BASIC D20 MAGIC SKILLS
Basic d20 assumes that you will use the normal D&D spellcasting system to create characters. A morebasic, generic system is detailed here that allows each character to be customized as the player desires.
Old class distinctions are discarded in favor of a unified approach to spellcasting.

MAGIC SKILLS
There are eight Magic skills, one for each school of magic. Each rank in a Magic skill costs the same as
one rank in a normal Basic d20 broad skill area (1 Power Point per skill rank). Purchasing ranks in a
Magic skill confers certain spellcasting benefits to the character. Each Magic skill represents thecharacter’s knowledge and mastery of one of the schools of magic. These schools are listed in the table.
Check: Normally associated with caster level checks only. The key
ability does not figure into caster level checks. The key ability does
affect the saving throw DC for spells of that school.
Action: Not Applicable.
Try Again: Not Applicable.
The Magic skills do not work like other skills. Each Magic skill
grants the character the following advantages:

Magic Skills
AbjurationConjuration
Divination
Enchantment
Evocation
Illusion
Necromancy
Transmutation

Spellcaster Level: the character’s level for the purposes of spellcasting is equal to the number of skill
ranks the character has in a Magic skill. Each Magic skill counts separately. Thus, a character canpotentially have eight different spellcaster levels, since there are eight different Magic skills. Spellcasterlevel governs the highest level of spell the character can use, the maximum number of spell points thecharacter can use for one spell, and is used for all situations where a caster level is required. The
character’s caster level in each school is based on the number of skill ranks in Magic skill the character
has in that particular school. For game effects requiring a class caster level (or some other “generic”
caster level), use the highest caster level from among the character’s eight different Magic skills. For
example, the character’s highest caster level is used when meeting the prerequisites for Item Creationfeats. For caster level checks, use the appropriate Magic skill to determine caster level.
Spell Lists: Each Magic skill allows the character to access spells of the appropriate school. These spells
become part of the character’s personal spell list, representing the breadth of the character’s magicalknowledge and training. They are taken from all spell lists (bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer/wizard, etc.). If aspell has different spell levels for different classes, use the lowest from among cleric, druid, andsorcerer/wizard (excluding domain lists). For example, true seeing becomes a 5th level spell under thissystem. If a spell is not found on any of these three lists, use the lowest level listed for any class.
It is important to note that not all of these spells become automatically known by the character
immediately. They must be found and learned through normal means (as determined by the GM).

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Being on the character’s personal spell list simply makes them available to be learned by the character,much like all sorcerer/wizard spells are available to be learned by sorcerers and wizards.
All spells of the appropriate school up to a level equal to the number of Magic skill ranks plus one,
divided by two, become part of the character’s spell list. See the chart below.
Ranks
Special135
7Spell Levels in List
0th
1st
1st-2nd
1st-3rd
1st-4thRanks
91113
15
17

Spell Levels in List
1st-5th
1st-6th
1st-7th
1st-8th
1st-9thFor example, a character with 7 ranks in Evocation would include all evocation spells from 1st to 4th
level in his personal spell list. A character with 17 ranks in Illusion would have every illusion spell (1st9th) in his personal spell list. The “Special” for 0th level spells indicates that a character with at least
one rank in any Magic skill is eligible to learn and cast any 0th level spell from any school. For example,
if a character has only one rank in Enchantment and ranks in no other Magic skills, he still has all cantrips
and orisons in his personal spell list.
Spell Knowledge: Each time a character gains an odd-numbered rank in a Magic skill, he gains
knowledge of one spell of the appropriate school. If the character finds additional spells during thenormal course of the campaign that are included in his personal spell list, he can learn them as well. Acharacter must know a spell before he is able to cast it. In order to know a certain spell, the charactermust have learned the spell from another character, a spell scroll, a spell book, or by some othermethod (as determined by the GM). A known spell can be cast as long as the character has enough spell
points to do so. It bears repeating: access to spell lists is simply a prerequisite to learning spells.
Spell Points: Every rank gained in a Magic skill adds anumber of points to a character’s total spell points. Thetable to the right shows the number of spell points in thecharacter’s total for each Magic skill. For example, if acharacter has five Magic skills at 7 ranks, two Magic skills at
5 ranks, and one at 3 ranks, then that character’s spell point
total is equal to 5 X 5.33 + 2 X 2.66 + 1 X 1.33 = 34 spellpoints. Always round all fractions up to the nearest integer.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in a Magic skill, you geta +2 bonus on Science (spellcraft) checks relating to theappropriate school.

2Ranks
123
4
56
7
8
910

SpellPoints
0.33
0.66
1.33
22.66
45.33
7.33
9.33
12Ranks
111213
14
15
16
1718
19
20

SpellPoints
14.66
17.33
20
22.66
25.33
28
30.66
33.33
36
38.66

KEY ABILITIES FOR MAGIC SKILLSThe GM determines the key ability for all Magic skills in his campaign. He can vary the key ability bycharacter, allowing the player to determine the nature and “feel” of his particular spellcaster. The GM
can also choose different key abilities for different Magic skills, such as Wisdom for Abjuration andCharisma for Enchantment. He could rule that the highest of the character’s mental abilities (i.e., Int,Wis, and Cha) is always that character’s key ability.
Regardless of the key ability chosen for each Magic skill, certain uses are standard. The key ability isadded to the Difficulty Class of the saving throws for spells cast by the character. The key ability also
determines the highest spell level the character can learn.
HIGHEST SPELL LEVEL ABLE TO BE LEARNED = KEY ABILITY × 2 + 1
A simple table summarizes this formula:
Key Ability for Magic Skill+0+1+2+3+4Highest Spell Level Able to be Learned
1st
3rd
5th
7th
9th

BONUS SPELL POINTSThe table below shows the number of bonus spell points a character receives based on the character’s
key ability and the rank of his highest Magic skill. For example, the GM determines that for hiscampaign, the key ability for all Magic skills is Intelligence. The character’s Int is +3 and he has 10 ranks
in his highest Magic skill. This character receives a bonus of 9 SP.

Ability+0+1+2+3+4+5+6+7101111222201222355301444588

Number of Ranks in Highest Magic Skill
456789 10 110000000011111111444444446999999969 12 16 16 16 16 16
7 10 13 17 21 26 26 26
10 13 16 20 24 29 34 40
13 18 21 25 29 34 39 45

31201491626
4051

13+0
14916264058

SPELL POINT COST BY SPELL LEVELSpell point costs by spell level are shown below.
Spell Level
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th

Spell Point Cost
0.5
13
5
7

Spell Level
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th

Spell Point Cost
911
13
15
17

LEARNING NEW SPELLS
Characters gain one new spell every time an odd-numbered rank is purchased in a Magic skill (1, 3, 5, 7,and so on). The cost of this new spell in Power Points is already included in the cost of each skill rank.
Learning additional spells, beyond the “free” one learned during each odd-numbered rank increase, ispossible. It costs one Power Point to learn a new spell. First, the character must have access to the spell
to be learned. Spell scrolls, spellbooks, characters or creatures knowing the spell, writings on temple
walls, and other sources of information are all valid in meeting this requirement. Second, the player
must make a successful Science (spellcraft) roll for the character to be able to learn the spell. If
successful, the 1 PP is spent and the character now knows the spell. The time to learn the spell isdetermined by the GM and should be driven by campaign pacing and dramatic necessity.
Alternatively, new spells can be learned using the Natural Advancement method if the character does
not have Power Points to spend. Each spell, regardless of spell level, takes three months to learn. Thecharacter can seek out a teacher or attempt to learn a spell alone. A teacher must know the spell beingtaught. Spellcasters will always charge at least 600 gp to teach the new spell plus the market price ofthe spell itself (determined by the GM). The advantage to this method is that as long as the character’s
key ability for the appropriate Magic skill is high enough, a Science (spellcraft) roll is not needed.
Successful learning is automatic. If the character wishes to learn the spell on his own, he spends threemonths studying it from its source (scroll, spellbook, obelisk, etc.). At the end of three months, aScience (spellcraft) check is made to see if the spell has been learned. If successful, the character haslearned the spell. If unsuccessful, the character must spend additional time to learn the spell. For each
additional week, another Science (spellcraft) roll can be attempted.
The DC for Science (spellcraft) rolls to learn a spell is equal to 15 + the spell’s level. Intelligence should
always be used for this Science (spellcraft) roll. However, characters cannot learn spells having levels
greater than twice their key ability plus one.

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UNIVERSAL SPELLSAs long as a character can learn and cast spells of the appropriate level in any school, he can learn
universal spells. For example, as long as a character has at least 13 ranks in any Magic skill and a key
ability of +3 or higher, that character can learn and cast limited wish.

SPELL PREPARATION AND SPELL SLOTS
There is no spell preparation in this system. All spells are known in the manner of bards and sorcerers.
As long as a character has enough spell points to cast a known spell, he may cast it normally.
If you absolutely must have spells per day “slots” for your campaign (maybe you despise the spell pointsystem), then use these guidelines. Give your character one spell slot for each of the spell levels he cancast for every school, up to a maximum of six spell slots for each spell level. Using the previous example,
a character has five Magic skills at 7 ranks, two Magic skills at 5 ranks, and one at 3 ranks. This would
indicate that he receives 5/5/5/5 for the Magic skills at 7 ranks, 2/2/2 for the Magic skills at 5 ranks, and1/1 for his one Magic skill with one rank. This adds up to 8/8/7/5. Because the maximum is six spell
slots per level, his final spells per day are 6/6/6/5. This is comparable to the spells per day for a 9th levelsorcerer. By contrast, a spellcaster with 17 ranks in only one school would receive one spell slot for eachspell level (1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1). Characters always receive six cantrip spell slots as long as they have one
rank in any Magic skill. Award spell slots even if the spellcaster cannot cast spells of that level due to alow key ability; they can use those slots for lower level spells. Add bonus spell slots based on thecharacter’s key ability and highest level of spell able to be cast.

SPELL POINTS VARIANT RULES
See the SRD for more information on the Spell Points Variant Rules. The GM should choose the options
that he desires for his campaign from among those offered (such as Vitalizing and rules for metamagicfeats).

ARCANE AND DIVINE SPELLCASTER DISTINCTION
Under this system, disregard the arcane/divine distinction in spellcasting. For any game effects that
require the source of the character’s spellcasting ability be known (whether arcane or divine), the GMshould exercise good judgment. Spellcasters are not affected by the arcane spell failure chance when
wearing armor in which they are proficient. Spellcasters wearing armor in which they are not proficientsuffer the normal arcane spell failure chances.

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THREE FEATS ESPECIALLY SUITED FOR CAMPAIGNS USING MAGIC SKILLSThe feats detailed below are found in a number of d20 supplements and can be used to expand thespellcasting capabilities of characters in your campaign.

Arcane Preparation [General]
You can prepare an arcane spell ahead of time as a wizard does.
Prerequisite: You must be able to cast spells as a bard or sorcerer before you can take this feat.
Benefit: Each day, you are able to prepare one or more spells as a wizard does. If you are a sorcerer or abard, this means that you can prepare a spell with a metamagic feat ahead of time, instead of casting it
as a full-round action. The prepared spell remains in your mind and occupies one of your spell slots until
you cast it or change it. A prepared spell uses a spell slot of the spell’s normal level, modified by anyother metamagic feats.

Extra Slot [General]
You can cast an extra spell.
Prerequisites: Spellcaster level 4th+.
Benefit: You gain one extra spell slot in your daily allotment. This extra slot can be at any level up to one
level lower than the highest-level spell you can cast. For example, a 4th level sorcerer gains either anextra 0-level or 1st-level slot, allowing him to cast any known spell of the chosen level one more timeeach day. A 4th-level wizard can prepare any extra 0-level or 1st-level spell she knows. Once selected,
the extra spell slot never migrates up or down in level.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you gain an extra spell slot at any level up toone level lower than the highest-level spell you can cast.

Extra Spell [General]
You can learn one more spell.
Prerequisites: Spellcaster level 3rd+.
Benefit: You learn one additional spell at any level up to one level lower than the highest-level spell you
can cast. Thus, a 4th-level sorcerer gains a new 0-level or 1stlevel spell, expanding his repertoire. A 4thlevel wizard can likewise learn an extra 0-level or 1st-level spell, but since wizards learn spells far moreeasily than sorcerers, this feat is of less use to her.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you learn a new spell at any level up to one
lower than the highest-level spell you can cast.

6HOW SHOULD THIS BE USED?
Like many other variants that have come before, this Basic d20 Magic system does away with all classdistinctions between spellcasters. Mechanically, all spellcasters are the same under this system. It is up
to the GM and players to determine what types of spellcasters exist in the campaign world. Different
types of spellcasters can be created by varying key abilities, school choices, spell choices, and bychoosing certain advantages. Alchemists, bards, clerics, cultists, druids, enchanters, exorcists, fakirs,geomancers, hedge mages, infernalists, loremasters, miracle workers, necromancers, oracles,prestidigitators, qabalists, seers, shaman, sorcerers, thaumaturgists, theurgists, warlocks, wise ones, andwizards can all be conceived of and created with this system.
For example, let’s say you like the illusionist class from AD&D. You make Dexterity the key ability forillusionists. Dexterity will govern the spell save DCs and the highest level of spell that illusionists cancast (“a high manual dexterity is required in casting of the spells used by this class” – PHB, page 26).
Intelligence will still be added to Science (spellcraft) rolls to see if spells can be learned. As GM, you also
determine that illusionists normally take ranks in the Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Illusion, andTransmutation schools. Illusionists also take the Spell Focus (illusion) and Greater Spell Focus (illusion)feats as soon as possible. You can make these school choices and advantage purchases mandatory ifyou desire. Through defining a key ability, recommending school choices, and listing certain advantages,
many distinct types of magic-users can be created for the campaign.

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