Nethermancer
Nethermancers, often times when one thinks of such magicians thoughts of death, darkness, corruption, and all things dealing with demons, devils, and other foul spirits come to mind, yet as you will see this isn’t true for many of their kind. In fact quite a few nethermancers have used the arcane powers of the Heavenly Hosts and some have been able to call upon archangels, cherubim, and seraphim.
In fact the least understood and most feared statement about their craft comes from their own ranks. “Though I am made of flesh, my body is filled with magic and my soul soars through the netherworlds,”. Now when one hears the term “netherworld” one tends to think of the depths of Hell or the Abyss it self, but as you will learn that assumption is quite narrow and false.
The Orders of Nethermancy
Spirit Walkers
The Spirit Walkers are the most common class of nethermancer, choosing neither to focus on the sacred or the profane but instead concisely using them both in a balance.
If there is one penalty they do suffer when working with nethermancy it is that they are required to cast as many Infernal spells as they do Celestial or Enochian spells a day.
They must be morally neutral.
Diabolists, Daemonologists and Demonologists
These fiendish mages are considered to be mere aberrations and severe exceptions to the rule. In addition to the dark powers they use, they’re known to perform human sacrifices, varying with the alignment of the spirits they serve. (An example: to use greater demonic arcane spells [not necessarily the summoning ones] a demonologist may bind and slaughter someone whom they have befriended and in such a way as to cover them self with their victim’s blood [note some demons prefer mere torture]. While a daemon prefers indirect sacrifice [in this case depraved indifference, cutting corners to save money and risking peoples lives, and gross negligence]. Devils however, prefer oppression, tyranny, and legalized state sponsored murder or torture [such as the Holocaust or Stalin’s Purges].) They must be evil and can not cast non-summoning Enochian spells.
Enochians: Celestial magicians
Enochians or light nethermancers are the good aligned answer to the Diabolists and other Dark magicians. The powers they use (in addition to necromancy and shadow magic) are those of light and purification. Unlike Diabolists and Demonologists Enochians perform acts mercy and healing and are well loved by those whom know them the most (if the people who know them are good). Lawful Goods would fuel their powers through vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to superiors. Neutral Goods through caring for those who got caught in the middle of a fight or in some cases a war. Chaotic Goods fuel their celestial powers through acts of rebellion and satire against corrupt politicians and tyrants, through founding charities with their own money, or advancing scientific knowledge for good purposes. A Chaotic Good may make a profit off of their good works but only if they do so publicly and honestly.
Alignment: Any
Religion: any
Hit Die: d4
Class Skills
The nethermancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill)
are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int),
Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession
(Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4: Skills for
skill descriptions.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
All of the following are class features of the nethermancer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Nethermancers 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 a nethermancer's movements,
which can cause her spells with somatic components to
fail.
Spells: A nethermancer casts arcane spells which are drawn from the
sorcerer/ wizard spell list. A nethermancer must choose and prepare
his or her arcane spells ahead of time (see below).
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the wizard must have an
Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level.
The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a nethermancer's
arcane spells is 10 + the spell level + the nethermancer's Intelligence
modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a nethermancer can cast only a certain
number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base
daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Nethermancer. In
addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a
high Intelligence score.
Unlike a bard or sorcerer, a Nethermancer may know any number
of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells
ahead of time by getting a good night's sleep and spending
1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the
nethermancer decides which spells to prepare.
Bonus Languages: A nethermancer may substitute any language or the netherworlds (such as Infernal or Celestial) for one of the bonus languages available to the character because
of her race.
Familiar: A nethermancer can obtain a familiar but not in exactly the same
manner as a sorcerer can. A nethermantic familiar can come in the form of an awakened animal or a spirit of the netherworlds (in other words, an Outsider or incorporrial Undead).
The familiar can start out with a Challenge Rating no greater than the level of the nethermancer.
Scribe Scroll: At 1st level, a nethermancer gains Scribe Scroll as a
bonus feat.
Spellbooks: A nethermancer must study her spellbook each day to
prepare her arcane spells. She cannot prepare any arcane spell not
recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which
all nethermancer can prepare from memory.
A nethermancer begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-
level nethermancer arcane spells (except those from her prohibited
school or schools, if any; see Schools of Magic,
below) plus three 1st-level spells of your choice. For
each point of Intelligence bonus the wizard has, the
spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your
choice. At each new nethermancer level, she gains two new
spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based
on her new nethermancer level) for her spellbook. At any time,
a nethermancer can also add spells found in other wizards'
spellbooks to her own.
Schools of Magic:
Nethermancers may cast spells from the schools of Conjuration, Necromancy, Abjuration, Divination up to third level, any spell with the Shadow or Light sub-schools (wether it's from Illusion, Evocation, Alteration), Alteration spells that deal with the spirit and transportation, and enchantment up to sixth level.
Table: The Nethermancer
Base Attack Fort Ref Will ---------- Spells per Day ---------
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Summon familiar,
Scribe Scroll 3 1 - - - - - - - -
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 4 2 - - - - - - - -
3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 4 2 1 - - - - - - -
4th +2 +4 +1 +4 Astral sight 4 3 2 - - - - - - -
5th +2 +4 +1 +4 Bonus feat 4 3 2 1 - - - - - -
6th +3 +5 +2 +5 4 3 3 2 - - - - - -
7th +3 +5 +2 +5 Frighten, Taunt 4 4 3 2 1 - - - - -
8th +4 +6 +2 +6 4 4 3 3 2 - - - - -
9th +4 +6 +3 +6 4 4 4 3 2 1 - - - -
10th +5 +7 +3 +7 Animal Possession, 4 4 4 3 3 2 - - - -
or Channeling
11th +5 +7 +3 +7 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 - - -
12th +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 - - -
13th +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 Spirit Hold 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 - -
14th +7/+2 +9 +4 +9 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 - -
15th +7/+2 +9 +5 +9 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 -
16th +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 Spirit Talk 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 -
17th +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 1
18th +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Life Sight, Spirit Dodge 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2
19th +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3
20th +10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Orbiting Spy, 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Arcane Mutterings, Astral Pocket
If you want to understand what these nethermantic powers are, read the Earthdawn rule books and look up the nethermancer talents. Also for those who may be upset by the fact that I haven't mentioned any powers greater than Astral Pocket wait until my epic nethermancer post. Also wait for the post that lists the times per day and mechanics for the currently mentioned powers.
