Looking for Casters with a Risk for Power Mechanic

[Roguenewb]

So, I really like classes (particularly casters) that have the ability to risk different resources for power. In 3.5, I know of the Tainted Scholar and the Wilder (with Taint and Wild Surge), and in pathfinder, I know of bloatmage, but I'm sure there must be a ton more.

What other ones do people know of?

[Psyren]

Subverted Psion (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20051125a) is a psionic take on the Tainted Scholar. Ardent works well with it, giving you potentially high taint thresholds.

Wild Mage (CArc) lets you risk your powers being lower or higher than normal (though there is cheese to make it all upside) as well as convert your unused/unwanted spells into Rod of Wonder effects.

Magus (PF) is a gish that lets you trade attack bonus (or defenses with the right archetype) to get a bonus on your concentration check to cast defensively, using its Spell Combat ability. As concentration checks are much more difficult in Pathfinder and the class is designed to cast in melee, this creates an interesting tradeoff between landing your physical attacks and getting your spells off.

[Slipperychicken]

The Wizard (PHB1) has the ability to risk hundreds of gold pieces and several days of his time to learn new spells beyond his normal allotment (it all hinges on a Spellcraft skill check. If that fails, the money and time are both wasted). If he doesn't take a certain ACF, he also is forced to carry around an extremely vulnerable book full of all his spells, which if sundered, renders him all but powerless next time he tries to prepare spells. :smalltongue:

[Tokiko Mima]

Not really a true caster, but Hellfire Warlocks (if they aren't exploiting the Naberius/Strongheart loophole) sacrifice Constitution to do more damage with Hellfire. They can heal their injuries, but a long and intense battle can push their HP pools down to almost nothing, and make Fort saves and concentration checks almost impossible.

[Roguenewb]

Subverted Psion and Wild Mage don't really manage anything, no effect of Subpsion increases taint, and wild mage just takes one hit and goes with it.

Good catch on Hellfire Warlock, I totally forgot about that.

Good, good, anything else? Settings are okay

[HunterOfJello]

The Anarchaic Initiate has a pseudo-risk mechanic in their manifesting. However, 75% of the time they end up doing the same or better than normal manifesting. This generally makes their level 1 class feature considered bad in most people's eyes.

There was an interesting gunslinger or chaos mage type character on the homebrew boards a while back that got new spells they were able to cast based on a randomness mechanic. I forget what it was though.

[Tokiko Mima]

No prob. :smallsmile:

There's also DFA, whose best Breath Effect (Fivefold Breath of Tiamat) does a fairly substantial amount of damage if you aren't evilly aligned. And of course the corresponding good-aligned Bahamut one as well.. but no one takes that Effect.

Technically anyone with Sudden metamagic is trading Feat resources for a brief burst of extra power.

[Endarire]

Why the great interest in "Risk for Power?"

[Wonton]

This is probably the right place to ask - is there any caster class that can sacrifice hit points to boost their spells? I totally want to play the guy that kills himself in a final attempt to destroy his enemies. Kinda like Death Throes but 20,000 gp cheaper.

[Tytalus]

The Reserves of Strength feat [Dragonlance Campaign Setting] is excellent for that kind of concept. It's also a mechanically solid choice.

Then there's the Escalation Mage [Faiths of Eberron]. You get improved casting abilities with a chance to damage yourself.

[The Boz]

I shall self-advertize shamelessly. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251922)

[eggs]

This is probably the right place to ask - is there any caster class that can sacrifice hit points to boost their spells? I totally want to play the guy that kills himself in a final attempt to destroy his enemies. Kinda like Death Throes but 20,000 gp cheaper.
There's Arcane Consumption for +4 DC for a -4 Con penalty (essentially 2*level damage) and fatigue.

The penalty aspect makes it a bit weird for what it's supposed to model (once a Warforged/Fatigue-immune caster uses Arcane Consumption once, it might as well spam the ability all day), but it might work for what you want.

[Slipperychicken]

Why the great interest in "Risk for Power?"

Some people feel like 3.5 magic-users would be balanced by sacking 5hp or having a 1 in 20 chance of exploding every time they cast a spell. They're completely wrong, of course, but there you have it. People have really dumb, vindictive ideas of balance.

[AntiTrust]

In terms of high risk for power I look toward the Malconvoker from CS. Binding devils and demons gets you on their s*** list pretty quickly.