1

Spellpoint Codex Copyright 2013 Berin Kinsman.

Released under Open Game License Version 1.0a

Written by Berin Kinsman — Published by Asparagus Jumpsuit

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo
Publishing, LLC. See [Link] for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.

Creating Better Worlds™

At Asparagus Jumpsuit we believe in literacy, curiosity, and creativity, not necessarily in that order. Through
those things individuals, societies, and the entire world are enriched and transformed. Asparagus Jumpsuit works to
uphold and promote these values in everything we do.

No Sleep ‘Til Finland™

My wife Katie has been an elementary school art teacher for 10 years. Now she’s been accepted to graduate
school and will be working on her Masters in Education at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland! It will be a major
juxtaposition, going from the desert Southwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico to frozen Scandinavia, but this is a
fantastic opportunity to work within one of the best education systems in the world! To raise the money to get us
there we’re doing everything we can, including selling off nearly everything we own!
The Instant Character series is one of many projects I’m working on with the express purpose of getting us
to Finland. Every dollar made on this project goes directly toward helping my wife further her education.

2
Using the Spellpoint Codex
The concept is simple: instead of keeping track of how many spells of each level the character is able to cast,
you instead have a pool of points to cast spells with. The spellpoint cost to cast a spell is equal to the spell level, so a
1st level spell costs 1 point, a 5th level spell costs 5 points, and a 9th level spell costs 9 points. It reduces tracking
spells cast to a function as simple as tracking hit points.
Why would you want to do this? Aside from making the bookkeeping easier, it gives spellcasters more
flexibility. When backed into a corner and fighting a steady stream of goblins entering the area one by one, if all
you’ve got left is a fireball, you’re screwed. Wouldn’t it be better if you could cast, say, 3 magic missiles? Reverse
that, and if you’ve got a horde of orcs rushing in and all you have left are 3- 1st level spells, don’t you wish you
could trade those in for that fireball? After all, a fighter’s sword never runs out, and a rogue can work that sneak
attack an infinite number of times per day under the right circumstances.
From an in-game perspective, the emphasis shifts from tying up mana in a specific spell to the overall access
that a character has access to. This remains, philosophically, true for how the character receives the magical energy
— divinely bestowed to Clerics, tapped into through formulas and calculations by wizards, innate power for
sorcerers, and so on. They have the power, and more autonomy in deciding how that power will be used.
Obviously, this rules variant isn’t for everyone. I’ve used it when I’ve had newer players with enough to
keep track of already without heaping the added bookkeeping of traditional spells per day on their plate. I’ve used it
when we’ve had small parties with only one ‘caster and really needed the flexibility. It really depends on what the
needs of your own fame are, and your personal philosophy toward magic in your fantasy world.

Using the Tables

Ability Modifier This table lists the bonus spell points gained from having a high ability score. Locate the
ability that affects the character (Wisdom for Clerics, Intelligence for Wizards, and so on) and add this total to the
spell points gained for Class Level.
Class Level Find the character class, and then locate the current level on the left hand side of the table.
Spell Points The number of spell points the character gains. This calculated by multiplying the spell level by
the number of spells at each level, and adding them together. A simple calculation, but I’ve saved you some time by
putting it all on these convenient tables.
Spell Level The highest level spell that character can cast at that class level.
Spells Per Day The traditional spells per day, listed side-by-side for comparison. This can also be used to
indicate the number of spells of each level that the character knows or is able to prepare. The difference is that this
does not reflect the spells the character will actually cast that day. Any spell known or prepared can be cast multiple
times per day, as long as there are enough spell points left to cast it.
Cantrips and Orisons 0-level spells are at-will and can be cast an infinite number of times per day, because
they cost nothing. If you’re the gamemaster and don’t like this, because you think a wizard being able to cast ray of
frost every round for a whopping 1d3 points of damage (while the barbarian swings that greataxe for 1d12 every
round) somehow unbalances your game, feel free to put a cap on it or require something like a spellcraft or
concentration check.
Domain Spells Domain spells remain exactly the way they are. They are spells that can be cast once per day,
and do not affect spellpoints. Think of them as special abilities, rather than regular spells.

Metamagic Feats
Calculating the cost of casting a spell in conjunction with a metamagic feat is easy: it costs whatever the
increase spell level is. If you’re casting a 3rd level spell and using Enlarge Spell, which increases the spell level by
1, it costs 4 spell points. To make these calculations easier, there’s a table that lists the increase costs of each
metamagic feat.
Metamagic feats are neat, and one of the reasons I like this spellpoint system is that it encourages people to
use them. When you have a finite numbers of spells per level, it forces some uncomfortable decisions and
discourages metamagic. With a big fat pool of spell points, players feel more free to do interesting things.

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted
material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement,
compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast,
publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such
content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and
means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means
product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents,
language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and
descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or
supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product
Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f ) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself
or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify,
translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this
License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No
other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with
the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original
creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open
Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any
original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent
Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in
conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark.
The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open
Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
All proper names, logos, company names, images, and graphics are product identity. All other content is open gaming content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify
and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the
Contributor to do so.
12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute,
judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the
breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document. © 2000. Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave
Arneson.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip
Williams.
Advanced Player’s Guide. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Magic. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Tim Hitchcock, Colin McComb, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson,
Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Russ Taylor.
Instant NPCs © 2013 Berin Kinsman. Author: Berin Kinsman. Editor: Stefan Livingstone Shirley

12