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Old 02-21-2012, 01:10 PM   Top  -  End  -  #1
Eldan
Colossus in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: 
Switzerland
Gender: Male
Default Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Arcane Magic
Spoiler

What is Arcane Magic?

There are energies at work in the world, the the primal powers of the earth, pulsing in ley-lines; the last echoes of the words of creation, whispered on the wind; the mysteries of life, springing forth from the human soul.
The Arcanist taps into these energies and diverts their natural flow, imposing their will on the universe to achieve the results they desire, in the form of spells.
Anyone who is able to cast at least one spell, even if it is just a prestidigitation is considered an Arcanist. Arcanists have Focus (see below) and can learn arcane feats.

Spells:

Spells are magical effects an arcanist can achieve with an act of concentration. There are five different kinds of spells that can be learned, separated roughly by the magnitude of their effects: Prestidigitations, Cantrips, Incantations, Mantras and Rituals, most of which are described below.
All spells are magical in nature, and can be counterspelled and suppressed by antimagical fields or similar effects. They follow the basic rules on Casting Spells and Spell Descriptions, where the rules below do not say otherwise.


Focus

Focus is the most important resource for an arcanist. It represents their mental fortitude and determines how many spells they can have active at the same time, either as mantras or sustained spells, or, in the case of Wizards, memorized spells.
Upon first becoming an arcanist (usually by taking their first level in an arcane class), an Arcanist gains an amount of focus depending on how they became an Arcanist. More focus can be gained by taking levels in Arcane classes.

Focus can exist in three states:
Free Focus is focus that has not been currently used for anything. It represents a mental reserve pool of unused resources. Free Focus can be invested or expended to power spells and class abilities.
Invested Focus is focus that is currently used to power abilities of some kind. Focus can be invested into certain feats or class features. Sustaining mantras or invocations, as well as preparing them, for wizards, requires an investment of focus. Invested focus can still be expended, but only in relation to the effect or feature it was invested in, and doing so ends that effect or feature.
Expended Focus is focus that has been used up and made unavailable until it is regained.

Being affected by certain conditions (see table below) or effects can reduce an arcanist's maximum focus, as can being the target of certain spells and abilities. Focus thus lost becomes expended focus.
If this happens, free focus is used up first. After all free focus is used up, an arcanist starts losing invested focus. First, the arcanist loses focus invested in sustained invocations, starting with those of the highest level (ending them), then focus invested in feats and class features, then focus invested in sustaining mantras, then focus invested in prepared spells (for wizards), which leads to the loss of these prepared spells from memory. The arcanist chooses which invested focus he loses first, if there are several in one such category.

Example:
Maranas the Red, a powerful wizard, currently has one point of free focus left, as well as three active, sustained invocations - two of which are level 2 and one which is level 3 - one mantra and three prepared spells. He is attacked by an adventuring party of four adventurers.
During his enemies' turns, he is first nauseated by a spell successfully cast upon him. This makes him lose two points of focus, as by the table below. He loses his one point of free focus and then can choose one of his two fourth level sustained invocations to end, as he no longer has enough focus to sustain both.
As the second enemy, a barbarian with the Disruptive Strike feat, deals three damaging blows to him, he loses another three points of focus. He loses the effects of both his two remaining sustained invocations, and the effects of his mantra.
Finally, the adventuring party's rogue stabs him with a poisoned dagger, making him lose another point of focus, as by the table below. As he has no other focus investments left, he loses one of his prepared, uncast spells.


EffectFocus reduction
Dazzled -1
Fatigued -1
Shaken -1
Sickened -1
Has not eaten for 24 hours or more 1 -1
Has suffered unrestored ability damage from any poison that lowers physical attributes2 -1
Dazed -2
Exhausted -2
Frightened -2
Nauseated -2
Has not had restful sleep for 24 hours or more 3 -2
Has suffered unrestored ability damage from any poison that lowers mental attributes2 -2
Confused-3
Cowering-3
Disabled-3
Panicked-3
Staggered-3
Stunned-3
1 This does not apply to creature which need not eat to survive.
2 Being under the effect of more than one poison does not produce additional focus loss. An arcanist under the effect of both mental and physical poisons only suffers the loss from the mental poison. Poisons which produce any effect other than ability damage either produce the normal focus loss for that condition, if it is on the list (such as a sickening poison producing a focus loss of -1) or have no effect on focus (if their effect is not on this list).
3This does not apply to creatures which need not sleep (or trance, in the case of elves). This does not stack with the reduction from Fatigued or Exhausted.

If an arcanist loses or expends all their focus, they lose the ability to cast, sustain or prepare spells of any kind, as well as the benefit of all arcane feats, until they have regained focus. Every class has it's own method of regaining focus, detailed in that class.

Prestidigitations:

Prestidigitations are minor magical effects every arcanist can call forth and achieve at will, largely independently of outside circumstances. Casting a prestidigitation requires a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity and requires no concentration, though having no free or invested focus left prevents the arcanist from casting them. Casting the cantrip does not take any expenditure or investment of focus.
Taking damage during the casting of an a prestidigitation does not interrupt it. Prestidigitation are cast with either vocal or somatic components or both, at the caster's choice and they are not subject to arcane spell failure chances for wearing armour.
The effects of prestidigitation are always fairly minor and include effects such as lifiting 1 pound of material; coloring, cleaning, or soiling items in a 1-foot cube each round; or chilling, warming, or flavoring 1 pound of nonliving material. Other effects can be allowed at the DM's discretion. (The Designer recommends allowing minor effects connected to a Lore the arcanist specializes in, such as producing a tiny flame for a specialist in the Lore of the Phoenix).
Prestidigitations cannot deal damage or affect the concentration of spellcasters. Prestidigitations can create small objects, but they look crude and artificial and vanish ten minutes after their creation. The materials created by a prestidigitation are extremely fragile, and they cannot be used as tools, weapons, or spell components. Finally, a prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects. Any actual change to an object (beyond just moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists only 1 hour.


Cantrips

Cantrips are the most basic applications of magical energies learned by arcane practitioners. Every lore of magic has one cantrip, that is learned automatically along with the first mantra or incantation from a given lore (see learning spells, below). A cantrip does not take up a spell known slot.
Cantrips require one standard action to cast and provoke attacks of opportunity, unless otherwise specified.
They always have both vocal and somatic components, require concentration to cast and are subject to arcane spell failure chance. Casting a cantrip takes no expenditure or investment of focus.
Cantrips can be interrupted by attacks: if the caster takes any damage during the casting, he can make a concentration check DC 10+ points of damage taken to successfully cast the spell, if the check fails, the cantrip fizzles and has no effect. Cantrips can not be cast defensively.
The power of cantrips increases depending on the caster's focus on the the cantrip's lore, based either on the level of the highest spell of that lore the caster has prepared (in the case of a wizard) or the highest level spell of that lore the caster knows (in case of a sorcerer). This is referred to in the text of a cantrip as "having a spell of that lore".


Incantations

Incantations are more powerful magical effects than cantrips and can only be cast a limited amount of times, based on the caster's amount of focus left. Their power is based on caster level.
Incantations always take one round to cast, coming into effect at the beginning of the caster's next turn and provoke an attack of opportunity. They are subject to arcane spell failure chance and always have material, somatic and verbal components. They can not be cast defensively, and taking any damage during the casting (until the point the effect takes place at the beginning of the next turn) immediately disrupts the spell, with no concentration check allowed.
Most Incantations have an immediate effect, but some have a longer duration.
Casting an invocation always takes the expenditure of one point of focus. This is either free focus (for a sorcerer) or the focus invested in preparing that spell (for a wizard).
Some invocations are sustained, meaning they have an ongoing effect that takes some measure of concentration by the arcanist to keep up. Sustained invocations can be kept up for any amount of time, up to the duration given in the spell description. They can be dismissed by the arcanist at any time as a free action. Sustaining an invocation takes an investment of one point of focus. This focus is not in addition to the focus expended to cast the invocation to be sustained, instead that focus is invested instead of expended during casting, and expended when the invocation ends.

Mantras

Mantras are long-lasting spell effects a caster continually maintains, often in order to strengthen himself or his allies. With some training, the mental recitation of these mantras becomes second nature to the caster, so they barely need to concentrate consciously to maintain them.
A mantra has a casting time of one minute and provokes attacks of opportunity. As with Incantations, they can not be cast defensively, and any amount of damage done during their casting immediately ends them with no effect. They always have material, somatic and verbal components.
Sustaining a mantra requires an investment of at least one point of focus, which is expended when the mantra is dismissed. Dismissing a mantra is a free action that can be taken at any time.
An arcanist can decide to invest a mantra with more focus, increasing it's effect, often to apply it to more than one target, as in the mantra's description.
As a standard action, the wizard can decide to invest more focus into a mantra or change its targets, as long as he has free focus left. Invested focus taken from a mantra becomes free focus again. Even if any target of the mantra becomes illegal, the mantra does not end as long as at least one target is still legal.
There are certain standard ways in which mantras can be enhanced, which are noted in their description:
Targets: Most mantras that enhance a creature or object affect one creature as a baseline, but more focus can be invested into them to affect more than one creature: with two focus, it can affect up to five creatures, as long as none of them is more than thirty feet away from the caster. With three focus, this range increases to 90 feet and up to 10 targets.

Summoning Mantras:

Some Mantras summon a creature to fight for the arcanist. These have a few restrictions: the summoned creature stays with the arcanist until they are killed or dismissed. However, if a creature summoned by a mantra is killed, the summoning mantra can not be used again until the next sunrise, as the creature first has to reform on it's native plane. Even mantras that have the ability to summon more than one kind of creature, such as Summon Nature's Ally, can not be used again until that time.



Rituals:
Rituals are large magical effects that often vastly exceed Incantations and mantras in scale and power, but also in the effort required to perform them. They are learned independently from other spells and lores [They are a separate project I'm working on as well].


Lores and Learning Spells

Arcanists only have a certain number of spells they are familiar with to a degree sufficient to cast them. The exact number of spells known depends on their class. New spells are automatically learned upon levelling up, representing new insights or the results of studies, as determined by their class.
Each spell belongs to a lore, a group of spells and powers of a similar theme. To learn a spell, a caster has to meet two requirements: First, they must have a caster level sufficient to cast the spell, as determined by the table below. For this, only caster level gained from class level counts (unless mentioned otherwise), not caster level gained from feats, items, class features or other effects and features of any kind.
There is no limit to the amount of lores a caster can access, other than their limit of spells known: theoretically, every spell they learn could be from a different lore.

Caster levelMax. spell level
1 1
3 2
5 3
7 4
9 5
11 6
13 7
15 8
17 9

Second, to learn a spell of second level or higher, they must already know a spell of the same lore, but one level lower. (A first level spell to learn a second level spell, a second level spell to learn a third level spell, and so on).
Upon first learning a new lore, the caster also automatically learns the associated cantrip, which does not count towards their limit of spells known.



Arcana
Focusing on one lore also provides benefits other than just learning spells: a focused student learns the deeper secrets of one area of magic, called Arcana. An Arcanum is an ability the caster learns upon knowing a certain number of spells of the same lore.
Arcana are divided into five levels as explained on the table below:

Arcana LevelRequired Number of spells
Apprentice3
Initiate7
Journeyman10
Adept13
Magister17

Multiclassing:
An arcanist's caster level, the prime measure of their spellcasting expertise and the power of their spells, increases even when they advance in a non-arcane class, albeit at a slower pace. Their arcane caster level is equal to the sum of class levels in all arcane classes, plus one half their level in all non-arcane classes, unless noted otherwise.

Example: A wizard 2 has an arcane caster level of 2. If that same wizard also took a level of sorcerer, he would know have a caster level of 3, in both his arcane classes. If he then also took two levels of fighter, becoming a wizard 2/sorcerer1/fighter 2, he would have a caster level of 4.

Variant Rule: Mental Strain

This rule makes spellcasting a bit harder, by representing the pure mental strain that memorizing spells puts on a prepared caster: they are, basically, tearing the fundamental fabric of the multiverse into pieces and storing these pieces inside their head. This is slowly but surely driving them insane.

For every spell point of focus they have currently invested, a prepared spellcaster has a -1 on all will saves against spells and effects that cause fear, confusion, anger or insanity, and saves against phantasms.
__________________
Extended Brewer's signature

“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.

Last edited by Eldan : 09-23-2012 at 07:30 AM.
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Old 02-21-2012, 01:11 PM   Top  -  End  -  #2
Eldan
Colossus in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: 
Switzerland
Gender: Male
Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

The Wizard



Wizard. The Wise Man, in the ancient tongues. We are those who apply our intellects to the highest of mysteries. We turn our eyes inwards and delve the depths of the soul, or gaze upwards beyond the stars and into the astral reaches of space and time. We see the true laws of the multiverse, which hide beyond the the superficial laws of mortal men and those of mere naturalist physics.
To the wizard, nothing is impossible. There is no problem that can not be solved, only a solution that has not yet been found.
We are those who dare to call forth the primal energies of the cosmos. We shape spells and bind them in our minds, the forces of creation leashed to the iron core of our will, to be let loose at our command.

-Magister Nyhatrad Inaris of Orm, Graduation Speech for the Initiates

Note: Wizards at first level choose a path from those listed below, this determines most of their class features, a few of their class skills and their hit dice.

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft (Int, All), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Knowledge: the Planes (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)

Skill points per level: 2+Intelligence Modifier

Proficiencies: Wizards are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a wizard’s movements, which can cause some of heir spells to fail.


The Wizard
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveFocusSpells known
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
35
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
47
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
48
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
510
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
511
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
613
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
614
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
716
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
717
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
819
11th
+5
+3
+3
+7
820
12th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
922
13th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
923
14th
+7/+2
+4
+4
+9
1025
15th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
1026
16th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
1128
17th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
1129
18th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
1231
19th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
1232
20th
+10/+5
+6
+6
+12
1334


Path: At first level, every wizard chooses a path, which represents their direction their studies have taken. At the indicated levels, they gain the class features of that path.

Bonus Feats: At first level, and every four levels thereafter (5th, 9th, 13th and 17th), the wizard gains a bonus feat drawn from a list determined by their path.

Spellasting: Wizards can learn arcane spells from any lore, as explained in the section on learning spells. To learn, prepare or cast an arcane spell, the wizard must have an intelligence score of 10+the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a wizard’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the wizard’s Intelligence modifier.
A wizard has a limited number of spells known, depending on their class level, as seen in the table below. These spells are recorded in a spellbook, a wizard's private journal of research notes and formulae that helps them to research new spells and prepare those they already know. A wizard can not add spells to their spellbook by any means other than advancing in level or certain feats and path features.
To cast any spell other than a cantrip or prestidigitation, a wizard must first prepare it. Every wizard gains a number of bonus focus points, depending on their level, as determined on the table.
To prepare a spell, a wizard must first meditate for at least half an hour in a quiet atmosphere to focus their mind. In this time, they can not engage in any other intellectual activity, nor in any strenuous physical activity, and they can not be in combat or under any other immediate threat to their life. While meditating, the wizard can not sustain any mantras or incantations that require concentration. This meditation also restores to the wizard any focus expended, unless the expenditure is due to a condition or effect that is still ongoing.
After meditating, the wizard must choose which incantations and mantras to prepare and meditate for another five minutes per spell prepared. For incantations, he must then invest one point of focus into every incantation prepared, which can not be regained in any way until the incantation is released by casting it.
Preparing mantras also takes an investment of one focus point per mantra from the wizard. The wizard can choose to cast the mantra and invest more than the minimum amount of focus into it, choosing appropriate targets if necessary, while preparing it.

Example: A first level wizard has three focus points total, two from his class and one from being an arcanist. After meditating for half an hour, he chooses to prepare two incantations and one mantra, into which he invests a second point of focus to apply it to his entire adventuring party. Thus, he invests all of his four focus points (two for the incantations and two for the mantra) and has to meditate for 45 minutes total (30 for the basic meditation and three times five minutes for three spells prepared).
After casting his invocation, he decides to rest and restore his focus, so he dismisses all his mantras and meditates again, this time preparing a different invocation and mantra.


Path: The Hedge Mage

Spoiler


Path: The Battlemage

Spoiler


Path of the Scholar
Spoiler


Path of the Tricksters
Spoiler



The Sorcerer



"Power.
That's what this is about. Power. It flows in my veins. It sings in my heart. It dances behind my eyes.
It is not just a part of me. It is me. I am the power.
Wise men, wiser men than I, spend decades and centuries studying magic, to learn the gestures to attract its attention, and the material offerings to pay for its services. They treat magic as their servant, their dog, to come to their heel when they whistle.
I stretch my mind and call for it, and it responds. I understand magic, and it understands me. It is not a force that serves willingly. But it can be a force that comes to the aid of those that love it.


Hit Die: d6

Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge: Arcana, Knowledg: the Planes, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft

Skill Points per level: 4+Intelligence Modifier

Proficiencies: Sorcerers are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a sorcerers movements, which can cause some of heir spells to fail.


The Sorcerer
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveFocusSpells knownClass Features
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
43Spellcasting, Arcane Surge,
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
54Blood Component
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
65Sudden Metamagic 1/day
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
76Burning Blood
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
87
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
98 Instinctive Magic, Sudden Metamagic 2/day
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5
109Body arcane (1)
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
1110 Spell Resistance
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6
1211 Sudden Metamagic 3/day
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
1312 Instinctive Magic
11th
+5
+3
+3
+7
1413 Greater Surge,
12th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
1514 Sudden Metamagic 4/day
13th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+8
1615 Body Arcane (2)
14th
+7/+2
+4
+4
+9
1716Instinctive Magic
15th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
1817 Sudden Metamagic 5/day
16th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
1918Tireless Surge
17th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+10
2019Sympathetic Magic
18th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
2120 Instinctive Magic, Sudden Metamagic 6/day
19th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
2221Body Arcane (3)
20th
+10/+5
+6
+6
+12
2322Undying Surge

Spellcasting:
Sorcerer can learn arcane spells from any lore, as explained in the section on learning spells. To learn, prepare or cast an arcane spell, the sorcerer must have a charisma score of 10+the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sorcerer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the sorcerer's charisma modifier.
A sorcerer has a limited number of spells known, depending on their class level, as seen in the table below. They do not need a spellbook or similar recording device for their spells, they simply know them.
Sorcerers do not need to prepare their spells before casting them, unlike wizards. They can simply, at any time, expend one point of free focus to cast any spell they know. Every sorcerer gains an amount of bonus focus points, depending on their class level. Similarly, their cantrips always depend on the power of the highest level spell of the appropriate lore that is known to the sorcerer, not the highest appropriate spell prepared.
Sorcerers regain their spells by resting, in a fashion similar to the way wizards prepare their spells. They simply need to meditate in a quiet, undisturbed location for at least fifteen minutes to regain all their expended focus. As with wizards, this meditation does not restore any focus lost due to a condition or effect that is still ongoing.

Arcane Surge: (Su) Power flows through a sorcerer's blood and body. At any time, they can enter an arcane surge. While in an arcane surge, the sorcerer gains +1 to his caster level, and the DC of all their spells is increased by +1. The surge lasts for a number of rounds equal to the sorcerer's constitution modifier (minimum 1) and can not be ended before that time. After that point, the sorcerer can choose to further extend the duration of their arcane surge by expending one point of free focus at the beginning of each of their turns.
While in an arcane surge, the sorcerer finds it difficult to do anything other than cast more spells, as the magic pulsing through him wants to be released. During the focus, to take any action other than casting, directing, sustaining or dismissing spells or take an action to move, the sorcerer must pass a will save DC 10+the number of focus points they have left. If they fail that save, the action fails and they can take no other action that turn, other than cast cantrips.
At the end of a surge, the sorcerer is fatigued, and can not surge again until they meditate to regain their focus.

Blood component: (Ex) While wizards need their wands, their alchemical components and their books, sorcerers only need their minds and their bodies. While components make casting easier for them, they can do without, simply by concentrating harder.
At second level, sorcerers can choose to take one point of damage (which ignores all damage reduction) to cast a spell with a material component that has a cost of 1 GP or less without that omponent.
They can also choose to cast any spell with a material component costing 25 GP per class level or less without that component, but this deals one point of constitution burn to them. Sorcerers without a constitution score, or immune to constitution burn, take one point of charisma burn instead. Sorcerers immune to both constitution and charisma burn can not use this ability.

Sudden Metamagic: (Ex) At third level, the sorcerer may choose any metamagic feat as a bonus feat. Once per day as a swift action, they may spend one point of focus to apply the effect of any metamagic feat they know (not just this bonus feat) to the next spell they cast. Every three levels after third, the sorcerer gains another use per day of this ability.

Burning Blood: From forth level on, the sorcerer can fuel their magic with their own life blood. They can take one point of constitution burn to restore one point of expended focus into free focus. If they do not have a constitution score or are immune to constitution burn, they take one point of charisma burn instead. If they are immune to both charisma burn and constitution burn, they can not use this ability.
This point of free focus is temporary, lasting only until the next time they meditate.

Instinctive Magic: At sixth level, and every four levels thereafter, the sorcerer manifests a strange magical gift that often seems out of tune with the rest of their magic.
Instead of learning a new spell as normal, they can instead choose a single spell from any lore of a level up to one lower than the highest level of spell they can learn and add it to their list of spells known, even if they do not fulfil the requirement of knowing one spell of the same lore one level lower.

Body Arcane (Sp) At seventh level, the sorcerer can expend one point of free focus to stop being dazzled, shaken or sickened or remove the effects of hunger for one day.
At thirteenth level, the sorcerer can expend two points of free focus to stop being dazed or nauseated, or remove the effects of loss of sleep for one day.
At nineteenth level, the sorcerer can expend three points of free focus to stop being stunned, or to act normally for one turn despite being staggered or disabled.
Using this ability takes no action and can be done at any point during the sorcerer's turn, even if they could normally not take any actions due to the condition to be removed (but not if they can not take any actions due to any other reason).

Spell Resistance: At eighth level, the sorcerer gains spell resistance equal to 10+their sorcerer level. This spell resistance can be lowered as an immediate action by the sorcerer.

Greater Surge: (Su) At eleventh level, the sorcerer's Arcane Surge increases their caster level and the save DCs of their spells by +2 instead of +1.

Tireless Surge: (Ex): At sixteenth level, a sorcerer is no longer fatigued at the end of their arcane surge.

Sympathetic Magic: (Su) At seventeenth level, whenever the sorcerer's spell resistance prevents a hostile spell from affecting them, they immediately gain one temporary point of free focus, which lasts until the end of the sorcerer's next turn.

Undying Surge: (Su) At twentieth level, a sorcerer's arcane surge gives them a +3 bonus to their caster level and spell DCs. Additionally, a sorcerer can not die while their arcane surge lasts. While they may still be disabled or staggered, all effects that would kill them are delayed until the end of their surge and they do not die from being reduced to below -10 hit points.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.

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Old 02-21-2012, 01:13 PM   Top  -  End  -  #3
Eldan
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Lores
A lore is a collection of spells of a similar theme an arcanist can learn.
An arcanist, upon gaining a new level, can learn first level spells from any lore, but to learn higher level spells, prerequisites must be met: the arcanist must have a certain caster level (see the lore section, above) and must already know a spell of the same lore of a level one lower than the level of the spell they wish to learn (they need to know a first level spell of the same lore to learn a second level spell, and so on).
Cantrips of a lore are automatically learned at the same time as the first spell of that lore is learned.
Note: Spells marked with a * are in Spell compendium. Spells marked with a ^ have changes added to them below the Lore's list of spells, or are explained there.

Lore of the Abyss
Spoiler


The Lore of Beasts
Spoiler

The Lore of Death [WIP]
Spoiler


The Lore of the Deep [WIP]
Spoiler


The Lore of the Earth
Spoiler



The Lore of the Fey
Spoiler



The Lore of Forces
Spoiler


The Lore of Magic
Spoiler


The Lore of the Hunt [WIP]

Spoiler
__________________
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.

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Old 02-21-2012, 01:14 PM   Top  -  End  -  #4
Eldan
Colossus in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

The Lore of the Phoenix
Spoiler


The Lore of the Planes
Spoiler


The Lore of Shadows
Spoiler

The Lore of Stars [WIP]
Spoiler


The Lore of Storms
Spoiler



The Lore of Undeath
Spoiler


The Lore of Winter
Spoiler




Feats

Arcane Feats: [Arcane] feats are tied to an arcanists power to cast spells. Only those who have at least one point of focus can learn [arcane] feats, and if they lose all their focus, they also lose the benefit of all arcane feats until they have regained at least one point of focus.

Metamagic feats: [Metamagic] feats are at a special kind of arcane feat that enhances spells. Using a metamagic feat has a focus cost of one or more points associated with it.
Wizards and other prepared casters can invest focus into a metamagic feat,thereby activating it. The metamagic feat then enhances all of their prepared spells until they next regain their focus by meditating.
Sorcerers and spontaneous casters instead can choose to activate a metamagic feat at any time by using a move action and paying the focus cost. It then affects all their spells until they regain that focus point.

Arcane Strike [Arcane]

You have learned how to imbue weapons with your arcane power for devastating effect.

Prerequisites: At least one point of focus, base attack bonus +1

Benefit: As a standard action, you may invest one point of focus into a manufactured or natural weapon. This weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls. For every four arcane caster levels you have beyond first, you may invest an additional point of focus in the weapon, increasing the enhancement bonus by +1, to a maximum of +5.
You may expend some or all of this focus as a swift action. If you do so, the weapon keeps its enhancement bonus until the end of your turn, and all attacks with it deal an additional +1d4 points of damage per focus expended until the end of your turn.

Battlecasting [Arcane]

With concentration like steel, you go on casting your spell even though you are beset by enemies.

Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least one invocation, concentration 4 ranks, Iron Will, CON 13+

Benefit: If you are interrupted during the casting of an invocation, you can make a concentration check DC 10+spell level+points of damage taken. If you succeed, you continue casting the spell uninterrupted. If you fail, the spell is interrupted as normal.


Dabbler

You have some magical talent, and enough training to cast simple spells.
Prerequisites: Charisma 13+ and Gifted, or Gnome and Gifted, or at least one level in any arcane class.
Benefit: Choose a single cantrip from any lore. You can cast that cantrip as if you were a wizard with a first level spell of that lore prepared, as long as you have at least one focus point remaining.


Disruptive Strike

You have learned how to ruin a wizard's day with a few well-placed strikes.
Prerequisites: Base Attack Bonus 4+
Benefits: Whenever you deal damage to an arcanist with a melee or ranged attack using a manufactured or natural weapon, the arcanist uses one point of focus.


Focus of Steel [Arcane]

With unbreakable concentration, you maintains spells for just a few more critical seconds when they would otherwise be lost.
Prerequisites: Concentration 4 ranks, Iron Will, Focus 2 or more.
Benefits: When a condition would make you lose enough focus to lose a prepared or already cast spell, you can instead hold on to that spell for another round without losing it, plus another round for every ten ranks you have in the concentration skill (2 rounds at 10 ranks, and 3 rounds at 20 ranks).


Gifted [General]

You have a basic, if undeveloped talent for spellcasting.
Prerequisites: Charisma 13+ or gnome
Benefit: You count as an Arcanist, even if you do not have any levels in an Arcane class. You gain one point of focus, and you may cast prestidigitations at will.
If you lose your focus, you regain it at the next sunrise, unless you are already a member of an arcane class, in which case you use the method of that class. However, this point of focus does not stack with the focus gained from any arcane class.


Magic in the Blood [Arcane]

Magic has become your second nature, a true part of you.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least one mantra, arcane caster level 8 or higher
Benefit: Choose a single mantra you know that can affect you. You count as permanently under the effect of that mantra, without having to cast it or having to spend any focus on it. When you cast it, it counts as a supernatural effect. If you lose the effect of the mantra in any way, such as from an antimagic field, it returns on its own five rounds later.

Mobile Spellcasting [Arcane]

You have trained yourself to stay mobile in battle, instead of being a stationary target.

Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least one invocation, caster level 6 or higher, Dex 13+
Benefit: As part of the casting of any invocation, you can make a concentration check DC 20+spell level. If you succeed, you can move up to your speed as part of casting the spell. If the check fails, you lose the spell and fail to cast it, just as if you had been interrupted. You still provoke attacks of opportunity for casting spells from any creatures who threaten you at any point of your movement.

Word of Power

Through long and careful study, you have discovered one of the most powerful magical effects possible, one of the fabled Power Words, a single word of the mystical language of creation that carries all the power of a spell.

Prerequisites: Arcane caster level 12th, must know at least three arcane spells, Bluff 4 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks, Perform: Oratory 4 ranks, Truespeak 7 ranks

Benefit: You can learn to cast a single incantation you know,of a level up to two less than the highest level of spell you can cast, as a power word instead. This incantation must have an instantaneous effect and must not have a range of [self]. The power word counts as a separate spell known from the incantation on which it is based, and therefore takes up another spell known slot.
The basic effect of the power word is like that of the incantation on which it is based, with the following differences:
Power words take two points of focus to prepare (for wizards) or cast (for sorcerers) instead of one.
Power words take a swift action to cast instead of a full round.
Power words do not allow a save, and can not affect multiple targets. Instead, if they target objects, they can now only target a single object. If they target creatures, they now target one creature with a current hit point total of 300-(20 times spell level) or less. (E.g. a third level power word could target a creature with up to 240 HP, while an eight level power word could target a creature with up to
Power words always allow spell resistance in their targets, and if it targets a creature, it counts as a [mind-affecting] spell.

Note: This feat is rather experimental. A player should work with a DM in finding a suitable power word, as some incantations may provide rather wonky results if used this way.

Multiclass Feats

Arcane Bloodhound

Prerequisites: Track, Second Favoured Enemy class feature, must know at least three spells of the Lore of the Hunt

Benefit: Your ranger level count fully when determining your arcane caster level, instead of half and your levels in arcane classes stack with your ranger level for determining your favoured enemy bonus.
You may add your favoured enemy bonus on all save DCs for spells of the Lore of Hunt when casting them on favoured enemies.

Jade Phoenix Initiate:

Prerequisites: Must know least one second level maneuver of the Desert Wind School, must be able to spontaneously cast second level spells of the Lore of the Phoenix

Benefit: Your sorcerer level counts fully when determining your initiator level and your swordsage level counts fully when determining arcane caster level.
Whenever you successfully deal fire damage to a creature with a spell of the Lore of the Phoenix, you may immediately restore an expended maneuver of the Desert Wind School as a swift action. Whenever you successfully deal fire damage to a creature with a maneuver of the Desert Wind school, you may immediately cast Vigor as a swift action.

Metamagic Feats:

The following metamagic feats work as described in their SRD entries, except for the general changes to metamagic feats described above, and the fact that they are all also arcane feats. Given in brackets are the focus costs.
Empower spell (1), Enlarge spell (1), Maximize spell (2), Widen Spell (2).

Arcane Items

Channelling Rods

Channelling Rods are the items perhaps most commonly associated with arcane magic in the minds of the public. They are, in their most common form, slender staves of wood, perhaps a foot long, carved with arcane symbols and often topped with gems.

Channelling Rods are used to enhance an experienced arcanist's power to employ cantrips. They are keyed to a specific lore, so that one would have a Channelling Rod of the Phoenix, or a Channelling Rod of Death.

By holding a Channelling Rod in one hand, the wizard can cast cantrips as if he had a spell of one level higher than normal of the associated school prepared. However, he can not use the Channelling Rod to empower cantrips to a higher level than the highest level spell he could normally cast, and they still need to have at least one spell of the relevant lore prepared to cast the spell at all.

Example: Harold Bremen is a level 5 wizard specializing. He still has a second level spell prepared, but has already cast all his third level spells this fight. Without a channelling rod, his cantrip would be second level, as that is his highest level spell of that lore. However, with the rod, his cantrip still has its full power and is cast at third level. If he casts all his second level spells, he only has first level spells of the relevant lore left, and the power of his cantrip sinks to level 2.

Orbs

Orbs are spheres of stone or crystal that are inscribed with magical runes and sigils that run around it in continual bands, describing a single Mantra.
Arcanists can activate an Orb while holding it by investing it with one or more points of focus as a standard action. The orb begins to spin gently and the Mantra becomes active as if they caster had cast it (with the caster's caster level, spell DCs and affecting targets of his choice), even if they do not know it. The mantra stays active until the caster expends the focus in the orb or they drop it from their hand, at which point the invested focus becomes expended automatically.

Market Price Price: Mantra level squared * 400 gold pieces.

Ioun Orbs: Ioun Orbs are an improved version of normal orbs that do not require casters to hold it in their hand, instead perpetually hovering near the caster's head while invested. Ioun Orbs cost twice as much as normal orbs.
__________________
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.

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Old 02-22-2012, 10:30 AM   Top  -  End  -  #5
Eldan
Colossus in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Arcane Races

High Elf
Spoiler


Racial Substitution Level: Elven High Mage

I have studied magic for a thousand years, human. Do you really think these few would be all the spells I know?

Requirement: Elf, Wizard (Scholar path) level 6 or 15.

Lose: Arcane Thesis

Gain: Spell Memory. Every time you finish trancing for your four daily hours, you may choose any spell you qualify for. Add that spell to your spells known for the day. This spell does not count for purposes for qualifying for any Arcana.

Ritual Magic

What is Ritual Magic?

"The true power of magic is not in waving a wand and shooting fire. It is not even in transforming yourself beyond the limits of the human body, or in raising servants to do your bidding.
The true power of magic flows in the bones of the earth and the winds. It is beyond the power of any man to ever truly
control. At best, it can be...guided."

Designer's Note: I see ritual magic as an extension to my arcane magic classes above, giving the potential of some magic to every character, as well as giving larger magical effects to wizards and sorcerers. However, the ritual magic system is largely self-contained and can also be used independently from the classes and lores.

Some spells are of a power to awesome and complex to be simply memorized and invoked as lesser spells are. They require long and complicated ceremonies, magical circles and diagrams of fiendish complexity, ancient writings from long-lost empires and components costly enough to beggar kings and merchant princes alike.
These spells are rituals. They have their own unique drawbacks: unlike invocations, cantrips or mantras, they do not require the perfomer's own magical energies. Instead of channelling the mage's own (likely insufficient) energy, they guide environmental flows of power into the desired result. However, rituals are so complicated that they take many minutes, potentially even hours to cast and the smallest mistake can result in catastrophic consequences.
Finally, since no actual magical gift is required, everyone can potentially learn magical rituals, if they are dedicated enough to their studies.

Learning Rituals

Rituals can only be learned in two ways: from those that already know them, often wise old masters or extraplanar beings of magical power, or from texts detailing them: ancient tomes in dusty libraries or tablets and inscriptions from long-lost civilizations.
Rituals can only be learned by those who have taken the Ritual Casting feat. It takes one day per level of the ritual and a cost of (3*level-1)*50 gold pieces in rare components, plus whatever material cost the ritual usually has, and five gold pieces per experience cost the ritual has. (This is the same cost as a scroll of the same level would have).
Finally, each ritual has a knowledge requirement: a certain amount of ranks in a specific knowledge skill required to learn the ritual.

Performing Rituals


Rituals can be performed by any creature who has learned the ritual in question and meets the prerequisites. The necessary ceremony usually takes ten minutes per effective ritual level (though there are exceptions) and a spell craft check with a DC of 10+(3*ritual level). A failure on the check means that consequences occur, as described in the ritual. The ritual can not safely be aborted once started, this counts as a failure. A flat and stable surface at least ten feet across is required for any ritual, as well as a spell component pouch.

Performing the ritual takes a great amount of concentration, and therefore concentration checks must be made to perform it under difficult circumstances, as with a spell of the same level, or the ritual fails. If the performer takes any amount of damage during the ritual, it automatically fails. Any failure on the ritual counts as a failed spellcraft check for the purposes of consequences. If there are several degrees of failing the check, use the least severe one in this case, unless the performer is actually killed during the ritual, which counts as a check failed by 10 points.

All rituals count as having voice, somatic and material components, which can never be removed or suppressed in any way, not even by feats or abilities which allow ignoring one or several of these components (such as a sorcerer's blood component or the Eschew Materials feat).

For purposes such as spell resistance or dispelling, a ritual’s caster level is considered equal to the performer’s ranks in spellcraft minus three.

Variants and Modifications

Many rituals can be cast in different ways. This manifests itself in two ways:

Variants are different versions of the same ritual that, while similar, still make the ritual have effects that are very different, such as effecting different alignments. Variants must each be learned separately, though, since the basics are always the same, learning a variant of an already known ritual only ever takes one day and no additional gold cost.

Modifications are ways in which a known ritual can be changed on the spot, often to make it more powerful. Modifications do not have to be learned separately, but they often make a ritual more difficult to perform.

Rituals and Skill Checks

Designer's Note: Since potentially failing the skill checks is important to rituals as I see them, I wanted to limit the ways in which one can improve one's skill check for this. So, here's a few general notes on what I consider reasonable. These might not potentially cover everything.


Aid Another: Other creatures can only aid the performer on his skill check if they have the Ritual Magic feat as well, and only one creature may help at a time. However, the feat section contains several feats which increase the possibilities for assisting in rituals.

Items: Items that increase spellcraft skill checks do not help with ritual performance. The exceptions are the special ritual items described in the item section below.

Spells: Spells that grant a bonus to skill checks do not help with performing rituals.

Ritual Feats

Ritual Casting

Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks

Benefits: You can learn rituals and cast ritual magic. Choose one Knowledge skill: that skill always is a class skill for you.

Special: Archivists and cloistered clerics can choose to take this feat as a bonus feat at level one, instead of Scribe Scroll. Wizards of the Scholar archetype can learn it as a bonus feat.


Circle Magic

Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Ritual Casting

Benefits: When using Ritual Magic, any number of creatures can assist you with the ritual by using Aid Another on your spellcraft check to perform the ritual, and they need not have the Ritual magic feat themselves. However, no matter the number of ritual, the total bonus to your spellcraft check can never exceed twice the ritual’s effective level.

Normal: Only one creature may assist you in casting rituals.

Delay Ritual

Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Concentration 6 ranks, Ritual Casting, Focus 1 point

Benefit: You have learned how to delay the effect of a ritual, so that it does not immediately take place upon it's completion. Upon performing a ritual, you can invest it with one point of focus. For up to one hour afterwards, you can expend that focus as a full round action which provokes an attack of opportunity to complete the ritual. The ritual still affects the same area or target as when you prepared it. If the hour is up, the ritual is automatically cast.

Meditation of the Higher Spheres

Have you ever considered how the ancients invented rituals? Who wrote all those tables that we take our instructions from?

Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Ritual Casting, Concentration 6 ranks

Benefit: Instead of studying ancient texts, you draw the inspiration for new rituals directly from the arcane energy flows of the cosmos.
You can learn new rituals by meditating eight hours a day in absolute concentration for two days per level of the ritual. You still need to fulfil the knowledge ranks requirement, but you do not have to pay any money to learn the ritual, nor do you need any tutors, libraries or tablets.

Violent Feedback:

Prerequisites: Knowledge (any) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks, Ritual Casting

Benefit: Whenever a ritual you cast is interrupted by an attack, you can choose to unleash a barrage of raw magical energy against the attacker as you unleash the unspent power of the ritual. The attacker suffers 1d6 points of force damage per level of the ritual interrupted. This effect allows spell resistance and counts as having a caster level equal to the minimum spellcraft DC of the ritual.

Ritual Items

Tablets
There are many ancient writings in the multiverse that describe the magical rituals of long-forgotten civilizations. While they may be inscribed on crumbling scrolls or etched into the walls of long-buried ruins, scholars most commonly refer to these as tablets as, in their most common form, they are inscribed on clay or stone tablets perhaps an inch think and a foot square.
Tablets cost (three times the level of the ritual inscribed-1)*75 gold pieces to make. Writing them takes eight hours, a process which can be successfully completed by anyone able to perform the ritual.
By using a ritual, anyone who fulfils the knowledge requirement can learn a ritual or variant in one day less than it would normally take to learn the ritual (or half a day for first level rituals), without the need for libraries or tutors, and without having to pay any money cost.

Ritual Names

Though many rituals are based on D&D 3.5 core or Spell Compendium spells, there are changes, and often, more than one spell was folded into the same ritual. Furthermore, those rituals may have different names from the spells, to represent a possibly changed function. See below for a list of spells and the rituals based on them.

SpellRitual
Lesser [Spell], Greater [Spell], Improved [Spell] etc.[Spell]
AlarmAlarm
Alter Self Alter Self
Align WeaponAnoint Weapon
Animate DeadAnimate Dead
Antilife ShellWarding Sphere
Antiplant SphereWarding Sphere
Astral ProjectionSpirit Journey
AwakenAwaken
AuguryAugry
BanishmentBanishment
Bless WaterBless Water
Continual FlameContinual Flame
DismissalBanishment
DivinationAugury
DreamDream
EarthquakeEarthquake
GateGate
Locate CreatureLocator
Locate ObjectLocator
Mage's DisjunctionDisjunction
Planar AllyPlanar Binding
Planar BindingPlanar Binding
Plane ShiftTeleport
Shadow WalkShadow Walk
TeleportTeleport
Teleportation CircleTeleport

Sample Rituals

Alarm
Spoiler


Alter Self
Spoiler


Anoint Weapon

Spoiler


Animate Dead
Spoiler


Augury
Spoiler


Awaken

Spoiler


Banishment
Spoiler


Bless Water
Spoiler


Continual Flame
Spoiler


Disjunction
Spoiler


Dream
Spoiler


Earthquake
Spoiler
__________________
Extended Brewer's signature

“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.

Last edited by Eldan : 04-16-2013 at 07:01 AM.
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Old 03-15-2012, 09:16 AM   Top  -  End  -  #6
Eldan
Colossus in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Gender: Male
Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Gate
Spoiler


Gentle Repose
Spoiler



Identify
Spoiler


Illusory Script
Spoiler


Locator
Spoiler


Planar Binding
Spoiler


Primal Fury
Spoiler



Restoration
Spoiler


Shadow Walk
Spoiler


Spirit Journey
Spoiler


Stone Tell
Spoiler


Teleport
Spoiler


Warding Sphere
Spoiler



Variant Rule: Lore Association
Under this rule, study of magical lores (see the Lores section) also helps in the study and performance of rituals. Every Ritual has one or several Lores attached to it. Having achieved the any Arcanum of the associated lore gives a bonus of +1 per arcanum on Spellcraft checks to perform the ritual (so, +1 for apprentice, +2 for initiate, +3 for journeyman and so on.)
Furthermore, casters with an Arcanum of Journeyman or higher count as having more ranks in the appropriate Knowledge Skills necessary to learn associated rituals, though they can never count as having more ranks than character level +3 this way, and these virtual ranks only count for fulfilling the requirements of rituals. (Journeyman gives +1 rank, Adept +2 and Magister +4).
If a caster has Arcana in more than one Lore associated with the same ritual, only the Lore with the higher-level Arcanum counts.

RitualAssociated Lores
AlarmHunt
Alter SelfHunt
Animate DeadUndeath
Anoint WeaponNone
AuguryNone
AwakenBeasts
BanishmentPlanes
Cointinual FlamePhoenix
DisjunctionMagic
DreamFey
EarthquakeEarth
GatePlanes
Gentle ReposeDeath
IdentifyNone
Illusory ScriptNone
LocatorHunt, Stars
Planar BindingPlanes
Primal FuryBeasts
RestorationPhoenix
Shadow WalkShadow, Fey
Spirit JourneyPlanes
Stone Tell Earth
TeleportPlanes
Warding SphereDeath

Obviously, this rule makes it easier for Spellcasters to learn rituals than for other characters.


Ritual Items

Magister Findelwald's Portable Circle

Magister Findelwald's Portable Circle is a marvellous invention by a gnomish traveller and scholar by the name of Findelwald Tungsten who discovered that, in his many planar travels, he often found himself without a flat surface to draw the many complicated diagrams he needed for his magic.
In it's inactive form, Magister Findelwald's travelling circle is an unassuming wooden tile about one foot square and about half an inch thick. By tapping it (a swift action) one can cause the item to start to unfold, so that it becomes a wooden square ten feet to a side and three inches thick.
The circle can be activated by investing it with one point of focus as a standard action (if focus is not used in the campaign, it takes a spell slot of third level or higher instead). Activating the circle causes magical diagrams, circles and runes to appear on the surface in glowing lines, as directed by the activator. It has two possible effects:
The portable circle can serve as a magic circle against [alignment]. When activating, the owner can choose the alignment the circle protects against, and whether it is directed inward or outward. For purposes of spell resistance, the portable circle uses the activator's caster level.
The second purpose of the circle is to help with rituals. When used in the casting of a ritual, the circle reduces the casting time needed for any ritual of level 2 or higher by 10 minutes.

Market Price: 50'000 Gold
__________________
Extended Brewer's signature

“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.

Last edited by Eldan : 05-02-2013 at 11:24 AM.
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Old 03-21-2012, 06:19 PM   Top  -  End  -  #7
Eldan
Colossus in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: 
Switzerland
Gender: Male
Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Added a new path, the battlemage. Next should hopefully be the Lore of Swords, fitting the path.
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Extended Brewer's signature

“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.
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Old 03-21-2012, 07:33 PM   Top  -  End  -  #8
Swooper
Bugbear in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

It's a bit weird giving him armour and shield proficiency but not the ability to actually cast in it.

Also, where is the Battlecaster feat from? I'm aware of a pair of sub-par tactical feats from Complete Mage called Battlecaster Defense and Battlecaster Offense, though - are those what you meant?

All in all this is a rather cool project.
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Old 03-22-2012, 05:15 PM   Top  -  End  -  #9
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

I have a long, long stack of handwritten notes. Whenever I sit on the bus, I write homebrew. At some point, I plan to type most of it down here, about a dozen feats are among that. It's basically a variant on Combat Casting with more strict requirements that allows you a kind of defensive casting (since these rules normally don't allow it).

Armour proficiency is a bit of a relic from the time where the Lore of Swords was the Lore of Metal and gave you the ability to cast in armour. I might change that one out for something else.
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Old 03-22-2012, 05:44 PM   Top  -  End  -  #10
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

There we go. Changed the battlemage a bit, since I realized he had more features than most other paths anyway. Channeling spells and armour wearing will go in the lore of swords now. I also added a bit on metamagic feats to the feats section, and how they work. Currently, there's only a handful of SRD feats, but I'll add more later, from outside of core and self-made ones.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-23-2012, 12:21 AM   Top  -  End  -  #11
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

So, I thought, even if no one really cares, I actually like my homebrew. Put up another Path, another Lore, two feats. Two more lores upcoming, prestige classes in the writing.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-23-2012, 12:27 AM   Top  -  End  -  #12
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
I have a long, long stack of handwritten notes. Whenever I sit on the bus, I write homebrew. At some point, I plan to type most of it down here, about a dozen feats are among that.
Story of my life. Except I homebrew instead of doing my work. Anywho! This looks very impressive! We've been in dire need of a proper magic fix for quite some time now. DonQuixote's Spellshaping is very nice, but I feel that this may better capture the usual lore surrounding Arcane Magic in fantasy. I don't have the time right now, but I will read this in depth when I do.
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Old 05-23-2012, 12:41 AM   Top  -  End  -  #13
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Thanks, compliments are appreciated. And, interestingly, this one should even work with many spell-fixes, as I only fix very few spells.

By the way, I don't think I linked it yet in this thread: semi-connected to the above is also my ritual magic system which, at some point, I will probably have to transfer over here. I already dread it, there is so much reformating involved.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-23-2012, 12:49 AM   Top  -  End  -  #14
eftexar
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

I really like this system. This is the first time a spellcaster with 9th level spells hasn't made me gag and cringe.
Really though, this is my favorite arcane spellcasting system yet (well there was one I'm pretty sure ziegander worked on that I liked, but I don't think he finished it). I might have to play one sometime.
I was wondering though if you planned on adding more feats to grant a few of the lower level spells. That way mr. fighter can have a bit of fun with magic too.
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Old 05-23-2012, 12:55 AM   Top  -  End  -  #15
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

That was in the planning, yes, building on the Dabbler feat. Though, really, at some point you probably just want to multiclass into battlemage instead.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-23-2012, 01:35 AM   Top  -  End  -  #16
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

By the way: would someone be interested in a little field test of this? A solo game (I can play or DM) with this class?
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-23-2012, 02:19 PM   Top  -  End  -  #17
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

My friend, this is one spectacular magic system.
I haven't managed to fully figure out the little details of this system and I can't offer any insights regarding balance, but everything is written in a very convincing way.
(btw, Gandalf is a Hedge Mage, right?)

Looking forward for all WIPs to be completed.
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Old 05-23-2012, 05:47 PM   Top  -  End  -  #18
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Gandalf is probably more something like a half-celestial favoured soul or something, but yeah, he would be, if he were a wizard. Though I must say that my main inspiration were from discworld, namely the witches.

As for the WIPs: currently, I'm working on the last few shadow spells. Lore of the Phoenix has a spell list, but probably needs to replace a few with homebrewed ones to make real sense. It came about when I realized that both Fire and Life were kinda boring on their own, so it became a mixture of the two.
Lore of the Stars needs Arcana and three or four more spells. It's a Divination heavy school with some mind-affecting powers.
Lore of Death is in a similar state. Arcana and a few spells neaded. Buff/Debuff school, focusing on peace of mind, sadness and undead-resistance. Not the usual destructive D&D death, that will be saved for a later Lore of the Undead and/or Lore of Destruction.

A few other semi-conceived Lores would be the Trickery-heavy Lore of the Fey, the Water/Lovecraftian Lore of the Deep, the Lore of the Mind with a lot of enchantments and probably a Lore of the Planes with teleport/summon/buff effects and a Lore of Forces with force effects, as well as telekinesis, gravity manipulation and so on.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.

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Old 05-28-2012, 04:28 AM   Top  -  End  -  #19
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

That should conclude the Lore of Shadows. Phoenix still needs some efforts, as does stars.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-29-2012, 03:47 AM   Top  -  End  -  #20
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

And the Lore of Forces, sans picture, since one of my players requested it and it was a pretty easy one to do.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-29-2012, 03:58 AM   Top  -  End  -  #21
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

And the Lore of Forces, sans picture, since one of my players requested it and it was a pretty easy one to do.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-30-2012, 03:15 AM   Top  -  End  -  #22
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

And also by request, the Lore of the Phoenix, though I am not too happy with it, really.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 05-30-2012, 09:31 PM   Top  -  End  -  #23
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

I just wanted to say that, while I'm of utterly no use PEACHing, I really enjoy this project and hope you keep it up.
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Old 06-03-2012, 11:44 PM   Top  -  End  -  #24
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Some assorted new stuff, including an item. Which I have no idea how to price.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 06-06-2012, 07:04 PM   Top  -  End  -  #25
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

The Lore of Undeath, since I realized that would be pretty easy to do. Also the blastiest lore yet, I think.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 06-11-2012, 09:14 PM   Top  -  End  -  #26
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

I'm working on the sorcerer now. It's stealing class features from the Wilder and sort of the Barbarian. The arcane sledgehammer to the Wizards scalpel.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 06-18-2012, 03:01 PM   Top  -  End  -  #27
Gandariel
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Wow, your work is massive =)
Anyway i admit i only skimmed through it for now, but it does really seem very promising!
Spellcasting has always needed some balancing i guess. The point is, it's not actually **that** broken and its proposed "fixes" are usually either overly complicated, or have you learn another system altogether, or don't fix anything.

I like what you did though. The spells are mostly the same, you made this focus thing which totally makes sense (and piercing some of the wizards' invulnerability)
I really like Mantras
They're useful, make sense, AND solve the stupid "hour/level things"
Instead of Extended /Persisted Something, you just give them some always on buffs.
That is what should have been done from the start. Why have Clerics recast all their buffs every morning? Just give them less spell slots and let them have some permanent buffs..

Well, that's all i can say for now =)
I hope i'll get to read it more carefully, i'm kinda busy with personal life stuff these days
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Old 06-19-2012, 11:27 AM   Top  -  End  -  #28
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

haven't finished reading it yet (there's a lot to sift through, even if it's not finished) but it looks very promising, I like how you seemed to design it from the flavor perspective first (ie. it takes focus to maintain these spells and bend reality to your whim, something that was only marginally represented in the original spellcasting rules of 3.5). Keep up the good work, would love to see it finished and would possibly run a game with it!
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Old 07-05-2012, 04:26 PM   Top  -  End  -  #29
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Thanks for all the feedback, it is appreciated. Meanwhile, I put up the Sorcerer base class.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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Old 07-08-2012, 05:32 PM   Top  -  End  -  #30
Eldan
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Default Re: Arcane Magic [Base Class and System Overhaul, WIP, PEACH]

Finished the Lore of the Fey, another trickster lore.
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“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
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