Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Haldrik 11-30-07, 02:28 AM	Note, Im continuing to edit and organize the material below. Work in progress. Power Sources Use the 4e power sources (officially Arcane, Divine, Martial, and Psi, plus unofficially Nature and Necromantic) to organize magic powers. Note, a power may relate to several sources and be difficult to assign. The name 'Psi' is short for 'psyche', meaning soul, mind, spiritual breath, and so on. The term 'mindforce' covers all of the senses of Psyche being both consciousness and telekinetic presence. Powers in purple are arguably Psi, even if not classified as Psi. The new 4e cosmology consolidates the current planes into five elegant planes. For example, the current Astral Plane, all of the Outer Planes, and the Positive Energy Plane merge into a single 4e plane, called "Astral Sea", where "Immortals" dwell. The new planes can correspond elegantly with power sources. Thus each source has its own list of powers and resonates with the themes of a plane. Arcane (Elemental Chaos): Alchemy, Elementalism (Control Four Elements), Creation (Inorganic Forms), Transmutation. Elementalism Air: The element of Air comprises wind, including Watery mist and Earthy haze and Fiery smog: 'Control Wind' (Gust Of Wind, Wind Wall, Control 'Windspeed'), Control Mist (Obscuring Mist, Fog Cloud, Solid Fog, Stinking Cloud, Cloudkill), Control Weather, Air Walk. Earth: The element of Earth comprises every mineral, including stone, soil, clay, sand, dust, metal, salt, gem, crystal, glass, salt, as well as Fiery lava, Watery mud, Airy caves: Control Earth (Wall Of Stone, Wall Of Iron), Earthquake, Earth To Mud, Earth To Lava, Glitterdust. Water (Cold): The element of Water dampens heat energy, exposing cold, and includes ice and Airy blizzard, snow and hail, and erodes Earth: 'Evoke Cold' (Ray Of Frost, Cone Of Cold, Freezing Sphere, Polar Ray, Cool Metal), Create Water, Control Water (Ice Storm, Sleet Storm, Wall Of Ice), Water Walk. Fire (Heat): The element of Fire radiates heat energy, including Airy flame and Earthy smoke and soot: Evoke Heat (Fireball, Fireblast, Burning Hands, Flame Strike, Fire Storm, Explosive Runes, Fire Trap, Fire Shield, Wall Of Fire, Heat Metal, Incendiary Cloud), Pyrotechnics, Produce Flame. Phase: You phase the matter of your body to attain affinity with an Element to enter its realm as if part of that Element and pass thru it without disturbing it any way. You may also phase into an element passing thru Elemental Chaos and exiting thru the same element elsewhere in the Mortal Realm. 'Air Phase' (Wind Walk), 'Earth Phase' (Earth Glide 'Of Earth Elemental', Passwall, Phase Door, Meld Into Stone). Resist Elements: 'Resist Elements' (Endure Elements, 'Heat-Cold' Energy Adaptation, Resist 'Heat-Cold' Energy, Protection From 'Heat-Cold' Energy. Summon: You summon an Elemental or anti-elemental Demon, and bind its will and even while remains in its homeplane of Elemental Chaos, may compel it to materialize itself remotely thru some sample of its corresponding element, that then animates and amasses into its form, but reverts and falls inert at the conclusion of the summoning: Summon Elemental, Summon Demon. Alchemy Transutation: alteration into inorganic form: Inorganic Fabrication (Fabrication, Prestidigitation, Shrink Item, Stone Shape, Mud To Rock), Alchemy, Inorganic Prestidigitation, Inorganic Transmutation, Create Inorganic Object, Form Inorganic Construct, Inorganic Shapechange, Stone Form (Stoneskin, Flesh To Stone, Statue, Iron Body), Air Form (Gaseous Form). Creation: spontaneous creation of an inorganic object from the potential raw elements of Elemental Chaos: Creation (Inorganic Major Creation, Black Tentacles). Corrosive: chemical energy in the form of an acid that dissolves inorganic substances but not organic substances: 'Evoke Corrosive'. Divine (Astral Sea): Spirit, Ideal, Immortal (= Astral, Positive Energy, Outsider). Immortality Heal: The Divine power source has Immortality, being positive energy that emanates from the plane of the Astral Sea and pervades all planes, even Shadowfell but like sunlight that shines into a dark ocean. Only the minimal dosage of positivity is therapeutic, to sustain life, dispelling death, and to achieve death-defying faith healing (but use the Nature power source to regenerate lost bodyparts), so you use more positive energy as you advance thru levels: Heal (Cure Wounds, Restoration, Gentle Repose), Detect Life (Status, Deathwatch), Resurrect (Raise Dead, True Resurrection). Transfer: transfer of positive energy from one being to another: Transfer (Shield Other, Empathic Transfer), Vampirism (Vampiric Touch, Hostile Empathic Transfer, Death Knell, Energy Drain, Strength of My Enemy, Claws Of The Vampire, Vampiric Blade), Affinity Field. Transfiguration: your body infuses with positive energy to automatically adapt to any hostile environment, be it underwater, airless, extreme heat, extreme cold, or so on, as if a native of that environment: 'Transfiguration' (Adapt Body). Smite: evocation of unrestricted blast of positive energy for overwhelming impact: Paladin Smite, Holy Smite, Holy Word. Turn: radiation of positive energy to dispel necromantic shadow energy: Hallow (Bless Water, Curse Water, Unhallow), Death Ward, Disrupt Undead (Disrupting Weapon), Hide From Undead, Halt Undead, Command Undead, Undeath-To-Death. Transcendence Outofbody: you go on a spirit journey that projects your conscious perspective outofbody via spirit to travel in the form of an incorporeal version of your body that may manifest as if corporeal (while your mindforce says connected with your actual body that remains in a fascinated condition, so your conscious perspective doesnt actually die if reduced to 0 hitpoints but simply returns to your body): Outofbody (Astral Travel), Spectral Hand, Arcane Eye, Prying Eyes. Conjuration: requests an Immortal from the plane of Astral Sea to journey outofbody, manifest corporeally, and assist: Conjure Immortal Creature (Summon Monster, Planar Ally), Conjure Immortal Object (Summons, Secure Shelter, Call Weaponry), Dismissal. Teleportation: travel instantly from one location to another, without intermediate distance, via spirit that links corresponding ideals, forms and concepts, which resemble each other or associate together: Teleportation (Teleport, Word Of Recall, Refuge, Teleportation Circle), Detect Teleportation, Divert Teleportation, Anchor (Dimensional Anchor, Fobiddance). Step: Short-range Teleportation, often in line of sight: Dimension Door, Dimension Slide, Dimension Swap, Blink, Displacement. Planar Travel: Teleportation to any plane, via spirit of Astral Sea that pervades all planes, even Shadowfell to some degree: Planeshift, Gate, Call, Shadow Walk (Etherealness, Shadowfell Jaunt), Planar Binding (Dismissal, Banishment, Dimensional Lock). Extra-Dimensional Space: Genesis, Rope Trick, Tiny Hut, Mages Magnificent Mansion, Maze. Dissipation: hostile Teleportation to disperse the surface material of a foe far away: Dissipate (Dissipating Touch). Eternity: Time, Probability, Luck: Time Hop, Time Stop, 'Suspended Animation' (Temporal Stasis, Suspend Life), 'Probability' (Moment of Prescience). Divination Scry: knowledge of a remote location via Teleportation: Scry (Scrying, Clairsentience, Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Locate Object, Locate Creature, Anchored Navigation, Find The Path, Discern Location, Detect Secret Doors, 'Trap' Danger Sense), Obscure Scry (Obscure Object, Escape Detection), Commune (Commune 'With Immortal', Contact Other Plane, Sending), True Seeing, Nondetection (Sequester, Mages Private Sanctum). Augury: knowledge from across time, past or future, via Eternity, often as information: Augury (Divination, Legend Lore, Vision, Foresight, Sense Danger), Nonentity (Nondetection against Foreknow). Martial (Mortal World, Body): Body Aura, Battle Magic, Body Movement, Martial Arts. Body Aura The Martial power source is the aura of your own body. The energy of the soul that energizes each living body forms the aura, with currents of Force flowing thru similar to a magnetic field. (The aura of an adult human occupies about one square.) Martial magic doesnt focus on the actual body, per se, but on the body aura, so even a physically weak person may master the force of the aura to achieve miraculous stunts. Warriors cultivate the Aura for battle magic, but this Aura is also necessary for extraordinary performance of any physical skill. (Compare Asian martial arts, Wushu, and the Monks use of the bodys Ki-Qi-Tshi-Chi). The Nature power source governs the physical body itself. While both the Martial and Psi power sources master the energy of the soul, Martial utilizes its movement of the body, while Psi utilizes its power of the mind. Physical Stats: Strength-Dexterity-Constitution (Bull Strength, Ray Of Enfeeblement, Bear Endurance, Cat Grace, Psychofeedback). Grace: you glide swiftly across surfaces, glancing across water, running up walls, mounting trees (like in Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger): Speed (Burst, Hustle, Haste, Slow, Expeditious Retreat, Paralysis, Remove Paralysis), Body Equalibrium (Walk On Water), Wall Walker (Spider Climb), Catfall, Freedom of Movement, Skate, Immovability. Acupressure: you block or unblock vital points in the currents of energy of a bodys aura, that flow across the body, to inflict or repair an impaired condition: Exhaustion-Fatigue, 'Knocked Out' Unconscious-Staggered, Grappling (Held-Pinned), Flat-Footed, Paralyzed-Slow, Dead-Dying-Disabled-Stable-Bloodied. Second Wind: You recover hitpoints: Second Wind (Vigor). Vigor: your imbue Temporary Hitpoints to invulnerably withstand attacks: Vigor (Aid, Virtue, Divine Power), Elan Resiliance. Rage: Strength-Constitution, Will Defense: Rage. Armor Class: AC Insight Bonus (Defensive Precognition), AC Deflection Bonus (Mental Barrier, Shield of Faith, Ring Of Protection). Probability (Entropic Shield), 'AC Dodge Bonus'. Evasion: 'Evasion' (Evade Burst). Armor-Shield: form armor or shield out of the Force of your aura, use aura to toughen body into armor, enhance armor or shield: Natural Armor (Thicken Skin), Force Armor (Mage Armor, Inertial Armor), Force Shield (Force Screen, Shield), Enhance Armor (Magic Vestment). Damage Reduction: (Obsolete in 4e): DR (Inertial Barrier, Biofeedback, Protection From Arrows). Heroism: Attack-Damage-Save-Checks: 'Heroism' (True Strike, Heroism, Resistance, Divine Favor, Prayer, Guidance, Doom, Remove Curse, Bestow Curse, Mark Of Justice, Crushing Dispare, Symbol Of Pain, Empty Mind), Attack Insight Bonus (Offensive Prescience), BAB (Transformation), 'Physical Skill Checks' ('Athletics', Jump). Weapon-Attack-Damage: form weapon out of the Force of your Aura, wield object as weapon, enhance your weapon for accurate attacks and damage: Natural Weapon (Magic Fang, Claws Of The Beast), Enhance Natural Weapon (Metaphysical Claw), Force Weapon (Mind Blade), Enhance Weapon (Metaphysical Weapon, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon), 'Additional Force Damage', Animate Weapon (Spiritual Weapon), Weapon Proficiency. Special Attack: Criticle (Keen Edge), Nonlethal (Painful Strike, 'Knock Prone' Stomp), Grapple (Grip Of Iron). Combat Stances Nature (Feywild): Ecosystem, Plant, Animal, Habitat. Shape Shapechange: alteration from any form to an organic form, such as animal or plant, including leather, parchment, bone, ivory, horn, fur, wood, paper, cotton, linen, resin, leaves, etcetera: Organic Fabricate (Fabricate, Mending, Repair, Make Whole, Prestidigitation, Secret Page), Shapechange (Wildshape, Organic Polymorph, Baleful Polymorph, Alter Self, Water Breathing, Chameleon, Metal To Wood, Oak Body, Form Of Doom), Size (Enlarge, Reduce, Shrink, Compression, Expansion, Animal Growth), Animate Organic Object (Animate Rope, Animate Object, Entangle), Phase Thru Nature (Phase Thru Door, Pass Without Trace), 'Fuse' (Graft Weapon). Wings: you Shapechange to sprout wings from your back thru your clothes and armor in the form you desire, whether like a bird, dragon, bat, butterfly, dragonfly, cloak, or so on: Wings (Wings Of The Dragon). Generation: spontaneous creation of an organic object from the potential organic matter of Feywild: Generation (Minor Creation, Grease, Acid Arrow, Web, Acid Cloud). Acid: chemical energy that dissolves organic substances but not inorganic substances: 'Evoke Acid' (Acid Splash, Acid Cloud, Dissolveing Touch, Dissolving Weapon, Breath Of The Black Dragon), Resist Acid Energy (Protection From Acid Energy). Convocation: Similar to Conjuration, the calling of nature spirits, including Animals, Plants, and Sprites from the plane of Feywild: Convocation (Summon Animal, Summon Swarm, Giant Vermin, Insect Plague), Mount, Repulsion (Anti Life Shell, Anti Plant Shell, Repel Vermin). Medicine Body Enhancement, Regeneration (Regenerate Bodypart, Fast Heal), (Remove Blindness-Deafness, Nauseated, Sickened. Sustenance: Nurishment (Purify Food And Drink, Create Food, Heroes Feast). Anatomy: Biology, Medical Healing, Medicine, Herbal Remedy. Toxin: including poison and disease: Cure Disease (Remove Disease, Contagion), Cure Poison (Detect Poison, Delay Poison, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Cloud Kill, Stinking Cloud, Prevenom, Prevenom Weapon, True Venom, True Venom Weapon), Sickened, Nauseate, Eyebite. Necromantic (Shadowfell): Death, Negation, Abjuration. Death You become death. You wield oblivion and destruction to achieve terrifying evil or perhaps accept lifelessness yourself to ensure dark justice on others. The Necromantic power source is anti-energy of Shadow, that negates existence and taints and distorts all other power sources. Shadow: anti-energy from Shadowfell that negates and distorts the various energies of other planes that ultimately emanate from the Immortality of Astral Sea: Evoke Shadow (Harm, Inflict Wounds, Slay Living, Circle Of Death, Chill Touch, Blight, Finger of Death, Horrid Wilting, Energy Drain). Shade: At death, a soul (mindforce) journeys to gate of the plane of Shadowfell, the realm of the dead, and suffuses with Shadow to become a shade and eventually rests in oblivion. A shade isnt undead, but simply dead. Undead: Animate 'Mindless' Dead (Skeleton, Zombie), Create 'Sentient' Undead (Vampire, Deathknight, Lich, Clone), Desecrate (Curse Water, Desecration), Detect Undead. Anti-Arcane: Chaos, Disintegration, Void, Summon Demon. Anti-Divine: Vampirism, Conjure Devil, Nondetection, Bad Luck, Curse. Anti-Martial: Clumbsiness, Weakness, Brittle Weapon-Armor, Sunder. Anti-Nature: Death, Starvation, Entropy, Natural Disaster, Plague, Antilife Shell, Antiplant Shell. Anti-Psi: Oblivion, Unconsciousness, Forgetfulness, Mindblank (Be Fixed). Psi (Mortal World, Worldsoul?): Mindforce (Psyche, Soul, Consciousness), Force, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Illusion. Telepathy The Psi power source is the power of your own mind. Your mindforce. The soul is an aura of fluctuating quantum states of Light, that carries consciousness and 'entangles' intimately with a physical body to form a personal conscious perspective within time and space. The Psi power source involves the mental and telekinetic aspecs of the mindforce, relates to the Martial power souce as the mindforce infuses the body as the aura that energizes physical struggle, and also relates to the Divine power source as the mindforce is the personal aspect of the spirit of the universal consciousness that transcends the self and even the cosmos. Mental Stats: Intelligence-Wisdom-Charisma (Animal Affinity, Fox Cunning, Owl Wisdom, Eagle Splendor, Feeblemind, Touch Of Idiocy, Mind Fog). Thought: you alter consciousness, thoughts, and memory: 'Mindmeld' (Telepathic Bond, Detect Thoughts, Detect Hostile Intent, Mindlink, Metaconcert, Discern Lies, Sending), Create Mind (Awaken), Confusion (Insanity), Sleep (Deep Slumber, Daze), Modify Memory (Mindwipe, Mnemonic Enhancer, Mages Lubrication, Imbue With Spell Ability, Feat Leech, Psychic Vampire), Language (Comprehend Language, Tongues), Transfer Mind (Mind Switch, Possession, Magic Jar, Trap The Soul), Distract). Mindblank: Thought Shield, Conceal Thoughts, Steadfast Perception, 'Fixed' Mindblank. Mental Skills: especially Knowledge skills. Bardic Lore. Enchantment: Telepathy that influences another emotion and viewpoint: Empathy, Charm, Control Emotion, Friendship, Love, Sympathy, Fascination, Morale (Bless, Bane), Rage, Fear (Cause Fear, Remove Fear, Scare), Hate (Antipathy), Envy, Dispel Enchantment (Break Enchantment), Conceal Thoughts. Compulsion: telepathy that overrides of targets behavior, who may black out or remain aware but helpless: Command, Geas-Quest, Zone Of Truth, Domination, Hold (Binding), Hideous Laughter, Irresistable Dance, Sanctuary, Repulsion. Phantasm: Telepathy that alters memory and induces a subjective hallucination, that may be realistic or dreamlike, present itself to several minds or isolate each mind into a subjective world, and may distort temporal perception: Suggestion (Demand), Dreaming (Dream-Message, Nightmare), Nightmare, Phantasmal Killer (Weird), Phantasmal Invisibility (Cloud Mind, Displacement), Illusory Script, 'Enhance Sense' (Synesthete, Ubiquitous Vision). Pattern: a sight, sound or telekinetic Glamer that imbues a Telepathic power: Hypnotism-Fascination, Color Spray (Hypnotic Pattern, Rainbow Pattern, Scintilating Pattern), Symbol (Fear, Pain, Insanity, Persuasion, Weakness, Stun, Sepia Snake Sigil), Telepathic Voice (Enthrall, Song of Discord, Wail of the Banshee, Power Word Stun, Power Word Blind, Animal Trance), Alarm, Magic Aura. Telekinesis Force: energy of motion: Telekinesis (Mage Hand, Telekinetic Force), Evoke Force (Magic Missile), Thrust (Telekinetic Thrust), Control Body (Telekinetic Maneuver), Floating Disk, Control Force (Resilient Sphere, Wall of Force, Forcecage, Hold Door, Arcane Lock, Telekinetic Sphere), Force Hand (Interposing Hand, Forceful Hand, Grasping Hand, Clenched Fist, Crushing Hand), Unseen Servant. Fly:Manipulate Force to Levitate back-and-forth in a straight line in any direction or to Fly freely in any direction. Fly (Fly, Overland Flight), Levitate (Levitate, Feather Fall). Incorporeality: transfigure your body and possessions into Incorporeal Force. Sonic: energy of vibration, sound, shockwave: Evoke Sonic (Sound Burst, Shatter, Shout, Sympathetic Vibration), Silence. Light: energy of electro-magnetic force: Evoke Light (Flare-Dazzle, Searing Light, Sunbeam, Sunburst), Darkvision. Electric: energy of electric force or magnetic force: Evoke Electric: (Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Call Lightning, Call Lightning Storm, Shocking Grasp). Magnetic: energy of magnetic force: Evoke Magnetic. Sublime: energy of nuclear forces and gravitational force: Disintigration, Reverse Gravity. Illusion Illusion: telekinesis of Light, Sonic, and Force, that forms a corporeal virtual reality, enhanced by telekinetic manipulation of senses, including touch, pain-itch, hot-cold, smell, taste, thirst, balance, motion, etcetera (compare Star Trek holodeck): Illusion (Shadow, Corporeal 'Major Image', Project Image, Phantom Steed, Mages Faithful Hound, Mages Sword (Blade Barrier), Hallucenatory Terrain, Mirage Arcana, Phantom Trap), Illusory Power (Shadow Conjuration, Shadow Evocation, Veil), Unveil (True Seeing Thur Illusion, See Invisibility), Screen (False Vision). Glamer: telekinesis of Light and Sonic, that forms an incorporeal illusion of sight and sound only (hologram): Control Illumination (Control Ambient Light, Light, Continual Flame, Daylight, Darkness, Deeper Darkness), Control Light (Silent Image, Mirror Image, Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, Illusory Wall, Helping Hand, Invisibility (Greater Invisibility, Invisibility Sphere, Concealing Amorpha, Mislead, Blur, Disguise Self, Seeming), Control Sound (Ventriloquism, Ghost Sound, Message, Silence), Glamer (Minor Image, Magic Mouth). Universal (All Planes): Magic Powers. Dweomer: Detect Magic (Detect Psi, Identify, Arcane Sight, Analyze Dweomer). Ward: Magic Circle (Protection Against Evil, Magic Circle Against Evil), Dispel Magic (Antimagic Field, Mages Disjunction), Spell Immunity (Sphere, Globe Of Invulnerability), Spell Resistance (Protection From Spells), Spell Turning, Dispelling Buffer. Spellbook: Read Magic, Arcane Mark (Glyph of Warding, Erase). Metamagic: Contingency, Permanency. Energy Attacks Arcane: Fire (heat energy), Water (cold, negation of heat energy), Corrosive (chemical energy, that dissolves inorganic substance). Divine: Positivity-Immortality (energy of transcendent divine splendor) Nature: Acid (chemical energy, that dissolves organic substance), Toxin. Necromantic: Shadow (anti-energy). Psi: Force (energy of telekinetic motion), Light (energy of electro-magnetic force), Electricity (energy of electric force), Magnetic, Sublime (energy of nuclear forces and gravitational force). Impaired Conditions Arcane: Windforce (Blown Away-Knocked Down-Checked), Petrified. Divine: Turned. Martial: Exhaustion-Fatigue, 'Knocked Out' Unconscious-Staggered, Grappling (Held-Pinned), Flat-Footed, Paralyzed-Slow, Damaged (Dead-Dying-Disabled-Stable-Bloodied). Nature: Physical Stat Damaged, Sickened-Nauseated, Blinded-Defeaned. Necromantic: (Includes all impared conditions listed in other power sources). Psi: Mental Stat Damaged, 'Comotose' Unconscious-Sleeping, Stunned-Dazed, Confused, Fascinated, Fear (Cowering-Panicked-Frightened-Shaken), Dazzled, Invisible. Creatures Arcane (Elemental Chaos): Elemental, Inorganic Construct, Warforged. Anti Arcane: Demon. Divine (Astral Sea): Immortal (Astral, Outsider, Positive Energy Being, Celestial), Incorporeal, Soul (Ghost, Disembodied Mindforce). Anti Divine: Immortal (Devil), Corpse Construct (Skeleton, Zombie), Undead (Vampire, Lich, Deathknight). Martial (Mortal World). Nature (Feywild): Fey, Goblin, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid, Lycanthrope, Animal, Magical Beast, Plant, Vermin, Ooze, Organic Construct. Anti Nature Creatures: Aberration, Disease. Necromantic (Shadowfell): Shade. Anti Arcane: Demon. Anti-Divine: Immortal (Devil), Corpse Construct (Skeleton, Zombie), Undead (Vampire, Lich, Deathknight). Anti Nature: Disease, Aberration. Psi (Mortal World): Force Construct (Unseen Servant).
Haldrik 11-30-07, 02:31 AM	Notes Mages of any power source can choose spells outside their own power source but perform them slightly less well. A Psion may take Arcane powers (like Fireball) and use the Psionic power source for them. Visaversa, a Wizard may take Psionic powers (like Telekinesis) and use the Arcane power source for them. Even so, an Arcane Wizard is better at Fireball, and a Psion is better at Telekinesis. A mage gets the power list of their own power source, but also chooses a secondary power list. Example: A Psion may choose Psionic and Arcane power lists (Kineticist) or Psionic and Divine power lists (Nomad-Seer), a Druid may choose Nature and Arcane lists or Nature and Divine lists, etcetera. Spells of a secondary power list are treated as (the 4e equivalent of) one "spell level" less effective. Any tertiary power lists are treated as 2 "spell levels" less effective. Feats, talent trees, and multiclassing may mitigate these penalties. Proposed Terminology Psionic power source Phantasm: Form of Enchantment to induce hallucination. The experience may be realistic or dreamlike, present itself to several minds or isolate each mind into a subjective world, and may distort temporal perception. The manifestor rolls d20 to determine the potency of the Phantasm, target minds whose Will defense exceeds this number, can distinguish reality and ignore Phantasm but may choose to "play along" with a desirable phantasmal experience. If informed of its hallucinatory origin, targets Will defense increases +4. Glamer: Form of Telekinesis to manipulate light and sound to manifest insubstantial visual and or auditory phenomena. (Includes subschool formerly called Figment.) Examples: Control Illumination, Daylight, Darkness, Control Light, Hologram, Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, Invisibility, Control Sound, Ghost Sound, Silence. Illusion: Form of Telekinesis that reinforces visual and auditory Glamer with Telekinetic Force for weight support, appearance of solidity, moving mass, damaging impact, and treadmill-like motion and spacial distortion, and for tactile sensations, including stimulation of heat-cold and pain-itch sensors, and stimulation of smell and taste sensors. (Includes subschool formerly called Shadow.) Pattern: A visual and/or audial Glamer that radiates some form of Enchantment. Enchantment: A Charmed creature gains an additional Will defense check per encounter. Compulsion: A form of Enchantment. Phantasm: A form of Enchantment. Divine power source Divine power source and Plane of Astral Sea (consolidating Astral Plane and Outer Planes). The Astral Sea, where the gods dwell, is the realm of spirit and ideals that resonate thru all that exists. Ultimately, all paths thru all planes lead to the oneness of infinite light, of Astral Sea, thus all planes may access Splendors healing power source (albeit at low doses in Shadowfell). A Cleric may focus on a devotional path thru a god in the Astral Sea for Divine powers of Conjuration. Miscellaneous Re Transmutation versus Shapeshifting. Here Transmutation is defined as the change of an original substance into some inorganic substance, like Lead-to-Gold, Rock-to-Mud, Flesh-to-Stone, Iron Body, Stoneskin, Animate Object, and Fabrication from inorganic materials. By contrast, Shapeshifting is the change of a substance into some organic (often living) substance, including Wildshape, Metal-to-Wood, Stone-to-Flesh, Enlarge, Natural Body Armor, Wings, Awaken, Animate Plants, and Fabrication from natural materials. Re Creation versus Generation. The instantaneous Creation of a permanent inorganic object virtually out of nothing actually comes from the potential elements inherent in the plane of Elemental Chaos. By contrast, the instantaneous Generation of organic matter actually comes from the potential living matter inherent in Feywild. Re Illusion. "Shadow magic" should be rethought as telepathic illusions reinforced by telekinetic force - for damage dealing and weight support. In otherwords, its exclusively Psionic. Re Electricity. The positive energy of the Mystic power source can be both healing and deadly. Example, light as positive energy heals the mind and body and imbues blissful fulfillment of desire. Also, light forms electromagnetic radiation and comprises aspects of electricity and magnetism. Some mystic mages enter combat by spellcasting electrical damage. Psionic Fly [Force], Arcane Fly [Air], Nature Fly [Wings]. Re Teleportation. In the new 4e Cosmology, the Mortal World (formerly the Prime Material Plane) is the only plane that connects all planes. The Mortal World is the hub of the universe. Teleportation is Psionic and works because of the Psionic power source of the Material Plane. When teleporting, mages send their mindforce - their soul - to the desired destination, where the mindforce then brings the body there with it, subsuming the body and personal effects within the mindforce. When teleporting others involuntarily, the victims mindforce resists with its Will defense. Strictly speaking, the Astral Sea doesnt connect with any plane except the Mortal World, and planar travel by means of the astral is impossible. Re Astral Conjuration. While the Divine power list has a single catagory - Conjuration - its the ultimate can-do-anything magic. Astral creatures are spirits. (The Divine astral spirit differs from the Psionic mindforce soul.) Astral spirits have the power to send their avatar into the Mortal World, and via there to other planes. Divine conjurers entune themselves with an astral being and invite its avatar. Each conjured creature has different abilities, empowering the Divine conjurer with enormous versatility. Need healing? Conjure a unicorn. Need to help an ally in battle, conjure a deva to help the ally fight the opponent. And so on. If reaching 0 hitpoints or at the end of the spell, the avatar returns to the Astral Sea, where the astral creature remains unharmed. Some powers conjure a temporary object that vanishes after the duration of the spell. Typically, these objects belong to a gods courtier whose avatar "loans" the object temporarily. Re Elemental Summoning. There are Arcane powers that summon an elemental or a demon from the Elemental Chaos. The summoner must have the corresponding element nearby which then animates via sympathetic magic and becomes like the planar creature in every way. (A demon merely requires the element of air.) If the elemental or demon reaches 0 hitpoints or the spell ends, the sympathetic bond severs, and the animated element falls inert wherever it is. Re devil versus demon. A devil is an anthropomorphic evil (selfish) spirit that dwells in the Astral Sea, which corresponds to the Divine power source. A demon is a monstrous evil (destructive) elemental that dwells in the Elemental Chaos, which corresponds to the Arcane power source. Re ghost versus shade. By definition, a ghost is Psionic, being a disembodied mindforce (soul) that roams the Mortal World incorporeally. By contrast, a shade is Necromantic, being a former ghost that journeyed to Shadowfell and there suffused the negative energy of oblivion, becoming an undead creature.
Haldrik 11-30-07, 02:31 AM	Reserved
Haldrik 11-30-07, 02:41 AM	Korro_Zal citing 4e Races & Classes: Cleric: One major change the cleric has undergone is that in addition to spells, he or she will also possess rituals and healing prayers, which will encompass most of the healing spells the cleric possessed in 3E. (Presumably, these will be at-will, per-encounter or per-day abilities.) Consequently, cleric spells will now mostly involve buffs and combat spells (and a great many brand-new spells have been created for the cleric). Also, all classes will possess the ability to heal themselves to some degree (possibly the SW Saga Ed. second wind?), and Leaders are able to grant an increase to this ability. In sum, clerics will no longer be called upon to heal as much as they used to, and will be able to participate in battles more. It is also stated that clerics will not be as powerful vis-à-vis the other classes as they were in 3E, and that summoning spells have been removed from their spell lists (likely to appear in a later volume).
Yhokhi 11-30-07, 07:06 PM	In another thread, Celestialkin wrote: I believe there is no question in anyone's mind that Psionics will be nerfed in 4th edition. The only question is how badly will it get nerfed? While I don't think the developers want to ruin Psionics - the opposite! - Celestialkin is right to be worried. Haldrik, look at what the Psionic power source will emphasize: Telepathy, Enchantment, Illusion, and Telekinesis. These are powerful ... er, powers. But nerfing can easily castrate them. Like, an illusion can do almost anything, but an illusion that almost never works is worthless. Enchantment - Entire class .. entire power source .. destroyed by one single power, Mindblank. Plus universal immunity to Mind-altering powers. Illusion - Entire class .. entire power source .. destroyed by one single power, Mindblank. Plus universal immunity to Mind-altering powers. Telepathy - flavorific but not much else. Telekinesis - this power could be so powerful. But 3e divided it up into Mage Hand (cantrip), Telekinetic Force, Telekinetic Thrust, and Telekinetic Maneuver. Honestly, I don't mind the separation, but they're just so discombobulated and hamstrung. They just don't feel like Telekinesis - a person's own mind moving an object as naturally as with a hand. They feel more like that arcade game where you try to pick up the teddy bear with the mechanical claw before it turns off again. I want the power Telekinesis (Mage Hand) at level 1. I want the same power at level 30 but waayyyy powerful. I want it to scale with me as I advance through levels. I want Telekinesis to be a natural extension of myself. My own mind. That's the kind of psionic character I want to play. Anyway, I love everything about psionics. I'm happy with the flavor of the above psionic powers. But especially these powers are vulnerable to nerfing. A small wrong move by a nerf-surgeon, and psionics could really, really suck.
Haldrik 12-01-07, 01:12 PM	Yokhi: [The different Telekinesis powers] don't feel like a person's own mind moving an object, as naturally as with a hand. They feel more like that arcade game where you try to pick up the teddy bear with the mechanical claw before it turns off again. :rofl: I want the power Telekinesis at level 1. I want the same power at level 30 but waayyyy powerful. I want it to scale with me as I advance through levels. Cool. Entire class .. entire power source .. destroyed by one single power, Mindblank. Plus universal immunity to Mind-altering powers. Seriously. IMO, only Psionic characters should have access to powers like Mindblank. Others wouldnt have the mastery of Psionic magic to even guess how to negate Psionic magic. Mindblank must be fixed. Make it increase resistance, not grant immunity. Also the concept of "mind" can be understood more broadly. Anything that is capable of making any kind of decision at all, by definition, has "will", thus "mind" in some sense. Including Undead. Even constructs have "mind" as an extension of the mind of their creator. Apparently, the Psionic power source picks up all the archetypes of mental magic, including illusionists and enchanters. These are vivid archetypes in folklore and fantasy. I hope the developers are committed to making them potent and fun to play.