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[d20] Alternate arcane spellcaster

maransreth

Explorer
After GenCon last year, Monte Cook posted an article about how arcane spellcasters could be changed to make them more playable and change the game aspect. Then this GenCon with the announcement of 4e and the fact that arcane spellcasters will still be useful even when they have run out of spells, so I ran with the ball and came up with the following core class.

There are some thoughts in there about magic, etc after the spell list as well that I just thought up and decided to investigate. The class has not seen action as of yet and I was hoping for some feedback, especially about the spells. The spell list would be restricted, but I am unsure exactly to what yet and I am thinking about using the readying/memorising from Arcana Evolved.

So comments, thoughts suggestions welcome.
 

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Let's see how this works then - Class as follows: Note it is long

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Disciplines
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Scribe Scroll 2
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 2
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 2
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus Feat 2
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Spell level alteration 3
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 3
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 3
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Bonus Feat 3
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 4
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Spell Mastery feat 4
11th +5 +3 +3 +7 4
12th +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Bonus Feat 4
13th +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 5
14th +7/+2 +4 +4 +9 5
15th +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 Draw upon ambient magic 5
16th +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 Bonus Feat 5
17th +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 6
18th +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 6
19th +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 6
20th +10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Bonus Feat 6


Disciplines
Disciplines are the starting point of a caster’s magical training. The basics of all disciplines are taught during the apprenticeship. All disciplines once activates last for a 24 hour period. If the caster wishes to choose new disciplines the next day at an earlier time, all active disciplines must be cancelled, then the new discpline rituals can be commenced.
Disciplines do not count towards the number of spells that a caster can have active at any one time. All disciplines count as spell-like abilities for the purposes of anti-magic and dispelling.

Armour After the spellcaster performs a one minute ritual, he is then protected by an invisible, tangible force effect that surrounds the body. The armour provides a +3 armour bonus to AC, has no arcane spell failure, armour check penalty and no speed reduction. As the armour is made by force, incorporeal creatures do not bypass this armour, like normal armour. The armour bonus increases as the spellcaster increases in levels –
1st – 5th +3
6th – 10th +5
11th – 15th +7
16th – 20th +9

Attack This discipline can be used to launch a blast of magical energy at an opponent. A one minute ritual must be performed to activate the attack discipline. The attack is a bolt of force energy that is treated like a ranged touch attack. The magical energy is similar in size to an arrow or crossbow bolt and has a range of 90 ft. The amount of damage it deals depends upon the caster’s level. The caster can use this discipline as often as they wish within the day that the ritual was cast. Spell Resistance does apply to the attack, the Spell Penetration feat can be applied to the caster level check. The Weapon Focus feat can also be applied to the attack. When the caster’s level is sufficient to cause more damage, the number of opponents who can be targeted by the attack also increases by one.
Level Damage Opponents affected
1st – 5th 1d6 1
6th – 10th 3d6 2
11th – 15th 5d6 3
16th – 20th 7d6 4

Energy Attack Instead of a force attack, the caster can launch a bolt of magical energy, instead of force energy. A one minute ritual must be performed, during which time the caster decides what energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) will be applied to the ranged touch attack. Once the energy type is chosen, it cannot change for that day. The attack is a bolt (arrow-sized) of energy that is treated like a ranged touch attack, with a range of 90 ft. This energy is summoned (or conjured), and thus Spell Resistance does not apply. The amount of damage dealt, depends upon the caster’s level. When the caster’s level is sufficient to cause more damage, the number of opponents who can be targeted by the attack also increases by one.
Level Damage Opponents affected
1st – 5th 1d4 1
6th – 10th 3d4 2
11th – 15th 5d4 3
16th – 20th 7d4 4

Energy Resistance This discipline can be used in one of two ways, which must be announced each day. The first effect is to gain protection from one energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) for the entire day period, or to gain protection from one energy for 10 minutes/caster level. Either effect will only come into effect after a one minute ritual activating the desired effect. The spellcaster can will the protection to end before the effect expires if they so choose. One hour after the end of the protection effect, the spellcaster can draw upon this discpline if so desired, again choosing which energy is resisted. The amount of energy resisted is the same.
1st – 5th 10
6th – 10th 20
11th – 15th 30
16th – 20th 40

Lingering Attack This discipline allows the caster to attack as a melee touch attack that deals energy damage and possibly also debilitates the opponent in some way. Each day chosen the caster must perform a one minute ritual to activiate the discpline and during this time select what energy type is chosen (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). When used the caster uses a melee touch attack to harm their opponent, dealing energy damage as indicated in the table below. The caster also attempts a special ability to harm the opponent as well. The ability depends upon the energy type chosen. The Saving Throw the opponent must save against is 10 + 1/2 the caster’s level + Intelligence modifier. If an opponent saves against the ability, it cannot be harmed by that effect within a 24 hour period from the caster. Weapon Focus and Weapon Finesse are both able to be applied to this discipline.
Level Damage Effect Duration
1st – 5th 1d4 1 round
6th – 10th 3d4 1d6 rounds
11th – 15th 5d4 1d10 rounds
16th – 20th 7d4 2d8 rounds

Energy Ability
Acid Blinded
Cold Slowed
Electricity Dazed
Fire Shaken
Sonic Deafened

Magical Senses This discipline allows the caster to use magical energy to enhance their own senses. A one minute ritual must be performed to activate this discipline, which has a two-fold effect. First, the caster has magical sight as according to the table below for a 24 hour period following the ritual. Second a number of other abilities become available that can be used once per level per day, i.e. a 1st level caster can choose one ability for that 24 hour period, a 5th level caster can choose any ability up to five times in that 24 hour period. As the caster progresses in power, the secondary abilities change, but the caster can choose a lower level ability if they wish.

1st – 5th detect magic and read magic detect undead, detect thoughts, see invisibility
6th – 10th arcane sight clairaudience/clairvoyance, identify
11th – 15th arcane sight, greater true seeing, analyze dweomer
16th – 20th arcane sight, greater discern location, moment of prescience

Magical buffing This discipline allows the caster to enhance their abilities. A one minute ritual must be performed and the ability scores are selected during this ritual. At higher levels the caster has more options when performing the ritual as to what effects occur.
Level Bonus Max bonus to one ability score
1st – 5th +4 +4
6th – 10th +8 +4
11th – 15th +12 +8
16th – 20th +16 +8
The lowest bonus the caster can give is +2. Thus at 3rd level a caster can either give himself a +4 bonus, or two +2 bonuses. From 6th level the caster can give bonuses to others, as well as himself. For example a 9th level caster can give a +4 bonus to himself, and two +2 bonuses to other party members.

Familiar This discipline allows the caster to summon a spirit to act as a guide and conduit. A one minute ritual must be performed to activate this discipline. The familiar’s shape must be chosen from the Animal type during the ritual. The familiar is incorporeal, cannot attack and cannot sustain damage. It has a movement of Fly 40 ft. (perfect), even if the familiar’s shape is a legged creature, it appears to walk, but in reality flies.
The familiar communicates telepathically to the caster. As such it can scout and relay back to the caster what it sees and hears. It is knowledgeable about certain subjects (as determined by the caster during the ritual), use the table below for the number of subjects plus the bonus to each topic. The other main advantage to having a familiar is that it increases the caster’s level by one for all spell variables. For example a 7th level caster casting wall of fire has a range of 180 ft., and an area of either 180 ft. long or a ring with a radius of 20 ft., and lasts Concentration + 8 rounds.
Level Knowledge topics Ability
1st – 5th 2 (+6) Cast spells through familiar
6th – 10th 4 (+10) See and hear what familiar sees
11th – 15th 6 (+14) Spell Resistance 10 + caster level
16th – 20th 8 (+18) 1/day summon 1d6 Large elementals

Other magic thoughts that can be incorporated with the class
Spellcasters cast 3 + caster level cantrips per day. Thus at 1st level a spellcaster can cast 4 cantrips per day, while an 11th level spellcaster can cast 14.

Spellcasters with high Intelligence cast bonus spells as per the ability score table.
A spellcaster can only have half their caster level (rounded up) in spells active at any one time. Thus a 1st level spellcaster can only have 1 spell active at one time, while an 8th level spellcaster can have 4 spells active at one time.

Spellcasters can cast more spells in a day than their alloted amount by expending Constitution. If a spellcaster has cast all spells memorised in a day, he can attempt to cast more by succeeding on a Spellcraft check DC 15 + spell level (cantrips would be DC 15). A successful attempt means the spell is cast normally, but the spellcaster loses 1 temporarily Con/spell level. Thus a spellcaster casting invisibility would lose 2 Con. This ability penalty is temporary and can be restored as normal ability loss, either by spells or rest.
An unsuccessful attempt results in the spellcaster being stunned for 1 round and loses 1d4 hit point to nonlethal damage from the spell backlash.
Cantrips count as 1st level spells when determining Con damage.

Spellcasters can attempt to work together to cast their magic. A Spellcraft DC 12 + spell level must be succeeded by all spellcasters for the conjoined spell to work. Failure causes all participants to be dazed for 1 round. Success means all secondary spellcasters add half their caster level to the primary spellcaster’s level to determine the effects of the spell cast.
For example 3 6th level spellcasters succeed at casting a conjoined fireball. The caster level to determine the variables is 12 (6 + 3 + 3). Spell level caps apply normally (which is this case means damage would be capped to the normal 10d6).
Success in conjoined spells has other benefits if the same spellcasters cast more conjoined spells on the same day. For each successful conjoined spell, all spellcasters take a cumulative -1 bonus to future Spellcraft checks for conjoined spells.
For example, the same 3 6th level spellcasters have successfully cast 3 conjoined spells. When they attempt a fourth, they all receive a -3 bonus to the Spellcraft check.
At 5th level a spellcaster learns how to alter spell levels. Lower level spell slots can be used to cast a higher level spell, while a higher level spell slot can be converted to lower level spell slots. Cantrips count as ½ level. For example 2 cantrips and 2 1st level spell slots can be used to power a 3rd level spell. A 5th level spell slot can be converted to 1 3rd level spell and 2 1st level spells.

At 10th level a spellcaster learns the Spell Mastery feat for free.

At 15th level a spellcaster can draw ambient magic from around them to power their spells. To sense if there is enough ambient magic to power the spell, a spellcaster must succeed on a Spellcraft DC 20 + spell level which takes one full round. To accumulate the ambient magic takes another full round action and the spellcaster succeeding on a Concentration check DC 20 + spell level. It is only in the 3rd round that the spellcaster can cast the spell. If at any point the spellcaster fails their attempt, they are stunned for 1 round.
Successfully drawing upon the ambient magic around a spellcaster has a downside to it though. By taking the magic found around the point they currently stand, drains the life from the land. Because of this druids do not look favourably upon spellcasters who practice this often. The land is drained for 1 month per spell level in a 1 foot radius/spell level from the spellcaster. More importantly for the spellcaster, drawing upon the ambient magic around them makes all healing on their person not work for a number of rounds equal to the spell level cast.

Spells per Day

Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1 1
2 1
3 1 1
4 1 1
5 1 1 1
6 2 1 1
7 2 1 1 1
8 2 2 1 1
9 2 2 1 1 1
10 2 2 2 1 1
11 3 2 2 2 1 1
12 3 2 2 2 1 1
13 3 3 2 2 2 1 1
14 3 3 2 2 2 1 1
15 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1
16 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 1
17 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1
18 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 1
19 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2
20 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2


So thoughts, comments, suggestions?

EDIT: Suggestions on how to get it to look like I typed it in would be appreciated :p
 

Prettified class table:
Code:
Level BAB  Fort Ref Will Special               Disciplines
 1st  +0    +0  +0   +2  Scribe Scroll             2
 2nd  +1    +0  +0   +3                            2
 3rd  +1    +1  +1   +3                            2
 4th  +2    +1  +1   +4  Bonus Feat                2
 5th  +2    +1  +1   +4  Spell level alteration    3
 6th  +3    +2  +2   +5                            3
 7th  +3    +2  +2   +5                            3
 8th  +4    +2  +2   +6  Bonus Feat                3
 9th  +4    +3  +3   +6                            4
10th  +5    +3  +3   +7  Spell Mastery feat        4
11th  +5    +3  +3   +7                            4
12th +6/+1  +4  +4   +8  Bonus Feat                4
13th +6/+1  +4  +4   +8                            5
14th +7/+2  +4  +4   +9                            5
15th +7/+2  +5  +5   +9  Draw upon ambient magic   5
16th +8/+3  +5  +5  +10  Bonus Feat                5
17th +8/+3  +5  +5  +10                            6
18th +9/+4  +6  +6  +11                            6
19th +9/+4  +6  +6  +11                            6
20th +10/+5 +6  +6  +12  Bonus Feat                6

Prettified spell table:
Code:
Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1      1   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
2      1   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
3      1   1   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
4      1   1   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
5      1   1   1   -   -   -   -   -   -
6      2   1   1   -   -   -   -   -   -
7      2   1   1   1   -   -   -   -   -
8      2   2   1   1   -   -   -   -   -
9      2   2   1   1   1   -   -   -   -
10     2   2   2   1   1   -   -   -   -
11     3   2   2   2   1   1   -   -   -
12     3   2   2   2   1   1   -   -   -
13     3   3   2   2   2   1   1   -   -
14     3   3   2   2   2   1   1   -   -
15     3   3   3   3   2   2   1   1   -
16     4   3   3   3   2   2   2   1   -
17     4   3   3   3   3   2   2   1   1
18     4   4   3   3   3   2   2   2   1
19     4   4   3   3   3   3   3   2   2
20     4   4   4   3   3   3   3   2   2

To get these tables, do your tables in Notepad, using spaces to format the table, then insert it here, wrapped in[code]*insert table here*[/code]-tags!

Now to the class: Looks interesting... I'd switch the discipline progression a bit: The wizard should get each new discipline exactly one level earlier than in your table, that way, you'll always get one on an even level, while you get new spell levels on an odd level - due to your spell progression, only odd levels are good in your class, and even levels are boring - switch it, so they don't get it in such sudden lumps.

And it means that the wizard gets a 7th discipline on 20th, which is a nice capstone.

Generally, I like the class (and I dig Monte's article), and if not for 4E, I'd steal it for my homebrew right now.

Cheers, LT.
 

Thank you kindly for the info on how to code the table nicely.

And hey nick it now, and then convert when 4e comes over! Personally I want to see what it would be like in a playtest as well, but work is busy and we are currently in the process of buying a house and selling our current house, so no time for the next month or two.

I originally started with one discipline at 1st level, but thought it wasnt enough for the lack of spells. 3 at first level would be pushing it I think. But shall think on the progression idea.

Anyone have ideas on new disciplines? Travel, summoning, etc?
 

maransreth said:
And hey nick it now, and then convert when 4e comes over!
I'd love to do that... but my players would kill me, because right now, they're in the "stick to 3.5, then convert to 4E"-mode... and since I'm sometimes a prolific homebrewer, they're happy to have one system for the entire 9 months until 4E!
maransreth said:
Anyone have ideas on new disciplines? Travel, summoning, etc?
But concerning this, I have some ideas... I'll see, if I can whip up some stuff and try to balance it (if I have the time and creativity).
 

maransreth said:
Anyone have ideas on new disciplines? Travel, summoning, etc?
Some ideas for another discipline:

Travel
This discipline allows the caster to move instantanously, just by applying the power of his mind and his arcane knowledge. This effect is treated like a dimension door, but with limited range and always need a line of effect to the target location. The range and action is dependant on the spellcaster's level:
Code:
[b]Level        Range    Time[/b]
 1st - 5th   10 ft.   Standard action
 6th - 10th  10 ft.   Move action
11th - 15th  20 ft.   Swift action
16th - 20th  20 ft.   Immediate action
 

Originally when I thought of a Travel discipline I was thinking like the read magic/detect magic one - what spells would you give at the appropriate levels - expeditious retreat, fly, dimension door, teleport, etc. But I never put it to words as I wasnt sure if that was useful.

Looking at your discipline is better, but I am just wondering if it is too good - moving 10 ft every round, esp as a move action it doesnt say whether it draws an AoO or not. Otherwise a catser would cast spell, and move 10 ft away with no AoO. Plus personally I dont use Swift and Immediate actions as the players dont know about them and I think it would confuse some of them :p

That is the one thing I havent decided with any of the discplines - what action and whether it draws an AoO or not. I think the actions would be standard actions, but unsure about the AoOs.

I'll think about the discpline though and let you know other comments with more thought.
 

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