WARNING: Wall of text below. Tl;dr is I have attached a very early draft of a Magic: the Gathering Planeswalker apprentice class and spellbook. This is something I'll be working on every now and then in my spare time. Suggestions welcome.
I've been doing some thinking and playing around this weekend on my approach to creating what I think encapsulates the M:tG "feel" to me. I've attached an early draft. Please excuse the formatting and note that nothing is currently tested for balance yet.
The draft includes a new Apprentice class. This is largely built on the chassis of the Wizard. Inspired by the old school D&D high level player where you could quest to become a deity, I loved the idea that this could be a kind of "prequel" into how beings come to be Planeswalkers. At level 1 the players are imbued with a spark of a specific colour. All of their abilities come from this spark as they level, eventually culminating in the apprentice ascending to becoming a Planeswalker at level 21. If anyone has suggestions for a name other than Apprentice I'd like to hear it, because I've come up empty.
The design of this assumes no multiclassing. And while other classes may be used with it, considering that the goal of this class is to become a near immortal plane shifting eldritch master, it may feel a bit lackluster being anything else. I am going to try and differentiate the sparks enough to feel significantly different. For example, some of the red spells revolve around doing melee damage and is heavily focused on damage in general. White magic on the other hand will have a number of protective and healing spells, etc.
For the class:
- At level 1, you choose the colour of your Spark. This determines which class features you gain as you level and which school of magic you gain access to.
- The ability you use for casting spells is defined by your Spark.
- Subclass abilities have been mostly copied from various wizard subclasses and others are modified or new. These need to be balanced and will be reviewed in time. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
- Level 18 allows a limited creation of artifacts. The mechanics of which is yet to be determined, but is intended to create temporary artifact. Only Planeswalkers can create permanent artifacts.
- Level 19 allows for limited duration summoning. The mechanics of which is yet to be determined, but is intended to create temporary summons. Only Planeswalkers can create permanent summons.
- Level 20 allows for the use of teleportation, shifting planes, and the creation of land of your associated spark color or destruction of lands of different colours. The mechanics have not yet been worked out, but this is intentionally game breaking at this level, as the Apprentice is ready to ascend to becoming a Planeswalker.
For the spells (note
@cbwjm - I plan on adding your spell recommendations soon):
- Red instants mostly done. Red sorceries and enchantments to follow.
- Sorceries are usually 1 action casting time.
- Instants may be 1 action, but sometimes will be 1 bonus action or 1 reaction.
- Enchantments will be 1 action, and will either buff allies or debuff enemies.
- General rule of thumb for costing is that 1 colour mana = cantrip. Each colour mana after that increases the spell by 2 spell level, and each colourless mana increases the spell level by 1.
- General rule for damage is inspired by DMG guidelines, but it will need several passes to rebalance once the list is built.
- Many spells need modification in power or effect to not simply imitate another spell in the deck. The M:tG deck card limit doesn't apply to D&D, so if I am to include a spell, it has to be different enough to warrant inclusion.
A note on creatures: I lost in the thread who mentioned this, so I'm sorry for not giving you credit, but I will design a bestiary at the end with creatures of each colour. These will normally reside in the associated lands (but not always) and will be most likely what is encountered. Each creature will likely also be associated a "level" which can be used for difficulty of encounter as well as interacting with the Level 19 Apprentice ability.
A note on artifacts: I will design a limited magic item compendium based on artifacts. These will be colourless. Each artifact will likely also be associated a "level" which will interact with the Level 18 Apprentice ability.
As with this post, the project is becoming bigger than I intended. However I'm happy to tinker along with it as it's for my own amusement. Please feel free to steal anything from this if you find value in it. I'm also keen to hear peoples feedback and suggestions as I go along and update this. Given the early stages, suggestions will help more than feedback, but all is welcome.
