The magic system for D&D has been a source of contention for many who have played casters over the years. In making these rules the goal was to create a more free-form casting system where players can use the spells they need to use or that is appropriate more often rather than simply sitting on their spells until the right moment. It is also a good way to minimize the down time of the characters in game so that the game ticks along more smoothly. Our system is still considered in trial but thus far we have not noticed any problems with it being overpowered or not solving the classic dilemma adequately.
Calculating Your Divine Power[]
The basic method for calculating your Divine Points is relatively simple and this first method is used for primarily for Clerics and Druids, but is also used for Rangers, Paladins, and Inquisitors. To start with you must calculate your Divine Points for your first level. At level one these classes will take their appropriate casting stat and add that stat's base modifier to generate your starting Divine Points. For example, if you are a Cleric your primary casting stat is Wisdom. Say this Cleric's Wisdom is 16 which has a base modifier of +3. At first level you would add these two together [16+3] to generate your starting Divine Points [16+3=19]. For Oracles your primary casting stat is Charisma and so you would use it instead of Wisdom to generate your starting Divine Points.
As you level up you will gain more Divine Points [obviously]. When you level up, your character will gain Divine Points equal to your current applicable caster class you are raising and your primary caster stat's base modifier then add this number to the previous. Following the example above, your Level 1 Cleric levels up to Level 2 and you decide to take another level of Cleric. You will gain 2 Divine Points based on your new level [2] and another +3 [since the above example's Wisdom score was 16]. You add these two together [2+3] to get your increased number of Divine Points [2+3=5]. You then add this to your current total of 19 [19+5] to generate your new total [19+5=24]. This would continue on your next level up where at Level 3 you would take the Level [3] and add it to your primary stat's base modifier again [3+3] to get your increase in Divine Points [3+3=6] to add to what you had at Level 2 [24+6] to get your new total [24+6=30].
However, if you choose to level a different class, your total character level DOES NOT count toward your current Divine Points. Only your Class Levels will be used to calculate this number [such as say, a Level 3 Cleric/Level 1 Oracle]. In this example, which follows our previously used, your 4th character level is not as a Cleric, but as a Level 1 Oracle and you would add-in your points accordingly. As Oracle is another same-source casting class you will not get the first level bonus but rather use the continual count based on your new Oracle Level. If this same character from before had a Charisma score of 14, which gives a base modifier of +2, he would use his Cleric level of 1 and add it to this modifier [1+2] to generate that level's gain in Divine points [1+2=3]. Since that character already had 30 Divine Points, he would now have 33 [30+3=33]. If your mana source changes, such as adding a class with Magic Points instead, you would treat that level of caster as if you had just started the character at Level 1 as it is an entirely different Mana Source. Unlike with Action Points, gear that boosts your stats that would affect your Divine Points is added when you level. However, you will lose the points gained from the item if you stop using it. Just as with Action Points, static stat gain does not retroactively alter your Divine Points.
Oracles
Oracless play by slightly different rules than other Divine casters. This difference, however, is calculated solely at the beginning with subsequent levels being the same as other Divine casters. For starters, the primary casting stat for Oracles is Charisma. However, Oracless draw from their own internal sources for their power. Instead of using your Charisma score plus your Charisma base modifier you will use the Charisma score plus your Constitution base modifier. Again, this is only done at first level. On subsequent level-up's as an Oracle you will calculate your Divine Point gain normally based on your Charisma.
Casting Costs[]
The cost of a particular spell is based upon that spells apparent adjusted level. The base value for any spell's given cost is, in other words, the spell's actual level. For example if you are casting a Cure Serious Wounds spell, the cost of using the spell is 3 because Cure Serious Wounds is a Level 3 spell. You increase the cost of a spell, however, when you channel Meta-Magic feats into a spell as they increase the apparent level of the spell. So, if you cast a Cure Serious Wounds spell boosted with the Empower Spell feat, the cost of the spell is now 4 since Empower Spell boosts the level of the spell by 1 [3+1=4]. In this manner you CAN theoretically put more than one Meta-Magic feat into a spell, however you will burn through your mana exceedingly fast. For example if you wanted to add Reach Spell (Medium Range) onto your Empowered Cure Serious Wounds, you add 2 more mana to the cost since Reach Spell (Medium Range) raises the spell's level by 2. Now your Cure Serious Wounds spell costs 6 mana instead of the original 3 [which generally chews through an entire levels mana gain from that level range]. Keep in mind, however, that you must still be the appropriate Caster Level to cast the spell you're trying to use. In the above example, the caster would have to be able to cast a level 6 spell since the apparent level of the spell is now 6. This coincides with the Core rule of having to be able to meet the caster level requirement of a modified spell which also mitagates being able to over-cast your Meta-Magic feats.
Balancing[]
When you hit those levels where you start seeing 100 plus mana you may think you cannot possibly run out. This, over our years trying this system, is not true. Yes, you can go a long ways but keep in mind that once you're out things can get hairy fast. So pacing yourself and not casting into oblivion is important. Remember, enemy spellcasters you might encounter have this same advantage and as they are not having to slog through a dungeon, lots of encounters or hordes of potentially threatening minions can fling mana to their hearts content to the point DM's don't really even need to worry about watching their foes Divine Point usage. In fact, I personally would recommend against that so you keep your players on their toes and double guessing the amount of Divine Points they might frivolously spend. Further is the point that not all classes will have super high casting stats. Rangers in particular generally have other stat needs that take nearly as much priority as their Wisdom giving them a smaller starting Divine Point pool.