Exotic Mount and crazy ideas....

[RUMBLETiGER]

An awakened living spell would be like a magical version of the Terminator, programmed to do one thing over and over unrelentingly. Now, it might be something Good, but too much of a good thing can be bad. This type of creature just has a very limited focus mentally. Remember, when all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.

This is exactly the kind of Chaos I'm finding appealing, when you add the Amulet of Ooze Riding as a way to control said Ooze. Or the Clerical ability to Turn/Control. Or good old fashioned make friends with it 'cause it has a personality and preferences.

I don't think it would be programmed like the Terminator because that's what the Living Spell in it's ordinary form would do. An Awakened Living Spell has a mind, personalty, preferences, dreams, etc. It's like a caster that only has one spell, but also has the ability to move, communicate, has skills at it's disposal, etc. Now it's preferences are likely to line up with it's spell's function, however it would be able to expand beyond this.

 

[Samloyal23]

This is exactly the kind of Chaos I'm finding appealing, when you add the Amulet of Ooze Riding as a way to control said Ooze. Or the Clerical ability to Turn/Control. Or good old fashioned make friends with it 'cause it has a personality and preferences.

I don't think it would be programmed like the Terminator because that's what the Living Spell in it's ordinary form would do. An Awakened Living Spell has a mind, personalty, preferences, dreams, etc. It's like a caster that only has one spell, but also has the ability to move, communicate, has skills at it's disposal, etc. Now it's preferences are likely to line up with it's spell's function, however it would be able to expand beyond this.

Yes, it would have to learn what its own preferences were through experience. It would be even more of a babe in the woods than an awakened animal...

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Yes, it would have to learn what its own preferences were through experience. It would be even more of a babe in the woods than an awakened animal...

...How important, then, the individual that first helps it find it's way...

 

[kitcik]

...How important, then, the individual that first helps it find it's way...

Spellkeeper PrC

Prerequisites: Knowedge (arcana) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks, Handle Animal 5 ranks, Ch 14, ability to cast 5th level spells

HD: d4
BAB: poor
Saves: all good
Each level provides +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class for spells
L1: Spell Affinity
L2: -
L3: Spell Influence
L4: -
L5: Live, Spell, Live!, bonus spell

Spell Affinity: A Spellkeeper gains an affinity for living spells and can apply Handle Animal checks to Living Spells.

Spell Infuence: Living Spells are not immune to mind-affecting spells cast by a Spellkeeper of level 3 or higher.

Live, Spell, Live!: A Spellkeeper of 5th level may take ranks in Craft (Spell) and may craft Living Spells. A Living Spell may be crafted in a number of days equal to three times its spell level. A Spellkeeper can only craft a Living Spell of a spell they could otherwise cast. The creation DC is equal to 5 + twice the spell level. Spells with XP requirements cannot become Living Spells. Crafting a Living Spell requires the appropriate material components, regardless of whether the crafting is a success.

Bonus Spell: A Spellkeeper of 5th level gains the bonus spell "Awaken Ooze" in their spellbook, as soon as they are able to cast 8th level spells.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Spellkeeper PrC

Prerequisites: Knowedge (arcana) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks, Handle Animal 5 ranks, Ch 14, ability to cast 5th level spells

HD: d4
BAB: poor
Saves: all good
Each level provides +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class for spells
L1: Spell Affinity
L2: -
L3: Spell Influence
L4: -
L5: Live, Spell, Live!, bonus spell

Spell Affinity: A Spellkeeper gains an affinity for living spells and can apply Handle Animal checks to Living Spells.

Spell Infuence: Living Spells are not immune to mind-affecting spells cast by a Spellkeeper of level 3 or higher.

Live, Spell, Live!: A Spellkeeper of 5th level may take ranks in Craft (Spell) and may craft Living Spells. A Living Spell may be crafted in a number of days equal to three times its spell level. A Spellkeeper can only craft a Living Spell of a spell they could otherwise cast. The creation DC is equal to 5 + twice the spell level. Spells with XP requirements cannot become Living Spells. Crafting a Living Spell requires the appropriate material components, regardless of whether the crafting is a success.

Bonus Spell: A Spellkeeper of 5th level gains the bonus spell "Awaken Ooze" in their spellbook, as soon as they are able to cast 8th level spells.

I like it. I could play a caster that pursued this PrC.

The capstone class ability "Live Spell, Live!" sounds like the equivalent of someone who Crafts Constructs, instead creating a persistent spell effect as a creature.
Definitely a good call to remove spells with XP requirements. What about spells with material components so things like an Animate Dead living spell didn't become an Undead-making factory? How to make this ability useful but not grossly abusable, what other sorts of restrictions should be placed?

Would a teleport Living Spell teleport itself, or whoever it touched/engulfed, or both?

Could this be made into a Feat instead of a 5th level class ability or would that be too powerful?

...I'm stepping into the realm of Homebrew, which I try to avoid, but this idea is fun.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I found this and this from Wizards.com on the subject.

The Summoning Ooze is a variant on the theme, but not the Living Spell template.

The Living Prismatic Spray seems the most ideal Ooze for capture and breeding, because the text for a variant listed here possesses the Split ability, and can be "Edited" as per the text by negating certain parts of the Prismatic Spray abilities using specific spells to cause the split. Should a PC be able to capture and contain this creature, I think that PC could do everything I created this thread for. This appeals to the RAW lover in me, as opposed to homebrewing something.

Now to have a PC discover such a creature exists, make use of the Locate Creature spell, and then quest to find and capture it.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Oh!

Dragon Magazine 357, p.76 has a PrC called a Spell Sovereign based around Living Spells.

10 level PrC, 7/10 caster progression.

Living Spell Familiar as first level class ability. Level 1 spell at class level 1, progresses to level 2 at level 4, level 3 at level 7, level 4 at level 10. (Anyone else think classifying spells as "Levels" was foolish wording?)

Create Living Spell as a first level ability, creates temporary Living Spells off of your spell list as a Summon Monster spell, the spell is then expended. Duration is your PrC level.

Rebuke/Command/Bolster Living Spells at level 2.

Class abilities to enhance Living Spells, turn them into spell-like ability magical items, create Living Spells made from 2 spells together, extend the duration of your Create Living Spell class ability.

Capstone ability is to Awaken a Living Spell. Seems to affect existing Living Spells, not the one's you temporarily "summon".

...this is groovy.

 

[kitcik]

Definitely a good call to remove spells with XP requirements. What about spells with material components so things like an Animate Dead living spell didn't become an Undead-making factory? How to make this ability useful but not grossly abusable, what other sorts of restrictions should be placed?

Would a teleport Living Spell teleport itself, or whoever it touched/engulfed, or both?

Could this be made into a Feat instead of a 5th level class ability or would that be too powerful?

The RAW on creating a Living Spell excludes spells whose "effect is a creture." I would interpret this as including animating a dead creature as well, so I don't think you'd end up with a factory.

Teleport only targets willing subjects, so I think that would be ok.

I am sure there are a lot of spells that would require special rulings, though.

And I think a feat would be too powerful.

The Living Prismatic Spray seems the most ideal Ooze for capture and breeding, because the text for a variant listed here possesses the Split ability, and can be "Edited" as per the text by negating certain parts of the Prismatic Spray abilities using specific spells to cause the split. Should a PC be able to capture and contain this creature, I think that PC could do everything I created this thread for. This appeals to the RAW lover in me, as opposed to homebrewing something.

Now to have a PC discover such a creature exists, make use of the Locate Creature spell, and then quest to find and capture it.

I liked the "Living Spell Affinity" in the second "this" link - kind of like what I had in mind with Spell Affinity, except I used Handle Animal and they used Diplomacy and Intimidate.

Living Prismatic Spray as a pet would be awesomely cool - especially if the PC turned out to be a non-caster. "Hi, I'm Joe Barbarian. Let me introduce my friend..."

 

[Samloyal23]

Would a teleport Living Spell teleport itself, or whoever it touched/engulfed, or both?

A living teleport spell would be like a mobile portal that could send you anywhere it wanted to within range. Be nice to it or it will teleport you a mile straight up...

 

[Samloyal23]

You want to move fast? A living Cloud Trapeze spell, from OA, would make a billowy bed of fog that you could sit on. Just make sure it stays willing to be your mount. But how do you care for a living spell? Do they eat? Poop? Mate? Hmmm...

Voila! Cloud Trapeze, a level 8 Wu Jen spell from OA, the only way to fly...

CLOUD TRAPEZE

Conjuration (Creation) [Air]
Level: Sor/Wiz 8, Elm 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Personal
Target, Effect or Area: Caster plus 1 creature/4 levels.
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell allows the caster to soar on a magical cloud at incredible speeds. Upon casting the spell, the caster gently lifts into the air on a small cloud and then whizzes away in whatever direction she desires. The caster can take one human-sized creature with her for every four levels she possesses. The rate of movement is 10 miles every minute. Thus in ten minutes, you can cover 100 miles. Those riding on the cloud feel none of the effects of this swift movement, and the ride is perfectly steady and calm, even through the worst weather. At the end of the spell, or when the caster decides to land, the cloud settles gently to earth and disappears.
During flight, the caster may guide the cloud how she whishes it (changing direction if need be). But, at the end of spell duration, if the caster did not know where to land, the cloud will always land onto the nearest ground. It means that during the last 1d4 minutes, it will automatically go toward the nearest ground in the area, if the caster hasn’t set a precise location within reach.
Arcane Material Components: a ball of cotton.