Iituem
2007-01-15, 01:53 PM
As I continue to develop a curious identity as a homebrewer whose creations seem to revolve around crafting and professions rather than fighting (power to the En-Pee-Cees!) I seem to have developed this one. Could use your opinions on the balance issues, especially regarding the use of mana as an xp substitute. Should it be allowed? Should I increase the mana:xp ratio?
Profession (manacatcher): In worlds where insitutionalised magic has established a definite hold in society, economy and world affairs, all sorts of subsidiary industries develop to support it. These are generally performed by people who, whilst not wizards in themselves, are quite willing and able to provide lesser arcane services to the magical segment of the population (still usually a very small percentage, but sufficient to create demand). The manacatcher is one such profession.
Mana, a substance named after the divine provision of sustenance, is effectively a very mutable source of magical power. Arcane effects can be imprinted into it in ways that would normally require esoteric material components to manifest. Mana can replace the normal materials for magic items (aside from the physical components of the item itself) on a gp for gp basis. A magic sword costing 8320gp in total materials (8000 for the magical enhancement, 320 for the masterwork sword) would thus take up 8000gp's worth of mana plus a 320gp masterwork sword. The true power is in that certain casters can use it in place of their own essence when producing magic items or casting spells (see feat: Mana Use).
The exact sources of mana vary but can generally be extracted using advanced magical equipment (such equipment requires the Craft Wonderous Item feat to produce and follows normal magic item creation rules) costing 200gp or 2000gp for a masterwork version (providing a +4 circumstance bonus). Manacatching cannot be done without such equipment. It is generally safer and less costly to catch mana on the material plane, but there is less return than attempting it on other planes (where magical effects are more prominent). A catcher may try and maintain his rig for as long as he wishes, making checks each week (as per Craft checks) and supplying 1/3rd his result in gems, arcane vessels and other media for the mana to be stored in (receiving the check result multiplied by the DC in sp of mana). A failure by 5 or more damages his equipment from magical surges, curtailing his expedition unless it can be repaired (normal magical item repair rules). Other planes may have their own dangers where harvesting is concerned.
In enhanced-magic areas, take a +6 circumstance bonus (does not stack with the bonus from masterwork equipment). In impeded-magic areas, take a -6 circumstance penalty (masterwork equipment can reduce this to -2). In limited-magic areas, take no penalties or bonuses (unless the limitations prevent mana-harvesting). In dead magic areas, harvesting is impossible.
Base DCs: Material Plane or Demiplane (DC 15)
Transitive Planes (Ethereal, Astral, Shadow) (DC 21)
Inner Planes (Positive, Negative, Elemental) (DC 28)
Outer Planes (Divine planes, Hell, the Abyss) (DC 34)
Far Planes (Utterly insane place) (DC 40).
Special: Manacatching cannot exist in a world where there is not an institutionalised way of reaching 8th level spells (the ability can be taught and does not rely upon innate ability) and has knowledge of (and possibly the power to travel to) other planes.
Mana Use: Prerequisites: Caster level 5th, Spellcraft 8 ranks. Benefit: As well as using mana for the material component of spells and magic items, the caster can subsitute mana for XP components, provided the mana supplied is worth 10 times the amount of xp used in gp. For example, a spell costing the caster 200xp could use up 2000gp of mana instead. A potion costing 8xp would instead require 80gp in materials. Normal: Casters use up their own XP when producing magic items or casting spells with XP components.
Profession (manacatcher): In worlds where insitutionalised magic has established a definite hold in society, economy and world affairs, all sorts of subsidiary industries develop to support it. These are generally performed by people who, whilst not wizards in themselves, are quite willing and able to provide lesser arcane services to the magical segment of the population (still usually a very small percentage, but sufficient to create demand). The manacatcher is one such profession.
Mana, a substance named after the divine provision of sustenance, is effectively a very mutable source of magical power. Arcane effects can be imprinted into it in ways that would normally require esoteric material components to manifest. Mana can replace the normal materials for magic items (aside from the physical components of the item itself) on a gp for gp basis. A magic sword costing 8320gp in total materials (8000 for the magical enhancement, 320 for the masterwork sword) would thus take up 8000gp's worth of mana plus a 320gp masterwork sword. The true power is in that certain casters can use it in place of their own essence when producing magic items or casting spells (see feat: Mana Use).
The exact sources of mana vary but can generally be extracted using advanced magical equipment (such equipment requires the Craft Wonderous Item feat to produce and follows normal magic item creation rules) costing 200gp or 2000gp for a masterwork version (providing a +4 circumstance bonus). Manacatching cannot be done without such equipment. It is generally safer and less costly to catch mana on the material plane, but there is less return than attempting it on other planes (where magical effects are more prominent). A catcher may try and maintain his rig for as long as he wishes, making checks each week (as per Craft checks) and supplying 1/3rd his result in gems, arcane vessels and other media for the mana to be stored in (receiving the check result multiplied by the DC in sp of mana). A failure by 5 or more damages his equipment from magical surges, curtailing his expedition unless it can be repaired (normal magical item repair rules). Other planes may have their own dangers where harvesting is concerned.
In enhanced-magic areas, take a +6 circumstance bonus (does not stack with the bonus from masterwork equipment). In impeded-magic areas, take a -6 circumstance penalty (masterwork equipment can reduce this to -2). In limited-magic areas, take no penalties or bonuses (unless the limitations prevent mana-harvesting). In dead magic areas, harvesting is impossible.
Base DCs: Material Plane or Demiplane (DC 15)
Transitive Planes (Ethereal, Astral, Shadow) (DC 21)
Inner Planes (Positive, Negative, Elemental) (DC 28)
Outer Planes (Divine planes, Hell, the Abyss) (DC 34)
Far Planes (Utterly insane place) (DC 40).
Special: Manacatching cannot exist in a world where there is not an institutionalised way of reaching 8th level spells (the ability can be taught and does not rely upon innate ability) and has knowledge of (and possibly the power to travel to) other planes.
Mana Use: Prerequisites: Caster level 5th, Spellcraft 8 ranks. Benefit: As well as using mana for the material component of spells and magic items, the caster can subsitute mana for XP components, provided the mana supplied is worth 10 times the amount of xp used in gp. For example, a spell costing the caster 200xp could use up 2000gp of mana instead. A potion costing 8xp would instead require 80gp in materials. Normal: Casters use up their own XP when producing magic items or casting spells with XP components.