```metadata
title: 'Rule Variant: Power Points'
description: >-
  An alternate resource system for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, which can be
  used to fuel spellcasting, class features, and racial traits.
tags: []
systems:
  - 5e
renderer: V3

```

# Rule Variant: Power Points
{{classTable,wide,frame
##### Power Points Table
| Level | Power Points | Maximum Spell Level (One-Third Caster) | Maximum Spell Level (Half-Caster) | Maximum Spell Level (Full Caster) | Features (Full Caster)
|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-|
| 1st | 2 | 1st | 1st | 1st | — |
| 2nd | 4 | 1st | 1st | 1st | — |
| 3rd | 6 | 1st | 1st | 2nd | — |
| 4th | 8 | 1st | 1st | 2nd | — |
| 5th | 10 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | — |
| 6th | 12 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | — |
| 7th | 14 | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | — |
| 8th | 16 | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | — |
| 9th | 18 | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | — |
| 10th | 20 | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | — |
| 11th | 22 | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | Arcanum (6th Level) |
| 12th | 24 | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | — |
| 13th | 26 | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Arcanum (7th Level) |
| 14th | 28 | 3rd | 4th | 5th | — |
| 15th | 30 | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Arcanum (8th Level) |
| 16th | 32 | 3rd | 4th | 5th | — |
| 17th | 34 | 3rd | 5th | 5th | Arcanum (9th Level) |
| 18th | 36 | 3rd | 5th | 5th | — |
| 19th | 38 | 4th | 5th | 5th | — |
| 20th | 40 | 4th | 5th | 5th | — |
}}

## The Rule
Should you choose, and at the DM's discretion, you gain a number of power points, representing your inner reserves of force. You have a number of power points equal to twice your character level, as noted in the Power Points column, and regain all expended power points when you finish a long rest. You lose any spell slots you have, though the following features may give you spell slots based on your level in certain classes.

#### Casting a Spell of 1st to 5th Level
To cast a class's spell of 1st level of higher, you must spend a number of power points equal to the spell’s level. You can choose to spend any amount of additional power points when casting the spell, with each additional power point counting as if the spell was cast using a spell slot of one additional level. Spells cast in this manner cannot exceed a maximum level determined by your level in that class, as shown in the Maximum Spell Level of the Power Points table:
- **One-Third Casters** refer to the fighter's Eldritch Knight and the rogue's Arcane Trickster archetypes. Any class or subclass with a spellcasting feature resembling that of those subclasses is considered a one-third caster.
- **Half-Casters** refer to the artificer, paladin, and ranger classes. Any class or subclass with a spellcasting feature resembling that of those classes is considered a half-caster.
- **Full Casters** refer to the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard classes. Any class or subclass with a spellcasting feature resembling that of those classes is considered a full caster.

For example, if you wish to cast the 1st-level spell *Thunderwave*, you must spend at least one power point. Choosing to spend an additional power point, for a total of two, will cast the spell as if using a 2nd-level spell slot.

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#### Arcanum
In addition to power points, if your class level in a full caster class is 11th level or higher, you gain a spell slot of 6th level. You gain additional spell slots of higher levels when you reach higher levels in that class: at 13th (7th-level spell slot), 15th (8th-level spell slot), and 17th level (9th-level spell slot). You can use these spell slots to cast spells as normal, and regain all expended spell slots from this feature when you finish a long rest.

#### Class-Specific Changes
The following changes apply to specific classes:
* **Monk:** You lose your ki points. Any feature that uses ki points uses your power power points instead, spending and restoring a number of power points equal to the indicated number of ki points.
* **Sorcerer:** You lose your sorcery points and Font of Magic feature. Instead, starting at 2nd level, you have an additional number of power points equal to your sorcerer level. Any feature that uses sorcery points uses your power points instead, spending and restoring a number of power points equal to the indicated number of sorcery points.
* **Warlock:** You lose your Mystic Arcanum feature. Instead, you become able to learn warlock spells of a level you can cast, including through the use of your Arcanum feature listed above.

#### Expending Spell Slots
Whenever a racial trait or feature allows you to expend a spell slot, you can instead spend an equivalent number of power points, following the rules for casting a spell of 1st to 5th level listed above. If you also benefit from the Arcanum feature, you can also expend its spell slots as normal.

To determine the maximum number of power points you can spend for a racial trait, refer to the Maximum Spell Level column for full casters in the Power Points table, using your character level rather than any class levels you may have.

To determine the maximum number of power points you can spend for a class feature, refer to the Maximum Spell Level column on the Power Points table corresponding to your class.

This maximum level, as well as the minimum spell slot level indicated by the trait or feature, determine the maximum and minimum number of power points you can spend for the trait or feature, respectively, following the rules for casting spells of 1st to 5th level listed above.

If a feature or item property would let you regain an expended spell slot of 1st to 5th level, you instead regain a number of expended power points corresponding to the spell slot's level, as described in the rules for casting a spell of 1st to 5th level listed above.

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## The Reasons Why
There are several main reasons behind this proposed system. The first is that the official spell point variant rule, as listed in the *Dungeon Master's Guide*, is not that great: in addition to being overly complicated, the rule makes the mistake of including spells of 6th level and higher, which it has to compensate for with additional complications in the form of specific restrictions. What the variant rule offers still has value, however: point-based casting is a lot more flexible, and favors utility spells that don't benefit from upcasting. Thus, this version aims to offer a take on it that is significantly more streamlined, and applicable to more game mechanics.

Another major appeal to this sort of system is the benefit it could represent to multiclassing: currently, multiclassing in *5e* is quite complicated, particularly when it comes to mixing magic-users, and further issues arise when classes like the monk or sorcerer have class-specific resources that have no relation to each other. This rule variant tries to unify disparate resources such as spell slots, ki points, and sorcery points into a unified whole, allowing multiclasses to progress consistently, and make consistent use of different features, while setting out clear limitations for spellcasting.

Worth noting is that this variant rule carries a few generally intended balance implications:
- Martial classes, while not directly affected by this variant rule other than the monk, stand to benefit significantly from access to traits or features that are at least partially fuelled by spell slots, as they would not otherwise use this resource.
- One-third casters would have their spellcasting output and flexibility significantly buffed.
- Half-casters would have their spellcasting output progress at a more consistent rate to eventually arrive at the same overall amount. Their flexibility, however, would be buffed significantly, as they could use exactly as many power points as their spells would need each time.
- Full casters would have their higher-level spellcasting output nerfed, with one less spell slot available of 5th, 6th, and 7th level. As with other magic-users, however, their spellcasting flexibility would be significantly buffed, which would especially help at earlier levels.

{{note
##### Brewer's Note:
While listed as a full caster, the warlock is not like other full casters: the class's Pact Magic feature is intentionally weaker than a full caster's spellcasting, to balance the persistent benefits gained from eldritch invocations. Be cautious when applying this variant rule to a warlock, as doing so would make the class significantly stronger relative to other full casters than it is now.
}}

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