Spell Casting made Hard...
(for the player)

Yes, these are highly derivative of something already published by TSR. When I say average in these examples, I mean (Class minimum + racial maximum)/2, rounded up. Also note that I included things so they can be used with Skills & Powers' sub abilities... I don't use them, but I figure some people might want the info.

First off, everything not related to magic about wizards remains exactly the same. They still can't wear armor, use many weapons, and fight like a drunken kobold with one arm and no legs.

At first level, a mage gets a number of spell points equal to his Intelligence (Reason), plus one for every point of Wisdom (Willpower) or Charisma (Leadership) above 15. Each level (including first), the wizard gets an additional number equal to twice his level, +1 for every point of Wisdom, Charisma, and Intelligence above 15. Spell point costs are as listed in S&M, except for specialists casting from their school, at which point they're either half or one level lower, whichever is more. In this case, specialists do not get a bonus spell at every spell level.

I ran the numbers on this, assuming an average mage, and a wizard will stay ahead of standard for levels 1-6, be right on at 7, then start to fall behind a bit, which grows even more pronounced as the go up in levels. In other words, it makes lower level wizards more powerful, while not overpowering high-level wizards. Assuming you wanted to have 1 ninth level spell, and one more spell of every level lower than that (2 8th, 3 7th, 4 6th, 5 5th, etc.), you wouldn't be able to manage it by level 20 ... that precise formation wouldn't be possible until level 27, at which point you would have a goodly amount extra. This system also makes free magicks cheaper to cast. Rather than being double the cost, they cost as much as a spell one level higher (9th level free magicks cost 75 spell points with this system).

Bards get a base of (level-1) X 4, plus the modifiers for high stats at every level, meaning a 2nd level bard with a 16 charisma will have (2-1) X 4 + 1 + 1, or 6 spell points. Note that while this method puts a bard with average scores (9 Wisdom, 15 Intelligence, and 17 charisma)

That's the simple version, and can be used with any of the methods presented in S&M.

The complex version borrows from S&P psionics. To keep the terminology consistent, each wizard has a ThSAC0 (To Hit Spell AC 0), and every spell has a SAC (Spell AC). Wizard's ThSAC0 increases 1 point per level of experience, while a bard's increases 1 point per every 2 levels. Individual SAC's will have to be determined by the DM, but I suggest the following ranges:

Cantrip 10
1st 10 through 7
2nd 7 through 5
3rd 5 through 2
4th 2 through -1
5th -1 through -4
6th -4 through -6
7th -6 though -9
8th -9 though -11
9th -11 through -14

This gives an 18th level wizard about a 15% chance to cast the most difficult of 9th level spells, while a 16th level bard has a 5% chance to cast the most difficult of 6th level spells (his last available spell level). Also, new spell levels get progressively harder to cast for people who have just gained them. Specialist wizards get a +1 to their ThSAC0 for spells in their specialty.

If a spellcaster doesn't make his ThSAC0 roll, he takes half of the casting time and spends half of the required SP's (none if it was a cantrip). If a wizard is hit while casting, he loses half the spell points.

I only suggest it for wizard magics. If something similar were to be used for priest magics, I would make paladins and rangers use the bard spell point determination, but using their casting level instead of their actual level to determine spell points.

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