SilveryCord
2006-10-15, 12:11 PM
Waning Libra
Leia stood shocked. The Devourer was advancing on John, the rogue, and he was frozen in place, a Ray of Enfeeblement making him unable to move. Was it all the end? Soon he'd be part of that evil thing's body, powering its magic...
Leia only knew of one thing to do. It was risky, but she had no choice. Her body shined brightly, giving up her very soul.
She cast Disintegrate, and the Devourer was quickly no more. John fell over in weakness, his body still recovering.
"Leia... what... happened to your face?"
Leia began to cry, her tears running down the new wrinkles suddenly adorning her face. Her hair had become gray, and she was no longer the young woman that John had loved.
The fires of some souls burn much brighter than others... but they also go out much faster. These souls become Waning Libras, the most powerful casters, but they won't be one for long.
Hit Die
d4.
BAB: 1/2
Will: Good
Ref & Fort: Poor
Class Skills
The Waning Libra's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (All skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int).
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Waning Libra.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Waning Libra are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, and light shields.
Vice
At 1st level, a Waning Libra picks one of the following "Vices": Health, Lifespan, or Sanity. A Waning Libra uses her vice to cast spells by draining away whatever her vice is: A Waning Libra who chooses "Health" permanently loses HP to cast spells, for example.
The Health Vice costs permanent HP loss. This cannot be regained even with a Wish or Miracle.
The Lifespan Vice causes the Waning Libra to grow that much older. It does NOT lower her maximum age. This Vice may not be chosen by a creature with an indefinite lifespan.
The Sanity Vice costs Sanity Points, using the Sanity variant found in Unearthed Arcana. Waning Libras do NOT have to pay the normal sanity cost for casting spells in addition to this cost.
Each different vice offers a different amount of Vice Points.
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 1 Vice Point
Health2 HP
Lifespan1/20th of maximum age
Sanity12 Sanity Points
[/table]
However, if a Waning Libra makes many Vice Points at once, they cost slightly less to me made. This is especially true of Sanity loss, were the points lost are equal to the level of the spell being cast.
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 2 Vice Points
Health3 HP
Lifespan2/30ths of maximum age
Sanity14
[/table]
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 3 Vice Points
Health5 HP
Lifespan1/10th of maximum age
Sanity16
[/table]
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 4 Vice Points
Health7
Lifespan1/8th of maximum age
Sanity18
[/table]
Spells
A Waning Libra casts 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells exclusively. She begins to cast 6th level spells at level 1.
A 6th Level Spell costs 1 Vice Point, A 7th Level Spell costs 2 Vice Point, An 8th Level Spell costs 3 Vice Points, and a 9th Level Spell costs 4 Vice Points.
Table: Spells Known
{table]
Level6th7th8th9th
1st1---
2nd2---
3rd2---
4th31--
5th42--
6th42--
7th431-
8th442-
9th442-
10th4431
[/table]
A Waning Libra casts spells spontaneously, paying Vice Points as she goes. The Waning Libra's caster level is equal to the spell being cast, not her actual level divided by 2. (A 6th level spell would count as if it had been cast by a caster with 6 caster levels.) The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Waning Libra's spell is 10 + the spell level + the Waning Libra's Constitution modifier.
Spell List
A Waning Libra can choose any 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th level spell from the Wizard or Sorceror spell list to be known.
Break.
At 2nd level, a Waning Libra chooses from the following list of class abilities:
Bardic Music (Bard)
Rage (Barbarian)
Sneak Attack (Rogue)
Wild Shape (Druid)
The Waning Libra gains those abilities as if a character of the appropriate class, with a level equal to the Waning Libra's level.
Balance.
At 3rd level, a Waning Libra is constantly under the effect of Protection from Good/Evil/Law/Chaos, depending on the Waning Libra's alignment. (A Chaotic Libra has Protection from Law. A True Neutral Libra can choose which protection they gain, but they usually gain Protection from Evil, as they have more to fear from Evil then Good.)
Blood.
Starting at 5th level, as a full round a Waning Libra may do damage to herself in exchange for the ability to add metamagic to the next spell she casts.
By draining blood from herself, the Waning Libra can cast a spell up to three levels above the normal.
By doing 1 damage to herself, she may apply a metamagic that does not change the spell's level.
By doing 10 damage to herself, she may move a spell up one spell level.
By doing 30 damage to herself, she may move a spell up two spell levels.
By doing 50 damage to herself, she may move a spell up three spell levels.
After doing this, even if the Waning Libra is reduced to 0 or below HP, she continues to move for 3d4 rounds, or until she casts a spell (whichever comes first.) The next spell that she casts is the one that the metamagic is applied to.
Birthday.
Starting at 5th level, a Waning Libra may sacrifice part of her lifespan in exchange for metamagic. Unlike the Lifespan vice, this does not age the Waning Libra, but rather shortens the amount of time she has left to live.
By shortening her lifespan half a year, she may apply a metamagic that does not change the spell's level.
By shortening her lifespan by a year, she may move a spell up one spell level.
By shortening her lifespan by 5 years, she may move a spell up two spell levels.
By shortening her lifespan by 10, she may move a spell up three spell levels.
After doing this, the next spell the Waning Libra casts has the metamagic applied to it. If her lifespan is reduced below her age, she dies without casting a spell.
Brain.
Starting at 5th level, a Waning Libra may sacrifice her sanity in exchange for metamagic.
By losing 1 sanity point, she may apply a metamagic that does not change the spell's level.
By losing 10 sanity points, she may move a spell up one spell level.
By losing 12 sanity points, she may move a spell up two spell levels.
By losing 16 sanity points, she may move a spell up three spell levels.
After doing this, even if the Waning Libra is reduced to 0 Sanity, she continues to move as normal for 3d4 rounds, or until she casts a spell (whichever comes first.) The next spell that she casts is the one that the metamagic is applied to.
Ex Libra: A character who takes levels in any other spellcasting or manifesting class instantly loses all of her Waning Libra abilities.
Multiclassed Libra: A character who takes levels in any other class besides Libra may not advance in the Waning Libra class any more. If that character's Waning Libra levels granted an ability from a class, and that character takes that class, that ability and that ability alone stacks. (For example, a Waning Libra who has leveled enough to get +2d6 sneak attack damage and multiclasses into Rogue stacks that sneak attack damage with her sneak attack damage from her Rogue levels)
---
I made it feel a bit safer. More abilities to come, and maybe a way or two to fix the sacrifices made...
Leia stood shocked. The Devourer was advancing on John, the rogue, and he was frozen in place, a Ray of Enfeeblement making him unable to move. Was it all the end? Soon he'd be part of that evil thing's body, powering its magic...
Leia only knew of one thing to do. It was risky, but she had no choice. Her body shined brightly, giving up her very soul.
She cast Disintegrate, and the Devourer was quickly no more. John fell over in weakness, his body still recovering.
"Leia... what... happened to your face?"
Leia began to cry, her tears running down the new wrinkles suddenly adorning her face. Her hair had become gray, and she was no longer the young woman that John had loved.
The fires of some souls burn much brighter than others... but they also go out much faster. These souls become Waning Libras, the most powerful casters, but they won't be one for long.
Hit Die
d4.
BAB: 1/2
Will: Good
Ref & Fort: Poor
Class Skills
The Waning Libra's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (All skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int).
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Waning Libra.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Waning Libra are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, and light shields.
Vice
At 1st level, a Waning Libra picks one of the following "Vices": Health, Lifespan, or Sanity. A Waning Libra uses her vice to cast spells by draining away whatever her vice is: A Waning Libra who chooses "Health" permanently loses HP to cast spells, for example.
The Health Vice costs permanent HP loss. This cannot be regained even with a Wish or Miracle.
The Lifespan Vice causes the Waning Libra to grow that much older. It does NOT lower her maximum age. This Vice may not be chosen by a creature with an indefinite lifespan.
The Sanity Vice costs Sanity Points, using the Sanity variant found in Unearthed Arcana. Waning Libras do NOT have to pay the normal sanity cost for casting spells in addition to this cost.
Each different vice offers a different amount of Vice Points.
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 1 Vice Point
Health2 HP
Lifespan1/20th of maximum age
Sanity12 Sanity Points
[/table]
However, if a Waning Libra makes many Vice Points at once, they cost slightly less to me made. This is especially true of Sanity loss, were the points lost are equal to the level of the spell being cast.
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 2 Vice Points
Health3 HP
Lifespan2/30ths of maximum age
Sanity14
[/table]
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 3 Vice Points
Health5 HP
Lifespan1/10th of maximum age
Sanity16
[/table]
{table]
ViceAmount Used for 4 Vice Points
Health7
Lifespan1/8th of maximum age
Sanity18
[/table]
Spells
A Waning Libra casts 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells exclusively. She begins to cast 6th level spells at level 1.
A 6th Level Spell costs 1 Vice Point, A 7th Level Spell costs 2 Vice Point, An 8th Level Spell costs 3 Vice Points, and a 9th Level Spell costs 4 Vice Points.
Table: Spells Known
{table]
Level6th7th8th9th
1st1---
2nd2---
3rd2---
4th31--
5th42--
6th42--
7th431-
8th442-
9th442-
10th4431
[/table]
A Waning Libra casts spells spontaneously, paying Vice Points as she goes. The Waning Libra's caster level is equal to the spell being cast, not her actual level divided by 2. (A 6th level spell would count as if it had been cast by a caster with 6 caster levels.) The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Waning Libra's spell is 10 + the spell level + the Waning Libra's Constitution modifier.
Spell List
A Waning Libra can choose any 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th level spell from the Wizard or Sorceror spell list to be known.
Break.
At 2nd level, a Waning Libra chooses from the following list of class abilities:
Bardic Music (Bard)
Rage (Barbarian)
Sneak Attack (Rogue)
Wild Shape (Druid)
The Waning Libra gains those abilities as if a character of the appropriate class, with a level equal to the Waning Libra's level.
Balance.
At 3rd level, a Waning Libra is constantly under the effect of Protection from Good/Evil/Law/Chaos, depending on the Waning Libra's alignment. (A Chaotic Libra has Protection from Law. A True Neutral Libra can choose which protection they gain, but they usually gain Protection from Evil, as they have more to fear from Evil then Good.)
Blood.
Starting at 5th level, as a full round a Waning Libra may do damage to herself in exchange for the ability to add metamagic to the next spell she casts.
By draining blood from herself, the Waning Libra can cast a spell up to three levels above the normal.
By doing 1 damage to herself, she may apply a metamagic that does not change the spell's level.
By doing 10 damage to herself, she may move a spell up one spell level.
By doing 30 damage to herself, she may move a spell up two spell levels.
By doing 50 damage to herself, she may move a spell up three spell levels.
After doing this, even if the Waning Libra is reduced to 0 or below HP, she continues to move for 3d4 rounds, or until she casts a spell (whichever comes first.) The next spell that she casts is the one that the metamagic is applied to.
Birthday.
Starting at 5th level, a Waning Libra may sacrifice part of her lifespan in exchange for metamagic. Unlike the Lifespan vice, this does not age the Waning Libra, but rather shortens the amount of time she has left to live.
By shortening her lifespan half a year, she may apply a metamagic that does not change the spell's level.
By shortening her lifespan by a year, she may move a spell up one spell level.
By shortening her lifespan by 5 years, she may move a spell up two spell levels.
By shortening her lifespan by 10, she may move a spell up three spell levels.
After doing this, the next spell the Waning Libra casts has the metamagic applied to it. If her lifespan is reduced below her age, she dies without casting a spell.
Brain.
Starting at 5th level, a Waning Libra may sacrifice her sanity in exchange for metamagic.
By losing 1 sanity point, she may apply a metamagic that does not change the spell's level.
By losing 10 sanity points, she may move a spell up one spell level.
By losing 12 sanity points, she may move a spell up two spell levels.
By losing 16 sanity points, she may move a spell up three spell levels.
After doing this, even if the Waning Libra is reduced to 0 Sanity, she continues to move as normal for 3d4 rounds, or until she casts a spell (whichever comes first.) The next spell that she casts is the one that the metamagic is applied to.
Ex Libra: A character who takes levels in any other spellcasting or manifesting class instantly loses all of her Waning Libra abilities.
Multiclassed Libra: A character who takes levels in any other class besides Libra may not advance in the Waning Libra class any more. If that character's Waning Libra levels granted an ability from a class, and that character takes that class, that ability and that ability alone stacks. (For example, a Waning Libra who has leveled enough to get +2d6 sneak attack damage and multiclasses into Rogue stacks that sneak attack damage with her sneak attack damage from her Rogue levels)
---
I made it feel a bit safer. More abilities to come, and maybe a way or two to fix the sacrifices made...