Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sinfire Titan 02-05-08, 10:17 PM	Rift Magi http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs25/f/2008/036/3/e/Rift_Magi_by_SinfireTitan.jpg Rift Magi are people who have explored a malevolent storm that has existed for eons in Arcadia. They are very similar to a Moon Magus, but their spells can become far more potent than such people. They have risked their very lives to obtain such power, and they can be literally terrifying in battle. No one should fight such people without being prepared for the worst. Hit Die: d8 Entry Requirements: Character Level: 11th. Skills: Knowledge (Arcana ) 7 ranks, Knowledge (Local) 7 ranks. Feats: Weapon Focus (Any Diamond Mind favored weapon.) Special: Must have at least two martial maneuvers or two Moon Magic feats. Special: Must have spent one week lost in the Dark Rift. Making a Rift Magi A Rift Magi is one who has seen the final edge of the void itself, someone who has survived the dreaded Dark Rift’s eerie lengths and lived to tell the tale. Endowed with potent magic from this life-shaking event they make many a sailor shake in his boots. Abilities: While the individual Magi may be very different in philosophy from the next, they all share the same reliance on Intelligence for their spellcasting. A good Intelligence helps them with their skills, and a good Constitution score will help them stay active in combat. Many prefer Dexterity over Strength. Others prefer not to have to fight their enemies up close and use their spells to deter such threats. Races: No one race can boast that they have many Rift Magi in their ranks. Very few people survive the trails that await inside the Rift if they stray from the beaten path. It has never been very forgiving, and its winds are deadly, even to the most hardy of races. Alignment: Any. No one alignment is favored under the six moons. Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (All skills, taken individually), Martial Lore, Profession (Any), Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Tumble. Skill Points per Level: 4+Int modifier. X4 at 1st level. Class Features Never underestimate a Rift Magi. They are potent enemies, always ready for whatever is about to hit them. They can be cold, calculating foes, and their abilities show this state of mind very often. A Rift Magi gains weapon proficiency with all Simple weapons, and with the favored weapons of the Diamond Mind discipline (Bastard Sword, Rapier, Shortspear, and Trident, see Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords for more information on the Diamond Mind discipline). They gain no proficiency with any armor. Like a Divine Crusader or Ur-Priest (see Complete Divine for information on those PrCs), a Rift Magi gains access to a limited number of spells per day. Unlike these classes, a Rift Magi casts their spells as Arcane spells, not Divine. A Rift Magi’s spells are not subject to Arcane Spell Failure chance from Light or Medium Armor of any kind. The Rift Magi’s spell list is derived from the Black Moon domain (see below). Like the Divine Crusader, a Rift Magi also gains the granted power of the domain. Whenever the domain lists two spells, the Rift Magi may cast either of these spells. In order to cast a spell, a Rift Magi must have an Intelligence score of at least 10+the spell’s level. The save DC and bonus spells per day are also derived from the Rift Magi’s Intelligence score. A Rift Magi may cast any spell on the Rift Magi spell list spontaneously; they need not prepare their spells as some spellcasters do. You caster level is equal to your Rift Magi levels+ ½ of your levels in any other classes. At every odd numbered level (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th) you learn a new maneuver from the Diamond Mind style. At 3rd, 6th, and again at 9th, you can ready one more maneuver than normal. Like any PrC that advances martial maneuvers, if you used Martial Study to qualify for this class instead of taking levels in a Martial Adept class (such as Swordsage, Moon Magus, or other class), you do not receive this benefit. Instead, the number of maneuvers you can ready is equal to the number of maneuvers you have learned through such feats. As an added benefit, you gain the ability to recover expended maneuvers, even if you couldn’t normally do so. As a free action, once per round, you may expend a spell slot. You then immediately recover any one maneuver you have expended this encounter. Alternatively, you may recover maneuvers by casting a spell. By increasing the casting time of a spell that has at most a Standard action casting time to one Full Round action, you immediately recover a number of expended maneuvers equal to the level of the spell cast. At 1st, and again at 6th level, you learn a new stance of the Diamond Mind style. You must still meet any requirements for the stance, such as minimum initiator level and number of maneuvers known. At every even-numbered level, you gain class features (including any spellcasting, manifesting, binding, or martial abilities) and an increase to your effective level as though you had also gained a level in a class to which you belonged to before adopting this PrC. You do not, however, gain the benefit of your previous class’ Hit Dice, Skill Points, Base Attack Bonus, or Saving Throws. If you had more than one class before taking levels in this PrC, you may pick which one you want to advance in this way. Whenever you take a level of Rift Magi, you immediately gain one bonus Moon Magic feat. If your campaign does not use these feats, you instead gain a bonus Fighter feat. If your campaign makes use of the Moon Magic feats, you do not have to meet the Region of Origin requirements. You must still meet the other requirements, as normal. Starting at 2nd level, you gain a special stance known only to those who have studied the powers of the Dark Rift. As a Swift action, you may forgo your current stance’s benefit to receive this power for your own use. Whenever you make a melee attack during your turn, you may extend the reach of your weapon by 5 ft. This benefit only applies to attacks you make during your turn as part of an attack action or Strike. It does not apply to attacks of opportunity, even if you make them during your turn. As a Rift Magi continues in their advancement, they learn new techniques that can be applied to their martial studies. When initiating a Diamond Mind strike that requires an attack roll, a Rift Magi of 5th level or higher may expend a spell as a Swift action to replace the attack roll with a Concentration check. This may not be used on a Diamond Mind strike that involves another Concentration check, such as Sapphire Nightmare Blade. If they could make more than one attack with the strike, they may replace all of the attack rolls with a Concentration check. Any penalties that would apply to the attack roll apply to the Concentration check as well. Starting at 7th level, a Rift Magi gains a new technique to use in conjunction with a spell that you have just cast. When casting any spell from your Rift Magi class spell list, you may take an Immediate action and expend a maneuver you have readied to create the effect of a Solid Fog spell. You may use this ability a number of times equal to 3+Int (minimum of once) per day. The spell must be successfully cast in order for you to use this ability. From 9th level, onward, a Rift Magi has mastered the powers of the martial styles, and gained true insight to what the Dark Rift’s powers can unleash. As a Swift action, you may forgo your current stance’s benefits to enter a stance known only to the masters of the Rift itself. You may maintain this stance for up to two rounds per class level per encounter, and you may not use this stance outside of an encounter for any reason (the state of mind needed is impossible to achieve without the heat of battle). The winds themselves whip around and hinder your foes for the entire duration of the stance. While in the Talons of Terminus stance, the wind speed in a 120 ft. sphere around you increases to tornado strength winds (Between 175-300 MPH). You are unaffected by this change in the wind speed, and can act completely unhindered by any such winds. While in this stance, any and all creatures or objects you view as a threat take 9d6 point of damage from the sheer speed of the winds around you, this damage is not subject to DR in any way. There is no save to reduce the damage, but anyone caught in the winds must make a Fortitude save DC 19+ your Int modifier or be affected by the normal impact of the winds speed (see the Weather section in the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more details on the effects of Tornado-force winds). Allies are also affected by the wind speed, but not the damage if you so choose to exclude them from its effect. Once this effect ends, the winds backlash on you, and you take damage equal to 4d6 x the number of rounds you were in this stance. A successful Fortitude save (same DC as above) halves this damage. Playing A Rift Magi The hardest part of a Rift Magi’s life is becoming one. Not many can survive the terrors that hide in the damned Dark Rift, and even fewer actually can afford the journey. But those who can, and those who do, come back far more powerful than their fellow man. Where as others quest for gold, or power, or even for their deity, you quest for the sheer sake of knowing that nothing will be nearly as dangerous as what you have experienced. You are a die-hard, a walking legend of unstoppable might. And though many try their hand against your power, you can expect none to come close to what you have attained. Combat can be over fairly quick for you. Most of your spells are fully capable of ending the fight within seconds of it starting, and those who survive them can expect your allies to focus their attention on them. Your key to surviving is the fact that even when you run out of spells, you can still lay waste to your opponent with your martial prowess. While you may not be as potent as your standard Wizard, you can certainly keep up with them. But remember, your tactics are fairly limited by this class, so you may have to fall back on your other class features to keep your enemies on their toes. Resources The single largest resource a Rift Magi has is their spells. Arcane casters are able to get new spells added to their spell lists easily, and a Rift Magi can take full advantage of this. As to in game organizations, don’t expect many who don’t know you to even lift a finger for you unless you can pay them well. Rift Magi are notorious for being loners, and many organizations play off of this stereotype to keep them out. If you were in one prior to becoming a Magi, then they will tend to overlook this and help you out normally, but new members may be skeptical of you for some time. Rift Magi In The World “You have no clue what you are dealing with, punk.” - Daven Narulis, Rift Magi of Nasr. Very few Rift Magi still live in the world, but those who do find it very difficult to hide from the rumors that spread about them. Due to this, Rift Magi are somewhat well known for their triumphs, at least in Arcadia. Organization To date, Rift Magi have no known organization of their own. They tend to be wanders that never stay in one place for very long, so creating one is almost entirely up to the player playing one. NPC Reactions Most NPCs who meet a Rift Magi react to them in a wide variety of ways. Those who have seen their fearsome powers know better than to approach them when one is in a bad mood. Those who haven’t have a tendency to marvel at their tales of survival. Spellcasters are another story. Rift Magi are respected amongst their magical kin, for the most part. Some Clerics have gripes about their death-oriented magic, and thus distrust them. Martial Adepts view them as peers or even rivals along the Sublime Path. Some don’t even care about Rift Magi at all. Rift Magi Lore A player can find more out about a particular Rift Magi or just discover Rift Magi in general by making a successful Knowledge (Local) or Bardic Knowledge check. The DCs are as follows: DC 10: Rift Magi are people who have visited the Dark Rift for an extended period of time and lived to tell about it. DC 15: A Rift Magi is a martial adept capable of casting spells, much akin to a Moon Magus. DC 20: A Rift Magi is also a master of the Diamond Mind discipline, a part of the Sublime Way. DC 25: Beware of their ferocious magic, a Rift Magi can kill a man many different ways with several spells. DC 30: Characters who achieve this level of success can learn information about local Rift Magi and their past accomplishments. The Dark Rift is a special location in Arcadia, and does not exist on other planes, such as Greyhawk or Eberron. If a player in such a campaign wishes to play a Rift Magi, it could be very easy to adapt the PrC to fit the setting. In Eberron, have the player visit Xorait or the Mournland instead of the Dark Rift. The Depths of Khyber also work wonders for simulating this requirement. Yeah, yeah, I know. You aren't supposed to put a minimum level requirement in PrC. But hey, they did it to Legacy Champion, and this prevents easy entry otherwise. So, a couple of things about this PrC. If you have ever played Skies of Arcadia, then the name "Dark Rift" should look familiar. However, this class has no other basis on the game aside from the setting it was meant for. Why? Because I'm taking my own spin on the video game in this game. (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=951512) For those who have seen my other class for this setting (Moon Magus). some of the abilities will look very similar, in their own way. But what sets them apart is the fact that this class has 9th level casting, while the other one has only 6th level. Why? Because it is a far more focused class in terms of spell list and maneuvers. But it still advances class features. This is due to the setting's unique Gestalt rules. Instead of the normal Gestalt, this setting simply creates an entirely new base class, just for the setting. And I didn't want to put separate spellcasting advancement, so I did this. Do note, it is only a 9 level PrC. It is meant to finish off your advancement into 20th, not be a dip class! The only real abuse I see is with Warlock/Hellfire Warlock. At 11th level, the build would be Warlock 9/Binder 1/ Hellfire Warlock 1, and the next 9 levels would be Rift Magus. This gives 7 levels of Hellfire Warlock, which translates into 7 levels of Warlock. Optimized, this would be dangerous. But no more-so than a Druid would be. This class is almost strickly better than Legacy Champion, and should be compared more to Ruby Knight Vindicator or Kensai, or even Ur-Priest, than that PrC.
Sinfire Titan 02-05-08, 10:19 PM	Spells: Black Moon Domain Deity: None. This domain must be granted to a character via a prestige class. Granted Power: You gain Positive Energy Resistance 5 if you are undead, or Negative Energy Resistance 5 if you are living. Domain Spells 1: Power Word Pain/ Bestow Wound (Spell Compendium) 2: Wall of Gloom/ Phantasmal Assailants (Spell Compendium) 3: Inflict Serious Wounds/ Shadow Binding (Spell Compendium) 4: Sword of Deception (Spell Compendium) 5: Whithering Palm/ Harm (Spell Compendium) 6: Sword of Darkness (Spell Compendium) 7: Inflict Serious Wounds, Mass 8: Black Blade of Disaster (Spell Compendium) 9: Sphere of Ultimate Destruction (Spell Compendium)
dman11235 02-05-08, 10:39 PM	Please change the color of the table, it hurts my eyes!
Sinfire Titan 02-05-08, 10:47 PM	Please change the color of the table, it hurts my eyes! I thought it looked cool... Fixing now. Edit: Hozzat?
dman11235 02-05-08, 10:51 PM	This PrC is all kinds of wierd. 9 levels? +1 of existing class features? You still get your cookie::cookie: In the Terminus Stance, you forgot to put "ft" after 120. Also, it seems unbalanced: too powerful on the upside, but to damaging on the down side. Other than that, I'm out for tonight, this class will take some actual thought to PEACH properly. I'm to tired right now for actual thought. EDIT: hozzat? What is hozzat? EDIT: I get it! how's that! The blue on red isn't eye friendly either.
Sinfire Titan 02-05-08, 10:56 PM	This PrC is all kinds of wierd. 9 levels? +1 of existing class features? You still get your cookie::cookie: In the Terminus Stance, you forgot to put "ft" after 120. Also, it seems unbalanced: too powerful on the upside, but to damaging on the down side. Other than that, I'm out for tonight, this class will take some actual thought to PEACH properly. I'm to tired right now for actual thought. EDIT: hozzat? What is hozzat? "How is that?" I should have edited better this time. I thought I didn't miss anything. Well, when you look at the actual damage, it is similar to a Warlock's EB, but it has a drawback attached, and no roll needed, but it hinders your friends more than it helps them. The ability is almost on par with Storm of Vengance, but barely. It is actually the equal of a 7th spell. So, slightly stronger, slightly weaker. If it still seems overpowering, then I will change up the damage, maybe allow a save against it.
dman11235 02-05-08, 11:00 PM	Not overpowering, just unbalanced. The drawbacks are huge, and so is the benefit. It doesn't look like anything anyone would ever use is the problem, because of the drawbacks.
Sinfire Titan 02-05-08, 11:06 PM	Not overpowering, just unbalanced. The drawbacks are huge, and so is the benefit. It doesn't look like anything anyone would ever use is the problem, because of the drawbacks. Well, it was more meant for a villain than PCs, but they can use it by equipping their party right. And the damage can be minimized by using it, then turning it off. But I may change it a bit, so it doesn't screw the party over.
Sinfire Titan 02-07-08, 02:44 AM	Any other critiques? Or is the class good to go?
dman11235 02-07-08, 08:16 AM	It looks fine to me. You still need to put "ft" after the 120 in Talons of the Terminus Stance. But other than some proofreading, it looks fine. And the Terminus stance still seems wierd.
ItaraKoturo 02-08-08, 04:31 PM	If a spellcaster takes levels in this class, does he simply not receive any benefit from Greater Moon's Focus? There are no moon feats that spellcasters are allowed to take.
Sinfire Titan 02-08-08, 05:03 PM	If a spellcaster takes levels in this class, does he simply not receive any benefit from Greater Moon's Focus? There are no moon feats that spellcasters are allowed to take. This is true. But yes. It means they need to go the Martial Maneuvers route instead.
DavidWL 04-25-08, 07:03 AM	Some thoughts: Overall, it is pretty balanced - traditional fighting classes give up a lot of their feat chains or ability synergy, making it balanced. Casters give up 5 CL, making it balanced. However, Were I to optimize it, I'd think of the following types of things: 1) Tome of Battle Classes - they don't give up IL. I'd think something like Fighter 1/Swordsage 1/Crusader 8/Master of Nine 1/Rift Mage 9. IL = 19, Full bennies of the Master of Nine Class. A few extra perks from Rift Mage. (Diamond Mind Manuevers, spells, a bonus fighter feat, a nice recovery mechanism). 2) +1 existing level => Chameleon... Factotum 3/Crusader 2/Chameleon 6/Rift Mage 9 Additionally, you could use the extra spell feat, qualifying for it from the rift mage's casting, but applying it to the Chameleon's progression (get the feat with the Chameleon's floating feat). Enhance this with the Sanctum spell feat, getting a 9th level chameleon spell slot. 3) Use sandshaper to expand the Rift Mage's spell list => Any 11/Rift Mage 8/Sand Shaper 1 Now you an spontaneously cast from a larger spell list. 4) You can use the spells of the Rift Mage to fuel other abilities - Arcane Strike is an obvious choice (especially since you can make it a martially oriented class relatively easily). 5) Becaue of the above, a swiftblade also wouldn't be a poor choice. Sorcerer 6/Swiftblade 6/Rift Mage 8 Casts as Sorcerer 12, Rift Mage 8, using Rift Mage spells to fuel Swiftblade castings of Haste. Best, David
Sinfire Titan 04-25-08, 03:18 PM	Some thoughts: Overall, it is pretty balanced - traditional fighting classes give up a lot of their feat chains or ability synergy, making it balanced. Casters give up 5 CL, making it balanced. However, Were I to optimize it, I'd think of the following types of things: 1) Tome of Battle Classes - they don't give up IL. I'd think something like Fighter 1/Swordsage 1/Crusader 8/Master of Nine 1/Rift Mage 9. IL = 19, Full bennies of the Master of Nine Class. A few extra perks from Rift Mage. (Diamond Mind Manuevers, spells, a bonus fighter feat, a nice recovery mechanism). 2) +1 existing level => Chameleon... Factotum 3/Crusader 2/Chameleon 6/Rift Mage 9 Additionally, you could use the extra spell feat, qualifying for it from the rift mage's casting, but applying it to the Chameleon's progression (get the feat with the Chameleon's floating feat). Enhance this with the Sanctum spell feat, getting a 9th level chameleon spell slot. 3) Use sandshaper to expand the Rift Mage's spell list => Any 11/Rift Mage 8/Sand Shaper 1 Now you an spontaneously cast from a larger spell list. 4) You can use the spells of the Rift Mage to fuel other abilities - Arcane Strike is an obvious choice (especially since you can make it a martially oriented class relatively easily). 5) Becaue of the above, a swiftblade also wouldn't be a poor choice. Sorcerer 6/Swiftblade 6/Rift Mage 8 Casts as Sorcerer 12, Rift Mage 8, using Rift Mage spells to fuel Swiftblade castings of Haste. Best, David I'm aware of those potential abuses, but it really doesn't bother me all that much. Optimization happens, and I want this PrC to be playable.
Tytalus 04-28-08, 08:43 AM	Shouldn't it be "Rift Magus"? "Magi" is generally used for plurals (following the latin root/grammar rules). 'I am a magi' sounds simply wrong. This class is almost strickly better than Legacy Champion, and should be compared more to Ruby Knight Vindicator [...], or even Ur-Priest, than that PrC. I don't think it's a good idea to use comparisons with borderline broken PrCs as a means of evaluating a new PrC.
Sinfire Titan 04-28-08, 01:28 PM	Shouldn't it be "Rift Magus"? "Magi" is generally used for plurals (following the latin root/grammar rules). 'I am a magi' sounds simply wrong. I don't think it's a good idea to use comparisons with borderline broken PrCs as a means of evaluating a new PrC. Yes, you are right. But Rift Magi has a nice ring to it. Rift Magus doesn't. NPCs with this PrC are somewhat known about, as many people use the Dark Rift as a travel route (at least the safer portions of it, in the PbP game I am running). This means that the name is referring to them as a whole, not on an individual level. As to the PrC comparison, when you look at the spells they get, they aren't as potent as the Ur-Priest, and the maneuvers they get are more restrictive than the RKV. But both of these limitations can be circumvented via feats and items, and the RM advances spellcasting and maneuvers on top of the separate progression it has.
Lineov 05-27-08, 09:08 PM	I was just wondering where Moon Magic feats are located. I've never heard of them before?
Sinfire Titan 05-28-08, 02:32 PM	I was just wondering where Moon Magic feats are located. I've never heard of them before? They are located in the campaign setting, which is linked to in the Notes section.