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Eurus
2012-09-04, 03:14 PM
So this is a class that I've been mulling over for a while, one-half (the "arcane" half, you might call it) of an alternate magic system designed to emphasize the differences between the "branches" of magic, do away with daily resource limits in favor of renewable ones, favor strategic combat rather than save-or-die rocket tag, and generally entertain me. I make zero claims to improving balance, that's not really the goal here. This is also not designed to be compatible with standard 3.5 magic fluff-wise, although you probably still could use both if you wanted.

Any comments/critique on the idea or execution, suggestions for Axioms, or whatever are welcome.




The Mage

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs27/f/2008/143/e/7/Undead_Mage_by_Nishinku.jpg

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."
Sho the White, Master of the Outward Path

Every creature has a Will that sustains it, through which it affects the world. It is the Will that guides the warrior's sword, the Will that draws breath into the lungs, the Will that makes a man more than a mere lump of flesh. Compared to this Will, all else is but smoke and shadows. Through training and practice, a Mage can learn to extend this Will beyond his own body, creating a zone in which objects and natural laws bend to his whims. The greatest masters are said to eschew the flesh entirely, becoming avatars of pure Will halfway between man and god.

Abilities: A Mage's ability to alter reality depends primarily on his Charisma score. A strong body is a useful anchor for a strong mind, so Constitution is also important.

Role: A Mage is primarily a battlefield controller. While they are capable of inflicting significant damage, the nature of their powers tends to result in area denial and group debuffing being a more reliable strategy. Allies are usually necessary to protect the Mage, and prevent opponents from evading the conjured zones.

Background: The Outward Path demands great study and dedication, but some find themselves more predisposed to it than others. Such prodigies are often noticed and apprenticed by journeyman Mages, smoothing the way with a financial gift to the youth's family if necessary. Others seek out the academies and monasteries of the Outward Path, earning entrance with displays of persistence and resolve in the face of the countless obstacles fabricated to obstruct them. And some rarities eschew traditional organizations, mastering the art on their own through raw persistence.

Organization: There are many organizations for Mages, most of them highly structured and formalized schools. Some have ties to a religious or military order, while others pride themselves on independence and non-interference. Even Mages from highly disparate groups generally recognize and respect each other as peers, although violent conflicts are certainly not uncommon.

Alignment: Any. Mages can be as good, evil, or neutral as desired, and vary wildly between law and chaos. Although the Outward Path requires mental fortitude and rigor, arguably favoring law, many chaotic Mages see themselves as beyond the laws of man, respecting only their stronger peers if even that.

Races: Any. Although shorter-lived than many, humans tend to make excellent Mages due to sheer stubbornness and disregard for the laws of nature. Elves and dwarves are less likely to favor the Outward Path, while gnomes, halflings, and the more savage humanoid races have their fair number. Dragon-blooded members of any race are also known to often display great natural talent and inclination for the art.

Religion: The philosophy behind a Mage's talents tends to lend itself more to the non-religious, but some are quite devout. In particular, any god of magic, willpower, or change can be a suitable patron. Those who choose worship tend to be unshakable pillars of faith, even if they are often (discreetly) derided by their peers.

Other Classes: Mages and Sages have a long-standing rivalry and disdain for each other, due to their mutually incompatible philosophies. Otherwise, many Mages tend to respect those who they consider dedicated and skilled, even if they tend to think of the body as inherently inferior to the mind.


Class Features
Hit Die: d6
Starting Gold: Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10 gold pieces.

Class Skills: The Mage's class skills (and the key ability score for each skill) are as follows: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at First Level: (2 + Intelligence modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Intelligence Modifier

THE MAGE
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Sheer Force

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Distortion

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Mastery

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Effortless Focus +1 (swift)

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Universal Center +1

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Mastery

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Repurposed Will

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Effortless Focus +2 (swift)

11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Distortion, Improved

12th|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|Mastery

13th|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|Wrest Control

14th|
+7|
+4|
+4|
+9|Effortless Focus +2 (free)

15th|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+9|Universal Center +2

16th|
+8|
+5|
+5|
+10|Mastery

17th|
+8|
+5|
+5|
+10|Impress Reality

18th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+11|Panoply

19th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+11|Mind over Matter

20th|
+10|
+6|
+6|
+12|Mastery, Realized Potential[/table]

{table=Head]Level|Will points|Axioms known
1st|1|1
2nd|3|2
3rd|5|2
4th|7|3
5th|9|3
6th|12|4
7th|15|4
8th|18|5
9th|21|5
10th|25|6
11th|29|6
12th|33|7
13th|37|7
14th|42|8
15th|47|8
16th|52|9
17th|57|9
18th|63|10
19th|69|10
20th|75|11[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mages are proficient with simple weapons, but not proficient with armor or shields. Those who gain armor proficiency in any way, however, do not suffer any chance of spell failure.

Will (Ex): The fuel for his abilities, a Mage has a Will pool equal to 1/2 of his charisma modifier plus a flat number based on class level. These points can be temporarily invested into active Manifestations to determine the strength of the effect, or exhausted to create an Evocation. Exhausted Will cannot be used for any purpose, but a Mage may recover exhausted Will equal to 1/2 his class level by spending a full-round action to refocus.

Axioms (Sp): A Mage's primary way of altering reality is in the form of Axioms, magical effects that he learns according to the table above. Most Axioms have two forms; a Manifestation, which creates an effect that lasts as long as Will remains invested, and an Evocation, which creates a more intense and immediate effect at the cost of tiring the Mage's willpower. Will points that are exhausted cannot be invested or re-used, and automatically recover after a few moments of rest between encounters.

Manifestations (Sp): A Manifestation generally takes the form of either a zone containing an ongoing effect, or a temporarily constructed creature or object. Creating a Manifestation is generally a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Zone-based manifestations have a radius of 10 feet +5 feet per three caster levels unless otherwise specified. A Mage may place a Manifestation's center at almost any point he has line of effect to, but takes a -1 penalty to the effect's caster level for every 10 feet of distance between him and it beyond the first 30.

Investing Will: All Manifestations require the investiture of at least one point of Will, and remain active for as long as this Will is invested and the Mage's concentration holds. A Mage may have as many Manifestations active as he has Will and sufficient concentration for. The amount of Will invested must be chosen when the Manifestation is cast, and cannot be changed without dismissing the Manifestation entirely. All Manifestations have a cap on invested Will equal to the Mage's caster level.

Sustaining Manifestations: Sustaining one or more Manifestations requires continued concentration. This generally doesn't require a roll, but does consume one or more the mage's actions for the turn. A manifestation can be sustained as a move action or a swift action automatically in anything but extreme circumstances (the deck of a storm-tossed ship, for example). One or more manifestations may even be sustained as a free action, but this does require a concentration check equal to 10 + the total Will spent on all of these manifestations + 2 for each Manifestation sustained in this way.

Evocations (Sp): An Evocation, unless otherwise specified, is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. A Mage may expend any amount of Will that is not already invested in Manifestations, up to a maximum of his class level in any single Evocation. The range is generally 60 feet, but a Mage may reach farther by expending an extra point of Will (which counts toward the ability's maximum Will but does not have its normal effects on the ability) for each additional 20 feet. An Evocation takes a -1 penalty to its caster level for each time the Mage has already used it in this encounter (or approximately five minutes).

Sheer Force (Su): Even an apprentice Mage may channel his mind's power into a straightforward assault, creating brief sparks of energy to serve as weapons. As a ranged touch attack, he may inflict 1d6 points of damage plus his charisma modifier. This damage may be either Fire, Cold, Acid, Electric, Slashing, Piercing, or Bludgeoning. This ability has a range of 60 feet and counts as an attack action, meaning that a higher level mage may use it as part of a full attack.

Distortion (Su): At third level, the Mage learns to move his active Manifestations without dismissing and restarting them. When he concentrates to sustain a Manifestation during his turn, the Mage may move the center of that Manifestation up to 30 feet. At eleventh level, he may instead move his Manifestations anywhere within line of effect. A manifestation "moved" in this way doesn't actually cross the intervening distance or have any effect on creatures in the way, merely blinking out and re-appearing in the designated location.

Mastery (Su): As a Mage advances his studies, he generally chooses a few Axioms to advance and perfect. At 4th level and every 4 levels after, he chooses one Axiom to gain Mastery in, adding the listed Mastery effect to every use of that power in the future.

Effortless Focus (Ex): At sixth level, a Mage may recover one point of exhausted Will as a swift action. At level ten, this increases to two points of Will. At level fourteen, this refocusing becomes a free action, but may still only be used once per round.

Universal Center (Su): Where is the center of the universe? To a Mage, the answer is obvious -- he himself is the center, around which all else orbits. At seventh level, the Mage may treat any of his Manifestations as having one more point of Will invested than they actually do (even exceeding his caster level limit) as long as he is physically within that Manifestation's area. At fifteenth level, this bonus increases to 2 Will.

Repurposed Will (Su): At ninth level, a Mage may invert an active Manifestation, releasing the energy in a sudden surge. When the Mage makes his concentration check to sustain a Manifestation, he may add +4 to the DC to instead dismiss that Manifestation and activate the Evocation of that Axiom. This Evocation requires no further action on his part, counting instead as part of the same action spent on concentrating. A powerful Mage may even release multiple Evocations Axioms in the same round, but the DC of each concentration check to repurpose a Manifestation after the first one increases by an additional +4.

When a Manifestation is ended in this way, its effects persist until the Evocation finishes resolving. So a Mage who repurposes Pyro Zone would gain the damage bonus from the manifestation on his evocation's damage roll.

Wrest Control (Su): At thirteenth level, a Mage may attempt to pit his Will directly against that of another Mage, stealing control of an active Manifestation. As a standard action, the Mage focuses on a Manifestation that he can perceive and begins the assault. The effect's caster may choose to dismiss the effect in response before rolling, but if he does not do so immediately he cannot do so again until the contest is resolved. Both casters make opposed concentration checks, with each taking a -2 penalty for every Manifestation currently sustained and environmental penalties as normal. If the attacking Mage does not have knowledge of the Axiom being targeted, he takes an additional -4 penalty.

If the attacking Mage wins, he becomes the Manifestation's caster and controller for all intents and purposes. The former caster's Will remains invested until the end of his next turn, at which point it returns and the new caster must either dismiss the effect or invest his own Will into it.

Impress Reality (Su): At seventeenth level, the Mage's power has grown to the point where he may scar his will into nature, creating permanent Manifestations. This intensely demanding process requires at least one hour spent in meditation, and the expendature of 100 xp multiplied by the caster level of the effect the Mage seeks to create (which may be less than his normal caster level if desired).

A Manifestation created in this way is permanent and immobile, and any decisions that the caster must normally make for the Manifestation (type, behavior, position, etc) are made during the ritual and cannot be changed thereafter, but the original caster may ignore the Manifestation's effects if he wishes. The Mage need not invest any of his personal Will after this point; the Manifestation is always considered to be fully invested with Will while it endures. Any attempt to dispel such an effect works for only 1d4 hours, unless another caster spends at least one hour meditating in the manifestation's area and makes a Concentration check with a DC of 15 + the effect's caster level.

Panoply (Su): At eighteenth level, a Mage's power has grown to the point where weaker effects barely test his concentration at all. Any Evocation he creates costs him two fewer points of Will (which does not increase the caster level cap), and he may take 10 on all Concentration checks.

Mind over Matter (Su): At nineteenth level, the Mage's body is little more than a vestigal anchor for the power of his Will. It is the Will that sustains him, and the Will that moves his fragile flesh. He no longer needs to eat, sleep, or even breathe.

Additionally, once per round, if the Mage has no Manifestations active, he may generate a single Manifestation as a free action. This Manifestation requires no concentration and may be moved about as the Mage pleases, but may only be invested with a single point of Will which may not be increased by any means (except Universal Center). Manifestations generated by this ability may not be repurposed into Evocations.

Realized Potential (Su): At twentieth level, the Mage realizes his full potential, discarding his shell to exist as a creature of pure Will while exerting their powerful command over matter and energy to continue interacting with the physical world. They gain the Incorporeal subtype (gaining their Cha modifier as a deflection bonus to AC and losing their Strength score entirely), and the ability to change their appearance to any small, medium, or large image at will. They may alternately become completely invisible, although any effect that would perceive an invisible creature still sees the Mage as a swirling nimbus of color. They do not age, and if destroyed will automatically reform in 24 hours in any location they have ever visited. This reformation inflicts one negative level on the Mage that cannot be restored by any means for one year (but never results in permanent level loss), or unless the Mage spends 1000 xp to purge it.

Eurus
2012-09-04, 03:15 PM
The Sage

"Are you saying I can... catch arrows?"
"No, grasshopper. I am saying that when you are ready, you won't have to."
Grandmaster Ash of the Inward Path, to his student

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk124/DetrichLange/sage.png
Image courtesy of the Diablo III Monk gallery (http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/5436/title/the-monk/cat/501)

There is a Harmony to the world. What appears to be randomness is only a larger pattern, impossible to see fully. But even if they cannot fully understand this pattern, there are those who learn to follow it, to move with nature's ebb and flow and anticipate its changes. By submitting to the will of the world and moving as it does, they are able to perform miraculous feats, walking on thin air or healing wounds with barely a conscious thought. The greatest masters are said to be almost immortal, shrugging off years like water and moving with impossible strength and grace.

Abilities: A Sage's abilities depend primarily on Wisdom, but most are careful not to allow their bodies to suffer in the process. An ideal Sage should be a model of physical perfection in all aspects, although in practice most tend to favor either strength or agility at the expense of the other.

Role: A Sage generally wants to be in the thick of battle, displaying their mastery of body and soul. While not generally as durable as a more conventional soldier, a Sage tends to have many tricks for avoiding punishment rather than enduring it, maneuvering around for decisive blows to end hostilities.

Background: The Inward Path is an inherently personal and spiritual choice, and Sages can come from all walks of life. A farmer, a soldier, a nobleman; anyone can make the choice to look beyond the next meal, to subdue the raging ego and listen for the harmony of the world around them.

Organization: Many groups exist for Sages, but most are small and isolated temples rather than larger orders. And many choose to avoid organizations completely, favoring the solitary existence of a hermit or traveler with perhaps one or two students or peers.

Alignment: Any. Most Sages tend toward neutrality or benevolence, but some find that releasing ties to the baser emotions leaves them with little in the way of empathy as well. The choice between social obligation and personal freedom is one that most Sages eventually have to make, but both are respected by most of what passes for the "community."

Races: Any. Elves have the longest tradition of the Sage's art, but humans and other races often find themselves drawn to the sense of peace and harmony -- or power -- it brings.

Religion: A Sage may choose almost any religion, or none at all. Many are devout worshipers, believing that everything in life is part of a great divine plan. Others believe that the "gods", if they exist, are merely forces of nature like any other, no more deserving of veneration and fear than the wind or the rain.

Other Classes: Mages and Sages have a long-standing rivalry and disdain for each other, due to their mutually incompatible philosophies. Beyond that, Sages generally have respect for almost any lifestyle, although they tend to appreciate physical and spiritual lifestyles over the purely intellectual.


Class Features
Hit Die: d8
Starting Gold: Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10 gold pieces.

Class Skills: The Sage's class skills (and the key ability score for each skill) are as follows: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence Modifier

THE SAGE
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]
Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Max Rhythms|Special
1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+2|1|Rhythms, Discipline
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+3|1|Patience
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|1|Form Tree
4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|1|Mindfulness, Rhythm
5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|2|Form Tree, Form
6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+5|2|
7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+5|2|Form
8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|2|Rhythm
9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|3|, Form
10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+7|3|
11th|
+8|
+7|
+7|
+7|3|Form Tree, Form
12th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+8|3|Rhythm
13th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+8|4|Form
14th|
+10|
+9|
+9|
+9|4|Insight
15th|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+9|4|Form
16th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+10|4|Timeless, Rhythm
17th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+10|5|Form
18th|
+13|
+11|
+11|
+11|5|Mind of Diamond
19th|
+14|
+11|
+11|
+11|5|Form
20th|
+15|
+12|
+12|
+12|5|Enlightenment, Rhythm[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sages are proficient with simple weapons and one martial weapon of their choice, as well as light armor.

Discipline (Ex): A Sage trains his body as well as his mind, for the physical and spiritual world are inextricably linked. She gains a slam attack dealing 1d6+Str damage (regardless of size), and adds her Wisdom modifier to armor class when wearing light or no armor. The Sage may make a full attack with her slam, or may make a single slam attack at her highest base attack bonus as part of a full attack with a manufactured weapon.

Rhythms (Su): The first type of power the Sage wields is subtle, a mindset rather than an action. These are called Rhythms, and may be practiced to create equally potent effects.

At 1st level, a Sage learns any two Rhythms she wishes, and learns additional Rhythms as she gains levels. Rhythms do not have prerequisites, but do scale based on class level, automatically gaining more or improved abilities as the Sage becomes stronger. But while she may know many Rhythms, a Sage may only have a certain number activated at once. Activating a Rhythm requires ten minutes of meditation, and dismissing one is a free action.

Patience (Ex): At 2nd level, a Sage learns to wait for the right moment, pausing even in the chaos of battle to assess before acting. By spending a full-round action in meditation, the Sage gains a bonus equal to his Wisdom modifier on all attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks until the end of his next turn.

If he wishes to gain this bonus on a task that takes more than one round to complete (opening a lock, crafting a sword, etc), he instead doubles the time required to perform that task.

Forms (Su): A more experienced Sage's talent can be displayed through subtle or spectacular powers called Forms. These Forms are structured into Trees, linking thematically related powers into which a Sage grows as a unique manifestation of her philosophy.

At 3rd level, and at listed levels thereafter, a Sage learns any single Form Tree she wishes. Each Tree has a basic ability which the Sage learns automatically, useable at will as a standard action unless otherwise specified. Additional Forms, when learned, may be selected from any tree the Sage knows, as long as she meets the prerequisites for that particular sub-form, and usually enhance or create additional options for the basic ability. In this way, a Sage may focus on learning every aspect of one Tree at the cost of others, or branch out and learn a few forms out of many.

Mindfulness (Ex): At 4th level, a Sage's senses sharpen enough to detect magical anomalies. Treat this as a constant arcane sight effect, except that the Sage cannot concentrate to detect a creature's spellcasting capabilities.

Insight (Ex): At 14th level, the Sage's ability to perceive magic improves. Treat this as a greater arcane sight effect, and the Sage automatically identifies if any creature it sees is a student of the Inward or Outward path (or neither).

Timeless (Ex): At 16th level, a Sage transcends normal limitations of age. She ignores all penalties to ability scores taken from aging, and will never die of old age. If she is currently less then Venerable, she gains bonuses to her mental ability scores as if she had immediately reached that point but will no longer advance in age categories.

At this level of mastery, a Sage may choose to resign from this mortal coil whenever she wishes to. As a free action, she may simply expire. The body of a Sage who dies in this way often vanishes, or else fails to decay normally and becomes a powerful relic capable of curing ills or other miracles.

Most Sages (but not all) continue to age from a purely aesthetic perspective, eventually becoming elders with snow-white hair and wrinkled skin but forever carrying the strength of youth.

Mind of Diamond (Ex): A Sage of 18th level knows her own mind and spirit intimately, and accepts no intrusions or weaknesses in that domain. She is immune to all mind-affecting abilities, and any abilities which would directly manipulate the soul or spirit.

Enlightenment (Ex): In the end, the Sage's studies and meditations have given her a thoughtless grace and nearly-perfect insight into the world around her. She may activate Patience as a free action, allowing her to essentially permanently add her Wisdom modifier to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. She may also activate any number of new Rhythms as a full-round action, as long as she doesn't exceed her maximum for active Rhythms at one time.

Eurus
2012-09-06, 11:40 AM
Evocations are the part that's still very much in progress.

(All saving throws against Manifestations and Evocations are equal to 10 + the caster's Charisma modifier + half of the total Will invested or expended on the effect. When the Augment section contains numbered paragraphs, you need to spend power points separately for each of the numbered options. The base cost of an unaugmented Evocation or Manifestation is always 1 Will.)
Axioms:
Axiom of Substance
Manifestation: Perhaps the most useful of all Manifestations, the Mage simply creates an object from nothing. Objects created this way are of featureless gray matter called "plasm", and may have a texture anywhere between cloth or metal depending on their function and their creator's desire.

By default, only a single object weighing no more than 5 pounds is created. While good for creating even small and precise instruments, this power doesn't function well at creating blockades or larger objects, since anything large enough to be significant is generally too weak and light to be useful.

Augment #1: For every additional Will invested, the maximum weight of the created object(s) increases by 5 pounds.

Augment #2: For every additional Will invested, an additional object may be created, as long as the total weight of objects created in this way does not exceed the power's maximum.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom can create items of exceptional quality. Any tools, weapons, or armor created are treated as being Masterwork. Additionally, weapons and armor may be created at half normal weight without losing any durability. Finally, objects created with this power need not be plain gray; they can have any amount of color or texture, looking like perfectly normal objects of their kind if desired.

Evocation: Reversing the normal principle of the Axiom, the Mage destroys the integrity and structure of an object. By default, this Evocation may only target a single unattended and non-magical object no more than 5 feet in any dimension and with less than 20 hardness -- it cannot simply target smaller sections of larger objects, like walls. At the Mage's discretion, the object is shattered, melted, or disintegrated entirely.

Augment #1: For every additional Will spent, the Mage may increase the maximum dimension of affected objects by 5 feet.

Augment #2: By expending three additional Will, the Mage may instead target as many unattended objects as desired within an area limited to the maximum dimensions she could normally target -- instead of affecting a single object of no more than 5 feet, she could affect all objects within a burst 5 feet across.

Augment #3: By expending three additional Will, the Mage may target a single attended object. If already targeting an area, she may affect as many unattended objects as desired, but only a single attended object within that area. The holder of the object may make a Reflex save to cover, move, or protect it.

Augment #4: By expending five additional Will, the Mage may target magical objects. Such objects always receive a save, even if unattended, and are only temporarily rather than permanently destroyed -- even if reduced to dust or slag, the remains will spontaneously coalesce back into an undamaged whole after one hour.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom may isolate specific sections of larger objects and structures, and may affect materials with any amount of hardness.

Axiom of Animation
Manifestation: The Mage infuses his Will into his surroundings, turning objects or elements into sturdy servitors. Rather than targeting a zone, this Manifestation creates a servitor out of any nonmagical objects or substance chosen. The specific nature of the material doesn't matter; reinforced by enough Will, even empty air makes a perfectly sufficient body.

If the construct is damaged or destroyed, the Mage may fully repair or recreate it as a standard action as long as this Manifestation is still active. It acts on the Mage's initiative, and obeys mental commands. The default construct has one hit die, and is detailed in the stat block below.

Augment #1: For each additional Will invested, the construct may be created with one additional hit die. Each hit die added in this way increases the creature's attack bonus and saves as normal for the construct type, but does not grant ability score increases, feats, or skill points.

Augment #2: For each additional Will invested, the construct may be granted one ability from Menu A.

Augment #3: For each two additional Will invested, the construct may be granted one ability from Menu B.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom may automatically imbue any construct created by this Manifestation with one ability from Menu B or two abilities from Menu A without investing extra Will.

Menu A:
Celerity (Ex): The construct's speed for all modes of movement is increased by 10 feet.

Fly (Ex): The construct has physical wings and a fly speed of 20 feet (average).

Improved Damage (Ex): The construct deals +2 damage with its attacks. This ability may be selected multiple times, but not more times than the construct's hit dice.

Increased Size -- Large (Ex): The construct is Large. This does not change its ability scores, hit points, or natural attacks, but does give it a -1 size penalty to attack rolls and armor class, and a +4 size bonus to grapple checks.

Insubstantial (Ex): The construct's body is fluid, gaseous, or otherwise malleable. It can move through occupied squares without penalty as long as it ends its movement in an open space, and can squeeze through gaps as small as a single inch within one round.

Sturdy (Ex): The construct gains extra hit points equal to your Charisma modifier and a +2 armor bonus to AC. This ability may be selected multiple times.

Swim (Ex): The construct is designed for aquatic movement, and gains a swim speed of 30 feet.

Menu B:
Energy (Ex): Choose one of the following energy types: fire, cold, acid, electricity, or sonic. The construct gains resistance 10 against that energy type, and deals an extra 1d6 damage of that type with its natural attacks. This ability may be selected multiple times.

Improved Grab (Ex): The construct gains the Improved Grab ability.

Increased Size -- Huge (Ex): The construct is Huge. This does not change its ability scores, hit points, or natural attacks, but does give it a -2 size penalty to attack rolls and armor class, and a +8 size bonus to grapple checks. The construct must already have Increased Size -- Large to take this ability.

Increased Attribute (Ex): The astral construct gains a +4 bonus to its Strength or Dexterity score. This ability may be selected more than once.

Translucency (Ex): The construct is difficult to see. It has a +20 bonus to Hide checks, and can attempt to hide without cover. Creatures attacking it without some unusual method of perception take a 50% miss chance.

Statblock:
Hit Dice: 1d10+20 (25 HP)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+1
Attack: Slam +0 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: --
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 10

Evocation:

Axiom of Illusion
Manifestation: By creating and shaping light and sound, the Mage can create detailed illusions. At its most basic level, this power creates a simple figment or sound in a 5-foot radius zone. An image must remain entirely within the zone at all times, while created sound will carry normally and be audible outside the zone, but will always come from some point within it.

A sound created in this way can achieve about the same volume as a shouting human, and can be as complex as desired, even mimicking conversation in multiple voices. An image created this way looks extremely realistic, but is silent and contains no thermal or tactile elements. You may control the nature and behavior of your illusion automatically, but the concentration required for anything more than a motionless image means that this manifestation must be sustained as a move action.

Augment #1: For each additional Will invested, the maximum radius of your illusion increases by 5 feet.

Augment #2: By investing two additional Will, you may combine visual and auditory elements in a single illusion.

Augment #3: By investing four additional Will, you may hide existing objects as well as create images of new ones. You may make any number of creatures or objects invisible (or visible but disguised) for as long as they remain in the zone, simply choosing what is and is not seen.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom can add limited thermal, olfactory, and tactile elements to illusions created. Such illusions are never strong enough to cause damage, impede movement, or inflict pain, but hold up to basic physical contact and feel perfectly real -- an illusion of a wall wouldn't stop anyone who tried to walk or break through it, but would feel real to anyone simply touching or tapping on it.

Evocation: Eschewing all subtlety, the Mage creates an overwhelming flash of light or roar of sound. By default, this power creates a 10-foot radius burst of either light or sound. If wielding light, the Mage blinds all creatures affected for one round unless they succeed on a Will save. If wielding sound, the Mage deafens all creatures affected for one minute unless they succeed on a Fortitude save.

Augment #1: By expending three additional Will, the Mage may create both light and sound, forcing affected creatures to make both a fortitude save and a will save.

Augment #2: For each additional Will expended, the duration of the conditions inflicted by this power increase by one round. If four or more Will is expended on this augment, the conditions instead become permanent, only treatable with 24 hours of care and a DC 20 Heal check.

Augment #3: For each additional Will expended, the Mage may increase the burst's radius by 5 feet.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom may protect herself and her allies from any of its harmful effects when Evoking it.

Axiom of Distance
Manifestation:
In the hands of an experienced Mage, "location" is a flexible concept, and can be manipulated with ease. Once per round as a free action, the Mage may move a single creature within the zone 5 feet in any direction.

Augment #1: For every additional Will invested, the Mage may apply a -1 penalty to all ranged attacks made in the area. This applies to both allied and enemy attacks.

Augment #2: For every two additional Will invested, the distance that the Mage can force creatures to move as a free action increases by 5 feet.

Augment #3: By investing three additional Will, the Mage may instead move every creature in the zone 5 feet in any direction as a free action once per round. Creatures do not need to all move in the same direction, and the Mage may exclude any creatures she chooses.

Augment #4: By investing five additional Will, the Mage may confuse and disorient enemies to the point where following a straight path becomes almost impossible. Whenever an enemy in the zone attempts to spend a move action to move, they must make a Will save. If they fail, they instead waste the action.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom increases the reach of allied creatures within the zone by 5 feet, and reduces the reach of enemies by 5 feet (to a minimum of 5 feet total).

Evocation:
With a tremendous effort of Will, the Mage tunnels through space, teleporting to a destination of his choice. This Evocation requires a full hour of focus to cast, and in its most basic form moves only the Mage himself, and only crosses up to ten miles of distance. While casting this power, the Mage is surrounded by a visible distortion of bending light, which also appears at his destination location in a 20-foot radius sphere. This may be disrupted by another Mage who succeeds on an opposed Concentration check, or simply provide any enemies there an excellent opportunity to set up an ambush.

A Mage must be familiar with the target area. Generally, this requires having actually been there herself at some point. She may only travel to an area she has not visited if she has a detailed description by someone with firsthand experience, and such experience is recent to within about a year.

Augment #1: For every additional Will expended, the Mage may increase the maximum distance traveled by ten miles.

Augment #2: For every additional Will expended, the Mage may take one medium-sized creature with him. A large creature counts as two medium creatures, a huge creature counts as four medium creatures, and a gargantuan or colossal creature counts as eight medium creatures. Each creature may carry up to its maximum load in items.

Augment #3: By expending five additional Will, the Mage may reduce this power's casting time to ten minutes.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this axiom gains a limited ability to anticipate and avoid any unexpected surprises. During the very last round of casting, the Mage may fully view her chosen destination as if he were standing there. She may choose to abort the casting at this final moment, if she chooses. Additionally, she doubles the maximum travel distance possible with this Evocation.

Axiom of Levitation
Manifestation:
Often one of the first Axioms learned by prospective Mages, this iconic power allows the Mage to temporarily suspend the normal principles of gravity in an area, or at least those aspects of gravity that inconvenience them. In its most basic form, this power infuses creatures and objects in the area with a sense of lightness. Creatures in the area gain a +4 bonus on Jump checks, and all matter in the area is treated as being half of its normal weight.

Augment #1: Investing two additional points of Will causes all creatures and objects in the area become almost weightless, levitating off the ground with ease. While certainly entertaining, this newfound buoyancy can be hard to control, inflicting a -2 penalty to all rolls requiring movement or concentration while floating. Creatures without some way to propel themselves (wings, generally) must will themselves through the air, gaining a perfect-maneuverability fly speed of 5 feet per point of Charisma modifier (minimum 5 ft.). Creatures who already possess a fly speed may use it instead if desired, upgrading their maneuverability to perfect.

Augment #2: For every additional Will you invest, the penalty inflicted on flying creatures decreases by 1, to a minimum of 0. This requires that Augment #1 be activated.

Augment #3: For every additional Will you invest, the fly speed of all creatures in the area is increased by 5 feet. This augment requires that Augment #1 be activated.

Augment #4: For every additional Will you invest, or invested to increase the size of this area, doubling the radius each time (two doublings equals a tripling, and so on). More generous or impatient Mages may invest Will into increasing the fly speed of all creatures in the area by 10 feet per point. Long-distance travel by moving the zone at the same time the occupants fly is possible. Stories tell of powerful Mages who could carry entire armies over city walls, although many would consider this an inefficient approach.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom may pick and choose who in the zone's area receives the zone's effects and who does not, allowing her
to grant her allies a significant tactical advantage against earthbound foes.

Evocation:
With a mental push, the Mage can launch a target ten feet directly upward into the air, or push a flying target back down an equal distance. A creature launched into the air generally lands in the same round (creatures fall about 500 feet in the first round if dropped from a standstill), taking damage if appropriate. If an airborne creature is slammed into the ground in this way, it takes falling damage for the distance moved. Creatures who take falling damage from this power, by being launched either up or down, must make a Reflex save or become prone on landing.

Augment #1: For every two additional Will expended, the distance launched increases by ten feet.

Augment #2: For every two additional Will expended, you may target an additional creature.

Mastery: With Mastery of this Axiom, flying creatures moved in this way may not voluntarily adjust their own altitude for one round. They may still hover if maneuverability permits, but cannot ascend or descend under their own power short of free-falling.


Axiom of Water
Manifestation:
This relatively rare Axiom allows the user to generate and control massive amounts of water, trapping enemies in a watery grave. In its weakest version, this Manifestation creates a torrential downpour of rain, even indoors. This unnatural weather soaks all unattended objects and extinguishes exposed fires, and can even be consumed by creatures for hydration, but all unconsumed water created in this way vanishes within one round of leaving the zone. Creatures in this flood take a -2 penalty to Spot and Listen checks, along with a -1 penalty on ranged attack rolls.

Alternately, five points of Will may be invested to flood the area entirely, filling the zone with an orb of churning water. This replaces the previous penalties with the standard rules for underwater exploration.

Will may also be invested to gain a measure of command over water in the area, either giving allied creatures a +2 bonus on swim checks per point or enemies a -2 penalty; each point of Will chooses only one of these effects, not both. This augmentation may be chosen even if the five-point augmentation is not chosen, although doing so would only be useful if the manifestation's area already contained a natural body of water.

{table=head]Base effects|Will cost
Rain|1 Will
Flood|5 Will[/table]

{table=head]Augmentations|Will cost
Allies gain +2 on Swim checks|+1 Will
Enemies take -2 on Swim checks|+1 Will[/table]

Mastery: Allied creatures in the area gain the ability to breathe in water as easily as air. Enemy creatures in the area treat their Constitution as four points lower for the purposes of determining how long they can hold their breath (including subsequent Con checks once they exhaust their free rounds).

Evocation:
The Mage creates a powerful geyser, blasting targets aside before quickly evaporating. In its weakest form, this blast deals 1d4 damage in a 5-foot radius burst and knocks enemies prone. A successful Fort save prevents knockdown and half of the damage

Augment #1: For every additional Will expended, the effect's radius increases by 5 feet. If created in a cone (see Mastery), its range instead increases by 10 feet. If created in a line, its range increases by 20 feet.

Augment #2: For every additional Will expended, the effect's damage increases by 1d4.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom may release this effect in a line or cone instead of a burst. A line begins at 20 feet, while a cone begins at 10 feet. The power is otherwise unaffected.

Axiom of Fire
Manifestation:
The affected area begins to generate withering heat, drying exposed flesh and vegetation. Even sodden materials quickly become as flammable as dry tinder; while the zone may not immediately burst into flames, it definitely becomes a firetrap.

Creatures in the area take a -2 penalty on saving throws against fire effects, and automatically catch fire if they take 10 or more points of fire damage in a round.

Augment #1: For every additional Will invested, all fire damage in the area is intensified, dealing 1 additional damage. A creature may only take additional damage from this ability once per round.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this axiom gains access to a special augment.

--For every additional Will invested, all creatures in the area treat their fire resistance as being 2 points lower (to a minimum of 0). Additionally, if at least seven Will is invested in this augment, creatures with immunity to fire will still take 50% damage from any source of fire damage while in the zone.

Evocation:
Brutally simple, the Mage generates a searing gout of flame to scorch a target. This deals 1d6 points of fire damage, with a reflex save for half.

Augment #1: For every additional Will expended, the damage is increased by 1d6.

Augment #2: For every two additional Will expended, this Evocation may target an additional creature.

Mastery: The fear of fire is a primal instinct, and burning alive is often painful enough to override rational thinking. Creatures damaged by the flames must make a will save or become Frightened for one round.


Axiom of Barriers
Manifestation:
The Mage generates a crude but solid barrier of featureless gray matter (often referred to as "plasm"). This barrier fills two 5-foot cubes, which can be positioned in any way as long as they connect orthogonally or diagonally, even stacked on top of each other. This wall does not need to be straight line, as long as it is contiguous. Since this effect does not have a "center", determine any penalties the Mage takes to caster level for extreme range based on whichever cube is currently farthest away.

Cubes created this way have 10 hit points and no hardness. The Mage may fully restore all damaged or destroyed wall segments as a standard action. Trapping a creature with this wall is possible, but allows the target a reflex save to avoid it if it can do so by moving up to 10 feet.

Moving this Manifestation is slightly more difficult than normal, requiring a standard action. However, the Mage may completely reshape the wall as desired when he does so, blinking the cubes out of existence to return them in the desired configuration.

Augment #1: For every additional Will invested, an additional cube can be formed.

Augment #2: For every additional Will invested, the HP of each cube increases by 10.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom does not need to place the cubes in a contiguous wall. They can be placed anywhere within range, even in midair.

Evocation:
The Mage generates a short-lived but nearly indestructible barrier. This shield grants a creature a +1 bonus to AC and reflex saves for one round. Additionally, the target gains the benefit of Evasion for one round.

Augment #1: For every additional Will expended, the AC and reflex save bonus increase by one.

Augment #2: For every additional Will expended, this Evocation may target an additional creature.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom gains access to a special augment.

--By expending three additional Will, this Evocation may be cast as an immediate action.


Axiom of Cold
Manifestation:
An unnatural chill sweeps through the area, freezing small amounts of exposed liquids in moments. Larger bodies of water quickly develop a thin layer of ice, but take several minutes or hours to freeze completely.

Augment #1: By investing two addtional points of Will, even bone-dry areas can be coated in a sudden rime of frost, forcing creatures who walk more than 5 feet through the area in a single round to make a DC 10 balance check or fall prone. Every further point of Will invested can increase this DC by 1.

Augment #2: By investing two additional points of Will, the area can be filled with a thick blizzard, drowning out most sight with swirling clouds of white. Creatures in the area gain partial concealment from all other non-adjacent creatures.

Augment #3: By investing five additional points of Will, devastating hail can be generated, dealing 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage and 2d6 points of cold damage to any creature who starts their turn in the area.

Mastery: A Mage with Mastery of this Axiom forces the ice and snow to yield, allowing her and her allies them to move without slipping if that augment is active and avoid taking damage from hail if that augment is active. Allies may walk unhindered across the surface of even moving water, as ice forms under their feet to carry them. Snow still obscures vision if that augment is active, but the Mage may temporarily halt or resume the snowstorm as a free action.

Evocation:
The Mage strikes a target with a blast of frost, dealing 1d4 points of cold damage and immobilizing the target for one round. A successful reflex save halves the damage and negates the immobilization. Immobilized targets cannot move from their space, but can otherwise act normally. They can be freed by any amount of fire damage, or a DC 20 Strength or Escape Artist check.

Augment #1: For every additional point of Will expended, the damage increases by 1d4, and the duration of the immobilization is extended by 1 round.

Mastery: Half of the blast's damage becomes untyped, coming from sharp ice crystals or pummeling hailstones. If the ambient temperature is already below freezing (which is always the case if within this Axiom's Manifestation), this Evocation deals d6s instead of d4s.


Axiom of Darkness
Manifestation:
Physically, darkness is the absence of light. That matters little to a mage with this Axiom, who conjures shadows that cling unnaturally even in the sun. All creatures in the zone gain a +2 bonus on Hide checks. Mundane and alchemical light sources are temporarily suppressed, casting no light at all while in the zone, and magical light only functions if its caster level is higher than the Mage's. Darkvision functions as normal.

Augment #1: For every additional point of Will invested, all creatures in the zone take a -1 penalty on Spot checks. Additionally, if at least four Will is invested in this augment, the entire area becomes treated as shadowy illumination. If at least eight Will is invested, it becomes total darkness.

Augment #2: By investing four additional Will, the Mage may temporarily suppress the Darkvision of all creatures in this zone.

Mastery: The Mage and his allies may see through this darkness unimpeded.

Evocation:
With a mental command, the Mage turns simple shadows into shredding talons. Targets in a 20-foot radius burst take 1d6 points of damage, but only if they are standing in an area of shadowy illumination or darkness. A reflex save prevents half of this damage, but targets in total darkness (not merely shadowy illumination) take a -4 penalty to this save.

Augment #1: For every additional Will expended, the damage is increased by 1d6.

Mastery: The hungry shadows cling to their target for a time, impeding their vision. Targets who fail their save are blinded for one round, even if they took no damage (because, for example, they weren't in an area of darkness).


Axiom of Decay
Manifestation:
The Mage creates a zone of infection and rot, causing wounds to fester and bleed painfully. All enemies in this area take 1 point of damage at the end of any round in which they took damage from any source

Augment #1: Each additional Will invested increases the damage taken in this way by 1 point.

Augment #2: By investing five additional Will, the area may be infected with a customized, unnaturally virulent disease. This disease does 2 damage to any single ability score of your choice, chosen at the time of creation. It has no incubation time, infecting creatures as soon as they enter the area and immediately damaging any targets that fail their initial fortitude saves. Infected targets continue to make saving throws every round that they remain in the area, taking 2 more ability damage on a failure. A target who succeeds on two saving throws in a row becomes immune to any diseases generated by this Axiom for one day.

These diseases actually persist even after the manifestation ends, but slow down significantly, inflicting further ability damage and saving throws only once per day rather than once per round if the creature is not within the manifestation's area.

Augment #3: By investing five additional Will, you may suppress any immunity to disease possessed by creatures in this zone. Undead and constructs remain immune, but any other magical or extraordinary disease immunities are suppressed.

Mastery: Whenever an enemy would heal any amount of damage while within this zone, they heal only half that much instead.

Evocation:
A cold mist rises up around the target, draining their strength and putrefying their body from the inside. If they fail a fortitude save, the target takes a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity that lasts for one hour. This power does not affect targets that are immune to disease.

Augment #1: For every four additional Will expended, these penalties are increased by another -2.

Mastery: Targets already suffering from any diseases take a -4 penalty to their saving throw against this effect. Additionally, even constructs and undead may be affected by this Evocation, suffering from corrosion or rot as appropriate.

Rhythms:
Graceful Cat Stepping
Base Ability - The Sage's steps are quick and sure, even in the most treacherous footing. She gains an untyped +10 foot bonus to her movement speed, and a +4 bonus on balance checks.

Bridge of Drifting Petals - Level 4
The Sage may walk across water as if it was firm ground, leaving only the faintest of ripples. Particularly rough water is treated as difficult terrain. This also applies to any other solid or liquid surface too fragile to support her, such as fresh snow, a rotting bridge, or thin branches. She also leaves no footprints when walking, so the DC to track her increases by 10.

Shadow Flowing Stance - Level 8
The Sage's movement is not hindered by difficult terrain, and she never needs to make balance checks from natural (non-magical) ground. She may move across vertical surfaces and even upside-down on ceilings, as long as she continues to move at least 30 feet in each turn. If she fails to move 30 feet on such a surface, she falls at the end of her turn.

Cloud Shepherd's Grace - Level 12
The Sage gains the miraculous ability to step across even empty air, with little concentration or difficulty. She may simply move at her normal speed in any direction, including up or down. If rendered unconscious or asleep, she drifts down at a rate of 30 feet per round.

Striding Faerie Roads - Level 16
Whenever the Sage moves, she may disappear from her current location and reappear at her destination regardless of intervening terrain as if teleporting. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, but she is still limited to the distance she normally would have moved. Additionally, once per round as a free action the Sage may move up to her speed.

Mystic Shielding Meditation
Base Ability - You gain a +2 bonus to all saving throws and AC against magical attacks and effects.

Water-on-Glass Resolve - Level 4
If you make a successful saving throw against a magical effect that would still have a partial or lesser effect on a successful save, you instead suffer no effect at all.

Armor of Moments - Level 8
If you would be affected by any spell or magical effect with an instantaneous duration, you may delay the effect on you for a brief time. You suffer none of the effects until the end of your next turn, at which point any damage or conditions that you would have taken are applied.

Defying the Dragon - Level 12
You gain spell resistance equal to 10 + your class level.

Hands Parting Smoke - Level 16
You may ignore up to one magical effect at a time with greater than instantaneous duration. You may change what effect you are ignoring as a free action once per turn. For example, a Sage who is standing in an acid fog effect and suffering from bestow curse may choose to ignore the acid fog first, taking no damage from it, ignoring the reduction of her speed, and even seeing through it unhindered. Next turn, she moves into melee with an enemy, so she decides to switch to ignoring bestow curse. She now ignores the penalties from the curse, but is subject to the full effects of acid fog again.

Unbowing as the Mountain - Level 20
You take half damage from all spell-based and Supernatural effects and abilities.

Sunlight-Dodging Stance
Base Ability - You gain a bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks equal to your Wisdom modifier, plus half your class level.

Tread the Spider's Web - Level 4
You may oppose extraordinary and magical sensory methods such as Scent, Blindsight, Tremorsense and the like. Make Hide/Move Silently checks as normal, opposed by the target's Spot/Listen, but the target gains a +5 bonus to its checks for each unusual detection method that it possesses.

Cloak of Humility - Level 8
You may attempt to hide yourself even when being observed, if you have or can obtain some sort of concealment.

Cloud the Waters - Level 12
You become immune to any magical effect that would divine your presence, location, or any information about you. If someone scrys on an area you occupy, he sees the surrounding area but not you. If you walk through a magical alarm, it does not trigger. Your alignment and thoughts are entirely undetectable.

This ability does not negate magic that would simply penetrate any invisibility or illusions that you might possess (like see invisibility or true seeing).

Stone Resting Undisturbed - Level 16
You may hide even in the absence of cover or concealment.

Ghost-Body Prana - Level 20
You have 20% concealment at all times, and the associated miss chance. When you already have partial concealment from a natural source, you instead increase it to full concealment. You may suppress this ability at will.

Forms:
Words of Wine and Honey
Base Ability: The Sage's voice takes on soothing harmonies or tones of command, equally difficult to resist. As a standard action, she may deliver a command that can be delivered in one or two words and reasonably be carried out within a few seconds -- "sit" works, as does "drop it" or "come here" or "leave", but "give me the dagger" is too complicated and "sleep" takes too long.

All aspects of this tree are resisted by a Will save, and are considered [Mind-affecting] and [Language-dependent]. A DC 15 Sense Motive check allows a creature to realize that it was targeted by some kind of mental influence, or a DC 20 check for any onlookers. Whether successful or not, the target becomes immune to further applications of this power (in all of its applications) for 24 hours, and automatically breaks the influence if attacked by the Sage or his obvious allies.

Calming Troubled Waters - Level 5
With a gentle touch, a calm word, and a mental nudge, the Sage puts a target in a suggestible state. If the target fails its Will save against this Form's ability, they may instead be soothed as if by calm emotions and will respond to one request or command made of them as if by a suggestion spell for one round per level.

Cold Embers Rekindled - Level 5
Words can cut as easily as they heal, and with words alone, the Sage can incite a target to rage. A target who fails its save against this Form's ability may be affected as if by the spell rage. The Sage may channel this anger toward a specific creature, causing the afflicted target's attitude to become hostile to one creature that it was previously neutral or worse to.

Preaching from the Mountaintops - Level 10
The Sage gains the ability to target large groups instead of single creatures with all aspects of this Form, up to one creature per class level. Creatures with less hit dice than half the Sage's class level do not get a saving throw, instead automatically failing. Finally, any suggestion, calm emotions, or rage effect generated by this Form can persist for up to 24 hours.

Transfixing Arbiter's Address - Level 10
When the Sage engages a target in conversation, they find it difficult to lie or break away. As long as the target is not in danger and the Sage continues communicating with them, for a maximum of one hour, they are treated as fascinated. Additionally, any target under this effect who attempts to tell a lie must make a Will save or inadvertently blurt out the truth instead.

Wordless Heart's Whispers - Level 15
The Sage gains Telepathy out to 60 feet, which she may use to communicate with any intelligent creature. All aspects of this Form may now be used without speaking and lose the [language-dependent] tag. Creatures also have a harder time identifying the source of the influence; the sense motive check to identify the Sage's interference increases to DC 30.

Heartstring Puppetry - Level 15
The Sage sees the target's mind spread out before them like a harp, and knows exactly what strings to pull. A target who fails their save against this Form's ability may be dominated for as long as the Sage maintains concentration. This concentration normally requires a move action, but if the Sage commands multiple creatures at once with Preaching from the Mountaintops, it requires full-round concentration instead.

Music of the Spheres - Level 19
The Sage's mastery of thought and voice transcends normal comprehension. She can move a statue to tears, or incite rage in the dead. All aspects of this form lose the [mind-affecting] tag, and work on any animate creature, even unintelligent ones.

Sorcery-Scattering Prana
Base Ability: As a standard action, the Sage may attempt to dispel any adjacent target or magical effect. She makes a dispel check, 1d20+class level, and compares it against a DC equal to 10 + the highest caster level among magical effects on that target. If it succeeds, she dispels that effect. If it fails, she compares the roll to the next-highest CL effect instead, until she dispels one or runs out of effects to target.

Cleansing Breath Exhalation -- Level 5
When you use Sorcery-Scattering Prana, you may use it at a range of 60 feet instead of touch. Additionally, your Prana dispels all effects that your check beats instead of just the first.

Laughing River Strike -- Level 5
As a standard action, you may make a single attack with your unarmed strike. If you successfully hit the target, you affect them with Sorcery-Scattering Prana and gain a +4 bonus on the dispel check.

White Storm Ravelling -- Level 10
If you would Laughing River Strike to make a dispel check as part of an attack, you may instead spend a full-round action to make a full attack instead. You make only a single dispel check regardless of how many strikes are successful, but each successful strike beyond the first adds another +2 bonus to your dispel check and allows you to dispel an additional effect.

If you would use Cleansing Breath Exhalation to make a ranged dispel check, it affects the primary target and all enemy effects within 20 feet of that target. You take a -2 penalty on your dispel check for each target beyond the first, and use the same roll against all targets.

If you have neither of those abilities, you may still dispel within a 20-foot burst, but only centered on yourself, and may not dispel more than one effect from each target.

Hyena Palm Rebuke -- Level 10
As an immediate action, you may attempt to disrupt the casting of a spell or Axiom within 100 feet. The target must immediately make a Concentration check as if it had taken 1d8 points of damage per two class levels you possess. The target does not actually take this damage unless you are within 5 feet of them.

Icarian Hubris Punished -- Level 15
Whenever you dispel or disrupt a magical effect through any means, you may choose to have the original caster take damage equal to the effect's caster level.

Knives Piercing Sand -- Level 15
When you make an attack as part of your use of this form, it bypasses any bonuses to AC, damage reduction, or miss chance granted by magical effects.

Gentle Master's Rebuke -- Level 19
As an immediate action, you may reflect a spell being cast with you as a target back upon its original caster. If the spell had multiple targets, all of those targets except for you are still affected, including the original caster.

Glacier Force Palm
Base Ability: As a standard action, the Sage may make a single melee attack. If she hits, the attack deals 2d6+1.5 times your Str modifier in damage. This attack ignores the hardness of any object she strikes.

Infidel-Banishing Strike -- Level 5
A target struck by your Glacier Force Palm is knocked back a number of feet equal to the damage dealt (rounded up to the nearest five). If they succeed on a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Str mod), they move only five feet instead.

Ringing Crystal Bells -- Level 5
A target struck by your Glacier Force Palm must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Str mod) or be staggered for one round.

Endless Avalanche Kata -- Level 10
You may use your Glacier Force Palm in a full attack against a single target as a full-round action. Each attack deals full damage, but if the target would have to save against additional effects, it only makes one save per effect at the end of the round, taking a -2 penalty for each strike that connected beyond the first.

Crushing River of Ice -- Level 10
Your Glacier Force Palm attacks penetrate DR of any type equal to your class level. If you knock a creature back into a solid object, it takes additional damage of 4d6+2xStr mod.

Mountains Ground to Dust -- Level 15
When you hit with a Glacier Force Palm attack, you deal 2 points of ability damage to the target's Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores in addition to any hit point damage. You may only deal this ability damage to a single target once per round.

Break-Point Strike -- Level 15
As a full-round action, you may make a single melee attack. If it connects, this attack deals nonlethal damage equal to your target's maximum hit points. The target may make a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Str modifier) to negate half of this damage. This does not count as your Glacier Force Palm technique for the purposes of this form's other abilities.

Winter's Unstoppable Advance -- Level 19
A living target struck by your Glacier Force Palm takes -8 to all Fortitude saves until the end of their next turn. Unliving targets such as constructs and undead are instead dealt double damage.

Feats:
SPECIALIZED FORCE
Through practice or natural affinity, you are more adept than usual at unleashing a specific element.

Prerequisites: Sheer Force class feature

Benefit: Choose one damage type (Fire, Cold, Acid, Electric, Slashing, Piercing, or Bludgeoning). You deal extra damage when using the appropriate element in your Sheer Force ability. This damage is equal to 1 +1/3 of your caster level (rounded down).

SamBurke
2012-09-06, 02:09 PM
I LOVE this. I absolutely LOVE it.

First the system seems pretty solid, and has a lot of wiggle room for different characters...

But the idea, as a whole... PERFECT.

Ideas:


Black Tentacles
Ice
Stone
Pit
Illusion Wall
Grease
Blinding
Terror
Bleeding (More when allies hit?)
Perhaps some buffs?

Eurus
2012-09-06, 10:25 PM
I LOVE this. I absolutely LOVE it.

First the system seems pretty solid, and has a lot of wiggle room for different characters...

But the idea, as a whole... PERFECT.

Ideas:


Black Tentacles
Ice
Stone
Pit
Illusion Wall
Grease
Blinding
Terror
Bleeding (More when allies hit?)
Perhaps some buffs?


Awesome! I added Shape Barrier, which is a nifty little wall-creation power, and will add Umbra Zone for darkness next.

EDIT: Cryo Zone also added.

Eurus
2012-09-09, 07:44 PM
Inflict Pestilence added. Future plans include Emulate Life (creates an animated object when manifested, gives temporary hit points when evoked), Storm Control (creates high winds when manifested, lightning when evoked), Spacial Distortion (manifestation improves/hinders movement of friends/foes, evocation allows long-range teleports), Shape Plasm (creates temporary physical objects when manifested, shatters objects when evoked), and hopefully more as I think of them.

I admit, I'm a bit disappointed that this hasn't seemed to get much attention, but I suppose it's only natural with the sheer amount of good homebrew on these forums! Still, if you're reading this, drop in and say hi. :smallwink:

ArkenBrony
2012-09-09, 10:31 PM
i love this, i have added this to my bookmarks, i will definitely give a proper peach of the class, hopefully tonight but cant make any promises, but yeah, this is really cool

Edit: here is the peach



So this is a class that I've been mulling over for a while, one-half (the "arcane" half, you might call it) of an alternate magic system designed to emphasize the differences between the "branches" of magic, do away with daily resource limits in favor of renewable ones, favor strategic combat rather than save-or-die rocket tag, and generally entertain me. I make zero claims to improving balance, that's not really the goal here. This is also not designed to be compatible with standard 3.5 magic fluff-wise, although you probably still could use both if you wanted.

Any comments/critique on the idea or execution, suggestions for Axioms, or whatever are welcome.




The Mage

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs27/f/2008/143/e/7/Undead_Mage_by_Nishinku.jpg

cool picture

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."
Sho the White, Master of the Outward Path

i know that that is mythbusters, it works well as a quote

Every creature has a Will that sustains it, through which it affects the world. It is the Will that guides the warrior's sword, the Will that draws breath into the lungs, the Will that makes a man more than a mere lump of flesh. Compared to this Will, all else is but smoke and shadows. Through training and practice, a Mage can learn to extend this Will beyond his own body, creating a zone in which objects and natural laws bend to his whims. The greatest masters are said to eschew the flesh entirely, becoming avatars of pure Will halfway between man and god.

fluff is creative and well made

Abilities: A Mage's ability to alter reality depends primarily on his Charisma score. A strong body is a useful anchor for a strong mind, so Constitution is also important.

so is the sorcerer of your system

Role: A Mage is primarily a battlefield controller. While they are capable of inflicting significant damage, the nature of their powers tends to result in area denial and group debuffing being a more reliable strategy. Allies are usually necessary to protect the Mage, and prevent opponents from evading the conjured zones.

that is how i believe wizards and sorcerers should have been

Background: The Outward Path demands great study and dedication, but some find themselves more predisposed to it than others. Such prodigies are often noticed and apprenticed by journeyman Mages, smoothing the way with a financial gift to the youth's family if necessary. Others seek out the academies and monasteries of the Outward Path, earning entrance with displays of persistence and resolve in the face of the countless obstacles fabricated to obstruct them. And some rarities eschew traditional organizations, mastering the art on their own through raw persistence.

fluff is creative and well made

Organization: There are many organizations for Mages, most of them highly structured and formalized schools. Some have ties to a religious or military order, while others pride themselves on independence and non-interference. Even Mages from highly disparate groups generally recognize and respect each other as peers, although violent conflicts are certainly not uncommon.

fluff is still creative and well made

Alignment: Any. Mages can be as good, evil, or neutral as desired, and vary wildly between law and chaos. Although the Outward Path requires mental fortitude and rigor, arguably favoring law, many chaotic Mages see themselves as beyond the laws of man, respecting only their stronger peers if even that.

fluff is continuously creative and well made

Races: Any. Although shorter-lived than many, humans tend to make excellent Mages due to sheer stubbornness and disregard for the laws of nature. Elves and dwarves are less likely to favor the Outward Path, while gnomes, halflings, and the more savage humanoid races have their fair number. Dragon-blooded members of any race are also known to often display great natural talent and inclination for the art.

so are you doing this as a sorcerer?

Religion: The philosophy behind a Mage's talents tends to lend itself more to the non-religious, but some are quite devout. In particular, any god of magic, willpower, or change can be a suitable patron. Those who choose worship tend to be unshakable pillars of faith, even if they are often (discreetly) derided by their peers.

understandable, like scientists tend to be perceived, i like that

Other Classes: Mages and Sages have a long-standing rivalry and disdain for each other, due to their mutually incompatible philosophies. Otherwise, many Mages tend to respect those who they consider dedicated and skilled, even if they tend to think of the body as inherently inferior to the mind.

so is this the sorc, and sage the wizard?


Class Features
Hit Die: d6
Starting Gold: Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10 gold pieces.

Class Skills: The Mage's class skills (and the key ability score for each skill) are as follows: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at First Level: (2 + Intelligence modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Intelligence Modifier

all good, 6 sided is nice, as the 4 sided can make mages dependent on con

THE MAGE
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Sheer Force

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Spacial Distortion

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Mastery

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Effortless Focus +1 (swift)

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Universal Center +1

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Mastery

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Repurposed Will

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Effortless Focus +2 (swift)

11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Spacial Distortion, Improved

12th|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|Mastery

13th|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|Wrest Control

14th|
+7|
+4|
+4|
+9|Effortless Focus +2 (free)

15th|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+9|Universal Center +2

16th|
+8|
+5|
+5|
+10|Mastery

17th|
+8|
+5|
+5|
+10|Impress Reality

18th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+11|Panoply

19th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+11|Mind over Matter

20th|
+10|
+6|
+6|
+12|Mastery, Realized Potential[/table]

high will, low Bab, understandable

{table=Head]Level|Will points|Axioms known
1st|1|1
2nd|3|2
3rd|5|2
4th|7|3
5th|9|3
6th|12|4
7th|15|4
8th|18|5
9th|21|5
10th|25|6
11th|29|6
12th|33|7
13th|37|7
14th|42|8
15th|47|8
16th|52|9
17th|57|9
18th|63|10
19th|69|10
20th|75|11[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mages are proficient with simple weapons, but not proficient with armor or shields. Those who gain armor proficiency in any way, however, do not suffer any chance of spell failure.

so they have the armored mage abilities, but they require you to take the feats, that works

Will (Ex): The fuel for his abilities, a Mage has a Will pool equal to 1/2 of his charisma modifier plus a flat number based on class level. These points can be temporarily invested into active Manifestations to determine the strength of the effect, or exhausted to create an Evocation. Exhausted Will cannot be used for any purpose, but a Mage may recover exhausted Will equal to 1/2 his class level by spending a full-round action to refocus.

is that 1/2 class level rounded up? i would assume it is or else they cannot use evocations at low level

Axioms (Sp): A Mage's primary way of altering reality is in the form of Axioms, magical effects that he learns according to the table above. Most Axioms have two forms; a Manifestation, which creates an effect that lasts as long as Will remains invested, and an Evocation, which creates a more intense and immediate effect at the cost of tiring the Mage's willpower. Will points that are exhausted cannot be invested or re-used, and automatically recover after a few moments of rest between encounters.

Manifestations (Sp): A Manifestation generally takes the form of either a zone containing an ongoing effect, or a temporarily constructed creature or object. Creating a Manifestation is generally a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Zone-based manifestations have a radius of 10 feet +5 feet per three caster levels unless otherwise specified. A Mage may place a Manifestation's center at almost any point he has line of effect to, but takes a -1 penalty to the effect's caster level for every 10 feet of distance between him and it beyond the first 30.

Investing Will: All Manifestations require the investiture of at least one point of Will, and remain active for as long as this Will is invested and the Mage's concentration holds. A Mage may have as many Manifestations active as he has Will and sufficient concentration for. The amount of Will invested must be chosen when the Manifestation is cast, and cannot be changed without dismissing the Manifestation entirely. All Manifestations have a cap on invested Will equal to the Mage's caster level.

Sustaining Manifestations: Sustaining one or more Manifestations requires continued concentration. This generally doesn't require a roll, but does consume one or more the mage's actions for the turn. A manifestation can be sustained as a move action or a swift action automatically in anything but extreme circumstances (the deck of a storm-tossed ship, for example). One or more manifestations may even be sustained as a free action, but this does require a concentration check equal to 10 + the total Will spent on all of these manifestations + 2 for each Manifestation sustained in this way.

so you could in theory, have 3 sustained without any concentration

Evocations (Sp): An Evocation, unless otherwise specified, is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. A Mage may expend any amount of Will that is not already invested in Manifestations, up to a maximum of his class level in any single Evocation. The range is generally 60 feet, but a Mage may reach farther by expending an extra point of Will (which counts toward the ability's maximum Will but does not have its normal effects on the ability) for each additional 20 feet. An Evocation takes a -1 penalty to its caster level for each time the Mage has already used it in this encounter (or approximately five minutes).

so, 1 point is expended to use the ability, and it can be improved more as you level up, that works

Sheer Force (Su): Even an apprentice Mage may channel his mind's power into a straightforward assault, creating brief sparks of energy to serve as weapons. As a ranged touch attack, he may inflict 1d6 points of damage plus his charisma modifier. This damage may be either Fire, Cold, Acid, Electric, Slashing, Piercing, or Bludgeoning. This ability has a range of 60 feet and counts as an attack action, meaning that a higher level mage may use it as part of a full attack.

this ability, at first, made me think "thats a very underpowered eldritch blast, you should make it do more damage as you level," but then i thought "thus ends crossbow dependency" so i would actually keep this as it is, but keep in mind it is not a powerful ability

Spacial Distortion (Su): At third level, the Mage learns to move his active Manifestations without dismissing and restarting them. When he concentrates to sustain a Manifestation during his turn, the Mage may move the center of that Manifestation up to 30 feet. At eleventh level, he may instead move his Manifestations anywhere within line of effect.

This is a cool ability, and third is a nice level, so you could move with your manifestations as sort of shields

Mastery (Su): As a Mage advances his studies, he generally chooses a few Axioms to advance and perfect. At 4th level and every 4 levels after, he chooses one Axiom to gain Mastery in, adding the listed Mastery effect to every use of that power in the future.

i've read the mastery affects and this is cool, cause it just makes those abilities that bit better, and its great for rp, as you can have a specialization

Effortless Focus (Ex): At sixth level, a Mage may recover one point of exhausted Will as a swift action. At level ten, this increases to two points of Will. At level fourteen, this refocusing becomes a free action, but may still only be used once per round.

this is good, a required ability, as it allows you to effectively use your abilities, without fear of being unable to do anything without spending a full-round action restoring power

Universal Center (Su): Where is the center of the universe? To a Mage, the answer is obvious -- he himself is the center, around which all else orbits. At seventh level, the Mage may treat any of his Manifestations as having one more point of Will invested than they actually do (even exceeding his caster level limit) as long as he is physically within that Manifestation's area. At fifteenth level, this bonus increases to 2 Will.

this is great for the buffs, maybe you could have this affect evocations, and make them have 1 extra will if you are adjacent to the spells effect

Repurposed Will (Su): At ninth level, a Mage may invert an active Manifestation, releasing the energy in a sudden surge. When the Mage makes his concentration check to sustain a Manifestation, he may add +4 to the DC to instead dismiss that Manifestation and activate the Evocation of that Axiom. This Evocation requires no further action on his part, counting instead as part of the same action spent on concentrating. A powerful Mage may even release multiple Evocations Axioms in the same round, but the DC of each concentration check to repurpose a Manifestation after the first one increases by an additional +4.

When a Manifestation is ended in this way, its effects persist until the Evocation finishes resolving. So a Mage who repurposes Pyro Zone would gain the damage bonus from the manifestation on his evocation's damage roll.

so this is kind of like a quickened effect, cause its a free action, so if you had enough in use you could unleash a volley of magic, as mages often do

Wrest Control (Su): At thirteenth level, a Mage may attempt to pit his Will directly against that of another Mage, stealing control of an active Manifestation. As a standard action, the Mage focuses on a Manifestation that he can perceive and begins the assault. The effect's caster may choose to dismiss the effect in response before rolling, but if he does not do so immediately he cannot do so again until the contest is resolved. Both casters make opposed concentration checks, with each taking a -2 penalty for every Manifestation currently sustained and environmental penalties as normal. If the attacking Mage does not have knowledge of the Axiom being targeted, he takes an additional -4 penalty.

If the attacking Mage wins, he becomes the Manifestation's caster and controller for all intents and purposes. The former caster's Will remains invested until the end of his next turn, at which point it returns and the new caster must either dismiss the effect or invest his own Will into it.

the counterspelling of your mechanic, i would extend this to evocations as well, so that you can expend a manifestation to counter an evocation of the same axiom

Impress Reality (Su): At seventeenth level, the Mage's power has grown to the point where he may scar his will into nature, creating permanent Manifestations. This intensely demanding process requires at least one hour spent in meditation, and the expendature of 100 xp multiplied by the caster level of the effect the Mage seeks to create (which may be less than his normal caster level if desired).

A Manifestation created in this way is permanent and immobile, and any decisions that the caster must normally make for the Manifestation (type, behavior, position, etc) are made during the ritual and cannot be changed thereafter, but the original caster may ignore the Manifestation's effects if he wishes. The Mage need not invest any of his personal Will after this point; the Manifestation is always considered to be fully invested with Will while it endures. Any attempt to dispel such an effect works for only 1d4 hours, unless another caster spends at least one hour meditating in the manifestation's area and makes a Concentration check with a DC of 15 + the effect's caster level.

this is great for creating a lair, and filling it with magical effects, making each room have different limitations for the adventurers

Panoply (Su): At eighteenth level, a Mage's power has grown to the point where weaker effects barely test his concentration at all. Any Evocation he creates costs him two fewer points of Will (which does not increase the caster level cap)minimum 0, so they dont use this to increase will, and he may take 10 on all Concentration checks.

and now, you can cast any evocation at low cost, giving you more ability to use up your will, cause it wont handicap you

Mind over Matter (Su): At nineteenth level, the Mage's body is little more than a vestigal anchor for the power of his Will. It is the Will that sustains him, and the Will that moves his fragile flesh. He no longer needs to eat, sleep, or even breathe.

Additionally, once per round, if the Mage has no Manifestations active, he may generate a single Manifestation as a free action. This Manifestation requires no concentration and may be moved about as the Mage pleases, but may only be invested with a single point of Will which may not be increased by any means (except Universal Center). Manifestations generated by this ability may not be repurposed into Evocations.

so now you have a permanent area to play with, that can be created for free, does this go away if you create another manifestation?

Realized Potential (Su): At twentieth level, the Mage realizes his full potential, discarding his shell to exist as a creature of pure Will while exerting their powerful command over matter and energy to continue interacting with the physical world. They gain the Incorporeal subtype (gaining their Cha modifier as a deflection bonus to AC and losing their Strength score entirely), and the ability to change their appearance to any small, medium, or large image at will. They may alternately become completely invisible, although any effect that would perceive an invisible creature still sees the Mage as a swirling nimbus of color. They do not age, and if destroyed will automatically reform in 24 hours in any location they have ever visited. This reformation inflicts one negative level on the Mage that cannot be restored by any means for one year (but never results in permanent level loss), or unless the Mage spends 1000 xp to purge it.

this is an excellent capstone, it eliminates the need for liches, and shows how powerful a high power mage really is

Empedocles
2012-09-09, 11:16 PM
Wow. Freaking wow. This is amazing.

Some ideas for manifestations:

A tower, or something along those lines. Essentially a sort of building that the mage would more or less control. Grows with more willpower invested.

A transportation system. Maybe a...golden magic chariot thing?

Something in the summon monster line of things.

Something for necromancy. Investing willpower in corpses, I suppose, or draining life with an evocation

I'm feeling a voodoo effect. He invests willpower in the doll, perhaps?

A gate effect (preferably less broken then the spell though)

A weapon investiture. Like all the soulknife's class features wrapped up in one nice little manifestation.

Eurus
2012-09-10, 01:02 AM
Wow. Freaking wow. This is amazing.

Some ideas for manifestations:

A tower, or something along those lines. Essentially a sort of building that the mage would more or less control. Grows with more willpower invested.

A transportation system. Maybe a...golden magic chariot thing?

Something in the summon monster line of things.

Something for necromancy. Investing willpower in corpses, I suppose, or draining life with an evocation

I'm feeling a voodoo effect. He invests willpower in the doll, perhaps?

A gate effect (preferably less broken then the spell though)

A weapon investiture. Like all the soulknife's class features wrapped up in one nice little manifestation.

Excellent idea! I love the tower/castle concept, and I plan to add in at least one or two different summoning spells. Voodoo would be interesting, hmm... I'll mull it over. And a weapon would also be fun. Forge your will into a super-sword and hand it to the fighter? :smallbiggrin:

Eurus
2012-09-26, 09:35 PM
So, the Mage is technically only half of the homebrew I had in mind here. I've edited the preliminary writeup of the other half into my third post, so say hello to the Sage. It's still missing class features, but the basic chassis is there, along with examples of the Forms and Rhythms system. Is it too complicated or hard to understand?

It's a significant priority of mine to try and keep things somewhat unique, but relatively easy to understand. The idea is to imagine them sorta like a Binder/Warlock hybrid, combining at-will abilities and swappable passives to make a versatile whole that keeps interesting choices but doesn't mimic the Mage.

Mostly, I posted this (in a very incomplete form, for which I apologize) to give a little perspective on the themes that I'm going for and possibly give me an excuse to bump.

SamBurke
2012-09-27, 01:52 PM
Wow. Freaking wow. This is amazing.

Some ideas for manifestations:

A tower, or something along those lines. Essentially a sort of building that the mage would more or less control. Grows with more willpower invested.

A transportation system. Maybe a...golden magic chariot thing?

Something in the summon monster line of things.

Something for necromancy. Investing willpower in corpses, I suppose, or draining life with an evocation

I'm feeling a voodoo effect. He invests willpower in the doll, perhaps?

A gate effect (preferably less broken then the spell though)

A weapon investiture. Like all the soulknife's class features wrapped up in one nice little manifestation.

I'm gonna say this: the class appears to be mostly about battlefield control. This is strictly outside that (save for perhaps the tower), and I don't think that we need another mage who can do everything. This isn't that much, I'll agree, but I think that what he does he does well, and it's a great class for that.

Eurus
2012-09-27, 02:06 PM
I'm gonna say this: the class appears to be mostly about battlefield control. This is strictly outside that (save for perhaps the tower), and I don't think that we need another mage who can do everything. This isn't that much, I'll agree, but I think that what he does he does well, and it's a great class for that.

Yeah, I'm trying to avoid the super-Batman-syndrome, while at the same time covering the bases enough that it could in theory replace Vancian magic. But its combat capabilities should be mostly based on battlefield manipulation, not buffing or save-or-dies or stuff like that.

Summons kinda fit in the sense that they're often big meatshields or obstacles, even if their damage is low -- the Mage's summoning Manifestation is going to be more or less indestructible (it animates an object/elemental which automatically reforms when destroyed as long as the Manifestation is still sustained), but does medium-low damage. It can trip, grapple, tank, even serve as a mount, but it's also a big red flag that says "HIT THE MAGE TO BREAK HIS CONCENTRATION". I just need to figure out what the summoning Evocation does...

SamBurke
2012-09-27, 03:57 PM
Hey! Back again for more stuff to critique.

Shape Barrier
Seems a little expensive. At level 20, you only have 75 Will, and it'd cost almost all of them to build something even remotely resembling the Wall of X line, which is available from level 7. One question I'd have: can I make the wall smaller than 5 feet, to give it more width? Because it takes until level 10 or so before I can effectivey trap anything, and doing so means that I've spent almost all of my will for a day.

Cryo Zone
While this may suffer from the issues of Shape Barrier, in their over-priced nature, I think this has a lot of cool uses. Damage, slipping, blinding... certainly a nice thing to see. I'd use it.

Umbra Zone
A little underwhelming, but useful in its own way.

Inflict Pestilence
I LIKE IT. It scales nicely, and would be pretty useful even at high levels. It takes a decent bit of investment, but it makes sense.


OVERALL:
I love this class, and have since you began it. Obviously the mage needs more work, but that's just because I want to see a whole lot more development on this.

One problem I see this that it's too expensive. Just assuming minimum use, this class is decidedly inferior to other options: it doesn't get enough will to utilize the advanced options much, and the basic level manifestations aren't powerful enough to be worth it. In other words, it's that all too uncommon problem of homebrew, which is more present on these boards: it's UNDERpowered.

Just my opinion.

Eurus
2012-09-27, 10:51 PM
Ah, thanks for the critique!

Keep in mind, the Will you invest in a Manifestation is returned to your pool as soon as that Manifestation ends. And the Will you spend on an Evocation comes back at the end of the encounter, or if you spend actions to recharge it.

The point about Shape Barrier is valid, though. Maybe if I made it so 1 Will = 1 cube instead of 2 = 1?

Eurus
2012-12-02, 12:58 AM
I should be working on Axioms/Rhythms/Forms, but whatever, here are some PrCs for the Mage that seemed nifty. Almost all Mage PrCs will use this system of "advances Will and CL, but not number of Axioms known". Specialization implies loss of versatility, after all.


Elemental Specialist
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Spellcraft 8 ranks
Class features: Mastery of the Axiom of Cold, Axiom of Fire, Axiom of Electricity, Axiom of Vibration, or Axiom of Corrosion.
Feats: Specialized Force: Cold, Fire, Electric, Sonic, or Acid.

Class Skills
The Elemental Specialist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 + int

Hit Dice: d6

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Focused Specialization

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Elemental Adept

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Elemental Mastery[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: An Elemental Specialist does not gain any new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Reduced Spellcasting: At each new level, an Elemental Specialist gains Will and increases her caster level as though she had taken a level in Mage. She does not learn any new Axioms, gain any Masteries, or any other benefits of the Mage class.

Focused Specialization (Ex): At first level, the Specialist chooses a single energy type upon which to focus her studies. This must be a type that she has the Specialized Force feat for. She gains resistance to that energy type equal to 5 per class level, and when dealing damage of the chosen energy type, she ignores an equal amount of resistance to that type that the target may possess.

Elemental Adept (Ex): A 2nd level Specialist gains a +2 bonus to her caster level when casting any Manifestation or Evocation that has her chosen energy descriptor tag.

Additionally, she may spend a full-round action to attempt to Turn or Rebuke an elemental, construct, or outsider with an appropriate subtype. She uses her caster level as her cleric level for this purpose. If she attempts to turn or rebuke a creature and fails, that creature becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours.

Fire: Rebuke [Fire], turn [Cold]
Cold: Rebuke [Cold], turn [Fire]
Electric: Rebuke [Air], turn [Earth]
Acid: Rebuke [Earth], turn [Water]
Sonic: Rebuke [Water], turn [Air]

Elemental Mastery (Ex): A 3rd level Specialist's Evocations may scourge a creature, opening it to further harm. As a special augmentation, she may expend an extra four Will when Evoking her specialized Axiom. If she does, any creature damaged by the Evocation will begin to suffer from a Vulnerability to that energy type for the next one minute.

Additionally, when Manifesting the Axiom, she gains more benefit from less Will. Every two points of Will she invests from her personal pool counts as three points of Will while invested in that Manifestation. This does not allow her to exceed the normal caster level cap on a Manifestation's effects.


Warpmage
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Spellcraft 10 ranks, Knowledge: Architecture and Engineering 10 ranks, Knowledge: The Planes 10 ranks
Class features: Mastery of the Axiom of Distance.

Class Skills
The Elemental Specialist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 + int

Hit Dice: d6

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Tesseract

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Multipresence (1)

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Strange Geometries

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Multipresence (2), Alien Architecture

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Manifold Presence

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Multipresence (3), Paradoxer

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Omnipresence[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: An Elemental Specialist does not gain any new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Reduced Spellcasting: At each new level, a Warpmage gains Will and increases her caster level as though she had taken a level in Mage. She does not learn any new Axioms, gain any Masteries, or any other benefits of the Mage class.

Tesseract (Su): At the basic levels of study, the Warpmage learns to stretch and twist the boundaries of her own Manifestations. When casting any Manifestation that affects a zone, she may leave one or more gaps inside it. Each gap must be at least one five-foot cube, but may be larger.

Additionally, she may expand the radius of his zones slightly. At 1st level, and every two levels thereafter (3rd, 5th, etc), she may add up to +5 feet to the radius of any zone he creates without requiring additional Will.

Multipresence (Su): The signature ability of the Warpmage is to exist in multiple locations at once, essentially creating copies of herself. While of limited and situational use in direct combat, the utility of this ability cannot be ignored. Many Warpmages leave versions of themselves in cities or kingdoms where they have obligations, and are more than willing to dismiss the versions of themselves that are active in dangerous areas as a last-ditch escape method.

A new "copy" may be created in a square adjacent to any of the Warpmage's current positions, and remains until dismissed. All copies share the same pool of actions, but if any copy takes an action devoted exclusively to movement (whether mundane or magical), all copies may move the same distance.

Damage taken by any copy is taken by all of them, and you can perceive through the senses of all copies simultaneously. Any magical effects or mundane conditions on one copy also affect all of them. Creating or dismissing a copy is a standard action, and it doesn't matter which one was the "original" -- if the Warpmage is currently existing in multiple locations, she may dismiss any one of them without worry, "collapsing" herself back into one location. The Warpmage may only have one extra copy active at a time at 2nd level, a second one at 4th, and a third one at 6th.

Strange Geometries (Su): By focusing her perceptions along fourth-dimensional lines, the Warpmage gains a limited ability see around and through solid objects. This only works within a range of 10 feet per class level, and requires significant enough concentration that the Warpmage cannot take any other actions during a turn that she spends perceiving in this way.

Alien Architecture (Su): When a Warpmage exerts her will over an area, she can sculpt the very space in confusing ways. Moving through her own Manifestations always costs her half as much movement (so with a 30 foot speed she could move 12 squares, or even move 2 squares with a single 5-foot step). Other creatures, on the other hand, move only half as fast through her Manifestations. This penalty also applies to allies, unless those allies are also Warpmages.

She may choose to suppress this ability when she initially creates the manifestation, but doing so eliminates both the bonuses and the penalties.

Manifold Presence (Su): The Warpmage needs no longer limit herself to discrete locations at all. When standing in the area of one of her own Manifestations, she may choose to treat herself as occupying every square of it at once for all beneficial intents and purposes -- she can (for example) threaten attacks of opportunity from any square, she can be targeted by allies and beneficial effects as if she occupied any square, she can calculate line of sight and effect from the most beneficial square. Her presence does not prevent other creatures and objects from occupying or moving through such squares (although she might dissuade them with attacks of opportunity).

For the purpose of being targeted or affected by foes, she still occupies her "true" location only, which may easily be identified by sight, but she can relocate herself anywhere within the Manifestation as a free action on her turn. She may only relocate in this way once per turn.

Paradoxer (Su): Even stranger than one object existing in multiple places is multiple objects existing in the same place, but this too is no trouble for an experienced Warpmage. She may now move through solid objects and terrain whenever she wishes as though she were ethereal, despite remaining firmly on the physical plane. She cannot see or hear while occupying a solid object unless using Strange Geometries, but this ability is otherwise almost unlimited. It provides no protection from attacks.

Omnipresence (Su): At the pinnacle of her studies, the Warpmage's command of her own location is unsurpassed. She may dismiss or create a copy with Multipresence as an immediate action now, possibly allowing her to avoid an attack directed at her. Additionally, when she creates a new copy, it may appear at any point within line of sight and effect to any of her current locations.

Domriso
2012-12-02, 04:20 AM
This is fantastic. I love the system and the concept behind it. I will be looking this over carefully the next couple of days, see what I can think to add.

EDIT: Alright, first question right off the bat. The Spatial Distortion ability allows a Mage to move a Manifestation some amount. My question is, what happens with Manifestations that possess a large physical component? If an Aqua Field passes through a creature, does it smack them and dislodge them? Or does the center of the manifestation simply wink out of one place and appear in another?