Anyone use recharge magic from ua?

[Sjappo]

I'm looking for experiences. It looks like a nice system to prevent magic users from running empty. But I've seen some weird things.

For instance low level casters could easily loose their 0th, 1st and 2nd level spellslot for some time and be unable to cast anything for a round of 2. We are playing at lvl 8 atm so any experience in that level region is very valuable.

Second: meta magicked spells take longer to recharge. Why? Why should a quickened Magic Missile take five times as long to recharge than say cloudkill? Because of course a quickened MM is way more powerful than cloudkill.

Anyone use this system? How did it play out? Which level where the characters?

[Nunkuruji]

I have done some E6 PrC arena with Recharge Magic.

Metamagic only increases the recharge time of SPECIFIC recharge time spells, specifically each +1 to the effective level of the spell doubles the recharge time.

Here's the thing about specific,

Most spells will a specific recharge are either long duration buffs (Mage Armor), out of combat type utility spells (Plane Shift), or conjure something for a long time or permanently (Web).

Buffs being most critical, what happens is that typically you can continually hold a buff at caster level 6th, where duration = recharge time. Extend becomes almost pointless. Chain Spell becomes only a higher level option for continual buffing.

You're simply not going to be able to double teleport without a wand or scroll. In effect, casters that rely on repeated use of the same spell get nerfed a bit.


General Recharge Spells

Cloudkill & Quickened Magic Missile would put your 5th level spell slot on recharge. Same random recharge time.

I find I'm more inclined to use Quicken more than Persist metamagic, due to the reduced cost, and recharge bringing the slot back anyways.

You're right in that you may not have spells recharged in later rounds. For highest level spells spontaneous 1d4+1 (2-5) and prepared 1d6+1 (2-7) rounds. Casters can't nova highest level spells back to back. However, once you have 3rd or 4th level spell slots, you'll usually have at least one spell level available.

Personally I appreciate nova being toned down. The smart caster does their encounter or two, blowing their load and then hide in their demiplane. It's not possible for them to chain those spells, and now it's no longer a 5 minute work day. So, it encourages smoothing out daily adventuring.

There are other things that could be said about how it affects world economics, but I'll leave that to your imagination.

Overall, I feel like recharge magic narrows the gap a bit between spontaneous and prepared casters.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

I like Psi recharge, so I don't have much of a problem
switching to the UA magic recharge ... lots more stuff tho. 

Specific level 3s v a few unlimited level 1s.
Specific level 7s v a few unlimited level 3s or 4s.
It seems to me it's a homegame problem as to
where the balance point is.  example: 
Paladin or Ranger with recharge doesn't
feel overpowered, ever.  But that's just me.

[Sjappo]

So:

Buffs run continuously from lvl 6 on. Making extend and persist useless. Which is good news for the entire team.
Meta magic needs the be reevaluated. Sudden MM is looking good now maybe.
No nova ing. Which is both good and bad. Caster dominance is toned down but you loose a get out of jail free card.

Thanx.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

"Caster dominance is toned down"

Well, lets not get carried away ... 


I've looked at it like: you have a "domain" of spell slots
and then each of those slots recharge as per the table.
So in-combat recharge doesn't do all that much and
might ever be considered a restriction on spell choices.
Out-of-combat the recharge is overwhelmingly strong.
Then it turns "daily" into "encounter" like 4e Lich Brain Graft.

Trading in a normal Wizard's 7s 8s and 9s,
for a recharge Bard (or PsyWar) 4s 5s and 6s,
yeah you loose that giant pile of get out of jails,
for a game altering hint toward spam tactics.

[Sjappo]

Good point.

But permanent buffs will benefit non-casters as well. Game changes huh. Let's try it out.

[Nunkuruji]

Good point.

But permanent buffs will benefit non-casters as well. Game changes huh. Let's try it out.

There's a slight glitch in this line of thinking.

As I already stated, using something like Chain Spell Magic Vestment has the problem only being permanently maintainable at a higher caster level where the metamagic offset equals extra specific recharge time.

Metamagic and Specific Recharge Spells

Not only do specific recharge spells use higher slots if metamagic feats have been applied to them, but each +1 to the effective level of the spell doubles the recharge time. For example, a silent charm person spell takes up a 2nd-level spell slot and has a specific recharge time of 2 hours.

What about using metamagic rods? What about metamagic reducers? Divine Metamagic? Easy Metamagic?

RAW/RAI/Fair that these methods might prevent the increase in specific recharge time?

If the increase in specific recharge time is prevented, then it's easier for casters to support non-casters with buffs via things like Chain Spell.

I'm not going to argue about what the answer should be. It's a variant and the DM needs to make a decision.