House Rules: Spell Tiers

Tiered spell system removes the concept that each spell has a specific spell level. Instead, each spell has scalable or new uses depending on the tier slot used to prepare or spontaneously cast it.

Spell levels now called spell tiers (to add more distintction from caster level, class level, other mechanics with "level" in the name).

Classes still have same number of tiers as before (starting from 0): up to 4th (low), up to 6th (medium), and up to 9th (high). This means that low and medium casters will not be able to cast spells as powerful as a high caster. All spellcasting classes gain ability to cast 0-tier spells if they didn't before.

Magic Traditions


Spells are no longer restricted by class. Instead, they are categorized by magic traditions. A spell can belong to more than one tradition. Each spellcasting class uses one of the magic traditions, and unless otherwise noted, can cast any spells that belong to that tradition. For example, cure wounds can belong to the alchemical, bardic, divine, nature, and occult traditions, so a bard (bardic), cleric (divine), and ranger (nature) can cast it.

Other spell categories, such as domains, elemental school, bloodline, mystery, and so on still apply, but the level component can be ignored.

Alchemical

Alchemical spells are also called extracts.
Alchemical spells always require a material component from the caster's alchemist kit, even if the spell does not list one. If no material component cost is listed, the alchemical caster must spend gp from his alchemist kit equal to the extract's tier.
The alchemical caster needs to throw or spray his extract, so the maximum range for alchemical spells is close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels), even if the spell lists a longer range. However, this also allows the alchemical caster to deliver extracts with a range of touch within close range; he must make a ranged touch attack to deliver the extract against an unwilling target.
When casting an extract, the alchemical caster can increase the spell's casting time by 1 act to make a Craft (alchemy) check. The caster can treat his extract as being a number of tiers higher equal to the check's result divided by 20 (up to his maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier and the extract's DC. The extract's actual tier does not change.

Arcane

When casting an arcane spell, the arcane caster can increase the spell's casting time by 1 act to make a Knowledge (arcana) check. The caster can treat her spell as being a number of tiers higher equal to the check's result divided by 20 (up to her maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC. The spell's actual tier does not change.

Bardic

Bardic spells always have an audio or visual component, and can never be cast stealthily.
When casting a bardic spell, the bardic caster can increase the spell's casting time by 1 act to make a Perform check. The caster can treat his spell as being a number of tiers higher equal to the check's result divided by 20 (up to his maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC. The spell's actual tier does not change.

Blood

When casting a blood spell, the blood caster can treat her spell as being a number of tiers equal to every 10 hit points she sacrifices (up to her maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC. If she does this, each sacrificed hit point counts as 2 gp worth of material components. The spell's actual tier does not change. Taking damage in this way does not incur bleed damage. The blood caster can add any bleed damage she has at the time of casting to the amount of hit points sacrificed.

Divine

spells with alignment descriptor cannot be cast if does not match divine caster's source.
When casting a divine spell, the divine caster can increase the spell's casting time by 1 act to make a Knowledge (religion) check. The caster can treat his spell as being a number of tiers higher equal to the check's result divided by 20 (up to his maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC. The spell's actual tier does not change.

Nature

When casting a nature spell, the nature caster can increase the spell's casting time by 1 act to make a Knowledge (nature) check. The caster can treat her spell as being a number of tiers higher equal to the check's result divided by 20 (up to her maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC. The spell's actual tier does not change.
When a nature caster casts a spell with an elemental descriptor (acid, air, cold, earth, electricity, fire, and water) and she is in physical contact with the matching element, she can increase her spell's tier as being one higher (up to her maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC (the spell's actual tier does not change). This stacks with with tier increase from making a Knowledge (nature) check. The contact between the element must be against the caster's natural body with no clothing or other barriers in-between, even if this contact deals damage to her.

Occult

Occult spells are also called rituals. The casting time of rituals are always in minutes per tier, regardless of what is listed in the spell's description.
Occut casters are not naturally trained spellcasters, and magic does not come easily to them. They rely on their knowledge of mystical lore, belief in superstitions, and ritualized practices almost haphazardly formed over many generations.
Occult casters need to make Lore check related to the spell (GM fiat) at DC 10 + the spell's tier. Alternatively, they use an appropriate Knowledge skill (GM fiat), but the DC is increased by 5. Lastly, they can instead use Spellcraft, but the DC is increased by 10.
Occult casters can augment rituals by adding more standard actions to the casting time. Each additional standard action increases the spell's tier by 1 to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by tier and the spell's DC (the spell's actual tier does not change. The caster must choose to extend the casting time before completing the spell's casting.

Prana

Prana spells do not require material components, but instead require the caster to spend ki points. A prana spell costs ki points equal to its tier.
Prana casters can augment prana spells by spending additional ki points:

  • 1 point for each caster level increase by 1,
  • 2 points for each effective spell tier increase by 1 (up to her maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC (the spell's actual tier does not change).

Psychic

Psychic magic is also known as psionics, and relies on powerful minds capable of generating magical energy through thoughts alone.
Casting psychic spells cost psi points equal to their tier, but does not need somatic or material components except for those with a listed cost.
Psychic casters can augment psychic spells by spending additional psi points:

  • 1 point for each caster level increase by 1,
  • 2 points for each effective spell tier increase by 1 (up to her maximum tier), but only to determine the number of checks or dice that scale up by the spell's tier, and the spell's DC (the spell's actual tier does not change).

Metamagic


Metamagic effects reduce the effective tier level of the spell by an amount equal to the metamagic's level cost. The spell's actual tier and its DC does not change.
If metamagic reduces the effective tier level to any tier with no effect, the spell does nothing.
Prepared and spontaneous spellcasting are affected in the same manner by metamagic, except that the applied metamagic has to be decided to the spell when preparing the spell.
Applying metamagic does not alter casting time for spontaneous spellcasting.

Heighten Spell (metamagic)

increase spell's DC by amount of effective tiers reduced.

Spells


Listed spell tier with a "+" symbol means that this tier effect is present as the listed spell tier and higher.

Tier sacrifice cost and effects can be stacked.

A spell can start having effects at tiers higher than 0. If the spell does not list any effects below the first tier entry, then the spell has no effect when cast at that tier. For example, resurrection only list effects starting at 5th tier, and will do nothing if cast as a tier lower than 5th.

All other description parts of the spell remains as originally written (casting time, duration, targets, etc.).

Acid Spray (alchemical, arcane, blood, nature, psychic)
Bless (divine)
Cold of Cone (arcane, blood, nature, psychic)
Cure Disease (alchemical, blood, divine, nature)
Cure Wounds (alchemical, blood, divine, nature)
Fireball (alchemical, arcane, blood, nature, psychic)
Heroism (divine, bardic, prana, psychic)
Lightning Bolt (arcane, blood, nature, psychic)
Mage Armor (arcane, psychic)
Mage Shield (arcane, psychic)
Magic Missile (arcane, blood, psychic)
Message (arcane, divine, psychic)
Neutralize Poison (alchemical, blood, divine, nature)
Resurrection (divine)
Shapeshift (arcane, blood)
Summon Nature's Ally (nature)
Summon Outsider (arcane, blood, divine, occult)

Mage Armor (arcane, psychic)

Weightless invisible armor of force energy. No armor proficiency required, 0 ACP, firearms do not ignore DR/armor (but adamantine ignores as normal), can apply armor feats, counts as light armor.
0+: +2 armor per tier.
1st+: sacrifice +1 armor to instead add magic armor properties (+1 for each +1 value of all properties combined).
1st+: sacrifice +2 armor to instead give +1 deflect to DV and CMD, and +1 resistance to all saving throws.

Mage Shield (arcane, psychic)

Weightless invisible shield of force energy. No shield proficiency required, 0 ACP, firearms do not ignore shield DV (but adamantine ignores as normal), can apply shield feats.
0+: +1 shield per tier.
1st+: sacrifice +1 shield to instead add magic shield properties (+1 for each +1 value of all properties combined).
1st+: sacrifice +1 shield to use as tower shield.
3rd+: sacrifice +2 shield to instead give +1 deflect to DV and CMD, and +1 resistance to all saving throws.

Magic Missile (arcane, blood, psychic)

A missile of magical energy unerringly darts forth from your fingertip and strikes its target with force damage, so long as it has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can’t be singled out. Objects are not damaged by the spell.
0: 1 missile dealing 1 force damage.
1st+: 1 missile per tier, each dealing 1d4+1 force damage.
2nd+: sacrifice extra missile to add magic projectile weapon properties to each remaining missiles (1 missile for each +1 value of all properties combined).

Resurrection (divine)

6th+: Resurrect a creature that died within the last round. After being brought back, their current hit points are 1 above their death threshold and they suffer 1 permanent negative level.
7th+: raise dead
8th+: resurrection
9th+: true resurrection

Sending (arcane, divine, psychic)

Casting Time: 10 rounds.
1st+: for each tier, you can send a mental message to target and receive a response message, each up to 25 words. sacrifice 1 pair of send/receive messages to reduce casting time by 1 round.

Shapeshift (arcane, blood)

1st+: disguise self
2nd+: alter self
beast shape
plant shape

Summon Nature's Ally (nature)

1st+: summon 1 animal, elemental, or vermin per tier (or any combination thereof), each with CR up to 1/2 of CL.
2nd+: sacrifice one summon to increase CR limit by 1.

Summon Outsider (arcane, blood, divine, occult)

1st+: summon 1 copy per tier of an outsider with CR up to 1/2 of CL.
2nd+: sacrifice a copy to increase CR limit by 1.

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