Yitzi
2011-09-13, 10:49 AM
In comparisons between sorcerers and wizards, sorcerers usually come off second-best. They might get better short-term versatility and spells/day, but have far less long-term versatility, and are an overall less interesting class due to the lack of class features. While my wizard fix (linked in my sig) does hit wizards harder than sorcerers and narrows the gap, the sorcerer can still use a little something extra. Therefore, I propose giving it the following class features:
-A sorcerer may choose to learn one of his spells known with one or more metamagic effects (including Quicken Spell if he so desires). If he does so, it takes a Spells Known slot as its level including the metamagic cost, and he may not cast the spell without the metamagic effect (unless he learns it in that form as a seperate spell known, but he may (and must) apply the effect to that spell without spending the extra time for casting the spell spontaneously He does not need the relevant metamagic feat in order to learn and cast a spell affected in this manner.
Child of Magic (level 1, Su)
A sorcerer is naturally magical in a way that few other beings are. He gains spell resistance equal to 5+class level. This spell resistance can be lowered or raised as a free action, even when it is not his turn. Furthermore, Spell Penetration gives no bonus on checks to penetrate this spell resistance.
In addition, if any spell or spell-like ability is resisted by this ability and the sorcerer was the spell's only target, the sorcerer absorbs the magic inherent in the resisted spell. He gains one additional spell slot of one spell level lower than the negated spell or spell-like ability, or of a lower level if he so desires. In addition, if the negated spell (or the spell imitated by the spell-like ability) was a sorcerer/wizard spell of a level he is able to cast, he may add it to his spells known. A sorcerer may only have up to one "bonus" spell known of this sort at any given level; if he gains another he must give up one spell known of that level.
If the spell was affected by metamagic, the metamagic cost is included in the spell level, and if he gains the spell he gains it in its metamagicked form.
If a sorcerer has more spell slots of a particular level than his normal maximum, he must make a Charisma check each hour (DC=10+spell level+number of extra spell slots+number of continuous hours he has been over the maximum) or lose a spell slot of that level. If he has extra spell slots of multiple levels, he must make a separate check for each level.
Likewise, if a sorcerer has more spells known of a particular level than his normal maximum, he must make a Charisma check each hour (DC=11+spell level+number of continuous hours he has been over the maximum) or lose a spell known (his choice) of that level. If he has extra spell slots of multiple levels, he must make a separate check for each level.
Draw Magic (level 5, Su)
A sorcerer's affinity for magic allows him to draw off the power of spells. As an at-will standard action, the sorcerer may attempt to draw off the power of a spell, ending it as though it had been dispelled. Draw Magic can affect any spell subject to Greater Dispel Magic.
The sorcerer may choose to use Draw Magic in one of two ways:
Targeted Draw Magic
One object, creature, or spell is the target of the draw magic effect. The sorcerer must make a dispel check (1d20+class level, uncapped) against the spell with the highest caster level. If that check fails, he makes dispel checks against progressively weaker spells until he draws off the energy of one spell or until he fails all his checks. The DC for any dispel check using Draw Magic is 16+the spell's caster level.
If the sorcerer successfully draws off a spell from the spell's only target, he may gain a spell level and possibly a spell known as though he had resisted the drawn spell with his Child of Magic ability.
If the sorcerer targets an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell (such as a monster summoned by monster summoning), he may make a dispel check to end the spell that conjured the object or creature. If he fails, he then makes dispel checks against spells affecting the creature, in order of strength.
If the object that the sorcerer targets is a magic item, he makes a dispel check against the item’s caster level. If he succeeds, all the item’s magical properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, just as if it had been successfully dispelled.
A sorcerer automatically succeeds on any draw magic check against any spell that he cast himself.
Counterspell
When draw magic is used in this way (which requires a readied action like any counterspell), the spell targets a spell being cast and is cast as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, draw magic may not work; the sorcerer must make a dispel check to counter the other spellcaster’s spell. If he does successfully counter the spell, he gains a spell level, and possibly spell slot, as though the countered spell had been negated by his Child of Magic ability. (The spell's subjectivity to spell resistance and targeting are irrelevant, even if they mean that it could never actually be resisted in a manner that grants a bonus spell level.)
After using Draw Magic, a sorcerer cannot use it again until 1d4 rounds later.
Mass Draw Magic (level 10, Su):
As a sorcerer grows in power, he gains the ability to draw off the power of multiple spells at once. When using the Draw Magic ability, he may choose to make a dispel check against each spell on his target (as with a targeted Dispel Magic, although the DC remains 16+the spell's caster level), or to affect all targets within a 20' radius (as with an area Dispel Magic, although the DC is the same as for Draw Magic). If he chooses either of these options, he cannot gain extra spell slots or spells known from that use of Draw Magic.
Transfer Spell (level 15, Su):
The sorcerer gains the ability to draw off entire spells without damaging them and reuse them. Whenever he suceeds with the use of Draw Magic and would gain a spell slot and spell known, he may instead give up spell slot to cast, as a free action and without using a spell slot, the drawn spell. All decisions except targeting and all features (e.g. caster level) are as the original spell, and if the spell has a non-instantaneous duration the duration of the new spell is reduced by the expired duration of the original spell.
Quickened Draw Magic (level 20, Ex):
When a sorcerer reaches level 20, he gains the ability to use Draw Magic (and Mass Draw Magic) at will.
Thoughts?
-A sorcerer may choose to learn one of his spells known with one or more metamagic effects (including Quicken Spell if he so desires). If he does so, it takes a Spells Known slot as its level including the metamagic cost, and he may not cast the spell without the metamagic effect (unless he learns it in that form as a seperate spell known, but he may (and must) apply the effect to that spell without spending the extra time for casting the spell spontaneously He does not need the relevant metamagic feat in order to learn and cast a spell affected in this manner.
Child of Magic (level 1, Su)
A sorcerer is naturally magical in a way that few other beings are. He gains spell resistance equal to 5+class level. This spell resistance can be lowered or raised as a free action, even when it is not his turn. Furthermore, Spell Penetration gives no bonus on checks to penetrate this spell resistance.
In addition, if any spell or spell-like ability is resisted by this ability and the sorcerer was the spell's only target, the sorcerer absorbs the magic inherent in the resisted spell. He gains one additional spell slot of one spell level lower than the negated spell or spell-like ability, or of a lower level if he so desires. In addition, if the negated spell (or the spell imitated by the spell-like ability) was a sorcerer/wizard spell of a level he is able to cast, he may add it to his spells known. A sorcerer may only have up to one "bonus" spell known of this sort at any given level; if he gains another he must give up one spell known of that level.
If the spell was affected by metamagic, the metamagic cost is included in the spell level, and if he gains the spell he gains it in its metamagicked form.
If a sorcerer has more spell slots of a particular level than his normal maximum, he must make a Charisma check each hour (DC=10+spell level+number of extra spell slots+number of continuous hours he has been over the maximum) or lose a spell slot of that level. If he has extra spell slots of multiple levels, he must make a separate check for each level.
Likewise, if a sorcerer has more spells known of a particular level than his normal maximum, he must make a Charisma check each hour (DC=11+spell level+number of continuous hours he has been over the maximum) or lose a spell known (his choice) of that level. If he has extra spell slots of multiple levels, he must make a separate check for each level.
Draw Magic (level 5, Su)
A sorcerer's affinity for magic allows him to draw off the power of spells. As an at-will standard action, the sorcerer may attempt to draw off the power of a spell, ending it as though it had been dispelled. Draw Magic can affect any spell subject to Greater Dispel Magic.
The sorcerer may choose to use Draw Magic in one of two ways:
Targeted Draw Magic
One object, creature, or spell is the target of the draw magic effect. The sorcerer must make a dispel check (1d20+class level, uncapped) against the spell with the highest caster level. If that check fails, he makes dispel checks against progressively weaker spells until he draws off the energy of one spell or until he fails all his checks. The DC for any dispel check using Draw Magic is 16+the spell's caster level.
If the sorcerer successfully draws off a spell from the spell's only target, he may gain a spell level and possibly a spell known as though he had resisted the drawn spell with his Child of Magic ability.
If the sorcerer targets an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell (such as a monster summoned by monster summoning), he may make a dispel check to end the spell that conjured the object or creature. If he fails, he then makes dispel checks against spells affecting the creature, in order of strength.
If the object that the sorcerer targets is a magic item, he makes a dispel check against the item’s caster level. If he succeeds, all the item’s magical properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, just as if it had been successfully dispelled.
A sorcerer automatically succeeds on any draw magic check against any spell that he cast himself.
Counterspell
When draw magic is used in this way (which requires a readied action like any counterspell), the spell targets a spell being cast and is cast as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, draw magic may not work; the sorcerer must make a dispel check to counter the other spellcaster’s spell. If he does successfully counter the spell, he gains a spell level, and possibly spell slot, as though the countered spell had been negated by his Child of Magic ability. (The spell's subjectivity to spell resistance and targeting are irrelevant, even if they mean that it could never actually be resisted in a manner that grants a bonus spell level.)
After using Draw Magic, a sorcerer cannot use it again until 1d4 rounds later.
Mass Draw Magic (level 10, Su):
As a sorcerer grows in power, he gains the ability to draw off the power of multiple spells at once. When using the Draw Magic ability, he may choose to make a dispel check against each spell on his target (as with a targeted Dispel Magic, although the DC remains 16+the spell's caster level), or to affect all targets within a 20' radius (as with an area Dispel Magic, although the DC is the same as for Draw Magic). If he chooses either of these options, he cannot gain extra spell slots or spells known from that use of Draw Magic.
Transfer Spell (level 15, Su):
The sorcerer gains the ability to draw off entire spells without damaging them and reuse them. Whenever he suceeds with the use of Draw Magic and would gain a spell slot and spell known, he may instead give up spell slot to cast, as a free action and without using a spell slot, the drawn spell. All decisions except targeting and all features (e.g. caster level) are as the original spell, and if the spell has a non-instantaneous duration the duration of the new spell is reduced by the expired duration of the original spell.
Quickened Draw Magic (level 20, Ex):
When a sorcerer reaches level 20, he gains the ability to use Draw Magic (and Mass Draw Magic) at will.
Thoughts?