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Luminous Crayon 12-16-04, 06:39 PM	This first post is the post full of disclaimers. So, this thread could have been posted in a lot of places. It could have gone in Homebrew, or in Classes, or in Prestige Classes, but I think it's most appropriate here. If a WizO strongly thinks otherwise, it can be moved. If a non-WizO strongly thinks otherwise, please PM me about it, rather than posting about it in this thread. Feedback on this idea is very important to me, and I'd rather not have this thread derailed into a "you should have posted this in another board" party. Thanks in advance for your cooperation in this; I appreciate it. With that out of the way, here's the story. This is for a homebrew campaign setting in which I am handling magic much differently than normal DnD. The Jade Stage setting (link in my sig) is significantly lower-magic than something like Forgotten Realms or Eberron, though still not nearly as low as something like Middle-Earth. Technology is more advanced than a typical medieval-style setting, more of a 1600s or 1700s feel, and a variety of branches of science are being studied, and contributing advancements to society. To reflect the way magic is treated here, as a sort of advanced and esoteric science (like nuclear physics, say), I'm eliminating the core spellcasting classes (bard, cleric, druid, sorceror, and wizard.) The paladin and ranger are going to be non-spellcasting variants of my own devising. Spellcasting characters get their powers by taking levels in one of three prestige classes: the mage (loosely based on the wizard), the channeler (loosely based on the cleric) , and the shaper (loosely based on the sorceror.) In the style of D20 Modern, these prestige classes are accessable after only three levels in another class, if a PC takes the quickest route. I'll be adding two extra core classes as well: an Int-based Expert class, and a Cha-based Face class, if that helps your visualization of the intended end result. I've done a lot of pruning, to make room for new growth. The arcane/divine magic distinction is gone. The eight schools of magic (abjuration, conjuration, etc.) are gone, replaced by different systems of organization. (Mages think in terms of disciplines, channelers think in terms of spheres.) A lot of spells, for thematic reasons, simply didn't make the cut, while I'm going to end up eventually creating a lot from scratch, to fill some gaps. The spell lists from the PHB are scrapped, and I'm rewriting them. If this sort of reorganization bugs you, you may not want to continue reading. I hope you do, though; I need the feedback. Posted below are the first two of my three eventual prestige classes, the mage and the shaper. The channeler is still giving me headaches right now; it's a long way off. Please read, consider, and tell me what you think. None of this has been playtested yet.
Luminous Crayon 12-16-04, 06:39 PM	Requirements: To qualify to become a mage, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Skills: Knowledge: Arcana 6 ranks. 6 ranks in at least one of the following skills: Bluff, Craft (any one besides alchemy or poisonmaking), Decipher Script, Disguise, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Sense Motive, Survival. Game rule information: Mages have the following game statistics. Abilities: Intelligence is the most important ability for mages, because it affects the mage's spellcasting prowess. A highly intelligent mage can cast higher-level spells, gains more spells per day, and casts spells that are harder to resist, compared to a mage with lower intelligence. Intelligence also affects many important skills for mages, notably Spellcraft and the various Knowledge and Craft skills. Also important are constitution and dexterity, because they improve the relatively frail mage's chances of surviving in the thick of battle. Wisdom and charisma can also be very important to mages, depending on their skill selection and the disciplines of magic they study. Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d6. Class Skills: The mage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge: Any (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). Skill points at first level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill points at each additional level: 4 + Int modifier. BAB: ½ (like wizard) Saves: Fort and Ref low, Will high Special Qualities 1. Scribe Scroll, Specialization 2. Focused Study, Research 3. Broadened Horizon 4. Confident Hand 5. Bonus Feat 6. Broadened Horizon 7. Improved Specialization 8. Intensity 9. Broadened Horizon 10. Specialized Mastery, Bonus Feat Spell Points by class level 1. 3 + Int mod 2. 4 + Int mod 3. 6 + Int mod 4. 9 + Int mod 5. 12 + Int mod 6. 16 + Int mod 7. 21 + Int mod 8. 28 + Int mod 9. 36 + Int mod 10. 45 + Int mod Maximum Spell Level by class level 1. 1 2. 1 3. 2 4. 2 5. 3 6. 3 7. 4 8. 4 9. 5 10. 5 Class Features: All of the following are class features of the mage. Spellcasting: The primary class feature of the mage is the ability to use magic. Spell Points: A mage has a pool of spell points at her disposal. These spell points represent the total amount of magic that a mage can manipulate in a day, with more powerful spells consuming more spell points than simple ones. A mage's spell points depend on class level and intelligence: a mage gains access to an increasing number of spell points as she gains levels, as listed on the chart above, and she adds her intelligence modifier to this total. The mage also has access to a special, seperate pool of spell points, from her Specialization class feature. This pool of points is smaller, equal to class level, and the intelligence bonus is not added to it. This specialization pool can only be used to cast spells from the mage's specialty discipline, but higher-level mages gain the ability to use these points with greater flexibility than those in their standard pool. Casting a spell consumes spell points equal to its spell level (with the exception of 0-level spells, which consume half a spell point.) Each day, the mage can use any combination of spell levels equal to or less than her spell point maximum: in any given day, a mage with 20 spell points can use 10 2nd-level spells, 20 1st-level spells, 40 0-level spells, or any other combination of spells whose total cost does not exceed 20 spell points. Spell Preparation and Spell Improvisation: Mages can cast their spells in two different ways: prepared and improvised. A mage has the option of preparing spells during the day; this process takes anywhere between 15 minutes and one hour, depending on the percentage of the mage's total spell points are being prepared. When preparing spells, a mage completes most of the casting, leaving spells almost finished, lacking only a final word and gesture of command to activate. When preparing spells, a mage designates exactly what spells will be cast with her spell points, making those spells ready for quick use. Spells that a mage prepares are cast at their normal casting times, as listed in the spell's description. A mage who relies heavily on spell preparation sacrifices flexibility for speed; this method of casting is primarily used by mages who expect to see combat, or other situations where time is vitally important. Any spell points that a mage does not use to prepare spells may be used to cast improvised spells. Unlike prepared spells, improvised spells are spells that a mage does not start ahead of time. Because of this, they take longer to cast, but do not limit a mage's flexibility by requiring her to commit to certain spells in advance. Spells that a mage improvises may be any spells she knows, decided upon at the time of casting. However, because no preparation work has been done in advance, the casting time for improvised spells is ten times the casting time listed in the spell's description. A mage who relies heavily on spell improvisation sacrifices speed for flexibility; this method of casting is primarily used by mages who expect to have plenty of time to use their magic. For example, Serafila is a third-level artificer with 15 Intelligence. She has 8 general spell points (6 from her class and level and 2 from her Intelligence modifier), and 3 spell points from her specialization, which can only be used for spells in the artifice discipline. She decides to prepare shatter (2) and animate rope (1) using her three spell points from her specialization. She also prepares inflict moderate wounds (2), arcane mark (0.5), and three castings of detect magic (totalling 1.5), using 4 of her 8 general spell points. She keeps her other 4 spell points free to use improvised spells; this means she can cast a total of 4 spell points worth of any spells she knows, but they will take ten times the normal amount of time to cast. Since she has prepared spells with 7 out of her total 11 spell points, around two thirds of her total amount of spell points, it takes about two thirds of an hour to prepare her spells: forty minutes. A mage's spells known: To learn a spell, a mage must have a class level sufficient to cast it. For spells in disciplines besides magecraft, there is also a skill point requirement to learn spells. A mage must have a number of skill points equal to 5 + the spell's level in order to learn a spell in a discipline other than magecraft. The spells a mage knows are internalized knowledge, and do not need to be kept in a spellbook or other external collection. Some mages choose to keep spellbooks, but these tomes are simply collections of scrolls bound into a large volume (rather than spellbooks in the traditional DnD sense.) At first level, a mage automatically has knowledge of all the 0-level magecraft spells, and all the 0-level spells in her specialty discipline. In addition, she may select a number of additional known spells with a total spell point cost of 3 + her Intelligence modifier. As always, she must meet the skill point prerequisite for any spells she chooses in disciplines other than magecraft. These additional spells can be any combination of 0-level spells and 1st level spells. For example, at first level, Serafila automatically knows all the 0-level magecraft spells, and all the 0-level artifice spells, because her specialty discipline is artifice. Since she has 15 Intelligence (for a +2 modifier), she gets to choose 5 additional levels of spells to add to her list of known spells. She chooses two 1st level magecraft spells, feather fall and hypnotism, and one 1st level artifice spell, magic weapon. Since she also has 6 ranks in Heal, she can choose restoration spells of 1st level and below, and she chooses cure light wounds. Although she would like to learn ghost sound and dancing lights, she does not have the required 5 ranks in Bluff necessary to learn these 0-level dreamcrafy spells, and decides to settle for arcane mark and read magic instead, since she does have 5 ranks in Decipher Script. Upon gaining each additional level of the mage class after the first, the mage gains new spells, as a result of her ongoing research. These spells may be any spells she qualifies for, with a total spell point cost of her new class level. They are selected in the manner described above. In addition to the new spells gained when a mage gains class levels, she may also learn new spells by studying scrolls, or by learning from another mage. A mage may attempt to learn a spell from a scroll, adding it to her list of spells known. This process involves several steps. First, the mage must decipher the scroll. This requires any one of the following: a read magic spell, a Spellcraft check against DC 20 + the spell's level, or the assistance of the spellcaster who wrote the scroll. By deciphering the scroll, the mage gains a general understanding of what the spell does and how to use it. (Deciphering is the only step required for a mage wishing only to cast a spell from a scroll. A mage does not have to decipher scrolls she writes herself.) After deciphering a scroll, a mage wishing to learn the spell must comprehend it. This requires one day of study and a successful Spellcraft check against DC 15 + the spell's level, and mages gain a +2 bonus on this check when dealing with spells belonging to their specialty discipline. By comprehending a spell, the mage gains thorough and detailed understanding of what it does, how it works, and how it can be manipulated. Once a spell is comprehended, a mage can commit it to memory. This requires one day of study per spell level (these need not be consequtive), the expenditure of 10 xp per spell level, and a scroll of the spell, whose magical energies are consumed in the process, rendering the scroll useless. Once a spell is memorized in this manner, the mage adds it to her list of spells known. Mages may also share their knowledge by teaching spells to one another. To teach a spell, both the teacher and the learner must meet all prerequisites to learn and cast the spell. Attempting to teach a spell requires one day of study per level of the spell from both the teacher and the learner, and requires the learner to expend 5 xp per level of the spell. At the end of this period, the learner must make a Spellcraft check (DC: 15 + twice the spell's level). If the check is successful, the spell has been successfully taught, and the learner adds it to her list of spells known. If the check is a failure, the learner has not mastered the spell, and the time spent teaching the spell was wasted. Retries are allowed, but a mage can not attempt to retry learning the same spell from the same teacher until the learner gains a rank in Spellcraft. Scribe Scroll: The nature of a mage's studies requires a familiarity with the reading and writing of Arcanic, and the ability to deal with magical literature. At first level, the mage gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat. Specialization: At first level, each mage must choose a specialization in one of the ten disciplines available to them. This specialization is a permanent choice, designating a discipline toward which the mage has devoted extra study or shows some natural affinity. The discipline she chooses as her specialization must be one related to a skill in which she has at least 6 ranks. That skill becomes a class skill for her in the mage prestige class. The mage also gains a bonus pool of spell points equal to her mage level, which may only be used for casting spells belonging to her specialty discipline. These bonus spell points are in addition to the spell points gained from mage level and intelligence modifier. Focused Study: At 2nd level, the mage gains especially in-depth knowledge of her specialized area of study, gaining Skill Emphasis as a bonus feat applied to the skill associated with her specialty. In addition, this skill is now permanently considered a class skill for all the mage's classes, not just the mage prestige class. Research: The mage's continuing studies of both magical and mundane texts nurture her ability to sift through huge volumes of information to find relevant and useful facts. The mage gains a bonus to her Knowledge checks equal to half her mage level, rounded down, when she has access to a large library or similar source of information (DM's discretion.) If the mage also has this class feature from the expert class, use the character's combined levels in expert and mage to determine the bonus. Broadened Horizon: At 3rd level and every three levels thereafter, the mage's experiments and research lead her to familiarity with new areas of expertise. She chooses any skill associated with a discipline, and that skill becomes a class skill for her in the mage prestige class. Confident Hand: At 4th level, the mage's focus on the skill corresponding to her specialty discipline continues to pay off. She gains the ability to take 10 on that skill at any time, even if distracted by combat or other pressures. Bonus Feat: At 5th level and again at 10th, the mage gains a bonus feat. This feat may any Metamagic or Item Creation feat for which the mage meets the prerequisites. Improved Specialization: At seventh level, the mage's command over magic in her specialty discipline becomes increasingly precise, granting her incredible speed and flexibility in that area. When using her bonus pool of spell points for specialization, the mage can cast spells from her specialty discipline without preparing them ahead of time, and without increasing the casting time. Intensity: At eighth level, the mage's specialty discipline becomes an even more potent tool in her hands. She gains Spell Focus as a bonus feat, pertaining to the school of her specialization. For example, an artificer gains Spell Focus (Artifice). A mage who already has the Spell Focus feat pertaining to her specialization gains Greater Spell Focus instead. Specialization Mastery: At tenth level, the mage's mastery of her chosen discipline of specialization is completely refined; she is an undisputed expert in that field. The number of spell points in her bonus pool for specialization increases by 10, giving her 20 spell points per day to use for spells in her specialty discipline.
Luminous Crayon 12-16-04, 06:40 PM	The Mage Disciplines: The following are the eleven disciplines available to mages. Magecraft: no associated skill From the point of view of a mage, magecraft is the basic, core art of magic. The largest and most fundamental of the disciplines, magecraft is a diverse collection of spells that represent the simplest, most obvious, and most intuitive applications of magical energy. Therefore, it has no associated skill; mages automatically have the ability to learn and cast magecraft spells as they gain power in the mage prestige class, without any additional expertise. Magecraft is not only easy to master but also versatile and useful, so many mages consider it the foundation of their art. Magecraft contains a wide variety of spells, many of which are designed to protect, or to directly manipulate magic. The Secondary Disciplines: Mages have access to ten secondary disciplines of magic which expand upon the foundation of magecraft, offering mages a variety of different magical abilities. Like a complex tool, magic's effectiveness depends on the expertise of the person using it. Because these secondary disciplines represent complex and esoteric applications of magic that require special knowledge to employ, a mage must have skill ranks in the skill associated with a secondary discipline to learn and cast those spells. To learn or cast a spell belonging to a secondary discipline, a mage must have a number skill ranks in the associated skill equal to 5 + the spell's level. Animism: associated skill: Handle Animal Some call it most similar to wordcraft, while others claim it shares a closer kinship with wildcraft, but animism fills a role of its own, seperate from these other disciplines. Through the use of animism, a mage can pacify, tame, control, and even communicate with all manner of natural creatures. Though horses, hunting animals, and beasts of burden trained by mages with this skill are highly prized, but perhaps more useful is the ability of animists to travel freely in the wild, bypassing hostile beasts. Animists are also highly prized in military units, for their specialized but valuable ability to disrupt enemy calvary. Artifice: associated skill: Craft (any besides alchemy and poisonmaking) Artifice is the magical discipline concerned with the structure and composition of objects. Through the study of artifice, mages learn to alter the properties of objects, changing, strengthening, weakening, or destroying them. Particularly powerful artificers can create complex structures out of thin air, and obliterate with a thought. Artificers tend to be precise, analytical, and thorough, even for mages. Because of their study of objects and their construction, they often have a well-developed understanding of physics. Although craftsmen of all types can unlock its secrets, artifice is more effective when the mage employing it has a specific understanding of the materials involved. In game terms, a mage with a Craft skill that matches the spell she casts gains a +2 competence bonus to the DC to resist the spell. For example, a mage with 7 ranks in Craft (carpentry), enough to use second-level artifice magic, would gain a +2 bonus on the DC of her warp wood spell to ruin an enemy's longbow due to her detailed understanding of wooden objects. She would not gain the same bonus on her shatter spell used to destroy an iron padlock, unless she also gained 7 ranks in Craft (metalworking). If she gained an eighth rank in Craft (carpentry), enough to cast 3rd level artifice spells, the +2 bonus would also apply to third level spells when appropriate. Cloakweaving: associated skill: Disguise This relatively rare discipline is, in simplest terms, the magical study of the alteration of living beings. Practicioners first learn the skills necessary to obscure and change their own appearances and those of others, gradually working up to greater feats, such as actually changing an individual's physical form. This discipline contains both glamers and spells of transformation, all of which affect people. A cloakweaver can easily lend a competent warrior the power of a great warrior, but more feared is the ability to lend a competent spy the power of a great spy. Because it takes little imagination to employ a cloakweaver's powers for thieving, espionage, assassination, or other illicit purposes, this discipline is among the most closely watched of all the powers available to mages, and known cloakweavers often find themselves the targets of suspicion and mistrust. Cloakweavers almost never advertize their abilities, and many actually go to great lengths to conceal them, especially if they intend to use them for sinister purposes. Dreamcraft: associated skill: Bluff Dreamcraft is the versatile discipline that concerns itself with the manipulation of the senses. A mage using dreamcraft magic has the ability to influence the sensory perceptions of others, causing them to see, hear, and even feel false sensations. Dreamcraft is a particularly subtle and versatile discipline, and its practitioners range from military mages who use their talents to execute feints against enemy armies, to artists who weave shimmering, transient beauty from magical illusion. Not all dreamcraft is innocent art, however. In the hands of a capable and creative mage, dreamcraft can foil magical surveillance, manipulate the unwary, confound an opponent in battle, or render spellcasters powerless. Ragecraft: associated skill: Intimidate Ragecraft is a little-understood and highly destructive discipline. Mages skilled in this form of magic have the ability to focus and distill their aggression into raw, deadly force, often in the form of fire, thunder, or other violent energy. Ragecraft spells are typically flashy, loud, and utterly unsubtle, and are usually more efficient, longer in range, or wider in area than the destructive spells belonging to other disciplines. Known ragecrafters are typically given an understandibly wide berth, and are often watched closely by law enforcement. Though the common prejudice that ragecrafters are murderous psychopaths is false and undeserved, ragecrafters often do display a tendency to keep all their emotions, not just anger, not far beneath the surface. Because of the nature of their impressive talents, ragecrafters are valued as warriors and mercenaries. Restoration: associated skill: Heal Those who were healers and medics before unlocking the secrets of magic frequently find that their new talents are valuable tools for their previous professions. Restoration magic is the delicate art practiced by mages with an understanding of medicine, and its powers can knit torn flesh, regenerate bone, detoxify poison, and defy disease. Restorers of exceptional power even gain the remarkable ability to call souls back from the Great Beyond, restoring life to the dead. Restorers are sought after as doctors and medics, more prestigious than their more conventional associates because of the addition of magic to their medicinal toolkits alongside tonic and gauze. Runecraft: associated skill: Decipher Script Though it is a matter of personal taste, many mages consider runecraft to be a very useful discipline and an essential area of study. Runecraft is the in-depth study of Arcanic, the written language of magic. Through the use of this skill, a mage can bind the energies of a spell in place for later activation in response to a particular trigger, an effecient technique for creating permanent or long-term magical protections or traps. Rune scribes often subscribe to the theory that all spoken and written languages are distant derivatives of Arcanic, and that by studying Arcanic, it is possible to gain insight into other languages. Mages with knowledge of this discipline can use their magic to become impressive polyglots, and are often valued as translators, ambassadors, or researchers. Sightcraft: associated skill: Sense Motive This strange discipline remains almost completely mysterious, even to its practitioners. Scholars of magic are perplexed, unable to discern how it works; sightcraft is an exception to almost every discovered law of thaumaturgy. In their attempts to conceptualize and understand this strange branch of magic, mages often discuss sightcraft in terms of anything from simple hunches and gut feelings to hypothetical sensory currents and lines of impulse. Regardless of the theory used to explain it, sightcraft is characterized by magical effects that focus the user's existing senses or bestow new ones, gathering information in subtle, almost intuitive ways. Even experienced seers never completely lose the feeling of uncertainty that goes hand in hand with this imprecise discipline, but seers can always find employment despite the occasional inaccuracy of their predictions. Wildcraft: associated skill: Survival Wildcraft is a discipline that many mages overlook, preferring to stay in the relative safety of cities than to venture into the unpredictable wilderness, where the talents of nature are of most use. For those who heed the beckons of the natural world, wildcraft is an essential discipline; a mage skilled in its use can turn a dangerous and potentially deadly journey into a safe and comfortable jaunt. Wildcraft gives its wielders mastery over weather, the earth, the plants that grow therein, and other aspects of the natural world, making these mages valued guides for travelers through the wildernesses of dojh-oln-beh. Wordcraft: associated skill: Diplomacy At its heart, wordcraft is a discipline of manipulation. A skilled wordcrafter can inspire devotion and loyalty in another individual, stir up hatred and violence, or simply make suggestions seem reasonable. Because wordcraft can be employed by demagogues as easily as by peacemakers, its use is the center of some great ethical debates. Still, despite the invasive nature of magically tampering with another’s emotions, most advocates of wordcraft agree that it is more humane to end a violent conflict by mollifying an enemy than by slaying him. Wordcraft is one of the most dangerous disciplines of magic, because of its great subtlety. Skilled and silver-tongued mages can employ wordcraft in every sense of the term, disguising the verbal components of spells of this discipline in the form of normal, innocuous conversation. In game terms, a mage must have twice the normal required ranks in Diplomacy to accomplish this. For example, a mage with 14 ranks in Diplomacy would be able to disguise wordcraft spells of level 2 and below, those normally accessable to a mage with 7 ranks. Spells disguised in this way still require somatic components (unless also affected by the Still Spell feat) and still require the caster to speak aloud. The difference is that the verbal component is replaced with a reasonable-sounding command or suggestion, rather than syllables in the Arcanic language, and may not be easily recognizable as spellcasting if the somatic components are not visible. Because of the verbal nature of wordcraft, spells from this discipline may never be affected by the Silent Spell feat.
Luminous Crayon 12-16-04, 06:41 PM	The Mage Spell Lists: Magecraft: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+ Detect Magic Flare Inflict Minor Wounds Light Mage Hand Message Open/Close Prestidigitation Resistance Touch of Fatigue Magecraft: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+ Chill Touch Color Spray Confusion, Lesser Endure Elements Entropic Shield Expeditious Retreat Faerie Fire Feather Fall Floating Disc Grease Hypnotism Identify Inflict Light Wounds Jump Mage Armor Magic Aura Magic Stone Obscuring Mist Ray of Enfeeblement Sleep Shield True Strike Unseen Servant Magecraft: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+ Acid Arrow Aid Bear's Endurance Blindness/Deafness Bull's Strength Cat's Grace Chill Metal Darkness Death Knell Eagle's Splendor False Life Fox's Cunning Glitterdust Gust of Wind Heat Metal Hold Person Hypnotic Pattern Inflict Moderate Wounds Levitate Knock Owl's Wisdom Produce Flame Protection from Arrows Pyrotechnics Resist Energy Shield Other Sound Burst Spectral Hand Spider Climb Touch of Idiocy Web Whispering Wind Wind Wall Zone of Truth Magecraft: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+ Animate Dead Arcane Sight Bestow Curse Blink Confusion Contagion Daylight Deep Slumber Deeper Darkness Dispel Magic Fly Halt Undead Haste Helping Hand Inflict Serious Wounds Invisibility Purge Phantom Steed Poison Quench Ray of Exhaustion Remove Curse Slow Speak With Dead Stinking Cloud Tiny Hut Vampiric Touch Magecraft: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+ Air Walk Break Enchantment Dimension Door Dimensional Anchor Enervation Fire Shield Freedom of Movement Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser Ice Storm (possibly move to Survival or Ragecraft?) Imbue With Spell Ability Inflict Critical Wounds Phantasmal Killer Rainbow Pattern Resilient Sphere Solid Fog Spell Immunity Stoneskin Wall of Ice Magecraft: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+ Disrupting Weapon Inflict Light Wounds, Mass Magic Jar Mind Fog Overland Flight Permanency Plane Shift Private Sanctum Shadow Walk (look up, remove if incompatible with cosmology) Slay Living Spell Resistance Telekinesis Teleport Wall of Force Waves of Fatigue Animism: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Handle Animal 5 ranks Call Animal Detect Animal Animism: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Handle Animal 6 ranks Calm Animals Charm Animals Speak With Animals Animism: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Handle Animal 7 ranks Animal Messenger Animal Trance Hold Animal Reduce Animal Animism: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Handle Animal 8 ranks Charm Monster Dominate Animal Animism: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Handle Animal 9 ranks Giant Vermin Hold Monster Repel Vermin Animism: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Handle Animal 10 ranks Animal Growth Awaken Insect Plague Artifice: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Craft 5 ranks Mending Artifice: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Craft 6 ranks Animate Rope Hold Portal Magic Weapon Artifice: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Craft 7 ranks Make Whole Shatter Warp Wood Wood Shape Artifice: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Craft 8 ranks Flame Arrow Keen Edge Magic Vestment Magic Weapon, Greater Shrink Item Stone Shape Artifice: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Craft 9 ranks Minor Creation Rusting Grasp Secure Shelter Spike Stones Artifice: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Craft 10 ranks Fabricate Major Creation Passwall Wall of Stone Cloakweaving: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Disguise 5 ranks Quick Change Pigments Cloakweaving: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Disguise 6 ranks Disguise Self Enlarge Person Reduce Person Cloakweaving: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Disguise 7 ranks Alter Self Blur Invisibility Cloakweaving: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Disguise 8 ranks Displacement Gaseous Form Invisibility Sphere Cloakweaving: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Disguise 9 ranks Enlarge Person, Mass Invisibility, Greater Polymorph Reduce Person, Mass Cloakweaving: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Disguise 10 ranks Baleful Polymorph Mislead Seeming Dreamcraft: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Bluff 5 ranks Dancing Lights Ghost Sound Dreamcraft: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Bluff 6 ranks Silent Image Ventriloquism Dreamcraft: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Bluff 7 ranks Misdirection Mirror Image Minor Image Obscure Object Silence Dreamcraft: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Bluff 8 ranks Major Image Nondetection Sculpt Sound Dreamcraft: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Bluff 9 ranks Hallucinatory Terrain Illusory Wall Zone of Silence Dreamcraft: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Bluff 10 ranks Dream False Vision Mirage Arcana Nightmare Persistent Image Ragecraft: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Intimidate 5 ranks Shocking Spark Ignite Erode Resolve Touch of Agony Ragecraft: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Intimidate 6 ranks Burning Hands Cause Fear Grip of Agony Shocking Grasp Ragecraft: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Intimidate 7 ranks Doors of Pain Flame Blade Flaming Sphere Scare Scorching Ray Ragecraft: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Intimidate 8 ranks Crushing Despair Call Lightning Fear Fireball Lightning Bolt Ragecraft: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Intimidate 9 ranks Black Tentacles Flame Strike Flood of Agony Shout Wall of Fire Ragecraft: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Intimidate 10 ranks Call Lightning Storm Cloudkill Cone of Cold (but changed to fire element) Restoration: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Heal 5 ranks Cure Minor Wounds Detect Poison Restoration: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Heal 6 ranks Cure Light Wounds Deathwatch (remove Evil descriptor, reword) Gentle Repose Restoration: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Heal 7 ranks Cure Moderate Wounds Delay Poison Remove Paralysis Restoration, Lesser Restoration: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Heal 8 ranks Cure Serious Wounds Neutralize Poison Remove Blindness/Deafness Remove Disease Restoration: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Heal 9 ranks Cure Critical Wounds Death Ward Restoration Restoration: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Heal 10 ranks Cure Light Wounds, Mass Heal Raise Dead Runecraft: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Decipher Script 5 ranks Arcane Mark Dictation Etching Read Magic Runecraft: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Decipher Script 6 ranks Alarm Comprehend Languages Erase Transcribe Text Unseen Scribe Runecraft: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Decipher Script 7 ranks Arcane Lock Continual Flame Fire Trap Magic Mouth Tongues Runecraft: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Decipher Script 8 ranks Explosive Runes Glyph of Warding Illusory Script Secret Page Snake Sigil Runecraft: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Decipher Script 9 ranks Faithful Hound Legend Lore Mark of Justice Narrative Secret Chest Runecraft: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Decipher Script 10 ranks Symbol of Fear Symbol of Pain Symbol of Persuasion Symbol of Sleep Sightcraft: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Sense Motive 5 ranks Guidance Read Emotion Sense Watchers Sightcraft: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Sense Motive 6 ranks Detect Animals or Plants Detect Secret Doors Detect Undead Discern Name Gossip Sense, Lesser Sightcraft: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Sense Motive 7 ranks Darkvision Find Traps Locate Object See Invisibility Status Sightcraft: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Sense Motive 8 ranks Arcane Eye Augury Detect Thoughts Discern Lies Gossip Sense Sightcraft: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Sense Motive 9 ranks Detect Scrying Divination Locate Creature Scrying Sightcraft: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Sense Motive 10 ranks Gossip Sense, Greater Prying Eyes Telepathic Bond True Seeing Wildcraft: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Survival 5 ranks Create Water Know Direction Purify Food and Drink Wildcraft: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Survival 6 ranks Entangle Goodberry Pass Without Trace Wildcraft: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Survival 7 ranks Create Food and Water Fog Cloud Soften Earth and Stone Tree Shape Wildcraft: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Survival 8 ranks Dominate Plants Meld Into Stone (possibly move to Artifice?) Plant Growth Sleet Storm Water Breathing Water Walk Wildcraft: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Survival 9 ranks Antiplant Shell Blight Command Plants Control Water Speak With Plants Wildcraft: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Survival 10 ranks Commune With Nature Control Winds Tree Stride Transmute Mud to Rock (possibly move to Artifice) Transmute Rock to Mud (possibly move to Artifice?) Wall of Thorns Wordcraft: Level 0 Requires: Mage level 1+, Diplomacy 5 ranks Daze Lullaby Wordcraft: Level 1 Requires: Mage level 1+, Diplomacy 6 ranks Charm Person Command Daze Monster Remove Fear Wordcraft: Level 2 Requires: Mage level 3+, Diplomacy 7 ranks Calm Emotions Enthrall Heroism Rage Suggestion Wordcraft: Level 3 Requires: Mage level 5+, Diplomacy 8 ranks Lesser Geas Glibness Good Hope Hideous Laughter Secretward Wordcraft: Level 4 Requires: Mage level 7+, Diplomacy 9 ranks Command, Greater Dominate Person Heroism, Greater Sending Wordcraft: Level 5 Requires: Mage level 9+, Diplomacy 10 ranks Feeblemind Geas Modify Memory Song of Discord Suggestion, Mass
Luminous Crayon 12-16-04, 06:42 PM	The Shaper Requirements: To qualify to become a shaper, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Skills: Concentration 6 ranks. Feats: Iron Will, Spell Discovery. Game rule information: Shapers have the following game statistics. Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability for the shaper, as it controls his spellcasting. Shapers work their magic by tapping reserves deep inside themselves, and Charisma represents a character's ability to draw out and manipulate this core essence, using it to impose changes upon his surroundings. Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d6. Class Skills: The shaper's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha). Skill points at first level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill points at each additional level: 4 + Int modifier. Special Qualities 1. Eschew Materials, Signature Style 2. Overburn 3. Spirit Armor +1 4. Signature Style 5. Fortification 6. Spirit Armor +2 7. Signature Style 8. Improved Fortification 9. Spirit Armor +3 10. Signature Style Spell Points 1. 5 + Cha mod 2. 7 + Cha mod 3. 10 + Cha mod 4. 15 + Cha mod 5. 21 + Cha mod 6. 29 + Cha mod 7. 38 + Cha mod 8. 49 + Cha mod 9. 61 + Cha mod 10. 85 + Cha mod Spell Levels Known 1. 3 2. 4 3. 6 4. 9 5. 12 6. 15 7. 21 8. 28 9. 36 10. 45 Max Spell Level by class level 1. 1 2. 1 3. 2 4. 2 5. 3 6. 3 7. 4 8. 4 9. 5 10. 5 Class Features: All of the following are class features of the shaper: Spellcasting: (Still need to write this out so that it looks pretty. Essentially, shapers know a number of spells whose total combined spell level is equal to the “spell levels known” table above, with 0-level spells counting as ½. They choose their spells from any list they want: any mage discipline or any channeler sphere, although players with shaper characters are encouraged to stick to some sort of theme at least loosely. They cast their spells without needing to prepare them in advance, and also without taking a 10x increase in casting time the way wizards do when using improvised casting; shapers are designed to wield their limited spell lists with great speed and flexibility.) Eschew Materials: Because of the shaper's personal, internal command of magic, he can use spells without the use of many of the props and supplies that other spellcasters are dependant upon. The shaper gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at first level. Signature Style: Most shapers are self-taught, forced to explore their abilities without the benefit of a mentor or tutor. Even those with such a teacher often find there are aspects to their power they must develop on their own, because of the unique nature of each shaper's inborn talents. Therefore, it is no surprise that each shaper's magical art develops in a distinctly personal direction, and any two given shapers are likely to cast their spells in widely varying ways. At first level, and every three levels thereafter, a shaper gains a bonus feat, representing the gradual construction of his own signature style. These bonus feats are chosen from the following list: Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Summon Familiar, Improved Counterspell, Any Metamagic feat. The shaper must meet all prerequisites for these feats in order to choose them. Overburn: At 2nd level, the shaper's increasing level of comfort with his abilities grant him more control over his power. A shaper of 2nd level or above may choose to funnel more and more power into a spell, increasing its potency and effectiveness far beyond safe levels. By using this ability, the shaper may cast a spell as if his caster level were greater than it actually is, increasing the spell's damage, duration, or any other effects that depend on caster level. The maximum caster level increase that can be gained by overburning is equal to one half the shaper's class level, rounded down, although a shaper may choose to increase his caster level by less than this amount, if desired. A shaper When overburning a spell, a shaper chooses the number of extra caster levels to apply to the the spell, to a maximum of one half his class level, rounded down. The shaper casts the spell as normal, expending extra spell points equal to the number of extra caster levels gained with this ability. The spell takes effect as normal, but acts as if cast by a shaper of higher caster level. After the spell takes effect, the shaper makes a fortitude save (DC 15 + extra caster levels applied by overburning), to resist the physical strain caused by channeling such unsafe levels of energy. Whether the save succeeds or fails, he takes charisma damage equal to the extra caster levels applied by overburning. If the save fails, he also takes an equal amount of constitution damage. A shaper can continue overburning spells as often as necessary, as long as he has extra spell points to spend on overburning, although the charisma damage and constitution damage from multiple overburned spells are cumulative. For example, Eld is a 5th-level shaper in an intense magical battle. In order to make sure that his next vital fireball spell is successful at breaching his enemy's defenses, he overburns the spell, increasing his caster level by his maximum of two extra caster levels. Spending the two extra spell points on the spell, he casts his fireball as if he were a 7th level caster, wounding his enemy badly. He takes two points of charisma damage from overburning, however, and since he fails his saving throw, he also takes two points of constitution damage. Spirit Armor: Because of the shaper's personal connection with magic, he begins to develop an innate defense against its effects. At third level, the shaper gains a +1 insight bonus to all saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities. This bonus applies as long as the shaper is conscious; a sleeping or incapacitated shaper gains no protection from spirit armor. This bonus increases by an additional +1 at sixth level, and again at ninth level. Fortification: At 5th level, the shaper becomes even more completely shielded against magic, as a result of his continually developing abilities. He gains spell resistance equal to 10 + his charisma modifier. This spell resistance does not stack with spell resistance from any other source. Improved Fortification: At 8th level, the shaper's fortification improves in its effectiveness. His spell resistance increases to 15 + his charisma modifier.
Luminous Crayon 12-17-04, 01:54 PM	Nobody has anything to say about this?
PlaneWaker 12-17-04, 02:17 PM	Well, I think it's really good and all, but your classes mean there will be no one casting spells of level higher than 5, so magic will be a little on the weak side, I will wait for your description of the channeler, but its looking great for a low magic campaign. The flavor for this change in magic I think is nice, because I don't like so much magic in the world. One thing, I think sometimes it will be easier for the Shaper to learn spells of a greater variety than the Mage's due to the skillpoint requirement to learn spells. Is this balanced with the reduced spell knowledge? Maybe when you finish the spellcasting section of the shaper we will see. I think it's great to try to find other ways to implement magic because it has gotten so formulaic and without flavor, I like it more when magic is rare and mysterious. Great job, and keep writing more.
MikeTheAmazingMuskrat 12-17-04, 04:32 PM	Two questions and then comments. Do shapers need to meet the skill requirements that mages do to gain access to disciplines? I am assuming not, but let me know if the situation is otherwise. What are the shaper base atttack and save progressions? First off, I like these classes, particularly the mage class. However, I think that the discipline lists are a bit too sparse, and would benefit from a larger selection. I really like your version of specialization, and I think that the concept would be further accented by expanded discipline lists. Perhaps it wasn't your intention to so greatly emphasize the differences between mage types, but my impression after reading your descriptions was that the specialists were very distinct from one another. Yet, the spell lists don't seem to support that, or at least not enough in my opinion. The benefits of overburn almost don't seem worth it. The price of 5 con in exchange for 5d6 more damage and +5 caster level check seems a bit rough. That would be along the lines of 26 or even 39 points of damage in exchange for the proposed benefits... ouch. If the shaper has good fort saves, that would changes things, though then that might be too far in the other direction. Maybe a +1 bonus to overburn fort saves every 4 levels (assuming fort is a weak save progression)? I'd then be willing to use the ability, but would still be leery of the consequences. A balance issue occurs to me, but it has more to do with how a game would be run rather than mechanics. A shaper has 45 spell points worth of known spells at 10th level. Assuming an Int bonus of +3 at first level, a mage has 60 spell points worth of known spells at 10th level (I'm ignoring bonus 0th level spells known for now). That's a difference 5 third level spells. Not a huge difference. So, how easily can a mage learn new spells from other mages or scrolls? What is the availability of such things? If it is at least moderate, then I don't see a problem. If, however, it is going to be difficult for a mage to find other mages willing to teach him/her or scrolls from which to learn, then I think that the shaper's benefits will far outweigh those of the mage. I have some comments on the spells whose placement within the mage lists you were unsure of, but I'll have to save those for later. I don't know if this was at all helpful, but I sure hope it was. -mike the amazing muskrat
Luminous Crayon 12-20-04, 11:03 PM	Two questions and then comments. Do shapers need to meet the skill requirements that mages do to gain access to disciplines? I am assuming not, but let me know if the situation is otherwise. What are the shaper base atttack and save progressions?A - No. Mages need the skill points because they learn by study, practice, and research. Shapers don't need the skill points because their magic is simply within them. B - Low BAB, high Will save. Just like the Mage, as a matter of fact.First off, I like these classes, particularly the mage class. However, I think that the discipline lists are a bit too sparse, and would benefit from a larger selection. I really like your version of specialization, and I think that the concept would be further accented by expanded discipline lists.Not sure I follow your wording exactly. I'm not planning on adding more secondary disciplines, if that's what you mean. I do plan to add more spells to the existing disciplines, even to the point of writing them myself. The eventual goal is to have each secondary discipline have 3-5 spells of each level. Perhaps it wasn't your intention to so greatly emphasize the differences between mage types, but my impression after reading your descriptions was that the specialists were very distinct from one another. Yet, the spell lists don't seem to support that, or at least not enough in my opinion. No, that's a problem with my descriptions of the secondary disciplines, and those will apparently have to be rewritten. Mages are all essentially similar in their abilities; it's just that individual mages focus on different things. This is supported by the large, core discipline of Magecraft which is common to all mages, and the fact that any individual mage can gain access to any discipline (or even all of them) with enough study (and use of skill points.) To use a real-world metaphor, individual mages are probably about as similar as individual university professors, perhaps even professors in the same department. Their special areas of expertise may vary, but they all share the same academic background. The benefits of overburn almost don't seem worth it. The price of 5 con in exchange for 5d6 more damage and +5 caster level check seems a bit rough. That would be along the lines of 26 or even 39 points of damage in exchange for the proposed benefits... ouch. If the shaper has good fort saves, that would changes things, though then that might be too far in the other direction. Maybe a +1 bonus to overburn fort saves every 4 levels (assuming fort is a weak save progression)? I'd then be willing to use the ability, but would still be leery of the consequences.True, it's a bit rough; it's designed to be. Overburning is the willful manhandling of dangerously high amounts of magic, and it's designed to be a somewhat desperate, last-ditch option. A high Con score and perhaps the Great Fortitude feat would be useful for shapers intending to use this ability often. Note that Con damage only happens on a failed save. Playtesting hasn't happened yet, and I'm sure this is one of those things that it will be especially helpful for fine-tuning. A level-dependant bonus on overburn saves might be a great idea, though; I'm still wrestling with the shaper class abilities (especially the names, which I'm still not happy with.) A balance issue occurs to me, but it has more to do with how a game would be run rather than mechanics. A shaper has 45 spell points worth of known spells at 10th level. Assuming an Int bonus of +3 at first level, a mage has 60 spell points worth of known spells at 10th level (I'm ignoring bonus 0th level spells known for now). That's a difference 5 third level spells. Not a huge difference. So, how easily can a mage learn new spells from other mages or scrolls? What is the availability of such things? If it is at least moderate, then I don't see a problem. If, however, it is going to be difficult for a mage to find other mages willing to teach him/her or scrolls from which to learn, then I think that the shaper's benefits will far outweigh those of the mage.Well, the numbers may still have to be tweaked around a bit; they aren't necessarily final yet. Should be fairly easy for mages to learn new spells, unless we're talking about mages living in the back end of nowhere. It may warrant a trip to the nearest large town, but scrolls of and given 0-level or 1-level spell should be simple to find, while specific 5th level spells would be considerably harder to gain ownership of. (Very few NPCs in this setting get as high as 12th level; at this point, there are only two above 12th. There's simply no one available to make those scrolls, since 12th level is the earliest a character could gain access to 5th level spells.) Though the overall magic level is pretty low in this setting, the magic that is available is studied with scientific fervor and intensity by scholarly mages, and an adventuring mage wanting to learn more should find that information and teachers are available, for a price. I have some comments on the spells whose placement within the mage lists you were unsure of, but I'll have to save those for later. I don't know if this was at all helpful, but I sure hope it was.This was quite helpful, thank you. Your comments on the placement of spells in the mage lists would also be more than welcome, if the offer stands.
MikeTheAmazingMuskrat 12-21-04, 12:30 AM	Definitely. My comments and also some things that occurred to me, below. Magecraft: Level 1 Alarm (possibly move to Runecraft?) Definitely. I think that it would fit very well in Runecraft. True Strike Possibly Sightcraft? Magecraft: Level 2 Zone of Truth (move to Wordcraft?) Most of the spells currently in Wordcraft target an individual. This spell, I think, would seem out of place, as it affects the nature of another's words, and not the power of the mage's own. Magecraft: Level 4 Air Walk Why not Wildcraft? I could see it not being in Wildcraft, but your current description of that discipline makes me wonder why this spell wouldn't be included there. Why Fog Cloud or Meld With Earth, but not Air Walk? Black Tentacles I could definitely see this being Ragecraft. It might not necessarily be a high damage output spell, but it is... ugly, which seems to me like it would fit the idea behind Ragecraft- violent manifestation of the caster's mind. Magecraft: Level 5 Feeblemind (Bossible move to Wordcraft?) I think that really depends upon how you see this spell working. If Feeblemind uses language to strip another person of coherent thought, essentially stripping that individual completely of language -of the building blocks of thought- then this spell would definitely fit. If you see it working more like a curse or a magical block, then maybe not so much. Animism: Level 5 Faithful Hound (look up, then possibly move?) Again, I think it'll have to do with how the spell works within your world. If the mage is summoning a guardian spirit, then would that fit animism? If he's just creating a "dumb" magical force, would that still fit? Artifice: Level 5 Passwall (possibly move to magecraft?) I like it in Artifice. It indicates a level of sophistication on the part of the artificer- (s)he's so competent that (s)he can actually move through the very substances that (s)he studies. Secret Chest (possible move to Runecraft?) You send the chest to the Astral Plane (or whatever is your cosmological equivalent). That doesn't have a whole lot to do with material creation in my mind. Your thoughts? Runecraft might be a better fit. Ragecraft: Level 3 Call Lightning (possibly move to level 4?) If you are keeping Lightning Storm, I would say leave Call Lightning at level 3. It makes Lightning storm that much more awesome when a mage finally gets it. Restoration: Level 0 Detect Poison (possibly move to Sightcraft?) Detect Poison would be an excellent tool for a healer to have. Are your disciplines more thematic or technical in their division? Restoration: Level 1 Deathwatch (remove Evil descriptor, reword) Cool. Does an understanding of life and physiology also bring with it an understanding of how to disrupt those same processes? Would, for instance, Slay Living or Poison fit into Restoration? Maaaaybe not... Runecraft: Level 5 Symbol of Pain Symbol of Sleep (possibly add other Symbols?) I really like the idea of being able to do one thing multiple ways, so I'd be interested in seeing something like Symbol of Persuasion on this list. It would overlap with Wordcraft perhaps, but in a very limited and very specific way. Wildcraft: Level 2 Barkskin (move and rename?) Why? I can't really offer an opinion since I don't know what you want to do with it, thematically, but I would be interested in finding out. Wildcraft: Level 3 Meld Into Stone (possibly move to Artifice?) I could see it easily being in either Wildcraft or Artifice, but I think, from your description of Wildcraft, that it fits best where you originally had it- in Wildcraft. Sleet Storm (possibly move to magecraft or ragecraft?) Nah. There just doesn't seem to be much anger in making everyone cold and wet... I think it fits nicely in Wildcraft. Actually, after reading what you wrote about Wildcraft, this was one of the first spells that popped into my mind. Wildcraft: Level 5 Transmute Mud to Rock (possibly move to Artifice) Transmute Rock to Mud (possibly move to Artifice?) Again, seems to fit your description of Wildcraft, but I could see it in Artifice as well. Wordcraft: Level 4 Modify Memory (move to level 5?) I think this spell is powerful enough, particularly in a lower level magic game, to warrent being level 5. Directly and permanently manipulating a mind should be pretty strong mojo. dUde. Let me know what you think. -mike the amazing muskrat
Luminous Crayon 12-27-04, 05:51 PM	There's a lot of Quote tags in this post. Forgive me for lazy formatting. True Strike Possibly Sightcraft?Another interpretation-specific case. If True Strike gives the user some great hunch on exactly how and when to attack for best accuracy, sure. If it simply increases accuracy, then probably not. I hesitate to put it in sightcraft, because most of sightcraft is non-combat oriented. But then, it's still up in the air. Magecraft: Level 2 Zone of Truth (move to Wordcraft?) Most of the spells currently in Wordcraft target an individual. This spell, I think, would seem out of place, as it affects the nature of another's words, and not the power of the mage's own.That had not occurred to me, but it's an excellent point. Actually, pointing that out really helps me get a better handle on what sort of discipline wordcraft is. It's a very personal thing, and insidious. Magecraft: Level 4 Air Walk Why not Wildcraft? I could see it not being in Wildcraft, but your current description of that discipline makes me wonder why this spell wouldn't be included there. Why Fog Cloud or Meld With Earth, but not Air Walk?Two reasons why not wildcraft for this one. First, it doesn't seem to be very strongly thematically connected to nature. It's just a different way to gain a sort of flight. It doesn't rely upon nature or manipulate nature; it can be used to climb the polluted air above a city just as easily as the pristine air of the wilderness. Second, Wildcraft is bloated as it is: it got the majority of the druid spell list dumped in. For the sake of evening things up a bit, I'm trying to move spells out of wildcraft where possible. My goal is 3-5 spells of each level in each secondary discipline. Wildcraft is huge.Black Tentacles I could definitely see this being Ragecraft. It might not necessarily be a high damage output spell, but it is... ugly, which seems to me like it would fit the idea behind Ragecraft- violent manifestation of the caster's mind.Well spotted. I like that a lot, consider it moved. Magecraft: Level 5 Feeblemind (Bossible move to Wordcraft?) I think that really depends upon how you see this spell working. If Feeblemind uses language to strip another person of coherent thought, essentially stripping that individual completely of language -of the building blocks of thought- then this spell would definitely fit. If you see it working more like a curse or a magical block, then maybe not so much.Maybe it's just me (which is odd, considering my usual resistance to Tolkien's influence in DnD), but Feeblemind has always made me think of Grima Wormtongue and Theoden. So really, I do see it as a use of language to confound and debilitate a person's mind. Animism: Level 5 Faithful Hound (look up, then possibly move?) Again, I think it'll have to do with how the spell works within your world. If the mage is summoning a guardian spirit, then would that fit animism? If he's just creating a "dumb" magical force, would that still fit?After looking this up, I think you're right. It's not a proper animal such as the kind that would normally be influenced by Animism. It's more of a "dumb magical force", as you say, which puts it into Magecraft (or possibly Runecraft, because of its similarity to Alarm. I'll have to think about that.) Artifice: Level 5 Passwall (possibly move to magecraft?) I like it in Artifice. It indicates a level of sophistication on the part of the artificer- (s)he's so competent that (s)he can actually move through the very substances that (s)he studies. Secret Chest (possible move to Runecraft?) You send the chest to the Astral Plane (or whatever is your cosmological equivalent). That doesn't have a whole lot to do with material creation in my mind. Your thoughts? Runecraft might be a better fit.Well spotted on both counts. Ragecraft: Level 3 Call Lightning (possibly move to level 4?) If you are keeping Lightning Storm, I would say leave Call Lightning at level 3. It makes Lightning storm that much more awesome when a mage finally gets it.My concern here is that Call Lightning may overshadow the other level 3 Ragecraft spells, and may be more at home at level 4. Still not quite sure on this one. Restoration: Level 0 Detect Poison (possibly move to Sightcraft?) Detect Poison would be an excellent tool for a healer to have. Are your disciplines more thematic or technical in their division? Restoration: Level 1 Deathwatch (remove Evil descriptor, reword) Cool. Does an understanding of life and physiology also bring with it an understanding of how to disrupt those same processes? Would, for instance, Slay Living or Poison fit into Restoration? Maaaaybe not...Detect Poison will probably stay in Restoration. Disciplines are usually more thematic than technical, but I could really see Detect Poison being thematically tied to either Restoration or Sightcraft. But since it's more technically tied to Restoration, Restoration wins. I thought for a long, long time about the inclusion of death-oriented spells into Restoration, and eventually decided against it. There are a lot of disciplines mages can focus on if they want to learn to kill; Restoration will not be one of those. It just seemed thematically wrong (and seemed to steal a lot of Ragecraft's thunder.) Runecraft: Level 5 Symbol of Pain Symbol of Sleep (possibly add other Symbols?) I really like the idea of being able to do one thing multiple ways, so I'd be interested in seeing something like Symbol of Persuasion on this list. It would overlap with Wordcraft perhaps, but in a very limited and very specific way.I've always been fond of the Symbol spells, and I'm disappointed that most of them are too high-level to fit in this system. I could probably get away with adding Symbol of Fear and Symbol of Persuasion to the list, but not many more of the Symbol spells. Still, those four Symbols make a nice 5th level list for Runecraft, I think. Wildcraft: Level 2 Barkskin (move and rename?) Why? I can't really offer an opinion since I don't know what you want to do with it, thematically, but I would be interested in finding out.Barkskin seems to me like the definitive low-level defense spell for druids, but in this class system, there are no druids, and the spell lists are unified enough that the niche it used to fill is gone. Since most of the defensive spells are in Magecraft, not Wildcraft, and since Magecraft doesn't currently have a spell that increases natural armor, it's not too much of an intuitive stretch to eliminate the nature-boy flavor of barkskin and let it become the +NA spell in Magecraft, at home with its brother-spells and sister-spells that do essentially the same thing. Wildcraft: Level 3 Meld Into Stone (possibly move to Artifice?) I could see it easily being in either Wildcraft or Artifice, but I think, from your description of Wildcraft, that it fits best where you originally had it- in Wildcraft.Again, this comes back to reducing the size of Wildcraft, really. But I haven't decided exactly what to do with it yet. Sleet Storm (possibly move to magecraft or ragecraft?) Nah. There just doesn't seem to be much anger in making everyone cold and wet... I think it fits nicely in Wildcraft. Actually, after reading what you wrote about Wildcraft, this was one of the first spells that popped into my mind.Fair enough. If it resonates that strongly as wildcraft, that's where it'll stay. Wordcraft: Level 4 Modify Memory (move to level 5?) I think this spell is powerful enough, particularly in a lower level magic game, to warrent being level 5. Directly and permanently manipulating a mind should be pretty strong mojo.Yeah, I tend to agree. I kept it at 4th level because it was originally a 4th level bard spelll, and for the most part, I haven't tampered with the spells' original levels. But in this case, it needs to be a 5.dUde. Let me know what you think.Well, that's that. Anything else? Sorry it took me so long to get back to you on this.
Sentient 12-27-04, 11:54 PM	Omigarsh, it's an advanced class! I love you, d20 Modern.
Luminous Crayon 12-28-04, 01:24 AM	Omigarsh, it's an advanced class! I love you, d20 Modern.In the style of D20 Modern, these prestige classes are accessable after only three levels in another class, if a PC takes the quickest route.So, yes.
Szatany 12-28-04, 04:33 AM	Great work ! :) I'm not much interested in completly new structure of classes, neither in spell point system, but I love your ideas about how to sort spells into disciplines. Its new its interesting I like it. I didn't read it all carefully, so forgive me if there are answers already for my questions. 1. How about changing name "ragecraft" to "warcraft" ? Mages don't strike me as angry madmen, but war wizard is a common theme. And it sounds nice. 2. Does mage's spell list consist of primarily sor/wiz spells with small addition of other (divine) spell lists, or "everything goes" ? If the latter, are you interested in expanding your mage's spell list with spells from other sourcebooks like Magic of Faerun or Complete Arcane/Divine? I'd gladly help with that. 3. I noticed that there is no discipline related to either undead or curses. Both could be made but I'll focus on the 2nd one since its more interesting. It could be called Hexing or hexcraft and it would gather all spells that reduce ability scores, skills, exhaust, weaken, curse, impede and so on (perhaps even drain life and energy). Associated skill would be trickier - intimidate seems to fit nicely, but then ragecraft/warcraft's skill needs to be changed (perhaps to knowledge (strategy & tactics) or something like that). Hexcraft: Level 0 Touch of Fatigue Hexcraft: Level 1 Chill Touch Ray of Enfeeblement Hexcraft: Level 2 Blindness/Deafness Hold Person Touch of Idiocy Hexcraft: Level 3 Bestow Curse Confusion Contagion Poison Ray of Exhaustion Slow Vampiric Touch Hexcraft: Level 4 Enervation Hexcraft: Level 5 Feeblemind Mind Fog Waves of Fatigue
Luminous Crayon 12-28-04, 10:58 AM	1. How about changing name "ragecraft" to "warcraft" ? Mages don't strike me as angry madmen, but war wizard is a common theme. And it sounds nice.A lot of the names for just about everything mentioned so far in this thread are still up for debate. If I end up changing ragecraft, it probably won't be changed to warcraft, just because I want to stay away from contamination from outside influences (specifically, the video game of the same name.) But a few of the disciplines, and all of the shaper's class abilities, I'd like to rename. I'd especially like fo find a new name for cloakweaving. "Cloakweaving"? Come on, now. :P 2. Does mage's spell list consist of primarily sor/wiz spells with small addition of other (divine) spell lists, or "everything goes" ? If the latter, are you interested in expanding your mage's spell list with spells from other sourcebooks like Magic of Faerun or Complete Arcane/Divine? I'd gladly help with that.The various mage spell lists (i.e., all the disciplines combined) include the vast majority (about 97%) of all the spells in the PHB that are 5th level or lower for any class, including spells that were originally cleric-only, druid-only, or bard-only. The spells that didn't make the cut include spells with a strong need for deity involvement (bless, divine favor, and so on) which will be available to channelers only (and shapers, since they can choose from any list.) Also, some spells have been cut because they don't fit the flavor of my campaign world, or are simply problematic (the summon monster series and the detect alignment spells are the main ones here.) This whole system is very world-specific. I don't imagine it would adapt well to another setting besides my own, but then, it's not designed to. I'm going to have to suppliment these lists with other spells, but I think I can do that with custom spells, rather than scavenging other books. I'd rather not have to pick up any new texts for this project. 3. I noticed that there is no discipline related to either undead or curses. Both could be made but I'll focus on the 2nd one since its more interesting. It could be called Hexing or hexcraft and it would gather all spells that reduce ability scores, skills, exhaust, weaken, curse, impede and so on (perhaps even drain life and energy). Associated skill would be trickier - intimidate seems to fit nicely, but then ragecraft/warcraft's skill needs to be changed (perhaps to knowledge (strategy & tactics) or something like that).Well, here's the problem with that. The way this system is designed, it's not easy to add new secondary disciplines. For starters, the issue of associated skills is problematic, as you've mentioned. For another, the spells in various disciplines don't overlap; no spell appears in more than one discipline. Working with a finite number of spells, there are only so many disciplines that can be made. Most of the spells you listed were drawn from magecraft. I had placed them there on grounds that spells that weaken are a basic application of magic, similar and opposite to spells that strengthen (bull's strength, cat's grace, etc.) I think they work pretty well where they are. As for undead stuff, there aren't enough spells dealing with undead to warrant a secondary discipline devoted entirely to that theme. Considering the hassle of making new secondary disciplines, I'll probably just keep the ten I've got already and leave it at that. Especially since I've still got channeler spell lists to concoct. Thanks for the time and attention; I appreciate the feedback. It's always satisfying and enlightening to get other people's angles on my own ideas.
Szatany 12-28-04, 01:19 PM	If you don't like warcraft, perhaps battlecraft? And instead of sightcraft i'd suggest clairvoyance.
MikeTheAmazingMuskrat 12-30-04, 05:32 PM	Personally, I like the Ragecraft name. It easily fits your description of the discipline. Also, I'm partial to the idea of horribly violent spells requiring a violence of mind on the part of the caster. Hmm. Other names for Cloakweaving... Shapecraft? Formcraft? (ehhhh... laaame) Bodyshaping? Skinwalking? Oh. A question. How does detect magic work? Does it reveal discipline? Sphere? School? I don't mind the Shaper's class feature names so much, but I have a few alternative names (if you're still interested). Signature Style Shaping Esoteric Devotion Mind of Whispering Winds Overburn Essencefuel True Power Soul of Consuming Flame Spirit Armor Soul Shield Might Arcana Body of Steady Earth Fortification Protective Ward Spell Barrier Spirit of Crashing Waves Spirit Armor ? Regarding Call Lightning's placement: 3.0 or 3.5? I don't think the 3.5 version of the spell will overshadow Fireball or Lightning Bolt, as it provides a smaller amount of damage output per turn and it is not an area affecting spell. Pow. 2 cents worth, and maybe a little bit more. By the way, beside Wildcraft, what disciplines are you seeking to trim or increase (if any)? -mike the amazing muskrat
Luminous Crayon 01-02-05, 08:50 PM	Oh. A question. How does detect magic work? Does it reveal discipline? Sphere? School?That's actually a really good question; I hadn't thought that completely though yet. Schools are dead, though. Evocation, Conjuration, and their ilk don't exist under this system. For detect magic and similar effects, I'm toying with two options, and they both have to do with class. Either the detection reveals spheres or disciplines based on the class of the caster of the spell being detected (detect magic reveals the discipline of a spell cast by a mage, but reveals the school of a spell cast by a channeler), or it reveals spheres or disciplines based on the class of the caster of detect magic (a mage using detect magic sees things in terms of disciplines, a channeler sees in terms of spheres.) Either method, however, has a few common problems that have jumped out at me. First off, shapers use neither spheres nor disciplines; they don't organize or categorize their spells in any way, except by spell level. Second, both the above methods create problems because of the way spell lists overlap (and fail to overlap.) Under the first system named above, a mage using detect magic to discover a Bless spell finds himself learning about it in terms that are completely foreign to him (without ranks in Kn: Religion.) Under the second system, he finds himself using disciplines to categorize a spell that exists in no discipline at all. Also, a cleric examining a fire spell in this way knows that it belongs to the fire sphere, even though the only clerics with access to that sphere are a little-known sect believed to be defunct, after being hunted to extinction for their murderous ways; it makes no sense for every cleric with detect magic to have information about such esoteric and rare spheres. By the way, beside Wildcraft, what disciplines are you seeking to trim or increase (if any)?Wildcraft is, I think, the only one that actually needs trimming. I'm aiming to have 3 to 5 spells of each level in each secondary discipline (erring towards five if possible, rather than three), and unless I misremember, only Wildcraft ever exceeds five spells in any given level. So quite a few disciplines need a little beefing up to reach that goal. I've been taking advantage of my five-day vacation, which I have just this evening returned from, to jot down some notes on new spells, which I will post in this thread as soon as my schedule permits. I've got primarily Runecraft and Sightcraft things done at this time. Runecraft ideas include: - Spells that allow the caster to write without normal writing materials and surfaces - Spells that create a force (similar to Unseen Servant) which writes for you in a blank book or parchment, recording a.) your own speech, b.) the speech of several targets, or c.) all the actions an individual takes for the duration of the spell. The latter version is intended for eventual use as a level 4 spell, and my preliminary drafts make it look a great deal like a text-based variant of scrying; I like it a lot. Sightcraft ideas include: - Spells that sense when people are watching you (You know that creepy eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head sensation you sometimes get in real life?) - Spells that read emotion. (Possibly granting a small bonus to some Cha-related skill checks, as you know a little bit more about how to push the target's buttons.) - Spells that alert you when someone speaks your name aloud within X radius. At higher levels, this could give you an idea of the distance and direction of the speaker, and give you 5 or 10 words that person spoke immediately before or after your name. It's a great way to tell when people are scheming against you. Also, it's reactive, and I like the idea of Sightcraft being mostly reactive (as opposed to something like Scrying.)
Dimeron 01-02-05, 10:59 PM	I have a question though, how would SR and caster level be handled. Obviously, with only 10 levels of caster classes, a straight 1 to 1 caster level progression for the purpose of SR would quickly become a problem when high end monsters, 15 CR+ start to resist spells awfully a lot of times. I can definitely see this becoming problematic especially with shaper’s fortification ability. Which IMO seems slightly too good, perhaps x times/day? Lasting rounds = charisma modifier? The other thing I really doesn’t like is how Mage’s spontaneous cast takes 10x longer, which makes any spontaneous cast spell completely useless when used in combat, and how exactly dose it work with spell which has a casting time of quickened action? Perhaps make it so that it uses 1.5x the spell cost, or make it move up 1 in terms of casting time, quicken->standard, standard ->full round, full round -> minute, with a chance of fumble depending on the level of the caster and the level of the spell. Also, what’s wrong with a spell being in multiple disciplines? It would solve the not enough spell problem easily. And finally, how would metamagic fit with all of this. Just wondering. Although I must say it seems to be a great system, love to see how the channeler is done.
MikeTheAmazingMuskrat 01-02-05, 11:58 PM	- Spells that alert you when someone speaks your name aloud within X radius. At higher levels, this could give you an idea of the distance and direction of the speaker, and give you 5 or 10 words that person spoke immediately before or after your name. It's a great way to tell when people are scheming against you. Also, it's reactive, and I like the idea of Sightcraft being mostly reactive (as opposed to something like Scrying.) That is awesome. -mike the amazing muskrat
Luminous Crayon 01-03-05, 12:07 AM	I have a question though, how would SR and caster level be handled. Obviously, with only 10 levels of caster classes, a straight 1 to 1 caster level progression for the purpose of SR would quickly become a problem when high end monsters, 15 CR+ start to resist spells awfully a lot of times. I can definitely see this becoming problematic especially with shaper’s fortification ability. Which IMO seems slightly too good, perhaps x times/day? Lasting rounds = charisma modifier?Okay, some of this was explained in the first post, but really not explained very well, so I'll try again. All of these class variants are designed to fit specificially with my own campaign setting. They're not intended to be balanced in typical DnD; just in my setting. The Jade Stage setting is designed for low-mid level play, and includes very few monsters. Most of the opponents players will encounter in this setting are humanoid, and most of the conflict is political, involves urban adventures, or involves war (again, between armies of humanoids, not monsters.) I can count on one hand the number of NPCs who exceed 8th level. I can count on one finger the number of NPCs who exceed 12th. SR is going to be very, very rare, and because it's so rare, I'm really not worried about it. On the rare, rare chance that PCs should have to fight against something with SR, the SR should either be reduced by the DM to compensate for lowered caster levels, or it should be left alone (while the PCs squirm against a challenge whose difficulty is as exceptional as its rarity.) In fact, pretty much the only creatures that are going to be encountered with SR in this setting are shapers. Now that you mention it, their SR may have to be toned down somehow. I'll figure that out in the morning, when I'm awake enough to do arithmetic, and confirm it later on with playtesting. The other thing I really doesn’t like is how Mage’s spontaneous cast takes 10x longer, which makes any spontaneous cast spell completely useless when used in combat, and how exactly dose it work with spell which has a casting time of quickened action?Good. A mage's spontaneous spellcasting is designed to be useless in combat. I did it that way on purpose. If it weren't, there'd be no reason for a mage to prepare spells at all, ever. If you're looking for a class that uses quick, effective spontaneous casting suitable for combat, there's the shaper. The purpose of the mage's spontaneous spellcasting is for downtime, or slow days, or other non-combat encounters. For that useful spell that you know, but haven't prepared today, that you'd suddenly find useful. For spontaneously casting a spell with a casting time shorter than a standard action, I'd probably treat it as if it used a standard action for purposes of time multiplying. Since the only spell I can name offhand that works that way is feather fall, and since feather fall is something that you tend to have to cast with considerable urgency, I don't really expect it to be a big issue. Also, what’s wrong with a spell being in multiple disciplines? It would solve the not enough spell problem easily.That's simply not the way it works. Spheres work that way, for channelers. The same spell can be found in many spheres, but there are also a lot more spheres than there are disciplines, so the overlap works. And finally, how would metamagic fit with all of this. Just wondering.Same way it does in a normal magic system. If you take a first level spell, apply metamagic that increases its effective spell slot level by 1, then you cast it as if it were a 2nd level spell. That means it requires class level 3+ to cast (the caster has to have access to 2nd level spells to cast a silenced 1st level spell, for example), and it costs spell points like a second level spell. No new tricks here; just different ways to look at the old tricks. Although I must say it seems to be a great system, love to see how the channeler is done.Thanks; hopefully I can oblige you soon. The channeler is taking me a long time, partially because the spheres are freaking complicated, and partially because I'm also working on some political things in the setting at the same time. That is awesome. -mike the amazing muskratThank you. I try. :cool:
Luminous Crayon 01-07-05, 10:36 AM	I have long-awaited Channeler info! Mostly because of my efforts to make channelers of different deities as unique in feel as I think they deserve to be, this class is taking me a long time because of all the unique information it requires. I have the basics ready, but not the specific details of the individual spheres and doctrines, nor all of the prerequisites. But I can tell you how all of it works together to make a class. Read on. The Channeler Requirements: To qualify to become a channeler, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Skills: Knowledge: Religion 6 ranks. Deity-specific requirements: Each deity has two unique requirements that are required of his or her channelers. (See the chart below.) Game rule information: Channelers have the following game statistics. Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for a channeler, because it represents the channeler's ability to act as a conduit for his deity's power. Wisdom affects the highest level spell a channeler can cast, how many spells per day he receives, and how difficult his spells are to resist. Alignment: Any. A channeler's alignment must be within one step of his deity's alignment. Channelers whose alignments stray farther than one step from their deity's alignments lose all spellcasting abilities from this class. Hit Die: d6. Class Skills: The channeler's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge: History (Int), Knowledge: Religion (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). Skill points at first level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill points at each additional level: 4 + Int modifier. BAB: 1/2 Saves: High Will Special Qualities 1. Doctrine, Primary Sphere 2. Sacred Magic 3. Refined Sphere 4. Sacred Magic 5. Secondary Sphere 6. Sacred Magic 7. Secondary Sphere 8. Sacred Magic 9. Shining Conduit 10. Sacred Magic, Divine Emissary Spell Points by class level 1. 3 + Wis mod 2. 4 + Wis mod 3. 6 + Wis mod 4. 9 + Wis mod 5. 12 + Wis mod 6. 16 + Wis mod 7. 21 + Wis mod 8. 28 + Wis mod 9. 36 + Wis mod 10. 45 + Wis mod Maximum Spell level by class level for all spheres 1. 1 2. 1 3. 2 4. 2 5. 3, 2 6. 3, 2 7. 4, 3, 2 8. 4, 3, 2 9. 5, 4, 3 10. 5, 4, 3 Class Features: All of the following are class features of the channeler. Spellcasting: The primary class feature of the channeler is the ability to use magic. Spell Points: A channeler has a pool of spell points at his disposal. These spell points represent the total amount of magic that a channeler can manipulate in a day, with more powerful spells consuming more spell points than simple ones. A channeler's spell points depend on class level and wisdom: a channeler gains access to an increasing number of spell points as he gains levels, as listed on the chart above, and she adds his wisdom modifier to this total. Casting a spell consumes spell points equal to its spell level (with the exception of 0-level spells, which consume half a spell point.) Each day, the channeler can use any combination of spell levels equal to or less than his spell point maximum: in any given day, a channeler with 20 spell points can use 10 2nd-level spells, 20 1st-level spells, 40 0-level spells, or any other combination of spells whose total cost does not exceed 20 spell points. Spell Preparation: Channelers cast their spells by preparing them beforehand. A channeler must prepare spells each day; this process takes anywhere between 15 minutes and one hour, depending on the percentage of the channeler's total spell points that are being prepared. When preparing spells, a channeler completes most of the casting, leaving spells almost finished, lacking only a final word and gesture of command to activate. When preparing spells, a channeler designates exactly what spells will be cast with her spell points, making those spells ready for quick use. For example, Mak Resh is a third-level channeler with 16 Wisdom, with access to the battle sphere. He has 9 spell points (6 from his class and level and 3 from his Wisdom modifier.) As a third-level channeler, he has access to only one sphere, and knows all the spells of that sphere that are spell level 2 and below. He decides to prepare bear's endurance (2), bull's strength (2), magic weapon (1), two castings of bane (2), resistance (0.5), and three castings of guidance (1.5), to use up all of his 9 spell points. Mak Resh has these spells at his disposal today, ready to use whenever they are needed, and can prepare an entirely different array of spells tomorrow if he likes. A channeler's spells known: A channeler automatically knows all the spells in any spheres he has access to, of any spell level he has a high enough class level to cast. When his maximum spell level increases (at odd-numbered class levels), he automatically learns all the spells of the newly-acquired level. The spells a channeler knows are internalized knowledge, and do not need to be kept in a spellbook or other external collection. Some channelers choose to keep spellbooks, but these tomes are simply collections of scrolls bound into a large volume (rather than spellbooks in the traditional DnD sense.) Doctrine: Regardless of their individual areas of focus, all clerics of any given deity share a common background, united by the most basic philosophies and teachings of their patron. At first level, the channeler gains a small list of class features specific to his deity. These class features apply only to the character's channeler class levels, not to levels of any other class. The most common doctrine abilities are additional class skills, increased saving throws, or increased base attack bonus progression. Primary Sphere: At first level, a channeler gains spellcasting power, learning to manipulate one of his deity's spheres of magic. The channeler chooses one sphere of magic from his deity's list, and gains access to its associated powers. He uses the spells from this primary sphere to form the basis of his channeler spell list. In addition, the channeler gains the primary power associated with this sphere as a class ability. Sacred Magic: At 2nd level, a channeler selects one spell from his primary sphere that he currently has the ability to cast. This spell is the channeler's first sacred spell. At any time, a channeler may spontaneously cast this sacred spell, without preparing it ahead of time, by sacrificing any prepared spell in his primary sphere of equal or greater spell level. Unlike a mage's improvisatory spellcasting, a channeler's use of sacred magic does not increase the spell's casting time. For example, Mak Resh, a third level channeler, has chosen divine favor as his sacred spell. Now he can cast that spell very often, without ever having to prepare it again. Mak Resh finds himself in a tough battle, and decides he needs to cast divine favor. The spells he has prepared that remain unused today are bull's strength, bane, and two castings of guidance. Since divine favor is a first level spell, the spell Mak Resh sacrifices to spontaneously cast it must be at least first level, which rules out guidance (a 0-level spell.) Mak Resh decides to save bull's strength for an emergency, and sacrifices his daily casting of bane to use divine favor, preparing himself for battle. The channeler gains one additional sacred spell at 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level. Each time this ability is gained, the channeler designates a new spell to be able to cast spontaneously. A chosen spell may be of any spell level the channeler can cast, but it must always belong to his primary sphere. Refined Sphere: As a result of his increasing control over the aspects of his first sphere of magic, at third level, a channeler gains the secondary power associated with his sphere of magic as a class ability. This secondary power is gained in addition to the primary power of the sphere, and the two effects stack. Secondary Sphere: At 5th level, a channeler is so advanced in the service of his patron deity that his powers expand in scope. The channeler chooses another sphere from his deity's list, and learns to use it in addition to the sphere he already has. He adds the spells from this secondary sphere to his channeler spell list, but his maximum spell level for spells from this sphere is always treated as one less than the maximum spell level of spells from his primary sphere. In addition, the channeler gains the secondary power associated with this new sphere as a class ability, in addition to the powers he already has from his primary sphere. The channeler never gains the primary powers associated with any sphere other than the one he selected at first level. At 7th level, a channeler gains an additional secondary sphere from his deity's list. This is the third and final sphere he gains access to. His maximum spell level for spells of this sphere is always treated as two less than his maximum spell level for spells of his primary sphere. Shining Conduit: At 9th level, a channeler's ability to focus and manipulate his patron deity's power becomes even more flexible. When sacrificing a prepared spell to use sacred magic, the sacrificed spell may be from any sphere. (Without this ability, only prepared spells from the channeler's primary sphere may be sacrificed to use sacred magic.) Divine Emissary: At 10th level, a channeler's connection to his patron is so pure and clear that he radiates an almost tangible divine aura. Once per day, the channeler may call upon this power to add his Wisdom modifier to any one Charisma-based skill check.
Luminous Crayon 01-07-05, 11:06 AM	So here's the explanation for the things that are still missing. Each deity has a special set of prerequisites in addition to 6 ranks of Kn: Religion that a character must meet in order to be a channeler of that deity. To be a channeler of Rayeb, the CG goddess of courage (like our iconic channeler Mak Resh is), a character needs 6 ranks of Kn: Religion, a BAB of 3 or greater, and the Iron Will feat. To be a channeler of Strassin, the LN god of scholarly knowledge, a character needs 6 ranks in Kn: Religion, and in any two other Knowledge skills. To be a channeler of Betha, the NG goddess of healing and mercy, a character needs 6 ranks in Kn: Religion and Heal, and the Skill Emphasis (Heal) feat. So as you can see, each deity has his or her own requirements of her channelers, and the quickest path to the channeler PrC depends greatly on which deity you want to be a channeler of. I have most of the prerequisites done already, though a few deities are giving me trouble. Also, each deity grants its channelers different abilities with the Doctrine class ability. This represents basic things that all channelers of a particular deity have in common, even if their spheres are different. For example, for their Doctrine class ability, channelers of Merya, the goddess of the sea, add Swim, Sailing, and Navigation to their list of class skills for the channeler class. Channelers of Kordain, the LG warrior-god who urges his followers to seek out and stop evil in all its forms, get Ride as a class skill and get 3/4 BAB progression for their channeler class levels. I'm having a little trouble choosing these things. I don't want to just use feats or the like; ideally these should grow as the channeler gains levels in that class. Then we have spheres. Each deity offers his or her channelers a selection of three or four spheres, just like traditional PHB deities give clerics a choice of domains. Channelers eventually get three spheres, but they start with one and add slowly, and they'll always be better at using the sphere they chose at level 1 than at using the spheres they add later. Also, there is no "basic" channeler spell list, the way there's a basic cleric spell list in the PHB, or the way there's a "basic" magecraft discipline for the mages I've described above. The only spell lists channelers get access to are provided by the spheres they choose. Each sphere has a spell list attached to it, hopefully ending up around 6-8 spells per level once I get done with them. Also, each sphere has two abilities attached, designated primary and secondary. The channeler ends up with both primary and secondary powers of the first sphere he chose, and secondary power of the later spheres. For example, the Luck sphere grants the 1/day d20 reroll (of the PHB luck domain) as a primary power, and a +1 luck bonus to saving throws as a secondary. The Magic sphere grants extra SP equal to your channeler level as a primary, and extra SP equal to your Cha modifier as a secondary. The Battle sphere grants higher BAB progression as a primary, and the Weapon Focus feat as a secondary. Primary and secondary powers of all spheres are designed to stack, since if you get the primary, you will get the secondary at 3rd level. Also, they're designed so that the secondary can function independantly of the primary, since a channeler never gets the primary power of the second and third spheres he chooses. Sphere powers are about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way done; the real tough trick for what I have left is sphere spell lists (which will take forever!) and doctrine abilities. The list of spheres is as follows, in no particular order: Battle, protection, sky, water, fire, earth, winter, nature, knowledge, visions, courage, despair, comfort, pain, light, healing, luck, sleep, death, undeath, stealth, manipulation, magic, justice, travel, deception, animals, art. Make sense? I'll post some sample spheres in a bit, when I get them completed.
Luminous Crayon 01-21-05, 11:11 PM	All right, it took me longer to get back to this project than I wanted it to, but you know how it is. Sometimes life simply gets in the way for a while. Here's a first-draft list of some of the deities and spheres and their game stats. I haven't gotten all the deities and spheres done, but this is enough to be able to assemble a few prototype channelers and test out the class, getting a feel for it. For what it's worth, I already have detailed descriptions of each deity (all 27, including many not posted here as examples.) So I know what each deity and their associated channelers are supposed to feel like, and I have a goal to match the eventual game mechanics to. Sources of Power: The Cauldron of Souls Prerequisites: Doctrine: Spheres: Pain, Sleep, Visions, Water Focus: A vial of seawater. The Conduit - Aureth, Uljas Prerequisites: Knowledge (Arcana) and Decipher Script 6 ranks. Doctrine: Channelers of the Conduit gain Knowledge (Arcana), Decipher Script, and Sense Motive as class skills. Spheres: Magic, Knowledge, Manipulation, Protection Focus: A metal chain. The Father and Mother - Jatta, Salma Prerequisites: Knowledge (Astronomy), Knowledge (Nature) 6 ranks. Doctrine: Channelers of the Father and Mother gain Knowledge (Astronomy), Knowledge (Nature), and Sense Motive as class skills. Spheres: Light, Comfort, Earth, Nature, Sky, Visions Focus: A medallion of the horizon circle. The Gauntlet - Taneri Prerequisites: Doctrine: Spheres: Battle, Despair, Manipulation Focus: The Healer - Betha Prerequisites: Heal 6 ranks, Skill Emphasis (Heal) Doctrine: Channelers of Betha gain Heal, Knowledge (Nature), and Knowledge (Races) as class skills. Spheres: Healing, Comfort, Sleep Focus: A tattoo of the Healer's Hand. The Orphan - Corshall Prerequisites: Doctrine: Spheres: Luck, Death, Deception Focus: The Red Hunger - Jalsilvi Prerequisites: Doctrine: Spheres: Fire, Battle, Pain Focus: The Reverent Path Prerequisites: Survival 6 ranks, Knowledge (Nature) 6 ranks. Doctrine: Channelers of the Path gain Survival and Knowledge (Nature) as class skills. Spheres: Earth, Nature, Sky, Water Focus: A handful of soil. The Rock Dragon Prerequisites: Survival 6 ranks, Great Fortitude. Doctrine: Channelers of the Dragon gain Survival as a class skill, and have a high Fortitude save (as a fighter.) Spheres: Courage, Earth, Protection Focus: A smooth-polished stone. The Scribe - Kath Prerequisites: Knowledge (any two), 6 ranks each. Doctrine: Channelers of Kath add their channeler level to any one Knowledge skill in which they have at least 6 ranks, chosen at first level. Spheres: Travel, Death, Knowledge Focus: The Sisters - Daeshora, Henth, Losh Prerequisites: Bluff, Hide, Move Silently, and Sense Motive, 6 ranks. Doctrine: Channelers of the Sisters gain Bluff, Hide, Move Silently, and Sense Motive as class skills. Spheres: Deception, Despair, Knowledge, Manipulation, Stealth Focus: A small key, carved from bone. The Tower - Fehn, Kordain, Rayeb Prerequisites: Iron Will, Weapon Focus (any martial or exotic weapon) Doctrine: Channelers of the Tower have 3/4 BAB progression (like a rogue), and have a d8 hit die. Spheres: Battle, Courage, Protection Focus: - Rennan Prerequisites: Doctrine: Spheres: Winter, Despair, Pain Focus: - Exejhith Prerequisites: Doctrine: Spheres: Undeath, Death, Stealth Focus: Spheres: Battle Sphere: Associated Sources: the Gauntlet, the Red Hunger, the Tower Primary Power: Channeler of Combat: You channeler levels count as fighter levels (and stack with actual fighter levels) for the purpose of qualifying for feats such as Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization. Secondary Power: You gain Weapon Focus as a bonus feat. Battle Sphere Level 0: Resistance Guidance Virtue Inflict Minor Wounds Flare Battle Sphere Level 1: Divine Favor Doom Inflict Light Wounds Magic Weapon Magic Stone Shield True Strike Battle Sphere Level 2: Bear's Endurance Bull's Strength Cat's Grace Inflict Moderate Wounds Spiritual Weapon Flame Blade Battle Sphere Level 3: Haste Inflict Serious Wounds Magic Vestment Greater Magic Weapon Keen Edge Flame Arrow Battle Sphere Level 4: Divine Power Inflict Critical Wounds Fire Shield Stoneskin Battle Sphere Level 5: Inflict Light Wounds, Mass Slay Living Righteous Might Disrupting Weapon Comfort Sphere: Associated Sources: the Father and Mother, the Healer Primary Power: Soothing Touch - A number of times per day equal to your channeler level, you can remove weariness and pain with a simple touch. Using your soothing touch is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The recipient of this touch is immediately healed of 2d6 points of nonlethal damage, and heals one point of ability damage from each ability score. In addition, the target's Exhaustion is reduced to Fatigue, or their Fatigue is removed entirely. As a result of lingering feelings of relaxation and calm, the recipient of your soothing touch gains a +4 morale bonus to their next saving throw, as long as it is made within 24 hours of receiving the soothing touch. Secondary Power: Soothing Aura - Your inner calm is so pure as to be actually tangible to those around you. While your soothing aura is in effect, all creatures within ten feet of you (not including yourself) gain a +1 morale bonus to all Will saves against [mind-affecting] spells and all Fortitude saves against exhaustion or damage from prolonged activity. In addition, creatures within your soothing aura heal nonlethal damage at twice the normal rate. You may end the effects of the Aura at will as a free action, and resume them as a move-equivalent action. Comfort Sphere Level 0: Lullabye Cure Minor Wounds Read Emotion Purify Food and Drink Message Prestidigitation Comfort Sphere Level 1: Calm Animals Charm Person Remove Fear Charm Animals Endure Elements Goodberry Gentle Repose Comfort Sphere Level 2: Aid Create Food and Water Calm Emotions Delay Poison Restoration, Lesser Remove Paralysis Shield Other Comfort Sphere Level 3: Detect Thoughts Good Hope Neutralize Poison Remove Blindness/Deafness Remove Disease Tiny Hut Charm Monster Remove Curse Comfort Sphere Level 4: Break Enchantment Secure Shelter Freedom of Movement Heroism, Greater Death Ward Comfort Sphere Level 5: Dream Private Sanctum Courage Sphere: Associated Sources: the Rock Dragon, the Tower Primary Power: Aura of Courage: You radiate a field of courage that uplifts and sustains those near you. All creatures within 10 feet of you (including yourself) gain a +4 morale bonus on saves to resist fear effects, both natural and magical. Secondary Power: Ironclad Heart: You are completely immune to fear effects, both natural and magical. Courage Sphere Level 0: Resistance Guidance Virtue Courage Sphere Level 1: Divine Favor Remove Fear Bless Magic Weapon Shield Mage Armor True Strike Courage Sphere Level 2: Calm Emotions False Life Heroism Rage Aid Shield Other Courage Sphere Level 3: Good Hope Remove Curse Remove Blindness/Deafness Remove Disease Prayer Courage Sphere Level 4: Break Enchantment Death Ward Divine Power Lesser Globe of Invulnerability Courage Sphere Level 5: Greater Heroism Righteous Might Spell Resistance Death Sphere: Associated Sources: Exejhith, Kath, the Orphan Primary Power: Death's Touch: Once per day as a melee touch attack, you may touch a target with your death touch. Roll 3d6. If the result exceeds your target's hit points, the target immediately dies. Secondary Power: Death's Armor: Your life force is bolstered against effects designed to snuff it out. You gain Spell Resistance equal to 10 + your channeler level against spells with the [death] descriptor. Death Sphere Level 0: Daze Inflict Minor Wounds Erode Resolve Touch of Pain Touch of Fatigue Death Sphere Level 1: Chill Touch Deathwatch Magic Weapon Daze Monster Cause Fear Grip of Pain Inflict Light Wounds Ray of Enfeeblement Death Sphere Level 2: Doors of Pain Scare Death Knell Inflict Moderate Wounds Shield Other Status Touch of Idiocy Death Sphere Level 3: Magic Weapon, Greater Contagion Crushing Despair Fear Poison Ray of Exhaustion Slow Inflict Serious Wounds Death Sphere Level 4: Enervation Blight Inflict Critical Wounds Death Ward Flood of Agony Death Sphere Level 5: Symbol of Pain Symbol of Fear Waves of Fatigue Slay Living Deception Sphere: Associated Sources: the Orphan, the Sisters Primary Power: Faceless - Your skill at falseness is great enough to allow you amazing feats of disguise. Once per day, you may change your appearance as a spell-like ability identical to the alter self spell, but with the following exceptions. First, you add your channeler level as a bonus to your Disguise skill for the purpose of creating this new appearance; this bonus stacks with the +10 bonus granted by the spell. Also, the effect has no duration limit, and lasts until you lose consciousness or voluntarily end the effect. Secondary Power: Subtlety - Once per day, you may cast a spell from the Deception sphere with great subtlety, without using verbal or somatic components. The spell's casting time is increased to a minimum of one round. Deception Sphere Level 0: Flare Daze Dancing Lights Ghost Sound Quick Change Pigments Deception Sphere Level 1: Charm Person Disguise Self Silent Image Hypnotism Ventriloquism Deception Sphere Level 2: Calm Emotions Enthrall Minor Image Mirror Image Misdirection Obscure Object Alter Self Eagle's Splendor Touch of Idiocy Deception Sphere Level 3: Major Image Illusory Script Secret Page Nondetection Sculpt Sound Glibness Secretward Charm Monster Deception Sphere Level 4: Polymorph Hallucinatory Terrain Illusory Wall Deception Sphere Level 5: Mirage Arcana Persistent Image Seeming Modify Memory Despair Sphere: Associated Sources: the Gauntlet, Rennan, the Sisters Primary Power: Unsettling Gaze: Once per day per channeler level, you can level a stern gaze at a creature, transfixing it with hopelessness and horror. The creature must be able to see your eyes, and be within 30 feet of you. The creature must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your channeler level + your Cha modifier) or take a morale penalty equal to your Cha modifier (minimum 1) to all attack rolls and skill checks. This effect lasts for one minute per character level, and is a [Mind-Affecting, Fear] effect. Secondary Power: Aura of Despair: You exude a field of despondency and hopelessness that saps the morale of those near you. All morale bonuses (but not morale penalties) active on all creatures within 10 feet of you (including yourself) are suppressed while the Aura of Despair is in effect; creatures may once again gain the effects of morale bonuses by moving more than 10 feet away from you. You may end the Aura as a free action and resume it as a move-equivalent action. Despair Sphere Level 0: Daze Erode Resolve Touch of Pain Ghost Sound Read Emotion Message Despair Sphere Level 1: Daze Monster Grip of Pain Comprehend Languages Cause Fear Confusion, Lesser Deathwatch Ray of Enfeeblement Despair Sphere Level 2: Doors of Pain Scare Enthrall Rage Silence Darkness Magic Mouth Tongues Despair Sphere Level 3: Gaseous Form Bestow Curse Confusion Sculpt Sound Deeper Darkness Crushing Despair Fear Lesser Geas Despair Sphere Level 4: Enervation Phantasmal Killer Flood of Agony Sending Locate Creature Despair Sphere Level 5: Symbol of Fear Nightmare Geas Feeblemind Earth Sphere: Associated Sources: the Father and Mother, Rennan, the Rock Dragon Primary Power: Aspect of Earth - Your channeler class levels now have a high Fortitude save progression (as a Fighter.) Secondary Power: Stability - You gain a +4 bonus to ability checks to avoid being bull-rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground.) If you already have this ability (for example, by being a dwarf or rockling), the bonus increases to +6. Earth Sphere Level 0: Resistance Mending Detect Poison Purify Food and Drink Guidance Earth Sphere Level 1: Remove Fear Endure Elements Magic Stone Goodberry Hold Portal Mage Armor Earth Sphere Level 2: Hold Person Shatter Bear's Endurance Bull's Strength Gentle Repose Make Whole Soften Earth and Stone Earth Sphere Level 3: Snare Spike Growth Slow Create Food and Water Magic Vestment Meld Into Stone Stone Shape Earth Sphere Level 4: Hallucinatory Terrain Hold Monster Spell Immunity Spike Stones Rusting Grasp Stoneskin Earth Sphere Level 5: Commune with Nature Mirage Arcana Wall of Stone Transmute Mud to Rock Transmute Rock to Mud Fire Sphere: Associated Sources: the Red Hunger Primary Power: Aspect of Flame - You gain fire resistance equal to your channeler level. Secondary Power: Warm Soul - You gain a +2 bonus on saves to resist spells with the [Cold] descriptor. Fire Sphere Level 0: Light Flare Ignite Fire Sphere Level 1: Endure Elements Burning Hands Faerie Fire Produce Flame Fire Sphere Level 2: Resist Energy Pyrotechnics Heat Metal Flame Blade Flaming Sphere Continual Flame Scorching Ray Fire Sphere Level 3: Quench Protection from Energy Fireball Flame Arrow Fire Sphere Level 4: Wall of Fire Fire Shield Flame Strike Fire Sphere Level 5: Cone of Cold (changed to Fire element, as in Ragecraft) Healing Sphere: Associated Sources: the Healer Primary Power: Healing Touch - A channeler with this power rerolls all ones when determining the amount of HP healed by any Cure spell he casts. Secondary Power: Healing Talent - A channeler with this power heals 1 extra HP per spell level when casting any Cure spell. Healing Sphere Level 0: Cure Minor Wounds Detect Poison Lullaby Mending Purify Food and Drink Healing Sphere Level 1: Cure Light Wounds Deathwatch Sleep Healing Sphere Level 2: Calm Emotions Cure Moderate Wounds Delay Poison Gentle Repose Make Whole Restoration, Lesser Status Healing Sphere Level 3: Cure Serious Wounds Deep Slumber Remove Curse Create Food & Water Remove Blindness and Deafness Remove Disease Neutralize Poison Healing Sphere Level 4: Break Enchantment Cure Critical Wounds Death Ward Restoration Healing Sphere Level 5: Cure Light Wounds, Mass Modify Memory Raise Dead Knowledge Sphere: Associated Sources: the Conduit, Kath, the Sisters Primary Power: Scholar's Soul - All Knowledge skills are considered class skills for your channeler class. Secondary Power: Trivia - Because of the wide range of facts you have acquired through years of study, you can make Knowledge checks untrained. If you already have this ability from the Expert class, add 1 to all your Knowledge checks. Knowledge Sphere Level 0: Detect Magic Know Direction Arcane Mark Read Magic Dictation Message Knowledge Sphere Level 1: Alarm Comprehend Languages Erase Transcribe Text Unseen Scribe Deathwatch Identify Discern Name Knowledge Sphere Level 2: Fox's Cunning Magic Mouth Tongues Find Traps Locate Object See Invisibility Status Zone of Truth Knowledge Sphere Level 3: Arcane Sight Illusory Script Secret Page Glyph of Warding Snake Sigil Arcane Eye Detect Thoughts Discern Lies Speak With Dead Knowledge Sphere Level 4: Sending Legend Lore Narrative Scrying Detect Scrying Locate Creature Divination Knowledge Sphere Level 5: Prying Eyes Telepathic Bond True Seeing Feeblemind Light Sphere: Associated Sources: the Father and Mother Primary Power: Gleaming Beacon - Your wisdom and virtue are an inspiration to others. You provide a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws to a number of willing allies no greater than to your channeler level + your charisma modifier. To receive this benefit, a target must remain in your line of sight, and must have intelligence of at least 3. You are not a valid target for your own Gleaming Beacon power. You may change the targets of your Gleaming Beacon ability as a move-equivalent action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Secondary Power: Divine Grace - You gain the Divine Grace ability, as a second-level Guardian does. Light Sphere Level 0: Flare Light Dancing Lights Guidance Shocking Spark Resistance Light Sphere Level 1: Magic Weapon Faerie Fire Deathwatch Light Sphere Level 2: Aid Hypnotic Pattern Flame Blade Scorching Ray Mirror Image Darkness Whispering Wind See Invisibility Produce Flame Light Sphere Level 3: Daylight Deeper Darkness Augury Discern Lies Invisibility Purge Good Hope Remove Blindness/Deafness Light Sphere Level 4: Break Enchantment Fire Shield Imbue with Spell Ability Rainbow Pattern Death Ward Sending Divination Light Sphere Level 5: Disrupting Weapon Dream True Seeing Luck Sphere: Associated Sources: the Orphan Primary Power: As PHB Luck domain power, with the following exception: channelers of the Orphan may reroll someone else's d20, but not their own. Secondary Power: +1 luck bonus to all saves. Luck Sphere Level 0: Know Direction Resistance Guidance Virtue Luck Sphere Level 1: Charm Person Expeditious Retreat Lesser Confusion Bane Bless Entropic Shield True Strike Luck Sphere Level 2: Blur Locate Object Aid Augury Find Traps Protection from Arrows Luck Sphere Level 3: Confusion Displacement Glibness Charm Monster Prayer Luck Sphere Level 4: Break Enchantment Locate Creature Freedom of Movement Lesser Globe of Invulnerability Luck Sphere Level 5: Mind Fog Mislead Spell Resistance
Luminous Crayon 01-21-05, 11:18 PM	Magic Sphere: Associated Sources: the Conduit Primary Power: Wellspring - A channeler with this power adds his class level to his total daily spell point total. Secondary Power: Inspiration - A channeler with this power adds his Charisma modifier to his total daily spell point total. Magic Sphere Level 0: Detect Magic Arcane Mark Prestidigitation Read Magic Magic Sphere Level 1: Identify Hypnotism Magic Aura Unseen Servant Magic Weapon Mage Armor Magic Sphere Level 2: Detect Thoughts Glitterdust Hypnotic Pattern Pyrotechnics Arcane Lock Continual Flame Spectral Hand Magic Sphere Level 3: Dispel Magic Glyph of Warding Explosive Runes Magic Weapon, Greater Arcane Sight Magic Sphere Level 4: Break Enchantment Legend Lore Rainbow Pattern Imbue with Spell Ability Spell Immunity Lesser Globe of Invulnerability Magic Sphere Level 5: Mind Fog Spell Resistance Telepathic Bond Magic Jar Permanency Telekinesis Manipulation Sphere: Associated Sources: the Conduit, the Gauntlet, the Sisters Primary Power: Mindgrip - Once per day, you may assert your will with extra force, causing the target of one of your Manipulation sphere spells to re-roll his successful saving throw against your spell. This power may only be used with spells from the Manipulation sphere. Secondary Power: Smoothness - Once per day, you may cast a spell from the Manipulation sphere with secrecy and smoothness, without using verbal or somatic components. The spell's casting time is increased to a minimum of one round. Manipulation Sphere Level 0: Daze Ghost Sound Flare Lullaby Message Manipulation Sphere Level 1: Cause Fear Charm Person Hypnotism Lesser Confusion Command Charm Animal Remove Fear Manipulation Sphere Level 2: Scare Calm Emotions Daze Monster Hypnotic Pattern Heroism Suggestion Manipulation Sphere Level 3: Charm Monster Confusion Crushing Despair Glibness Geas, Lesser Manipulation Sphere Level 4: Dominate Person Locate Creature Sending Imbue with Spell Ability Manipulation Sphere Level 5: Modify Memory Mass Suggestion Greater Command Symbol of Persuasion Nature Sphere: Associated Sources: the Father and Mother, the Reverent Path Primary Power: Wilding Thought - Once per day, you may use Speak With Animals as a spell like ability, with a caster level equal to your Channeler level. This effect lasts for ten minutes per Channeler level, and while it is in effect, you add your Channeler level as a competence bonus to all Diplomacy checks you make when interacting with animals. Secondary Power: Wilding Form - Once per day, you may use Polymorph as a spell like ability, with a caster level equal to your Channeler level. This ability may only target yourself, and you may only change to a creature with the Animal type. Nature Sphere Level 0: Guidance Create Water Know Direction Purify Food and Drink Call Animal Resistance Detect Animal Nature Sphere Level 1: Calm Animals Charm Animals Speak With Animals Endure Animals Entangle Goodberry Pass Without Trace Detect Animals or Plants Nature Sphere Level 2: Create Food and Water Soften Earth and Stone Tree Shape Warp Wood Wood Shape Animal Messenger Animal Trance Hold Animal Gust of Wind Nature Sphere Level 3: Stone Shape Dominate Plants Plant Growth Sleet Storm Water Breathing Poison Neutralize Poison Dominate Animal Nature Sphere Level 4: Rusting Grasp Polymorph Spike Stones Freedom of Movement Antiplant Shell Blight Command Plants Speak With Plants Ice Storm Nature Sphere Level 5: Commune With Nature Tree Stride Awaken Wall of Thorns Insect Plague Pain Sphere: Associated Sources: the Cauldron, the Red Hunger, Rennan Primary Power: Threshold - Add your channeler level to Concentration checks made to avoid spellcasting interruption caused by damage or spells. Secondary Power: Feedback - Once per day, you may charge your body with terrible energy. While your Feedback is in effect, you inflict nonlethal negative energy damage to any creature who touches you or strikes you with a successful melee attack. The amount of damage done is 1d4 + your charisma modifier, and is inflicted upon each successful attack against you, or each turn of prolonged body contact (such as a grapple). Activating your Feedback is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Feedback field lasts for a number of rounds equal to three + your constitution modifier, but you may deactivate it on your turn as a free action if you so desire. While this power is in effect, you have no control over whether or not a person touching you is damaged by it; anyone touching you, friend or foe, will take damage from the Feedback until the duration expires or you voluntarily end the power. Pain Sphere Level 0: Daze Read Emotion Inflict Minor Wounds Erode Resolve Touch of Pain Touch of Fatigue Pain Sphere Level 1: Chill Touch Cause Fear Grip of Pain Deathwatch Ray of Enfeeblement Inflict Light Wounds Pain Sphere Level 2: Bear's Endurance Blindness/Deafness Doors of Pain Rage Scare Death Knell Hold Person Inflict Moderate Wounds Status Shield Other Pain Sphere Level 3: Bestow Curse Confusion Contagion Detect Thoughts Fear Poison Ray of Exhaustion Inflict Serious Wounds Vampiric Touch Pain Sphere Level 4: Enervation Inflict Critical Wounds Phantasmal Killer Flood of Agony Hold Monster Pain Sphere Level 5: Symbol of Pain Inflict Light Wounds, Mass Nightmare Feeblemind Waves of Fatigue Protection Sphere: Associated Sources: the Conduit, the Rock Dragon, the Tower Primary Power: Devoted Defender - Your protective instincts are supernaturally sharpened, allowing you greater power to guard an ally. You may designate one willing humanoid as your charge. Designating or changing your charge takes ten minutes, and you must remain within ten feet of the new charge during that time. You may have no more than one charge at any time. While you are conscious and within 10 feet of your charge, your powers wrap that person in layers of defense, granting them a deflection bonus to AC equal to your channeler level. This effect is generated mentally; it works even if you are flat-footed, tied up, or otherwise unable to come to your charge's aid, as long as you remain conscious. In addition, you may make a Smite attack once per day, but only against a creature that you witness injuring your charge. For this attack, add your Charisma modifier to the attack roll, and your channeler level to the damage. Secondary Power: Faith and Steel - You reduce your total Armor Check Penalty by your channeler level for purposes of calculating your spell points. Protection Sphere Level 0: Guidance Detect Poison Resistance Protection Sphere Level 1: Sanctuary Shield Endure Elements Mage Armor Entropic Shield Protection Sphere Level 2: Blur Mirror Image Aid Shield Other Status Barkskin Resist Energy Protection from Arrows Protection Sphere Level 3: Displacement Gaseous Form Magic Vestment Prayer Neutralize Poison Protection from Energy Protection Sphere Level 4: Break Enchantment Death Ward Spell Immunity Fire Shield Lesser Globe of Invulnerability Stoneskin Protection Sphere Level 5: Spell Resistance Sky Sphere: Associated Sources: the Father and Mother, the Reverent Path Primary Power: Aspect of Air - Your channeler class levels now have a high Reflex save progression (as a Rogue.) Secondary Power: Soft Fall - You can use feather fall once per day as a spell-like ability affecting yourself only. Sky Sphere Level 0: Light Dancing Lights Ghost Sound Know Direction Message Sky Sphere Level 1: Expeditious Retreat Feather Fall Unseen Servant Ventriloquism Entropic Shield Obscuring Mist Jump Sky Sphere Level 2: Blur Darkness Whispering Wind Wind Wall Fog Cloud Gust of Wind Levitate Sky Sphere Level 3: Clairvoyance/Clairaudience Daylight Gaseous Form Haste Deeper Darkness Fly Call Lightning Stinking Cloud Lightning Bolt Sky Sphere Level 4: Air Walk Freedom of Movement Sending Solid Fog Sky Sphere Level 5: Control Winds Cloudkill Overland Flight Sleep Sphere: Associated Sources: the Cauldron, the Healer Primary Power: Sleep Touch: Once per day as a melee touch attack, you may touch a target with your sleep touch. Roll 3d6. If the result exceeds your target's hit points, the target immediately falls asleep (as the Sleep spell, but regardless of HD.) Sleep Touch has no effect on creatures who do not naturally sleep (such as elves.) Secondary Power: Rejuvenate: Creatures in your care (see heal skill) regain extra HP equal to your Wisdom modifier each time they gain a full day's rest while you administer to them. Sleep Sphere Level 0: Lullaby Daze Touch of Fatigue Cure Minor Wounds Sleep Sphere Level 1: Hypnotism Charm Person Remove Fear Sleep Sanctuary Calm Animals Sleep Sphere Level 2: Calm Emotions Darkness Daze Monster Enthrall Hypnotic Pattern Gentle Repose Sleep Sphere Level 3: Deep Slumber Slow Deeper Darkness Ray of Exhaustion Charm Monster Sleep Sphere Level 4: Rainbow Pattern Death Ward Detect Scrying Scrying Sleep Sphere Level 5: Waves of Fatigue Dream Nightmare Symbol of Sleep Stealth Sphere: Associated Sources: Exejhith, the Sisters Primary Power: Vanish - Once per day, you may use invisibility as a spell-like ability, lasting a maximum of one round per caster level. Secondary Power: Misdirection - Once per day, you may cast a spell from the Stealth sphere with incredible slyness, without using verbal or somatic components. The spell's casting time is increased to a minimum of one round. Stealth Sphere Level 0: Read Emotion Sense Watchers Know Direction Ghost Sound Quick Change Pigments Stealth Sphere Level 1: Disguise Self Hold Portal Alarm (mental version only) Expeditious Retreat Feather Fall Pass Without Trace Obscuring Mist Detect Secret Doors Stealth Sphere Level 2: Fog Cloud Tree Shape Misdirection Silence (self only) Cat's Grace Darkness Alter Self Blur Invisibility Knock Darkvision Find Traps Stealth Sphere Level 3: Displacement Gaseous Form Invisibility Sphere Blink Secret Page Nondetection Deeper Darkness Meld Into Stone Stealth Sphere Level 4: Dimension Door Invisibility, Greater Freedom of Movement Secret Chest Detect Scrying Stealth Sphere Level 5: False Vision Modify Memory Mislead Seeming Passwall Travel Sphere: Associated Sources: Kath Primary Power: Fate Journey - Once per day, a channeler with this power can instantaneously teleport a short distance. Treat this effect like a dimension door spell-like ability, with a maximum range of ten feet per channeler level. Secondary Power: Direction Sense - In a process taking one hour of concentration, a channeler with this power can attune himself to one geographical location. Attunement to a new location replaces any previous attunement. Once attuned to a location, the channeler can orient himself relative to the attuned location by spending three rounds concentrating and visualizing the place. By concentrating on the attuned location in this way, the channeler gains knowledge of the exact direction and distance to the place. This direction sense acts something like a compass pointing toward a magnet; it tells only the direction in which the location lies, not the direction a person should go to get there if obstacles such as walls, ravines, or large bodies of water are in the way. Attunement to a location fixes the natural surroundings in a channeler's mind, not any movable or man-made structures; a channeler who attunes himself to his location while on a ship will not be able to find the ship later with this power; he will instead be directed to the spot on the water where he was when the hour-long attunement process concluded. Travel Sphere Level 0: Know Direction Purify Food and Drink Message Travel Sphere Level 1: Endure Elements Expeditious Retreat Pass Without Trace Feather Fall Jump Obscuring Mist Travel Sphere Level 2: Resist Energy Bear's Endurance Remove Paralysis Locate Object Levitate Travel Sphere Level 3: Gaseous Form Fly Haste Tiny Hut Phantom Steed Meld Into Stone Water Breathing Water Walk Travel Sphere Level 4: Air Walk Locate Creature Dimension Door Dimensional Anchor Secure Shelter Freedom of Movement Travel Sphere Level 5: Overland Flight Plane Shift Shadow Walk Teleport Passwall Undeath Sphere: Associated Sources: Exejhith Primary Power: Rebuke Undead: You gain the Rebuke Undead class feature, as described in the PHB. Secondary Power: Power of the Void: Undead you create are empowered with Void energy, gaining a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and an extra 2 hit points per hit die. Undeath Sphere Level 0: Daze Inflict Minor Wounds Dancing Lights Mage Hand Undeath Sphere Level 1: Detect Undead Inflict Light Wounds Chill Touch Unseen Servant Unseen Scribe Deathwatch Gentle Respose Undeath Sphere Level 2: Spectral Hand False Life Blindness/Deafness Darkness Inflict Moderate Wounds Death Knell Hold Animal Hold Person Undeath Sphere Level 3: Animate Dead Bestow Curse Halt Undead Phantom Steed Deeper Darkness Inflict Serious Wounds Speak With Dead Vampiric Touch Undeath Sphere Level 4: Inflict Critical Wounds Enervation Rusting Grasp Death Ward Hold Monster Undeath Sphere Level 5: Inflict Light Wounds, Mass Disrupting Weapon Magic Jar Raise Dead Visions Sphere: Associated Sources: the Cauldron, the Father and Mother Primary Power: Intuition - Once per day, you may add your channeler level to any one saving throw, or any one skill check involving the following skills: Gather Information, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, or Spot. Secondary Power: Conviction - You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against [Mind-Affecting] spells. Visions Sphere Level 0: Detect Magic Guidance Read Emotion Sense Watchers Know Direction Detect Animal Detect Poison Visions Sphere Level 1: Speak With Animals Comprehend Languages Deathwatch Detect Secret Doors Detect Animals or Plants Detect Undead Identify Silent Image Gossip Sense, Lesser Visions Sphere Level 2: Enthrall Minor Image Whispering Wind Tongues Owl's Wisdom Darkvision Find Traps Locate Object See Invisibility Visions Sphere Level 3: Major Image Augury Detect Thoughts Discern Lies Gossip Sense Helping Hand Secretward Speak With Dead Visions Sphere Level 4: Sending Legend Lore Detect Scrying Scrying Divination Locate Creature Visions Sphere Level 5: Dream Nightmare Gossip Sense, Greater True Seeing Water Sphere: Associated Sources: the Cauldron, the Reverent Path Primary Power: Sea Spirit - You add your channeler level as a competence bonus to Swim and Sailing checks. Secondary Power: Oceankin - You gain the ability to drink salt water for sustenance as if it were fresh water. In addition, the number of rounds you can hold your breath underwater is doubled. Water Sphere Level 0: Know Direction Lullaby Create Water Detect Poison Purify Food and Drink Water Sphere Level 1: Grease Bless Water Curse Water Endure Elements Obscuring Mist Water Sphere Level 2: Delay Poison Aid Remove Paralysis Status Fog Cloud Chill Metal Water Sphere Level 3: Create Food and Water Remove Disease Water Breathing Water Walk Neutralize Poison Quench Water Sphere Level 4: Control Water Freedom of Movement Solid Fog Rusting Grasp Wall of Ice Water Sphere Level 5: (none) Winter Sphere: Associated Sources: Rennan Primary Power: Aspect of Ice - You gain cold resistance equal to your channeler level. Secondary Power: Cold Soul - You gain a +2 bonus on saves to resist spells with the [Fire] descriptor. Winter Sphere Level 0: Daze Create Water Touch of Fatigue Winter Sphere Level 1: Bane Doom Endure Elements Obscuring Mist Chill Touch Ray of Enfeeblement Winter Sphere Level 2: Whispering Wind Death Knell Chill Metal Gust of Wind Fog Cloud Resist Energy Winter Sphere Level 3: Protection from Energy Crushing Despair Slow Quench Sleet Storm Ray of Exhaustion Winter Sphere Level 4: Ice Storm Solid Fog Wall of Ice Blight Enervation Winter Sphere Level 5: Control Winds Waves of Fatigue
Gilean 01-22-05, 05:25 AM	What is skill emphasis? Do you mean skill focus? I forgot everything else when reading remaining of the thread...
Luminous Crayon 01-22-05, 08:08 AM	What is skill emphasis? Do you mean skill focus? I forgot everything else when reading remaining of the thread...Yes, sorry. It was called Skill Emphasis in SWd20, and that's where I got my start. Old habits die hard, and all that.
MikeTheAmazingMuskrat 01-22-05, 02:58 PM	Is the lack of a 5th level spell for the sphere of Water intentional, or are you still looking to fill that slot? -mike the amazing muskrat
Luminous Crayon 01-22-05, 05:09 PM	Is the lack of a 5th level spell for the sphere of Water intentional, or are you still looking to fill that slot?No, that definitely needs to be filled. I'm waiting to fill in gaps like that at the same time I fill the gaps in the mage disciplines, so I can make some spells do double duty. No sphere or discipline should have any spell level without any spells in; that's madness!
MikeTheAmazingMuskrat 01-25-05, 06:58 PM	The channeler looks pretty good, but my first reaction to it was that it wasn't quite as powerful as the other two. I'll have to think a bit more about the impact of spontaneously converting spells. -mike the amazing muskrat
Luminous Crayon 02-23-05, 02:42 PM	All right, time to pick this thread up once more. Sorry about the long lapse between my last update and this one; I've been busy with school, and having computer troubles. Here's a bump for the time being, so I can find this thread again when I get home. I have the Int- and Cha-based core classes mentioned in this thread's first post almost finished and ready to submit. In the meantime, feel free to add feedback on any or all of the ideas presented in this thread (in fact, please do!)
Lord Psynister 02-28-05, 01:43 PM	I've just browsed over things since I just found this thread and I need to get to sleep soon or I'm gonna be falling asleep at my post tonight. 5th level Water Sphere spells: Ice Storm Flame Strike (but with water damage. Picture a huge collum of water that just comes crashing down. Maybe even make your own spell that does maybe 4d6 damage or so, but acts as a trip or bullrush attack) Atonement (the washing away of "sins". maybe even rename it baptism) Control Winds (water is the reason for the wind after all. It is in both Sky and Winter though...) Wall of Water (new spell similar to wall of ice, being dispelled by wind/air spells of 5th level or higher. Doesn't have hit points, doesn't take damage, grants concealment on opposite sides and requires a Balance check/Ref save/??? equal to the save DC or else they're tripped) I like the fact that water, IRL, has such power and force behind it. That's why I tend to lean towards bullrush/trip in the two "new spells" I kinda suggested there. If you don't agree, *shrugs* it was just an idea. Another choice for the wall of water would just to make it similar to Wall of Force, not letting anything pass through it. It could either grant concealment (dark water), partial cover similar to blur (murky water), no concealment at all (clear), or maybe even grant a bonus to spot checks on the opposite side due to magnification (crystal-clear). The last doesn't serve much purpose, nor does it make much sense, but *shrugs* I did mention I was tired didn't I? Did I mention I like the ideas though? Not sure I'd be super-eager to jump into a completely new magic system, but I do dislike the current one quite a bit, and this does seem rather interresting.
Luminous Crayon 02-28-05, 02:37 PM	I wasn't really expecting suggestions of that nature, but I like those ideas a lot. I've got a lot of homebrew stuff on my plate right now, as I'm desperately trying to get all my game mechanics stuff completely finished so that I can concentrate on the world itself, but soon, it's going to be time to finish the channeler spheres, and add some new spells to round out all the various spell lists. I'm quite fond of the idea of using the force and weight of water to do things in combat. I could probably make a whole set of "smack with high-pressure stream of water" style spells, in levels 1-5. I'm glad to hear your impressions of the system I've proposed. If you want to try to playtest it, note that it's done and in usable condition, except for the channeler spheres that are yet unfinished, and the fact that a lot more spells need to be added.
Luminous Crayon 03-02-05, 02:30 PM	Here are some new spells designed for this system, that I've been brainstorming over for quite some time. They're mainly filling up Runecraft and Sightcraft, and I wanted to make sure each discipline has at least one spell of each level. I'll probably add a few more spells to round out the mage disciplines, but this is the bulk of it. Also, some of these spells will also be added to one or more clerical spheres, but I haven't done that yet. I wanted to go ahead and get these posted and looked over. So, without further ado, enjoy! -LC P.S. The post early in the thread containing the mage spell lists has been updated to include the spells posted below, and the changes suggested earlier in the thread. Thanks again to MikeTheAmazingMuskrat, and to all the others who have offered suggestions. Ignite Ragecraft 0 [Fire] V, S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 1 creature or object Duration: Instantaneous Saves: Reflex Negates SR: No The target catches fire. Shocking Spark Ragecraft 0 [Electricity] V, S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 1 creature or object Duration: Instantaneous Saves: None SR: Yes You make a ranged touch attack to strike your target with a coin-sized orb of electricity. With a successful attack roll, the target takes 1d3 points of electricital damage. Erode Resolve Ragecraft 0 [Fear, Mind-Affecting] S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 1 creature Duration: Instantaneous Saves: Will Negates SR: Yes The target becomes shaken for 1d4 rounds. Quick Change Cloakweaving 0 [Glamer] V, S Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 10 minutes/level (D) Saves: Will Negates (see text) SR: Yes This spell changes the appearance of your clothing. It functions like Disguise Self, except that it only affects clothing and equipment, not the caster himself. If used to create a disguise (such as a hooded cloak or mask), it provides a +2 bonus to Disguise checks. Pigments Cloakweaving 0 [Glamer] V, S, M Range: Touch Target: 1 creature or object Duration: 1 day/level Saves: No SR: No This spell changes the colors of one object or one part of a willing creature. It can change eye color, hair color, or skin tone of an individual, but it takes multiple castings of pigments to affect multiple variables. Individuals changed to a color within the normal range for their species appear natural, although individuals given outlandish colors (a human with blue hair or red eyes, for example) will naturally attract suspicion. Objects colored by this spell appear as if painted or enamled. Material component: a drop of ink, paint, or similar pigment. Etching Runecraft 0 V, S, F Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 min/level (D) For the duration of the spell, you can engrave lines on stone, metal, or similar materials by tracing them with a finger. You can write or draw with the same precision as writing with pen and paper. The etching does not harm or weaken the surface you engrave upon. A spellcaster with this spell is considered to have the tools necessary to make Craft checks related to etching or engraving and does not take the usual -2 bonus for using Craft skills without tools, although most applications of the Craft skill will take significantly longer to complete than the spell's duration. Focus: a knife, pin, or other implement with a sharp point. Dictation Runecraft 0 V, S, F Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: one blank book, parchment, or stack of papers Duration: 10 min/level (D) For the duration of the spell, words appear in the targeted book or paper, as if written by an invisible hand. The writing records everything you say until the spell expires or is dismissed. The spell does not record verbal spell components or any kind of magical writing, substituting nonsense syllables for such speech; it cannot be used to scribe scrolls, create a glyph of warding, or manipulate magical forces in any way. The writing force supplies its own ink, and turns pages as necessary. Focus: a pen or quill. Unseen Scribe Runecraft 1 V, S, F Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets: you, one creature/level, and one blank book, parchment, or stack of papers Duration: 1 hour/level (D) Saving throw: Will partial (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes This spell functions like dictation, but the writing force records the speech of all targeted creatures, so that the resulting text serves as a record of the conversation. For each individual target, a successful Will save or Spell Resistance will prevent that creature's words from being recorded by the spell. The writing force uses different colors of ink and different handwriting to distinguish the various speakers from one another, although it does not label each color and style of writing with a speaker's identity unless the speakers name themselves aloud. Focus: a pen or quill. Sense Watchers Sightcraft 0 S, F Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 min/level (D) For the duration of the spell, you can sense whether you're being watched. As soon as anyone begins actively watching, studying, or otherwise visually examining you with any more than casual interest, you are alerted with a faint tingling sensation in the back of your head. The tingling stops and restarts as the attention stops and restarts, until the spell expires or is dismissed. The spell does not indicate who is watching you. It also does not alert you if someone is scrutinizing you by means other than visual, such as hearing or scent. Likewise, this spell does not alert you to magical surveillance such as scrying, even when such surveillance includes a visual element. Focus: a small mirror. Discern Name Sightcraft 1 S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: one creature Casting time: one swift action Saving throw: Will negates (see text) Spell resistance: Yes You know the target's name. An image of the written name appears in your mind, and you hear it spoken in your head. You learn the target's full and correct name, including any honorifics and special titles, but not nicknames. An individual traveling in disguise, using a false identity, or making other deliberate efforts to conceal his identity or to remain anonymous gets a +4 bonus on his save against this spell. Against a target using magic to conceal his identity (such as disguise self), this bonus increases to +8. If this spell fails for any reason, you must make a Wisdom check (DC 5). Failure means that you learn an random incorrect name instead of the target's actual name. The DM should roll this check in secret. Narrative Runecraft 4 V, S, F Target: One creature Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) or Any Duration: 10 min/level (D) Saving throw: Will negates Spell resistance: Yes This spell's energies write in a blank book or set of papers, as per the dictation spell. If the target creature fails the saving throw, the text that appears records all the target's actions until the spell expires. The spell quickly and accurately records speech, movement, and other observable actions. The spell does not record thought, intention, purely mental commands, or other actions not noticeable by mundane observation. The narrative spell is considered to automatically succeed at Spellcraft checks to discern what the target does during the spell's duration. For example, it cannot track an invisible target's movements, but it will correctly note that the target cast invisibility, and will resume recording the target's actions when the invisibility spell ends. Normally, narrative must be cast on a creature within Close range, although it will continue recording the actions of a target who leaves that range, as long as the target stays on the same plane as the caster. If the caster uses the target's own handwritten signature as a focus for spellcasting, the target receives a -5 penalty on the saving throw, and does not need to be within Close range of the caster at the time of casting. Focus: a pen or quill, and optionally, the written signature of the target (see above.) Transcribe Text Runecraft 1 Gossip Sense, Lesser Sightcraft 1 V, S Target: You Effect: spherical emanation, with a radius of 400 ft. + 40 ft/level Duration: 10 minutes/level A sixth sense alerts you whenever your name is spoken aloud within the spell's range. You hear it spoken in your head in the speaker's voice, giving you the chance to recognize the speaker if it is someone familiar to you. With a successful caster level check against a DC of 11 + the speaker's HD, you gain an accurate sense of the speaker's direction and distance away, relative to your current location. Gossip Sense Sightcraft 3 Effect: spherical emanation, with a radius of 1 mile/level Duration: 1 hour/level This spell functions like lesser gossip sense, except as noted above. In addition, each time gossip sense alerts you that someone is speaking your name, you also hear the five words the speaker says immediately before and after your name is spoken, giving you some idea of the context in which your are being mentioned. For example, if one of a group of nobles within range of Serafila's gossip sense spell notes, "I am suspicious of that foreign mage, Serafila. If you ask me, she's been poking her nose where it doesn't belong," the spell allows Serafila to hear the following: "suspicious of that foreign mage, Serafila. If you ask me, she's". Gossip Sense, Greater Sightcraft 5 Effect: spherical emanation, with a radius of 10 miles/level Duration: 2 hours/level This spell functions as gossip sense, except as noted above. In addition, greater gossip sense allows the caster to hear ten words both before and after your name is spoken, instead of five. Also, you have a 5% per caster level chance of being able to target any speaker you detect with this spell with any appropriate Sightcraft spell of 3rd level or lower, regardless of range or line of effect. Read Emotion Sightcraft 0 S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: one creature Casting time: one swift action Duration: Instantaneous Saving throw: Will negates Spell resistance: Yes This spell gives you information about the target's current mood and emotional state. The spell provides the caster with a single adjective that best describes the target's current emotions, so targets experiencing particularly complex emotional turmoil when the spell is cast may return oversimplified results. The intimate knowledge of the target's emotions provides the caster with valuable insight when dealing with that person. After successfully casting read emotion, the caster gains a +2 Insight bonus on the next Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive check he makes against the spell's target. Since emotions can change rapidly, this bonus is lost if no appropriate check is made within 5 minutes of the spell's casting. Touch of Pain Ragecraft 0 V, S Range: Touch Target: one creature Duration: one round Saving throw: Fort negates Spell Resistance: Yes The caster touches the target with a melee touch attack, sending ripples of pain through the target's body from the point of contact. For the duration of the spell, the target takes a -2 penalty to the modified level check to resist Intimidation by the caster and his allies, and must succeed at a Concentration check against touch of agony's saving throw DC to cast spells or concentrate on an existing spell. Grip of Pain Ragecraft 1 V, S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: one creature Duration: 1 round or 1d4 rounds, see text Saving throw: Fort partial Spell Resistance: Yes The target is wracked with spasms of pain, clouding his mind an inhibiting his actions. For the duration of the spell, the target takes a -2 penalty to the modified level check to resist Intimidation by the caster and his allies, and takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls. The target must also make a Concentration check against grip of pain's saving throw DC to cast spells or concentrate on an existing spell. A successful saving throw reduces the spell's duration from 1d4 rounds to 1 round. Doors of Pain Ragecraft 2 V, S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: one creature Duration: 1 round or 2d4 rounds, see text Saving throw: Fort partial Spell Resistance: Yes The target is washed in overwhelming pain. For the duration of the spell, the target takes a -2 penalty to the modified level check to resist Intimidation by the caster in his allies, and takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, AC, and all Strength-based and Dexterity-based checks. Each round while the spell is in effect, the target takes 1d8 points of nonlethal damage. The target must also make a Concentration check against doors of pain's saving throw DC to cast spells or concentrate on an existing spell. A successful saving throw reduces the spell's duration from 2d4 rounds to 1 round. Flood of Agony Ragecraft 4 V, S Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: one creature per two caster levels Duration: 1 round or 2d6 rounds, see text Saving throw: Fort partial Spell Resistance: Yes The targets of this spell are consumed with searing pain. For the duration of the spell, each target takes a -2 penalty to the modified level check to resist Intimidation by the caster in his allies, and takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, AC, and all Strength-based and Dexterity-based checks. Each round while the spell is in effect, each target takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage. Each target must also make a Concentration check against flood of agony's saving throw DC to cast spells or concentrate on existing spells. Each target of the spell who succeeds at a saving throw is released from the effects of the flood of agony after only one round, rather than the usual 2d6 rounds. Secretward Wordcraft 3 [Compulsion, Mind-affecting] V, S, M Range: Touch Target: one creature Casting time: 1 hour Duration: one month per level Saving throw: Will partial Spell Resistance: Yes By casting secretward, the caster renders the target unable to speak about a particular subject of the caster's choice. Example compulsions include: "You will not disclose the details of your meeting with Councilor Thavius," "you will tell no one of the murder you have witnessed," "you will not tell anyone, including the Formerian ambassador, that you are serving as his bodyguard," and similar instructions. Secretward has no power to affect any other aspect of the target's behavior, but a creature under the effects of this spell cannot communicate about the restricted subject by any means. The subject restricted by this spell must be specific and clearly defined by the caster. A mage could use this spell to prevent the target from discussing a single act of violence, a single dwarven individual, or a particular stash of hidden gold, but no secretward could prevent the target from discussing all the violence he's ever witnessed, the entire dwarven race, or the idea of currency in general. A creature under the effects of a secretward spell cannot bypass this restriction by writing things down, offering hints of any kind, answering questions about the subject, or any other methods. In fact, a creature who is asked questions about a subject he is magically prohibited from discussing can only respond with, "I cannot answer that question," or a similar response. Spellcasters using detect thoughts or other means to examine the target without requiring his active communication may discover information on the restricted subject if they succeed at a Will save against the secretward spell; failure indicates all thoughts related to the restricted subject are black, murky, and unreadable. No matter whether the saving throw succeeds or fails, the target is unable to discuss the forbidden subject. If the saving throw fails, the target is similarly prevented from discussing the secretward spell that affects him, or actively seeking a spellcaster to cast dispel magic on him. A target who succeeds on the saving throw is capable of informing others that about the spell, which may lead to the spell's being dispelled or otherwise negated, leaving the target able to talk freely once again. Even though a target who saves successfully against secretward can discuss the spell that affects him, he is still prevented from discussing the forbidden subject until the secretward is dispelled or its duration expires. This prevents a character from circumventing the spell's restrictions by saying something like, "I am under a spell that prevents me from telling anyone that I am the ambassador's bodyguard." Note that the spell's long casting time and the requirement that the caster touch the target to cast the spell make secretward difficult to cast, since the caster must find some way to make the target stay still for an hour. Secretward can easily be cast upon a target that is willing or tied up, and some casters have been known to risk casting secretward upon sleeping targets (although the spell fails if they awaken and break the touch contact.) Material component: a powder made from crushed opal and butterfly wings, worth at least 50 gp, to be sprinkled on the target during casting. Call Animal Animism 0 V, S, M Range: Personal Target: You Casting time: 1 standard action Duration: Instantaneous Saving throw: Will negates (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes By casting this spell, you compel the nearest animal to come to your location, using its normal means of travel to the best of its abilities. This spell cannot cause an animal to attempt transportation unnatural to its species, such as causing a fish to leave water or a horse to climb a tree. Wild animals receive no saving throw, but domesticated or trained animals can make a Will save to resist the effect. Creatures with Intelligence of 3 or greater are immune to this effect. This spell has no effect on the animal's behavior besides causing it to come to your location; creatures summoned this way might be hostile toward the caster. This spell only affects animals within Medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft./level); if no appropriate animal is within range of the spell, the spell has no effect. Material component: a drop of honey.
His Majesty 04-15-05, 09:41 AM	This is awesome, though unplaytested. I'd love to playtest sometime in the future, when you think that it's nearly done.
archmage_abadon 01-02-06, 01:21 AM	Impressive. Limunous, I really like your work here. With your premission, I would like to cast a few of these in my game.
Vaalingrade Ashland 01-02-06, 01:46 AM	Very interesting work, I have to say. Ambitious. I've got to ask where you expect these mages to get thier start. With knowledge and craft requirements, it sounds like rogues are going to be entering it mostly, assuming you're replacing/altering bards too. Also, you wouldn't happen to have a website for this, would you? Boards formatting makes it a bit hard on the eyes.
Phearcia 01-10-06, 10:47 PM	I think you should either take out Divine Might or edit it imo, If a cleric were to take the feat Power Lunge and fight with a two handed weapon he would be adding an overall bonus of +24 to his strength. Just a thought. I made a cleric one time who had a 168 strength after everything and it all stacked. Really broken. I think he was dealing somewhere in the range of 2000+ damage per attack. or maybe that was a full round of attacks can't remember. But read the Strength domain and Destruction Domain Really careful like and you can see the brokeness.
Luminous Crayon 01-15-06, 03:40 PM	Impressive. Limunous, I really like your work here. With your premission, I would like to cast a few of these in my game.Permission granted, of course, with one condition: send me a PM or post in this thread, telling me how it works out when and if you run it. This has been only minimally playtested, and I'd be interested to see how it works in your group.Very interesting work, I have to say. Ambitious.Thanks. "Reckless" and "insane" are other adjectives I've heard regarding this, but I like "ambitious" better. :cool: I've got to ask where you expect these mages to get thier start. With knowledge and craft requirements, it sounds like rogues are going to be entering it mostly, assuming you're replacing/altering bards too.One thing this thread doesn't mention is that I've done some comparitively minor reorganization of base classes as well. The sort of stereotypical starting point is my Expert class, useful for building know-it-alls, but there are a lot of options. There's also a feat I'm working with, called Well-Educated, that lets you designate a number of Knowledge skills equal to your Intelligence modifier as permanent class skills. A character with this feat could select Knowledge (Arcana) and fulfill the requirements for the Mage PrC by third level, with a huge variety of starting classes. Keep in mind that there are only two requirements for being a mage: 6 ranks in Knowledge (Arcana), and 6 ranks in any one of the ten skills associated with a secondary discipline (which will become the mage's specialization.) The ten discipline skills are all relatively common, so the Knowledge (Arcana) is the only real hurdle. The Expert class and the Well-Educated feat over come that hurdle, though. That said, it's actually fairly easy to become a mage, though some of the particular mage specializations are harder to achieve.Also, you wouldn't happen to have a website for this, would you? Boards formatting makes it a bit hard on the eyes.There is a website, but it is a low-quality Angelfire page that I desperately need to update. In the relatively near future, I should be getting the site presentable and up-to-date; once that's accomplished, I'll be putting the link back in my signature.*snip clerics discussion*Neither clerics, nor domains, nor Power Lunge (whatever that is) are a part of my homebrew ruleset. Therefore I am not concerned about balance issues regarding them. I can't guarantee there are no balance problems with the things I've actually posted in this thread. Minimal playtesting has been done, and I'm still in the process of finishing them.
Luminous Crayon 01-15-06, 04:44 PM	Important Update: The Channeler class is almost finished. The sphere abilities are complete, and the sorting of existing spells is finished. In addition, the assignment of spheres to various deities is completed. Things that are not finished: filling in prerequisites and Doctrine for the various channeler sources of power, filling out anemic spheres and disciplines with extra spells, playtesting. The whole system is finished enough to be playtested. Feel free to do so and share your findings with me, or to help with the final tweaking of the system in this thread. I have not forgotten this project. :) Thanks, -LC
Lord Psynister 01-15-06, 06:52 PM	Do you have all of your information in a single document or folder that you could either put a link up for, or that you could email to those of us who'd like to test if for you? I can copy/paste/print it all, it'd just be a bit easier if you already had it sorted for us.
Luminous Crayon 01-15-06, 07:19 PM	I have all my campaign setting information, this included, in convenient html form, complete with handy tables. I can't host it for download, but I can email it to those who are interested. Throw me a private message, and I'll send you whatever you like.