Base Magic Bonus, Spells Slots, and Spellcasting

A 10th barbarian / 10th fighter can currently stack their Base Attack Bonus... but a 10th Wizard / 10th Cleric has no cumulative benefit in 3.5. In fact, they are heavily disincented to multi-class because of negative benefit at low levels (whereas one level of fighter or rogue gives immediate additive bonuses). The New Magic System is an attempt to find an additive benefit for combined spellcasters.

Base Magic Bonus (BMB) now replaces all instances of "Caster Level" in spells, spell effects, requirements, etc. Wizards, Clerics, Sorcerers, and Wu-Jen are the only spell casters that use the BMB (Best) progression. Thus, a 10th Wizard / 10th Cleric casts spells as powerfully as a 20th level Wizard or 20th Cleric (with respect to Spellcaster DC, for example).

However, a 10th Wizard / 10th Cleric does not gain spells as a 20th Wizard or 20th Cleric, since that would be clearly overpowered. Instead, they will gain spells around a 15th level of one or the other. This is accomplished through the use of Magic Points buying Spell Slot Rows (SSRs).

Every level gained as a spell caster that caster gains Magic Points = Class Level + BMB. These Magic Points can be used to purchase SSRs from the appropriate class spell chart. Consider the Wizard SSR Chart:

Wizard Spell Slot Row Chart Example

So, for example, a 5th level wizard has 10 Magic Points to spend on Spell Slot Rows (10MP = L5 + 5 BMB). This would be enough to buy the 10 MP row, which is normally what a 5th level wizard would get at that level. However, if the wizard also had 5 BMB from other classes (say, a Clr 5, Dru 6, Pal 9 or Ftr 14), then they would have 15 MP available (15MP = L5 + 10 BMB). That would be enough to buy the 14 MP row and the 1 MP row.

Buying SSRs is subject to the following rules:

• A dash (-) means the spell slot is unavailable. A +0 or greater means that spell slot is available (and thus Spell Bonuses from Ability scores can apply).
• MPs are use 'em or lose 'em, just like skill points. They can't be banked or carried from level to level.
• No more than two SSRs can be purchased at any one level; the same SSR cannot be purchased twice.
• The maximum spell level slot available cannot increase by more than one each level.

This latter rule limits the rate of gaining maximum spell levels to one per level. Consider a 6th Druid converting to a wizard. At L1 Wizard, they have 9 MP to spend... unfortunately, they are limited to buying only a maximum of a 1st level spell. So they buy the 1 MP and 2 MP rows for [+1, +1, -] and 6 MP is wasted. When they gain L2 Wizard, they have 11 MP to spend. This would be enough to buy the 10MP row (and gain a 3rd level spell) except they are limited to buying only a second level spell maximum. So, they decide to buy the 8 MP row and the 2 MP row for [+1, +2, +1, -] and only 1 MP is wasted. At L3 Wizard, they have 13 MP to spend, and can use them maximally to get the 12 MP and 1 MP rows for [+2, +0, +1, +1, -] and gain a 3rd level spell slot. From this level on, they gain spells at around a wizard two levels higher. If they advance in their original druid class, they would use the Druid SSR Chart to buy slots of druid spells.

The addition of all bonus spells can never more than double the base slots per day for any given level, with a minimum bonus of 1 for +0 slots.

Clerics gain a +1 per day for each spell level for their domain spells, as well as Wis bonus spells. Wizard Specialists gain a +1 per day for each spell level for their primary school, as well as Int bonus spells.

Poor Spell casters may only purchase SSRs every other level.

If there are only a limited number of principal spells, how do they get created? Whenever a prepared arcane spellcaster increases in level, they can choose to learn spells (if they have a suitable source like a spellbook) or create new ones. Learning spells from a spellbook is always automatically successful. Spell creation is subject to a Spellcraft check; if failed, you move onto another different choice and try again. If an entire spell list is exhausted unsuccessfully, then the arcane caster automatically creates their initial spell of choice (the first one failed). Prepared casters can gain (learn or create) one principal spell per spell level they know. For example, a newly minted Wizard 5 could gain one 1st, one 2nd, and one 3rd level spell. Characters can also choose to voluntarily gain lower spell levels than they would be normally entitled to, though this is rarely done. That same Wizard 5, for example, could choose to gain one 1st and two 2nd level spells, or three 1st level spells.

0th level spells are called elementary spells and can be taught via instruction without loss of knowledge. Elementary arcane spells are cantrips; elementary divine spells are orisons. Cantrips are the building blocks from which people create principal spells. Thus, characters are assumed to have full knowledge of the elementary spell list appropriate to their class(es). This includes spontaneous casters. A single new cantrip can be gained during advancement as well, if the caster so desires. Outside of advancement, an elementary spell can be taught to someone in 14 days minus the relevant ability modifier of both the teacher and the student, with a minimum of one day. This is typically only relevant for completely new non-standard cantrips.

Spontaneous casters follow the spells known rules as described in the previous section; they effectively learn spells known at the same rate as their purchased spell slot rows plus ability bonus, subject to the maximum of 1 + CHR Mod. Note that the initial leveling choice is considered learning, and thus requires no checks. The exchange done at every even level is equivalent to spell creation, and thus does entail a Spellcraft check. Failed checks allow new spells to be chosen, if the caster still wishes to change their list. Taken together, this means that spontaneous casters begin knowing more of the best spells at a new spell level, but then are overtaken in both versatility and adaptability by the prepared casters. Note that the spontaneous and prepared versions of a spell are irreconcilable, so a spontaneous caster gains no benefit from spellbooks. When they advance, they can learn any spell anyway; when they exchange, they must always incur the Spellcraft check.

An arcane spellcaster may directly impart knowledge of an arcane spell into a willing recipient, essential giving away the principal spell. Thus is functionally close to copying to and from spellbooks (without the spellbook as an intermediary) but has the added benefit that it need not be done during advancement. Imparting costs two unused slots of the spell level or higher, and takes a full round action. If the recipient is also a spellcaster, then the two slots can be paid by both or either people; if the recipient is not a caster, then the imparter must provide both slots. Principal spells can only be held by people with a BMB at least the level of the spell; otherwise the spell fades in BMB number of days. (Sorry, no hiding spells in the dog, unless it's a _really_ magic dog. ;-) Aging spellcasters will often impart their most powerful spells to their loyal students on their deathbed, after having scribed their lower level spells into spellbooks in the months preceding. Cooperative spellcasters that have built a lot of trust will sometimes share spells among one other, trading them back and forth. Dual imparting can be done simultaneously (for spontaneous casters who might otherwise exceed their limits and lose a spell) but then four open slots need to be spent at once. Remember, spontaneous and prepared casters cannot use imparting to trade spells back and forth; only casters of the same type can effectively "trade".

Spells can also be imparted to special magic items, most often staves and relics. The spells contained therein cannot be learned from the item (unlike spellbooks), but they can be made available to a caster to prepare / cast. This is most frequently done through physical contact with the item, though satisfying conditions can vary: specific alignments only, on full moons, possession in a remote sanctum, etc. These items are highly prized by sorcerers, since it is one of the rare ways they can effectively expand their spell list.

Divine spellcasters work somewhat differently. A focus is needed not only to prepare divine spells but also to cast them. Hence, a divine focus is needed by both prepared and spontaneous casters. It also means that divine casters never at any time "possess" a principal copy of spells they can prepare. Thus, they can't scribe them into spellbooks or impart them. A prepared divine caster is assumed to have access to the full spell list at each level (subject to any restrictions because of alignment / deity). As divine casters advance in level they need to specially sanctify their holy symbols to accomodate the greater spiritual connection. This costs money and at high level requires special quests. As a rule of thumb:

• 0th - Anyone can cast, without focus or materials. Anyone can prepare the entire list.
• 1st-3rd - Any holy symbol of the appropriate religion can be used, including ones cobbled together.
• 4th-6th - Costly holy symbols are needed.
• 7th-9th - Specially sanctified holy symbols are needed. Quest time, baby!

Treating spells known as a limited resource explains why arcane spellcasters hoard their spells... because someone else's gain is their loss. However, there are still many reasons why spellcasters would voluntarily lose a principal spell by putting it into a spellbook. Higher level casters have created all the lower level lists, but get an extra spell of every spell level each time they advance anyway. Thus, they can place a minor spell in a spellbook, and then turn around and recreate it when they level. Because the rules allow automatic creation if you fail Spellcraft checks on all remaining spells, then you create the spell whether you make the check or not if you know every other spell of that level. Principal spells are quite valuable (typically SL * [2SL -1] * 100gp), and can be sold to fuel other magical research. (Scribing a principal spell in a spellbook costs SL * [2SL -1] * 20gp.)

Principal spells enable a great deal of cinematic gameplay because of the greater control of spells known. While adventuring, the party spellcaster could get infused with an avatar that grants them powerful principal spells... spells which safely go away after the avatar's mission is fulfilled and it moves on. Perhaps everyone wants to get their hand on the Necronomicon because the dark tome grants knowledge of unique spells... as long as you keep sacrificing innocents to it. Perhaps bloodlines can automatically transmit knowledge of particular spells... which could be yet another reason to single out characters in the game for storylines. And best yet, we can have "hide the spell" plots where a powerful wizard secretes a much wanted spell... but in whom?