How about, NO Spell Casters have to "memorize" 1st Level Spells?! ALL 1st Level Spells could be chosen at time of casting... If a PC has access to a 1st Level Spell (in Spell Book), then they can cast it up to many times as their number of Slots for the day permits
Makes 1st Level Spells more like variable Special Abilities, subject to a max cap of uses/day
Increases fun and survival at lower Levels
No setting up camp, just to get a Cure Light or Read Magic Spell before proceeding!
Feather Fall makes more sense
Just seems fitting - and not unbalancing - that the Spell Caster can produce Light, Affect a Fire, cause some Dancing Lights, even Detect Magic. A Cleric should nearly always have access to their Protect from Evil and Remove Fear, right?
Plus, it's cool: the Evil Necromancer always seems to have a ready Magic Missile for a bungling minion, the Mighty Wizard never says, "Hold up, magical eye-strain, can't Read this inscription until tomorrow," and the Cleric doesn't have to get stuck with, "I don't wanna take all Cure Light Wounds, I need to know if this guy is Evil, dammit!"
I get excited when I think I have a cool novel idea... then someone says, "Yeah, Pathfinder 6.7 has that one in an expansion, it sucks."
unrelated pic
unrelated link: Interesting Old School commentary and exploration, retro clone examinations
