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AmberVael
2006-12-16, 05:05 PM
This is a PrC very loosely (as in, I took the names and a few descriptive ideas, then made my own rules) based off of the ancient norse practitioners of Seid.

Here is the general overview of this class:
Seid is a magical art that does not simply draw on the arcane. It reaches out into the cosmos and draws its strength from ancient powers long forgotten, and energy from broken universes. These different sources of power allow a Seid user, a Vala, to still access to her art while other casters are rendered helpless and ineffectual.
It is interesting to note the practitioners of Seid are mainly women. Seid is considered an unmanly art, so in general, male Seid users, or Seidmaor, are disdained and mocked.
Seid practitioners are noted for their use of runes and chants in their spells.

Vala

Hit Die
d4

Requirements

Skills
Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks

Feats
Empower Spell

Spells
Ability to spontaneously cast 3rd-level arcane spells

Class Skills

The Vala's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), and Spellcraft (Int)

Skill Points at Each Level
2+Int modifier

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0
|
+0
|
+0
|
+2
|Divination Focus, +1 Spells per Day/Spells Known
2nd|
+1
|
+0
|
+0
|
+3
|+1 Spells per Day/Spells Known
3rd|
+1
|
+1
|
+1
|
+3
|Rudimentary Galdrar
4th|
+2
|
+1
|
+1
|
+4
| Apprentice Galdrar, +1 Spells per Day/Spells Known
5th|
+2
|
+1
|
+1
|
+4
|+1 Spells per Day/Spells Known
6th|
+3
|
+2
|
+2
|
+5
|+1 Spells per Day/Spells Known
7th|
+3
|
+2
|
+2
|
+5
|Intermediate Galdrar
8th|
+4
|
+2
|
+2
|
+6
| Advanced Galdrar, +1 Spells per Day/Spells Known
9th|
+4
|
+3
|
+3
|
+6
|+1 Spells per Day/Spells Known
10th|
+5
|
+3
|
+3
|
+7
| Perfect Galdrar, +1 Spells per Day/Spells Known[/table]

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Vala's gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day/Spells Known
At every level but 3rd and 7th, a Vala gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class with spontaneous casting that she had belonged in before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If she had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Vala, she must decide to which class to add all levels for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known. This decision is made as soon as the first level of Vala is taken, and cannot be changed at any time.

Divination Focus
A Vala is skilled at divination magics. They gain an extra divination spell per day, but must choose one school (other than Divination) from which they cannot cast spells from, even from wands or scrolls. If the caster has spells in this school, they loose access to casting them.

Rudimentary Galdrar
By third level a Vala knows how to use both runes and chants to cast her spells, and is confined to neither. When casting a spell with both Verbal and Somatic components a Vala only needs to provide one or the other, as by Still Spell or Silent spell metamagic.

Apprentice Galdrar
Once she reaches 4th level Vala has become more in tune with the variety of powers she wields, and can more easily cut through spell resistance. She gains the benefits of the Spell Penetration feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

Intermediate Galdrar
By 7th level Vala finds it easier to enhance her spells. She gains the Easy Metamagic feat, which must be applied to Empower Spell.

Advanaced Galdrar
At 8th level a Vala knows which powers an enemy may be most defenseless against. She gains the benefits of the Greater Spell Penetration feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.

Perfect Galdrar
At tenth level a Vala has perfected the art of drawing on many different powers to create her spells. Her spellcasting in the class she chose to add her odd-numbered Vala levels to becomes an extraordinary ability.
Anything that would normally negate spellcasting (such as counterspells, SR, antimagic fields) instead only reduce any numeric effects in the spell description by 50%. Save DCs gain a penalty of -4. Areas and ranges remain unchanged.
If an effect turns a spell back on its caster (such as spell turning) then the Vala is affected by her own spell, but with the effects described above. The normal target is also affected, but with the effects described above.
When using her spells a Vala still must provide all the components ( verbal, material, focus, XP) required to cast it normally. Casting time remains the same as a normal spell.

Captain van der Decken
2006-12-16, 05:47 PM
I dunno, it seems a bit weak, you're giving up 5 caster levels. At most, you should only really give up 2.

For the Galdrar, maybe a resistance to counterspelling? Not sure how.

You could make it harder to recognise the spells you cast, I suppose.

AmberVael
2006-12-16, 06:03 PM
I thought it was underpowered myself, but I always think my classes are underpowered, even when they are broken.
Which is why I posted it here, so that people with better judgement could look at it.

What I was thinking was that I could reuse the last ability on the other two, but with only a few designated spells, only certain level spells, or a few times per day or something.

Sahegian
2006-12-17, 10:35 AM
You should really change the name. Unless I'm reading it wrong it sounds an awfully lot like vulva. Look that one up on dictionary.com if you don't know what it means.

Peregrine
2006-12-17, 10:55 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Völva

"A völva, vala, wala (Old High German), seiđkona, or wicce was a female priestess in Norse mythology, and among the Germanic tribes."

An unfortunate clash with modern English (and the Latin from which that word came), but still a perfectly suitable and authentic word for a caster class. You might as well say it resembles 'Volvo' too closely. :smalltongue:

(If you're worried about using the name around a gaming table, consider that it technically should be 'völva', not 'volva' -- the ö is pronounced something vaguely like 'er'. Or use one of the synonyms the above quote from Wikipedia gives.)

icke
2006-12-17, 10:55 AM
It may be a little weak, but it has flair. How about this:

Intermediate Galdrar:
The character gains effective spell resistance equal to 11+class level, as long as she is aware of the spell being cast and is not held, paralyzed or otherwise impeded from acting.

Not actually standard SR, but it might work.

Concerning spells per day/spells known: make it +1 at every level except 3 and 7, otherwise this class is too weak in comparison to others.

AmberVael
2006-12-17, 12:27 PM
Vala then. Still sounds cool, but without the potential... misunderstandings.

Alrighty. Changing Spells per day/known.

I like the idea of gaining spell resistance, but how can we explain that with the flavor I give it?

Oh, idea!
How about we reduce the metamagic cost of Empower since a Vala is skilled in adding energies?
We could have it be reduced twice, to +0 cost, for both abilities.

Maglor_Grubb
2006-12-17, 03:02 PM
Maybe make knowledge (history) a class skill? The Vala as the seer, who knows past and future, not only by divination, but also by 'raw knowledge'.

AmberVael
2006-12-17, 04:00 PM
Sounds fair.
Any comments or suggestions about the Empower slot cost reduction?

Karsh
2006-12-18, 12:26 AM
If you do reduce the cost, I'd only do it by one. If you have to reduce the cost to +0, then both cost reductions definitely need to be after the lost levels of spells to prevent people from trying to do some weird dip and make every spell Empowered for free.

icke
2006-12-18, 04:54 AM
I like the idea of gaining spell resistance, but how can we explain that with the flavor I give it?

Oh, idea!
How about we reduce the metamagic cost of Empower since a Vala is skilled in adding energies?
We could have it be reduced twice, to +0 cost, for both abilities.

Spell resistance:
1) The Vala is a master of meddling with magic of any kind, why not have her use that power to defend herself?

2)The Perfect Galdrar implies that her spells, when reflected upon her, act as if they have to overcome spell resistance already, so why not fully grant it?

Empower cost reduction:
There's too much room for abuse, even if you put the cost reduction after the lost spell progression levels. Practically every spell she cast would be empowered, since she isn't charged with more than a smile.

AmberVael
2006-12-18, 01:13 PM
Well you see, the class works on the assumption that only half of a Vala's spells are magic. The other half are some wierd, vague, unnamed sources. This class changes the source of the Vala's spells, I don't really see how that would grant SR.

I figured that the cost reduction would be too good. Perhaps we could allow access to the Easy Metamagic feat twice? (not on the same feat, obviously).