Unintended sarcasm.

No, I actually meant the stat math is tricky. It is.

I am willing to change casting time, possibly to our old system: All caster's announce casting at the beginning of each round, if hit before their initiative, they lose concentration. But, then they need to announce the spell they are casting too. Otherwise, counterspell or anything like it doesn't matter. Or, it could be that the spell isn't lost, so there is no need to announce the particular spell.

Still, this seems to be less elegant to me, and to make less sense. Mundanes decide what they are going to do at their initiative, depending upon the circumstances, I think casters should be able to do that too.

Also, what about this one: "I am casting. No, wait, he casts too? No, then I don't cast. Wait he doesn't? Then I do. No wait..." -That could happen at simultaneous caster initiatives in the present system, but it's much less than every round.

Also, I didn't make casting time for metamagic. Metamagic came much later. Casting time isn't awkward or complicated either. It's very simple. What's so difficult or inelegant about quick casting? -For 10 rounds, divide casting times in two. It's not spell for spell.

Look, everytime a mundane attacks, he calculates whether or not he hits with possibly multiple rolls. Can't a mage do single digit subtraction?

Are you saying add weapon time or have no casting time? Should spells be instantaneous? No concentration? I imagine a spell (except spells like powerword) to take much longer than the swing of a sword or the poke of a trident. -That's why weapon speeds are inconsequential.

What do you suggest?

I disagree that the spells are too weak. (I think that's what you are saying). -Ed was saying some were too powerful.

Also, PC's are not NPC's; they grow one level at a time. -That needs to be kept in mind. A NPC made at 7th level is going to be very different from a character that started at 1st and worked his way to 7th. I agree testing needs to be done. -All kinds of it.