What Are Your Magic-User House Rules?

[Sir Bedivere]

Hi, everyone,

I'm preparing release 2 of the Magic-User Options supplement and thought I might include a few examples of how the various options can be combined.

So, I'm interested in what house rules GMs are using in their campaigns, and in why people use those rules, if you don't mind writing a bit more.

Thanks!

[dymondy2k]

I've been considering some but haven't implemented them yet. I was considering some sort of magic point system but haven't found anything that I like yet. If I don't implement the point system I will definitely allow magic users to use a light crossbow as a ranged weapon. I'm thinking doing an over/under strength stat for whether they can fire it once a round or once every two rounds. I think this will allow them to be a little less useless at lower levels.

[Sir Bedivere]

Have you looked at the Sorcerer or Fey Mage supplements? They might work for a point system.

Edit: Well, I'd forgotten the Fey Mage supplement hasn't been officially released yet. You can get what appears to be the most recent version here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=188&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=20#p3399

[Joe the Rat]

I'm not at the show running stage right now, but I have something to play with. It's a spell slot/spell point conversion for MU and Cleric progressions. his is mainly for dymondy to look at, but it might be useful for building.

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B5w3R_ ... 0&hl=en_US

I used... Hmmm... can't find the reference notes... it involved comparisons of the MU and sorcerer from the 3.5SRD, and somehow I came up with the point scaling. A variant rule from somewhere? The trick was ballparking the "weight" of a level, and what would be a reasonable tradeoff. If you don't like the odd value progression, plug in your own numbers. The formula will refigure points per level.

The "mod load" column is my own bit of tweakery. What it does is give a slightly different progression - a few extra points at lower levels, but fewer points at higher levels. Given the flexibility of a point system - barring having a more limited pool of spells to cast - reducing the volume of firepower would offset some of the advantages of free selection. All of it needs played with to see how it turns out on the table, rather than just on paper.

[dymondy2k]

Joe.. I actually sat for a few hours awhile back coming up with some ideas. Unfortunately I didn't write down my thoughts and in a fit of old age, forgot everything.

[Orpheo]

Magic users always have an innate magic attack, an Arcane Bolt that they need to succeed with a ranged attack with and it does 1d4 damage. Also cantrips, minor utility magic that they can use at will. A little bit 4E, I know, but why not use good ideas? The Arcane Bolt eliminates the dreaded crossbow-wizard.

[dymondy2k]

I like that Orpheo.. Arcane Bolt.. the wizards innate crossbow

[vfults]

I allow M-Us to start with max hit points + CON bonus, and they can cast a number of additional first level spells per day equal to their INT bonus. This gives them a bit more survivability and lets them be more than one-spell wonders at first level and keeps players from asking for options like using crossbows or other weapons to give them something to do until they can rememorize spells. I give bonus spells to Clerics but use the WIS bonus for determining bonus spells. Zero level spells are also used for both classes.

Regards,

V

[SmootRK]

Cantrips, additional sub-classes (Necromancer, Fey-mage), additional spells (various supplements/sources), and thinking of implementing some additional things such as slightly modified spell progression, and some innate powers such as the arcane bolt suggested above (but I think base damage of 1/2 level rounded down modified by INT) but also thinking of more stuff like minor shield spell effects, minor clairvoyance/second sight effects, etc. all acquired at certain levels.

Mostly what MU's need is more useful spells, and perhaps some mechanism for specializing in certain spells.

[Joe the Rat]

Watch the power creep on giving a MU innate progressive attack powers, though. Nobody else has that sort of growth in innate damage output (going by core rules). Magic weapons are the culprit for others' gains - meaning your magic-user ought to be picking up handy hoodads for hurling hellfire at the same time.

Range is also a question here. Since this one comes with attack rolls, you could set some range increments (with short range bonus and long range penalty).

...And since I'm on a roll now, the "flavor" of the bolt could be tuned. Fire, ice shard, razor wind, purple lightning, necrotic energy pulse, "Mage Hand? No, Mage FIST!", etc. Weaknesses and resistances would come into play here as well - or it may just be a stylistic effect on the raw magical bolt. This might be something more appropriate to use just for specialists (I'm looking at you, pyromancer!) rather than a general trick.

Mostly what MU's need is more useful spells, and perhaps some mechanism for specializing in certain spells.

Was that more useful spells, or more useful spells?
Something to consider is allowing them to "Master" a spell to the point they no longer need to memorize it from their spell books. A small thing, but it can be situationally handy.