HarryFlashman
First Post
I am trying to develop some low-magic classes for my campaign setting and thought I would share one fo the classes with the community and get some feed back.
Wizened stooped men, bent over bubbling beakers or poring over musty tomes, skinny bookish young men risking life and limb to get a closer look at the local griffon's nest. Such is the life of the Adept Sage. Steeped in intimate knowledge of varied courses of study, virtual repositories of the collected works of esoteric authors the Adept Sage takes up adventuring for one reason and one reason only; knowledge. The Adept Sage takes this quest quite seriously and many a time these curious men and women have led their fellow adventurers on wild chases through the wilderness, just as often they have led their parties to certain death.
HD: d6
Saves: As Wizard
BAB As Wizard
Class Skills: Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Forgery, Gather Information, All Knowledge Skills (purchased individually), Profession, Speak Language, any one other Skill
Skillpoints at 1st level: (4 + Int Modifier)x4
Skillpoints at each additional level: 4 + Int Modifier
1: Spell Access, Inquisitive Nature
2: Summon Familiar
3: Sagacious
4: -----
5: Inquistive Nature
6: Arcane Calculus I
7: -----
8: -----
9: Inquistive Nature
10: Arcane Calculus II
11: -----
12: Advanced Arcane Calculus I
13: Inquistive Nature
14: Arcane Calculus III
15: -----
16: Advanced Arcane Calculus II
17: Inquistive Nature
18: Arcane Calculus IV
19: -----
20: Advanced Arcane Calculus III
Class Features:
Adepts are skilled with all Simple Weapons. The are not skilled with any Armours or Shields.
The Adept Sage casts all spells as Arcane Spells. The Spell list does not reflect only Arcane Spells but more a melange of suitable spells. The Spell List is the same as what is listed for the Adept NPC Class in the DMG (Core Rulebook II) with the following exceptions/additions:
Due to their extensive study in many and various fields Adept Sages may choose 4 (four) additional spells that can be found on ANY spell list of each spell level. These spells are added to the Adept Sage's Grimoire.
At least 1 (one) of the 4 (four) spells must come from the Divination Arcane School
To prepare or cast a spell an Adept Sage must have a Intelligence score of at least 10+ the Spell Level. The DC is determined as 10 + the Spell level + the Adept Sage's Intelligence Modifier.The Adept Sage is an Arcane Caster and casts, memorizes and learns new spells just as a Wizard that instead uses the Spell List and the Spells Per Day associated withthe NPC Adept Class from the DMG.
Further more, Adept Sages require a Spellbook (always refered to a Grimoire) and memorize spells just as would a Wizard. Adept Sage's also require a Focus with which to cast his or her spells. A focus may be a wand, a staff, a pointy hat, a large chunk of quartz, or some other suitabley distingushed item. The Focus takes the place of Somatic Components.
Without the Grimoire an Adept Sage may not memorize her or her spells and with out the Focus the Adept Saage may not cast his or her spells, regardless of necessary components. (in other words the Still Spell Feat is of no use)
Inquisitive Nature: At levels 1,5,9,13, and 17 , the Adept Sage gains a bonus Skill Focus feat as a virtual feat that may be applied to one Craft, Knowledge, or Profession skill of the players choice each time this ability is acquired.
Summon Familiar: At 2nd level an Adept Sage may summon a familiar just a Sorceror or Wizard may.
Sagacious: At Third level an Adept Sage gains the Bardic ability, Bardic Knowledge.
Arcane Calculus: By the time the the Adept Sage is reaching the heights of his career his mind is reeling with unlocked secrets and once-occulted knowledge. Unleashing his understanding of all things arcane the Adept Sage's mind tries to make sense of this onrush of new mental vistas. As the peices move and finally lock into place the Adept Sage find's itself in control of new arcane arts and mysteries.
At 6th, 10th 14th and 18 levels, the Adept Sage gains access to a new Arcane School. For Example, Dinesh the Learned, after a grueling year of fieldwork attains 10th level. Going to sleep at his Ivory Tower domicile his mind whirls with new information. As his brain works feverishly into the night Dinesh unlocks a new understanding of the mutable laws of reality. Focused as he was upon the visual organs of various and sundry beasts Dinesh begins to understand how he can fool the human eye, the ears, and the rest of the senses. Upon waking Dinesh now has access to every Illusion School Spell up to Third level (the Spell level that can be accessed by 10th level Adepts as per the DMG).
The Adept Sage must copy these down (as Dinesh would do upon waking, feverishly putting to paper all that he could recall from his tulmultuous dreaming) in his Grimoire.
What's more is that the Adept Sage gains an extra spell per day so long as it comes from an Arcane School that the Arcane Calculus Class Ability has opened up. This is one additional spell of any level, not one per level.
Advanced Arcane Calculus: the Adept Sage gains access to a new Arcane School and gains a +1 bonus to the Save DC versus the Adept Sage's Arcane School chosen for the previous Arcane Calculus Class Ability, and a +2 to Spell Craft Skill checks that pertain to the School in question.
Starting gold: 3d4 x 10
Additional Campaign Related Rules:
If an Adept Sage spends a feat on Shield proficiency (any) or Armour proficiency ( Light or Meduim) the Adept only suffers half the normal Arcane Spell Failure Chance than would be normally indicated ( round up) by the armour type worn.
All direct damage spells follow the Odds=Ones rule wherein any odd number rolled for damage actually results ina one bieng rolled. for example,a 6 dice Fire Ball rolls: 1,2,4,6,5,5 = 1,2,4,6,1,1 for 15 points of damage.
These same rules applies to all Arcane spell casters, although the Adept Sage is the only such Character Class open to PCs).
I am using a Modified version of the Grim-n-Gritty rules by Kenneth Hood (similar to the Unearthed Arcana Vigour rules). This is where I got the Odds=1 rule for Direct Damage Spells.
This rules setalso gives DR ratings for armour and Base Defense Bonuses based on class. Arcane Casters, under this system, have horrible Base Defense Bonuses. I figured Allowing the improved use of Armour would be a nice bonus.
OK, is this an attractive class from a PC point of view? Is it balnced compared to the Fighter or Thief (the Primary Classes in any Low magic Campaign)
Wizened stooped men, bent over bubbling beakers or poring over musty tomes, skinny bookish young men risking life and limb to get a closer look at the local griffon's nest. Such is the life of the Adept Sage. Steeped in intimate knowledge of varied courses of study, virtual repositories of the collected works of esoteric authors the Adept Sage takes up adventuring for one reason and one reason only; knowledge. The Adept Sage takes this quest quite seriously and many a time these curious men and women have led their fellow adventurers on wild chases through the wilderness, just as often they have led their parties to certain death.
HD: d6
Saves: As Wizard
BAB As Wizard
Class Skills: Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Forgery, Gather Information, All Knowledge Skills (purchased individually), Profession, Speak Language, any one other Skill
Skillpoints at 1st level: (4 + Int Modifier)x4
Skillpoints at each additional level: 4 + Int Modifier
1: Spell Access, Inquisitive Nature
2: Summon Familiar
3: Sagacious
4: -----
5: Inquistive Nature
6: Arcane Calculus I
7: -----
8: -----
9: Inquistive Nature
10: Arcane Calculus II
11: -----
12: Advanced Arcane Calculus I
13: Inquistive Nature
14: Arcane Calculus III
15: -----
16: Advanced Arcane Calculus II
17: Inquistive Nature
18: Arcane Calculus IV
19: -----
20: Advanced Arcane Calculus III
Class Features:
Adepts are skilled with all Simple Weapons. The are not skilled with any Armours or Shields.
The Adept Sage casts all spells as Arcane Spells. The Spell list does not reflect only Arcane Spells but more a melange of suitable spells. The Spell List is the same as what is listed for the Adept NPC Class in the DMG (Core Rulebook II) with the following exceptions/additions:
Due to their extensive study in many and various fields Adept Sages may choose 4 (four) additional spells that can be found on ANY spell list of each spell level. These spells are added to the Adept Sage's Grimoire.
At least 1 (one) of the 4 (four) spells must come from the Divination Arcane School
To prepare or cast a spell an Adept Sage must have a Intelligence score of at least 10+ the Spell Level. The DC is determined as 10 + the Spell level + the Adept Sage's Intelligence Modifier.The Adept Sage is an Arcane Caster and casts, memorizes and learns new spells just as a Wizard that instead uses the Spell List and the Spells Per Day associated withthe NPC Adept Class from the DMG.
Further more, Adept Sages require a Spellbook (always refered to a Grimoire) and memorize spells just as would a Wizard. Adept Sage's also require a Focus with which to cast his or her spells. A focus may be a wand, a staff, a pointy hat, a large chunk of quartz, or some other suitabley distingushed item. The Focus takes the place of Somatic Components.
Without the Grimoire an Adept Sage may not memorize her or her spells and with out the Focus the Adept Saage may not cast his or her spells, regardless of necessary components. (in other words the Still Spell Feat is of no use)
Inquisitive Nature: At levels 1,5,9,13, and 17 , the Adept Sage gains a bonus Skill Focus feat as a virtual feat that may be applied to one Craft, Knowledge, or Profession skill of the players choice each time this ability is acquired.
Summon Familiar: At 2nd level an Adept Sage may summon a familiar just a Sorceror or Wizard may.
Sagacious: At Third level an Adept Sage gains the Bardic ability, Bardic Knowledge.
Arcane Calculus: By the time the the Adept Sage is reaching the heights of his career his mind is reeling with unlocked secrets and once-occulted knowledge. Unleashing his understanding of all things arcane the Adept Sage's mind tries to make sense of this onrush of new mental vistas. As the peices move and finally lock into place the Adept Sage find's itself in control of new arcane arts and mysteries.
At 6th, 10th 14th and 18 levels, the Adept Sage gains access to a new Arcane School. For Example, Dinesh the Learned, after a grueling year of fieldwork attains 10th level. Going to sleep at his Ivory Tower domicile his mind whirls with new information. As his brain works feverishly into the night Dinesh unlocks a new understanding of the mutable laws of reality. Focused as he was upon the visual organs of various and sundry beasts Dinesh begins to understand how he can fool the human eye, the ears, and the rest of the senses. Upon waking Dinesh now has access to every Illusion School Spell up to Third level (the Spell level that can be accessed by 10th level Adepts as per the DMG).
The Adept Sage must copy these down (as Dinesh would do upon waking, feverishly putting to paper all that he could recall from his tulmultuous dreaming) in his Grimoire.
What's more is that the Adept Sage gains an extra spell per day so long as it comes from an Arcane School that the Arcane Calculus Class Ability has opened up. This is one additional spell of any level, not one per level.
Advanced Arcane Calculus: the Adept Sage gains access to a new Arcane School and gains a +1 bonus to the Save DC versus the Adept Sage's Arcane School chosen for the previous Arcane Calculus Class Ability, and a +2 to Spell Craft Skill checks that pertain to the School in question.
Starting gold: 3d4 x 10
Additional Campaign Related Rules:
If an Adept Sage spends a feat on Shield proficiency (any) or Armour proficiency ( Light or Meduim) the Adept only suffers half the normal Arcane Spell Failure Chance than would be normally indicated ( round up) by the armour type worn.
All direct damage spells follow the Odds=Ones rule wherein any odd number rolled for damage actually results ina one bieng rolled. for example,a 6 dice Fire Ball rolls: 1,2,4,6,5,5 = 1,2,4,6,1,1 for 15 points of damage.
These same rules applies to all Arcane spell casters, although the Adept Sage is the only such Character Class open to PCs).
I am using a Modified version of the Grim-n-Gritty rules by Kenneth Hood (similar to the Unearthed Arcana Vigour rules). This is where I got the Odds=1 rule for Direct Damage Spells.
This rules setalso gives DR ratings for armour and Base Defense Bonuses based on class. Arcane Casters, under this system, have horrible Base Defense Bonuses. I figured Allowing the improved use of Armour would be a nice bonus.
OK, is this an attractive class from a PC point of view? Is it balnced compared to the Fighter or Thief (the Primary Classes in any Low magic Campaign)
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