New class...Hellmouth Sorceress

Wispr

First Post
Hey Everyone,

Got a new class I created for a story I'm doing please I would really appreciate any constructive criticism you have.

Hellmouth Sorceress…

The save and base attack stats are the same for a Sorcerer, as is The tables for Spell known per day and Spells Per day.


Spells: A Hellmouth Sorceress casts arcane spells (the same type of spells available to wizards, sorcerers), which are drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list (page 192). She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time, just like a sorcerer, unlike the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

To learn or cast a spell, a Hellmouth Sorceress must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 10 for 0-level spells, Cha 11for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Hellmouth Sorceress’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Hellmouth Sorceress’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a Hellmouth Sorceress can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on “Spells per Day” table above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table 1–1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8 PHB).

A Hellmouth Sorceress’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A Hellmouth Sorceress begins play knowing four 0-level spells (also called cantrips) and two 1st-level spells of your choice. In addition, she receives bonus spells, to her Spells Known list, if she has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1–1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8 PHB).

At each new Hellmouth Sorceress level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Hellmouth Sorceress Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a Hellmouth Sorceress knows is not affected by her Charisma score; but instead she uses her Intelligence score for any bonus spells.) These new spells can be taken from her spellbook or they can be unusual spells that the Hellmouth Sorceress has gained some understanding of by study. For example, a Hellmouth Sorceress with a scroll detailing an unusual sorcerer/wizard spell (one not on the sorcerer/wizard spell list in this book) could select that spell as one of his new spells for attaining a new level, provided that it is of the right spell level.

The Hellmouth Sorceress can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however. Though they can copy a spell from a arcane scroll, (the scroll is consumed during the copying) into their spellbook just like a Wizard can.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered Hellmouth Sorceress level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a sorcerer can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the Hellmouth Sorceress “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level arcane spell the Hellmouth Sorceress can cast. For instance, upon reaching 4th-level, a Hellmouth Sorceress could trade in a single 0-level spell (two spell levels below the highest-level sorcerer spell she can cast, which is 2nd) for a different 0-level spell. At 6th level, she could trade in a single 0-level or 1st-level spell (since she now can cast 3rd-level sorcerer spells) for a different spell of the same level. A sorcerer may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

Unlike a wizard or a cleric, a Hellmouth Sorceress need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up her spells per day for that spell level. For example, at 1st level, the Hellmouth Sorceress Willow can cast four 1st-level spells per day—three for being 1st level (see table Hellmouth Sorceress Spells Per Day), plus one thanks to her Charisma score of 15 (see Table 1–1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8 PHB). However, she knows only three 1st-level spells— two for being 1st level (see table Hellmouth Sorceress Spells Known), plus one thanks to her Intelligence score of 14 (see Table 1–1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8 PHB): mage armor, magic missile and sleep. Thus, on any given day, she can cast some combination of the three spells a total of four times. She does not have to decide ahead of time which spells she’ll cast.

Spellbooks: A Hellmouth Sorceress must have a spellbook to study for both using the Memorize Spell ability and for when they attain a new level that increases their Spells Known allotment. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook or from a scroll as above. A Hellmouth Sorceress begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells plus two 1st-level spells of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the Hellmouth Sorceress has (see Table 1–1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8), the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your choice. A Hellmouth Sorceress can also research a spell independently, duplicating an existing spell or crating an entirely new one. The Dungeon Master Guide has the information on this topic under Creating New Spells in chapter 2.

To add spells to her spellbook from a scroll or unfamiliar spellbook the Hellmouth Sorceress must first decipher the spell, Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level) if the spellcheck fails she must wait till the next day to try again, another way is to use the Read Magic spell. Also if the owner of the unfamiliar spellbook is willing to explain their writing style then success is automatic. Afterwards the Hellmouth Sorceress then spends a day studying the spell; after that she makes Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level) to understand the spell. If she fails she doesn’t understand the spell and cannot copy the spell into her spellbook. She must wait until she gains another point in Spellcraft before attempting again with that particular spell.

No familiars: In between creating the magical pathways for the use of your Hellmouth Feats and the painful backlash from cannibalizing your Constitution in their use, any existing links are severed and prevents any from forming. This also negates and/or prohibits any familiars and animal companions from other classes. (i.e.… Ranger, Druid, Wizard.)

Hellmouth Metamagic feat constitution cannibalization: When using a Hellmouth Feat the caster looses Constitution points equal to the number shown in the chart “Hellmouth Feats”. If the Caster attempts to use another Hellmouth Feat in the immediate following round she must make a Concentration check 10 + ½ of any hit point lost due to Constitution lost (if any) round up. You cannot drop you constitution below 1. Ability point lost is regain as per PHB pg: 146 or restoration spells. A Hellmouth Sorceress can choose the normal Metamagic feats that increase the Level of the spell instead of using Constitution points. Hellmouth Metamagic feats cannot be used on spells gain from multi-classing.

Special note about constitution cannibalization: The points gain from any spells or magic items that artificially raises your Constitution are used first. Any spell or magic item that prevents Constitution lost/damage does not prevent the constitution cannibalization from accruing.

Hellmouth Metamagic Feats: Are applied to the spell at the time of casting, therefore, such a character must also take more time to cast a metamagic spell (one enhanced by a metamagic feat) than he does to cast a regular spell. If the spell’s normal casting time is 1 action, casting a metamagic version is a full-round action for a sorcerer or bard. (This isn’t the same as a 1-round casting time, as described under Cast a Spell, page 143.) For a spell with a longer casting time, it takes an extra full-round action to cast the spell.

Memorize Spell: A Hellmouth Sorceress can memorize an arcane spell from her spell book like a Wizard, even though this would take her above her maximum Spell’s Known allotment. She must be able to cast that level of spell. Number of spells she can memorize is equal to ½ of her Intelligence modifier round down. (i.e…. to memorize just one spell she must have a minimum Intelligence of 14.) Each spell memorize takes up double its level in what Spells per Day you can cast. (i.e.… Memorizing a 2nd spell you must sacrifice the power to cast four 1st level spell, or one 1st and one 3rd level spell, or any combination. You can choose to sacrifice a higher level to cover the cost, (i.e.… sacrifice the ability to cast a 5th level spell to memorize a 2nd level.) You cannot regain the extra spell slot until the memorize spell is cast or given up. Memorized spell can be given up before resting to regain a sacrifice spell slots from you Spells per Day allotment.
 
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While the class has some cool Ideas, and some cool powers, there are some issues.

1. The penalties are too high for the abilities.

Memorize spell is too expensive. It's a cool Idea, but it's too expensive. A better Idea, would be to allow the Hellmouth Sorceress/Sorcerer to swap them out, level for level. she is getting a more limited number of spells known and spells per day, so let her swap them from the spellbook any time she wants as a wizard selects spells.

The main things I would watch out for here, are that you have to make sure it's nto better than the sorcerer or wizard. So if youre getting more versatility thanthe wizard via the ability to swap spells from a spellbook, but cast unprepared like a sorcerer, she should be getting less spells per day than the wizard, or and spells known than the sorcerer.

You were vague on this, what tpes of scrolls can she learn from? Can she learn from divine scrolls? Does it consume the scroll like it would if a wizard copied it into his spellbook?

Hellmouth Metamagic feats: Metamagic feats are horrible to begin with. You're wasting a valuable resource (feats) and then youre penalized for buying them by the higher spell levels, or crazy long casting times.
Making them take EVEN MORE feats makes the idea even less appealing. Its generally a better idea to take item creation feats and make wands and staves with spell charges, or take the time to make wondrous items that give you access to spell like abilities x/day.
If someone is going to take the metamagic feats they shouldnt be penalized for it. and if theyre going to pay CON to use it, then shey shouldnt have to buy the metamagic feat at all. They should get them all for free. Theyre taking a longer casting time, like a sorcerer, they're paying for it with their life energy, lowering their hit points, and making themselves more likely to die of CON drain, penalizing them further makes the idea appaling. They should have the option of buying the metamagic feats the usual way though. And you never specified, how much CON are they losing?
Plus, not only do they not get to have a familiar from this class, it actually takes away familiars/animal Companions from other classes. That's too big of a weakness for the class.

To sum up:
Some Cool Ideas, but they're penalized to the point that people will be afraid of taking levels in this class.
 

Hey Sylrae,

Big thanks for the constructive criticism and I will working on making a few changes using some of your ideas.

Thanks again!

Wispr
 

No Prob. I like the pic of Vampy Willow.

Keep in mind that Metamagic feats aren't very good to begin with. You're already overpaying for them via the feat, higher casting times, and higher spell slots. They aren't very good options unless you have a specific way to take advantage of one of them which youre building your chqaracter around. Most players avoid them once they see what theyre like unless they have a very specific reason to take them.
 

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