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Xallace
2012-12-15, 02:46 PM
THE WEATHERSMITH

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/5617/10hephaestus.jpg
Image from Google Image Search, was in a post on some other message board. Not sure of source.

”I love that new storm smell.”

The weathersmith is an artist. Her canvas is the sky, her paints the wind and rain - quite literally. Weathersmiths imbue mundane crafting methods with a little bit of magic to create wondrous items known as Skyseeds, small spheres filled with meticulously crafted weather effects.

BECOMING A WEATHERSMITH
Nearly all weathersmiths begin as wizards or druids. All weathersmiths are spellcasters of some sort.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Craft (any) 8 ranks, Knowledge (Nature) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks
Feats: Craft Wondrous Item
Spells: Ability to cast any three of the following: Daylight, Endure Elements, Gust of Wind, Fog Cloud, Obscuring Mist, and Sleet Storm.


Class Skills
The Weathersmith's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually)(Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4+ int

Hit Dice: d4

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

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+0|Craft Skyseeds|1 + Int Modifier|-

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+0|Weatherproof| 1 + Int Modifier|+1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Ability

3rd|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+1|Enhanced Skyseeds| 2 + Int Modifier|-

4th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+1|Aeolus’ Bag 1/day| 2 + Int Modifier| +1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Ability

5th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+1|Weather Warding| 3 + Int Modifier| -

6th|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+2|Feel the Wind| 3 + Int Modifier| +1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Ability

7th|
+3|
+5|
+2|
+2|Enhanced Skyseeds| 4 + Int Modifier| -

8th|
+4|
+6|
+2|
+2|Aeolus’ Bag 2/day| 4 + Int Modifier| +1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Ability

9th|
+4|
+6|
+3|
+3|Eye of the Storm| 5 + Int Modifier| -

10th|
+5|
+7|
+3|
+3|Enhanced Skyseeds| 5 + Int Modifier| +1 Level of Existing Spellcasting Ability[/table]

Weapon Proficiencies: Weathersmiths do not gain or lose proficiencies.

Craft Skyseeds (Su): A spring rain, a sunny day, a howling blizzard; these things and more are the brilliant artistry of the weathersmiths. The quintessential ability of the class is to forge weather patterns from hard work a little magic, then store them away for later use. Every artisan plies his craft a little differently: One weathersmith brews a storm in an alchemist’s lab, while another weaves together a heat wave out of the air. A dwarven weathersmith literally uses forge and anvil, hammering a calm, sunny day into place, while an elf meticulously selects the colors of paint that will become a rainbow. It does not matter how the artisan goes about crafting the scene, for it always results in a skyseed.

Skyseeds are small spheres, about the size of an apple, and contain a specific weather pattern, created by the weathersmith. It’s obvious by sight what sort of weather pattern exists within a skyseed; they might seem cloudy, blustery, calm or clear, depending on the weather inside. Touching one may be warm, cold, dry, or wet. Skyseeds are ephemeral, like water vapor, and only characters with levels in the weathersmith class may handle them like physical objects; they simply slip through anyone else’s fingers.

Activating a skyseed is simple. The weathersmith must have a skyseed in hand, and take a standard action to toss the seed high into the air or smash it on the ground. The weather conditions crafted in the skyseed accumulate over the course of the round, taking effect at the beginning of the weathersmith’s next turn.

A weathersmith must activate a skyseed outdoors. She herself does not need to be out in the open, so long as she has an open passage to the sky that she can throw the skyseed through.

If a weathersmith activates another skyseed while within the area of an active skyseed, the new seed overrides the first. If the duration of the second seed expires before the first one would, the first seed reasserts itself. Time spent being overshadowed by another seed still counts against the previous seed’s duration.

Crafting a skyseed is a fairly straightforward process: The weathersmith must work for an uninterrupted length of time on the skyseed, and then make a special crafting check of 1d20 + Weathersmith class level + Weathersmith’s Intelligence modifier. The base DC of this check is 15, modified by the Seed Factors used in its creation (as detailed below). A skyseed can utilize as many Seed Factors as the weathersmith desires, although only one Factor from each of the given categories.

Only certain Seed Factors are available at 1st level, but the weathersmith learns to forge greater weather conditions as she advances. See the Seed Factors tables for more details.

A weathersmith can only keep so many skyseeds at once. She can have a number of unused skyseeds at once based on her level, as shown under “Skyseed Capacity.” Any attempts to make skyseeds after that number has been reached simply fail until the weathersmith uses up one of her skyseeds.

Weatherproof (Ex): Being masters of wind and rain, weathersmiths often spend long hours out in the elements. This exposure leads to an inurement to harsh conditions. From 2nd level on, the weathersmith no longer suffers from penalties associated with weather conditions: no perception penalties from rain, she does not need to check against high winds, etc. Further, the weathersmith is under the effects of a continual Endure Elements spell.

Enhanced Skyseeds (Ex): As the weathersmith’s skill in crafting the weather grows, so does her versatility with skyseeds. At 3rd, 7th, and 10th levels, the weathersmith gains additional options when crafting skyseeds, as shown on the Seed Factors charts, below.

Aeolus’ Bag (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the weathersmith gains the remarkable ability to gather up an existing weather condition and form it into a skyseed for later use. This ability is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, and requires that the weathersmith have an open slot for a Skyseed (that is, her capacity cannot be filled). Aelous’ Bag cannot be used to gather up a calm, clear sky.

The existing weather conditions immediately disappear, sucked into a skyseed that forms in the weathersmith’s hand. The area around the weathersmith reverts into a calm, clear sky, with a temperature that is mild for the location (so a tundra will still be cold, but not colder than usual). The skyseed’s temperature factors are based on the difference between the new, mild temperature, and the weather condition’s temperature; for example, if a blizzard dropped an area by one temperature band, then the temperature band will drop by one compared to the temperature of the area in which the weathersmith next uses the skyseed.

The weathersmith cannot use this ability to capture magically created weather. She may used Aeolus’ Bag once per day at 4th level, and twice per day at 8th level.

Weather Warding (Su): While most weathersmiths remain among their own kind, and as such need never worry about their allies in the midst of terrible storms, there are those few who act in adventuring parties or otherwise have non-smiths to take care of. Thus, at 5th level, the weathersmith can extend her Weatherproof class feature to a number of touched creatures equal to her Intelligence modifier, per day. This benefit lasts for 1 hour per class level.

The weathersmith may also touch a building, allowing it and all inside of it safety from the weather.

Feel the Wind (Su): As of 6th level, the weathersmith is so attuned to the weather that she can sense its flow. By making a Knowledge (Nature) check at DC 15, the weathersmith can accurately predict the next day’s weather. For each 5 points by which she exceeds the DC, she can accurately foretell the weather of each subsequent day.

Eye of the Storm (Su): At 9th level, the weathersmith’s ability to protect others from inclement weather vastly improves. She now emits a constant aura of shelter from the storm. Any creature within 30 feet of the weathersmith gains the benefit of her Weatherproof class feature.
The weathersmith may activate or deactivate this aura at will, as a free action.

Xallace
2012-12-15, 02:49 PM
Seed Factors

As noted in the class description, crafting a skyseed requires a special check of 1d20 + Weathersmith Class Level + Intelligence modifier, against a DC of 15. This DC is modified by the Seed Factors the weathersmith applies, chosen from the lists below.

{table=head]Crafting Time | Level Required | DC Modifier
1 Hour | 1st | +0
2-5 Hours | 1st | -2
6-7 Hours | 1st | -3
8-12 Hours | 1st | -4
12-24 Hours | 1st | -5
30 Minutes | 3rd | +2
15 Minutes | 3rd | +4
1 Minute | 7th | +8[/table]

The weathersmith decides how long she will toil on the skyseed before she begins. The longer she takes to craft the seed, the lower the DC, as shown on the table.


{table=head]Duration | Level Required | DC Modifier
1-5 Rounds | 1st | -5
1-5 Minutes | 1st | +0
10+ minutes | 1st | +1 for every 10 minutes
1 Hour | 3rd | +2
2+ Hours | 3rd | +1 for every hour after 1
1 Day | 7th | +5
1 Month | 10th | +15
1 Year | 10th | +30[/table]

The weathersmith must decide how long the weather pattern will last. Once the duration has expired, the normal weather patterns of the area reassert themselves.

{table=head]Diameter | Level Required | DC Modifier
100 - 500 ft | 1st | -2
501ft - 1 Mile | 1st | +0
Each Additional Mile | 3rd | +2 per additional mile [/table]
The weathersmith must choose the area of the effect, determined by diameter.


{table=head]Temperature | Level Required | DC Modifier
No Change | 1st | +0
Raise/Lower One Band| 1st | +1
Raise/Lower Two Bands| 3rd | +2
Raise/Lower Three Bands| 3rd | +3
Raise/Lower Four Bands| 7th | +4
Raise/Lower Five Bands| 7th | +5
Set Specific Band | 10th | +7 [/table]

The weathersmith must determine if there will be a change in local temperature, and if so, how much.


{table=head]Temperature Band | Range
Extreme Heat | 140F or more
Severe Heat | 110F to 140F
Hot | 90F to 110F
Warm | 60F to 90F
Moderate | 40F to 60F
Cold | 0F to 40F
Severe Cold | -20F to 0F
Extreme Cold | -50F to -20F
Unearthly Cold | -50F or less[/table]
Refer to Heat Dangers (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#heatDangers) and Cold Dangers (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#coldDangers) from the Dungeon Master’s Guide for details.

{table=head]Wind Speed | Level Required | DC Modifier
No Change | 1st | +0
Calm (No Wind) | 1st | +0
Light (1-10 MPH) | 1st | +0
Moderate(11-20 MPH) | 1st | +1
Strong (21-30 MPH) | 3rd | +2
Severe (31-50 MPH) | 3rd | +3
Windstorm (51-74 MPH)| 7th | +4
Hurricane (75-174 MPH)| 7th | +5
Tornado (175-300 MPH)| 10th | +10[/table]
In addition to the effects listed here, please refer to the Wind Effects (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/weather.htm#winds) chart for full details.

Calm: No wind to speak of, perfectly still and calm. While not hazardous to life on its own, this can be an exceptionally problematic factor while out on the ocean.

Light: A gentle breeze, having little or no game effect.

Moderate: A steady wind with a 50% chance of extinguishing small, unprotected flames, such as candles.

Strong: Gusts that automatically extinguish unprotected flames (candles, torches, and the like). Such gusts impose a -2 penalty on ranged attack rollsand on Listen checks.

Severe: In addition to automatically extinguishing any unprotected flames, winds of this magnitude cause protected flames (such as those of lanterns) to dance wildly and have a 50% chance of extinguishing these lights. Ranged weapon attacks and Listen checks are at a -4 penalty. This is the velocity of wind produced by a gust of wind spell.

Windstorm: Powerful enough to bring down branches if not whole trees, windstorms automatically extinguish unprotected flames and have a 75% chance of blowing out protected flames, such as those of lanterns. Ranged weapon attacks are impossible, and even siege weapons have a -4 penalty on attack rolls. Listen checks are at a -8 penalty due to the howling of the wind.

Hurricane-Force: All flames are extinguished. Ranged attacks are impossible (except with siege weapons, which have a -8 penalty on attack rolls). Listen checks are impossible: All characters can hear is the roaring of the wind. Hurricane-force winds often fell trees.

Tornado: All flames are extinguished. All ranged attacks are impossible (even with siege weapons), as are Listen checks. Instead of being blown away (see Table: Wind Effects), characters in close proximity to a tornado who fail their Fortitude saves are sucked toward the tornado. Those who come in contact with the actual funnel cloud are picked up and whirled around for 1d10 rounds, taking 6d6 points of damage per round, before being violently expelled (falling damage may apply). While a tornado’s rotational speed can be as great as 300 mph, the funnel itself moves forward at an average of 30 mph (roughly 250 feet per round). A tornado uproots trees, destroys buildings, and causes other similar forms of major destruction.



{table=head]Precipitation | Level Required | DC Modifier
Clear Sky | 1st | +0
Cloud Cover | 1st | +0
Rain/Snow* | 1st | +2
Hail | 3rd | +2
Sleet | 3rd | +4
Heavy Rain/Snow* | 7th | +5 [/table]
*Snow occurs in Cold or Colder temperature bands, while Rain occurs in any warmer bands.

Clear Sky: A few clouds dot the sky at most, allowing sun, moon, or stars to shine unimpeded.

Cloud Cover: The sky is grey and overcast, shrouding the area from the sun or stars. The weathersmith may also choose this option to represent a partly-cloudy sky, but there will be no precipitation either way.

Rain or Snow: Rain reduces visibility ranges by half, resulting in a -4 penalty on Spot and Search checks. It has the same effect on flames, ranged weapon attacks, andListen checks as severe wind. Falling snow has the same effects on visibility, ranged weapon attacks, and skill checks as rain, and it costs 2 squares of movement to enter a snow-covered square. A day of snowfall leaves 1d6 inches of snow on the ground.

Hail: Hail does not reduce visibility, but the sound of falling hail makes Listen checks more difficult (-4 penalty). Sometimes (5% chance) hail can become large enough to deal 1 point of lethal damage (per storm) to anything in the open. Once on the ground, hail has the same effect on movement as snow.

Sleet: Essentially frozen rain, sleet has the same effect as rain while falling (except that its chance to extinguish protected flames is 75%) and the same effect as snow once on the ground.

Heavy Rain or Snow: Heavy rain has the same effects as rain does, except that the chance to to extinguish protected flames rises to 75%. Even a few minutes of heavy rain can cause flooding in low-lying areas (see Flooding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/wilderness.htm#floods)). Heavy snow has the same effects as normal snowfall, but also restricts visibility as fog does (see Fog, below). A day of heavy snow leaves 1d4 feet of snow on the ground, and it costs 4 squares of movement to enter a square covered with heavy snow. Heavy snow accompanied by strong or severe winds may result in snowdrifts 1d4×5 feet deep, especially in and around objects big enough to deflect the wind—a cabin or a large tent, for instance. Snow has the same effect on flames as moderate wind.

{table=head]Special* | Level Required | DC Modifier
Rainbow | 1st | +0
Fog | 3rd | +4
Lightning | 3rd | +3
Booming Thunder | 7th | +2[/table]
*Utilizing Factors from this category is entirely optional, but the weathersmith may choose any number of Factors from it.

Rainbow: Any precipitation created by the skyseed is followed by a rainbow once the seed’s duration expires. The rainbow lasts for 1 hour, and the weathersmith decides its brightness, size, and if there is a double rainbow. This has no particular mechanical effect, but many weathersmiths enjoy adding one anyway.

Fog: Whether in the form of a low-lying cloud or a mist rising from the ground, fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment (attacks by or against them have a 20% miss chance).

Lightning: This option cannot be applied to a skyseed with the Clear or Overcast factors. Lightning streaks across the sky, accompanied by cracks of thunder. As a rule of thumb, assume one bolt per minute for a 1-hour period at the center of the storm. Each bolt causes electricity damage equal to 1d10 eight-sided dice.

Booming Thunder: Added to any skyseed that already contains the Lightning factor, this addition causes incredibly loud thunder to explode across the sky every 1d4 rounds. Creatures affected by weather conditions must make a WIll Save (DC10 + weathersmith class level + Weathersmith Intelligence modifier) or become shaken. This is a sonic, fear effect.

{table=head]Other Modifiers* | DC Modifier
Workstation | -1
Masterwork Workstation | -2
Similar Weather | -1 per similarity[/table]
*Unlike other factors, use as many from this table as apply.

Workstation: Having appropriate tools for crafting can also help craft a skyseed. You gain this benefit from any tools used for crafting, so long as you have at least 8 ranks in the craft skill for which the equipment is usually used. For instance, if you have Craft (Alchemy) 8 ranks, you could gain this benefit from an alchemy lab. A character with 8 ranks in Craft (Sculpting) might gain the benefit from a pottery wheel, or a hammer and chisel, and so on.

Masterwork Workstation: As per the rules noted under Workstation, but you gain a bigger benefit from using better tools, just as you would a normal craft check.

Similar Weather: The weathersmith benefits from crafting skyseeds while observing the weather she is trying to craft. For each factor the weathersmith is currently experiencing, the craft DC for that factor is reduced by 1. For example, if the weathersmith is attempting to craft a windstorm while a windstorm gusts about outside her workshop, the DC modifier for crafting the windstorm becomes +3, instead of the usual +4.

Domriso
2012-12-15, 05:56 PM
Absolutely love it. The idea is great, the implementation seems sound, and it would be a blast to play.

That being said, are you considering any other possible weather factors? Perhaps some a bit less mundane? Because that seems like the next logical step.

Vaz
2012-12-16, 07:41 AM
I find it a little odd that changing the weather to calm or barely windy is easier than making it hurricane/tornado force.

Same for temperature; perhaps change the DC to be reliant on degrees if change (ie becalming a tornado should be just as difficult as making a tornado out of a completely calm day.

The same for temperature?

In regards to the DC pehaps include the Class Level as a mitigating factor?

I do like these; ever since seeing Saruman change the weather in Fellowship of the ring, I wanted to make am NPC living at the top of the mountain who uses natural and magical weather all rolled into one to force enemies off his mountain.

Xallace
2012-12-16, 10:37 AM
That being said, are you considering any other possible weather factors? Perhaps some a bit less mundane? Because that seems like the next logical step.

Yeah, definitely. I had forgotten to add duststorms, and figured I could comb through the environmental books (Forstburn, Sandstorm, Stormwrack) to see what else I could add. The "Special Options" list is far shorter than I would like it to be, honestly.


I find it a little odd that changing the weather to calm or barely windy is easier than making it hurricane/tornado force.

That has more to do with game balance than in-game logic. Higher windspeeds produce some powerful effects. Raising or lowering them like temperature could be a viable option, though, you're right.


In regards to the DC pehaps include the Class Level as a mitigating factor?

It already does, sorta. The check is 1d20 + Your class level + Your Intelligence modifier; essentially a -1 to the DC for every class level.

Vaz
2012-12-16, 11:12 AM
Whoops, that is what you get for skim reading. In regards to lowering it though; like you said, there are nastier effects related to higher winds; so if for example an enemy is reliant on fast winds for whatever, then bringing it down should be as difficult for the PC's to lower it as it is for the PC's to raise it for their own ability?

That is purely my take on it; and I'd personally houserule that each difference adds a +X to the DC.

IE instead of +10 to the DC to make a tornado force during a hurricane, it becomes +5 to the DC. However to becalm the hurricane, it becomes a +5 as well (the difference between the calm and hurricane force).

I do like this class a lot (mechanically) though, although I'd possibly also refluff and being less "make a weather apple", and possibly have it become more spontaneous; a Blue Dragon Weathersmith for example seems like they'd make good use out of it (call lightning storm, fog banks, mimicry/Throw sound and all that).

But yes I do indeed like this class.

Hanuman
2012-12-16, 12:36 PM
Easier and more powerful than a gramarie but heavier class investment and lower kit usage. Best used on an npc, probably gestalting a storm god or wind giant.

Xallace
2012-12-16, 02:48 PM
*Relative wind effects*

Ah yes, I do understand what you mean. Kinda mulling over which method I prefer.


Easier and more powerful than a gramarie but heavier class investment and lower kit usage.

I'm not entirely certain what you're saying.

Hanuman
2012-12-17, 04:36 AM
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14377039&postcount=703