Trinket Mage... Great Idea... or THE GREATEST IDEA....

[Visigani]

Trinket Mages don't cast... they activate.

Trinket Mages craft small objects, or Trinkets, they then use to produce spell effects via "activation". Trinket Mages provide the magic to power their trinkets in the same way Wizards power spells, essentially through Activation Slots. In this way the Trinket Mage is much like the sorcerer, he may power any trinket he has of the appropriate level so long as he has an unused "Activation slot" available.

If a spell typically requires verbal components the act of activating the Trinket requires a verbal component. All Trinkets require a somatic component. Throwing a marble from a "Bag of Magic Marbles" to cast magic missile for example.
Trinkets cost as much as a single use wondrous item of the appropriate level to cast the spell once per day. However, trinkets are incapable of casting spells on their own. Only the Trinket Mage could use the item for its magical effect. If the Mage were to hand the trinket to the parties fighter it would be a pretty paperweight, nothing more.

Trinkets activate at the activation level granted to them at creation, and the DC of these Activations are intelligence based as a Wizard's spells. The Liquor of Invisibility (which must be daubed on the Activators lips) that was created at activator level three would remain activator level three even if the Trinket Mage increased in activator level.


Trinkets may have their activation level upgraded by spending half the resources necessary to create a Trinket of the upgraded activator level.

Trinkets can be destroyed, depriving the trinket mage of the spell. Trinkets have the durability of a tiny construct. Further, due to their inherent connection to the astral plane Trinkets innately "regenerate" spent uses. A Bag of Magic Marbles would regenerate the spent marbles and the Snuff of Bear's Endurance would replace the used product when the Trinket Mage rested.

MetaCrafting feats (i.e. MetaMagic feats) allow the Trinket Mage to create improved versions of his Trinkets. A Trinket Mage that crafted a Fire Beetle (hums to the designated target and detonates as per fireball and flies back to the Trinket Mage at the beginning of his next turn) may use the MetaCraft Empower feat to improve the damage of the Fire Beetle by the appropriate amount.

The emerald grasshopper necessary for detect secret doors is as expensive as a wondrous item that could cast detect secret doors once per day.
A Trinket Mage with three spell slots, an Emerald Grasshopper (detect secret doors), and a Bag of Magic Marbles (Magic Missile) may activate them to produce one magic missile effect, and two detect secret door effects or any combination thereof.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

So it's like a Wizard, only it costs time and money in order to create your spells? Resulting in items that serve as a focus for the spells, that if lost or damaged you can't cast the spell? And there is no Caster Level progression to power up spells, unless you play more money and time? And contribute to a weight limit with each spell you need to cast? And the items can't be used by anyone else?

What's the advantage over playing a more standard caster?

 

[Visigani]

You have more versatility, its also a fascinating concept. Further why in heavens name does the wizard need any advantage at all?

 

[Tilenas]

What's the advantage over playing a more standard caster?

Right, Visigani, WHERE'S THE ADVANTAGE? Way to nerf the weakest class in the game... And here I though someone, finally, gave the wizard his much-needed boost. For heaven's sake, man, get a grip! ;-)

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

You have more versatility, its also a fascinating concept. Further why in heavens name does the wizard need any advantage at all?

What I mean is, if I was considering rolling up a new character, what does the Trinket Mage offer me that would lead me to choose it over a simpler class?

It may be that I'm not fully understanding the premise of the class. I don't understand how this is more versitile than another spellcaster.
Also, the idea of a magic item-creating caster seems to be summed up in the Artificer, only the items an Artificer makes can be used by other chafacters.

Sell me on what makes this class appealing, because it looks to me like an Artificer with Wondrous items that only he can use.

I do like the concept of a Wondrous Item-using mage. my own Factotum character I play in an ongoing campaign took Craft Wondrous Item at level 9 and he puts those few Arcane spells to use in designing a cache of Trinkets. I've been tempted to roll up an Artificer to play like this even more. The concept is pretty cool. But I need you to explain in more detail how the Trinket Mage, which specializes in this, does a better/simpler/more powerful/more effective... etc. job at pulling off this flavor than what already exists.

[MENTION=71414]Tilenas[/MENTION], the Wizard doesn't need a boost, lol.

 

[Visigani]

The trinket mage is an amalgam of the wizard, sorcerer, and artificer I suppose. These trinkets allow the caster to cast any spell he "knows" at any time, as a sorcerer.. but with the versatility of a wizard. At any time he has access to every single "spell" in his "spellbook".



This is a significant advantage.

 

[Visigani]

The trinket mage is an amalgam of the wizard, sorcerer, and artificer I suppose. These trinkets allow the caster to cast any spell he "knows" at any time, as a sorcerer.. but with the versatility of a wizard. At any time he has access to every single "spell" in his "spellbook".



This is a significant advantage.

 

[emoplato]

The trinket mage is an amalgam of the wizard, sorcerer, and artificer I suppose. These trinkets allow the caster to cast any spell he "knows" at any time, as a sorcerer.. but with the versatility of a wizard. At any time he has access to every single "spell" in his "spellbook".



This is a significant advantage.

I think you need to clear up some things.
1. So, what is the actual cost of these "items"? The same as the regular craft cost of an equivalent wondrous item? (Makes it insanely expensive to actually have the versatility of a wizard or even a sorcerer, especially considering that only he can use it.)
2. Also how does he learn spells? Does he have a spell book in which he records the spell in which then he makes a trinket for?
3. I think what you are trying to say is these trinkets just sort of represent a spell and not actually a spell, right? If that is the case I don't really see the need for these metacraft abilities. Would it be too presumptuous to say that the spells per day act like "charges" of these trinkets and really the spells are ultimately blank with out them aside from the level? If this is the case then wouldn't they spontaneously apply metamagic so they can apply an appropriate one to the spell cast?

 

[Visigani]

I think you need to clear up some things.
1. So, what is the actual cost of these "items"? The same as the regular craft cost of an equivalent wondrous item? (Makes it insanely expensive to actually have the versatility of a wizard or even a sorcerer, especially considering that only he can use it.)
2. Also how does he learn spells? Does he have a spell book in which he records the spell in which then he makes a trinket for?

Point taken on the cost of creation, adjusting it appropriately to be equal to a single use, use activated item.

As to how the Trinket Mage learns "spells".. probably via "Formulae", rather than a spellbook. He has a book of Formulae that contains all the diagrams and notes necessary to create an object, and he can copy new trinkets into this book.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

The trinket mage is an amalgam of the wizard, sorcerer, and artificer I suppose. These trinkets allow the caster to cast any spell he "knows" at any time, as a sorcerer.. but with the versatility of a wizard. At any time he has access to every single "spell" in his "spellbook".



This is a significant advantage.

Is there no limit to the number of times he can cast a spell via a trinket per day?

Because that would be awesome. The variety and caster level strength of spells he'd have access to would then be limited to how much he wants to spend in money and time to make and upgrade trinkets.

Is this what you're suggesting, because if it is, I can see the appeal.

How hard is it to make a trinket?