Mage or Magician Class [Need Input]

[Cheiromancer]

Uh... not so much. Similar =/= fungible.

-- N

So what factors make them non-fungible?

 

[Nifft]

So what factors make them non-fungible?

Are you familiar with 3.5e ("Expanded") Psionics?
Are you familiar with the Midnight setting?

Otherwise, the answer is: read them and it will be obvious.

-- N

 

[DreamChaser]

I have an irrational dislike for psionics, so I can understand someone not wanting to take Wilder. And I have never read the Midnight CS.

At least there are some out there who acknowledge that their dislike of psionics is irrational. There is a whole thread going on with some (though not all) of the people posting essentially trying to prove that their irrational dislike is right and that the rules are unbalanced.


Your class is actually more limited and complicated than wilder, by quite a bit. The basic breakdown of the wilder is 11 powers (spells) over 20 levels, a fully loaded magazine of power points (its like having a bard with a number of spells per day equal to a sorcerer). They have decent skills, average BAB and good Will saves. Simple weapons, light armor. d6 hp. They are the classic "self taught" psionic class.

The true power of the wilder is his ability to augment (or scale) powers. That is the "wild" part of the "wilder" idea.

DC

 

[Cheiromancer]

Thanks DreamChaser- your description of the wilder is very helpful. Anyone want to enlighten me as to Midnight's Channeller?

Technik4- any progress on the "Claim Magic" ability? Or ways to make the class more spell oriented at low levels, and less so at high levels?

I have another thought; tie the mage's abilities to intelligence as well as dexterity. It gets 1 bonus mage point per point of intelligence bonus, to a max of 1/level. And spells cast that are higher than Int-10 cost 2 points instead of 1. Oh, and a mage needs a dexterity of 10+spell level in order to cast a spell.

A mage will thus have to have a high dexterity *and* a high intelligence to function well at high levels. Low level characters aren't as stat dependent, and are a little bit more powerful.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Bump.

I'm still interested in seeing how the development of this class is progressing.

 

[Technik4]

My time has been in short supply lately, I wrote that bit back in november and found it on my comp waiting to get posted. I'll try and do some revising this week... (thanks for the support and input!!!!!)

Technik

 

[Michael Tree]

How is this based on Mage: The Awakening? I don't see any similarities. In fact, it looks like it's almost exactly the opposite. M:tA mages can create any magical effect they can imagine, if it's in an area they're skilled in, while this mage is even more severly restricted than the sorcerer, and would probably be a one-trick-pony in play.

I don't see why anyone would choose to play one of these when they could play a wizard or sorcerer instead. At 20th level, it will be able to use magical powers less than 20 times per day. (Less than 20, because the mage feats cost mage points to take, and almost all the class abilities and mage feats cost mage points to use). Compare that to a sorcerer, who at 20th level will have 7 9th level spells/day, 7 8th level spells,7, 7th level spells, and even more lower level spells, and will have a much broader list of spells known to choose from.

 

[Technik4]

How is this based on Mage: The Awakening?

Its very hard to port a class like you described, although I think Wheel of Time d20 has done one of the better jobs thus far with its level-tiered spell system. I was trying to incorperate abilities like dispel magic that they could do at will (mage points providing). The class is still in the design-phase, I don't like that they are forced to choose versatile spells, but I don't see many ways around it while making it d20 friendly.

# of mage points is still very up in the air. I like the simplicity of 1/level, so it doesn't become spell point or psionic systems (but more like a monk using stunning fist). The class began with inspiration from MtA, but it may end up far from the tree...

Technik

 

[Arkhandus]

War Magician and Magician's Meditations should not cost the character a mage point.

Re: Magician's mage points and spells known: Folks think 10 Wishes, Disjunctions, or Wails of the Banshee per day is underpowered? No, I think the magician's spells per day is reasonably balanced with how frequently they can cast their highest-level spells. They may deserve a few more spells known, though, but I'm not quite sure. Magician's Specialization may be slightly overpowered for a feat, but I'm not quite certain on that either, it's close.

Can Deflect Magic only be used while an opponent is casting a spell against the magician? That's how it should be specified, anyway, otherwise they could spend mage points one day to have Spell Resistance against many spells the next day, since they won't be facing dangers every single day.

Why base spellcasting on Dexterity?

The magician might deserve 4 + Int mod skill points per level instead of 2.