A new and improved Miscast Table

One of the most common grumps I hear about this edition is that magic is overpowered.

Now, I agree and disagree with this.  I'd say that 80% of magic is just fine; dynamic and random, impacting the game without completely skewing it.  I'm sure that everyone here understands exactly what the remaining 20% is composed of.

Rather than change the spells, I think that an easy, balanced fix would be to change the miscast table. 

At the moment, the miscast table is WAY to lenient IMO.  Most people running caster heavy or magic dependant lists will actively court Irresistable Force, believing the benefits of getting the spell off without interference far outweight the typically minescule penalties.  The probability of getting the "oh shit" results is just too low. 

So, here is a new table I just threw together.  Feel free to comment or write up your own!

New and Improved Miscast Table

2: The wizard draws in too much power and vanishes in an explosive singularity, a wave of dimensional flux ripping through those surrounding him.  Center the large round template on the caster.  Everyone touched takes a strength 10 hit.  The caster is immediately removed as a casualty with no save of any kind, and a D6 dice are removed from the power pool

3-4: The chaos of battle causes the wizard's focus to momentarily waver, and a dimensional rift begins to form, scything through fellow soldiers while the wizard struggles to regain control and close it. Center the small round template on the wizard.  Those touched take a strength 10 hit (including the caster, who is not entitled to a look-out sir roll).  After resolving these hits, roll a dice.  On a 1-3 the caster is removed as a casualty with no save of any kind.  On a 4-6 the caster survives.  Additionally, power dice are lost equal to the result of the roll.

5-6: The wizard is forced to dodge unexpectedly, which throws off his aim, sending the eldritch forces winging at a different target.  The opponent may select a target for the spell (friend or enemy), ignoring all normal restrictions except spell range.  The player who suffered the miscast may attempt to dispel the spell using power dice against the roll value which caused the miscast.

7-8: A misspoken incantation result in arcs of power randoming reaching out to incinerate those nearby. If the caster is in a unit, the unit takes 2D6 strength 6 hits.  If the caster is not part of a unit (a mount does not count), then every unit within 2D6 inches takes a D6 strength 6 hits on a 4+.  A D6 dice are lost from the power pool

9-10: The wizard draws in too much power, it's unexpected strength blasting through his mind, addling his senses.  The caster loses a D3 casting levels, forgetting a random spell per level lost (starting with the spell just cast).  The caster may not cast any additional spells this round.

11-12: The caster recognizes the danger approaching and manages to ground out the gathering magic. A D6 dice are lost from the power pool, and the caster may not cast any additional spells this round.

The game I got nuked off of the table in the top of 1 and 2; that I split my cannon in the bottom of 1, and in the bottom of 2 (start of turn) had 1 leadbelcher, 2 Ogres, and 7 gnoblars vs 100% of the enemy force left? I'd have agreed with this new table.

The rest if the time I don't see a lot of issue. I do think it should scale. If you choose the meaner version of spell, you get the meaner miscast table.

Ooh, there's a nice idea.

Yeah, thats a good idea.

If its a non-boosted spell, roll on the normal miscast table. If its boosted, roll on this one.

Im still pushing for a miscast table that simply takes into account the number of dice you used to cast the spell. So if you miscast on two dice you lose D6 dice  while if you miscast on 6+ dice you take the large blast template and lose D3 wizard levels or something.

This prevents lowers the penalty for unlucky rolls and punishes the miscast seekers.

I don't think there is a lot wrong with the magic phase but I find a lot of times Im looking for a miscast when I dont think that should be how the game works. But I do like the meaner miscast for high power spells that sounds interesting.

I agree tryptic. You could make it D6+ number of dice and make the table nastier at high levels.

You could also do something like deduct your magic level, making miscasts less vicious to higher level casters.

The type of spell could also be taken into consideration. I care a lot less about Wyssan's Wildform getting double 6's than I do the Purple Sun/Crack's Call/etc.

the comment bout loosing by turn two reminds me of back with the old edition of our book I once faced off against the Orcs and Goblins old book. So Old books both sides this editions rules. Turn one I moved forwards and cast Braingobbler on his huge block of black orcs. They fail and flee off the table since they had yet to move. This left his heavy caster alone as he had been moving close to the unit but out of it to get a look out sir without being in the combat heavy unit. I than used toothcracker and rolled 12 for the number of wounds. Needless to say he faiiled and died. this left like one small unit of orcs and like 4 spider riders left. We called the game there since I still had full forces and a giant left.

Im still pushing for a miscast table that simply takes into account the number of dice you used to cast the spell.

Could use the current miscast table for something like this.
 
miscast on 2 dice, roll 3 dice and chose 2
miscast on 3-4 dice, roll as normal
miscast on 5-6 dice either roll three and your opponent choses 2, or roll D6+1 like the chaos magic item.

Im still pushing for a miscast table that simply takes into account the number of dice you used to cast the spell.

Could use the current miscast table for something like this.
 
miscast on 2 dice, roll 3 dice and chose 2
miscast on 3-4 dice, roll as normal
miscast on 5-6 dice either roll three and your opponent choses 2, or roll D6+1 like the chaos magic item.

I like this. I will try and give it ago in my next battle. D6+1.

Im still pushing for a miscast table that simply takes into account the number of dice you used to cast the spell.

An excellent idea.  To try to simplify things the miscast effects should be determined by simply picking up the dice used to cast the spell, rolling them again, and consult the miscast chart.

Example:
Roll the same number of dice used to cast the spell that resulted in a miscast, for each 4+ rolled consult the chart below.
Less than 0:  The wizard suffers no effects casting the spell with Irresistible Force (achievable by items/abilities that lower their result on the table).
0:  The caster cannot cast any more spells this phase.
1:  D6 dice are removed from the power pool.  The caster cannot cast any more spells this phase.
2:  The caster suffers a S6 hit.  D6 dice are removed from the power pool.  The caster cannot cast any more spells this phase.
3:  The caster suffers a S10 hit.  The caster may no longer cast this spell for the remainder of the battle.  D6 dice are removed from the power pool.  The caster cannot cast any more spells this phase.
4:  The caster takes a S10 hit.  The caster loses a Magic Level, losing the spell just cast.  D6 dice are removed from the power pool.
5:  The caster takes D3 S10 hits.  The caster is a Level 0 wizard for the remainder of the battle.  D6 dice are removed from the power pool.  All models in base contact with the wizard suffer a S6 hit.
6+:  The caster is removed from the game.  All units within d6" take 2d6 S10 hits.  The Magic Phase ends.

That chart isn't very balanced...but you get the general idea.

How about this.


For every dice used to cast the spell, your opponent rolls a D6. For every 5+ that is rolled, he may modify your roll on the Miscast Chart by 1.

My issue is that the chart itself is fairly weak-sauce.  Even the worst possible result (which only pops up 8% of the time) results in only a chance of the wizard dying.  That's just not right.

I love the idea of the number of dice or use of the boosted version of spells modifying the ease of miscasting or the result of miscasting, but I still say we need a new table.  Either make the results more chaotic and random (number 5-6 on my chart, for example) or make it more deadly. 

My point wasn't to make it easier to miscast, but to make the results dangerous enough that you would seriously consider whether or not you want to risk it.

Its not that its too forgiving all the time, remember that you get the 2-4 result 1/6 of the time and the 10-12 result (which really for a lvl4 is just as bad most of the time) 1/6 its the fact that when someone just blew up a unit with dwellers, Pit/Mindrazor, Purple Sun or even just got off a absolutely needed buff to win the game and I get nothing to say about it. I want that wizard to have worse than a 2/3 chance to really not be harmed other than a wound.

Why not re-do it so that the 'safer' miscast results are at the bottom, while the 'nastier' results are at the top, then have the wizard roll the dice used to cast the spell (including bonus dice) as the table result? That way, it's more of a balance between 'Can I cast this with only 3 dice?' and 'Trying for a 6-die Purple Sun. What's the worst that can happen?'

It can even be modified that any effect that causes/redirects a miscast (I'm looking at you, Cupped Hands...) grants a 2 die roll.

Not looking at Hellheart?