vulcan_idic
Explorer
Here's an idea I've been kicking around for an alternative arcane caster. Don't know if I'll actually use it, but I'd like some feedback on it.
I started building the concept on a scene from the Babylon 5 pilot where Delenn selects a ring from a rack holding many rings, puts it on and then uses some "force push" on the person trying to bully her. I liked the idea that the ring was the focus and that there needed to be many types of rings.
So my idea is that all arcane magic in a given world is the focus of the caster's lifeforce channeled by her will through the metaphysical lens of a gemstone on a ring. Each variety of gem reflects a different variety of magic (school, element, not sure exactly how it's split yet - this is still a bit fuzzy). For example all [Force] magic might need to have a Diamond as the focus. But just because force magic requires a diamond focus, doesn't mean that any diamond would do as a focus. Just as diamonds are rare, magically attuned diamonds are rare among diamonds. Magical attunement is an inherent part of the piece of stone in question - either it has it or it doesn't, this property cannot be altered. Trade in these gems is obviously quite lucrative and highly guarded. The gem is then incorporated into a ring, which can then be used to cast spells of the type governed by the stone. Only one such ring may be worn at once and it counts against the magic ring quota of the character. These rings are very rare.
Once one has a ring the casting of spells through it borrows a page from Green Ronin's Psychic Handbook. For 0-level spells anyone can use it. For anything greater you need to have the aptitude for it (as represented by a feat (not ring-type specific) - Magic Attunement) and also the will to create your chosen effect as represented by a spellcraft DC based on seeds(the ring type) similar to the epic spell system. The DM sets the spellcraft DC based on the size, distance, and complexity of the desired action. If unsuccessful nothing happens, the character was unsuccessful in focusing the energy sufficiently, it costs them nothing except the time they used making the effort. If, on the other hand, the character successfully makes the check they focus part of their life energy into the effect they chose (i.e. they take subdual damage based on the same things the Spellcraft DC was based on - the harder a task is the more difficult it is to perform and the more enacting it takes out of you).
I know this is pretty nebulous and doesn't have a lot of specifics, any thoughts though?
I started building the concept on a scene from the Babylon 5 pilot where Delenn selects a ring from a rack holding many rings, puts it on and then uses some "force push" on the person trying to bully her. I liked the idea that the ring was the focus and that there needed to be many types of rings.
So my idea is that all arcane magic in a given world is the focus of the caster's lifeforce channeled by her will through the metaphysical lens of a gemstone on a ring. Each variety of gem reflects a different variety of magic (school, element, not sure exactly how it's split yet - this is still a bit fuzzy). For example all [Force] magic might need to have a Diamond as the focus. But just because force magic requires a diamond focus, doesn't mean that any diamond would do as a focus. Just as diamonds are rare, magically attuned diamonds are rare among diamonds. Magical attunement is an inherent part of the piece of stone in question - either it has it or it doesn't, this property cannot be altered. Trade in these gems is obviously quite lucrative and highly guarded. The gem is then incorporated into a ring, which can then be used to cast spells of the type governed by the stone. Only one such ring may be worn at once and it counts against the magic ring quota of the character. These rings are very rare.
Once one has a ring the casting of spells through it borrows a page from Green Ronin's Psychic Handbook. For 0-level spells anyone can use it. For anything greater you need to have the aptitude for it (as represented by a feat (not ring-type specific) - Magic Attunement) and also the will to create your chosen effect as represented by a spellcraft DC based on seeds(the ring type) similar to the epic spell system. The DM sets the spellcraft DC based on the size, distance, and complexity of the desired action. If unsuccessful nothing happens, the character was unsuccessful in focusing the energy sufficiently, it costs them nothing except the time they used making the effort. If, on the other hand, the character successfully makes the check they focus part of their life energy into the effect they chose (i.e. they take subdual damage based on the same things the Spellcraft DC was based on - the harder a task is the more difficult it is to perform and the more enacting it takes out of you).
I know this is pretty nebulous and doesn't have a lot of specifics, any thoughts though?
