Michael Morris
First Post
Well, here goes. This is what I'm going to go with. This will be a long time in drawing up, but I think the new class solution with a smattering of support feats and slight rework of ritual casting should embed the flavor of the setting into the 4e game.
Mage
We are the seekers of truth
Keepers of the five paths
The truth others glimpse
We see in whole.
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Varies. The role of a mage (plural magi) is determined by the color(s) of magic that his powers draw from. As a standing rule Gold magic supports the leader role, Green magic the defender, Red magic the striker and Silver the controller. Blue magic does not cleanly fit into any role - it being a color of trickery, illusion, time and magical manipulation.
Power Source: Planar. The magic of the mages draws from the outer planes of Carthasana's cosmology. Similar in some respects to divine magic due to origin, the magic of the the magi is not bound to the dictates of any deity and can be used as freely as any arcane magic.
Key Abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. The various magi powers draw almost exclusively from mental abilities.
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger, Quarterstaff
Implements: By primary color
Gold - Rod
Blue - Orb
Silver - Dagger
Red - Wand
Green - Staff
Bonus to Defense: +2 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: By primary color
Gold: 14 + Constitution score
Blue: 10 + Constitution score
Silver: 10 + Constitution score
Red: 8 + Constitution score
Green: 12 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: By color chosen for that level
Gold: 7
Blue: 5
Silver: 4
Red: 3
Green: 6
Trained Skills: Arcana, one determined by primary color, and one other from among all skills.
Gold: Heal
Blue: Perception
Silver: Stealth
Red: Intimidate
Green: Insight
Build Options: Quite a few...
Class Features: Ritual Magic
Magi channel power from the outer planes of Carthasana - Valra (Gold), Balcra (Blue), Sodra (Silver), Shunra (Red) and Abora (Green). Your spells are closely tied to your alignment and nature moreso than any other character class - for the you and your powers are one and the same. The path of the magi is the oldest magical tradition of Carthasana passed down from the days of primordial dragons and this form of magic is the weapon of choice of the most famous and infamous magic weilders of the world, names such as Telsindria, Yarenic, Serrin, Melshan and Sirrom.
Your path lies with the color(s) you choose to align yourself as does your role. As such be warned that the magi class is the most difficult to play. While the magi as a group can serve as defender, striker, controller or leader, an individual mage must choose his role with his powers. If you wish you can choose a spectrum of powers that lets you be second best at each of the roles, or you can focus on a role (and usually a color).
Creating a Mage
Your path as a mage begins with your alignment. Unlike all other classes in which alignment is largely subconscious (though it does determine what rituals a caster can learn - see rituals chapter) for you it is an active choice from which you draw your power. Your chosen alignment determines your primary color. All of your first level powers must come from this color.
As you go up in level like all other characters you gain power slots. When you first receive a slot you must choose it's color. Choose wisely - this choice is permanent short of the use of atonement magic (You can retrain the powers in the slot, but the new powers going to the slot must be the same color as the power that preceeded them).
Further note - although all mage powers only occupy 1 power slot, some require that you have more than 1 power slot be of their color. This insures that while the magi as a group have a vast and storied collection of powers among them, no one magi can ever master all of them (though a planeswalker might - see epic destinies).
Note also that if your behavior for a long period of time is consistent with an ethos you do not have your power slot on level up may have the color matching that ethos.
Magi Powers (Drafts - and these are among my first attempts so they could be WAY off the power scale either way).
Remand
Balcra Attack 1
"What part of 'no' did you not understand Lord Alskin." - Queen Tiliansia
With a burst of blue energy you break up an opponent's attempt at spellcasting. Do not breathe easy, they can regain the power at any time.
At-Will + Planar, Implement, Counter
Triggered Action
Ranged: 10
Target: One Implement Power
Trigger: Power Used
Attack: Intelligence vs. Willpower
Hit: Target power fails. Recharges on
Exsanguination
Sodra Attack 1
Silvery radiance surrounds a foe and wounds that should close do not.
Encounter + Planar, Implement
Standard Action
Ranged: 10
Target: One living creature
Attack: Intelligence vs. Fortitude
Hit: Each successful power use on the target with a slashing or piercing weapon has the following additional effect: "The target takes ongoing 1 bleeding damage (save ends)"
Each color will have 4 spells for each level, meaning that as a class the magi have a staggering 20 spells / level to choose from, far more than any other class (Also far harder to balance than any other class - but hey I'm a sucker for difficult tasks).
Mage
We are the seekers of truth
Keepers of the five paths
The truth others glimpse
We see in whole.
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Varies. The role of a mage (plural magi) is determined by the color(s) of magic that his powers draw from. As a standing rule Gold magic supports the leader role, Green magic the defender, Red magic the striker and Silver the controller. Blue magic does not cleanly fit into any role - it being a color of trickery, illusion, time and magical manipulation.
Power Source: Planar. The magic of the mages draws from the outer planes of Carthasana's cosmology. Similar in some respects to divine magic due to origin, the magic of the the magi is not bound to the dictates of any deity and can be used as freely as any arcane magic.
Key Abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. The various magi powers draw almost exclusively from mental abilities.
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger, Quarterstaff
Implements: By primary color
Gold - Rod
Blue - Orb
Silver - Dagger
Red - Wand
Green - Staff
Bonus to Defense: +2 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: By primary color
Gold: 14 + Constitution score
Blue: 10 + Constitution score
Silver: 10 + Constitution score
Red: 8 + Constitution score
Green: 12 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: By color chosen for that level
Gold: 7
Blue: 5
Silver: 4
Red: 3
Green: 6
Trained Skills: Arcana, one determined by primary color, and one other from among all skills.
Gold: Heal
Blue: Perception
Silver: Stealth
Red: Intimidate
Green: Insight
Build Options: Quite a few...
Class Features: Ritual Magic
Magi channel power from the outer planes of Carthasana - Valra (Gold), Balcra (Blue), Sodra (Silver), Shunra (Red) and Abora (Green). Your spells are closely tied to your alignment and nature moreso than any other character class - for the you and your powers are one and the same. The path of the magi is the oldest magical tradition of Carthasana passed down from the days of primordial dragons and this form of magic is the weapon of choice of the most famous and infamous magic weilders of the world, names such as Telsindria, Yarenic, Serrin, Melshan and Sirrom.
Your path lies with the color(s) you choose to align yourself as does your role. As such be warned that the magi class is the most difficult to play. While the magi as a group can serve as defender, striker, controller or leader, an individual mage must choose his role with his powers. If you wish you can choose a spectrum of powers that lets you be second best at each of the roles, or you can focus on a role (and usually a color).
Creating a Mage
Your path as a mage begins with your alignment. Unlike all other classes in which alignment is largely subconscious (though it does determine what rituals a caster can learn - see rituals chapter) for you it is an active choice from which you draw your power. Your chosen alignment determines your primary color. All of your first level powers must come from this color.
As you go up in level like all other characters you gain power slots. When you first receive a slot you must choose it's color. Choose wisely - this choice is permanent short of the use of atonement magic (You can retrain the powers in the slot, but the new powers going to the slot must be the same color as the power that preceeded them).
Further note - although all mage powers only occupy 1 power slot, some require that you have more than 1 power slot be of their color. This insures that while the magi as a group have a vast and storied collection of powers among them, no one magi can ever master all of them (though a planeswalker might - see epic destinies).
Note also that if your behavior for a long period of time is consistent with an ethos you do not have your power slot on level up may have the color matching that ethos.
Magi Powers (Drafts - and these are among my first attempts so they could be WAY off the power scale either way).
Remand
Balcra Attack 1
"What part of 'no' did you not understand Lord Alskin." - Queen Tiliansia
With a burst of blue energy you break up an opponent's attempt at spellcasting. Do not breathe easy, they can regain the power at any time.
At-Will + Planar, Implement, Counter
Triggered Action
Ranged: 10
Target: One Implement Power
Trigger: Power Used
Attack: Intelligence vs. Willpower
Hit: Target power fails. Recharges on
Exsanguination
Sodra Attack 1
Silvery radiance surrounds a foe and wounds that should close do not.
Encounter + Planar, Implement
Standard Action
Ranged: 10
Target: One living creature
Attack: Intelligence vs. Fortitude
Hit: Each successful power use on the target with a slashing or piercing weapon has the following additional effect: "The target takes ongoing 1 bleeding damage (save ends)"
Each color will have 4 spells for each level, meaning that as a class the magi have a staggering 20 spells / level to choose from, far more than any other class (Also far harder to balance than any other class - but hey I'm a sucker for difficult tasks).
