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First Post
Now, I know that prestige classes aren't exactly a mechanic that 5e has been jumping at the chance to revive, and that's fair enough. But, the idea of Planescape Faction/Sect Membership translating to Prestige Class worked pretty well in 3e, and there's one Sect that I've always really liked.
The Incanterium is a Planescape Sect from AD&D that was first covered in the form of a monster write up for the Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II, which received a (semi?)official writeup for PCs on the Mimir.net website. In a nutshell, the Incanterium was a great Faction from before the Winnowing, who believed in the supremacy of arcane magic, preaching that mastering magic was the key to mastering the multiverse. They looked well on their way to achieving dominance over Sigil, and then the Lady of Pain mazed the vast majority of them, scattering the survivors across the planes in fear of her wrath.
The lore's a little unclear on correlation/causation, but since that day, the Incantifiers have found a way to transform themselves into something more - and less - than mere mortals. They have become dependent on magical energy to survive, consuming it in order to sustain their existence, a particularly unique form of immortality that is, in some ways, close to lichdom. This makes them not only skilled mages, but expert abjurers, and driven to wander the multiverse to seek out magical energy to feed upon.
In 3e, the Incantifier was a 5 level Prestige Class with the following requirements and benefits, ignoring the parts about BAB/Fort/Ref/Will, because I don't think that they're necessary to 5e prestige classes.
3e Incantifier Requirements:
Non-Good Alignment
14 ranks in both Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft
Able to cast 6th level Arcane spells
Must complete a ritual of transformation, normally known only by existing incantifiers, which costs 120,000 GP and 4,800 XP whilst taking 7 consecutive days to complete
3e Incantifier Class Features:
Spell Resistance: An Incantifier has Spell Resistance equal to 20 + Incantifier Levels. This supersedes all other forms of Spell Resistance. Gained at 1st level.
Arcane Spells Per Day: At 1st, 3rd and 5th levels, an Incantifier gains +1 level in an existing arcane spellcasting class for purposes of determining spells per day.
Metamagic Feats: At 2nd and 4th levels, an Incantifier gains one Metamagic Feat as a bonus feat.
Arcane Body: Gained at 1st level. An incantifier no longer needs to eat, drink or sleep, suffers no negative effects from aging, and has no maximum age limit. However, it can no longer regain hitpoints through healing magic or natural healing; it must use its Spell Eater and Spell Leech class features to regain lost hitpoints.
Spell Eater: Gained at 1st level. If an arcane spell or spell-like ability fails to beat an incantifier's Spell Resistance, then the incantifier heals 1d4 hitpoints per spell level. If it does overcome the incantifier's Spell Resistance, then the spell affects the incantifier normally. An incantifier can choose whether or not to apply its Spell Resistance when targeting itself with spells, allowing it to benefit from either the spell's effects or healing as it sees fit.
Spell Leech: At 3rd level, when an incantifier successfully uses its Spell Resistance to defeat an arcane spell or spell-like ability, it can choose to regain a used spell or used spell slot of equal or lower level than the spell it absorbed. For example, if struck by a 3rd level spell like Lightning Bolt, an incantifier can use Spell Leech to regain one expended use of a 0-3rd level spell of its choice. Each time a spell is negated by an incantifier's Spell Resistance, it must choose whether it will use Spell Eater or Spell Leech on the absorbed spell.
Spell Eater 2: At 3rd level, the incantifier gains the ability to drain magic from items to heal itself. As a full-round action, the incantifier can siphon magic from a single-use or charge-based magic item that it is holding. Single-use items are destroyed, healing the incantifier for 1d4 hitpoints per spell level of the highest level spell the item possessed. Charge-based items lose 5 charges and heal the incantifier in the same manner.
Spell Leech 2: At 5th level, an incantifier can use a full-round action to drain 5 charges from a charge-based magic item it is holding, allowing it to regain a spell slot equal to or lower than the highest level spell slot that the item would provide.
In 2nd edition, although there were no player methods ever written that I'm aware of, Incantifiers had some slight differences to this PrC version here. Firstly, they gained massive strength, functioning as if they had 18/51 Str in all relevant matters. Secondly, they were immune to "nonmagical extremes of temperature or environment" - not really sure what that means. Finally, it specified just how often incantifiers needed to feed; spell levels equal to their character level every month, or else they lose a level, dying if they hit level 0. For example, your level 16 incantifier needs to absorb 16 levels worth of spells each month, or else drop to level 15.
So, you can see how it functioned in past editions. What I'm not sure of is how to make it function in 5th edition. In fact, maybe a PrC isn't needed? Maybe it can work as some kind of feat?
I don't know... I could really use help figuring this out.
Just trying to think about it, I guess it makes the most sense for features something like this:
Reqs: Must be able to cast 6th level Wizard spells, must have Proficiency in Arcana.
Increased Spell Casting: gain new spells/caster level that stack with Wizard level.
Arcane Body: 1st level feature, stop aging, don't need to make Endurance checks due to environmental conditions, don't need sleep, don't need food, don't need water, don't need air, can only heal through magical healing or the Spell Eater/Leech features.
Manavore: 1st level feature, you need to consume X spell levels or charges (say, Int bonus?) each day or begin starving.
Spell Eater: 1st level feature, You add your Proficiency bonus to all saving throws against spells and other magical effects. If you pass your saving throw, you ignore the effects of the magic and instead are healed for X hit points of damage.
Spell Leech: 1st level feature, when you touch a single-use or charge-using magical item, you can use your action to draw magic from it. Single-use items (potions, etc) are destroyed and heal you for X hit points of damage. Each charge you drain heals you for X damage. If you reduce a charged item to 0 charges with the aid of Spell Leech, then that item is automatically destroyed.
Scent for Spellcraft: 2nd level feature. You have the ability to Detect Magic, as per the 1st level spell. This ability is instinctive, so you do not need to Concentrate on it or use a spell slot to cast it.
Strength Born of Will: 2nd level feature. When you are called upon to make a Strength check, you can substitute your Intelligence score for your Strength score.
Arcana Conversion: 3rd level feature, when you use Spell Eater or Spell Leech, instead of healing, you can choose to regain used spell slots. You regain a single spell slot per spell or charge bundle absorbed, must absorb sufficient charges from an item needed to cast the spell in the first place, and this spell slot must be equal to or lower than the level of the spell absorbed - for example, if you drained the charges needed to cast Fireball from a Wand of Fire, you can replenish a 3rd, 2nd or 1st level spell slot.
Shield of the Void: 4th level feature. When you fail a saving throw against a spell, you do not get the benefits of Spell Eater or Spell Leech, but you still count as having made your saving throw against that spell.
The Hunger Eternal: 5th level feature; you now add double your Proficiency bonus to all saving throws against spells and other magial effects.
The Mind Unshackled: 5th level feature. Your racial maximum for Intelligence increases from 20 to 24.
The Incanterium is a Planescape Sect from AD&D that was first covered in the form of a monster write up for the Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II, which received a (semi?)official writeup for PCs on the Mimir.net website. In a nutshell, the Incanterium was a great Faction from before the Winnowing, who believed in the supremacy of arcane magic, preaching that mastering magic was the key to mastering the multiverse. They looked well on their way to achieving dominance over Sigil, and then the Lady of Pain mazed the vast majority of them, scattering the survivors across the planes in fear of her wrath.
The lore's a little unclear on correlation/causation, but since that day, the Incantifiers have found a way to transform themselves into something more - and less - than mere mortals. They have become dependent on magical energy to survive, consuming it in order to sustain their existence, a particularly unique form of immortality that is, in some ways, close to lichdom. This makes them not only skilled mages, but expert abjurers, and driven to wander the multiverse to seek out magical energy to feed upon.
In 3e, the Incantifier was a 5 level Prestige Class with the following requirements and benefits, ignoring the parts about BAB/Fort/Ref/Will, because I don't think that they're necessary to 5e prestige classes.
3e Incantifier Requirements:
Non-Good Alignment
14 ranks in both Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft
Able to cast 6th level Arcane spells
Must complete a ritual of transformation, normally known only by existing incantifiers, which costs 120,000 GP and 4,800 XP whilst taking 7 consecutive days to complete
3e Incantifier Class Features:
Spell Resistance: An Incantifier has Spell Resistance equal to 20 + Incantifier Levels. This supersedes all other forms of Spell Resistance. Gained at 1st level.
Arcane Spells Per Day: At 1st, 3rd and 5th levels, an Incantifier gains +1 level in an existing arcane spellcasting class for purposes of determining spells per day.
Metamagic Feats: At 2nd and 4th levels, an Incantifier gains one Metamagic Feat as a bonus feat.
Arcane Body: Gained at 1st level. An incantifier no longer needs to eat, drink or sleep, suffers no negative effects from aging, and has no maximum age limit. However, it can no longer regain hitpoints through healing magic or natural healing; it must use its Spell Eater and Spell Leech class features to regain lost hitpoints.
Spell Eater: Gained at 1st level. If an arcane spell or spell-like ability fails to beat an incantifier's Spell Resistance, then the incantifier heals 1d4 hitpoints per spell level. If it does overcome the incantifier's Spell Resistance, then the spell affects the incantifier normally. An incantifier can choose whether or not to apply its Spell Resistance when targeting itself with spells, allowing it to benefit from either the spell's effects or healing as it sees fit.
Spell Leech: At 3rd level, when an incantifier successfully uses its Spell Resistance to defeat an arcane spell or spell-like ability, it can choose to regain a used spell or used spell slot of equal or lower level than the spell it absorbed. For example, if struck by a 3rd level spell like Lightning Bolt, an incantifier can use Spell Leech to regain one expended use of a 0-3rd level spell of its choice. Each time a spell is negated by an incantifier's Spell Resistance, it must choose whether it will use Spell Eater or Spell Leech on the absorbed spell.
Spell Eater 2: At 3rd level, the incantifier gains the ability to drain magic from items to heal itself. As a full-round action, the incantifier can siphon magic from a single-use or charge-based magic item that it is holding. Single-use items are destroyed, healing the incantifier for 1d4 hitpoints per spell level of the highest level spell the item possessed. Charge-based items lose 5 charges and heal the incantifier in the same manner.
Spell Leech 2: At 5th level, an incantifier can use a full-round action to drain 5 charges from a charge-based magic item it is holding, allowing it to regain a spell slot equal to or lower than the highest level spell slot that the item would provide.
In 2nd edition, although there were no player methods ever written that I'm aware of, Incantifiers had some slight differences to this PrC version here. Firstly, they gained massive strength, functioning as if they had 18/51 Str in all relevant matters. Secondly, they were immune to "nonmagical extremes of temperature or environment" - not really sure what that means. Finally, it specified just how often incantifiers needed to feed; spell levels equal to their character level every month, or else they lose a level, dying if they hit level 0. For example, your level 16 incantifier needs to absorb 16 levels worth of spells each month, or else drop to level 15.
So, you can see how it functioned in past editions. What I'm not sure of is how to make it function in 5th edition. In fact, maybe a PrC isn't needed? Maybe it can work as some kind of feat?
I don't know... I could really use help figuring this out.
Just trying to think about it, I guess it makes the most sense for features something like this:
Reqs: Must be able to cast 6th level Wizard spells, must have Proficiency in Arcana.
Increased Spell Casting: gain new spells/caster level that stack with Wizard level.
Arcane Body: 1st level feature, stop aging, don't need to make Endurance checks due to environmental conditions, don't need sleep, don't need food, don't need water, don't need air, can only heal through magical healing or the Spell Eater/Leech features.
Manavore: 1st level feature, you need to consume X spell levels or charges (say, Int bonus?) each day or begin starving.
Spell Eater: 1st level feature, You add your Proficiency bonus to all saving throws against spells and other magical effects. If you pass your saving throw, you ignore the effects of the magic and instead are healed for X hit points of damage.
Spell Leech: 1st level feature, when you touch a single-use or charge-using magical item, you can use your action to draw magic from it. Single-use items (potions, etc) are destroyed and heal you for X hit points of damage. Each charge you drain heals you for X damage. If you reduce a charged item to 0 charges with the aid of Spell Leech, then that item is automatically destroyed.
Scent for Spellcraft: 2nd level feature. You have the ability to Detect Magic, as per the 1st level spell. This ability is instinctive, so you do not need to Concentrate on it or use a spell slot to cast it.
Strength Born of Will: 2nd level feature. When you are called upon to make a Strength check, you can substitute your Intelligence score for your Strength score.
Arcana Conversion: 3rd level feature, when you use Spell Eater or Spell Leech, instead of healing, you can choose to regain used spell slots. You regain a single spell slot per spell or charge bundle absorbed, must absorb sufficient charges from an item needed to cast the spell in the first place, and this spell slot must be equal to or lower than the level of the spell absorbed - for example, if you drained the charges needed to cast Fireball from a Wand of Fire, you can replenish a 3rd, 2nd or 1st level spell slot.
Shield of the Void: 4th level feature. When you fail a saving throw against a spell, you do not get the benefits of Spell Eater or Spell Leech, but you still count as having made your saving throw against that spell.
The Hunger Eternal: 5th level feature; you now add double your Proficiency bonus to all saving throws against spells and other magial effects.
The Mind Unshackled: 5th level feature. Your racial maximum for Intelligence increases from 20 to 24.
