Its great, but that makes magic very cheap. One could say that Traits could be done in same manner. Or am I not reading this correctly? - Nightmask1

Magic is cheap in a sense, though the example I gave had the character foregos some attribute points in order to get more spells.

In the end, the person has one metamagic trait, 12 spells, plus 3 different (but for damage effectively the same) spells that focus damage at one target (bolt), an area (blast), or shields from damage (wall). In essence, one metamagic trait and 15 spells. He barely has enough left to have language skills, horse riding skills, herbology, at least one weapon skill, etc.

In D20, this is approx a 6th level sorcerer. The difference is mine could cast more spells, but at the risk of never being able to cast spells again. I'm still working out how that will work. With 65 mana, he can cast them all twice, which is equivalent to approx 11th level sorcerer, though the 11th level sorcerer has 28 different spells to choose from. A spellcaster with the same spells, but a different metamagic trait, though, could only cast all of his spells once.

Some spells become dead-easy for someone with a few skill points spent. Using the example I gave, trying to get a TN 15 with attr(7)+Skill(4) means rolling a 4 or better. Some of the more exotic, though, with a TN of 36 or 39...

If I had to guess how it would work in a trait system, I'd assume two spells as traits at the Edge level cost a total of ten points (Five points per spell, +6 to skill rolls for each spell). In my system, two spells with the same bonus could cost as little as 12 points (Six skill points on each spell and no purchase of a school) or as much as 52 points (five levels of two different schools, plus one skill point for each spell).

I guess that the schools could be a trait (2,5,10 points) and each spell could be its own trait dependent on the school trait. (2,5,10 points). Maybe the bonuses would be +1,2,3 instead of 3,6,9. I'm open to ideas, it could just be my flawed understanding.

I dunno, if I didn't have schools, it would make more sense for them to be traits, though it seems odd to learn a trait. You could learn speed reading, I guess, but I cannot be taught tall. I figure that the ability to cast a spell at all is a trait (the choosing of being a paucalus or a tahares) and that each spell is a learned skill for someone with that trait. Again, though, that is just me. I think it could be argued either way. I have metamagic as a trait, though it is explained as something learned through practice in my notes.

The only reason I did the schools was for the history of the campaign world, not for any other reason. After that, it just occurred to me to make them skill groups.

Anything else I haven't thought of? I appreciate the question, I really do. I'm not entirely clear thinking in every area of my system.

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I hope to have the 'fire' school finished and posted in the next few days.

I'm not sure that my system is playable, really. There's a lot of upfront work to figure out abilities, then playing it is pretty straightforward. (At least I tried to do that.)

After designing the basic system, the rest is conversion. For example, there's not five different spells to heal wounds. There's one - Heal Injuries. The more mana spent, the more wounds are healed.

There is, however, a lot of dimensional travel type spells. I have to sort all that out in the 'void' school. That one will be last, definitely.

I'll let you know and provide a pdf when I'm done.

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Skill groups representing the schools of magic cost the same as any other Skill Group. 5/lvl.
Spells are like skills 1/lvl.

I had this on a spreadsheet to get the numbers right. The wind spell that was purchased without the Wind Skill Group costs 3 CP. It should say:

Wind Spell - Invisibility +3 TN 15 Cost 2

Forgot to say that he has 65 Mana.
My warrior example from an earlier post was wrong, he should have 18 Mana, not six.
Formula for Mana is (ENR + DIS) * 3

The spellcaster has 65 because of the Elemental Power Trait.

The bonus is +2 to the multiplier for spellcasters, making his (ENR + DIS) * (3 + 2)
The trait also provides a bonus to spells that attempt to increase damage/range/area of effect. More on that later.
NOTE: The determination of 65 mana may change. On further review it seems extreme.

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