EPAstor
2006-12-11, 12:00 PM
Note: I've made sure to keep all changes to the class centralized in this top post - all accepted changes have been integrated here. Comments are welcome & appreciated!
Hey everyone - so I'm new to this, and admittedly relatively new to D&D. However, some discussions I've had with friends led to the creation of this sorcerer variant base class. Yes, it's another FF-inspired Blue Magic variant, but I hope that there are enough unique pieces to make it stand out. Only one problem... I'm fairly sure it's poorly balanced, in the sense that it feels overpowered, but I don't know whether or not I'm right.
I'd very much like to find a way to make this into a balanced, playable class, as I think it would be fun and allow for significant creativity. Any feedback and/or advice is welcome!
Contramancer
The power of the contramancer is based upon the combination of careful thought and natural intuition. Where wizards create magic on the basis of intensive study, contramancers need no books to shape their raw power. However, where sorcerers may direct their power at will, contramancers do not have the creative inspiration necessary to originate their own forms of magic, and are forced instead to work from those of others.
A contramancer has an inherent ability to see the underpinnings of magic within the universe. The resulting understanding of the natural order gives him the power to restore it where another has wreaked their will, thereby nullifying others' magic. Still more unusual, though, is his power to observe not only the actions of spellcasters, but also the true driving force behind each spell they cast. The contramancer may not have the force of personality needed to reshape the universe to his imagination, nor the intensive study needed to learn from the books of magic, but by close observation of a spell in action, he may learn enough about its underlying causes to recreate it at will.
Game Rule Information
Abilities: Intelligence determines how powerful a spell a contramancer can cast, how many spells he can cast per day, and how hard those spells are to resist. Like a wizard or sorcerer, a contramancer benefits from high Dexterity and Constitution scores. Constitution is particularly essential, as a contramancer must be able to bear the brunt of a spell before he can learn it.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills
The contramancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha). See Chapter 4: Skills of the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th| 9th
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Assimilation, Contramancy, Sense Magic|5|3
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3||6|4|-
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3||6|5|-|-
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Improved Contramancy|6|6|3|-|-
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Spell Dissipation|6|6|4|-|-|-
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Magical Intuition 1/day|6|6|5|3|-|-|-
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6||6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Magical Intuition 2/day|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|Magical Intuition 3/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Recognize Magic 1/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Magical Intuition 4/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Recognize Magic 2/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6[/table]
Contramancer Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|5|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|6|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|6|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|7|4|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|7|5|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|8|5|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-
9th|8|5|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-
10th|9|5|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-
11th|9|5|5|4|3|2|-|-|-|-
12th|9|5|5|4|3|2|1|-|-|-
13th|9|5|5|4|4|3|2|-|-|-
14th|9|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|-|-
15th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|2|-|-
16th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|2|1|-
17th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|2|-
18th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|2|1
19th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|3|2
20th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|3|3[/table]
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Contramancers are proficient with all simple weapons and all light martial weapons. They are proficient with light armor and with all shields but the tower shields. In addition, contramancers have an intuitive understanding of the gestures necessary to invoke a spell, allowing them to modify these arcane motions with minimal effect. These changes allow the contramancer to improve his chance of successful casting when encumbered by armor. Their arcane spell failure chance is therefore reduced by 15%.
Spells: A contramancer casts arcane spells (the same type of spells available to bards, wizards, and sorcerers). Like a sorcerer, he can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level.
To learn or cast a spell, a contramancer must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Int 10 for 0-level spells, Int 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a contramancer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the contramancer's Intelligence modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a contramancer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His spells per day limit is identical to that of a sorcerer of equal level. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1-1, Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8 of the Player's Handbook).
A contramancer acquires spells in a unique way. In some ways, a contramancer's selection of spells is still more limited than a sorcerer's, but in others, he is significantly more flexible. He begins play knowing two 0-level spells of your choice, and at each level, may know as many spells as the sorcerer, as specified on Table 3-17: Sorcerer Spells Known of the Player's Handbook (p. 54). However, unlike any other spellcaster, a contramancer may not acquire spells upon leveling or by study of scrolls. Further spells are gained instead by means of the Assimilation class feature.
As part of his training, the contramancer learns to be able to cast from any arcane spell scroll, as if every arcane spell were on his class list. This training also includes an element of flexibility beyond that of an ordinary spellcaster: a contramancer may target himself with any targeted spell cast from a scroll, even if the spell normally forbids such use. These teachings are meant to aid in the continued learning process, providing greater exposure to a wider variety of spells via scrolls.
Assimilation: Where wizards learn spells by study, and sorcerers know them by intuition, the contramancer acquires his spells by intense observation of their casting and direct experience of their effects. Whenever he witnesses the casting or the effects of a spell or spell-like ability, he may attempt to assimilate the knowledge of the spell, as long as he does not attempt to counter it. If he can identify the spell and remains fully aware (not disabled) after it resolves, he may attempt to assimilate the spell as a free action. To do this, the contramancer makes a contramancer level check against a DC of 15 + twice the spell level. If the spell is divine, it is treated as one level higher, and the Contramancer also incurs an additional -2 penalty to his Assimilation check. In addition, the contramancer takes cumulative -2 penalties to this Assimilation check for each of the following conditions: unable to see the spell's somatic components, unable to hear its verbal components, and attempting a save against its effects. In addition, he takes a -5 penalty to the check for each 5 feet of distance between himself and the nearest affected area, object, or person. At every 4th level of contramancer (beginning at level 4), the contramancer may ignore an additional 5 feet of distance for the purpose of determining this penalty.
If the Assimilation check is successful, the contramancer may learn the spell, placing it on his spell list, as long as he does not thus exceed his maximum number of spells known for the spell's level as a contramancer. Note that any divine spell thus learned is, as noted above, learned at one level higher than the original spell. He may choose to learn the spell in place of one he already knows, in which case he "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one, as if he were a sorcerer who had gained the new spell upon leveling.
It should be noted that any spell acquired by Assimilation must be placed on the character's Contramancer spell list; in other words, a Sorcerer 19/Contramancer 1 would be able to assimilate a total of 4 cantrips and two 1st-level spells, despite his sorcerer's slots for spells known.
Contramancy: (Equivalent to Improved Counterspelling) A contramancer has a natural grasp of the laws of the universe and can prevent their unnatural alteration by the exertion of raw arcane energy, thereby disrupting another caster's spell. When counterspelling, he may invoke a spell use one or more levels higher than the target spell, where others would have to cast the specific spell that they wish to counter.
Sense Magic: A contramancer can Detect Magic, as per the spell, at will.
Improved Contramancy: A better understanding of the world allows the contramancer to be more efficient with his energies when countering others' magic. Beginning at 4th level, when counterspelling, a contramancer may invoke a spell use of equal or higher level than the target spell.
Spell Dissipation: Beginning at 5th level, the contramancer's increased power allows him to dissipate the energy of pre-established spells without seeing them cast. He may do this any number of times per day, but uses up a 2nd-level or higher Contramancer spell use each time. If the spell use is between 2nd and 4th level, this ability functions like the arcane spell Dispel Magic. If the spell use consumed is of 5th-level or higher, the ability instead functions like Greater Dispel Magic.
Magical Intuition: By 6th level, the contramancer's experiences of magic have accumulated and been unconsciously assembled into the rudiments of a full understanding of the energies he can see. More and more often, he begins to experience flashes of insight into the relatively static magics that are bound upon a nonliving object. This spell-like ability functions as per the spell Identify, but requires no material components and takes only 1d10 minutes. The 6th-level Contramancer may use this ability once per day, and gains an additional daily use for every 4 Contramancer levels thereafter.
Recognize Magic: By 16th level, the contramancer has experienced so much of the world's magic that he can determine the nature of the magical energies woven about an object, or even a living creature, with little more than a glance. This ability functions like the spell Analyze Dweomer, but requires no arcane focus. The 16th-level Contramancer may use this ability once per day, and gains an additional daily use for every 4 Contramancer levels thereafter.
Hey everyone - so I'm new to this, and admittedly relatively new to D&D. However, some discussions I've had with friends led to the creation of this sorcerer variant base class. Yes, it's another FF-inspired Blue Magic variant, but I hope that there are enough unique pieces to make it stand out. Only one problem... I'm fairly sure it's poorly balanced, in the sense that it feels overpowered, but I don't know whether or not I'm right.
I'd very much like to find a way to make this into a balanced, playable class, as I think it would be fun and allow for significant creativity. Any feedback and/or advice is welcome!
Contramancer
The power of the contramancer is based upon the combination of careful thought and natural intuition. Where wizards create magic on the basis of intensive study, contramancers need no books to shape their raw power. However, where sorcerers may direct their power at will, contramancers do not have the creative inspiration necessary to originate their own forms of magic, and are forced instead to work from those of others.
A contramancer has an inherent ability to see the underpinnings of magic within the universe. The resulting understanding of the natural order gives him the power to restore it where another has wreaked their will, thereby nullifying others' magic. Still more unusual, though, is his power to observe not only the actions of spellcasters, but also the true driving force behind each spell they cast. The contramancer may not have the force of personality needed to reshape the universe to his imagination, nor the intensive study needed to learn from the books of magic, but by close observation of a spell in action, he may learn enough about its underlying causes to recreate it at will.
Game Rule Information
Abilities: Intelligence determines how powerful a spell a contramancer can cast, how many spells he can cast per day, and how hard those spells are to resist. Like a wizard or sorcerer, a contramancer benefits from high Dexterity and Constitution scores. Constitution is particularly essential, as a contramancer must be able to bear the brunt of a spell before he can learn it.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills
The contramancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha). See Chapter 4: Skills of the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th| 9th
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Assimilation, Contramancy, Sense Magic|5|3
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3||6|4|-
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3||6|5|-|-
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Improved Contramancy|6|6|3|-|-
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Spell Dissipation|6|6|4|-|-|-
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Magical Intuition 1/day|6|6|5|3|-|-|-
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6||6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6||6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Magical Intuition 2/day|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7||6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|Magical Intuition 3/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Recognize Magic 1/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Magical Intuition 4/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Recognize Magic 2/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6[/table]
Contramancer Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|5|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|6|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|6|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|7|4|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|7|5|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|8|5|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-
9th|8|5|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-
10th|9|5|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-
11th|9|5|5|4|3|2|-|-|-|-
12th|9|5|5|4|3|2|1|-|-|-
13th|9|5|5|4|4|3|2|-|-|-
14th|9|5|5|4|4|3|2|1|-|-
15th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|2|-|-
16th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|2|1|-
17th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|2|-
18th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|2|1
19th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|3|2
20th|9|5|5|4|4|4|3|3|3|3[/table]
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Contramancers are proficient with all simple weapons and all light martial weapons. They are proficient with light armor and with all shields but the tower shields. In addition, contramancers have an intuitive understanding of the gestures necessary to invoke a spell, allowing them to modify these arcane motions with minimal effect. These changes allow the contramancer to improve his chance of successful casting when encumbered by armor. Their arcane spell failure chance is therefore reduced by 15%.
Spells: A contramancer casts arcane spells (the same type of spells available to bards, wizards, and sorcerers). Like a sorcerer, he can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level.
To learn or cast a spell, a contramancer must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Int 10 for 0-level spells, Int 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a contramancer's spell is 10 + the spell level + the contramancer's Intelligence modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a contramancer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His spells per day limit is identical to that of a sorcerer of equal level. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1-1, Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8 of the Player's Handbook).
A contramancer acquires spells in a unique way. In some ways, a contramancer's selection of spells is still more limited than a sorcerer's, but in others, he is significantly more flexible. He begins play knowing two 0-level spells of your choice, and at each level, may know as many spells as the sorcerer, as specified on Table 3-17: Sorcerer Spells Known of the Player's Handbook (p. 54). However, unlike any other spellcaster, a contramancer may not acquire spells upon leveling or by study of scrolls. Further spells are gained instead by means of the Assimilation class feature.
As part of his training, the contramancer learns to be able to cast from any arcane spell scroll, as if every arcane spell were on his class list. This training also includes an element of flexibility beyond that of an ordinary spellcaster: a contramancer may target himself with any targeted spell cast from a scroll, even if the spell normally forbids such use. These teachings are meant to aid in the continued learning process, providing greater exposure to a wider variety of spells via scrolls.
Assimilation: Where wizards learn spells by study, and sorcerers know them by intuition, the contramancer acquires his spells by intense observation of their casting and direct experience of their effects. Whenever he witnesses the casting or the effects of a spell or spell-like ability, he may attempt to assimilate the knowledge of the spell, as long as he does not attempt to counter it. If he can identify the spell and remains fully aware (not disabled) after it resolves, he may attempt to assimilate the spell as a free action. To do this, the contramancer makes a contramancer level check against a DC of 15 + twice the spell level. If the spell is divine, it is treated as one level higher, and the Contramancer also incurs an additional -2 penalty to his Assimilation check. In addition, the contramancer takes cumulative -2 penalties to this Assimilation check for each of the following conditions: unable to see the spell's somatic components, unable to hear its verbal components, and attempting a save against its effects. In addition, he takes a -5 penalty to the check for each 5 feet of distance between himself and the nearest affected area, object, or person. At every 4th level of contramancer (beginning at level 4), the contramancer may ignore an additional 5 feet of distance for the purpose of determining this penalty.
If the Assimilation check is successful, the contramancer may learn the spell, placing it on his spell list, as long as he does not thus exceed his maximum number of spells known for the spell's level as a contramancer. Note that any divine spell thus learned is, as noted above, learned at one level higher than the original spell. He may choose to learn the spell in place of one he already knows, in which case he "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one, as if he were a sorcerer who had gained the new spell upon leveling.
It should be noted that any spell acquired by Assimilation must be placed on the character's Contramancer spell list; in other words, a Sorcerer 19/Contramancer 1 would be able to assimilate a total of 4 cantrips and two 1st-level spells, despite his sorcerer's slots for spells known.
Contramancy: (Equivalent to Improved Counterspelling) A contramancer has a natural grasp of the laws of the universe and can prevent their unnatural alteration by the exertion of raw arcane energy, thereby disrupting another caster's spell. When counterspelling, he may invoke a spell use one or more levels higher than the target spell, where others would have to cast the specific spell that they wish to counter.
Sense Magic: A contramancer can Detect Magic, as per the spell, at will.
Improved Contramancy: A better understanding of the world allows the contramancer to be more efficient with his energies when countering others' magic. Beginning at 4th level, when counterspelling, a contramancer may invoke a spell use of equal or higher level than the target spell.
Spell Dissipation: Beginning at 5th level, the contramancer's increased power allows him to dissipate the energy of pre-established spells without seeing them cast. He may do this any number of times per day, but uses up a 2nd-level or higher Contramancer spell use each time. If the spell use is between 2nd and 4th level, this ability functions like the arcane spell Dispel Magic. If the spell use consumed is of 5th-level or higher, the ability instead functions like Greater Dispel Magic.
Magical Intuition: By 6th level, the contramancer's experiences of magic have accumulated and been unconsciously assembled into the rudiments of a full understanding of the energies he can see. More and more often, he begins to experience flashes of insight into the relatively static magics that are bound upon a nonliving object. This spell-like ability functions as per the spell Identify, but requires no material components and takes only 1d10 minutes. The 6th-level Contramancer may use this ability once per day, and gains an additional daily use for every 4 Contramancer levels thereafter.
Recognize Magic: By 16th level, the contramancer has experienced so much of the world's magic that he can determine the nature of the magical energies woven about an object, or even a living creature, with little more than a glance. This ability functions like the spell Analyze Dweomer, but requires no arcane focus. The 16th-level Contramancer may use this ability once per day, and gains an additional daily use for every 4 Contramancer levels thereafter.