True Specialists

[I'm A Banana]

I'm in the process of designing some "true specialist" base classes, that represent not just a mastery of a class of spells, but an entire method of magic. Using the Warlock as a base and revolving the class around archetypal effects, I hope to make some effective exemplars of magical effects, rather than studious wizard-boys who just happen to favor one particular kind of spell.

Here's the first: the Abjurer

 

[Vrecknidj]

Cool idea. I don't think I'd pick all the same sorts of abilities, and I am one of those players who wants more explanation for why people can do what they can do, but, I certainly like the idea here.

Dave

 

[silvermane]

Interesting, please continue.

 

[GreatLemur]

I've gotta say, this really looks like a great idea. I'd love to see a full set of such specialists.

Using the term "abjurations" instead of "invocations" and "almighty" instead of "dark" is a bit nonstandard, though. It's just terminology, so it's not like it really matters, but even Dragonfire Adepts use "Dark Invocations" at high levels. I think it's good to avoid inventing multiple game terms for the same mechanic, but yeah, the whole "dark" tier they invented for the Warlock doesn't really fit everywhere. That was kind of short-sighted of WotC's people.

 

[Land Outcast]

Someone started doing this some time ago... not sure qhat happened to the posts...

 

[Land Outcast]

Dug out from older threads (could not find the classes I mentioned):

Evoker

Overcome resistance: once per day + one extra time per day every 2 levels beyond 1st, a spell cast by the evoker partially ignores a target's resistance to the spell's energy type (the resistance is treated as 10 points lower).
Cost: an evoker with this feature doesn't get bonus spell slots from specialization.

Energy Sustitution: once per day every 5 levels, the evoker can freely change one spell that has an energy type (fire, cold ,electricity, acid, sonic) to any other energy type.
Cost: the wizard bonus feats at levels multiples of 5.

Energy Affinity: +1 caster level on spells of one energy type of your choice.
Cost: familiar

Necromancer

Enhanced Undead: all undead created with your spells have +4 to Strength and Dexterity and +2 Hp per HD.
Cost: an evoker with this feature doesn't get bonus spell slots from specialization.

Undead Apotheosis: at level 5 you get +2 bonus to ST vs sleep, stun, paralysis, poison and disease; at level 10 you get +4 bonus to ST vs ability damage, ability drain and energy drain; at level 15 the bonus vs sleep, stun, paralysis, poison and disease increases to +4; at level 20 you get 20% resistance to critical hits.
Cost: the wizard bonus feats at levels multiples of 5.

Skeletal Minion: instead of the normal familiar, you have a human warrior skeleton companion with HD equal to your level (no special abilities like the familiar, but bonuses to Str, Dex, nat armor, and it doesn't cause Xp loss if destroyed).
Cost: familiar

Specialized only schools would be things that epitomize their school, and would in a sense be approximately half a level higher in power than a normal spell.

So, say your normal magic missile does 1d4+1, up to 5 missiles at level 10, the Evokers version would do perhaps slightly more damage and have a higher cap. Perhaps an Enchanters Deep Sleep spell would affect 6HD rather than the normal 4HD Sleep spell, or perhaps it requires inflicting at least 1 point of damage to awaken sleeping creature.

An Evokers 3rd level fireball equivalent spell called Conflagration would deal d8's rather than d6's, or perhaps deal 2 dice more damage to a single 5 ft. square in the center of the blast radius.

Just tossing out ideas.

Some ideas on potential house rules:

• Becoming specialized gives you access to a selection of spells only a specialist can cast, sort of like gaining an exclusive domain.
• Specialist Variants like those found in Unearthed Arcana.
• Increased caster level or save DC with specialized schools.

I have never once seen a specialist wizard IMC because loosing access to 2 schools has always felt like too hard on my players and me.

SO...

Here's a variant. When you specialize, instead of gaining an extra spell, you gain a certain benefit associated with your school:

Abjuration: An abjurer generates a cohesive field around him that enhances whatever protection items he currently wears. In game terms, this means that any bonus to armor class gained by the items he wears are converted to force effects that apply against incorporeal or touch attacks for example. An abjurer wearing bracers of armor +4, amulet of natural armor +2, and ring of protection +2 would have an effective AC of 18 versus any attack, be it a touch attack or a bash from a spectre. Note that armors and shields aren't enhanced by an abjurer's cohesive field. The total number of AC points thus converted cannot surpass his abjurer class level.

Conjuration: When a conjurer summons a creature(s), twice the normal number appear. This only applies to creatures summoned with his conjurer spells, not summoning abilities or spells granted by another class. He is treated as being 3 levels higher in order to determine his familiar's abilities.

Divination: When casting a spell from the divination school, the diviner is treated as being 4 levels higher (caster level +4). This only applies to his diviner spells, not divination spells or abilities granted by another class.

Enchantment: All enchantment spells cast by an enchanter have their saving throws DC augmented by two. This only applies to his enchanter spells, not enchantment abilities or spells granted by another class.

Evocation: All evocations spells cast by an evoker do +1 damage per die. A fireball cast by an 8th level evoker would do 8d6+8 points of damage. This only applies to his evoker spells, not evoker abilities or spells granted by another class.

Illusion: All illusion spells are one spell level lower for an illusionist. Color spray is a cantrip (as well as ghost sound), and invisibility sphere becomes a 2nd level spell.

Necromancy: A necromancer is so attuned to the negative plane that he rebukes or commands undead much like an evil cleric does. He uses wisdom instead of charisma to determine the turning effects, and his daily turning attempts cannot be used in conjunction with feats such as Divine Might or Extra Turning.

Transmutation: All transmutation spells cast by a transmuter have their saving throw DC's raised by 2. This only applies to his transmuter spells, not transmutation abilities or spells granted by another class.

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Some of these might be unbalanced, as I'm making this up as I go. I still don't think we'll be using these in our campaign (old habits die hard), but hey...

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I really like this idea kamikaze midget. Could be a really cool way of doing spell casting in a game, might be fun to replace to core casters and just use 'True Specialists' and see how it works out.
I'm curious to see how you'll implement certain classes like the enchanter or the illusionist, will they have a basic damage dealing ability or something else (charm/dominate effect maybe?)? Summoning could be cool but might be too strong if not limited in some way for the conjurer.

 

[Dog Moon]

Any more?

 

[avigor]

To make this easier, I think you can skip the necromancer (see the Dread Necromancer in Heroes of Horror).

Other than that, looks good.

Unless I'm mistaken, the Li Shenron quote, above, is referring to content in Complete Mage.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Dredged these up from an earlier thread:

Feats for Specialist Wizards
School Specialty