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jmbrown
2009-11-08, 02:47 AM
I've been writing on and off variants on the standard d20 system that focuses on a Sword and Sorcery. Warriors make up the back bone of society, magic is rare, and practitioners of the arcane are feared. The first step in creating a low-magic world is altering the way magic is learned and cast.

Traditional spells do not exist, rather, this system uses incantations introduced in Unearthed Arcana. To make them unique, sorcerer's are natural casters and bind outsider's to leech their powers. Wizards are powerful warriors who've mastered martial and arcane arts. A wizard is so knowledgeable at the arcane that he has mastered spell-like abilities and can unleash incantations instantly.

For wizard's spell-like abilities, I drew inspiration from the powers wizards in fiction generally have. Most real world fictional wizards are described as being masters of illusion and enchantment. After all, what is stage magic but smoke and mirrors?

Sorcerer

In a world of mystery and magic, there are those that battle against the unending darkness and those that skirt the line borrowing from it. The sorcerer is a creature that, through the mastery of dark energies, controls the very fabric of the universe.

Sorcerers are universally reviled even by other sorcerers. Becoming a sorcerer is a willing choice and the requirements of their powers require them to forgo the morals of civilized society. Evil sorcerers are all too common as power corrupts. Neutral sorcerers are a rarity and truly the greatest of mortals for they have resisted many temptations from demon's most foul.

Sorcerer's are spotted almost instantly by their pale skin and the scars left on their bodies by the monsters they associate with. Adventuring sorcerer's are smart to disguise themselves using glamors to avoid the eyes of the common man.


Alignment
Non-good

Hit Die
d4.

Class Skills
The sorcerer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) × 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Sorcerer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Item Charges|Maximum Bound Outsiders

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Summon Familiar, Bind Outsider|2|1

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3||2|1

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Natural Caster 1/day|2|1

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4||3|2

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4||3|2

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Natural Caster 2/day|3|2

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||4|3

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6||4|3

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Natural Caster 3/day|4|3

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||5|4

11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||5|4

12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Natural Caster 4/day|5|4

13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||6|5

14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9||6|5

15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Natural Caster 5/day|6|5

16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||7|6

17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||7|6

18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Natural Caster 6/day|7|6

19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||8|7

20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Planar Gate|8|7 [/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the sorcerer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Sorcerers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armor, bucklers, and light shields.

Bind Monster
Sorcerers use mastery of the arcane forces to bind monsters to their will. Binding a monster is a complicated process requiring 8 hours of continuous casting +1 hour for every hit dice of the bound outsider. At the end of this process, the sorcerer makes a Knowledge (Arcana) check with a DC of 15 + hit dice of the outsider. On a success the monster appears before the sorcerer and is bound to his power.

The sorcerer binds the monster to an item of his choice. The item must be capable of being worn or wielded by the sorcerer. The item can be activated as a standard action (rubbing a ring, waving a wand, etc.) or with a Use Magic Device check DC 20 + Sorcerer's class level. When activated, the monster is immediately summoned in a space adjacent to the sorcerer for a number of rounds equal to 1 + 1 per sorcerer class level. Sorcerer's can summon as many monsters as they have bound but only one monster per item can be summoned at a single time. Furthermore, sorcerer's can summon a single monster for 24 hours but doing so expends all charges in the item and no further monster can be summoned until the current one is unsummoned.

Sorcerers may only bind a number of monsters at one time based on Table: The Sorcerer. The bound item has a number of charges based on Table: The Sorcerer. Charges are restored after the sorcerer has received at least 8 hours of rest and concentrates on his items afterward for 1 hour. Bound items are considered magical items with a caster level equal to the sorcerer's class level. Dispelling or destroying a bound item results in a 5% chance that the bound monster breaks free and attacks everything in a blind rage.

The hit dice of any single bound monster can never exceed more than the sorcerer's level + 3. All monsters are considered summoned monsters and thus give no experience point awards and cannot use abilities that summon other creatures.

Sorcerer's must know of a monster's existence before calling them. The DM should require a sorcerer to make a Knowledge check to determine if they know of a monster.

Initially, sorcerers are limited to the creature type they can bind. Every 3 levels gives them a new creature type.

Starting at 1st level, sorcerer's can only bind animals and vermin.

At 3rd level, sorcerers can bind monstrous humanoids and fey.

At 6th level, sorcerers can bind magical beasts and giants.

At 9th level, sorcerers can bind elementals and oozes.

At 12th level, sorcerers can bind outsiders and aberrations.

At 15th level, sorcerers can bind dragons.

Familiar
A sorcerer can obtain a familiar. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.

The sorcerer chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the sorcerer advances in level, his familiar also increases in power.

If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the sorcerer, the sorcerer must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per sorcerer level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a sorcerer’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.

A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.

Natural Caster
Beginning at 3rd level a sorcerer may reroll a single failed skill check while casting an incantation. This power can be used 1/day at 3rd level and increases by 1/day every 3 levels.

Multiple uses allow the sorcerer to reroll multiple failed skill checks.

Planar Gate
At 20th level a sorcerer may cast Gate 1/day as a spell-like ability.


Wizard

Wizards are fighting men and women, philosophers, and craftsmen who plumb the depths of the universe for secrets. Unlike sorcerer's, a wizard doesn't intend to horde or abuse secrets but rather bring them to light of the public. Wizards sacrifice their mind and body for the pursuit of knowledge.

Because of the physical and mental risk involved with magic, wizards are hardy and insightful. Wizards are equally adept at fighting with sword and spell. They can fight a troll toe-to-toe or retreat to the back lines casting incantations for support. Wizards can cast incantations immediately, halt and restart rituals, and cast limited powers as spell-like abilities.

Because wizards understand the corrupting nature of power, they can never be lawful or chaotic as leaning to either extreme is dangerous. Good wizards employ their powers for the common man, neutral wizards seek deeper understanding, and evil wizards use their powers as it most benefits them and keep power away from their rivals.


Alignment
Neutral good, true neutral, neutral evil.

Hit Die
d8.

Class Skills
The wizard’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier) × 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Wizard
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Familiar, Quick Incantation 1/day, Spell-Like Abilities

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Spell-like Ability

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Quick Incantation 2/day

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Spell-like Ability

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Quick Incantation 3/day

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Spell-like Ability

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|Quick Incantation 4/day

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+6|Spell-like Ability

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+6|Quick Incantation 5/day

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Spell-like Ability

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+7|Quick Incantation 6/day

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Spell-like Ability

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Quick Incantation 7/day

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+9|Spell-like Ability

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+9|Quick Incantation 8/day

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Spell-like Ability

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Quick Incantation 9/day

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|Spell-like Ability

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Quick Incantation 10/day

20th|
+15/+9/+4|
+12|
+6|
+12|Master Incantation [/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the wizard.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Wizards are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and all light and medium armor and light shields.

Familiar
A wizard can obtain a familiar in exactly the same manner as a sorcerer can.

Spell-like Abilities
At 1st level, wizards may cast detect magic, read magic, light, mage hand, arcane mark, and prestidigitation as spell-like abilities at will. A wizard may also cast animate rope 1/day as a spell-like ability.

At 2nd level, a wizard may cast alter self as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 4th level, a wizard may cast arcane sight as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 6th level, a wizard may cast scrying as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 8th level, a wizard may cast telepathic bond as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 10th level, a wizard may cast analyze dweomer as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 12th level, a wizard may cast ethereal jaunt as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 14th level, a wizard may cast sympathy as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 16th level, a wizard may cast astral projection as a spell-like ability 1/day.

At 18th level, a wizard may cast all spell-like abilities granted through class levels 3/day.

The caster level for all spell-like abilities is equal to the wizard's level.

Quick Incantation
Beginning at 1st level and every 2 levels afterward, a wizard may cast an incantation instantly. Doing so reduces the casting time to a single round and the number of skill checks to one. Any numerical value of the backlash is multiplied by the number of checks circumvented (an incantation requiring 6 checks has 6 times the backlash). Failing the check results in normal backlash.

Quick incantation cannot be used on any incantation requiring more than one caster unless each caster also uses quick incantation.

Master Incantation
At 20th level, all variable effects for an incantation's material components, casting time, and backlash are halved as long as the wizard is the primary caster. This ability isn't cumulative with other wizards.


New Incantations

Axe of Discord
Conjuration (creation)
Effective Level: 4th
Skill Checks: Knowledge (arcana) DC 25, 4 successes; Perform (stringed instrument) DC 25, 4 successes
Failure: The caster is deafened for 1 hour.
Components: V, S, M, SC
Casting Time: 1 minute.
Range: Personal
Target or Targets: Personal
Duration: 1d4+1 days.
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

With a stringed instrument in hand, the caster shouts "Metal, noise, blood, and fire; show these foes my heart's desire!" and begins playing a fiery solo lasting no longer than a minute. At the end of the solo the instrument is consumed wholly in a burst of flames and replaced with the Axe of Discord. This magic battle axe is all black with a series of 6 strings running down from the head to the haft. Adamantine frets don the haft and a large, fanged mouth at the head amplifies any strings plucked with a screaming wail.

The Axe of Discord is a +1 Flaming Thundering Battleaxe. It gives a +4 competence bonus on Perform (stringed instruments). The axe is bound to the caster who summoned it. If the axe is wielded by any other creature it explodes in a cacophony of noise and fire dealing 8d8 damage equally split between sonic and fire (reflex save half) to the unworthy creature attempting to wield it.

Material Component
A masterwork stringed instrument which is destroyed upon successfully casting the incantation.

Backlash Component
Cumulative +5% chance per round the wielder of the axe will take a full round action wailing majestically. This chance is reduced to 0 after a full round of wailing.

Extra Casters
As many as four who serve as the audience or backup players. If the caster lacks perform he may opt for another caster to perform for him in which case all casters involve may choose who wields the axe.

MORE TO COME

Latronis
2009-11-08, 11:53 PM
Sword, Sorcery and Axegrinding?!

urkthegurk
2009-11-10, 03:14 AM
I like it! I have no idea how it will play, but the idea has guts! Mechanically, how does the sorcerers charges trigger? If they're going to all the trouble of binding evil things, couldn't their magic be a little more permanent? (and perhaps have some more summon monster options worked in.)

I don't like how the rules for binding good outsiders are so arbitrary. I can see how it would be very hard, but what if you wanted to bind a star, or cage an angel? I'd say that you could probably bind one, if it could be found. They don't regularly answer summons, and you only find celestial spirits working for very important causes on the physical plane.

Also, I think chaotic evil casters are going to have a hard time of it. You had better make those spells more powerful, but I think that the scale shouldn't be entirely based on alignment. Each should have its share, with the truly 'big whammy' magic reserved for the chaotic evil.

But yes.

jmbrown
2009-11-14, 04:36 AM
I like it! I have no idea how it will play, but the idea has guts! Mechanically, how does the sorcerers charges trigger? If they're going to all the trouble of binding evil things, couldn't their magic be a little more permanent? (and perhaps have some more summon monster options worked in.)

I don't like how the rules for binding good outsiders are so arbitrary. I can see how it would be very hard, but what if you wanted to bind a star, or cage an angel? I'd say that you could probably bind one, if it could be found. They don't regularly answer summons, and you only find celestial spirits working for very important causes on the physical plane.

Also, I think chaotic evil casters are going to have a hard time of it. You had better make those spells more powerful, but I think that the scale shouldn't be entirely based on alignment. Each should have its share, with the truly 'big whammy' magic reserved for the chaotic evil.

But yes.

You're right. I'm going to drop the wizard because he's just not working out for me and I'll be thinking of a way to make the sorcerer's magic permanent.

What I'm thinking of doing is turning the sorcerer into a summoner. He can permanently call a creature from the "summon monster" spell line except, being called, they're permanent (and thus can die). I'll probably tie them to the sorcerer so if those creatures die he takes damage as if losing a familiar.

Edit: Updated the sorcerer. Instead of taking special qualities/attacks, he instead summons bound monsters. He's limited to the monsters can summon (his sorcerer class level + 3) and can summon monsters permanently but forgoes the ability to summon anything else until he unsummons the creature.

Time to work on some incantations. I want to update the other classes and turn this into a HEAVY METAL UNIVERSE then maybe get a play test going.

Anonymouswizard
2009-11-14, 05:58 AM
You're right. I'm going to drop the wizard because he's just not working out for me and I'll be thinking of a way to make the sorcerer's magic permanent.

What I'm thinking of doing is turning the sorcerer into a summoner. He can permanently call a creature from the "summon monster" spell line except, being called, they're permanent (and thus can die). I'll probably tie them to the sorcerer so if those creatures die he takes damage as if losing a familiar.

Edit: Updated the sorcerer. Instead of taking special qualities/attacks, he instead summons bound monsters. He's limited to the monsters can summon (his sorcerer class level + 3) and can summon monsters permanently but forgoes the ability to summon anything else until he unsummons the creature.

Time to work on some incantations. I want to update the other classes and turn this into a HEAVY METAL UNIVERSE then maybe get a play test going.
This sounds good. Maybe the creatures he summons are not always under his control, so he has a control SLA that lets him calm and control creatures. How about something like this.
Control Demon: once per day per three class levels a sorcerer can attempt to control a creature that he summons. To do this he must make an opposed charisma check with the creature, and if he wins, he can telepathicly control the creature as long as they are within 100ft. This ability lasts for 24 hours, or until the sorcerer and the target are more than 100ft apart.

Also: sorcerers gain imp familiars. It feels right with the fluff.