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View Full Version : Dabbler Feat (arcane casting for all, PEACH)



ericgrau
2013-03-25, 09:51 PM
I came up with this feat for those who are bored when playing magic free mundanes and want to sneak in a little magic. And because thematically it satisfies a classic part of fantasy that I love.

Dabbler
You were clever or mischievous enough to have gotten your hands on a spellbook and to more or less figure out how to use it.

Prerequisites: Int 15, spellcraft 1 rank, character level 6, access to a spellbook containing wizard spells

Benefit: You may prepare and cast wizard spells as if you were a 1st level wizard. You do not learn how to scribe spells into a spellbook and must use one or more spellbooks that someone else has written. You must make a DC 15 + spell level spellcraft check to do so as a wizard would each time for each spell (limit 1 try per day), or use read magic which lets you understand the spell forever, even after read magic expires. Most dabblers take a 10 on the spellcraft check. Whenever you gain a level, your effective wizard level for the purpose of preparing spells increases by 2, up to a limit of your character level minus 5. Thus a character who selects this feat after level 6 may catch up. You do not gain any new spells when you gain a level and must continue to find spell books.

You may also use wizard spells from wands and staffs if you make a DC 15 spellcraft check each time you cast. A natural 1 is not a failure, as long as you still make the check. You may cast spells from scrolls normally, without a check, provided that you decipher the scroll beforehand as a wizard would: using read magic or a DC 20 + spell level spellcraft check.

If you can cast wizard spells via another means, the spellcasting is not cumulative. Use the higher of the two effective wizard levels wherever both apply. For example a mystic theurge is still limited to an effective level 5 levels below his character level, unless he could attain a higher level without this feat.

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I'm still not sure about how far back to put the casting. I don't buy into "omg wizard are teh kings" and say the smallest casting trumps all, but at the same time a feat can be tacked onto anything and there may be some combos I don't see. Examples of such might convince me.

Everynone
2013-03-26, 12:00 AM
I came up with this feat for those who are bored when playing magic free mundanes and want to sneak in a little magic. And because thematically it satisfies a classic part of fantasy that I love.

Dabbler
You were clever or mischievous enough to have gotten your hands on a spellbook and to more or less figure out how to use it.

Prerequisites: Int 15, spellcraft 1 rank, character level 5, access to a spellbook containing wizard spells

Benefit: You may prepare and cast wizard spells as if you were a 1st level wizard. You do not learn how to scribe spells into a spellbook and must use one or more spellbooks that someone else has written. You must make a DC 15 + spell level spellcraft check to do so as a wizard would each time for each spell (limit 1 try per day), or use read magic which lets you understand the spell forever. Most dabblers take a 10 on the spellcraft check. Whenever you gain a level, your effective wizard level for the purpose of preparing spells increases by 2, up to a limit of your character level minus 4. Thus a character who selects this feat after level 5 may catch up. You do not gain any new spells when you gain a level and must continue to find spell books.

You may also use wizard spells from wands and staffs if you make a DC 15 spellcraft check each time you cast. A natural 1 is not a failure, as long as you still make the check. You may cast spells from scrolls normally, without a check, provided that you decipher the scroll beforehand as a wizard would: using read magic or a DC 20 + spell level spellcraft check.

If you can cast wizard spells via another means, the spellcasting is not cumulative. Use the higher of the two effective wizard levels wherever both apply. For example a mystic theurge is still limited to an effective level 4 levels below his character level, unless he could attain a higher level without this feat.

Interesting idea...but I feel like other feats would need to be made to emulate signature abilities of other classes as well, like something that emulates a familiar or animal companion or psionic abilities or divine spells or other things. Just a thought.

Also, it may be overpowered. I dont have enough experience to know for sure, but it definitely is a step outta the norm.

ericgrau
2013-03-26, 12:45 AM
Well I'm also consider -5 or -6 level casting. Beyond that, or even somewhat at -5 or -6, you could easily do better with magic items so I don't want to make it too weak either.

That is an interesting idea to steal other class abilities. It's a little like 4e "multiclassing".

Which got me thinking of some personal spells that can lead to combos. I'm editing the original post to give -5 level casting to be safe. I'd do -6 to be safer but then people couldn't grab this with their level 6 feat. And at -7 you could do just as well with cheap magic items, so it wouldn't be much of a feat.

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I started on divine but quickened personal spells made that messy. So here's an "animal companion":

Animal Friend
You met a creature who has taken a liking to you

Prerequisites: Cha 11, handle animal 1 rank, character level 5, must have saved or otherwise befriended an animal in a major way.

Benefit: Treat the animal as your animal companion as if you were a ranger of your level. However you do not get any free tricks, nor may you share spells with the animal (if you are a spellcaster), nor do you make handle animal checks faster than usual (typically they are a move action) . You must make handle animal checks to teach and direct the animal. See the handle animal skill for details. You may not replace the animal with a new animal unless you likewise save a new animal or befriend him in a major way. If a ranger of your level could not make the animal his companion, this feat has no effect.

If you gain an animal companion from another source, this feat does not stack with that source. You may only have one animal companion or the other.

Xuldarinar
2013-03-26, 01:14 AM
What an interesting Idea. I feel this should be expanded upon.


Suggestions:

Divine equivalent
Sneak attack/Sudden strike/Skirmish equivalent
Eldritch Blast or Invocation equivalent
Psionic Equivalent (One exists to an extent but perhaps feats could exist to improve upon that. It grants 2 PP and a single 1st level power)
Mystery Equivalent
Infusion Equivalent
Vestige Equivalent (One exists already though is limited with additional feats up to 2nd level vestiges)
Truenaming Equivalent (Not that I like true naming, but perhaps it would be -much- better as a feat than a class)
Maneuver and Stance Equivalent (They exist, but again perhaps they could be improved upon)


With a set of 'dabbling' feats, perhaps a campaign could be set up in which magic is obscure. Casting classes would be forbidden -but- you could take such feats to gain some of their power.

ericgrau
2013-03-26, 02:08 AM
Blesssed by a God
You have curried the favor of a god through a recent quest and he has granted you with power in exchange for continuing towards his goals. But you do not share the special connection to that deity that a cleric would.

Prerequisites: Wis 15, character level 5, must have gained the favor of a deity by accomplishing his goals

Benefit: You may cast spells as if you were a cleric or druid 4 levels lower than you, as selected when selecting the feat. You do not gain any domains or other class features. You select your prepared spells upon gaining this feat and regain the same list each day. Your list does not change without action from the deity or a servant of the deity, typically upon the completion of a step in your quest. Increasing your character level will not give you more spells until that time either. You may not use spells that make a direct request, call upon or make another connection with the deity or his outsider servants, including any that grant an insight bonus, luck bonus, sacred bonus or profane bonus or spells such as augury, divination, divine power, planar ally or miracle. Others that do not make a direct request, even those like bless, are usually allowed. The DM has the final say on what works. If your actions go strongly against the goals involved with the granting of this feat, the deity will revoke the benefits for as long as he pleases. Sometimes he may require an atonement. Most of those who are blessed only retain their spellcasting while fulfilling goals specifically related to the deities' wishes. If there is no immediate need a deity will often start them at level 1 spellcasting and slowly entrust them with more. The specifics of any limitations are up to the deity.

If you can cast cleric or druid spells via another means, the spellcasting is not cumulative. Use the higher of the two effective cleric/druid levels wherever both apply. For example a mystic theurge is still limited to an effective level 4 levels below his character level, unless he could attain a higher level without this feat.

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I'm hoping the lack of direct-to-deity spells will remove most of the problematic spells that could stack too well, like quickened divine favor. And there are fluff reasons. Besides those buffs it's divine casting which tends to be worse than arcane, so it gets to be a level higher.

Xuldarinar
2013-03-26, 02:20 AM
If your interested in using this, here. Good job on the divine version by the way.

Touched by Shadow
Through some event you have become connected to the plane of shadow and begin to learn how to tap into that connection.
Prerequisites: Int 15, spellcraft 1, character level 5, must have formed some sort of connection with shadows (such as visiting the plane of shadows)
Benefit: You may use mysteries as a shadowcaster 4 levels lower than you and learn 1 mystery gained per effective shadowcaster level. Gaining levels will increase your caster level and advance uses per mystery per day at the appropriate levels. With every level gained your effective shadowcaster level increases by 2, but cannot surpass your character level -4.
If you cast mysteries by other means, the spellcasting is not cumulative. Use the higher of the two levels for determining caster level in both cases.

Blueiji
2013-03-26, 03:46 AM
Truenaming Equivalent (Not that I like true naming, but perhaps it would be -much- better as a feat than a class)

This already exists. There are a series of feats that allow a character to learn utterances, their only prerequisites are ranks in the Truespeak skill, which anyone can put ranks cross-class skill ranks into if they wish.


With a set of 'dabbling' feats, perhaps a campaign could be set up in which magic is obscure. Casting classes would be forbidden -but- you could take such feats to gain some of their power.

I happen to be working on a series of prestige classes focused on allowing certain classes to "dabble" in other subsystems. The first one (a Binder prestige class that allows dabbling in invocations) is in my signature. I'm working on another that allows Rogues to get a few psionic powers and a Psicrystal.

Xuldarinar
2013-03-26, 04:05 AM
This already exists. There are a series of feats that allow a character to learn utterances, their only prerequisites are ranks in the Truespeak skill, which anyone can put ranks cross-class skill ranks into if they wish.

Huh. I hadn't noticed it when I went through tome of magic. Then again i never payed that section of the book much attention. Its alright in theme but the execution leaves much to be desired. I've payed a lot more attention to the Binder and the Shadowcaster, which are both among my favorite classes.

ericgrau
2013-03-26, 01:22 PM
If your interested in using this, here.
Sure, anyone can jump in. I might do something with sneak attack / SS / skirmish, but I'm not familiar enough with the rest.

You've got a typo with -4 level mysteries at the beginning and -5 at the end. I assume you mean -4 for both.