PDA

View Full Version : the Mage, one magic rewrite to rule them all (3.5, peach)



eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:05 PM
Mage (3.5)

Abilities: Every ability except for strength is important to the Mage. While Constitution and Dexterity help with survivability Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom determine spell DCs.

Organization: Most Mages must train their abilities and so often belong to circles of other Mages or to academies. Otherwise they can find themselves in the service of a king or traveling with other adventurers.

Alignment: A magic user can be of any alignment, though those who pick up esoteric schools of magic are usually chaotic or evil.

Religion: A Mage may be of any religion. Worship does not alter arcane magic and they are a varied group.

Background: n/n

Races: Elves and humans tend towards the study of magic the most commonly. Elves find magic intuitive and Humans are driven enough for it's studies. Gnomes often specialize as illusionists. Other races, such as Dwarves, Halflings, and Half-Orc, either don't have the brains or prefer physical encounters.

Other Classes: n/n

Role: No one Mage fills the same role. Depending on which schools she focuses in she might fill different roles.

Class Features

Hit Die: d6

Starting Gold: As Wizard

Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points: 4 + Int mod (x 4 at first level)

{table=head]Level|BaB|Fort|Refx|Will|Special|
Apprentice|
Initiate|
Adept|
Master

1st|+0|+0|+0|+2| Identify, Counterspell, Arcane Blast, Magic Rank (Apprentice) |
5|
-|
-|
-

2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3| Scribe Scroll |
5|
-|
-|
-

3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3| |
6|
-|
-|
-

4th|+2|+1|+1|+4| Fabricate Caduceus |
6|
-|
-|
-

5th|+2|+1|+1|+4| Esoteric Academia, Magic Rank (Initiate) |
6|
1|
-|
-

6th|+3|+2|+2|+5| Mettle |
6|
1|
-|
-

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

8th|+4|+2|+2|+6| Infusion Feat |
7|
2|
-|
-

9th|+4|+3|+3|+6| Esoteric Academia, Magic Rank (Adept) |
7|
2|
1|
-

10th|+5|+3|+3|+7| |
7|
2|
1|
-

11th|+5|+3|+3|+7| Infusion Feat |
7|
3|
2|
-

12th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8| Reflect |
7|
3|
2|
-

13th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8| Esoteric Academia, Magic Rank (Master) |
8|
3|
2|
1

14th|+7/+2|+4|+4|+9| Infusion Feat |
8|
3|
2|
1

15th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+9| |
8|
3|
3|
2

16th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10| |
8|
3|
3|
2

17th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10| Esoteric Academia, Infusion Feat |
8|
4|
3|
2

18th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11| Spell Resistance |
8|
4|
3|
2

19th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11| |
8|
4|
3|
3

20th|+10/+5|+6|+6|+12| Alter Reality, Infusion Feat |
8|
4|
3|
3
[/table]

Proficiencies: The Mage is proficient with the quarterstaff, but she is not proficient with any armor or shields.

Class Abilities
[B]Prime Arcana
The Mage is able to weave raw magic into coherent arcane formulae called spells and invocations. Her caster level equals her Mage level, plus half her total levels in any other classes. She has access to all primary schools, but not to any esoteric schools, for this purpose. Below are rules for casting spells:
Forming arcane energy into coherent structure is difficult. Every spell requires that Mana be spent to cast which varies by rank. See the Mana ability for more details. Casting a spell provokes attack's of opportunity. Her caster level influences many spell effects. For example, the saving throw for any spell has a DC of 10 + 1/2 her caster level + the school's associated modifier.
Bonuses and penalties from multiple uses of the same spell do not stack, nor do bonuses or penalties of the same type. Cumulative instantaneous spells effects, however, are an exception to this rule. For example, if two Fireball spells were to somehow hit at once they would both deal damage.
Wearing armor, being injured, being grappled or pinned, or being subject to violent motion or weather forces a concentration check, DC of 15 + attacker's or caster's HD, caster level, or CR (as applies first in that order of precedence), or by +3 (if none apply), when casting a spell. Being deaf imposes a concentration check (DC 18) if verbal components are provided (see below).
Failing this check causes the Mage to lose the spell and waste Mana. If multiple conditions are present increase the DC by +3 for each condition on the list instead of making multiple concentration rolls.
A rough wagon ride, riding a small boat in rapids, or standing on the deck of a storm-tossed ship are examples of violent motion. High winds, sleet, hail, sandstorms, or heavy debrii are examples of violent weather.
The Mage must verbalize a spell's incantation and provide the gestures it requires to cast it. It automatically fails if both are missing, but prompts a 20% chance of failure if only one of the two components are missing. This is in addition to any concentration check required of her.
She learns new spells, of any rank she has access to (see table), at each of the indicated levels. In order to learn any spell the Mage must have access to that spell's school. At every 4th level of Mage she may forget a spell to learn a different spell of any rank she is capable of casting. This new spell needn't be of the same rank as the one she is replacing.

Mana
Because spells call upon a finite force of energy the Mage needs Mana. She gains a pool of Mana each day, recovered with 1 hour's study after at least 4 hours of rest, equal to 3 + her Mage level + her intelligence modifier.
In order to cast a spell the Mage must expend the appropriate amount of Mana to do so. Apprentice spells cost 1 Mana, Initiate spells cost 2, Adept spells cost 3, and Master spells cost 5.

Identify (Ex)
The Mage can identify a spell being cast, as long as she is aware that is is being cast, with a Knowledge (arcana) check. The DC for this equals 15, though this DC increases by +4 is she doesn't know the spell herself.

Counterspell (Su)
For any spell that the Mage identifies she can attempt to counter it as an immediate action. She must succeed on an opposed spellcraft check against the other spellcaster, wasting their Mana if the spell is countered.

Arcane Blast (Sp)
As a standard action the Mage may release a blast of pure energy which is subject to spell resistance and concentration as detailed for spellcasting, but requires no components or Mana.
Arcane Blast is a ray, requiring a ranged touch attack to hit, with a range of 20ft. If this surge of arcane energy successfully hits a target it deals 1d6 force damage per two caster levels, to a minimum of 1d6 damage. She deals double damage on a critical hit.
She can modify Arcane Blast with Metamagic Infusion feats, as if it were a spell, without the normal drawbacks or penalties normally imposed for applying a Metamagic Infusion feat.

Lv2 > Scribe Scroll
The Mage can write magic scrolls. See the revised rules for more details.

Lv4 > Fabricate Caduceus
The Mage can craft magic wands. See the revised rules for more details.

Lv5, 9, 13, 17 > Esoteric Academia
At the indicated levels the Mage expands her abilities as a spellcaster. She may either add an esoteric school to her repertoire or improve her spellcasting prowess each time.

Each time she chooses to expand her repertoire she can add a single esoteric school to those she has access to. In order to do so she must sacrifice a primary school who's relevant modifier matches the esoteric's. She may never learn higher than apprentice level spell from the school she forgoes and must replace any higher rank spell she knows for ones, of equivalent ranks, in the esoteric school.

Choosing to improve her prowess improves her concentration checks to maintain a spell by +2 and the DC of any saving throws a spell allows by +2. These bonuses only apply to spells from primary schools.

Lv6 > Mettle (Ex)
Anytime the Mage succeeds on a will save to reduce the effects of an attack or hazard she instead negates them. This ability does not eliminate any remaining effects that wouldn't be reduced or negated by her save.

Lv7, 11, 15, 19 > Infusion Feats
At each of the indicated levels the Mage learns a Metamagic Infusion feat, that she qualifies for, of her choice.

Lv12 > Reflect (Su)
Anytime that the Mage counters a spell that specifically declared her as a target she may reflect it back upon the caster.
Attempting to reflect a spell that has already been reflected causes the spell to instead fizzle out and gives both caster and reflector a -1d4 penalty to their intelligence score until they renew their Mana. Multiple penalties stack.

Lv18 > Spell Resistance (Su)
Against any spell the Mage is an unwitting or unwilling recipient of, she may attempt to resist it's affects.
Essentially, any spell or spell-like ability that declares her specifically as a target has a 20% chance of not affecting her unless she wishes otherwise. Other types of spells are not subject to this resistance.

Lv20 > Alter Reality (Su)
Once per week the Mage may alter reality by manipulating magic in it's purist state of form. Using this ability is a standard action and Alter Reality may have any of the following effects:

• Duplicate any spell, up to adept rank, from any school she has access to
• Duplicate any spell, up to initiate rank, from a school she doesn't
• Remove a single effect as described within a specific spell or ability
• Remove an effect previously only removable by wish or miracle

Design Notes
For a long time spellcasters have both been too strong and too weak, as well as too complex and too simple, all at the same time.
What do I mean? At lower levels spells are weaker than ranged attacks and you don't have enough of them to make it through more than one encounter. At higher levels your spells bend reality and you never run out of them.
Another thought I came across was, "How does preparing spells even make sense?" What I mean by that is most spellcasters have set number of spells known in their stories, maybe with a spellbook that they can add additional spells too but have more trouble casting from.
Besides that though, metamagic broke spellcasting even further. A maximized fireball could deal more damage than some 8th level spells, and while damage isn't as big of a deal other effects are. This furthered disconnected spells from melee, because metamagic improved abilities that were already good, while feats just made mundanes able to do what they were supposed to be able to do in the first place.
The extremely long duration of spells meant on top of having 40 or more spells per day I never had to cast half my spells more than once. And with the long range of 1200ft I could snipe with spells that deal far more damage than ranged weapons without a penalty to my attack roll.
Honestly I'm hoping for help in recreating the spells below and, once we're done with that, with creating esoteric schools. I've got some guidelines I've been using, if a little loosely I'll post below.
One of my concerns is keeping the feel of the Wizard without being anything like one. This is actually the reason why I gave the option for a spellbook (which I've incredibly nerfed, if you look below, and still think is too powerful). Still this is a lofty goal I probably won't reach and I don't want it to take importance over making a balanced or fun class.
I hope to find someone, once this is done, to playtest the Mage versus a Swordsage and see what happens. If I get the balance right the Mage shouldn't pull out ahead and if the class does, not until master rank spells at least.

eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:06 PM
New Feats
A new type of feat is presented below called Metamagic Infusion feats. These feats, labeled as , are meant to replace Metamagic feats as a more balanced alternative.
Applying an [Infusion] feat, to a spell, is a swift action that immediately deals 1d4 ability damage, to the ability score of the spells associated modifier, to you. This damage may not be avoided, mitigated, or healed, but fades on it's own at a rate of 1 point per hour.
Further, you must succeed on a concentration check (DC18), plus +3 for each additional factor as normal for spellcasting, or lose the spell and waste any Mana spent.

Burn it with Fire [Infusion]
Any damage your spell deals is dealt as fire damage and is lit on fire on a failed save (if any). If the spell has an elemental descriptor change it to fire.
[I]Special: A spell that does not deal damage is not affected by this Infusion.

By a Mile [Infusion]
Your spell's ranged is doubled. If it was a melee touch spell it instead becomes a ranged touch attack with a range of 20ft.
Special: A spell that does not have a range, of melee touch, close, medium, or long, is not affected by this Infusion.

Caustic Tongue [Infusion]
Any damage your spell deals is dealt as acid damage and deals 1d4 points of damage to their armor (if any), bypassing hardness, on a failed save (if any). If the spell has an elemental descriptor change it to acid.
Special: A spell that does not deal damage is not affected by this Infusion.

Cool Customer [Infusion]
Any damage your spell deals is dealt as cold damage and immobilizes the target for 1 round on a failed save (if any). If the spell has an elemental descriptor change it to cold.
Special: A spell that does not deal damage is not affected by this Infusion.

It's Never Overkill [Infusion]
Your treat your caster level as +4 higher for the purpose of calculating how much damage the spell deals. This does not alter any ability damage a spell might deal.
Special: A spell that does not deal damage is not affected by this Infusion.

Just Wing It [Infusion]
Any damage your spell deals is dealt as slashing damage and knocks the target prone on a failed save (if any). A spell modified with this infusion is not subject to spell resistance. If the spell has an elemental descriptor change it to air.
Special: A spell that does not deal damage is not affected by this Infusion.

Shocking Performance [Infusion]
Any damage your spell deals is dealt as electricity damage and both blinds and deafens the target for 1 round on a failed save (if any). If the spell has an elemental descriptor change it to cold.
Special: A spell that does not deal damage is not affected by this Infusion.


Re-Earthed Arcana (Game Balance Alert)
For many the spellbook was a lot of fun and would be missed if they left the Wizard for the Mage. If the DM allows it you can use the rules below to re-add the spellbook back into the game.
Any DM, however, should be wary, as a spellbook drastically improves the class and re-enters the "I have everything" Wizard territory. Still I've attempted to keep this more balanced and it shouldn't be nearly as gamebreaking, especially in a caster heavy game.

Spellbook
The Mage may learn and research new spells to add to her spellbook in addition to those that she learns from normal leveling.
The exact method the Mage uses to research is up to the DM, but rather than simply requiring checks and time discovering a new spell the Mage should have to earn it, such as by learning it from another Mage or deciphering complex arcane notes (not just scrolls).
She may write any number of spells into her spellbook discovered this way, but may never add a spell of a rank she can't cast. The DM might require rare or unusual components to cast a spell from an esotoric spell in this way, imposing 20% spell failure without it.
In order to cast a spell from from her spellbook she must first find it. Unless she left this book open it takes her 1 round to find the spell, though there is a 1d10 x 10% chance she can't find it, or any other useful spell for that matter, and must look again.
It is normally impossible to bookmark any spell within a spellbook because of it's size and organization. Leaving the spellbook open is a feasible method, but, while it eliminates the round of searching initially, there is still a chance she can't find it (as wind or motion might change the page, 20% chance).

eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:07 PM
Primary : Abjuration (Wisdom)

Apprentice
Alarm - create an alarm that goes off if someone encroaches an area
Shield - deflect an attack or hazard with a disc of pure force
Mage Armor - enhance your, or an allies, AC
Arcane Lock - protect your valuables with a magic lock

Initiate
Obscure Object - hide an object from divination
Resist Energy - become resistant to damage from one type of energy
Dispel Magic - end the magical effects of another spell
Wind Wall - protect yourself from small projectiles and rabid ferrets

Adept
Dimensional Anchor - stop others from teleporting
Stone Skin - weather your opponents strikes and become tough as stone
Break Enchantment - remove a mind-affecting affect from your target

Master
Guards and Wards - create your own dungeon starter kit
Repulsion - keep your attacks at bay with a force field
Spell Turning - gain spell resistance (see spell for revised SR rules)


Primary : Conjuration (Intelligence)

Apprentice
Grease - make your oppose slip up with a slick of grease
Fog Cloud - obscure the area with a light fog
Faerie Fire - outline invisible opponents so you can see them
Web - fill an area with a sticky web that traps foes

Initiate
Solid Fog - obscure the area with a deep fog
Acid Arrow - fire a ray of corrosive acid that lingers for rounds
Sleet Storm - harry the opponent with whirling water and ice
Stinking Cloud - nauseate creatures within a cloud of noxious gas

Adept
Dimension Door - teleport a short distance, avoid attacks
Minor Creation - create temporary objects out of simple materials
Teleport - teleport long distances, but risk arriving off course

Master
Acid Fog - create a cloud of burning acid
Instant Summons - call forth an object you have prepared or from nearby
Teleport Object - send an object to another location or person (who's location you are aware of)
Plane Shift - travel to another plane or come back home

Primary : Divination (Wisdom)

Apprentice
Detect Secret Doors - find secret paths and exits
Detect Thoughts - look into your enemy's not so deepest secrets
Identify - learn about an item in your posession
Comprehend Languages - understand all languages, except secret ones

Initiate
Tongues - no matter what language you speak everyone understands you
Locate Object - divine the location of an object
See Invisibility - see through your opponent's trickery
Arcane Eye - gaze upon magic as if it were tangible

Adept
Scrying - look at locations or creatures from a distance
Greater Arcane Sight - gaze upon magic as if it were tangible
Detect Scrying - you are alerted to attempts to scry upon you

Master
True Strike - grant an ally a natural 20 on their attack roll, ignore miss chance from concealment
Analyze Dwoemer -
Moment of Prescience - gain a brief insight into the future

Primary : Enchantment (Charisma)

Apprentice
Charm Person - make a person friendlier than you for short time, doesn't work in combat
Heroism - spur your allies with heroism, augmenting a wide breadth of capabilities
Rage - anger an opponent, like the barbarian but without the benefits

Initiate
Hideous Laughter - leave your opponents reeling with evil sounding laughter
Hold Person - prevent another person from moving for a moment
Fear - cause your enemies to flee in terror
Suggestion - control other's minds

Adept
Charm Monster - like charm person, but better
Confusion - leave an opponent flailing without a clue
Greater Heroism - like heroism, but better
Song of Discord - cause your foes to turn upon their allies

Master
Antipathy - repel creatures from the area
Binding - bind outsiders in place
Demand - control people's minds from affar
Sympathy - attract creatures to the area

Primary : Evocation (Charisma)

Apprentice
Burning Hands - release a streaming cone of flame from your hands
Magic Missile - fire several homing missiles of force
Shocking Grasp - electrify with a touch
Dancing Lights - light up the night
Gust of Wind - release a blast of wind to blow away your opponents

Initiate
Fireball - fire a bead of exploding flame
Lightning Bolt - build up and unleash a streak of lightning
Flaming Sphere - go bowling, fire style
Scorching Ray - release rays of flame at your opponents
Shatter - break crystalline objects and creatures

Adept
Ice Storm - rain down ice upon your foes
Wall of Fire - create a curtain of flame
Wall of Ice - create a wall of ice
Wall of Stone - create a thick wall of stone for some quick cover
Cone of Cold - release a cone of frigid wind to slow down your foes

Master
Chain Lightning - release a static charge that jumps between multiple targets
Freezing Sphere - if jack frost had a sense of humor
Forcecage - trap your opponents in an impenetrable wall of force
Incendiary Cloud - burn you enemies, and hopefully not allies, to ash with flammable vapors

Primary : Illusion (Charisma)

Apprentice
Disguise Self - make other think you are someone else
Illusory Script - because they didn't have airplanes to advertise with
Minor Image - create a limited illusory image
Ventriloquism - throw your voice

Initiate
Persistent Image - make an illusion that persists
Invisibility - turn invisible until your next attack
Misdirection - fool divinations so they can't find you
Mirror Image - create multiple images so nobody knows which one you are

Adept
Mirage Arcana - make the nearby terrain look like different terrain
Illusory Wall - don't create a wall
Phantasmal Killer - kill an opponent with an illusory image
False Vision - feed divinations false information

Master
Mislead - feed divinations false information
Veil - hide the identities of multiple creatures
Screen -
Weird - kill multiple foes with an illusory image

Primary : Transmutation (Intelligence)

Apprentice
Enlarge Person - grow in size
Erase - eliminate written magic
Feather Fall - slow your fall so you don't turn into pudding
Reduce Person - reduce a person's size

Initiate
Darkvision - gain the ability to see through darkness
Levitate - flight, sort of, but not
Spider Climb - crawl on ceilings and freak your friends out
Waterbreathing - grant the ability to breath underwater

Adept
Stoneshape - sculpt stone into more interesting things
Passwall - create an exit
Flesh to Stone - petrify your foes
Fly - you can actually fly now

Master
Disintegrate - vaporize an opponent into the afterworld
Iron Body - your skin becomes as hard as iron
Control Water - control the height and position of nearby water

notation: all esoteric schools need a draw back subsystem

Esoteric : Necromancy (Intelligence)
Initiate ::: Command Undead, Vampiric Touch, Cure Wounds, Spectral Hand, Halt Undead
Adept ::: Animate Dead, Contagion, Panacea, Waves of Exhaustion, Blight, Revanance
Master ::: Magic Jar, Create Undead, Eyebite, Finger of Death, Soul Bind, Revivify

Esoteric : Chronomancy (Wisdom)
Initiate ::: Gentle Repose, Expeditious Retreat, Jump, Delay Poison, Entropic Shield, Longstrider
Adept ::: Haste, Slow, Water Walk, Blink, Freedom of Movement
Master ::: Wind Walk, Word of Recall, Find the Path, Legend Lore, Permanency

Esoteric : Thaumaturgy (Intelligence) - aka summoning
Initiate ::: Summon Monster, Summon Nature's Ally, Mount, Unseen Servant
Adept ::: Phantom Steed, Dismissal, Insect Plague, Sepia Snake Sigil, Lesser Planar Ally/Binding, Dimensional Anchor
Master ::: Planar Ally/Binding, Faithful Hound, Animate Objects, Liveoak, Banishment, Forbiddance

Esoteric : Xenobiotics (Wisdom) - probably need the creator of Xenothuergy for help here
Initiate ::: +5
Adept ::: +4
Master ::: +5

Esoteric : Shadow Magic (Wisdom) - still need to rename to something cool
Initiate ::: +5
Adept ::: +4
Master ::: +5

Esoteric : Lexonomy (Intelligence) - aka truenaming
Initiate ::: +5
Adept ::: +4
Master ::: +5

Esoteric : Daemonology (Charisma) - aka pact binding
Initiate ::: +5
Adept ::: +4
Master ::: +5

Esoteric : Incarnum (Constitution)
Initiate ::: +5
Adept ::: +4
Master ::: +5

eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:08 PM
Abjuration Spells
ALARM
Apprentice, Abjuration / Standard
Range: Close (30ft) / Area: 20ft radius emanation
Target: an Area of Emanation; see text
Except as noted here the Alarm spell functions as detailed in the Player's Handbook.

ARCANE LOCK
Apprentice, Abjuration / Standard
Range: Close (30ft) / Area: Special; see target
Target: Door, chest, or portal no larger than 30ft square feet in size
A single target, chest, or portal targeted in range is magically locked close. If it was open before this spell was cast it closes unless something would prevent it from doing so (it can't push anything larger than tiny size).
The lock can be picked with an Open Lock DC of 10 + your caster level. Any check made to break a door or portal open increases by +10.

BREAK ENCHANTMENT
Adept, Abjuration / Standard
Range: Touch / Area: none
Target: Creature touched
You may free creature touched any number of enchantments, transmutations, and curses, exluding specific effects you are aware of as desired.
You must succeed on a will save at a DC of 15 (+4 per rank higher the highest spell is than this one). Cursed items do not have their curse removed, but free the target of their effects and suppress the curse for 1 hour.

DIMENSIONAL ANCHOR
Adept, Abjuration / 1 Round
Range: Medium, Ray (60ft) / Area: 40ft radius spread
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You fire a ray at a single point within range. In a spread, for 10 minutes, it prevents all forms of teleportation and planar travel. Creatures already in the astral or ethereal plane are not affected, but can't turn material in the area.
Extradimensional perception and attacks, such as a Basilisk's gaze, are unnaffected and summoned still dissapear when their time is up.

DISPEL MAGIC
Initiate, Abjuration / 1 Round
Range: Medium (60ft) / Area: 20ft; see text
Target: one Object, Creature, or Spell within area
If you target a creature or object with this spell you may attempt to end all ongoing, but not instantaneous or permanant, spells affecting the creature. If you are aware of individual effects you may choose to emit any number of them. You must succeed on a will save at a DC of 15 (+4 per rank higher the highest spell is than this one).
Dispel Magic, on a succesful check, also suppresses all magical properties of an item it targets for 1d4 rounds.
Or you can target an area, or terrain, affected by a spell. The check is the same, but you only dispel a 20ft area if the spell takes up more space, leaving the remainder of the spell intact. An interdimensional space is instead sealed for the duration.

GUARDS AND WARDS
Master, Abjuration / 10 Minutes
Range: Origin (Area) / Area: up to 200 square ft
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
Except as noted here the Guards and Wards spell functions as detailed in the Player's Handbook. You can't, however, place any of the additional magical effects.

MAGE ARMOR
Apprentice, Abjuration [Force] / Immediate
Range: Touch / Area: none
Target: Creature touched
A field of intangible force springs up around your target for 10 minutes. They gain a +4 deflection bonus to AC for the duration.
As long is it remains they are also immune to the damage from Magic Missile and Scorching Ray, though the latter can still knock them back and prone.

NON-DETECTION
Initiate, Abjuration / Immediate
Range: Touch / Area: none
Target: Creature (willing) or Object (willing/ignorant) touched
Except as noted here the Non-Detection spell functions as detailed in the Player's Handbook. Instead of a caster level check they must succed on a will saving throw against the indicated DCs.

OBSCURE OBJECT
Initiate, Abjuration / Full Round
Range: Touch / Area: Special; see target
Target: Object touched, maximum 1000 lbs
An object touched is hidden from scrying and divination for 8 hours. Spells targeting it simply fail to find or view it, while effects that view an area or nearby person or object simply don't percieve it.
An intelligent object is allowed a will save to negate if it wishes. This spell doesn't affect objects in another creature's possession unless they are willing.

REPULSION
Master, Abjuration [Force] / Full Round
Range: Personal / Area: 15ft spread emanation
Target: self, an Area of Emanation; see text
You generate a field of intangible force, for 10 rounds, that pushes away any creature who attempts to enter within the emanation.
If you move so that you place the creature in it's path they are pushed back, though there isn't enough force to push them through anything or cause damage. They are still otherwise free to act and can make a will save to force their way through, but a new save is needed each round or they get pushed back out.

RESIST ENERGY
Initiate, Abjuration / Standard
Range: Touch / Area: none
Target: Creature (Willing) touched
A target imbued with this spell gains energy resistence, of a single kind chosen when you cast this spell, for 30 minutes. You may choose acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic for this spell and it grants +5 energy resistence per 2 caster levels.
Resist Energy only prevents damage (unfortunate side effects might still happen even if they would normally be reliant on dealing damage to take affect).

SHIELD
Apprentice, Abjuration [Force] / Immediate
Range: Personal / Area: self; see text
Target: self; see text
This spell summons a disc of force to interpose between you and an attack or hazard the moment it happens.
A ranged or melee attacker's attack roll must exceed 10 + your caster level to break + your charisma modifier to break through the Shield and hit you, while a magical ability, such as a spell, instead requires an opposed charisma check, they must exceed yours, to break through.
When used against an area of effect it prevents it from affecting your sqaure. This spell doesn't block any spell or ability that allows a will save without also needing an attack roll and death effects are too powerful for it to stop.
Non-attack hazards such as traps might or might not be blocked. Generally any trap of equal or smaller size doesn't possess enough force to pierce through the shield. You must be aware of any attack or hazard to block it.

SPELL TURNING
Master, Abjuration / Immediate
Range: Close (30ft) / Area: none
Target: Creature (willling) targeted
A willing creature affected by this ability gains the benefits of having spell resistence for 10 rounds.
Spell Resistence; any spell or spell-like ability that declares them specifically as a target has a 20% chance of not affecting them unless they wish otherwise. Other types of spells are not subject to this resistence.

STONE SKIN
Adept, Abjuration [Earth] / Full Round
Range: Touch / Area: none
Target: Creature touched
The target's skin hardens and takes on an earthy tone providing a Damage Reduction of 10 for 10 minutes.
Spells and abilities with the water or ice descriptor, or that deal with water or cold, suppress this resistence for 1 round if they succesfully deal damage.

WIND WALL
Initiate, Abjuration [Air] / Standard
Range: Personal / Area: self; see text
Target: self; see text
You conjure a swirling current of air that rotates, emanating around yourself, for 3 rounds after. Flying creatures of small, or smaller, size can't approach and ranged attacks, of medium or smaller size, have a 20% chance of missing.
Abilities and environmental hazards reliant on gas or vapors are pushed away from you, reconverging when you move away, and any breath weapon is blocked completely by this wall of wind before destroying it.
However, it imposes a -4 penalty to listening checks on you and you are unable to use spells or abilities reliant on sound (verbal components not included), such as sonic or language dependent spells, as long is it lasts.



reserved for Divination Spells

eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:09 PM
reserved for Conjuration and Transmutation Spells

eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:11 PM
reserved for Enchantment and Illusion Spells

eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:12 PM
Evocation Spells
BURNING HANDS
Apprentice, Evocation [Fire] / Standard
Range: Origin (Area) / Area: 15ft cone-shaped burst
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You fire a cone of searing flame from your fingertips. Any creature in the area takes 1d4 points of fire damage per 2 caster levels, minimum 1d4, and catches fire. A reflex save halves damage and prevents catching fire.
Unattended flammable materials, such as cloth, paper, parchment, and thin wood are burned away if the flames touch them, but nothing catches fire. The cone can't pierce more than an inch of water or similar material used for extinguishing fire.
If Burning Hands is unleashed into an area it can't fit, and doesn't burn through, it spreads away from you, or towards you if it can't, to conform within the area. This makes the spell risky to use in rooms, tunnels, and other traditionally small areas.

CHAIN LIGHTNING
Master, Evocation [Electricity] / Full Round
Range: Long (120ft) / Area: Special; see Target
Target: Creatures targeted; see text
You call forth and collect the static in the air to elecricute nearby opponents. Make a ranged touch attack to hit your primary target, whom you deal 1d6 electricity damage to per caster level.
Arcs of lightning may, at your option, arc off and deal half the damage your rolled for your primary target, to additional targets within 30ft of the primary. You may affect fewer targets than the maximum, which is 8, but may not strike any target with multiple bolts during a single instance.
Secondary targets are allowed a reflex save to half damage. Regardless of whether or not any target takes damage all of them must make a fortitude save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds and deafened for 10 rounds.
A successful save still leaves them dazzled and deafened for a single round.

CONE OF COLD
Initiate, Evocation [Cold] / Standard
Range: Origin (Area) / Area: 15ft cone-shaped burst
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You create an area, projected from yourself, of extreme cold. It deals 1d6 points of cold damage per 2 caster levels and any creature damaged must succeed on a reflex save or be immobilized from ice for 1d4 rounds.
An immobilized creature, from this ice, that takes a full round action can break the ice off (as can another creature), while 20 points of fire damage, not factoring in whether or not they have any resistence or immunity, is enough to melt the ice.
This spell also freezes all unattended water in it's area and a creature suffering from frostbite takes additional, non-lethal, damage equal to your caster level. Frozen water may create balance issues. Any 5ft cube a creature occupies doesn't freeze, though creatures might still be trapped beneath ice and have to break through it.

DANCING LIGHTS
Apprentice, Evocation [Light] / Standard
Range: Personal / Area: Adjacent square
Target: self; see text
With a click of your fingers four hovering spheres of lights, which vaguely resemble will o wisps, come into being, hovering within the area. They can be white or any color and this can be changed in any number of lights as a free action.
As a free action, once during your turn, you can move any number of these lights anywhere within 100ft of yourself, but any light more than 100ft away from you, for any reason, immediatly extinguishes itself.
The light they give of is equivelant to that of a torch. When in magical darkness they produce no light, but, if the darkness is caused by an apprentice spell, it reduces the darkness in their shared area to shadowy illumination.
You can dismiss this spell, or any individual light, at any time, as a free action, but the lights extinquish on their own after 10 minutes have passed.

FIREBALL
Initiate, Evocation [Fire] / Standard
Range: Long (120ft) / Area: 20ft radius spread
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You fire a small bead of flame that explodes prematurely if it strikes something before reaching the end of it's projectory. Otherwise it detonates at a single point you designate within range.
It fills the indicated area in a spread of flame that deals 1d4 points of damage per caster level and lights unattended flammables, including terrain, on fire. If it deals enough damage to a barrier to destroy it the flames continue through.
If Fireball detonates in an area smaller than it's area, and doesn't burn through, it spreads to conform to the shape of the area. This makes the spell risky to use in rooms, tunnels, and other traditionally small areas.
A creature struck by the flames is allowed a reflex save to half damage, although if the bead detonates on a creature, requiring a ranged touch attack to hit directly, the target is strikes directly is not allowed a save.
Any creature who doesn't succeed on, or isn't allowed, a save catches fire. Any further reflex saves, that are made to extinguish flames. Being on fire deals 1d6 fire damage per round.
A Fireball, or it's spread doesn't travel through more than an inch of water or similar substance. Instead it detonates and, losing half it's normal area of fire spread, instantly evaporates all unattended water (instead melting unattended ice), to a depth of 5ft, within a 30ft spread duplicating the effects of a Fog Cloud spell if at least five cubic feet of water have evaporated.

FLAMING SPHERE
Initiate, Evocation [Fire] / Standard
Range: Origin (Area) / Area: Special; see text
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You release a burning globe of fire that rolls in a straight line for 30ft per round for 10 rounds and then fizzles. It deals 1d6 points of fire damage, per 3 caster levels, to any creature that it strikes on it's path.
As it rolls it can move up walls and across ceilings, continue to follow it's path without concern for gravity. It ignites unattended flammable substances it touches and illuminates the same area as a torch would.
It can't push aside creatures or batter down obstacles, though it passes through any flammable it burns through, and is extinguished by any effect that would put out non-magical flame.
A creature with Evasion or Uncanny Dodge may attempt a reflex save to avoid the damage from the Flaming Sphere spell.

FORCE CAGE
Master, Evocation [Force] / 1 Round
Range: Close (30ft) / Area: maximum 20ft cubic feet
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
A cell of force jumps up around a single target within range, becoming an appropriate size to hold the target. If, however, the target is larger than the spell's maximum area the spell simply fails wasting your Mana.
This Force Cage may be completed walled off or have bars or windows. It lasts for 10 hours before it dissapates on it's own.
The cage is invisible and can neither take damage or be moved by any means. Nothing can move through it, not even ethereal or incorporeal creatures, although gaze attacks, light, and air/wind pass through the prison completely unimpeded.
Teleportation can be used to escape it and any spell that forces a fortitude saving throw to prevent death can destroy a Force Cage. Dimensional Anchor can be cast on a Force Cage to prevent teleportation and planar travel to and from it.

FREEZING SPHERE
Master, Evocation [Cold] / Standard
Range: Long (Area) / Area: Special; see text
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You release a freezing globe of cold that rolls in a straight line for 60ft per round for 5 rounds before dissapating. It deals 1d6 points of cold damage, per 3 caster levels, to any creature that it strikes on it's path.
A creature struck must make a fortitude save or be frozen to the ground and be immobilized. A creature frozen by Freezing Sphere takes 2d6 points of damage each round they remain frozen.
A full round action strength check, DC 15, can break the ice off (as can another creature), while 40 points of fire damage, not factoring in whether or not they have any resistence or immunity, is enough to melt the ice.
As it rolls it can move up walls and across ceilings, continue to follow it's path without concern for gravity. It leaves a trail of ice in any spaces it moves through, as well as adjacent spaces it passes by, and freezes unattended objects to the surface or or cementing them together for 3 rounds.
It can't push aside creatures or batter down obstacles, though it passes through any liquid freezing it as it moves through. A creature caught frozen in water is frozen, as detailed earlier (but with no save and requires a DC of 25 to break free), and may suffocate if it doesn't break free.
A creature with Evasion or Uncanny Dodge may attempt a reflex save to avoid the damage from the Freezing Sphere spell.

GUST OF WIND
Apprentice, Evocation [Air] / Standard
Range: Origin (Area) / Area: 60ft line
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
With a quick wave of your hand you relase a severe blast of wind (about 50 mph), see Dungeon master's Guide, that lingers for a single round. Unlike non-magical wind the effects of the save DCs are set as appropriate for this spell.
When Gust of Wind is first cast it extinguishes andles, torches, and similar unprotected flames. It causes protected flames, such as those of lanterns, to dance wildly and has a 50% chance to extinguish those lights.
In addition to the effects noted, a Gust of Wind can do anything that a sudden blast of wind would be expected to do. It can create a stinging spray of sand or dust, fan a large fire, overturn delicate awnings or hangings, keel over a small boat, and blow gases or vapors to the edge of its range. It automatically disperses any spells reliant on cloud or vapor within it's area.

ICE STORM
Adept, Evocation [Cold] / Full Round
Range: Long (120ft) / Area: Cylendar (20ft radius, 40ft high)
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
Summoning magical hailstones that pound on all creatures within the area you have selected. All creatures take 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage and 1d4 points of cold damage per 2 caster levels.
Listen checks have 20% a chance of failing with the area and the ice remains once it has fallen, creating difficult terrain until the ice melts. Chunks of ice can picked up and thrown as improvised weapons, having a +1d4 bonus of cold damage.

INCENDIARY CLOUD
Master, Evocation [Fire] / Full Round
Range: Medium (60ft) / Area: 20ft cubic radius spread
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You divide the constituent parts of air and light that which is left on fire, literally lighting the air on fire within the area.
All unattended flammables and creatures are caught on fire if they remain within the cloud for more than a round (no save). This cloud drifts 10ft each round in a direction set when you cast the spell and dissapates after 10 rounds.
Any creature that passes through or begins in the cloud, on any round, takes 1d6 points of fire damage per 3 caster levels. Regardless, no creature is ever damaged more than once per round in this way.
If it deals enough damage to a barrier to destroy it the flames and vapor continue through, but otherwise it conforms to areas like described for Fireball. A Gust of Wind spell can be used to counter Incendiery Cloud entirely, forgoing it's normal effects.
The flames of this spell evaporate 1 foot of water per round they are in contact with it, but are halted by water thicker until it can burn through. Water evaporated does not create enough steam to have any effect.
As with the Fog Cloud spell, wind disperses the vapors. Furthermore, it is impossible to cast this spell while underwater or into water.

LIGHTNING BOLT
Initiate, Evocation [Electricity] / Full Round
Range: Origin (Area) / Area: 120ft line
Target: see text
You release a powerful stroke of electricity in a line that deals 1d4 points of electricity damage, per caster level, to all creatures and objects within it's path. A reflex save halves damage taken.
Lightning Bolt sets unattended combustables on fire, damaging object in it's path, and can melt unattended metals with a low melting point, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, or bronze. If the damage is enough to destroy a barrier the bolt continues on until another barrier, which it might also break, or until it's path is complete.
The bolt flows through water as if it wasn't there, not releasing enough steam to have any other effect, and continues on it's path unimpeded.

MAGIC MISSILE
Apprentice, Evocation [Force] / Standard
Range: Medium (60ft) / Area: none
Target: Varies; see text
You may fire number of missiles of arcane energy from your finger types equal to one, plus one per 3 caster levels, to a maximum of 10. You needn't fire the maximum number of missiles if you don't wish to.
You can fire each missile at any creature(s) of your choice, they don't damage inanimate objects, and needn't fire all of your missiles at a single target.
Each missile deals 1d4 points of force damage and they home in on their target(s) ignoring the miss chance from concealment and ignoring any personal protection they might have from an abjuration spells, such as Stone Skin.

SCORCHING RAY
Adept, Evocation [Fire] / Standard
Range: Close (30ft) / Area: none
Target: Varies; see text
Other than noted here this spell functions as Magic Missile. Each missile deals 2d6 points of fire damage and lights targets on fire, also knocking them prone. They don't pierce abjurative defenses automatically.
Unlike Magic Missile, Scorching Ray can affect non-creatures, but is automatically extinguished by contact with an inch or more of ice, which it melts an inch deep of in it's square, or water, which it evaporates an inch deep of in it's square.
Creatures may make a fortitude save to avoid catching fire and being knocked prone, but a save is needed for every missile that hits them.

SHATTER
Initiate, Evocation [Sonic] / Standard
Range: Close (25ft) / Area: 5ft or 10ft radius spread
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
All nonmagical objects in the area that are made of crystal, glass, ceramic, or porcelain, such as vials, bottles, flasks, jugs, windows, mirrors, shatter.
If only a part of an object, however, is within the area the object instead takes damage equal to 1d6 sonic damage, bypassing hardess, per caster level. Crystaline creatures don't instantly shatter, but take damage as indicated for objects in any case.
Regardless of whether or not it completely destroys any object or creature that can be affected by this spell, the area where objects and creatures were damaged or broke, and all adjacent spaces, are scattered with rubble. Treat rubble as caltrops.

SHOCKING GRASP
Apprentice, Evocation [Electricity] / Standard
Range: Touch / Area: Special; see text
Target: Creature or Object touched
With a succesful melee touch attack you deal 1d6 points of electricity damage per 2 caster levels, minimum of 1d6, gaining a +4 bonus to you attack roll if your target is wearing metal, made of metal, or carrying alot of metal.
If you touch a large body of conductive material, such as a pool of water or metal surface, you can deal the effects to all creatures touching the same conductive surface within a 20ft area spread. An attack roll isn't needed when targeting in this way.

WALL OF FIRE
Adept, Evocation [Fire] / Standard
Range: Medium (60ft) / Area: Opaque screen of flame up to 60 ft. long, 5ft thick, 10f high
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You case a blazing curtain of fire to spring into existence within range. You may fill up to a 60ft line of fire or split it into two or three smaller lines, at the same or different location, with an equally combined length.
Any creature who ends their turn within 10ft of the wall takes 1d6 + your caster level in fire damage. Passing through the wall results in taking 1d4 points of fire damage per caster level and lights the creature on fire.
Evoking the wall on top of creatures deals damage to them as if they had passed through the space it occupied, though they are allowed a reflex save, to half damage and prevent catching fire, in that case.
A wall of fire can be extinguished in the same way as normal fire, although it oddly hangs in th air without catching objects on fire. This wall of flame also goes out on it's own after 10 minutes have passed.

WALL OF ICE
Adept, Evocation [Cold] / Standard
Range: Long (120ft) / Area: Translucent sheet of ice up to 40 ft. long, 1ft thick, 10ft high
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You create a wall of shimmering ice into existence within range. You may fill up to a 40ft line of ice or split it into two or four smaller lines, at the same or different location, with an equally combined length.
Suddenly melting a wall of ice, or a portion of it, simulates the effects of a Fog Cloud spell. Each 5ft of the wall has 40 hit points, fire ignores hardness, and must usually be destroyed seperately. A full round DC 25 strength check breaks a hole in the ice appropriate for the size of the creature so it can fit through it.
Square with broken ice are treated as difficult terrain until the ice melts or the effects of the wall fade. The wall dissapates after 10 minutes on it's own.
If the wall is formed around other creatures they become immobilized. A full round action, DC 25, strength check allows them to break lose, but they take 2d6 cold and piercing damage on a failed check as the ice digs into their bodies.

WALL OF STONE
Adept, Evocation [Earth] / Full Round
Range: Medium (60ft) / Area: up to 40 cubic feet, 20ft high
Target: an Area of Effect; see text
You create a wall of stone that merges with any stone or dirt it touches, other than creatures, within range. It can't be formed in a space a creature occupies. Wall of stone, unlike the other wall spells, can also be shaped to form bridges, and other structures, and doesn't need be made into a line. A structure without support might become unstable and collapse.
Any structure formed from this spell is rough and without much detail, making it impossible for the spell to create usable objects.
Using the wall to build such a structure on purpurose causes it to collapse within one to five rounds, chosen when cast, dealing 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage per 2 caster levels to any creatures caught underneath and forming difficult terrain from rubble in the area.
Each 5-foot cube of the wall has 120 hit points and hardness of 8. A creature of larger than medium size can strike two cubes with a single attack, damaging both of them an equal amount.
A section of wall whose hit points drop to 0 is breached, but an area where it is breached falls in on itself and creatures must make a DC 15 balance check to pass without falling prone.

eftexar
2013-03-26, 10:15 PM
General spell balance guidelines used so far:
apprentice : Costs 1 spell point spell level approximation : 0 & 1
initiate : Costs 1 to 2 spell points spell level approximation : 2 & 3
adept : Costs 2 spell points spell level approximation : 4 & 5
master : Costs 2 to 3 spell points spell level approximation : 6 & 7

Close range = 30ft and Medium range = 60ft and Long range = 120ft

fire and cold are dealt in d8s
electicity, negative energy, and positive energy are dealt in d6s
force, sonic, acid, and untyped are dealt in d4s

area of effects and multitargeters however drop the dice dealt by one step, with the exception of chain spells (like chain lightning) which remain the same

spells of initiate and apprentice level should have their damage die dropped by one step so they remain weaker even with scaling (d4s become d3s), apprentice should be no more than 1 die of damage per level

death effects drop targets to -1 hit points, still deal damage on succesful save
other save or suck effects happen over the course of multiple rounds as to give time to counter their effects with other spells

standard action spells of adept or master should become full round, while full round should become 1 round

even if an estoric school might mimic a school a creature is protected against, that protection might not offer protection to the estoric spell

Some other odd and end goals and notes:
infusion feats could deal non-lethal damage, in non-magic healable strain, instead of taking mana; but can only apply one (but have feat that allows two) ; plus circumstantial penalty, such as increasing range has a penalty on any attack roll
need more ideas here... need a different system than metamagic

feat that allows sleight of hand to disguise spells from identification; replacing the DC to identify spells with your check

add revised brew potion feat, potions up to 4th level and much cheaper, but have drawbacks such as nausea or addiction

add ability to craft enchanted weapons/armor for spellcasters and mundanes alike; but need to lower maximum limit of enhancement to +3 and make enchantments harder to get by all (but as easier to get for a mundane as a spellcaster)

leave note that this replaces previous magic system, including metamagic and itemcrafting, except su/sp, and to use the item-less bonus progression (need to find a link for it online)

free up alchemy items from magic so mundanes can have their fun, including reducing weeks to days and days to hours, provide feats to increase the damage they deal or saves and checks they allow

scroll and wand crafting need rolls:

scrolls should allow a mage to cast spell she doesn't know, no limited uses, but requires a spellcraft check to do so and the casting takes at least 3 rounds

wands should eliminate the need for verbal components and grant a minor bonus to a school of spells or a major bonus to a all spells with a common descriptor

write a spellcraft skill revision

write section that suggests that wondrous items and stalves be used in similar vein as artifacts and rarely at that; wands and potions have been removed in favor of their revised versions


free to post now

Waker
2013-03-26, 10:39 PM
So far it is looking like a rather interesting class. I'll wait to give it a proper review once you finish putting your spell list up.

eftexar
2013-03-27, 07:06 PM
Abjuration spells have been added. Any thoughts or suggestions?

AttilaTheGeek
2013-03-27, 10:31 PM
I really like what you've done for high level, but for low levels it seems like damage (which you place importance on) is really nerfed. At levels 1-3, where a Wizard is struggling just to stay alive, the Wizard's sources of damage are Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands, Flaming Sphere, and Scorching Ray, every single one of which has had its power reduced. Magic Missile at 1d4+1 already looked piddly against a fighter* hitting for 2d6+9; it was only really high-level BFC spells that needed nerfs, not evocations.

*18 STR, greatsword, and Power Attack.

eftexar
2013-03-28, 11:49 PM
Actually what I had meant was that the fact they were so weak coupled with the fact that there were so few was a problem. If I only have two shots then I want more bang for my buck.

But since this class will have at will invocations I think lower damage is fine. At lower levels a mundane is unlikely to be able to hit more than one target and, if he is, can still only attack adjacent targets.

You see spells like Magic Missile can hit targets at a range and you can even hit multiple targets and ignore their defenses. My hope is, that by reducing the damage cheaper costing spells deal, I can make the mundane relevant again (because I want mundanes to out-damage, but not out-utility here).

That's why Shocking Grasp has been given an area of effect, if limited by circumstance. It makes up for the lower damage.

nonsi
2013-03-29, 12:45 AM
Wearing armor, being injured, being grappled or pinned, or being subject to violent motion or weather forces a concentration check, DC of 15 + her total number of HD, when casting spell.

Could you explain that one ?
Why do spellcasters need to overcome higher DCs when their level goes up ?

eftexar
2013-03-29, 01:01 AM
It is an abstraction necessary for game balance. Because the concentration skill can be increased in rank the DC needs to increase to match it.

The original spellcasting system didn't scale DCs and at higher levels concentrating became irrelevant.
I had tossed around basing it on the attacker's bab or caster level, but I wanted a simple DC that didn't also have to factor in other factors, such as the environment, as well. A caster level check might have been in order, but not only was I attempting to minimize that type of check, but then I would have to explain why it wasn't concentration.
If you have a better way to scale it, without adding additional factors, then I'm all ears.

Waker
2013-03-29, 01:27 AM
The scaling of the DC based on HD would really screw over multi-classed characters or those with RHD. Basing the difficulty off of the attackers BAB makes a lot more sense in my opinion. DC=10+Attackers BAB+Spell Level+Additional Factors isn't super neat, but fortunately you would have all that information right there in front of you as the DM.

Epinephrine_Syn
2013-03-29, 02:31 AM
I do strongly suggest going with the BAB, Level, CR, or somesuch thing based on the attacker, rather than something scaling on the caster. Sure it adds in a slight amount of complexity, but it is well worth it. We already know what happens when we make a class have skill checks that get harder as it goes up in level. We've locked them away in a box and pretended they don't exist.


The Box
Truenamers

nonsi
2013-03-29, 03:11 AM
The scaling of the DC based on HD would really screw over multi-classed characters or those with RHD. Basing the difficulty off of the attackers BAB makes a lot more sense in my opinion. DC=10+Attackers BAB+Spell Level+Additional Factors isn't super neat, but fortunately you would have all that information right there in front of you as the DM.

Seems right to me.

nonsi
2013-03-29, 03:55 AM
As usual eftexar, you're the master of binding crunch to folklore, but there are several things to note.



Is there any special reason for using the term "Infusion"?
Does it mean that metamagic is no longer available via general feats?



It is usually acceptable that lower power levels come in greater abundance, but the way you set the power scaling, a 20th level mage would have 6 Apprentice, 2 Initiate, 2 Adept and 4 Master.
1. This seems a bit strange.
2. If you intend to focus more on the class and make WBL less of a factor (I assume you to don't like the idea of an adventuring party shining like the Eiffel tower on the Y2K celebrations), then it'd be OK to expand the class' repertoire a bit, so you could make separate progression columns for each power level.
I suggest the following progression:


Level Apprentice Initiate Adept Master
================================================== =============
1 5
2 5
3 6
4 6
5 6 1
6 6 1
7 7 2
8 7 2
9 7 2 1
10 7 2 1
11 7 3 2
12 7 3 2
13 8 3 2 1
14 8 3 2 1
15 8 3 3 2
16 8 3 3 2
17 8 4 3 2
18 8 4 3 2
19 8 4 3 3
20 8 4 3 3




Also, I don't see any "Invocations" list.
Are they just spells chosen as invocations or what ?



Also, you should allow more than a single Estoric school. I'd allow one with each magic rank (including Apprentice) and another at 17th.
The idea is to give players more room to maneuver.



Fabricate Caduceus: which revised rules are we talking about?

eftexar
2013-03-29, 02:47 PM
Alright, you guys have me convinced on the concentration matter. Especially *cue jaws music* after the trip to "the Box". I guess I can't get simple and smooth mechanics here, so smooth mechanics are better.

Thanks for the compliment Nonsi. Though I do realize why Wizards were made the way they are (even if I don't agree). It took me a long time to notice, but WoC really didn't care about balance with 3.5. Rather, they seem to care about "what feels like the archetype I'm playing."

Yes Infusion is meant to distinguish a new set of yet uncreated feats to replace metamagic. I think increasing the cost of a spell for metamagic was a bad idea and that some other mitigating factor, possibly nonlethal damage, is a better way to go.
Besides wanting to come up with a more mechanically sound way of doing metamagic I think of altering spells more as a science that is a strain on the mind, not pumping more energy into it. Brute force is more the barbarian's style.

I've copied your chart over Nonsi. As far as WBL and Fabricate Caduceus those are part of my goal to rewrite the magic crafting system. I haven't gotten to doing that yet as I'd like to finish the casting class first. If you look at the second spoiler in my scratchpad you can see my random ideas and ramblings so far.

Invocations were going to be their own separate, but weaker abilities, though I hadn't really settled on how to do them. I just wanted something for the Mage to be at will. Choosing spells a rank lower, sort of like you suggested, might be a good idea, or, since I've expanded their repertoire, I might just throw in an eldritch blast -esque ability in and allow a few blast shapes.

While I agree granting more estoric schools is a good idea, I don't want them available at first level. It seems unrealistic an apprentice spellcaster would begin with such strange magic.
Instead I've allowed access to a new school at every other rank, plus 17th level. Placing one at 17th level also makes the upper levels feel a little less empty to me and makes it feel like you are still advancing after you have access to master rank formula.

Waker
2013-03-29, 02:58 PM
Yes Infusion is meant to distinguish a new set of yet uncreated feats to replace metamagic. I think increasing the cost of a spell for metamagic was a bad idea and that some other mitigating factor, possibly nonlethal damage, is a better way to go.
Besides wanting to come up with a more mechanically sound way of doing metamagic I think of altering spells more as a science that is a strain on the mind, not pumping more energy into it. Brute force is more the barbarian's style.
You might want to reconsider non-lethal damage. There are plenty of ways to trivialize it or ignore it all together with races like Necropolitan as just one example. Actual damage or ability drain are somewhat harder to negate entirely, not to mention that you could include a caveat that the damage can't be prevented. Other options include: spells going haywire (random targeting, decreased range/duration...), required and increased concentration DCs, sacrificing other portions of a spell (increased the damage at the cost of range).

eftexar
2013-03-29, 06:18 PM
Added Arcane Blast and removed invocations. I figure it is just easier to modify Arcane Blast with Metamagic Infusion, rather than muddle things with two ways of modifying abilities slightly differently.

Going with reductions in range for damage, damage for range etc sounds like a great idea, but I'm concerned that it won't be much of a drawback for certain spells.

I could go with, or couple that with, ability damage though, but I'm concerned both might be too much. I don't think I want to go with drain, because drain has always struck me as a game mechanic that punishes players for playing more so than it actually debilitates them.

I think I like concentration where it is at, but requiring a check alongside ability damage might be more balanced than nerfing another part of the spell.

edit /

Design notes have been updated and optional spellbook rules, or lack there-of, have been added. I think requiring roleplaying over actual mechanics is the better way to go here, because it leaves the DM more in control.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-03-29, 10:21 PM
Yes Infusion is meant to distinguish a new set of yet uncreated feats to replace metamagic. I think increasing the cost of a spell for metamagic was a bad idea and that some other mitigating factor, possibly nonlethal damage, is a better way to go.
Besides wanting to come up with a more mechanically sound way of doing metamagic I think of altering spells more as a science that is a strain on the mind, not pumping more energy into it. Brute force is more the barbarian's style.

Actually, I wrote up a couple new ways to pay for metamagic (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14992495) very recently. (I'm plugging my own stuff, but it's relevant!)

Just to Browse
2013-03-29, 11:04 PM
So can you pull spells out of any of the primary lists, but you can only know the number given on the table?

Also how does this interact with prestige classes (what are the related spell levels?)

And why is true strike a master spell, and why is charm person an apprentice spell?

Also, ability damage means basically no one will use infusions with any regularity. 1-4 damage to a casting attribute, which is probably low because of crazy MAD throughout this class, is too much to warrant something as minor as a single ranged attack. If you want to use ability damage as a metamagic metric, make it an enhancement that you pay to augment X number of spells. So perhaps you could augment up to 4 damage-dealing spells with a minor Infusion at the cost of 2 Int, and that payment would last until you rested or perhaps until you voluntarily dismissed the metamagic.

Ivellius
2013-03-29, 11:52 PM
Basically just some random name suggestions for your spell schools:

Summoning - Thaumaturgy (if we're using D&D terminology) or Invocation
Shadow Magic - Umbramancy
Truenaming - Numenation
Pact Binding - probably fits under Thaumaturgy, but perhaps Lexonomy (from the Latin for "contract") or Daemonology.
Incarnum - I feel like this fits well enough, but Animancy could work (from the Latin for "soul") or Psychurgery (Greek derivation).

And it's "esoteric," not "estoric."

eftexar
2013-03-30, 12:59 AM
Yes, you can draw from any of the primary schools, Justtobrowse, but I actually hadn't though about PrCs. If you have any ideas for how to handle it, please.

True Strike is a very powerful spell, though it might drop down if I nerf it, and Charm Person was always a low level spell. Once I reduce it's duration and probably change it's effect to work differently it will be even weaker.

As far as the ability damage being too much though, I'm not really sure if it is or not. I had intended for metamagic to be you ace in the hole. I want players to use it maybe one or two times a day when they are in a bind.

And thanks for the names Ivellius, I hadn't though up any for them yet. And I'll fix my spelling error too.

nonsi
2013-03-30, 01:05 AM
I see why you limited the Mana pool the way you did, so that mages cannot go NOVA.
(It’s also a wise decision to keep the numbers small, for ease of calculation)
That’s quite reasonable.
However, this worsens the “finish the encounter and go to sleep” syndrome.
I suggest a recovery of 1 Mana per 10 minutes of non-strenuous activities.

Also, I’d add some degree of spell retraining, switching an available spell with a spell from the mage’s grimoire – be it level-based or time consuming (or both - your call).



For easy search, I’d add spell lists using the standard format (name + school + 1 sentence description).



Btw, where are the school-modifiers detailed… and what do they mean? (couldn't find them)

nonsi
2013-03-30, 01:15 AM
Basically just some random name suggestions for your spell schools:

Summoning - Thaumaturgy (if we're using D&D terminology) or Invocation
Shadow Magic - Umbramancy
Truenaming - Numenation
Pact Binding - probably fits under Thaumaturgy, but perhaps Lexonomy (from the Latin for "contract") or Daemon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_(computing))ology.
Incarnum - I feel like this fits well enough, but Animancy could work (from the Latin for "soul") or Psychurgery (Greek derivation).

And it's "esoteric," not "estoric."

I believe you meant "Demon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon)ology".

eftexar
2013-03-30, 01:20 AM
Actually;


At every 4th level of Mage she may forget a spell to learn a different spell of any rank she is capable of casting. This new spell needn't be of the same rank as the one she is replacing.

And the Mage actually has her spells memorized. The only thing she would need a grimoire for is as I listed in my second post.

As far as allowing Mana recovery I'm really not sure. I realize the trap it falls into, like the Wizard, but I also don't want to trivialize limits. You don't think Arcane Blast is enough to function if someone goes nova? It can be modified with Metamagic Infusions after all.

The spell format I've used is intended to simplify things. I always felt like the standard spell format was too stuffy. But at some point I definitely do want to go through and put descriptions, but I want to get the mechanics ironed out first and return if I still have steam left.

And the school modifiers are within parenthesis listed beside each of the schools.

Actually I think Daemon is correct. A Daemon is a being who serves as a conduit between humans and gods. Christianity converted it to Demon when it absorbed Pagan religion. It's a pretty archaic term though.

edit: Oh and I used Lexonomy for truenaming. Even though it's incorrectly named it reminds me of a lexicon so... yeah... Sort of like adding 'mancy' to everything.

edit 2: On an off-note, the br tag is kind of annoying. The BBCode keeps changing to HTML each time I save changes in a post. The coder in me wants to scream every time I see it come back.

Just to Browse
2013-03-30, 01:35 AM
Yes, you can draw from any of the primary schools, Justtobrowse, but I actually hadn't though about PrCs. If you have any ideas for how to handle it, please.I don't have a clue. :smallsmile:


True Strike is a very powerful spell, though it might drop down if I nerf it, and Charm Person was always a low level spell. Once I reduce it's duration and probably change it's effect to work differently it will be even weaker.Charm Person is a save-or-lose that also gives you a possible ally, which is super awesome for any mage because they're squishy. True Strike is useful (especially for something like a death attack) but as it is in the SRD it can only target you and takes an entire round to charge up unless you could get yourself an extra standard action (at which point, why not just get two kill spells off twice?). It's good because it gives incredible accuracy and allows for maximum power attack--both of which are rather unhelpful on a mage.


As far as the ability damage being too much though, I'm not really sure if it is or not. I had intended for metamagic to be you ace in the hole. I want players to use it maybe one or two times a day when they are in a bind.Well then I recommend buffing your Infusions. The current benefits you reap from infusing a spell are useful riders or extra tactical ability, not aces. And aces are mean anyways.

eftexar
2013-03-30, 01:45 AM
As I said charm person will likely face a nerf. I'd considered making the spell usable only in non-threatening situations. It would actually make a lot of sense to do it that way.
True Strike will be changed so that it can be cast on an ally. I may even make it a mass spell.

While you have convinced me the penalty for infusion feats are pretty harsh, I don't think I want to make any broad changes. What if I just dropped the ability damage to a flat -1 point per feat used?

nonsi
2013-03-30, 03:03 AM
Actually;

This does not leave enough room to fix past mistakes.




As far as allowing Mana recovery I'm really not sure. I realize the trap it falls into, like the Wizard, but I also don't want to trivialize limits. You don't think Arcane Blast is enough to function if someone goes nova? It can be modified with Metamagic Infusions after all.

That just covers the damage angle. What about utility ?




The spell format I've used is intended to simplify things. I always felt like the standard spell format was too stuffy. But at some point I definitely do want to go through and put descriptions, but I want to get the mechanics ironed out first and return if I still have steam left.

I was talking about something like this (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/sorcererWizardSpells.htm).




And the school modifiers are within parenthesis listed beside each of the schools.

Still don't understand what it means when I see something like this:
===================================
Esoteric : Chronomancy (Wisdom)
Initiate ::: +5
Adept ::: +4
Master ::: +5
===================================
Or how it relates to the primary schools.

And you nixed the numbers from Necromancy... and the primary schools' modifiers are not listed.

Ivellius
2013-03-30, 07:38 AM
I believe you meant "Demon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon)ology".

It was already defended, but, no, I didn't. Going for a more archaic feel, so Daemonology.


Still don't understand what it means what I see something like this:
===================================
Esoteric : Chronomancy (Wisdom)
Initiate ::: +5
Adept ::: +4
Master ::: +5
===================================
Or how it relates to the primary schools.

And you nixed the numbers from Necromancy... and the primary schools' modifiers are not listed.

I believe the numbers are placeholders for the list of spells/abilities that will go in each row.

If that's so, here are suggestions for a few of those esoteric schools. I'm not entirely sure how you're wanting to modify abilities, so I just used basic spells.

Esoteric : Chronomancy (Wisdom)
Initiate ::: Gentle Repose, Expeditious Retreat, Jump, Delay Poison, Entropic Shield, Longstrider
Adept ::: Haste, Slow, Water Walk, Blink, Freedom of Movement
Master ::: Wind Walk, Word of Recall, Find the Path, Legend Lore, Permanency, Mnemonic Enhancer (if it works well with this system)

Esoteric : Thaumaturgy (Intelligence) - aka summoning
Initiate ::: Summon Monster, Summon Nature's Ally, Mount, Unseen Servant, maybe a weaker Summon Swarm
Adept ::: Phantom Steed, Dismissal, Insect Plague, Sepia Snake Sigil, Lesser Planar Ally/Binding, Dimensional Anchor
Master ::: Planar Ally/Binding, Faithful Hound, Animate Objects, Liveoak, Banishment, Forbiddance

Esoteric : Shadow Magic (Wisdom) - You didn't like Umbramancy, so how about Noctumancy?
Initiate ::: Darkness, Sleep, Darkvision, Cause Fear, Invisibility
Adept ::: Deeper Darkness, Black Tentacles, Deep Slumber, Quench, Blindness
Master ::: Mislead, Shadow Walk, Shadow Evocation, Nightmare, Shadow Conjuration

eftexar
2013-03-30, 11:25 AM
Sorry Nonsi I hadn't realized what you meant. I'll go through and re-arrange the spell summary at some point today. And I'm thinking changing the relearning to 4th level and every 2 levels after (instead of 4). Would that work well enough?

As far as utility goes though I figure the Mage's skills will cover some of that. I suppose I could add Diplomacy and Gather Information. They really wouldn't be too out of place on the class. With the rest of the skills, and Arcane Blast, it should be able to contribute if not nearly as well.

The esoteric schools are picked up separately as the Mage levels. The numbers are place holders and I have no apprentice level spells for esoteric schools because you don't gain them until later and I want those schools to feel more powerful than primary ones (apprentice spells would cheapen that nuance).

Thanks, Ivellius those will work perfectly. I'm still not sure about the shadow magic list because I'm really debating on how I want to handle it. I might make new spells roughly based off of mysteries.

Just to Browse
2013-03-30, 06:18 PM
eftex, I recommend making the ability damage temporary (like 1 recovered per minute) so that mages can still nova and burn through infusions, but suffer from constantly declining save DCs without encouraging the five-minute workday. It'll also give DMs the chance to plan ambushes or told-you-so moments if the mage overexerts herself.

eftexar
2013-03-30, 06:58 PM
I decided to go with 1 point per hour. I think that per minute trivializes the ability damage and I don't want going nova to be as powerful as before.

nonsi
2013-04-02, 07:52 AM
I decided to go with 1 point per hour. I think that per minute trivializes the ability damage and I don't want going nova to be as powerful as before.

I really hope you complete this project, because it seems quite solid up until now.

Also, I don't see anything associated with polymorph. Where did those go?
Given polymorph is a part of folklore, I'd hate to see those get thrown out the window entirely.

eftexar
2013-04-02, 08:08 AM
Yes I'm still working on it. It's just going slowly because I have about half a dozen other classes I'm working on at once and I just got the new(ish) fire emblem game, as well as some personal stuff going on.

As far as Polymorph goes though, I'm not sure. I'm thinking of fitting something like it into Xenobiotics if I keep it. I figure it fits into that esoteric school the best.

Of course I'm not sure how much the Mage needs that type of spell. After all druids and witch's are generally the ones who use Polymorph. Alternatively I'm considering placing it into alchemy. That way everyone has access to it and I can add a drawback to it, maybe addiction or something.

eftexar
2013-04-19, 09:49 PM
Spell list updated. Unfortunately haven't done any new spells, but this project is still in the works as soon as I get back to it. I need to stop being lazy, but so many spells...

nonsi
2013-04-20, 12:22 AM
As I said charm person will likely face a nerf. I'd considered making the spell usable only in non-threatening situations. It would actually make a lot of sense to do it that way.
True Strike will be changed so that it can be cast on an ally. I may even make it a mass spell.

While you have convinced me the penalty for infusion feats are pretty harsh, I don't think I want to make any broad changes. What if I just dropped the ability damage to a flat -1 point per feat used?

I believe you're a bit lacking on the healing/recovery angle and I don't see polymorph to any degree.

Also, in the meantime, some thoughts of mine (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15069418&postcount=22).