Thoughts about spellcasting
by RobinJust some thoughts from my Blog
1). Important notice from Canon (RC); Spells of magical or clerical origin are stored in the mind of the caster until used. However; when the caster loses consciousness or falls asleep, all spells are lost. This means danger to any caster, because if he/she loses consciousness, he can’t bring any spell out. This is the reason most experienced casters have, several scrolls, rings, staffs or other items able to be used when no magic is memorized or stored within the brain.
Skill; Spell storage (Int/Wis); High-level casters can however, learn a specific skill which enables them to memorize one spell for each intelligence bonus (Wisdom for Clerical classes) even while losing consciousness. This skill can only be learned if the caster is able to cast 5th level magic. The skill adds 10 minutes (1 Turn) to the memorization/praying time to acquire the spells, and the caster chooses which spells will be stored.
If the spells are cast prematurely, or the caster is subjected to forget spells, Anti Magic, severe brain damage or similar before the loss of consciousness appears, they will NOT be available.
The caster must roll his skill check to this ability, and if successful the spells chosen will be available instantly(as long as the spell is still within the mind of the caster before sleep/KO) when the caster awakes from sleep or resumes consciousness as if still memorized. Nothing changed to the spells themselves.
If not successful, the spells will be gone as normal. The skill can be learned from any who has this skill, and needs a free skill slot as per skill rules from the D&D Rules Cyclopedia pages 81-86. The caster is unaware if his skill use is successful or not until he/she awakes. The first time the skill is learned it has a value of 8+1d4, but never more than the current intelligence (or wisdom if clerical) of the caster. This can be increased by learning from another teacher later, but is never higher than the value of that teacher. Casters able to use clerical AND magical spells must choose before which type of spells, and the skill will be based on that type alone, and not the other type.
2). Reducing magical effects; A caster is always able to reduce the effects of any spell he or she is casting, on a successful ability check (Mages; intelligence, Clerics; Wisdom). As some spells have random effects, the reduction will be counted from there. Mostly a caster decreases distance, area of effect, or the final effect. However, the whole spell is used, however small the effect is. This ability does not affect the spell in any other way and normal saving throws do apply. A web spell for example does normally cover an area of 10 feet, with this reduction, it could be used to bind a person.
3). Spelllock. This severe handicap occurs on a magic user of any class which is severely disturbed in casting a spell. The handicap causes the same spell to be cast continuously, thereby draining the caster of all available magic, including items. Artifacts will be nullified for a week at most, but each spell cast drains that amount of spell levels, charges or HD from the items until there is no more magic. Continuous or temporary effects are exempted (example; Bless, Invisibility). If the caster happens to be in an area with magic nearby, the handicap will continue until that magic is empty/suppressed too. This includes all magic items within 10 feet.
This severe condition only happens to those casters who are subjected to a transportation spell of any sort while casting the spell that is repeated by the effect, and failing an intelligence check. The caster will still be transported, but then the handicap will be released. Non magic users and clerics of any kind will not be affected, but could be affected by the magic drain caused by a caster suffering this handicap.
When all magic within 10'is drained, the nasty effect stops.