Blackadder23 wrote:

As I said in another thread, I'm against various proposals to allow spell-casters to occasionally (or more than occasionally) retain the memory of spells cast (or lost during attempting casting). I consider it sheer pandering and "everybody gets a trophy" idiot-proofing, unworthy of the term "Old School play".

By the same token, though, I'm not inclined to make it any harder on spell-casters either. I believe in giving them a fair shot, assuming smart play and/or lucky initiative rolls. I'm also not wild (as a DM) about the idea of tracking stress, worry, etc. for every PC and applying it to the game in each case (it wouldn't be fair to just hose the spell-casters, so I would have to somehow degrade the performance of other classes for insecurity and whatnot). The whole concept seems like a huge drag to me.
I would rather just kill them the old fashioned way - with swords.

I get you, but I guess I just don't see it as so dire a chore. I'm already tracking so much other stuff - that deciding on the fly whether seeing your protector's head sliced off or being tied to a stake over an open bonfire might make you forget the order of your hocus pocus words seems pretty fun to me...
 

Iron Ranger wrote:

Is anybody doing anything to diminish spell casting ability due to stress, fear, duress, worry, insecurity or the like?
If so, what? Misfires or backfires come to mind. I assume you'd need to relearn the spell as normal? maybe not? Thoughts?

I don't. I feel adventurers are already casting spells under stressful conditions and that's what the rules represent.

I would rather give them an advantage under pristine conditions such as a lab or a quiet room rented at the inn. Under these conditions they can cast directly from books without memorizing or fear of spell loss.

mabon5127 wrote:

rhialto wrote:

Blackadder23 wrote:

As I said in another thread, I'm against various proposals to allow spell-casters to occasionally (or more than occasionally) retain the memory of spells cast (or lost during attempting casting). I consider it sheer pandering and "everybody gets a trophy" idiot-proofing, unworthy of the term "Old School play".

I understand this approach and sentiment, but what about the "Ancient School", then? The spell-casting system in Chainmail, where a spell-caster rolled to cast spells? If you're unfamiliar with it the roll dictates one of three results: a spell cast immediately or delayed by one round (in either case retained in memory, and able to be cast again) or failure (spell fizzles and is erased from memory). I often think it would be interesting to try it out, but then I often find rules interesting in the abstract and less so in practice.

Ooh. A reason to dig out my copy of Chainmail.

Dig it out??? I thought we ALL slept with it under our pillows... ;)
 

Iron Ranger wrote:

mabon5127 wrote:

rhialto wrote:

I understand this approach and sentiment, but what about the "Ancient School", then? The spell-casting system in Chainmail, where a spell-caster rolled to cast spells? If you're unfamiliar with it the roll dictates one of three results: a spell cast immediately or delayed by one round (in either case retained in memory, and able to be cast again) or failure (spell fizzles and is erased from memory). I often think it would be interesting to try it out, but then I often find rules interesting in the abstract and less so in practice.

Ooh. A reason to dig out my copy of Chainmail.

Dig it out??? I thought we ALL slept with it under our pillows... ;)
 

True I just need to take it down from the shelf where I keep the candles lit...