Wizard Class Specialties
Alchemist
The Alchemist mage has knowledge with various chemical, natural and magical elements and combining those elements into useful items.
The Alchemist mage is +1 per rank with the following skills: Lore: Alchemy, Lore: Elementals and Lore: Poisons.
~ “Bombadier”: Given materials and time, the Alchemist mage is able to produce flasks of dangerous materials that can be thrown into combat. One type of the following “bombs” may be chosen for each rank applied to the Alchemist theme:
Acid Splash: d4 for 3 rounds in a 5’ area or 1 creature.
Produce Flame: d4 fire damage and sets combustible materials on fire within 5’ for continuing damage until extinguished.
“FlashSmoke”: produces a blinding flash the first round as the Daze cantrip then treat as Wall of Fog spell for 3 rounds.
Obscuring Mist: produces a blinding fog that fills an area of 20’x 20’x 10’ high which completely obscures all vision, heat sensitivity and scent. The mist dissipates in 3 rounds or 1 round in a steady wind.
Stinking Cloud: Forms a billowing fog of the same parameters of Obscuring Mist that forces all within to make a save DC 15. It otherwise functions as the tier 2 Mage spell of the same name.
The production of each “bomb” requires 1 week and costs 100gp worth of materials per flask. An Alchemist could sell these flasks for up to three times the cost of the materials.
Hedge Mage
The Hedge Mage comes from a tradition of “trial and error” in rural areas, learning a bit of magic on their own, beyond the formally trained, necessary academic studies of mages from more “civilized” areas. They have an affinity to the natural world and some atunement with natural energies that augments their magics.
The Hedge Mage is +1 per rank with the following skills: Lore: Nature, Lore: Faeries, and Language: Sylvan [which, as a gnome you already have]..
The Hedge Mage gains the following application:
~ “Hedge Magic”: the mage has developed spells that duplicate some druid magics, specifically those dealing with plants. The mage can select the following with their daily allottment of spells, as they become able to cast the appropriate tier:
1st tier spells: Entangle or Pass Without Trace
2nd tier spells: Barkskin or Woodshape
3rd tier spells: Plant Growth or Tree.
Each spell does take one of the mage’s slots for that tier and must be prepared and memorized like any arcane spell. Versions of these spells are written and recorded in the wizard’s spellbook but cannot be properly cast (or typically found) by mages without at least one rank in the Hedge Mage theme.
Magician
The Magician theme indicates the wizard is accustomed to (whether they are good at it or not) performing their magic for entertainment purposes. This could be in noble courts, on the side of a dusty trail, with a carnival or simply in a village square to make a few coins. The Magician might not be showing off (or may be deliberately hiding) their more powerful magics, but they can often draw attention or get information out of their “audience” when necessary.
The Magician is +1 per rank with the following skills: Perform: “Stage Magic”, Gather Information and Sleight of Hand [which would stack with your SoH Illusionist class ability].
TheMagician gains the following application:
~ “Stage Magic”: The Magician the can memorize 2 extra cantrips per rank to their daily allotment. Through the use of these minor spells, like prestidigitation, silent image and dancing lights (plus a bit of mundane Sleight of Hand) the Magician ican performs a routine of basic magic “tricks” for distraction/entertainment purposes.
Performed in public, and depending on the size of their crowd and the quality of their performance, the Magician can gain some extra coins for their efforts.
Ritualist
The Ritualist mage studies magics beyond their own grimoire, specifically rites, cermonial magic and ritual. Some of these rituals can duplicate the effects of clerical magic. Consult the Adventurer’s Big Book of Spells for a list of spells that are available to be cast via ritual.
While any caster class can conduct rituals, the Ritualist mage has put a great deal of time and research into studying them. Ritualists conduct their ceremonial magic in half the listed time and at half the cost (of the special materials needs). Exact details for casting rituals are covered in the Big Book of Spells.
Also, a Ritualist can cast rituals 1 tier higher per rank than they are able to cast spells. So a 2nd level mage who has spent their 1 theme rank as a Ritualist can cast 2nd tiered rituals even though they can only cast 1st tier spells. A 5th level caster with 2 ranks as a Ritualist, would be able to cast 5th tier rituals even though they only have access to 3rd tier spells. 3 (highest spell tier) + 2 (theme ranks in Ritualist) = 5 (maximum tier of rituals the PC can use.)
The Ritualist mage is +1 per rank with the following skills: Language: Old Selurian, Lore: Religion and Endurance.
The Ritualist gains the following application:
~ “Spontaneous Protection”: 1 per day per rank, the Ritualist spontaneously evokes a Protection Circle with a 10’ radius for a duration of their Int. or Wis. modifier (whichever is higher) +1 round per level.
Once invoked, the circle does not require concentration and the Ritualist is free to move or cast other spells from within the circle.
Runecaster
The Runecaster ha studied the ancient Gorunduun tradition of divining and reading rune stones. These are four small smooth stones (usually dark in color), small enough to fit in the wizard’s single hand, inscribed with special magical characters. The Runecaster is +1 per rank with the following skills: Lore: Ancient Languages, Language: Gorunduun, and Lore:Geology.
The Runecaster gains the following application:
~ “Rune-casting”: the wizard is able to “throw the runes” all at once or pick out specific symbols from them for various effects. These “rune-castings” are possible even if the wizard does not possess the proposed spells in their grimoire. :
Soothsaying: Throwing all 4 of their stones into the air and seeing how they land, the Runecaster is able to divine limited answers to questions: “Yes”, “No”, or “Indeterminable.”
Ice Rune: With this stone and a 1st tier spell slot, a Runecaster can spontaneously cast Freezing Hands. With a 3rd tier spell slot the caster can duplicate an Iceburst effect (equivalent to the caster’s level of experience).
Earth Rune: With this stone and a 1st tier spell slot, a Runecaster can spontaneously cast Speak with Animals.With a 3rd tier spell slot the caster can cast Speak with Dead.
Bear Rune: The recipient of the magical touch of the Bear rune doubles their Strength bonus (or receives a +2 if they don’t have one). This effect lasts for 1 round per caster level.
Sun Rune: With this stone and a 1st tier spell slot, the Runecaster spontaneously casts a Light spell. With a 3rd tier spell slot, a Runecaster can spotaneously cast the equivalent of a Continual Light spell. This burst of sun-like light will also effect undead as if being turned by a cleric of the caster’s level and/or struck by actual sunlight if they are vulnerable to such (vampires, for example, will react as if they are in actual sunlight).
Any of the effects of the individual runes can be used once per day per theme rank with an unused appropriate tier spell. Soothsaying may be done as many times as the wizard likes.
Scholar
The Scholar mage studies for the sake of knowledge. Knowledge, after all, is power ...and one can never have too much.
The Scholar mage is +1 per rank with the following skills: 1 Language of choice, 1 Lore of choice and Search.
The Scholar gains the following application:
~ “Learned”: the mage receives an additional +1 Intelligence per rank, up to their racial maximum. If the mage has or recahes the maximum Intelligence for their race, the bonuses continue to rise +1 per rank, without changing the actual score.
This bonus applies to all Int. ability rolls, provides an additional skill point, and bonus spell tiers per day.
Upon placing the 5th rank in this theme, the PC increases their actual Intelligence score 1 point, up to 1 above the maximum for their race. A human mage scholar who already had an 18 Int. can bump up to 19. An elf with 19 Int. up to 20!
Sorcerer
The Sorcerer theme is for those mages who, whether by innate gifts or fervent practice and study, have an enhanced capacity to manipulate their arcane energies. This might be from constant exposure to magical energies, a magical ancestor’s blood in the family line, some innate talent or a depth of understanding finally realized, a wizard prodigy, or any other number of explanations. The Sorcerer wields the magic of the arcane with frightful ease.
The Sorcerer mage is +1 per rank with the following skills: Arcane Lore, Persuation, and Weapon Proficiency with any of the following: spear, short sword, or hand crossbow [which can already use as an Illusionist].
The Sorcerer gains the following application:
~ “Empowered Magic”: The Sorcerer receives an additional +1 [per rank] Charisma modifier, regardless of their actual Charisma score. This +1 applies to all Cha. ability rolls and applies to the mage’s roll to use their “Empowered casting” power.
With each rank placed in the Sorcerer theme, the wizard PC can choose one of the following ways to alter their magic. This is the only trick they know until the next rank is applied and they ‘figure out” how to alter their magics in an additional way.
The Sorcerer may choose from the following “empowerments”:
Blasting Spell: Any damage-causing spell cast by the Sorcerer automatically causes maximum damage +1 per theme rank.
Extended Spell: The Sorcerer’s spells last +1 round per rank longer than maximum. Even if the spell requires concentration, the spell will persist for the extra round(s) without the Sorcerer’s attention. Spells with a duration of “Instantaneous” can not be extended.
Reaching Spell: The Sorcerer adds 5’ per rank to the range of any spell.
Silent Spell: While still requiring the use of their hands/arms, the Sorcerer mage need not vocalize the spell, instead bringing the magic into being by innate force of will. Exception/Note: A Bard who takes the Sorcerer theme is not permitted to use Silent Spell until they have accumulated all 5 ranks in this theme.
Still Spell: The Sorcerer is able to cast spells without the use of their hands/arms. They must still speak the spell (unless they use the Silent Spell empowerment simultaneously) but may cast while their hands are otherwise occupied.
To use Empowered Spell, the Sorcerer must make a successful Charisma ability roll, applying +1 per theme rank (and any other Cha. bonus), to use these powers when they cast a spell. The use of multiple empowerments is permitted but each requires a separate Charisma roll.
Note: A Sorcerer wizard is perfectly capable of casting their spells normally, without a roll/empowering, if they so choose.
Sorcerers must still keep and study a grimoire, memorize specific spells/tiers as their level allows and only select spells from their spellbooks or scrolls, as normal for any type of wizard.
Stargazer
The Stargazer wizard (or priest) studies and reads the night skies and heavenly bodies for both worldly information and supernatural portent.
The Stargazer mage is +1 per rank with the following skills: Lore: Astrology, Lore: Navigation and Insight.
The Stargazer gains the following application:
~ “Enhanced Augury”: The Stargazer looks among the stars and planets to determine answers to questons about occurances in the coming days. The time ahead for which a Stargazer can determine answers is a number of weeks equal to their Int. or Wis. mod. (whichever is higher).
Unlike the cleric spell, the Stargazer's Augury receives no penalty for any days ahead of time they are asking/wondering about. Otherwise, the answers, accuracy and other details are the same as the clerical spell Augury (that is, determined by the DM).
(Or the aformentionned "one of the gang just charges in to rescue the guy" would work too, off course, if a bit less dramatically).
