Complete Mage - Is it out yet?

[Banshee16]

Hi all,
Here is some more Complete Mage preview goodness posted by Razz at the WOTC boards

PREREQUISITES FOR MASTER SPECIALIST PRC
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks, Spell Focus (school of specialization), must be able to cast 2nd-level arcane spells, must be a specialist wizard


RAPID METAMAGIC
You possess an uncanny mastery of your magic, enabling you to modify spells on the fly much faster than others can.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 12 ranks, ability to spontaneously cast spells
Benefit: When you apply a metamagic feat to a spontaneously cast spell, the spell takes only its normal casting time.
Normal: Spontaneous casters applying metamagic must either take a full-round action (if the spell normally requires a standard action or less) or add a full-round action to the casting time (if the spell takes 1 full round or longer to cast).

RESERVE FEATS
Acidic Splatter: [Ability to cast 2nd-level spells] Create orb of acid 1d6damage/level, +1 caster level on acid spells
Aquatic Breath: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Breathe normally in air or water, +1 caster level on water spells
Blade of Force: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Surround a weapon in force, +1 caster level on force spells
Borne Aloft: [Ability to cast 5th-level spells] Fly 30 feet once per round, +1 caster level on air spells
Clap of Thunder: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Touch attack does 1d6damage/spell level and bestows deafness, +1 caster level on sonic spells
Clutch of Earth: [Ability to cast 2nd-level spells] Impede creature's movement, +1 caster level earth spells
Dimensional Jaunt: [Ability to cast 4th-level spells] Teleport 5 feet/spell level, +1 caster level on teleportation spells
Dimensional Reach: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Summon a small item, +1 caster level on summoning spells
Drowning Glance: [Ability to cast 4th-level spells] Exhaust an air-breathing foe, +1 caster level water spells
Face-Changer: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Alter your appearance, +1 caster level on glamer spells
Fiery Burst: [Ability to cast 2nd-level spells] Create fire burst 1d6damage/spell level, +1 caster level on fire spells
Hurricane Breath: [Ability to cast 2nd-level spells] Bull rush foes from a distance, +1 caster level on air spells
Invisible Needle: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Create force dart 1d4 damage/spell level, +1 caster level on force spells
Magic Disruption: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Reduce effect of enemy spellcasting, +1 caster level on abjuration spells
Magic Sensitive: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Detect magic instinctively, +1 caster level on divination spells
Minor Shapeshift: [Ability to cast 4th-level spells] Grant physical benefit, +1 caster level on polymorph spells
Mystic Backlash: [Ability to cast 5th-level spells] Target's spell damage self, +1 caster level on abjuration spells
Shadow Veil: [Ability to cast 2nd-level spells] Obscure a target's sight, +1 caster level on darkness spells
Sickening Grasp: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Sicken a target with a touch, +1 caster level necromancy spells
Storm Bolt: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Create line of electricity 1d6 damage/spell level, +1 caster level on electricity spells
Summon Elemental: [Ability to cast 4th-level spells] Summon elemental, +1 caster level on summoning spells
Sunlight Eyes: [Ability to cast 2nd-level spells] See in darkness 10 feet/spell level, +1 caster level on light spells
Touch of Distraction: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Impose -2 penalty on target's attack or Reflex save, +1 caster level on enchantment spells
Wind-Guided Arrows: [Ability to cast 3rd-level spells] Apply modifier to ranged weapon attack, +1 caster level on air spells
Winter's Blast: [Ability to cast 2nd-level spells] Create cold cone 1d4 damage/spell level, +1 caster level on cold spells

These Reserve Feats sound a heck of a lot like Locus Feats, which were introduced in the Scarred Lands book "Secrets of the Asaatthi". The only difference is that Locus Feats required you to have a specific spell in memory, and sometimes a minimum number of ranks in particular skills....but they gave slightly more powerful abilities.

Wonder if that's what inspired the idea?

Banshee

 

[Felon]

A lot of people play low-wealth or "low-magic" campaigns where it's difficult or impossible to craft items. Others play in fast-paced adventuring games where their PCs don't have the time or opportunity to craft or purchase magical items.

Well, I won't hazard a guess as to what percentage "a lot of people" really comprises, but suffice to say if you pare away the magic bling, you're playing a pretty radically different game--in some ways, it's like playing rock/paper/scissors without the scissors, because magic items provide some significant checks and balances (they'll keep a fighter from being outmeleed by a wildshaping druid, for instance). I think any useful discussion here has to assume people are playing the game using the guidelines set forth in the core books.

Wands and staves run out of charges. Replacing them costs either gp or XP & requires time. Wands and staves can be disarmed. Then they can be used against you. Wands and staves can be sundered. Wands and staves have a static caster level that won't increase for penetrating spell resistance. Wands and staves have to be carried around.

This is a big fat "so what?" situation. Sure, items are external components. They have to be created/purchased/wielded/toted and so forth--but D&D characters pretty much learn to reconcile themselves with carrying magic items. It's what the game makes allowances for. You either find items as treasure or you buy them.

That's where wands really suck: saving throw DCs; the most powerful wand you'll ever own has a save DC of 16, while your typical spellcaster's 4th level spells will have an 18+ DC (4 for level, 15+1 [level increase] ability, +2 stat boosting item). That's 15% more foes who will succeed, and each shot will cost you at least 420 gp. Penetrating spell resistance has similar problems; and it gets worse as the spellcaster's level gets higher.

Me, I find the Reserve feats idea intriguing, and I wish to subscribe to the newsletter look forward to picking up the book.

Wands are intentionally designed to scale so that using one is inferior to actually casting the equivalent spell. But I think it's plain to see that the reserve feats are geared to be inferior to actually casting the equivalent spell as well.

Now don't get me wrong, I've already said I think reserve feats are cool-looking, but I don't think they change the core game all that fundamentally, except maybe around 3rd to 5th level, where reserve feats first become available, because that's a little before wands come into prevalence.

 

[Felon]

These Reserve Feats sound a heck of a lot like Locus Feats, which were introduced in the Scarred Lands book "Secrets of the Asaatthi". The only difference is that Locus Feats required you to have a specific spell in memory, and sometimes a minimum number of ranks in particular skills....but they gave slightly more powerful abilities.

Wonder if that's what inspired the idea?

I think the roots of reserve feats lie in the psionic focus feats. They introduced the concept of getting some benefit out of exercising restraint, rewarding players for not shooting their wad right away.

 

[Sanackranib]

I thought he paid off Eric to give him 2,000 posts.

obviously its been a while since I've been on. I remember what a big deal it was when he reached 12k! :\

 

[Banshee16]

I think the roots of reserve feats lie in the psionic focus feats. They introduced the concept of getting some benefit out of exercising restraint, rewarding players for not shooting their wad right away.

I suppose it's possible....but it seems like these reserve feats are doing almost exactly the same thing as the Locus Feats do..

Of course, I'm not the writer of the book, so I have no idea what he was thinking when he was doing it.

Banshee

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Note the bolt only does 1d6 per spell level, not 1d6 per caster level. Thus, holding a lightning bolt in reserve only yields 3d6 damage.

D'OH!

Yessiree, I know how to read.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I suppose it's possible....but it seems like these reserve feats are doing almost exactly the same thing as the Locus Feats do..

Of course, I'm not the writer of the book, so I have no idea what he was thinking when he was doing it.

Well, it's not like there's a giant pool of D20 writers, nor of top-drawer material. I think it's perfectly reasonable to think all of these things are pretty much connected, either by having similar influences or as a direct adaptation of a good idea seen previously.

 

[Gold Roger]

Say what like it's a bad thing? I'm in favor of casters being able to do something cool every round -- I love Monte's spitballing of, essentially, merging wizards and warlocks in 4E, with fewer wizard spells in return for effects similar to reserve feats -- I just think that the current reserve feats might be a little TOO good. It's not as though wizards are underpowered to start off with.

Wizards have more than enough up-front power, but their staying power is somewhere down there.

I see the reserve feats as evening that power distribution out- they sacrifice some of that up-front power, because they don't throw out all high level spells available as soon as possible, and in turn gain a fair amount of staying power.

 

[Felon]

D'OH!

Yessiree, I know how to read.

Hey, it's rather convuluted anyway....character level, caster level, spell level. I've got a player new to D&D who won't touch a spellcasting class.

 

[Klaus]

I´d gladly keep a lightning bolt on reserve in exchange for the ability to deal 3d6 damage on a 20´ line at friggin´ will!

Imagine, you could even keep a lowly shocking grasp (touch, maxes out at 5d6) on reserve and in exchange do 1d6 damage on a 20' line at will. 5 uses and you've already achieved the maximum damage you'd be able to deal with a shocking grasp.