DragoonWraith
2009-10-10, 12:16 PM
OK, so this is very literally just an idea that popped into my head; the numbers are very off the cuff. Input on those is appreciated, but what I really want to know is, is this a good idea?
The goals here are to make multiclassing with Arcane casters more reasonable, to make lost progression less damning, and to put some limits on the Wizard while tossing a few minor bones to the Sorcerer.
Mana
All things that are self-aware (i.e. have a Wisdom and Charisma score, and are therefore not objects) possess Mana, an intangible quality that is associated with their life-force. The specifics of what Mana is or where it comes from are completely unknown, though debated heavily and numerous groups and factions will claim to know the 'truth' about Mana. It is not even clear whether or not different individuals or species have more or fewer Mana than others, or if some are simply more skilled in its use and therefore able to do more with the same amount. It is likely that no one will ever be able to come up with a definitive answer on this.
Mana is used in spellcasting. By definition, anything that uses Mana is a spell. Casting spells is draining, and though lack of Mana does not impair a creature's mental or physical ability in any way, a creature can nonetheless 'feel' its lack.
Mana is replenished by sleeping. The average creature requires eight hours of uninterrupted sleep in order to replenish their Mana.
Caster Level
A character's Caster Level is equal to the sum of his levels in any spellcasting classes, plus half their levels in any non-spellcasting classes.
The Caster Level affects the potency of a character's spells, the amount of Mana they can bring to bear in a given day, and the highest level spell they can cast. No character may learn or cast a spell with a spell level higher than half their Caster Level, with the sole exception of cantrips and 1st level spells, both of which may be cast with a Caster Level of 1.
Bonuses to Caster Level of any kind do not affect the Mana gained each day or the highest level spells that a character can cast, only the potency of their spells.
Mana per Day
Mechanically, Mana is quantized. This number is inherently an abstraction, but creatures are aware at least of relative magnitudes of Mana. As mentioned above, this may be the same 'amount' of Mana that is simply more powerful in the hands of a more accomplished mage, but the number is larger to illustrate the increased efficiency. Ultimately, the number is defined by the number and strength of spells that that the owner of that Mana is capable of casting.
Generally, a creature wakes up in the morning with Mana equal to its Caster Level multiplied by its Mana Multiplier. For characters without any levels in a spellcasting class, the Mana Multiplier is 1. Spellcasting classes, like the Sorcerer or Wizard, have a higher Mana Multiplier, depending on their level, and also gain bonus Mana for having a high Ability modifier in their primary spellcasting Ability. Half-levels of Caster Level are counted for determining how much Mana a character receives each day, though half-Mana points do not actually exist. So a 4th level character who is Sorcerer 3/Rogue 1 (Caster Level 3.5, Mana Multiplier 5) has 17 Mana, not 15 (or 17.5).
Spell Levels, Costs, and Minimum Caster Level
{table=head]
Spell[br]Level|
Mana[br]Cost|
Caster[br]Level
0th|
0|
1
1st|
1|
1
2nd|
3|
4
3rd|
6|
6
4th|
12|
8
5th|
18|
10
6th|
27|
12
7th|
36|
14
8th|
48|
16
9th|
60|
18[/table]
Casting Spells
Casting spells requires an amount of Mana equal to the amount in the table above. For those who are interested, the formula is พ(spell level)2. Beyond this, casting spells has not changed in any way, and therefore all other rules of 3.5 D&D apply.
Metamagic
Metamagic feats increase a spell's level. The caster of a metamagic'd spell must pay the Mana Cost of the new, higher Spell Level.
Casting Spells Spontaneously
Spells cast spontaneously involve the caster willing their Mana into the form of the spell, powering its Arcane energies with this renewable resource. Learning a spell well enough to form the Mana into the proper shape on the fly is difficult, and the number of spells that a character might learn this way are usually very few. The advantages for doing so, however, are obvious, since such a spellcaster may utilize any spell she knows on the spot.
Metamagic changes the form that the Mana must take for a given spell, by adding to the amount of Mana necessary. Since spontaneous casters function by having memorized and practiced their spells to the point that they can form them on the fly, adding metamagic to the mix complicates things. Whenever metamagic adds to the spell's Mana Cost by at least half the spontaneous caster's Caster Level, the casting time of the spell increases according to the following table:
{table=head]
Original[br]Time|
Metamagic'd[br]Time
Swift or Immediate|
Move Action
Move Action|
Standard Action
Standard Action|
Full-Round Action (Move + Standard)
Full-Round Action|
1 Round
1 or more Rounds|
1 additional Round[/table]
Casting Spells Prepared from a Spellbook
A spellbook is a useful aid in spellcasting, because such a spellcaster does not need to have the form of a spell completely memorized and practiced; they can take their time and use their spellbook to help them prepare the spell. Of course, this process still takes a fair amount of knowledge of the spells in the spellbook, so it is not as if anyone could just pick up a spellbook and figure out the spells in it. It takes training to do that, which is represented by levels in a prepared spellcasting class. During preparation, the spell's Mana is actually shaped into the spell, but not yet cast. It is held in this limbo state within the caster, who may then use it as easily as one who has memorized the spell as thoroughly as a spontaneous caster. However, he must always prepare these spells ahead of time, and has no ability to easily cast a spell he hadn't realized he would need.
The rules for preparing spells has not changed other than the need to pay the Mana Cost associated with the spell. This payment occurs during preparation; even though they still have the Mana until they actually cast the spell, it is already shaped into a spell and is therefore tied up. There is no way to recycle that Mana once thus prepared.
Divine Spellcasting
Divine spellcasters do not actually use their own Mana in their spells. Instead, during their morning prayers, they actually send their Mana to their deity. In fact, all prayers essentially do this, even for those who do not have the ability to cast Divine spells. These are essentially donations to the deity. In the case of those who do not cast Divine spells, it is typically only a token donation; a prayer would not diminish a Sorcerer's total Mana for their own spells. It is simply a show of faith to the god of choice.
For divine spellcasters, however, the donation is anything but token. Divine spellcasters typically send just about all of their Mana to their deity, and in return their deity grants them already-formed spells. It is unclear how, exactly, this process works; whether or not this is the caster's own Mana returned to them, whether or not the "amount" of Mana sent back and forth matches, etc, is all unknown. Because the numbers associated with Mana are based on the number of spells a caster can cast, a divine spellcaster's Mana Multiplier represents the Mana value of the spells they are granted each morning - which may or may not actually match their own personal Mana. Such a thing is not actually quantifiable in-game, and is therefore unknown.
Divine spellcasters may be spontaneous or prepared. They follow the same rules as Arcane casters, but in both cases are not dependant on knowing the spells themselves - instead, a deity may grant access to spells either by giving the requested spells during morning prayers, or by having a set of the spells a spontaneous divine spellcaster "knows" that the spellcaster may call for at any time.
Bonus Mana
A spellcaster gains a bonus to his Mana based on his primary spellcasting Ability. Namely, he adds one-quarter of his Ability bonus (if any) to his Mana Multiplier when determining his Mana for the day.
Multiclassing and Prestige Classes
Characters with levels in more than one casting class have separate Caster Levels in each. They therefore also have separate pools of Mana for each class, each of which is equal to that class's Caster Level times that class's Mana Multiplier. Mana from one class cannot be used for spells from another class. Why this is constitutes one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the Arcane sciences.
Levels in a spellcasting class do add half a Caster Level to any other spellcasting classes that a character may have. Therefore, a Sorcerer 4/Wizard 4 has a Caster Level of 6 for both Sorcerer and Wizard, and may cast 3rd level spells in each.
Prestige Classes which add "+1 to the level of an existing spellcasting class" add 1 to that class's Caster Level and advance that class's Mana Multiplier as if a level of the class had been attained. They do not gain anything else that a level of that class might have attained. They also add half a level to the Caster Level of any other spellcasting classes that the character may have.
When a Prestige Class has levels which advance spellcasting, but other levels that do not, the "dead levels" still add half a level to the spellcasting class. In some cases, it may be necessary to add additional non-progressing levels to the class in order to maintain balance, but in many cases the loss of a full Caster Level is more of a penalty than is warranted by the class, and so many classes may be able to maintain the same number of lost levels even as the effect of the lost level is softened somewhat.
Sorcerer
The Sorcerer's spellcasting is much more intuitive and natural than the Wizard's. While the Wizard's many hours of study generally provide more powerful spells, they cannot match the Sorcerer's spontaneity, and the Sorcerer also enjoys greater free time in which to study things other than magic. As such, Sorcerers tend to be somewhat more well rounded individuals, a little hardier and a bit more multifaceted, than the Wizard.
Hit Die: d4
Skills Per Level: 4 + Int; times 4 at 1st level
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Arcana), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int). A Sorcerer may also add additional Class Skills through their Diverse Interests feature.
{table=head]
Level|
Base AttackBonus|
Fort[br]Save|
Ref[br]Save|
Will[br]Save|
Special|
Mana[br]Multiplier|
Spells[br]Learned
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Summon Familiar, Eschew Materials, Wild Magic, Diverse Interests|
3|
2
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3||
4|
2
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3||
5|
2
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4||
6|
2
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Diverse Interests|
6|
2
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||
7|
2
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||
8|
2
8th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||
9|
2
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||
9|
2
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Diverse Interests|
10|
2
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||
11|
2
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||
12|
2
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||
12|
2
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9||
13|
2
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Diverse Interests|
14|
2
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||
15|
2
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||
15|
2
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
16|
2
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
17|
2
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Innate Magic|
18|
2[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Sorcerer is proficient in all simple weapons, but not in any form of armor. Armor may interfere with his Arcane spells if they have Somatic Components, which most do.
Spellcasting: A Sorcerer may cast Arcane spells spontaneously, that is, without preparation. To do so requires an amount of Mana equal to three quarters of the square of the spell's level. The Sorcerer gains Mana each morning after a full night's rest equal to his Caster Level times his Mana Multiplier, which is equal to 3 + three quarters of his class level, plus bonus Mana for having a high Charisma score.
The Save DC of his spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + his Cha modifier.
To learn a spell, his Charisma score must be equal to or greater than 10 + the spell's level, and his Caster Level must be equal or greater than twice the spell's level.
To use Metamagic, a Sorcerer must generally increase the casting time as per usual, however, a number of times a day equal to 1 + his Sorcerer level divided by 8, he may avoid doing so.
Cantrips: Each level, a Sorcerer may learn a number of Cantrips equal to one third of his Charisma modifier (if the Charisma modifier is not evenly divisible by 3, remember the remainder and add it to his Charisma modifier on the next level).
Summon Familiar: A Sorcerer may summon a Familiar, exactly as usual.
Eschew Materials: A Sorcerer gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat.
Wild Magic: A Sorcerer's magic is inherently unpredictable. Before casting a spell, a Sorcerer rolls 1d8, and adds the result minus six if that difference is positive to his Caster Level (in other words, if he rolls a 7, his Caster Level increases by 1; on a 8, by 2). He does this before actually selecting the spell to cast. In some cases, this may allow him to cast a higher level spell than he normally could. Because he does not know any spells of that level, he cannot actually cast a higher level spell, but he may apply Metamagic to increase the spell's level (and therefore its Mana cost) to take advantage of this feature.
Diverse Interests: A Sorcerer, when compared to a Wizard, has a lot more free time. Since they are generally energetic and enthusiastic people, Sorcerers tend to engage in a number of hobbies.
At 1st level, and again every 5th level before 20 (5, 10, 15), a Sorcerer may choose any of the following:
Armor Training - The Sorcerer ignores the Arcane Spell Failure chance of Light armors, and gains proficiency in all Light Armor and Shields except Tower Shields. This Interest may be taken a second time to gain proficiency in Medium armors and shields and to ignore up to 15% of Arcane Spell Failure from those.
Bodybuilding - The Sorcerer's Hit Die increases to a d6. This does not retroactively affect previous levels in Sorcerer, but does affect the level in which it is gained and any that are gained thereafter. This Interest may be taken a second time, to gain a d8 Hit Die, but not before 10th, and it may not be taken again.
Martial Training - The Sorcerer's Base Attack Bonus progression becomes medium like that of a Cleric or Rogue. This does not retroactively affect previous levels, but does affect the level in which it is gained. Use the fractional BAB rules to determine the total when this is taken at odd levels. This feature may be taken a second time, to gain full Base Attack Bonus like a Fighter, but not before 10th level.
Practice - The Sorcerer's Skill Points Per Level increases to 6+Int instead of 4+Int. This does not retroactively affect previous levels of Sorcerer, but does affect the level at which this feature is gained. He may also select two of the following groups of skills to add to his Class Skills list:
Appraise, Decipher Script, Forgery, and Speak Language
Balance, Climb, Jump, and Swim
Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, and Intimidate
Handle Animal, Ride, and Survival
Hide, Move Silently, Listen and Spot
all Knowledge skills (each taken individually)
Perform, Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Use Rope
Use Magic Device
A Sorcerer may choose this Interest more than once; he does not gain more skill points, but may select any three groups of skills to add to his Class Skills list.
Swordplay - The Sorcerer gains proficiency in all Martial weapons. This feature may be taken a second time to gain proficiency in any one Exotic weapon.
Innate Magic: At 20th level, a Sorcerer may choose one of the following bonuses:
All spells are Stilled and Silenced, without increasing casting time or spell level.
All spells are Empowered, without increasing casting time or spell level.
Apply any Energy Substitution, including Subdual Substitution, without increasing the casting time, even if you do not have the Energy Substitution feat for that energy type.
Apply Reach Spell, without increasing casting time or spell level, even if you do not have the Reach Spell feat.
All spells are Extended and have the DC to Dispel them increased by 5, without increasing casting time or spell level.
A Sorcerer also may now also add 1d8-4, if it is positive, to his Caster Level when casting a spell (but since he can already cast 9th level spells, this only affects the spell's potency, not the highest Spell Level).
[b]Wizard
A Wizard is a very different take on Arcane magic than the Sorcerer. Where the Sorcerer is wild and passionate, the Wizard is studious, disciplined, and patient. His power comes from long hours spent studying magic itself, and he may learn a great deal more spells than the Sorcerer.
Hit Die: d4
Skills Per Level: 2 + Int; times 4 at 1st level
Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int) Knowledge (each taken individually), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int). A Sorcerer may also add additional Class Skills through their Diverse Interests feature.
{table=head]
Level|
Base Attack[br]Bonus|
Fort[br]Save|
Ref[br]Save|
Will[br]Save|
Special|
Mana[br]Multiplier
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Summon Familiar, Specialization|
2
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3||
3
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|2nd Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
3
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4||
4
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|3rd Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
4
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||
5
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|4th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
5
8th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||
6
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|5th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
6
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||
7
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|6th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
7
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||
8
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|7th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
8
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9||
9
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|8th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
9
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||
10
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|9th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
10
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
11
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
11
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12||
12[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Wizard is proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not in any form of armor. Armor may interfere with his Arcane spells if they have Somatic Components, which most do.
Spellcasting: A Wizard may cast Arcane spells by preparing them each morning. To do so requires at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep (or in the case of creatures that do not sleep, general rest and inactivity), and then an hour spent studying his Spellbook.
During this time, the Wizard may prepare as many spells from his Spellbook as he has Mana for - this Mana is unused until the Wizard actually casts the spell, but having the spell prepared effectively "ties up" the Mana so it cannot be used for any other use. Each spell costs an amount of Mana equal to three quarters of the square of the spell's level.
A Wizard need not tie up all his Mana in spells at the beginning of the day, but preparation always takes a full hour to prepare new slots.
A Wizard gains Mana each morning after a full night's rest equal to his Caster Level times his Mana Multiplier, which is equal to 2 + one half of his class level, plus bonus Mana for having a high Intelligence score.
A Wizard may always prepare Read Magic, even without his Spellbook. Every other spell requires his own Spellbook to study from (all normal Spellbook rules apply).
The Save DC of his spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + his Int modifier.
To learn a spell, his Intelligence score must be equal to or greater than 10 + the spell's level, and his Caster Level must be equal or greater than twice the spell's level (but see below). He learns the spell by scribing it in his Spellbook (normal rules apply, but no free spells; all must be learned from scrolls or other Spellbooks, and paid for in full).
Specializing: A Wizard does not have the intuitive knowledge of his spells that a Sorcerer does, but his hours of study grants him better understanding of his spells. However, there is only so much time in a day, and so a Wizard cannot possibly master all of the schools of magic.
Therefore, he specializes: he chooses one school to be his specialization, and has two schools which he is forced to ignore in their entirety. The specialized school is important for his Specialist Spell feature. He must choose two prohibited schools, from which he cannot learn or cast spells, not even from magic items, but he may not choose Divination as one of his prohibited schools. Diviners must still ban two other schools.
A Wizard also has the option to be a "Focused" Specialist - he must ban a third school, but gains a number of bonus Mana each morning equal to the Mana cost of the highest level Wizard spell he can cast, which must be spent on preparing any number of spells from his specialized school. This Mana may be combined with his normal Mana, but it must always be used to cast spells from his specialized school.
Cantrips: A Wizard's Spellbook starts with a number of cantrips equal to three times his Int modifier, one of which must be Read Magic (even though he does not need his Spellbook to prepare it, learning Read Magic from his Spellbook was an important part of his entry into the Wizard class). From then on, he may scribe Cantrips into his Spellbook as normal.
Summon Familiar: A Wizard may summon a familiar as normal.
Specialist Spells: At 3rd level, a Wizard gains the ability to learn and scribe 2nd level spells from his specialist school into his Spellbook, and may prepare ny one each day (paying for its Mana as usual).
Once he reaches 4th level (and is therefore capable of casting 2nd level spells normally), this feature is obsolete and he may prepare 2nd level spells from any schools except those that he banned normally, without the once per day restriction.
If he is a multiclass Wizard with a higher Caster Level (and therefore capable of casting 3rd level spells normally), this feature does nothing.
This feature is not a part of his spellcasting and is therefore not included when prestige classes grant "+1 to an existing (Arcane) spellcasting class".
At 5th level, he gains the same feature but with 3rd level spells. At 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th, he gains the feature for 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells, respectively.
The goals here are to make multiclassing with Arcane casters more reasonable, to make lost progression less damning, and to put some limits on the Wizard while tossing a few minor bones to the Sorcerer.
Mana
All things that are self-aware (i.e. have a Wisdom and Charisma score, and are therefore not objects) possess Mana, an intangible quality that is associated with their life-force. The specifics of what Mana is or where it comes from are completely unknown, though debated heavily and numerous groups and factions will claim to know the 'truth' about Mana. It is not even clear whether or not different individuals or species have more or fewer Mana than others, or if some are simply more skilled in its use and therefore able to do more with the same amount. It is likely that no one will ever be able to come up with a definitive answer on this.
Mana is used in spellcasting. By definition, anything that uses Mana is a spell. Casting spells is draining, and though lack of Mana does not impair a creature's mental or physical ability in any way, a creature can nonetheless 'feel' its lack.
Mana is replenished by sleeping. The average creature requires eight hours of uninterrupted sleep in order to replenish their Mana.
Caster Level
A character's Caster Level is equal to the sum of his levels in any spellcasting classes, plus half their levels in any non-spellcasting classes.
The Caster Level affects the potency of a character's spells, the amount of Mana they can bring to bear in a given day, and the highest level spell they can cast. No character may learn or cast a spell with a spell level higher than half their Caster Level, with the sole exception of cantrips and 1st level spells, both of which may be cast with a Caster Level of 1.
Bonuses to Caster Level of any kind do not affect the Mana gained each day or the highest level spells that a character can cast, only the potency of their spells.
Mana per Day
Mechanically, Mana is quantized. This number is inherently an abstraction, but creatures are aware at least of relative magnitudes of Mana. As mentioned above, this may be the same 'amount' of Mana that is simply more powerful in the hands of a more accomplished mage, but the number is larger to illustrate the increased efficiency. Ultimately, the number is defined by the number and strength of spells that that the owner of that Mana is capable of casting.
Generally, a creature wakes up in the morning with Mana equal to its Caster Level multiplied by its Mana Multiplier. For characters without any levels in a spellcasting class, the Mana Multiplier is 1. Spellcasting classes, like the Sorcerer or Wizard, have a higher Mana Multiplier, depending on their level, and also gain bonus Mana for having a high Ability modifier in their primary spellcasting Ability. Half-levels of Caster Level are counted for determining how much Mana a character receives each day, though half-Mana points do not actually exist. So a 4th level character who is Sorcerer 3/Rogue 1 (Caster Level 3.5, Mana Multiplier 5) has 17 Mana, not 15 (or 17.5).
Spell Levels, Costs, and Minimum Caster Level
{table=head]
Spell[br]Level|
Mana[br]Cost|
Caster[br]Level
0th|
0|
1
1st|
1|
1
2nd|
3|
4
3rd|
6|
6
4th|
12|
8
5th|
18|
10
6th|
27|
12
7th|
36|
14
8th|
48|
16
9th|
60|
18[/table]
Casting Spells
Casting spells requires an amount of Mana equal to the amount in the table above. For those who are interested, the formula is พ(spell level)2. Beyond this, casting spells has not changed in any way, and therefore all other rules of 3.5 D&D apply.
Metamagic
Metamagic feats increase a spell's level. The caster of a metamagic'd spell must pay the Mana Cost of the new, higher Spell Level.
Casting Spells Spontaneously
Spells cast spontaneously involve the caster willing their Mana into the form of the spell, powering its Arcane energies with this renewable resource. Learning a spell well enough to form the Mana into the proper shape on the fly is difficult, and the number of spells that a character might learn this way are usually very few. The advantages for doing so, however, are obvious, since such a spellcaster may utilize any spell she knows on the spot.
Metamagic changes the form that the Mana must take for a given spell, by adding to the amount of Mana necessary. Since spontaneous casters function by having memorized and practiced their spells to the point that they can form them on the fly, adding metamagic to the mix complicates things. Whenever metamagic adds to the spell's Mana Cost by at least half the spontaneous caster's Caster Level, the casting time of the spell increases according to the following table:
{table=head]
Original[br]Time|
Metamagic'd[br]Time
Swift or Immediate|
Move Action
Move Action|
Standard Action
Standard Action|
Full-Round Action (Move + Standard)
Full-Round Action|
1 Round
1 or more Rounds|
1 additional Round[/table]
Casting Spells Prepared from a Spellbook
A spellbook is a useful aid in spellcasting, because such a spellcaster does not need to have the form of a spell completely memorized and practiced; they can take their time and use their spellbook to help them prepare the spell. Of course, this process still takes a fair amount of knowledge of the spells in the spellbook, so it is not as if anyone could just pick up a spellbook and figure out the spells in it. It takes training to do that, which is represented by levels in a prepared spellcasting class. During preparation, the spell's Mana is actually shaped into the spell, but not yet cast. It is held in this limbo state within the caster, who may then use it as easily as one who has memorized the spell as thoroughly as a spontaneous caster. However, he must always prepare these spells ahead of time, and has no ability to easily cast a spell he hadn't realized he would need.
The rules for preparing spells has not changed other than the need to pay the Mana Cost associated with the spell. This payment occurs during preparation; even though they still have the Mana until they actually cast the spell, it is already shaped into a spell and is therefore tied up. There is no way to recycle that Mana once thus prepared.
Divine Spellcasting
Divine spellcasters do not actually use their own Mana in their spells. Instead, during their morning prayers, they actually send their Mana to their deity. In fact, all prayers essentially do this, even for those who do not have the ability to cast Divine spells. These are essentially donations to the deity. In the case of those who do not cast Divine spells, it is typically only a token donation; a prayer would not diminish a Sorcerer's total Mana for their own spells. It is simply a show of faith to the god of choice.
For divine spellcasters, however, the donation is anything but token. Divine spellcasters typically send just about all of their Mana to their deity, and in return their deity grants them already-formed spells. It is unclear how, exactly, this process works; whether or not this is the caster's own Mana returned to them, whether or not the "amount" of Mana sent back and forth matches, etc, is all unknown. Because the numbers associated with Mana are based on the number of spells a caster can cast, a divine spellcaster's Mana Multiplier represents the Mana value of the spells they are granted each morning - which may or may not actually match their own personal Mana. Such a thing is not actually quantifiable in-game, and is therefore unknown.
Divine spellcasters may be spontaneous or prepared. They follow the same rules as Arcane casters, but in both cases are not dependant on knowing the spells themselves - instead, a deity may grant access to spells either by giving the requested spells during morning prayers, or by having a set of the spells a spontaneous divine spellcaster "knows" that the spellcaster may call for at any time.
Bonus Mana
A spellcaster gains a bonus to his Mana based on his primary spellcasting Ability. Namely, he adds one-quarter of his Ability bonus (if any) to his Mana Multiplier when determining his Mana for the day.
Multiclassing and Prestige Classes
Characters with levels in more than one casting class have separate Caster Levels in each. They therefore also have separate pools of Mana for each class, each of which is equal to that class's Caster Level times that class's Mana Multiplier. Mana from one class cannot be used for spells from another class. Why this is constitutes one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the Arcane sciences.
Levels in a spellcasting class do add half a Caster Level to any other spellcasting classes that a character may have. Therefore, a Sorcerer 4/Wizard 4 has a Caster Level of 6 for both Sorcerer and Wizard, and may cast 3rd level spells in each.
Prestige Classes which add "+1 to the level of an existing spellcasting class" add 1 to that class's Caster Level and advance that class's Mana Multiplier as if a level of the class had been attained. They do not gain anything else that a level of that class might have attained. They also add half a level to the Caster Level of any other spellcasting classes that the character may have.
When a Prestige Class has levels which advance spellcasting, but other levels that do not, the "dead levels" still add half a level to the spellcasting class. In some cases, it may be necessary to add additional non-progressing levels to the class in order to maintain balance, but in many cases the loss of a full Caster Level is more of a penalty than is warranted by the class, and so many classes may be able to maintain the same number of lost levels even as the effect of the lost level is softened somewhat.
Sorcerer
The Sorcerer's spellcasting is much more intuitive and natural than the Wizard's. While the Wizard's many hours of study generally provide more powerful spells, they cannot match the Sorcerer's spontaneity, and the Sorcerer also enjoys greater free time in which to study things other than magic. As such, Sorcerers tend to be somewhat more well rounded individuals, a little hardier and a bit more multifaceted, than the Wizard.
Hit Die: d4
Skills Per Level: 4 + Int; times 4 at 1st level
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Arcana), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int). A Sorcerer may also add additional Class Skills through their Diverse Interests feature.
{table=head]
Level|
Base AttackBonus|
Fort[br]Save|
Ref[br]Save|
Will[br]Save|
Special|
Mana[br]Multiplier|
Spells[br]Learned
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Summon Familiar, Eschew Materials, Wild Magic, Diverse Interests|
3|
2
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3||
4|
2
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3||
5|
2
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4||
6|
2
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Diverse Interests|
6|
2
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||
7|
2
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||
8|
2
8th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||
9|
2
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||
9|
2
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Diverse Interests|
10|
2
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||
11|
2
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||
12|
2
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||
12|
2
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9||
13|
2
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Diverse Interests|
14|
2
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||
15|
2
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||
15|
2
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
16|
2
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
17|
2
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Innate Magic|
18|
2[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Sorcerer is proficient in all simple weapons, but not in any form of armor. Armor may interfere with his Arcane spells if they have Somatic Components, which most do.
Spellcasting: A Sorcerer may cast Arcane spells spontaneously, that is, without preparation. To do so requires an amount of Mana equal to three quarters of the square of the spell's level. The Sorcerer gains Mana each morning after a full night's rest equal to his Caster Level times his Mana Multiplier, which is equal to 3 + three quarters of his class level, plus bonus Mana for having a high Charisma score.
The Save DC of his spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + his Cha modifier.
To learn a spell, his Charisma score must be equal to or greater than 10 + the spell's level, and his Caster Level must be equal or greater than twice the spell's level.
To use Metamagic, a Sorcerer must generally increase the casting time as per usual, however, a number of times a day equal to 1 + his Sorcerer level divided by 8, he may avoid doing so.
Cantrips: Each level, a Sorcerer may learn a number of Cantrips equal to one third of his Charisma modifier (if the Charisma modifier is not evenly divisible by 3, remember the remainder and add it to his Charisma modifier on the next level).
Summon Familiar: A Sorcerer may summon a Familiar, exactly as usual.
Eschew Materials: A Sorcerer gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat.
Wild Magic: A Sorcerer's magic is inherently unpredictable. Before casting a spell, a Sorcerer rolls 1d8, and adds the result minus six if that difference is positive to his Caster Level (in other words, if he rolls a 7, his Caster Level increases by 1; on a 8, by 2). He does this before actually selecting the spell to cast. In some cases, this may allow him to cast a higher level spell than he normally could. Because he does not know any spells of that level, he cannot actually cast a higher level spell, but he may apply Metamagic to increase the spell's level (and therefore its Mana cost) to take advantage of this feature.
Diverse Interests: A Sorcerer, when compared to a Wizard, has a lot more free time. Since they are generally energetic and enthusiastic people, Sorcerers tend to engage in a number of hobbies.
At 1st level, and again every 5th level before 20 (5, 10, 15), a Sorcerer may choose any of the following:
Armor Training - The Sorcerer ignores the Arcane Spell Failure chance of Light armors, and gains proficiency in all Light Armor and Shields except Tower Shields. This Interest may be taken a second time to gain proficiency in Medium armors and shields and to ignore up to 15% of Arcane Spell Failure from those.
Bodybuilding - The Sorcerer's Hit Die increases to a d6. This does not retroactively affect previous levels in Sorcerer, but does affect the level in which it is gained and any that are gained thereafter. This Interest may be taken a second time, to gain a d8 Hit Die, but not before 10th, and it may not be taken again.
Martial Training - The Sorcerer's Base Attack Bonus progression becomes medium like that of a Cleric or Rogue. This does not retroactively affect previous levels, but does affect the level in which it is gained. Use the fractional BAB rules to determine the total when this is taken at odd levels. This feature may be taken a second time, to gain full Base Attack Bonus like a Fighter, but not before 10th level.
Practice - The Sorcerer's Skill Points Per Level increases to 6+Int instead of 4+Int. This does not retroactively affect previous levels of Sorcerer, but does affect the level at which this feature is gained. He may also select two of the following groups of skills to add to his Class Skills list:
Appraise, Decipher Script, Forgery, and Speak Language
Balance, Climb, Jump, and Swim
Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, and Intimidate
Handle Animal, Ride, and Survival
Hide, Move Silently, Listen and Spot
all Knowledge skills (each taken individually)
Perform, Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Use Rope
Use Magic Device
A Sorcerer may choose this Interest more than once; he does not gain more skill points, but may select any three groups of skills to add to his Class Skills list.
Swordplay - The Sorcerer gains proficiency in all Martial weapons. This feature may be taken a second time to gain proficiency in any one Exotic weapon.
Innate Magic: At 20th level, a Sorcerer may choose one of the following bonuses:
All spells are Stilled and Silenced, without increasing casting time or spell level.
All spells are Empowered, without increasing casting time or spell level.
Apply any Energy Substitution, including Subdual Substitution, without increasing the casting time, even if you do not have the Energy Substitution feat for that energy type.
Apply Reach Spell, without increasing casting time or spell level, even if you do not have the Reach Spell feat.
All spells are Extended and have the DC to Dispel them increased by 5, without increasing casting time or spell level.
A Sorcerer also may now also add 1d8-4, if it is positive, to his Caster Level when casting a spell (but since he can already cast 9th level spells, this only affects the spell's potency, not the highest Spell Level).
[b]Wizard
A Wizard is a very different take on Arcane magic than the Sorcerer. Where the Sorcerer is wild and passionate, the Wizard is studious, disciplined, and patient. His power comes from long hours spent studying magic itself, and he may learn a great deal more spells than the Sorcerer.
Hit Die: d4
Skills Per Level: 2 + Int; times 4 at 1st level
Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int) Knowledge (each taken individually), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int). A Sorcerer may also add additional Class Skills through their Diverse Interests feature.
{table=head]
Level|
Base Attack[br]Bonus|
Fort[br]Save|
Ref[br]Save|
Will[br]Save|
Special|
Mana[br]Multiplier
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Summon Familiar, Specialization|
2
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3||
3
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|2nd Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
3
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4||
4
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|3rd Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
4
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||
5
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|4th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
5
8th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||
6
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|5th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
6
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||
7
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|6th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
7
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||
8
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|7th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
8
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9||
9
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|8th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
9
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||
10
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|9th Level Specialist Spell, 1/day|
10
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
11
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||
11
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12||
12[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Wizard is proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not in any form of armor. Armor may interfere with his Arcane spells if they have Somatic Components, which most do.
Spellcasting: A Wizard may cast Arcane spells by preparing them each morning. To do so requires at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep (or in the case of creatures that do not sleep, general rest and inactivity), and then an hour spent studying his Spellbook.
During this time, the Wizard may prepare as many spells from his Spellbook as he has Mana for - this Mana is unused until the Wizard actually casts the spell, but having the spell prepared effectively "ties up" the Mana so it cannot be used for any other use. Each spell costs an amount of Mana equal to three quarters of the square of the spell's level.
A Wizard need not tie up all his Mana in spells at the beginning of the day, but preparation always takes a full hour to prepare new slots.
A Wizard gains Mana each morning after a full night's rest equal to his Caster Level times his Mana Multiplier, which is equal to 2 + one half of his class level, plus bonus Mana for having a high Intelligence score.
A Wizard may always prepare Read Magic, even without his Spellbook. Every other spell requires his own Spellbook to study from (all normal Spellbook rules apply).
The Save DC of his spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + his Int modifier.
To learn a spell, his Intelligence score must be equal to or greater than 10 + the spell's level, and his Caster Level must be equal or greater than twice the spell's level (but see below). He learns the spell by scribing it in his Spellbook (normal rules apply, but no free spells; all must be learned from scrolls or other Spellbooks, and paid for in full).
Specializing: A Wizard does not have the intuitive knowledge of his spells that a Sorcerer does, but his hours of study grants him better understanding of his spells. However, there is only so much time in a day, and so a Wizard cannot possibly master all of the schools of magic.
Therefore, he specializes: he chooses one school to be his specialization, and has two schools which he is forced to ignore in their entirety. The specialized school is important for his Specialist Spell feature. He must choose two prohibited schools, from which he cannot learn or cast spells, not even from magic items, but he may not choose Divination as one of his prohibited schools. Diviners must still ban two other schools.
A Wizard also has the option to be a "Focused" Specialist - he must ban a third school, but gains a number of bonus Mana each morning equal to the Mana cost of the highest level Wizard spell he can cast, which must be spent on preparing any number of spells from his specialized school. This Mana may be combined with his normal Mana, but it must always be used to cast spells from his specialized school.
Cantrips: A Wizard's Spellbook starts with a number of cantrips equal to three times his Int modifier, one of which must be Read Magic (even though he does not need his Spellbook to prepare it, learning Read Magic from his Spellbook was an important part of his entry into the Wizard class). From then on, he may scribe Cantrips into his Spellbook as normal.
Summon Familiar: A Wizard may summon a familiar as normal.
Specialist Spells: At 3rd level, a Wizard gains the ability to learn and scribe 2nd level spells from his specialist school into his Spellbook, and may prepare ny one each day (paying for its Mana as usual).
Once he reaches 4th level (and is therefore capable of casting 2nd level spells normally), this feature is obsolete and he may prepare 2nd level spells from any schools except those that he banned normally, without the once per day restriction.
If he is a multiclass Wizard with a higher Caster Level (and therefore capable of casting 3rd level spells normally), this feature does nothing.
This feature is not a part of his spellcasting and is therefore not included when prestige classes grant "+1 to an existing (Arcane) spellcasting class".
At 5th level, he gains the same feature but with 3rd level spells. At 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th, he gains the feature for 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells, respectively.