I had a crazy idea:
Everyone gets spells. That's right. Everyone gets spells, caster level, etc. However, the less spells their class normally starts with the more restrictive their spell list is. Thus, merely add the following to all character classes:
SPELL POINTS
Get rid of spells per day and use a
Spell Point System. Every class/HD now grants spell points as a Paladin (using Charisma) or whatever their class grants, whichever is more.
CASTER LEVEL
REGARDLESS of class/HD, your caster level for ALL magic is equal to (level * 1.5) - BAB. Thus, your casting effectiveness and combat effectiveness are always balanced regardless of class/HD but everyone has both. This does mean some casters are weakened. This is by design as it provides better balance anyway. If the GM allows, you can reduce your BAB/HD from a spellcasting class from full to 3/4 or from 3/4 to 1/2 in order to bump your caster level up.
MAGIC POWERS
Every character gains the following in addition to all the normal benefits of class/HD.
- At 1st level, a character gains a 0-level spell of their choice as a spell-like ability usable at will from any spell list.
- At caster level 1st they gain cleric domain of their choice. They can use the spells on the domain list as spell-like abilities (consuming spell points) and gain access to the domain's powers as if they were a cleric with a level equal to their total HD.
- At 6th level and every 5 levels thereafter, they choose to gain a new domain and 0-level spell-like ability or improve an existing domain of their choice. Improving an existing domain grants them a +1 bonus to all their DCs and your effective level for all spell-like abilities and powers granted by the chosen domain. This is accumulative if you apply multiple improvements (max +3).
Clerics can choose to give up one or both of their domains to improve their magic powers (+1 or +2) at 1st level.
NO POWERS
If a player really doesn't want to use magic but still wants to play in a game like this, they can gain Untapped Power instead of Magic Power. They gain Arcane Strike as a bonus feat using spell points instead of spells. They also gain Spell Resistance 10 + hit dice and a bonus feat at 6th, 11th, and 16th level.
CHALLENGE RATINGS
Your GM should consider this when building encounters since their CR should be higher than normal to make up for this. You can simply add Magic Power to monsters and NPCs the same or give them +2 CR templates. But remember, due to these adjustments, they grant loot and XP as if they were 2 CRs lower after adding these things.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:45, Thu 04 Jan.
