<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">Spellpoints</span><br/><br/><br/>Yes, spellpoints, not memorized spells needing to be re-read every time.  I always hated that convention in D&D.  As intelligent as wizards are, it is a clunky game mechanic.  I go with arcane magic being a natural resource, drawn by careful manipulation between both the positive and negative energy planes, and the mage themselves...so it is something akin to electricity--thus very tricky to manage, and very dangerous.  For clerics and their ilk, they are able to draw on more and more divine power from their deity as they go up in levels.  The act of creating an arcane spell is something like weaving on a loom, but doing it inside your mind's eye...the more complex the spell, the more threads or knots or such required in the weaving.  Divine spells are simpler, but more an act of willpower and faith.<br/><br/>Everyone has natural magic power in them, but nowhere near enough to create spells at the energy level beyond cantrips...this is why all spellcasters get to cast an unlimited number of cantrips, one per round, without exhausting their spellpoints.<br/><br/>Bonus spellpoints come from higher intelligence for mages and their subclasses, and from wisdom for clerics and their subclasses.  Use the following chart:<br/><br/>Ability score     Bonus Spellpoints<br/>13                   +1<br/>14                   +2<br/>15                   +4 (once character can cast level 2 spells and above)<br/>16                   +6 (once character can cast level 2 spells and above)<br/>17                   +9 (once character can cast level 3 spells and above)<br/>18                   +13 (once character can cast level 4 spells and above)<br/><br/>It's worked out this way so that, even with much higher intelligence or wisdom, a mage or cleric of 1st level doesn't start out with too many spellpoints.