Kitra Campaign: Slight powerdown for casters, more unique styles [Archive] - Wizards Community

Kitra Campaign: Slight powerdown for casters, more unique styles [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Thelon Fairblade
12-20-04, 03:36 PM Clerics: Spontaneously cast their spells, but have a limited availability of known prayers.
Each cleric begins with a prayerbook that contains all 0th level spells, plus the domain spell of their alignment domain (either Good for Axelis or Evil for Denalis). (If the cleric’s domain spells are standard clerical spells, he gains those spells as well.) Additionally, the cleric may select 2 + WIS bonus spells of 1st level to add to his prayerbook. After that, the cleric must be taught or must create new prayers; he may add 1 + WIS bonus spells to his book at each new class level. The cleric retains his domain spell slot, but he may choose at casting which domain spell to use.
Learning a prayer from a teacher or prayerbook is a DC (10 + spell level) Knowledge/Religion Check; without assistance, new prayers are DC 15 + 2*spell level. Clerics do not spontaneously heal or inflict unless they have such prayers in their prayerbook. At each level, the cleric can nominate one prayer in the book as being “mastered” (see below); the bonus spell from the Good domain is always mastered. If a cleric fails to learn a given spell, he may not try again until his understanding has improved (i.e. he must gain a level). Prayers can be switched out of the prayerbook freely, but the cleric has a divine tie to the prayers he knows; if he releases that tie, the prayer is completely forgotten and must be relearned. If a prayerbook is permanently lost or destroyed, the cleric may create a new prayerbook, but must relearn every prayer he places within it (excepting the qualifying domain and his mastered prayers).
Clerics regain access to their prayers each day by spending an hour in meditation with their prayerbook. If the cleric does not have his prayerbook during this time, that day he may only use prayers he has “mastered”; his domain prayer slots and prayer choices remain fully available regardless of the presence or absence of his prayerbook.
Channeling the power of a deity is taxing: clerics suffer 1 nonlethal damage per spell level for each spell they cast. If a clerical spell is interrupted, the spell is lost and the cleric still suffers the channeling backlash.

Example: Jozan is a 3rd level Cleric of Axelis, and has selected Sun and Protection as his domains (he receives the Good domain spells for free, as a cleric of Axelis). He has a Wisdom of 16. He has the normal amount of spell slots available: 4 orisons, 2 1st level, and 1 2nd level; he also has 1 domain slot at 1st and 2nd level. Jozan’s prayerbook contains the following spells:
0th: all orisons
1st: Sanctuary (from Protection domain), Protection from Evil (from Good domain), Endure Elements (from Sun domain), Cure Light Wounds, Bless, Comprehend Languages, Magic Weapon, Remove Fear, Divine Favor, Shield of Faith, Command, Doom. [Mastered: Cure Light Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil]
2nd: Shield Other (Protection), Aid (Good), [Heat Metal, the Sun domain spell, is not a clerical spell.], Bull’s Strength, Hold Person, Lesser Restoration, Cure Moderate Wounds [Mastered: Bull’s Strength].

Jozan can select any of his nine 1st level spells when he uses a 1st level prayer slot; he may only select Sanctuary or Endure Elements for his domain slot. If Jozan finds himself deprived of his prayer book, he may only use Cure Light Wounds, Command, or Protection from Evil; his 1st level domain slot remains unchanged.

Paladins: Paladins follow the same rules as clerics. A paladin’s prayerbook always contains Protection from Evil, Protection from Chaos, Magic Circle against Evil, Magic Circle against Chaos, Dispel Evil, and Dispel Chaos. Beyond that, the paladin can select 1+WIS bonus additional prayers at 4th level, and every 2 levels after that.

Druids: Nature in balance.
Since druidic power comes from nature, the druid must restore the energy used in order to maintain the balance. Druidic preparation of spells is essentially unchanged, except that the material components are consumed during preparation, not later during casting. (Druids retain the ability to spontaneously cast the various Summon Nature’s Ally spells.) Following the completion of any spell, the druid must restore some measure of the energy used; he suffers 2 nonlethal damage per spell level cast. (If a druid’s spell is interrupted, the spell is lost, but the druid does not suffer the nonlethal damage.)

Rangers: A blend of clerical and druidic disciplines.
The ranger casts spells spontaneously from a limited list, like the paladin, but suffers the druidic energy exchange after each successful spell. (Unlike the paladin, rangers have no prayerbook; they always and permanently know their chosen “natural tricks”.) Rangers always know the following spells one of each of the following spell pairs: Calm Animal or Entangle, Barkskin or Hold Animal, Reduce Animal or Plant Growth, and Animal Growth or Commune with Nature. Otherwise, they may pick 1+WIS bonus spells at 4th level, and each even level after that.

Bards: Music is key to existence.
Most bards don’t realize this primal truth, but there is no denying that their songs have power. Bards can empower a limited number of songs each day (according to their normal Spells per Day), but they can command a large repertoire. Bards begin by knowing a number of “chords” (cantrips) equal to 4 + twice their INT bonus, as well as one spellsong of 1st level. At every level beyond 1st, they learn 1 new spellsong of any level the have the power to cast (see below).
Additionally, they have a “songbook” that may contain a number of spell levels equal to the total number of ranks the bard has in any Perform skill that has a vocal or instrumental component (i.e. oratory and epic ballad reading count, juggling does not). At any time in his travels, the bard may add a new song to his songbook, allocating the appropriate amount of spell levels. It takes the bard 2 days + 1 day per spell level to learn a new spellsong and add it to the songbook, -1 day per point of INT bonus (minimum 1 day). Songs may be removed from the songbook at any time, but must be relearned if added again later. Learning a song also requires a Knowledge/Arcana or Knowledge/Religion (there is power in the hymnal!) check equal to DC 10 + spell level; failure indicates the time was wasted and the bard may not try again until he gains a level. (The spellsongs a bard learns through level up are considered to be self-composed; it is these songs that are commonly traded with others to fill Perform-rank songbook pages.)
Every spellsong, though, is a performance; the bard must make a Perform check of DC 13 + 4 per song level. If the check fails, the song was flawed and the power invested (the spell slot) is lost. The Perform skill used must correspond to a vocal or instrumental skill, and – if the song is from the bonus songbook – must correspond to at least one of the skill ranks used to learn to the song. (For example, if 3 ranks of Perform (flute) and 1 rank of Perform (oratory) were used to add Dimension Door to the songbook, the Perform check used to cast the spell must be either Perform (flute) or Perform (oratory)… the bard could not use his Perform (singing) skill.)

Wizards: Power through scientific method.
Wizards harness the energy available in the environment that has bled off from the battles between the goddesses. This energy is unstable and resists being manipulated by mortal minds, so wizards have carefully developed a process that allows them to safely and reliably use this power. As a result, wizardry holds the distinction of being the safest and most reliable method of spellcasting. Therefore, any random effect listed in a spell is automatically set to half the value of die size, all non-damaging spells have their DC reduced by 1. For example, a fireball will do exactly 3 damage per d6; magic missiles do exactly 3 damage (2 + 1); if a spell would last 2d4 minutes, for a wizard it lasts exactly 4 minutes. (Or should this be “average” round down?) Otherwise, the wizard prepares and casts spells as defined in the rules, with one exception: a wizard can choose to spend an additional full round casting to increase the averaged variable effect by 1 per die, or to increase the caster level of the spell by 1, or to increase the DC of the spell by 1.

Sorcerers & BattleSorcerers & Warmages: Power comes from within.
Sorcerers primarily get their power from within, supplementing with energy from the environment where necessary and possible. As such, their spells are more random and generally slightly more powerful than wizards. However, spellcasting on personal power is tiring; as the sorcerer casts more of his spells, he will become fatigued and eventually exhausted. Total all of the spell levels of the sorcerer’s spell slots. When the sorcerer has half or fewer of his spell levels left, he becomes Fatigued; when only one quarter of the daily power remains, the sorcerer becomes Exhausted. Although the sorcerer can “catch his breath” by resting, he does not regain spell levels without a full nights’ rest (per the normal rules). [Spells and effects that grant or return spell levels will have an appropriate effect on the sorcerer’s fatigue level. Fatigue is cumulative.]
(A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued. An exhausted character moves at half speed and takes a –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue.)

Warlocks: Servants of Darkness. Warlocks are always servants of Denalis. Their powers function exactly as described.

Thoughts?
Thelon Fairblade
12-22-04, 09:48 PM Trip, stumble, :bump:

Come on, anyone? Xeviat?
DaTedinator
12-24-04, 03:27 PM Well, I gotta say I like it. It seems very well thought out, and I like the reasoning behind everything. Very well done. Just one question: Axelis and Denalis; I'm assuming they're specific campaign gods?
Thelon Fairblade
12-27-04, 10:06 AM Thanks, Tedinator.

Yes, Axelis and Denalis are the twin goddesses of creation. Axelis is Good, Denalis is Evil, and all of "existence" is a byproduct of their conflict...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Thelon Fairblade 12-20-04, 03:36 PM	Clerics: Spontaneously cast their spells, but have a limited availability of known prayers. Each cleric begins with a prayerbook that contains all 0th level spells, plus the domain spell of their alignment domain (either Good for Axelis or Evil for Denalis). (If the cleric’s domain spells are standard clerical spells, he gains those spells as well.) Additionally, the cleric may select 2 + WIS bonus spells of 1st level to add to his prayerbook. After that, the cleric must be taught or must create new prayers; he may add 1 + WIS bonus spells to his book at each new class level. The cleric retains his domain spell slot, but he may choose at casting which domain spell to use. Learning a prayer from a teacher or prayerbook is a DC (10 + spell level) Knowledge/Religion Check; without assistance, new prayers are DC 15 + 2*spell level. Clerics do not spontaneously heal or inflict unless they have such prayers in their prayerbook. At each level, the cleric can nominate one prayer in the book as being “mastered” (see below); the bonus spell from the Good domain is always mastered. If a cleric fails to learn a given spell, he may not try again until his understanding has improved (i.e. he must gain a level). Prayers can be switched out of the prayerbook freely, but the cleric has a divine tie to the prayers he knows; if he releases that tie, the prayer is completely forgotten and must be relearned. If a prayerbook is permanently lost or destroyed, the cleric may create a new prayerbook, but must relearn every prayer he places within it (excepting the qualifying domain and his mastered prayers). Clerics regain access to their prayers each day by spending an hour in meditation with their prayerbook. If the cleric does not have his prayerbook during this time, that day he may only use prayers he has “mastered”; his domain prayer slots and prayer choices remain fully available regardless of the presence or absence of his prayerbook. Channeling the power of a deity is taxing: clerics suffer 1 nonlethal damage per spell level for each spell they cast. If a clerical spell is interrupted, the spell is lost and the cleric still suffers the channeling backlash. Example: Jozan is a 3rd level Cleric of Axelis, and has selected Sun and Protection as his domains (he receives the Good domain spells for free, as a cleric of Axelis). He has a Wisdom of 16. He has the normal amount of spell slots available: 4 orisons, 2 1st level, and 1 2nd level; he also has 1 domain slot at 1st and 2nd level. Jozan’s prayerbook contains the following spells: 0th: all orisons 1st: Sanctuary (from Protection domain), Protection from Evil (from Good domain), Endure Elements (from Sun domain), Cure Light Wounds, Bless, Comprehend Languages, Magic Weapon, Remove Fear, Divine Favor, Shield of Faith, Command, Doom. [Mastered: Cure Light Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil] 2nd: Shield Other (Protection), Aid (Good), [Heat Metal, the Sun domain spell, is not a clerical spell.], Bull’s Strength, Hold Person, Lesser Restoration, Cure Moderate Wounds [Mastered: Bull’s Strength]. Jozan can select any of his nine 1st level spells when he uses a 1st level prayer slot; he may only select Sanctuary or Endure Elements for his domain slot. If Jozan finds himself deprived of his prayer book, he may only use Cure Light Wounds, Command, or Protection from Evil; his 1st level domain slot remains unchanged. Paladins: Paladins follow the same rules as clerics. A paladin’s prayerbook always contains Protection from Evil, Protection from Chaos, Magic Circle against Evil, Magic Circle against Chaos, Dispel Evil, and Dispel Chaos. Beyond that, the paladin can select 1+WIS bonus additional prayers at 4th level, and every 2 levels after that. Druids: Nature in balance. Since druidic power comes from nature, the druid must restore the energy used in order to maintain the balance. Druidic preparation of spells is essentially unchanged, except that the material components are consumed during preparation, not later during casting. (Druids retain the ability to spontaneously cast the various Summon Nature’s Ally spells.) Following the completion of any spell, the druid must restore some measure of the energy used; he suffers 2 nonlethal damage per spell level cast. (If a druid’s spell is interrupted, the spell is lost, but the druid does not suffer the nonlethal damage.) Rangers: A blend of clerical and druidic disciplines. The ranger casts spells spontaneously from a limited list, like the paladin, but suffers the druidic energy exchange after each successful spell. (Unlike the paladin, rangers have no prayerbook; they always and permanently know their chosen “natural tricks”.) Rangers always know the following spells one of each of the following spell pairs: Calm Animal or Entangle, Barkskin or Hold Animal, Reduce Animal or Plant Growth, and Animal Growth or Commune with Nature. Otherwise, they may pick 1+WIS bonus spells at 4th level, and each even level after that. Bards: Music is key to existence. Most bards don’t realize this primal truth, but there is no denying that their songs have power. Bards can empower a limited number of songs each day (according to their normal Spells per Day), but they can command a large repertoire. Bards begin by knowing a number of “chords” (cantrips) equal to 4 + twice their INT bonus, as well as one spellsong of 1st level. At every level beyond 1st, they learn 1 new spellsong of any level the have the power to cast (see below). Additionally, they have a “songbook” that may contain a number of spell levels equal to the total number of ranks the bard has in any Perform skill that has a vocal or instrumental component (i.e. oratory and epic ballad reading count, juggling does not). At any time in his travels, the bard may add a new song to his songbook, allocating the appropriate amount of spell levels. It takes the bard 2 days + 1 day per spell level to learn a new spellsong and add it to the songbook, -1 day per point of INT bonus (minimum 1 day). Songs may be removed from the songbook at any time, but must be relearned if added again later. Learning a song also requires a Knowledge/Arcana or Knowledge/Religion (there is power in the hymnal!) check equal to DC 10 + spell level; failure indicates the time was wasted and the bard may not try again until he gains a level. (The spellsongs a bard learns through level up are considered to be self-composed; it is these songs that are commonly traded with others to fill Perform-rank songbook pages.) Every spellsong, though, is a performance; the bard must make a Perform check of DC 13 + 4 per song level. If the check fails, the song was flawed and the power invested (the spell slot) is lost. The Perform skill used must correspond to a vocal or instrumental skill, and – if the song is from the bonus songbook – must correspond to at least one of the skill ranks used to learn to the song. (For example, if 3 ranks of Perform (flute) and 1 rank of Perform (oratory) were used to add Dimension Door to the songbook, the Perform check used to cast the spell must be either Perform (flute) or Perform (oratory)… the bard could not use his Perform (singing) skill.) Wizards: Power through scientific method. Wizards harness the energy available in the environment that has bled off from the battles between the goddesses. This energy is unstable and resists being manipulated by mortal minds, so wizards have carefully developed a process that allows them to safely and reliably use this power. As a result, wizardry holds the distinction of being the safest and most reliable method of spellcasting. Therefore, any random effect listed in a spell is automatically set to half the value of die size, all non-damaging spells have their DC reduced by 1. For example, a fireball will do exactly 3 damage per d6; magic missiles do exactly 3 damage (2 + 1); if a spell would last 2d4 minutes, for a wizard it lasts exactly 4 minutes. (Or should this be “average” round down?) Otherwise, the wizard prepares and casts spells as defined in the rules, with one exception: a wizard can choose to spend an additional full round casting to increase the averaged variable effect by 1 per die, or to increase the caster level of the spell by 1, or to increase the DC of the spell by 1. Sorcerers & BattleSorcerers & Warmages: Power comes from within. Sorcerers primarily get their power from within, supplementing with energy from the environment where necessary and possible. As such, their spells are more random and generally slightly more powerful than wizards. However, spellcasting on personal power is tiring; as the sorcerer casts more of his spells, he will become fatigued and eventually exhausted. Total all of the spell levels of the sorcerer’s spell slots. When the sorcerer has half or fewer of his spell levels left, he becomes Fatigued; when only one quarter of the daily power remains, the sorcerer becomes Exhausted. Although the sorcerer can “catch his breath” by resting, he does not regain spell levels without a full nights’ rest (per the normal rules). [Spells and effects that grant or return spell levels will have an appropriate effect on the sorcerer’s fatigue level. Fatigue is cumulative.] (A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued. An exhausted character moves at half speed and takes a –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue.) Warlocks: Servants of Darkness. Warlocks are always servants of Denalis. Their powers function exactly as described. Thoughts?
Thelon Fairblade 12-22-04, 09:48 PM	Trip, stumble, :bump: Come on, anyone? Xeviat?
DaTedinator 12-24-04, 03:27 PM	Well, I gotta say I like it. It seems very well thought out, and I like the reasoning behind everything. Very well done. Just one question: Axelis and Denalis; I'm assuming they're specific campaign gods?
Thelon Fairblade 12-27-04, 10:06 AM	Thanks, Tedinator. Yes, Axelis and Denalis are the twin goddesses of creation. Axelis is Good, Denalis is Evil, and all of "existence" is a byproduct of their conflict...