New spellcasting mechanic and base class

Hi all, I was toying around with a new mechanic for magic which I call incantations. Essentially, these are minor magical effects that the spellcaster can produce at will, an unlimited number of times per day. The concept of incantations allows me to fix one thing about high-level spellcasters which sometimes bugs me - they get so many spells that it becomes very difficult to keep track of (or use) them all. I thought I would tie these two concepts: minor, at-will magical effects balanced by fewer spells per day, into a new base class, the incantor. Comments welcome.

----------

Incantor

Like a wizard, an incantor is an arcane spellcaster that prepares spells. He can cast fewer spells per day than a wizard, but he knows one or more incantations which he can use to create minor magical effects an unlimited number of times per day.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d4.

Class Skills
The incantor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Incan. --Spells per Day---
Lvl. BAB . Fort Ref . Will. Known. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 .. +0 .. +0 . +0 .. +2 .. . 1 .. 4 - - - - - - - - -
2 .. +1 .. +0 . +0 .. +3 .. . 1 .. 3 1 - - - - - - - -
3 .. +1 .. +1 . +1 .. +3 .. . 2 .. 2 2 - - - - - - - -
4 .. +2 .. +1 . +1 .. +4 .. . 2 .. 1 2 1 - - - - - - -
5 .. +2 .. +1 . +1 .. +4 .. . 3 .. 1 2 2 - - - - - - -
6 .. +3 .. +2 . +2 .. +5 .. . 3 .. - 2 2 1 - - - - - -
7 .. +3 .. +2 . +2 .. +5 .. . 4 .. - 1 2 2 - - - - - -
8 .. +4 .. +2 . +2 .. +6 .. . 4 .. - - 2 2 1 - - - - -
9 .. +4 .. +3 . +3 .. +6 .. . 5 .. - - 2 2 2 - - - - -
10 . +5 .. +3 . +3 .. +7 .. . 5 .. - - - 3 2 1 - - - -
11 . +5 .. +3 . +3 .. +7 .. . 6 .. - - - 2 2 2 - - - -
12 . +6 .. +4 . +4 .. +8 .. . 6 .. - - - - 3 2 1 - - -
13 . +6 .. +4 . +4 .. +8 .. . 7 .. - - - - 3 2 2 - - -
14 . +7 .. +4 . +4 .. +9 .. . 7 .. - - - - - 4 2 1 - -
15 . +7 .. +5 . +5 .. +9 .. . 8 .. - - - - - 3 2 2 - -
16 . +8 .. +5 . +5 .. +10 . . 8 .. - - - - - - 4 2 1 -
17 . +8 .. +5 . +5 .. +10 . . 9 .. - - - - - - 4 2 2 -
18 . +9 .. +6 . +6 .. +11 . . 9 .. - - - - - - - 4 3 1
19 . +9 .. +6 . +6 .. +11 . . 10 . - - - - - - - 3 3 2
20 . +10 . +6 . +6 .. +12 . . 10 . - - - - - - - - 4 4

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the incantor.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Incantors are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with an incantor's movements, which can cause his incantations and spells with somatic components to fail.

Spells: An incantor casts arcane spells which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. An incantor must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time, as a wizard.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the incantor must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an incantor's spell is 10 + the spell level + the incantor's Intelligence modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an incantor can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given above. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score, up to a maximum of two bonus spells. For example, a 6th-level incantor with an intelligence of 16 would get one bonus 3rd-level slot and one bonus 2nd-level slot. He does not get a bonus 1st-level slot as he is limited to a maximum of two bonus spells. While an incantor gradually loses access to his lower-level spell slots, he may prepare a lower-level spell in a higher-level spell slot.

Unlike a bard or sorcerer, an incantor may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting a good night's sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the incantor decides which spells to prepare.

An incantor casts spells in exactly the same manner as a wizard. A multiclassed incantor/wizard adds his incantor levels to his wizard levels to determine the level-dependent characteristics of the incantor and wizard spells that he casts, including level checks to overcome spell resistance. In addition, he may prepare a spell that he has learned as an incantor in a wizard spell slot (of the appropriate level) and vice-versa. If he is a specialist wizard, he does not gain this advantage for spells of his opposition school(s). He may learn these spells as an incantor, but he may not add his wizard level to his incantor level to determine the level-dependent characteristics of such spells, and he may not prepare them in his wizard spell slots.

Spellbooks: An incantor must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook, except for read magic, which all incantors can prepare from memory.

An incantor begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells. At each new incantor level, he gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new incantor level) for his spellbook. At any time, an incantor can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own.

Incantations (Sp): An incantor knows one or more incantations, depending on his level, as shown in the table above. An incantation has verbal and somatic components, like a spell, and requires either a standard action or a move action to cast. Casting an incantation provokes an attack of opportunity. An incantor may apply Still Spell or Silent Spell to an incantation, but doing so increases the casting time to a full-round action. Other metamagic feats do not affect incantations. An incantor may cast more than one incantation a round, e.g. one standard action incantation plus one move action incantation, or two move-action incantations, or he may cast a spell and a move-action incantation. There is no limit to the number of times per day that an incantor may use an incantation.

The following incantations require a standard action to use:

Flame Blast: (Conjuration [Creation]; Range: Close; SR: No) The incantor creates a bolt of fire which requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 1 point of fire damage per level.

Force Dart: (Evocation [Force]; Range: Close; SR: Yes) The incantor creates a dart of force which requires a ranged attack roll to hit and deals 1d4 points of force damage. The dart has an enhancement bonus to hit and damage equal to +1 at 1st to 4th level; +2 at 5th to 8th level; +3 at 9th to 12th level; +4 at 13th to 16th level; and +5 at 17th to 20th level.

Inhibition: (Enchantment [Compulsion, Mind-affecting]; Range: Close; SR: Yes) The target may only take a partial action on its next turn unless it succeeds at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the incantor's level + the incantor's Intelligence modifier).

Mystic Lash: (Evocation [Force]; Range: 15 ft.; SR: No) The incantor creates a whiplike force that he may use to disarm or trip an opponent. The incantor may make a single disarm or trip attempt against a target within range as if he had a whip and was proficient in its use. The mystic lash does no damage.

Push Back: (Evocation [Force]; Range: Close; SR: Yes) The incantor creates a force that can bull rush a target as if it was a Medium-size creature with a Strength of 10 + the incantor's level, up to the maximum range of the incantation. The target moves in a straight line away from the incantor.

Radiant Beam: (Evocation; Range: Close; SR: Yes) The incantor creates a ray of positive energy which damages undead creatures. The ray deals 1d4 points of damage at 1st to 4th level; 2d4 at 5th to 8th level; 3d4 at 9th to 12th level; 4d4 at 13th to 16th level; and 5d4 at 17th to 20th level.

Snare: (Evocation [Force]; Range: Close; SR: Yes) The incantor creates a web-like force that entangles a target for 1 round unless it succeeds at a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the incantor's level + the incantor's Intelligence modifier). The target gets a +4 bonus to its saving throw for each size category that it is larger than Medium.

The following incantations require a move action to use:

Block: (Abjuration; Range: Close; SR: Yes [harmless]) The incantor surrounds a target with a protective force that reduces the physical damage (i.e. damage from a weapon or natural weapon, but not energy damage, ability damage, ability drain, etc.) dealt by the next successful attack by 1 hit point per level. If this reduces the damage dealt by the attack to less than zero, the attack is considered to have missed the target, and any additional damage (e.g. fire damage from a flaming weapon, sneak attack damage, energy drain, etc.) also does not affect the target. The force dissipates after it absorbs any amount of physical damage or after 1 round has elapsed.

Damage Ward: (Transmutation; Range: Close; SR: Yes [harmless]) The incantor provides a target with damage resistance for 1 round. The damage resistance is 1/- at 1st to 4th level; 2/- at 5th to 8th level; 3/- at 9th to 12th level; 4/- at 13th to 16th level; and 5/- at 17th to 20th level.

Deflection: (Abjuration; Range: Close; SR: Yes [harmless]) The incantor surrounds a target with a protective force that provides it with a deflection bonus to Armor Class for 1 round. The deflection bonus is +1 at 1st to 4th level; +2 at 5th to 8th level; +3 at 9th to 12th level; +4 at 13th to 16th level; and +5 at 17th to 20th level.

Energize: (Necromancy; Range: Close; SR: Yes [harmless]) The incantor provides a target with temporary hit points equal to the incantor's level for 1 round.

Energy Ward: (Abjuration; Range: Close; SR: Yes [harmless]) The incantor provides a target with energy resistance equal to the incantor's level for 1 round. The incantor chooses the type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire or sonic) at the time of casting.

Force Buckler: (Abjuration [Force]; Range: Close; SR: Yes [harmless]) The incantor creates a buckler of force which provides a target with a shield bonus to Armor Class for 1 round. The shield bonus is +2 at 1st to 4th level; +3 at 5th to 8th level; +4 at 9th to 12th level; +5 at 13th to 16th level; and +6 at 17th to 20th level.

It's a nice idea. But, I don't think it'll work well as written; I have a few fundamental criticisms:

1> It should be a Prestige Class aimed at Wizards, not a core class. No core caster classes stack for purposes of level-dependent spell effects, and yet you want this to stack with a Wizard. Plus, they have the same HD, BAB, saves, class skills, and key attribute. It's bad enough that Wizard and Sorcerer are so alike.
2> You've only got 13 Incantations and they can select up to 10 by the time you're done. That's just a bit too limiting, I'd say; not very much room for individuality. Either add a bunch more (right now you're skewed towards Evocations and buffs, how about some divinations?), or reduce the rate they get them.
3> You spend all that gold scribing low-level spells in your book, but you quickly (5 levels later) reach a point where you can't cast those spells any more without using metamagic, AND with only a half-dozen spell slots that wouldn't be smart.
4> It's just WAY too few spell slots. You'll never have more than a 10 spell slots total. High-level Wizards have 40 spells before counting INT bonus. Now, when comparing the highest two or three spell levels you'll be comparable, but all those low-level spell slots aren't useless.
5> Casters need cantrips. Read Magic, especially, is somewhat critical for a class that needs to use scrolls to learn new spells, and your class can't use it past level 5 without metamagic. Low-level utility spells in general are important to everyone but a pure blaster.

Which leads to the big one:
6> The Incantations themselves just seem so WEAK. I understand that the concept is you're casting one every round, but it's still just so little effect... take Flame Blast, for example. Let's say I'm a 10th-level Incantor. Okay, I can make a ranged touch attack to do 10 points of fire damage. On the other hand, I can cast a Fireball that does ~35 (save half) fire damage to everyone in the area with no attack roll needed. I understand the concept of a fall-back option, but the difference is so great that I'll never WANT to use the Incantations, I'll simply be forced to use them once my "real" magic runs out, effectively replacing only the low-level spells I rarely used.
The buffing ones, on the other hand, only last a round, so you can't have more than one up (and that's assuming you didn't target someone else), while a Wizard can have multiple buffs on at the same time. So, again, the group will prefer to depend on long-duration bonuses from other casters' spells, only using yours as a last resort.

Anyway, if you made it a 5-level PrC that removed your low-level spell slots in exchange for one unlimited-use ability, sort of like the Archmage does, it'd be great, but I'd still say you need to improve the Incantations themselves.

How about this:
Incantor is a 5-level PrC requiring the Spell Thematics feat (the one where you pick one "trademark" spell at each level) and the ability to prepare 3rd-level spells. Spellcasting progression continues.
At each level in the PrC, you lose the ability to cast the entire Xth level of spells altogether. So, at level 1 you lose all your 1st-level spells, at level 2 you lose your 2nd-level spells, etc.
However, you gain the ability to cast the level X spell chosen with Spell Thematics as a Spell-Like Ability, an unlimited number of times per day. So, at level 1 you might now get unlimited Magic Missiles, at level 2 unlimited Endurance, and so on.
(You might not WANT to take all five levels; taking the third level to get unlimited Fireballs is nice, but losing Haste and Fly? You'll also never lose the ability to use cantrips.)

Anyway, just a thought.

I like the basic idea, but it seems like this guy has a serious lack of firepower. The offensive incantations are amazingly weak, meaning that this guy is going to spend most of his 10 spell slots per day on magic missle and fireball anyway.

On the flip side, the defensive incantations are very strong, since the Incantor can cast one per round and still use an attack spell.

My recommendation is to increase the strength of the offensive incantations, and change both the offensive and defensive incantations to have a delay before their next use, much like a dragon's breath. Forcing the Incantor to alternate attacks on different rounds will make combat more interesting.

This is an exceptionally cool idea, imo. I agree that it needs some tweaking, but with some work it will have excellent flavor. I think I may look at it and see about turning it into more of a psi-warrior feel with med BAB, fewer spells and fewer incantations. Excellent flavor.

AeroDm said:

This is an exceptionally cool idea, imo. I agree that it needs some tweaking, but with some work it will have excellent flavor. I think I may look at it and see about turning it into more of a psi-warrior feel with med BAB, fewer spells and fewer incantations. Excellent flavor.

Click to expand...

I agree, this needs work but the idea is there. Definately need a rebalance in the offensive/defensive spells towards the offensive.

I really like the principle behind this.... high level prep times can be irritating, if the wizard isn't sure exactly what they need. Think it would work better as a PrC, like someone else suggested.

I think the incantations gained ought to be influenced by the spell level sacrificed... for example level 1 spells are worth 1 point. Level 5 worth 5 points.

Then there would be lists of incantations with differing point values. In the case of level 5 sacrificed you could take a single 5 pointer, a 2 and a 3, or 5 * 1 point versions...

I would do away completely with 0 level spells making them all incantations.

Wow! That truly is something else! Also I'm not understanding spell progression. Why does it fluctuate and what exactly do you mean by the dashes that come after?

Hi all, thanks for the comments and the occasional compliment . I will try to address them.

Base Class vs Prestige Class
One of the core ideas behind this class is that he can use magic over and over again, an unlimited number of times. As such, I thought it was sufficiently distinct from the wizard and sorcerer classes to warrant a separate base class. Perhaps I shouldn't have mixed it up with wizard spells, but given access to more powerful incantations instead. Let me re-work it along these lines.

Number of Spells per day
This should no longer be an issue once I re-work the Incantor as it would no longer get any wizard spells. However, for the record, I wanted to keep the number of spells per day low to avoid the bookkeeping nightmare that is a high-level spellcaster. Working off the assumption that a character would face four challenges equal to his level before he had to rest, I set the maximum number of spells per day at 8-10 in the expectation that he would use 2-3 per encounter and rely on incantations the rest of the time.

Golem2176: The dashes in the original table mean that the character has no spell slots of that level. The Incantor slowly gets access to higher-level slots, but loses his lower-level ones. He does not lose access to his lower-level spells because he can always use a higher-level slot to prepare a lower-level spell (though he usually would not want to do so).

Power of Incantations
The offensive incantations may be slightly underpowered because I was consciously comparing them to 0-level spells. Why would anyone cast a cantrip to deal 1d3 points of acid damage with a ranged touch attack if he had an incantation that would work better? Again, this will no longer be an issue once I re-work the Incantor.

Thanks again!