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View Full Version : Shadowcaster Tweak [peach]



genericwit
2013-05-29, 08:25 PM
So I was thinking about the Shadowcaster. It's an awesome class, in theory, but there are some huge complaints--namely, that they are a bit MAD [which kind of defeats the purpose of being a caster] and they end up with too few mysteries per day and mysteries known.

So, I'm thinking of adding a few tweaks, fairly simple ones at that, in addition to those proposed by the class's creator [Ari aka Mouseferatu].

1] Key save DCs off of Intelligence, making them more SAD. Charisma is now only important if you want to play the face.

2] At 1st level, and every odd level thereafter, the shadowcaster learns two mysteries, instead of one. This serves two purposes. One, obviously, it increases the amount of options the shadowcaster has in every given day. Two, because they now have more mysteries available, they also have more uses of shadow magic in any given day. Along with bonus spells allowed by a high intelligence [which you can now boost even further], this should shore up the problem of having too few spells per day.

3] For prestige classing, allow mysteries to function as spells their shadowcasting level count as their caster level for the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes. Allow spells to count as being of a specific school, for those classes that require it. For example, Eyes of Darkness and Eyes of the Night Sky qualify as divination spells, and Cloak of Shadows, Black Magic, and Unbinding Shade qualify as abjuration spells, for the purpose of qualifying for prestige classes.

Thoughts?

peacenlove
2013-05-30, 12:44 AM
So I was thinking about the Shadowcaster. It's an awesome class, in theory, but there are some huge complaints--namely, that they are a bit MAD [which kind of defeats the purpose of being a caster] and they end up with too few mysteries per day and mysteries known.

So, I'm thinking of adding a few tweaks, fairly simple ones at that, in addition to those proposed by the class's creator [Ari aka Mouseferatu].

1] Key save DCs off of Intelligence, making them more SAD. Charisma is now only important if you want to play the face.

2] At 1st level, and every odd level thereafter, the shadowcaster learns two mysteries, instead of one. This serves two purposes. One, obviously, it increases the amount of options the shadowcaster has in every given day. Two, because they now have more mysteries available, they also have more uses of shadow magic in any given day. Along with bonus spells allowed by a high intelligence [which you can now boost even further], this should shore up the problem of having too few spells per day.

3] For prestige classing, allow mysteries to function as spells their shadowcasting level count as their caster level for the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes. Allow spells to count as being of a specific school, for those classes that require it. For example, Eyes of Darkness and Eyes of the Night Sky qualify as divination spells, and Cloak of Shadows, Black Magic, and Unbinding Shade qualify as abjuration spells, for the purpose of qualifying for prestige classes.

Thoughts?

For 3rd, they already do count as spells. You can (barely) enter loremaster by RAW. They do not count however as arcane or divine spells (unless you take a look at the adaptation section in ToM :smallconfused:).

For 2nd, I have done the same without the bonus mysteries with intelligence but upgrading their master and initiate mysteries to their next category at 19th level. At some levels you would have more castings than the sorcerer, who's charisma goes from 16 to 34 (because you are a spell level ahead and mostly on the lower level ones), at others less. Adding Intelligence too would spear you way ahead of him.

For 1st I deem it an unnecessary change since, unless you play with the lowest of point buys, you can get 13 int and boost it with items. It also contradicts the tradition of (most) supernatural abilities, which are governed by charisma. Lastly Nocturmancers will dance in joy. However no serious problem will surface, to my knowledge.

Problems with the shadowcaster are lack of options mainly. This (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74519) fixes it.