Kazyan
2013-04-21, 05:49 PM
Table of Contents:
Post 1. Delfire One
Post 2. Delfire Flames
Post 3. Delfire Feats and Items
Post 4. Del Heart prestige class (Soulborn/Delfire One limited theurge)
Post 5. Rules for Incidental Delfire
Post 6. Reserved
Expect more content soon!
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Delfire One
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z228/Hauntinomin/774228_orb_of_light_zps74fae684.jpg
"I've got something to help that. Watch it burn, the colors. Pretty, isn't it? I've had it since last year."
"Delfire" refers a series of closely-related, poorly-understood magical reactions that require very little--but more than zero--input to sustain themselves. Instances of delfire are very stable, generally remaining the same size, in the same way that fire does. In fact, delfire looks rather a lot like ordinary fire, if ordinary fire was licking up from the bottom of a sphere and was a strange color.
Delfire's reaction mechanism is capable of containing specific magical effects. These effects are neither arcane nor divine, but something else; highly mutated energies are stored within the makeup of the delfire and tint its color. Most delfire is recognizable by its hue and shading.
Delfire is rare due to its strange self-sustaining and difficult-to-replicate magical reactions, but it does appear occasionally and sporadically, when four or more supernatural effects are interacting. It gets in the way, makes a mess, and then sits there at the site of reaction until its fuel leaves. Common locations of delfire are at the edges of incarnum-laced sites, and in ruins of wizard towers.
"Delfire Ones", as they are called by scholars, are people who actively look for delfire and take it within themselves, using their bodies and minds as fuel for the stored reaction. Delfire Ones study their reactions and learn to store more and more energy, even creating new instances of delfire and changing the magical effects bound to each flame. Delfire becomes as much a part of themselves as their clothing, and by releasing and absorbing specific flames, they activate as wide a variety of powers as they can find and contain in themselves. Though absorbing flames sounds extremely dangerous, most people of the civilized races have enough personal energy—be it in body or will—to sustain at least one of the weaker flames of delfire within themselves safely. The art is no more dark and eldritch than casting spells, rare and apparently consuming as it may be.
Adventures: Delfire ones are typically energetic and open to new experiences, and adventuring can just be another expression of that. They also might adventure to find new delfire, then improve their management and capacity of flames.
Characteristics: Delfire ones are all about semipermanent magical effects and at-will abilities. Delfire can passively power the party's ambitions in downtime and in combat. Outside of their unique capability, a Delfire One is convincing and hardy, on account of the abilities they need to excel.
Alignment: Delfire Ones tend away from neutrality on the law-chaos axis. Some practice intense self-discipline exercises in order to improve their capacity for delfire, while others give themselves to the pull and emotion, and expand their capacity that way. Delfire Ones have no particular tendency between good and evil.
Religion: Religion has a surprising importance in the lives of many delfire ones, in that their art is dangerous and miraculous, which tends to make one pray for deific luck or protection. Beyond that, a delfire one might revere Boccob, as delfire is the accidental culmination of many kinds of magic. Others may simply make their own luck, and have no particular deity.
Background: Becoming a Delfire One is about discovery. Few teachers exist regarding becoming a Delfire One, so the whole process is usually fueled by serendipity. A person can puzzle out the proper mental and physical techniques to interact with whatever delfire they can find, and eventually learn how to collect the flames themselves. From there, it's just a matter of getting more curious and wanting to find more.
Races: The adventurous, energetic spirit common to Delfire Ones means that the most common race are gnomes, in that they have the hardiness, attitude, and serendipitous long life that help create a Delfire One. Other races they have only a few of these traits are humans, dwarves, and halflings. Elves may become interested in the eldritch energies despite their frailty. Half-orcs don't understand what the big deal is and don't have the serendipitous long life, and half-elves generally don't have the general qualities that make a good delfire user.
Other Classes: Other magic users have a similarity with Delfire Ones, so they get along amicably, except in the case of wizards or sorcerers too haughty about their own system of magic being superior. Delfire ones have most in common with incarnum users and warlocks, however, and may see more eye-to-eye with them. Melee classes don't have much in common with delfire users, so their interactions will be up to individual personalities. Rogues may be distrusted due to possible theft of flames.
Role: Delfire Ones provide direct battlefield control, damage, and debuffing in the form of delfire effects with a radius, or at-will buffs and damage in the form of "flares", forms of delfire that can be release and collected as part of the same motion. They fill rather the same role that a bard does.
Adaptation: Delfire does not have to be associated with fire, per se, nor does it have to be a magical accident. Delfire can be the result of abandoned experimentation, or magical waste products with usually-untapped potential. It could also take the form of lightning instead of having a fire motif.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Delfire ones have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma and Constitution are the most important ability scores by far, because they determine the number of nodes a Delfire One has available. Beyond those, a delfire one benefits from a high Intelligence for skill points, and possibly Strength or Dexterity for attacks.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: As bard.
Starting Gold: 3d4 x 10 gp.
Class Skills
The Delfire One's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
THE DELFIRE ONE
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Maximum Intensity
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Delfire Roster
1
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3
Driven
1
3rd
+2
+3
+1
+3
2
4th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Create Delfire
2
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Fire Familiarity
2
6th
+4
+5
+2
+5
3
7th
+5
+5
+2
+5
Improved Fueling
3
8th
+6/+1
+6
+2
+6
Hot Vigor/Will
3
9th
+6/+1
+6
+3
+6
4
10th
+7/+2
+7
+3
+7
Quick Collection
4
11th
+8/+3
+7
+3
+7
Steaming Power/Control
4
12th
+9/+4
+8
+4
+8
5
13th
+9/+4
+8
+4
+8
Quick Closing
5
14th
+10/+5
+9
+4
+9
Residual Power/Control
5
15th
+11/+6/+1
+9
+5
+9
6
16th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Extract Fuel
6
17th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Superheating
6
18th
+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
7
19th
+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Delfire Sight
7
20th
+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Plasma Spirit
8
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Delfire One.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Delfire One is proficient with simple weapons. They are proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields.
Delfire Roster (Ex): The basic ability of a Delfire One is to contain delfire within their own bodies. In essence, they virtualize the reaction's components and integrate it into their bodies. The reaction is not stopped, but needs to be fueled. A Delfire One learns to fuel those reactions passively with the metabolic energy of their body and their own force of will.
All Delfire Ones use a mixture of body and spirit to fuel delfire. Those who focus on the energy of the body (favor Constitution) have a number of flame nodes equal to their Constitution score minus 10, plus their Charisma modifier. Those who rely on force of will (favor Charisma) have a number of flame nodes equal to their Charisma score minus 10, plus their Constitution modifier. The Delfire One must choose which ability score to favor, and it remains so for the rest of their career. In-character, this distinction is obvious from later effects dependent on it. Delfire ones that favor Constitution are referred to as body-focused, and those that favor Charisma are willpower-focused.
By default, a flame node is Open. Open Flame Nodes do nothing by themselves, but can be discharged as a burst of energy into an instance of delfire under the Delfire One's possession. The way this works is specified in each kind of flame, but in all cases, it requires a standard action for Embers, or is done as part of the action to relese the flame for Flares. This discharge is referred to as closing a node. After closing, a node is Closed. A Closed node can be reopened with one hour of rest, and all nodes reopen after 8 hours of rest.
An Open node can also be Filled with a Flame. Flames are individual instances of delfire. Filled nodes cannot be closed; the Flame needs to be released first. Once released, the node is Open again. Unless otherwise stated in the description of the Flame, releasing it is a standard action. When released, a flame either creates a semipermanent magical effect, or it causes an effect and immediately fills the node again as part of the action required to release it. These two types of delfire are classified as Embers and Flares, respectively. Some flames can be released in multiple ways, or a Node can be closed to create one of multiple effects for the Flame.
As a full-round action, a Delfire One can collect a Flame of any intensity equal to or lower than their maximum, as shown in the table. A collected flame Fills an Open Node, and disappears from the game map, along with any effects it is currently causing, unless stated otherwise. A Delfire One can collect a Flame and fill a Closed Node with it, but in that case, the node becomes Locked--the Delfire One cannot release the Flame in it until they rest. A Locked node can become Filled by resting, in the same way that a Closed node can become Opened. If no nodes are available (all are Filled or Locked), a Delfire One cannot collect a Flame.
For example, a character with 5 flame nodes contains the Trailwick and Roughening Beacon flames. After resting for the night, all closed nodes open, and all locked nodes revert to merely filled. At the beginning of the day, two nodes are Filled, one with Trailwick and one with Roughening Beacon, and the other three are open. Over the course of the day, the Delfire one might close the three open nodes for a variety of reasons, leaving them with two nodes filled and three closed. If they release the Roughening Beacon, they would be able to close the node it formerly occupied. They do so to activate Roughening Beacon's node closing effect. After the combat is over, they collect Roughening Beacon, but all available nodes are closed--so, one of the closed nodes accepts the delfire, rendering the node locked. The Delfire one can no longer use the fmae for the day, and has to rely on Trailwick. The Delfire one is allowed to close the node containing a flare as part of the action to release the flare, but in doing so, that makes recollecting the flame lock a node. Now the delfire one has two locked nodes and three closed ones, and is probably best off sitting in the back and plinking away with with a crossbow for the rest of the day. Using nodes is resource management, but the more flames Delfire One collects, the fewer nodes they can use before eventually locking a few flames into place.
{table]|No Flame|Flame
Unused|Open|Filled
Expended|Closed|Locked[/table]
All delfire has an intensity between 0 and 7. If a Delfire One attempts to contain a Flame with an intensity higher than their maximum, the flame deals 1d4 damage to them per level over the limit, and the attempt fails. If a Delfire One contains a Flame of an intensity equal to their maximum, the power is almost too much to bear--they are slowed as if by the slow spell, though this effect is nonmagical.
Containing Delfire within one's body is extraordinary, and the delfire within continues to require the nodes even in an antimagic field. Though the Flames themselves are supernatural, they are safely virtualized within the Delfire One's body and are unaffected by antimagic fields, dispels, and even Disjunction.
A Delfire One has a "delfire level" that determines the maximum intensity of delfire that they can use, as well as the power of a few flame effects. See Table: The Delfire One for the correlation between delfire level and maximum intensity.
At 1st level, a delfire one starts with 2 flames collected. They can collect more by finding flames, buying Del Connectrixes, and at later levels, creating delfire on their own.
Driven (Su): At 2nd level, a Delfire One gains a +10' competence bonus to all movement modes. This bonus only functions while the Delfire One contains 2 or more Flames.
Create Delfire (Su): At 4th level, a Delfire One learns to pour their energy into creating new flames. By spending eight hours in rest to prepare themselves, immediately followed by one additional hour in meditation, they can create a new instance of delfire. The new flame can be of any intensity equal to or lower than theirmaximum intensity--thus, at level 5, they can create Intensity 3 flames. The flame does not physically appear; it fills a Node at the time of creation. Creating delfire at one's maximum intensity, or one below, is very difficult and requires special oils and incenses. These cost 200 gp multiplied by the intensity of the flame.
Besides the time and pssibly incenses required, creating new delfire has an associated cost by intensity. If the Delfire One cannot pay the cost, the attempt to create the flame fails.
Intensity
Cost
0
2 nodes close/lock after creation
1
4 nodes close/lock after creation
2
6 nodes close/lock after creation
3
2 Con damage & 2 Cha damage; 4 nodes close/lock after creation
4
4 Con damage & 4 Cha damage; 4 nodes close/lock after creation
5
2 Con drain & 2 Cha drain; 8 nodes close/lock after creation
6
4 Con drain & 4 Cha drain; 8 nodes close/lock after creation
7
6 Con drain & 6 Cha drain; 8 nodes close/lock after creation
Fire Familiarity (Ex): At 5th level, a Delfire One understands fire better due to their associations with its magical cousin. You gain a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks made to identify any magical effect that produces fire.
Improved Fueling (Ex): At 7th level, a Delfire One has practiced their favored fuel for delfire extensively. If they favor Charisma, they gain Iron Will as a bonus feat. If they favor Constitution, they gain Great Fortitude as a bonus feat.
Hot Vigor (Su): At 8th level, if the Delfire One favors Constitution, they gain Resistance to Fire 10. Constant sweating and expressing energy mixes with the supernatural power flowing through them to make them more resilient.
Hot Will (Su): At 8th level, if the Delfire One favors Charisma, their mental forces grow so strong that they can concentrate as a swift action, instead of a standard. They effectively force a brief spike of willpower into focusing, freeing up time.
Quick Collection (Ex): At 10th level, a Delfire One can collect a flame as a standard action.
Steaming Power (Ex): At 11th level, if the Delfire One favors Constitution, they may close a node as a swift action to grant themselves a +8 morale bonus on any Strength check or Strength-based check.
Steaming Control (Ex): At 11th level, if the Delfire One favors Charisma, they may close a node as a swift action to ignore one mind-affecting effect currently affecting them, for the rest of the encounter. If they are not in an encounter, they ignore the effect for one minute.
Quick Closing (Ex): At 13th level, a Delfire One can close a node as a move action where it would otherwise require a standard action.
Residual Power (Ex): At 14th level, if the Delfire One favors Constitution, their flames last outside of their body for twice as long before dissipating, fueled by the abundance of vigor put into their release.
Residual Control (Ex): At 14th level, if the Delfire One favors Charisma, their flames do not necessarily dissipate when reaching the end of their duration. Instead, the Delfire One may, as an immediate action, collect the flame from a distance of up to 100', drawing on the last spark of self-control they used in the flame's release.
Extract Fuel (Su): At 16th level, a Delfire One may, as a full-round action, expunge a bit of their favored fuel through their hands, along with any number of flames contained within. The fuel manifests as a yellow, faintly fluorescent orb, about the width of one's palm and glimmering with the colors of the contained flames. The Delfire One takes 1 point of Constitution or Charisma drain in doing this, whichever is their favored ability score. This drain cannot be removed in any way except by retracting the fuel as below, and bypasses all immunities.
While the fuel is extracted, the flames within are sustained indefinitely, and the fuel is never used up. The Delfire One can retract their fuel and flames in the same way that they collect a flame. Doing so cures the ability drain.
Superheating (Ex): At 17th level, the Delfire One is deeply experienced with their favored fuel. By closing three nodes as a swift action, they may enter a state if incredible energy, powering themselves with a tremendous heightening of their fuel. Whichever fuel they favor, this state lasts for 5 rounds.
If they favor Constitution, their muscles surge with vigor and their skin nearly steams with heat. They gain a +10 bonus to Strength checks and Strength-based checks, their competence bonus to speed increases to +30', and they gain an additional move action per round (which cannot be used for closing a node.) Only once during the superheating, the Delfire One may choose to automatically succeed at a Fortitude save before rolling the d20.
If they favor Charisma, their body relaxes, hardens, and leaps in precision as self-control floods the processes of every superfluous action in their body. They gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity checks and Dexterity-based checks, 50 temporary hit points from ignoring "minor" structural failures of their body, and an additional swift action per round. Only once during the superheating, the Delfire One may choose to automatically succeed at a Will save before rolling the d20.
Delfire Sight (Su): At 19th level, the Delfire One's eyes seem to flicker as if the eyeballs were the orbs of flames. Illusory delfire burns on the perception of all interfering magic. The Delfire One is under a constant arcane sight effect of unlimited range, and can see the inner fire of all creatures: they gain the Lifesight feat (Libris Mortis) as a bonus feat. They need not meet the prerequisites for this feat.
Plasma Spirit (Su): At 20th level, the Delfire One's internal fire has grown uncontrollable, and their body merges with it as an entity of delfire. The Delfire One's body changes into an elemental-like, burning form made of delfire, of whichever coloration the Delfire One wishes. They gain the subtype, but can spend 5 rounds to become corporeal or change back. Their type changes to elemental, and they gain 5 nodes in addition to those granted by high ability scores.
Epic Delfire One
Epic delfire ones are the grandmasters of flames. They are not mere dabblers in a foreign and complicated magic--they [i]are delfire, and have unlocked the mystery of how flames are composed. With this knowledge, they unleash unstoppably powerful, profoundly unfathomable, orbs of completely new delfire onto the world.
Level
Class Feature
Maximum Intensity
21st
Weld Delfire
8
22nd
8
23rd
Epic Delfire
8
24th
9
25th
Epic Drive
9
26th
Bonus Feat
9
27th
Collect Self
10
28th
10
29th
Epic Welding
10
30th
11
Maximum Intensity: The delfire one's maximum intensity increases by one at 24th level, and increments again at every three levels beyond 24th.
Weld Delfire (Su): At 21st level, the delfire one unlocks the mystery of how delfire actually works. Through careful study, they can take apart multiple flames and reassemble them deep within themselves, leaving one flame where two existed before. The discarded parts of the other flames eat at their fuel, but this can be endured.
This ability works like Create Flames, except that you also destroy two flames that you contain. The flame you create as a result of this is a custom flame, classified as a welded flame. The welded flame has a unique name of your choice, and has the effects of both flame destroyed to create it. You cannot weld two of the same flame, any already-welded flames, or any epic flames. The welded flame has an intensity equal to the sum of the intensities of the destroyed flames, plus two. Save DCs should be calculated off the new intensity.
Consult the Create Delfire table for the cost of creating welded flames. For intensities beyond the table, the cost to create the flame is twice the intensity, minus eight, in Constitution drain and Charisma drain. 8 nodes also close or lock after creation, if the flame is of intensity 8 or higher.
Closing a node to enhance a welded flame only activates the node-closing effects of one the constituent flames, which you choose when you close the node.
Epic Delfire (Su): You can collect and create delfire of epic intensities: any flame of intensity 8 or higher that is not also a welded flame. No Del Connectrixes exist for epic delfire (or welded flames, for that matter), and it is not possible for non-epic magic to incidentally create epic delfire. Epic delfire cannot be collected without this class feature, even with sufficient maximum intensity--the collection simply fails and deals a minimum of 1d4 damage from the collection attempt, as if the Delfire One had attempted to collect of flame of one higher intensity than their maximum.
Epic Delfire takes up more nodes than normal delfire. Fore each point of intensity above 7, the epic delfire occupies 1 additional node. If any nodes an epic flame occupies are locked, the flame cannot be released, as if it were a nonepic flame occupying a locked node.
Epic Delfire is essentially unknown, which is why Uou is generally considered the peak of delfire's power. But in the same way that there is magic greater than even wish, delfire can go beyond the limits of conventional magic. It is, after all, contingent one whatever spawns it.
Epic Drive (Su): At 25th level, an epic delfire one's energy is boundless and comes in incredible bursts. The delfire one can close two nodes as a free action to immediately take a move-equivalent action. This action cannot be used to close nodes. This can be done at any time during their turn when they are not already taking an action, besides a full attack.
Sidebar: Breaking the action economy...or not
Even at epic levels, some restraint is required. It's generally understood that spellcasters were simply never given this restraint, because, among other things, they can ignore the action economy via the use of Multispell. At the same time, extra actions are extremely valuable and on the top of the to-get list for many adventurers, including those that practice the Sublime Way. By epic levels, you need to be able to take an extra action somehow.
Epic Drive is a compromise. Move-equivalent actions, while handy, can't really be used to end an encounter. There's not much you can do with them besides actually moving. Thus, the epic delfire one gets to move a lot, without breaking the game. Sadly, this ability is probably weaker than the Factotum's Cunning Surge.
Bonus Feat: At 26th level and every six levels beyond 26th, the delfire one gains a bonus feat drawn from the following list:
Damage Reduction, Del Mind, Del Swordsmanship, Del Vigor, Delfire Entertainer, Delfire Sword-dancer, Endurance, Epic Endurance, Extra Nodes, Fast Healing
Collect Self (Su): It sounds simple enough--if the delfire one is made of delfire, can they collect themselves? At 27th level, they can. By collecting the delfire that composes their bodies, they implode upon themselves harmlessly and leave their current plane of existence. They, effectively, reside within themselves temporarily.
After collecting themselves, the delfire one resumes existing in what is effectively a demiplane of dimensions equal to the delfire one's space (but not reach). The edges of the demiplane are decorated in orbs of delfire flames that the delfire one contains. Inside the demiplane, the delfire one can use any of their flames with unlimited duration, or have the effect of any of their flames occur on them (or the demiplane's area) for any duration they desire. The delfire one cannot be reached inside this personal space, short of divine intervention. Not even wish can pull the delfire one out of the space or cause someone to enter. (If the attempted trespasser is a 20th+ level delfire one or otherwise composed of delfire, the can enter through wish. Exit is possible for them via any plane-shifting magic, or they can be released by the delfire one.) A wish to pull the delfre one out of their space does cause them to exit in the intended destination when the release thmeselves, however. No scrying or divination magic, except any that can penetrate mind blank, will work on a delfire one containing themselves.
A delfire one can bring gear with them when they contain themselves. Plane shifting magic, though ineffective in entering the space, can allow the delfire one leave without releasing themselves. When a delfire one releases themselves, they appear where the collected themselves. This is possibly subject to shunting if an object occupies the location, as dimension door.
A delfire one cannot leave their gear within themselves--that is the purview of the Consumption flame--but it is possible that a creature might be in the space when the delfire one releases themselves. For example, if a delfire one contains themselves while holding a bag of holding, and an ally crawls out of the bag, they could be left behind. In this case, the ally is stuck until they can be plane shifted out. The delfire one cannot release their ally the same way they release delfire.
A delfire one can also contain and release other creatures composed of delfire. For example, an epic delfire one might contain a second epic delfire one, in order to smuggle their friend beyond powerful magical security.
Epic Welding (Su): At 29th level, the epic delfire one may welded flames that are already welded flames, or are epic. Doing so increases the intensity of the resultant flame by 4, or 8 if both component flames are epic and/or welded. Welding an epic flame with produces a flame that counts as both epic and welded.
You may also weld two of the same flame. The result is slightly different from normal welding--it is the same as one of the constituent flames, but all numerical values written in numerals are doubles. Remember that doubling a double equals a triple, and so on, in the case of a welding chain that combines three or more of the same flame.
Post 1. Delfire One
Post 2. Delfire Flames
Post 3. Delfire Feats and Items
Post 4. Del Heart prestige class (Soulborn/Delfire One limited theurge)
Post 5. Rules for Incidental Delfire
Post 6. Reserved
Expect more content soon!
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Delfire One
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z228/Hauntinomin/774228_orb_of_light_zps74fae684.jpg
"I've got something to help that. Watch it burn, the colors. Pretty, isn't it? I've had it since last year."
"Delfire" refers a series of closely-related, poorly-understood magical reactions that require very little--but more than zero--input to sustain themselves. Instances of delfire are very stable, generally remaining the same size, in the same way that fire does. In fact, delfire looks rather a lot like ordinary fire, if ordinary fire was licking up from the bottom of a sphere and was a strange color.
Delfire's reaction mechanism is capable of containing specific magical effects. These effects are neither arcane nor divine, but something else; highly mutated energies are stored within the makeup of the delfire and tint its color. Most delfire is recognizable by its hue and shading.
Delfire is rare due to its strange self-sustaining and difficult-to-replicate magical reactions, but it does appear occasionally and sporadically, when four or more supernatural effects are interacting. It gets in the way, makes a mess, and then sits there at the site of reaction until its fuel leaves. Common locations of delfire are at the edges of incarnum-laced sites, and in ruins of wizard towers.
"Delfire Ones", as they are called by scholars, are people who actively look for delfire and take it within themselves, using their bodies and minds as fuel for the stored reaction. Delfire Ones study their reactions and learn to store more and more energy, even creating new instances of delfire and changing the magical effects bound to each flame. Delfire becomes as much a part of themselves as their clothing, and by releasing and absorbing specific flames, they activate as wide a variety of powers as they can find and contain in themselves. Though absorbing flames sounds extremely dangerous, most people of the civilized races have enough personal energy—be it in body or will—to sustain at least one of the weaker flames of delfire within themselves safely. The art is no more dark and eldritch than casting spells, rare and apparently consuming as it may be.
Adventures: Delfire ones are typically energetic and open to new experiences, and adventuring can just be another expression of that. They also might adventure to find new delfire, then improve their management and capacity of flames.
Characteristics: Delfire ones are all about semipermanent magical effects and at-will abilities. Delfire can passively power the party's ambitions in downtime and in combat. Outside of their unique capability, a Delfire One is convincing and hardy, on account of the abilities they need to excel.
Alignment: Delfire Ones tend away from neutrality on the law-chaos axis. Some practice intense self-discipline exercises in order to improve their capacity for delfire, while others give themselves to the pull and emotion, and expand their capacity that way. Delfire Ones have no particular tendency between good and evil.
Religion: Religion has a surprising importance in the lives of many delfire ones, in that their art is dangerous and miraculous, which tends to make one pray for deific luck or protection. Beyond that, a delfire one might revere Boccob, as delfire is the accidental culmination of many kinds of magic. Others may simply make their own luck, and have no particular deity.
Background: Becoming a Delfire One is about discovery. Few teachers exist regarding becoming a Delfire One, so the whole process is usually fueled by serendipity. A person can puzzle out the proper mental and physical techniques to interact with whatever delfire they can find, and eventually learn how to collect the flames themselves. From there, it's just a matter of getting more curious and wanting to find more.
Races: The adventurous, energetic spirit common to Delfire Ones means that the most common race are gnomes, in that they have the hardiness, attitude, and serendipitous long life that help create a Delfire One. Other races they have only a few of these traits are humans, dwarves, and halflings. Elves may become interested in the eldritch energies despite their frailty. Half-orcs don't understand what the big deal is and don't have the serendipitous long life, and half-elves generally don't have the general qualities that make a good delfire user.
Other Classes: Other magic users have a similarity with Delfire Ones, so they get along amicably, except in the case of wizards or sorcerers too haughty about their own system of magic being superior. Delfire ones have most in common with incarnum users and warlocks, however, and may see more eye-to-eye with them. Melee classes don't have much in common with delfire users, so their interactions will be up to individual personalities. Rogues may be distrusted due to possible theft of flames.
Role: Delfire Ones provide direct battlefield control, damage, and debuffing in the form of delfire effects with a radius, or at-will buffs and damage in the form of "flares", forms of delfire that can be release and collected as part of the same motion. They fill rather the same role that a bard does.
Adaptation: Delfire does not have to be associated with fire, per se, nor does it have to be a magical accident. Delfire can be the result of abandoned experimentation, or magical waste products with usually-untapped potential. It could also take the form of lightning instead of having a fire motif.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Delfire ones have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma and Constitution are the most important ability scores by far, because they determine the number of nodes a Delfire One has available. Beyond those, a delfire one benefits from a high Intelligence for skill points, and possibly Strength or Dexterity for attacks.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: As bard.
Starting Gold: 3d4 x 10 gp.
Class Skills
The Delfire One's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
THE DELFIRE ONE
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Maximum Intensity
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Delfire Roster
1
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3
Driven
1
3rd
+2
+3
+1
+3
2
4th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Create Delfire
2
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Fire Familiarity
2
6th
+4
+5
+2
+5
3
7th
+5
+5
+2
+5
Improved Fueling
3
8th
+6/+1
+6
+2
+6
Hot Vigor/Will
3
9th
+6/+1
+6
+3
+6
4
10th
+7/+2
+7
+3
+7
Quick Collection
4
11th
+8/+3
+7
+3
+7
Steaming Power/Control
4
12th
+9/+4
+8
+4
+8
5
13th
+9/+4
+8
+4
+8
Quick Closing
5
14th
+10/+5
+9
+4
+9
Residual Power/Control
5
15th
+11/+6/+1
+9
+5
+9
6
16th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Extract Fuel
6
17th
+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Superheating
6
18th
+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
7
19th
+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Delfire Sight
7
20th
+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Plasma Spirit
8
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Delfire One.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Delfire One is proficient with simple weapons. They are proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields.
Delfire Roster (Ex): The basic ability of a Delfire One is to contain delfire within their own bodies. In essence, they virtualize the reaction's components and integrate it into their bodies. The reaction is not stopped, but needs to be fueled. A Delfire One learns to fuel those reactions passively with the metabolic energy of their body and their own force of will.
All Delfire Ones use a mixture of body and spirit to fuel delfire. Those who focus on the energy of the body (favor Constitution) have a number of flame nodes equal to their Constitution score minus 10, plus their Charisma modifier. Those who rely on force of will (favor Charisma) have a number of flame nodes equal to their Charisma score minus 10, plus their Constitution modifier. The Delfire One must choose which ability score to favor, and it remains so for the rest of their career. In-character, this distinction is obvious from later effects dependent on it. Delfire ones that favor Constitution are referred to as body-focused, and those that favor Charisma are willpower-focused.
By default, a flame node is Open. Open Flame Nodes do nothing by themselves, but can be discharged as a burst of energy into an instance of delfire under the Delfire One's possession. The way this works is specified in each kind of flame, but in all cases, it requires a standard action for Embers, or is done as part of the action to relese the flame for Flares. This discharge is referred to as closing a node. After closing, a node is Closed. A Closed node can be reopened with one hour of rest, and all nodes reopen after 8 hours of rest.
An Open node can also be Filled with a Flame. Flames are individual instances of delfire. Filled nodes cannot be closed; the Flame needs to be released first. Once released, the node is Open again. Unless otherwise stated in the description of the Flame, releasing it is a standard action. When released, a flame either creates a semipermanent magical effect, or it causes an effect and immediately fills the node again as part of the action required to release it. These two types of delfire are classified as Embers and Flares, respectively. Some flames can be released in multiple ways, or a Node can be closed to create one of multiple effects for the Flame.
As a full-round action, a Delfire One can collect a Flame of any intensity equal to or lower than their maximum, as shown in the table. A collected flame Fills an Open Node, and disappears from the game map, along with any effects it is currently causing, unless stated otherwise. A Delfire One can collect a Flame and fill a Closed Node with it, but in that case, the node becomes Locked--the Delfire One cannot release the Flame in it until they rest. A Locked node can become Filled by resting, in the same way that a Closed node can become Opened. If no nodes are available (all are Filled or Locked), a Delfire One cannot collect a Flame.
For example, a character with 5 flame nodes contains the Trailwick and Roughening Beacon flames. After resting for the night, all closed nodes open, and all locked nodes revert to merely filled. At the beginning of the day, two nodes are Filled, one with Trailwick and one with Roughening Beacon, and the other three are open. Over the course of the day, the Delfire one might close the three open nodes for a variety of reasons, leaving them with two nodes filled and three closed. If they release the Roughening Beacon, they would be able to close the node it formerly occupied. They do so to activate Roughening Beacon's node closing effect. After the combat is over, they collect Roughening Beacon, but all available nodes are closed--so, one of the closed nodes accepts the delfire, rendering the node locked. The Delfire one can no longer use the fmae for the day, and has to rely on Trailwick. The Delfire one is allowed to close the node containing a flare as part of the action to release the flare, but in doing so, that makes recollecting the flame lock a node. Now the delfire one has two locked nodes and three closed ones, and is probably best off sitting in the back and plinking away with with a crossbow for the rest of the day. Using nodes is resource management, but the more flames Delfire One collects, the fewer nodes they can use before eventually locking a few flames into place.
{table]|No Flame|Flame
Unused|Open|Filled
Expended|Closed|Locked[/table]
All delfire has an intensity between 0 and 7. If a Delfire One attempts to contain a Flame with an intensity higher than their maximum, the flame deals 1d4 damage to them per level over the limit, and the attempt fails. If a Delfire One contains a Flame of an intensity equal to their maximum, the power is almost too much to bear--they are slowed as if by the slow spell, though this effect is nonmagical.
Containing Delfire within one's body is extraordinary, and the delfire within continues to require the nodes even in an antimagic field. Though the Flames themselves are supernatural, they are safely virtualized within the Delfire One's body and are unaffected by antimagic fields, dispels, and even Disjunction.
A Delfire One has a "delfire level" that determines the maximum intensity of delfire that they can use, as well as the power of a few flame effects. See Table: The Delfire One for the correlation between delfire level and maximum intensity.
At 1st level, a delfire one starts with 2 flames collected. They can collect more by finding flames, buying Del Connectrixes, and at later levels, creating delfire on their own.
Driven (Su): At 2nd level, a Delfire One gains a +10' competence bonus to all movement modes. This bonus only functions while the Delfire One contains 2 or more Flames.
Create Delfire (Su): At 4th level, a Delfire One learns to pour their energy into creating new flames. By spending eight hours in rest to prepare themselves, immediately followed by one additional hour in meditation, they can create a new instance of delfire. The new flame can be of any intensity equal to or lower than theirmaximum intensity--thus, at level 5, they can create Intensity 3 flames. The flame does not physically appear; it fills a Node at the time of creation. Creating delfire at one's maximum intensity, or one below, is very difficult and requires special oils and incenses. These cost 200 gp multiplied by the intensity of the flame.
Besides the time and pssibly incenses required, creating new delfire has an associated cost by intensity. If the Delfire One cannot pay the cost, the attempt to create the flame fails.
Intensity
Cost
0
2 nodes close/lock after creation
1
4 nodes close/lock after creation
2
6 nodes close/lock after creation
3
2 Con damage & 2 Cha damage; 4 nodes close/lock after creation
4
4 Con damage & 4 Cha damage; 4 nodes close/lock after creation
5
2 Con drain & 2 Cha drain; 8 nodes close/lock after creation
6
4 Con drain & 4 Cha drain; 8 nodes close/lock after creation
7
6 Con drain & 6 Cha drain; 8 nodes close/lock after creation
Fire Familiarity (Ex): At 5th level, a Delfire One understands fire better due to their associations with its magical cousin. You gain a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks made to identify any magical effect that produces fire.
Improved Fueling (Ex): At 7th level, a Delfire One has practiced their favored fuel for delfire extensively. If they favor Charisma, they gain Iron Will as a bonus feat. If they favor Constitution, they gain Great Fortitude as a bonus feat.
Hot Vigor (Su): At 8th level, if the Delfire One favors Constitution, they gain Resistance to Fire 10. Constant sweating and expressing energy mixes with the supernatural power flowing through them to make them more resilient.
Hot Will (Su): At 8th level, if the Delfire One favors Charisma, their mental forces grow so strong that they can concentrate as a swift action, instead of a standard. They effectively force a brief spike of willpower into focusing, freeing up time.
Quick Collection (Ex): At 10th level, a Delfire One can collect a flame as a standard action.
Steaming Power (Ex): At 11th level, if the Delfire One favors Constitution, they may close a node as a swift action to grant themselves a +8 morale bonus on any Strength check or Strength-based check.
Steaming Control (Ex): At 11th level, if the Delfire One favors Charisma, they may close a node as a swift action to ignore one mind-affecting effect currently affecting them, for the rest of the encounter. If they are not in an encounter, they ignore the effect for one minute.
Quick Closing (Ex): At 13th level, a Delfire One can close a node as a move action where it would otherwise require a standard action.
Residual Power (Ex): At 14th level, if the Delfire One favors Constitution, their flames last outside of their body for twice as long before dissipating, fueled by the abundance of vigor put into their release.
Residual Control (Ex): At 14th level, if the Delfire One favors Charisma, their flames do not necessarily dissipate when reaching the end of their duration. Instead, the Delfire One may, as an immediate action, collect the flame from a distance of up to 100', drawing on the last spark of self-control they used in the flame's release.
Extract Fuel (Su): At 16th level, a Delfire One may, as a full-round action, expunge a bit of their favored fuel through their hands, along with any number of flames contained within. The fuel manifests as a yellow, faintly fluorescent orb, about the width of one's palm and glimmering with the colors of the contained flames. The Delfire One takes 1 point of Constitution or Charisma drain in doing this, whichever is their favored ability score. This drain cannot be removed in any way except by retracting the fuel as below, and bypasses all immunities.
While the fuel is extracted, the flames within are sustained indefinitely, and the fuel is never used up. The Delfire One can retract their fuel and flames in the same way that they collect a flame. Doing so cures the ability drain.
Superheating (Ex): At 17th level, the Delfire One is deeply experienced with their favored fuel. By closing three nodes as a swift action, they may enter a state if incredible energy, powering themselves with a tremendous heightening of their fuel. Whichever fuel they favor, this state lasts for 5 rounds.
If they favor Constitution, their muscles surge with vigor and their skin nearly steams with heat. They gain a +10 bonus to Strength checks and Strength-based checks, their competence bonus to speed increases to +30', and they gain an additional move action per round (which cannot be used for closing a node.) Only once during the superheating, the Delfire One may choose to automatically succeed at a Fortitude save before rolling the d20.
If they favor Charisma, their body relaxes, hardens, and leaps in precision as self-control floods the processes of every superfluous action in their body. They gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity checks and Dexterity-based checks, 50 temporary hit points from ignoring "minor" structural failures of their body, and an additional swift action per round. Only once during the superheating, the Delfire One may choose to automatically succeed at a Will save before rolling the d20.
Delfire Sight (Su): At 19th level, the Delfire One's eyes seem to flicker as if the eyeballs were the orbs of flames. Illusory delfire burns on the perception of all interfering magic. The Delfire One is under a constant arcane sight effect of unlimited range, and can see the inner fire of all creatures: they gain the Lifesight feat (Libris Mortis) as a bonus feat. They need not meet the prerequisites for this feat.
Plasma Spirit (Su): At 20th level, the Delfire One's internal fire has grown uncontrollable, and their body merges with it as an entity of delfire. The Delfire One's body changes into an elemental-like, burning form made of delfire, of whichever coloration the Delfire One wishes. They gain the subtype, but can spend 5 rounds to become corporeal or change back. Their type changes to elemental, and they gain 5 nodes in addition to those granted by high ability scores.
Epic Delfire One
Epic delfire ones are the grandmasters of flames. They are not mere dabblers in a foreign and complicated magic--they [i]are delfire, and have unlocked the mystery of how flames are composed. With this knowledge, they unleash unstoppably powerful, profoundly unfathomable, orbs of completely new delfire onto the world.
Level
Class Feature
Maximum Intensity
21st
Weld Delfire
8
22nd
8
23rd
Epic Delfire
8
24th
9
25th
Epic Drive
9
26th
Bonus Feat
9
27th
Collect Self
10
28th
10
29th
Epic Welding
10
30th
11
Maximum Intensity: The delfire one's maximum intensity increases by one at 24th level, and increments again at every three levels beyond 24th.
Weld Delfire (Su): At 21st level, the delfire one unlocks the mystery of how delfire actually works. Through careful study, they can take apart multiple flames and reassemble them deep within themselves, leaving one flame where two existed before. The discarded parts of the other flames eat at their fuel, but this can be endured.
This ability works like Create Flames, except that you also destroy two flames that you contain. The flame you create as a result of this is a custom flame, classified as a welded flame. The welded flame has a unique name of your choice, and has the effects of both flame destroyed to create it. You cannot weld two of the same flame, any already-welded flames, or any epic flames. The welded flame has an intensity equal to the sum of the intensities of the destroyed flames, plus two. Save DCs should be calculated off the new intensity.
Consult the Create Delfire table for the cost of creating welded flames. For intensities beyond the table, the cost to create the flame is twice the intensity, minus eight, in Constitution drain and Charisma drain. 8 nodes also close or lock after creation, if the flame is of intensity 8 or higher.
Closing a node to enhance a welded flame only activates the node-closing effects of one the constituent flames, which you choose when you close the node.
Epic Delfire (Su): You can collect and create delfire of epic intensities: any flame of intensity 8 or higher that is not also a welded flame. No Del Connectrixes exist for epic delfire (or welded flames, for that matter), and it is not possible for non-epic magic to incidentally create epic delfire. Epic delfire cannot be collected without this class feature, even with sufficient maximum intensity--the collection simply fails and deals a minimum of 1d4 damage from the collection attempt, as if the Delfire One had attempted to collect of flame of one higher intensity than their maximum.
Epic Delfire takes up more nodes than normal delfire. Fore each point of intensity above 7, the epic delfire occupies 1 additional node. If any nodes an epic flame occupies are locked, the flame cannot be released, as if it were a nonepic flame occupying a locked node.
Epic Delfire is essentially unknown, which is why Uou is generally considered the peak of delfire's power. But in the same way that there is magic greater than even wish, delfire can go beyond the limits of conventional magic. It is, after all, contingent one whatever spawns it.
Epic Drive (Su): At 25th level, an epic delfire one's energy is boundless and comes in incredible bursts. The delfire one can close two nodes as a free action to immediately take a move-equivalent action. This action cannot be used to close nodes. This can be done at any time during their turn when they are not already taking an action, besides a full attack.
Sidebar: Breaking the action economy...or not
Even at epic levels, some restraint is required. It's generally understood that spellcasters were simply never given this restraint, because, among other things, they can ignore the action economy via the use of Multispell. At the same time, extra actions are extremely valuable and on the top of the to-get list for many adventurers, including those that practice the Sublime Way. By epic levels, you need to be able to take an extra action somehow.
Epic Drive is a compromise. Move-equivalent actions, while handy, can't really be used to end an encounter. There's not much you can do with them besides actually moving. Thus, the epic delfire one gets to move a lot, without breaking the game. Sadly, this ability is probably weaker than the Factotum's Cunning Surge.
Bonus Feat: At 26th level and every six levels beyond 26th, the delfire one gains a bonus feat drawn from the following list:
Damage Reduction, Del Mind, Del Swordsmanship, Del Vigor, Delfire Entertainer, Delfire Sword-dancer, Endurance, Epic Endurance, Extra Nodes, Fast Healing
Collect Self (Su): It sounds simple enough--if the delfire one is made of delfire, can they collect themselves? At 27th level, they can. By collecting the delfire that composes their bodies, they implode upon themselves harmlessly and leave their current plane of existence. They, effectively, reside within themselves temporarily.
After collecting themselves, the delfire one resumes existing in what is effectively a demiplane of dimensions equal to the delfire one's space (but not reach). The edges of the demiplane are decorated in orbs of delfire flames that the delfire one contains. Inside the demiplane, the delfire one can use any of their flames with unlimited duration, or have the effect of any of their flames occur on them (or the demiplane's area) for any duration they desire. The delfire one cannot be reached inside this personal space, short of divine intervention. Not even wish can pull the delfire one out of the space or cause someone to enter. (If the attempted trespasser is a 20th+ level delfire one or otherwise composed of delfire, the can enter through wish. Exit is possible for them via any plane-shifting magic, or they can be released by the delfire one.) A wish to pull the delfre one out of their space does cause them to exit in the intended destination when the release thmeselves, however. No scrying or divination magic, except any that can penetrate mind blank, will work on a delfire one containing themselves.
A delfire one can bring gear with them when they contain themselves. Plane shifting magic, though ineffective in entering the space, can allow the delfire one leave without releasing themselves. When a delfire one releases themselves, they appear where the collected themselves. This is possibly subject to shunting if an object occupies the location, as dimension door.
A delfire one cannot leave their gear within themselves--that is the purview of the Consumption flame--but it is possible that a creature might be in the space when the delfire one releases themselves. For example, if a delfire one contains themselves while holding a bag of holding, and an ally crawls out of the bag, they could be left behind. In this case, the ally is stuck until they can be plane shifted out. The delfire one cannot release their ally the same way they release delfire.
A delfire one can also contain and release other creatures composed of delfire. For example, an epic delfire one might contain a second epic delfire one, in order to smuggle their friend beyond powerful magical security.
Epic Welding (Su): At 29th level, the epic delfire one may welded flames that are already welded flames, or are epic. Doing so increases the intensity of the resultant flame by 4, or 8 if both component flames are epic and/or welded. Welding an epic flame with produces a flame that counts as both epic and welded.
You may also weld two of the same flame. The result is slightly different from normal welding--it is the same as one of the constituent flames, but all numerical values written in numerals are doubles. Remember that doubling a double equals a triple, and so on, in the case of a welding chain that combines three or more of the same flame.