Vitalizing spell points

Every spell cast is a potential burden on the caster’s health and vitality. Reaching for and directing magical energy is a dangerous and taxing exercise, at least as difficult as heavy labor or prolonged exertion.

Spell Points

Every spellcaster has a reserve of spell points based on magic rating. Characters also gain bonus spell points from a high Constitution score. These spell points provide the magical power behind the caster’s spells: He spends a number of spell points appropriate to the spell’s level to cast the spell. Once spent, spell points are expended until the caster has sufficient time to rest.

When a spellcaster’s spell point pool falls to half of his maximum or less, he becomes fatigued.

When his spell points drop to one-quarter of his maximum or less, he becomes exhausted.

A vampire ignores both these effects, as he is immune to both fatigue and exhaustion. On the other hand, the vampire gets no bonus spell points from constitution.

TODO: Feats that grant bonus spell points (or make certain spells cost fewer spell points to cast), special abilities that drain spell points from casters, and so forth.

Mundane Fatigue

If a spellcaster is subjected to some other effect that would make him fatigued or exhausted, he loses spell points accordingly. If he becomes fatigued, his spell point total drops to one-half his normal maximum (round down), and if he becomes exhausted, his spell point total drops to one-quarter his normal maximum.

Overcasting

A spellcaster can exceed his normal pool of spell points, but at great personal risk. Doing so successfully requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Each time a character casts a spell for which he does not have sufficient spell points, he takes both lethal and nonlethal damage equal to the level of the spell cast. A desperate (or unwary) spellcaster can literally cast himself into unconsciousness in this manner.

Bonus Spell Points

Every spellcaster gets bonus spell points from a high Constitution score. Spellcasting power is tied to the caster’s physical health.

Ability Score	Bonus Spell Points
<12	0
12-13	1
14-15	4
16-17	9
18-19	16
20-21	26
22-23	40
24-25	55
26-27	70
28-29	85
30-31	100
Each +2	+15

Most spellcasters also gain bonus spell points from a mental ability.

Regaining Spell Points

Spellcasters must rest to recover their spell points and restore their physical well-being. A character’s spell point total is tied directly to his level of fatigue. If an exhausted character rests for 1 hour, he becomes fatigued— and his spell point total rises to one-third of his normal maximum (round fractions down). A second hour of rest increases the spellcaster’s spell point total to two-thirds of his maximum. It takes another 6 hours of rest to replenish the last one-third of his spell points and shake the physical effects of the spellcasting. Spells that remove fatigue and exhaustion (such as heal and restoration) leave the recipient with a spell point total equal to two-thirds of his normal maximum.

A vampire or kuei regains his spell points when he rises in the evening. If he didn't feed the night before, his spell point total does not rise to more than two-thirds of his normal maximum.

Casting Spells

Each spell costs a certain number of spell points to cast. The higher the level of the spell, the more points it costs.

Spell Level	Spell Point Cost
0	0/1
1st	1
2nd	3
3rd	5
4th	7
5th	9
6th	11
7th	13
8th	15
9th	17

0-level spells cost no spell points to cast. If a spellcaster is capable of casting 0-level spells, he can cast a number of 0-level spells each day equal to his magic rating. After that, they cost 1 point each.

Spellcasters use their full normal caster level for determining the effects 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 of casting increases the spell’s effective caster level by 1 for purposes of dealing damage. A character can’'t increase a damage-dealing spell’s caster level above his own caster level, or above the normal maximum allowed by the spell.

For example, even at 7th level, Boredflak’'s lightning bolts deal only 5d6 points of damage (just like a 5th-level wizard) unless he spends extra spell points. If he spends 1 extra spell point (making the lightning 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 he can’'t spend more points than this, since his caster level is only 7th. Were he 10th level or higher, he could spend a maximum of 5 extra spell points on this spell, raising the damage up to 10d6, the maximum allowed for a lightning bolt spell.

Similarly, his magic missile spell only shoots one missile unless he spends extra spell points. An extra 2 spell points increases the caster level from 1st to 3rd, granting his one additional missile. He can spend a maximum of 6 additional spell points in this manner, increasing his effective caster level to 7th for damage purposes and granting his a total of four missiles. If he were 9th level or higher, he could spend a maximum of 8 extra spell points, granting his five missiles (just like a 9th-level caster).

Miscellaneous Issues

When a character would lose a spell slot (such as from gaining a negative level), he instead loses the number of spell points required to cast his highest-level spell.

Spells that allow a character to recall or recast a spell don’'t function. Items that function similarly can work, but differently — they restore a number of spell points required to cast a spell of that level. A pearl of power for 3rd-level spells, for instance, would restore 5 spell points to a character’s pool of available points when activated.

Modern Horror
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