I suspect the search for a non-Vancian magic system for D&D and associated game systems began at the time of publication of the 3 LBB, if not before. There have always been players who have chafed at the restrictions of Vancian magic. Some decry it because MUs have little else to do (there’s actually a bunch they can do). Some decry the “quadratic wizard” effect, where the power of MU characters at higher levels dwarfs that of non-casters.
Other approaches to game magic have appeared in the effort to replace Vancian magic. Mana/spell point systems. Requiring casting rolls for spells. Requiring casting rolls to keep spells in memory after casting. There have been many multi-page sets of rules for magic systems produced over the decades. The challenge for me, then, was to figure out a system that could fit over the existing rules and allow MUs to use spells more often at low levels, yet keep them from taking a stand & deliver approach and spamming their favorites. Oh, and to keep it simple enough to not bog down play.
I landed on a channeling system. It hits all the high notes for me: MUs can cast more than one spell per day out the gate; MUs can memorize more than one spell and have some variety in their spell selection; it’s not a given that a spell can be cast in one round (limiting spell casting a bit); MUs can strain themselves (hp damage) to push their effort and channel more mana in a round to get a spell off.
Here’s how it works:
*Each spell requires 5 mana per spell level to cast. The spell only goes off after enough mana has been channeled.
*A MU gets 1D6 channeling every two levels of advancement. The channeling dice are rolled during casting to see how quickly the MU can cast. If not enough mana is generated on the first roll, then the casting extends into the next round where another roll adds to the total.
Example: A 2nd lvl MU casting a 1st lvl spell and the player rolls a D6 channeling die and the result is a four. That’s not enough mana channeled to cast the spell, so the casting extends into the next round. The player rolls the channeling die again the next round, and as any roll would result in 5 or more mana channeled, the spell goes off.
*If a player wants to push the effort in the hope of getting a spell off sooner, then the PC can take damage equal to the level of the spell to add another die to the casting roll.
Example: Our MU from above wants to cast that spell quickly, before a goblin eats her face. She rolled 4 mana and needs another point to get the spell off. Her player decides to burn a hp–takes damage–and rolls another channeling die, resulting in the magic missile catching the goblin before it can close the gap.
Any rules for learning spells can still apply. MUs may be limited in how many spells of a given level can be memorized, which also helps limit what magical power they can wield.