(I had most of this typed before my last cantrip thread was necro'd, I swear.
)
So... Vancian magic. Wizards set up a formula in their head ahead of time, and "fire" it when they need it. Each has specific effects, meaning that someone who can shoot a giant fire blast can't light a torch unless they learn it separately. Sorcerers don't prepare formulas; their magic runs through them, permeating their body... and yet despite this they're still pretty similar to wizards. The warlock class does a good job of making the concept feal different, but I wanted to try something else.
Since this is a power boost to a Tier 2 class, it should probably be combined with some other nerf, like reducing the speed at which full spellcasters gain new spell levels.
Spells which formerly targeted touch AC now target regular AC, but gain an enhancement bonus on attack rolls equal to 1 + spell level. Nonmagical touch attacks continue to function normally.
When a sorcerer uses a higher-level spell slot to cast a spell (including metamagic versions of a spell), it is considered a spell of that higher level for all purposes (including save DCs and interaction with globe of invulnerability). For each level increase, increase all caps of that spell by 2 (e.g. an lv4 fireball could inflict up to 12d6 damage with sufficient caster level). Sorcerers are considered to have the Heighten Spell feat for meeting prerequisites.
Whenever a sorcerer (but not a wizard) learns a spell, he also learns its corresponding "cantrip". Cantrips are spell-like abilities divided into four categories, similar to those of martial maneuvers:
- Blast cantrips require a standard action to perform, and have a duration of Instantaneous.
- Boost cantrips require a swift action to perform. Unless otherwise stated, a Boost has a duration of 1 round.
- Counter cantrips work like Boosts except that they may be performed as an immediate action, allowing you to use them even when it's not your turn.
- Continuous cantrips are always considered active, and require no action to perform. If you wish, however, you may suppress or resume their effects as a free action.
A cantrip is considered a spell of its parent's school, subschool and descriptors. The caster level for a cantrip is the same as that of its parent spell.
If you learn a cantrip that replicates the effect of another spell, you also gain access to that spell's cantrip (if any). If you already know that spell, you may forget it in order to learn any other spell of the same level.
There are some existing effects which are similar to cantrips, mostly granting their parent spell +1 caster level when used by a sorcerer.
Lv1 spellsBurning Hands (Boost): Your unarmed strikes deal +1 fire damage/CL; your hands shed light as torches.
Charm Person (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks.
Disguise Self (Continuous): You can change minor details of your appearance at will (such as age and hair colour) as if casting
disguise self. While not sufficient to hide your identity by itself, if cast as part of creating a disguise then you gain a +5 bonus on your Disguise check (not stacking with the effects of
disguise self).
Grease (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Escape Artist checks.
Hold Portal (Boost): You can create an
open/close effect.
Magic Aura (Blast): You can create an
arcane mark effect.
Shield (Counter): You gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC vs one attack.
True Strike (Boost): You gain a +2 insight bonus on your next attack roll.
Identify (Continuous): You are under the effects of
detect magic and
read magic.
Silent Image (Blast): You may create a
silent image which is particularly unconvincing - anyone exposed to the effect instantly recognises it as an illusion (as if they had succeeded on their save), even if they have not interacted with it.
Lv2 spellsAlter Self (Boost): Whenever you use this ability, you gain any one of the following: A natural weapon, a +1 increase to natural armor, a +5ft bonus to speed, a +2 bonus to Jump checks, a +2 bonus to Swim checks, or stunted wings that reduce your falling damage as if you had fallen half the actual height. This effect ends immediately if you are under the effects of other magic which alters your form (including another use of this cantrip) but otherwise lasts until you take a free action to dismiss it.
Command Undead (Continuous): You are under the effects of
detect undead.
Detect Thoughts (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Sense Motive checks.
Flaming Sphere (Boost): You may move the sphere as a swift action rather than a move action, as long as you move it only once per round.
Gust of Wind (Continuous): You can create little whirlwinds that can carry objects; this functions as a
mage hand effect.
Levitate (Counter): You can slow your fall, as a
feather fall effect.
Minor Image (Blast): You may create a
minor image which is particularly unconvincing - anyone exposed to the effect instantly recognises it as an illusion (as if they had succeeded on their save), even if they have not interacted with it.
See Invisibility (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Spot checks.
Spider Climb (Continuous): You gain a +5 bonus on Climb checks.
Lv3 spellsDaylight (Blast): You may create a
light effect. Rounds spent carrying the object that radiates
light do not count against its duration. Whenever you use this ability again, your previous
light effect ends.
Dispel Magic (Blast): You may create a targeted
dispel magic effect, except that its range is reduced to Touch and you may attempt to dispel only a single effect per use.
Fireball (Continuous): You can draw a fiery orb from thin air as a free action, which functions as a flask of alchemist's fire. While they can be thrown as normal, you cannot store these "flasks" for later use or hand them to others.
Fly (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Balance and Jump checks.
Lightning Bolt (Blast): You may create a
shocking grasp effect.
Tongues (Continuous): You are under the effects of
comprehend languages.
Lv4 spellsAnimate Dead (Boost): You may bolster undead as an evil cleric of your caster level, except that it lasts for 1 round and affects only undead created by you. You are not considered to have the ability to turn or rebuke undead.
Contagion (Continuous): You are immune to disease, except for supernatural diseases.
Dimension Door (Boost): You may create a
dimension door effect, except that its range is reduced to 10ft and your destination must be within line of sight.
Lv5 spellsOverland Flight (Continuous): Your maneuverability while flying improves by one step (to a maximum of perfect), regardless of whether the flight is natural or granted by a magical effect.
Telepathic Bond (Continuous): You gain telepathy out to 30ft.
Lv6 spellsForceful Hand (Continuous): You gain a +4 bonus on Strength checks made as part of a bull rush, including bull rushes made by spells you cast.
Veil (Blast): You may create a
disguise self effect.
And so on; preferably every Core spell would have one.
