DonDuckie
2012-01-14, 04:06 PM
I wan't to introduce dark magic to classic vancian(I think that's the word) casting. I want to create a risk when using granted magic, ie. not items or spell-like abilities.
I first conjured up the idea when I was trying to make my own RPG system. But now I'm making on a setting for Pathfinder, and I want to incorporate it in that. It is inspired by what I thought was wrong with D20 Starwars, when I compared Jedi and Sith classes: levels 1-4 Sith is stronger* and levels 5+ Jedi is stronger*.
*Debatable, but let's not.
To the point - sort of. I want your thoughts and input on the idea and its implementaion. So I will split it up in hopes of good specific feedback, positive and negative.
Please note: this is not solely to nerf casters, even though it obviously does, at least until mid levels. It is meant to give flavor and create a sense of panic when stressed during combat.
1) Aura: I introduce a numerical atribute called "Aura" - this is a positive number. Starting Aura is at least 1, but I'll allow slightly higher starting points, high Aura is a disadvantage.
2) Dark Casting Chance: When you cast a spell, there is a chance it resolves as Dark Magic. This chance is at this point equal to "(your Aura + 2x Spell Level) %". So you roll a d%, if it's smaller than or equal to mentioned chance, the spell is cast as Dark Magic, sort of "uncontrolled"(a roll of 1 is always uncontrolled), but has its normal effect. This means it increases your Aura by an amount equal to the level of the spell(including additional levels from application of metamagic feats). Cantrips and Orisons are safe. By spending a full round action immediately before casting the spell, you can avoid rolling for Dark Casting Chance(this action provokes attack of opportunity, seperate from that of casting the spell).
3) Alternate ways of gaining Aura
When one sentient creature is killed by another, all sentient creaures in a 100 ft radius must make a Will save(DC 10 + HD of the creature), or increase their Aura by 1 point.
Murdering** a sentient creature increases your Aura by 2 points.
**Murder includes killed in combat or self-defense. When you hurt(GM discression) a sentient creature, a bond is created which lasts for one minute per HD of the hurt creature, if the creature dies while this bond exists, you murdered it!(True Seeing reveals these bonds as black lines fixed at the point where the target was hurt, and the current locations of each of the hurt and the hurter.)
4) Effects of having a high Aura. These are cumulative:
1-5: No penalty
6+: Minor cosmetic changes(yellowing eyes, hoarse voice): -1 on Diplomacy, +1 on Intimidate.
11+: Physical weakness: -2 penalty to Strength
21+: Moderate cosmetic changes(graying skin, whitening hair): -2 on Diplomacy, +2 on Intimidate. (-/+ 3 total)
26+: Disorientation: -2 penalty to Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma
31+: Deteriorating health: -2 penalty to Constitution, Dexterity and Strength
36+: Detecting as evil. (It is known in this world, that negative energy registers as evil without being inherently evil, and that Evil beings can be good.)
41+: Something, something, something, dark side! - I don't have a complete list, but more penalties. Suggestions are welcomed.
81+: You are considered as an undead creature when determining the effect of cure and infinct spells and positive and negative energy channeling.
101+: DEAD!
Note: cosmetic changes can be covered with illusions, but not polymorph effects. Also - immunity to ability drain makes you immune to the ability penalties.
5) Reducing your Aura
you lose a point of Aura by going for one week without casting spells or using spell-like abilities or using magic items.
Limited wish, miracle, and wish, can reduce a target's Aura by 3d6 points(Will half).
Wish can increase a target's Aura by 1d4/level(max. 40d4, Will half).
Deities can reduce or increase your Aura as they see fit(but they usually don't care about you).
This constitutes the base idea and implementation.
6) Using your high Aura.
Feats: (ad hoc)
Controlled Caster
Benefit: by increasing your Aura by 1 point when casting a spell, you don't have to roll for Dark Casting Chance. In addition you can choose to cast any spell as a dark spell.
Dark Disciple
Benefit: Choose an ability score - when achieving high Aura, this ability score is exempt from all penalties due to Aura. This can be taking multiple times, choose different ability score.
Dark Master (draft)
prerequisites: Controlled Caster, Dark Disciple, Aura score 50+, character level 11th.
Benefit: You don't die from having an Aura score above 100. In addition to the penalties, you gain the following abilities. Activating one of these is a free action that doesn't provoke attack of oppotunity. These abilities last for one minute and do not stack with themselves unless else is mentioned. Whenever you reduce your Aura you lose one hitpoint. This loss can not be prevented.
51+: reduce your aura by 1 point to gain 10 temporary HP.
61+: reduce your aura by 2 points to gain +2 profane bonus to AC.
71+: reduce your aura by 2 points to gain +2 profane bonus to saves.
81+: reduce your aura by 2 points to gain +5 profane bonus to skill checks.
91+: reduce your aura by 5 points to gain +1 bonus to caster level checks.(stacks)
101+: reduce your aura by 10 points to gain a +1 bonus to save DC to resist your next spell.(stacks)
125+: reduce your aura by 10 points to gain a +1 profane bonus to an ability score.(stacks, max. +5).
Example: With an Aura score of 117, a caster can get a +2 bonus to save DC for his next spell, he can't get a +3 bonus, because after using the ability twice his Aura score is below 101. He also loses 2 HP.
-------------EDIT---------------
Adding some new thoughts
The Dark Master feat seems way overpowered, I think it should be a feat tree instead, even though I hate those.
7) Spells
Detect Aura
Divination - cleric 1, sorc/wiz 1, witch 1, pal 1, antipal 1, druid 2, bard 1, inquisitor 0,
Works like detect magic but senses level of Auru
1-15: none
16-30: faint
31-50: moderate
51-100: strong
101+: overwhelming
See Murder Bond
Divination - inquisitor 1, cleric 3, witch 3, sorc/wiz 3, pal 2, antipal 2, bard 3,
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min./level (D)
This spell makes your eyes glow purple and allows you to see murder bonds within 120 feet of you. You see the origin(s) of the bond as an orb, and you know which 'string' is the victim and which is the attacker. If the victim is dead, the bonds linger for 1 hour/HD.
The murder bonds and these spells are good for murder mysteries, and large political assassination plots, when an intire line of assassins has been exposed of. Remember: every creature that hurt the victim just before it died, leaves a murder bond.
I first conjured up the idea when I was trying to make my own RPG system. But now I'm making on a setting for Pathfinder, and I want to incorporate it in that. It is inspired by what I thought was wrong with D20 Starwars, when I compared Jedi and Sith classes: levels 1-4 Sith is stronger* and levels 5+ Jedi is stronger*.
*Debatable, but let's not.
To the point - sort of. I want your thoughts and input on the idea and its implementaion. So I will split it up in hopes of good specific feedback, positive and negative.
Please note: this is not solely to nerf casters, even though it obviously does, at least until mid levels. It is meant to give flavor and create a sense of panic when stressed during combat.
1) Aura: I introduce a numerical atribute called "Aura" - this is a positive number. Starting Aura is at least 1, but I'll allow slightly higher starting points, high Aura is a disadvantage.
2) Dark Casting Chance: When you cast a spell, there is a chance it resolves as Dark Magic. This chance is at this point equal to "(your Aura + 2x Spell Level) %". So you roll a d%, if it's smaller than or equal to mentioned chance, the spell is cast as Dark Magic, sort of "uncontrolled"(a roll of 1 is always uncontrolled), but has its normal effect. This means it increases your Aura by an amount equal to the level of the spell(including additional levels from application of metamagic feats). Cantrips and Orisons are safe. By spending a full round action immediately before casting the spell, you can avoid rolling for Dark Casting Chance(this action provokes attack of opportunity, seperate from that of casting the spell).
3) Alternate ways of gaining Aura
When one sentient creature is killed by another, all sentient creaures in a 100 ft radius must make a Will save(DC 10 + HD of the creature), or increase their Aura by 1 point.
Murdering** a sentient creature increases your Aura by 2 points.
**Murder includes killed in combat or self-defense. When you hurt(GM discression) a sentient creature, a bond is created which lasts for one minute per HD of the hurt creature, if the creature dies while this bond exists, you murdered it!(True Seeing reveals these bonds as black lines fixed at the point where the target was hurt, and the current locations of each of the hurt and the hurter.)
4) Effects of having a high Aura. These are cumulative:
1-5: No penalty
6+: Minor cosmetic changes(yellowing eyes, hoarse voice): -1 on Diplomacy, +1 on Intimidate.
11+: Physical weakness: -2 penalty to Strength
21+: Moderate cosmetic changes(graying skin, whitening hair): -2 on Diplomacy, +2 on Intimidate. (-/+ 3 total)
26+: Disorientation: -2 penalty to Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma
31+: Deteriorating health: -2 penalty to Constitution, Dexterity and Strength
36+: Detecting as evil. (It is known in this world, that negative energy registers as evil without being inherently evil, and that Evil beings can be good.)
41+: Something, something, something, dark side! - I don't have a complete list, but more penalties. Suggestions are welcomed.
81+: You are considered as an undead creature when determining the effect of cure and infinct spells and positive and negative energy channeling.
101+: DEAD!
Note: cosmetic changes can be covered with illusions, but not polymorph effects. Also - immunity to ability drain makes you immune to the ability penalties.
5) Reducing your Aura
you lose a point of Aura by going for one week without casting spells or using spell-like abilities or using magic items.
Limited wish, miracle, and wish, can reduce a target's Aura by 3d6 points(Will half).
Wish can increase a target's Aura by 1d4/level(max. 40d4, Will half).
Deities can reduce or increase your Aura as they see fit(but they usually don't care about you).
This constitutes the base idea and implementation.
6) Using your high Aura.
Feats: (ad hoc)
Controlled Caster
Benefit: by increasing your Aura by 1 point when casting a spell, you don't have to roll for Dark Casting Chance. In addition you can choose to cast any spell as a dark spell.
Dark Disciple
Benefit: Choose an ability score - when achieving high Aura, this ability score is exempt from all penalties due to Aura. This can be taking multiple times, choose different ability score.
Dark Master (draft)
prerequisites: Controlled Caster, Dark Disciple, Aura score 50+, character level 11th.
Benefit: You don't die from having an Aura score above 100. In addition to the penalties, you gain the following abilities. Activating one of these is a free action that doesn't provoke attack of oppotunity. These abilities last for one minute and do not stack with themselves unless else is mentioned. Whenever you reduce your Aura you lose one hitpoint. This loss can not be prevented.
51+: reduce your aura by 1 point to gain 10 temporary HP.
61+: reduce your aura by 2 points to gain +2 profane bonus to AC.
71+: reduce your aura by 2 points to gain +2 profane bonus to saves.
81+: reduce your aura by 2 points to gain +5 profane bonus to skill checks.
91+: reduce your aura by 5 points to gain +1 bonus to caster level checks.(stacks)
101+: reduce your aura by 10 points to gain a +1 bonus to save DC to resist your next spell.(stacks)
125+: reduce your aura by 10 points to gain a +1 profane bonus to an ability score.(stacks, max. +5).
Example: With an Aura score of 117, a caster can get a +2 bonus to save DC for his next spell, he can't get a +3 bonus, because after using the ability twice his Aura score is below 101. He also loses 2 HP.
-------------EDIT---------------
Adding some new thoughts
The Dark Master feat seems way overpowered, I think it should be a feat tree instead, even though I hate those.
7) Spells
Detect Aura
Divination - cleric 1, sorc/wiz 1, witch 1, pal 1, antipal 1, druid 2, bard 1, inquisitor 0,
Works like detect magic but senses level of Auru
1-15: none
16-30: faint
31-50: moderate
51-100: strong
101+: overwhelming
See Murder Bond
Divination - inquisitor 1, cleric 3, witch 3, sorc/wiz 3, pal 2, antipal 2, bard 3,
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min./level (D)
This spell makes your eyes glow purple and allows you to see murder bonds within 120 feet of you. You see the origin(s) of the bond as an orb, and you know which 'string' is the victim and which is the attacker. If the victim is dead, the bonds linger for 1 hour/HD.
The murder bonds and these spells are good for murder mysteries, and large political assassination plots, when an intire line of assassins has been exposed of. Remember: every creature that hurt the victim just before it died, leaves a murder bond.