nonsi
2014-12-28, 11:27 AM
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For a long time now, I wanted candle spellcasting to have an expression in the game rules.
Since I'm not a subscriber to the concept of PrCs, using the TaB Candle Caster PrC is not an option, so I've been trying to find the right feats to make it happen.
The following two feats are what I have so far.......
Candle Magic [General]
Benefits: A candle caster can store spells in candles (usually about 6" long).
Each candle holds one spell, following the rules given for the core Scribe Scroll feat, using an alternative medium (see page 84 of the Player’s Handbook).
A candle normally illuminates a 5'-radius.
A burning candle cannot be extinguished by blowing air upon it, unless the candle caster does it herself while holding it (although dispel magic still suppresses the effect as it would for any other magic item), but completely covering the wick by stepping on it or pinching it as a standard action will snuff out the flame.
A Spell Candle's color is determined by the school to which the spell effect it carries belongs to:
School Candle Color
============================
Abjuration: Blue
Conjuration: Yellow
Divination: Green
Enchantment: Brown
Evocation: Red
Illusion: Purple
Necromancy: Black
Transmutation: Orange
Universal: Grey
There are basically 2 ways of activating the spell trapped in a candle:
1. Casting it normally: Casting the spell normally, drawing the magical powers from the candle. The activation's energies light the candle.
2. Lighting the candle manually: A spell candle that's lit manually activates at the beginning of the candle caster’s action in the next round (which does not draw an AoO), but for all intents and purposes functions as a spell of one SL higher than its actual SL, and the caster's CL also counts as +1 to her actual CL. The best way of lighting a spell candle is by using a tindertwig. Doing so is a standard action, which is subject to disruption just as casting a spell would be. Lighting the candle by a slower method, such as flint and tinder or even a magnifying glass, is a full-round action under the best of circumstances, and definitely provokes an AoO. A candle caster can “light defensively” by making a successful Concentration check (DC 15). This preempts an attack of opportunity, but if she fails the check she does not light the candle.
In both cases, the caster doesn't lose a spell, since the spell's energy is already supplied by the candle.
Candle Effect: A successfully lit candle automatically activates the stored spell. It works exactly like a spell cast the normal way. The flame of the burning candle mimics the triggered spell’s duration. Thus, an instantaneous spell causes the candle to flare and burn out immediately, while a candle scribed with a spell having a longer duration burns for that length of time. However, if the flame is extinguished before the spell expires, the spell’s duration is cut short.
Special: If a candle holds an effect with Duration: Concentration, then the candle serves as Concentration focus and burns out after 10 rounds. This means that the person who lit the candle needs not concentrate to maintain the spell effect. So long as the candle burns, the spell effect persists.
Identifying a Candle: A spell candle may be identified by another candle caster with a successful Spellcraft check vs. DC [15 + SL] (a spell candle is covered with occult symbols & runes which reveal its secrets to those who know how to read them). Anyone who successfully identifies the spell candle may use it as if s/he was the caster that had made it, with both activation modes available. Others may only use the second activation mode, but they don't gain the benefit of increased SL & DC, and are bound by the following restriction: the effect either targets you or fizzles (an option rarely used – read on). When creating a candle with an effect that's not tagged harmless, the caster may dictate that if not directed properly, the spell fizzles. This guarantees that misuse will not backfire at the person who lit the candle.
Metamagic Spell Candle [General]
Requirements: Candle Magic, any two metamagic feats of +1 modifier and +2 modifier.
Benefits: You may now create spell candles to carry metamagic-augmented effects. In such cases, the spell candle is a 2-sided candle – the bottom side being about 1/2 the length of the top side.
If the metamagic SL modifier is +1, the bottom side's color is White.
If the metamagic SL modifier is +2, the bottom side's color is Silver.
If the metamagic SL modifier is +4, the bottom side's color is Gold.
Higher SL modifiers and +3 modifier are expressed as spiral combinations of the above – to an absolute maximum of +7 metamagic modifier (if such thing even exists).
When a Metamagic Spell Candle is used according to the second activation mode, it is activated by first lighting the bottom side, then lighting the top side. The person who lights the Metamagic Spell Candle has the option of attempting to light both sides (2 separate checks) as a 1-round action, by rendering himself "unable to properly defend yourself". If the bottom side is not lit first, or lit more than 5 rounds before the top side is lit, the metamagic addition is wasted. Otherwise it is immediately consumed the instant the top side is lit.
Activating a Metamagic Spell Candle according to the first activation mode triggers the effect as if cast normally.
Special: What ever the spell effect is, its augmented SL may not exceed the maximum SL available to the caster.
Special: A given Metamagic Spell Candle may only hold a single metamagic.
Note: Notice that some metamagic effects are irrelevant when manually lighting a Metamagic Spell Candle (e.g. Silent Spell, Still Spell etc.)
For a long time now, I wanted candle spellcasting to have an expression in the game rules.
Since I'm not a subscriber to the concept of PrCs, using the TaB Candle Caster PrC is not an option, so I've been trying to find the right feats to make it happen.
The following two feats are what I have so far.......
Candle Magic [General]
Benefits: A candle caster can store spells in candles (usually about 6" long).
Each candle holds one spell, following the rules given for the core Scribe Scroll feat, using an alternative medium (see page 84 of the Player’s Handbook).
A candle normally illuminates a 5'-radius.
A burning candle cannot be extinguished by blowing air upon it, unless the candle caster does it herself while holding it (although dispel magic still suppresses the effect as it would for any other magic item), but completely covering the wick by stepping on it or pinching it as a standard action will snuff out the flame.
A Spell Candle's color is determined by the school to which the spell effect it carries belongs to:
School Candle Color
============================
Abjuration: Blue
Conjuration: Yellow
Divination: Green
Enchantment: Brown
Evocation: Red
Illusion: Purple
Necromancy: Black
Transmutation: Orange
Universal: Grey
There are basically 2 ways of activating the spell trapped in a candle:
1. Casting it normally: Casting the spell normally, drawing the magical powers from the candle. The activation's energies light the candle.
2. Lighting the candle manually: A spell candle that's lit manually activates at the beginning of the candle caster’s action in the next round (which does not draw an AoO), but for all intents and purposes functions as a spell of one SL higher than its actual SL, and the caster's CL also counts as +1 to her actual CL. The best way of lighting a spell candle is by using a tindertwig. Doing so is a standard action, which is subject to disruption just as casting a spell would be. Lighting the candle by a slower method, such as flint and tinder or even a magnifying glass, is a full-round action under the best of circumstances, and definitely provokes an AoO. A candle caster can “light defensively” by making a successful Concentration check (DC 15). This preempts an attack of opportunity, but if she fails the check she does not light the candle.
In both cases, the caster doesn't lose a spell, since the spell's energy is already supplied by the candle.
Candle Effect: A successfully lit candle automatically activates the stored spell. It works exactly like a spell cast the normal way. The flame of the burning candle mimics the triggered spell’s duration. Thus, an instantaneous spell causes the candle to flare and burn out immediately, while a candle scribed with a spell having a longer duration burns for that length of time. However, if the flame is extinguished before the spell expires, the spell’s duration is cut short.
Special: If a candle holds an effect with Duration: Concentration, then the candle serves as Concentration focus and burns out after 10 rounds. This means that the person who lit the candle needs not concentrate to maintain the spell effect. So long as the candle burns, the spell effect persists.
Identifying a Candle: A spell candle may be identified by another candle caster with a successful Spellcraft check vs. DC [15 + SL] (a spell candle is covered with occult symbols & runes which reveal its secrets to those who know how to read them). Anyone who successfully identifies the spell candle may use it as if s/he was the caster that had made it, with both activation modes available. Others may only use the second activation mode, but they don't gain the benefit of increased SL & DC, and are bound by the following restriction: the effect either targets you or fizzles (an option rarely used – read on). When creating a candle with an effect that's not tagged harmless, the caster may dictate that if not directed properly, the spell fizzles. This guarantees that misuse will not backfire at the person who lit the candle.
Metamagic Spell Candle [General]
Requirements: Candle Magic, any two metamagic feats of +1 modifier and +2 modifier.
Benefits: You may now create spell candles to carry metamagic-augmented effects. In such cases, the spell candle is a 2-sided candle – the bottom side being about 1/2 the length of the top side.
If the metamagic SL modifier is +1, the bottom side's color is White.
If the metamagic SL modifier is +2, the bottom side's color is Silver.
If the metamagic SL modifier is +4, the bottom side's color is Gold.
Higher SL modifiers and +3 modifier are expressed as spiral combinations of the above – to an absolute maximum of +7 metamagic modifier (if such thing even exists).
When a Metamagic Spell Candle is used according to the second activation mode, it is activated by first lighting the bottom side, then lighting the top side. The person who lights the Metamagic Spell Candle has the option of attempting to light both sides (2 separate checks) as a 1-round action, by rendering himself "unable to properly defend yourself". If the bottom side is not lit first, or lit more than 5 rounds before the top side is lit, the metamagic addition is wasted. Otherwise it is immediately consumed the instant the top side is lit.
Activating a Metamagic Spell Candle according to the first activation mode triggers the effect as if cast normally.
Special: What ever the spell effect is, its augmented SL may not exceed the maximum SL available to the caster.
Special: A given Metamagic Spell Candle may only hold a single metamagic.
Note: Notice that some metamagic effects are irrelevant when manually lighting a Metamagic Spell Candle (e.g. Silent Spell, Still Spell etc.)