Using Spell Points
Using the Advanced Spell Points System is easy and feels natural, you don't need to track Spell Slots, just the maximum and actual Spell Points. Just like Hit Points. You can never use more Spell Points than your maximum. You don't need to look throught a table to know hom much a spell points a spell costs, low level spells costs a number of spell points equal to the level of the spell, if you launch a Level 1 Cure Wounds it will cost 1 Spell Point, if you wish to cast it at higher level (using an higher level slot as per basic rules) it will cost 2 SP launching a spell at 2nd level, 3 SP at 3rd level and so on. Highest level spells have their cost doubled or tripled.
- Cantrips costs 0 spell points.
- Level 1 to 5 spells costs an amount of spell points equal to the spell level.
- Level 6 and 7 spells cost is doubled.
- Level 8 and 9 spells cost is tripled.
Every other rule about spellcasting remain the same as basic rules. There is no hard limit to the number of spells you can cast, but, as you will see may be almost impossible to cast more than one 9th level spell per Long Rest as the Spell Points are limited, and one 9th level spell costs 27 Spell Points and can drain most of your magic power.
Manually Calculating Spell Points
Spell point calculation is based on your regular Spell Slots, you need to check how many spell slots your character should have at a given level based on his class.
Every Spell Slots has a value equal to its spell level. Get the value of every Spell Slot you have, sum all those values and then divide the total by 2 (rounding up). This will give you
the base Spell Points. Now add your Spellcasting Ability Modifier and you are ready to go.
- Multiply every Spell Slot by its level.
- Sum the results.
- Divide by 2 ( rounding up).
Remember Warlocks are excluded from this system, as they are from the spell point system on the DMG, since they don't really use spell slots, but a sort of different "Spell Point system" based on slots.
Casting spells with Spell Points
You now know how many Spell Points you have, but how you cast a spell with those points? When you want to cast a spell or use an ability that would normally consume a spell slot, follow every other rule about casting as normal, as we already anticipated just subtract the level of the spell from your spell points pool.
Spell cost in Spell Points
- 1st - 5th Slot, Level x1
- 6th - 7th Slot, Level x2
- 8th - 9th Slot, Level x3
Recovering Spell Points
Usually you recover all your expended Spell Points at the end of a Long Rest, some classes have unique features that allow them to recover Spell Slots after a Short Rest, those features are replaced as follows:
Natural Recovery (Druid - Circle of Land)
Starting at 2nd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. During a short rest, you recover a number of Spell Points equal
to your Proficiency Bonus. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest. For example, when you are a 4th-level druid, you can recover 2 Spell Points.
Arcane Recovery (Wizard)
You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. During a short rest, you recover a number of Spell Points equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest. For example, when you are a 4th-level wizard, you can recover 2 Spell Points.
Other Rules
Some class feature or privilege can affect how many spell slots you have or can create. Usually no other calculation is needed, just convert the slot level directly into spell points. For example the Sorcerer Flexible Casting allow the creation of spell slots, if you are creating a 1st level slot you get 1 spell point, if you are creating a 2nd level slot you get 2 spell points and so on. If any ability or privilege requires to expend a spell slot you just expend a number of spell points equal the slot level you would create.
Running out of Spell Points
When you reach 0 Spell Points you are done, you can't cast any more spells. The day is over for you and you must hope no other big fight will occur and that you can rest and dream peacefully to recover your magic. But.. you know.. that's never the case. Sometimes you and your team are running out of resources, your party hit points are low, your spell points are almost over and all you need is to cast that spell that can save your friends life, you would do anything, even give your own life to be able to call that magic hidden in your soul. Now you can!
Casting Spells without spell points
If you want to cast a spell but your spell points are not enough, you can call the energy needed directly from your your life force. Your body is consumed, black veins appear on your skin. The effort to cast this way could kill you. You suffer a reduction of your hit point maximum and could get a level of exhaustion. You still cannot cast a spell with a level higher than your
casting limit!
Hit point maximum reduction
You are casting spells using your own life, you sacrifice your hit point maximum equal the spell cost in Spell Points x 2, and risk one level of exhaustion. When you cast a spell and you have not enough spell points to pay it's cost, your current spell points pool drop to 0 automatically. Then you must reduce your hit point maximum accordingly to the full cost of the spell x 2. Doesn't matter how many spell points you have remaining, the hit point loss is always equal to double the spell cost. If your hit point maximum drops to 0 this way you die instantly! No saving throw!
Exhaustion
Every time you try to use your own life to power your spell, your body and your soul are consumed by the effort, not only your hit point maximum is reduced, but you must make a Constitution Saving Throw (CD 10 + level of the spell you are casting). Failure means you get 1 level of exhaustion.
Recovering
When your hit point maximum is reduced this way, you can only recover part of it at the end of a Long Rest, you will recover a number of hit points maximum equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
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