UA:Recharge Magic

This material is published under the OGL 1.0a.

Recharge Magic

In this variant, spellcasters don't have a hard limit on spells per day. Instead, it takes time to gather the magical energies required to cast a spell of a particular level, so character must wait a number of rounds, minutes, or hours before casting such a spell again. Spells with instantaneous duration or a duration measured in rounds can be cast dozens of times per day. Longer-duration spells cast outside of combat have recharge times measured in minutes or hours.

At its heart, the recharge magic variant is simple: A well-rested spellcaster can cast any spell he knows or has prepared, but then either rolls a die to find out how many rounds must pass before spells of that level become available again (if it's a general recharge spell) or loses access to that spell for a specified time (if it's a specific recharge spell). Spell slots are never expended; they just become temporarily unavailable.

Recharging doesn't require any actions and doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. As long as a spellcaster is alive, he naturally recharges his energy.

With this variant, all spellcasters effectively become spontaneous casters like sorcerers, choosing a spell each round from a list. For sorcerers and bards, the list is fixed (just as it is for sorcerers and bards who aren't using the variant), but other spellcasters set their available menu of spells when they prepare spells for the day. With the recharge variant, there's no reason to prepare the same spell in more than one slot. Because sorcerers and bards don't have the flexibility of choosing a new menu of spells each day, their general recharge times are shorter.

Some classes, such as the cleric and the druid, have limited spontaneous spellcasting ability. Such a character can convert any spell on his daily list into the approrpiate spell (such as either cure wounds or inflict wounds for a cleric, or summon nature's ally for a druid), but doing so replaces the converted spell on the cleric's daily list with the spell in its place. This happens only once per spell level, because after that point the relevant cure or inflict spell appears on the spell list as if it had been prepared.

This variant distinguished two kinds of spells: spells with general recharge time (usually no more than a few rounds) and spells with specific recharge times (which range from minutes to hours).

Recharge Times for Other Spells

Table 5-7: Spell Recharge Times includes all spells described in the Player's Handbook. Each one is indicated as having either a general recharge time, a specific recharge time measured in minutes or hours, or a notation that the spell is prohibited to casters when this variant is used. For spells from other sources that are not mentioned here, use those on the table as a guide, keeping the following in mind.

Combat-oriented and short-duration spells (those lasting up to 1 round per level) typically have a general recharge time. Conversely, spells with longer durations have specific recharge times (the longer the duration, the longer the recharge time).

Any spell with an expensive material component or an XP component has a general recharge time.

Enchantments usually have a specific recharge time ranging from 30 minutes to 12 hours. This limitation prevents characters from simply charming everyone in the tavern in the space of a few minutes.

Spells that build things have a specific recharge time measured in hours.

Divinations typically have a specific recharge time, often in the neighborhood of 6 hours, to prevent their abuse in the hands of curious characters.

Powerful illusions and permanent "trap"-type spells have specific recharge times of 12 hours to 1 day, unless they're expensive to cast.

General Recharge Spells

Spells that have general recharge times are those cast in combat, those with longer casting times, and those with an experience point or expensive material component. Once a character has cast a general recharge spell, he can't cast another spell of that level until a number of rounds have passed.

Table 5-6: General Recharge Times tell how many rounds must pass after the casting of a general recharge spell before another spell of that level becomes available.

Table 5-6: General Recharge Times

Spell Level	Bard, Sorcerer	Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Wizard
Highest possible	1d4+1 rounds	1d6+1 rounds
Second highest possible	1d4+1 rounds	1d6+1 rounds
Third highest possible	1d4 rounds	1d4+1 rounds
Fourth highest possible	1d4 rounds	1d4+1 rounds
Fifth highest possible	1d3 rounds	1d4 rounds
Sixth highest possible	1d3 rounds	1d4 rounds
Seventh highest possible	1 round	1d3 rounds
Eighth highest possible	1 round	1d3 rounds
Ninth highest possible	0	1 round
Tenth highest possible	0	1 round

For example, take a 4th-level wizard. Her 2nd-level spells (the highest possible level she can cast) and 1st-level spells (the second highest possible level she can cast) take 1d6+1 rounds to recharge, and her 0-level spells (the third highest possible level she can cast) take 1d4+1 rounds to recharge. When she attains 5th level, her 3rd-level and 2nd-level spells take 1d6+1 rounds to recharge and her 1st- and 0-level spells take 1d4+1 rounds to recharge. (Specific recharge spells have their own recharge times that don't match these values).

Another example: A 10th-level sorcerer casts fireball in the first round of a fight. Once he casts the spell, he rolls 1d4 to determine his recharge time. He rolls a 2, so he must wait 2 rounds before he regains access to 3rd-level spells. In the following round, he casts teleport, one of his highest-level spells. Rolling a 4 on 1d4, he is dismayed to learned he must wait 5 (1d4+1) rounds before he can teleport again. In the next round, he casts magic missile, rolling 1d3 afterward and getting a result of 1 for a 1-round recharge time. In the following round, he regains access to his 3rd-level spells, so he can cast another fireball if he likes, or he can cast magic missile again (because the 1-round recharge time for his 1st-level spells has elapsed).

Metamagic and General Recharge Spells

Spellcasters who prepare spells simply put the metamagic versions of the spells they want in the appropriate spell slots, and they're cast at their effective level. For example, casting a quickened magic missile forces a spellcaster to recharge her 5th-level spells, not her 1st-level spells. Sorcerers and bards take a full-round action to add metamagic to any spell they know, and casting that spell forces a recharge of the effective level of the metamagic spell. For example, an extended haste spell cast by a sorcerer would require a recharge roll for a 4th-level spell.

Specific Recharge Spells

Most long-duration utility spells have specific recharge times so spellcasters can't just cast them on everyone they meet. These might rande from a mere 5 minutes (for bull's strength) to 4 hours (for teleport) to a full day, or 24 hours (for wind walk). A specific recharge time is the time that must elapse before a character can cast that particular spell again; he can cast another spell of the same level in the following round if he likes.

Metamagic and Specific Recharge Spells

Not only do specific recharge spells user higher slots if metamagic feats have been applied to them, but each +1 to the effective level of the spell doubles the recharge time. For example, a silent charm person spell takes up a 2nd-level spell slot and has a specific recharge time of 2 hours.

Countering and Dispelling

If a spell with a specific recharge time is used to counter or dispel another spell, the specific recharge time does not apply. Instead, treat the spell as a general recharge spell of that level.

For example, if a 5th-level cleric casts deeper darkness to dispel a daylight spell, he can cast another 3rd-level spell (including deeper darkness) 1d6+1 rounds later. If he instead casts deeper darkness to darken a passageway, he can't use deeper darkness again for 24 hours, but hit other 3rd-level spells are available to cast.

Table 5-7: Spell Recharge Times Spell Name Recharge Time Acid arrow General Acid fog General Acid splash General Aid 5 minutes Air walk 1 hour Alarm 4 hours Align weapon 5 minutes Alter self 4 hours Analyze dweomer General Animal growth General Animal messenger 6 hours Animal shapes 24 hours Animal trance General Animate dead General Animate objects General Animate plants General Animate rope General Antilife shell General Antimagic field General Antipathy General Antiplant shell General Arcane eye General Arcane lock 1 hour Arcane mark General Arcane sight 30 minutes Arcane sight, greater 30 minutes Astral projection General Atonement General Augury 6 hours Awaken General Baleful polymorph General Bane General Banishment General Barkskin 1 hour Bear's endurance 5 minutes Bear's endurance, mass 30 minutes Bestow curse General Binding General Black tentacles General Blade barrier General Blasphemy General Bless 30 minutes Bless water General Bless weapon 5 minutes Blight General Blindness/deafness General Blink General Blur 5 minutes Break enchantment 1 hour Bull's strength 5 minutes Bull's strength, mass 30 minutes Burning hands General Call lightning General Call lightning storm General Calm animals General Calm emotions General Cat's grace 5 minutes Cat's grace, mass 30 minutes Cause fear General Chain lightning General Changestaff 6 hours Chaos hammer General Charm animal 1 hour Charm monster 1 hour Charm monster, mass 1 hour Charm person 1 hour Chill metal General Chill touch General Circle of death General Clenched fist General Clairaudience/clairvoyance General Cloak of chaos General Clone General Cloudkill General Color spray General Command General Command, greater General Command plants 1 hour Command undead 1 hour Commune 6 hours Commune with nature 6 hours Comprehend languages 4 hours Cone of cold General Confusion General Confusion, lesser General Consecrate 30 minutes Contact other plane 6 hours Contagion General Contingency General Continual flame General Control plants 30 minutes Control undead 30 minutes Control water 1 hour Control weather General Control winds 4 hours Create food and water 24 hours Create greater undead General Create undead General Create water 30 minutes Crushing despair General Crushing hand General Cure critical wounds General Cure critical wounds, mass General Cure light wounds General Cure light wounds, mass General Cure minor wounds General Cure moderate wounds General Cure moderate wounds, mass General Cure serious wounds General Cure serious wounds, mass General Curse water General Dancing lights General Darkness 4 hours Darkvision 6 hours Daylight 4 hours Daze General Daze monster General Death knell General Death ward 5 minutes Deathwatch 4 hours Deep slumber General Deeper darkness 24 hours Delay poison 6 hours Delayed blast fireball General Demand 30 minutes Desecrate 30 minutes Destruction General Detect animals or plants General Detect chaos General Detect evil General Detect good General Detect law General Detect magic General Detect poison 5 minutes Detect scrying General Detect secret doors General Detect snares and pits General Detect undead General Dictum General Dimension door General Dimensional anchor General Dimensional lock 24 hours Diminish plants 4 hours Discern lies 6 hours Discern location 6 hours Disguise self 4 hours Disintegrate General Disjunction General Dismissal General Dispel chaos General Dispel evil General Dispel good General Dispel law General Dispel magic General Dispel magic, greater General Displacement General Disrupt undead General Disrupting weapon 5 minutes Divination 6 hours Divine favor 5 minutes Divine power 5 minutes Dominate animal General Dominate monster 12 hours Dominate person 12 hours Doom General Dream General Eagle's splendor 5 minutes Eagle's splendor, mass 30 minutes Earthquake 12 hours Elemental swarm 1 hour Endure elements 6 hours Energy drain General Enervation General Enlarge person 5 minutes Enlarge person, mass 30 minutes Entangle General Enthrall General Entropic shield 30 minutes Erase General Ethereal jaunt 30 minutes Etherealness 30 minutes Expeditious retreat 30 minutes Explosive runes 24 hours Eyebite General Fabricate 4 hours Faerie fire General Faithful hound 6 hours False life 30 minutes False vision 24 hours Fear General Feather fall General Feeblemind General Find the path 4 hours Find traps 30 minutes Finger of death General Fire seeds 1 hour Fire shield General Fire storm General Fire trap 24 hours Fireball General

Table 5-7: Spell Recharge Times (cont.1) Spell Name Recharge Time Flame arrow General Flame blade General Flame strike General Flaming sphere General Flare General Flesh to stone General Floating disk 6 hours Fly 5 minutes Fog cloud General Forbiddance General Forcecage 1 hour Forceful hand General Foresight 1 hour Fox's cunning 5 minutes Fox's cunning, mass 30 minutes Freedom General Freedom of movement 1 hour Freezing sphere General Gaseous form 5 minutes Gate General Geas/quest General Geas, lesser General Gentle repose General Ghost sound General Ghoul touch General Giant vermin 30 minutes Glibness 4 hours Glitterdust General Globe of invulnerability General Globe of invulnerability, lesser General Glyph of warding General Glyph of warding, greater General Goodberry 6 hours Good hope 30 minutes Grasping hand General Grease General Guards and wards 24 hours Guidance 5 minutes Gust of wind General Hallow General Hallucinatory terrain 6 hours Halt undead General Harm General Haste General Heal General Heal, mass General Heal mount General Heat metal General Helping hand 6 hour Heroes' feast 24 hours Heroism 1 hour Heroism, greater 30 minutes Hide from animals 4 hours Hide from undead 4 hours Hideous laughter General Hold animal General Hold monster General Hold monster, mass General Hold person General Hold person, mass General Hold portal General Holy aura General Holy smite General Holy sword General Holy word General Horrid wilting General Hypnotic pattern General Hypnotism General Ice storm General Identify General Illusory script General Illusory wall 24 hours Imbue with spell ability1 General Implosion General Imprisonment General Incendiary cloud General Inflict critical wounds General Inflict critical wounds, mass General Inflict light wounds General Inflict light wounds, mass General Inflict minor wounds General Inflict moderate wounds General Inflict moderate wounds, mass General Inflict serious wounds General Inflict serious wounds, mass General Insanity General Insect plague 5 minutes Instant summons General Interposing hand General Invisibility 5 minutes Invisibility, greater General Invisibility, mass 30 minutes Invisibility purge 30 minutes Irresistible dance General Iron body 30 minutes Ironwood 12 hours Jump 5 minutes Keen edge 1 hour Knock 5 minutes Know direction General Knowledge lore General Levitate 5 minutes Light 1 hour Lightning bolt General Limited wish General Liveoak 12 hours Locate creature 4 hours Locate object 30 minutes Longstrider 24 hours Lucubration Spell is prohibited Lullaby General Mage armor 6 hours Mage hand General Magic circle against chaos 4 hours Magic circle against evil 4 hours Magic circle against good 4 hours Magic circle against law 4 hours Magic fang 5 minutes Magic fang, greater 6 hours Magic jar General Magic missile General Magic mouth 24 hours Magic stone 5 minutes Magic vestment 6 hours Magic weapon 5 minutes Magic weapon, greater 6 hours Magnificent mansion 6 hours Major creation 12 hours Major image General Make whole 6 hours Mark of justice General Maze General Meld into stone 4 hours Mending 6 hours Message General Meteor swarm General Mind blank 12 hours Mind fog 6 hours Minor creation 6 hours Minor image General Miracle 12 hours Mirage arcana General Mirror image 30 minutes Misdirection 6 hours Mislead General Mnemonic enhancer Spell is prohibited Modify memory General Moment of prescience 6 hours Mount 6 hours Move earth 1 hour Neutralize poison 1 hour Nightmare General Nondetection 6 hours Magic aura 24 hours Obscure object 24 hours Obscuring mist General Order's wrath General Overland flight 6 hours Owl's wisdom 5 minutes Owl's wisdom, mass 30 minutes Passwall 6 hours Pass without trace 6 hours Permanency General Permanent image 24 hours Persistent image 30 minutes Phantasmal killer General Phantom steed 6 hours Phantom trap General Phase door 12 hours Planar ally 24 hours Planar ally, greater 24 hours Planar ally, lesser 24 hours Planar binding 24 hours Planar binding, greater 24 hours Planar binding, lesser 24 hours Plane shift General Plant growth 24 hours Poison General Polar ray General Polymorph 30 minutes Polymorph any object 12 hours Power word blind General Power word kill General Power word stun General Prayer 5 minutes Prestidigitation General Prismatic sphere General Prismatic spray General Prismatic wall General Private sanctum 24 hours Produce flame General Programmed image 12 hours Project image General Protection from arrows 6 hours Protection from chaos 5 minutes Protection from energy 1 hour Protection from evil 5 minutes Protection from good 5 minutes Protection from law 5 minutes Protection from spells 4 hours

Table 5-7: Spell Recharge Times (cont.2) Spell Name Recharge Time Prying eyes General Prying eyes, greater General Purify food and drink 5 minutes Pyrotechnics General Quench General Rage 5 minutes Rainbow pattern General Raise dead General Ray of enfeeblement General Ray of exhaustion General Ray of frost General Read magic General Reduce animal 6 hours Reduce person 30 minutes Reduce person, mass 30 minutes Refuge General Regenerate General Reincarnate General Remove blindness/deafness General Remove curse General Remove disease General Remove fear General Remove paralysis General Repel metal or stone General Repel vermin 4 hours Repel wood General Repulsion General Resilient sphere General Resistance 5 minutes Resist energy 1 hour Restoration General Restoration, greater General Restoration, lesser General Resurrection General Reverse gravity General Righteous might 5 minutes Rope trick 6 hours Rusting grasp 5 minutes Sanctuary 5 minutes Scare General Scintillating pattern General Scorching ray General Screen 24 hours Scrying General Scrying, greater 6 hours Sculpt sound 6 hours Searing light General Secret chest General Secret page 12 hours Secure shelter General See invisibility 4 hours Seeming 24 hours Sending General Sepia snake sigil General Sequester 24 hours Shades General Shadow conjuration General Shadow conjuration, greater General Shadow evocation General Shadow evocation, greater General Shadow walk 24 hours Shambler 24 hours Shapechange 4 hours Shatter General Shield 30 minutes Shield of faith 30 minutes Shield of law General Shield other 24 hours Shillelagh 30 minutes Shocking grasp General Shout General Shout, greater General Shrink item 24 hours Silence 30 minutes Silent image General Simulacrum General Slay living General Sleep General Sleet storm General Slow General Snare 12 hours Soften earth and stone 6 hours Solid fog General Song of discord General Soul bind General Sound burst General Speak with animals 30 minutes Speak with dead 30 minutes Speak with plants 30 minutes Spectral hand 30 minutes Spell immunity 1 hour Spell immunity, greater 1 hour Spell resistance 30 minutes Spellstaff 24 hours Spell turning 4 hours Spider climb 1 hour Spike growth 6 hours Spike stones 6 hours Spiritual weapon General Statue 6 hours Status 24 hours Stinking cloud General Stone shape 6 hours Stoneskin General Stone tell 30 minutes Stone to flesh General Storm of vengeance General Suggestion 30 minutes Suggestion, mass 30 minutes Summon instrument General Summon monster I General Summon monster II General Summon monster III General Summon monster IV General Summon monster v General Summon monster VI General Summon monster VII General Summon monster VIII General Summon monster IX General Summon nature's ally I General Summon nature's ally II General Summon nature's ally III General Summon nature's ally IV General Summon nature's ally V General Summon nature's ally VI General Summon nature's ally VII General Summon nature's ally VIII General Summon nature's ally IX General Summon swarm General Sunbeam General Sunburst General Symbol of death General Symbol of fear General Symbol of insanity General Symbol of pain General Symbol of persuasion General Symbol of sleep General Symbol of stunning General Symbol of weakness General Sympathetic vibration 12 hours Sympathy General Telekinesis General Telekinetic sphere General Telepathic bond 4 hours Teleport 4 hours Teleport object 4 hours Teleport, greater 4 hours Teleportation circle General Temporal stasis General Time stop 4 hours Tiny hut General Tongues 1 hour Touch of fatigue General Touch of idiocy General Transformation General Transmute metal to wood 6 hours Transmute mud to rock 6 hours Transmute rock to mud 6 hours Transport via plants 4 hours Trap the soul General Tree shape 24 hours Tree stride 24 hours True resurrection General True seeing General True strike 5 minutes Undeath to death General Undetectable alignment 24 hours Unhallow General Unholy aura General Unholy blight General Unseen servant 6 hours Vampiric touch General Veil 12 hours Ventriloquism 5 minutes Virtue 5 minutes Vision 6 hours Wail of the banshee General Wall of fire General Wall of force General Wall of ice General Wall of iron 12 hours Wall of stone 12 hours Wall of thorns General Warp wood 5 minutes Water breathing 4 hours Water walk 4 hours Waves of exhaustion General Waves of fatigue General Web 5 minutes Weird General Whirlwind General Whispering wind 30 minutes Wind walk 24 hours Wind wall General Wish General Wood shape 6 hours Word of chaos General Word of recall General Zone of silence 24 hours Zone of truth 30 minutes

¹You can't recast this spell or prepare another spell in that slot until the subject uses the imbued spell.

Behind the Curtain: Recharge Magic

This is a high-powered variant, because spellcasters can cast their staple combat and healing spells all day long. This means that the PCs face almost every encounter fully healed, and rarely do spellcasters have their spell lists significantly depleted. Spellcasters may have some specific-recharge utility and protective spells that they won’t be able to cast before every fight, but they always have access to their highest-level combat and healing spells. And it’s those spells that largely comprise a spellcaster’s contribution toward overcoming a given encounter.

As with most high-powered variants, recharge magic works only if every spellcaster in the campaign is using it, including powerful NPC spellcasters. A recharge-variant lich, for example, is a terror for high-level PCs to behold.

As the DM, you have to plan for a party of PCs that can adventure all day long, beginning every fight in a more or less fully rested state. This prospect can be thrilling for players, who no longer have to face the disappointment of a retreat to town just when they’re on the cusp of the adventure’s climax. But when PCs don’t need to retreat to heal and prepare new spells, the DM ends up running more encounters per game session, which means a measure of extra preparation.

As a rule of thumb, a group of four PCs that includes two recharge variant spellcasters can handle encounters of an Encounter Level equal to the characters’ average level +2. The fights will be exciting ones; every room in the dungeon becomes as perilous as a typical adventure’s climax. But the PCs face each one with full resources, so the denizens of the dungeon can’t defeat them through depletion and attrition. If your group likes knock-down, drag-out, set-piece battles, the recharge magic variant lets you fight more of them.

Characters attain new levels faster in terms of both player time at the gaming table and character time in the game world. You can regard this as an additional benefit, or you can reduce experience point awards across the board to compensate.

The recharge magic variant makes spellcasters stronger overall, and it makes nonspellcasters stronger if you assume they’re getting fully healed after every encounter. But in some respects it makes them weaker as well. Even the most powerful wizard can’t cast two fireball spells in consecutive rounds with this variant. The teleport spell has a specific recharge time of 4 hours, so a character can’t teleport someplace, cast a spell, then teleport away again (unless he uses word of recall or greater teleport for one of the legs of the journey). Strategies that rely on repeated use of the same spell aren’t viable if the spell in question has a specific recharge time. Depending on the strategy, its chance of success might improve or worsen if a character is relying on a general recharge spell. In short, the recharge variant gives casters a lot more power in exchange for slightly less flexibility with regard to general recharge spells and significantly less flexibility with regard to specific recharge spells.

There’s an obvious way for characters to compensate for the diminished flexibility: scrolls. In general, scrolls become more useful in the recharge variant game world, so they may be more prevalent. Conversely, wands are somewhat less useful, because every spellcaster can crank out his staple spells dozens of times. When a character can cast lightning bolt fifty times in the space of an hour, that fully charged wand of lightning bolt is much less impressive. If you use the recharge magic variant, consider reducing the percentages of minor and medium wands on Table 7–1 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide by 5% and increasing the percentages of minor and medium scrolls by the same amount.

One less obvious change posed by this variant is that lower-level spells retain more importance for high-level spellcasters. With the general recharge rules, even the most potent spellcaster can’t use her best spells more than two or three times in a major fight. Spells two, three, or four levels below the maximum get cast while the spellcaster waits for the heavy artillery to get reloaded.

As the DM, you have to contend with other subtle changes wrought by this variant. Monsters with spell-like abilities usable at will are diminished somewhat, because true spellcasters can cast spells so frequently. Monsters with spell-like abilities aren’t actually weaker — and their Challenge Ratings needn’t go down as a result — but they feel less special and more like spellcasters with a static spell list.

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