutter of wood, metal or stone.
Force (Evocation)
Attack: Intelligence vs. DC 12
Target: one portal

2pts	Anyone attempting to force open the portal receives a -2 to the Strength check for each point spent. In this example, they would receive a -4 on the Strength check.
1pt	Add +1d4 rounds (minutes, outside of a combat encounter) duration after 1st

Memory Hole — Psion Attack (2-5pts)
You sift through your foe’s mind for the mental representation of yourself within it, and brutally rip it out.
Psychic (Enchantment)
Attack: vs. Will
Target: one creature

1pt	Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage
1pt	You become invisible (target condition: no sense) to the target until the end of your next turn
Augment 1
1pt	Hit: As above, and add +1d4 rounds duration after 1st. 3pts total cost.
Augment 2
2pts	Hit: As above, and area burst 1 (Target: Each creature in burst), and the targets take 1d6 additional damage. 5pts total cost.