House Rule: more than one Action Dice rolled to cast a single spell

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BanjoJohn
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House Rule: more than one Action Dice rolled to cast a single spell

Post by BanjoJohn »

I've been thinking about a house rule. Letting spell-casting classes roll more than one Action Dice and combining the results to cast a single spell.

For example. A level 5 wizard has 1d20 + 1d14 for it's Action Dice. This house rule would let the wizard cast.. say... "Magic Missile" by rolling 1d20+1d14+int+caster level for the result on the spell table.

I know this would allow for some extra powerful results, but a wizard can only really use their extra action dice in spell casting attempts anyways. Maybe this needs some kind of balancing factor, or potential extra penalty to increase the risk for the potential reward?

Maybe if either of the action dice is a natural 1 it counts as a failure? Or some other penalty?
Thoughts?
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Raven_Crowking
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Re: House Rule: more than one Action Dice rolled to cast a single spell

Post by Raven_Crowking »

Some things you might want to consider:

1. If a spell has a longer casting time than an Action (a round or more), it uses up both Action Dice anyway.

2, A spell check with a base roll of 14 is a lot less power than casting the spell once and gaining a +14 bonus. This would make that second Action Die a lot more valuable.

3. When rolling 1d20, you have a 5% chance of rolling a 1. When rolling 1d14, the chance is just over 7%. This gives the wizard two chances for misfire, patron taint, and/or corruption. Having either die come up a 1 causing the same reduces the risk unless each 1 is treated as a natural 1, and you could potentially gain two taints, corruptions, etc. from the same spell check.

4. You are likely to reduce use of spellburn. Alternately, you could end up with cases where a spell check is up to 2d20 + level + Int mod +20 spellburn.

I tend to think you are increasing the power of the caster while decreasing the risk, and recommend against it. You may also end up fielding questions about the warrior/dwarf doing the same with attack rolls or the thief with skill checks. The halfling may wish to use their two weapon fighting as a single roll, or the dwarf to add their shield bash die to their primary attack (especially if they have no shield). You would also have to decide whether or not monsters with more than one Action Die could do the same.
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
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