MageSparrowhawk
2008-12-30, 03:29 AM
The basic idea of this class has been kicking around in my head for quite a while now, and I've actually been putting some work into it recently, but I've hit some roadblocks. for starters, I'll show you what I have so far.
The Spellshaper has a very interesting kind of spellcasting. Whereas the Wizard casts spells through careful study, the Sorcerer calls on an arcane power within, the Cleric calls on divine assistance, and the Druid reaches to nature, the Spellshaper uses the magic inherent in the universe. Using his or her body as a conduit, and sheer will as a focus, the Spellshaper can cause almost anything to happen. There is an inherent flaw with this however. Using one's body in this manner displaces the natural positive energy for a split second, and living beings don't tend to function very well in that state. Early in a day, a Spellshaper can bounce right back from abuse such as this. However as the day progresses and more spells are cast, it brings about more and more strain on the body, eventually rendering the Spellshaper either unconscious or possibly even dead. This harmful effect has forced Spellshapers to learn other ways of non-spellcasting combat, and has even brought about a variation of their normal spellcasting to aid in such endeavors. The Spellshaper injects a weapon with the same raw magical energy to give it temporary bonuses. However, items tend not to handle this strain any better than the Spellshapers themselves, and tend to break after a while.
Abilities: All the physical abilities are important, as is Charisma
Alignment: Often chaotic, though Spellshapers run the gamut
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills:
Bluff, Craft, Decipher script, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana, nature, religion, Planes), Profession, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Use magic device
4+int modifier/ level, x4 at first
Spellshaper
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Starting Elements(½ Cha modifier), Spellshaping
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Prestigitation at will
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|detect magic always-active
4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Enhance weapon (+1)
5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Enhance weapon (+1d4)
6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|1 element
7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|
8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6|Enhance weapon (+2)
9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|
10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Occult Evolution, Enhance weapon (+2d4)
11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7|
12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|1 element, Enhance weapon (+3)
13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|
14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9|
15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|Enhance weapon (+3d6)
16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Enhance weapon (+4)
17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|
18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|1 element
19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|
20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Sorcerous Culmination, Enhance weapon (+5, +4d4)[/table]
Class Features:
proficient with (and can cast in) light armor
proficient with all simple weapons, and two martial weapons of your choice
Spellshaping: To cast a spell, you must make a Spellshaping check. A Spellshaping check is similar to a skill check, 1d20+level+Cha modifier. All spells have a base DC of 15.
Every time you cast a spell, make a fortitude save with a DC equal to the Spellshaping DC of the spell or become sickened until the end of your next turn. If you fail the save by 10 or more, you are instead nauseated until the end of your next turn.
Each time you cast a spell, there is a 10%+varies%/point you fail your check chance to move below the initial condition.
{table]Initial condition: 4% chance to move|1 damage/pt failed on check
First failure: 3% chance to move|1d2 subdual/pt failed on check
Second: 2% chance to move|1d4 subdual/pt failed on check
Third: 1% chance to move|1d6 subdual/pt failed on check
Forth: 1% chance to move|1d6 subdual+2 real/pt failed on check
Fifth: 1% chance to move|1 point con/pt failed on check
Final:|1 hour unconsciousness/pt failed[/table]
Enhance Weapon: As a standard action, a Spellshaper can force raw magical energy into a weapon she is holding, giving it the stated enhancement bonus and extra damage per hit. This lasts a number of rounds equal to half your level+Cha modifier
15% chance of an enhanced weapon breaking each time you enhance it. Each time past the first adds an additional 5%
The additional damage from enhancing your weapon is untyped damage.
You may not enhance a weapon that is already magical.
__________________________________________________ _______________
Now for my problems. I'm not really sure how the 'spells' should be written up. The basic idea is something along the lines of:
Offensive fire spell:
Element: Fire 1d6 fire damage: 1pt increase in DC. Chose an attack type: ray +0 DC, Line: +1 DC/10 ft, Cone: +3 DC/20 ft, Burst: +1 DC/5 ft radius
There would be several similar spells for the other energy types, and a couple others like light (1d4 'light' damage/+1 DC) in a similar vein.
So far, these are the elements I've come up with (feel free to suggest your own)
Acid, Arcana, Death, Fauna, Fire, Flora, Force, Ice, Knowledge, Life, Light, Lightning, Metal, Shadow, Sonic, Stone, Water, Wind
I'd like to see the ability to make almost any affect possible within the logical bounds of each element, but I'm not sure how well I (or anyone (or any one)) can do that.
As for the 10th and 20th level abilities, They should be something in regard to the Spellshaper's body actually starting to use that raw magical energy instead of positive energy. This would provide some reasonable bonuses, but at the same time, it would (for example) gain only half healing and then no healing from standard sources (besides other Spellshapers). The stuff I was thinking about would be bonuses against death effects, inflict spells, and the like, and then eventually becoming an ageless, native outsider.
Please help! I'd really like to see this class come into existence, and I know you people can help me. And any questions you have, I'd be happy to answer. I also have a short story involving one started, so if that kind of cinematic description would help anyone, I'd be glad to add it in later.
The Spellshaper has a very interesting kind of spellcasting. Whereas the Wizard casts spells through careful study, the Sorcerer calls on an arcane power within, the Cleric calls on divine assistance, and the Druid reaches to nature, the Spellshaper uses the magic inherent in the universe. Using his or her body as a conduit, and sheer will as a focus, the Spellshaper can cause almost anything to happen. There is an inherent flaw with this however. Using one's body in this manner displaces the natural positive energy for a split second, and living beings don't tend to function very well in that state. Early in a day, a Spellshaper can bounce right back from abuse such as this. However as the day progresses and more spells are cast, it brings about more and more strain on the body, eventually rendering the Spellshaper either unconscious or possibly even dead. This harmful effect has forced Spellshapers to learn other ways of non-spellcasting combat, and has even brought about a variation of their normal spellcasting to aid in such endeavors. The Spellshaper injects a weapon with the same raw magical energy to give it temporary bonuses. However, items tend not to handle this strain any better than the Spellshapers themselves, and tend to break after a while.
Abilities: All the physical abilities are important, as is Charisma
Alignment: Often chaotic, though Spellshapers run the gamut
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills:
Bluff, Craft, Decipher script, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana, nature, religion, Planes), Profession, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Use magic device
4+int modifier/ level, x4 at first
Spellshaper
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Starting Elements(½ Cha modifier), Spellshaping
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Prestigitation at will
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|detect magic always-active
4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Enhance weapon (+1)
5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Enhance weapon (+1d4)
6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|1 element
7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|
8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6|Enhance weapon (+2)
9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|
10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Occult Evolution, Enhance weapon (+2d4)
11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7|
12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|1 element, Enhance weapon (+3)
13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|
14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9|
15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|Enhance weapon (+3d6)
16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Enhance weapon (+4)
17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|
18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|1 element
19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|
20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Sorcerous Culmination, Enhance weapon (+5, +4d4)[/table]
Class Features:
proficient with (and can cast in) light armor
proficient with all simple weapons, and two martial weapons of your choice
Spellshaping: To cast a spell, you must make a Spellshaping check. A Spellshaping check is similar to a skill check, 1d20+level+Cha modifier. All spells have a base DC of 15.
Every time you cast a spell, make a fortitude save with a DC equal to the Spellshaping DC of the spell or become sickened until the end of your next turn. If you fail the save by 10 or more, you are instead nauseated until the end of your next turn.
Each time you cast a spell, there is a 10%+varies%/point you fail your check chance to move below the initial condition.
{table]Initial condition: 4% chance to move|1 damage/pt failed on check
First failure: 3% chance to move|1d2 subdual/pt failed on check
Second: 2% chance to move|1d4 subdual/pt failed on check
Third: 1% chance to move|1d6 subdual/pt failed on check
Forth: 1% chance to move|1d6 subdual+2 real/pt failed on check
Fifth: 1% chance to move|1 point con/pt failed on check
Final:|1 hour unconsciousness/pt failed[/table]
Enhance Weapon: As a standard action, a Spellshaper can force raw magical energy into a weapon she is holding, giving it the stated enhancement bonus and extra damage per hit. This lasts a number of rounds equal to half your level+Cha modifier
15% chance of an enhanced weapon breaking each time you enhance it. Each time past the first adds an additional 5%
The additional damage from enhancing your weapon is untyped damage.
You may not enhance a weapon that is already magical.
__________________________________________________ _______________
Now for my problems. I'm not really sure how the 'spells' should be written up. The basic idea is something along the lines of:
Offensive fire spell:
Element: Fire 1d6 fire damage: 1pt increase in DC. Chose an attack type: ray +0 DC, Line: +1 DC/10 ft, Cone: +3 DC/20 ft, Burst: +1 DC/5 ft radius
There would be several similar spells for the other energy types, and a couple others like light (1d4 'light' damage/+1 DC) in a similar vein.
So far, these are the elements I've come up with (feel free to suggest your own)
Acid, Arcana, Death, Fauna, Fire, Flora, Force, Ice, Knowledge, Life, Light, Lightning, Metal, Shadow, Sonic, Stone, Water, Wind
I'd like to see the ability to make almost any affect possible within the logical bounds of each element, but I'm not sure how well I (or anyone (or any one)) can do that.
As for the 10th and 20th level abilities, They should be something in regard to the Spellshaper's body actually starting to use that raw magical energy instead of positive energy. This would provide some reasonable bonuses, but at the same time, it would (for example) gain only half healing and then no healing from standard sources (besides other Spellshapers). The stuff I was thinking about would be bonuses against death effects, inflict spells, and the like, and then eventually becoming an ageless, native outsider.
Please help! I'd really like to see this class come into existence, and I know you people can help me. And any questions you have, I'd be happy to answer. I also have a short story involving one started, so if that kind of cinematic description would help anyone, I'd be glad to add it in later.