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dragonjek
2014-09-02, 01:57 AM
I'd very much appreciate any suggestions or critiques you could give.


Magical Focus Feats


Deep Drain Depletion (Focus)
By strongly draining all the magic out of your focus device you can give a huge boost the power of your spells.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 3rd level spells, Focus Casting, Spell Penetration
Benefits: You can rapidly draw power through your focus device; this focus device is unusable for a week and you do not benefit from any other focus device gracing the same category; however, despite being useless it still fills an active focus slot, preventing you from using your full range of foci. Furthermore, all the spells of this school/subschool/descriptor that you cast for until the week ends are cast at -1 CL and -1 DC, and you take 1 point of damage per level of the spell cast that cannot heal until the week has passed. However, the rush of so much magic into a single casting allows a spell that would benefit from the focus device the ability to affect a target that would otherwise be immune to the spell (although they gain a +2 bonus to their saving throw), while also bypassing any spell resistance they have.

Focus Casting (Focus, Item Creation)
You know how to create a magical focus device through which you can empower your spells.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 1st level spells
Benefits: A focus device works similarly to the spell focus often required in magic, but at a higher stage. Creating a focus device costs 50 gp for each spell level (including cantrips) it is meant to affect, to a maximum of the highest spell level the crafter is capable of casting. Its appearance is of little matter so long as it is properly imbued with magic. Each device is resonant with a specific school, subschool, or spell descriptor, thus the devices reflect that resonance when detected for magic.
Creating a focus device takes 8 hours for every 100 gp.
Holding a focus device while casting a spell appropriate to it grants a +1 bonus to the spell’s DC and a +2 bonus on rolls to overcome spell resistance. Spells from subschools are considered to be 1 level higher than they actually are in regards to counterspelling.
Only its creator can benefit from a focus device.
Special: If you are of a class that grants a familiar (except for the witch) or bonded item as a class ability, you may gain this feat in place of that class ability.
You can only benefit from one focus item when casting a spell.
Although only its creator can use a focus device, any focus device may be taken apart and used to create another. A device recycled in such a manner contributes ½ its cost to make to the creation of a new focus device. If this broken down value is high enough, it can be used to make A device can only be used to make a device that falls within its school/subschool/descriptor category (as an exception, a focus for a school can be made into a focus for a subschool). Learning the nature (school/descriptor and available levels) of a focus device requires a Spellcraft check (10 + number of effectible spell levels).
Only 1 focus device/4 CL can be active at a time; active focus devices are selected when spells are replenished.

Focused Focus (Focus)
Through your knowledge of the intricacies of the subdivisions composing your favored school of magic, you are able to prompt more out of a focus device than a less devoted mage would have thought possible.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 1st level spells, Focus Casting, Spell Focus
Benefits: When you use a focus device that is resonant with a subschool of the school of magic in which you have taken Spell Focus, you gain one of the following benefits in addition to the normal abilities of the focus, chosen when casting; an additional +2 bonus to caster level checks to defeat spell resistance, a +4 bonus to caster level in regards to attempts to counter or dispel your spell, increase spell duration by 50%, or inflict a -1 penalty to the target’s saving throws against other spells of that subschool, lasting for 1 hour.
Special: A school of magic without any subschools gains no benefits from this feat.

Focus Magic (Focus)
You have learned to make your focus devices direct power as would ordinary spell foci.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 2nd level spells, Focus Casting, Eschew Materials
Benefits: When you cast a spell that requires a spell focus you may treat your focus device as that focus. If the spell requires foci that costs gold, you treat your focus device as having (cost to create x 10) gp value; if it equals or exceeds that of the normal spell focus, your focus device successfully imitate the focus.
When casting a spell requiring expensive material components via a focus device, you do not have to pay the price if the cost of the component is equal to or less than the cost to create your focus. If the component is higher (but within the range of (cost to create x 10) gp), you can force the magic through your focus anyways; however, it isn’t supposed to channel magic in such a fashion, and the spell does not gain the benefits of that focus device. Further, the focus stops providing its benefits (but is still considered to be active) until 24 hours have passed.

Masterful Focus Art (Focus, Item Creation)
The foci you create are at the pinnacle of what this field of magic can achieve.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 6th level spells, Focus Casting, Superior Focus Casting, and any 1 metamagic feat
Benefits: By spending 500 gp per level of spells the focus device can affect, you may create a master focus. Instead of the normal focus item benefits, a master focus allows you to reduce the total level modifier of any metamagic feats you apply to the spell by 1 (to a minimum of +0).
Creating a master focus takes 8 hours for each 1,000 gp.
Special: The DC to identify a master focus is increased by 10.
You can only have 1 active master focus at a time. A master focus does not count against the number of foci you can have active at a time.

Superior Focus Casting (Focus)
With runes and a more skilled imbuement of magic, you can make a more effective focus device.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 4th level spells, Focus Casting
Benefits: At the cost of 100 gp for each spell level, you can create a superior focus device. The superior focus works similarly to a normal focus device, but it provides a +2 bonus to DC and a +4 bonus to rolls to overcome spell resistance.
Alternatively, a superior focus could be made to provide the bonuses of a normal focus device to two different schools, subschools, or descriptors. Should these two happen to overlap—for instance, in the casting of an evocation spell with the [fire] descriptor—the effects stack.
Creating a superior focus takes 8 hours for each 150 gp.
Special: The DC to identify these foci are raised by +5.
A superior focus is considered to be worth 2 normal focus devices in regards to how many foci you can have active at a time.

Symbol of Faith (Focus, Item Creation)
Through careful adjustment and care devoted to it, you can turn a holy symbol into a focus device.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 1st level divine spells granted by a deific entity, ability to turn or rebuke something, Focus Casting
Benefits: By spending an extra 50 gp when creating a focus device or superior focus, you can incorporate the holy symbol of a deity into the item, providing the benefits of both. It cannot be touched by those who are not of that faith lest they take 1 point of Strength damage (Fortitude DC 10 + ½ CL + Wisdom modifier).
When selecting active focus devices, you may select 1 divine focus device. At this time you may elect to expend a single spell slot above 0th level to power the divine focus device. You gain a bonus to your channel energy rolls equal to the level of the spell x2, and for each 5 CL you gain 1 additional daily use of channel energy.
Special: In regards to how many focus devices of each tier you may have active at a time, divine focus devices are treated as other focus.

Vengeful Spellchanneling (Focus, Item Creation)
You have learned into imbue a thirst for blood into your foci.
Prerequisites: Focus Casting, the ability to cast 2nd level spells, Knowledge (relevant to creature type; see the Knowledge ( http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/knowledge) skill) 3 ranks
Benefits: When crafting a focus device and when possessed of the blood or a body piece of a monster (or person) of a certain type or subtype, you can make the focus device more effective against that type or subtype of monsters (you can only apply one to a given device; you have to choose). Against the type or subtype this is aligned against, spells cast using this focus are cast with an additional +1 to DC and +2 to rolls to bypass spell resistance. You can only create a vengeful focus for a monster for which you possess 3 ranks in the relevant Knowledge skill. This Knowledge skill is also used for the subtypes, should that be what you are aligning the focus device against.
Special: The DC to identify a vengeful focus is increased by +5 unless the identifier also has 3 ranks in the Relevant knowledge (which has no change).

dragonjek
2014-09-02, 02:01 AM
Fetish Mage

A fetish mage and her fetish (http://www.deviantart.com/art/Talisman-313819026)

“A wand? Oh no, Mr. Calmen. This is nothing so banal—I respect you too much to kill you with a spell not cast by my own hand.”
-Theodore the Beguiling, shortly before the destruction of Castle Magnavinci

Many spells require, not expendable material components, but a focus which will survive through may castings of the spell. The significance of an item which can survive the spellcasting process is oft overlooked by spellcasters—even those who research spell creation, although capable of utilizing spell foci masterfully, rarely spare a thought as to what an enduring spell component would be capable of.

The fetish mage is one of those who realized the possibilities that such devices hold. Through their study of spell foci they have discovered how to create focus devices, tools through which one can channel their magic to produce spells of greater potency than an ordinary casting could produce. Carrying this line of study to its logical extreme has created its own branch of magic structured around the creation of fetishes to direct their power with greater precision.

Role: As a spellcasting class doesn’t direct one’s spellcasting as much as it enhances it, a fetish mage can hold as wide a variety of positions in a party as any other spellcaster; however, their reliance on items can reduce their effectiveness when facing enemies capable of taking their foci from them.

Alignment: Fetish mages may be of any alignment, although the dedication put into studying and creating focus devices tends to attract lawful characters.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements
To qualify to become a fetish mage, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Skills: Use Magic Device 8ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Feats: Focus Casting, Skill Focus (Use Magic Device)
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 4th level spells

Class Skills
The fetish mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Knowledge (all), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: (2 + Int modifier)


FETISHMAGE


Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting


1st

+0

+0

+0

+1
Fetish Stash (cantrips, 1st, 2nd), Practiced Intuition, Focus Thief

+1 level of spellcaster class


2nd

+1

+1

+1

+2
Fetish Stash (3rd), Focus Feat, Focus Affinity

+1 level of spellcaster class


3rd

+1

+1

+1

+2
Fetish Stash (4th), Eschew the Unnecessary, Focus Feat

+1 level of spellcaster class


4th

+2

+1

+1

+3
Extra Focus (Focus Device), Focus Affinity

+1 level of spellcaster class


5th

+2

+2

+2

+3
Fetish Stash (5th), Rapid Reattuning 1/day, Recycling the Magic

+1 level of spellcaster class


6th

+3

+2

+2

+4
Fetish Stash (6th), Focus Affinity, Focus Feat

+1 level of spellcaster class


7th

+3

+2

+2

+4
Extra Focus (Superior Focus), Rapid Reattuning 2/day, Craftmaster

+1 level of spellcaster class


8th

+4

+3

+3

+5
Fetish Stash (7th), Focus Affinity, Fetish Hoard

+1 level of spellcaster class


9th

+4

+3

+3

+5
Fetish Stash (8th), Rapid Reattuning 3/day, Sacrificial Spellwork

+1 level of spellcaster class


10th

+5

+3

+3

+6
Fetish Stash (9th), Extra Focus (Master Focus), Perfection of Form

+1 level of spellcaster class



Class Features
All of the following are class features of the fetish mage.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The fetish mage gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Spells: When a new fetish mage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a fetish mage, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

Fetish Stash: A fetish mage is capable of storing spells inside of his focus devices. When preparing spells, a fetish mage can sacrifice a spell of up to the indicated level to place it in a focus device capable of boosting a spell of that level. The fetish mage can cast the stored spell as a standard action. This stored spell will remain for 1 week + a number of days equal to the fetish mage’s primary spellcasting ability modifier. Only an active device can be used to cast a stored spell, but the fetish mage can still place magic within focus devices that are not active. You may have up to 10 spell-imbued focus devices at a time.

Practiced Intuition (Su): A fetish mage always knows what a focus device is attuned to, the level of spells which it can affect, and what additional effects may apply (such as the metamagic ability of a master focus). He gains a +2 competence bonus to Spellcraft and Use Magic Device.

Focus Thief (Su): With a Use Magic Device check at (DC to identify the focus + 5), a fetish mage is able to attune a focus device that isn’t his to himself, allowing him to use it (although its original owner will still get its effects if he manages to get it back). Doing so is a move action.

Focus Feat: The fetish mage gains a focus feat as a bonus feat, so long as he meets the prerequisites. There is one exception to this; the fetish mage may take Focus Magic even if he does not meet the prerequisites.

Focus Affinity (Su): His talent at your craft has allowed him to eke more out of his creations than he otherwise could. When using a focus device that the fetish mage has crafted himself, he gains the following benefits, based upon the level of the spell cast and dependent upon the orientation of the focus device.

Abjuration: Gain a +2 shield bonus to AC following the casting of an abjuration spell for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s level.
Acid: In the round following taking damage from the acid spell, the target takes further damage equal to the number of dice used.
Air: Following casting an air spell he gains a 10 ft. fly speed/spell level, lasting for 1 round.
Calling: For 1 round/spell level after making the calling spell the fetish mage’s spells increase their range by 50%.
Chaotic: For 1 round/ spell level after casting the chaotic spell he gains a +1 bonus to the CL of a school of magic, randomized each round.
Charm: For 1 minute/spell level after casting, the fetish mage adds his primary spell casting modifier to his Diplomacy and Bluff checks (if this is Charisma, it stacks with his normal Charisma modifier to the skills).
Cold: In the round following failing a save against your cold spell the subject is dealt 2 Dexterity damage.
Compulsion: The fetish mage can use a move action to replicate the Command spell as a spell-like ability once in the following (1 round/spell level) after casting a compulsion spell.
Conjuration: Any being or object called, created, or summoned by you in the minute after casting a conjuration spell gains a bonus to hit points equal to twice the spell level.
Creation: For the next 10 minutes anyone using an item created by your creation spell gains a bonus to the roll equal to the level of the spell as a circumstance bonus.
Darkness: After casting a darkness spell you gain darkvision for 1 minute with a range of 10 ft. per spell level. This can see through magical darkness.
Curse: For 1 round/spell level after casting a curse spell, the target of the curse takes a -2 penalty on saving throws against spells.
Death: For 1 minute/spell level after casting a death spell you become immune to death effects.
Disease: In the round that follows his casting of a disease spell, the fetish mage gains a bonus to the DC of any other disease spell equal to +1/2 spell levels (if the target makes contact with the victim of the original disease spell, this is increased to +1/spell level).
Divination: For 2 hours after casting a Divination spell the fetish mage gains a bonus to Perception checks equal to the spell’s level
Earth: After casting an earth spell you gain a +2 bonus to Constitution for 1 round/level. If he is in contact with the earth he also gains the Stability racial trait, as a dwarf.
Electricity: In the round following someone succeeding in a save against your electricity spell they must make a second save (but with a +2 bonus) or they suffer from the parts of the spell they had saved against)
Emotion: For 1round/level after casting an emotion spell, He can provide either a -2 morale penalty to the attack rolls of all enemies in 50 ft. of the fetish mage, or a +2 morale bonus to all allies in the save area (decided after casting the emotion spell).
Enchantment: For a number of rounds equal to the spell’s level, the fetish mage may add his Charisma bonus (or Charisma penalty, reversed into a bonus) as a deflection modifier to AC following the casting of an enchantment spell.
Evil: For 1 round per spell level following casting an evil spell the fetish mage gains a +1 bonus to the caster level of all damage dealing spells.
Evocation: The next time he deals damage within 1 round/spell level of casting an evocation spell, he inflicts 1 point of extra damage per 3 spell levels per die of damage.
Fear: For the next 1 round/spell level after casting a fear spell, the fetish mage gains a +2 bonus to spell DC in the round following anyone within 50 ft. failing a save against a fear effect.
Figment: In the round following the casting of a figment spell, all attacks directed at the fetish mage have a 10%/spell level miss chance.
Fire: In the round following the fetish mage casting a fire spell, everyone targeted by or in the area of the spell (regardless of if it hit or if they saved) takes 1 point of fire damage per spell level and must make a Fortitude save against being blinded for 1d2 rounds.
Force: Any damaging spell cast in the round following the casting of a force spell has up to 4 points of damage/spell level converted into force damage. All spells can affect incorporeal creatures as force spells do in that round.
Glamer: When he casts a glamer spell, those who fail their saving throw against it have their Intelligence reduced by 2 for 1 round per spell level.
Good: For 1 round/spell level following the casting of a good spell, the fetish mage gains a +1 bonus to the CL of any beneficial, non-damaging spell he casts.
Healing: After casting a healing spell the fetish mage heals 2 hp/spell level.
Illusion: For 1 minute/spell level, those making saving throws against the illusion cast must roll twice and take the worst result.
Language-Dependent: When casting a language-dependant spell you can make the spell repeat itself in 1 language/spell level (all of which must be different and known to the fetish mage; this may result in a smaller list of languages than this ability’s max capacity). Anyone who knows more than 1 of the languages spoken must make an additional saving throw for each language they understand.
Lawful: For 1 round/spell level following his casting of a lawful spell, the fetish mage enjoys a +1 bonus to the CL of those spells he uses to pierce through spell resistance, that resist a counterspell, or that resist dispelling attempts. For spells with a duration, this may increase the caster level partway through the spell’s duration.
Light: In the round following the casting of a light spell, the fetish mage inflicts a -1/spell level penalty to ranged attack rolls and a -1/2 spell levels penalty to melee attack rolls for all enemies within 50 ft.
Mind-affecting: In the round following the casting of a mind-affecting spell, any spell cast on the subject of that mind-affecting spell is cast at +2 CL.
Necromancy: When a living being is reduced to negative hit points but is still alive within 50 ft. of the fetish mage in the aftermath of casting a necromancy spell (this aftermath being 1 round/spell level long), he can as an immediate action either sacrifice a single spell to heal this person damage equal to the spell’s level, or perform a ranged coup de grace as though targeting that living being with his most damaging available spell (this spell is not cast and its effects are not mimicked; it is only used for determining the damage dealt to the dying target).
Pain: In the round following the casting of a pain spell, the fetish mage gains damage reduction (spell level)/-.
Pattern: In the round following the casting of a pattern spell, the fetish mage can select up to 1 target/spell level that either succeeded at their saving throw against the spell or who was not included due to hit dice constraints. These targets must make a saving throw or suffer the full effects of the pattern spell. For purposes of the hit dice or hit points of these additional targets, consider this to be a new casting of the spell.
Phantasm: For 1 round/spell level following the casting of a phantasm spell, those affected by the spell are considered to be flanked by the dangers only they can perceive.
Poison: For 1 round/spell level after casting a poison spell, whatever poison the fetish mage inflicts on others requires 1 additional saving throw to cure.
Polymorph: When casting a polymorph spell, the fetish mage gains an enhancement bonus to an ability score equal to the level of the spell. This bonus may be divided amongst different ability scores, but no single ability can have more than a +4 bonus.
Scrying: For 1 hour/2 spell levels following the casting of a scrying spell, the fetish mage gains a +1 bonus to the caster level of any divination spells he casts.
Shadow: When casting a shadow spell that is only partially real, the fetish mage makes the spell 3%/spell level more real.
Sonic: In the round following the casting of a sonic spell, the echo returns to deal 1 point of sonic damage per spell level and forces a Fortitude save against being made deaf for 1d4 rounds.
Summoning: Creatures summoned by the fetish mage gain a +1/spell level enhancement bonus to apportioned between their attack rolls and their armor class; however, neither can gain a bonus higher than +5.
Teleportation: In the round following the casting of a teleportation spell, the fetish mage can make an immediate action to teleport to a location 5 ft./spell level away.
Transmutation: For 1 round/spell level after casting a transmutation spell, the fetish mage gains a +2 bonus to natural armor.
Water: For 1 round/spell level in the aftermath of casting a water spell, the fetish mage gains a swim speed of 20 ft./spell level and the amphibious quality.

Eschew the Unnecessary (Su): With his foci at his side there is little need for material components. When casting a spell with a focus device the fetish mage does not need to use material components. Spells with expensive material component requirements instead require a spell focus costing [price of the material components x 2] gp. This special spell focus is not subject to the Focus Magic feat.
So long as he has an appropriate focus device ready, he can apply Focus Magic to spells that he does not have active foci for. They do not gain any of the benefits of a spell cast through a focus device.

Extra Focus: The fetish mage can attune one additional focus to themselves when preparing spells. At 4th level, they can attune another normal focus to themselves. At 7th level, they can attune an 2 additional foci, and at 10th an additional master focus.

Rapid Reattuning (Su): Once per day a fetish mage may deactivate an active focus device to activate an inactive one. He may do this once per day at 5th level and once more every two levels after that. At level 7, he may use it to switch a superior focus, and at level 9 his master focus.

Recycling the Magic (Su): Practice at his craft grants him new insight into disassembling and reassembling his foci. When the fetish mage recycles a focus device as part of creating a new focus, the device is worth twice as much gp.

Craftmaster (Ex): Due to their skill in creating foci, their crafting rate for foci is increased to 1,000 gp for each 8 hours spent crafting. They can use this to create multiple focus devices in a single day.

Fetish Hoard: You have mastered the skill of working multiple spells into a single focus. When imbuing spells into a focus device through Fetish Stash, you can imbue multiple spells into it, so long as the combined spell levels in the focus add up to 8 or less. 8th and 9th level spells can only be stored by themselves. You can only cast a single spell per round from any given focus, which remains a standard action.

Sacrificial Spellwork (Su): By pushing too much power through their focus a fetish mage can break the device; doing so intentionally allows them to harness the released magic before it can disperse. As a swift action when casting a spell through a focus device, they can destroy the focus to make the spell ignore damage reduction and energy reduction, prevent the effects of Evasion/Stalwart/Mettle/etc., and bypasses SR.

If used in conjunction with the Deep Drain Depletion feat, it also gains a +1 bonus to DC and CL.

Perfection of Form (Su): By spending an extra 1,000 gp when creating a focus device, you can make one that is a superlative channel for magical energy. You can apply either the Silent Spell feat or the Still Spell feat to spells cast through your focus, without the need to prepare, raise the spell level, or increase casting time.

Kamai
2014-09-03, 10:20 AM
If I can throw a couple of thoughts:

I feel like there are a few archetypes that give only bonded item. How would you feel about giving this as a tradeout feat to bonded item, also?

Without going Fetish Mage, why would I ever build a focus of a subschool that doesn't span multiple schools (like Pattern, Phantasm, and Curse)? It just seems odd to have that random suboptimal choices like that, where you'd feel like going even more specific would be more beneficial in some cases (maybe not in say Fire, where it spans multiple schools).

Symbol of Faith: In the context of Pathfinder, I don't understand the bonus that you're giving. Is it bonus effective cleric level? Is it bonus to the Save DC against your channeling? Is it something else entirely?

Focus Magic: I like the mechanic behind Deep Drain Depletion (almost), and I wonder if that mechanic could be applied here to lose the focus temporarily instead of paying for expensive material costs. I'm not sure where this could break, though.

Deep Drain Depletion: I know it could get a little expensive, between permanent hp and gold cost, but I worry about the Enchanter that has a pile of these for Charm Person or Dominate Person. Either of those could get pretty ugly if you just lose a few hp and a focus for the day. Would you feel it unbalanced if it still counted as a bonded focus until it regained it's power?

Masterful Focus Art: I hope I'm wrong about this, but the wording here reminds me of Arcane Thesis, which let you take -1 level on each metamagic feat on it. Please, please don't go that far in metamagic mitigation.

General annoyance: I don't like how you seem to have multiple pools of foci. I think it'd be clearer if higher foci counted as more than 1 foci.

I haven't really looked over the Fetish Mage yet. I'll probably edit this post once I have useful things to say.

dragonjek
2014-09-04, 11:08 PM
If I can throw a couple of thoughts:

I feel like there are a few archetypes that give only bonded item. How would you feel about giving this as a tradeout feat to bonded item, also?

Without going Fetish Mage, why would I ever build a focus of a subschool that doesn't span multiple schools (like Pattern, Phantasm, and Curse)? It just seems odd to have that random suboptimal choices like that, where you'd feel like going even more specific would be more beneficial in some cases (maybe not in say Fire, where it spans multiple schools).

Both good ideas, and implemented. Subschool foci now treat spells cast through them as 1 level higher in regards to counterspelling, and I made a feat specifically for subschool foci.


Symbol of Faith: In the context of Pathfinder, I don't understand the bonus that you're giving. Is it bonus effective cleric level? Is it bonus to the Save DC against your channeling? Is it something else entirely?
I... I managed to miss that. All I can say in my defense is that despite preferring Pathfinder, I don't have as much experience in it as I do 3.5. I've changed it--it gives a flat bonus to channel energy rolls and provides extra uses per day.


Focus Magic: I like the mechanic behind Deep Drain Depletion (almost), and I wonder if that mechanic could be applied here to lose the focus temporarily instead of paying for expensive material costs. I'm not sure where this could break, though.

Deep Drain Depletion: I know it could get a little expensive, between permanent hp and gold cost, but I worry about the Enchanter that has a pile of these for Charm Person or Dominate Person. Either of those could get pretty ugly if you just lose a few hp and a focus for the day. Would you feel it unbalanced if it still counted as a bonded focus until it regained it's power?

I've extended Focus Magic to also affect expensive material components (in retrospect, having it just halve the cost of the spell components was a little uninspired). I also clarified Deep Drain Depletion more--I meant for the focus to remain "active" until it started working again to waste that slot, but it seems I didn't describe it that way. Thank you for pointing that out for me (I also gave targets having their immunity bypassed gain a bonus to their saving throw).



Masterful Focus Art: I hope I'm wrong about this, but the wording here reminds me of Arcane Thesis, which let you take -1 level on each metamagic feat on it. Please, please don't go that far in metamagic mitigation.
Oh dear. :smalleek: I've rephrased it--it only reduces the total metamagic level increase, not each metamagic feat. Effectively applying Arcane Thesis to an entire spell school was not what I intended.


General annoyance: I don't like how you seem to have multiple pools of foci. I think it'd be clearer if higher foci counted as more than 1 foci.
A good point. Superior foci now fill 2 focus slots. The Master focus remains separate, though--both because I don't want to give reduced metamagic to multiple schools in a single day, and because its effects are different from the simpler focus device and superior focus.

Thank you for your advice.

Kamai
2014-09-05, 12:11 AM
Now, onwards to the fetish mage (except for Focus Affinity, which is going to take a bit of analysis to see how off things are.

Skills: Remember that Pathfinder prestige classes simply add class skills onto a list. The Fetish Mage should really just have Use Magic Device as added skills. There's nothing else that really screams part of the fetish mage, being more of an extension to the class you're PRCing. I don't know about 2+int classes (other than the druid) moving into a 4+int class without a good reason, especially since you're already at 10/10 casting.

Spells: Don't forget the note that classes with spells known have their list extended.

Focus Thief: I feel like this should either be automatic (since you're not going to do it in combat) or it should scale with the fancier foci as compared to the base (in the same way that nicer foci are harder to identify). If you intend for them to physically steal a focus and quickly take over the focus, then maybe just the higher DCs. If they are intended to find a focus, and then take it over before the next encounter, it should just happen.

Focus Magic/Masterful Focus Art: If you want to extend this further, create a (focus) tag for your feats, and allow this feature to grab focus feats. Not all of your focus feats are Item Creation Feats.

Extra Focus/Rapid Reattuning: These need to be updated for the focus pools.

Fetish Hoard: Can you cast every spell in the focus with a single action? If so, 600d3 damage after an hour of casting is silly to be able to throw at people (since cantrips are 0th level spells). If not, that's definitely not so bad, but with Rapid Reattuning, how much is this really going to come into play?

Don't get me wrong, this is in general neat, I'm just trying to poke at the things to be ironed out.

dragonjek
2014-09-07, 05:30 PM
I forgot that part about skills. I left more of them in than just Use Magic Device, though--both Appraise and Knowledge are thematically appropriate.

I've made most of the changes you suggested (although I did keep the skill check for Focus Thief). I also clarified Focus Hoard--no more infinite cantrip casting. :smalleek: