Charactor Crafting: Magus from Chrono Trigger [Archive] - Wizards Community

Charactor Crafting: Magus from Chrono Trigger [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Salookanana
07-29-05, 03:00 AM Im kinda new to D&D and wanted to make a mage. The coolest mage i could think of was Janus "Magus" Zeal from Chrono Trigger. Problem is, im not that good at all this stuff and i need some help equating him to D&D rules. Here is what i could come up with.

-He stinks at summoning (Remember when he tried to summon Lavos?) and would not have a familiar, so he probably would get some extra spell to compensate.

-I think Chaotic Evil would be the best alignment for him. Good guys dont rule demons after all

I think he would be a Sorceror because his magic was invented by himself. And he doesnt know as many spells as the others but can use them more often. So thats a sorcer.

-He is a total jerk after all, but he does know how to inspire his folowers and can make a great entrance, so i think he would have a good charisma score. And this is also shown in the fact he so popular with CT fans :P

-But what about his apearance? He has that long blue hair, pale skin, pointy teeth and ears, and red eyes.

-he focuses in offensive magic only, so i guess he would be evocation heavy. But what would come close to his awsome dark attacks like Dark Matter or his Triple Techs?

- He also likes cats... its true!

So any CT vets wanna help? I want to know what stats to focus in and maybe some light impact flaws for extra stat points.

Thanks for reading all this, btw.

EDIT: Oops wrong topic! Can a mod move this please? Sorry I dont post here much... :(
Pyritefoolsgold
07-29-05, 07:14 PM Magus has a massively high INT (20+), a very high CHA, a very low WIS, CON and STR, and a good DEX. He's the last of an anchient race, (those guys who lived on the floating islands) and he once had a purple cat familiar. He is Chaotic evil, and has a massive superiority complex. He is an elementalist who also specializes in some variant of evil magic, though he has spells involving necromancy, flight, and polymorph. He is massively high level (Lvl 18 or so) and is probably a GREAT summoner, only Lavos was a little out of his league. (would be like trying to summon Asmodeous.)

Magus has a flair for the dramatic, a noble upbringing, around twenty thousand years of experience, (at least a thousand of which was spent as an evil overlord) and almost no sense of compassion or mercy. He loves bitter irony and really likes to cause emotional pain.

Magus' background is a painful one, in which he had to stand by and watch as his mother destroyed his homeland, and his sister was possibly lost forever.
Pyritefoolsgold
07-29-05, 07:17 PM Really the only problem with making Magus is that he hasn't been 1st level since his childhood, and it would really take a lot of his awesomeness away if the most powerful spell he knew was magic missile.
DeathMagus
07-29-05, 07:45 PM Im kinda new to D&D and wanted to make a mage. The coolest mage i could think of was Janus "Magus" Zeal from Chrono Trigger.
Well, you're right about that.

-He stinks at summoning (Remember when he tried to summon Lavos?) and would not have a familiar, so he probably would get some extra spell to compensate.

Not so much. For one, he was no higher than level 10 in D&D mechanics when he tried to summon essentially a Diety (or very, very close to one). It's just not going to work, no matter how good you are. Also recall, he did succeed in summoning Lavos, proving himself to be an excellent conjurer, he just wasn't able to retain control. Plus he did have a familiar, it just was seperated from him and he never really wanted another.

-I think Chaotic Evil would be the best alignment for him. Good guys dont rule demons after all

No...for one, he didn't rule demons. He ruled the mystics, who were a sort of magical cross-breed who didn't like humans overrunning land they believed to be theirs. That said, Chaotic Evil people generally don't rule anyone. That's the essence of their Chaotic-ness. If anything, he's closer to lawful (though he does double-cross former friends occasionally), and his good/evil alignment is debatable between neutral and evil.

I think he would be a Sorceror because his magic was invented by himself. And he doesnt know as many spells as the others but can use them more often. So thats a sorcer.

Right you are.

-He is a total jerk after all, but he does know how to inspire his folowers and can make a great entrance, so i think he would have a good charisma score. And this is also shown in the fact he so popular with CT fans :P

You are essentially correct here. He has good reason for being so, but he is still a jerk, and yes, he has a very good Cha. I'd rule, however, that diplomacy attempts made by him are along the realm of intimidation, not improving disposition.

-But what about his apearance? He has that long blue hair, pale skin, pointy teeth and ears, and red eyes.

All part of his race. You can make it if you want, but I'd just rule him as an elf or half-elf for the mechanic.

-he focuses in offensive magic only, so i guess he would be evocation heavy. But what would come close to his awsome dark attacks like Dark Matter or his Triple Techs?

Hm...Darkmatter? Save-or-die come to mind. Perhaps Weird? There's plenty of stuff to choose from. His triple techs weren't natural to begin with, they required special stones - you'd have to houserule those.

- He also likes cats... its true!

True enough. Your choice - he either gets a cat familiar or, since losing his first pet, he's never wanted another one.

So any CT vets wanna help? I want to know what stats to focus in and maybe some light impact flaws for extra stat points.

Thanks for reading all this, btw.

My pleasure.

Now on to my personal thoughts:

Just check my screenname. I know what I'm talking about. :teach:

I'm not so sure about Magus' alignment being CE. For one, he was able to band together the incredibly hauty and prideful Mystics into a cohesive legion in 600 AD to attack Guardia. Similarly, he was a prince of an ancient race, therefore very "administrative" (aka lawful). Additionally, he never actually pursues evil for evil's sake - most of his actions later in life were geared towards finding his sister/seeking revenge against Lavos. He was very manipulative, however. I'd peg him more of NE w/ lawful tendencies or True Neutral w/ evil tendencies.

That said, he's probably (assuming core only) either elven or half-elven, most definately a specialist in evocation (though used necromancy - learned from Ozzie - quite often. Also turned Glenn into a frog, so some transmutation, I think. Even though divination can't be chosen as a removed school, don't let him learn any, since he apparently can't cast a spell to locate his sister. I'd have him lose enchantment and probably illusion in exchange for evocation as a favored school.

Now for stats - he's starting at about level 7-8 when the characters first meet/fight him. He's about level 12 before you can actually get him as a player, however. Darkmatter shows up somewhere around level 18. That said, level 20 in D&D is about levels 60-70 in CT. 60-70 is about where you fight Lavos for the first time to win the game. I consider New Game + to be post-epic. BTW, he gets weapon proficiency scythe.

All these stats are based on what I believe his initial rolls at level 1 would be (3-18), including whatever race bonuses he gets.

Str is decent - he can lay out damage with that scythe - 12
Dex is very good, due to his low armor - 14
Con is not so hot - 10-11
Wis is likewise so-so - 13
Int is astronomical - This guy reinvented spell-casting - 18 (20 if racial bonus)
Cha is insane as well - 16-17 w/ leadership as a bonus feat and/or diplomacy (for intimidate purposes) as a class skill.

Keep in mind that CT was a very high-powered game - you could defeat guards of the kingdom/ the armies of the kingdom's enemies at level 3.

Magus has always been my favorite CT character, to the point of becoming my avatar. I'd love to help out in any way with this character concept. The only disagreement I'd have with other posters is alignment. He's definately not chaotic, and he's not pure evil.
Xaktsaroth
07-29-05, 09:50 PM http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=6416132

A thread deicated to making non-traditional characters in DnD(i.e - video game, anime, etc....)

If you want a bit more help, although, I can see needing any of DarkMagus' explination, of if you interested in other characters. :)
A Man In Black
07-29-05, 10:12 PM If you're new to D&D and actually making a new character to play, might I suggest not remaking a character from a book, movie, or video game?

You're missing out on part of what makes D&D different from those, if you do that. Make your own character, and it will actually be your character.
DeathMagus
07-29-05, 10:15 PM If you want a bit more help, although, I can see needing any of DarkMagus' explination, of if you interested in other characters. :)
I'm sorry, but I can't quite figure out if you just complimented me or insulted me.
Salookanana
07-30-05, 04:09 AM Wow thanks a bunch every body! I got a bunch of good ideas on how to build the Prince of Zeal. So thanks a bunch and now ill be able to make a cool version of Magus.

It seems that the Aligenment was debated a little because, well, Magus is not a one dimetnional charactor. I was planning to slowly veer Magus to the Good path.... eventually. After all, Schala doesnt like bad guys!
Dark_beebles
07-30-05, 05:36 AM Im kinda new to D&D and wanted to make a mage. The coolest mage i could think of was Janus "Magus" Zeal from Chrono Trigger. Problem is, im not that good at all this stuff and i need some help equating him to D&D rules. Here is what i could come up with.

-He stinks at summoning (Remember when he tried to summon Lavos?) and would not have a familiar, so he probably would get some extra spell to compensate.

-I think Chaotic Evil would be the best alignment for him. Good guys dont rule demons after all

I think he would be a Sorceror because his magic was invented by himself. And he doesnt know as many spells as the others but can use them more often. So thats a sorcer.

-He is a total jerk after all, but he does know how to inspire his folowers and can make a great entrance, so i think he would have a good charisma score. And this is also shown in the fact he so popular with CT fans :P

-But what about his apearance? He has that long blue hair, pale skin, pointy teeth and ears, and red eyes.

-he focuses in offensive magic only, so i guess he would be evocation heavy. But what would come close to his awsome dark attacks like Dark Matter or his Triple Techs?

- He also likes cats... its true!

So any CT vets wanna help? I want to know what stats to focus in and maybe some light impact flaws for extra stat points.

Thanks for reading all this, btw.

EDIT: Oops wrong topic! Can a mod move this please? Sorry I dont post here much... :(

1st off..Magus is more of a necromancer/summoner Remeber all of his spells were like Darkmatter? Sounds more like a Horrid wiltering then any evocation.

2nd great summoner as the others stated....it could be like casting Gate as a 20th lvl sorc for a 1000 hd monster thats CE just dont work out.

3rd..I could see him being more of a sorc then a wizard..He could cast spells in the game more then the others...but his choices were way less then the others were.

4th 10str 14con 16dex 14int 10wis 22cha. I think he could make a great canidate for some template...which one i dont know right off hand.

If you use the bloodlines Use feindish with a twist...I could make him like a drow if for a main race..Dark skin? Pointed ears...And drow can have red eyes...And the hair well..any number of things can change color of your hair.

Also remember he used a scythe...but aside from that pretty much explain everything else or the others have in the posts above.
He Who Lurks
07-30-05, 07:17 PM You could also ask your DM to rework the Elocater prestige class (found in the Expanded Psionics Handbook) to allow spellcasters to qualify, rather than just psionic characters. Tell him you only want to take it for one level for the Scorn Earth ability and I doubt he'll have a problem with it. It'll mimic that cool "float or fly everywhere" effect that Magus had, and taking one level won't hurt your caster level, if it's changed to allow spellcasters.

Make up some custom spells that deal with negative energy and gravity, as that seemed to be Magus' main theme. Taking Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Scythe) is also a possibility, but it would be almost entirely for show, and you could spend the feat elsewhere to better effect.

It's a cool idea, and I wish you luck with it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Salookanana 07-29-05, 03:00 AM	Im kinda new to D&D and wanted to make a mage. The coolest mage i could think of was Janus "Magus" Zeal from Chrono Trigger. Problem is, im not that good at all this stuff and i need some help equating him to D&D rules. Here is what i could come up with. -He stinks at summoning (Remember when he tried to summon Lavos?) and would not have a familiar, so he probably would get some extra spell to compensate. -I think Chaotic Evil would be the best alignment for him. Good guys dont rule demons after all I think he would be a Sorceror because his magic was invented by himself. And he doesnt know as many spells as the others but can use them more often. So thats a sorcer. -He is a total jerk after all, but he does know how to inspire his folowers and can make a great entrance, so i think he would have a good charisma score. And this is also shown in the fact he so popular with CT fans :P -But what about his apearance? He has that long blue hair, pale skin, pointy teeth and ears, and red eyes. -he focuses in offensive magic only, so i guess he would be evocation heavy. But what would come close to his awsome dark attacks like Dark Matter or his Triple Techs? - He also likes cats... its true! So any CT vets wanna help? I want to know what stats to focus in and maybe some light impact flaws for extra stat points. Thanks for reading all this, btw. EDIT: Oops wrong topic! Can a mod move this please? Sorry I dont post here much... :(
Pyritefoolsgold 07-29-05, 07:14 PM	Magus has a massively high INT (20+), a very high CHA, a very low WIS, CON and STR, and a good DEX. He's the last of an anchient race, (those guys who lived on the floating islands) and he once had a purple cat familiar. He is Chaotic evil, and has a massive superiority complex. He is an elementalist who also specializes in some variant of evil magic, though he has spells involving necromancy, flight, and polymorph. He is massively high level (Lvl 18 or so) and is probably a GREAT summoner, only Lavos was a little out of his league. (would be like trying to summon Asmodeous.) Magus has a flair for the dramatic, a noble upbringing, around twenty thousand years of experience, (at least a thousand of which was spent as an evil overlord) and almost no sense of compassion or mercy. He loves bitter irony and really likes to cause emotional pain. Magus' background is a painful one, in which he had to stand by and watch as his mother destroyed his homeland, and his sister was possibly lost forever.
Pyritefoolsgold 07-29-05, 07:17 PM	Really the only problem with making Magus is that he hasn't been 1st level since his childhood, and it would really take a lot of his awesomeness away if the most powerful spell he knew was magic missile.
DeathMagus 07-29-05, 07:45 PM	Im kinda new to D&D and wanted to make a mage. The coolest mage i could think of was Janus "Magus" Zeal from Chrono Trigger. Well, you're right about that. -He stinks at summoning (Remember when he tried to summon Lavos?) and would not have a familiar, so he probably would get some extra spell to compensate. Not so much. For one, he was no higher than level 10 in D&D mechanics when he tried to summon essentially a Diety (or very, very close to one). It's just not going to work, no matter how good you are. Also recall, he did succeed in summoning Lavos, proving himself to be an excellent conjurer, he just wasn't able to retain control. Plus he did have a familiar, it just was seperated from him and he never really wanted another. -I think Chaotic Evil would be the best alignment for him. Good guys dont rule demons after all No...for one, he didn't rule demons. He ruled the mystics, who were a sort of magical cross-breed who didn't like humans overrunning land they believed to be theirs. That said, Chaotic Evil people generally don't rule anyone. That's the essence of their Chaotic-ness. If anything, he's closer to lawful (though he does double-cross former friends occasionally), and his good/evil alignment is debatable between neutral and evil. I think he would be a Sorceror because his magic was invented by himself. And he doesnt know as many spells as the others but can use them more often. So thats a sorcer. Right you are. -He is a total jerk after all, but he does know how to inspire his folowers and can make a great entrance, so i think he would have a good charisma score. And this is also shown in the fact he so popular with CT fans :P You are essentially correct here. He has good reason for being so, but he is still a jerk, and yes, he has a very good Cha. I'd rule, however, that diplomacy attempts made by him are along the realm of intimidation, not improving disposition. -But what about his apearance? He has that long blue hair, pale skin, pointy teeth and ears, and red eyes. All part of his race. You can make it if you want, but I'd just rule him as an elf or half-elf for the mechanic. -he focuses in offensive magic only, so i guess he would be evocation heavy. But what would come close to his awsome dark attacks like Dark Matter or his Triple Techs? Hm...Darkmatter? Save-or-die come to mind. Perhaps Weird? There's plenty of stuff to choose from. His triple techs weren't natural to begin with, they required special stones - you'd have to houserule those. - He also likes cats... its true! True enough. Your choice - he either gets a cat familiar or, since losing his first pet, he's never wanted another one. So any CT vets wanna help? I want to know what stats to focus in and maybe some light impact flaws for extra stat points. Thanks for reading all this, btw. My pleasure. Now on to my personal thoughts: Just check my screenname. I know what I'm talking about. :teach: I'm not so sure about Magus' alignment being CE. For one, he was able to band together the incredibly hauty and prideful Mystics into a cohesive legion in 600 AD to attack Guardia. Similarly, he was a prince of an ancient race, therefore very "administrative" (aka lawful). Additionally, he never actually pursues evil for evil's sake - most of his actions later in life were geared towards finding his sister/seeking revenge against Lavos. He was very manipulative, however. I'd peg him more of NE w/ lawful tendencies or True Neutral w/ evil tendencies. That said, he's probably (assuming core only) either elven or half-elven, most definately a specialist in evocation (though used necromancy - learned from Ozzie - quite often. Also turned Glenn into a frog, so some transmutation, I think. Even though divination can't be chosen as a removed school, don't let him learn any, since he apparently can't cast a spell to locate his sister. I'd have him lose enchantment and probably illusion in exchange for evocation as a favored school. Now for stats - he's starting at about level 7-8 when the characters first meet/fight him. He's about level 12 before you can actually get him as a player, however. Darkmatter shows up somewhere around level 18. That said, level 20 in D&D is about levels 60-70 in CT. 60-70 is about where you fight Lavos for the first time to win the game. I consider New Game + to be post-epic. BTW, he gets weapon proficiency scythe. All these stats are based on what I believe his initial rolls at level 1 would be (3-18), including whatever race bonuses he gets. Str is decent - he can lay out damage with that scythe - 12 Dex is very good, due to his low armor - 14 Con is not so hot - 10-11 Wis is likewise so-so - 13 Int is astronomical - This guy reinvented spell-casting - 18 (20 if racial bonus) Cha is insane as well - 16-17 w/ leadership as a bonus feat and/or diplomacy (for intimidate purposes) as a class skill. Keep in mind that CT was a very high-powered game - you could defeat guards of the kingdom/ the armies of the kingdom's enemies at level 3. Magus has always been my favorite CT character, to the point of becoming my avatar. I'd love to help out in any way with this character concept. The only disagreement I'd have with other posters is alignment. He's definately not chaotic, and he's not pure evil.
Xaktsaroth 07-29-05, 09:50 PM	http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=6416132 A thread deicated to making non-traditional characters in DnD(i.e - video game, anime, etc....) If you want a bit more help, although, I can see needing any of DarkMagus' explination, of if you interested in other characters. :)
A Man In Black 07-29-05, 10:12 PM	If you're new to D&D and actually making a new character to play, might I suggest not remaking a character from a book, movie, or video game? You're missing out on part of what makes D&D different from those, if you do that. Make your own character, and it will actually be your character.
DeathMagus 07-29-05, 10:15 PM	If you want a bit more help, although, I can see needing any of DarkMagus' explination, of if you interested in other characters. :) I'm sorry, but I can't quite figure out if you just complimented me or insulted me.
Salookanana 07-30-05, 04:09 AM	Wow thanks a bunch every body! I got a bunch of good ideas on how to build the Prince of Zeal. So thanks a bunch and now ill be able to make a cool version of Magus. It seems that the Aligenment was debated a little because, well, Magus is not a one dimetnional charactor. I was planning to slowly veer Magus to the Good path.... eventually. After all, Schala doesnt like bad guys!
Dark_beebles 07-30-05, 05:36 AM	Im kinda new to D&D and wanted to make a mage. The coolest mage i could think of was Janus "Magus" Zeal from Chrono Trigger. Problem is, im not that good at all this stuff and i need some help equating him to D&D rules. Here is what i could come up with. -He stinks at summoning (Remember when he tried to summon Lavos?) and would not have a familiar, so he probably would get some extra spell to compensate. -I think Chaotic Evil would be the best alignment for him. Good guys dont rule demons after all I think he would be a Sorceror because his magic was invented by himself. And he doesnt know as many spells as the others but can use them more often. So thats a sorcer. -He is a total jerk after all, but he does know how to inspire his folowers and can make a great entrance, so i think he would have a good charisma score. And this is also shown in the fact he so popular with CT fans :P -But what about his apearance? He has that long blue hair, pale skin, pointy teeth and ears, and red eyes. -he focuses in offensive magic only, so i guess he would be evocation heavy. But what would come close to his awsome dark attacks like Dark Matter or his Triple Techs? - He also likes cats... its true! So any CT vets wanna help? I want to know what stats to focus in and maybe some light impact flaws for extra stat points. Thanks for reading all this, btw. EDIT: Oops wrong topic! Can a mod move this please? Sorry I dont post here much... :( 1st off..Magus is more of a necromancer/summoner Remeber all of his spells were like Darkmatter? Sounds more like a Horrid wiltering then any evocation. 2nd great summoner as the others stated....it could be like casting Gate as a 20th lvl sorc for a 1000 hd monster thats CE just dont work out. 3rd..I could see him being more of a sorc then a wizard..He could cast spells in the game more then the others...but his choices were way less then the others were. 4th 10str 14con 16dex 14int 10wis 22cha. I think he could make a great canidate for some template...which one i dont know right off hand. If you use the bloodlines Use feindish with a twist...I could make him like a drow if for a main race..Dark skin? Pointed ears...And drow can have red eyes...And the hair well..any number of things can change color of your hair. Also remember he used a scythe...but aside from that pretty much explain everything else or the others have in the posts above.
He Who Lurks 07-30-05, 07:17 PM	You could also ask your DM to rework the Elocater prestige class (found in the Expanded Psionics Handbook) to allow spellcasters to qualify, rather than just psionic characters. Tell him you only want to take it for one level for the Scorn Earth ability and I doubt he'll have a problem with it. It'll mimic that cool "float or fly everywhere" effect that Magus had, and taking one level won't hurt your caster level, if it's changed to allow spellcasters. Make up some custom spells that deal with negative energy and gravity, as that seemed to be Magus' main theme. Taking Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Scythe) is also a possibility, but it would be almost entirely for show, and you could spend the feat elsewhere to better effect. It's a cool idea, and I wish you luck with it.