Lix Lorn
2013-05-22, 08:47 PM
Tomes
Tomes are based on Fire Emblem and remain the property of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.
The magical tomes of the Ylissean continents are powerful weapons in the hands of spellcasters. They manifest elemental powers with a speed and ease unmatched by more traditional arcane attacks, and are the primary use of magic in those lands.
Tomes are used like normal weapons, requiring a ranged touch attack using the wielder's casting ability modifier as the relevant attribute (or no attribute if they lack casting ability). They suffer a -4 penalty if their wielder is nonproficient, and can cause a critical strike for increased damage.
They are considered two handed weapons, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. They may not attack a foe further than one range increment away.
Tomes are most powerful in the hands of spellcasters. A proficient character with a caster level may treat any level that gives him an increase to his caster level as if it gave his BAB an equal increase. In addition, these characters deal bonus damage equal to their casting modifier (Intelligence for an Emblem Mage or a Wizard, Charisma for an Emblem Dark Mage or a Sorcerer…) on every attack with a tome.
However, only a specialist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285407) can make iterative attacks with tomes (although other wielders may still use full attacks to benefit from Haste, Speed, or similar effects). A character only receives the number of iterative attacks with Tomes that they would receive if their BAB was equal to the total caster level they have from classes which grants Tome proficiency. (Usually, only Emblem classes.)
However, they do have weaknesses. A tome is vulnerable to dispel effects, which will put it out of commission for one hour or until the end of the encounter, whichever is longer, as well as blocking the attack. A tome's caster level is the higher of the one required to use it and the caster level of its wielder.
They do not function in an antimagic field, and are affected by spell resistance.
A tome can be enchanted as a normal weapon. Its wielder must be able to read the tome, and to move freely.
Tomes are usually Evocation effects.
Crafting a tome is a difficult task, and while some are ornate, gilded, or simply beautiful, this has no effect on their abilities. Tomes are always considered masterwork, but do not gain a bonus for this.
Tomes come in five varieties. The most common by far are the three Anima tomes – fire, wind, and thunder, which trump each other in that order. These three share a strength against Light tomes, which in turn are strong against the Dark tomes that defeat Anima.
In game terms, Wind tomes tend to be accurate and light, and tend to deal slashing or cold damage, Fire tomes tend to be damaging fire weapons, while Thunder terms tend to be powerful critical weapons that do electric damage. Dark tomes tend to have slightly enhanced damage, while light tomes are hard to avoid.
Proficiency Feats Plus
Tome Proficiency
Prerequisites: Int, Wis, Or Cha 15, Knowledge (Arcana) OR Spellcraft 2 ranks
Benefit: You may use Anima tomes without a nonproficiency penalty. If a spellcaster, you may use your caster level in place of your BAB, and deal bonus damage equal to your casting modifier.
Normal: Mages never have to make attack rolls.
Tome Mastery
Prerequisites: Tome Proficiency, caster level 1st
Benefit: Add four to your caster level for the purposes of wielding tomes, to a maximum of your ECL. Up to six of your caster levels count as granting Tome proficiency, if they didn't already, allowing you an additional iterative attack.
Normal: Only a Mage uses tomes well.,
Book and Blade
Prerequisites: Tome Proficiency, caster level 1st
Benefit: When determining your caster level for tomes, all talent-using classes count as giving half a caster level.
Normal: You cut things in two OR set them on fire. Don't be greedy.
Dark Tome Proficiency
Prerequisites: Proficient with tomes, CL 2.
Benefit: You may use Dark tomes without a nonproficiency penalty. If a spellcaster, you may use your caster level in place of your BAB, and deal bonus damage equal to your casting modifier.
Normal: You’re smart/boring enough to avoid forbidden knowledge.
Light Tome Proficiency
Prerequisites: Proficient with tomes, CL 2
Benefit: You may use Light tomes without a nonproficiency penalty. If a spellcaster, you may use your caster level in place of your BAB, and deal bonus damage equal to your casting modifier.
Normal: If you want to siphon divine power, you take Ur-Priest.
Blind Mage's Mastery
Prerequisites: Proficient with tomes
Benefit: You may wield tomes even if you are not capable of reading them. (This does not allow you to use higher level tomes.)
Normal: Don't read books in the dark. You'll strain your eyes.
There are five basic ranks of tome. Basic tomes are by far the most common, and can be wielded by anyone who knows how. More advanced tomes require a certain caster level, or have the effects of the most basic tome of their type.
As a rule, tomes always weigh 2lb.
Their damage is unaffected by the size of the wielder. If an effect would increase a tome’s damage by one size, increase the die size by one. (d2>d3>d4>d6>d8>d10>d12.) If already at d12, add bonus damage equal to the number of dice instead.
The raw stats for each rank of tome are as follows.
Rank
Cost
Dmg
Crit
Range
CL
Tome
100gp
1d6
20x2
10ft
-
El-Tome
300gp
2d6
20x2
20ft
5
Arc-Tome
600gp
4d6
20x2
30ft
9
Named Tome
1000gp
6d6
20x3
40ft
13
Mythic Tome
2,000gp
9d6
19-20x3
50ft
17
These base stats are further modified by the type of tome used.
Fire tomes – Fire, Elfire, Arcfire, Bolganone and Valflame being the most common – increase their damage as if by one size, and almost uniformly deal fire damage. They increase their damage by one size further against plant creatures, creatures with the cold subtype, or any creature currently wielding a Wind or Light tome.
Thunder tomes – Such as Thunder, Elthunder, Arcthunder, Thoron and Mjolnir – increase their critical strike range by one, and almost always deal electricity damage, with sonic being the most likely alternative. They increase their damage by one size against creatures with the water subtype or the dragon type, or any creature currently wielding a Fire or Light tome.
Wind tomes – Wind, Elwind, Arcwind, Blizzard, and Forseti – gain a competence bonus on attack rolls equal to the rank of their tome, but reduce their damage by one die size. Wind tomes usually deal either slashing or cold damage. They increase their damage by one size against creatures currently airborne due to their own powers, with the Air subtype, or any creature currently wielding a Thunder or Light tome.
Dark tomes – Worm, Flux, Luna, Fenrir, and Goetia – increase their damage by one size, but suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls, and require a caster level one higher than listed in the table (2 for Worm tomes). However, they deal untyped damage which penetrates all regeneration and energy resistances. They increase their damage by one size against creatures currently wielding any Anima tome.
Light tomes – Light, Ellight, Aura, Luce, and the Book of Naga – decrease their damage by two sizes and require a caster level one higher than listed in the table (2 for Light tomes), but are treated as one handed weapons (they can even be used with two-weapon fighting), and deal untyped damage which penetrates all regeneration and energy resistances in addition to gaining a competence bonus on attack rolls equal to the rank of their tome. They increase their damage by one size against creatures currently wielding any Dark tome.
Rare Tomes
Of course, these are only the most common tomes. A selection of other tomes follow, some entirely new, others products of the magic items system.
Excalibur, a wind tome. It is a slashing Named Tome, apart from possessing a CL requirement of 15 and a Critical range of 18-20x3. It costs 3000gp.
Cecilia’s Gale, a wind tome. It is simply a +1 Speed version of Arcwind, and costs 32,600gp.
Dying Blaze is a fire tome with identical effects to a Mythic Tome, but no CL requirement. However, it can be used for only one encounter before being useless, it’s ferocious flames burnt out. Creating them is as difficult as forging a full Bolganone, so they are rarely found in time to be useful, but they are usually sold for 1500gp when they can be found.
Micaiah’s Pyre is a blessed Fire tome that halves fire resistance against it (and reduces immunity to resistance 20), taking on some of the traits of Light tomes. It does not share most fire tome’s weakness to Dark tomes. Apart from these benefits, it grants its wielder +2 constitution and immunity to fire, and is otherwise equivalent to a +1 Arctome. It has a CL requirement of 12, reduced by 2 if the wielder can use divine magic. It costs 55000gp.
Superior Jolt is a thunder tome that specialises in defeating other tomes. It is equivalent to an El Tome, but increases its damage by two sizes if the enemy is wielding any tome. It has a CL requirement of 8, and costs 1500gp.
Katarina’s Bolt is a mighty thunder tome with the statistics of a Named Tome. However, its critical strike range and damage are both increased by one further, to 18-20x4. It requires CL 16 to use and costs 5000gp.
Ruin is a curious Dark tome with base statistics only equal to a base Tome, but with a base critical strike range of 16-20 and a CL requirement of 7. They are commonly sold as +1 Killing tomes, giving them a strike range of 11-20 for 8600gp.
Waste is another Dark tome, notable for being capable of exceedingly rapid strikes. Whenever someone would make an attack with a Waste tome, they make two attacks, each at a -2 penalty. Its statistics are equivalent to an Arc Tome, but it has a CL requirement of 11. It costs 2500gp.
Mire is a rare Dark tome with tremendous range. It is equivalent to a Named Tome, but has a range of 10ft/CL. However, it may not be used to target a foe within 5ft/2 caster levels – such mighty power is difficult to control. It is worth 3000gp.
Nosferatu is a useful Dark tome which drains health from its victims. It is equivalent to an El-Tome, but half the damage dealt is given to the wielder as temporary hit points. At the end of the encounter, all temporary hitpoints wear off, unless the wielder has less than zero health, in which case points are converted to real hitpoints until he has positive hitpoints, and then the rest are lost.
Nosferatu has a CL requirement of 6 and a cost of 2300gp.
A far more powerful version of Nosferatu exists called Aversa’s Night. Aversa’s Night uses the statistics of a Mythic Tome, but has a CL requirement of 19 and a cost of 7000gp.
Valaura is a corrupted light tome. It is strong against both dark and anima tomes, and a foe who takes damage from it must make a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 CL) or suffer 1d3 constitution damage from poison. It uses the base stats of Arc Tome Aura tome, with a CL requirement of 10 and a cost of 3500gp.
Lucian’s Gift is a mighty light tome with the base statistics of a Named Tome. Whenever it deals damage, all the wielder’s allies within 5ft/2 caster levels, but not himself, receive temporary hitpoints lasting for four rounds equal to half the damage dealt. These hitpoints do not stack with themselves-the highest takes precedent. It costs 3000gp.
New Enchantment
Killing weapon
A killing enchantment is identical to a Keen enchantment, but it grants the enhanced critical range regardless of damage type.
Crafting requirement: Magic Weapon
Crafting Tomes
Crafting a tome requires a CL equal to that needed to wield it (1 for basic tomes or 13 for a Dying Blaze), and requires half their base cost in materials. It takes four hours, plus one hour for each level of the base tome. Abilities that enhance the crafting of magic items enhance this too. A tome's statistics, including name, power, damage type, and tome set are determined when the tome is crafted. If the tome is of a school other than evocation, this is also decided then. (Some Wind tomes could be conjuration, as could the Stone tomeset. A Necromancy Dark tome could also be created - as with all homebrew, use your judgement.)
Only a character with levels in Dark Mage can craft Dark tomes, and only a character with levels in Light Mage can craft Light tomes. A character must be proficient with tomes to craft them.
Designing Tome Sets
Creating further tomes, or even sets of tomes, should be simple. Decide on a theme, and create names. For example:
A Stone themed set of Anima tomes have the names Stone, Elstone, Arcstone, Atlas, and Gaia. They increase their damage as if by two sizes, but always deal nonlethal damage. They deal enhanced damage to Wind and Light tomes, but grant their wielder a weakness to both Wind and Dark magic.
Avalanche is a powerful Stone tome with the base effects of Arcstone. However, it deals bludgeoning damage rather than nonlethal, and costs 1000gp, with a CL of 10.
Changelog
Damage nerfed from 1d8 to 1d6 on the basic tomes, and from 12d8 to 9d6 on the strongest.
12d8 looks really scary, even if damage is becoming irrelevant by that level.
Tomes are now touch attacks, but allow SR.
Magic should not be stopped by heavy armor. It should be stopped by magical wards.
You can no longer take one level of an emblem class, then wizard 19, and have 9th level spells and +19/+14/+9/+4 tomes.
If you want to focus on tomes, you should focus on tomes.
Tomes are based on Fire Emblem and remain the property of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.
The magical tomes of the Ylissean continents are powerful weapons in the hands of spellcasters. They manifest elemental powers with a speed and ease unmatched by more traditional arcane attacks, and are the primary use of magic in those lands.
Tomes are used like normal weapons, requiring a ranged touch attack using the wielder's casting ability modifier as the relevant attribute (or no attribute if they lack casting ability). They suffer a -4 penalty if their wielder is nonproficient, and can cause a critical strike for increased damage.
They are considered two handed weapons, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. They may not attack a foe further than one range increment away.
Tomes are most powerful in the hands of spellcasters. A proficient character with a caster level may treat any level that gives him an increase to his caster level as if it gave his BAB an equal increase. In addition, these characters deal bonus damage equal to their casting modifier (Intelligence for an Emblem Mage or a Wizard, Charisma for an Emblem Dark Mage or a Sorcerer…) on every attack with a tome.
However, only a specialist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285407) can make iterative attacks with tomes (although other wielders may still use full attacks to benefit from Haste, Speed, or similar effects). A character only receives the number of iterative attacks with Tomes that they would receive if their BAB was equal to the total caster level they have from classes which grants Tome proficiency. (Usually, only Emblem classes.)
However, they do have weaknesses. A tome is vulnerable to dispel effects, which will put it out of commission for one hour or until the end of the encounter, whichever is longer, as well as blocking the attack. A tome's caster level is the higher of the one required to use it and the caster level of its wielder.
They do not function in an antimagic field, and are affected by spell resistance.
A tome can be enchanted as a normal weapon. Its wielder must be able to read the tome, and to move freely.
Tomes are usually Evocation effects.
Crafting a tome is a difficult task, and while some are ornate, gilded, or simply beautiful, this has no effect on their abilities. Tomes are always considered masterwork, but do not gain a bonus for this.
Tomes come in five varieties. The most common by far are the three Anima tomes – fire, wind, and thunder, which trump each other in that order. These three share a strength against Light tomes, which in turn are strong against the Dark tomes that defeat Anima.
In game terms, Wind tomes tend to be accurate and light, and tend to deal slashing or cold damage, Fire tomes tend to be damaging fire weapons, while Thunder terms tend to be powerful critical weapons that do electric damage. Dark tomes tend to have slightly enhanced damage, while light tomes are hard to avoid.
Proficiency Feats Plus
Tome Proficiency
Prerequisites: Int, Wis, Or Cha 15, Knowledge (Arcana) OR Spellcraft 2 ranks
Benefit: You may use Anima tomes without a nonproficiency penalty. If a spellcaster, you may use your caster level in place of your BAB, and deal bonus damage equal to your casting modifier.
Normal: Mages never have to make attack rolls.
Tome Mastery
Prerequisites: Tome Proficiency, caster level 1st
Benefit: Add four to your caster level for the purposes of wielding tomes, to a maximum of your ECL. Up to six of your caster levels count as granting Tome proficiency, if they didn't already, allowing you an additional iterative attack.
Normal: Only a Mage uses tomes well.,
Book and Blade
Prerequisites: Tome Proficiency, caster level 1st
Benefit: When determining your caster level for tomes, all talent-using classes count as giving half a caster level.
Normal: You cut things in two OR set them on fire. Don't be greedy.
Dark Tome Proficiency
Prerequisites: Proficient with tomes, CL 2.
Benefit: You may use Dark tomes without a nonproficiency penalty. If a spellcaster, you may use your caster level in place of your BAB, and deal bonus damage equal to your casting modifier.
Normal: You’re smart/boring enough to avoid forbidden knowledge.
Light Tome Proficiency
Prerequisites: Proficient with tomes, CL 2
Benefit: You may use Light tomes without a nonproficiency penalty. If a spellcaster, you may use your caster level in place of your BAB, and deal bonus damage equal to your casting modifier.
Normal: If you want to siphon divine power, you take Ur-Priest.
Blind Mage's Mastery
Prerequisites: Proficient with tomes
Benefit: You may wield tomes even if you are not capable of reading them. (This does not allow you to use higher level tomes.)
Normal: Don't read books in the dark. You'll strain your eyes.
There are five basic ranks of tome. Basic tomes are by far the most common, and can be wielded by anyone who knows how. More advanced tomes require a certain caster level, or have the effects of the most basic tome of their type.
As a rule, tomes always weigh 2lb.
Their damage is unaffected by the size of the wielder. If an effect would increase a tome’s damage by one size, increase the die size by one. (d2>d3>d4>d6>d8>d10>d12.) If already at d12, add bonus damage equal to the number of dice instead.
The raw stats for each rank of tome are as follows.
Rank
Cost
Dmg
Crit
Range
CL
Tome
100gp
1d6
20x2
10ft
-
El-Tome
300gp
2d6
20x2
20ft
5
Arc-Tome
600gp
4d6
20x2
30ft
9
Named Tome
1000gp
6d6
20x3
40ft
13
Mythic Tome
2,000gp
9d6
19-20x3
50ft
17
These base stats are further modified by the type of tome used.
Fire tomes – Fire, Elfire, Arcfire, Bolganone and Valflame being the most common – increase their damage as if by one size, and almost uniformly deal fire damage. They increase their damage by one size further against plant creatures, creatures with the cold subtype, or any creature currently wielding a Wind or Light tome.
Thunder tomes – Such as Thunder, Elthunder, Arcthunder, Thoron and Mjolnir – increase their critical strike range by one, and almost always deal electricity damage, with sonic being the most likely alternative. They increase their damage by one size against creatures with the water subtype or the dragon type, or any creature currently wielding a Fire or Light tome.
Wind tomes – Wind, Elwind, Arcwind, Blizzard, and Forseti – gain a competence bonus on attack rolls equal to the rank of their tome, but reduce their damage by one die size. Wind tomes usually deal either slashing or cold damage. They increase their damage by one size against creatures currently airborne due to their own powers, with the Air subtype, or any creature currently wielding a Thunder or Light tome.
Dark tomes – Worm, Flux, Luna, Fenrir, and Goetia – increase their damage by one size, but suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls, and require a caster level one higher than listed in the table (2 for Worm tomes). However, they deal untyped damage which penetrates all regeneration and energy resistances. They increase their damage by one size against creatures currently wielding any Anima tome.
Light tomes – Light, Ellight, Aura, Luce, and the Book of Naga – decrease their damage by two sizes and require a caster level one higher than listed in the table (2 for Light tomes), but are treated as one handed weapons (they can even be used with two-weapon fighting), and deal untyped damage which penetrates all regeneration and energy resistances in addition to gaining a competence bonus on attack rolls equal to the rank of their tome. They increase their damage by one size against creatures currently wielding any Dark tome.
Rare Tomes
Of course, these are only the most common tomes. A selection of other tomes follow, some entirely new, others products of the magic items system.
Excalibur, a wind tome. It is a slashing Named Tome, apart from possessing a CL requirement of 15 and a Critical range of 18-20x3. It costs 3000gp.
Cecilia’s Gale, a wind tome. It is simply a +1 Speed version of Arcwind, and costs 32,600gp.
Dying Blaze is a fire tome with identical effects to a Mythic Tome, but no CL requirement. However, it can be used for only one encounter before being useless, it’s ferocious flames burnt out. Creating them is as difficult as forging a full Bolganone, so they are rarely found in time to be useful, but they are usually sold for 1500gp when they can be found.
Micaiah’s Pyre is a blessed Fire tome that halves fire resistance against it (and reduces immunity to resistance 20), taking on some of the traits of Light tomes. It does not share most fire tome’s weakness to Dark tomes. Apart from these benefits, it grants its wielder +2 constitution and immunity to fire, and is otherwise equivalent to a +1 Arctome. It has a CL requirement of 12, reduced by 2 if the wielder can use divine magic. It costs 55000gp.
Superior Jolt is a thunder tome that specialises in defeating other tomes. It is equivalent to an El Tome, but increases its damage by two sizes if the enemy is wielding any tome. It has a CL requirement of 8, and costs 1500gp.
Katarina’s Bolt is a mighty thunder tome with the statistics of a Named Tome. However, its critical strike range and damage are both increased by one further, to 18-20x4. It requires CL 16 to use and costs 5000gp.
Ruin is a curious Dark tome with base statistics only equal to a base Tome, but with a base critical strike range of 16-20 and a CL requirement of 7. They are commonly sold as +1 Killing tomes, giving them a strike range of 11-20 for 8600gp.
Waste is another Dark tome, notable for being capable of exceedingly rapid strikes. Whenever someone would make an attack with a Waste tome, they make two attacks, each at a -2 penalty. Its statistics are equivalent to an Arc Tome, but it has a CL requirement of 11. It costs 2500gp.
Mire is a rare Dark tome with tremendous range. It is equivalent to a Named Tome, but has a range of 10ft/CL. However, it may not be used to target a foe within 5ft/2 caster levels – such mighty power is difficult to control. It is worth 3000gp.
Nosferatu is a useful Dark tome which drains health from its victims. It is equivalent to an El-Tome, but half the damage dealt is given to the wielder as temporary hit points. At the end of the encounter, all temporary hitpoints wear off, unless the wielder has less than zero health, in which case points are converted to real hitpoints until he has positive hitpoints, and then the rest are lost.
Nosferatu has a CL requirement of 6 and a cost of 2300gp.
A far more powerful version of Nosferatu exists called Aversa’s Night. Aversa’s Night uses the statistics of a Mythic Tome, but has a CL requirement of 19 and a cost of 7000gp.
Valaura is a corrupted light tome. It is strong against both dark and anima tomes, and a foe who takes damage from it must make a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 CL) or suffer 1d3 constitution damage from poison. It uses the base stats of Arc Tome Aura tome, with a CL requirement of 10 and a cost of 3500gp.
Lucian’s Gift is a mighty light tome with the base statistics of a Named Tome. Whenever it deals damage, all the wielder’s allies within 5ft/2 caster levels, but not himself, receive temporary hitpoints lasting for four rounds equal to half the damage dealt. These hitpoints do not stack with themselves-the highest takes precedent. It costs 3000gp.
New Enchantment
Killing weapon
A killing enchantment is identical to a Keen enchantment, but it grants the enhanced critical range regardless of damage type.
Crafting requirement: Magic Weapon
Crafting Tomes
Crafting a tome requires a CL equal to that needed to wield it (1 for basic tomes or 13 for a Dying Blaze), and requires half their base cost in materials. It takes four hours, plus one hour for each level of the base tome. Abilities that enhance the crafting of magic items enhance this too. A tome's statistics, including name, power, damage type, and tome set are determined when the tome is crafted. If the tome is of a school other than evocation, this is also decided then. (Some Wind tomes could be conjuration, as could the Stone tomeset. A Necromancy Dark tome could also be created - as with all homebrew, use your judgement.)
Only a character with levels in Dark Mage can craft Dark tomes, and only a character with levels in Light Mage can craft Light tomes. A character must be proficient with tomes to craft them.
Designing Tome Sets
Creating further tomes, or even sets of tomes, should be simple. Decide on a theme, and create names. For example:
A Stone themed set of Anima tomes have the names Stone, Elstone, Arcstone, Atlas, and Gaia. They increase their damage as if by two sizes, but always deal nonlethal damage. They deal enhanced damage to Wind and Light tomes, but grant their wielder a weakness to both Wind and Dark magic.
Avalanche is a powerful Stone tome with the base effects of Arcstone. However, it deals bludgeoning damage rather than nonlethal, and costs 1000gp, with a CL of 10.
Changelog
Damage nerfed from 1d8 to 1d6 on the basic tomes, and from 12d8 to 9d6 on the strongest.
12d8 looks really scary, even if damage is becoming irrelevant by that level.
Tomes are now touch attacks, but allow SR.
Magic should not be stopped by heavy armor. It should be stopped by magical wards.
You can no longer take one level of an emblem class, then wizard 19, and have 9th level spells and +19/+14/+9/+4 tomes.
If you want to focus on tomes, you should focus on tomes.