Treblain
2011-08-17, 10:58 PM
The spellthief class, in addition to being weak and not that interesting, suffers from Crippling Overspecialization (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CripplingOverspecialization). Yeah, it has other abilities besides spell theft, but they were just thrown in to make it a full class. The bottom line is that it’s a gimmick class. I turned the key ability into a feat that rogues can take, which gives a nice ability for rogues instead of creating a whole class for the purpose.
Feats:
Spellthief [Ambush]
You have studied certain arcane secrets that grant you the ability to steal spells from casters with a surprise attack.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 4 ranks. +2d6 Sneak Attack or Cunning Strike
Benefit: You gain Spellcraft as a class skill for any class that grants sneak attack, Sudden Strike, or Cunning Strike.
If you hit an opponent with a successful sneak attack, you can steal a spell, or the potential to cast a specific known spell, from your target. If the target is willing, you can steal a spell with a touch as a standard action.
Stealing a spell requires forgoing one die of sneak attack damage per spell level of the spell stolen. You cannot sacrifice all of your sneak attack dice, meaning that you can only steal spells of a level equal to or less than one less than your sneak attack dice, even if the target is willing. You do not have to sacrifice any sneak attack damage to steal 0th level spells.
The target loses a spell from memory if they prepare spells ahead of time, or a spell slot if they are a spontaneous caster. If the target has no spells prepared (or has no remaining spell slots, if they are a spontaneous caster), this ability has no effect. You can choose which spell to steal, otherwise, the DM determines the stolen spell randomly. If you try to steal a spell that isn’t available, the stolen spell or spell slot is determined randomly from among those the target has available.
You then gain the spell, and can cast it at any time. You cast it as if you were the original caster, using their caster level, save DC, and so forth. If a stolen prepared spell had a metamagic feat applied, you cast it with the metamagic feat applied; otherwise you cannot apply metamagic to stolen spells. Alternately, if you are capable of casting spells, you can use the spell energy to cast any spell of the same level that you know spontaneously. However, if you cast divine spells using arcane spell energy or vice versa, the spell energy is treated as a spell slot of one spell level lower.
The stored spell energy of any spells you steal dissipates after 12 hours.
Psithief
You are capable of leeching psionic energy from your foes with a surprising attack.
Prerequisites: Spellthief, a reserve of at least one power point
Benefit: You can use the Spellthief feat to siphon psionic energy instead of spell energy. Instead of stealing a spell, you can choose to steal a number of power points equal twice your character level.
You can use the stolen power points only to manifest a psionic power you already know. You must use these power points within 12 hours of stealing them; otherwise, the extra psionic energy fades harmlessly away.
This feat otherwise follows the rules for the Spellthief feat.
In addition, Knowledge (psionics) and Psicraft are class skills for you.
Adaptation: In campaigns heavy on psionics and light on magic, this feat may be adapted to grant this ability without requiring the Spellthief feat as a prerequisite.
Master Spellthief [Tactical], [Ambush]
You have learned more advanced spelltheft techniques.
Prerequisites: Spellthief, 10 ranks in Spellcraft
Benefit: You gain three new abilities based on your Spellthief ability.
Steal Spell-like Ability: When you hit with a sneak attack, you can forgo 1d6 damage to steal a spell-like ability from the target. If the target is willing, a spellthief can steal a spell-like ability with a touch as a standard action. This spell-like ability can originate from the target’s class, race, template, or any other source, and can be of any level up to a maximum of your class level. You can select a specific spell-like ability to steal; otherwise, the DM chooses the ability at random. If the ability has a limited number of uses per day, the target must have at least one such use left, or you can’t steal the ability. If the target can’t use its ability at the present time (such as a summoned demon’s summon ability), you can’t steal it. You can use a stolen spell-like ability once. For all purposes (caster level, save DC, and so on), treat the spell-like ability as if it were being used by the original possessor of the ability. You must use the stolen spell-like ability within 1 minute of acquiring it, or it is lost harmlessly. Until you use the ability (or until the minute elapses), the target cannot use the stolen ability.
Discover Spells: When you steal a spell, you immediately learn the names of all other spells of that level that the caster has prepared or can cast.
Steal Spell Effect: When you hit with a sneak attack, you can steal a spell effect that is currently active on the target instead of stealing a spell. You can steal a spell effect from a willing target with a touch as a standard action.
You can choose the effect to steal, or else the DM chooses it randomly from the effects currently affecting the target.
The same rules as Spellthief apply to stealing this spell effect; you must forgo sneak attack di(c)e in the same way and you cannot steal higher level spell effects than you are able to steal spells.
When you steal a spell effect, the target loses the effect for one minute and you gain the effect. After the minute ends, if the duration of the effect has not expired, the effect returns to the target.
You cannot steal spell effects that would not be affected by a Dispel Magic spell. You cannot gain the effect of a spell that could not be cast on you normally, with the exception of personal range spells.
Absorb Spell:
You can resist magical attacks and then absorb the energy for your own use.
Prerequisites: Spellthief
Benefit: If you successfully save against a spell that targets you (you are specifically designated as a target, as opposed to an area of effect spell), you can attempt to absorb the spell energy. You can make a Spellcraft check versus the caster level of the caster. If successful, you store the spell as if you had stolen it.
Notes:
I considered making spelltheft an ACF since rogues need their feats for other things, but I couldn’t think of a good way to implement it.
Craven has no effect on the ability. I didn’t think I needed to put that in the description, but if anyone thinks it’s necessary, I will.
I raised the amount of time the spells can be stored and removed the maximum number of spell levels stolen entirely because I didn’t like those restrictions and felt removing the limits doesn’t imbalance the ability too much. If you disagree, let me know, and I’ll consider changing it.
Absorb Spell uses a Spellcraft check vs. CL. For a player with a maxed out skill, that would probably be easy, but rogues don’t exactly have incentive to max Spellcraft otherwise, so they probably wouldn’t bother maxing ranks. Maybe, I dunno.
By RAW Sudden Strike counts as Sneak Attack for this purpose, so ninjas and so forth can qualify too.
Feats:
Spellthief [Ambush]
You have studied certain arcane secrets that grant you the ability to steal spells from casters with a surprise attack.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 4 ranks. +2d6 Sneak Attack or Cunning Strike
Benefit: You gain Spellcraft as a class skill for any class that grants sneak attack, Sudden Strike, or Cunning Strike.
If you hit an opponent with a successful sneak attack, you can steal a spell, or the potential to cast a specific known spell, from your target. If the target is willing, you can steal a spell with a touch as a standard action.
Stealing a spell requires forgoing one die of sneak attack damage per spell level of the spell stolen. You cannot sacrifice all of your sneak attack dice, meaning that you can only steal spells of a level equal to or less than one less than your sneak attack dice, even if the target is willing. You do not have to sacrifice any sneak attack damage to steal 0th level spells.
The target loses a spell from memory if they prepare spells ahead of time, or a spell slot if they are a spontaneous caster. If the target has no spells prepared (or has no remaining spell slots, if they are a spontaneous caster), this ability has no effect. You can choose which spell to steal, otherwise, the DM determines the stolen spell randomly. If you try to steal a spell that isn’t available, the stolen spell or spell slot is determined randomly from among those the target has available.
You then gain the spell, and can cast it at any time. You cast it as if you were the original caster, using their caster level, save DC, and so forth. If a stolen prepared spell had a metamagic feat applied, you cast it with the metamagic feat applied; otherwise you cannot apply metamagic to stolen spells. Alternately, if you are capable of casting spells, you can use the spell energy to cast any spell of the same level that you know spontaneously. However, if you cast divine spells using arcane spell energy or vice versa, the spell energy is treated as a spell slot of one spell level lower.
The stored spell energy of any spells you steal dissipates after 12 hours.
Psithief
You are capable of leeching psionic energy from your foes with a surprising attack.
Prerequisites: Spellthief, a reserve of at least one power point
Benefit: You can use the Spellthief feat to siphon psionic energy instead of spell energy. Instead of stealing a spell, you can choose to steal a number of power points equal twice your character level.
You can use the stolen power points only to manifest a psionic power you already know. You must use these power points within 12 hours of stealing them; otherwise, the extra psionic energy fades harmlessly away.
This feat otherwise follows the rules for the Spellthief feat.
In addition, Knowledge (psionics) and Psicraft are class skills for you.
Adaptation: In campaigns heavy on psionics and light on magic, this feat may be adapted to grant this ability without requiring the Spellthief feat as a prerequisite.
Master Spellthief [Tactical], [Ambush]
You have learned more advanced spelltheft techniques.
Prerequisites: Spellthief, 10 ranks in Spellcraft
Benefit: You gain three new abilities based on your Spellthief ability.
Steal Spell-like Ability: When you hit with a sneak attack, you can forgo 1d6 damage to steal a spell-like ability from the target. If the target is willing, a spellthief can steal a spell-like ability with a touch as a standard action. This spell-like ability can originate from the target’s class, race, template, or any other source, and can be of any level up to a maximum of your class level. You can select a specific spell-like ability to steal; otherwise, the DM chooses the ability at random. If the ability has a limited number of uses per day, the target must have at least one such use left, or you can’t steal the ability. If the target can’t use its ability at the present time (such as a summoned demon’s summon ability), you can’t steal it. You can use a stolen spell-like ability once. For all purposes (caster level, save DC, and so on), treat the spell-like ability as if it were being used by the original possessor of the ability. You must use the stolen spell-like ability within 1 minute of acquiring it, or it is lost harmlessly. Until you use the ability (or until the minute elapses), the target cannot use the stolen ability.
Discover Spells: When you steal a spell, you immediately learn the names of all other spells of that level that the caster has prepared or can cast.
Steal Spell Effect: When you hit with a sneak attack, you can steal a spell effect that is currently active on the target instead of stealing a spell. You can steal a spell effect from a willing target with a touch as a standard action.
You can choose the effect to steal, or else the DM chooses it randomly from the effects currently affecting the target.
The same rules as Spellthief apply to stealing this spell effect; you must forgo sneak attack di(c)e in the same way and you cannot steal higher level spell effects than you are able to steal spells.
When you steal a spell effect, the target loses the effect for one minute and you gain the effect. After the minute ends, if the duration of the effect has not expired, the effect returns to the target.
You cannot steal spell effects that would not be affected by a Dispel Magic spell. You cannot gain the effect of a spell that could not be cast on you normally, with the exception of personal range spells.
Absorb Spell:
You can resist magical attacks and then absorb the energy for your own use.
Prerequisites: Spellthief
Benefit: If you successfully save against a spell that targets you (you are specifically designated as a target, as opposed to an area of effect spell), you can attempt to absorb the spell energy. You can make a Spellcraft check versus the caster level of the caster. If successful, you store the spell as if you had stolen it.
Notes:
I considered making spelltheft an ACF since rogues need their feats for other things, but I couldn’t think of a good way to implement it.
Craven has no effect on the ability. I didn’t think I needed to put that in the description, but if anyone thinks it’s necessary, I will.
I raised the amount of time the spells can be stored and removed the maximum number of spell levels stolen entirely because I didn’t like those restrictions and felt removing the limits doesn’t imbalance the ability too much. If you disagree, let me know, and I’ll consider changing it.
Absorb Spell uses a Spellcraft check vs. CL. For a player with a maxed out skill, that would probably be easy, but rogues don’t exactly have incentive to max Spellcraft otherwise, so they probably wouldn’t bother maxing ranks. Maybe, I dunno.
By RAW Sudden Strike counts as Sneak Attack for this purpose, so ninjas and so forth can qualify too.