Low Magic (3.5e Variant Rule)

Whether you feel like casters are overpowered, or want to play in a world where magic is scarce, there’s several methods you can use to reduce access to powerful spells and magical items. Most DMs/GMs rarely ever have to worry about this, since most campaigns usually ends before the player characters hit the double-digit level range.

However, before incorporating any of these rules, be sure to ask your players how they feel about it.

Class Types

Caster Classes	Hybrid Classes	Martial Classes
Cleric	Bard	Barbarian
Druid	Paladin	Fighter
Sorcerer	Ranger	Monk
Wizard		Rogue

Below are different, various methods for making magic more scarce.

Method 1

Post-apocalypse or previous supreme ruler killed most casters, destroyed arcane/divine books/scrolls, and knowledge of high-level magic is lost or forgotten.

Level Caps

A popular method is E6. However, if you feel like this might be too restricting, perhaps limiting all classes (and prestige classes) anywhere from 6th to 10th level, but characters may multiclass. It would be interesting to watch your players decide what combinations they come up with. Some ideas could be...

Multiclassing

Primary Class	Secondary Class	Prestige Class
Barbarian	Paladin
Paladin	Sorcerer
Ranger	Wizard	Arcane Archer
Rogue	Wizard	Arcane Trickster
Monk	Bard	Duelist
Fighter	Wizard	Eldritch Knight
Rogue	Cleric	Loremaster
Cleric	Wizard	Mystic Theurge
Rogue	Bard	Shadow Dancer

Magical Item Caps

All magical items would be restricted to either a +1 (with a 6th through 8th class level cap) or a +2 (with a 9th or 10th class level cap) bonus modifier.

DM/GM

If your player characters must multiclass, so must your NPCs and encounters using the same restrictions. Also, their magical items must also be adjusted accordingly.

Method 2

Since magic is reserved only for the experienced, all caster and hybrid classes are prestige classes.

Base classes

The base classes are just martial, and all caster/hybrid classes are prestige classes that require at least a character class level of 3 or higher.

Magic Item Caps

Players receive magical items at least 3 levels later than normal.

DM/GM

All NPCs and encounters must also multiclass with martial classes using the same restrictions.

Method 3

Magic takes a harsher toll on casters.

Magic Caps

All casters are able to progress normally, but their spells per day slots and arcane spells known are reduce by 1. This also includes hybrid classes such as Rangers and Paladins. Below is an example of the Bard class:

Table: The Bard

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage +1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3		2	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Inspire Competence	2	0	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4		2	1	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4		2	2	0	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Suggestion	2	2	1	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5		2	2	1	—	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Inspire Courage +2	2	2	2	0	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Inspire Greatness	2	2	2	1	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7		2	2	2	1	—	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7		2	2	2	2	0	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Song of Freedom	2	2	2	2	1	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8		2	2	2	2	1	—	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Inspire Courage +3	3	2	2	2	2	0	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Inspire Heroics	3	3	2	2	2	1	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10		3	3	3	2	2	1	—
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10		3	3	3	3	2	2	0
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Mass Suggestion	3	3	3	3	3	2	1
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11		3	3	3	3	3	3	2
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Inspire Courage +4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Table: Bard Spells Known

Level	Spells Known
	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1st	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	5	11	—	—	—	—	—
4th	5	2	—	—	—	—	—
5th	5	3	11	—	—	—	—
6th	5	3	2	—	—	—	—
7th	5	3	3	—	—	—	—
8th	5	3	3	11	—	—	—
9th	5	3	3	2	—	—	—
10th	5	3	3	3	—	—	—
11th	5	3	3	3	11	—	—
12th	5	3	3	3	2	—	—
13th	5	3	3	3	3	—	—
14th	5	3	3	3	3	11	—
15th	5	3	3	3	3	2	—
16th	5	4	3	3	3	3	—
17th	5	4	4	3	3	2	11
18th	5	4	4	4	3	3	2
19th	5	4	4	4	4	3	3
20th	5	4	4	4	4	4	3
Provided the bard has a high enough Charisma score to have a bonus spell of this level.

Magic Item Caps

All magical items gets boosted up a category higher...

1. Common (magic) Items → Uncommon Items
2. Uncommon Items → Rare Items
3. Rare Items → Very Rare Items
4. Very Rare Items → Legendary Items
5. Legendary Items → Sentimental Items
6. Sentimental Items → Artifacts

DM/GM

All casters and encounters with spell-like abilities must also be cut in half.

Method 4

Old-school feel of AD&D 1st and 2nd Editions

Slower Level Progression

Add extra percentage for level progression (such as 10% to hybrid class level progression and 20% to caster level progression). The class experience level progression table could look something like this:

Class Experience Level Progression

Level	Caster Classes	Hybrid Classes	Martial Classes
1st	0	0	0
2nd	1,200	1,100	1,000
3rd	3,600	3,300	3,000
4th	7,200	6,600	6,000
5th	12,000	11,000	10,000
6th	18,000	16,500	15,000
7th	25,200	23,100	21,000
8th	33,600	30,800	28,000
9th	43,200	39,600	36,000
10th	54,000	49,500	45,000
11th	66,000	60,500	55,000
12th	79,200	72,600	66,000
13th	93,600	85,800	78,000
14th	109,200	100,100	91,000
15th	126,000	115,500	105,000
16th	144,000	132,000	120,000
17th	163,200	149,600	136,000
18th	183,600	168,300	153,000
19th	205,200	188,100	171,000
20th	228,000	209,000	190,000

DM/GM

NPC casters and encounters with spell-like abilities must also follow the same slower level progression.

Optional Rules

There are much fewer adepts, priests, and other spell casters compared to other NPC classes. If casters live among other commoners, they practice in hiding due to fear, suspicion, anger, hatred, etc. There are no magic shops inside towns or cities, but perhaps only a few secretly dispersed across the land far away from civilization. People may view divine casters as crazy quacks, praying and worshiping to gods long dead or gone. Secret organizations such as magic guilds and temples may exist to help spread the secret knowledge of the arcane and the divine.

Fear

If a caster publicly casts a spell in front of commoners, guards, etc., they would react negatively, and the flashier the spell, the more negatively they will react. For every spell level, the caster should receive a -1 to any interaction (such as Diplomacy or Gather Information) with anyone who witnessed their spell casting. If people witnessed a level 3 spell casted, then the caster could receive a -3 on all social interactions with anyone who witnessed the spell.

Hatred

If people in a particular community or kingdom despises magic, then they may attack a caster if they witness a spell being cast. Roll a 1d20 against the spell level, if the the roll is higher than the level of the spell, the people choose not to attach you. If people witnessed a spell level 3 casted, then you have a 1-3 chance they will attack, thus rolling a 4 or higher on 1d20 and they don't.

Additional HP And Skill Points

To help caster and hybrid classes live longer in combat and more useful in non-combat situations, perhaps offering one additional hit point and skill point per caster class level, and one additional hit point and skill point per two hybrid class levels may make them more enjoyable to play.

Perhaps arcane casters automatically receive an additional skill point in Craft: Alchemy every level, whereas divine casters automatically receive an additional skill point in Profession: Herbalism every level to rely on the items they make more so than they spells that they cast.

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