The Duke
2010-04-01, 12:40 AM
Alright the Spellthief is already considered a fairly good class with decent and some outright broken class abilities, and yet it is one of the least used base classes save for few level dips. Why?
The prime reason not to play a spell thief is how specialized they are because of their nature if you don't fight mages very often you'll find that you never get a chance to shine.
There are a number of different ways to approach the problem presented here and to make the spellthief more viable in encounters against non-mages first you could give them abilities that would help fighting non-mages or you could turn them into more of a gish and give them the ability to fight which is exactly what I've done.
The Spellthief
Put a quote by a member of your class here!
A general description of your class
Abilities: The abilities important to your class
Role: What does your class do in the party?
Background: How do you become a member of your class? Why?
Organization: Organizations that tend to hold members of your class belong here.
Alignment: What alignment(s) your class may have and why.
Races: What races most often have members of your class, as well as any races that cannot join, along with why.
Religion: How a member of this class might approach religion; general stereotypes, what gods they revere, and even why.
Other Classes: How does your class relate to other classes? How do they cooperate? Are there classes they just can't stand?
Adaptation: How might a DM fit your class into his campaign or his own unique world setting? How might your class be changed?
Hit Die: D8
Starting Gold: 100gp or 4d4*10gp
Class Features
Class Skills: Appraise (Int),Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int) Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points: (4 + Int per level, *4 at 1st level)
Spellthief
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Steal spell (0-1st), Spellsteal strike, Trapfinding, Energy pool, Energy Focus
2nd|+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Steal spell effect, Spellthieves grace, Detect Magic
3rd|+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Mettle, Steal energy resistance 10
4th|+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Steal Spell (2nd)
5th|+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|Evasion, Arcane Sight, Steal spell like ability
6th|+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|Steal spell (3rd), Steal spell effect (Personal)
7th|+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|Absorb spell
8th|+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|Steal spell (4th), Swift energy focus
9th|+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Discover spells
10th|+10/+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Steal spell (5th), Spellsteal strike (Full attack)
11th|+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+7|
+7|Steal energy resist (20)
12th|+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+8|
+8|Steal spell (6th)
13th|+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+8|
+8|Energy Renewal
14th|+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+9|
+9|Steal spell (7th)
15th|+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+9|
+9|Steal spell resistance
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+10|
+10|Steal spells (8th)
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Magical Presence
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Steal spell (9th)
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Steal energy resistance 30
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Absorb Spell (Immediate)[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Spellthieves are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light and medium armour and shields (except tower shields)
Spelltheft: As the CV version of this class
Trapfinding: As the rogue ability
Spellsteal Strike: When you make a melee attack you may choose to take a -2 penalty to damage and in exchange apply your steal spell ability or any variations thereof. If you do this you can only make 1 attack in the round
Energy Pool: Instead of holding the stolen spell to use at a later date the spellthief may instead focus it into raw magical energy. Gaining a number of point in their energy pool as shown by the chart below. The number of points in this pool may never exceed the Spellthieves level + Cha mod * 2 these points will degrade after 1/hr +10min per Spellthief level. A spellthief starts his/her day with 1/2 spellthief level (min 1) + Cha bonus in his energy pool, unlike normal energy points these do not degrade over time.
{table=head] Spell level | Number of points
0th | 1
1st | 2
2nd | 3
3rd | 5
4th | 7
5th | 9
6th | 11
7th | 13
8th | 15
9th | 17
[/table]
Energy Focus: The core of the new abilities of the spellthief. The spellthief may use the points in his energy pool to preform a number of abilities. You can spend a number of energy points equal to your Spellthief level + Cha bonus at once and no more You may only use on ability at a time, to use an ability you must make a successful spellcraft check as a swift action of dc 11+ your Cha bonus + # or energy points used in initializing the ability (The points used to sustain an ability don't count)
1st level (Cost 1 energy point to use)
Vigorous Aura: Fast healing 1 in 30ft for allies. Must spend 1 energy point per round to maintain the effect.
Harden skin: Grant yourself DR 3/Adamantium. Must spend 1 energy point per round to maintain the effect
Seal flesh: Cure yourself for 1d8 damage +2 for every additional energy point spent to cast.
Counterspell: Counter an enemy spell, must make opposed CL checks as normal spend energy points based on the level of the spell as shown on the chart above
Deafen: Muffle the hearing of one creature within 30ft Must spend 1 energy point per round to maintain the effect
Burn: Deal 2d6 fire damage to a target you with your touch +2 damage per additional energy point spend
5th (Cost 2 energy points to use)
Blind: Obscure the sight of one creature within 30ft Must spend 2 energy points per round to maintain the effect
Freeze: deal 4d6 cold damage to a target with your touch +5 damage per additional 2 energy points spent
Close wounds: Cure 2d8 damage to yourself +5 healed per additional 2 energy points spent
Blink: Teleport 15ft +5ft per additional 2 energy points spent
Energy Aura: Grant fire or cold shield 5 to all allies within 30ft must spend 2 additional energy points per round to maintain the effect
10th (Cost 3 energy points to use)
Webs of magic: The area within 10ft of you is treated as though it was webbed. However fire doesn't burn these away. Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Vampiric Aura: You sap 2 health/ round from enemies within 20ft of you for each point of health they lose you gain 1. Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Flight: You may fly at a base speed of 40ft (good) Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Mindnumbing Aura: All enemies within 30ft must make a will save DC: 15 +1 per 2 energy points or take 1d6 points of int, wis and cha damage. Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Zap: Deal 6d6 electric damage with your touch +7 points per 3 energy points spent
15th (5 points)
Enhanced Physicality: Grant yourself a +4 misc bonus to Str Dex and Con. Cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
Silent Aura: Project an aura of silence 30ft around you is effected as if under the silence spell Cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
Truestrike: Grant yourself a +20 insight bonus to hit cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
Sonic blast: Deal 10d6 sonic damage +11 per 5 energy points spent
Invigorating aura: Allies within 30 ft gain fast healing 4 cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
20th (7 points)
Antimagic aura: Project a 30ft antimagic aura. (Note none of your energy focus abilities work in here) Cost to maintain 7 energy points per round.
Truesight: Gain the ability to see things how they really are. Cost to maintain 7 energy points per round
Magic calling aura: Creatures within 30 ft of you must make a will save, Dc 10+ cha bonus + 1/2 spellthief level or lose their highest level spell slot you gain a number of points based on the spell lost. Cost to maintain 7 energy points per round
Force bolt: Allows you to fire a unerring bolt of force at the target dealing 12d6 points of force damage + 15 points per 7 energy points spent
Taxing aura: All enemies withing 30ft must make fort saves each round or fall unconscious fort save dc 10+ cha bonus + 1/2 spellthief level
Steal spell effect: as in Cav
Spellthieves grace: The spell thieves gains his/her Cha bonus on saves against spells
detect magic: As in CaV
Mettle: As the Hexblade ability, (Evasion for Will and Fort Saves)
Steal energy resist: As in CaV
Evasion: As the rogue ability but up to medium armour
Arcane sight: As seen in Complete AdV
Steal spell like ability: As seen in complete AdV
Steal spell effect personal: This expands your steal spell effect ability to allow you to use the effects of spells that are meant to be personal on yourself
Absorb spell: Just some rule clarification. If it doesn't require a save and it isn't a target spell it can't be absorbed.
Discover spells: As seen in CaV
Stealing strike full attack: This allows you to make a stealing strike as part of a full attack, and even make multiple stealing strikes during a full atttack
Reflect spell: This allows you if you have made a successful save against a spell..(any spell so long as it requires a save) to instead suffer the effects of the spell in return the caster also suffers the same effects.
Steal spell resistance: Change steal 5 to steal 10 SR
Magical presence: You can use more then one energy focus ability at a time
Absorb spell (immediate): As seen in CaV
Eh fluff is still in progress, just crunch for now.. the framework for fluff will remain to remind me to fill it out.
I may write up the normal Spellthief abilities once I'm sure it's legal to do so if you know one way or another please do tell.
The prime reason not to play a spell thief is how specialized they are because of their nature if you don't fight mages very often you'll find that you never get a chance to shine.
There are a number of different ways to approach the problem presented here and to make the spellthief more viable in encounters against non-mages first you could give them abilities that would help fighting non-mages or you could turn them into more of a gish and give them the ability to fight which is exactly what I've done.
The Spellthief
Put a quote by a member of your class here!
A general description of your class
Abilities: The abilities important to your class
Role: What does your class do in the party?
Background: How do you become a member of your class? Why?
Organization: Organizations that tend to hold members of your class belong here.
Alignment: What alignment(s) your class may have and why.
Races: What races most often have members of your class, as well as any races that cannot join, along with why.
Religion: How a member of this class might approach religion; general stereotypes, what gods they revere, and even why.
Other Classes: How does your class relate to other classes? How do they cooperate? Are there classes they just can't stand?
Adaptation: How might a DM fit your class into his campaign or his own unique world setting? How might your class be changed?
Hit Die: D8
Starting Gold: 100gp or 4d4*10gp
Class Features
Class Skills: Appraise (Int),Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int) Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points: (4 + Int per level, *4 at 1st level)
Spellthief
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Steal spell (0-1st), Spellsteal strike, Trapfinding, Energy pool, Energy Focus
2nd|+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Steal spell effect, Spellthieves grace, Detect Magic
3rd|+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Mettle, Steal energy resistance 10
4th|+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Steal Spell (2nd)
5th|+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|Evasion, Arcane Sight, Steal spell like ability
6th|+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|Steal spell (3rd), Steal spell effect (Personal)
7th|+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|Absorb spell
8th|+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|Steal spell (4th), Swift energy focus
9th|+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Discover spells
10th|+10/+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Steal spell (5th), Spellsteal strike (Full attack)
11th|+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+7|
+7|Steal energy resist (20)
12th|+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+8|
+8|Steal spell (6th)
13th|+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+8|
+8|Energy Renewal
14th|+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+9|
+9|Steal spell (7th)
15th|+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+9|
+9|Steal spell resistance
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+10|
+10|Steal spells (8th)
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Magical Presence
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Steal spell (9th)
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Steal energy resistance 30
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Absorb Spell (Immediate)[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Spellthieves are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light and medium armour and shields (except tower shields)
Spelltheft: As the CV version of this class
Trapfinding: As the rogue ability
Spellsteal Strike: When you make a melee attack you may choose to take a -2 penalty to damage and in exchange apply your steal spell ability or any variations thereof. If you do this you can only make 1 attack in the round
Energy Pool: Instead of holding the stolen spell to use at a later date the spellthief may instead focus it into raw magical energy. Gaining a number of point in their energy pool as shown by the chart below. The number of points in this pool may never exceed the Spellthieves level + Cha mod * 2 these points will degrade after 1/hr +10min per Spellthief level. A spellthief starts his/her day with 1/2 spellthief level (min 1) + Cha bonus in his energy pool, unlike normal energy points these do not degrade over time.
{table=head] Spell level | Number of points
0th | 1
1st | 2
2nd | 3
3rd | 5
4th | 7
5th | 9
6th | 11
7th | 13
8th | 15
9th | 17
[/table]
Energy Focus: The core of the new abilities of the spellthief. The spellthief may use the points in his energy pool to preform a number of abilities. You can spend a number of energy points equal to your Spellthief level + Cha bonus at once and no more You may only use on ability at a time, to use an ability you must make a successful spellcraft check as a swift action of dc 11+ your Cha bonus + # or energy points used in initializing the ability (The points used to sustain an ability don't count)
1st level (Cost 1 energy point to use)
Vigorous Aura: Fast healing 1 in 30ft for allies. Must spend 1 energy point per round to maintain the effect.
Harden skin: Grant yourself DR 3/Adamantium. Must spend 1 energy point per round to maintain the effect
Seal flesh: Cure yourself for 1d8 damage +2 for every additional energy point spent to cast.
Counterspell: Counter an enemy spell, must make opposed CL checks as normal spend energy points based on the level of the spell as shown on the chart above
Deafen: Muffle the hearing of one creature within 30ft Must spend 1 energy point per round to maintain the effect
Burn: Deal 2d6 fire damage to a target you with your touch +2 damage per additional energy point spend
5th (Cost 2 energy points to use)
Blind: Obscure the sight of one creature within 30ft Must spend 2 energy points per round to maintain the effect
Freeze: deal 4d6 cold damage to a target with your touch +5 damage per additional 2 energy points spent
Close wounds: Cure 2d8 damage to yourself +5 healed per additional 2 energy points spent
Blink: Teleport 15ft +5ft per additional 2 energy points spent
Energy Aura: Grant fire or cold shield 5 to all allies within 30ft must spend 2 additional energy points per round to maintain the effect
10th (Cost 3 energy points to use)
Webs of magic: The area within 10ft of you is treated as though it was webbed. However fire doesn't burn these away. Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Vampiric Aura: You sap 2 health/ round from enemies within 20ft of you for each point of health they lose you gain 1. Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Flight: You may fly at a base speed of 40ft (good) Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Mindnumbing Aura: All enemies within 30ft must make a will save DC: 15 +1 per 2 energy points or take 1d6 points of int, wis and cha damage. Cost to maintain 3 energy points per round
Zap: Deal 6d6 electric damage with your touch +7 points per 3 energy points spent
15th (5 points)
Enhanced Physicality: Grant yourself a +4 misc bonus to Str Dex and Con. Cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
Silent Aura: Project an aura of silence 30ft around you is effected as if under the silence spell Cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
Truestrike: Grant yourself a +20 insight bonus to hit cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
Sonic blast: Deal 10d6 sonic damage +11 per 5 energy points spent
Invigorating aura: Allies within 30 ft gain fast healing 4 cost to maintain 5 energy points per round
20th (7 points)
Antimagic aura: Project a 30ft antimagic aura. (Note none of your energy focus abilities work in here) Cost to maintain 7 energy points per round.
Truesight: Gain the ability to see things how they really are. Cost to maintain 7 energy points per round
Magic calling aura: Creatures within 30 ft of you must make a will save, Dc 10+ cha bonus + 1/2 spellthief level or lose their highest level spell slot you gain a number of points based on the spell lost. Cost to maintain 7 energy points per round
Force bolt: Allows you to fire a unerring bolt of force at the target dealing 12d6 points of force damage + 15 points per 7 energy points spent
Taxing aura: All enemies withing 30ft must make fort saves each round or fall unconscious fort save dc 10+ cha bonus + 1/2 spellthief level
Steal spell effect: as in Cav
Spellthieves grace: The spell thieves gains his/her Cha bonus on saves against spells
detect magic: As in CaV
Mettle: As the Hexblade ability, (Evasion for Will and Fort Saves)
Steal energy resist: As in CaV
Evasion: As the rogue ability but up to medium armour
Arcane sight: As seen in Complete AdV
Steal spell like ability: As seen in complete AdV
Steal spell effect personal: This expands your steal spell effect ability to allow you to use the effects of spells that are meant to be personal on yourself
Absorb spell: Just some rule clarification. If it doesn't require a save and it isn't a target spell it can't be absorbed.
Discover spells: As seen in CaV
Stealing strike full attack: This allows you to make a stealing strike as part of a full attack, and even make multiple stealing strikes during a full atttack
Reflect spell: This allows you if you have made a successful save against a spell..(any spell so long as it requires a save) to instead suffer the effects of the spell in return the caster also suffers the same effects.
Steal spell resistance: Change steal 5 to steal 10 SR
Magical presence: You can use more then one energy focus ability at a time
Absorb spell (immediate): As seen in CaV
Eh fluff is still in progress, just crunch for now.. the framework for fluff will remain to remind me to fill it out.
I may write up the normal Spellthief abilities once I'm sure it's legal to do so if you know one way or another please do tell.