Perseus's Remade D&D 3.5 Wizard

[Perseus]

Note: This is not an attempt to fix the wizard but more of how I would do it.


Wizard

So what is a Wizard? Many people have changed the idea of a Wizard over the years. Some think of them as an old human man or young elf who uses his genius to tackles the mystery of magic. Others think that Wizards are ones that can use magic items due to the powers inside them. Others think Wizards are devil worshiping evils from their worst nightmare...

But all of these separately would be wrong. Sure a Wizard might worship devils, might use magic items, and might be an old ass man or woman tackling the mystery of magic. But that wouldn't really be correct. Before we can determine what a Wizard is we must first know what a Wizard is not. Sure perhaps to a slight degree some of these can be true but generally these are all what a Wizard are not.

A Wizard is not...

Naturally gifted in the working of magic such as the Sorcerers. A Wizard may be naturally smarter than others but without their spellbook, they are nothing more than a commoner.
Chosen by a god to push their divine might across the land such as Paladins and Clerics.
A master of the mundane arts, wither it be skills or through mundane combat. A Wizard may have spells to help in these areas but the Wizard will never be a Rogue or Fighter.
Someone who cares about the mystery behind it all. Sure knowledge is power and learning stuff is fun, but a Wizard doesn't learn for the sake of learning. A Monk may meditate for hours upon hours (which explains why they suck) but a Wizard learns what they need to know and that's it, they have better things to do than sit around all day.
Some sickly little nerd who was to afraid to get dirty. Seriously, whoever said that Wizards must be fat and pimply must have been an Epic Bard. No one with an Intelligence such as a Wizard's allows his health to deteriorate (got to eat 3 square meals a day and reading while walking is what they teach you in Wizard 101).

So what is a Wizard then?

A Wizard is someone who chooses to take the path so that with spit, grit, and a bit of luck they might be able to gain the power to tell the the laws of the mundanes to shut up and sit down. Depending on the setting this can be as simple as being able to cast the cantrip Mage Hand or as complex as casting Gate.

Spellbook:

At first level the Wizard gains a primary spell book in which the Wizard has become attuned to. A Wizard may only transcribe spells and prepare spells from their attuned spell book.

At level 10 and again at level 15 the Wizard gains a secondary and tertiary spell book that they must attune to before using.

The primary spell book has 100 pages and may contain spells up to 5th level.

The secondary book has 75 pages and may contain spells up to 7th level.

The tertiary book has 60 pages and may contain spells up to 9th level.

(Number of pages to be changed, I'll work on that later)

Each spell placed in a spell book takes up a number of pages equal to the spell level.

Attune

To draw the magical energy (Potential Energy if you will) from a spell book the wizard must become attuned to the spellbook(s). To attune to a spell book the wizard must spend 24 hours meditating with the book and pass a DC 10 fort save and DC 10 int check for the primary book (if original book was lost or stolen), for the secondary book a Fort Save and Int Check of (DC 15), for the tertiary book a Fort Save and Int Check of (DC 20). A Natural 1 on either the Fort Save or the Int Check constitutes a failure. The wizard gets 1 save and check per 24 hours spent trying to attune to the spellbook.

A destroyed or lost spell book can be regained by spending 25gp in special materials and casting an invocation that takes 10 minutes of soft chanting that recreates the lost or stolen book. The original book is at that point destroyed and the new book forms in front of the Wizard. However this is not without cost. The Wizard looses 1d10 spells per level from his book when it is reformed, have the DM roll these in secret.

Spells Known

At 1st level the wizard knows 5 + Int mod cantrips that the wizard may transcribe into their spell book for free. These cantrips only take a single page but any other cantrips added to the book count as 1/2 spell with regards to how many pages the spells take up.

Also at first level the Wizard gains 3 + Int mod 1st level spells to transcribe into their spell book. Each level after 1st the wizard gains 2 spells of any level they can cast to be put in their spell book.

Transcribing new spells into a spell book is a tedious task that takes 1 hour for each cantrip and 1 day for spell level. Spell written down in a spell book are not just words scribbled down on paper but a storage device for magical energy, one mistake of a brush just a couple centimeters off and the spell could be ruined or cause a different effect to take place. The cost for placing new spells into a spell book (that don't come from level up) is
(100 X Spell Level) + (Days spent transcribing X 100) gp.

Spells/Day

The Wizard gains the same number of spells/day as presented in the PHB. However the Wizard gains bonus spells based off their unmodified ( do not take in account any nonpermanent modifies) constitution score modifier. This reflects the wizard's fortitude to handle the stress and the physically exhaustion of using more spells.

To prepare and cast a spell multiple times, the wizard must have it written in their books multiple times. When a wizard prepares a spell, that wizard pulls the magical energies from the writing and stores it for later use (sort of like potential energy). If the wizard wants to cast 3 lightning bolts that wizard must have three copies in their book and then prepare then prepare each one separately.

Specialty Wizard

Each time the Wizard prepares spells their focus on the arcane arts shift. Depending on the number of spells prepared their focus grants them different abilities. These abilities are powered by the magical energies that were stored within the Wizard upon preparing spells.

A wizard's specialty for the day is determined by the spell school that they prepared the most of for that day. Tally up the number of spells of each school and whichever school is prepared the most the Wizard's focus becomes one of the following (Abjurer, Conjurer, Diviner, Evoker, Illusionist, Enchanter, Necromancer, or Transmuter). If there is ever a tie then have the DM roll a percentile die to determine the school specialty for the day.

School Specialties last until the Wizard prepares spells again but at minimum last 24 hours.

Generalist
A Wizard may choose this option no matter what the ratios of spells prepared. A Generalist Wizard may take 10 on any trained knowledge check.

Evoker
An Evocation Wizard may 1/Day as an swift action may use magical energy to push a creature a number of feet equal to 5 * Int mod feet. This ability causes 1d4 points of damage per 5 feet moved.

Conjurer
As an swift (maybe immediate?) action, a Conjuration Wizard may 1/Day teleport up to a number of feet equal to their Int mod x 5 (round down to nearest 5 ft interval).

Enchanter
As an immediate action 1/Day the enchanter befudle the minds of creatures, causing them to not be able to take AoOs. This effect last until the end of the Wizard's next turn. The enchanter may select up to Int Mod x 2 creatures within 60 feet to effect. This befuddlement even effects the programming of creatures normally immune to mind effecting effects.

Necromancer
As an immediate action 1/Day the Necromancer Wizard gains a number of temp HP equal to Con Mod + Int Mod.

Illusionist
As an immediate action, 1/Day the Illusionist Wizard may turn invisible. The Illusionist Wizard turns visible at the end of their next turn.

Transmuter
As an immediate action, 1/Day the Transmuter Wizard may gain DR Int Mod/- until the end of the Transmuter Wizard's next turn.

More to come.

Familiar: When wizards attune themselves to a spell book they gain the service of an animal (who for all purposes is a magical beast) as their familiar. This can be any animal from the following list but gains abilities determined by the percentage of spells from a particular school that is in the spell book attuned to the wizard.


Totally not done yet and this was done on a phone so it needs major edits.

I'll need one more spot to explain magic and how it is tied to the Wizard which will expand a bit with the potential and kinetic energies along with writing spells and magic items.

[Perseus]

Tertiary Arcane Abilities (TAA)

When a game doesn't allow prestige classes due to plot reasons (such as joining an order that doesn't exist in the campaign world) a DM may allow mid to high level Wizards to gain TAAs. These tertiary abilities mimic abilities found in prestige class abilities and some feats.

TAAs are based off the Wizard's Wis modifier (so undead may be bit more powerful with these) and can be used a number times per day equal to the Wizard's wis mod (minimum 1).

Starting at 8 level and every 4 levels after that, the Wizard gains a TAA (8,12,16, and 20).

Some example TAAs are...

Arcane Reach: As Archmage ability but may be selected only once.

Mastery of Elements: As Archmage ability.

Mastery of Shaping: As Archmage ability.

Ignore Costly Materials: The wizard may ignore a total amount of gp from a material (gold pieces or use less iron equal to the price difference) component or arcane focus equal to 100 go x Wis mod.

Chosen School: Choose a specific arcane school, when using that school's granted ability you may use it an additional time per day. You may select this TAA more than once but it applies to a different school each time.


Note: Allowing these is up to the DM. In a higher power game they probably won't be noticed over the other things a wizard can do, but in a lower op game... These could be seen as more powerful options.

Note: With the Archmage abilities you don't give up a spell of the level that it says in the original entry but a spell of your highest level when you gain the ability. 8th level wizard would give up a 4th level spell. Or I may take out the giving up of a spell slot... Not sure just yet. Either way the reach, shape, and elemental archmage abilities are nice but being limited to the Sis mod times per day... they aren't worth as much as the original abilities.

[Perseus]

I was thinking something a long the lines of pathfinder... But with more kick.

Racial Bonuses: If this option is selected then the wizard gives up their first level bonus fear "scribe scroll".

Half-Orc "witch doctor": Half Orcs and Orcs replace Intelligence with Constitution, their spells/day and bonus spells are based off their con mod. Their spell books are usually crude drawlings with very few words spelled correctly in common. .

Humans "General Magic": Humans gain two specialty schools each day.

Elf "Elegant Mage": Elven wizards may wear light armor without incurring the armor's arcane spell failure chance. Additionally an elf may use a Rapier or Longsword to make somatic components for a spell. Elves still incur normal penalties for wielding a shield.

Half-elf "Two World Mage": Pick the bonus for being human or elven you gain that ability.

Any Undead "Crypt Mage": Pick either Wisdom or Charisma Modifier. Use this to determine your bonus spells. Special: this bonus doesn't need to be chosen at first level, however if a living wizard becomes undead and they want to take this racial bonus then they must give up their old racial bonus upon becoming undead.

Gnome "Tricksters": Gnomes always gain the illusionist school and a +1 Caster Level when casting illusions.

Halfling "Doublecaster": 1/Day the Halfling Wizard may give up a prepared spell to cast a spell already cast. The spell level given up must be at least the same level as the one being recasted. The spell being casted a second time must have been originally cast within a number of rounds equal to or less than the halfling's Int mod.

Dwarven "Earth Chaneler": Dwarven Wizards may 1/Day cast and personal or touch buff spell (harmless) at a range of 60 feet. Both the Dwarven Wizard and the target must be touching the ground.

[Cheiromancer]

May I suggest the following Alternate Class Feature for your wizard?

Insert Cool Name here: You may change the governing ability for bonus spells to Intelligence by taking a -2 to that ability score.

It's based on "Lost Tradition" in Bastards and Bloodlines (p. 91) and includes an offsetting flaw. Dunno what a good name would be, but it makes it easier to adapt NPC wizards from other sources. Just assume that they took this ACF and their Intelligence used to be two points higher. It is especially useful for wizards who don't have Constitution scores - liches and necropolitans and so forth.

[Perseus]

May I suggest the following Alternate Class Feature for your wizard?

Insert Cool Name here: You may change the governing ability for bonus spells to Intelligence by taking a -2 to that ability score.

It's based on "Lost Tradition" in Bastards and Bloodlines (p. 91) and includes an offsetting flaw. Dunno what a good name would be, but it makes it easier to adapt NPC wizards from other sources. Just assume that they took this ACF and their Intelligence used to be two points higher. It is especially useful for wizards who don't have Constitution scores - liches and necropolitans and so forth.

I like it, though I was going to make some notes on switching it to Cha for liches and possibly other undead.I think there is a feat for undead or specific undead to add cha to HP.

[Cheiromancer]

I like it, though I was going to make some notes on switching it to Cha for liches and possibly other undead.I think there is a feat for undead or specific undead to add cha to HP.

The Unholy Toughness special ability is a lot more powerful than a feat, at least in 3.5. Maybe it's a pathfinder feat? But pathfinder undead have d8 hd, so they start out 2 hp/hit dice behind.

If you make bonus spells for undead governed by charisma it will favor sorcerers a little. I think that undead wizards and clerics should be just as strong as undead sorcerers, even if they don't have great charisma. If you make hp based on Cha too, then things are tilted even more so to sorcerers. Not that I'm against sorcerers, but mummy clerics and vampire wizards deserve some love, too.

BTW, the general form of the nameless ACF I gave is as follows:

Ancient knowledge: You may change the governing ability for bonus spells to either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma by taking a -2 to that ability.

[Perseus]

The Unholy Toughness special ability is a lot more powerful than a feat, at least in 3.5. Maybe it's a pathfinder feat? But pathfinder undead have d8 hd, so they start out 2 hp/hit dice behind.

If you make bonus spells for undead governed by charisma it will favor sorcerers a little. I think that undead wizards and clerics should be just as strong as undead sorcerers, even if they don't have great charisma. If you make hp based on Cha too, then things are tilted even more so to sorcerers. Not that I'm against sorcerers, but mummy clerics and vampire wizards deserve some love, too.

BTW, the general form of the nameless ACF I gave is as follows:

Ancient knowledge: You may change the governing ability for bonus spells to either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma by taking a -2 to that ability.

Good point and I may make that ACF a strait up class feature if the PC doesn't have a Con Score.

[Perseus]

The Unholy Toughness special ability is a lot more powerful than a feat, at least in 3.5. Maybe it's a pathfinder feat? But pathfinder undead have d8 hd, so they start out 2 hp/hit dice behind.

If you make bonus spells for undead governed by charisma it will favor sorcerers a little. I think that undead wizards and clerics should be just as strong as undead sorcerers, even if they don't have great charisma. If you make hp based on Cha too, then things are tilted even more so to sorcerers. Not that I'm against sorcerers, but mummy clerics and vampire wizards deserve some love, too.

BTW, the general form of the nameless ACF I gave is as follows:

Ancient knowledge: You may change the governing ability for bonus spells to either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma by taking a -2 to that ability.

I also forgot to add that no spell caster will have a main casting stat that is the same as their bonus spells stat.

Got to spread the love.

*except where noted above in the racial half orc/orc bonuses. This is a totally overpowered move but then again the PC needs to explain why the orc became a wizard... Nah still over powered it needs to be changed...

Perhaps compared to a normal wizard the orc/half orc switches Int and Con when dealing with spells.

Bonus spells come from Int but spell casting is con based... Needs some tweaking but it may be better.

[Kelvin360]

This looks fantastic, though I'd like to make a suggestion under 'Spells Known'. Specifically, this -


(100 X Spell Level) + (Days spent transcribing X 100) gp.

I don't think that's enough of a gp penalty for what you were trying to get at, here. Sure, scribing a 1st-level spell costs 200 gold, but scribing a 9th-level spell costs 1,800. At 17th level and above, you make 1,800 gold by stepping on rats.

Here's my idea -


(100 X Spell Level) X (Days spent transcribing) gp.

1st-level spells go down to 100 gp (which at 1st and 2nd level is more hardcore than it looks when you have to pay that for each spell). But 9th-level spells go up to 8,100 gp. Not demolishing, but not necessarily chump change, either.

That's just my 2 cp, though. Again, excellent work. :smallsmile:

[Perseus]

This looks fantastic, though I'd like to make a suggestion under 'Spells Known'. Specifically, this -



I don't think that's enough of a gp penalty for what you were trying to get at, here. Sure, scribing a 1st-level spell costs 200 gold, but scribing a 9th-level spell costs 1,800. At 17th level and above, you make 1,800 gold by stepping on rats.

Here's my idea -



1st-level spells go down to 100 gp (which at 1st and 2nd level is more hardcore than it looks when you have to pay that for each spell). But 9th-level spells go up to 8,100 gp. Not demolishing, but not necessarily chump change, either.

That's just my 2 cp, though. Again, excellent work. :smallsmile:

First off, thanks! This is my first major project with something of my own, the maneuver defense in my signature was from a group effort so it's pretty awesome that someone likes my work!

I agree with your assessment on the price for the spells. I wasn't sure where to set the price so I went on the low side. I agree with your statements about the rats and I'll be changing the formula to bump up the prices for the spells to be written.

Now I just need to figure out how many pages each spell book should be given...

[Kelvin360]

Now I just need to figure out how many pages each spell book should be given...

Well if you wanna mathmatize it, I'd go with 84 pages on a secondary book and 72* on a tertiary book. The reason being is that 84 is divisible by both 6 and 7, and 72 is divisible by both 8 and 9. 7 6th-level spells/6 7th-level spells on the former and 4 9th-level spells/4 8th-level spells with 4 pages left over. * - If you want, you can bump 72 to 76 for an even 4 9th level spells and 5 8th-level spells.

That also makes the progression look nice'n neat:

6th: 7
7th: 6
8th: 5
9th: 4

You can take this even further by granting 140 pages to the Primary book, which gives:

1st: 12
2nd: 11
3rd: 10
4th: 9
5th: 8

Which, granted, seems like a wee bit too many on the low end, so adjust as you see fit.

[Perseus]

Well if you wanna mathmatize it, I'd go with 84 pages on a secondary book and 72* on a tertiary book. The reason being is that 84 is divisible by both 6 and 7, and 72 is divisible by both 8 and 9. 7 6th-level spells/6 7th-level spells on the former and 4 9th-level spells/4 8th-level spells with 4 pages left over. * - If you want, you can bump 72 to 76 for an even 4 9th level spells and 5 8th-level spells.

That also makes the progression look nice'n neat:

6th: 7
7th: 6
8th: 5
9th: 4

You can take this even further by granting 140 pages to the Primary book, which gives:

1st: 12
2nd: 11
3rd: 10
4th: 9
5th: 8

Which, granted, seems like a wee bit too many on the low end, so adjust as you see fit.

That looks great. Having a large list of low level spells isn't that bad.

I was thinking instead of saying "you have 60 pages fill than as you will". But say ...

Your book holds

12 level 1 spells
11 level 2 spells

And so on as you suggested.

This allows a good deal of versatility but then they won't be able to load up with more higher level spells by taking a hit on the number of lower level spells...

I would perhaps let a high level caster put 3 9th level spells in their spellbook... Hmmm I'll need to go over this when I'm not using my phone lol.