Here a part of the mechanics for the Occult Mage class I've created. It relies on some of the mechanics from PsiHB and If Thoughts Could Kill. However, you could ignore this and use the Vancian magic system just fine along with the occult lore skills and occult tradition feats. I think that it could, possibly, aid in the creation of a low magic spellcaster as it generates much more flexibility in the creation of different spell lists.
I'm not posting the class in it's entirety because there are a couple of other changes that I made which are not all that relevant to this thread and are also not tested or fully thought out. This is the important part, though.
Basically the concept is that magi must learn the secrets of various occult traditions to have access to different spells. Each tradition can have special rules governing the casting of spells from that tradition. What I think this does is create a new form of mage that is more closely tied to the concept of studying and attempting to master the mysteries of hermetic traditions. It also provides a mechanic for the different types of spellcasters to be integrated much more closely with the campaign setting - as you'll see in my examples of traditions.
Note that the sample traditions I've provided are not necessarily low magic. I'm bringing in this rule variant idea just to show a possible means by which different groups of spells and powers can be grouped thematically for different flavors of magi.
This is a working draft and the details of some of the specific traditions are not all necessarily mechanically sound. The concept is what I'm submitting here, with examples of the kind of flexibility it allows.
BaB: As wizard
Saves: As wizard
Hit Dice: As wizard
Skills: As wizard but replace "Spellcraft" with "Occult Lore (all skills, taken individually) (Int, exclusive skill)"
Mana (power points) and spells known per day: As psion variant from If Thoughts Could Kill but primary discipline slot may be used for any spell.
Arcane spell failure from armor applies to this class. Power Scaling and PHB spell conversion rules from ITCK are in effect.
Bonus mana: Based on wisdom.
Bonus spells per day: Based on intelligence.
Bonus to spell DC: Based on charisma
Note: I've replaced the Vancian magic system with this system because I do not think that the very strange mechanics of this system lend to a very believable low magic feel. Feel free to continue to use the standard Vancian model, or adopt any other spell casting model that suits you - including a casting system that involves rolling for spell success as has been mentioned a few times in this thread.
Tradition Specialization: An occult mage who follows only one occult tradition is considered a specialist. A specialist gains a +2 bonus to the save DC for all of the spells she casts and may cast spells from her tradition at +1 caster level for purposes of determining variable effects, such as range and duration. She also gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against spells from her own tradition. If a specialist later acquires another tradition, she loses these bonuses. Once this occurs, if an occult mage wishes to revert back to having only one tradition she must forsake all other traditions (see Bonus Occult Tradition above for rules on forsaking a tradition).
New Skill
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Occult Lore (all skills, taken individually) (int, occult mage only)
Check: This represents a mage?s knowledge and skill with spells of a specific tradition. Each tradition is a separate skill. If the occult tradition feat is also taken for the given tradition, this skill also grants the ability to cast spells from a given tradition.
Spell Minimum
Level Skill*
0 1-3
1 4-5
2 6-7
3 8-9
4 10-11
5 12-13
6 14-15
7 16-17
8 18-19
9 20+
* This includes the intelligence modifier.
Note: Since occult lore is an exclusive skill that only occult magi possess, it is safe to tie spell level access to skill ranks in this case since it is directly limited by occult mage caster level.
An occult mage may also use this skill to identify spells and magic effects from the corresponding tradition as per the Spellcraft skill. For any given tradition, an occult mage may use the higher of her Occult Lore skill in that tradition, or one third the highest of all of her Occult Lore skills rounded down. This does not apply toward meeting the minimum required skill level to cast spells from a given tradition.
An occult mage can have Occult Lore skill in a tradition for which she does not have the Occult Tradition feat, in which case she can use the skill to identify spells and magic effects but may not cast spells from that tradition.
New Feats
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Occult Tradition
You are learned in one of the ancient arcane orders of magic.
Requirements: Membership in the occult mage class plus additional requirements specific to each tradition as detailed below.
Benefit: The occult tradition gives a player access to spells from a magical tradition. This feat must be taken once for each tradition that the character desires to have access to. An occult mage may know a maximum number of occult traditions equal to one plus her intelligence modifier. Once she has reached this maximum, she can only gain a new tradition by forsaking an old one. If she does this, she loses the ability to cast all spells from that tradition and any feats spent on that tradition are wasted but she may still use her skill points to identify spells and magical effects from that tradition. Relearning a forsaken tradition requires taking the Occult Tradition feat again, but skill points spent on the tradition previously are retained. An occult mage gains 3 1st level spells from the selected tradition to add to her spellbook the first time that she takes this feat for a given tradition.
Note: Any references to "wizard" in the following are not referring to the PHB wizard, but to those who follow the occult tradition of wizardy, which I didn't include here because it is evocation heavy and not conducive to a low magic feel.
Occult Tradition (Alchemy)
You are learned in the ancient art of alchemy.
Requirements: 4 ranks in alchemy, 4 ranks in profession (herbalist), apprenticeship under an accomplished alchemist or a copy of a treatist on the alchemical arts.
Cultural Prevalence: Universal but most common in the Central Kingdoms.
Benefit: The character can cast spells from the Alchemical tradition. The number and level of spells depends on the character level, her intelligence score, and the number of ranks she has in the Occult Lore (Alchemy) skill.
Occult Tradition (Bardic Tradition)
You are learned in the bardic arts.
Requirements: 4 ranks in perform, 4 ranks in knowledge (occult), occult wisdom, BaB of +1 or greater, apprenticeship under an accomplished bard.
Cultural Prevalence: The Foothill Tribes, the Horselords, Tlahani, the North Central Kingdoms
Benefit: The character can cast spells from the bardic tradition. The number and level of spells depends on the character level, her intelligence score, and the number of ranks she has in the Occult Lore (Bardic Tradition) skill.
Occult Tradition (Byurinese Witchcraft)
You are learned in the ways of witchcraft.
Requirements: 2 ranks in alchemy, 2 ranks in scry, female gender, raised from birth by an accomplished Byurinese witch.
Cultural Prevalence: The Horselords, eastern Central Kingdoms.
Benefit: The character can cast spells from the Byurinese tradition. The number and level of spells depends on the character level, her intelligence score, and the number of ranks she has in the Occult Lore (Byurinese Witchcraft) skill.
Occult Tradition (Feyalla?i)
You have been trained as one of the deadly Feyalla?i magi.
Requirements: 2 ranks in bluff, 2 ranks in hide, membership in a wandering feyalla?ai band.
Cultural Prevalence: The Southern Kingdoms
Benefit: The character can cast spells from the feyalla?ai tradition. The number and level of spells depends on the character level, her intelligence score, and the number of ranks she has in the Occult Lore (Feyalla?i) skill.
Occult Tradition (Nomitic Theurgy)
You are one of the mystic priests of Nomos.
Requirements: 4 ranks in knowledge (religion), membership in the clergy of Nomos or apprenticeship under an accomplished Nomitic Theurgist.
Cultural Prevalence: Most common in the Central Kingdoms and the Great Kingdom in particular.
Benefit: The character can cast spells from the Nomitic tradition. The number and level of spells depends on the character level, her intelligence score, and the number of ranks she has in the Occult Lore (Nomitic Theurgy) skill.
Traditions & Spell Lists
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Alchemy
Alchemy is the oldest of the non-religious magical traditions. Through the study of the interaction of various substances and the practice of transmutation, the alchemist learns to transform substance, and by extension to transform the soul itself.
Learning Alchemy: Alchemists learn their art through careful study, experimentation, and observation. Tutelage as an apprentice under an accomplished alchemist is by far the most common means of learning the art, although some alchemists are self-taught through the acquisition and study of a tome of lore on the subject. Some of the better-known treatises on the art of alchemy are Essence and Substance, Principia du Speculatis en Materia, and Malvoli?s Crucible. The wizard colleges in the Central Kingdoms also offer studies in the alchemical arts, and many wizards are also accomplished alchemists.
Features:
· Alchemists with the brew potion feat may create potions as if their base cost was lower than the actual base cost for purposes of determining gold piece and xp cost. The amount of discount is dependent on the number of skill ranks the character has in the alchemy skill.
Alchemy Brew Potion
Skill Ranks Cost
0-3 90%
4-6 85%
7-9 80%
10-12 75%
13-15 70%
16-18 65%
19+ 60%
· The casting time for all alchemical spells is 1 action, which consists of activating the special material component described below.
· All alchemical spells have a material and somatic component, and no other components, regardless of the spell description. Feats that eliminate spell components can not be applied applied to spells cast from this tradition, nor any other ability that modifies a spell?s required components.
· All alchemy spells have a special material component that must be prepared ahead of time with the alchemy skill. These components are not interchangeable between different spells and must be made separately for each spell. This process requires access to alchemical equipment, exotic materials, and an uninterrupted span of time. All alchemy spells also have a somatic component, which is required to activate the material component, but they never have a verbal component. The skill check, time, and cost for constructing the material components required for alchemist spells of each spell level are listed below. A failed DC check indicates that the resulting spell component will not work and the time and gold spent are wasted.
Spell Alchemy Creation Creation
Level DC Time Cost*
0 12 5 minutes 1 sp
1 14 10 minutes 2 sp
2 16 15 minutes 5 sp
3 18 30 minutes 1 gp
4 20 1 hour 2 gp
5 22 2 hours 5 gp
6 24 4 hours 10 gp
7 26 6 hours 20 gp
8 28 8 hours 50 gp
9 30 12 hours 100 gp
* The creation cost does not include the cost of any material components or foci the spell might have, which must also be provided during the alchemical spell component preparation process, but are not required during the actual casting of the spell.
0th Level: Alchemy, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Poison, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Resistance
1st Level: Change Self, Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Enlarge, Erase, Goodberry, Magic Fang, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Nystul?s Magical Aura, Nystul?s Undetectable Aura, Reduce
2nd Level: Alter Self, Barkskin, Bull?s Strength, Cat?s Grace, Chill Metal, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Endurance, Gentle Repose, Heat Metal, Lesser Restoration, Resist Elements, Shatter, Warp Wood, Wood Shape
3rd Level: Cure Serious Wounds, Gaseous Form, Greater Magic Weapon, Greater Magic Fang, Haste, Keen Edge, Magical Vestment, Protection from Elements, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease, Shrink Item, Slow, Water Breathing
4th Level: Cure Critical Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self, Restoration, Rusting Grasp, Stoneskin
5th Level: Animal Growth, Fabricate, Passwall, Seeming, Transmute Mud to Rock, Transmute Rock to Mud,
6th Level: Flesh to Stone, Heal, Ironwood, Mass Haste, Stone to Flesh, Tenser?s Transformation, Veil
7th Level: Greater Restoration, Regenerate, Simulacrum, Statue, Transmute Metal to Wood
8th Level: Clone, Eternal Youth (new spell), Iron Body, Polymorph Any Object
9th Level: Raise Dead, Shape Change
Bardic Tradition
The bards are the warrior poets of the north and keepers of oral history. Riding valiantly into battle, their art uplifts their allies and crushes all hope for their foes, turning the tide of battle.
Learning the Bardic Tradition: The traditions of the bard are oral traditions passed down from generation to generation. As such all bards acquire their skill and knowledge solely through the tutelage of a master bard.
Features:
· The bard casts spells through her music or singing, and must be performing for her magic to take effect. Casting a spell in this manner takes the standard amount of time indicated in the spell description.
· All spells from the bard tradition have either a verbal or a somatic component, depending on whether the bard is singing or playing an instrument. Bard spells have no other components. Feats that eliminate spell components can not be applied applied to spells cast from this tradition, nor any other ability that modifies a spell?s required components. Bards ignore only those material components which are not given a gold piece value. Components that are given a gold piece value are still required.
· All spells cast from the bardic tradition that normally require concentration instead require that the bard continue playing music. If the music stops, concentration is considered broken. All spells with duration likewise require that the bard continue playing for the length of the duration. If she stops playing before the duration has come to an end, the spell effects end prematurely.
· Any situations that may break the bard?s concentration require a concentration check. If this check fails all spells in effect will come to an end. Thus, after casting a spell a bard may enter melee combat while simultaneously singing to maintain duration, but must make continuous concentration checks while fighting to maintain any spells that are in effect.
· A bard weaves magic into her music such that she may play continuously and have different magical effects occur during a song as necessary. Each time the bard casts a new spell with a duration or with a concentration requirement, she must make a perform check (DC 15 + spell level). If this check fails, a randomly selected spell currently in effect comes to an end.
· Spells cast from the bardic tradition can be cast with no risk of arcane spell failure due to armor. Bards frequently multiclass with fighter, barbarian, or another class to take advantage of this.
0th Level Spells: Cure Minor Wounds, Guidance, Resistance, Virtue
1st Level Spells: Bane, Bless, Cause Fear, Change Self, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Doom, Endure Elements, Enlarge, Hypnotism, Magic Fang, Magic Weapon, Reduce, Remove Fear, Sleep, True Strike
2nd Level Spells: Aid, Alter Self, Animal Trance, Bull?s Strength, Calm Emotions, Cat?s Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Delay Poison, Endurance, Enthrall, Resist Elements, Scare, Shatter, Sound Burst, Zone of Truth
3rd Level Spells: Cure Serious Wounds, Greater Magic Fang, Greater Magic Weapon, Haste, Keen Edge, Magical Vestment, Prayer, Protection from Elements, Remove Disease, Sculpt Sound, Shrink Item, Slow, Tongues
4th Level Spells: Charm Monster, Confusion, Cure Critical Wounds, Emotion, Fear, Neutralize Poison, Polymorph Self, Shout, Spell Immunity, Stoneskin
5th Level Spells: Animal Growth, Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Healing Circle, Hold Monster, Seeming, Spell Resistance
6th Level Spells: Eyebite, Heal, Legend Lore, Mass Haste, Repulsion, Tenser?s Transformation, Veil
7th Level Spells: Insanity, Vision
8th Level Spells: Antipathy, Mass Charm, Mass Heal, Mind Blank, Otto?s Irresistible Dance, Sympathy
9th Level Spells: Shape Change, Wail of the Banshee
Byurinese Witchcraft
Byurinese witches are greatly feared where they exist among the Northern Horselords, across the foothills of the Ma Sari Peaks, and down through the eastern Central Kingdoms for the terrible curses they can inflict upon their unfortunate victims. Rarely, someone will seek out one of the witches in a moment of dire need. The price is always terrible. A preferred currency of the witches is the supplicant?s firstborn daughter, which they raise as their own, teaching them in the ancient ways of witchcraft. Woe to the person who refuses to hand over a promised daughter and in so doing invokes the deadly wrath of a witch. Byurinese witches are also known to deceive men into intimacy during the full moon, often disguised as current or former lovers. If the resulting child is a daughter, it is raised as a witch. If it is a son, it is sacrificed and the child?s blood is used to fuel the witch?s dark magic.
Learning Byurinese Witchcraft: Byurinese Witches are trained in the art from birth, and must be raised as a child by another witch. Exceptions to this rule are extremely rare and occur only under very special and unique circumstances.
0th Level Spells: Cure Minor Wounds, Dancing Lights, Detect Poison, Ghost Sound, Virtue
1st level Spells: Cause Fear, Change Self, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Doom, Enlarge, Hypnotism, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement, Reduce, Sleep
2nd Level Spells: Alter Self, Augury, Blindness/Deafness, Cure Moderate Wounds, Delay Poison, Enthrall, Locate Object, Minor Image, Scare, Speak With Animals, Tasha?s Hideous Laughter, Whispering Wind
3rd Level Spells: Bestow Curse, Contagion, Cure Blindness/Deafness, Cure Serious Wounds, Diminish Plants, Fly, Magic Circle Against Good/Evil/Chaos/Law, Poison, Remove Disease, Slow
4th Level Spells: Charm Monster, Cure Critical Wounds, Emotion, Fear, Lesser Geas, Locate Creature, Neutralize Poison, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self, Scrying
5th Level Spells: Control Winds, Dream, False Vision, Feeblemind, Magic Jar, Mirage Arcana, Nightmare, Seeming
6th Level Spells: Eyebite, Geas/Quest, Legend Lore, Project Image, Repulsion
7th Level Spells: Control Weather, Finger of Death, Greater Scrying, Insanity, Reincarnate
8th Level Spells: Antipathy, Horrid Wilting, Polymorph Any Object, Sympathy, Trap the Soul
9th Level Spells: Shape Change, Soul Bind, Steal Life (new lifespan extending spell), Wail of the Banshee
Feyalla?i
From the desert they come: The mysterious and legendary Feyalli. Slipping quietly into the spaces between perception, they weave their magic. Feared assassins and near imperceptible spies, the Feyalli appear suddenly out of thin air, strike with deadly precision, and quickly melt into the sands from whence they came. Feyalla?i often multiclass as rogues.
Learning Feyalla?i: The Feyalli do not share their secrets with outsiders. One must be an honored and trusted member of a wandering feyalli band before becoming initiated into the ranks of their occult order. Most of the Feyalli were born and raised in the desert. The Feyalli have an instinctive distrust of outsiders, so only a very small number of foreigners throughout history have earned their trust and respect to a high enough degree to be given their ancient secrets.
0 Level Spells: Flare, Ghost Sounds, Mage Hand
1st Level Spells: Alarm, Change Self, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Jump, Obscuring Mist, Spider Climb, True Strike, Ventriloquism
2nd Level Spells: Alter Self, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Darkness, Darkvision, Fog Cloud, Glitterdust, Invisibility, Levitate, Mirror Image, Rope Trick, Undetectable Alignment
3rd Level Spells: Blink, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Displacement, Fly, Gaseous Form, Hold Person, Water Breathing
4th Level Spells: Arcane Eye, Detect Scrying, Dimension Door, Hallucinatory Terrain, Improved Invisibility, Modify Memory, Solid Fog
5th Level Spells: False Vision, Hold Monster, Mind Fog, Mirage Arcana, Passwall, Prying Eyes, Wall of Force
6th Level Spells: Acid Fog, Mislead, Project Image, Repulsion, Veil
7th Level Spells: Ethereal Jaunt, Forcecage, Phase Door, Sequester, Shadow Walk
8th Level Spells: Binding, Etherealness, Maze, Screen
9th Level Spells: Freedom, Imprisonment, Refuge, Temporal Stasis
Nomitic Theurgy
The inner circles of the Priesthood of Nomos call upon their faith to powerful effect. The secrets of Nomitic Theurgy are very well guarded, and only taught in steps as an initiate is inducted deeper and deeper into the ranks of the Nomitic mysteries. The ten circles of Nomos (one corresponding to each spell level) are only granted to those who are worthy of the secret, and color-coded robes identify priests of varying levels. Worthiness is determined through a series of secret tests. The ten circles are not tied to political rank, which is denoted by other titles such as deacon, bishop, archbishop and the like. A priest of Nomos may or may not hold a political title, but will always hold a title of rank within the Nomitic mysteries.
Rank Maximum Robe
Title Spell Level Color
Neophyte 0 Brown
Acolyte 1 Russet
Supplicant 2 Red
Constituent 3 Orange
Advocate 4 Yellow-Orange
Proclaimer 5 Light Yellow
Priest Peer 6 White
Priest Advisor 7 Copper
Priest Superior 8 Silver
High Priest 9 Gold
Learning Nomitic Theurgy: Those who study Nomitic Theurgy are priests of Nomos, and as such most of them are members of the Nomitic Church, the official church of the Great Kingdom. Priests must provide prove of their faith, skill, and knowledge, repeatedly to be allowed access to greater mysteries of the art. There are a few Soreanist (a heretical gnostic sect) priests who are learned in the art, so it is possible, though quite rare, that a Priest of Nomos who is not a member of the church would know the art; however, the Nomitic Church hunts such priests vigorously as heretics.
Features:
· A nomitic theurgist can turn undead as a cleric of equivalent level.
· Nomitic theurgists gain their magical spells through divine communion. They do not need a spell book to memorize their spells. Instead, they must make invocations to Nomos when they wish to memorize spells. When they do this they may choose freely from all spells on the nomitic theurgist spell list when selecting spells to memorize, although the maximum total levels of memorized spells still applies as normal. The ritual involved in this process follows the normal rules for spell memorization in terms of the length of time it takes to memorize new spells. If the character has violated the teachings and laws of Nomos in any significant way, she will be denied access to all spells until she completes a quest to reconcile her sins and is subsequently atoned (via the atonement spell) by a cleric of a level greater than her own (Note that the full version of this class has rules for maintaining spellbooks, as I view musty books as important to a hermetic order. In the current context of the class as posted in this thread this ability doesn't make much sense but it makes sense with the full class - these rules are not tested and not ready for vigorous inspection though so if anyone wants to see them let me know).
· Each time a character is able to gain access to a new level of spells, she must visit a church with a priest in residence of a level greater than the character in order to actually gain access to the spells. This meeting involves a ritual test of faith in which a mage must prove her worthiness to the church.
· Spells cast from the Nomitic Theurgy tradition can be cast with no risk of arcane spell failure due to armor. Priests frequently multiclass with fighter and fight bravely as the elite holy warriors of the Nomitic Church, called paladins.
0 Level Spells: Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Poison, Guidance, Purify Food and Drink, Resistance, Virtue
1st Level Spells: Bless, Bless Water, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Evil, Detect Undead, Divine Favor, Endure Elements, Magic Weapon, Protection from Evil, Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith, True Strike
2nd Level Spells: Aid, Augury, Calm Emotions, Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds, Delay Poison, Gentle Repose, Lesser Restoration, Remove Paralysis, Resist Elements, Shield Other, Zone of Truth
3rd Level Spells: Create Food and Water, Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Circle against Evil, Magical Vestment, Prayer, Protection from Elements, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease, Searing Light
4th Level Spells: Cure Critical Wounds, Death Ward, Dimensional Anchor, Discern Lies, Dismissal, Divination, Divine Power, Greater Magic Weapon, Neutralize Poison, Restoration
5th Level Spells: Atonement, Commune, Dispel Evil, Hallow, Healing Circle, Mark of Justice
6th Level Spells: Banishment, Forbiddance, Heal, Heroes? Feast, Stone to Flesh
7th Level Spells: Greater Restoration, Holy Word, Power Word, Stun, Regenerate
8th Level Spells: Holy Aura, Mass Heal, Power Word, Blind
9th Level Spells: Miracle, Power Word, Kill, Raise Dead
Note: I have over a dozen traditions fleshed out total. The majority of them have only minor or no special rules like the above classes do. They just cast their spells as per the standard method. I provided examples of the classes that do have special rules just to show the kinds of things you can do with the concept - these are also ones which have a more low magic feel to them (with the exception of the Feyalla'i). There are also more high-magicky necromancer, wizardry, conjurer, etc. traditions. Also, I happened to pick out most of the heal-capable traditions. The majority of the traditions can not heal.
If a mage knows several traditions, she is subject to the limitations of each tradition when casting spells from that specific tradition. For example, when a mage who knows both Nomitic Thaumaturgy and Alchemy wears heavy armor she will not suffer arcane spell failure while casting spells from the Nomitic list but still suffers from potential failure when casting spells from the Alchemy list. Likewise, she requires the special material component for all alchemy spells, but never for nomitic spells.
Summary: In case this is too much to grasp, or presented in a hard to understand fashion, the basic idea is that spellcraft is broken up into seperate skills for each tradition. In order to cast spells from a tradition one must meet the prerequisites for, and take, the corresponding occult tradition feat. Then one has access to the spell list from that class.
If anyone is interested in seeing the full class writeup let me know. This is the relevant part though.
