[Pathfinder: Sarûnia] Base Class: Fate Weaver

[Twin Dragons]

FATE WEAVER (http://www.pathfinderdb.com/campaign-worlds/sarunia/1222-fate-weaver)

Sarûnia is a world rife with magic; granted, arcane magic is more prevalent but that doesn't mean that divine magic isn't as important. Enter the Fate Weaver, a class capable of using divine magic in a unique way. Pursuing the path of the fate weaver is ideal for people who lack faith in a deity, but place belief in the power of chance and luck. They are capable of manipulating the ambient karma of the universe in favor of or against those that they meet in their travels. More than this though, they are able to harness and use magic through the unique method of tarot.

Beings with levels in the fate weaver class are the only ones truly capable of card magic. While arcane magic can manipulate cards and games of chance and common folk can learn to read and provide readings from a tarot deck, it is only fate weavers that use the inherent magic of tarot and can provide tarot readings that are uncannily accurate and precise. They are capable of manipulating chaos for the betterment of themselves and they fortunate few that they are friends with. As the fate weaver gains power they are better able to manipulate the chaos that permeates that universe and mold it into a force of law.

Role: On a basic level fate weavers are buffers and secondary capable divine casters. As they improve in ability they start to really come into their own as they become more capable of leveling the playing field, confounding foes, being able to resist the adverse effects of magic and eventually become better martial types.

Alignment: Any non-chaotic.
Hit Die: D6

CLASS SKILLS
The fate weaver's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana, Local, History & Nature) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 8 + Int modifier.

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Arcana Ability|Minor Arcana|Major Arcana
1|+0|+0|+0|+2|Cartomancy, Consult the Cards|1st, 2nd|3|2
2|+1|+0|+0|+3|Reweave Fate, Tarot Expertise||4|3
3|+1|+1|+1|+3|Grand Destiny, Tarot Bond||6|4
4|+2|+1|+1|+4|Arcana Amulet +2||8|5
5|+2|+1|+1|+4|Fate's Wide Wheel|3rd|10|6
6|+3|+2|+2|+5|Reweave Fate||12|7
7|+3|+2|+2|+5|Knave's Luck||14|8
8|+4|+2|+2|+6|Arcana Amulet +4||16|9
9|+4|+3|+3|+6|||18|10
10|+5|+3|+3|+7|Reweave Fate|4th|20|11
11|+5|+3|+3|+7|Judicious Defense||22|12
12|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8|Arcana Amulet +6||24|13
13|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8|Knight's Luck||26|14
14|+7/+2|+4|+4|+9|Reweave Fate||28|15
15|+7/+2|+5|+5|+9|Wisdom of the Ages|5th|30|16
16|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10|Arcana Amulet +8||32|17
17|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10|||34|18
18|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11|Reweave Fate||36|19
19|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11|Majestic Ascendancy||38|20
20|+10/+5|+6|+6|+12|My Destiny Is In My Own Hands|6th|40|21[/table]

CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the fate weaver.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Fate weavers are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, longbow, longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Fate Weavers are also proficient with light armor, medium armor and shields (except tower shields).

Arcana Ability: At 1st level the fate weaver selects two abilities (ability scores). At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter the fate weaver selects one more ability.

Cartomancy (Su): At 1st level the fate weaver is able to touch any deck of cards and mentally speak the name of the card that she desires. The order of the deck is reorganized and the desired card is put at the top of it, face down.

Alternately the fate weaver can touch one card and gain a mental image of the card in her mind. Regardless of either function of this ability used, the fate weaver is limited by having an amount of uses of this feature per day equal to her class level plus her Wisdom modifier.

Consult the Cards (Ex): At 1st level the fate weaver gains Perform A Reading as a bonus feat.

Minor Arcana (Su): Select one ability you have chosen from your arcana ability feature and touch one creature to be the target of this effect (if the fate weaver wishes to be the target of her own minor arcana, she needs not make physical contact with herself). The target creature gains an untyped bonus to the their ability score equal to 1D4. At 6th level the bonus applied to the ability increases to 1d4+2. At 11th level the bonus applied to the ability increases to 1d4+4. At 16th level the bonus applied to the ability increases to 1d4+6. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the fate weaver's class level plus her Wisdom modifier.

Although the Fate weaver has a great many uses of her minor arcana, only one creature can be affected a number of times per day by this ability equal to one-quarter the fate weavers class level +3 and the creature can only have one minor arcana bonus in effect at any given time.

Major Arcana: At 1st level the fate weaver gains access to major arcana. The fate weaver may select any two spells from any class spell list and these spells cannot be any higher than first level. At 2nd level and every level thereafter the fate weaver may select one additional spell to add to her repertoire of major arcana. The spell may be chosen from any class spell list and its spell level cannot be any higher than indicated on the chart below. In addition to be able to use the spell as major arcana, the fate weaver must have a Wisdom score equal to the level of the spell. The fate weaver has a caster level equal to her class level. Spells used as major arcana can benefit from metamagic feats like any spell normally can be. Spells utilized as major arcana are classified as divine spells.

Whenever the fate weaver wishes to cast a spell, she must have her tarot deck on hand and expend one daily use from her major arcana. All spells the fate weaver casts utilize her tarot deck in some way and those that have visual components manifest from one card in the deck. Each spell chosen must be assigned to a major arcana card in the fate weavers tarot deck and the spell effect should match up with the card chosen. The List of cards are as follows; the magician, the high priestess, the empress, the emperor, the hierophant, the lovers, the chariot, justice, the hermit, wheel of fortune, strength/fortitude, the hanged man, death, temperance, the devil, the tower, the star, the moon, the sun, judgment, the world.

As an example of marrying up a spell effect with a major arcana card, a spell with a death effect would be appropriate for the hanged man or the death card; a spell that can bring the dead back to life (whether temporary or permanent) would be appropriate for the death card; the shield spell or spells with a similar affect would be appropriate for the tower card.

Spells stored for use as major arcana in the fate weavers deck of tarot cards can be used only by fate weavers.

MAJOR ARCANA MAXIMUM SPELL LEVEL
{table=head]Class Level|Spell Level
1-5|1st
6-8|2nd
9-11|3rd
12-14|4th
15-17|5th
18-20|6th[/table]

Reweave Fate: At 5th level the fate weaver taps into the power of chance and is able to increase the odds of chance to her own favor. Each time the fate weaver gains this class ability, she may select from any one of the abilities listed below and may select the same ability more than once.

- Inspired Arcana: The fate weaver gains a +1 bonus to her caster level when resolving the spell effects of her arcana.
- Inspired Awareness: The fate weaver gains a +4 luck bonus to her initiative.
- Inspired Defense: The fate weaver gains a +1 luck bonus to her AC.
- Inspired Grace: The fate weaver gains a +1 luck bonus to her Fort, Ref & Will saves.
- Inspired Health: The fate weaver gains +1 hit point per fate weaver class level.
- Inspired Insight: The fate weaver gains a +3 bonus on her Consult the Cards check.
- Inspired Skill: The fate weaver chooses one skill and gains a +3 luck bonus to all checks made with it.
- Inspired Strike: The fate weaver gains a +1 luck bonus on all attack and damage rolls.
- Muse: The fate weaver chooses any one of the above inspired abilities (which grants a luck bonus) and can grant it to a number of characters equal to her Wisdom modifier for the day so long as she remains within eyesight of the target(s) for the rest of the day. The fate weaver does not gain the benefits of and can never be the recipient of the chosen inspired ability she chooses to be a muse of.

If the fate weaver chooses Inspired Skill for her muse ability, she must choose one specific skill that she grants the luck bonus on.

Tarot Expertise (Ex): The fate weaver gain a bonus to her roll when using her Consult the Cards class feature equal to half her class level.

Grand Destiny: At 3rd level the fate weaver gain Destiny's Child as a bonus feat, however the bonus gained to the check is dependent on her class level as described in the minor arcana class feature.

Tarot Bond (Su): A 3rd level the fate weaver forms a spiritual bond with her tarot deck. This bond allows the fate weaver to summon her tarot deck to her hands. In order for this ability to work, the tarot deck must be on the same plane as the fate weaver and must be unattended. If the tarot deck is attended (in use or being held by another creature), the creature attending it may make a Will save (DC 15 + the fighters level) in order to keep it in their possession.

Arcana Amulet (Su): At 4th level the fate weaver is able to imbue a small item of personal significance (most often an amulet or a ring) with a portion of her own divine willpower. It takes one full day to attune the item as well as the expenditure of two points of Wisdom (which is regained later as normal). Once the bond between the item and the fate weaver is established, the item provides the fate weaver a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws made to defend against spells and spell-like abilities. At 8th, 12th and 16th level, after spending a day to attune to her amulet, her resistance bonus against spells and spell-like effects by an additional +2 to a maximum of +8.

If for some reason the fate weaver is separated from her arcana amulet, the fate weaver can recall her amulet the same way that she can summon her tarot deck to her hands (see the tarot bond class feature).

Fate's Wide Wheel (Su): The fate weaver select one ability she chose from her arcana ability feature and designates one enemy target that is within a range equal to her base land speed and makes a ranged touch attack against them. If the attack is successful the target loses the appropriate amount of points from the selected ability. The fate weaver can then confer the amount of points lost on herself or one ally (whom she must make physical contact with). Use of this ability counts against her daily uses of minor arcana and the duration of which is the same. When the duration of this effect expires, the fate weavers ally and the designated enemy have their ability scores revert to normal.

Knave's Luck: At 7th level the Fate Weaver chooses one class feature that the rogue gains between 1st and 6th level. The Fate Weaver can benefit from the chosen ability a total of 4 times per day.

Judicious Defense (Ex): At 11th level the fate weaver applies her Wisdom modifier to her AC, Fortitude saving throws and Reflex saving throws. This bonus applies even if the fate weaver is flat-footed, stunned or otherwise incapacitated.

Knight's Luck: At 13th level the Fate Weaver chooses one class feature that the fighter gains between 1st and 6th level. The Fate Weaver can benefit from the chosen ability up to 4 times per day.

Wisdom of the Ages (Ex): At 15th level the fate weaver can make untrained knowledge skill checks. In addition the fate weaver adds their Wisdom modifier in addition to their Intelligence modifier on all Knowledge skill checks.

Majestic Ascendancy (Ex): At 19th level the fate weaver becomes a recognized authority figure in social circles where they hold temporal power. She adds her Wisdom modifier in addition to any other ability modifier when resolving any task resolution check made to influence others.

The fate weaver gains the leadership feat and all those that flock to her are treated as part of her clan; all followers with more than six class levels have complete progression in the fate weaver class equal to their maximum number of class levels. The fate weavers cohort is treated as the leader de facto when she cannot be physically present to resolve matters.

In addition the fate weaver can use her knave's luck and knight's luck features without limit.

My Destiny is in My Own Hands: At 20th level the fate weaver is able to live for a number of years equal to venerable age + the maximum result of her maximum age roll + her fate weaver class level. In addition, once per day the fate weaver is able to treat any effect that would outright kill her as if it didn't happen.

In addition, should the fate weaver be without her deck of tarot cards or her arcana amulet she can spend a full round action to concentrate on either item to remove all magic from them. Arcana amulets can then be made anew, spending the appropriate amount of time to confer the proper bonus on it and the fate weaver can attune herself to a new deck of tarot cards and can imbue the major arcana cards with all the same spells that were associated with each major arcana card from her previous deck.

[Twin Dragons]

Feats

Blind Seer [General]
You have honed your mind to overcome your handicap of blindness and have a deeper insight into future events.
Prerequisite: Perform A Reading (or Consult the Cards class feature), must have been born blind and never had the condition removed through any means.
Benefit: Though you are blind, you are able to mentally see everything that lies before you. In addition you are able to perform a reading with or without a deck of tarot cards; if you have a deck you gain a bonus on the reading equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Special: Abilities that require visual components to be effective do not affect characters with this feat.

Cheiromancy [General]
You are able to divine future events simply by making phyical contact with somebody.
Prerequisite: Perform A Reading
Benefit: You are able to Perform A Reading without needing a deck of tarot cards, instead you must make phyical contact with the creature you are performing a reading for.

Destiny's Child
The winds of change seem to be in your favor.
Benefit: Once per day you can apply a luck bonus equal to any one task resolution roll (ability check, attack roll, saving throw and skill checks) equal to one-fifth your character level +4.

Perform A Reading [General]
You are able to use a deck of tarot cards to perform a reading.
Benefit: You are able to perform a reading for yourself or anyone else by consulting with a deck of tarot cards. You can use this ability at will with no limitations on how many times per day it can be done.

Consulting the cards doesn't predict future events so much as look into the fate of single a individual to tell them whether they are on a path toward prosperity or doom. They can answer specific questions only up to a point - details are never available. "Am I on the path to reuniting with my sister?" will get an answer "Where are the kidnappers holding my sister?" will not.

The difficulty class for Perform A Reading checks is normally 15; modifiers increase the DC based on how far into the future the cards are to look and how specific the topic is, "Will I be successful in life?" has no modifier while "Will I be successful in my new career as a seamstress?" might increase the DC by +1 and "Will my voyage to the island succeed?" garners a +5 modifier.

As a general rule, consulting the cards helps one determine whether one is on the right path, not identify a secret doors location or tell what lies in the next room in the dungeon.

Second Sight [General]
You are particularly skilled at providing readings.
Prerequisite: Perform A Reading
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus on your Perform A Reading task resolution check.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times and its effect stacks.

[Twin Dragons]

Class Specific Feats

Arcana Orison [Arcana]
You are able to fuel orisons by expending a daily use of your minor arcana.
Prerequisite: Minor Arcana class feature
Benefit: Choose a number of Orisons equal to your Wisdom modifier +3. Whenever you expend one use of your minor arcana you can choose to cast any one of these orisons.
Special: Fate Weavers that expend their minor arcana to cast an orison do not have it count against their daily limit of uses that they can benefit from minor arcana.

Arcana Sinkhole [Arcana]
Spellcasters within the range of the effect that this feat provides are greater mentally tasked to be able to cast their spells.
Prerequisite: Minor arcana class feature
Benefit: By expending one use of your minor arcana you can create a sinkhole where magic is impeded. Spellcasters within a 30 foot radius of you must make a concentration check (DC 20+ the spells level) to be able to successfully cast any spells for the duration that this effect is active (which is the standard duration for a fate weavers minor arcana).
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you select this feet the range in which spellcasters are affected by it increases by +30 feet.

Distant Arcana [Arcana]
You can target creatures for ability drain that are exceed the normal range.
Prerequisite: Fate's Wide Wheel class feature
Benefit: The range in which you are allowed to target creatures for ability drain with your Fate's Wide Wheel class feature is improved by a factor of x2.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. Each time you take this feat the range factor is increased by + x1 (x3 for the 2nd application of this feat, x4 for the 3rd, x5 for the 4th, etc.).

Extra Minor Arcana [Arcana]
Creatures targeted by your minor arcana can benefit from it more often.
Prerequisite: Minor Arcana class feature
Benefit: The number of times per day any one creature can be the target of your minor arcana increases by +3.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times and its effect stacks.

Fascinating Arcana [Arcana]
Creatures that suffer ability drain from you are also fascinated.
Prerequisite: Fate's Wide Wheel class feature.
Benefit: Creatures that suffer ability drain from your Fate's Wide Wheel class feature must make a Will save (DC 15 + your Fate Weaver class level); if they fail this save they become fascinated for the entire duration of the ability drain.

Frightening Arcana [Arcana]
You are able to use your minor arcana to instill fear.
Prerequisite: Minor Arcana class feature
Benefit: You can expend one daily use of minor arcana to create a 30' cone shaped burst effect in which all creatures in it must make a Will save (DC 15 + your Fate Weaver class level); those that fail this save become frightened, success indicates the creature becomes shaken. These conditions persist as follows; frightened creatures remain so for a number of rounds equal to the fate weaver's class level, shaken creatures remain so for a number of rounds equal to one-quarter the fate weaver's class level (minimum 1).
Special: Fate Weavers that expend their minor arcana to frighten foes do not count against their daily limit of uses that they can benefit from minor arcana.

Greater Hex Arcana [Arcana]
You can sacrifice the casting of one spell from your major arcana to gain the benefit of one greater hex that you know.
Prerequisite: Hex Arcana, 10th level Fate Weaver
Benefit: Choose one of the following Major Hexes (which can be found as part of the Witch class features in the Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide); Agony, Major Healing, Nightmares, Retribution, Weather Control. The chosen hex is one that you add to your repertoire of major hexes known and by expending one use of your major arcana you can gain the benefit of the hex.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you take this feat you gain one additional major hex known. The save to resist a hex is equal to 15 + the fate weavers class level.

Hex Arcana [Arcana]
You can sacrifice the casting of one spell from your major arcana to gain the benefit of one hex that you know.
Prerequisite: Major Arcana class feature
Special: Choose one of the following Hexes (which can be found as part of the Witch class features in the Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide); Blight, Charm (lasts for a number of minutes equal to the Fate Weaver's Charisma modifier), Disguise, Evil eye, Flight, Healing, Misfortune, Slumber, Tongues or Ward. The chosen hex is one that you add to your repertoire of hexes known and by expending one use of your major arcana you can gain the benefit ofthe hex.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you take this feat you gain one additional hex known. The save to resist a hex is equal to 15 + the fate weavers class level.

Lasting Arcana [Arcana]
Your minor arcana lasts longer than normal.
Prerequisite: Minor Arcana class feature
Benefit: The duration of your minor arcana increases by +5 rounds.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times and its effect stacks.

Shared Destiny [General]
You can expend a daily use of your minor arcana to grant a bonus to one of your allies next task resolution rolls.
Prerequisite: Grand Destiny class feature
Benefit: By expending one daily use of your minor arcana ability you can grant one creature a bonus to their next task resolution roll; this bonus is based on the characters fate weaver class level as described under the minor arcana class feature.
Special: As described under the minor arcana class feature of the fate weaver, a creature can only benefit from it so many times per day, and use of this feat in conjunction with the expenditure of the fate weavers' minor arcana counts against this limit.

[Twin Dragons]

Any questions or comments?

[Twin Dragons]

I'd really like some input on this.

[Hanuman]

I think the buffing ability is fine, but the untyped may be a bit abusive is the long run in terms of stacking with other buffs of the same type. Not sure.

As for spells, I assume the caster essentially has an Anyspell spell as a class feature, and uses just that, with Wisdom as all the modifiers-- which is fine, but if you find some spells that shouldn't be used it's good to make exceptions. I've found some really nasty spells in Dragon that cause ability damage to you but are ruthlessly overpowered. I do happen to like the ability to cast anything though, which is kind of what the Bard is lacking in the first place-- jack of all trades... except casting any spells other classes enjoy ;P
Also, does this ability allow you to qualify for the huge amount of things that need "able to cast X"?

For reweave fate, the name immediately makes me think that the weaver is going to be more like a safety buffer, allowing allies to re-roll and have a luck pool, but surprisingly it's more like an assortment of feats, one of which grants you a marshal aura. In terms of balancing this, I would def. look at marshal aura-- I'm not sure if the +4 is balanced when you can cast nerveskitter, but it's something to look into (nerveskitter goes by a few names I think). I'm not a master of dipping, but this seems like a really good frontloaded dip for a cohort as you can buff the team with a huge amount of initiative.

Why have Knaves Luck up to 6th level? Did you mean that if you take sneak attack it's as if you were a 6th level rogue, ect?

Frankly I just don't understand Knight's Luck at all, it seems more like it was supposed to be part of an ACF and got mixed in somehow.

After Level 10-11 this class really peters off, and really it doesn't look like it's supposed to be played that high, which kind of sinks the class as (this appears to be a new system? Not super familiar with PF)-- and doesn't inspire me to multiclass it with anything in particular, TBH Bard is #1 on that list for flavor alone, perhaps warlock or marshal.

In summery, I think the keystone here is the anyspell ability in addition to the buffs--- but what I think REALLY shines flavorwise is that this is startlingly close to a caster version of the marshal, which seems to be a REALLY good fix for a bard. If this could fit that place I'd def. like it, but as it stands it's really all over the place mechanically and flavorfully which tells me this class isn't complete, a complete class has a pretty solid "I can imagine an archetype" feel where as frankly I cannot.

Let me know what you think!