We are making several changes to traditional D&D magic:

1. There is no prepared spellcasting. Runemages (wizards), clerics, champions (paladins) and rangers are spontaneous casters with limited spell selection.
    
2. Caster levels for bards, clerics, druids, geomancers (sorcerers) and runemages advance at half rate, on odd levels. For example, a 13th level cleric counts as a 7th level spellcaster, and hence has just learned 4th level spells. A 20th level runemage is a 10th level spellcaster who wields 5th level spells.
    
3. There are no spell slots. Rather, casting spells is now tied to vitality. The cost of a spell equals the minimum class level needed to know that spell. For example, the aforementioned 13th level cleric pays 13 vitality to cast destruction (a 7th level spell). A 20th level paladin pays 16 vitality to manifest holy sword, because 16th level is when he first obtains 4th level spells. Vitality returns at a rate of 1 per round. In summary, this system means that magic users have less punch but always have something left to cast.
    
4. Talk to us if you want to play a necromancer.
    
5. Psionics will not be allowed, but rune magic is thematically similar enough that you could play a psion-flavored character.

Metamagic feats

To use a metamagic feat, spend vitality corresponding to the adjusted level of the spell. You are limited to your normal maximum effective spell level as normal. Casting a spell with one or more metamagic feats requires a full-round action, as normal for spontaneous casters, with the exception of quickened spells. Runemages who want to "slow cast" to avoid expending a rune can do so with a metamagically adjusted spell, but it takes a number of rounds corresponding to the effective spell level—e.g., maximized acid arrow takes 5 full rounds to cast.