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View Full Version : The Wizard: a PrC Retool (3.5 PrC, PEACH)



Noctis Vigil
2012-05-08, 11:00 PM
So I decided to try this out: what if you changed a class everyone thinks of as core to the game into a 10 level PrC? It's easily doable for most classes. So I decided to try it. If people like it, I'll probably rework several more classes into 10-level PrCs. Conversely, you could use a 10-level class as a base class, giving the option to master two classes in 20 levels (I recommend only doing this in very high power games, though). So without further ado:

The Wizard

Prerequisites:
Skills: Knowledge(Arcana) 10 Ranks, Speak Language (Draconic)
Special: Cannot have any levels in the Wizard base class from the Player's Handbook, nor can you take levels in it later.

Skills: The Wizard’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skillpoints at 1st level: (2+Int Mod) x4
Skillpoints at level up: 2+Int Mod
Hit Die: D4

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8| 9

1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Familiar, Scribe Scroll|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|

2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3||4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|

3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Bonus Feat|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|

4th|+2|+1|+1|+4||4|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|

5th|+2|+1|+1|+4||4|4|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|

6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Bonus Feat|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|-|-|-|

7th|+3|+2|+2|+5||4|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|-|-|

8th|+4|+2|+2|+6||4|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|-|

9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|Bonus Feat|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|

10th|+5|+3|+3|+7||4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|[/table]

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 her spells with somatic components to fail.

Spells: A Wizard casts arcane spells which are drawn from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list. A Wizard must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time (see below).

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the Wizard must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell 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's caster level increases at a rate of two per level, but may never be higher than their character level.

Like other spellcasters, a Wizard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score.

Unlike a Bard or Sorcerer, a Wizard may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night’s sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the Wizard decides which spells to prepare.

Bonus Languages: Add Draconic the the list of bonus languages a Wizard may learn.

Familiar: A Wizard can obtain a familiar in exactly the same manner as a Sorcerer can. Familiar stats are the same as normal, with the following change:


Change the levels listed on the table for familiar stats such that they gain the next set of powers each level, instead of every level (so instead of the first set being level 1st-2nd, it would be 1st, the next set would be 2nd instead of 3rd-4th, et cetera).

When the familiar gains spell resistance, he instead gains spell resistance equal to his master's Sorcerer level +15 instead of +5.

Scribe Scroll: At 1st level, a Wizard gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat.

Bonus Feats: At 3rd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, a Wizard gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, she can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery. The Wizard must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.

Spellbooks: A Wizard must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which all Wizards can prepare from memory.

A Wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level Wizard spells (except those from her prohibited school or schools, if she specialized in a school) plus four 1st-level spells of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the Wizard has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your choice. At each new Wizard level, she gains three new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new Wizard level) for her spellbook. At any time, a Wizard can also add spells found in other Wizards’ spellbooks to her own.

School Specialization: As the regular Wizard ability found here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#schoolSpecialization).

Grod_The_Giant
2012-05-08, 11:17 PM
I'm... not sure why this is necessary for a class a fundamentally basic as the Wizard, but ok. I'd be worried about the fast casting progression, though; I mean, look at the Ur-Priest, and all the shenanigans you can pull off that way.

toapat
2012-05-08, 11:27 PM
what im trying to figure out is what is the CL? because atm, i dont actually think they get one

Noctis Vigil
2012-05-08, 11:31 PM
I'm... not sure why this is necessary for a class a fundamentally basic as the Wizard, but ok. I'd be worried about the fast casting progression, though; I mean, look at the Ur-Priest, and all the shenanigans you can pull off that way.

It is a little peppy, but the prerequisites are calculated to make sure he doesn't get 9th level spells until 17th level, so I don't think it's too much of a problem (or at least, it's as small a problem as full casting can be).


what im trying to figure out is what is the CL? because atm, i dont actually think they get one

How do you mean?

Welknair
2012-05-08, 11:37 PM
How do you mean?

Nowhere does it say the caster level used for spells they cast. It'd be a good idea to include that.

Grod_The_Giant
2012-05-08, 11:39 PM
How do you mean?
You neglected to include a line that says "A wizard's caster level is equal to his Wizard level..." which is actually a big problem, come to think of it-- he'll have 9th level spells, but only CL 10, unless he blows all his feats on Practiced Spellcaster... I suggest setting CL equal to 1.5-2 times Wizard level, if you really want to replace the base class.

NeoSeraphi
2012-05-08, 11:48 PM
It is a little peppy, but the prerequisites are calculated to make sure he doesn't get 9th level spells until 17th level, so I don't think it's too much of a problem (or at least, it's as small a problem as full casting can be).


The prerequisites fail at this. Your prerequisites are 4 ranks in a skill (which can be done at 1st level) and a base Will save of +6. This is a good try to limit entry, but let me show you how it gets sidestepped:

Level 1: Bard (+2 Will save. 4 ranks in Know (Arcana).)
Level 2: Monk (+4 Will save. 5 ranks in Know (Arcana).)
Level 3: Druid, Sorcerer, etc. (+6 Will save)

Base saving throws stack easily with multiclassing. As it stands, this class gives 9ths by level 13, which is actually a common level to play at, so it's not a good idea by any stretch.

You have to make the prerequisites harsher. Magical Aptitude as a prerequisite feat is nice, as well as upping the ranks in Know (Arcana) to 10 (so that a character who gets it as a class skill has to be level 7 before they qualify).

If that bothers you, make the Education feat a prerequisite. The Education feat makes all Knowledge skills class skills, and also fits the Wizard's flavor perfectly (spending a large amount of time, in this case, enough to count as a feat slot, learning).

Also, it might just be better to make Scribe Scroll and able to speak and write Draconic as prerequisites, rather than rewards. (Check out the Prestigious Character Classes in the SRD. You had to know a little bit about rangering or barding or paladining before you could take the class).

Other than that, looks like a typical prestigious character class. Good job.

toapat
2012-05-08, 11:48 PM
You neglected to include a line that says "A wizard's caster level is equal to his Wizard level..." which is actually a big problem, come to think of it-- he'll have 9th level spells, but only CL 10, unless he blows all his feats on Practiced Spellcaster... I suggest setting CL equal to 1.5-2 times Wizard level, if you really want to replace the base class.
you cant even abuse Practiced spellcaster like that. only thing i can think of ATM that gets to do that are Dragons, because their Caster Level is Both Dragon and Sorcerer, meaning they only get to take the feat twice.

Noctis Vigil
2012-05-09, 12:33 AM
Wow, this is getting some good PEACHing!


You neglected to include a line that says "A wizard's caster level is equal to his Wizard level..." which is actually a big problem, come to think of it-- he'll have 9th level spells, but only CL 10, unless he blows all his feats on Practiced Spellcaster... I suggest setting CL equal to 1.5-2 times Wizard level, if you really want to replace the base class.

Which is interesting, since I copied the Spells section in its entirety with no edits straight from the Wizard entry on the SRD. Apparently SRD Wizards also have no caster level now? :smallconfused: Anyways, not quite sure how to fix this. I'd really rather not give 2 caster levels per level...Ah! Got it! "A Wizard gets a caster level at a rate of two per level, but may never have a higher caster level than their character level." Boom, done.


The prerequisites fail at this. Your prerequisites are 4 ranks in a skill (which can be done at 1st level) and a base Will save of +6. This is a good try to limit entry, but let me show you how it gets sidestepped:

Level 1: Bard (+2 Will save. 4 ranks in Know (Arcana).)
Level 2: Monk (+4 Will save. 5 ranks in Know (Arcana).)
Level 3: Druid, Sorcerer, etc. (+6 Will save)

Base saving throws stack easily with multiclassing. As it stands, this class gives 9ths by level 13, which is actually a common level to play at, so it's not a good idea by any stretch.

You have to make the prerequisites harsher. Magical Aptitude as a prerequisite feat is nice, as well as upping the ranks in Know (Arcana) to 10 (so that a character who gets it as a class skill has to be level 7 before they qualify).

If that bothers you, make the Education feat a prerequisite. The Education feat makes all Knowledge skills class skills, and also fits the Wizard's flavor perfectly (spending a large amount of time, in this case, enough to count as a feat slot, learning).

Also, it might just be better to make Scribe Scroll and able to speak and write Draconic as prerequisites, rather than rewards. (Check out the Prestigious Character Classes in the SRD. You had to know a little bit about rangering or barding or paladining before you could take the class).

Other than that, looks like a typical prestigious character class. Good job.

Oh dear, that's really quite the screw up on my part. Well, this is why I post stuff here; if you guys can easily break the class, so will my players. Let's see, I think I'll leave Scribe Scroll as a "reward" as you put it, but knowing Draconic seems like a good prerequisite; consider it added. Knowledge(Arcana) 10 is good, too. I'll pull the Will save prerequisite entirely.

toapat
2012-05-09, 12:36 AM
Wizard entry on the SRD. Apparently SRD Wizards also have no caster level now?

which SRD?

Noctis Vigil
2012-05-09, 12:39 AM
which SRD?

The Hypertext D20 SRD. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#wizard)

toapat
2012-05-09, 12:44 AM
Ah, i see.

if it is not outright stated, the rules assume that the spellcasting level of a class is equal to their number of levels of the class.

Steward
2012-05-09, 12:45 AM
Noctis, I don't really understand the problem either, but looking back I think the problem might have been deciding whether or not the levels in the base class stack with the wizard level for determining effective caster level or not. Like, if you started as an Adept 4 and then became a Wizard 10 (this is just a random example, I know it doesn't really work) would your 9th level spells be treated as Caster Level 10 forever (ie counting ONLY your prestige class levels) or would they get to count their Adept levels (or whatever) to flesh it out all the way to 20.

The original wizard base class sidesteps this issue since it has 20 levels, so the progression in caster level is pretty logical -- you get 9th level spells at CL 17 and your CL keeps going until 20, rather than being arbitrarily capped at 10 no matter how high your spells get.

Your fix does seem to solve the problem though!