The Blue Mage, thoughts? Comments? UPDATED!!!!

[Sravoff]

I have always been fond of the idea of a humanoid gaining the attacks of an animal, or best of some kind. While I like the totemist from The Magic of Incarnum book, it doesn't have the "collect" I crave. I liek the idea of a character that travels in search of magical beasts and such, with which to learn abilities.

I was thinking te easiest way to do this would be to take the sorcerer, and add "abilities" instead of spells. These could take spells slots, dependent upon a formula to decide how high of a spell slot it took. Keepign the sorcerer's spells known as a sort of internal spell book, and allow the Blue Mage to swap out and forget abilities if he/she so desired.

My first impulse is to make some sort of check, using spell craft, to learn an ability. Does the Mage have to be targeted by the ability? Or just be within a certain range. What sort of formula would you suggest? I would say CR off the top of my head, but thats not completely thought out...

I am also wondering if this would run off the creatures DC, or the Mage's attributes...

Ok here is my first draft...

Blue Mage
HD: d4
BAB: Poor
Saves: Good Will
Skills: 4+int
Concentration (con), Craft (int), Knowledge (all) (int), Listen (wis), Profession (wis), Spellcraft (int), Spot (wis)

Challenge Rating and corresponding Spell Level equivilent
 CR  Spell Level
.1        1
.2        1
.3        1
.4        2
.5        2
.6        3
.7        3
.8        4
.9        4       
10        5
11        5
12        6
13        6
14        7
15        7
16        8
17        8
18        9
19        9
20        9
21        10
22        10
23        10
24        11
25        11
26        11
ect...   +1 spell level per 3 CR increments.

Weapon/Armor: Blue Mages are proficient with all simple weapons and simple armor, heavier armor interferes with the use of Blue Mage spells.

Spells A Blue Mage can cast "spells" once they have learned them. Blue Mage "spells" are actually super natural and extrordinary abilities that the blue mage has learned. A Blue Mage begins play knowing one ability selected from the following creatures.* To cast a learned ability, a blue mage must have a charisma score of 10 + the learned ability's spell level.

To learn an ability, a blue mage makes a knowledge (apropriate) check, DC=10+ the creatures CR. The knowledge skills will run off the "Archivist" knowledge skills for the Archivists Dark Knowledge power. I'll get those up later.

The Blue Mage gains additional spells per day if she has a high inteligence score, just as if a wizard had one.

The Blue Mage uses the sorcerers spells known and spells per day as a sorcerer of equal level. The blue mage knows and can learn NO 0th level spells.



*Not sure what to put here yet...

I am thinking maybe to give them a medium BAB... not sure yet though, what do you think?

Comments, help, critisism welcome.
-Sravoff

 

[Sravoff]

Ok, so here is what I have come up with so far.

The Blue Mage, another name woudl be fine, but I am not feelign incredibly dreative at the moment, can learn any Super Natural (SU) or Extrardianry (Ex) abilities of any creature.

Any ability the Blue Mage wants to learn, takes up a spell level based on its CR.

 CR  Spell Level
.1        1
.2        1
.3        1
.4        2
.5        2
.6        3
.7        3
.8        4
.9        4       
10        5
11        5
12        6
13        6
14        7
15        7
16        8
17        8
18        9
19        9
20        9
21        10
22        10
23        10
24        11
25        11
26        11
ect...   +1 spell level per 3 CR increments.

In order to cast a spell, the Blue Mage must have a Charisma of 10+ equivelent spell level.

In order to learn an ability, a Blue MAge must watch it be used within 30 feet. In order to learn the ability, the Blue Mage makes a Knowledge (X) check, DC=10+CR.

Under these rules, a doppleganger's change shape ability would be "stored" as a first level spell, An adult green dragons breath weapon would be sixth level spell.

DC's I think that the DC for such abilities, that allow a savign throw could be equivilent spell level + 10 + Cha Mod.

Extra Spells, could be granted by a high int score, or ability score, not sure which yet... probably inteligence.

This class allows for the Epic feat, Improved Spell capacity, and Spell knowledge.

I'll get this all lookign better in the first post.
-Sravoff

 

[Imban]

It doesn't look like you would be able to copy passive abilities, but this is probably a good thing. Still, I'd be more than worried about Blue Mages copying very good abilities from low-CR creatures - Petrifying Gaze from a Basilisk would be a level-2 "spell", for example.

 

[Sravoff]

Which would definitly be a problem, having a 4th level character running around with a DC 14 stone gaze spell four tiemes a day. Provided atleast a 14 cha and int.

yes, I can see that being a problem...

What if the DC stayed te same? I mean same as the base creature, so no matter what stats the caster had, the DC was always 13.

That makes it a little better, maybe the DC is spell level + cha mod, or the creatures DC, whichever is lower...

Thanks for thew input Imban!

Needs some work...
-Sravoff

 

[Herobizkit]

I would make the spell ability equivalent or roughly equivalent in level to its respective PHB spell counterpart. Flesh to Stone is a 6th level wizard spell, so a Basilisk's Petrifying Gaze would fill a 6th-level slot on your chart thingy.

Also, many abilities for monsters are based on their Hit Dice, not necessarily their spell like abilities.

Also also, check out the Savage Species sourcebook for some excellent insight as to how and why the monsters are the way they are.

 

[Kisanji Arael]

Ummm, just a few quick thoughts.

One - since the class is designed around the concept of taking punishment from monsters (and yes, this is less so than a traditional Blue mage, but still will occur more than a normal wizard), are you sure that d4 is the right hit die? Same applies for the weak fortitude save. I do, however, think weak BAB, proficiency with martial weapons. (a FFV tradition)

Two - Have you considered having their spell-like abilities set up something like the warlock? Maybe they could know an infinite number (if they learned them), but could only assign a certain number/day. Also, does that they will gain NO spells on their own? Just wondering.

Three - I learned something today. When Sarda casts a spell to hurt you, and you learn that spell, you learn to cast a spell that hurts you.

 

[Sravoff]

A friend of mine has the Savage species book, I;ll see if I can borrow it.

Perhaps running the spell levels off of HD could work, but once you get to higher levels, HD for monsters sky rocket. With a enough number crunching I think that may be possible though...

I was origanally givign them good will and fort, and d6 HD. When I decided they ahd to be effected by the ability. I since changed that, so they only have to be within 30 feet. Still near the action, but possible to get out of the way... Maybe

Maybe they could run off of invocations liek the warlock, that would be somtheing to look into. And yes, that means they leanrn nothing on their own. TGhis could be a severe limiting factor, with the DM, and could easily turn into collection parties and quests, wich would pretty cool IMHO, even if rather campaign specific.

Sarda sounds liek a fun person to hang out with. I suck and can't seem to get more than 25 hours into a game...

 

[Herobizkit]

Here's a thought.

If they actually have to "learn" the ability by being exposed to it, treat their learn attempt as a one-time Evasion-type effect. A successful save results in no damage/effect to the mage and the ability is learned; failure indicates full effect and ability is still learned.

"Shiny... shiny shiny SHINY!" - Gau
"Can anything be THAT shiny?" - the monk guy ^_^

 

[Sravoff]

Here's a thought.

If they actually have to "learn" the ability by being exposed to it, treat their learn attempt as a one-time Evasion-type effect. A successful save results in no damage/effect to the mage and the ability is learned; failure indicates full effect and ability is still learned.

"Shiny... shiny shiny SHINY!" - Gau
"Can anything be THAT shiny?" - the monk guy ^_^

Yes it can!!

that sounds good, though still the problem of balancing out abilities. I am starting to realize that there isn't going to be a formula that works for all monsters.