Completing the Pattern: Creating a Tier 3 Abjurer

[wayfare]

So, I'm working on tier 3 versions of the base magic using classes. I'm trying to create a Class that focuses heavily on Abjuration with a minor focus on defensive conjuration magics. This is my attempt to create a counterpart to the Beguiler and Dread Necromancer classes.

Ideas I have so far

1) Abjurations are of course defensive. I feel that to compensate for this, the class should have the good attack progression (15/10/5).

2) The class only has minor access to conjurations -- things like wall of stone, obscuring mist, etc. Essentially, conjurations that are used defensively.

3) An innate bonus to spell resistance may be in order.

4) Ability to sacrifice a spell to cast Dispel Magic as a counterspell.

The effect is a caster who is exceptionally capable of countering spellcasters.



Here is the spell list i'm thinking of

1ST-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Alarm: Wards an area for 2 hours/level.
Endure Elements: Exist comfortably in hot or cold environments.
Hold Portal: Holds door shut.
Karmic Aura: Any creature damaging you becomes fatigued for 3 rounds.
Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law: +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders.
Shield: Invisible disc gives +4 to AC, blocks magic missiles.

Conj
Mage Armor: Gives subject +4 armor bonus.
Obscuring Mist: Fog surrounds you.

2ND-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Arcane Lock M: Magically locks a portal or chest.
Arcane Turmoil: Targeted dispel magic on one subject, and subject loses one spell.
Attentive Alarm: As alarm, plus learn type and number of creatures that triggered alarm.
Obscure Object: Masks object against scrying.
Protection from Arrows: Subject immune to most ranged attacks.
Resist Energy: Ignores first 10 (or more) points of damage/attack from specified energy type.

Conj
Fog Cloud: Fog obscures vision.
Glitterdust: Blinds creatures, outlines invisible creatures.

3RD-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Dispel Magic: Cancels magical spells and effects.
Explosive Runes: Deals 6d6 damage when read.
Karmic Backlash: Any creature damaging you becomes exhausted for 2 rounds.
Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law: As protection spells, but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level.
Nondetection M: Hides subject from divination, scrying.
Protection from Energy: Absorb 12 points/level of damage from one kind of energy.
Repelling Shield: Invisible disc gives +4 to AC, blocks magic missiles, pushes away attackers
Sign of Sealing: Magic sigil protects door or chest, deals 1d4/level damage if opened
Tenacious Dispelling: As targeted dispel magic, but second consecutive casting is more potent.

Conj
Bands of Steel: Metallic bands immobilize or entangle target for 1 round/level
Sepia Snake Sigil M: Creates text symbol that immobilizes reader.

Gaseous Form: Subject becomes insubstantial and can fly slowly.


4TH-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Dimensional Anchor: Bars extradimensional movement.
Fire Trap M: Opened object deals 1d4 damage +1/level.
Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser: Stops 1st- through 3rd-level spell effects.
Otiluke’s Dispelling Screen: Targeted dispel magic on any creatures or unattended items, max +10 on caster level check.
Otiluke's Suppressing Field: Spells of a designated school or subtype are suppressed.
Remove Curse: Frees object or person from curse.
Resist Energy, Mass: Targeted creatures resist energy of a particular type
Stoneskin M: Ignore 10 points of damage per attack.

Conj
Secure Shelter: Creates sturdy cottage.
Solid Fog: Blocks vision and slows movement.

Resilient Sphere: Force globe protects but traps one subject.
Wall of Fire: Deals 2d4 fire damage out to 10 ft. and 1d4 out to 20 ft. Passing through wall deals 2d6 damage +1/level.
Wall of Ice: Ice plane creates wall with 15 hp +1/level, or hemisphere can trap creatures inside.

5TH-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification.
Duel Ward: +4 on Spellcraft checks, counterspell as an immediate action
Dismissal: Forces a creature to return to native plane.
Mage’s Private Sanctum: Prevents anyone from viewing or scrying an area for 24 hours.
Reciprical Gyre: Creature or object takes 1d6 damage/level of spell affecting it
Refusal: Spellcasters and creatures with spell-like abilities are prevented from entering an area

Conj
Freezing Fog: Fog slows creatures, obscures vision, hinders movement
Mage’s Faithful Hound: Phantom dog can guard, attack.
Secret Chest F: Hides expensive chest on Ethereal Plane; you retrieve it at will
Wall of Stone: Creates a stone wall that can be shaped.

Wall of Force: Wall is immune to damage.


6TH-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Antimagic Field: Negates magic within 10 ft.
Dispel Magic, Greater: As dispel magic, but +20 on check.
Globe of Invulnerability: As lesser globe of invulnerability, plus 4th-level spell effects.
Guards and Wards: Array of magic effects protect area.
Karmic Retribution: Any creature damaging you becomes stunned for 1 round.
Prismatic Aura: Shield of colors offers concealment and damages your attackers.
Repulsion: Creatures can’t approach you.

Conj
Wall of Iron M: 30 hp/four levels; can topple onto foes.
Steal Summoning: Take control of another caster's summoned monster.

7TH-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Banishment: Banishes 2 HD/level of extraplanar creatures.
Sequester: Subject is invisible to sight and scrying; renders creature comatose.
Spell Turning: Reflect 1d4+6 spell levels back at caster.

Conj
Instant Summons M: Prepared object appears in your hand.

8TH-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Dimensional Lock: Teleportation and interplanar travel blocked for one day/level.
Energy Absorption: Target gains resistance 10 to energy; can turn one energy attack into healing.
Energy Immunity: Subject and equipment gain immunity to damage of specified energy type
Mind Blank: Subject is immune to mental/emotional magic and scrying.
Mysterious Redirection: Attacks against you have 50% chance to strike adjacent target instead.
Otiluke’s Dispelling Screen, Greater: As Dispelling Screen, but +20 on check
Prismatic Wall: Wall’s colors have array of effects.
Protection from Spells M F: Confers +8 resistance bonus.

Conj
Maze: Traps subject in extradimensional maze.

9TH-LEVEL SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS
Abjur
Absorption: You absorb targeted spell energy to power spells of your own
Freedom: Releases creature from imprisonment.
Genius LociM: Create a guardian spirit for a specific location.
Imprisonment: Entombs subject beneath the earth.
Mage’s Disjunction: Dispels magic, disenchants magic items.
Prismatic Sphere: As prismatic wall, but surrounds on all sides.
Reaving Dispel: On a targeted dispel, steal spell power and effects for yourself

Conj
Refuge M: Alters item to transport its possessor to you.

It needs some serious filler.

As always, any help is appreciated

Many Thanks

--Wayfare

[Kuma Kode]

Perhaps a kind of life shield power that creates a shield of force that takes damage instead of the warded ally, possibly expanding through levels to block more than just HP damage, like negative status effects and physical contact? The strength of the shield would be a multiple of how many HP the abjurer sacrifices and it may be a X/day thing?

<EDIT> I appear to have inadvertently suggested an idea I already used here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8488556&postcount=66).</EDIT>

When I imagine an abjurer, I imagine someone with force shields. The two are inextricably linked in my brain.

Or ready an action to gain a miss chance? Such as watching for an attack and when it arrives, block it with blast of magic?

My Whisper class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=171010) is designed to be support/anti-mage. Though the theme of its design is very different (Lovecraftian buddhist, essentially), you might be able to mine it for ideas for class features since it has what seems to be the same role in mind. It's not fully done, but I'm resuming work after a bit of a hiatus.

<ADDENDUM:> If you are looking for something in particular, I need more information. With only a vague outline, I can't do much more than suggest things I've done along a similar theme.</ADDENDUM>

[Kobold-Bard]

arguskos made the Savant (Abj/Div), Summoner (Con) & either the Spellweaver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95336) or the Rearranger (Tran) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99314) for exactly this purpose.

Only ever seen the Summoner in play so I can't speak for the Savant but it seemed popular and might make a good basis for your class.

[Jarrick]

In the same vane as Warmage Edge and Healing Hands, let them add their Int modifier to Dispel checks and Caster level checks or something. Or maybe add their Cha modifier as a bonus to Spellcraft checks in addition to their Int. The abjuration school is magic in its purest form, after all.

And, hey, arguskos isnt the only summoner (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8362297#post8362297) on the block. :smallwink:
Though admittedly I borrowed a little from his class. :smallredface:

Anyways, I'm really looking forward to the results. I've been meaning to do something like this myself for a while now.

[wayfare]

Ok, after some consideration, I've decided that the 15/10/5 attack progression isn't the way to go with this class. Instead, I'm drawing upon the tradition of abjuration in stories and history to develop class features. Specifically, I'm tying the class to the use of mystic symbols -- symbols of warding, symbols of striking.

So, try this class feature on for size:

4th level Ability

Mark of Judgment: Once per round, as a full action that provokes an attack of opportunity, the Abjurer may cast a glowing symbol at his opponent. The opponent is entitled to a Will Save DC (10 + Dexterity Mod + 1/2 level) to avoid its effects. On a successful save, the effect is negated.

On a failed save, the Mark inflicts 2d4 damage on the opponent. Additionally, the Abjurer gains +1 to hit against the opponent and gains +1 to all attempts to dispel magic or counterspell the opponent.
A Mark of Judgment lasts 1 minute/level, though it can be dispelled.

At 8th level the damage increases to 2d6 damage, and the Abjurer gains +2 to hit/dispel magic.

At 12th level the damage increases to 2d8 damage, and the Abjurer gains +3 to hit/dispel magic.

At 16th level the damage increases to 2d10 damage, and the Abjurer gains +4 to hit/dispel magic.

At 20th level the damage increases to 2d12 damage, and the Abjurer gains +5 to hit/dispel magic.

Thoughts?

[Jarrick]

I think Id make the save based on their casting stat rather than Dex and make it a swift action, considering how minor the effect is and the level you gain access to it.