Quote from: ffilz;1070483All casters have memorization slots and casting slots. Three casting slots of level N-1 can be combined and used as one slot at level N (and this can be repeated). In reverse, a caster can use one level N slot to cast two level N-1 spells (but they can not be further split). On top of that, as Derabar mentions, there are diminished and heightened options for spells that add to each spell's flexibility. Spells may also be Laden with an appropriate feat (Quicken or Modified - most of the other metamagic feats from the PH are covered by the Modify Spell Feat). Between the variety of combat spells and the diminished and heightened versions, and the separate memorization and casting slots, casters have a lot of flexibility.

Totally forgot about being able to combine or break slots into higher/lower level chunks. Probably workable in earlier versions of D&D up to a point - no feats obviously, but you could keep the spell 'slots' idea and maybe just simplify the casting using higher or lower level slots somehow.

Quote from: Aglondir;1070506Thanks for the info. It is way more complexity than I like.

Actually, that part doesn't really add that much complexity and it adds nice flexibility. One very common thing, breaking a 2nd level slot into two first level slots to cast two Diminished Icebolt (1d6 less damage, but you get twice as many of them, so better net damage). I don't remember too many Laden spell castings (since that requires a feat). I do remember an occasional combining slots, but at 3 to 1, you only do it if you're out of higher level slots and really need to cast such a spell. I think once I saw someone combine 3 0 level slots and 2 1st level slots to cast a 2nd level spell (which might have been a Diminished 3rd level spell).

The thing is with the separate memorization and casting slots, the players actually cast fewer different spells since they only need one memorization slot of Energy Ball to cast as many fire balls (or whatever) as they want. They then load up on a variety of other spells that might come in handy. This compares to the standard wizard who might memorize 2 fire balls, 1 lightning bolt, and 1 other spell, and then he will try his best to find a time to use all of them.

Frank

The heightened/diminished, combine/split thing is like a lot of 3E things:  If you have no players subject to analysis paralysis, it's a very nice feature.  If you do have some playing casters, it can make the game worse than pulling teeth with your bare hands.  The overall decreases power of individual spells in AE exacerbates this tendency.

Quote from: ffilz;1070419As to the game, I really like the way magic is handled. It adds some nice flexibility without being too free wheeling. One thing I did find troublesome is the "pick an energy type at casting" spells which I feel make it too easy to bypass monster resistance/immunity. In the future, I might require each type of energy to be memorized separately or something.

You have to bear in mind that most of those "pick an energy" spells were complex spells, as in most of the casting classes didn't get them natively, except for Magisters.  For most classes, they'd get them via a class feature (a Witch gaining access to complex spells of their element type) or a feat (Acid Mage giving access to all complex spells with the acid type), and those casters could only use it for the one energy type they were granted access to.  The only way for a non-Magister to have the whole menu of energy types to choose from for a spell would be to have taken a feat specifically to purchase that one spell, which would let them use it without restriction.  This of course still leaves the Magisters wandering around being badass, but they had basically no useful class features aside from magic and were gimped if anyone stole or broke their magic stick, so it wasn't all gravy for them.

Back in the day I really loved it and used it a lot. The Akashic class ended up being one of my favorite classes ever.