Gildedragon
2014-05-05, 08:35 PM
Let me start with why I created this class, and the role I hope it fills:
This class stems from a general love of prepared casting but a frustration with having to prepare particular quantities of each spell and allot them independently, as well as a distaste for sorcerer's limited versatility. To this was added an overall dissatisfaction with the separation of spell lists.
I am of a mind that spell and feat choices ought be as free as possible to let players better fit their character to a concept, and this class is an attempt to express that.
Furthermore this class comes with certain handy rules and fixes already implemented that I see as overall useful in terms of bookkeeping and often implemented.
This class is based off the Generic Spellcaster base class, and thus ought to supplant all Full Casters, leaving partial casters as PRCs.
Without Further Ado:
The Magic User
Abilities: Intelligence determines how many spells a Magic User learns as well as how many they may ready in a single day, whereas Constitution determines how many spells they may cast on a given day, as well as bolster their hitpoints and fortitude save. Dexterity is useful to a Magic User as they are often restricted in the sort of armor they may use.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: D4
Saves: One good save (must be either Will or Fortitude) and two poor saves.
Class Skills: Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all) (Int), Lucid Dreaming (Wis), Perform (Cha), Spellcraft (Int), Speak Language, Truespeak (Int)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier)x4
Skill Points at each additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Magic User is proficient any five simple weapons, and 1 martial weapon, but is not proficient in the use of any shields or armor. Armor of any type interferes with the Magic User’s movements, which may cause spells with somatic components to fail.
Special: For the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes, feats, or the use of items, a Magic User can be considered a member of any prepared or spontaneous spellcasting base-class of a level equal to their effective Magic User level. In the case that a class, feat, or effect advances two classes, the Magic User class is only advanced once.
Spellcasting: A Magic User spontaneously casts spells from a limited list of spells they have ‘readied’ from their spellbook. To ‘ready’ a spell a Magic User must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + spell level. A Magic User’s spells are both Arcane and Divine, and thus subject to Arcane Spell Failure. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Magic User’s spell is based off their intelligence.
The Magic User can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell-level per day: their daily base allotment is given in Table 2. In addition they receive bonus spells per day if they have a high Constitution score (or Charisma, if the Constitution score is lower than 6).
A Magic User can know any number of spells. However they can ready only a few spells, the daily base allotment for that is given on Table 2. Every day the Magic User must select which spells they have readied by getting eight hours of rest, and spending one hour studying their spellbook. While studying the Magic User chooses what spells they have readied. In addition, a Magic User with a high Intelligence score can ready bonus spells per day of levels they can cast (see Table 3).
Metamagic: If the Magic User knows any metamagic feats they can choose whether to apply them at the time of readying or at the time of casting (increasing the casting time as standard). For example, a Magic User could choose to ready a Silent Magic Weapon using a 2nd-level spell readied slot. Any time they choose to cast the spell it would use up a 2nd-level spell slot. In this case Silent Magic Weapon would not experience an increased caster time. Alternatively, the Magic User could choose to prepare Magic Weapon in a 1st-level spell slot, and apply the Silent Spell metamagic on the fly, having it use a 2nd-level spell slot and experiencing a casting time increase. Because of this, the Quicken Spell metamagic can only be applied while the spell is being readied, unless the Metamagic Specialist feat (see below) is taken.
Spellbook: A Magic User must study their spellbook each day to ready their spells. They cannot ready any spell not recorded in their spellbook, except for their starting cantrips, which Magic Users know from memory. A Magic User cannot cast a spell with an alignment descriptor they do not posess.
A Magic User begins play with a spellbook containing six 0-level spells, plus read magic, plus three 1st-level spells of their choice. For each point of Intelligence Modifier the Magic User begins play with an additional 1st-level spell of their choice. At each new Magic User level they gain two new spells of any spell level or levels that they can cast (based on their new Magic User level) for their spellbook. At any time a Magic User can also add spells found in other spellbooks to their own. The spells the Magic User learns may be drawn from any caster list. If the spell is available to multiple classes at different spell levels then the Magic User uses the wizard list to determine its level, if it is not available to wizard it uses the cleric list's level, otherwise the level on the druid list, otherwise they use the highest level it is available at to determine the level of the spell.
Bonus Feats:Bonus Feats: At first level the Magic User gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat. At second level and every three levels thereafter (fifth, eighth, eleventh, etc) the Magic User gains a bonus feat from the following list they qualify for: Any Metamagic feat, any Item Creation feat, any Reserve feat, any Divine feat, any Wild feat, any dragonmark feat, Arcane Manipulation, Easy Metamagic, Spell Focus, Spell Mastery, Versatile Spell Caster, Obtain Familiar (or any alternative class feature that can be exchanged for a familiar), Improved Familiar, Domain Power*, Rebuke*,or Metamagic Specialist*
* indicates a feat described below
Spellbook Casting: Starting at 3rd level a Magic User can choose to cast spells directly from their spellbook, similar to casting from a scroll, a number of times per day equal to half their intelligence modifier. Such spell functions as if normally cast (using the Magic User’s caster level, and any benefits the Magic User would ordinarily gain from feats, places or items apply to it). To cast a spell in this fashion the Magic User must succeed on a spellcraft check of DC 20+the spell level; a roll of 1 imposes a -10 penalty on the check. A caster may not take 10 on the spellcraft roll.
The attempt, regardless of the success of the spellcraft check, deals the Magic User 1d4 points of damage per spell level and deletes the spell from the spellbook. Failure means the Magic User suffers a mishap of some sort (as if casting from a scroll), and failure by 10 or more increases the damage to 2d6 per spell level.
Level
BAB
Good Save
Bad Saves
Special
1
+0
+2
+0
Spellcasting, Eschew Materials, Spellbook
2
+1
+3
+0
Bonus Feat
3
+1
+3
+1
Spellbook Casting
4
+2
+4
+1
5
+2
+4
+1
Bonus Feat
6
+3
+5
+2
7
+3
+5
+2
8
+4
+6
+2
Bonus Feat
9
+4
+6
+3
10
+5
+7
+3
11
+5
+7
+3
Bonus Feat
12
+6/+1
+8
+4
13
+6/+1
+8
+4
14
+7/+2
+9
+4
Bonus Feat
15
+7/+2
+9
+5
16
+8/+3
+10
+5
17
+8/+3
+10
+5
Bonus Feat
18
+9/+4
+11
+6
19
+9/+4
+11
+6
20
+10/+5
+12
+6
Bonus Feat
Level
0th (Cantrips)
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1
at will/3
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
at will/4
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
at will/4
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
at will/4
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5
at will/4
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
6
at will/4
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
-
7
at will/4
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
8
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
9
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
10
at will/4
4/34/34/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
11
at will/4
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
12
at will/4
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
13
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
14
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
15
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
16
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
17
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
18
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
2/2
19
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
3/2
20
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
Ability Score Modifier
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
+4
+1
+5
+1
+1
+6
+1
+1
+1
+7
+1
+1
+1
+1
+8
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+9
+2
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+10
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+11
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+12
+3
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+13
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+14
+4
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+15
+4
+4
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+16
+5
+5
+4
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
Etc...
Metamagic Specialist [general]:
Preequisites: Spellcraft 4 ranks, ability to cast 2nd level spells
Effect: You may spontaneously apply metamagic effects to your spells without increasing the casting time. You may use this ability a number of times equal to 3 + your charisma modifier.
Rebuking [general]:
Effect: Gain the ability to rebuke or awe a creature type (as dictated by the ranger favored enemy chart) as with the Cleric’s “rebuke undead” ability. One may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3+charisma modifier. This ability cannot “command”, but it can be used to “bolster”.
Special: If Humanoid or Outsider is chosen, one can select two subtypes.
Special: One may get this feat multiple times, selecting a different creature type each time. Each time this feat is taken after the first increases the total number of rebuking attempts by 1, and increases the creature types affected by each rebuking attempt. For example, if this feat is taken twice, the character has 4+charisma modifier rebuking attempts, and can affect Fey, Humanoid (dwarf), and Humanoid (elf).
Domain Access [Divine]:
Prerequisite: Can cast spells, Wis 10
Effect: You select a Cleric or Shaman Domain, you gain that domain’s granted power, substituting all instances of Cleric/Shaman with Magic User. Additionally the domain’s spells are cast with a -1 adjustment to their final metamagic cost.
Special: If the domain power grants a turning ability, it instead grants the Rebuking feat.
Special: This feat may be taken an additional number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier
So I could use help with coming up with a decent name...
Acf's coming along, all suggestions welcome
This class stems from a general love of prepared casting but a frustration with having to prepare particular quantities of each spell and allot them independently, as well as a distaste for sorcerer's limited versatility. To this was added an overall dissatisfaction with the separation of spell lists.
I am of a mind that spell and feat choices ought be as free as possible to let players better fit their character to a concept, and this class is an attempt to express that.
Furthermore this class comes with certain handy rules and fixes already implemented that I see as overall useful in terms of bookkeeping and often implemented.
This class is based off the Generic Spellcaster base class, and thus ought to supplant all Full Casters, leaving partial casters as PRCs.
Without Further Ado:
The Magic User
Abilities: Intelligence determines how many spells a Magic User learns as well as how many they may ready in a single day, whereas Constitution determines how many spells they may cast on a given day, as well as bolster their hitpoints and fortitude save. Dexterity is useful to a Magic User as they are often restricted in the sort of armor they may use.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: D4
Saves: One good save (must be either Will or Fortitude) and two poor saves.
Class Skills: Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all) (Int), Lucid Dreaming (Wis), Perform (Cha), Spellcraft (Int), Speak Language, Truespeak (Int)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier)x4
Skill Points at each additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Magic User is proficient any five simple weapons, and 1 martial weapon, but is not proficient in the use of any shields or armor. Armor of any type interferes with the Magic User’s movements, which may cause spells with somatic components to fail.
Special: For the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes, feats, or the use of items, a Magic User can be considered a member of any prepared or spontaneous spellcasting base-class of a level equal to their effective Magic User level. In the case that a class, feat, or effect advances two classes, the Magic User class is only advanced once.
Spellcasting: A Magic User spontaneously casts spells from a limited list of spells they have ‘readied’ from their spellbook. To ‘ready’ a spell a Magic User must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + spell level. A Magic User’s spells are both Arcane and Divine, and thus subject to Arcane Spell Failure. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Magic User’s spell is based off their intelligence.
The Magic User can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell-level per day: their daily base allotment is given in Table 2. In addition they receive bonus spells per day if they have a high Constitution score (or Charisma, if the Constitution score is lower than 6).
A Magic User can know any number of spells. However they can ready only a few spells, the daily base allotment for that is given on Table 2. Every day the Magic User must select which spells they have readied by getting eight hours of rest, and spending one hour studying their spellbook. While studying the Magic User chooses what spells they have readied. In addition, a Magic User with a high Intelligence score can ready bonus spells per day of levels they can cast (see Table 3).
Metamagic: If the Magic User knows any metamagic feats they can choose whether to apply them at the time of readying or at the time of casting (increasing the casting time as standard). For example, a Magic User could choose to ready a Silent Magic Weapon using a 2nd-level spell readied slot. Any time they choose to cast the spell it would use up a 2nd-level spell slot. In this case Silent Magic Weapon would not experience an increased caster time. Alternatively, the Magic User could choose to prepare Magic Weapon in a 1st-level spell slot, and apply the Silent Spell metamagic on the fly, having it use a 2nd-level spell slot and experiencing a casting time increase. Because of this, the Quicken Spell metamagic can only be applied while the spell is being readied, unless the Metamagic Specialist feat (see below) is taken.
Spellbook: A Magic User must study their spellbook each day to ready their spells. They cannot ready any spell not recorded in their spellbook, except for their starting cantrips, which Magic Users know from memory. A Magic User cannot cast a spell with an alignment descriptor they do not posess.
A Magic User begins play with a spellbook containing six 0-level spells, plus read magic, plus three 1st-level spells of their choice. For each point of Intelligence Modifier the Magic User begins play with an additional 1st-level spell of their choice. At each new Magic User level they gain two new spells of any spell level or levels that they can cast (based on their new Magic User level) for their spellbook. At any time a Magic User can also add spells found in other spellbooks to their own. The spells the Magic User learns may be drawn from any caster list. If the spell is available to multiple classes at different spell levels then the Magic User uses the wizard list to determine its level, if it is not available to wizard it uses the cleric list's level, otherwise the level on the druid list, otherwise they use the highest level it is available at to determine the level of the spell.
Bonus Feats:Bonus Feats: At first level the Magic User gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat. At second level and every three levels thereafter (fifth, eighth, eleventh, etc) the Magic User gains a bonus feat from the following list they qualify for: Any Metamagic feat, any Item Creation feat, any Reserve feat, any Divine feat, any Wild feat, any dragonmark feat, Arcane Manipulation, Easy Metamagic, Spell Focus, Spell Mastery, Versatile Spell Caster, Obtain Familiar (or any alternative class feature that can be exchanged for a familiar), Improved Familiar, Domain Power*, Rebuke*,or Metamagic Specialist*
* indicates a feat described below
Spellbook Casting: Starting at 3rd level a Magic User can choose to cast spells directly from their spellbook, similar to casting from a scroll, a number of times per day equal to half their intelligence modifier. Such spell functions as if normally cast (using the Magic User’s caster level, and any benefits the Magic User would ordinarily gain from feats, places or items apply to it). To cast a spell in this fashion the Magic User must succeed on a spellcraft check of DC 20+the spell level; a roll of 1 imposes a -10 penalty on the check. A caster may not take 10 on the spellcraft roll.
The attempt, regardless of the success of the spellcraft check, deals the Magic User 1d4 points of damage per spell level and deletes the spell from the spellbook. Failure means the Magic User suffers a mishap of some sort (as if casting from a scroll), and failure by 10 or more increases the damage to 2d6 per spell level.
Level
BAB
Good Save
Bad Saves
Special
1
+0
+2
+0
Spellcasting, Eschew Materials, Spellbook
2
+1
+3
+0
Bonus Feat
3
+1
+3
+1
Spellbook Casting
4
+2
+4
+1
5
+2
+4
+1
Bonus Feat
6
+3
+5
+2
7
+3
+5
+2
8
+4
+6
+2
Bonus Feat
9
+4
+6
+3
10
+5
+7
+3
11
+5
+7
+3
Bonus Feat
12
+6/+1
+8
+4
13
+6/+1
+8
+4
14
+7/+2
+9
+4
Bonus Feat
15
+7/+2
+9
+5
16
+8/+3
+10
+5
17
+8/+3
+10
+5
Bonus Feat
18
+9/+4
+11
+6
19
+9/+4
+11
+6
20
+10/+5
+12
+6
Bonus Feat
Level
0th (Cantrips)
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1
at will/3
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
at will/4
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
at will/4
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
at will/4
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5
at will/4
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
6
at will/4
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
-
7
at will/4
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
8
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
-
9
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
-
10
at will/4
4/34/34/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
-
11
at will/4
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
-
12
at will/4
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
-
13
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
-
14
at will/4
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
-
15
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
-
16
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
4/3
4/3
2/2
-
17
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
3/2
1/1
18
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
2/2
19
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
3/2
20
at will/4
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/34/3
4/3
Ability Score Modifier
0th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
+4
+1
+5
+1
+1
+6
+1
+1
+1
+7
+1
+1
+1
+1
+8
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+9
+2
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+10
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+11
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+12
+3
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+13
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+1
+14
+4
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+1
+15
+4
+4
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
+2
+16
+5
+5
+4
+4
+4
+3
+3
+3
+2
+2
Etc...
Metamagic Specialist [general]:
Preequisites: Spellcraft 4 ranks, ability to cast 2nd level spells
Effect: You may spontaneously apply metamagic effects to your spells without increasing the casting time. You may use this ability a number of times equal to 3 + your charisma modifier.
Rebuking [general]:
Effect: Gain the ability to rebuke or awe a creature type (as dictated by the ranger favored enemy chart) as with the Cleric’s “rebuke undead” ability. One may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3+charisma modifier. This ability cannot “command”, but it can be used to “bolster”.
Special: If Humanoid or Outsider is chosen, one can select two subtypes.
Special: One may get this feat multiple times, selecting a different creature type each time. Each time this feat is taken after the first increases the total number of rebuking attempts by 1, and increases the creature types affected by each rebuking attempt. For example, if this feat is taken twice, the character has 4+charisma modifier rebuking attempts, and can affect Fey, Humanoid (dwarf), and Humanoid (elf).
Domain Access [Divine]:
Prerequisite: Can cast spells, Wis 10
Effect: You select a Cleric or Shaman Domain, you gain that domain’s granted power, substituting all instances of Cleric/Shaman with Magic User. Additionally the domain’s spells are cast with a -1 adjustment to their final metamagic cost.
Special: If the domain power grants a turning ability, it instead grants the Rebuking feat.
Special: This feat may be taken an additional number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier
So I could use help with coming up with a decent name...
Acf's coming along, all suggestions welcome