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Grod_The_Giant
2013-06-28, 11:12 PM
As requested by Giegue

Trickcaster
“Got your purse. And your mind.”

Every pantheon has its tricksters— gods of deceit, fraud, and mischief. Loki, Anansi, Olidammara, and their ilk delight in trickery of all sorts, and their most devout followers seek to emulate them in all things. Trickcasters are unique divine followers, both more and less than a normal cleric.

Making a Trickcaster
As a trickcasters, you are an excellent resource for the party. You’re capable of filling many of the roles typically associated with the rogue, serving as a party “face,” and providing a wide range of magical support. Your magic can confuse and befuddle your foes, strengthen your allies, and take control of the battlefield.

Abilities: Trickcasters need a quick mind and a silver tongue. A high Charisma is vital to your magic, class abilities, and many of your most important skills. Intelligence is also important for many of your abilities, as well as helping you get the most from your skills. Dexterity helps you stay alive, both through defense and stealth, while Constitution can keep you alive if you get caught— and even the best tricksters get caught at some point.
Race: Trickcasters can be found in any race who tell stories of trickster gods.
Alignment: Trickcasters must be chaotic— their gods and goals are completely incompatible with the tenants of law. Beyond that, they might be benign or malevolent, determined to bring smiles to their friends faces or obsessed with humiliating the world around them.


Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Religion), Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Skill Points at First Level: (6+Int Mod) x4
Skill Points at each additional level: 6+Int Mod



Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
0 lv
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st
+0
+0
+2
+2
Trapfinding, Divine Initiate
5
3










2nd
+1
+0
+3
+3
Anarchic Learning
6
4










3rd
+1
+1
+3
+3
Invisible Spell
6
5










4th
+2
+1
+4
+4
Anarchic Learning
6
6
3









5th
+2
+1
+4
+4
Bluffed Casting
6
6
4









6th
+3
+2
+5
+5
Silent Spell, Anarchic Learning
6
6
5
3








7th
+3
+2
+5
+5
Ranged Legerdemain
6
6
6
4








8th
+4
+2
+6
+6
Anarchic Learning
6
6
6
5
3







9th
+4
+3
+6
+6
Still Spell
6
6
6
6
4







10th
+5
+3
+7
+7
A Thousand Faces, Anarchic Learning
6
6
6
6
5
3






11th
+5
+3
+7
+7
Chaos Talents
6
6
6
6
6
4






12th
+6/+1
+4
+8
+8
Simple Silence, Anarchic Learning
6
6
6
6
6
5
3





13th
+6/+1
+4
+8
+8
Madcap Mind
6
6
6
6
6
6
4





14th
+7/+2
+4
+9
+9
Anarchic Learning
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
3




15th
+7/+2
+5
+9
+9
Simple Stillness
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4




16th
+8/+3
+5
+10
+10
Anarchic Learning
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
3



17th
+8/+3
+5
+10
+10
Trick the Fates
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4



18th
+9/+4
+6
+11
+11
Anarchic Learning
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
3


19th
+9/+4
+6
+11
+11
Bluff Death
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4


20th
+10/+5
+6
+12
+12
A Thousand Bodies, Anarchic Learning
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6




Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Trickcasters are proficient with simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Spells: A trickcaster casts divine spells, which are drawn from the trickcaster spell list below. When you gain access to a new level of spells, you automatically know all the spells for that level on the trickcaster’s spell list. You can cast any spell you know without preparing it ahead of time. Essentially, your spell list is the same as your spells known list. You also have the option of adding to your existing spell list through your divine gift class feature (see below) as you increase in level.

To cast a trickcaster spell, you must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level (Cha 10 for 0-level spells, Cha 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a trickcaster’s spell is 10 + the spell's level + the trickcaster’s Cha modifier. Like other spellcasters, a trickcaster can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. The base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, you receive bonus spells for a high Charisma score (PH 8).

A trickcaster need not prepare spells in advance. You can cast any spell you know at any time, assuming you have not yet used up your spells per day for that spell level.

Trapfinding: As the Rogue class feature

Divine Initiate: A trickcaster is not quite a cleric or a favored soul, but you are close enough that inanimate objects cannot tell the difference. You may activate scrolls, wands, and other devices with spell completion or spell trigger activation as a cleric of your level. For the purpose of using a scroll or other magic device, if you are also a cleric, actual cleric levels and these effective cleric levels stack.

Anarchic Learning (Ex): The tricksters are unpredictable gods, and their chaotic nature extends to the powers they grant their followers. At 2nd level, and at every subsequent even-numbered level, you may select one spell on the trickcaster spell list and one cleric spell of an equal level. Permanently remove the trickcaster spell from your list of spells known and add the cleric spell to your list of spells known.

Invisible Spell: At 3rd level, you gain Invisible Spell (Cityscape) as a bonus feat. You may apply it to your spells without increasing their casting time.

Bluffed Casting (Ex): Starting at 5th level, you have learned how to make your spells appear to be different. Whenever an opponent makes a Spellcraft check to identify a spell you are casting, you may make an opposed Bluff check. If your result is higher, you may dictate what spell your opponent believes you are casting, as shown on the table below:



Margin of success
Result


1-4
Another Trickster spell of the same spell level


5-9
Another Trickster spell of any spell level, or any spell of the same spell level.


10+
Any spell.



Opponents can make new checks after interacting with the spell— being attacked by a summoned creature, seeing an abjuration affect an attack, and so on.

Silent Spell: At 6th level, you gain Silent Spell as a bonus feat. You may apply it to your spells without increasing their casting time.

Ranged Legerdemain (Sp): Starting at 7th level, you may use Disable Device, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand at a range of 30 feet. Doing so increases the DC of the skill check by 5, and you cannot take 10 on this check.

Still Spell: At 9th level, you gain Still Spell as a bonus feat. You may apply it to your spells without increasing their casting time.

A Thousand Faces (Su): As the Druid ability. You may also retrain the disguise self spell, as through the Anarchic Learning class feature.

Chaos Talents (Su): Starting at 11th level, you may channel the forces of chaos to boost your skills… potentially. When making a skill check, you may roll twice and take the better result. However, at some point in the next twenty-four hours, when making an equally significant skill check, you must roll twice and take the worse result. When your bad luck crops up is entirely up to the GM. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier, and you may not use it to re-roll a check the bad luck side of this ability is forcing you to re-roll.

Simple Silence (Ex): At 12th level, a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier, you may apply Silent Spell to a spontaneously cast spell without using a higher level spell slot than normal.

Madcap Mind (Ex): At 13th level, a trickcaster’s mind is a slippery, twisty thing. A number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier, you may use a Bluff check in place of a Will save.

Simple Stillness (Ex): At 15th level, a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier, you may apply Still Spell to a spontaneously cast spell without using a higher level spell slot than normal.

Trick the Fates (Ex): At 17th level, you cannot be detected by any divination spell or spell-like ability. Scrying cannot see you; Augury cannot predict your actions, Detect Evil does not say “yes” or “no,” and you are totally invisible when seen through the lens of True Seeing. Effects you produce, such as ongoing spells, are detectable, however— an arcane sight spell, for example, can detect your invisibility spell, if not you. Only a deity can pierce this ability.

Bluff Death (Ex): Starting at 19th level, once per day when you would be reduced to -10 or fewer hit points, you may make a Bluff check, with a DC equal to the damage that would have killed you. If you succeed, you are instead reduced to -1 hit points and stable.

A Thousand Bodies (Su): Starting at 20th level, you may alter your form at will, as if using the alter self spell. This is a free action, and the change lasts as long as you are conscious. You may also retrain the alter self spell, as through the Anarchic Learning class feature.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-06-28, 11:14 PM
Level 0

Detect Magic
Ghost Sound
Light
Mage Hand
Prestidigitation
Read Magic


Level 1

Bane
Charm Person
Command
Comprehend Languages
Disguise Self
Doom
Entropic Shield
Magic Aura
Obscuring Mist
Protection from Law
Silent Image
Undetectable Alignment
Ventriloquism


Level 2

Alter Self
Calm Emotions
Eagle’s Splendor
Enthrall
Fog Cloud
Hideous Laughter
Invisibility
Minor Image
Misdirection
Obscure Item
Phantom Trap
Pyrotechnics
Silence
Spider Climb


Level 3

Bestow Curse
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
Deeper Darkness
Dispel Magic
Illusory Script
Invisibility Sphere
Magic Circle Against Law
Major Image
Obscure Object
Stone Shape
Suggestion


Level 4

Air Walk
Arcane Eye
Chaos Hammer
Charm Monster
Confusion
Crushing Despair
Dimension Door
Freedom of Movement
Geas, Lesser
Hallucinatory Terrain
Illusory Wall
Invisibility, Greater
Phantasmal Killer
Planar Ally, Lesser
Sending
Tongues


Level 5

Command, Greater
Dispel Law
False Vision
Mirage Arcana
Persistent Image
Preying Eyes
Seeming
Telepathic Bond
Teleport


Level 6

Animate Objects
Geas/Quest
Irresistible Dance
Mislead
Permanent Image
Planar Ally
Polymorph
Programmed Image
Suggestion, Mass
Symbol of Fear
Symbol of Persuasion
Veil
Wind Walk


Level 7

Ethereal Jaunt
Insanity
Invisibility, Mass
Project Image
Reverse Gravity
Teleport Object
Word of Chaos


Level 8

Antimagic Field
Charm Monster, Mass
Cloak of Chaos
Maze
Mind Blank
Polymorph Any Object
Screen
Symbol of Insanity


Level 9

Etherealness
Freedom
Shapechange
Time Stop
Weird

Belial_the_Leveler
2013-06-29, 05:46 AM
Hmm. How does the limit on Chaos Talents works in practice? Wouldn't it being up to the GM and also having a 24 hour limitation mean the GM could simply not give you an "equally important" skill check just so they could steal your spell slots? Also, with the requirement in place, would anyone get to use it charisma modifier times per day? (that's up to 2 times/day at higher levels).

Grod_The_Giant
2013-06-29, 10:20 AM
Hmm. How does the limit on Chaos Talents works in practice? Wouldn't it being up to the GM and also having a 24 hour limitation mean the GM could simply not give you an "equally important" skill check just so they could steal your spell slots? Also, with the requirement in place, would anyone get to use it charisma modifier times per day? (that's up to 2 times/day at higher levels).
Yes, but if the GM wants to screw you over, he can screw you over. The idea was a good luck-bad luck thing that you couldn't get out of by simply jumping up and down. If you can think of a better way of doing it, please let me know.
As for uses per day... depends on how many significant skill checks you make, really.

Belial_the_Leveler
2013-06-29, 02:17 PM
Simply don't give it a time limit or spell slot cost. The player is free to accrue "debt" against the Fates in that way, with the risk of all his bad luck coming back to bite him at a crucial situation.

Giegue
2013-07-02, 04:26 PM
Looks pretty good so far, but I would really appreciate a spell list so this class can become usable.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-07-02, 05:31 PM
Looks pretty good so far, but I would really appreciate a spell list so this class can become usable.
SON OF A BALOR. My bad, sorry. :smallredface:


Simply don't give it a time limit or spell slot cost. The player is free to accrue "debt" against the Fates in that way, with the risk of all his bad luck coming back to bite him at a crucial situation.
Fair enough.

Giegue
2013-07-03, 03:06 PM
Looks good, but the class features mention that the class has the spell alter self, yet it dosen't appear on the spell list. Thus, for coherience sake you should either add alter self to the spell list or remove the refrence to it in the class features. Other then that nitpick the class looks great!

Grod_The_Giant
2013-07-03, 03:44 PM
Looks good, but the class features mention that the class has the spell alter self, yet it dosen't appear on the spell list. Thus, for coherience sake you should either add alter self to the spell list or remove the refrence to it in the class features. Other then that nitpick the class looks great!
Thanks-- both for the nitpick and the compliment. Is this the kind of thing you're looking for? It'll play a lot like a beguiler, but between UMD and Anarchic Learning you should be able to cover enough-- no, between UMD, Anarchic Learning, and the new class feature* I'm about to put in, you should be able to cover any necessary divine casting the party requires.

*tentatively named "Divine Initiate"

Giegue
2013-07-03, 05:34 PM
Looks about right for what I was looking for, the chaotic only alignment restriction hurts my original character concept(Wanted to play as evil and my GM disallows Chaotic Evil PCs.(Yet for some reason is fine with lawful and neutral evil ones, go figure) -__-) and I would have preferred it to just be "any non-lawful" but I understand the reason behind it so if you wish to keep it I totally understand and won't demand a change. Other then that the class fulfills everything I desired. Just one more nitpick about the spell list, Animate Object is listed twice in at the same spell level. Also, the alter self reference is still there in the capstone. Fix both those things and the class will be perfect.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-07-03, 06:28 PM
Fixed the spell list complains-- I must have hit preview instead of submit when I added alter self, and animate objects was a typo. Sorry about the chaos thing-- you're free to change it, of course, but I don't think anything else really fits. Glad you like the rest of it!

JonathonWilder
2013-07-24, 10:58 PM
I personally would like to see you continue working on this, through recommend a change of name and more 'fluff'. You see to me there is a more to a good class then just game/rule mechanics, though such is very important, but also ''what' the class is and 'how' they fit in D&D.

On the game mechanics I do not see anything major that stands out, though I find it odd you have the Planar Ally spells but no summon spells to go with it such making the spells less useful to your trickster class... and nothing else stands out. I'm not even sure the Planar Ally nitpick is important even to bring up.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-07-25, 09:58 AM
I personally would like to see you continue working on this, through recommend a change of name and more 'fluff'. You see to me there is a more to a good class then just game/rule mechanics, though such is very important, but also ''what' the class is and 'how' they fit in D&D.

On the game mechanics I do not see anything major that stands out, though I find it odd you have the Planar Ally spells but no summon spells to go with it such making the spells less useful to your trickster class... and nothing else stands out. I'm not even sure the Planar Ally nitpick is important even to bring up.
I'm not good at names. Sue me. As for the fluff... this was more a class I made for someone than one I wanted to make. He wanted a divine skillmonkey; this is what I made him.

He has the Planar Ally spells because I see him tricking outsiders into service. The normal summon spells are too gauche.

JonathonWilder
2013-07-25, 05:48 PM
That is fine, all in all I see nothing wrong with the class... I just felt I should offer something constructive. Honestly I can give more advice fluff related then game mechanics related.


I do admit I am disappointed that this was only a request, as from your own post you have made it clear you have little interest expanding this beyond what was requested.

Also sorry but I wont sue you. ;)

On the planer ally I can see your reasoning.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-07-25, 08:53 PM
Not sure where I would go from here, except perhaps to add in spells from the Spell Compendium. Might do that eventually... but I'm also not playing a lot of D&D lately, so there we go.