The mana system is designed to give all casters more flexibility in how they use their available spells each day.
Calculating Mana Points
All casting classes that choose to use the mana system will instead have mana points instead of spell slots. The amount of mana points is equal to the combined number of spells per day of all spell levels they have (treat the ability to cast 0-level spells as an additional single spell slot) multiplied by 2, plus bonus mana points equal to their ability modifer multiplied by their class level divided by 4 (rounded down, as per Table: Bonus Mana Points below). The following table is used instead of acquiring bonus spells per day from your ability score like normal.
For example, Gizmo is a 4th-level Wizard and has an Intelligence score of 16. According to Table: Wizard he can cast three 1st-level spells and two 2nd-level spells, giving him 10 mana points, plus 2 for the ability to cast cantrips. Total 12 mana points. As per Table: Bonus Mana Points receives an additional 3 mana points at the intersection of 16-17 and 4th. Total 15 mana points. If Gizmo's Intelligence were increase from a temporary source, say Fox's Cunning, it would have no effect on his mana points. If his Intelligence were granted by a permanent source, say a Headband of Vast Intelligence +2 bringing him to 18 Intelligence he would instead get 4 bonus mana points. This would put him at 16 mana points. When Gizmo levels up and becomes a 5th-level Wizard he now has access to 1 3rd-level spell per day. This brings him to a base of 14 instead of the previous 12, and his bonus mana points would increase from 4 to 5. His new total becomes 19 mana points.
A character who would normally receive bonus spells from a class feature (such as from wizard specialization or access to a domain) can instead prepare extra spells of the appropriate levels, domains, and/or schools. The character doesn’t get any extra mana points (and thus can’t cast any more spells than normal), but the added flexibility of being able to use the bonus spell more than once per day makes up for that.
For class features that grant bonus spells of a nonfixed spell level (such as the dragon disciple’s bonus spells), the character instead gains 2 bonus mana points. This is a fixed value (it doesn’t increase later as the character gains levels). Overall, the cost of any additional spells per day all being worth the same value of bonus mana points is to offset the fact that you can use your mana points to cast spells of all spell levels.
Regaining Mana Points
Spellcasters regain all lost mana points whenever they could normally regain spells. Doing this requires the same amount of rest and preparation or concentration time as normal for the class. Without this period of rest and mental preparation, the caster’s mind isn’t ready to regain its power. Mana points are not divorced from the body; they are part of it. Using mana points is mentally tiring, and without the requisite period of rest, they do not regenerate. Any mana points spent within the last 8 hours count against a character’s daily limit and aren’t regained.
Casting Spells
Each spell costs a certain number of mana points to cast. The higher the level of the spell, the more points it costs. That cost is equal to that spell's level plus 1. This includes 0-level spells. If a spell is prepared in a higher level spell slot it costs mana points as if it were a spell of that level. This is applicable both under normal preparation in a higher level slot, and if adjusted by a metamagic feat.
Prepared vs Spontaneous Casting
With this variant, spellcasters still prepare spells as normal (assuming they normally prepare spells). In effect, casters who prepare spells are setting their list of “spells known” for the day. They need not prepare multiple copies of the same spell, since they can cast any combination of their prepared spells each day (up to the limit of their spell points).
Characters who cast all their spells spontaneously—such as bards and sorcerers—don’t have to prepare spells. They can cast any spell they know by spending the requisite number of spell points. While it may seem that spontaneous casting characters get the smallest benefit out of this system they are still likely to have more spells available per day (and thus more mana points available per day), and will still function well in the same role as before.
For example, Blaster is a 5th-level Sorcerer and has a Charisma score of 18. According to Table: Sorcerer he can cast six 1st-level spells and four 2nd-level spells, giving him 20 mana points, plus 2 for the ability to cast cantrips. Total 22 mana points. As per Table: Bonus Mana Points receives an additional 5 mana points at the intersection of 18-19 and 5th. This would put him at 27 mana points. Well above Gizmo's 19 at a similar level and ability score.
Metamagic
Spellcasters who can spontaneously cast one or more spells may apply metamagic to those spells at the normal cost of increasing its casting time. If that spellcaster can also prepare spells, they may prepare that spell as normal (if it is on their spell list) with a metamagic feat to avoid the casting time penalty.
Multiclass Characters
Characters that cast a spell may only spend mana points on that spell by mana points granted to them by features corresponding to that class.
All casting classes that choose to use the mana system will instead have mana points instead of spell slots. The amount of mana points is equal to the combined number of spells per day of all spell levels they have (treat the ability to cast 0-level spells as an additional single spell slot) multiplied by 2, plus bonus mana points equal to their ability modifer multiplied by their class level divided by 4 (rounded down, as per Table: Bonus Mana Points below). The following table is used instead of acquiring bonus spells per day from your ability score like normal.
For example, Gizmo is a 4th-level Wizard and has an Intelligence score of 16. According to Table: Wizard he can cast three 1st-level spells and two 2nd-level spells, giving him 10 mana points, plus 2 for the ability to cast cantrips. Total 12 mana points. As per Table: Bonus Mana Points receives an additional 3 mana points at the intersection of 16-17 and 4th. Total 15 mana points. If Gizmo's Intelligence were increase from a temporary source, say Fox's Cunning, it would have no effect on his mana points. If his Intelligence were granted by a permanent source, say a Headband of Vast Intelligence +2 bringing him to 18 Intelligence he would instead get 4 bonus mana points. This would put him at 16 mana points. When Gizmo levels up and becomes a 5th-level Wizard he now has access to 1 3rd-level spell per day. This brings him to a base of 14 instead of the previous 12, and his bonus mana points would increase from 4 to 5. His new total becomes 19 mana points.
A character who would normally receive bonus spells from a class feature (such as from wizard specialization or access to a domain) can instead prepare extra spells of the appropriate levels, domains, and/or schools. The character doesn’t get any extra mana points (and thus can’t cast any more spells than normal), but the added flexibility of being able to use the bonus spell more than once per day makes up for that.
For class features that grant bonus spells of a nonfixed spell level (such as the dragon disciple’s bonus spells), the character instead gains 2 bonus mana points. This is a fixed value (it doesn’t increase later as the character gains levels). Overall, the cost of any additional spells per day all being worth the same value of bonus mana points is to offset the fact that you can use your mana points to cast spells of all spell levels.
Spellcasters regain all lost mana points whenever they could normally regain spells. Doing this requires the same amount of rest and preparation or concentration time as normal for the class. Without this period of rest and mental preparation, the caster’s mind isn’t ready to regain its power. Mana points are not divorced from the body; they are part of it. Using mana points is mentally tiring, and without the requisite period of rest, they do not regenerate. Any mana points spent within the last 8 hours count against a character’s daily limit and aren’t regained.
Each spell costs a certain number of mana points to cast. The higher the level of the spell, the more points it costs. That cost is equal to that spell's level plus 1. This includes 0-level spells. If a spell is prepared in a higher level spell slot it costs mana points as if it were a spell of that level. This is applicable both under normal preparation in a higher level slot, and if adjusted by a metamagic feat.
With this variant, spellcasters still prepare spells as normal (assuming they normally prepare spells). In effect, casters who prepare spells are setting their list of “spells known” for the day. They need not prepare multiple copies of the same spell, since they can cast any combination of their prepared spells each day (up to the limit of their spell points).
Characters who cast all their spells spontaneously—such as bards and sorcerers—don’t have to prepare spells. They can cast any spell they know by spending the requisite number of spell points. While it may seem that spontaneous casting characters get the smallest benefit out of this system they are still likely to have more spells available per day (and thus more mana points available per day), and will still function well in the same role as before.
For example, Blaster is a 5th-level Sorcerer and has a Charisma score of 18. According to Table: Sorcerer he can cast six 1st-level spells and four 2nd-level spells, giving him 20 mana points, plus 2 for the ability to cast cantrips. Total 22 mana points. As per Table: Bonus Mana Points receives an additional 5 mana points at the intersection of 18-19 and 5th. This would put him at 27 mana points. Well above Gizmo's 19 at a similar level and ability score.
Spellcasters who can spontaneously cast one or more spells may apply metamagic to those spells at the normal cost of increasing its casting time. If that spellcaster can also prepare spells, they may prepare that spell as normal (if it is on their spell list) with a metamagic feat to avoid the casting time penalty.
Characters that cast a spell may only spend mana points on that spell by mana points granted to them by features corresponding to that class.
