Just designed the basic concept behind a new class I'm currently calling Wild Caster. The idea is that they do not learn or memorize spells. Instead, they can attempt to cast any arcane-based spell, with a percentage chance of it either working, casting a random spell from the same school of magic, casting a random spell from a random school, or the energy fizzling entirely.
Actually, now that I think of it, I could add a 5th option: the energy backfires and deals damage to the caster.
At any rate, if I remember correctly this is similar to a concept that I've heard previous gamers express a desire to see implemented. Initial reaction?
8 comments:
It makes for an interesting game - rather like having someone blindly shooting arrows into melee. The wild caster would be someone with the talent for magic, but no training, so they should be potentially very dangerous. There should also be a chance of hitting the wrong target completely, whether you got the spell right or not.
Poor Fizban...all he got was the feathers.
Same mana cost for this caster as other casters? Same mana whether it works or not? It's an interesting idea. I kind of like it - you could assume every caster was wild till they received formal training.
Is there a method of improvement, though? After they've cast a spell successfully a certain number of times, does their chance of success go up?
I have a lot of questions about this and would like to see it in action.
Same mana cost, yes. Mana would come from Constitution, because the caster is manipulating the raw energy without any sort of formalized focus or training. The caster would choose the intended spell, and pour the mana into it, and whether the spell works as intended or not the mana is gone.
At the moment, I have it set that the chances of a more favorable result improve as the character gains levels in the class. I had not considered the idea that each particular spell might have its own chance of success that increases as the caster continues to succeed, although that is also a very nifty way of doing things.
Do you allow throwing more than the required mana into the effort?
I have it as a means of increasing the power of spells (though it's something that needs to be learned). Do you mean, though, using additional mana to increase the chance of success? I'm not sure that would make sense in this instance, because the class is based around the idea of a lack of control rather than a lack of power, but it's something to consider.
No, I agree that more mana/energy expended wouldn't increase one's initial control of a spell. But, if you allow, for example, doubling the mana usage - and, since that's a skill, you might not for wilders - it could make wilder power very much more interesting. Depending on how much the extra mana increases results, you could turn a rather mild spell into a killing blow - for foe, or friend, depending on the roll of dice.
Would pouring more power into the spell reduce the chances of success because it reduces the amount of control over the magic?
I don't know. You could play it that way, certainly. I could argue it both ways on that point, though.
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