Cheiromancer's Classes

[Cheiromancer]

Erinyes Monster Class

Erinyes appear attractive to humans, resembling tall, very comely women or men with white wings. They are not above being mistaken for celestials.
Erinyes prefer to avoid combat when they can. If forced to fight, they use their charm ability to turn foes against one another and entangle those they cannot charm.


Hit dice: d8

Racial Traits
sub-type: Erinyes are Outsiders with the [evil] and [lawful] sub-types. Any weapon used by the erinyes is treated as being [evil] and [lawful] for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance.
Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Int, +2 Cha. Erinyes have strong minds and personalities.
Speed: Erinyes land speed is 30 feet.
See in Darkness: Erinyes can see in all magical darkness as well as normal darkness.
Acute Vision: Erinyes can see invisible as if using the spell.
Resistances: Erinyes begin with fire resistance 5 and a +4 racial bonus to saves vs poison.
Automatic Languages: Infernal.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic
Favored Class: Erinyes. Good multi-classing choices for an Erinyes are bard, ranger, and rogue.
Racial bonuses: Erinyes gain a +2 racial bonus to Survival checks when following tracks, and Use Rope checks involving bindings

Class Skills
Erinyes Class Skills are:
Concentration(Con), Diplomacy(Cha), Escape Artist(Dex), Hide(Dex), Knowledge (any)(Int), Listen(Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Search(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Spot(Wis), Survival (Wis), Use Rope (Dex)

Skill Points at first level: (8 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at each additional hit dice: 8 + Int modifier.
note: each additional hit dice, not each additional level!

Level...BAB/HD...Saves... Special
1..........+1.........+2.... feat, cumulative modifiers*
2..........+1.........+2.... lesser erinyes powers 1/day, fly 20 ft (avg)
3..........+2.........+3.... summon lemures (2d6, 50%), telepathy
4..........+2.........+3.... entangle (10 ft), lesser erinyes powers 3/day
5..........+3.........+3.... feat, fly 50 ft (good), improved resistance
6..........+3.........+3.... lesser erinyes powers at will, summon lemures (2d8, 50%)
7..........+4.........+4.... +1 ability, entangle (20 ft), spell resistance
8..........+4.........+4.... greater erinyes powers 1/day, flaming bow
9..........+5.........+4.... summon lemures (2d10, 50%), DR 5/good
10........+5.........+4.... entangle (30 ft), immunities
11........+6.........+5.... feat, true seeing
12........+6.........+5.... greater erinyes powers 3/day, summon barbazu (1d4, 35%)
13........+7.........+5....
14........+7.........+5.... improved resistance
15........+8.........+6.... +1 ability, summon barbazu (1d4, 50%)
16........+9.........+6.... feat, teleport and unholy blight at will

*Cumulative modifiers:

Level.....str....dex....con....int....wis....cha....NA....SR
1..........0......0........0......2......0.......2.......2.......
2..........2......2........2......2......0.......2.......3.......
3..........2......2........2......2......2.......2.......3.......
4..........4......2........4......2......2.......2.......4.......
5..........4......2........4......2......2.......4.......4.......
6..........4......4........4......2......2.......4.......5.......
7..........4......4........4......2......2.......4.......5.......11
8..........6......4........6......2......2.......4.......6.......12
9..........6......4........6......2......2.......6.......6.......13
10........6.......6.......6.......4......2.......6.......6.......14
11........6.......6.......6.......4......2.......6.......6.......15
12........8.......8.......8.......4......2.......6.......7.......16
13........8.......8.......8.......4......4.......8.......7.......17
14........10.....10......10.....4......4.......8.......7.......18
15........10.....10......10.....4......4.......10......7.......19
16........10.....10......10.....4......4.......10......8.......20

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Erinyes monster class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Erinyes are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, but not with armor or shields.

Feats: An erinyes recieves one feat at 1st level and additional ones at 5th, 11th and 15th level. After 16th level it gains feats normally according to its character level, as shown on Table 2-5: Experience and Level-Dependant Benefits.

Cumulative Modifiers: An erinyes becomes more powerful with time, gaining bonuses to its ability scores, natural armor, and spell resistance. See the associated chart for the total bonus gained by a particular level.

+1 Ability: At levels 7 and 15 the Erinyes increases one ability score of its choice by +1. After 16th level it increases abilities normally according to its character level, as shown on Table 2-5: Experience and Level-Dependant Benefits.

Entangle(Ex): Each erinyes carries a length of rope (or equivalant) some 50 feet long that entangles opponents of any size as an animate rope spell. The erinyes caster level for this effect is its hit dice +3. Should this rope be destroyed, the erinyes can enchant a new one as a standard action spell-like ability. The erinyes can hurl the rope the indicated distance with no range penalty.

Telepathy(Su): At 3rd level, an erinyes gains telepathy. It may communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

Lesser Erinyes powers(Sp): At 2nd level the erinyes may use charm person, magic weapon (only usable on the erinyes' own bow) and minor image 1/day. At 4th level these abilities may be used 3/day, and at 6th level they may be used at will. Caster level is hit dice +3.

Fly(Ex): The erinyes may use its bird like wings to fly. At second level its speed is 20 with average maneuverability, but this increases to 50 (good maneuverability) at 5th level.

Summon(Sp): Once per day the erinyes can attempt to summon other devils. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell.

Improved Resistance(Ex): At 5th level the erinyes gains fire resistance 15 and cold and acid resistance 5. At 14th level this improves to acid and cold resistance 10.

Spell Resistance(Ex): At 7th level the erinyes gains spell resistance equal to her erinyes level +4.

Flaming bow(Su): At 8th level the composite bow used by the erinyes acts as a +1 flaming bow while in her possession.

Greater Erinyes powers(Sp): At 8th level the erinyes may use charm monster, greater teleport (self and 50 lbs of gear only) and unholy blight 1/day. At 12th level they may be used 3/day, and greater teleport and unholy blight may be used at will at 16th level. Caster level is hit dice +3.

DR(Su): At 9th level the erinyes gains damage resistance 5/good.

Immunities(Ex): At 10th level the erinyes becomes immune to fire and poison.

True Seeing(Su): At 11th level the erinyes gains true seeing as cast by a 14th level cleric.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Trumpet Archon

DR, clerical spellcasting, skills and aura of menace has been modified to agree with the Monster Manual entry. I also weakened the class a little at lower levels. Now their combat ability (BAB + Strength Bonuses) does not exceed their level, and neither does their spellcasting level.

I recommend that a Trumpet Archon player character be considered a native outsider, and thus have to eat and sleep- but can also be raised. I also recommend that such characters use their Trumpet Archon class level instead of their hit dice when determining how spells affect them (Otherwise, for example blasphemy is fearsomely powerful against them.).

Trumpet Archon Class

Trumpet Archons are the messengers of the heavens, and leaders of the celestial armies. They appear as green, winged elves of supernatural beauty and goodness. Each trumpet archon carries a gleaming silver trumpet about 6 feet long.

Hit dice: d8

Racial Traits
Sub-type: Trumpet Archon are Outsiders with the [good] and [lawful] sub-types. Any weapon used by the Trumpet Archon is treated as being [good] and [lawful] for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance.
Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Int, +2 Cha.
Trumpet Archons have strong minds and personalities.
Speed: Trumpet Archon land speed is 40 feet.
Darkvision: Archons have darkvision out to 60 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Trumpet Archons can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Saves: +4 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
Automatic Languages: Celestial, Draconic, Infernal.
Favored Class: Trumpet Archon. Multi-classing requires the use of epic level rules.

Class Skills
Trumpet Archon Class Skills are :
Concentration(Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Escape Artist(Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (any one, chosen at 1st level)(Int), Listen(Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Perform (Wind Instruments) (Cha), Sense Motive(Wis), Spot(Wis), Use Rope (Dex) (+2 with bindings).

Skill Points at first level: (8 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at each additional hit dice: 8 + Int modifier.
note: each additional hit dice, not each additional level!

Level...BAB/HD...Saves... Special
1..........+1.........+2.... feat
2..........+1.........+2....+2 Str, electricity resistance 5, +2 natural armor (NA)
3..........+2.........+3.... spell-like abilities 1/day, tongues, spell resistance
4..........+2.........+3.... +2 Str, fly 40 ft. (average), +4 NA
5..........+3.........+3.... feat, +2 Dex
6..........+3.........+3.... +2 Wis, spells, trumpet (5 ft. blast, +1 greatsword), electricity resistance 10, +6 NA
7..........+4.........+4.... +1 ability, +2 Cha, DR 5/evil
8..........+4.........+4.... +2 Int, fly 90 ft. (average), +8 NA
9..........+5.........+4.... trumpet (20-ft. blast, +2 greatsword)
10........+5.........+4.... +2 Con, electricity resistance 15
11........+6.........+5.... feat, +2 Dex, +2 Wis, spell-like abilities 3/day
12........+6.........+5.... +2 Str, aura of menace, greater teleport 1/day, +10 NA
13........+7.........+5.... trumpet (50-ft. blast, +3 greatsword), immunities (electricity, petrification)
14........+7.........+5.... +2 Str, magic circle against evil, DR 10/evil
15........+8.........+6.... +1 ability, fly 90 ft. (good), greater teleport 3/day
16........+8.........+6.... +2 Str, trumpet (100-ft. blast, +4 greatsword), spell-like abilities at will, +12 NA
17........+9.........+6.... feat, +2 Wis, +2 Cha
18........+10.......+7.... greater teleport at will
19........+11.......+7.... +2 Dex, +2 Int
20........+12.......+8.... +1 ability, feat, +14 NA

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Trumpet Archon class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Trumpet archons are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, but not with armor or shields.

Feats: A trumpet archon recieves one feat at 1st level and additional ones at 5th, 11th, 17th and 20rd level.

+1 Ability: At levels 7, 15 and 20 the trumpet archon increases one ability score of its choice by +1.

Spell Resistance: At 3rd level the archon gains SR equal to his class level +9.

Spell-like abilities: The trumpet archon can cast detect evil, continual flame and message 1/day at 3rd level, 3/day at 11th level, and at will at 16th level. The caster level is equal to the archon’s hit dice.

Tongues (Su): A trumpet archon can speak with any creature as if using a tongues spell (caster level = archon’s HD from class levels + 2). This ability is constantly active.

Spells: At 5th level the archon can cast divine spells as a cleric with a level equal to the archon’s hit dice from class levels +2. A trumpet archon has access to two of the following domains: Air, Destruction, Good, Law, or War (plus any others from its deity).

Trumpet: At 6th level the archon is awarded a trumpet, which produces music of utter clarity, piercing beauty, and, if the trumpet archon wills it, paralyzing awe. All creatures except archons within a certain distance must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 archon’s HD from class levels + archon’s Cha modifier) or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. The radius of the effect increases from 5 feet at 6th level to 100 feet at 16th level and higher.
The archon can also command its trumpet to become a magic greatsword with an enhancement bonus ranging from +1 at 6th level to +4 at 16th level and higher. Changing the trumpet to or from a greatsword is a free action. The trumpet’s powers do not manifest for anyone other than the archon to whom it was awarded; in anyone else’s hands it becomes a chunk of useless lead.

Aura of menace: A trumpet archon of 12th level or higher is surrounded by a 20-foot aura of menace. Hostile creatures within the area must succeed on a Will save (DC 12 + 1/2 the archon’s HD from class levels + archon’s Cha modifier) or take a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, AC, and saves for one day, or until they successfully hit the archon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same archon’s aura for 24 hours.

Greater teleport (Sp): The archon can only teleport himself and up to 50 lbs of gear and equipment.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Sidhe Monster Class

Originally posted by Sepulchrave II:

Aloof, superior, and obsessed with their history, lineage and traditions, the sidhe are a proud people who seldom now venture onto the Prime Plane – content instead to remain within their isolated fastnesses in Faerie. Some claim that they are the progenitors of the elves – the original race, before they were afflicted by schism and exposure to mortal lands, foods and peoples.

The unearthly beauty of the sidhe is legendary, and their art and architecture is likewise exquisite and refined. No sidhe – man or woman – stands less than six feet tall. They are slender, but surprisingly strong, and possess a deftness and grace that few mortals can hope to match. The sidhe are physically hardy, and can endure hostile environments far more easily than humans. Their faces are impassive, and most sidhe exude a cool hauteur, tinged with dry condescension.

Sidhe armour and weaponry is replete with baroque designs, engravings and embellishments – gold and silver are commonplace, together with bright enamels of every hue. The strange faerie metals used in the construction of these items are functionally identical to mithral and adamantine, and of the highest quality.

At rest, the sidhe favour elegant clothing with simple lines, with exotic furs favoured in colder climes. Sidhe dwellings simultaneously convey a sense of the ephemeral and the eternal, with soaring towers of improbable height. Buttresses, bridges and narrow walkways seem to hang suspended in the air.

The sidhe boast many kings, and most sidhe claim at least a minor noble title. Their society is organized around families or clans, with settlements of more than a few dozen unusual. Various charmed magical beasts are favoured as guardians, steeds and companions. Occasionally lesser feys – notably sprites – are present in the capacity of servants or slaves. Sidhe children are born rarely, and take several centuries to reach adulthood.

The arts – particularly music, sculpture and painting – preoccupy many of the sidhe, who fear boredom more than any other ill. Rhetoric, logic and drama also fill the centuries. Wit is considered a virtue, but Sidhe humour, which seldom evinces more than a fleeting smile amongst their own kind, is barbed and ruthless. The sidhe are noted hunters, and the pursuit of fabulous creatures across the landscape of Faerie – occasionally spilling onto the Prime Plane – has given rise to many legends and stories.

The sidhe maintain cool relations with other feys, elementals, and occasionally powerful outsiders such as slaadi and demons. They show open contempt for both mortals and those feys who have ‘gone native’ upon the Prime, regarding the latter as little more than poor relations – when they admit any connection at all. As feys, the sidhe have a connection with nature which is intrinsic – although they do not regard themselves as either sponsors or protectors of nature in any shape.

Starting abilities: Sidhe gain the following racial modifiers to their starting ability scores: +2 to Cha, +2 Dex, -2 Wis. Sidhe are quick but overconfident.

Skill points/level: Sidhe receive (6+int modifier) x 4 skill points at first level, and 6+int modifier skill points every time they gain a hit dice.

Class skills: The class skills of the sidhe are Animal Empathy, Bluff, Craft (any), Knowledge (any), Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Ride, Search, Spot.

Sidhe also receive a +4 racial bonus to animal empathy, perform & bluff skill checks. They are proficient with all simple weapons, bows, longsword and rapier, and with all armor and shields. Sidhe possess low-light vision.

A sidhe’s favoured class is Bard.

Level  HD       BAB   Saves     Feats  Special
1      1d6      +0    +0/+2     1      Ignore spell failure, fast
                                       movement, bardic spells and music
2      1d6      +0    +0/+2            +2 dex, elemental resistances
                                       see invisible
3      2d6      +1    +0/+3     b      +2 con, fey magic (1/day)
                                       lesser body ward
4      2d6      +1    +0/+3            +2 int, hypnosis (standard
                                       action), SR
5      3d6      +1    +1/+3     1      +2 wis, fast healing 1
6      3d6      +1    +1/+3	       +2 cha, fey magic (3/day)
7      4d6      +2    +1/+4            +2 str, body ward
8      4d6      +2    +1/+4     b      +2 dex hypnosis (free action),
                                       sidhe magic (1/day)
9      5d6      +2    +1/+4            +2 con, fey magic (at will)
10     5d6      +2    +1/+4            +2 int, fast healing 2
11     6d6      +3    +2/+5     1      +2 wis, greater body ward
12     6d6      +3    +2/+5            +2 str, plane-shift

Bonus feats: at levels 3 and 8 the sidhe gets a bonus feat from the following list: Alertness, Expertise, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility and Mounted Combat.

Ignore Spell Failure (Ex): A sidhe may ignore a portion of the arcane spell failure associated with using armour. The sidhe subtracts 20% from his or her total spell failure chance. (As bards, they do not experience spell failure when wearing light armor and casting bardic spells.)

Fast Movement (Ex): Sidhe have a speed faster than the norm for their size and type by +10 feet.

Bardic Spells and Music: A sidhe has bardic music ability and casts arcane spells as a bard of half his class level. At first level they have the abilities of a 0th level (apprentice) bard.

Resistances (Ex): Second level sidhe have fire and cold resistance 5.

See Invisibility (Su): Invisible creatures are always visible to a sidhe of level 2 or higher, as if he of she were constantly under a see invisibility effect.

Body Ward (Ex): At third level, sidhe get a +4 bonus to saving throws against all mundane poisons and diseases (but not supernatural poisons and diseases). This bonus increases to +8 at seventh level, and becomes immunity at 11th level.

Fey Magic: Sidhe can use the following spell-like abilities 1/day at third level, 3/day at sixth level, and at will at ninth level- blur, change self, charm person, clairaudience/clairvoyance, invisibility, speak with animals. All spell-like abilities are as the spells cast by a sorcerer of the sidhe’s class level (Save DC 10 + cha mod + spell level).

Hypnosis (Sp): At 4th level, as a standard action, a sidhe may attempt to hypnotize (as the first level sorcerer/wizard spell) a single target within 30 ft. by meeting its gaze. Only humanoids are subject to this effect, but there is no limit on the number of hit dice or levels that the target can possess. The save DC is 10+HD/2 + Cha mod. A target which resists the hypnosis effect cannot be affected again by that sidhe for 24 hours. At 8th level a sidhe may use hypnosis once per round as a free action.

Spell Resistance (Ex): At fourth level a sidhe gains spell resistance equal to his character level + 6.

Fast Healing (Ex): A fifth level sidhe regains lost hit points at the rate of 1 per round. At 10th level this increases to a rate of 2 per round. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from thirst, starvation or suffocation, and it does not allow the sidhe to regrow or reattach lost body parts.

Sidhe Magic: Eighth level sidhe can use the following spells 1/day- bestow curse, suggestion. All spell-like abilities are as the spells cast by a sorcerer of the sidhe’s class level (Save DC 10 + cha mod + spell level).

Plane Shift (Sp): A 12th level sidhe can move between the Material Plane and the Plane of Faerie as a move-equivalent action. The ability transports the sidhe and up to six other willing creatures. It is otherwise similar to the spell of the same name. (note: The plane of Faerie is co-extensive with the Material Plane; plane-shift does not allow transportation to distant parts of the plane- the sidhe appears at the corresponding point
“on the other side.”)

 

[Cheiromancer]

This is a variant that uses gestalt classes (described in WotC's Unearthed Arcana) as a generic substitute for classes like eldritch knight, mystic theurge, etc.. Its name derives from the fact that gestalt levels are taken every second level:

gestalt-2: Characters can take a gestalt level at level 6. This first gestalt level must be of classes that are within one level of each other. Subsequent gestalt levels must be of classes that the character has at least one level of, and can only be taken at even class levels. After taking a gestalt level a character must take a level of a base class.

The gestalt-2 variant rule gives a character 8 gestalt levels over 20 levels. Using this variant one can play a fighter/wizard with get BAB 15 and 9th level spells (ftr3/wiz9/gestalt 8), a cleric/wizard with a caster level of 17/11 (or vice versa), a rogue/fighter (rog8/ftr4/gestalt 8) with BAB 18, 4d6 sneak attack damage and weapon specialization, and so on. You can make a warrior priest with fighter/cleric, make a savage variant by substituting barbarian for fighter and/or druid for cleric, and so on. There are lots of possibilties.

HP and BAB are generally better than with the mystic theurge, eldritch knight and similar "multige" classes (multiclassing prestige classes- thanks to Gez for the name!), but the spellcasting is not quite as good. Thanks to Gez for pointing out that gestalt classes could be used to solve the multige problem.

 

[Cheiromancer]

The following class has been balanced by comparing it to a rogue 2/fighter 2/wizard 8/gestalt wiz-rog 5/gestalt wiz-ftr 3.

The Occultist

Role: Many occultists are failures in some other field of endeavor; they are the wizard’s apprentice who cannot learn any spells, the novice cleric whose faith is too weak, or the would-be bard who does not have the heart for the profession. It is not that the occultist’s talent is lacking; but it is hidden too deeply for the standard training of a character class to unlock. Resentment over this early failure tends to embitter the character, though they may put on a cheerful face.

Other occultists are scholars (experts) who feel that they have hidden talents waiting to be discovered; talents which will bring them wealth and power. They pore over old tomes and practice exotic meditation techniques in order for these powers to be uncovered. Occultists will often form secret societies in which their discoveries can be shared; occultists are natural conspirators, and are well suited to skullduggery. Still other occultists are bored aristocrats who seek the thrill of secret knowledge and the reassurance of a group of fellow strivers.

And finally, there are the occultists who are raised and trained as such; typically such occultists are also cultists of one kind or another. These cults rarely worship true deities, but may be on quite friendly terms with various fiends.

Whatever their background, occultists are convinced that there is a secret to success, and that this secret is within their grasp. Though sometimes dismissed as charlatans, dillettantes and con artists, occultists sometimes stumble onto the secrets of real magic; rarely, however, do they achieve the power of standard wizards. For this reason spell-casting occultists tend to resent wizards and sorcerers, and sometimes clerics as well. This animosity is usually kept well hidden.

The benefits of the slow path to power are not inconsiderable. Occultists are more aware of themselves and their world, and thus are harder to assail either physically, mentally, or spiritually. The most obvious of an occultist's awakened talents is arcane spellcasting. But occultists will also have a skill or weapon with which they exhibit unusual skill; this is their "knack." Even occultists who do not have a weapon knack seem unusually competent with a dagger or club; especially when they strike from surprise or from behind.

Abilities: Intelligence powers an occultist’s spells, and enhances his skills. Constitution and dexterity are most important for sheer survivability.
Alignment: any non-good
Hit dice: d6
Armor and Weapons: light armor, no shield, simple weapons
Attacks: medium BAB (like a rogue)
Saves: all good (like a monk)

Skill points: 4 + Int modifier
Class skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Disguise, Escape Artist, Hide, Knowledge (any), Move Silently, Open Locks, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft.

Key ability for spells: Intelligence.


Level
1. sneak attack +1d6, trap sense
2. knack
3. evasion
4.
5. familiar, spellcasting (level-4)
6.
7.
8. uncanny dodge
9.
10 wizard bonus feat
11
12 sneak attack +2d6
13
14 knack
15
16 sneak attack +3d6
17
18 improved uncanny dodge
19
20 wizard bonus feat

Special Abilities:

Knack (Ex): A second level occultist gains insight into the use of a weapon or a skill. The occultist may select a weapon for which he gains Weapon Focus immediately and weapon specialization at 14th level. Alternatively, the occultist may choose a skill and is thereafter treated as having a number of ranks in the chosen skill equal to his class level plus his intelligence bonus (if any). At 14th level the occultist may "take 10" with this skill, even in stressful circumstances. A skill knack does not stack with ranks purchased with skill points. A skill knack counts for the purpose of meeting prerequisites for a feat or prestige class.

Sneak attack, trap sense, evasion and (improved) uncanny dodge are as the rogue abilities. With respect to improved uncanny dodge, a rogue whose level is higher than the occultist may flank him normally.

The occultist's familiar and spellcasting is much the same as for a standard wizard 4 levels lower, except that an occultist must give up a school of magic (as a specialist wizard does) without gaining any of the benefits of specialization. An occultist may give up any school of magic except for divination. An occultist prepares his spells using a spellbook, just as a standard wizard does. Occultists suffer a chance of arcane spell failure if they wear armor when casting spells; armor is mostly for low level occultists.

At 5th level the occultist is considered a variant wizard class, and cannot multiclass with wizard. A character with levels of wizard cannot take more than 4 levels of the occultist class.

wizard bonus feat: At 10th and 20th level the occultist gains a bonus feat as if he were a wizard.

Ex-occultists: There is something a little off about the occultist’s approach to the world, one which does not appeal to good characters. An occultist who becomes good retains all class abilities, but cannot gain further levels as an occultist.

Multiclassing: Occultists can (with a knack for disable device) easily become arcane tricksters, and those with blacker hearts are well-suited to become assassins or ur-priests.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I was looking for my XP formulas, and I thought I had put them in this thread (which I have bookmarked). But they weren't here. So I'll put them in for my own reference purposes. Or for anyone else who cares, of course.

Lately, though, my new material is in the Feats and Classes (Wyre) thread. Anyways...

This thread (Poll: What is the best method of dividing XP?) indicates that the 3.5 method is the favorite method (~70%) of assigning xp. Respondents prefer 3.5 because it allows lower level characters to catch up quickly with the rest of the group. A distant second (~20%) is the 3.0 method, which divides xp equally among participants in an encounter. Very few people (~1%) use a method like the one promoted in Grim Tales, which ensures that members of a party level at the same rate. (Grim Tales doesn't ensure equal advancement if a character has a level adjustment- but Grim Tales handles LAs differently than I would.)

Any of the methods requires recourse to charts and tables to assign xp. What follows are some formulas that IMHO capture the essence of the various methods of calculating experience points. They would be easy to write down in a spreadsheet, or with a calculator and paper.

First, assume we are talking about a party encountering a group of monsters.

X is a monster encounter composed of m monsters whose CR is x₁, x₂,... x_m.
P is a party of n characters whose levels are p₁, p₂,... p_n​

This is what we want to calculate:

xp(k) = character k's xp from encounter X​

To do this a DM will have to calculate one or both of the following:

Chi(X) = (x₁² + x₂² + x₃² + ... + x_m²) * 300
Rho(P) = (p₁² + p₂² + p₃² + ... + p_n²)​

A 3.5-style xp formula (rapid catchup) is

xp(k) = (Chi(X) / n) / p_k​

Chi(X) is divided by the number of characters, and then by character level. Since low level characters divide by a smaller amount, they get more experience.

A 3.0-style xp formula is the same, but uses the average party level instead of p_k. In other words, you divide Chi(X) by the total party level. Everyone gets the same amount.

A GT-style xp formula (equal advancement) is

xp(k) = Chi(X) / Rho(P) * p_k​

Higher level characters get more xp, but they also need more xp to level up. The result is that all characters level at the same rate.

A fourth alternative exists, and that is to use a level independent experience system (LIES). I suggest the following LIES:

Each monster is worth CR² * 100 xp, which is divided among the characters.

In this system a character's level is calculated by dividing their experience point total by 100, and taking the cube root (round fractions down). Thus a character with 3000 xp is third level (rounded down from 3.10) and a character with 100 000 xp is exactly 10th level.

If xp from LIES are divided equally, low level characters will level up much faster than high level characters. Even if the xp is divided into as many shares as the party has levels, the low level characters will level up a little bit faster than the high level characters do.

According to LIES, the expected treasure of a character is approximately (within a factor of 2) equal to that character's total xp. If that is close enough, a DM can ensure that the experience that a party gains from an encounter will, on average, be equal to the treasure they earn. 1 gp = 1 xp, for a "1st edition feel."

Incidentally, note that the XP costs for magic items and spells have to be adjusted to make the numbers work out; multiply by a factor of (0.3 * character level). A 20th level wizard will have to pay 30 000 xp to cast a wish instead of 5000 xp, since she'll be earning about 6 times as much xp from encounters as a character in one of these other systems.

 

[gamecat]

Not sure about the mesomagician - it seems exorbitantly powerful, but the Goetic Magician is frickin' awesome. Everyone's got a summoner class, but yours shines.

Now the Night Raven is what the blackguard should have been as well.

 

[Cheiromancer]

An addendum to post 16: you can make it so that you gain a level every 1000 xp. XP awards are lower, of course. The 3.5 (catchup) method will convert to a monster being worth 300 x CR², which is divided by the number of players, and then by the square of each individual's level.

Experience point costs (to cast limited wish say, or make a magic item) are also divided by the level of whoever is paying the cost. A 15th level wizard pays (300/15 = 20) xp to cast limited wish, which is 2% of the xp needed to level up. In 3.5, 300 xp is also 2% of the xp needed for a 15th to level up.

Mechanically it works out to be the same as 3.5. The squaring and dividing isn't any fun (though who does such things by hand nowadays?) but there is a nicer correspondence between xp totals and character level. You can tell that a character with 9500 xp is halfway between 9th and 10th level, for instance. Something that is less obvious if a character for a character with 40500 xp in 3.5.

Now the Grim Tales method works extremely well with this variant.

Calculate the power of the encounter (sum of the squares of the CRs). Divide by the power of the party (sum of the squares of the CRs of the characters). Times by 300. That's the xp per character.

Done.

XP costs and payments are still divided by character level, though. A 15th level wizard still pays only 20 xp to cast limited wish. A 20th level wizard pays 250 xp to cast wish[/].

I'm going to go show this to Wulf...

 

[Cheiromancer]

Not sure about the mesomagician - it seems exorbitantly powerful, but the Goetic Magician is frickin' awesome. Everyone's got a summoner class, but yours shines.

Thanks!

I haven't looked at the mesomagician for a while. IIRC, I was trying to disprove the thesis that a wizard PrCl needed to have full spellcasting or else it was underpowered. Perhaps I succeeded too well! There are other "two-fisted spellcaster" classes around (Nifft's Mortal Thrall of Demogorgon (arcanist) comes to mind) and I might check them out to see if the meso magician needs to be rebalanced.

Now the Night Raven is what the blackguard should have been as well.

With the emphasis on "guard." Yep.

 

[Drowbane]

Meso Magician

The wizard’s right eye, the blue one, regarded Jasarl steadily. The left eye, the brown one, looked up and to the left, tracking something behind the young cleric of Boccob.

“That must be Methili,” Jasarl thought. “But she’s flying, silenced and invisible...”

The left half of the wizard’s face curled into a smile, and he began to mutter arcane syllables and weave arcane gestures. The spell was familiar.

“A bolt of enervation,...” thought Jasarl as he noticed the distinctive hook and curl of the wizard’s left forefinger. But then he saw the glass spheres in the wizard’s right hand, and recognized their contortions. “...and a feeblemind? Both at once? But that’s impossible...”

That was also Jasarl’s last coherent thought.

Hit Dice: d4.

Requirements
To become a meso magician, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Spellcraft: 9 ranks
Spells: Must be able to prepare haste as an arcane spell.
Feats: Improved Initiative, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell.


Class Skills
The meso magician’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter Four: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Level...BAB...Fort.....Ref….Will... Special..........................................Spellcasting
1.........+0.....+0......+0....+0.... double quicken................................+1 spellcaster level
2.........+1.....+0......+0....+0.... fragment........................................
3.........+1.....+1......+1....+1.... hands and voice..............................+1 spellcaster level
4.........+2.....+1......+1....+1.... lesser twin.....................................
5.........+2.....+1......+1....+1.... two hands......................................+1 spellcaster level
6.........+3.....+2......+2....+2.... greater twin...................................
7.........+3.....+2......+2....+2.... double mind....................................+1 spellcaster level
8.........+4.....+2......+2....+2.... true twin........................................


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the meso magician prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The meso magician gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Double quicken: You may cast two quickened spells in a round, instead of only one. You may not cast another spell until your next turn.
Fragment: You may cast extra spells per day. Calculate the base number of spells per day of a wizard 1/4 your spellcaster level (maximum 4th level). You do not get any additional spells known. Do not include bonuses from ability scores, school specialization or feats. You cast these spells as a wizard 1/4 your level (maximum 4th level). Round all fractions down.
Hands and voice: You may cast two spells simultaneously. One spell must lack somatic components, and the other must lack vocal components. To use this ability you must be the only target of an active haste spell.
Lesser twin: As fragment, but the bonus spells are as a wizard 1/2 your spellcaster level (maximum 8th level)
Two hands: You may cast two spells simultaneously. One spell must lack vocal components, and you must have both hands free to cast. To use this ability you must be the only target of an active haste spell.
Greater twin: As fragment, but the bonus spells are as a wizard 3/4 your spellcaster level (maximum 12th level).
Double mind: Gain a +2 on all checks based on your intelligence.
True Twin: As fragment, but the bonus spells are as a wizard of your spellcaster level (maximum 16th level).

Very interesting. Not sure of its balance... but damn that'd be a creepy villain... or PC