Penitent
2010-03-23, 09:41 PM
This class is designed to compete in games with well built Wizards/Druids/Clerics using PrCs and advanced feat selections, as well as classes built to that balance level.
Depending on the spell selection, it can be played down to other levels, or even be run as a primarily buff bot who provides needed buffs to a party, and doesn't step on toes in combat. The choice of which level to compete at is left intentionally to the player, however, every attempt has been made to keep the class away from "game breaking" exploits such as infinite armies, unmakeable saves, or invulnerability.
The creator has been directed to this thread, but may not comment on your responses. I will give my own opinions, and sometimes, communicate his intentions if he feels the desire to address them to me.
That said:
Invoker
"What is the sound of one Bigby's Hand clapping?"
Invokers are those who's meditations into the heart of themselves allow them to become one with a greater consciousness and tap the abilities of civilized peoples to manipulate the world. They are commonly known as Ascetics and Wisebeings of the worlds, often consulted as sages.
Due to their strange nature in connection with consciousness, those tainted by the blood of the wild "Anthropomorphics" are incapable of developing this discipline.
Invokers cast level appropriate spells like Wizards and Clerics, but at will. In return, they are much more limited in their spells available each day, and use a different system for gauging ongoing spell effects. This system disadvantages duration attack spells, and leaves them better off using buffs or instantaneous spells. Wisdom is the governing stat of their spells.
Starting Age: As Monk
Starting Equipment: 2d4x10gp
Alignment: Temperance and Forbearance are qualities that Invokers usually possess, as such, they are more accepting of stringent laws than most, and are more likely to be lawful than chaotic.
Hit Die: d6
Base Attack Bonus: 1/2
Good Saving Throws: Will, Fort
Skill Points: 6+Int
Class Skills: Concentration, Decipher Script, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Spot.
Level: Abilities:
1: Mindpool, Maintenance 1, Invoking, Sphere Acquisition
2: Tap the Totality of Existence, Tap the Mind
3: Domain Acquisition
4: Overcharge, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (food)
5: Sphere Acquisition
6: Metamagic Application
7: Acquisitory Nature, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (water)
8: Domain Acquisition
9: Extreme Overcharge
10: Specialist, Tactile Acquisition
11: Metamagic Application, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (Sleep)
12: Domain Acquisition
13: Maintenance 2
14: Open Mind
15:
16: Metamagic Application
17: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (Breath)
18:
19:
20: Ascension.
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An Invoker is proficient with no Weapons or Armor. And also with no weapons.
Mindpool (Ex): You get some space in your mind to fill spells with. You may store as many levels of spells in there as your Wisdom modifier. You may not have a spell of level higher than half your Invoker level (round up) in your pool.
Your pool at level 1 starts with any two spells of your choice from the Wizard/Druid/Cleric lists.
You may replace any existing space with a new spell or fill an empty space by:
1) Seeing it cast, and identifying it with a spellcraft check.
2) Making a DC 20+spell level check to identify the spell based on it's effects after it has been cast.
3) Having the spell explained to you by someone attempting to teach it to you, who has previously cast the spell.
1) and 2) replace your mindpool space immediately.
3) Takes 1 hour of conversation.
Some spells are not capable of being stored in a Mindpool due to their infinite nature being too much for a single mind to store in the form used by Invokers. A short list of some would be:
Wish/Miracle/Limited Wish/Any Polymorph like spells/Shadow Conjuration/Shadow Evocation/Calling Magic of any Kind/Undead Creation. Also, Owl's Insight, because the point is to not break the RNG.
Maintenance (Ex): You have a number of maintenance slots equal to your Wisdom Modifer or your Invoker Level, whichever is lower.
Invoking (Iv): Invokations are like SLAs, and are invoked from your Mindpool. The action to invoke is the same as the action to cast the spell, and if this would provoke an AoO, it does so as an invokation. However, your Invokations have either an instantaneous duration, or, a "while maintained" duration.
If the invokation is not instantaneous, you must assign it to an empty maintenance slot, which it will occupy until you dismiss it as a free action.
The saving throw DC for any Invokation is 10+Wisdom modifer+1/2 Caster Level, and you invoke at CL = Invoker level.
Unlike SLAs, these do not benefit from meta SLA feats. An Invoker takes metamagic feats, as written by up by AlphaNerd (included below), and uses them.
Sphere Acquisition (Ex): You gain all the spells of a sphere that you are capable of storing in your mindpool. They do not take up any space. You also gain the Sphere ability. When you gain access to a higher level spell in your mindpool, you gain the new spell level of the sphere as well. If a Sphere has spells that can not be added to your Mindpool, negotiate a replacement with your DM or take a different Sphere.
Tap the Totality of Existence (Ex): An Invoker can add spells from all kinds of crazy lists, and they take up space in the Mindpool and can be learned as the lowest level version that the player knows about. Yes, you get to use Trapsmith and Bard lists. Even if you see a Wizard casting Wall of Stone as a 5th level spell, you can learn it as a 3rd level Invoker and it takes up 2 levels in your pool.
Also, you get to use Wisdom instead of Int for your spellcraft checks.
Tap the Mind (Ex): Invokers gain Telepathy 100ft.
Domain Acquisition (Ex): You add a Domains list of spells to your mindpool up to the limit you can include, and they take up no space. You also gain the Domain ability, with your Invoker level counting as your Cleric level. When you gain access to a new spell level, you gain the domain spell of that level as well. You can use Sinister's Domains if you want. I think. Check with your DM. If a Domain contains spells you may not cast, come up with replacements or don't pick that Domain.
Overcharge (Ex): An Invoker may burn a maintenance slot in the action to cast a spell. If he does so, he gains a +5 bonus to CL of the spell (this affects the save DC as well). However, the Maintenance Slot is not usable for 10 rounds.
For some reason, this mysteriously does not work with Holy Word, or any spell that references Holy Word, or the Holy Word chart.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (Ex): An Invoker can, through regular avoidance, learn to do without key components of mortal life, drawing sustenance from the spirit of consciousness itself. At level 4 this is represented by no need to eat. At level 7 he need no longer drink. At level 11, sleep. At level 17 Breath.
Metamagic Application (Su): An Invoker can choose one of his metamagic feats, the metamagic level + spell level of a feat modified by that feat may exceed his highest spell level by 1. But only if that feat is increasing the Metamagic level by at least one.
Acquisitory Nature (Ex): Invokers expand their Mindpool to Wisdom Modifier+Invoker level.
Extreme Overcharge (Ex): Invokers may burn two maintenance slots to power a spell. It gains the normal effects of Overcharge, and automatically ignores SR, and can penetrate or be used in an AMF. It also can penetrate barriers that block line of effect. If it affects a target and not an area, you must still be able to locate the target.
Specialist (Su): Invokers gain a +2 CL bonus to spells in their acquired domains or spheres.
Tactile Aqcuisition (Ex): Invokers gain SR 11+Level. This increases to 15+Level at level 15. Any spell or SLA that fails to affect the Invoker because of this SR may be added to the mindpool as normal for an identified spell.
Maintenance 2 (Ex): An Invoker now has Maintenance slots equal to the higher of his Wisdom Modifier or Invoker level.
Open Mind (Ex): An Invokers Mindpool is now equal to Wisdom Score + Character level.
Ascension (Ex): An Invoker becomes a being of pure consciousness, shedding his body. He is now incorporeal, and may shift between planes as the Greater Planeshift spell (self and gear only) at will as a Supernatural ability.
Metamagic feat rules:
[Metamagic] Feats allow you to increase the potency of the lower level spells you can cast. Each application of a metamagic feat increases the Metamagic Level (ML) by the amount listed. You may only apply metamagic to a spell such that the spell level plus the metamagic level is less than or equal to that of the highest level spell that you can cast. All metamagic effects affect the entire spell. Thus, if you cast a widened, empowered fireball, the empowering doesn't just apply the normal area of effect of the fireball, its effect is widened as well. Anything else is silly and obnoxious.
Preparation casters much choose which metamagic feats they wish to apply to spells when they prepare them. Spontaneous casters must choose which metamagic feats to apply when they cast them. Spontaneous spellcasters don't take longer to cast spells with metamagic feats. That's just silly.
Shaped Spell [Metamagic]
Enlarge: You can alter a spell with a range of close, medium, or long to increase its range by 100%. This increases the ML by +1.
Widen: You can alter a burst, emanation, line, or spread shaped spell to increase its area. Any numeric measurements of the spell’s area increase by 100%. This increases the ML by +1.
Sculpt: I'm not allowed to reproduce the text, but you may apply the feat Scuplt Spell to a spell for a ML of +2.
Strong Spell [Metamagic]
Empower: You may choose to increase the potency of your spells by increasing all numerical variable (random) effects by 50%. This increase the ML by +1.
Maximize: You may choose to set all random numerical variable (random) effects of a spell to their maximum values. This increases the ML by +2.
Quicken Spell [Metamagic]
Quicken: You may choose to cast a spell that normally takes a standard action as a swift action, or you may choose to cast a spell that normally takes a full round action as a standard action. The first use increases the ML by +4. The second by +2.
[Modified by Warlock creator]
Spell Timing [Metamagic]
Twin: You get two for the price of one. You may choose to have a spell go off twice immediately with the same everything. This increases the ML by +3.
Repeat: You get one now and one later for the price of one. A repeated spell is automatically cast again at the beginning of your next round of actions. No matter where you are, the secondary spell originates from the same location and affects the same area as the primary spell. If the repeated spell designates a target, the secondary spell retargets the same target if the target is within 30 feet of its original position; otherwise the secondary spell fails to go off. This increases the ML by +2.
Delay: You can choose to have a spell go off anywhere from one to five rounds later. The spell must have a target of personal, touch, or an area effect. This increases the ML by +1
Ones that Invokers can't or don't use:
Duration Spell [Metamagic]
Extend: You may double the duration of a spell whose duration is not concentration, instantaneous, or permanent. This increases the ML by +1.
Persist: You may increase the duration of a spell one or two steps along the following chart. Each step increases the ML by +3. If the duration of the spell is not on the chart, you cannot improve it in this manner.
1round/level -> 1min/level -> 10min/level -> 1hr/level -> 24 hours
Subtle Spell [Metamagic]
Still: You may remove any somatic components from the list of components of a spell. This increases the ML by +1.
Silent: You may remove any verbal components from the list of components of a spell. This increases the ML by +1.
Eschew Materials: You can cast any spell that has a material component costing 1 gp or less without needing that component.
Depending on the spell selection, it can be played down to other levels, or even be run as a primarily buff bot who provides needed buffs to a party, and doesn't step on toes in combat. The choice of which level to compete at is left intentionally to the player, however, every attempt has been made to keep the class away from "game breaking" exploits such as infinite armies, unmakeable saves, or invulnerability.
The creator has been directed to this thread, but may not comment on your responses. I will give my own opinions, and sometimes, communicate his intentions if he feels the desire to address them to me.
That said:
Invoker
"What is the sound of one Bigby's Hand clapping?"
Invokers are those who's meditations into the heart of themselves allow them to become one with a greater consciousness and tap the abilities of civilized peoples to manipulate the world. They are commonly known as Ascetics and Wisebeings of the worlds, often consulted as sages.
Due to their strange nature in connection with consciousness, those tainted by the blood of the wild "Anthropomorphics" are incapable of developing this discipline.
Invokers cast level appropriate spells like Wizards and Clerics, but at will. In return, they are much more limited in their spells available each day, and use a different system for gauging ongoing spell effects. This system disadvantages duration attack spells, and leaves them better off using buffs or instantaneous spells. Wisdom is the governing stat of their spells.
Starting Age: As Monk
Starting Equipment: 2d4x10gp
Alignment: Temperance and Forbearance are qualities that Invokers usually possess, as such, they are more accepting of stringent laws than most, and are more likely to be lawful than chaotic.
Hit Die: d6
Base Attack Bonus: 1/2
Good Saving Throws: Will, Fort
Skill Points: 6+Int
Class Skills: Concentration, Decipher Script, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Spot.
Level: Abilities:
1: Mindpool, Maintenance 1, Invoking, Sphere Acquisition
2: Tap the Totality of Existence, Tap the Mind
3: Domain Acquisition
4: Overcharge, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (food)
5: Sphere Acquisition
6: Metamagic Application
7: Acquisitory Nature, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (water)
8: Domain Acquisition
9: Extreme Overcharge
10: Specialist, Tactile Acquisition
11: Metamagic Application, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (Sleep)
12: Domain Acquisition
13: Maintenance 2
14: Open Mind
15:
16: Metamagic Application
17: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (Breath)
18:
19:
20: Ascension.
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An Invoker is proficient with no Weapons or Armor. And also with no weapons.
Mindpool (Ex): You get some space in your mind to fill spells with. You may store as many levels of spells in there as your Wisdom modifier. You may not have a spell of level higher than half your Invoker level (round up) in your pool.
Your pool at level 1 starts with any two spells of your choice from the Wizard/Druid/Cleric lists.
You may replace any existing space with a new spell or fill an empty space by:
1) Seeing it cast, and identifying it with a spellcraft check.
2) Making a DC 20+spell level check to identify the spell based on it's effects after it has been cast.
3) Having the spell explained to you by someone attempting to teach it to you, who has previously cast the spell.
1) and 2) replace your mindpool space immediately.
3) Takes 1 hour of conversation.
Some spells are not capable of being stored in a Mindpool due to their infinite nature being too much for a single mind to store in the form used by Invokers. A short list of some would be:
Wish/Miracle/Limited Wish/Any Polymorph like spells/Shadow Conjuration/Shadow Evocation/Calling Magic of any Kind/Undead Creation. Also, Owl's Insight, because the point is to not break the RNG.
Maintenance (Ex): You have a number of maintenance slots equal to your Wisdom Modifer or your Invoker Level, whichever is lower.
Invoking (Iv): Invokations are like SLAs, and are invoked from your Mindpool. The action to invoke is the same as the action to cast the spell, and if this would provoke an AoO, it does so as an invokation. However, your Invokations have either an instantaneous duration, or, a "while maintained" duration.
If the invokation is not instantaneous, you must assign it to an empty maintenance slot, which it will occupy until you dismiss it as a free action.
The saving throw DC for any Invokation is 10+Wisdom modifer+1/2 Caster Level, and you invoke at CL = Invoker level.
Unlike SLAs, these do not benefit from meta SLA feats. An Invoker takes metamagic feats, as written by up by AlphaNerd (included below), and uses them.
Sphere Acquisition (Ex): You gain all the spells of a sphere that you are capable of storing in your mindpool. They do not take up any space. You also gain the Sphere ability. When you gain access to a higher level spell in your mindpool, you gain the new spell level of the sphere as well. If a Sphere has spells that can not be added to your Mindpool, negotiate a replacement with your DM or take a different Sphere.
Tap the Totality of Existence (Ex): An Invoker can add spells from all kinds of crazy lists, and they take up space in the Mindpool and can be learned as the lowest level version that the player knows about. Yes, you get to use Trapsmith and Bard lists. Even if you see a Wizard casting Wall of Stone as a 5th level spell, you can learn it as a 3rd level Invoker and it takes up 2 levels in your pool.
Also, you get to use Wisdom instead of Int for your spellcraft checks.
Tap the Mind (Ex): Invokers gain Telepathy 100ft.
Domain Acquisition (Ex): You add a Domains list of spells to your mindpool up to the limit you can include, and they take up no space. You also gain the Domain ability, with your Invoker level counting as your Cleric level. When you gain access to a new spell level, you gain the domain spell of that level as well. You can use Sinister's Domains if you want. I think. Check with your DM. If a Domain contains spells you may not cast, come up with replacements or don't pick that Domain.
Overcharge (Ex): An Invoker may burn a maintenance slot in the action to cast a spell. If he does so, he gains a +5 bonus to CL of the spell (this affects the save DC as well). However, the Maintenance Slot is not usable for 10 rounds.
For some reason, this mysteriously does not work with Holy Word, or any spell that references Holy Word, or the Holy Word chart.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger (Ex): An Invoker can, through regular avoidance, learn to do without key components of mortal life, drawing sustenance from the spirit of consciousness itself. At level 4 this is represented by no need to eat. At level 7 he need no longer drink. At level 11, sleep. At level 17 Breath.
Metamagic Application (Su): An Invoker can choose one of his metamagic feats, the metamagic level + spell level of a feat modified by that feat may exceed his highest spell level by 1. But only if that feat is increasing the Metamagic level by at least one.
Acquisitory Nature (Ex): Invokers expand their Mindpool to Wisdom Modifier+Invoker level.
Extreme Overcharge (Ex): Invokers may burn two maintenance slots to power a spell. It gains the normal effects of Overcharge, and automatically ignores SR, and can penetrate or be used in an AMF. It also can penetrate barriers that block line of effect. If it affects a target and not an area, you must still be able to locate the target.
Specialist (Su): Invokers gain a +2 CL bonus to spells in their acquired domains or spheres.
Tactile Aqcuisition (Ex): Invokers gain SR 11+Level. This increases to 15+Level at level 15. Any spell or SLA that fails to affect the Invoker because of this SR may be added to the mindpool as normal for an identified spell.
Maintenance 2 (Ex): An Invoker now has Maintenance slots equal to the higher of his Wisdom Modifier or Invoker level.
Open Mind (Ex): An Invokers Mindpool is now equal to Wisdom Score + Character level.
Ascension (Ex): An Invoker becomes a being of pure consciousness, shedding his body. He is now incorporeal, and may shift between planes as the Greater Planeshift spell (self and gear only) at will as a Supernatural ability.
Metamagic feat rules:
[Metamagic] Feats allow you to increase the potency of the lower level spells you can cast. Each application of a metamagic feat increases the Metamagic Level (ML) by the amount listed. You may only apply metamagic to a spell such that the spell level plus the metamagic level is less than or equal to that of the highest level spell that you can cast. All metamagic effects affect the entire spell. Thus, if you cast a widened, empowered fireball, the empowering doesn't just apply the normal area of effect of the fireball, its effect is widened as well. Anything else is silly and obnoxious.
Preparation casters much choose which metamagic feats they wish to apply to spells when they prepare them. Spontaneous casters must choose which metamagic feats to apply when they cast them. Spontaneous spellcasters don't take longer to cast spells with metamagic feats. That's just silly.
Shaped Spell [Metamagic]
Enlarge: You can alter a spell with a range of close, medium, or long to increase its range by 100%. This increases the ML by +1.
Widen: You can alter a burst, emanation, line, or spread shaped spell to increase its area. Any numeric measurements of the spell’s area increase by 100%. This increases the ML by +1.
Sculpt: I'm not allowed to reproduce the text, but you may apply the feat Scuplt Spell to a spell for a ML of +2.
Strong Spell [Metamagic]
Empower: You may choose to increase the potency of your spells by increasing all numerical variable (random) effects by 50%. This increase the ML by +1.
Maximize: You may choose to set all random numerical variable (random) effects of a spell to their maximum values. This increases the ML by +2.
Quicken Spell [Metamagic]
Quicken: You may choose to cast a spell that normally takes a standard action as a swift action, or you may choose to cast a spell that normally takes a full round action as a standard action. The first use increases the ML by +4. The second by +2.
[Modified by Warlock creator]
Spell Timing [Metamagic]
Twin: You get two for the price of one. You may choose to have a spell go off twice immediately with the same everything. This increases the ML by +3.
Repeat: You get one now and one later for the price of one. A repeated spell is automatically cast again at the beginning of your next round of actions. No matter where you are, the secondary spell originates from the same location and affects the same area as the primary spell. If the repeated spell designates a target, the secondary spell retargets the same target if the target is within 30 feet of its original position; otherwise the secondary spell fails to go off. This increases the ML by +2.
Delay: You can choose to have a spell go off anywhere from one to five rounds later. The spell must have a target of personal, touch, or an area effect. This increases the ML by +1
Ones that Invokers can't or don't use:
Duration Spell [Metamagic]
Extend: You may double the duration of a spell whose duration is not concentration, instantaneous, or permanent. This increases the ML by +1.
Persist: You may increase the duration of a spell one or two steps along the following chart. Each step increases the ML by +3. If the duration of the spell is not on the chart, you cannot improve it in this manner.
1round/level -> 1min/level -> 10min/level -> 1hr/level -> 24 hours
Subtle Spell [Metamagic]
Still: You may remove any somatic components from the list of components of a spell. This increases the ML by +1.
Silent: You may remove any verbal components from the list of components of a spell. This increases the ML by +1.
Eschew Materials: You can cast any spell that has a material component costing 1 gp or less without needing that component.