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View Full Version : The Magician (NPC Base Class, PEACH)



LOTRfan
2011-02-26, 12:36 PM
So, there is a core divine spellcaster NPC class, and in Eberron there is an infusion-using NPC spellcaster class. What about an arcane NPC class? Surely there must be one, right? Here is my attempt at the Magician NPC class, one that revolves around flashy tricks and impractical (but entertaining) spells.

I was aiming for a high Tier 6, low Tier 5. Any opinions/suggestions/raving insults? :smalltongue:

http://www.kalona.lib.ia.us/images/magician/image
When most think of arcane magic, they think of great wizards and sorcerers, who achieve the greatest heights of power. Not all are as capable as they are, however. Like the divine spellcasting adepts, there are lesser groups of arcane spellcasters that are far more common than their more famous brethren. Unlike adepts, these magicians tend towards flashy spells instead of practical ones. In many ways, Magicians can be likened to entertainers, performing bizarre and interesting tricks for the amusement of onlookers in exchange for money.

Magicians are looked down upon by other arcane spellcasters, who feel that magicians squander what little talent they have. Others feel that they give arcane magic a bad name, one of simple tricks and nothing more. While it is true that magicians will never perform the most powerful of spells (or even moderate ones, for that matter), they can use their magic much more often, and may even learn to cast some spells fully from memory.

Magician
{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | 0th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd
1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Eschew Materials | 1 | --- | --- | ---
2 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | | 2 | --- | --- | ---
3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | | 3 | --- | --- | ---
4 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Magic Trick | 4 | --- | --- | ---
5 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | | 5 | --- | --- | ---
6 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | | 6 | 0 | --- | ---
7 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | | 7 | 1 | --- | ---
8 | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Magic Trick | 8 | 2 | --- | ---
9 | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | | 8 | 3 | --- | ---
10 | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | | 8 | 4 | --- | ---
11 | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | | 8 | 5 | --- | ---
12 | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Magic Trick | 8 | 6 | 0 | ---
13 | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | | 8 | 7 | 1 | ---
14 | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | | 8 | 8 | 2 | ---
15 | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | | 8 | 8 | 3 | ---
16 | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Magic Trick | 8 | 8 | 4 | ---
17 | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | | 8 | 8 | 5 | ---
18 | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | | 8 | 8 | 6 | 0
19 | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | | 8 | 8 | 7 | 1
20 | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Magic Trick | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2[/table]

Skills: A magician has the following skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex). A Magician gains a number of skill points each level equal to (4 + INT modifier), with quadruple skill points at 1st level.

Class Features
A magician has the following class features.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Magicians are proficient with two simple weapons of their choice, and no armor or shields.

Spellcasting: A magician casts spells from the magician spell-list. Like wizards, magicians must prepare their spells in advance. To prepare a spell, a magician must have a Charisma score equal to 10 + spell’s level. The save DCs for any spell is 10 + spell level + magician’s Charisma modifier.

On the spaces of the table that lists “0” on the spells known, the magician gains bonus spells per day, if his charisma modifier would allow it. At 1st level, a magician knows 2 cantrips. At each level, he learns two more spells. These spells can be of any level that he can cast. The magician must spend at least an hour each day resting to regain the daily allotment of spells.

Eschew Materials: At 1st level, the magician gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat.

Magic Trick (Sp): At 4th level, the magician masters a single cantrip with such proficiency that it becomes at at-will ability. Casting the cantrip becomes a standard action, and the magician must succeed on a sleight of hand check (DC 10) to cast correctly. Every four levels after 4th, the magician masters an additional cantrip, for a total of five at 20th level.

Magician Spell List
0th- Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation Touch of Fatigue

1st- Alarm, Animate Rope, Charm Person, Color Spray, Disguise Self, Feather Fall, Grease, Hold Portal, Hypnotism, Jump, Magic Aura, Obscuring Mist, Shield, Silent Image, Sleep, Unseen Servant, Ventriloquism

2nd- Alter Self, Blur, Continual Flame, Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Glitterdust, Hypnotic Pattern, Knock, Levitate, Locate Object, Magic Mouth, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Misdirection, Obscure Object, Phantom Trap, Rope Trick, Shatter, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Web

3rd- Blink, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Daylight, Displacement, Illusionary Script, Major Image, Protection from Energy, Shrink Item, Stinking Cloud, Suggestion, Tongues, Water Breathing, Wind Wall

Re'ozul
2011-02-26, 09:39 PM
This is a fun class for NPCs, but the spell list is a bit weird considering that they are supposed to gravitate towards flashy spells.

Spells in question:

0th- Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Read Magic, Resistance

1st- Endure Elements, Identify

2nd- Arcane Lock, Darkvision, See Invisibility

3rd- Arcane Sight, Nondetection, Protection from Energy, Secret Page, Water Breathing

LOTRfan
2011-02-26, 09:50 PM
I see. I can see your reasoning for a bunch of these, and can't think of a counter argument for most, so I'll take those out. A few of them, however, I think should stay.

Arcane Mark- This can be a sort of "signature" of a particular magician, as the spell doesn't have to be invisible.

Water Breathing- I could see this used in a trick, perhaps one that deals with "holding one's breath" for a supernaturally long time (for of like some illusionary artists today).

Thank you for your suggestions, I'll remove the other spells right now. If you still feel these two spells are out of place, I'll definitely listen to whatever reasoning you may have.

unosarta
2011-02-26, 09:55 PM
Protection from Energy also seems like it could be considered a trick (cast it and then walk on fire, ignore electricity, etc).

The rest I can kind of agree with.

LOTRfan
2011-02-26, 10:05 PM
Good point with Protection from Energy, I'll put that back in. I think Re'ozul is correct about the others, I'll keep them off the list.