Im thinking of using a new magic system in which you pay for a high level wizard to teach you a spell. The way i want to do it is
Cantrips - 150 gp
Lv 1 spells - 200 gp
Lv 2 spells - 250 gp
And so on. In order to learn a spell you need to be able to cast spells to begin with, no lv 1 barbarians with wish. Any tips to improve the system or make it more balinced?
Are you meaning this as a replacement for the rules in the game as to how many spells a character of a particular class knows (like that a 5th level sorcerer knows 5 cantrips and 6 other spells, and a wizard adds 2 spells to their spellbook every time they level up), or as a replacement for the rules of how a wizard adds spells to their spellbook other than when leveling up?
I ask because my suggestions depend on which is the case.
Are you meaning this as a replacement for the rules in the game as to how many spells a character of a particular class knows (like that a 5th level sorcerer knows 5 cantrips and 6 other spells, and a wizard adds 2 spells to their spellbook every time they level up), or as a replacement for the rules of how a wizard adds spells to their spellbook other than when leveling up?
I ask because my suggestions depend on which is the case.
It just felt strange for a wizard/sorcerer to leveld up and instantly know how to use spells he didn't know a hour ago, it just semed like a more logical way to learn new spells.
The sorcerer still only have a fixed number of spells per level and are restricted to the arcan. Clerics and paladins can only learn divine.
It just felt strange for a wizard/sorcerer to leveld up and instantly know how to use spells he didn't know a hour ago, it just semed like a more logical way to learn new spells.
That is an issue with thinking of leveling up as being a process of instantaneous "I didn't know this" to "I do know this."
The other way you could imagine things is along the same line of how most groups imagine their characters groom themselves and perform basic processes of normal daily life. Most folks don't frequently go into detail about a character's "morning ritual" or other minor assumed details like what order they prefer to dress or wash in, but they realize that even unmentioned those things are still being done at the appropriate times by their characters. And in that same way, at some point in all the unmentioned activity of a character's daily life, spellcasters are working on new spells, fighters are keeping up their training, and so on - which culminates as measurable progress when a level is gained and the character finally has new features like new spells known.
Implementing this new system is, if the reason is to prevent the "instantly know how" problem, not accomplishing the goal it is set out for. You've only changed the reason for the "instantly know how" from "because level" to "because money." It is also unfairly applying logic to one class type while not preventing others from getting their improvements in what you regard as an "instantly know how" method. A solution that would actually address the probably of "instant" learning, and would apply to all classes rather than just to those that happen to have spells, is to use the training optional rules from the Dungeon Master's Guide (found here; though to summarize there is an amount of training time and a monetary cost for that training that both increase at particular levels, and no one gets to gain a level until they've spent the time and money to train up).
That's affective for the average sorcerer or wizard and even a devout cleric, but what about when the sorcerers only pastime is sitting around staring at fire doing noting night and day?
That's affective for the average sorcerer or wizard and even a devout cleric, but what about when the sorcerers only pastime is sitting around staring at fire doing noting night and day?
Well, I'm assuming that if a sorcerer is an adventurer, they're practicing their spells while adventuring. The Sorcerer is the athlete of magic users - their magic is like breathing techniques and building up muscle memory to them. Just... with magic instead of, well, muscles. So, actually adventuring is going to be their workout for the day.
So, recuperating from a day of "exercise" is well and good in my opinion. Got to let your "muscles" heal back up.
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Anyways, on topic. On the matter of learning spells from a random other person... that doesn't quite make sense to me for clerics or druids (and, by extension, paladins and rangers), who already know all the spells on their list; if not, then I don't really see a problem with having this kind of thing. In older editions of D&D, you didn't level up overnight or the middle of battle, you actually had to spend time training during downtime to get the level after earning the xp to "unlock" it. That's not unusual.
Wizards can already learn new spells from other spellcasters - that's what trading spell books and copying down the information is all about. Warlocks... that's kinda the default for them, but instead of a wizard, they get an extraplanar Patron. Kind of cheapens their whole class thing if they get their magic from elsewhere than their patrons. That said, warlocks tend to have too many spells known they don't even bother casting.
Sorcerers are actually the only ones who really be affected here, as its a major change from the themes of the class; you're turning these guys into a pseudo-warlock/wizard type. And possibly stepping on the toes of things like having the blood of a dragon, or the fact that you're a chaos mage with unstructured magic. Or you're Chosen. Lots of the stories seem to be taking a hit. That would be my primary concern as a player. If I no longer feel like a sorcerer?
Side note - cantrips are generally pretty awesome. I think you're undervaluing their power and flexibility. Admitted
...what about when the sorcerers only pastime is sitting around staring at fire doing noting night and day?
I have two answers to this question.
Answer A): That's clearly an NPC, because "I don't do anything" is not a valid character concept or portrayal for a player to have. So it doesn't matter what the progression rules are because NPCs do not follow any kind of progression rule - they just are however the DM has them be at whatever time they are used.
Answer B): If a player is failing to convince you that their is more to their character than "staring at fire doing nothing night and day", the problem at hand is one of not having that player's buy-in to whatever is going on in the campaign; they aren't participating because they aren't interested in whatever is going on. It is not a problem that can be solved by changing the mechanics of character progression - and in fact might actually be made worse by any attempt at solving the problem that doesn't address the root issue. So instead of changing the rules, talk with the player and figure out what (if anything) will get them to get more involved in doing things in character so that you don't incorrectly perceive their character as being a non-character of the sort that stares at fires.
No amount of fiddling about with the rules is going to get a player that'd rather play their 3DS than actually participate in the game to start participating by force.
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Im thinking of using a new magic system in which you pay for a high level wizard to teach you a spell. The way i want to do it is
Cantrips - 150 gp
Lv 1 spells - 200 gp
Lv 2 spells - 250 gp
And so on. In order to learn a spell you need to be able to cast spells to begin with, no lv 1 barbarians with wish. Any tips to improve the system or make it more balinced?
Are you meaning this as a replacement for the rules in the game as to how many spells a character of a particular class knows (like that a 5th level sorcerer knows 5 cantrips and 6 other spells, and a wizard adds 2 spells to their spellbook every time they level up), or as a replacement for the rules of how a wizard adds spells to their spellbook other than when leveling up?
I ask because my suggestions depend on which is the case.
I make stuff on DMs Guild, DriveThruRPG, & Storytellers Vault. I stream things on Twitch.
It just felt strange for a wizard/sorcerer to leveld up and instantly know how to use spells he didn't know a hour ago, it just semed like a more logical way to learn new spells.
The sorcerer still only have a fixed number of spells per level and are restricted to the arcan. Clerics and paladins can only learn divine.
I would say if there is any arcane class that would instantly know spells upon leveling, it would be the sorcerer.
I make stuff on DMs Guild, DriveThruRPG, & Storytellers Vault. I stream things on Twitch.
That's affective for the average sorcerer or wizard and even a devout cleric, but what about when the sorcerers only pastime is sitting around staring at fire doing noting night and day?
Ok thanks, i am a new gm and was making assumptions bassed on games i played in the past.
C. Are they an elemental sorcerer who literally gets their power from fire, because that might explain the staring....
I make stuff on DMs Guild, DriveThruRPG, & Storytellers Vault. I stream things on Twitch.
Correct answer
Hes a pyromaniac that only cares about fire
(He does it to play his 3ds)
Well, tell him to knock that off, change characters, or withdraw from the game. You don't need to create a system problem to address a player problem.
I make stuff on DMs Guild, DriveThruRPG, & Storytellers Vault. I stream things on Twitch.
What Travis said.
No amount of fiddling about with the rules is going to get a player that'd rather play their 3DS than actually participate in the game to start participating by force.