Unearthed Arcana
SPELL POINTS
The spell point system presented here allows caster to more freely pick and choose which spells they cast each day.
Every spellcaster has a reserve of spell points based on her class and level (see Table: Spell Points Per Day). Characters also gain bonus spell points from a high ability score (just as normal spellcasters would gain bonus spells from a high ability score; see Bonus Spell Points and Bonus Spells, below). These spell points provide the magical power behind the caster's spells: She spends a number of spell points appropriate to the spell's level to cast the spell (see Casting Spells, below). Once spent, spell points are expended until the caster has sufficient time to rest and prepare new spells (see Preparing Spells, below).
Table: Spell Points per Day
Level ....Bard...... Cleric, Druid, Wizard.....Ranger, Paladin....Sorcerer
1st 0.................2..............................0.......................3
2nd 0.................4............................. 0 ......................5
3rd 1.................7............................. 0 ......................8
4th 5................11........................... 0 .....................14
5th 6.................16.............................0......................19
6th 9.................24.............................1......................29
7th 14...............33............................1........................37
8th 17.............. 44............................1........................51
9th 22...............56...........................1........................63
10th 29...............72...........................4.........................81
11th 34 ..............88..........................4.........................97
12th 41...............104.........................9.........................115
13th 50...............120.........................9........................131
14th 57...............136.........................10......................149
15th 67...............152.........................17......................165
16th 81...............168.........................20......................183
17th 95...............184.........................25......................199
18th 113..............200........................26......................217
19th 133..............216........................41......................233
20th 144..............232........................48......................249
Table: Bonus Spell Points -Bonus Spell Points (by Maximum Spell Level)-
Score 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
12-13 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
14-15 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
16-17 1 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
18-19 1 9 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
20-21 2 10 17 26 26 26 26 26 26
ect...
PREPARING SPELLS
With this variant, spellcasters still prepare spells as normal (assuming they normally prepare spells). In effect, casters who prepare spells are setting their list of "spells known" for the day. They need not prepare multiple copies of the same spell, since they can cast any combination of their prepared spells each day (up to the limit of their spell points).
For example, a 4th-level wizard with an Intelligence score of 16, when using the spell point system, would prepare four 0-level spells, four 1st-level spells (three plus her bonus spell for high Int) and three 2nd-level spells (two plus her bonus spell for high Int). These spells make up her entire list of spells that she can cast during the day, though she can cast any combination of them, as long as she has sufficient spell points.
Bonus Spell Points and Bonus Spells
Any spellcaster who would normally receive bonus spells for a high ability-score receives bonus spell points instead. In effect, the character can simply cast more of her spells each day.
To determine the number of bonus spell points gained from a high ability score, first find the row for the character's ability score on Table: Bonus Spell Points. Use whichever ability score would normally award bonus spells for the character's class (Wisdom for clerics and druids, Intelligence for wizards, and so forth).
Next, find the coulumn for the highest level of spell the characrer is capable of casting based on her class level (even if she doesn't have a high enough ability score to cast spells of that level). At the point where the row and coulumn intersect, you find the bonus spell points a character gains. This value can change each time her ability score undergoes a permanent change (such as from an ability score increase due to character level or one from a wish spell) and each time her level changes.
For example, the 4th-level wizard with an Intelligence score of 16 is capable of casting 2nd-level spells. The number on Table: Bonus Spell Points at the intersection of the 16-17 row and the 2nd column is 4, so she has 4 extra spell points each day (in addition to the 11 points she gets from being a 4th-level wizard). If her Intelligence were increased to 20 because of fox's cunning spell or a Headband of Intellect +4, she wouldn't gain any additional bonus spell points, since those effects produce temporary changes, not permanent changes. However, when she reaches 5th level, her bonus spell points would increase from 4 to 9 (since she is now capable of casting 3rd-level spells and thus uses that column), and her overall total would increase from 15 to 25.
A character who would normally receive bonus spells from a class feature (such as from wizard specialization or access to a domain) can instead prepare extra spells of the appropriate levels, domains, and/or shcools. The character doesn't get any extra spell points (and thus can't cast any more spell than normal), but the added flexibility of being able to use the bonus spell more than once per day makes up for that.
For instance, a specialist wizard can prepare one extra spell from the chosen school of each spell level that she can cast. A cleric can prepare one domain spell (chosen from amond his domain spells available) of each spell level that he can cast.
For example, if the previous 4th-level wizard were an evoker, she could prepare one additional spell per level, but that spell would have to be from the evocation school. Once it is prepared, she can use that spell just like any of her other spells, casting it as often as she has spell points.
Another example: At 1st level, a cleric gains a bonus 1st-level spell, which must be selected from one of his two domains. Once it is prepared, he can use that domain spell just like any of his other spells, casting it as often as he has spell points.
For class features that grant bonus spells of a nonfixed spell lecel (such as the dragon disciple's bonus spells), the character instead gains a number of bonus spell points equal to twice the highest spell level he can cast, minus 1 (minimun 1 point) each time he gains a bonus spell. This is a fixed value - it doesn't increase later as the character gains levels - though later rewards may be larger as appropriate to the character's spellcasting ability.
For example, a 4th-level fighter/4th-level sorcerer who gains a level of dragon disciple gets a bonus spell. Since the character is capable of casting 2nd-level spells, she receives 3 bonus spells points (2*2=4, 4-1=3).
Spontaneous Spellcasting
Characters who cast all their spells spontaneously - such as bards and sorcerers - don't have to prepare spells. They can cast any spell they know by spending the requisite number of spell points.
Characters with the ability to cast a limited nimber of spells spontaneously (such as druids, who can spontaneously cast a summon nature's ally spell in place of another spell of the same level) are always treated as having those spells prepared, without spending any spell slots to do so. Thus they can cast such spells any time they have sufficien spell points.
Under this sytem, the Healing domain becomes a relatively poor choice for good-aligned clerics, since they gain less of a benefit for that domain. See Spontaneous Divine Casters for ways to solve that dilemma.
Regaining Spell Points
Spellcasters regain lost spell ponts whenever they could normally regain spells. Doing this requires the same amount of rest and preparation or concentration time as normal for the class. Without this period of rest and mental preparation, the caster's mind isn't ready to regain its power. Spell points are not divorced from the body; they are part of it. Using spell points is mentally tiring, and without the requisite preriod of rest, they do not regenerate. Any spell points spelnt within the last 8 hours count against a character's daily limit and aren't regained.
CASTING SPELLS
Each spell costs a cetain number of spell points to cast. The higher the level of the spell, the more points it costs. Table: Spell Point Costs describes each spell's cost.
Table: Spell Point Costs Spell Level Spell Point Cost 0 01 1st 1 2nd 3 3rd 5 4th 7 5th 9 6th 11 7th 13 8th 15 9th 17 1 0-level spells cost no spell points to cast. If a spellcaster is capable of casting 0-level spells, she can cast a number of 0-level spells each day equal to three + the number of spell points gained by that class at 1st level.
Spellcasters use their full normal caster level for determining the effect of their spells in this system, with one significant exception. Spells that deal a number of dice of damage based on caster level (such as magic missile, searing light, or lightning bolt) deal damage as if cast by a character of the minimum level of the class capable of casting the spell. Spells whose damage is partially based on caster level, but that don't deal a number of dice of damage based on caster level (such as produce flame or an inflict spell) use the spellcaster's normal caster level to determine damage. Use the character's normal caster level for all other effects, including range and duration.
For example, a fireball deals a number of dice of damage based on the caster's level, so when cast by a wizard using this system, it deals 5d6 points of damage (as if cast by a 5th-level wizard, which is the minimum level of wizard capable of casting fireball). A sorcerer who casts the same spell deals 6d6 points of damage, since the minimum level of sorcerer capable of casting fireball is 6th.
A character can pay additional spell points to increase the dice of damage dealt by a spell. Every 1 extra spell point spent at the time increases the spells effective caster level by 1 for purposes of dealing damage. A character can't increase a damage-dealing spell's caster level above her own caster level, or above the normal maximum allowed by the spell.
For example, even at 7th level, a wizard's lightning bolt deals only 5d6 points of damage (just like a 5th-level wizard) unless she spends extra spell points. If she spends 1 extra spell point (making the lighting bolt cost 6 points rather than 5), the spell deals 6d6 points of damage. A second extra spell point would increase the damage to 7d6 points, but she can't spend more points than this, since her caster level is only 7th. Were she 10th level or higher, she could spend a maximum of 5 extra spell points on this spell, raising the damage up to 10d6, the maximum allowed for a lighting bolt spell.
Similarly, her magic missile spell only shoots one missile unless she spends extra spell points. An extra 2 spell points increases the caster level from 1st to 3rd, granting her one additional missile. She can spend a maximum of 6 additional spell points in this manner, increasing her effective caster level to 7th for damage purposes and granting her a total of four missiles. If she were 9th level or higher, she could spend a maximum of 8 extra spell points, granting her five missiles (just like a 9th-level caster).