View Full Version : Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]
Eldan
2012-02-21, 01:10 PM
Arcane Magic
http://th06.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2010/037/e/a/Summoner_by_tadp0l3.jpg
What is Arcane Magic?
There are energies at work in the world, the the primal powers of the earth, pulsing in ley-lines; the last echoes of the words of creation, whispered on the wind; the mysteries of life, springing forth from the human soul.
The Arcanist taps into these energies and diverts their natural flow, imposing their will on the universe to achieve the results they desire, in the form of spells.
Anyone who is able to cast at least one spell, even if it is just a prestidigitation is considered an Arcanist. Arcanists have Focus (see below) and can learn arcane feats.
Spells:
Spells are magical effects an arcanist can achieve with an act of concentration. There are five different kinds of spells that can be learned, separated roughly by the magnitude of their effects: Prestidigitations, Cantrips, Incantations, Mantras and Rituals, most of which are described below.
All spells are magical in nature, and can be counterspelled and suppressed by antimagical fields or similar effects. They follow the basic rules on Casting Spells (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/castingSpells.htm) and Spell Descriptions (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm), where the rules below do not say otherwise.
Focus
Focus is the most important resource for an arcanist. It represents their mental fortitude and determines how many spells they can have active at the same time, either as mantras or sustained spells, or, in the case of Wizards, memorized spells.
Upon first becoming an arcanist (usually by taking their first level in an arcane class), an Arcanist gains an amount of focus depending on how they became an Arcanist. More focus can be gained by taking levels in Arcane classes.
Focus can exist in three states:
Free Focus is focus that has not been currently used for anything. It represents a mental reserve pool of unused resources. Free Focus can be invested or expended to power spells and class abilities.
Invested Focus is focus that is currently used to power abilities of some kind. Focus can be invested into certain feats or class features. Sustaining mantras or invocations, as well as preparing them, for wizards, requires an investment of focus. Invested focus can still be expended, but only in relation to the effect or feature it was invested in, and doing so ends that effect or feature.
Expended Focus is focus that has been used up and made unavailable until it is regained.
Being affected by certain conditions (see table below) or effects can reduce an arcanist's maximum focus, as can being the target of certain spells and abilities. Focus thus lost becomes expended focus.
If this happens, free focus is used up first. After all free focus is used up, an arcanist starts losing invested focus. First, the arcanist loses focus invested in sustained invocations, starting with those of the highest level (ending them), then focus invested in feats and class features, then focus invested in sustaining mantras, then focus invested in prepared spells (for wizards), which leads to the loss of these prepared spells from memory. The arcanist chooses which invested focus he loses first, if there are several in one such category.
Example:
Maranas the Red, a powerful wizard, currently has one point of free focus left, as well as three active, sustained invocations - two of which are level 2 and one which is level 3 - one mantra and three prepared spells. He is attacked by an adventuring party of four adventurers.
During his enemies' turns, he is first nauseated by a spell successfully cast upon him. This makes him lose two points of focus, as by the table below. He loses his one point of free focus and then can choose one of his two fourth level sustained invocations to end, as he no longer has enough focus to sustain both.
As the second enemy, a barbarian with the Disruptive Strike feat, deals three damaging blows to him, he loses another three points of focus. He loses the effects of both his two remaining sustained invocations, and the effects of his mantra.
Finally, the adventuring party's rogue stabs him with a poisoned dagger, making him lose another point of focus, as by the table below. As he has no other focus investments left, he loses one of his prepared, uncast spells.
Effect
Focus reduction
Dazzled
-1
Fatigued
-1
Shaken
-1
Sickened
-1
Has not eaten for 24 hours or more 1
-1
Has suffered unrestored ability damage from any poison that lowers physical attributes2
-1
Dazed
-2
Exhausted
-2
Frightened
-2
Nauseated
-2
Has not had restful sleep for 24 hours or more 3
-2
Has suffered unrestored ability damage from any poison that lowers mental attributes2
-2
Confused
-3
Cowering
-3
Disabled
-3
Panicked
-3
Staggered
-3
Stunned
-3
1 This does not apply to creature which need not eat to survive.
2 Being under the effect of more than one poison does not produce additional focus loss. An arcanist under the effect of both mental and physical poisons only suffers the loss from the mental poison. Poisons which produce any effect other than ability damage either produce the normal focus loss for that condition, if it is on the list (such as a sickening poison producing a focus loss of -1) or have no effect on focus (if their effect is not on this list).
3This does not apply to creatures which need not sleep (or trance, in the case of elves). This does not stack with the reduction from Fatigued or Exhausted.
If an arcanist loses or expends all their focus, they lose the ability to cast, sustain or prepare spells of any kind, as well as the benefit of all arcane feats, until they have regained focus. Every class has it's own method of regaining focus, detailed in that class.
Prestidigitations:
Prestidigitations are minor magical effects every arcanist can call forth and achieve at will, largely independently of outside circumstances. Casting a prestidigitation requires a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity and requires no concentration, though having no free or invested focus left prevents the arcanist from casting them. Casting the cantrip does not take any expenditure or investment of focus.
Taking damage during the casting of an a prestidigitation does not interrupt it. Prestidigitation are cast with either vocal or somatic components or both, at the caster's choice and they are not subject to arcane spell failure chances for wearing armour.
The effects of prestidigitation are always fairly minor and include effects such as lifiting 1 pound of material; coloring, cleaning, or soiling items in a 1-foot cube each round; or chilling, warming, or flavoring 1 pound of nonliving material. Other effects can be allowed at the DM's discretion. (The Designer recommends allowing minor effects connected to a Lore the arcanist specializes in, such as producing a tiny flame for a specialist in the Lore of the Phoenix).
Prestidigitations cannot deal damage or affect the concentration of spellcasters. Prestidigitations can create small objects, but they look crude and artificial and vanish ten minutes after their creation. The materials created by a prestidigitation are extremely fragile, and they cannot be used as tools, weapons, or spell components. Finally, a prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects. Any actual change to an object (beyond just moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists only 1 hour.
Cantrips
Cantrips are the most basic applications of magical energies learned by arcane practitioners. Every lore of magic has one cantrip, that is learned automatically along with the first mantra or incantation from a given lore (see learning spells, below). A cantrip does not take up a spell known slot.
Cantrips require one standard action to cast and provoke attacks of opportunity, unless otherwise specified.
They always have both vocal and somatic components, require concentration to cast and are subject to arcane spell failure chance. Casting a cantrip takes no expenditure or investment of focus.
Cantrips can be interrupted by attacks: if the caster takes any damage during the casting, he can make a concentration check DC 10+ points of damage taken to successfully cast the spell, if the check fails, the cantrip fizzles and has no effect. Cantrips can not be cast defensively.
The power of cantrips increases depending on the caster's focus on the the cantrip's lore, based either on the level of the highest spell of that lore the caster has prepared (in the case of a wizard) or the highest level spell of that lore the caster knows (in case of a sorcerer). This is referred to in the text of a cantrip as "having a spell of that lore".
Incantations
Incantations are more powerful magical effects than cantrips and can only be cast a limited amount of times, based on the caster's amount of focus left. Their power is based on caster level.
Incantations always take one round to cast, coming into effect at the beginning of the caster's next turn and provoke an attack of opportunity. They are subject to arcane spell failure chance and always have material, somatic and verbal components. They can not be cast defensively, and taking any damage during the casting (until the point the effect takes place at the beginning of the next turn) immediately disrupts the spell, with no concentration check allowed.
Most Incantations have an immediate effect, but some have a longer duration.
Casting an invocation always takes the expenditure of one point of focus. This is either free focus (for a sorcerer) or the focus invested in preparing that spell (for a wizard).
Some invocations are sustained, meaning they have an ongoing effect that takes some measure of concentration by the arcanist to keep up. Sustained invocations can be kept up for any amount of time, up to the duration given in the spell description. They can be dismissed by the arcanist at any time as a free action. Sustaining an invocation takes an investment of one point of focus. This focus is not in addition to the focus expended to cast the invocation to be sustained, instead that focus is invested instead of expended during casting, and expended when the invocation ends.
Mantras
Mantras are long-lasting spell effects a caster continually maintains, often in order to strengthen himself or his allies. With some training, the mental recitation of these mantras becomes second nature to the caster, so they barely need to concentrate consciously to maintain them.
A mantra has a casting time of one minute and provokes attacks of opportunity. As with Incantations, they can not be cast defensively, and any amount of damage done during their casting immediately ends them with no effect. They always have material, somatic and verbal components.
Sustaining a mantra requires an investment of at least one point of focus, which is expended when the mantra is dismissed. Dismissing a mantra is a free action that can be taken at any time.
An arcanist can decide to invest a mantra with more focus, increasing it's effect, often to apply it to more than one target, as in the mantra's description.
As a standard action, the wizard can decide to invest more focus into a mantra or change its targets, as long as he has free focus left. Invested focus taken from a mantra becomes free focus again. Even if any target of the mantra becomes illegal, the mantra does not end as long as at least one target is still legal.
There are certain standard ways in which mantras can be enhanced, which are noted in their description:
Targets: Most mantras that enhance a creature or object affect one creature as a baseline, but more focus can be invested into them to affect more than one creature: with two focus, it can affect up to five creatures, as long as none of them is more than thirty feet away from the caster. With three focus, this range increases to 90 feet and up to 10 targets.
Summoning Mantras:
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs32/f/2008/215/0/6/Summoner_finished_by_Cok3ster.jpg
Some Mantras summon a creature to fight for the arcanist. These have a few restrictions: the summoned creature stays with the arcanist until they are killed or dismissed. However, if a creature summoned by a mantra is killed, the summoning mantra can not be used again until the next sunrise, as the creature first has to reform on it's native plane. Even mantras that have the ability to summon more than one kind of creature, such as Summon Nature's Ally, can not be used again until that time.
Rituals:
Rituals are large magical effects that often vastly exceed Incantations and mantras in scale and power, but also in the effort required to perform them. They are learned independently from other spells and lores [They are a separate project I'm working on as well].
Lores and Learning Spells
Arcanists only have a certain number of spells they are familiar with to a degree sufficient to cast them. The exact number of spells known depends on their class. New spells are automatically learned upon levelling up, representing new insights or the results of studies, as determined by their class.
Each spell belongs to a lore, a group of spells and powers of a similar theme. To learn a spell, a caster has to meet two requirements: First, they must have a caster level sufficient to cast the spell, as determined by the table below. For this, only caster level gained from class level counts (unless mentioned otherwise), not caster level gained from feats, items, class features or other effects and features of any kind.
There is no limit to the amount of lores a caster can access, other than their limit of spells known: theoretically, every spell they learn could be from a different lore.
{table=head]Caster level|Max. spell level
1 | 1
3 | 2
5 | 3
7 | 4
9 | 5
11| 6
13| 7
15| 8
17| 9
[/table]
Second, to learn a spell of second level or higher, they must already know a spell of the same lore, but one level lower. (A first level spell to learn a second level spell, a second level spell to learn a third level spell, and so on).
Upon first learning a new lore, the caster also automatically learns the associated cantrip, which does not count towards their limit of spells known.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg27/scaled.php?server=27&filename=sigilp.jpg&res=medium
Arcana
Focusing on one lore also provides benefits other than just learning spells: a focused student learns the deeper secrets of one area of magic, called Arcana. An Arcanum is an ability the caster learns upon knowing a certain number of spells of the same lore.
Arcana are divided into five levels as explained on the table below:
{table=head]Arcana Level|Required Number of spells
Apprentice|3
Initiate|7
Journeyman|10
Adept|13
Magister|17
[/table]
Multiclassing:
An arcanist's caster level, the prime measure of their spellcasting expertise and the power of their spells, increases even when they advance in a non-arcane class, albeit at a slower pace. Their arcane caster level is equal to the sum of class levels in all arcane classes, plus one half their level in all non-arcane classes, unless noted otherwise.
Example: A wizard 2 has an arcane caster level of 2. If that same wizard also took a level of sorcerer, he would know have a caster level of 3, in both his arcane classes. If he then also took two levels of fighter, becoming a wizard 2/sorcerer1/fighter 2, he would have a caster level of 4.
Variant Rule: Mental Strain
This rule makes spellcasting a bit harder, by representing the pure mental strain that memorizing spells puts on a prepared caster: they are, basically, tearing the fundamental fabric of the multiverse into pieces and storing these pieces inside their head. This is slowly but surely driving them insane.
For every spell point of focus they have currently invested, a prepared spellcaster has a -1 on all will saves against spells and effects that cause fear, confusion, anger or insanity, and saves against phantasms.
Eldan
2012-02-21, 01:11 PM
The Wizard
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg838/scaled.php?server=838&filename=wizardbyadambrownd3iiyf.jpg&res=medium
Wizard. The Wise Man, in the ancient tongues. We are those who apply our intellects to the highest of mysteries. We turn our eyes inwards and delve the depths of the soul, or gaze upwards beyond the stars and into the astral reaches of space and time. We see the true laws of the multiverse, which hide beyond the the superficial laws of mortal men and those of mere naturalist physics.
To the wizard, nothing is impossible. There is no problem that can not be solved, only a solution that has not yet been found.
We are those who dare to call forth the primal energies of the cosmos. We shape spells and bind them in our minds, the forces of creation leashed to the iron core of our will, to be let loose at our command.
-Magister Nyhatrad Inaris of Orm, Graduation Speech for the Initiates
Note: Wizards at first level choose a path from those listed below, this determines most of their class features, a few of their class skills and their hit dice.
Class Skills: Concentration, Craft (Int, All), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Knowledge: the Planes (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)
Skill points per level: 2+Intelligence Modifier
Proficiencies: Wizards are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a wizard’s movements, which can cause some of heir spells to fail.
The Wizard
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Focus
Spells known
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
3
5
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
4
7
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
4
8
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
5
10
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
5
11
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
6
13
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
6
14
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
7
16
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
7
17
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
8
19
11th
+5
+3
+3
+7
8
20
12th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
9
22
13th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
9
23
14th
+7/+2
+4
+4
+9
10
25
15th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
10
26
16th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
11
28
17th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
11
29
18th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
12
31
19th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
12
32
20th
+10/+5
+6
+6
+12
13
34
Path: At first level, every wizard chooses a path, which represents their direction their studies have taken. At the indicated levels, they gain the class features of that path.
Bonus Feats: At first level, and every four levels thereafter (5th, 9th, 13th and 17th), the wizard gains a bonus feat drawn from a list determined by their path.
Spellasting: Wizards can learn arcane spells from any lore, as explained in the section on learning spells. To learn, prepare or cast an arcane spell, the wizard must have an intelligence score of 10+the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a wizard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the wizard’s Intelligence modifier.
A wizard has a limited number of spells known, depending on their class level, as seen in the table below. These spells are recorded in a spellbook, a wizard's private journal of research notes and formulae that helps them to research new spells and prepare those they already know. A wizard can not add spells to their spellbook by any means other than advancing in level or certain feats and path features.
To cast any spell other than a cantrip or prestidigitation, a wizard must first prepare it. Every wizard gains a number of bonus focus points, depending on their level, as determined on the table.
To prepare a spell, a wizard must first meditate for at least half an hour in a quiet atmosphere to focus their mind. In this time, they can not engage in any other intellectual activity, nor in any strenuous physical activity, and they can not be in combat or under any other immediate threat to their life. While meditating, the wizard can not sustain any mantras or incantations that require concentration. This meditation also restores to the wizard any focus expended, unless the expenditure is due to a condition or effect that is still ongoing.
After meditating, the wizard must choose which incantations and mantras to prepare and meditate for another five minutes per spell prepared. For incantations, he must then invest one point of focus into every incantation prepared, which can not be regained in any way until the incantation is released by casting it.
Preparing mantras also takes an investment of one focus point per mantra from the wizard. The wizard can choose to cast the mantra and invest more than the minimum amount of focus into it, choosing appropriate targets if necessary, while preparing it.
Example: A first level wizard has three focus points total, two from his class and one from being an arcanist. After meditating for half an hour, he chooses to prepare two incantations and one mantra, into which he invests a second point of focus to apply it to his entire adventuring party. Thus, he invests all of his four focus points (two for the incantations and two for the mantra) and has to meditate for 45 minutes total (30 for the basic meditation and three times five minutes for three spells prepared).
After casting his invocation, he decides to rest and restore his focus, so he dismisses all his mantras and meditates again, this time preparing a different invocation and mantra.
Path: The Hedge Mage
"Magic is in all things. Every wizard will agree to that. Why, then, do they have to hide themselves in libraries and towers? Magic is just as much out here, in every rock, ever tree, every person, as it is in their writings. Why do they need onyx, unicorn's horns and dragon's teeth, if a pebble I find on the street has just as much magic in it?"
Hedge Mages are those who have forsaken many of the traditional trappings of wizardry, the books and staves, the academies and towers, for a simpler life of wandering, seeking employ as travelling healers, priests, teachers, judges, peddlers, talisman-mongers, stage magicians, diviners, herbalists, apothecaries and veterinaries all rolled into one.
They are often considerably more well-liked amongst the common populace than other wizards, seen as more helpful and down to earth than those mages who spend their time pondering the deep mysteries of existence, rather than doing anything useful.
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/103/8/5/lone_wanderer_by_Jastorama.jpg
Hit Die: d6
Additional class skills: Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge: Local, Knowledge: Nature, Perform, Sleight of Hand, Survival
Bonus Feat List: Eschew Materials, Improved Toughness, Open-minded, Skill Focus, Track, Brew Potion, Scribe Scroll
{table=head]Level|[Class Feature]
1| Multi-talented, Foraged Components
3|Made from Sterner Stuff: Fatigue, Hunger
6|Made from Sterner Stuff: Sickness
10|Self-made Man
15|Made from Sterner Stuff: Sleep
20|By Will Alone
[/Table]
Multi-talented: Hedge Mages gain two bonus skill points every level, which he can, however, only spend on any craft, profession or perform skills.
Foraged Components: A Hedge Mage knows that magic happens between his mind and nature, and that all the spell components, gestures and words used are merely crutches used to make the transition between the two simpler. A wanderer and peddler can not afford to spend hard-earned money on pixie dust and angel's tears, and so they learn to make do with some string, a handful of interesting pebbles, two short sticks, a drop of blood and a hollow egg shell.
Foraging takes an hour and either a survival (if done in rural environments) or
gather information (in urban environments check) of DC 15. It produces enough materials to replace the expensive components of one spell, plus another spell for every five points this check exceeds the basic DC by.
The Hedge Mage can use foraged components to lower the component costs of one spell by five gold pieces per class level. This increases to 10 gold pieces per class level at level eight, and 50 gold pieces per class level at level 16. These components have no actual value or significance to anyone other than the hedge mage, and as such can not be sold.
Made from Sterner Stuff: Years of sleeping under trees and on the back of carts, casting spells in snow and rain, foraging for their own meals and working with the sick have left hedge mages quite a bit more hardy than the average wizard.
At level three, they gain Endurance as a bonus feat and no longer suffer a focus penalty for being fatigued or not having eaten, and they only require half as much food or sleep as other people.
At level six, they become immune to all natural poisons and diseases, and no longer suffer a focus penalty for being sickened, nauseated or under the effect of a poison.
At level fifteen, they no longer need any sleep at all and become immune to fatigue and exhaustion.
Self-made Man Just as with their spell components, hedge mages eventually learn that even magical items are no more than foci for their will, and that their material value is not intrinsic to their function. Like all magic, items are merely an application of will and effort.
At level ten,when making any magical items, they can choose to double their production time, but cut the gold cost price by 25%. Furthermore, these items can not be used by anyone other than the hedge-mage himself, as they are intrinsically linked to his own beliefs and ideas about magic.
By Will Alone: At level 20, Hedge Mages just do away with the idea of components entirely. For every point of focus they invest in this class feature, they ignore an additional 1000 gold pieces worth of expensive material components or up to 100 XP when casting spells. If they do not have the eschew materials feat, they gain it now.
Furthermore, they can invest mundane objects with powers as if they were items. As a full round action, the Hedge mage can invest focus into an item to treat it as any use-activated, continuous or permanent effect magical item worth up to 500 gold pieces per point of focus invested. These items last for one minute.
Path: The Battlemage
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/276/c/c/wizard_with_army_by_chevsy-d4bpy95.jpg
"They say a wizard is a one-man army. To that I say: why should he be? A wise leader uses what resources he has, and I have you: my soldiers, my men, my friends.'
-The War of Emerald Fire
Some wizards study for academic purposes, to find secrets. Some are trained at noble courts, or in academies. Some are made on the battlefield.
These are battlemages, those adept in the art of taking a squad of hardy soldiers, and turn them into a finely tuned machine of destruction.
When soldiers with the strength of giants teleport across the shadows to appear behind enemy lines, they are lead by a battlemage, the most feared tool of war in any army.
Hit Die: d8
Additional class skills: Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge: History, Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty, Listen, Martial Lore, Ride, Spot
Bonus Feat List: Augment Summoning, Battlecaster, Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Mobile Spellcasting, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Widen Spell
{table=head]Level|[Class Feature]
1| Warcaster, Battlemage Aura
3|Spell Flower
6|Battlemage Aura
10|Nexus of Command
15| Battlemage Aura
20| All as one
[/Table]
Warcaster: A battlemage is proficient in the use of all martial weapons, and with light and heavy shields. He suffers no arcane spell failure for the use of any shields, and he can use spells with somatic components even while holding a weapon or shield in each hand. He can also hold a focus or material component in the same hand as he is holding a shield.
Battlemage Aura: A battlemage can share one mantra that he casts upon himself and that has the [targets] tag with up to five other willing targets within five feet of him, with no additional focus investment required. The radius of his aura increases to ten feet at level 3, and increases by another ten feet every five levels after that (20 at level 8, 30 at level 13, and so on). He can sustain a second such aura at level 6, and a third aura at level 15.
Spell Flower: The battlemage learns to pre-cast and store several spells at once, to be released later. He can hold one charge of a touch spell per arm (or other forelimb) at a time, but he can not cast any new spells unless he has at least one hand that is not holding a charge. At 9th level, he learnst to store charges in his weapon as well, so that he can store one charge per weapon he is currently holding. If he drops or gives away a weapon so charged, the spell disappears. If he attacks with a charged weapon, the spell is cast on the target if the attack is successful.
Nexus of Command: (Su) At tenth level, a battlemage learns to lead his men even when they are scattered across a battlefield. He can forge telepathic bonds with any willing creature that can then be maintained at any distance. Up to five such bonds can be active at any time. Establishing such a bond takes a minute of meditation from both the battlemage and the target creature. All creatures maintaining the bond can talk to any other bonded creature, not just the battlemage.
All as one: (su): At level 20, the battlemage molds his squad into a single unit. Creatures connected by his telepathic bond are always aware of each other's position. If any of them is not surprised by an enemy, none of them is counted as surprised, and if any of them is not flat-footed, none of them are.
The battlemage can cast spells he knows on any creature he is bonded to telephatically as if they were in touch range of him and he could see them, no matter where they are.
Finally, the battlemage can extend his battlemage aura to affect these creatures no matter where they are.
Path of the Scholar
http://th03.deviantart.net/fs19/PRE/f/2007/299/2/7/272a7ae0d5da04ea.jpg
"What, if not knowledge, makes a wizard a wizard? All we are and all we want to be comes from our desire to understand the laws of nature and the multiverse. We are scholars before we are kings, students before we are soldiers, and wise before we are rich. Knowledge is power, and we are the power."
-Ladara May, Professor of Systematic Divination
Some wizards, more than others, crave knowledge for knowledge's sake. There can never be enough to know as long as the multiverse still has some secret left to tell. They know more about not just magic, but the world than anyone else, and they know how to apply that knowledge. These are, perhaps, the most stereotypical of all wizards, those who lock themselves in their towers and simply study or teach at academies.
HD: d4
Additional class skills: Appraise, Decipher Script, Knowledge (all), Speak Language
Bonus Feat List: Scribe Scroll, Open-minded, Hidden Talent, Bind Vestige, Improved Bind Vestige, Truename Training, Open Least Chakra, Shape Soulmeld, Incarnum Spellshaping
{table=head]Level|[Class Feature]
1| Scholar Lore | Expert
6|Arcane Thesis
10|Prepared Mind
15|Arcane Thesis
20|Living Library
[/Table]
Scholar Lore: This works exactly as the Bard's Bardic Knowledge class feature.
Expert: Adventuring scholars often study monsters and magical phenomena extensively, as this applies most directly to their magical careers. The scholar can choose one of the following fields to become an expert in:
Spirits: Fey, incorporeal undead, outsiders
Nature: Animals, Plants, fey, vermin
Magical: Constructs, dragons, fey, elementals, magical beasts
Medical: Humanoids, Monstrous Humanoids, Giants
Planar: Outsiders, elementals, aberrations
Unnatural: Oozes, undead, aberrations, constructs
The scholar gains a +2 bonus on knowledge checks to identify creatures in their field of expertise and their weaknesses, and they can identify these creatures even if they have no ranks in the relevant area of knowledge. This bonus increases by another +2 every four class levels beyond first (to +4 at level 5, +6 at level 9 and so on).
Three times per day (plus an additional time per day for every four class levels), the scholar can share his knowledge with allies as a move action. To do this, he must currently be within sixty feet of a creature he has identified with a knowledge check. He and all allies who can hear him gain a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls and saving throws against that creature for the next minute. This competence bonus increases by +1 every four class levels beyond first (to +2 at level 5, +3 at level 9 and so on). All spells the scholar casts on creatures within his speciality have their DC increased by half that amount (rounded up).
Arcane Thesis: At level 6, and again at level 15, the Scholar adds a single additional spell known from among the spells they could usually learn by advancing in level. This spell becomes known as their thesis spell and is always cast at +1 caster level. All DCs of the spell, if it has them, are increased by +1 as well. Finally, they can prepare these spells even if they do not have access to their spellbook.
Prepared Mind: A scholar knows secrets that would shatter the minds of lesser mortals, and few things can still shock him. At level 10, they gain a +2 bonus on all saves against fear effects, effects that would cause confusion or insanity, saves to disbelieve illusions and saves against all effects that cause some kind of strong emotion. Furthermore, when the scholar fails his save against any such effect, he can repeat his save again at the beginning of his next round.
Living Library: The scholar can automatically identify all spells being cast or already in effect without rolling spellcraft checks. They gain a +4 bonus on all knowledge checks and can reroll all knowledge checks they fail once.
Additionally, the scholar can perfectly recall and reproduce any piece of text they have ever seen in their life, no matter how long. This enables them to prepare every level 1 spell of every lore as if they knew them. (And grants them knowledge of the corresponding cantrips as well).
Finally, they no longer need a spellbook to prepare spells and instead can prepare all their spells from memory.
Path of the Tricksters
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs28/i/2008/146/7/1/Light_My_Way_by_Silkspinner.jpg
"The greatest victory is the one where your opponent never knows they were defeated. Or that they were fighting."
-Chen Lovett, the Wraith
Tricksters are those wizards who specialize in surprising their enemies, either falling on them from ambushes, and ending encounters quickly and decisively, or manipulating them from behind the scenes, never seen.
HD: d4
Additional class skills: Bluff, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Spot
Bonus Feat List: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, Eschew Materials, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Mobile spellcasting
{table=head]Level|[Class Feature]
1| Subtle Magic | Ambush Magic
6| Surprise Casting
10| Silent Magic
15| Still Magic
20 | Perfect Stealth
[/Table]
Subtle Magic: Tricksters need no sweeping gestures to cast their spells. They have learned to cast their spells with minute movements of their hands and can cast even if their hands are bound, as long as they can still move their fingers. Anyone who fails a spot check opposed by the Trickster's sleight of hand check fails to notice that they are casting spells if the trickster should choose to do so, unless the spell has obvious visual displays. They can also use bluff checks opposed by an enemy's listen check to speak their verbal components at a volume to low to hear. Their spell's verbal and somatic components are still necessary, however, and the Trickster can still not cast while, for example, paralyzed or under the effects of magical silence.
Ambush Magic: Tricksters can use bluff checks to feint with their spells, just as others do with weapons. Feinting with a spell requires a full-round action as normal (or a move action with improved feint) when done with a cantrip, but can be done as part of an invocation's casting time.
Surprise Casting: Any target which is at the moment denied it's dexterity bonus to AC has a -2 modifier on all saving throws against spells cast by a trickster of level 6 or higher. Furthermore, the trickster gains a +2 bonus on overcoming the spell resistance of any such target. Finally, a target which successfully makes it's saving throw against a trickster's magic does not realize that they just succeeded on a saving throw against hostile effects.
Silent Magic: At level 10, a trickster's stops relying on verbal components altogether. They can now cast without any sound, and even in areas of magical silence. This does not work on language-dependent spells, for obvious reasons.
Still Magic: At level 15, the trickster no longer needs any gestures at all to cast spells, and the can cast even while completely unable to physically move.
Perfect Stealth: At level 20, a trickster's magic becomes nigh impossible to see. When casting, observers need to succeed on a spot check opposed by the trickster's bluff check to notice that they are doing anything at all.
Furthermore, the trickster can choose to have his magic seem to originate from any object or creature within the spell's range. However, he needs to have line of sight and line of effect to both the spell's target and the object of origin, and he can still not cast the spell beyond its normal range, as measured from the trickster.
Finally, all creatures denied their dexterity bonus are treated as having voluntarily lowered their spell resistance against spells cast by the trickster, and they suffer a -4 penalty on all saves against his spells.
The Sorcerer
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2131/137194.jpg
"Power.
That's what this is about. Power. It flows in my veins. It sings in my heart. It dances behind my eyes.
It is not just a part of me. It is me. I am the power.
Wise men, wiser men than I, spend decades and centuries studying magic, to learn the gestures to attract its attention, and the material offerings to pay for its services. They treat magic as their servant, their dog, to come to their heel when they whistle.
I stretch my mind and call for it, and it responds. I understand magic, and it understands me. It is not a force that serves willingly. But it can be a force that comes to the aid of those that love it.
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge: Arcana, Knowledg: the Planes, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Skill Points per level: 4+Intelligence Modifier
Proficiencies: Sorcerers are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a sorcerers movements, which can cause some of heir spells to fail.
The Sorcerer
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Focus
Spells known
Class Features
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
4
3
Spellcasting, Arcane Surge,
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
5
4
Blood Component
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
6
5
Sudden Metamagic 1/day
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
7
6
Burning Blood
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
8
7
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
9
8
Instinctive Magic, Sudden Metamagic 2/day
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
10
9
Body arcane (1)
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
11
10
Spell Resistance
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
12
11
Sudden Metamagic 3/day
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
13
12
Instinctive Magic
11th
+5
+3
+3
+7
14
13
Greater Surge,
12th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
15
14
Sudden Metamagic 4/day
13th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
16
15
Body Arcane (2)
14th
+7/+2
+4
+4
+9
17
16
Instinctive Magic
15th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
18
17
Sudden Metamagic 5/day
16th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
19
18
Tireless Surge
17th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
20
19
Sympathetic Magic
18th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
21
20
Instinctive Magic, Sudden Metamagic 6/day
19th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
22
21
Body Arcane (3)
20th
+10/+5
+6
+6
+12
23
22
Undying Surge
Spellcasting:
Sorcerer can learn arcane spells from any lore, as explained in the section on learning spells. To learn, prepare or cast an arcane spell, the sorcerer must have a charisma score of 10+the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sorcerer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the sorcerer's charisma modifier.
A sorcerer has a limited number of spells known, depending on their class level, as seen in the table below. They do not need a spellbook or similar recording device for their spells, they simply know them.
Sorcerers do not need to prepare their spells before casting them, unlike wizards. They can simply, at any time, expend one point of free focus to cast any spell they know. Every sorcerer gains an amount of bonus focus points, depending on their class level. Similarly, their cantrips always depend on the power of the highest level spell of the appropriate lore that is known to the sorcerer, not the highest appropriate spell prepared.
Sorcerers regain their spells by resting, in a fashion similar to the way wizards prepare their spells. They simply need to meditate in a quiet, undisturbed location for at least fifteen minutes to regain all their expended focus. As with wizards, this meditation does not restore any focus lost due to a condition or effect that is still ongoing.
Arcane Surge: (Su) Power flows through a sorcerer's blood and body. At any time, they can enter an arcane surge. While in an arcane surge, the sorcerer gains +1 to his caster level, and the DC of all their spells is increased by +1. The surge lasts for a number of rounds equal to the sorcerer's constitution modifier (minimum 1) and can not be ended before that time. After that point, the sorcerer can choose to further extend the duration of their arcane surge by expending one point of free focus at the beginning of each of their turns.
While in an arcane surge, the sorcerer finds it difficult to do anything other than cast more spells, as the magic pulsing through him wants to be released. During the focus, to take any action other than casting, directing, sustaining or dismissing spells or take an action to move, the sorcerer must pass a will save DC 10+the number of focus points they have left. If they fail that save, the action fails and they can take no other action that turn, other than cast cantrips.
At the end of a surge, the sorcerer is fatigued, and can not surge again until they meditate to regain their focus.
Blood component: (Ex) While wizards need their wands, their alchemical components and their books, sorcerers only need their minds and their bodies. While components make casting easier for them, they can do without, simply by concentrating harder.
At second level, sorcerers can choose to take one point of damage (which ignores all damage reduction) to cast a spell with a material component that has a cost of 1 GP or less without that omponent.
They can also choose to cast any spell with a material component costing 25 GP per class level or less without that component, but this deals one point of constitution burn to them. Sorcerers without a constitution score, or immune to constitution burn, take one point of charisma burn instead. Sorcerers immune to both constitution and charisma burn can not use this ability.
Sudden Metamagic: (Ex) At third level, the sorcerer may choose any metamagic feat as a bonus feat. Once per day as a swift action, they may spend one point of focus to apply the effect of any metamagic feat they know (not just this bonus feat) to the next spell they cast. Every three levels after third, the sorcerer gains another use per day of this ability.
Burning Blood: From forth level on, the sorcerer can fuel their magic with their own life blood. They can take one point of constitution burn to restore one point of expended focus into free focus. If they do not have a constitution score or are immune to constitution burn, they take one point of charisma burn instead. If they are immune to both charisma burn and constitution burn, they can not use this ability.
This point of free focus is temporary, lasting only until the next time they meditate.
Instinctive Magic: At sixth level, and every four levels thereafter, the sorcerer manifests a strange magical gift that often seems out of tune with the rest of their magic.
Instead of learning a new spell as normal, they can instead choose a single spell from any lore of a level up to one lower than the highest level of spell they can learn and add it to their list of spells known, even if they do not fulfil the requirement of knowing one spell of the same lore one level lower.
Body Arcane (Sp) At seventh level, the sorcerer can expend one point of free focus to stop being dazzled, shaken or sickened or remove the effects of hunger for one day.
At thirteenth level, the sorcerer can expend two points of free focus to stop being dazed or nauseated, or remove the effects of loss of sleep for one day.
At nineteenth level, the sorcerer can expend three points of free focus to stop being stunned, or to act normally for one turn despite being staggered or disabled.
Using this ability takes no action and can be done at any point during the sorcerer's turn, even if they could normally not take any actions due to the condition to be removed (but not if they can not take any actions due to any other reason).
Spell Resistance: At eighth level, the sorcerer gains spell resistance equal to 10+their sorcerer level. This spell resistance can be lowered as an immediate action by the sorcerer.
Greater Surge: (Su) At eleventh level, the sorcerer's Arcane Surge increases their caster level and the save DCs of their spells by +2 instead of +1.
Tireless Surge: (Ex): At sixteenth level, a sorcerer is no longer fatigued at the end of their arcane surge.
Sympathetic Magic: (Su) At seventeenth level, whenever the sorcerer's spell resistance prevents a hostile spell from affecting them, they immediately gain one temporary point of free focus, which lasts until the end of the sorcerer's next turn.
Undying Surge: (Su) At twentieth level, a sorcerer's arcane surge gives them a +3 bonus to their caster level and spell DCs. Additionally, a sorcerer can not die while their arcane surge lasts. While they may still be disabled or staggered, all effects that would kill them are delayed until the end of their surge and they do not die from being reduced to below -10 hit points.
Eldan
2012-02-21, 01:13 PM
Lores
A lore is a collection of spells of a similar theme an arcanist can learn.
An arcanist, upon gaining a new level, can learn first level spells from any lore, but to learn higher level spells, prerequisites must be met: the arcanist must have a certain caster level (see the lore section, above) and must already know a spell of the same lore of a level one lower than the level of the spell they wish to learn (they need to know a first level spell of the same lore to learn a second level spell, and so on).
Cantrips of a lore are automatically learned at the same time as the first spell of that lore is learned.
Note: Spells marked with a * are in Spell compendium. Spells marked with a ^ have changes added to them below the Lore's list of spells, or are explained there.
Lore of the Abyss
http://imageshack.us/a/img20/4471/stormofvengeance.jpg
Apprentice's Arcanum: Child of the Abyss
You gain Damage Reduction/Cold Iron and Good equal to the highest level spell from the Lore of the Abyss the arcanist knows. In addition, Knowledge: The Planes is always a class skill for you. If it's already a class skill, you gain a +2 bonus to it.
Initiate's Arcanum: Soldier of the Abyss
You gain the Darkvision 60ft and the ability to see through magical darkness. In addition, you gain resistance to acid, cold and fire equal to the highest level spell known from the Lore of the Abss.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Denzien of the Abyss
You gain Telepathy out to a range equal to 10ft per level of the highest level spell known from the Lore of the Abyss.
Adept's Arcanum: Master of the Abyss
You gain the Outsider type with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes. Your native plane is the Abyss. You may choose to count as your previous creature type instead of an outsider if that would be beneficial for the purposes of any spell or effect affecting you. In addition, you gain immunity to poison and electricity and spell resistance equal to 10 plus your caster level.
Master's Arcanum: Lord of the Pit
You may choose to grow one size category. In addition, you gain a pair of secondary claw attacks dealing 1d6 damage each, a pair of secondary wing slams that deal 1d4 damage each and grant flight equal to twice your base land speed with good maneuverability, and any one ability from the following list:
Protective Slime as per the Babau
The ability to manifest, as a move action, a whip that deals 2d6 fire damage plus Entangle and Death Throes as per the Balor
Poison as per the Bebilith
Two primary pincer attacks dealing 2d8 damage as per the Glabrezu
Stench as per the Hezrou
Constrict as per the Marilith and a tail attack dealing 4d6 damage
Smite as per the Nalfeshnee
Energy Drain and Change Shape as per the Succubus
Spores and Stunning Screech as per the Vrock
In addition, if you are killed you are reborn from a random layer of the Abyss 3d6 days later, at full power though without any of your equipment.
Cantrip: Murderous Command
The caster can incite rage in her foes with but a word. This cantrip only has a verbal component. To use this cantrip, the caster targets one living creature within hearing range. The target must makes a will save as if this were a spell of the highest level spell known from the Lore of the Abyss. If the target fails, they must spend a number of rounds equal to the level of the highest spell known from the Lore of the Abyss melee attacking its allies. The target will use any means necessary to move toward, melee attack and kill its allies for the duration of the cantrip. Spell Resistance applies to this cantrip.
Spell List
Level 1
Babau Slime (Mantra)*
Protection from Law (Mantra, Targets)
Demonflesh (Mantra, Targets, FC1)
Orb of Acid, Lesser (Invocation)*
Level 2
Blistering Invective (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1281) (Invocation, PF)
Blood Blaze (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1514) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Balor Nimbus (Mantra)*
Level 3
Blood Rage (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=665) (Mantra, Targets, PF)
Demon Wings (Mantra, FC1)
Spit Venom (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1132) (Invocation, PF)
Level 4
Detonate (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=739) (Mantra, PF)
Orb of Acid (Invocation)*
Aura of Doom (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=971) (Mantra, PF)
Level 5
Flame Strike (Invocation)
Hungry Pit (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=798) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Damnation Stride (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1536) (Invocation, PF)
Level 6
Tar Pool (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1399) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Song of Discord (Invocation, Sustained)
Level 7
Abyssal Frenzy (Invocation, Sustained, FC1)
Destruction (Invocation)
Level 8
Frightful Aspect (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1311) (Mantra, PF)
Bodak's Glare (Invocation)*
Level 9
Abyssal Rift (Invocation, Sustained, FC1)
The Lore of Beasts
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs15/f/2007/056/f/b/Druid_by_Grey_Seagull.jpg
Animals. There is much we can learn from them. Because for all their lack of human intellect, they thrive where few humans could. There is strength, in animals, and no mage can ever ignore strength.
Arcana:
Apprentice's Arcanum: Bond of Hearts (Ex)
An Apprentice of the Lore of Beasts acquires a familiar, as detailed here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#familiars), though they do not have to pay any money to attract one.
Initiate's Arcanum: Bond of Tongues (Su)
An Initiate of the Lore of Beasts learns to permanently speak with animals, as the spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/speakWithAnimals.htm).
Journeyman's Arcanum: Bond of Eyes (Su)
A Journeyman of the Lore of Beasts learns to share the senses of an animal. Establishing a bond requires a touch and one minute of concentration. After that, the Journeyman can switch between their own senses and the animal's senses as a swift action. While in the animal's form, the journeyman loses access to all senses the animal lacks, including those magically induced. The bond lasts indefinitely once established, unless the Journeyman dismisses it, though they can not share eyes with more than one animal.
Adept's Arcanum: Bond of Minds (Sp)
An adept of the Lore of Beasts can take total control over an animal they have bonded to by the Bond of Eyes, effectively dominating it. The animal, if it is not friendly, is entitled to a will save DC 15+the adept's charisma or wisdom modifier, whichever is higher. This counts as a compulsion effect.
Magister's Arcanum: Bond of Souls (Su)
A magister of the Lore of Beasts becomes difficult to slay entirely. If their own body is slain and they are still bonded to an animal by the Bond of Minds, his awareness and soul move to that animal and is preserved therein, effectively making it their new body. After such a complete transmutation, the Magister gains the animal's physical attributes, special attacks and special qualities, but also retains all their class features (though they lose all racial features, other than racial modifiers to mental ability scores and bonus feats).
If their original body is resurrected, raised or reincarnated while they are still in the animal body, the original body is soulless and in a coma, though the Magister can choose to change back into their original body if the animal and the body touch.
If the Magister is not bonded to an animal at the time of his death, their soul and awareness instead move out of the body, becoming an incorporeal and intangible spirit. This spirit can move freely within 120 feet of the place the body was slain until the next sunrise, and possess any animal that moves into the area, as with the bond of minds. an effect that is able to ward off incorporeal creatures or creatures of a certain alignment (such as a Circle of Protection) can hold the spirit, and effects that trap a soul can prevent this from happening.
Cantrip: Animal Emotion
The arcanist can change the behaviour of animals around him. This cantrip has a range of 25 feet, plus 5 feet per level of the highest level spell of the lore of beast the arcanist knows (for a sorcerer) or has prepared (for a wizard). The effect depends on the level of that spell and allows a will save DC 10+level of the highest level spell of the lore of beasts+the magician's relevant ability modifier:
If the arcanist has a level 1 spell, they can calm down animals with a number of HD equal to his caster level. Affected animals will normally not attack or flee, unless they are attacked first, in which case they will respond naturally. This is a compulsion effect.
If the arcanist has a level 2 spell, they can instead charm animals instead of calming them. This is a charm effect and affects those animals as a charm person spell.
If the arcanist has a third level spell, they can enrage animals, giving them a +4 morale bonus to strength and constitution, and a +2 morale bonus to will saves. This is identical to a barbarian's rage, including fatiguing the animal. If the animal has a rider, it will try and shake that rider off unless it makes a will save. This is resolved as a grapple check opposed by the rider's ride check. On a failure, the rider is thrown off. If they fail by five points or more, the rider also falls prone.
If the arcanist has a fourth level spell, they can hold animals, as the hold person spell, except that it affects animals instead of humanoids. This is a compulsion effect.
If the arcanist has a fifth level spell, they can dominate animals instead, as the dominate person spell, except that it affects animals instead of humanoids. This is a compulsion effect.
If the arcanist has a sixth level spell, animals they enrage gain a +6 morale bonus to strength and constitution instead. The arcanist can choose to make them indiscriminately attack anyone they see, friend or foe, if they fail a will save.
If the arcanist has a seventh level spell, he can choose to instead affect all animals in a thirty foot radius with a single casting.
If the arcanist has an eight level spell, enraged animals gain a +8 morale bonus to strength and constitution instead.
If the arcanist has a ninth level spell, their animal emotion constantly affects all animals in a ninty foot radius. They can change the kind of emotion produced as a swift action.
Spells:
Level 1:
Beast Claws (Mantra, [Targets])*
Summon Nature's Ally I (Mantra)*^
Aspect of the Wolf (Mantra, [Targets])*
Scent (Mantra, [Targets])*
Magic Fang (Mantra, [Targets])
Level 2:
Animal Aspect (Mantra, [Targets])
Spider Climb (Mantra, [Targets])
Summon Nature's Ally II (Mantra)^
Level 3:
Summon Nature's Ally III (Mantra)^
Greater Magic Fang (Mantra, [Targets])
Lion's Charge (Incantation)*
Level 4:
Summon Nature's Ally IV (Mantra)^
Essence of the Raptor (Mantra, [Targets])*
Jaws of the Wolf (Mantra, [Targets])*
Level 5:
Summon Nature's Ally V (Mantra)^
Quill Blast (Mantra)*
Animal Growth (Mantra, [Targets])
Level 6:
Summon Nature's Ally VI (Mantra)^
Tortoise Shell (Mantra, [Targets])*
Level 7:
Summon Nature's Ally VII (Mantra)^
Creeping Doom (Incantation)
Level 8:
Summon Nature's Ally VIII (Mantra)^
Animal Shapes (Mantra, [Targets])
Level 9:
Nature's Avatar (Mantra)*
Summon Nature's Ally:
For the lore of beast, this spell can only summon a single animal from the list of summonable creatures of that level. The creature stays until it is slain or dismissed. If the arcanist's caster level is two higher than the minimum amount necessary to cast the spell, they can instead choose to invest two focus to summon two animals, or three focus to summon four animals.
Animal Aspect:
This mantra works as either Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance or Cats Grace, enhancing any of the three physical ability scores at the arcanist's choice.
The Lore of Death [WIP]
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/095/c/0/the_price_to_be_paid_by_fdasuarez-d4tlg2h.jpg
Level 1:
Forced Quiet (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/f/forced-quiet) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Hide from Undead (Invocation, Sustained)
Remove Fear (Invocation)
Serene Visage (Mantra)*
Level 2:
Calm Emotions (Invocation)
Silence (Invocation, Sustained)
Spawn Screen (Invocation)*
Level 3:
Call the Void (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/call-the-void) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Disquietude (Mantra)*
Ray of Exhaustion (PF)
Level 4:
Death Ward (Mantra, Targets)^
Rest Eternal (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/r/rest-eternal) (Invocation, PF)
Sensory Deprivation (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 5:
Greymantle (Invocation, Sustained)*
Vulnerability (Invocation, Sustained)*
Waves of Fatigue (Invocation)
Level 6:
Serenity (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/serenity) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Undeath to Death (Invocation)
Level 7:
Evil Glare (Invocation, Sustained)*
Solipsism (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 8:
Mind Blank (Mantra, Targets)^
Waves of Exhaustion (Invocation)
Level 9:
Undeath's Eternal Foe (Invocation)*
^Death ward instead offers the following benefits:
Immunity to negative energy damage and a resistance bonus equal to one half the arcanist's caster level on all saves against all death effects, death spells, energy drain and supernatural poisons and diseases. Furthermore, targets can make saves against such effects even if they do not normally allow saves, with the normal spell DC if a spell, or against 10+creature's HD+creature's charisma bonus if against a creature's special abilities.
Mind Blank offers total immunity against all named effects that are spells of level 7 or lower or mimic them. Against all higher-level effects, the spell grants a resistance bonus on saves equal to one half the arcanist's caster level.
The Lore of the Deep [WIP]
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9749/deepz.jpg
Level 1:
Animate Water (Mantra)*
Horrible Taste (Mantra, Targets)*
Summon Octopus (Mantra)
Wings of the Sea (Mantra, Targets)*
Level 2:
Extend Tentacles (Mantra)*
Sink (Invocation)*
Stolen Breath (Invocation)*
Level 3:
Air Breathing/Water Breathing (Mantra, Targets)*^
Sink (Invocation)*
Water Walk (Mantra, Targets)
Level 4:
Control Currents (Invocation, Sustained, Stormwrack)
Siren's Call (Invocation)*
Wall of Water (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 5:
Blackwater Tentacle (Invocation, Sustained, Stormwrack)
Cloak of the Sea (Mantra, Targets)*
Transformation of the Deeps (Mantra, Stormwrack)
Level 6:
Extract Water elemental (Invocation)
Summon Giant Octopus (Invocation)
Level 7:
Summon Giant Squid (Invocation)
Swamp Lung (Invocation)*
Level 8:
Form of the Killer (Mantras, Stormwrack)
Red Tide (Invocation)*
Level 9:
Doom of the Seas (Invocation, Sustained, Stormwrack)
The Lore of the Earth
http://th04.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2012/011/1/7/dagna_by_wildweasel339-d4m0r71.jpg
"There flows a power in the earth. Older than the mountains, slower than the dance of the continents. But its roots are strong, and they have never been broken. Woe to those who face the wrath of the earth. It is slow to wake, but it never ends."
-Ger Gemheart
Arcana:
Apprentice' Arcanum: Kin to Stones
The Apprentice of the Lore of Earth gains a +1 natural armour bonus to AC and Darkvision to a distance of 60 feet. If they already have darkvision from another source, that darkvision's range increases by 30 feet.
Initiate's Arcanum: Caress of the Earth
The Initiate of the Lore of Earth gains tremorsense to a distance of 30 feet as long as both they and their enemy stand on ground made of earth, sand or stone of any kind, worked or natural.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Earth spell
The Journeyman of the Lore of Earth can send his spells through the ground to find their enemies. They can ignore any natural stone or earth when determining line of effect to an enemy. Furthermore, when both they and their enemy are standing on any earth or stone ground, they gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls with spells and their enemies take a -1 penalty on all saves against the Journeyman's spells and lose all benefits of cover against them.
Adept's Arcanum: Strength of the Earthbones
As long as the Adept of the Lore of Earth is touching any ground made from natural earth or stone, they gain fast healing 3, DR 5/adamantine (which stacks with all other DR/adamantine they might have), a +4 bonus to natural armour and they may never be physically moved against their will.
Master's Arcanum: Dust to Dust
The Master of the Lore of earth gains the [Earth] subtype and is treated as an Elemental, including all the immunities, whenever it would be beneficial to them. Additionally, whenever they die, their corpse disintegrates into a cloud of dust, which disperses around them as a thirty foot burst. If any of that dust touches ground made from natural, unworked stone, the Master begins to form a new body inside that ground. The new body takes one month to grow, at which point the Master comes back to life at that spot. Disintegrating the ground, changing it into any material other than unworked stone, or physically separating it into blocks smaller than the Master's body prevents this restoration.
Cantrip: Tremor
Tremor creates a shockwave that travels along the ground from the arcanist's feet in a cone of a length of five feet per highest level spell of the Lore of Earth the Arcanist has available. Creatures in the cone must succeed on a reflex save (DC 10+spell level+plus the arcanist's spellcasting ability modifier) or fall prone and take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per level of the highest level available spell of the Lore of Earth available.
If the arcanist has a third level spell available, they may trigger the tremor as a burst centered on them instead of a cone.
If the arcanist has a sixth level spell available, they may trigger the burst at any point within 10 feet per spell level instead.
Spells
Level 1:
Burrow (Mantra, Targets)*
Foundation of Stone (Mantra, Targets)*
Hail of Stone (Invocation)*
Magic Stone (Invocation, Sustained)
Level 2:
Earthbind (Invocation, sustained)*
Soften Earth and Stone (Invocation)
Stone Fist (Mantra, Races of Stone)*
Level 3:
Giant's Wrath (Invocation)*
Tremorsense (Mantra, Targets)*
Walk the Mountain Path (Mantra, Targets, Races of Stone)
Level 4:
Spike Stones (Invocation, Sustained)
Stoneskin (Mantra, Targets)
Stone Sphere (Invocation)*
Level 5:
Earth Reaver (Invocation)*
Flesh to Stone (Invocation, Sustained)^
Summon Medium earth elemental (as Summon Monster V, Mantra)
Level 6:
Summon Large Earth Elemental (as Summon Monster VI, Mantra)
Stone Body (Mantra, Targets)*
Tunnel Swallow (Invocation)*
Level 7:
Elemental Body (earth only, Mantra)*
Summon Huge Earth Elemental (As summon Monster VII, Mantra)
Level 8:
Earth Glide (Mantra, Targets)*
Summon Greater Earth Elemental (As Summon Monster VIII, Mantra)
Level 9:
Summon Earth Monolith (Invocation, sustained)*
Stone to Flesh:
Stone to flesh does not petrify the target instantly. Instead, every round the invocation is sustained, the target must succeed on a fortitude save or suffer 1d6 points of dexterity drain. On a successful save, they suffer 1 point of dexterity damage instead. If their dexterity is reduced to 0 by this spell, they are petrified.
The Lore of the Fey
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8915/feyh.jpg
And if my heart would run from her
or flee from her, be gone from her,
She’d wrap it in a nest of stars
and then she'd take it on with her
Until one day she'd tire of it,
all bored with it and done with it.
She'd leave it by a burning brook,
and off brown boys would run with it.
They'd take it and have fun with it
and stretch it long and cruel and thin,
They'd slice it into four and then
they'd string with it a violin.
-Neil Gaiman, the Fairy Reel (http://www.endicott-studio.com/cofhs/chFaeryReel.html)
Arcana:
Apprentice' Arcanum: Fey Magic
The Apprentice of the Lore of the Fey gains a +2 bonus on all saves vs. charms, figments, glamers and phantasms, and the DC of all spells of those subschools they cast is increased by +1.
Initiate's Arcanum: Fey Pact
The Initiate of the Lore of Fey learns to strike a magically binding bargain with another creature. Both participants must enter into the pact willingly. Each creature then promises a price, service or favour to the other, to be paid immediately, at a specified time, or when a certain condition is met.
If either creature breaks the bargain, the other may, from then on, until the bargain is fulfilled, cast any spells or spell-like abilities they know on the other creature as if the other creature was in touch range, and that creature has a penalty of -4 on all saves against such spells.
If the Initiate has an arcane caster level of at least 10, the participants may also choose, if they both agree, to make the pact even harsher. They may specify a curse, to be placed on the oathbreaker, which may be any curse mentioned under the Bestow Curse spell.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Beyond Words
The Journeyman of the Lore of Fey can affect even targets who do not understand them with language-dependent spells, communicating the basic meaning even without words. The target still has to be able to hear the Journeyman, and gains a +4 bonus on all saves against those spells.
Furthermore, the journeyman gains telepathy at a range of 30 feet, but only with targets whom they share at least one language with.
Adept's Arcanum: Faerie Courtier
An Adept of the Lore of the Fey becomes a fey themselves. Their type changes to fey, they gain damage reduction 5/cold iron (if they already have damage reduction /cold iron, it increases by 5 points) and they become immune to all compulsion effects.
Magister's Arcanum: Faerie Lord
A Magister of the lore of the fey is seen as a Lord of Faerie by the fey. Their damage reduction increases to 10/cold iron (or increases by another five points). They no longer die from old age, or suffer any ability penalties from any ageing that occur after this point.
Additionally, once per day, they can summon another fey to strike a bargain with them. This is a spell-like ability of the conjuration (calling) type that takes thirty minutes to prepare and cast. The magister can call any type of fey with up to 1 HD/caster level, or any individual fey whose true name they know. Fey called by their true name can make a will save (DC 20 + the magister's charisma bonus) to resist. Once summoned, the fey remains until a bargain is made, or until they are attacked or any hostile spell or effect is cast on them, at which point they vanish back to their own planes. The magister can demand any service from the fey. The service will generally be accepted, unless it is clearly suicidal, but a service of equal value will be demanded in return.
Cantrip: Invisibility
With this cantrip, the caster may turn themselves invisible (as the spell) for one round per level of the highest spell of the Lore of Fey they have. Change the invisible condition as follows:
A creature can notice that there is an invisible creature present within 30 feet of it by making a spot check DC 20+the number of ranks the invisible creature has in the hide skill. It can pin-point the creature's square exactly by a spot check DC 30+the number of ranks the invisible creature has in the hide skill.
If the Caster has a second level spell, they may use this cantrip on another friendly creature touched. The target may resist with a will save if they do not want to be turned invisible.
If the caster has a third level spell, their invisibility instead lasts for one minute per spell level.
If the caster has a fourth level spell, their invisibility also removes scent from the creature, making it impossible to be detected that way.
If the caster has a fifth level spell, their invisibility is no longer broken by aggressive action, as the Improved Invisibility spell, and it can be used on friendly creature at a range of 30 feet instead of touch.
If the caster has a sixth level spell, they also gain a bonus of 10+1/2 caster level on move silently checks, and they are no longer detectable by Blindsense.
If the caster has a seventh level spell, their invisibility also protects against Blindsight.
If the caster has an eight level spell, the invisibility even protects against effects that normally reveal invisibility, such as See Invisibility, Faerie Fire, Glitterdust, Invisibility Purge or Dust of Appearance. Only effects of eight level or higher and the True Seeing Spell still reveal the target.
If the caster has a ninth level spell, they can even resist True Seeing: the first time they would be seen by a creature with that effect, an opposed caster level check is rolled secretly. If the caster wins, he can not be seen even by that instance of True Seeing for as long as it lasts.
Spell List:
Level 1:
Charm Person (Invocation, Sustained)
Disguise Self (Mantra)
Pass without Trace (Mantra, Targets)
Sleep (Invocation, Sustained)
Level 2:
Delusions of Grandeur (Invocation, Sustained)
Entice Gift (Invocation)*
Reflective Disguise (Mantra, Targets)*
Level 3:
Deep Slumber (Invocation)
Miser's Envy (Invocation)*
Suggestion (Invocation)
Level 4:
Charm Monster (Invocation, sustained)
Freedom of Movement (Mantra, Targets)^
Translocation Trick (Invocation)*
Level 5:
Illusory Feast (Invocation)*
Modify Memory (Invocation)
Seeming (Mantra, Targets)
Level 6:
Mass Suggestion (Invocation, Sustained)
Veil (Mantra, Targets)
Level 7:
Hiss of Sleep (Invocation)*
Transfix (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 8:
Charm Monster, Mass (Invocation)
Irresistible Dance (Invocation)
Level 9:
Unbinding (Invocation)*^
Freedom of Movement:
Instead of granting absolute protection, Freedom of Movement gives the following:
A bonus of 10+1/2 caster level on saves or strength checks against all effects that paralyse or otherwise impede movement (such as slow or web, on all escape artist checks to slip out of or through such an effect or a mundane binding and on all grapple checks to avoid being grappled or escape from being grappled or pinned.
It allows the target to move at half its normal speed through magical or supernatural effects that entirely prevent or slow down movement in an area, such as solid fog.
Finally, it allows the creature to swim at a speed equal to its land speed, and use any weapon underwater without penalty.
Unbind
Instead of negating all effects automatically, Unbind negates all specified effects of spell level 8 or lower. Spells of level 9 or higher are affected as if by a targeted Dispel magic effect with a caster level equal to that of Unbind.
The Lore of Forces
"Why throw fire at your enemy, or lightning, I always wondered. Why not just crush them with the forces that already act on them? There are so many things affecting everything at any moment, and few wizards ever study them. They never wonder: why do things fall? How can we stand on the ground at our feet? Why is iron attracted to certain other metals? Why are some things solid, but some things are gas? How do the sun and moon work? They never look deep enough, because the answers to all these questions are one and the same."
Arcana:
Apprentice's Arcanum: A Change of State
An apprentice of the Lore of Forces subtly uses these forces to enhance their own body. They have a +2 bonus on all strength checks, a +2 bonus on all fortitude saves to avoid being physically moved against their will, and their carrying capacity is calculated as if they were one size category larger.
Initiate's Arcanum: The Body Persists
An initiate of the Lore of Forces learns how to weaken forces directed against themselves. Whenever they would take faling damage, they take that damage as if they fell 10 feet less. They gain damage reduction 5/slashing or piercing and all force damage dealt to them is reduced by 1/4 caster levels.
Journeyman's Arcanum: The Force Impressed
A journeyman of the Lore of Forces becomes very sensible to forces in the world around themselves. As long as they are touching the ground, they have tremorsense to a distance of 30 feet. They can immediately tell when anyone within 120 feet of themselves uses any spell of the Lore of Forces, any spell, ability or effect that deals force damage, or that moves a creature physically against its will.
Adept's Arcanum: The State of Being at Rest
An adept of the Lore of Forces can never be moved against their will. They become immune to being bull-rushed, being blown away by wind, or being moved by telekinetic forces and similar effects. This does not extend to teleportation and planar travel effects or other effects that move them instantly, as that is not physical but magical movement. Furthermore, they become completely immune to falling damage, though gravity still pulls them to the ground.
Magister's Arcanum: An Equal and Opposite Reaction
The Magister of the Lore of Forces knows how to redistribute what is . If they would be moved against their will, they can choose to move half the distance (rounded down to the next five feet) voluntarily, and also move any other creature within 30 feet of themselves that is their size or smaller the same (halved) distance in the opposite direction.
If they take any bludgeoning or force damage, they can choose to redirect half that damage to any other creature within 30 feet of themselves, so that they only take half the damage, and the other creature the other half.
Cantrip: Force Missile
The wizard can shoot projectiles of pure force at his enemies. The projectile requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 1d4 points of force damage per level of the highest spell of the Lore of Forces the caster has, at a range of 30 ft. Spell resistance applies to the missile.
Spell List:
Level 1:
Feather Fall (Mantra, Targets)
Floating Disk (Mantra)
Greater Mage Hand (Invocation, sustained)*
Mage Armour (Mantra, Targets)
Level 2:
Battering Ram (Invocation)*
Levitate (Mantra)
Shatter (Invocation)
Level 3:
Mage Armour, Greater (Mantra, Targets)*
Telekinetic Force (Invocation)^
Weapon of Impact (Mantra)*
Level 4:
Forceward (Mantra)*
Defenestrating Sphere (Invocation)*
Resilient Sphere (Invocation, Sustained)
Level 5:
Passwall (Invocation, Sustained) ^
Telekinesis (Invocation) ^
Wall of Force (Mantra)^
Level 6:
Disintegrate (Invocation)
Rejection (Invocation)*
Level 7:
Reverse Gravity (Invocation, Sustained)
Repel Metal (Invocation)
Level 8:
Telekinetic Sphere (Invocation, Sustained)
Matter Manipulation (Invocation, Sustained)^
Level 9:
Implosion (Invocation, Sustained)
Telekinetic Force
Telekinetic Force
Transmutation
Level: Forces 3
Type: Invocation (sustained)
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One object at a time weighing no more than 25 pounds + 5 pounds per level after 5th.
Saving Throw: Will negates (Object, see text)
This works as the psionic power of the same name, except as mentioned above.
Passwall
Passwall does not work for one hour per level. Instead, the passage stays open for as long as the caster sustains it.
Telekinesis
This spell works as described in the text, except for the Violent Thrust option. While Violent Thrust can hurl several objects as once, the damage for hurling several objects is calculated for the sum of their weight. Hurling several weapons at once is counted as throwing them as a single mass, dealing damage per total weight of all weapons together.
Wall of Force
Wall of Force works as described, except that it can be broken by a strength check with a DC of 10+the wall's caster level. It is still immune to damage, as it flexes slightly and the damage is spread out over the surface.
Matter Manipulation
This works as the psionic power of the same name, except that the change is not instantaneous or permanent: the object only remains hardened or weakened as long as the caster is sustaining the transformation, and it can be dispelled or supressed as normal for a spell. However, there is no XP cost, and an object's hardness can be changed by up to 1 point/2 caster levels. An object whose hardness is reduced to 0 decays to dust, as if it was disintegrated.
The Lore of Magic
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg850/scaled.php?server=850&filename=wizardbyboscopenciller.jpg&res=medium
Magic itself. What other lore could be more important? In a world of magic, the one controlling magic itself knows the greatest art there is. To deny the opponent magic itself is to win any battle.
Arcana:
Apprentice's Arcanum: Arcane Sense (Sp)
The Apprentice of the Lore of Magic learns to feel magical energies in the world around him. They can cast Detect Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectMagic.htm), as a spell-like ability, at will.
Initiate's Arcanum: Arcane Mind (Sp)
The Initiate of the Lore of magic can differentiate arcane auraus with a touch. He knows whether or not an object is magical simply by touching it, and can Identify (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/identify.htm) magical items, as the spell, merely by holding the item in question and concentrating for a minute.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Arcane Sight (Su)
The Journeyman of the Lore of Magic can see the slightest shifts in the weave of magical energies around him and is treated as being permanently under the effect of Arcane Sight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneSight.htm). This is a supernatural ability.
Adept's Arcanum: Arcane Tempest (Su)
The Adept of the Lore of Magic learns to reach out and twist the magical energies around him to his advantage. As long as the adept is conscious, all enemies within 60 ft. of them have a -4 penalty to their caster level and must make a concentration check DC 15+the level of the spell to be able to cast.
Magister's Arcanum: Arcane Soul (Su)
A Magister of the Lore of Magic is sustained by the very magic that suffuses them . As long as they have at least one point of focus left, they do not need to eat, drink or breath. Whenever they would die, they can instead expend one point of unused focus to prevent their death. How the death is prevented depends on what killed the Magister:
If the Magister would be slain by damage or a death effect, they are instead reduced to 1 HP.
If they would be slain by constitution damage, drain or burn, their constitution is instead reduced to 1.
If they would be slain by negative levels, they instead only have enough levels drained so that at least one remains.
Cantrip: Dispel Magic
The arcanist can dispel magical effects around him, nullifying them. The effect depends on the level of the highest level spell of the lore of magic prepared by the arcanist (if they are a wizard) or known to the arcanist (if they are a sorcerer).
If they have a spell of first level or higher, the arcanist can dispel magic with a touch, as the targeted dispel option of dispel magic. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm)
If they have a spell of second level or higher, they can counterspell enemy spells, as the Counterspell Option of Dispel Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm), at a range of 25 ft. + 5 ft. per level of the highest level spell of the Lore the caster has.
If they have a spell of third level or higher, they can area dispel, as that option of Dispel Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm), and use all functions of the cantrip at a range of 25 ft. + 5 ft. per level of the highest level spell of the Lore the caster has.
If the Arcanist has a spell of fifth level or higher, the cantrip's range changes to 400 ft. + 40 ft. per level of the highest spell the arcanist has.
If the Arcanist has spell of sixth level or higher, the cantrip instead functions as Greater Dispel Magic. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagicGreater.htm)
If the Arcanist has a spell of seventh level or higher, they can use a successful counterspell to hinder the opposing spellcaster's further attempt. The spellcaster has to make a will save, DC 10+the highest spell level of the lore of magic the arcanist has + his highest mental ability score modifier, or become unable to cast the same spell as the one counterspelled for five rounds.
If the Arcanist has an eight level spell, they can use a single casting of dispel magic set up to counterspell to counter two spells cast within range, as long as both are cast before the beginning of the arcanist's next turn.
If the arcanist has a ninth level spell, they can choose to take control over a spell they successfully dispelled spell by expending one point of focus. The spell must have been identified by the arcanist with a spellcraft check, and must have a single target. The arcanist must qualify as a possible target. If the spell is dispelled, the arcanist immediately becomes the new target, as if the spell was cast on him by the original caster.
Spells:
Level 1:
Assisst Casting (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235937) (Incantation)
Buzzing Bee (Mantra)*
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/readMagic.htm (Mantra)
Penetrative Casting (Incantation)^
Level 2:
Duel of Minds (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235937) (Incantation)
Drain Arcana (Incantation)^
Lesser Spell Immunity (Mantra)*
Level 3:
Dispelling Screen (Mantra)*
Spellshift (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235937) (Mantra)
Spell Vulnerability (Mantra)*
Level 4:
Lesser Globe of Invulnerability (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/globeOfInvulnerabilityLesser.htm) (Mantra)
Imbue with Spell Ability (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/imbueWithSpellAbility.htm) (Incantation)^
Spell Immunity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spellImmunity.htm) (Mantra, [Targets])
Level 5:
Duelward (Incantation, [Sustained])*
Ottiluke's Supressing Field (Mantra) (Found in Complete Mage)
Spell Resistance (http://www.d20srdorg/srd/spells/spellResistance.htm) (Mantra, [Targets])
Level 6:
Globe of Invulnerability (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/globeOfInvulnerability.htm) (Mantra)
Antimagic Field (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antimagicField.htm) (Mantra)
Level 7:
Antimagic Ray (Incantation)*
Spell Turning (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spellTurning.htm) (Mantra)^
Level 8:
Protection from Spells (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/protectionFromSpells.htm) (Mantra, [Targets])
Spell Immunity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spellImmunity.htm) (Mantra, [Targets])
Level 9:
Absorption (Mantra)*^
Penetrative Casting
Divination (Incantation)
Level: Magic 1
Components: V,S
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 spell
The next spell you cast before the end of your next turn gains a competence bonus equal to one half your caster level on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance.
Drain Arcana
Evocation (Incantation)
Level: Magic 2
Components: V,S
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft/caster level)
Target: One arcanist
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: Will partial
The target arcanist must immediately make a will save or lose 1d4 points of focus. On a successful will save, they lose 1 point of focus instead.
Imbue with Spell Ability
This spell works as mentioned in the text, including the unusual casting time, except that instead of using a spell slot, the arcanist uses one single point of focus until all imbued spells are cast.
Spell Turning
Spell Turning automatically affects nine levels worth of spells, instead of a random number.
Absorption:
Absorption automatically absorbs nine levels worth of spells, instead of a random number. For each spell absorbed, regardless of level, you gain one point of focus. A wizard can use these extra points of focus to cast any incantation he has prepared without losing the prepared incantation.
The Lore of the Hunt [WIP]
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-801LyI4fBBY/ToErVvRl8tI/AAAAAAAAAFw/7kjfpL38_Ro/s1600/Werewolf+Wizard.jpg
"Run, little fleshbags, run! Hahahahaaa!"
Apprentice' Arcanum: Outdoorsman Survival becomes a class skill for all arcane classes the Apprentice takes. If it is already a class skill for any of their arcane classes, they gain a +4 bonus on all checks made with it.
Initiate's Arcanum: scent An initiate of the Lore of the Hunt becomes an efficient tracker. They gain Track as a bonus feat if they don't already have it, and gain scent at a range of 30 feet. If they already have scent, its range instead increases by 15 feet.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Smell Fear Hiding from a Journeyman of the Lore of the Hunt is a difficult task. The Initiate gains a +8 bonus on all spot and listen check to perceive creatures currently shaken, frightened or panicked, and survival checks to track those creatures. Furthermore, all their senses with a limited range given in feet (such as scent, blindsight or tremorsense) have their range doubled or increased by 30 feet (which ever is less) for purposes of detecting creatures currently suffering from those conditions.
Adept's Arcanum: Primal Fear All fear spells and effects the Adept uses can affect creatures immune to mind-affecting effects (creatures specifically immune to fear are still immune). These creatures, however, gain a +4 bonus on their saves. Furthermore, the caster gains Damage Reduction 10/silver. If they already have damage reduction/silver, it increases by 5 points instead.
Master's Arcanum: Fear itself
Cantrip: Cause Fear
This mind-affecting fear effect has a range of 25 feet + 5 ft. per spell level of the highest level Spell of the Lore of the Hunt the caster has. The target must succeed on a will saving throw or become shaken for 1 round per level of the highest level spell of the Lore of the Hunt the caster has.
If the caste has a fifth level spell, the target becomes frightened instead, or panicked if it was already shaken or frightened.
Level 1:
Beastland Ferocity (Mantra)*
Blood Wind (Mantra, Targets)*
Guided Shot (Invocation)*^
Longstrider (Mantra, Targets)
Level 2:
Countermoon (Invocation)*
Mindless Rage (Invocation)*
Scent (Mantra, Targets)*
Level 3:
Bite of the Wererat (Invocation, Sustained)*
Nondetection (Mantra, Targets)
Rage (Invocation)
Level 4:
Bite of the Werewolf (Invocation, Sustained)*
Wind at Back (Mantra)*
Know Vulnerabilities (Invocation)*
Level 5:
Bite of the Wereboar (Invocation, Sustained)*
Dire Hunger (Invocation)*
Level 6:
Aura of Terror (Mantra)*
Bite of the Weretiger (Invocation, Sustained)*
Nightstalker's Transformation (Mantra, Targets)*
Level 7:
Bite of the Werebear (Invocation, Sustained)*
Implacable Pursuer (Mantra)*
Level 8:
Bite of the King (Invocation)*
Fierce Pride of the Beastlands (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 9:
Moonfire (Invocation)*
Guided Shot: This invocation's duration affects the caster's entire round after it starts to take effect, so the next round after they begin casting.
Eldan
2012-02-21, 01:14 PM
The Lore of the Phoenix
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs20/i/2007/270/b/d/So_fire___Wizard_by_Gandalfleblond.jpg
"Most people, when they hear fire, think of the destruction of a forest fire, or a volcano, or the pain of a burn. And fire is all that. But fire is also the warmth of a blazing campfire on a cold winter night, the light of a flickering torch in a damp cellar, the roaring fires of a forge. Fire is passion, it is civilization, it is life.
Apprentice's Arcanum: Approach the Flames
The Apprentice of the Lore of the Phoenix gains a +2 bonus to resist all extraordinarily hot or cold weather, and fire resistance 5 that stacks with any fire resistance gained from spells of the Lore of the Phoenix.
Initiate's Arcanum: Flickering Images
The Initiate of the Lore of Fire can see vague vision through flames. By staring into a fire, which must be at least five feet in diameter, for at least five minutes, he can see out of any flame within one mile per spell of the lore of the phoenix he knows. The Initiate must determine a direction and distance before attempting this, and he sees through the closest flame to his chosen location.
What he sees depends on the size of the fire found at the target location: if the fire is smaller than a torch, he sees nothing. A fire in size between a torch and a camp fire reveals indistinct images and outlines that are flickering and distorted. Any fire more than five feet in diameter gives him a clear vision of his intended target, but may also reveal his presence: anyone looking into the target fire and succeeding on a spot check (DC 20) will see a vague impression of someone looking at them from the flames. If they beat the DC by ten or more points, they see a clear picture of the Initiate.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Tapestry of Life
The Journeyman of the Lore of the Phoenix can see the life force of living creatures. All living creatures, to him, shed light like a torch, which he can see even around objects. Living creatures can still try to hide from the Journeyman, but they have a -20 malus on their hide check. Invisibility or the Darkstalker feat make it impossible for the Journeyman to perceive that life force.
Furthermore, the Journeyman can tell a creature's physical state by looking at it. He can tell if a creature currently suffers from damage to any of it's physical abilities and which ability that is (but not how much damage), if the creature is currently dying or if the creature suffers from any non-supernatural disease or poison.
Adept's Arcanum: Fire is Life
The Adept of the Lore of the Phoenix becomes immune to fire damage. Instead, whenever he would be dealt fire damage, he instead heals as many points of damage as the fire would have dealt him.
Magister's Arcanum: From the Ashes
Whenever a Magister of the Lore of the Phoenix dies, their body immolates, burning to a handful of ashes that land in their place. If these ashes are not scattered (by a strong wind, or deliberate action), the Magister is automatically restored to life (as a true resurrection spell) at the next noon.
Cantrip: Vigor With a touch, the Arcanist can channel positive energy. This energy heals (or causes damage, in the case of the undead) an amount of damage each round equal to the highest level spell of the Lore of the Phoenix the Arcanist has, for a number of rounds equal to that spell's level. E.g. with a second level spell Vigor would heal two points of damage, and then another two points of damage the next round. A creature can not have more than one application of Vigor active on it at any one time.
Spell List:
Level 1:
Animate Fire (Mantra)*
Delay Disease (Invocation)
Endure Elements (Mantra, Targets)
Raging Flame (Invocation)*
Level 2:
Body of the Sun (Invocation, Sustained)*
Delay Poison (Invocation)
Fireburst (Invocation)*
Level 3:
Fire Wings (Mantra)*
Searing Light (Invocation)
Spark of Life (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 4:
Blistering Radiance (Invocation, Sustained)*
Delay Death (Invocation, Sustained)*
Fire Shield (Mantra, Targets)
Level 5:
Anticold Sphere (Mantra)*
Death Ward (Mantra, Targets)^
Revivify (Invocation)*
Level 6:
Fire Immunity (Mantra, Targets)
Fires of Purity (Invocation)*
Level 7:
Flamewalker (Invocation)^
Sunbeam (Invocation)
Level 8:
Incendiary Cloud (Invocation, Sustained)
Sunburst (Invocation)
Level 9:
Elemental Monolith^
Death Ward
This spell does not give total immunity to any of the effects in the spell description. Instead, it gives a resistance bonus equal to its caster level on all saves against these effects.
Elemental Monolith
This spell can only be used to summon a fire monolith. However, the fire monolith gains a flight speed equal to its land speed, at poor manoeuvrability.
Flamewalker
This spell works as a Tree Stride (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/treeStride.htm) spell, except that instead of trees, fires are used and the caster can take along up to one other willing creature per caster level. The distance travelled is determined by the size of the fire: a candle or similarly sized flame allows up to 500 feet of travel, a torch up to 1000 feet, a campfire (3-15 feet in diameter) up to 2000 feet and a larger fire, such as a burning building, up to 3000 feet. The exit fire may be larger than the entry fire.
The Lore of the Planes
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/193/8/0/jace_beleren___planeswalker_by_taintedsilence-d3limj2.jpg
"There are a thousand worlds out there, and I don't intend to only see one of them before I die."
Apprentice's Arcanum: Planar Lore
The Apprentice of the Lore of the Planes gains a +2 bonus on all knowledge (the planes) checks and treats it as a class skill for all their classes. Furthermore, they can automatically tell on which plane they currently are.
Initiate's Arcanum: Planesight
An Initiate of the Lore of the Planes' sight extends into neighbouring planes. They can see objects and creatures in coterminous planes as if they were on the same plane, though only as hazy outlines, unless they spend a move action focusing on the coterminous planes. Furthermore, they automatically know all magical, energy, elemental and alignment traits of whatever plane they are on.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Planeswalker
A Journeyman of the Lore of the Planes learns how to travel between the planes without the help of magic, merely by following natural paths. The process of Planeswalking takes an hour and takes the Planeswalker and up to six other creatures following him from their current plane to any neighbouring plane (such as from the Astral plane to any other plane, or from the elemental planes to the ethereal plane). They spend the first twenty minutes on the starting plane and the rest of the hour in a space between planes, which has all the traits of both planes, but is completely empty of creatures or landscape features. The Planeswalker can try and walk to a familiar destination they already on the target plane, which takes another hour and deposits them within 1d10*10 miles of the target location.
Adept's Arcanum: Perinarch
The Adept of the Lore of the Planes has learnt to adapt to hostile planes. On highly morphic planes, they automatically stabilize an area extending ten feet around them, providing a breathable atmosphere and solid ground. Furthermore, whenever they take damage from a plane's energy trait, they become immune to further damage from that energy trait for the next twenty-four hours. They never die from having too many temporary hit points on a positive energy plane. They suffer no penalties for planes with light or heavy gravity. On planes with subjective gravity, they can change their direction at will, essentially gaining a flight speed of 300 feet with perfect manoeuvrability.
Magister's Arcanum: Astral Projection
A Magister of the Lore of the Planes is almost impossible to kill, since their true body is never in any danger. Instead, they create a perfect projection of themselves, while their true body is in a state of stasis in an especially created demiplane.
Whenever the Magister of the Lore of the Planes would be killed, they form a new body 24 hours later, either in a random location on a plane of their choice, or at the same spot their last projection was slain.
The only thing that can endanger the Magister are a Wish or Miracle used against them while their projection is slain, abilities that trap or destroy souls used on the projection or the silver swords of the Githyanki, which are especially made for such a purpose.
Cantrip: Dimensional Step
This cantrip, which counts as a Conjuration (Teleportation) effect, allows the arcanist to teleport up to 10 feet per spell level with perfect accuracy, as with a Dimension Door spell (though they can not take any other creatures along with them.).
Level 1:
Benign Transposition (Incantation)*
Resist Planar Alignment (Mantra, Targets)*^
Summon Monster I (Mantra)^
Detect Teleportation (Mantra)^
Level 2:
Avoid Planar Effects (Mantra, Targets)*
Baleful Transposition (Incantation)*
Portal Alarm (Incantation)*
Summon Monster II (Mantra)^
Level 3:
Anticipate Teleportation (Mantra)*
Attune Form (Mantra)*
Summon Monster III (Mantra)^
Level 4:
Dimension Door (Invocation)
Dimensional Anchor (Invocation)
Summon Monster IV (Mantra)^
Level 5:
Divert Teleportation (Mantra)^
Summon Monster V (Mantra)^
Level 6:
Greater Anticipate Teleportation (Mantra)*
Summon Monster VI (Mantra)^
Level 7:
Planar Bubble (Mantra)*
Summon Monster VII (Mantra)^
Level 8:
Maze (Invocation)
Summon Monster VIII (Mantra)^
Level 9:
Reality Maelstrom (Invocation, Sustained)*
Summon Monster
The caster chooses two creatures from the list, none of which can be more than two steps away from them in alignment, and which can not be elementals. They can summon only these two creatures.
Resist Planar Alignment
Creatures takes no penalty at all from alignment traits while under the effect of this mantra. Furthermore, they can handle aligned items without suffering negative levels, and they gain a +2 bonus on all saves vs. any spells and effects that have different effects depending on the target's alignment.
Detect Teleportation
Mantra
Divination
Level: Planes 1
Range: 40 ft.
Area: 40-ft.-radius emanation centered on the caster
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No
The caster can feel all teleporation spells, spell-like abilities and effects being cast in the area. They can tell whether anyone is arriving in the area with such an effect, or whether they are leaving, in which direction from the caster this happened (though not the distance), as well as how many creatures are affected by each such effect.
Divert Teleportation
Mantra
Conjuration (Teleportation)
Level: Planes 7
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: A circle, centered on the caster, with a radius of 50 ft. + 10 ft./level
Effect: Diverts the teleportation of any object or creature whose weight does not exceed your maximum load
Saving Throw: Will negates (foils diversion)
Spell Resistance: Yes (foils diversion)
Similar to detect teleportation, except that the caster knows the intended destination, and they can divert the final destination of any teleportation attempt made by others within the area. This is an immediate action.
The caster can divert the destination of both incoming and outgoing teleportations, psionic and magical. They must overcome the spell resistance of creatures that possess it to make a successful diversion, and the teleporting creature can make a Will save to foil the diversion as well.
For the purpose of this power, “divert” means the caster chooses the actual destination of any teleportation attempt they can affect, as if they themselves were teleporting to that location, regardless of the teleportation range of the effect they are diverting. The destination you choose must be a location with which they are very familiar or that they have studied carefully.
The Lore of Shadows
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3956/shadowph.jpg
„Real, not real, truth or lie.... these distinctions always struck me as strange. After all, we can only mark as real what our senses perceive. And a sufficiently advanced lie can engage all senses effortlessly. At what point, then, is it no longer a lie, but another truth?“
Apprentice's Arcanum: Shadow Eyes (Ex)o
An apprentice of the Lore of Shadows gains darkvision to a distance of 60 feet or, if they already have darkvision, the range of their darkvision doubles.
Initiate's Arcanum: Shadow Object (Sp):
An initiate of the Lore of Shadows can create tiny, semi-real objects at will. These objects have to fill a space no less than one cubic inch per two caster levels in size. The objects are weightless and their colours are always muted, making vivid colouration impossible. They can not have any moving parts, and they can not be used as weapons, as their weightlessness makes them unable to deal any damage. The initiate may not have more than one shadow object at a time.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Shadow Sense (Su):
A journeyman of the Lore of Shadows is always aware of the state of illumination (Bright light, as from the sun or a lamp or lantern; shadowy, as from the stars, the moon or a candle, or darkness, with no direct source of light) of all areas within 60 feet. Furthermore, they can perceive creatures, as with tremorsense, to a distance of sixty feet, as long as there is an uninterrupted line of shadowy illumination or total darkness between them and those creatures.
Adept's Arcanum: Living Shadow (Su):
An Adept of the Lore of Shadows can animate their shadow, so that it acts as an extension of their body. The shadow can extend to a length dependent on the size of the adept (15 feet for a creature of tiny or smaller size, 30 feet for a creature of small to large size, and 60 feet for any creature of size huge or larger). The shadow is intangible and can move through occupied squares or holes of an inch or less in diameter effortlessly. However, it can only move along surfaces, never through open space, and it can not enter any area of bright illumination. The shadow can not touch or otherwise affect any objects or creatures, but the Adept can see through the shadow's eyes as if they were in any space the shadow occupies, and when they cast a spell from the Lore of shadow, that spell can originate in any space their shadow occupies.
Magister's Arcanum: Infinite Reflections (Su):
The Magister of the Lore of Shadows is very hard to destroy: if they are killed in any spot within 60 feet of an area of shadowy illumination or total darkness, their essence moves to the plane of shadows unless their soul is captured by magical means. Over the next days, the Magister's soul creates a new body from shadow matter on the Plane of Shadows, so that one week later, a Shadow Double of the Magister, identical to the original body and with all his skills and memories and the exact same personality (but with no equipment or clothing) steps out of the shadows within 60 feet of where he was originally killed, ready to continue the Magister's life.
Cantrip: Shadow Image
The Arcanist can form images from shadow to fool their enemies and entertain their allies. They can create an image with a size of one ten-foot cube, plus another ten-foot cube per level of the highest level shadow spell they have. These images grant will saves to disbelief them just as illusion spells with the figment subtype would. The DC is 10+the highest level illusion spell the arcanist has prepared, plus his relevant ability modifier. The image can be of any creature or object, but there can not be more than one image active at a time.
If the Arcanist has a level 1 spell of the Lore of Shadows, the image is purely visual, can change or display movements, but the arcanist can move it around freely within sixty feet of himself. It can not move beyond that area. It stays for as long as the arcanist concentrates on it (which requires a move action every turn, but no focus) plus one minute.
If the Arcanist has a second level spell of the Lore of Shadows, the image can display movements and can change while it is being displayed, such as to show a walking or talking creature, though it can still not make any sound.
If the Arcanist has a third level spell of the Lore of Shadows, the image can make any sound, of a volume up to what a shouting human could make. It can even produce speech.
if the Arcanist has a fourth level spell of the Lore of Shadows, the image can be touched by those who do not disbelieve it. However, the image does not have a smell, and it can not have a temperature different from the surrounding atmosphere.
If the Arcanist has a fifth level spell, the image can have a smell or temperature as well, and it can move up to 120 feet away from the Arcanist.
If the Arcanist has a sixth level spell of the Lore of Shadows, they no longer have to concentrate on maintaining it. Instead, it remains active for as long as they want it to. However, it can not produce speech while the Arcanist is not concentrating on what is said.
If the Arcanist has a seventh level spell of the Lore of Shadows, the image can move up to 480 feet away from the Arcanist.
If the Arcanist has an eight level spell, the Arcanist can create a second image, which he can leave in a place when they move away. This image will follow a set loop of actions that can be up to five minutes long, either endlessly repeating it, or when a specific trigger event (as chosen by the time of casting) occurs within line of sight of the image.
If the Arcanist has a ninth level spell, they can have up to three images at a time, all of which they can choose to take with them or leave in a place. All of these images can be programmed with up to five triggers instead of just one, all of which can trigger different responses.
Level 1:
Distract Assailant (Invocation)*
Net of Shadows (Invocation) *
Nightshield (Mantra)*
Ebon Eyes (Mantra, Targets)*
Level 2:
Darkness (Invocation)
Mirror Image (Mantra)^
Shadow Mask (Mantra)*
Level 3:
Shadow Binding (Invocation)*
Shadow Sculpture (Mantra)^
Shadow Phase (Mantra, [Targets])*
Level 4:
Shadowfire (Invocation) ^
Phantasmal Killer (Invocation)^
Shadow Well (Invocation)*
Level 5:
Shadow Ally (Mantra)^
Shadow Form (Mantra)*
Shadow Hand (Mantra)*
Level 6:
Mislead (Mantra)
Phantasmal Disorientation (Mantra)*
Level 7:
Project Image (Mantra)
Greater Shadow Blast (Mantra)*
Level 8:
Maze (Invocation)
Shadow Puppet (Invocation)^
Level 9:
Shadow Reality^
Mirror Image
This spell creates a single mirror image, plus a second image at caster level 10. These images, when destroyed, regenerate themselves after one minute.
Phantasmal Killer
Add the [Shadow] Descriptor, remove the [Phantasm] descriptor. The spell creates a shadow creature in the shape of the target's worst fear that attacks their mind. Others see a vague, grey shape instead.
Succeeding on the will save does not end the spell. Instead, the creature merely gains a +4 bonus on their fortitude save. If a creature passes the fortitude save, but fails the will save, they do not take hit point damage, but 2d6 points of wisdom damage instead, and they become shaken for one minute. If a creature passes both saves, the spell has no effect.
Shadow Ally
Shadow Ally
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Shadow 5
Type: Mantra
Range: 60 feet
Effect: Shadowy humanoid creature
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
You create a humanoid-looking creature out of shadow. The creature can be of tiny to large size, chosen by you at creation, and it can have any appearance you wish, as long as it still visibly belongs to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid or giant race within those size restrictions.
The creature has the construct type, and all it's ability scores are 10, plus normal bonuses and maluses for its physical size. The creature has no feats, skills, special qualities or class features, except for the following:
It has a bonus to its hide and move silently skills equal to your class level. It has the Hide in Plain Sight (Su) special quality, as long as it is in an area of darkness or shadowy illumination.
The creature has AC 10 (plus size modifier) and a number of hit points equal to twice your class level, and a base attack bonus equal to yours.
You can command the creature telepathically as a free action.
Shadow Sculpture
Shadow Sculpture
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Shadow 3
Type: Invocation
Duration: Concentration plus one minute
Range: Touch
Effect: Shadow structure filling One or more 10 ft. cubes
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with) and see text
Components: V, S
By casting for a round, the caster brings into existence a structure of shadow material filling no more than one 10 ft. cube, taking almost any shape they can imagine. They can choose to spend more time on the casting of the spell, increasing the size by another 10 ft. cube per round, up to a maximum of one such cube per 2 caster levels.
The shadow structure looks real, if a bit pale and crude to those who fail their will saves, and shadowy, gray and translucent to those who make it. The structure can not have any moving parts, and it it is of crude quality, unless the caster makes an appropriate craft check of DC 20 or higher to give it higher quality.
The shadow material has Hardness 1 and just 10 HP per 10 ft. cube, though it does not normally break, even under enormous stress, unless attacked by an intelligent creature. The structure must be supported on any surface or it falls, but it is very light for its size, only about 20 pound per ten foot cube.
Those who make their will saves to disbelief the structure move through it as if it wasn't there. However, they can choose to make another will save every round to treat the structure as if it was real. If successful, they can interact with it and move over it, such as in the case of walking over a shadow bridge across a chasm.
Note: Shadow Sculptures can be made real with a Permanency spell, for 250 XP per ten ft. cube.
Shadowfire
Shadowfire
Illusion (Phantasm) [Shadow, Fire, Mind-affecting]
Level: Shadow 4
Type: Invocation
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature/4 caster levels, none of which can be more than this spell's range apart
Saving Throw: Will disbelief
The mage finishes his gesture, and black flames shoot forth from them, enveloping his enemies.
You create an illusion of flaming rays so convincing that your enemies believe that you have actually set them aflame. These "rays" automatically hit their targets with no attack roll required, as they are not actually rays. The targets each take 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level, unless they succeed on their will saves, which completely negates the damage.
Special: The DC of all spellcraft checks to identify this spell are increased by 5. Those who fail the check to identify it mistakenly believe it to be an evocation (fire) spell.
Shadow Puppet
Shadow Puppet
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Shadow 8
Type: Invocation
Duration: 1 round/level
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One shadow
Saving Throw: None (see text)
You reach out and grab a creature's shadow in your hand. At the same time, your own shadow lashes out, wrapping around the creature, holding it immobile.
This is a ranged attack against 10 + the creature's dexterity, dodge and size modifiers. No other factors apply, nor can the creature react in any other way it normally could respond to an attack (such as with a counter maneuver).
If you are successful, you take the creature's shadow (you must have at least one hand free) and hold it still. The creature becomes unable to move or act in any other way that is not purely mental. At the beginning of each of its turns, the creature may attempt a strength check, DC 10+ your caster level, to break free. If it succeeds, the spell ends, otherwise, it is held.
As a standard action, you may direct the creature to perform any purely physical move, standard or swift action. You may not force it to speak.
Shadow Reality
Shadow Puppet
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Shadow 9
Type: Invocation
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature or object (the object may not weigh more than 20 pounds/level)
Saving Throw: Will partial or Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes
With a few words and a gesture, you reveal your master plan: that you have, long before this fight, prepared the battlefield, and exchanged your enemies themselves with duplicates.
The targeted creature or object is revealed to be a duplicate prepared by you for this situation.
If the target is an object, the duplicate flickers and fades away, vanishing at the end of the round. The real object is placed in a random location on the plane of shadows. This is not a teleportation or other planar travel effect, as the object does not in fact move at this time, it was instead moved a long time ago. Held or worn objects may make a will save to resist the replacement.
If the target is a creature, it similarly flickers and fades away, leaving all its equipment behind. At the same time, the real creature wakes up in a random location on the plane of shadows, with no equipment. As with the object, this is not a teleportation or other planar travel effect that may be prevented. If the creature succeeds on its will save, it instead fights the shadow replacement. For the next 1d4 rounds, the creature flickers and loses all colour, gaining a 20% miss chance and dividing all numerical effects it inflicts on other creatures (such as damage) by half.
The Lore of Stars [WIP]
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/782/starsor.jpg
The Lore of Storms
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6184/stormy.jpg
Apprentice Arcanum: Rain's Brother
The Apprentice of the Lore of Storms threats all winds as one category lighter for the purposes of making ranged attack rolls and spot and listen checks and ignores the effects of rain on visibility and attack rolls. They gain low-light vision or, if they already have it, double their range with it.
Initiate's Arcanum: Wind's Favour
The Initiate of the Lore of Storms counts all winds as two categories lighter for the purposes of ranged attack rolls and spot and listen checks and count as two size categories larger for the effects of winds affecting them. They do not have to make concentration checks to cast spells in any kind of violent weather and gain electricity resistance 10.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Weather Eye
The Journeyman of the Lore of storm gains darkvision to a range of 60 feet, or adds sixty feet to the range of their darkvision if they already have one. They can see unimpeded through any kind of weather or fog, including magical fog, but not magical darkness.
Finally, they can perfectly predict nonmagical weather for up to one week in advance by merely studying the sky for one minute uninterrupted.
Adept's Arcanum: Wind Walker
The Adept of the Lore of Storms becomes immune to all effects of high wind of any kind, including magical winds. Additionally, they gain a perfect natural flight ability, the speed of which depends on the wind conditions around them: 25 ft. in no or light to strong wind, 50 ft. in severe wind, 75ft. in a windstorm, 150 ft. in a hurricane and 300 ft. in a tornado.
Master's Arcanum: Heart of the Storm
The Master of the Lore of Storms gains the [Air] subtype and is treated as an elemental whenever that would be advantageous for them, as well as being immune to electricity damage. Furthermore, if they are slain, they have a chance to return to live. If a natural bolt of lightning strikes up to a week after their death anywhere within half a mile of where they died, their body is restored in perfect health
Cantrip: Ball Lightning
The Arcanist gains the ability to shoot crackling balls of electric energy from his fingertips. This is a ranged touch attack with a range of 20 feet per level of the highest spell of the lore of storms available to the arcanist, which deals 1d6 points of electricity damage per spell level. Targets armoured in metal or made of metal suffer a -4 penalty to their armour class against ball lightning.
Level 1:
Alter Winds (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Shocking Grasp (Invocation)
Thunderhead (Invocation, Sustained)*
Updraft (Invocation)*
Level 2:
Gust of Wind (Invocation)
Summon Small Air Elemental (Mantra, Summoning)
Wings of Air (Mantra)*
Level 3:
Cloak of Winds (Mantra, Targets, PF)
Downdraft (Invocation)*
Lightning Bolt (Invocation)
Level 4:
Eye of the Hurricane (Invocation, PF)
Hurricane Blast (Invocation, PF)
Summon Medium Air Elemental (Mantra, Summoning)
Level 5:
Arc of Lightning (Invocation)
Cyclonic Blast (Invocation)*
Summon Large Air Elemental (Mantra, Summoning)
Level 6:
Chain Lightning (Invocation)
Summon Huge Air Elemental (Mantra, Summoning)
Level 7:
Energy Immunity (Electricity only, Mantra, Targets)*
Storm Tower (Invocation, sustained)*
Level 8:
Lightning Ring (Mantra)*
Whirlwind (Invocation)
Level 9:
Summon Air Monolith (Mantra, Summoning)*
The Lore of Undeath
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6412/necromancerg.jpg
"Everything decays, it is a truth of the multiverse. And yet, those most steeped in decay never truly die. It seems worthwhile, to me, to join my enemy, death, so that he will never reap me."
Apprentice's Arcanum: Gravedigger's Lore
The Apprentice of the Lore of Undeath learn to protect themselves from the conditions they face. They gain a +2 bonus on all saves against stunning, paralysis, poison, disease or ability damage. Furthermore, Knowledge: Religion is always a class skill for them.
Initiate's Arcanum: Brothers in Death
The Initiate of the Lore of Undeath learns to channel energy in order to protect themselves from the undead they study. They gain the ability to Rebuke Undead, as an evil cleric of the same level as their combined level in all arcane classes three times per day.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Dust to Dust
A Journeyman of the Lore of Undeath becomes more like the Undead they study. Their veins fill with black dust instead of blood, and their bodies become withered and grey. They gain damage reduction 5/bludgeoning and become immune to all effects that cause bleeding or damage or drain their constitution. They gain a 25% chance to ignore critical hits and precision damage. Finally, they only take half damage from negative energy, but also only heal half damage from positive energy, and they become suceptible to a good cleric's turn undead: they are treated as an undead with HD equal to their class level in all arcane classes, but instead of the normal effects, a successful turn undead merely stuns them for one round.
Adept's Arcanum: Death's Right Hand
An Adept of the Lore of Undeath learns to command more undead, and to make those they control stronger. They can command an additional amount of HD worth of undead equal to their combined level in all arcane classes and all undead they summon or create gain +4 strength, +4 dexterity and +2 HP per hit die.
Magister's Arcanum: Now I have Become Death...
A Magister of the Lore of Undeath gains the Lich template, even if he would not qualify for it normally, without having to pay for his philactery.
Cantrip: Charnel Touch
The Arcanist gains a touch attack that deals a number of d6s worth points of negative energy damage (or heals the same amount to undead creatures) equal to the highest level spell of the Lore of Undeath he has. If he has a fifth level spell or higher, he can instead use this ability at a range of 30 feet, with a ranged touch attack.
Spells:
Level 1:
Chill Touch (Invocation)
Detect Undead (Mantra)
Grave Strike (Mantra, Targets)*
Summon Undead I (Mantra)^*
LEvel 2:
Command Undead (Invocation)
Shroud of Undeath (Mantra)*
Summon Undead II (Mantra)^*
Level 3:
Clutch of Orcus (Invocation)*
Halt Undead (Invocation)
Summon Undead III (Mantra)^*
Level 4:
Negative Energy Aura (Mantra)*
Revenance (Invocation, Sustained)*
Summon Undead IV (Mantra)*
Level 5:
Miasma of Entropy (Invocation)*
Summon Undead V (Mantra)*
Waves of Fatigue (Invocation)*
Level 6:
Spectral Touch (Invocation)*
Fleshshiver (Invocation)*
LEvel 7:
Control Undead (Invocation)
Withering Palm (Invocation)*
Level 8:
Horrid Wilting (Invocation)
Veil of Undeath (Mantra, Targets)*
Level 9:
Energy Drain (Invocation)
Summon Undead:
This Mantra allows the arcanist to imbue a corpse with a semblance of life. The arcanist can create a zombie or skeleton, with a maximum challenge rating dependent on the mantra's level, if they have the right kind of corpse available. As long as the mantra is sustained, the corpse does not decay, but it immediately becomes lifeless again if the mantra is no longer active.
Level 1: Up to CR 1/2
Level 2: Up to CR 2
Level 3: Up to CR 3
Level 4: Up to CR 4
Level 5: Up to CR 5
The Lore of Winter
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/010/d/7/d70bc0b5801c6951827698f996a3b6bb.jpg
[U]Apprentice' Arcanum: Cold Endurance
The apprentice of the Lore of Winter learns how to survive in cold tempreatures and gains Cold Endurane (Frostburn p. 47 as a bonus feat), even if they do not meet the prerequisites.
Initiate's Arcanum: Cull the weak
Magic cast by the Initiate of the Lore of Winter is especially effective against those already weak. Any creature that is currently suffering from a disease, fatigued, exhausted or has a strength or constitution score of 3 or less suffers a -2 penalty on saves against spells cast by the Initiate.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Winterwalker
The Initiate of the Lore of Winter gains +1 to the caster level of all spells with the cold descriptor they cast in areas of 40°F or below. Furthermore, they gain cold resistance 5, which stacks wit hall other cold resistance they may have.
Adept's Arcanum: Lord of the Uttercold
Whenever an Adept of the Lore of Winter casts a spell (including cantrips) that deals cold damage, they may decide to half that spell deal half cold damage, half untyped magical damage instead. Furthermore, they may decide to have all spells that deal fire, acid or lighting damage normally deal cold damage instead. If they do, these spells may not profit from the first part of this ability and deal half untyped damage.
Magister's Arcanum: Frozen Heart, Icy Soul
The Magister of the Lore of Winter gains the [cold] subtype. They gain immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis and stunning, as well as critical hits and flanking. They are treated as an elemental instead of their normal type, whenever this would be advantageous to them.
Cantrip: Breath of Winter
Breath of Winter creates a cone with a length of five feet per level of the highest level spell of the lore of winter the caster has. Everything in the cone takes 1d6 points of cold damage per level of the highest level spell of the lore of winter the caster has available. A successful reflex save (DC 10+level of the highest level spell of the Lore of Winter available + casting attribute modifier) halves the damage.
Level 1:
Ice Slick (Invocation, Frostburn)
Snowshoes (Mantra, Targets)*
Snowsight (Mantra, Targets, Frostburn)
Winter Chill (Invocation)*
Level 2:
Chill Metal (Invocation)
Frost Weapon (Mantra, Targets, Frostburn)
Heat Leech (Invocation, Sustained, Frostburn)
Level 3:
Arctic Haze (Invocation, Sustained, Frostburn)
Meld into Ice (Invocation, Sustained, Frostburn)
Quench (Invocation)
Level 4:
Ice Storm (Invocation)
Wall of Ice (Invocation)
Winter's Embrace (Invocation, Frostburn)
Level 5:
Blight (Invocation)
Cone of Cold (Invocation)
Freeze (Invocation, Frostburn)
Level 6:
Entomb (Invocation, Frostburn)
Heartfreeze (Invocation, Frostburn)
Level 7:
Energy Immunity (Mantra, Targets)
Ice Claw (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 8:
Heat Drain (Invocation)*
Field of Icy Razors (Invocation, Sustained)*
Level 9:
Polar Midnight (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/polar-midnight)(Invocation, sustained) (PF)
Feats
Arcane Feats: [Arcane] feats are tied to an arcanists power to cast spells. Only those who have at least one point of focus can learn [arcane] feats, and if they lose all their focus, they also lose the benefit of all arcane feats until they have regained at least one point of focus.
Metamagic feats: [Metamagic] feats are at a special kind of arcane feat that enhances spells. Using a metamagic feat has a focus cost of one or more points associated with it.
Wizards and other prepared casters can invest focus into a metamagic feat,thereby activating it. The metamagic feat then enhances all of their prepared spells until they next regain their focus by meditating.
Sorcerers and spontaneous casters instead can choose to activate a metamagic feat at any time by using a move action and paying the focus cost. It then affects all their spells until they regain that focus point.
Arcane Strike [Arcane]
You have learned how to imbue weapons with your arcane power for devastating effect.
Prerequisites: At least one point of focus, base attack bonus +1
Benefit: As a standard action, you may invest one point of focus into a manufactured or natural weapon. This weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls. For every four arcane caster levels you have beyond first, you may invest an additional point of focus in the weapon, increasing the enhancement bonus by +1, to a maximum of +5.
You may expend some or all of this focus as a swift action. If you do so, the weapon keeps its enhancement bonus until the end of your turn, and all attacks with it deal an additional +1d4 points of damage per focus expended until the end of your turn.
Artificer
You have learned to to bind your magic to objects, instead of storing it in your head.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least one invocation, Knowledge (Arcana) 6 ranks, Craft (any) 6 ranks, any Item Creation feat
You can invest your focus into temporary magical items.
Any item to be thus imbued needs to be of at least masterwork quality. Imbuing an item takes a full minute and a point of free focus. You may imbue any mantra or invocation into the item, which also imbues that point of focus. The spell to be imbued must be of a level of one less than the highest level spell you can cast or lower. The effect of the item depends on what you imbued it with:
Invocation: when held, items imbued with an invocation may be activated as a one round action, which casts the spell from the item just as if you had cast it, including all variables and modifiers. All components, be they somatic, material, verbal or otherwise, must still be performed or provided. Others may activate an item you have imbued. If they are arcanists themselves, with a caster level equal to or higher than yours, they may do so freely, all others must succeed on a Use Magic Device check (DC 10 + your caster level). Once the item is activated, it becomes nonmagical and inert and the focus imbued returns, becoming expended.
Mantra: a mantra, instead, is continually active on anyone holding the item for up to 24 hours, at which point the magic fades and the focus returns to you as expended focus. No use magic checks are required.
You may also choose to draw back the magic from any item you have imbued while you are holding it, as a standard action. This returns the imbued focus to you as expended focus.
Battlecasting [Arcane]
With concentration like steel, you go on casting your spell even though you are beset by enemies.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least one invocation, concentration 4 ranks, Iron Will, CON 13+
Benefit: If you are interrupted during the casting of an invocation, you can make a concentration check DC 10+spell level+points of damage taken. If you succeed, you continue casting the spell uninterrupted. If you fail, the spell is interrupted as normal.
Dabbler
You have some magical talent, and enough training to cast simple spells.
Prerequisites: Charisma 13+ and Gifted, or Gnome and Gifted, or at least one level in any arcane class.
Benefit: Choose a single cantrip from any lore. You can cast that cantrip as if you were a wizard with a first level spell of that lore prepared, as long as you have at least one focus point remaining.
Disruptive Strike
You have learned how to ruin a wizard's day with a few well-placed strikes.
Prerequisites: Base Attack Bonus 4+
Benefits: Whenever you deal damage to an arcanist with a melee or ranged attack using a manufactured or natural weapon, the arcanist uses one point of focus.
Focus of Steel [Arcane]
With unbreakable concentration, you maintains spells for just a few more critical seconds when they would otherwise be lost.
Prerequisites: Concentration 4 ranks, Iron Will, Focus 2 or more.
Benefits: When a condition would make you lose enough focus to lose a prepared or already cast spell, you can instead hold on to that spell for another round without losing it, plus another round for every ten ranks you have in the concentration skill (2 rounds at 10 ranks, and 3 rounds at 20 ranks).
Gifted [General]
You have a basic, if undeveloped talent for spellcasting.
Prerequisites: Charisma 13+ or gnome
Benefit: You count as an Arcanist, even if you do not have any levels in an Arcane class. You gain one point of focus, and you may cast prestidigitations at will.
If you lose your focus, you regain it at the next sunrise, unless you are already a member of an arcane class, in which case you use the method of that class. However, this point of focus does not stack with the focus gained from any arcane class.
Magic in the Blood [Arcane]
Magic has become your second nature, a true part of you.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least one mantra, arcane caster level 8 or higher
Benefit: Choose a single mantra you know that can affect you. You count as permanently under the effect of that mantra, without having to cast it or having to spend any focus on it. When you cast it, it counts as a supernatural effect. If you lose the effect of the mantra in any way, such as from an antimagic field, it returns on its own five rounds later.
Mobile Spellcasting [Arcane]
You have trained yourself to stay mobile in battle, instead of being a stationary target.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least one invocation, caster level 6 or higher, Dex 13+
Benefit: As part of the casting of any invocation, you can make a concentration check DC 20+spell level. If you succeed, you can move up to your speed as part of casting the spell. If the check fails, you lose the spell and fail to cast it, just as if you had been interrupted. You still provoke attacks of opportunity for casting spells from any creatures who threaten you at any point of your movement.
Word of Power
Through long and careful study, you have discovered one of the most powerful magical effects possible, one of the fabled Power Words, a single word of the mystical language of creation that carries all the power of a spell.
Prerequisites: Arcane caster level 12th, must know at least three arcane spells, Bluff 4 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks, Perform: Oratory 4 ranks, Truespeak 7 ranks
Benefit: You can learn to cast a single incantation you know,of a level up to two less than the highest level of spell you can cast, as a power word instead. This incantation must have an instantaneous effect and must not have a range of [self]. The power word counts as a separate spell known from the incantation on which it is based, and therefore takes up another spell known slot.
The basic effect of the power word is like that of the incantation on which it is based, with the following differences:
Power words take two points of focus to prepare (for wizards) or cast (for sorcerers) instead of one.
Power words take a swift action to cast instead of a full round.
Power words do not allow a save, and can not affect multiple targets. Instead, if they target objects, they can now only target a single object. If they target creatures, they now target one creature with a current hit point total of 300-(20 times spell level) or less. (E.g. a third level power word could target a creature with up to 240 HP, while an eight level power word could target a creature with up to
Power words always allow spell resistance in their targets, and if it targets a creature, it counts as a [mind-affecting] spell.
Note: This feat is rather experimental. A player should work with a DM in finding a suitable power word, as some incantations may provide rather wonky results if used this way.
Multiclass Feats
Arcane Bloodhound
Prerequisites: Track, Second Favoured Enemy class feature, must know at least three spells of the Lore of the Hunt
Benefit: Your ranger level count fully when determining your arcane caster level, instead of half and your levels in arcane classes stack with your ranger level for determining your favoured enemy bonus.
You may add your favoured enemy bonus on all save DCs for spells of the Lore of Hunt when casting them on favoured enemies.
Jade Phoenix Initiate:
Prerequisites: Must know least one second level maneuver of the Desert Wind School, must be able to spontaneously cast second level spells of the Lore of the Phoenix
Benefit: Your sorcerer level counts fully when determining your initiator level and your swordsage level counts fully when determining arcane caster level.
Whenever you successfully deal fire damage to a creature with a spell of the Lore of the Phoenix, you may immediately restore an expended maneuver of the Desert Wind School as a swift action. Whenever you successfully deal fire damage to a creature with a maneuver of the Desert Wind school, you may immediately cast Vigor as a swift action.
Metamagic Feats:
The following metamagic feats work as described in their SRD entries, except for the general changes to metamagic feats described above, and the fact that they are all also arcane feats. Given in brackets are the focus costs.
Empower spell (1), Enlarge spell (1), Maximize spell (2), Widen Spell (2).
Eldan
2012-02-22, 10:30 AM
Arcane Items
Channelling Rods
Channelling Rods are the items perhaps most commonly associated with arcane magic in the minds of the public. They are, in their most common form, slender staves of wood, perhaps a foot long, carved with arcane symbols and often topped with gems.
Channelling Rods are used to enhance an experienced arcanist's power to employ cantrips. They are keyed to a specific lore, so that one would have a Channelling Rod of the Phoenix, or a Channelling Rod of Death.
By holding a Channelling Rod in one hand, the wizard can cast cantrips as if he had a spell of one level higher than normal of the associated school prepared. However, he can not use the Channelling Rod to empower cantrips to a higher level than the highest level spell he could normally cast, and they still need to have at least one spell of the relevant lore prepared to cast the spell at all.
Example: Harold Bremen is a level 5 wizard specializing. He still has a second level spell prepared, but has already cast all his third level spells this fight. Without a channelling rod, his cantrip would be second level, as that is his highest level spell of that lore. However, with the rod, his cantrip still has its full power and is cast at third level. If he casts all his second level spells, he only has first level spells of the relevant lore left, and the power of his cantrip sinks to level 2.
Orbs
Orbs are spheres of stone or crystal that are inscribed with magical runes and sigils that run around it in continual bands, describing a single Mantra.
Arcanists can activate an Orb while holding it by investing it with one or more points of focus as a standard action. The orb begins to spin gently and the Mantra becomes active as if they caster had cast it (with the caster's caster level, spell DCs and affecting targets of his choice), even if they do not know it. The mantra stays active until the caster expends the focus in the orb or they drop it from their hand, at which point the invested focus becomes expended automatically.
Market Price Price: Mantra level squared * 400 gold pieces.
Ioun Orbs: Ioun Orbs are an improved version of normal orbs that do not require casters to hold it in their hand, instead perpetually hovering near the caster's head while invested. Ioun Orbs cost twice as much as normal orbs.
Arcane Races
High Elf
It is said that, once upon a time, a civil war between Titania and Mab, the two daughters of the High King Nuadha, sundered the Plane of Faerie into a thousand shards, to be scattered across the planes.
When the Seelie and Unseelie court went to war, many lesser courts rose to take their place: winter and summer, spring and autumn, and the courts of daydream and nightmare.
The least of all the fey were the elves, the commoners of faerie, who were, almost all of them, enslaved to nightmare. Only in a brutal civil war did the elves free themselves, fleeing across the planes of Aether and shadow, and the hidden fairy pathways, to the material, to live among the mortal races.
Yet, still, they are immortal, and the Queen of Nightmares, ever vengeful, stalks them forever. They can never dream, for should they dream, she would find them. So they have thought themselves meditation techniques to avoid dreaming, and powerful magics to resist her call. The magic of their fey ancestors is still strong in their blood as well, so that, with their discipline and talent, they may perhaps be the greatest wizards in the mortal world.
Size and Type: Medium Humanoid (Elf)
Abilities: +4 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha. High Elves are quick and graceful, with minds honed by millenia of practice to razor sharpness, but they are not resilient as other mortals are, and their constant watchfulness and concentration makes them seem aloof and uncaring to others.
Base Land Speed: 30 ft.
Meditation: Elves have a +2 racial bonus on all concentration and autohypnosis checks, and these skills are always class skills for them (even if they are not psionic). Instead of sleeping, elves go into a deep trance for at least four hours each day, which provides them the same rest as normal sleep does to humans.
Arcane: Elves count as Arcane even if they do not take any levels in an Arcane class. They have one point of focus, even if they take no arcane classes, and they make learn arcane feats. If they take levels in any arcane class, their point of focus is added to that gained from that class.
Frightful Dreams: All elves are trained from childhood not to sleep and to distinguish reality from deception, and, using powerful magic, have made this so much a part of their lives that even their newborns do not sleep at all. Elves have a +2 racial bonus on will saves against all compulsions, phantasms and patterns, and a +4 racial bonus against all sleep spells and effects,but a -2 penalty on all saves against all spells which work on them while they are asleep, such as a Nightmare spell. Finally, if they should ever fall asleep, through such an effect or otherwise, they become fatigued for the next 24 hours and suffer 1d4 wisdom damage.
Immortal: Elves do not age as other mortals do: they are effectively immortal and do not gain any penalties or bonuses for aging. Upon gaining their first class level, they can select two class skills, gaining a +4 racial bonus in those skills, representing the fact that they likely have trained in their given profession for centuries. Furthermore, they treat all exotic weapons with "elven" in their title (such as an elven courtblade) as martial weapons instead.
Sealed Memories: In their centuries of life, every elf accumulates more memories than they could ever consciously process. To cope with this fact, elves use their nightly meditation to seal away unnecessary facts and memories, and to access and relive ancient ones. This has the side effect that every elf has vast amounts of forgotten knowledge sealed inside him. Once per day after the elf has stopped trancing, he can make an intelligence check to remember a specific, helpful fact about something they heard the day before. This functions as a bard's bardic knowledge.
Automatic Languages: Common, Elven. Bonus languages: Dwarven, Draconic, Giant, Gnome, Sylvan.
Favoured Class: Wizard
Level Adjustment: +1
Racial Substitution Level: Elven High Mage
I have studied magic for a thousand years, human. Do you really think these few would be all the spells I know?
Requirement: Elf, Wizard (Scholar path) level 6 or 15.
Lose: Arcane Thesis
Gain: Spell Memory. Every time you finish trancing for your four daily hours, you may choose any spell you qualify for. Add that spell to your spells known for the day. This spell does not count for purposes for qualifying for any Arcana.
Ritual Magic
What is Ritual Magic?
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"The true power of magic is not in waving a wand and shooting fire. It is not even in transforming yourself beyond the limits of the human body, or in raising servants to do your bidding.
The true power of magic flows in the bones of the earth and the winds. It is beyond the power of any man to ever trulycontrol. At best, it can be...guided."
Designer's Note: I see ritual magic as an extension to my arcane magic classes above, giving the potential of some magic to every character, as well as giving larger magical effects to wizards and sorcerers. However, the ritual magic system is largely self-contained and can also be used independently from the classes and lores.
Some spells are of a power to awesome and complex to be simply memorized and invoked as lesser spells are. They require long and complicated ceremonies, magical circles and diagrams of fiendish complexity, ancient writings from long-lost empires and components costly enough to beggar kings and merchant princes alike.
These spells are rituals. They have their own unique drawbacks: unlike invocations, cantrips or mantras, they do not require the perfomer's own magical energies. Instead of channelling the mage's own (likely insufficient) energy, they guide environmental flows of power into the desired result. However, rituals are so complicated that they take many minutes, potentially even hours to cast and the smallest mistake can result in catastrophic consequences.
Finally, since no actual magical gift is required, everyone can potentially learn magical rituals, if they are dedicated enough to their studies.
Learning Rituals
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Rituals can only be learned in two ways: from those that already know them, often wise old masters or extraplanar beings of magical power, or from texts detailing them: ancient tomes in dusty libraries or tablets and inscriptions from long-lost civilizations.
Rituals can only be learned by those who have taken the Ritual Casting feat. It takes one day per level of the ritual and a cost of (3*level-1)*50 gold pieces in rare components, plus whatever material cost the ritual usually has, and five gold pieces per experience cost the ritual has. (This is the same cost as a scroll of the same level would have).
Finally, each ritual has a knowledge requirement: a certain amount of ranks in a specific knowledge skill required to learn the ritual.
Performing Rituals
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Rituals can be performed by any creature who has learned the ritual in question and meets the prerequisites. The necessary ceremony usually takes ten minutes per effective ritual level (though there are exceptions) and a spell craft check with a DC of 10+(3*ritual level). A failure on the check means that consequences occur, as described in the ritual. The ritual can not safely be aborted once started, this counts as a failure. A flat and stable surface at least ten feet across is required for any ritual, as well as a spell component pouch.
Performing the ritual takes a great amount of concentration, and therefore concentration checks must be made to perform it under difficult circumstances, as with a spell of the same level, or the ritual fails. If the performer takes any amount of damage during the ritual, it automatically fails. Any failure on the ritual counts as a failed spellcraft check for the purposes of consequences. If there are several degrees of failing the check, use the least severe one in this case, unless the performer is actually killed during the ritual, which counts as a check failed by 10 points.
All rituals count as having voice, somatic and material components, which can never be removed or suppressed in any way, not even by feats or abilities which allow ignoring one or several of these components (such as a sorcerer's blood component or the Eschew Materials feat).
For purposes such as spell resistance or dispelling, a ritual’s caster level is considered equal to the performer’s ranks in spellcraft minus three.
Variants and Modifications
Many rituals can be cast in different ways. This manifests itself in two ways:
Variants are different versions of the same ritual that, while similar, still make the ritual have effects that are very different, such as effecting different alignments. Variants must each be learned separately, though, since the basics are always the same, learning a variant of an already known ritual only ever takes one day and no additional gold cost.
Modifications are ways in which a known ritual can be changed on the spot, often to make it more powerful. Modifications do not have to be learned separately, but they often make a ritual more difficult to perform.
Rituals and Skill Checks
Designer's Note: Since potentially failing the skill checks is important to rituals as I see them, I wanted to limit the ways in which one can improve one's skill check for this. So, here's a few general notes on what I consider reasonable. These might not potentially cover everything.
Aid Another: Other creatures can only aid the performer on his skill check if they have the Ritual Magic feat as well, and only one creature may help at a time. However, the feat section contains several feats which increase the possibilities for assisting in rituals.
Items: Items that increase spellcraft skill checks do not help with ritual performance. The exceptions are the special ritual items described in the item section below.
Spells: Spells that grant a bonus to skill checks do not help with performing rituals.
Ritual Feats
Ritual Casting
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks
Benefits: You can learn rituals and cast ritual magic. Choose one Knowledge skill: that skill always is a class skill for you.
Special: Archivists and cloistered clerics can choose to take this feat as a bonus feat at level one, instead of Scribe Scroll. Wizards of the Scholar archetype can learn it as a bonus feat.
Circle Magic
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Ritual Casting
Benefits: When using Ritual Magic, any number of creatures can assist you with the ritual by using Aid Another on your spellcraft check to perform the ritual, and they need not have the Ritual magic feat themselves. However, no matter the number of ritual, the total bonus to your spellcraft check can never exceed twice the ritual’s effective level.
Normal: Only one creature may assist you in casting rituals.
Delay Ritual
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Concentration 6 ranks, Ritual Casting, Focus 1 point
Benefit: You have learned how to delay the effect of a ritual, so that it does not immediately take place upon it's completion. Upon performing a ritual, you can invest it with one point of focus. For up to one hour afterwards, you can expend that focus as a full round action which provokes an attack of opportunity to complete the ritual. The ritual still affects the same area or target as when you prepared it. If the hour is up, the ritual is automatically cast.
Meditation of the Higher Spheres
Have you ever considered how the ancients invented rituals? Who wrote all those tables that we take our instructions from?
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Ritual Casting, Concentration 6 ranks
Benefit: Instead of studying ancient texts, you draw the inspiration for new rituals directly from the arcane energy flows of the cosmos.
You can learn new rituals by meditating eight hours a day in absolute concentration for two days per level of the ritual. You still need to fulfil the knowledge ranks requirement, but you do not have to pay any money to learn the ritual, nor do you need any tutors, libraries or tablets.
Violent Feedback:
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks, Ritual Casting
Benefit: Whenever a ritual you cast is interrupted by an attack, you can choose to unleash a barrage of raw magical energy against the attacker as you unleash the unspent power of the ritual. The attacker suffers 1d6 points of force damage per level of the ritual interrupted. This effect allows spell resistance and counts as having a caster level equal to the minimum spellcraft DC of the ritual.
Ritual Items
Tablets
There are many ancient writings in the multiverse that describe the magical rituals of long-forgotten civilizations. While they may be inscribed on crumbling scrolls or etched into the walls of long-buried ruins, scholars most commonly refer to these as tablets as, in their most common form, they are inscribed on clay or stone tablets perhaps an inch think and a foot square.
Tablets cost (three times the level of the ritual inscribed-1)*75 gold pieces to make. Writing them takes eight hours, a process which can be successfully completed by anyone able to perform the ritual.
By using a ritual, anyone who fulfils the knowledge requirement can learn a ritual or variant in one day less than it would normally take to learn the ritual (or half a day for first level rituals), without the need for libraries or tutors, and without having to pay any money cost.
Ritual Names
Though many rituals are based on D&D 3.5 core or Spell Compendium spells, there are changes, and often, more than one spell was folded into the same ritual. Furthermore, those rituals may have different names from the spells, to represent a possibly changed function. See below for a list of spells and the rituals based on them.
Spell
Ritual
Lesser [Spell], Greater [Spell], Improved [Spell] etc.
[Spell]
Alarm
Alarm
Alter Self
Alter Self
Align Weapon
Anoint Weapon
Animate Dead
Animate Dead
Antilife Shell
Warding Sphere
Antiplant Sphere
Warding Sphere
Astral Projection
Spirit Journey
Awaken
Awaken
Augury
Augry
Banishment
Banishment
Bless Water
Bless Water
Continual Flame
Continual Flame
Dismissal
Banishment
Divination
Augury
Dream
Dream
Earthquake
Earthquake
Gate
Gate
Locate Creature
Locator
Locate Object
Locator
Mage's Disjunction
Disjunction
Planar Ally
Planar Binding
Planar Binding
Planar Binding
Plane Shift
Teleport
Shadow Walk
Shadow Walk
Teleport
Teleport
Teleportation Circle
Teleport
Sample Rituals
Alarm
Alarm
Abjuration
Effective Level: 1st
To learn: Knowledge: Arcane 4 ranks
Ritual Time: 10 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 13
Range: Touch
Area: 20 ft. radius emanation, centered on the ritual area
Duration: 2 hours
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Failure Consequences: Warning
Alarm sounds an audible alarm each time a creature of Tiny or larger size enters the warded area or touches it. A creature that speaks the password (determined by you at the time of casting) does not set off the alarm.
The Alarm produces the sound of a hand bell, and anyone within 60 feet of the warded area can hear it clearly. Reduce the distance by 10 feet for each interposing closed door and by 20 feet for each substantial interposing wall. In quiet conditions, the ringing can be heard faintly as far as 180 feet away. The sound lasts for 1 round. Creatures within a silence spell cannot hear the ringing.
Modification:
Duration: You can increase the spells duration. For every hour you increase it by, the DC of the spellcraft check increases by 1 point.
Mental Alarm: you can choose to make the alarm mental, so that only you hear it, in which case it produces a ringing sound inside your mind. The sound does not disturb concentration, but wakes you while sleeping. You can not hear the alarm if you are more than one mile away from the warded area. A mental alarm does not increase the spell’s casting DC.
Effectiveness: For every five points you increase the DC by, the minimum size category to trip the alarm is lowered by one.
Sound: you can change the sound of the alarm to any sound you choose that is not louder than a handbell, by increasing the DC of the spellcraft check by 3 points.
Variant:
Permanent Alarm: A permanent alarm requires 12 ranks of Knowledge: Arcane to learn and costs 500 XP to cast. The permanent alarm can be dispelled, but returns on its own at the next sunrise.
Failure consequences:
If you fail your spellcraft check by three points or less, the alarm is still created. However, the warded area will have a faint glow or similar effect about it, noticeable on a DC 15 spot check, which will warn potential intruders of the ward.
If you fail your check by more than three points, the ritual simply fails.
Alter Self
Alter Self
Transmutation
Effective Level: 2nd
To learn: Knowledge: Nature 6 ranks
Ritual Time: 20 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 16
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 hour
Failure Consequences: System Shock
You assume the appearance of a creature of the same creature type and size category as yourself. You can change into a member of your own kind or even into yourself. You must be familiar with the new form, having encountered it in person and made a successful knowledge check to identify it.
You retain your own ability scores. Your class and level, hit points, alignment, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses all remain the same. You retain all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have (such as a mouth for a breath weapon or eyes for a gaze attack).
You keep all extraordinary special attacks and qualities derived from class levels, but you lose any from your normal form that are not derived from class levels.
If the new form is capable of speech, you can communicate normally. You retain any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but the new form must be able to speak intelligibly (that is, speak a language) to use verbal components and must have limbs capable of fine manipulation to use somatic or material components.
You can freely designate the new form’s minor physical qualities (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) within the normal ranges for a creature of that kind. The new form’s significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) are also under your control, but they must fall within the norms for the new form’s kind. You are effectively disguised as an average member of the new form’s race. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.
When the change occurs, your equipment, if any, either remains worn or held by the new form (if it is capable of wearing or holding the item), or melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When you revert to your true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on your body they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items you wore in the assumed form and can’t wear in your normal form fall off and land at your feet; any that you could wear in either form or carry in a body part common to both forms at the time of reversion are still held in the same way. Any part of the body or piece of equipment that is separated from the whole reverts to its true form.
You can voluntarily end the effects of the ritual at any time.
You also gain some of the physical qualities of the target creature while in your new form: select two changes from the following list.
-+2 enhancement bonus to any physical attribute. You can only take this feature up to two times, doubling the bonus, but only if your new form has a higher racial modifier in this attribute than your own race.
-+10 ft. land, burrow or swim speed (you may take this feature several times, each time increasing the speed by another ten feet, but only take this feature if your new form has that kind of speed, and if that speed is faster than that of your own race.
-+4 racial bonus to any skill. You can only take this feature if your target creature has a racial bonus in this skill.
-+2 natural armour bonus. You can take this feature more up to three times, each time increasing the bonus by another +2, but only if your new form has a higher natural armour bonus than your own form.
-Claw, tentacle or bite attack, dealing 1d4 damage (for a creature of medium size, adapt for other sizes as normal), but only if the new form has such a natural attack.
-The ability to breathe water, but only if the new form can breathe underwater.
-Dark- or lowlight vision, if the new form has it, to the same distance as that creature.
-Scent, if the new form has it, to a maximum distance of 15 feet, even if the target creature has more.
Modification
Additional features: you can add more features from the list, each new feature increasing the DC by 4 points. The features must be possessed by the new form, as normal.
Duration: for every 3 points you can increase the duration by another hour.
Failure
If you fail the skill check for the ritual by three points or less, you become fatigued, though the transformation still happens.
If you fail the skill check by four points or more, you suffer system shock as your internal organs are mangled. The transformation still happens. You suffer one point of damage for each point you fail the check by, which cannot be healed in any way until you end the effects of the ritual.
Note:
The DM may wish to add additional features to that list. These are merely the basics.
Anoint Weapon
Anoint Weapon
Transmutation [Alignment subtype]
Effective Level: 2nd
To learn: Knowledge: Religion 6 ranks
Ritual Time: 20 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 16
Range: Touch
Target: 1 weapon
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Failure Consequences: None
The weapon is anointed with sacred oils and herbs, so that it is considered to be the alignment of the ritual for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction of creatures.
Cost:
Sacred herbs and oils worth ten gold pieces.
Modification:
For every two points you increase the DC by, you can add another weapon. Each weapon adds another ten gold pieces to the cost.
For every three points you increase the DC by, the effects of this ritual last another 24 hours.
Variant:
Each of the four alignments counts as a variant for the purpose of this ritual, and the ritual becomes the relevant alignment subtype when performed.
Animate Dead
Animate Dead
Necromancy
Effective Level: 3rd
To learn: Knowledge: Religion 8 ranks
Ritual Time: 30 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 19
Range: Touch
Target: 1 or more corpses touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Failure Consequences: Dust to Dust, Loss of control
You can animate up to ten hit dice worth of death creatures into undead creatures, either zombies, for which the corpse must still be mostly intact, or skeletons, for which the creature must have a skeletal system that is still mostly intact.
The corpses are under your control and follow your orders indefinitely, though you can not control more than 4 hit dice worth of undead per character level. If you exceed this limit, undead from earlier castings of this ritual become uncontrolled.
Zombies and skeletons created by this ritual are True Neutral in alignment, as they are little more than necromantically animated constructs without souls bound to them. Creatures whose corpses you reanimate can be resurrected by spells that do not require a full body without destroying these undead.
Cost:
Black Onyx worth 25 gold pieces per hit dice of undead to be created, placed in the eye sockets (skeleton) or below the tongue (zombie) of the corpses.
Modification:
You can create more undead creatures, up to twice your character level in hit dice. For every hit die of zombie created this way, increase the spell craft DC by 1 point.
You may choose to bind the soul of the creature the corpse belonged to into the undead creatures you create, so that they can no longer be resurrected even by rituals which do not need a body until the undead is destroyed. Doing so increases the spellcraft DC by 3 points per soul to be bound, makes the created undead Neutral Evil in alignment and gives the [Evil] descriptor to the ritual.
Failure Consequences:
If you fail your spellcraft check by three points or less, the corpses you are working on are damaged and can no longer be used as undead of any kind.
If you fail your spellcraft check by four or more points, you rip the souls of the affected creatures out of their afterlives and bind them to the rotting bodies in a terrible state of perpetual torture. For every point you fail your spellcraft check by, one hit die worth of undead created (though at least one whole creature, starting with the weakest) are not under your control and instead seek to attack and kill you. Their alignment changes to neutral evil.
Augury
Augury
Divination
Effective Level: 2nd
To learn: Knowledge: Religion 6 ranks
Ritual Time: 20 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC varies (see text)
Range: Personal
Duration: Instantaneous
Failure Consequences: False information
You can tell whether a particular action will bring good or bad results in the next hour. During the ritual, the action in question has to be described as clearly as possible. Then, a spellcraft check is made in secret by the DM. The ritual has a chance to succeed of 60% plus the result of your spellcraft check to perform the ritual, to a maximum of 90%. If you fail, you get a randomly chosen wrong answer instead, but you do not know whether your ritual failed.
The answer you receive in the ritual is a simple weal (the action, if done as described, will bring positive results for you), woe (it will bring negative results for you), both or neither.
Modification
You may choose to lower your success chance by 20% to increase how far the spell can see into the future. If you do, you instead get an Augury predicting the consequences of the spell for the next twenty-four hours.
Variant
Divination: this variant requires 10 ranks of Knowledge: religion to learn and allows you to instead ask a single question about an event that will occur within the next week, or a goal you wish to achieve within that time. If successful, you will get a short piece of cryptic advice regarding that goal.
Awaken
Awaken
Enchantment
Effective Spell Level: 5th
To Learn: Knowledge: the Planes 12 ranks
Ritual Time: 50 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 25
Range: Touch
Target: One animal touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Modification: Ability scores
Failure Consequences: Insane rage
Cost: 50 XP
You awake an animal to full sentience. This changes its intelligence score to 3 and it's type to magical beast (it keeps all its subtypes). It gains the ability to speak any one language you speak (your choice).
The awakened animal is initially friendly towards you, though that may change later.
Modification:
For every three points you increase the spellcraft DC by, you may increase the awakened animal's intelligence by one point, up to a maximum of 18 or two points less than your own intelligence, whichever is lower.
Failure:
If you fail your spellcraft check, the animal gains intelligence as normal for the ritual, but falls into an unthinking, blind rage, unable to cope with the transformation. It will try to attack and kill any creature it sees, preferably the ritual performer and even attack objects or the landscape around it if no other target presents itself. It gains all the benefits of a Rage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/rage.htm) spell while it is thus enraged.
The rage will not stop by itself, though a calm emotion spell may suppress the rage for it's duration. A wish, miracle, break enchantment or remove curse spell or ritual ends it.
Banishment
Banishment
Abjuration
Effective Spell Level: 4th
To Learn: Knowledge: the Planes 10 ranks
Ritual Time: 40 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 22
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One extraplanar creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Modification: Power, Area
Failure Consequences: Diminishing, Feedback
This ritual forces an extraplanar creature with up to 14 HD back to its proper plane if it fails its save. If the ritual is successful, the creature is instantly whisked away, but there is a 20% chance of actually sending the subject to a plane other than its own.
You can improve the ritual’s chance of success by presenting at least one object or substance that the target hates, fears, or otherwise opposes. For each such object or substance, you gain a +1 bonus on your caster level check to overcome the target’s spell resistance (if any), the saving throw DC increases by 2.
Modification:
For every 2 points you increase the DC by, you may banish an additional 2 HD worth of extraplanar creatures.
FOr every 3 points you increase the DC by, you may banish another creature, if the combined HD of all creatures banished don't exceed your HD limit for the ritual.
Failure:
If you fail the spellcraft check by 3 points or less, the target creature is merely dazed for 1d6 rounds.
If you fail by 4 points or less, the ritual backfires. If you have the extraplanra subtyle, you are banished instead, if you fail a will save. Otherwise, you are yourself dazed for 1d6 rounds.
Bless Water
Bless Water
Transmutation [Good]
Effective Level: 1st
To learn: Knowledge: Religion 4 ranks
Ritual Time: 10 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 13
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
Failure Consequences: None
You imbue a flask of water with positive and good energy, turning it into holy water. If you fail your spellcraft check, the material component is not consumed.
Modification:
Unholy Water: instead of creating holy water, you may create unholy water, which, instead of damaging the undead and evil outsiders, damages only good outsiders. This changes the ritual's [good] subtype to the [evil] subtype.
Material Component:
Powdered silver worth 25 gold pieces.
Continual Flame
Continual Flame
Evocation [Light]
Effective Level: 2nd
To learn: Knowledge: Arcana 6 ranks
Ritual Time: 20 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC
Range: Touch
Target: Object touched
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: No
Failure Consequences: Fire
A flame, equivalent in brightness to a torch, is invoked from an object that you touch. The effect looks like a regular flame, but it creates no heat and doesn’t use oxygen. A continual flame can be covered and hidden but not smothered or quenched.
Light spells counter and dispel darkness spells of an equal or lower level.
Material Component:
Ruby dust worth 50 GP that is sprinkled over the item to be lit.
Modification:
Colour: If you increase the DC by 2 points, the flame can be of any visible colour.
Pattern: If you increase the DC by 3 points, the flame can flicker or blink in any simple pattern.
Trigger: If you increase the DC by 3 points, you can choose to have the item be either lit or extinguished by a certain command word or a touch. Trigger items can be lit or extinguished any number of times.
Failure Consequences:
You accidentally set the object on fire, dealing 1d4 points of damage to it, plus another point of damage for every point you failed your spellcraft check by. The damage is half fire damage and half untyped damage.
Disjunction
Disjunction
Abjuration
Effective Level: 9th
To learn: Knowledge: Arcana 20 ranks
Ritual Time: 90 minutes
To perform: See text
Range: Touch
Duration: 24 hours, see text
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: None
Failure Consequences: Backlash, Unraveling, Tearing the Weave
You slowly and carefully unravel the magic inherent in a spell or magical item, rendering them mundane.
You can target either a magical item of any size and power that you can touch, or any magical effect that either has a duration long enough that it is active during the entire ritual or even reverse one that is instantaneous (as Break Enchantment).
To complete the ritual, you have to make a spellcraft check against the item or effect’s caster level + 15. You may even affect an artefact, which are considered to have a caster level of at least 30, or even higher, as determined by the DM.
Modification:
Residuum: By choosing to increase the DC by 10 points, you can try and keep some of the magical energy inherent in magical items you disjoin as a glittering, fine powder called Residuum, which can only be spent on crafting new items as a material component. You gain an amount of Residuum worth one quarter of the disjoined item’s market price.
Failure:
If you fail by five points or less, the effect is still dispelled, but you are hit by magical backlash, dealing you 2d6 points of force damage for every point you failed by.
If you fail by six to twelve points, the backlash becomes even more extreme: for every point you fail the check by, you lose the ability to cast any spells, use any spell-completion items, or complete any rituals for four hours.
If you fail by thirteen or more points, a hole is ripped into the very fabric of magic. This creates a permanent dead magic zone with a radius of one foot per point you failed the check by. In this zone, no spells or rituals can be cast, and all spells that allow spell resistance and pass through any point of the field simply end.
Dream
Dream
Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-affecting)
Effective Level: 5th
To learn: Knowledge: the Planes 12 ranks
Ritual Time: 50 minutes, see text
To perform: Spellcraft DC 25
Range: Same plane
Duration: 24 hours, see text
Saving Throw: Will negates, see text
Spell Resistance: None
Failure Consequences: Wrong recipient, Backfire, Emotional turmoil
You fall into a deep trance after completing the ritual, in which your mind leaves your body to send a message to another dreaming creature you know and can clearly identify by name or a unique title. You are completely unaware of anything happening to your body or its surroundings while in this trance.
If successful, you enter the target’s dream in your true form and deliver a message of any length to it, as long as it is shorter than the duration of the spell.
If the recipient is awake when the spell begins, the messenger can choose to wake up (ending the spell) or remain in the trance. The messenger can remain in the trance until the recipient goes to sleep, then enter the recipient’s dream and deliver the message as normal. A messenger that is disturbed during the trance comes awake, ending the spell.
Modification:
You can choose to take another creature you can touch into trance with you, and let them deliver the message. This increases the spellcraft DC by four points.
You can try and send a dream to a creature on another plane. This increases the DC by four points if the plane in question touches the one you are currently on, and by eight points, if it doesn’t.
For every two points you increase the DC by, you can choose to let the spell last another day, but only if you use one ofthe emotional modifications mentioned below.
Variation:
You can choose to connect an emotion to the message you send the target. Every emotion is its own variant you have to learn separately. The effects of the emotion last until the end of the duration. Implanting an emotion increases the spellcraft DC by five points.
Encouragement: You inspire the target to good hope. The target gains a +1 morale bonus on all saves againts fear and despair and all skill checks. This adds the compulsion descriptor to the ritual.
Fear: The target sees horrible visions of you. Whenever the target sees or otherwise perceives and identifies you, it becomes shaken for one minute or until it no longer perceives you, whichever is later. This adds the compulsion and fear descriptors to the ritual.
Friendship: The target believes you to be it’s friend and becomes charmed towards you, as by a charm monster spell. This adds the charm descriptor to the ritual.
Rage: Your image in the dream taunts and harasses the dreamer. The dreamer will try to attcack you whenever he can and gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls when attacking you while under this effect. This is a compulsion effect.
Failure:
The kind of failure resulting depends on whether or not you tried to implant an emotion in the target.
If you fail by fewer than four points, the ritual merely fails.
If you fail by four or more points and did not try to implant an emotion, the message is sent to a randomly chosen different creature on the same plane as the intended recipient instead.
If you fail by four to six points and did try to instill an emotion, the target instead receives a different, randomly chosen emotion.
If you fail by seven or more points and tried to instill an emotion, the emotion backfires on yourself instead, so you feel it towards the target now.
Earthquake
Earthquake
Evocation (Earth)
Effective Level: 6th
To Learn: Knowledge: Geography 14 ranks
Ritual Time: 60 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 28
Range: 1000 ft.
Area: 120 ft. radius spread
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: see text
Spell Resistance: No
Modification: Area, Duration
Failure Consequences: Diminishing, Feedback
When you cast earthquake, an intense but highly localized tremor rips the ground. The shock knocks creatures down, collapses structures, opens cracks in the ground, and more. The effect lasts for 1 or more rounds, during which time creatures on the ground can’t move or attack unless they succeed on a strength check DC 30. Any spellcaster on the ground must make a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level) or lose any spell he or she tries to cast. The earthquake affects all terrain, vegetation, structures, and creatures in the area. The specific effect of an earthquake spell depends on the nature of the terrain where it is cast:
Cave, Cavern, or Tunnel
The spell collapses the roof, dealing 8d6 points of bludgeoning damage to any creature caught under the cave-in (Reflex DC 15 half, but creatures with evasion still take half damage on a successful save) and pinning that creature beneath the rubble (see below). An earthquake cast on the roof of a very large cavern could also endanger those outside the actual area but below the falling debris.
Cliffs
Earthquake causes a cliff to crumble, moving the cliff face ten feet back. This creates a landslide that covers a square as wide as the cliff and as long as the cliff is high, starting at the new face of the cliff. The rubble is ten feet high and counts as difficult terrain. Any creature in the landslide takes 8d6 points of bludgeoning damage (Reflex DC 15 half) and is pinned beneath the rubble (see below).
Open Ground
Each creature standing in the area must make a DC 15 Reflex save or fall down, taking 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage. Fissures open in the earth, and every creature on the ground has a 25% chance to fall into one (Reflex DC 20 to avoid a fissure). At the end of the spell, all fissures grind shut, dealing 8d6 damage to any trapped creature. The creatures become buried alive twenty feet below ground. If the creature has a burrow speed, it can free itself normally, otherwise, it must attempt a strength check DC 30 to move or immediately begin to suffocate, in addition to suffering the effects of being buried below rubble. All open ground is turned into difficult terrain after an earthquake.
Structure
Any structure standing on open ground takes 100 points of damage, enough to collapse a typical wooden or masonry building, but not a structure built of stone or reinforced masonry. Hardness does not reduce this damage, nor is it halved as damage dealt to objects normally is. Any creature caught inside a collapsing structure takes 8d6 points of bludgeoning damage (Reflex DC 15 half) and is pinned beneath the rubble (see below). The rubble left behind forms a mound five feet high per ten feet height of the building collapsed and counts as difficult terrain.
River, Lake, or Marsh
Fissures open underneath the water, draining away the water from that area, lowering the water level by fifteen feet. Soggy marsh or swampland becomes quicksand for the duration of the spell, sucking down creatures and structures. Each creature in the area must make a DC 15 Reflex save or sink down in the mud and quicksand. At the end of the spell, the rest of the body of water rushes in to replace the drained water. Creatures in the area must make a swim check DC 20 or take 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage from the rushing water. Trapped creatures can not attempt this swim check and automatically begin to drown.
Rubble:
Rubble begins flying through the air. Treat this as open ground, except that the flying rubble also deals an additional 1d6 points of damage per turn (reflex save DC 15 halves the damage). A creature trapped beneath the rubble takes an additional 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage, with no save.
Pinned beneath Rubble
Any creature pinned beneath rubble takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per minute while pinned. If a pinned character falls unconscious, he or she must make a DC 15 Constitution check or take 1d6 points of lethal damage each minute thereafter until freed or dead. A strength check (DC 20) allows a creature to move 5 ft upwards through rubble to free itself
Modification:
For every three points you increase the spellcraft DC by, you may increase the burst radius of the earthquake by 10 ft.
For every five points you increase the spellcraft DC by, you may increase the duration of the Earthquake by 1 round.
Failure Consequences:
If you fail your check by five points or less, the earthquake is diminished. It only covers a 30 ft. burst and never lasts for more than one round.
If you fail by six or more points, the violent energies of the spell turn inward. The earthquake does not take place. Instead, you take 1d4 points of sonic damage per point you failed your spellcraft check by and automatically fall prone.
Eldan
2012-03-15, 09:16 AM
Gate
Gate
Conjuration (Creation)
Effective Level: 9th
To learn: Knowledge: the Planes 20 ranks, but also varies (see text)
Ritual Time: 90 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 37
Range: 30 feet
Duration: One round, see text
Saving Throw: None or will negates
Spell Resistance: None
Failure Consequences: Wrong creature, Wrong location
You open a gate of between five and twenty feet in diameter, your choice at the start of the ritual, that leads to a different plane. The gate has a front side and a back side, and any creature that passes through the front side is automatically transported to the other side of the portal. The portal is two-way, so that creatures from the other side can pass over to you. As opposed to the plane shift ritual, you can open the gate to any specific location on any other plane, though deities or creatures of similar power may prevent gates opening in their realms. You must be able to clearly visualize the place you want the gate to open to, either from having seen the place in question, or from a very detailed description or picture.
Nonliving matter and energy will move almost freely between the two sides of the plane. If any of the planes has an energy trait, the other side will take on the same energy trait in a thirty foot radius around the gate. If temperatures between the two sides are more than twenty degrees apart, the same area around the gate on both sides will take on the average between the two temperatures. If the gate is opened underwater (or into another liquid material), water will pour through in a torrent, pushing creatures around the gate away from their position and filling up the area.
Instead of opening the gate to a specific place, you can also choose to open it to a specific type of creature with up to 20 HD. (though not a unique creature. “Pit fiend” is a type of creature, “Dagos, Marshall of the Pits” is a unique creature), which also adds the calling descriptor to this spell, as well as any alignment or elemental subtypes the called creature has. To do so, you must successfully make an appropriate knowledge check as if to identify the creature. The creature in question is not under any compulsion to move through the gate, though you may choose to bargain with it as with the Planar binding ritual.
A gated creature can choose to return to its home plane at any time, even when the gate is closed (unless other factors prevent it from doing so).
Modification:
For every point you increase the ritual DC by, you can leave the gate open for another round, though doing so requires concentration.
For every point you increase the DC by, the called creature may have one more maximum HD.
Variant:
Unique creatures: You can learn to summon unique creatures with this spell. This can be done in either of two ways: the creature can either choose to teach you part of it’s true name for the calling, which requires no special knowledge on your part, or you can research this on your own. This research requires a knowledge: the planes check with a DC equal to twice the hit dice of the creature and a truenaming check of the same DC.
If you choose to instead research the full true name of the creature (as per Tome of Magic: Truenaming rules), you may choose to force the creature through the gate against it’s will. This is a compulsion effect and allows the creature a will save equal to 19+your highest mental attribute modifier, plus any bonus you may have on conjuration effects, such as from a spell focus feat or wizard specialization.
If the creature fails the save, it is pulled through the gate against its will, though under no compulsion to follow your orders. If it fails by five or more points, it is compulsed to follow your orders for until the next sunrise (or after 24 hours, whichever comes first), at which point it is banished back to its home plane.
Failure:
This ritual can fail in two ways, depending on how it was used.
If you tried to open a gate to a specific place and failed, the gate is instead opened to a random location on the same plane within 1d100 miles of your intended target. If you fail by four or more points, the gate opens to a different layer (if applicable) of the same plane. If you fail by eight or more points, it opens to the wrong plane, instead.
If you tried to open a gate to a specific creature and failed, the portal opens to a random different creature instead, the location of which is determined as in opening the portal to a wrong location.
Gentle Repose
Gentle Repose
Necromancy
Effective Level: 2nd
To learn: Knowledge: Religion 6 ranks
Ritual Time: 20 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 16
Range: Touch
Target: Corpse touched
Duration: One week
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: None
Failure Consequences: Crumble
You preserve the remains of a dead creature so that they do not decay. Doing so effectively extends the time limit on raising that creature from the dead (see raise dead). Days spent under the influence of this spell don’t count against the time limit. Additionally, this spell makes transporting a fallen comrade more pleasant.
The spell also works on severed body parts and the like.
Material Component:
A pinch of salt, and a copper piece for each eye the corpse has (or had).
Modification:
For each point you increase the DC by, the corpse will last another day.
Failure Consequences:
If you fail your spellcraft check by four points or less, the ritual simply fails.
If you fail by five points or more, the body immediately crumbles to a handful of dust.
Identify
Identify
Divination
Effective Level: 1th
To learn: Knowledge: Arcana 4 ranks
Ritual Time: 10 minutes
To perform: See text
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
Failure Consequences: False reading
You determine the magical properties of a single magical, non-artifact item by making a spellcraft check against 10+the item's caster level. In case of activated items, you find out how to activate them, including any gestures or words necessary, and how many charges they have left.
Artefacts can not be identified.
Modification:
For every three points you increase the spellcraft DC by, you can identify another magical item, to a maximum of ten.
Material Component:
A single pearl worth at least 100 gold pieces.
Failure Consequences:
If you fail your spellcraft check by three points or less, the ritual simply fails.
If you fail by four or more points, you instead identify the item as a randomly chosen minor magic item of the same type as the item you try to identify it as.
Illusory Script
Illusory script
Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-affecting]
Effective Level: 3rd
To learn: Knowledge: Arcana 8 ranks
Ritual Time: 30 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 19
Range: Touch
Target: One object touched weighing no more than ten pounds.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
Failure Consequences: None
You write instructions or other information on parchment, paper, or any suitable writing material. The illusory script appears to be some form of foreign or magical writing. Only the person (or people) designated by you at the time of the casting are able to read the writing; it’s unintelligible to any other character, although a spellcraft check (DC 18) can reveal it to be illusory script.
Any unauthorized creature attempting to read the script triggers a potent illusory effect and must make a saving throw. A successful saving throw means the creature can look away with only a mild sense of disorientation. Failure means the creature is subject to a suggestion implanted in the script by you at the time the illusory script spell was cast, which compels it to leave the message in place and leave without reading it.
If successfully dispelled by dispel magic, the illusory script and its secret message disappear. The hidden message can be read by a combination of the true seeing spell with the read magic or comprehend languages spell.
Material Component
A lead-based ink (cost of not less than 50 gp).
Locator
Locator
Divination
Effective Level: 2nd
To learn: Knowledge: Arcane 6 ranks
Ritual Time: 20 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 16
Range: Touch, see text
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Failure Consequences: False reading, Alarm
You imbue a small object (the Locator), such as a compass, forked branch or pendulum (generally anything that can indicate a direction in some way when animated), with the signature of either a specific and unique object (e.g. “My Grandfather’s Sword”, “The Coin I slipped into the constable’s pocket”), or a kind of object (“A longsword”, “A gold coin”). To specify a unique object, you must have seen and touched that object personally, not through divination magic or similar means. Specifying a unique object increases the spellcraft DC by five points.
At will for the next twenty-four hours, you can hold the imbued object in your hand and, as a standard action, have it point in the direction of the closest specified target within 500 feet. If the target moves, your Locator will indicate that as well. If there is moving water or any lead between you and the closest target, this target is ignored and, if a type of object was specified, the next closest target is indicated instead.
Modification:
For each point you increase the spellcraft DC by, the range of the Locator is increased by 50 feet.
Variant:
Locate Creature: This variant requires at least 12 ranks in Knowledge: Arcane to learn. You may specify either a kind of creature (such as “A goblin” or “A bear”) or a unique creature (“The goblin that stabbed me this morning” or “The bear that stole my lunch”), just as with objects. As with objects, selecting a specific creature increases the spellcraft DC by five points, however, having a piece of the creature’s body, such as a drop of blood, a fingernail clipping or a lock of hair, removes that increase.
Failure Consequences:
If you fail your spellcraft check by five points or less, nothing happens.
If you fail by more than five points, but no more than ten points, you get a false reading instead: the locator is imprinted on some other kind of object or creature, as decided by the DM and will always only point at that object.
If you were searching for a creature and failed by more than ten points, the closest target creature immediately becomes aware that someone is searching for it by magical means, though it knows neither your identity nor your position.
Planar Binding
Planar Binding
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7016/planarbinding.jpg
Planar Binding is a powerful tool...
Conjuration (Calling) [See Text]
Effective Level: 4th
To learn: Knowledge the Planes 10 ranks
Ritual Time: 40 minutes or more (see text)
To perform: Spellcraft DC 22
Range: 20 ft.
Target: One elemental or outsider (see text)
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: Will (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes (see text)
Failure Consequences: Mis-summon, broken circle
Planar Binding calls forth a creature from another plane of existence to fulfill a service for you.
The Binding has six parts:
First, you have to be familiar the creature you wish to bind, by making a Knowledge: the planes check of a DC 15+the creature’s hit dice. You are limited to elementals or outsiders of eight hit dice or less, in your binding, and you can not summon a certain specimen or unique creature, only general kinds of creature (you may summon a tiny fire elemental, but not Brightspark of Evenburn, the tiny fire elemental you once met in the city of brass).
Second, you have to prepare a binding circle to bind the creature. This takes up most of the ritual time, as the circle has to be carefully prepared. Roll a spellcraft check (not the spellcraft check for the actual binding ritual, which is called later) to determine the quality of the circle.
Third, determine the creature’s disposition towards you. Normally, a creature is indifferent towards you. If the creature is an outsider, it’s disposition is reduced by one step for every two steps it’s alignment is different from your own. If the creature summoned serves the same lord (a god, an archomental, a planar ruler) you do, its disposition is improved by one step, and another step if you are currently on a mission from that lord.
Fourth, you try to force the creature to come to your summoning circle. If the creature is indifferent, unfriendly or hostile, you have to make an opposed charisma check to force it under the control of the ritual, to which you have a +5 bonus. Failure indicates the creature has refused the call and will, most likely, not come. (The DM may decide that the creature follows the call voluntarily, as some fiends out for a bargain might). Successfully contacting the right creature is another spellcraft check. A failure on this check indicates that the wrong creature was summoned.
Fifth, your circle has to hold the creature. Compare the creature’s charisma check or spell resistance, whichever is higher, to the spellcraft check made to draw the circle. If the creature wins, it can escape the circle and is free to wander the material plane until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever is later, doing whatever it wishes to do.
Sixth, you have to strike a bargain with the creature. You may not cast any spells while the creature is bound nor interact physically with it in any way, but a successful diplomacy check against 10+the creature’s HD +it’s wisdom modifier may improve it’s attitude by one step.
The creature will generally demand a favour of equal value and difficulty of the one you demand for it: in exchange for information, the creature might demand information form you. In exchange for help in combat, it might demand a difficult quest. A long-term service, such as guarding a treasure, will result in an especially dear and often personal payment.
A creature may agree to help in exchange for a reward in treasure or sacrifices if its goals align with yours or it is well disposed towards you. Such offerings will usually be worth at least 50 gold pieces per HD of the creature per day of service, which will increase if the service is especially dangerous. Spells to be cast are charged for like scrolls. The magical nature of the pact prevents the creature from offering any help for free, even if it would be willing to do so.
If a bargain is reached, the creature will provide the service you specified, though a creature that is unfriendly or hostile may twist your wording to provide a lesser benefit, or even harm you.
If, instead, no bargain is reached or the haggling goes on for over an hour, the creature is free to return to its own plane, even when called against its will.
Modification:
You may choose to summon a creature with more hit dice, but for every hit dice past eight the creature has, the DC of the spellcraft DC to call it increases by 2.
Variant:
Unique creatures: You can learn to summon unique creatures with this spell. This can be done in either of two ways: the creature can either choose to teach you part of its true name for the calling, which requires no special knowledge on your part, or you can research this on your own. (See the rules in Tome of Magic for researching true names as a guideline, though finding especially powerful True Names could require an entire quest to obtain).
Failure Consequences:
Broken Circle: If you fail the spellcraft check to draw a proper circle to hold the creature, it may break free as described above.
Mis-summon: If you fail the spellcraft check to call the right creature, however, you called something wrong.
Mere Shadow: If you failed by three points or fewer, only a shadow of the intended creature is called. The circle is filled with ghostly lights, smoke, or a similar incorporeal apparition, and the creature’s voice can be heard. The creature can negotiate with you and share knowledge, but it can not leave the circle, cast any spells or serve you for more than the hour required to strike the bargain.
Lesser Creature: If you fail by more than three, but less than six points, you call a lesser or crippled version of the intended creature. It’s strength is reduced by six points (to a minimum of one), it’s constitution and all mental attributes by four points (to a minimum of 3), its size category is reduced by one size, and it may not cast any spells or use any spell-like abilities.
Masquerade: If you fail by more than six, but less than ten points, a malevolent fiendish trickster of the DM’s choice (often a Succubus or Arcanaloth, but other fiends are possible) has felt the call and answered it. It will be magically disguised (as if by alter self) as the intended target, and appear to be friendly in attitude, but all bargains made will be twisted towards evil ends and the creature will always demand a pact or service in return.
Beyond the Veil: If you fail by ten or more points, your spell has ripped apart the fabric of creation and called a horrible creature from outside even the astral plane. The creature appears in a shape almost identical to the intended target, but horribly twisted in subtle ways and sickening to behold. It has all the abilities and attributes of the intended creature, but it is treated as mindless and immune to all spells and abilities that target a specific creature type or alignment. It will always attempt to break the circle, and then go on a rampage, devouring all in it’s path for the next twenty four-hours (at the DM’s discretion, it may instead follow more sinister, if incomprehensible goals).
...but may backfire horribly.
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/6835/planarbindingmistake.jpg
Primal Fury
Transmutation
Effective Level: 5th
To learn: Knowledge Nature 12 ranks
Ritual Time: 50 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 25
Range: 10 ft.
Target: One animal
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Failure Consequences: Abomination, System Shock
Components: XP
You permanently change one animal, which must be present for the entire duration of the ritual, into its dire version. It immediately gains all the statistics and special abilities of the corresponding dire animal and loses all those of the base creature. If it was advanced in HD over the base creature, advance the dire animal by the same number of HD and if it was trained to perform any tricks, the dire animal is trained in them as well.
Components: 50 XP per HD of the animal to be affected.
Modification: You can change one additional animal by increasing the spellcraft DC by 5 points.
Failure consequences: If you fail your check by three points or less, nothing happens.
If you fail your spellcraft check by four to six points, the animal is warped in a terrible fashion. It does not become a dire animal, but is immediately advanced by one HD per point you failed the spellcraft check by (up to the maximum given in the animal's advancement entry), but has its constitution halved (to a minimum of 1) and its intelligence reduced to 1, if it wasn't already 1.
If you fail by seven points or more, the animal is changed to its dire form, but its type also changes to aberration, it gains two tentacle attacks that deal 1d4 damage with a reach of 10 ft. (for a medium sized creature) and becomes hostile to you.
Restoration
Restoration
Necromancy (healing)
Effective Level: 1st
To learn: Knowledge: Religion 4 ranks
Ritual Time: 10 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 13
Range: Touch
Duration: see text
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Failure Consequences: Drain, Transference
Restoration automatically removes the fatigue condition and changes the exhausted condition into the fatigued condition. It additionally heals a single point of ability damage, but not ability drain. It can also be used to dispel ongoing magical conditions that lower its ability scores.
Modification:
For every two points you increase the spellcraft DC by, restoration restores another point of ability damage.
Variants:
Ability drain: this variant requires 10 ranks of Knowledge: religion to perform and restores ability drain in the same fashion as the base ritual restores ability damage.
Exhaustion: this variant requires 6 ranks of Knowledge: religion and removes the exhausted condition entirely from the target, instead of reducing it to fatigue.
Insanity: this variant requires 16 ranks of Knowledge: religion and cures all forms of insanity, confusion and similar mental effects, both due to curses or natural. Healing natural insanity drains 500 experience points from the caster.
Negative levels: this variant requires 10 ranks in Knowledge: religion to perform and removes all negative levels from the target and restores one level to a creature that has been level drained.
Paralysis: This variant requires 6 ranks of Knowledge: religion to perform and removes the effect of paralysis. If the creature is currently under an effect that reduces it’s base land speed, the speed reduction, but not the rest of the effect, is also removed.
Failure Consequences:
If you fail your spellcraft check by less than three points, nothing happens.
If you fail your spellcraft check by between three and five points the target becomes fatigued. If it is already fatigued, it becomes exhausted instead, and if it is already exhausted, or is immune to fatigue or exhaustion, it takes 1d10 points of nonlethal damage instead. Subjects immune to fatigue, exhaustion and nonlethal damage take 1d10 points of damage. The conditions you were trying to remove stay in effect.
If you fail your spellcraft check by more than five points, all the conditions you were trying to heal are instead transferred from the subject to you. The subject’s conditions are removed, as if the ritual was successful.
Shadow Walk
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/5791/shadowtravel.jpg
Shadow Walk
Illusion (Shadow)
Effective Level: 6th
To learn: Knowledge: the Planes 14 ranks
Ritual Time: See text
To perform: Spellcraft DC 28
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour, see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
Failure Consequences: Lost in Twilight, Attraction, Rift, Life Drain
You open up a path through the Twilight, the border between the plane of shadow and the material plane, appearing as a twilit road winding through shadowy, indistinct landscapes. While walking on this shadowy path, you can move large distances on the material plane, covering as much as a mile on the material plane every minute you spend in the Twilight. Navigation in the Twilight is not normally an issue, as landmarks on the Prime can be seen from the twilight, if twisted.
Opening the pathway takes a ritual of just ten minutes that has to be performed in shadowy illumination. Should either bright light or perfect darkness fall on the ritual performer, the ritual is interrupted.
However, keeping the path open and stable requires constant concentration from the performer, so that you have to take a single move action every round just to keep walking on the road. If your concentration is ever interrupted, such as by an attack, you and all creatures traveling with you are moved back to the material plane and suffer the Lost in Twilight failure consequence (appropriate concentration checks, as if for a spell, can be undertaken to prevent this from happening). All other creatures moving with you have to remain within 30 feet of you at all times, or suffer the Lost in Twilight consequence.
You may stay on the shadow pathway for as long as you like, but you have to repeat the spellcraft check once every hour, with a cumulative +3 modifer per hour to the DC in order to keep going. Failure means you immediately suffer a consequence.
Moving back to the material plane is inaccurate at best, dropping you off 1d10*100 feet from your intended destination, in any area of shadowy illumination. If there are no such areas, you and every creature in your group immediately suffer the Lost in Twilight consequence.
Modifications:
You may take any number of creatures beyond yourself along on the shadow walk. For each creature, the spellcraft DC increases by 2 points.
You may travel to planes other than the material with this ritual: alternative prime material planes (+10, if they exist in the setting) or other planets on the same prime material (+8, again, if thex exist in the setting), the ethereal plane (+3) or any demiplane on it (+5, demiplanes are often warded against incursion, making this impossible), or the plane of shadow itself (+1). Doing so increases the spellcraft check DC by an amount indicated in brackets, always takes 1d4 hours regardless of the distances involved and drops you off in a random location anywhere on the target plane or world.
Consequences:
Life Drain: If you fail your check by between 1 and 5 points, the unreality of the plane of shadows drains your essence, leaving you pale and lifeless for a time. All creatures on the journey have to make a fortitude save, DC 10+the number of points you failed your spellcraft check by, or be exhausted and suffer 1d6 points of charisma drain. A successful save still leaves you exhausted.
Lost in Twilight: If you fail your spellcraft check by between 6 and 10 points, you get lost on the journey. You move for the normal time your journey would take, but you are moved 1d10 miles from your normal destination and, even worse, arrive 1d4 days after you began your journey, always either at dawn or dusk, though for you the journey seemed to last only hours.
Rift/Attraction: If you fail your spellcraft check by 11 points or more, you attract the attention of a powerful creature of the plane of shadow. If you are already on the shadow path when this happens, you are immediately attacked by a powerful shadow creature (DM’s choice). If this is your first spellcraft check of the ritual and you are still on the prime material, you instead open a rift to the plane of shadow. In addition to the attacking creature, a hole to the plane of shadow thirty feet in diameter appears, surrounded by an area of 1d20*100 feet of shadowy illumination. Hole and area last for 4d6 hours.
Material Component: A two-edged knife, two pieces of silk, one black, one white, and a handful of dust
Spirit Journey
Spirit Journey
Necromancy
Effective Level: 8th
To learn: Knowledge: the Planes 18 ranks
Ritual Time: 80 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 37
Range: Touch
Duration: see text
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
Failure Consequences: see text
You send a single, willing creature, which may not be yourself, on an spirit journey, by extracting the spirit from it’s body. The body falls in a state of suspended animation, where it requires no food and only little water (a few drops of water per day are generally enough). The spirit, meanwhile, becomes a projection on the astral plane, though it can travel from the astral plane to any of the planes touched by the astral normally simply by concentrating and walking along hidden planar pathways between the planes for one minute.
The projection is absolutely intangible, and can move past any kind of physical barrier. Spells that prevent outsiders or creatures of an appropriate alignment from accessing an area still prevent passage, but other magical barriers don’t. A projection can not be harmed in any way, but also can not affect the physical realm in any way, not even by magic. The projection has copies of the projected creature’s equipment, but this equipment can not affect anything other than the creature itself, and any slots or charges expended are drained from the real equipment as well. Any one-use items crumble to dust when their spirit counterparts are used. However, the copy can normally affect, and be affected by, other projections.
The projection appears as a vague, silvery shape to all creatures that are not themselves projected.
The projected creature can end the projection at any time by traveling back along it’s silver cord, which, no matter the distance, only takes a full round. If the cord should be severed (a rare occurence, as only two things are known that can sever a cord: Astral Dreadnaughts and Githyanki silver swords), the creature is lost on the Astral Plane.
Cost:
A jacinth worth 1000 gold pieces, and a silver bar worth 5 gold pieces per participant.
Modifications:
You may send any number of creatures beyond the first along on the astral voyage. For each creature, the spellcraft DC increases by 1 point.
You may join the voyage yourself. This increases the spellcraft DC by 5 points.
Stone Tell
Stone Tell
Divination (Earth)
Effective Level: 4th
Ritual Time: 40 minutes
To Learn: Knowledge: Geography 10 ranks
To perform: Spellcraft DC 22
Range: Touch
Failure consequence: Mental dissonance
You touch a piece of unworked stone or rock of some kind, and converse with the elemental forces deep in the stone, gaining knowledge about it.
You can ask the stone one of the following questions:
How many creatures of which kind touched the stone or walked on the ground within 30 feet of it in the last 24 hours. The stone will explain the following things about these creatures:
-Their numbers.
-Their size categories.
-Types or subtypes, divided into the following categories: unnatural (aberration, ooze or undead), natural (plant, animal or vermin), kin (any creature with the earth subtype, any construct), enemy (any creature with the air, water or fire subtype, any elemental without the earth subtype, any dragon without the Earth subtype), Spirit (fey, outsiders), Mortal (giant, humanoid, monstrous humanoid).
-All items made of metal or stone those creatures carried on them, but not their magical properties.
Which environments the stone was in for the past 24 hours. The stone can explain temperature, light conditions, weather, gravity and alignment and elemental subtypes, if it was on a plane with any of these.
What is surrounding the stone, for example on the other side of a wall. You can see up to thirty feet through the stone and into whatever lies behind it. Additionally, if there is a room behind the stone, you gain all information about that room the environment question gives.
Modification:
For every +5 points you increase the DC by, you may ask another question.
For every +2 you increase the DC by, you may ask question another 24 hours back into the past, or see ten feet deeper through stone.
If you increase the DC by 4 points, you may ask any worked stone as well.
If you increase the DC by 6 points, you may also ask these questions of any metallic or crystalline item, worked or natural.
Failure Chance:
If you fail on the ritual our mind dissolves in the consciousness of the stone and you become almost totally unaware of your surroundings. You suffer one point of wisdom damage per point you fail by.
If you fail by six points or more, you take that much wisdom burn instead.
Teleport
Teleport
Conjuration (Teleportation)
Effective Level: 5th
To learn: Knowledge: the Planes 12 ranks
Ritual Time: 50 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 25
Range: Personal and Touch
Duration: 24 hours or 1 round, see text
Saving Throw: None and Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: No and Yes (Object)
Failure Consequences: Off-target, The Silver Void, Scrambled
Variants: Plane Shift, Teleportation Beacon, Teleporation Circle, Teleport Object
While performing this ritual, you familiarize yourself with a destination in all its aspects. Instead of requiring a flat area of ten feet across, the performer has to choose a point, then spend the ritual time carefully studying every point and feature within thirty feet of that point. Most importantly, the spellcraft check for success of the ritual is not made at this point. The memorized point must include an area at least 20 feet across that is free of any solid obstacles larger than three feet across.
Once this preparation is complete, the performer can trigger the teleport at any point during the next 24 hours. This action counts as casting a spell with a casting time of 1 round and provokes an attack of opportunity. Once triggered, the performer rolls their spellcraft check and, if successful, returns to the memorized point. They have to be on the same plane as the memorized point, but can be any distance away.
Modification:
For every two points you increase the DC by, you can remember the familiarized location for another day.
For every three points you increase the DC by, you can bring along another wiling creature with you on the return trip. All willing creatures must be within reach of you as you trigger the teleport
If you increase the DC by four points, you yourself do not go along on the trip, instead only sending other creatures.
Failure consequences:
Off-target: If the spellcraft check is failed by 3 points or fewer, the teleport ritual is successful, but instead deposits the performer and all targets taken along at a point 1d100 miles per point the check was failed by away from their intended target, in a random direction. The teleport automatically finds the free space closest to the intended goal.
If the check was failed by more than three, but less than seven points, the teleport was incomplete instead. All teleported creatures are stranded, together, on a random location in the ethereal plane.
If the check was failed by seven or more points, something has gone horribly wrong. Creatures are teleported only partially, or into solid objects, perhaps their body parts are put together in the wrong fashion, or exchanged with those of nearby vermin. In any case, all creatures teleported immediately take 1d6 points of damage per point the spellcraft check was failed by.
Variants:
Planeshift: This variant does not require any additional knowledge ranks. It allows the performer to teleport across interplanar borders. This variant must be separately learned for each plane, and, once studied allows travel either to or from that plane.
Teleportation Beacon: This variant allows the performer to create a special magical pattern on the ground that acts as a beacon for incoming teleportation effects.
The performer can always teleport to a teleportation beacon they created, even across interplanar distances if they also know the Planeshift variant. They do not need to familiarize themselves with the beacon and can instead teleport there at any time with a ritual taking 20 minutes and requiring no spellcraft checks, as there is no chance of failure.
Other ritual performers knowing the Teleportation ritual can familiarize themselves with the beacon. This process takes them 50 minutes and a spellcraft check DC 25. If they succeed, they can treat the beacon as if they had created it themselves.
Creating a beacon costs 1000 gold pieces in materials and takes two hours.
If the performer wishes, he can modify the beacon so that it also diverts teleportation effects to its location. All conjuration (teleportation) effects that have their destination within 100 feet of the beacon are instead diverted to the beacon's location, unless their caster succeeds on a caster level check (DC 25). Performers of teleportation rituals can resist the pull of a beacon with a DC 25 spellcraft check.
Teleportation Circle: This variant has an effective spell level of 8th, requires 18 ranks in Knowledge: the planes to learn and takes 1000 gold pieces in materials. It must be performed in two parts, each of which takes one hour. In the first hour, the performer must study a target area, familiarizing themselves with it, as is normal for the teleport ritual.
In the second hour, they inscribe the teleportation circle. All creatures stepping into the circle are teleported to the destination. The circle counts as a magical trap, taking a DC 34 search check to find, and a DC 34 disable device check to disarm.
Warding Sphere
Warding Sphere
Abjuration
Effective Level: 4th
To learn: Knowledge (for which type, see variants) 10 ranks
Ritual Time: 40 minutes
To perform: Spellcraft DC 22
Range: Touch
Target: One object, creature or place
Duration: 1 hour
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
Failure Consequences: Attraction, reversal
You bring into being an invisible, spherical force field that wards of creatures of a specific type, preventing them from entering the area of the field. Additionally, creatures inside the field gain a +4 resistance bonus against all spells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities of creatures of that type.
If you cast the field on a place, it remains stationary. If cast on a creature or object, it is mobile, moving with it’s target. However, if forced against a creature of the type it wards off, the field collapses.
Variants:
Warding spheres against each creature type count as variants for the purposes of this spell. The Knowledge skill to learn the ritual is the same as you would require to identify creatures of that type.
Modification:
You can choose to increase the duration of the ritual to 24 hours. This increases the spellcraft DC by 3 points.
If you know warding spheres for at least three types of living creatures and have at least 14 ranks in either knowledge: nature or arcane, you may create a warding sphere that wards off all living creatures. This increases the spellcraft DC by 6 points.
If you know warding spheres for elementals, fey and undead and have at least 14 ranks in either knowledge: arcane, nature or religion you may create a warding sphere that wards of all spirits (incorporeal undead, fey, elementals, creatures that are astrally projecting, creatures with the spirit subtype, spirit folk and spirit creatures created by certain spells, see the spirit shaman in Complete Divine for more information). This increases the spellcraft DC by six points.
By increasing the spellcraft DC by 5 points, you may reverse the sphere into a trap, which allows creatures of the appropriate type to enter, but not leave the affected area, trapping them until the duration is over. This variant may only target a location, not a creature or an object.
Failure consequences:
If you fail your spellcraft check by four points or less, the ritual merely fails. However, if you fail by five points or more, roll 1d100. On a roll of 1-70, the warding sphere is reversed, as the variant and centered on the point where you are standing, potentially trapping you. On a roll of 71-100, all creatures of the type or types warded off within 100 feet per point you failed the spellcraft DC by are instead alarmed to your presence, your exact position at the time the ritual failed and what kind of ritual you intended to cast. Affected creatures that are mindless or have an intelligence of 2 or less will generally be attracted to the point where the ritual failed and come to investigate.
Variant Rule: Lore Association
Under this rule, study of magical lores (see the Lores section) also helps in the study and performance of rituals. Every Ritual has one or several Lores attached to it. Having achieved the any Arcanum of the associated lore gives a bonus of +1 per arcanum on Spellcraft checks to perform the ritual (so, +1 for apprentice, +2 for initiate, +3 for journeyman and so on.)
Furthermore, casters with an Arcanum of Journeyman or higher count as having more ranks in the appropriate Knowledge Skills necessary to learn associated rituals, though they can never count as having more ranks than character level +3 this way, and these virtual ranks only count for fulfilling the requirements of rituals. (Journeyman gives +1 rank, Adept +2 and Magister +4).
If a caster has Arcana in more than one Lore associated with the same ritual, only the Lore with the higher-level Arcanum counts.
{table=head]Ritual|Associated Lores
Alarm|Hunt
Alter Self|Hunt
Animate Dead|Undeath
Anoint Weapon|None
Augury|None
Awaken|Beasts
Banishment|Planes
Cointinual Flame|Phoenix
Disjunction|Magic
Dream|Fey
Earthquake|Earth
Gate|Planes
Gentle Repose|Death
Identify|None
Illusory Script|None
Locator|Hunt, Stars
Planar Binding|Planes
Primal Fury|Beasts
Restoration|Phoenix
Shadow Walk|Shadow, Fey
Spirit Journey|Planes
Stone Tell |Earth
Teleport|Planes
Warding Sphere|Death
[/table]
Obviously, this rule makes it easier for Spellcasters to learn rituals than for other characters.
Ritual Items
Magister Findelwald's Portable Circle
Magister Findelwald's Portable Circle is a marvellous invention by a gnomish traveller and scholar by the name of Findelwald Tungsten who discovered that, in his many planar travels, he often found himself without a flat surface to draw the many complicated diagrams he needed for his magic.
In it's inactive form, Magister Findelwald's travelling circle is an unassuming wooden tile about one foot square and about half an inch thick. By tapping it (a swift action) one can cause the item to start to unfold, so that it becomes a wooden square ten feet to a side and three inches thick.
The circle can be activated by investing it with one point of focus as a standard action (if focus is not used in the campaign, it takes a spell slot of third level or higher instead). Activating the circle causes magical diagrams, circles and runes to appear on the surface in glowing lines, as directed by the activator. It has two possible effects:
The portable circle can serve as a magic circle against [alignment]. When activating, the owner can choose the alignment the circle protects against, and whether it is directed inward or outward. For purposes of spell resistance, the portable circle uses the activator's caster level.
The second purpose of the circle is to help with rituals. When used in the casting of a ritual, the circle reduces the casting time needed for any ritual of level 2 or higher by 10 minutes.
Market Price: 50'000 Gold
Eldan
2012-03-21, 06:19 PM
Added a new path, the battlemage. Next should hopefully be the Lore of Swords, fitting the path.
Swooper
2012-03-21, 07:33 PM
It's a bit weird giving him armour and shield proficiency but not the ability to actually cast in it.
Also, where is the Battlecaster feat from? I'm aware of a pair of sub-par tactical feats from Complete Mage called Battlecaster Defense and Battlecaster Offense, though - are those what you meant?
All in all this is a rather cool project.
Eldan
2012-03-22, 05:15 PM
I have a long, long stack of handwritten notes. Whenever I sit on the bus, I write homebrew. At some point, I plan to type most of it down here, about a dozen feats are among that. It's basically a variant on Combat Casting with more strict requirements that allows you a kind of defensive casting (since these rules normally don't allow it).
Armour proficiency is a bit of a relic from the time where the Lore of Swords was the Lore of Metal and gave you the ability to cast in armour. I might change that one out for something else.
Eldan
2012-03-22, 05:44 PM
There we go. Changed the battlemage a bit, since I realized he had more features than most other paths anyway. Channeling spells and armour wearing will go in the lore of swords now. I also added a bit on metamagic feats to the feats section, and how they work. Currently, there's only a handful of SRD feats, but I'll add more later, from outside of core and self-made ones.
Eldan
2012-05-23, 12:21 AM
So, I thought, even if no one really cares, I actually like my homebrew. Put up another Path, another Lore, two feats. Two more lores upcoming, prestige classes in the writing.
Welknair
2012-05-23, 12:27 AM
I have a long, long stack of handwritten notes. Whenever I sit on the bus, I write homebrew. At some point, I plan to type most of it down here, about a dozen feats are among that.
Story of my life. Except I homebrew instead of doing my work. Anywho! This looks very impressive! We've been in dire need of a proper magic fix for quite some time now. DonQuixote's Spellshaping is very nice, but I feel that this may better capture the usual lore surrounding Arcane Magic in fantasy. I don't have the time right now, but I will read this in depth when I do.
Eldan
2012-05-23, 12:41 AM
Thanks, compliments are appreciated. And, interestingly, this one should even work with many spell-fixes, as I only fix very few spells.
By the way, I don't think I linked it yet in this thread: semi-connected to the above is also my ritual magic system (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XbHakmf4Nk2SyBHQgdW5TuTpoFunhujIvwrofVgOXJ0/edit) which, at some point, I will probably have to transfer over here. I already dread it, there is so much reformating involved.
eftexar
2012-05-23, 12:49 AM
I really like this system. This is the first time a spellcaster with 9th level spells hasn't made me gag and cringe.
Really though, this is my favorite arcane spellcasting system yet (well there was one I'm pretty sure ziegander worked on that I liked, but I don't think he finished it). I might have to play one sometime.
I was wondering though if you planned on adding more feats to grant a few of the lower level spells. That way mr. fighter can have a bit of fun with magic too.
Eldan
2012-05-23, 12:55 AM
That was in the planning, yes, building on the Dabbler feat. Though, really, at some point you probably just want to multiclass into battlemage instead.
Eldan
2012-05-23, 01:35 AM
By the way: would someone be interested in a little field test of this? A solo game (I can play or DM) with this class?
nonsi
2012-05-23, 02:19 PM
My friend, this is one spectacular magic system.
I haven't managed to fully figure out the little details of this system and I can't offer any insights regarding balance, but everything is written in a very convincing way.
(btw, Gandalf is a Hedge Mage, right?)
Looking forward for all WIPs to be completed.
Eldan
2012-05-23, 05:47 PM
Gandalf is probably more something like a half-celestial favoured soul or something, but yeah, he would be, if he were a wizard. Though I must say that my main inspiration were from discworld, namely the witches.
As for the WIPs: currently, I'm working on the last few shadow spells. Lore of the Phoenix has a spell list, but probably needs to replace a few with homebrewed ones to make real sense. It came about when I realized that both Fire and Life were kinda boring on their own, so it became a mixture of the two.
Lore of the Stars needs Arcana and three or four more spells. It's a Divination heavy school with some mind-affecting powers.
Lore of Death is in a similar state. Arcana and a few spells neaded. Buff/Debuff school, focusing on peace of mind, sadness and undead-resistance. Not the usual destructive D&D death, that will be saved for a later Lore of the Undead and/or Lore of Destruction.
A few other semi-conceived Lores would be the Trickery-heavy Lore of the Fey, the Water/Lovecraftian Lore of the Deep, the Lore of the Mind with a lot of enchantments and probably a Lore of the Planes with teleport/summon/buff effects and a Lore of Forces with force effects, as well as telekinesis, gravity manipulation and so on.
Eldan
2012-05-28, 04:28 AM
That should conclude the Lore of Shadows. Phoenix still needs some efforts, as does stars.
Eldan
2012-05-29, 03:47 AM
And the Lore of Forces, sans picture, since one of my players requested it and it was a pretty easy one to do.
Eldan
2012-05-29, 03:58 AM
And the Lore of Forces, sans picture, since one of my players requested it and it was a pretty easy one to do.
Eldan
2012-05-30, 03:15 AM
And also by request, the Lore of the Phoenix, though I am not too happy with it, really.
Dsurion
2012-05-30, 09:31 PM
I just wanted to say that, while I'm of utterly no use PEACHing, I really enjoy this project and hope you keep it up.
Eldan
2012-06-03, 11:44 PM
Some assorted new stuff, including an item. Which I have no idea how to price.
Eldan
2012-06-06, 07:04 PM
The Lore of Undeath, since I realized that would be pretty easy to do. Also the blastiest lore yet, I think.
Eldan
2012-06-11, 09:14 PM
I'm working on the sorcerer now. It's stealing class features from the Wilder and sort of the Barbarian. The arcane sledgehammer to the Wizards scalpel.
Gandariel
2012-06-18, 03:01 PM
Wow, your work is massive =)
Anyway i admit i only skimmed through it for now, but it does really seem very promising!
Spellcasting has always needed some balancing i guess. The point is, it's not actually **that** broken and its proposed "fixes" are usually either overly complicated, or have you learn another system altogether, or don't fix anything.
I like what you did though. The spells are mostly the same, you made this focus thing which totally makes sense (and piercing some of the wizards' invulnerability)
I really like Mantras
They're useful, make sense, AND solve the stupid "hour/level things"
Instead of Extended /Persisted Something, you just give them some always on buffs.
That is what should have been done from the start. Why have Clerics recast all their buffs every morning? Just give them less spell slots and let them have some permanent buffs..
Well, that's all i can say for now =)
I hope i'll get to read it more carefully, i'm kinda busy with personal life stuff these days
nhbdy
2012-06-19, 11:27 AM
haven't finished reading it yet (there's a lot to sift through, even if it's not finished) but it looks very promising, I like how you seemed to design it from the flavor perspective first (ie. it takes focus to maintain these spells and bend reality to your whim, something that was only marginally represented in the original spellcasting rules of 3.5). Keep up the good work, would love to see it finished and would possibly run a game with it!
Eldan
2012-07-05, 04:26 PM
Thanks for all the feedback, it is appreciated. Meanwhile, I put up the Sorcerer base class.
Eldan
2012-07-08, 05:32 PM
Finished the Lore of the Fey, another trickster lore.
Eldan
2012-07-10, 02:53 PM
I rewrote some sections of the basic rules, and the class texts.
Focus can now be free, invested or expended, and I better clarified which is which. I hope this helps those of you who are currently playtesting this class and provides some more clarity to the reader.
Eldan
2012-07-12, 08:22 AM
Okay. At this point, I am a bit out of ideas that are quickly done. So, I have to ask: what do people want to see next? Current ideas include:
More Lores. I have the basic ideas for the Lore of Storms (Wind and electricity), Lore of the Deep (Water and slimy elder things from beneath the sea), Lore of Stars (Divination and Things Man Was Not Meant to Know (TM)) , the Lore of Destruction (Blasting in all forms) and the Lore of
More Wizard paths: There is the idea for a Beguiler-like path with stealthy magic, that currently lacks a name. Another idea was racial paths and/or ACFs for the sorcerer, such as an orcish rage sorcerer, Elven High Mage, Dwarven Battle Mage or Gnome Trickster.
Prestige Classes. I have one idea for a divination/abjuration-themed battlemage-commander based on intelligence gathering, and maybe one or two others that could work.
More Feats: Currently, there are very few Metamagic feats that work with this system. There need to be more. Also, feats that allow the investment of focus for a general effect, as well as a few more anti-magical feats.
Rituals: This is the big one. A project I have pursued in parallel to this one for a while, to allow the casting of "big" spells, those with long-lasting or campaign-changing effects. Skill-and feat-based, instead of class based.
periscope69
2012-07-12, 06:00 PM
This is awesome! Helps address the issues without really taking away the flavor (and the occasional awesome act XD ).
Have you thought of making a lore dealing with cold specifically? You have a lore of the phoenix which gives a bit of Fire related arcana and spells but nothing that deals with cold.
The Lore of Winter or Frost would make a good name and take into account what Winter meant for most people in a medieval setting: Frostbite, starvation, monsters (Far as I've been able to tell, in a lot of old stories "beasts" and monsters like the Wendigo would always come with the winter) so it was a really scary time (for those without mystic mojo of course :D ).
Maybe a lore that deals with plants. I know that that's sort of a druid thing, but you do have a lore of beasts so just wanted to throw it out there.
Maybe a lore that specifically deals with summoning? Possible arcana's could extend that length of time your summons stay and increase their power (free ability focus feat when summoned?).
Maybe a lore that is specifically about blesses and curses? The lore of gifts would be a good name for it. You give and you take, and curses have always been associated with the magic crowd.
A lore focused on creating things (not summoning them) could be good.
Their could be a lore based on the classic elements (the western element system) of fire, water, air, and earth themselves rather then have them each be part of another lore.
Similarly you could have lores based on each of the alignments.
One focused on shapeshifting would make sense (If magic was real and I could learn it that would be one of the first things I'd look into).
Their could be one focused on travel and exploration (and ways to survive said travel) would fit, especially if your a "field" mage.
A lore about dreams might be good.
One that allows healing might be good, although that might start stepping on the cleric's toes. I never got why wizards and sorcerors couldn't learn those though, the bard is arcane and he could (not as well as the cleric, but a CLW wasn't beyond them).
And similarly one focused on destruction (not death) could go in their (especially for the Battlemage).
Also was going through the lores, didn't see Fireball. Was that intentional?
Eldan
2012-07-12, 06:13 PM
Ooh, thanks for that. I was looking into an ice themed lore, actually, and it just always looked boring, given that it just had 5000 blasty ice spells. Winter is a good idea, adding hunger as a theme.
periscope69
2012-07-12, 06:18 PM
I nice bit with winter might be actually causing ice to build up on someone subjected to a spell with the [cold] descriptor, causing them to be entangled until they get it off (strength check?) or treat an area subjected to such a spell to be affected by a grease effect.
Hunger could be represented with fatigue, exhaustion, and possibly con damage added to normal effects.
If you look into the Frostbite book it has a lot of spells that would fit with winter and aren't necessarily blasty.
Take a look at this article for some ideas if you need them:
wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20030124a
Eldan
2012-07-14, 08:05 AM
Posted the spell lists for the Lore of Winter (might be renamed to Ice, as it turned out blasty anyway) and the Lore of the Hunt. Also, the basics of ritual magic. Actual rituals would come later.
Eldan
2012-07-15, 03:35 PM
For my first ritual: a classic!
Eldan
2012-07-16, 03:29 PM
The shadow Walk ritual (one of my favourites) and a variant rule for casters.
tarkisflux
2012-07-17, 10:21 AM
Still digesting / reading this, but had some questions for you -
The incantation casting time - is it "1 full-round action" or "1 round"? Calling it "1 full-round" is confusing because of the standard (and somewhat unfortunate IMO) action terminology.
Is there a limit on the number of lores that you can learn (and by association, the number of cantrips)? I can't seem to find one in here, other than the "gain the cantrip when you learn the 1st spell from a lore" thing. Not that I would expect anyone to take spells from all of the lores (since the high level Arcana benefits are pretty good so far), just curious really. And if that's the only limitation, it might be nice to include something along the lines of "You learn / acquire a new lore when you learn a first level spell from it, at which time you also learn the associated cantrip. You may learn a new lore any time you would be eligible to learn a new spell." for clarity.
Is it intentional that the Wizard can gain a maximum of 2 Magister Arcana's by 20, while the Sorcerer can only gain 1? I mean, SR and focus from it is pretty awesome and as good as most of (if not better than given the level difference) the Magister Arcanas I've looked at so far, so I'm for it, just wanted to confirm for the wizard mostly.
Can a wizard sacrifice a prepared incantation to regain focus for investment in something else, or do they have to leave some focus free when preparing for that sort of thing?
I'm not sure what sudden metamagic does for the sorcerer here. When they used metamagic before, it lengthened cast times to a full-round action. But here, everything is that or longer already. So being able to metamagic without an increased action cost doesn't seem to do anything. Could you tell me what I'm missing?
Body Arcane looks pretty useful, but seems really expensive at higher levels. 3 spells of any level to ignore stunned and some other stuff for 1 round? Was there a reason you didn't keep with the 1 focus cost for the higher stuff?
The Gifted feat says that you gain 1 focus if you don't already have any. It's written such that it would stack with becoming an Arcanist later in life, since you don't lose that 1 point and would then gain another from your new Arcanist-ness. Since I don't think that's intentional (and if it is, I'm wondering why), you may want to just write it such that the feat makes into an Arcanist and you get that bonus 1 from it.
Which brings me to a potential bit of weird. Why do you have the 1 point of "Arcanist" focus separate from classes or feats? It seems like it would be easier to just roll it into the classes (so that people didn't forget it accidentally) and write that any focus in feats that isn't supposed to stack with focus from classes just doesn't. Am I missing something?
---
I should have more questions and comments for you in a bit. I hope there's not anything in there that I just didn't see :-/.
Garryl
2012-07-17, 11:28 AM
I don't suppose there's a cliff notes version of this somewhere? Preferably without the pictures. It's a lot of information to read through, and while the pictures are pretty, they feel like their getting in the way the way they're currently placed (especially that huge one right up at the top of the page that stretches the text out so I have to scroll left and right for every single line). It's hard enough to parse through all of the information without the art in the way.
For the focuses, you mentioned something about a free focus for taking your first level in an arcane class. Is that just a reference to the bonus focuses that all the classes grant, or is it something else? The examples seem to imply the latter, and if so, it would be nice to be clarified and for that to be indicated more strongly and clearly. Right now it feels hidden inside a wall of text dealing with other matters.
If the same spell exists in multiple Lores (hypothetically; I haven't looked at the lores yet so I don't know if there are or aren't any overlaps), does it count for both for purposes such as acquiring arcana and learning higher level spells from that Lore?
For arcana, do you have to spend a spell known on them or something? Or do you just get them automatically when you have enough spells known?
Sorcerer's Burning Blood transforms an expended focus into a free focus. Later on, it talks about losing that focus, like it was adding a new focus instead of modifying one you already have. Might want to clear that up. Also, it should clarify that you can't use it if you don't have any expended focuses.
Wizard should have a class special abilities table. It helps to have that visual representation of abilities (namely, bonus feats at 1, 4, 8, ..., and your path abilities at 1, 3, 6, 10, 15). It makes it so much easier to grasp the flow and growth of a class through the levels. It should also have a listing for HD size by the main class table (even if it only says "See Text").
Still trying to make my way through a heck of a lot. Will read more later when I have time.
Eldan
2012-07-17, 01:35 PM
Yay! Actual critique!
Answers bolded to save a bit of time.
The incantation casting time - is it "1 full-round action" or "1 round"? Calling it "1 full-round" is confusing because of the standard (and somewhat unfortunate IMO) action terminology.
It should be 1 round, not a full-round action. I'll have to go over it again, if I ever used the wrong one. They should take effect at the beginning of the next turn, to leave time for interrupting them.
Is there a limit on the number of lores that you can learn (and by association, the number of cantrips)? I can't seem to find one in here, other than the "gain the cantrip when you learn the 1st spell from a lore" thing. Not that I would expect anyone to take spells from all of the lores (since the high level Arcana benefits are pretty good so far), just curious really. And if that's the only limitation, it might be nice to include something along the lines of "You learn / acquire a new lore when you learn a first level spell from it, at which time you also learn the associated cantrip. You may learn a new lore any time you would be eligible to learn a new spell." for clarity.
The only limit is your spells known. If you want your wizard to learn a new level 1 spell with every spell known on every level, he can. Alternatively, he could just take only nine spells of every lore, to gain more different level 9 spells. I'll put in a sentence to that effect.
Is it intentional that the Wizard can gain a maximum of 2 Magister Arcana's by 20, while the Sorcerer can only gain 1? I mean, SR and focus from it is pretty awesome and as good as most of (if not better than given the level difference) the Magister Arcanas I've looked at so far, so I'm for it, just wanted to confirm for the wizard mostly.
That's pretty much the intention, yes. The wizard has more spells known, the sorcerer has far more focus and casts spontaneously. The hope was that this balances things out a bit, but I was never good at balance.
Can a wizard sacrifice a prepared incantation to regain focus for investment in something else, or do they have to leave some focus free when preparing for that sort of thing?
I might not have written it clearly, but: spells are prepared until you cast them, and the focus stays invested in them. Meditating again basically just frees up the focus you have used for re-use. You can not just get invested focus back without meditating.
I'm not sure what sudden metamagic does for the sorcerer here. When they used metamagic before, it lengthened cast times to a full-round action. But here, everything is that or longer already. So being able to metamagic without an increased action cost doesn't seem to do anything. Could you tell me what I'm missing?
Read the section on metamagic feats, in the feats section. They work very different now. Metamagic doesn't increase the casting time anymore. What it does is cost extra focus which has to be invested in the metamagic feat. sudden metamagic allows you to add the feat without paying that extra focus ahead of time.
Body Arcane looks pretty useful, but seems really expensive at higher levels. 3 spells of any level to ignore stunned and some other stuff for 1 round? Was there a reason you didn't keep with the 1 focus cost for the higher stuff?
The cost should be identical to the focus loss you suffer from the condition. So a condition that gives you a -3 while you are under it also costs 3 to remove.
The Gifted feat says that you gain 1 focus if you don't already have any. It's written such that it would stack with becoming an Arcanist later in life, since you don't lose that 1 point and would then gain another from your new Arcanist-ness. Since I don't think that's intentional (and if it is, I'm wondering why), you may want to just write it such that the feat makes into an Arcanist and you get that bonus 1 from it.
True. I'll look into it.
Which brings me to a potential bit of weird. Why do you have the 1 point of "Arcanist" focus separate from classes or feats? It seems like it would be easier to just roll it into the classes (so that people didn't forget it accidentally) and write that any focus in feats that isn't supposed to stack with focus from classes just doesn't. Am I missing something?
It's a thing I kept open for future homebrew developments. Like ways of becoming Arcane without taking class levels. One idea I had was arcane races, who start with 1 focus and can take certain Arcane feats.
I don't suppose there's a cliff notes version of this somewhere? Preferably without the pictures. It's a lot of information to read through, and while the pictures are pretty, they feel like their getting in the way the way they're currently placed (especially that huge one right up at the top of the page that stretches the text out so I have to scroll left and right for every single line). It's hard enough to parse through all of the information without the art in the way.
I don't have a version like that for now, no. But I'll spoiler that first picture, if that helps, and a few of the other big ones. Sorry, I tend to forget that I have a wider screen than some.
For the focuses, you mentioned something about a free focus for taking your first level in an arcane class. Is that just a reference to the bonus focuses that all the classes grant, or is it something else? The examples seem to imply the latter, and if so, it would be nice to be clarified and for that to be indicated more strongly and clearly. Right now it feels hidden inside a wall of text dealing with other matters.
It should be stated somewhere right in the beginning. The first point of focus is for being an Arcanist.
If the same spell exists in multiple Lores (hypothetically; I haven't looked at the lores yet so I don't know if there are or aren't any overlaps), does it count for both for purposes such as acquiring arcana and learning higher level spells from that Lore?
It would, I assume. However, so far I have tried to prevent that from happening. As far as I'm aware, there shouldn't be any doubles.
For arcana, do you have to spend a spell known on them or something? Or do you just get them automatically when you have enough spells known?
You get them automatically with the spells.
Sorcerer's Burning Blood transforms an expended focus into a free focus. Later on, it talks about losing that focus, like it was adding a new focus instead of modifying one you already have. Might want to clear that up. Also, it should clarify that you can't use it if you don't have any expended focuses.
I'll go over it again, then.
Wizard should have a class special abilities table. It helps to have that visual representation of abilities (namely, bonus feats at 1, 4, 8, ..., and your path abilities at 1, 3, 6, 10, 15). It makes it so much easier to grasp the flow and growth of a class through the levels. It should also have a listing for HD size by the main class table (even if it only says "See Text").
I guess I should. I wanted to include it in the paths, but then never really got around to it.
Still trying to make my way through a heck of a lot. Will read more later when I have time.
Sure. Any of your stuff you can recommend for peaching? It's also rather a lot. There doesn't seem much of it on GitP, though. Guess I'll have to sign up to the minmax boards.
tarkisflux
2012-07-17, 03:54 PM
For Arcane Blooded, I can see that cost making sense. It's unclear what happens to focus when the condition no longer applies though, which I just noticed. Do you recover 2 points of focus when you stop being Frightened (i.e. get it back as free focus), or is it gone until you recover it and basically expended when the status effect hits you? It's hard to figure out whether Arcane Blooded is worth it without knowing that piece. You're either double paying to "end it now" or just sacrificing stuff that you would get back later to "end it now", and those have different opportunity cost break points.
For Arcanist races and feats, I think it would simplify things to just give them whatever focus you wanted, write if/how it stacked with focus from classes and other sources, and roll the default 1 point into class progressions. It's pretty easy to miss and forget otherwise.
Also, a discussion about how focus and spells known stacks between classes, like a Wizard 5 / Sorcerer 2, might be helpful. For example, if the first 5 levels were of wizard, could the sorcerer learn 4th level spells in the lores that they had wizard spells in?
Garryl
2012-07-17, 05:02 PM
Tarkisflux, I'm in total agreement with you about that extra focus. Leaving it floating out in the middle of the rules, disconnected from text that players actually use (namely, the class features and feats) is like asking people to forget it's even there.
If you're dead set on having one free focus above and beyond class features and whatever occur for being an arcanist, I would heavily recommend having a section devoted to clearly defining what conditions make a creature be considered an arcanist, and what abilities are granted to arcanists inherent in the nature of being an arcanist. The free focus and Prestidigitations would go here, but cantrips, spells, incantations, mantras, lores, and the like would not as they are not granted just by being an arcanist, instead requiring class features or feats to gain.
Okay, finally getting to read through this thoroughly.
The description of focus says that each class has its own way of recovering focus. If you go ahead with your plans of having arcane access through feats alone, remember that characters who use that method won't innately have any sort of recovery mechanism, leading their used focuses to be expended forever.
When focus is lost due to conditions, what happens to it when the conditions end? Is it returned as free focus, expended focus, or the type of focus it was when it was lost? Is it lost forever? Is there something else that happens?
SRD Link: Poisons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#tablePoisons)
What exactly do you mean by "under the effects of any poison ..."? Does that mean having taken ability damage from a poison that has yet to heal? Does that mean the 1 minute period after the initial poisoning but before the secondary damage (which occurs regardless of success or failure of the initial Fortitude saving throw)?
If a creature is subject to multiple poisons of either physical or mental damage at once, does the focus loss stack? If a creature is subject to both a mental poison and a physical poison, does the focus loss stack? If a creature is subject to a poison that does not deal ability score damage (such as Drow Poison or the initial effect of Burnt Othur Fumes), is there a focus loss? If a poison deals ability damage to both physical and mental ability scores, do both focus loss conditions trigger?
Prestidigitations, if they are a(n) ability(ies) unto themselves, should be described with the classes or something, not here where they are likely to be forgotten (like the one free focus). I'd suggest adding it into the class features of the arcane classes. If you'd prefer to leave it as an innate aspect of being an arcane caster, see my suggestions above.
The ability to invest extra focus in mantras to improve their targeting really should be in another place. Since all of the other methods of investing focus to improve mantras are spelled out in the text of the mantra itself, this one thing off on its own is likely to be forgotten.
Supper now. More to come later.
Eldan
2012-07-17, 05:39 PM
Tarkisflux, I'm in total agreement with you about that extra focus. Leaving it floating out in the middle of the rules, disconnected from text that players actually use (namely, the class features and feats) is like asking people to forget it's even there.
If you're dead set on having one free focus above and beyond class features and whatever occur for being an arcanist, I would heavily recommend having a section devoted to clearly defining what conditions make a creature be considered an arcanist, and what abilities are granted to arcanists inherent in the nature of being an arcanist. The free focus and Prestidigitations would go here, but cantrips, spells, incantations, mantras, lores, and the like would not as they are not granted just by being an arcanist, instead requiring class features or feats to gain.
I see the problem with this. It is indeed simpler, and probably clearer, to just write that part out and write out what each way of becoming an arcanist gives. That will be a major rewrite and require quite a bit of re-reading and redoing, so I'll do it tomorrow.
Okay, finally getting to read through this thoroughly.
The description of focus says that each class has its own way of recovering focus. If you go ahead with your plans of having arcane access through feats alone, remember that characters who use that method won't innately have any sort of recovery mechanism, leading their used focuses to be expended forever.
So far, the only way to get it is the Dabbler feat, which specifies its own recovery condition.
When focus is lost due to conditions, what happens to it when the conditions end? Is it returned as free focus, expended focus, or the type of focus it was when it was lost? Is it lost forever? Is there something else that happens?
Thinking about it now, I never actually quite thought about that. It somehow made sense in my head. It should probably become free focus.
SRD Link: Poisons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#tablePoisons)
What exactly do you mean by "under the effects of any poison ..."? Does that mean having taken ability damage from a poison that has yet to heal? Does that mean the 1 minute period after the initial poisoning but before the secondary damage (which occurs regardless of success or failure of the initial Fortitude saving throw)?
"Having suffered ability damage from..." is probably a clearer way of stating it. I'll change it to that.
If a creature is subject to multiple poisons of either physical or mental damage at once, does the focus loss stack? If a creature is subject to both a mental poison and a physical poison, does the focus loss stack? If a creature is subject to a poison that does not deal ability score damage (such as Drow Poison or the initial effect of Burnt Othur Fumes), is there a focus loss? If a poison deals ability damage to both physical and mental ability scores, do both focus loss conditions trigger?
Hm. That should be clarified, you are right. I'll put it down as only the highest loss from poison counts, i.e. multiple poisons don't mean more loss, and mental overwrites physical.
Prestidigitations, if they are a(n) ability(ies) unto themselves, should be described with the classes or something, not here where they are likely to be forgotten (like the one free focus). I'd suggest adding it into the class features of the arcane classes. If you'd prefer to leave it as an innate aspect of being an arcane caster, see my suggestions above.
Fair enough. I'll add that during the re-write, then.
The ability to invest extra focus in mantras to improve their targeting really should be in another place. Since all of the other methods of investing focus to improve mantras are spelled out in the text of the mantra itself, this one thing off on its own is likely to be forgotten.
This came up when I started writing the first two lores and noticed that multiple targets was a thing that came up extremely often. instead of writing it down for every mantra, I just wanted to write it once. I hope that the [Targets] entry will remind people to go check.
Supper now. More to come later.
So, I guess I have some work to do.
tarkisflux
2012-07-17, 06:13 PM
Sorry if these comments seem out of order or random, I'm posting them as they occur to me while I go back and forth through the subsystem. There's a lot of interconnected stuff here.
You have a very specific method for losing focus when bad things happen do you, and I'm wondering why. It's an extra thing to remember and I don't see what it adds with the extra complexity. Is there a reason you don't want people to pick and choose what they drop? It also hits wizards and sorcerers differently. Free focus for a sorcerer is all of their future spells, while all of a wizard's future spells are invested with focus and are the last to go. I can't really think of a good reason for that either.
Mantras last for as long as you have focus invested in them right? If so, the 1 minute casting time is weird and sort of unnecessary, since they can just cast it after prep. It might be a useful simplification to just say that they're active immediately after prep and can be suppressed, resumed, or adjusted with extra focus or different targets as a standard action.
When focus is lost due to conditions, what happens to it when the conditions end? Is it returned as free focus, expended focus, or the type of focus it was when it was lost? Is it lost forever? Is there something else that happens?
Thinking about it now, I never actually quite thought about that. It somehow made sense in my head. It should probably become free focus.
I just found the line for this in the first section:
"Being affected by certain conditions (see table below) or effects can reduce an arcanist's maximum focus, as can being the target of certain spells and abilities. Focus thus lost becomes expended focus." [emphasis added]
That makes Arcane Body a pretty big waste, since you have already lost the focus by suffering the condition in the first place, and you're asking the caster to trade up to 3 more spells to be rid of the condition. An alternate formulation of the class feature might be "you suffer X less focus reduction than the table lists (where X is 1-3 for the ability). You can expend X focus to immediately free yourself from the condition, and gain immunity to it for 5 rounds". The immunity part would be since you would otherwise expose yourself to the condition again, and for non-stacking conditions that could get prohibitively expensive.
Garryl
2012-07-17, 08:15 PM
Multiclassing
Your caster level stacks between classes and gets half of your non-caster class level, like ToB. Awesome. Doubly so since spells are learned like maneuvers so you get higher levels spells even when you multiclass.
Wizard
The first thing that strikes me as a problem is the utter lack of class features after 17th (and the near-lack at high levels in general). With the way multiclassing works, there is literally no cost to going Wizard 17/Sorcerer 3 (you actually wind up with several more focuses and spells known) instead of Wizard 20. Levels 18 and 19 are particularly dead levels, and even by level 17 you'll likely be running out of worthwhile bonus feats to take. Spell-wise, the odd levels are particularly weak, as you only get 1 spell known and no extra focus. Even levels have 1 focus and 2 spells. Even levels also come with a point of BaB and Will saves, to boot. Most of the class features are on odd levels, though, but that only accounts for about half of them.
A dip into Sorcerer is objectively better than another level of Wizard at most levels. I think it's the lack of class features (discounting the great spellcasting benefits that Sorcerer 1 grants). Actually, from either class, a dip into the other is pretty darn profitable, although the Sorcerer is probably less inclined to do so (better class features, and the primary benefit is only additional spells known rather than spells known and a bunch of focuses)... but I digress.
Hedge Mage
Good if you like a sort of mini-Artificer feel. Foraged components means you can cast expensive components spells cheaply (up to 1000g off, so it lets you spam the low-mid cost spells without worry, but really expensive things are still really expensive). Self-Made Man means you can got 33% further on your cash than you would otherwise, which is kinda nice. The bonus feat list is kinda lacking, though (Improved Toughness and Scribe Scroll are about the only useful ones). The immunities are helpful, but are relatively minor and are probably more helpful for stopping you from losing focuses.
Battlemage
Good bonus feat list. Higher HD, bonus proficiencies, and casting with a shield means a bit with your fewer spells available at any given time at higher levels compared to Core 3.5 casters. Battlemage Aura means cheaper buff spells, which is one of the better things you can do with spells, anyways. The radius is pretty small, though. All as One is fairly strong, and has good synergy with both previous abilities (particularly Spellflower, but also Battlemage Aura since the allies will always be within range).
Scholar
Varied feat list, and nobody every says no to free Incarnum. Nothing much else to note since the abilities are all very minor.
Sorcerer
Lots of focuses. Rapid recharge, too (15 minutes can easily fit in the middle of a work day, but 30 + 5/spell is usually too long). Fewer spells known, so hopefully it's enough (twice as much as a Wilder and about 50% more than most martial adepts, so it should be okay). Of course, then you have 4 more spells that the table hides from Instinctive Magic, which makes it awesome. Even better still, you can use it to skip to the good parts of a lore, so it's almost like another ~15 extra spells known. Oh, and hallelujah, good casting-related features. (Hidden) Bonus metamagic feat at 3rd, should be made clearer (just put bonus metamagic feat on the table or something). Faster application of metamagic is good since full-round action+ spells with spontaneous metamagic add an extra round to the cast time. Body Arcane is pretty nice, removing a laundry list of debilitating effects. Arcane Surge is a cool sort of "spell rage".
I definitely think Sorcerer is the stronger class here, although Battlemage Wizard (with a Sorcerer dip, naturally) will give it a run for its money.
That's it for classes for now.
Regarding PEACH and PEACH alike
Yeah, I do most of my work on minmaxboards (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=241). If you're looking for what to look at, try the Divine Mind, Soulknife, or the Paladin/Ranger variants. If you want to be ironic, look at the Mage, since its arcane casting has a few conceptual similarities to this system (arcane spells, point-based, relatively freeform casting and rapid recharge, costs for sustaining, etc.). If anything else catches your eye, go ahead and take a look, I don't charge for admission.
tarkisflux
2012-07-17, 09:43 PM
Multiclassing
Your caster level stacks between classes and gets half of your non-caster class level, like ToB. Awesome. Doubly so since spells are learned like maneuvers so you get higher levels spells even when you multiclass.
Wizard
The first thing that strikes me as a problem is the utter lack of class features after 17th (and the near-lack at high levels in general). With the way multiclassing works, there is literally no cost to going Wizard 17/Sorcerer 3 (you actually wind up with several more focuses and spells known) instead of Wizard 20. Levels 18 and 19 are particularly dead levels, and even by level 17 you'll likely be running out of worthwhile bonus feats to take. Spell-wise, the odd levels are particularly weak, as you only get 1 spell known and no extra focus. Even levels have 1 focus and 2 spells. Even levels also come with a point of BaB and Will saves, to boot. Most of the class features are on odd levels, though, but that only accounts for about half of them.
A dip into Sorcerer is objectively better than another level of Wizard at most levels. I think it's the lack of class features (discounting the great spellcasting benefits that Sorcerer 1 grants). Actually, from either class, a dip into the other is pretty darn profitable, although the Sorcerer is probably less inclined to do so (better class features, and the primary benefit is only additional spells known rather than spells known and a bunch of focuses)... but I digress.
Thanks Garryl. I was going to hold off on the weird multiclassing stuff until I knew it was intentional. :-p
Anyway, it's out there and I agree with all of it. But the multiclassing thing is only objectively better if you also have a great Cha or break up your spell selection so that when you get Sorc spells you don't care about their DCs. And you probably don't take more than 4 levels of Sorc, because you lose out on the Magister Arcana from 1 of your 2 lores at that point. But it is really enticing and would let you keep a pool of free focus for reasonably high level utility stuff if you spaced the levels out nicely.
While some of those concerns could be resolved with new class features, the focus progression also has some of the blame. Wizards just don't get very much of it when they're supposed to be putting some into mantras. A 3 focus / 4 levels progression would blunt some of that. It could even be a class feature that gave them "free focus" after preparation, to invest in mantras or serve as a buffer against status effects or whatever but not prepare spells with. Then they would still go out for the period with the same number of effects readied (in case that's a primary concern), they just get to do slightly more with them.
Eldan
2012-07-18, 03:59 PM
Well, let's just go through this point by point. First, however, I'd like to thank you two. Your comments are extremely helpful. This is pretty much my first attempt to write any homebrew that contains actual new rules of any kind. I knew that somewhere between my brain (where it all makes perfect sense) and the page it would all get tangled up, but of course I have no idea where. It's good to get some helpful critique.
Focus Loss:
The system for what kind of focus you lose in turn came from a general idea I had of the wizard concentrating more or less on different kind of effects that he had active, so some would "get away" from them more or less easily. If it's too complicated, I guess I can scrap it.
Mantra Casting Time:
Mantras have a casting time mainly for sorcerers. I guess it could be included in the preparation for wizards.
Arcane Body:
The general idea for Arcane Body is that the sorcerer can just overcome physical afflictions through sheer power of will. The equivalent of Iron Heart Surge, basically. I'm not sure if it would really be worthless, though. Getting out of stunning or nausea can save your life, that should be worth some focus.
Reducing the focus reduction is not really what I had in mind, it doesn't seem to mix with the fluff I had in mind, but I'll include the immunity for X rounds, if that helps.
Wizard class features:
I guess the lack of class features comes from the point where I thought of Arcana as basically wizard class features. That was before I even started thinking about sorcerers, so that would come out a bit unbalanced. Should I give them something cool at 20, then? I'll include it if I can think of anything.
Perhaps, for now, just a formulation to the effect that, for Arcana, all the spells have to be in your same class? Like, if you have 10 fey spells from sorcerer and 7 from wizard, they would not give you the Magister's Arcanum?
Wizard odd and even levels:
Should I turn the focus gain around, so that you gain focus on those levels you gain less spells? I was thinking that, really, odd levels are new spell level levels, which should basically count as a class feature by itself.
Paths:
Does the Scholar need more? I thought that more spells known would be a pretty good feature.
The PEACH market:
I'll certainly have a look at your mage. I like casting classes. The others you said as well. So far, I have just sort of randomly clicked through your lists and read a bit.
Focus Recharge:
I guess the half hour + 5 minutes for wizards is a bit long. Should I shorten that down a bit more? Or make it longer for Sorcerers?
General question:
How do you think this looks balance-wise? Playable? Overpowered? Interesting? Would you play it? I know a lot of the balancing really comes down to the spell lists. I tried to keep out some of the worst offenders (saving some for rituals), and slightly rewriting a few where I thought it helpful. Of course, this system can work together with any general spell fix too, which is nice.
tarkisflux
2012-07-18, 04:31 PM
General question:
How do you think this looks balance-wise? Playable? Overpowered? Interesting? Would you play it? I know a lot of the balancing really comes down to the spell lists. I tried to keep out some of the worst offenders (saving some for rituals), and slightly rewriting a few where I thought it helpful. Of course, this system can work together with any general spell fix too, which is nice.
Will answer other stuff (and add more stuff) in a bit, but this is easy to respond to now.
Playable? Almost certainly. There's some weird bits in here still, but it's easy enough to work around them or ignore them entirely.
Interesting? Yes. This does a nice job of being a broad class where you can make some really out there choices but you are strongly incentivized to pick similarly thematic ones. Thematic characters fall out of the mechanics basically, which I like a lot.
Would I play it? Yes.
Overpowered? I have no idea. I know too many people who play too many different styles of games for their to be one particular "balance" to shoot for. I'm of the balance school where this question doesn't make any sense without additional qualifiers, which I don't have right now.
So, overpowered compared to what? What sort of balance are you shooting for? I wouldn't put him in with a party of monks or commoners certainly, nor would I put him with a bunch of optimized wizards and druids, but past that I'm not really sure where I'd place him. Need to go over the lores a bit more first (and figure out if they can still get versatility with scrolls and staves) and look at some sample spell loadouts over various levels before I have a good sense of where I'd put them.
Eldan
2012-07-18, 04:53 PM
Well, at least it's not obviously broken on a Spell-to-power Erudite level. Which I was pretty certain of already :smallwink:
I like the general balance point of Tier 3, as per the Tier system. Versatile, but not game-breaking.
I cleaned up the Arcane situation. You no longer get automatic focus for being an Arcanist. Instead, classes give one focus more, as does the Dabbler Feat. I'm also thinking of including an arcane race or two that starts with some focus already. High Elves come to mind, as they meditate already.
I also added the Arcane Strike feat (modelled on the one in Complete Arcane), which is a way of using focus for non-casters.
Eldan
2012-07-18, 05:15 PM
Garryl: I have registered on the Minmaxboards, but apparently they want me to deliver a blood sample first and complete an obstacle course before I can post. so, you'll have to wait for your peaches a bit.
Garryl
2012-07-18, 09:48 PM
Yeah, there was a BIG problem with spambots that completely destroyed the previous forums (also something about a virus that got implanted into the old server), so they're reasonably cautious. Just make a couple of posts in the introduction forums and you'll be right as rain.
Eldan
2012-07-19, 10:32 AM
I've added a new ritual, the High Elf race, an alternate class feature for High Elven scholars and beefed up the scholar class features a bit, since apparently that path was a bit underwhelming compared to others.
Edit: Ladies and Gentlemen, we have 3000 views! Thank you, thank you, thank you, you have been a wonderful audience.
tarkisflux
2012-07-20, 06:50 PM
Sorry for the recent lack of PEACH, just been more busy than expected lately. And since it's likely to continue for a few days, I'll probably be a bit with anything new.
But I did just realize you were in the peach trading thread with this. If you feel like PEACHing a bit of mine, I wouldn't mind at all if you took a look at my skills rewrite (linked in sig). There's a lot to it (most of it offsite), but if you wanted to stick only to what was posted here that would be fine. And hopefully helpful even :smallwink:
Eldan
2012-07-20, 06:53 PM
Sure, I will.
Eldan
2012-07-20, 08:06 PM
I have shuffled a few things around on the Sorcerer. And, since they really had too many spells known compared to wizards, I changed instinctive magic so you have to exchange what spell you learn on that level. It becomes a bit of a trade of: do you want another third level spell, or a second level spell you don't qualify for?
Eldan
2012-07-31, 08:18 AM
No, this is not done yet. Posted a cantrip and four Arcana for the lore of the hunt (though I can't think of a Magister's Arcanum right now). And a new ritual. Might do some more later.
Eldan
2012-08-05, 07:27 PM
And the Lore of Winter should be finished, cantrip, arcana and all.
Eldan
2012-08-07, 09:49 AM
Aaand the element of the week is... Earth! *clap clap clap*
A new lore, two new rituals, three new ritual feats, and a new ritual magic item, all Earth themed.
Iceforge
2012-08-19, 09:35 AM
Can I steal this?
I am building my own homebrewed system/setting (E6) and was wary to include magic (strongly considered going no magic in player control) as I did not like how it was done with other systems, but this I think will have the feel to magic that Im looking for to make it work for me.
Also, in your first post you got a list of effects and how much focus loss they cause, and it in, you list poisons lowering physical attributes twice, and from the text and context it is clear you mean one of those (supposedly the -2 one) to mean "mental attributes"
Eldan
2012-08-19, 09:40 AM
Feel free. I'd also love to have some feedback from someone who actually uses it in a game.
I have a few other lores and a long list of rituals going that I might put up at some point in the future.
Iceforge
2012-08-19, 09:42 AM
It will become modified (to fit E6) and will be a while before I'll be able to give you feedback (as Im still building the world), but will make sure to tell you how it goes, and thanks :)
Eldan
2012-08-19, 03:01 PM
Cool. Tell me if you or your players ever wish for any specific material (i.e. themed lores, spells, feats, ACFs, races or anything), and I'll see what I can do.
Eldan
2012-08-21, 01:42 PM
New Lore: the Planes*, as well as a few fitting rituals.
*More like the lore of Conjuration or Teleportation, really, the way it ended up. Oh well.
Eldan
2012-08-25, 12:36 PM
I added two feats inspired by the multiclass feats from Complete Adventurer and later books. More when I can think of any that make sense.
Eldan
2012-09-10, 03:30 PM
Added a few new rituals. I've been working on a few prestige classes as well, though that's not really going anywhere so far.
Eldan
2012-09-11, 03:02 PM
A few more. I think I'm through with the letter "A" in the SRD now. Joy.
Eldan
2012-09-17, 03:55 PM
Someone* mentioned a while ago that the Wizard has no cool capstone. So all paths now have one. The scholar was especially changed, half of its abilities are slightly different now. Finally, there's a new path, the Trickster.
*Sorry for my laziness. I'm still grateful for such a good PEACHing.
Iceforge
2012-09-23, 02:54 AM
{table=head]Effect|Focus reduction
Dazzled| -1
Fatigued| -1
Shaken| -1
Sickened| -1
Has not eaten for 24 hours or more 1| -1
Has suffered unrestored ability damage from any poison that lowers physical attributes2| -1
Dazed| -2
Exhausted| -2
Frightened| -2
Nauseated| -2
Has not had restful sleep for 24 hours or more 3| -2
Has suffered unrestored ability damage from any poison that lowers physical attributes2| -2
Confused|-3
Cowering|-3
Disabled|-3
Panicked|-3
Staggered|-3
Stunned|-3
[/table]
1 This does not apply to creature which need not eat to survive.
2 Being under the effect of more than one poison does not produce additional focus loss. An arcanist under the effect of both mental and physical poisons only suffers the loss from the mental poison. Poisons which produce any effect other than ability damage either produce the normal focus loss for that condition, if it is on the list (such as a sickening poison producing a focus loss of -1) or have no effect on focus (if their effect is not on this list).
3This does not apply to creatures which need not sleep (or trance, in the case of elves). This does not stack with the reduction from Fatigued or Exhausted.
*From your main post.
Is one of those highlighted not supposed to say "mental attributes"?
Eldan
2012-09-23, 07:29 AM
Ah, yes. That one was pointed out before, I think. I'll go change it.
armatil
2012-10-10, 10:42 PM
very impressed by this. i'm definitely going to use this in-game. it could be a while, but i will report on how it goes.
keep up the good work.
Eldan
2013-04-11, 01:22 PM
It's been a while since I've added anything new here, hasn't it. But I was in a brewing mood. An arcane brewing mood.
There's a few new rituals: Continual Flame, Disjunction, Dream, Gentle Repose and Identify. I have a few more written up that need proper forum formatting that I'll put in at some point this weekend, together with a new lore.
Scholar23
2013-04-11, 09:13 PM
Realy good and well made. I would leaveto see this played pbp here:smallbiggrin:
Eldan
2013-04-12, 07:40 AM
Always nice to hear. Anything you think is missing?
I did start tinkering around with a bard class based entirely on different spellsongs (one per lore), but that's a giant project and probably not getting made any time soon.
Gideon Falcon
2013-04-12, 04:43 PM
Why is Earthquake a ritual now? I thought the original version was perfectly fine. Besides, a ritual version doesn't work all that well, since you have to spend an hour to produce a one-round effect. It was meant to be a combat spell, and making it a ritual completely nulls that. If it was a lasting effect, like control weather, then it might be worth the hour-long casting time, but as is, it's only ever useful for ridiculously well-timed surprise attacks and seiges.
Eldan
2013-04-13, 12:19 PM
It involves a quite large-scale destruction of infrastructure. That's the kind of thing rituals should do.
Think of it like this. It has a radius of 120ft. The usual kind of D&D combat involves two squads of people, 3 to 6 people facing 1 to perhaps 20 monsters. This is not the kind of situation where you need that kind of spell.
Earthquake is useful in a siege situation, to destroy an environmental obstacle or to go against an army or enemy camp.
Epsilon Rose
2013-04-13, 01:55 PM
Hey, I thought I should let you know, your system looks really interesting and I'm planning on using it for a homebrew heavy game I'll be running on Myth weavers. If you have any tips for it's use I'd be more than happy to hear them.
I have three questions for you:
Do you plan on making a divine class for this system?
I'm not sure if it'll be relevant but, how do your wizard and sorcerer interact with prestige classes? Particularly those that involve spell slots?
Do you have any tips for creating new rituals?
Eldan
2013-04-13, 02:21 PM
1. Divine classes: no, not really. In fact, I always wondered why Divine classes used spell slots like this at all. I started working on a divine class, once, but it used a system that was similar to soulbinding: the cleric makes a certain vow or oath and gets a set of fitting abilities in return. Things like vows of chastity, oaths of revenge or vows of silence.
2. Classes that simply advance spellcasting would advance focus and spells known instead. That should be pretty straightforward. In most cases where you spend spell slots to achieve some effect, you could expend focus instead. It would require some discussion with your DM.
3. For new rituals, look at spells that involve any of the following: very large scale, transportation over large distances, foretelling the future, creating or modifying permanently existing structures or resources. Writing them into rituals mostly involves three steps: finding correct DCs, rewriting text, if necessary, and developing failure effects and modifications.
DCs are pretty simple: I use knowledge DCs of spell level*2+2, which comes out to the same level you could normally cast the spell at. Spellcraft DCs are 3*spell level+10. Ritual Time is 10 minutes per spell level.
Failure effects are whatever you want them to be. There's little basis for them in the existing rules, except with very few spells.
Modifications are based on caster-level based effects such as duration and number of targets and on cases where one spell is obviously an improved version of an existing one.
I was thinking about developing some rituals not based directly on existing spells, working from some points in the fluff were people achieve large magical changes that can not be done with existing spells. Specifically, I was thinking of item creation (especially golems) and acquired templates (namely, Lichdom).
Got any links to that game? If you run, I might like to play.
Edit: I'm looking at the spellcasting fix in your signature and I really like the idea of spells having differing effects based on language spoken. I'll have to think about that, it's very interesting.
Eldan
2013-04-14, 09:43 AM
Illusory script and the alround healing ritual Restoration. I'm also working on the lore of storms, arcana for the lore of the deep and perhaps a spell list for the lore of death.
Epsilon Rose
2013-04-15, 01:54 AM
1. Divine classes: no, not really. In fact, I always wondered why Divine classes used spell slots like this at all. I started working on a divine class, once, but it used a system that was similar to soulbinding: the cleric makes a certain vow or oath and gets a set of fitting abilities in return. Things like vows of chastity, oaths of revenge or vows of silence.
That actually sounds really cool. It would be neat to see a divine class using something different from the arcane classes. It seems like most of the non-standard mages have a more arcane feel.
Got any links to that game? If you run, I might like to play.
Actually, the ad thread just went up. You can find it here (http://www.myth-weavers.com/showthread.php?t=208507). Most of the setting details aren't up yet, but I should be able to rectify that tomorrow. If it looks interesting I'd love to see what you would put together for this sort of game.
Edit: I'm looking at the spellcasting fix in your signature and I really like the idea of spells having differing effects based on language spoken. I'll have to think about that, it's very interesting.
Thank you. You've also reminded me that I need to finish that.
Also, thank you for the tips on the rituals, they should come in handy once things start going wonky.
dancingfiend
2013-04-15, 03:37 AM
Im sorry about this but i couldnt find it and its late.
So a spellcaster only gets the focus from the chart of their class?
I'm fine with this due to how you've set up the cantrips I do wonder what you are saying there and trying to clarify. The confusion comes from the part you talk about bonus focus from the class and based upon how they became an arcanist, which might be a holdover from you typing this from your notes perhaps.
So a wizard gets 13 spells per day and a sorcerer gets 23? Varying based upon their use of mantra and feats?
Just looking for clarification because I love it so far.
Eldan
2013-04-15, 04:04 AM
Bonus focus is indeed a leftover from an earlier edit. It should no longer exist, you just get the number in the class table.
That said, there's no longer such a thing as spells per day. Focus is not a daily resource.
Eldan
2013-04-15, 06:22 AM
Added a spell list for the Lore of Death.
Eldan
2013-04-16, 07:02 AM
Right. And the Spell list of the Lore of Storms. Now I guess I'll have to go back and do the cantrips and arcana.
Scholar23
2013-04-21, 10:36 AM
Hey there, was thinking that maybe your rituals could do more when affected by leylines and such some a world with lines of raw magic could be a fun thing to add.
Also maybe you could have a ritual that "awakens" the magic in someone. Basically it would give them the Gifted feat in exchange for a sacrifice. For examle that character would recive a flaw for the feat in the casting goes right. If it fails they get the flaw but no gift of magic
Eldan
2013-04-21, 11:26 AM
Sounds interesting. Ley lines were on the backburner for an alternate class feature of the sorcerer, Geomancy. In essentia, you lose one spell known in exchange for a randomly chosen spell from a lore appropriate to your current location.
Geomantic rituals I'd have to think about. Probably a feat that gives you a bonus to your spellcraft check if you have an appropriate location. Or more simply, a skill application (Knowledge nature? Survival? Knowledge Planes?) to find ley lines.
Scholar23
2013-04-21, 12:26 PM
Well you could do what they do in the Quinnsential Wizard 2 book.
Just to Browse
2013-04-21, 07:45 PM
The biggest reason I can't critique your system is because there are so many words. Can you write a 1-post summary of the different kinds of magic, how to use magic, but just strip it of the flavor text and descriptors? Something with bullet points would be nice.
Eldan
2013-04-22, 05:15 AM
Sure. There's not really any different kinds of magic.
Let's see.
It is essentially Vancian Magic as known from the PHB, with the following differences:
Learning spells:
Every caster has a limited amount of spells known, including wizards.
Every spell is part of a lore. A lore is a group of thematically related spells. To learn a spell of a higher level in a lore, you have to learn one of a lower level first. Learning more than a certain number gives you a special ability called Arcanum.
Kinds of spells
There are the following kinds of spells:
Cantrips can be cast at will as a standard action. You get one for every lore you have learned spells from and they get more powerful if you have higher level spells of that lore ready. They essentially work like Reserve feats from Complete Mage.
Invocations are standard spells. Wizards prepare them, sorcerers cast them. They take a round to cast, meaning they go off at the beginning of your next turn.
Mantras are buff spells and summons. They take a long time to cast, usually during preparation, but they last as long as you keep them up.
Casting spells
Instead of slots per day, people have Focus. Every point of focus can be used to cast any spell, regardless of level. It is not a daily resource, but regained by any long rest.
Most of the conditions one can suffer from also make a caster lose some focus, which can lead ot the loss of prepared or maintained spells.
Focus can also be used to invest in certain feats or class abilities.
Casting defensively is a lot harder, now. Without the Battlecasting feat, you lose a spell you are currently casting if you are successfully attacked.
Classes
Wizards have a lot of spells known, but little focus. They can choose one of four class paths, essentially for outdoors wizards, scholarly wizards, sneaky wizards and battle wizards. They prepare their spells ahead of time.
Sorcerers have fewer spells known but a lot more focus. They have abilities which make their spells even stronger, temporarily and a slight focus on metamagic.
Rituals:
Rituals can be used with the Arcane system, or separately from it.
They are a system for the casting of spells that have very large scale effects, effects that are permanent or could be otherwise disruptive to a campaign if cast too often and too easily.
Everyone can learn rituals with the investment of a feat, a lot of skill points and some time and money.
Rituals can fail. Sometimes horribly.
Eldan
2013-04-29, 01:29 PM
No, don't drop to second page, homebrew! I just finished the Lore of Storms!
Scholar23
2013-04-29, 09:07 PM
"The Apprentice of the Lore of Storms threats all winds "
Started to read it and found this... I think you ment Treat
Keep up the HB realy good. Will give a better reply later on it
Eldan
2013-05-02, 11:25 AM
I've added Primal Fury, the first of hopefully several rituals that will permanently change a base creature, mostly by adding a template. I've planned for Lichdom, Halfdragons, Mummies and a few others.
Niezck
2013-05-06, 03:57 PM
Lore of the Abyss
http://imageshack.us/a/img20/4471/stormofvengeance.jpg
Apprentice's Arcanum: Child of the Abyss
You gain Damage Reduction/Cold Iron and Good equal to the highest level spell from the Lore of the Abyss the arcanist knows. In addition, Knowledge: The Planes is always a class skill for you. If it's already a class skill, you gain a +2 bonus to it.
Initiate's Arcanum: Soldier of the Abyss
You gain the Darkvision 60ft and the ability to see through magical darkness. In addition, you gain resistance to acid, cold and fire equal to the highest level spell known from the Lore of the Abss.
Journeyman's Arcanum: Denzien of the Abyss
You gain Telepathy out to a range equal to 10ft per level of the highest level spell known from the Lore of the Abyss.
Adept's Arcanum: Master of the Abyss
You gain the Outsider type with the Chaotic and Evil subtypes. Your native plane is the Abyss. You may choose to count as your previous creature type instead of an outsider if that would be beneficial for the purposes of any spell or effect affecting you. In addition, you gain immunity to poison and electricity and spell resistance equal to 10 plus your caster level.
Master's Arcanum: Lord of the Pit
You may choose to grow one size category. In addition, you gain a pair of secondary claw attacks dealing 1d6 damage each, a pair of secondary wing slams that deal 1d4 damage each and grant flight equal to twice your base land speed with good maneuverability, and any one ability from the following list:
Protective Slime as per the Babau
The ability to manifest, as a move action, a whip that deals 2d6 fire damage plus Entangle and Death Throes as per the Balor
Poison as per the Bebilith
Two primary pincer attacks dealing 2d8 damage as per the Glabrezu
Stench as per the Hezrou
Constrict as per the Marilith and a tail attack dealing 4d6 damage
Smite as per the Nalfeshnee
Energy Drain and Change Shape as per the Succubus
Spores and Stunning Screech as per the Vrock
In addition, if you are killed you are reborn from a random layer of the Abyss 3d6 days later, at full power though without any of your equipment.
Cantrip: Murderous Command
The caster can incite rage in her foes with but a word. This cantrip only has a verbal component. To use this cantrip, the caster targets one living creature within hearing range. The target must makes a will save as if this were a spell of the highest level spell known from the Lore of the Abyss. If the target fails, they must spend a number of rounds equal to the level of the highest spell known from the Lore of the Abyss melee attacking its allies. The target will use any means necessary to move toward, melee attack and kill its allies for the duration of the cantrip. Spell Resistance applies to this cantrip.
Spell List
Level 1
Babau Slime (Mantra)*
Protection from Law (Mantra, Targets)
Demonflesh (Mantra, Targets, FC1)
Orb of Acid, Lesser (Invocation)*
Level 2
Blistering Invective (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1281) (Invocation, PF)
Blood Blaze (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1514) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Balor Nimbus (Mantra)*
Level 3
Blood Rage (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=665) (Mantra, Targets, PF)
Demon Wings (Mantra, FC1)
Spit Venom (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1132) (Invocation, PF)
Level 4
Detonate (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=739) (Mantra, PF)
Orb of Acid (Invocation)*
Aura of Doom (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=971) (Mantra, PF)
Level 5
Flame Strike (Invocation)
Hungry Pit (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=798) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Damnation Stride (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1536) (Invocation, PF)
Level 6
Tar Pool (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1399) (Invocation, Sustained, PF)
Song of Discord (Invocation, Sustained)
Level 7
Abyssal Frenzy (Invocation, Sustained, FC1)
Destruction (Invocation)
Level 8
Frightful Aspect (http://www.dxcontent.com/SDB_SpellBlock.asp?SDBID=1311) (Mantra, PF)
Bodak's Glare (Invocation)*
Level 9
Abyssal Rift (Invocation, Sustained, FC1)
Eldan
2013-05-07, 11:08 AM
Thanks for that, it has been added to the first post.
By the way, if anyone else has any suggestions or homebrew of their own, I'd love to have a look at it.
1lost1
2013-08-30, 08:40 PM
Hey totaly in love with this :smallbiggrin:, are you still working on this or ?
If so I got ideas for a bard class to add to you Sor and Wiz
Also another idea maybe to give the Sor some varients would be bloodlines to how they have thier natural powers (simplist way I can thick of and the most know)
Thanks
Eldan
2013-08-31, 07:06 AM
I don't think it will ever be really finished as such, there's always more to add. There's tons of spells tha tcould be rituals, ideas for more lores, a few notes on prestige classes and the bard... but I don't really have the inspiration anymore to kneel into the project and really work on it.
The basic outline of the bard was there. The bard gets fewer spells, more skills and the ability to sing certain mantras. Singing would make them audible at a distance, but also increase their area and number of affected creatures.
I wasn't really sure whether that would be a new class or just a wizard variant, but there you go.
1lost1
2013-08-31, 09:41 AM
Well I would suggest it as a new class and if you post what you have done for it I wouldn't mind finishing it for you.
Beyond that if you ever want to jumpstart this I would gladely help:smallbiggrin:
Eldan
2013-08-31, 10:36 AM
Well, what would be your ideas for the Bard, then?
And if you have any ideas for lores (Arcana, especially) or Rituals, feel free to post them.
1lost1
2013-08-31, 02:02 PM
Just a class layout (its writen up somewhere) with choices on types of paths, Skald, Hearald, Courtier, Messenger, and stuff like that.
As to arcana a celestial one would be good and the following:
Luck
Law
Choas
High magic (or Royal)
Street Magic
War Magic
Ley Lines
Eldan
2013-08-31, 06:59 PM
Just naming lores is easy. I've had tons of that. Mind, Stars, Law, Chaos, Life, Blades, Metal, Artifice were all lores I was working on at some point.
The difficult part is finding enough fitting spells, especially ones that aren't already in another lore. And hten writing arcana.
Xerlith
2013-09-01, 09:53 AM
Whoa.
I just stumbled upon this work of yours and I'd like to say it's absolutely amazing.
I was looking for an alternate casting system for my game and I think I found it here. Now all that remains is convincing them. :smallwink:
That said, I'll probably post my take on the Metal or Blades lore (or something similar). It's easier if you look also at the Wu Jen spell list (And it's much more balanced than the Wizard/Sorcerer one. Small, though).
EDIT:
A draft
The Lore of Metal
Spells with [OA] - Oriental Adventures; [CArc] - Complete Arcana; [CM] - Complete Mage
img
"Catchphrase"
Apprentice's Arcanum:
Initiate's Arcanum:
Journeyman's Arcanum:
Adept's Arcanum:
Magister's Arcanum:
Cantrip:
Level 1:
Iron Scarf [OA]
True Strike
Magic Weapon
Level 2:
Heat Metal
Entangling Scarf [OA]
Level 3:
Keen Edge
Magnetism [OA]
Storm of Needles [CM]
Greater Magic Weapon
Level 4:
Rusting Grasp
Rebirth of Metal [CM]
Rain of Spines [CM]
Level 5:
Metal Skin [CArc]
Major Creation (Metals only)
Level 6:
Wall of Iron
Level 7:
Adamantine Wings [CM]
Decapitating Scarf [Carc]
Level 8:
Iron Body
Level 9:
Eldan
2013-09-01, 10:38 AM
Hm. Yes, Wu Jen is one I haven't looked at much. I've mostly dug through the Pathfinder SRD and the Spell Compendium for interesting spells.
The original concept was starting with the eight Lores of Warhammer. As you can see, quite a few were dropped or changed.
Eldan
2013-09-02, 01:53 PM
If anyone's interested, here's my notes on the Lore of Metal/Blades, with Wu Jen added (surprisingly few spells from that one).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ApCuoSxQMcvddHpkSFZGbHdvcUJ4OVNBZEVKN1JiU nc&usp=sharing
Noteable recurring problems: more low-level than high level spells, spells that don't work in my framework (swift action spells, spells that are cast before a weapon attack), overlap between spells that do more or less the same thing, nothing good for cantrips (they need to make sense as something you want to spam regularly).
Xerlith
2013-09-02, 05:35 PM
I have a feeling that Lore of metal and Lore of Blades are best fit to be one lore. Also, most of those spells you shown could use a different nametag if gathered. Something along the Lore of Battle, if I may.
Also, look at the choice of spells I made in my higher post. The Scarf line seemed to be fitting.
Eldan
2013-09-02, 05:55 PM
The problem is, magic weapon is a bad cantrip. A cantrip should be a spell you can, if necessary, cast every turn in combat if you have nothing better available. So, useful in almost every situation and still useful if cast half a dozen times in rapid succession. Magic weapon you cast maybe twice and preferably before combat.
Xerlith
2013-09-02, 05:58 PM
Well, I couldn't come up with something good. Sadly.
Eldan
2014-04-25, 02:50 AM
Updated the tables, if anyone still cares. Will probably add the odd small thing later. Prestige classes probably still aren't happening and new lores are too much work right now, but I have a few feats mostly finished, as well as the odd ritual.
Seraphiel
2014-04-26, 08:41 PM
Glad you did, or I would have missed this, and it seems really cool. It's a shame you're not doing more with the lores, they're lovely.
1whoscribbled
2014-04-26, 09:17 PM
I do this system is ecpic :smallbiggrin:, definelty would be fun to base a setting around this system.
Eldan
2014-04-27, 11:04 AM
Lores are a pain to write, though. Not only do you need a long list of fitting spells, coming up with lores is also necessary. And a good, spamable cantrip.
1whoscribbled
2014-04-27, 11:16 AM
Lores are a pain to write, though. Not only do you need a long list of fitting spells, coming up with lores is also necessary. And a good, spamable cantrip.
I will see what I can do ... thinking at the moment
Eldan
2014-04-28, 02:56 AM
I'm thinking of just rewriting the entire metamagic system to something closer to core. Wizards prepare spells with metamagic at an extra focus cost, while sorcerers spend extra focus while casting to make a spell metamagic.
The problem being of course that most of the time, it probably wouldn't be worth it to pay twice the cost of the spell for a metamagic feat.
But currently, I have three metamagic feats that work, while with hte other system, most could be ported over.
Opinions?
VoxRationis
2014-04-28, 01:15 PM
I'm not sure if anyone's noticed this, but the high elf's sealed memories ability doesn't have any form of scaling besides increasing your Intelligence score, even though the DCs are keyed to a level-linked class feature that also benefits from Intelligence. This has the net effect of making the ability no more useful, on an absolute scale, at level 20 than it was at level 1, and on a relative scale therefore being much less useful. Some of the DCs for bardic knowledge are 25 or 30, and most characters aren't going to throw that sort of intelligence around, even at high levels.
Eldan
2014-04-28, 01:19 PM
Hmm. Yes, that is true, I guess. Though I'm not sure it should scale. If it did, every elf could step on every bard's toes and that sounds wrong to me. Plus, I'm not sure what it would scale with. Level doesn't quite seem to fit, to me.
1whoscribbled
2014-04-28, 01:33 PM
I'm thinking of just rewriting the entire metamagic system to something closer to core. Wizards prepare spells with metamagic at an extra focus cost, while sorcerers spend extra focus while casting to make a spell metamagic.
The problem being of course that most of the time, it probably wouldn't be worth it to pay twice the cost of the spell for a metamagic feat.
But currently, I have three metamagic feats that work, while with hte other system, most could be ported over.
Opinions?
Meta magic in my mind is such a fun way to make spells more unique so Im all for you converting it over since without the conversion the feats the amount of focus needed to use them make them useless.
Eldan
2014-04-28, 01:38 PM
Obviously I want to convert them. The question is how. I'm all open for suggestions.
1whoscribbled
2014-04-28, 02:31 PM
Just throwing ideas out:
Increase the casting time
Maybe invest focus into a feat that allows spells to have that ability no matter the spell cast. So for example I would invest three focus in slient spell and all spell I would cast would be non verbal. Certain feats though of course shouldn not be done like this (Quicken to name one). So I take the silent spell feat and can chose to invest three focus (1 level bump= 3 focus to invest) so that all spells I cast are silent. This makes it balanced since one you have to invest focus and two doing multiple feats would prevent spamming since it eats focus.
When choosing the feat you select one spell it applies to and it only applies to that spell. Making it permently attached to it. So I would allways have a silent casting of Invisiblity. Since you are latterly altering a spell this would make sense .
Ect...
Eldan
2014-04-28, 02:37 PM
Just throwing ideas out:
Increase the casting time
Maybe invest focus into a feat that allows spells to have that ability no matter the spell cast. So for example I would invest three focus in slient spell and all spell I would cast would be non verbal. Certain feats though of course shouldn not be done like this (Quicken to name one). So I take the silent spell feat and can chose to invest three focus (1 level bump= 3 focus to invest) so that all spells I cast are silent. This makes it balanced since one you have to invest focus and two doing multiple feats would prevent spamming since it eats focus.
When choosing the feat you select one spell it applies to and it only applies to that spell. Making it permently attached to it. So I would allways have a silent casting of Invisiblity. Since you are latterly altering a spell this would make sense .
Ect...
It already works pretty much like that. Only with much less focus cost and affecting all spells automatically. Your version seems far too expensive to ever be worth it.
1whoscribbled
2014-04-28, 02:44 PM
It already works pretty much like that. Only with much less focus cost and affecting all spells automatically. Your version seems far too expensive to ever be worth it.
Ok then maybe have Meta Focus equal to 1/4 your level plus your wisdom plus one for each meta feat you have then? This way they have a separate pool of points devoted to altering their spells.
Eldan
2014-09-24, 02:39 AM
Someone recently asked me if I was still working on this. The answer is "sort of". I have a few half- or less finished lores (Forests/Plants, Stars and Metal), all of which are severely lacking in useful spells right now. But technically, I'm still interested. Meanwhile, I've posted a new feat (artificer), which allows some sharing of spells. A few more feats and rituals may be coming over the next few days.
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