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Ralasha
2011-01-06, 03:53 AM
The Chaos Mage
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Background: Similar to the Wild Mages, chaos mages attempt to tap into the very essence of magic that can be found permeating the world around them. What is the difference then, one might ask? The difference, while small, is important. Wild mages attempt to channel the untamed forces and direct them. The Chaos Mages however, do not. The Chaos mage attempts to exert its will over these forces, forcing them to perform the mage’s bidding, but these forces are unpredictable. For any but the Chaos Mage the chances of unwanted effects are almost completely reliable. The Chaos Mage’s control of these forces however, comes at a cost, as they slowly descend into insanity. The stream of power that courses through their very spirit when they channel it sets their souls afire, even as they begin to harness it. Chaos Mages often start out as normal mage’s, ones which enjoy experimentation in the arcane arts, or dabble in recreating divine magic through their own sources. However, many of them discover that their own magic is natural, rather than granted as a cleric’s or a paladin’s. However, since arcane energies that are unharnessed exist all about them, the abilities of it, should be far less limited. Further experimentation along these lines leads to the discovery of the ability to bring in, and control those ambient energies.

Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (The Planes): 8 ranks, Knowledge (Arcana) 8 Ranks,
spell casting: Able to cast third level arcane spells and at least two arcane spells with the [chaotic] descriptor.

Alignment: Any. Though the very form of magic they usually use is arbitrary to the very laws of magic as most mages know them to be. Any mage may discover and learn to control it.

The Chaos Mage
{table]Level | BAB | FS | RS | WS | Special
1st| +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Comprehension, Descent into Insanity, Channeling Chaos
2nd| +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 |
3rd| +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Bringing Order
4th| +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 |
5th| +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | The Discipline of Distortion
6th| +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 |
7th| +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Warping the Weave
8th| +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 |
9th| +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Tidal Forces
10th| +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Mastery over Madness
[/table]


Class Features:
Hit Dice: d4

Class Skills:
A Chaos Mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at first level (2 + Int Modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Level after first: 2 + Int modifier.[/b]

Armor and Weapon Proficiencies: The Chaos Mage does not gain any new proficiencies.

Spells: The Chaos Mage continues to gain new spells and spell slots normally, but does not gain any other benefits of the original class.

Comprehension: The chaos mage gains a bonus to checks related to creatures with the chaotic subtype, chaotically aligned planes, creatures from chaotically aligned planes, or spells, supernatural abilities, or psionic powers with a chaotic descriptor equal to it chaos mage class level.

Descent Into Insanity: They are powerful, but this power comes at a cost, as the forces under their control exact their own revenge, slowly driving even the strongest willed insane. The Chaos Mage gains 1 Permanent Insanity point per level, and 1 temporary insanity point each time the mage uses one of the Chaos Mage abilities. These temporary insanity points can be negated when they would be gained by making a successful Will Save DC: (10+Chaos Mage Level+Spell Level+Level of Effect). Each day at morning the Chaos Mage Makes a Will Save of DC: (10+Chaos Mage Level+Temporary Insanity Points). Failure means that the Chaos mage has not regained any sanity. Success means the Chaos Mage looses a number of Temporary Insanity Points equal to the amount by which the DC was beaten. If the Chaos Mage rolls a 1 on the die on this check they gain another permanent 1 Insanity Point. If the Chaos Mage Rolls a Natural 20, 1 Permanent Insanity Point is Converted into Temporary Insanity, and all temporary insanity points, aside from this new one, are removed. If the total number of Permanent Insanity Points surpass the Chaos Mage’s wisdom Score the Chaos Mage looses a point a wisdom, and the number of Permanent Insanity Points drops back down to the Chaos Mage’s level. If this causes the Chaos Mage’s permanent insanity points to be above their new wisdom score, the Chaos Mage goes insane, and falls under the DM’s control until such time as the Chaos Mage’s Wisdom Score is raised back above their permanent insanity points. A Greater Restoration, Wish, or Miracle is required in order to purge the Chaos Mage of all temporary Insanity Points. A Wish, or Miracle is required in order to restore the Chaos Mage’s Wisdom. The loss of the character’s mind is due to damage to the soul, rather than damage to the mind. On a failed save, the character will appear to have a corona of flame about their person as the energies ravage their soul. (The corona gives off light similar to a continual flame spell, and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the amount by which the will save was failed.)

Channeling Chaos: A Chaos Mage of 1st is able to force the magic it wields into the forms it so wishes. Metamagic Feats are capable of being mimicked in this way. The amount by which the metamagic feat which is mimicked would alter the spells level is considered the level of effect. (See above.) Alternatively, the Chaos Mage may use one spell in order to perform another. Warping the magic of the spell it is casting into whatever form the Chaos Mage wishes. So long as the Chaos Mage knows the spell it is being changed into. The Level of the spell it is being converted into +1 is considered the level of effect, any metamagic feats being applied are considered separate effects that are also added to the will save.

Bringing Order: The chaos mages’ at 3rd level take what is untamed, and force it into order. Similar to how a barbarian might attempt to wrestle a bull in order to harness it for plowing a field. The difference is that the chaos mage does so by force of will, rather than brute strength alone. Any spell with a random effect such as prismatic spray, when cast by the chaos mage may instead by altered for a desired effect. The change to the roll is a maximum of ½ the chaos mages level. So level 2 or 3 chaos mage may alter the roll by a maximum of 1. While a level 10 chaos mage may alter the spells table roll by up to 5. This ability also works on damage variables. Such as a ray of frost, which a level 4 chaos mage could force to deal 2, 3, 4, or even 5 damage. With spells using multiple damage dice, this extra damage is applied to all dice. The level of the spell cast, and the amount of control exerted +3 is considered the level of effect (see above).

The Discipline of Distortion: The chaos mage at this point, has normally had enough practice at the form of control he exerts to perform many far stranger effects. The chaos mage of 5th level or higher has the ability to alter static magic. Magic without any variables, as though it did, in fact, have variables. Mage Armor, Bulls Strength, Light, Mage Hand. All of these abilities have static statistics, meaning they grant a set number. Not so for the chaos mage, the chaos mage may, if it so wishes, alter a spell’s static bonuses by an amount equal to half of its level. Thus Mage Armor, a +4 to AC, can become a +9 in the capable repertoire of a 10th level chaos mage. The level of effect for this ability is the amount by which the spell was altered +5.

Warping the Weave: The chaos mage at level 7 has grown beyond normal mortal boundaries of arcane control. It may now effect even other mage’s spells by applying, or negating metamagic feats applied or applicable to the spell. The level of effect for this ability is the level of the metamagic feat applied +7.

Tidal Forces: The chaos mage at 9th level may Bring Order to another mages spells, or even use its Discipline of Distortion. The level of effect for this ability is the level of the spell being effected +9, plus the total amount of any alterations made.

Mastery over Madness: The chaos mage at 10th level may alter the path of any spell he is aware of and has in his possession or has successfully identified using a spellcraft check. The level of effect for doing so is equal the angel as follows: 45 degrees: 3, 90 degrees: 6, 135 degrees: 9, 180 degrees: 12. Alternatively, the chaos mage may merely alter its end point, the point at which the spell will end, or rest. Causing it to curve in its flight path, and move to a different position than was intended (unless the spell was cast by the chaos mage). This effect is level of effect 1 per difference of 5' from its original destination. The spell will still not move farther from the original cast than was intended by that caster however.
The chaos mage may also perform multiple alterations upon any magic forces within his influence (anything he is aware of, and can identify). He may use multiple modifiers upon any single spell, as he so wishes. The level of effect is considered to be only the highest level of the individual effects, plus the total number of alterations.

There is a table: Each character gets one of these, and only 1. Based on number of Temporary Insanity points, currently on the character when they go to sleep. These take effect when the character wakes. Each time their problem would escalate, they get a will save, or a fortitude save DC: 10+total insanity points.
Temporary Insanity Point Steps:
0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, etc.
Table, and list of effects:
{table]1d10 |TIPs: 0-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-19 | 20+
1-2 | - | - | - | - | Subdual
3-4 | - | - | Paranoia | Subdual | Damage
5-6 | - | Paranoia | Fear | Damage | Nausea
7-8 | Interrupted | Fear | Panic | Nausea | Diseased
9-10 | Waking Nightmares | Panic | Helpless | Diseased | Mummy Rott[/table]
Interrupted: The character wakes from a nightmare, is unable to sleep for the remainder of the night. At the next step in insanity points, this escalates to waking nightmares.
Waking Nightmares: The character sees things wrong, people may appear to be corpses, perhaps the person sees everything as dead. Perhaps the character see colours wrong, or black as white, and white as black. It is up to the DM what the character sees, but it should be something that someone would normally find horrifying. At the next step in insanity points, this escalates into paranoia. The character gets a Will Save versus DC:10+caster level+primary casting score.
Paranoia: The character is unable to distinguish friend from foe, for a number of rounds equal to their insanity points, at the DMs discretion. This escalates into fear at the next Tip step. (As if the spell cause fear were cast by the character on the character. The character gets a willsave.)
Fear: The character is afraid after casting a spell, preparing spells, or modifying spells using abilities from this class.
Panic: The character is panicked, and may only Flee, or cower. Will save DC is the same as for Fear+5.This is the final step along this soul sickness line. A natural 1 on this save renders the character a gibbering lump.
Subdual: The character makes a fortitude save or takes an amount of subdual damage after casting or modifying any spells. The DC for the save is equal to its 10+caster level. The amount of damage taken is equal to the character's Caster Level.
Damage: As above, except it is now real damage.
Nausea: The character must make a fortitude save as though he had cast the spell stinking cloud. The DC is as though the caster had cast the spell on itself.
Diseased: The character must make a fortitude save or get a disease, as though the spell Cause Disease had been cast, by the caster.
Mummy Rott: The character gains a magical form of Leprosy. This is the final stage along this line. The disease may only be removed through a wish, Miracle, or similar spell. Other attempts to remove it must be made at a Caster Level check versus the Chaos Mage's own caster level check, modified by +5.

Special Note: If the character's total insanity points should drop below the effect or effects from which the character suffered, they may make a save versus the individual effects, starting with their current affliction, and stepping down until they reach the point of having none. When they regain temporary insanity points, they go back up the scale, without a save, to a maximum of where they were before their temporary insanity points began to drop. If they rise above that point, new saves versus oncoming effects are required as normal. If the character makes a save against gaining the next step in an affliction, they do not suffer the negative side effects. Instead, they managed to stave it off until they reach the next step. At this point, they get the save, as normal. These effects ignore immunities.

((This class is an attempt at making a better Wild Mage for 3.5))

AustontheGreat1
2011-01-06, 07:31 AM
Just reading through the first little bit I would go ahead and change knowledge (chaos) to Knowledge (the Planes). And if your really want emphasize his mastery of knowledge related to chaos, just throw in a class feature at early level giving him a bonus related to knowledge checks about creature with the chaotic subtype and chaos aligned planes. could also throw in a bit about survival checks made on chaotic planes.

Ralasha
2011-01-06, 07:44 AM
Thanks, any idea's for the Prerequisites, because honestly, aside from being able to cat 3rd level arcane spells, I can think of none, maybe knowledge the planes?

Dead_Jester
2011-01-06, 08:59 AM
I'd remove the Dm control thing (as it is just bad mechanic to have your character hijacked by the Dm for using your own class' abilities). Also, all the will saves become almost impossible after level 10, because will save bonuses don't keep up with 10 + twice your level (on average), and they actually become harder as you go, to the point were the DC is simply ridiculous.

Also, temporary insanity points have no negative consequences, and on average, you don't gain or lose permanent Insanity points.

Does Channeling Chaos let you change any spell into any other spell with metamagic, or only to add metamagic or change a spell? And does it consume a higher level slot?

Can Bringing order affect every dice of the ability, or just 1, and can it make it stronger than it's initial maximum (like a d6 doing 16 damage). Also, this ability is incredibly weak early, but becomes very powerful later, as at the start, a +1 per dice is worthless, but +10 on a dice at 20th level is better than maximize and empower combined, and always worth it if there are no consequences to temporary insanity points.

Same problem with Discipline of Distortion. It is worthless at early levels, but a +10 to all of those becomes problematic at higher levels. Also, there needs to be clarifications as to what it really affects. Does this grant me 11 extra attacks if I am hasted? Does this let me get +12 caster levels per soul I eat with Greater Consumptive Field?

Warping the Weave and Tidal Force are both, as written, overpowered as for what equates to nothing, you get to play around with every spell that happens around you all the time.

Also, there needs to be an action cost to all of these abilities, and whether or not an opposing caster has a save against them, or if SR applies.

Mastery over Madness is very weird, as it doesn't say what action it costs, and if their is a check involved, and it is again free to use.

Also, the class skills mention Runic Warrior instead of Chaos Mage.

In the end, this class seems like a good idea, but the execution is lacking, as this class' main mechanic (Insanity control) is broken. As long as temporary Insanity points have no effect, nothing is stopping you from having 3000 of them.

JoshuaZ
2011-01-06, 09:29 AM
A Runic Warrior’s class skills

Copy pasta error.

As for prerequisites: I'd suggest knowledge(the planes) 8, knowledge(arcana) 4, and able to cast a third level arcane spell and at least two arcane spells with the [chaotic] descriptor.

Ralasha
2011-01-06, 08:54 PM
I'd remove the Dm control thing (as it is just bad mechanic to have your character hijacked by the Dm for using your own class' abilities). Also, all the will saves become almost impossible after level 10, because will save bonuses don't keep up with 10 + twice your level (on average), and they actually become harder as you go, to the point were the DC is simply ridiculous.
It doesn't reach twice your level. Even using the 10th level ability.


Also, temporary insanity points have no negative consequences, and on average, you don't gain or lose permanent Insanity points. temporary insanity points add to your checks, making it harder for you to retain wisdom, and stave off losing control of your character.


Does Channeling Chaos let you change any spell into any other spell with metamagic, or only to add metamagic or change a spell? And does it consume a higher level slot? Yes, yes, and no.


Can Bringing order affect every dice of the ability, or just 1, and can it make it stronger than it's initial maximum (like a d6 doing 16 damage). Also, this ability is incredibly weak early, but becomes very powerful later, as at the start, a +1 per dice is worthless, but +10 on a dice at 20th level is better than maximize and empower combined, and always worth it if there are no consequences to temporary insanity points. It says it effects numeric variables. The number of attacks gained with haste is a constant, not a variable. All of the dice, however, you would be rolling a will save versus to total level of effect for all altered dice. It says so, in a much longer winded way.


Same problem with Discipline of Distortion. It is worthless at early levels, but a +10 to all of those becomes problematic at higher levels. Also, there needs to be clarifications as to what it really affects. Does this grant me 11 extra attacks if I am hasted? Does this let me get +12 caster levels per soul I eat with Greater Consumptive Field?
It doesn't go up to +10. It says 'half your chaos mage level.' I have a question for you at this point. Did you actually read the things upon which you rant, or did you only skim them?


Warping the Weave: Allows you to add, or remove metamagic from another mage's spells.
and Tidal Force(s): allows you to use the Discipline of Distortion, and Bringing Order abilities of the Chaos Mage on another caster's spells.

are both, as written, overpowered as for what equates to nothing, you get to play around with every spell that happens around you all the time. By equates to nothing, I assume you mean that that fireball you just cast, with all your 20d6 damage, having 5 damage removed from each damage die, is somehow equating to nothing?


Also, there needs to be an action cost to all of these abilities, and whether or not an opposing caster has a save against them, or if SR applies. These abilities do not effect the individual rules for magic so much as alter what is done with said magic. Why would I have to roll SR against your spell, does your spell have SR? Why would a spell get a save, is the spell a caster? The action cost however, is a good point. Thank you. I will add a proper limiter.


Mastery over Madness is very weird, as it doesn't say what action it costs, and if their is a check involved, and it is again free to use. I am afraid, again, that you missed much. The individual level of effect is dependant upon what is doen with the ability. And the 'costs' are listed in the abilities description.


Also, the class skills mention Runic Warrior instead of Chaos Mage. Yes, I use an old class as a template for the organization of the class and it's abilities. Copy Pasta mistake.


In the end, this class seems like a good idea, but the execution is lacking, as this class' main mechanic (Insanity control) is broken. As long as temporary Insanity points have no effect, nothing is stopping you from having 3000 of them.
It's execution is lacking if you miss things in the reading. Temporary Insanity points effect the saves at the beginning of each day. Meaning each time you fail a save, it becomes harder to make the next one. The reason the DM gains control is because no player would normally want to turn around, their character having snapped, and start nuking their own party. This is also intended to control the player's impulses. They won't want to run straight into the bullet, especially when they can see it coming.

Dead_Jester
2011-01-06, 09:31 PM
Sorry if this appeared to be a rant, and the twice your level refers to the fact that it is twice your CM level (CM level + Spell level + modifier is usually equivalent to your full level and twice your CM level).

Yes, but failure states that you don't regain any sanity. Success removes some, but only a natural 1 or a natural 20 affects your actual Permanent Insanity score, which is the only one that matters,as it is the only one that is used to calculate loss of Wis and eventual loss of control.

Ralasha
2011-01-07, 02:51 AM
Hum, yes yes. Actually, however, a success at morning drops your temporary, and makes it easier for you to continue performing these acts. Failure doesn't remove any temporary. If you have no temporary and roll a 1, you gain no new permanent insanity points, since you have no temporary insanity points to become permanent. This may not be much, but can make or break a Chaos Mage, depending on how it is played.

Dead_Jester
2011-01-07, 07:33 AM
Actually, as written now, you will on, on average, never gain or lose permanent insanity because the odds for both are the same (1/20th) no matter how many temporary points you have, and because the temporary points don't impose a penalty or a restriction (or have a hard cap), then you can accumulate as many as you like (you won't be able to lose them, but they won't stop you from using your abilities).

I'm just suggesting that the temporary points should have a negative impact if you have too many (something like CM level+stat mod x2). or that they should impact the odds of gaining or losing permanent insanity to the point where, in theory, those odds aren't even.

Ralasha
2011-01-07, 10:08 PM
As I said, I am working on it. They are called insanity points for a reason. But I'm not going to have someone go homocidal just because they have 1. I have an idea. It's going to be based upon how many permanent insanity points you have. Failing the morning check will result in gaining a permanent insanity point.

You will also gain certain... disorders. Small ones (if you have fewer than half of your hit dice in insanity points), medium ones (up to your hit dice in insanity points), or big ones (more than your hit dice in insanity points).

Ok, I think I have it worked out now.

There is a table: Each character gets one of these, and only 1. Based on number of Temporary Insanity points, currently on the character when they go to sleep. These take effect when the character wakes. Each time their problem would escalate, they get a will save, or a fortitude save DC: 10+total insanity points.
Temporary Insanity Point Steps:
0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, etc.
{table]1d10 |TIPs: 0-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-19 | 20+
1-2 | - | - | - | - | Subdual
3-4 | - | - | Paranoia | Subdual | Damage
5-6 | - | Paranoia | Fear | Damage | Nausea
7-8 | Interrupted | Fear | Panic | Nausea | Diseased
9-10 | Waking Nightmares | Panic | Helpless | Diseased | Mummy Rott[/table]
Interrupted: The character wakes from a nightmare, is unable to sleep for the remainder of the night. At the next step in insanity points, this escalates to waking nightmares.
Waking Nightmares: The character sees things wrong, people may appear to be corpses, perhaps the person sees everything as dead. Perhaps the character see colours wrong, or black as white, and white as black. It is up to the DM what the character sees, but it should be something that someone would normally find horrifying. At the next step in insanity points, this escalates into paranoia. The character gets a Will Save versus DC:10+caster level+primary casting score.
Paranoia: The character is unable to distinguish friend from foe, for a number of rounds equal to their insanity points, at the DMs discretion. This escalates into fear at the next Tip step. (As if the spell cause fear were cast by the character on the character. The character gets a willsave.)
Fear: The character is afraid after casting a spell, preparing spells, or modifying spells using abilities from this class.
Panic: The character is panicked, and may only Flee, or cower. Will save DC is the same as for Fear+5.This is the final step along this soul sickness line. A natural 1 on this save renders the character a gibbering lump.
Subdual: The character makes a fortitude save or takes an amount of subdual damage after casting or modifying any spells. The DC for the save is equal to its 10+caster level. The amount of damage taken is equal to the character's Caster Level.
Damage: As above, except it is now real damage.
Nausea: The character must make a fortitude save as though he had cast the spell stinking cloud. The DC is as though the caster had cast the spell on itself.
Diseased: The character must make a fortitude save or get a disease, as though the spell Cause Disease had been cast, by the caster.
Mummy Rott: The character gains a magical form of Leprosy. This is the final stage along this line. The disease may only be removed through a wish, Miracle, or similar spell. Other attempts to remove it must be made at a Caster Level check versus the Chaos Mage's own caster level check, modified by +5.