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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class Theurge (3.5 Base Class; arcane-divine spellcaster)



Zaydos
2015-02-09, 07:19 PM
Theurge

”All magic is truly the same, for all magic stems from Boccob.”

A theurge is a divine mage wielding both the divine powers granted by a god and the arcane powers which represent (to their mind) the gods’ blessing upon mortals. While these magical powers remain separate they also remain in balance building on each other.

Adventures: While a theurge may be a balance between priest and mage, it is the priest that typically drives such. As such theurges adventure for much the same reasons as clerics that serve the same god, although those of the path of Learning are likely to adventure out of a driving curiosity as well.

Characteristics: Theurges’ power lies first and foremost in magic. At low levels they have comparable spells to a sorcerer (if spontaneous) with the advantage of variety that divine spells bestow and the disadvantage of having some of their spells forced to be divine. As they advance in power they eventually slightly possess more, if less powerful, spells than a sorcerer, and more variety due to their divine powers.

Alignment: Like clerics, theurges serve the gods and while they come in all aligments always do they remain close and faithful to their patron deity. In a setting with the default pantheon theurges will drift towards Lawful or Evil as they tend to follow gods of magic and Wee Jas is lawful with evil leanings, Boccob is true neutral, and Vecna is Neutral Evil. That is not to say that Lawful and even Chaotic Good theurges do not exist, Ollidammra and Pelor both include theurges among their clergy for example, but they are rarer.

Religion: A theurge is prone to see their arcane magic as a divinely bestowed blessing given them at birth (if spontaneous). Even those that do not see it as such typically accredit all magic, arcane and divine, to ultimately a divine origin usually the god of magic. As magepriests, theurges naturally turn most commonly towards gods of magic but may be found serving any god who does not frown upon its use.

Background: Many theurges are born with arcane magic, and find in their youth that the teachings of a specific god seem to resonate with their soul, to draw out another sort of power from it the same, but different, than that born into them. These could be sorcerers drift instead into the clergy and from there into their role as magepriests. Others are already in seminary when their arcane powers manifest, stirred by the act of devotion and meditation. Finally there are those to whom magic is a learned thing, studied long and hard in the halls of a magic god. While these are the three most common paths they are not necessarily the only ones.

Races: Among the common races elves and gnomes may be the most likely to become theurges as their racial gods encourage and exalt magic and they have a powerful racial predilection towards magic. It is, however, humans which have the highest predilection towards becoming adventuring theurges that leave their communities to go forth, in part because human gods of magic are not, like elven and gnomish ones, gods of community as well. In the other common races theurges are rare, sometimes exceedingly so, and among the savage races they are all but unheard of (save for the drow).

Other Classes: A theurge tends to be everyone’s friend in a party. Their divine magic is the glue that holds the party together, or at least the stiches, and they love having warriors behind which they can cast their spells.

Role: Magic! A theurge can heal, albeit not as well as a cleric unless on the gnosis path (having fewer divine spell slots and no spontaneous cure spells), as well as fulfill the roles of a wizard or sorcerer although some such roles they grow into later and show less power in. Their combination of spells make them ideal long term buffers, combining buff magic from both disciplines.

Adaptation: Perhaps only one mystical path exists, or theurges only serve select gods. Maybe instead of clerics, Boccob (or similar) has theurges and the other gods do not. Perhaps only Blessing exists as a path and theurges do not serve gods instead acting as prophets of themselves or of a philosophical ideal. If only Learning exists theurges are pushed further towards gods of magic and knowledge.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Theurge's have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Depending upon the theurge’s mystical path Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is a theurge’s most important ability score.
Alignment: Within 1 step of deity’s.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: As cleric.
Starting Gold: As sorcerer.

Class Skills
The theurge's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all, each skill taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Domains and Class Skills: A theurge who chooses the Travel domain adds Survival (Wis) to the list. A theurge who chooses the Trickery domain adds Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), and Hide (Dex) to the list.

Skill Points at First Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

CLASS NAME


Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special


1st

+0

+0

+0

+2
Domains, Mystical Path, Saintly Aegis +2


2nd

+1

+0

+0

+3
1st Path Ability


3rd

+1

+1

+1

+3
Saintly Aegis +3, Quick Cast (0 level spells) 1/day


4th

+2

+1

+1

+4
-


5th

+2

+1

+1

+4
Saintly Aegis +4


6th

+3

+2

+2

+5
-


7th

+3

+2

+2

+5
Quick Cast (1st level spells) 2/day


8th

+4

+2

+2

+6
Divine Familiar, Saintly Aegis +5


9th

+4

+3

+3

+6
-


10th

+5

+3

+3

+7
2nd Path Ability, Saintly Aegis +6


11th

+5

+3

+3

+7
Quick Cast (2nd level spells) 3/day


12th

+6/+1

+4

+4

+8
Bonus Domain


13th

+6/+1

+4

+4

+8
Saintly Aegis +7


14th

+7/+2

+4

+4

+9
-


15th

+7/+2

+5

+5

+9
Quick Cast (3rd level spells) 4/day, Saintly Aegis +8


16th

+8/+3

+5

+5

+10
-


17th

+8/+3

+5

+5

+10
3rd Path Ability


18th

+9/+4

+6

+6

+11
Saintly Aegis +9


19th

+9/+4

+6

+6

+11
Quick Cast (4th level spells) 5/day


20th

+10/+5

+6

+6

+12
Miracle of Magic, Saintly Aegis +10





Level
0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th


1st
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
4
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
4
4
1
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
4
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-


7th
4
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-


8th
4
4
4
3
-
-
-
-
-


9th
5
4
4
3
1
-
-
-
-


10th
5
4
4
4
2
-
-
-
-


11th
5
5
4
4
3
1
-
-
-


12th
5
5
4
4
4
2
-
-
-


13th
5
5
4
4
4
3
1
-
-


14th
5
5
5
4
4
4
2
-
-


15th
5
5
5
4
4
4
3
-
-


16th
5
5
5
4
4
4
3
1
-


17th
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
2
-


18th
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
3
1


19th
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
2


20th
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4





Level
0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th


1st
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
5
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
6
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
6
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
7
4
2
1
-
-
-
-
-


7th
7
5
3
2
-
-
-
-
-


8th
8
5
3
2
-
-
-
-
-


9th
8
5
4
3
1
-
-
-
-


10th
9
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-


11th
9
5
5
4
2
1
-
-
-


12th
9
5
5
4
3
2
-
-
-


13th
9
5
5
4
3
2
1
-
-


14th
9
5
5
4
4
3
2
-
-


15th
9
5
5
4
4
3
2
-
-


16th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
1
-


17th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
2
-


18th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
2
1


19th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
2


20th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3





Level
0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th


1st
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
3
2
0
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
3
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
3
2
1
0
-
-
-
-
-


7th
3
2
2
1
-
-
-
-
-


8th
3
2
2
1
-
-
-
-
-


9th
3
2
2
2
0
-
-
-
-


10th
3
3
2
2
1
-
-
-
-


11th
3
3
2
2
1
0
-
-
-


12th
3
3
2
2
2
1
-
-
-


13th
3
3
3
2
2
1
0
-
-


14th
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
-
-


15th
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
-
-


16th
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
0
-


17th
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
-


18th
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
0


19th
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
1


20th
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2





Level
0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th


1st
2
0+1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
3
1+1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
3
2+1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
3
3+1
0+1
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
3
3+1
1+1
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
3
3+1
2+1
0+1
-
-
-
-
-


7th
3
3+1
2+1
1+1
-
-
-
-
-


8th
3
3+1
3+1
2+1
-
-
-
-
-


9th
4
3+1
3+1
2+1
0+1
-
-
-
-


10th
4
3+1
3+1
3+1
1+1
-
-
-
-


11th
4
4+1
3+1
3+1
2+1
0+1
-
-
-


12th
4
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
1+1
-
-
-


13th
4
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
2+1
0+1
-
-


14th
4
4+1
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
1+1
-
-


15th
4
4+1
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
2+1
-
-


16th
4
4+1
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
2+1
0+1
-


17th
4
4+1
4+1
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
1+1
-


18th
4
4+1
4+1
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
2+1
0+1


19th
4
4+1
4+1
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
1+1


20th
4
4+1
4+1
4+1
4+1
3+1
3+1
3+1
3+1



Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Theurge.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A theurge is proficient in all simple weapons and no armor or shields.


Spellcasting: A theurge casts arcane spells drawn from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list and divine spells drawn from the Cleric spell list, even gaining domain spells as a cleric. At 1st level a theurge must choose spontaneous or prepared arcane magic. If they choose spontaneous they cast arcane spells as a sorcerer, using the spontaneous arcane caster spells per day and spells known, if they choose prepared they learn and cast arcane spells as a wizard, using prepared arcane caster spells per day. A theurge casts divine spells as a cleric.


A theurge’s arcane and divine casting are both based off of a single ability score determined by their Mystical Path.

It is possible to allow for spontaneous divine spellcasting, in which case you add an additional divine spell per day of each level and they gain divine spells known at the same rate as their arcane with domain spells automatically added but still limited to their domain slots. It is also possible to allow for archivist casting in which case they learn spells as an archivist, gaining their domain spells as bonus spells in their prayer book when they gain access to a new spell level and losing their domain spell slots..

A PrC that advances either an arcane or divine spellcasting class progresses both sides of Theurge spellcasting. A PrC that advances only one of arcane or divine spellcasting class progresses both sides of Theurge spellcasting at DM discretion or only that side (which would make it a bad choice). If the DM decides that such a class progresses both sides a Theurge may not assign both progressions from a prestige class that progresses both separately (such as Mystic Theurge or Arcane Hierophant) to Theurge on the same level.

Mystical Path: At 1st level a Theurge chooses one mystical path, which determine what ability score they use to determine spells per day, spell save DCs, and maximum spell level available, and the certain class features they gain through level up. These paths are Learning, Gnosis, and Blessing.

Learning: Your magic is the result of long and tedious study, learning the arcane secrets granted man by the gods. Your spellcasting is based off of Intelligence and you may learn Wizard only spells. You must be a prepared arcane spellcaster to select this path.

Gnosis: Your magic is the result of secret wisdom, and divinely granted insight into the world. Your spellcasting is based off of Wisdom.

Blessing: Your magic is a divine blessing, flowing from the seeds the gods planted in your soul itself, a natural outpouring of power. Your spellcasting is based off of Charisma and you may learn Sorcerer only spells. You must be a spontaneous arcane spellcaster to select this path.

I am contemplating adding further paths possibly a 2nd for each ability score, or at least a Druidic path that changes your divine spell list to Druid.

Domains: A theurge gains 2 domains granted by their god, like a cleric replacing all references to Cleric level with Theurge level.

Saintly Aegis (Su): A theurge is surrounded by an aura equal parts divine blessing and arcane force. They gain the listed bonus as an Armor bonus to AC; this is a force effect and applies against incorporeal touch attacks (just like Mage Armor).

1st Path Ability: At 2nd level a theurge gains the first power of their Mystical Path.

Learning: You gain Lore (ex) as the Loremaster (or Cloistered Cleric) ability.

Gnosis: You add all Cure spells, all Vigor spells, and Faith Healing to your arcane (theurge) spell list at the same spell levels they are gained by clerics, and to your arcane (theurge) spells known as soon as you have access to spells of the proper level. If you prepare arcane spells you may prepare all arcane spells granted by the Gnosis path without your spellbook.

Blessing: You gain the ability to turn or rebuke undead as a cleric of your Theurge level.

Quick Cast: At 3rd level a theurge gains the ability to cast a 0 level spell as a swift action 1/day. At 7th level, and every 4th level thereafter, a theurge gains the ability to use this ability one additional time per day and with spells 1 level higher (reaching 4th level spells 5/day at 19th level).

Divine Familiar: At 8th level a theurge gains the service of a divinely bestowed companion. This functions as a familiar (using their theurge level as their sorcerer level) but it is selected from a special list based upon their deity’s alignment and/or domains.

If a theurge’s deity is Lawful Good they may select a Lantern Archon. If their deity is Neutral Good they may select a Musteval GuardinalBoED. If their deity is Chaotic Good they may select a Coure EladrinBoED. If their deity is Chaotic Neutral they may select a Coure Eladrin (if the theurge is non-evil) or quasit (if the theurge is non-good). If their deity is Chaotic Evil they may select a Dretch or Quasit. If their deity is Neutral Evil they may select a Quasit (if the theurge is non-lawful) or an imp (if the theurge is non-chaotic). If their deity is Lawful Evil they may select an imp or spinagonFCII. If their deity is Lawful Neutral they may select a Quadrone ModronDragon 354, an imp (if non-good), or a lantern archon (if non-evil). If their deity is True Neutral they may select a medium air, earth, fire, or water elemental or a medium paraelementalMoP. If their deity grants an elemental domain they may select a medium elemental with of that element regardless of their deity’s alignment, and if their deity grants two elemental domains they may select a paraelemental of both such elements (if there is one). If their deity grants the Animal domain they may select any CR 2 or lower animal and, if their deity is not True Neutral, it gains an alignment template (Celestial, Fiending, Anarachic, Axiomatic) to match one axis of their deity’s alignment.

2nd Path Ability: At 10th level a theurge’s magical talents have progressed to such an extent they gain a 2nd ability based on their chosen path.

Learning: 3 times per day you may sacrifice a prepared spell to prepare another spell from the same list and of the same level; to do so requires 5 minutes of concentration.

Gnosis: You add Close WoundsSpC, Mass Close Wounds (see below), Greater Close Wounds (see below), Heal, Lesser Restoration, Restoration, Greater Restoration, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Paralysis, Remove Disease, Neutralize Poison, Regenerate, Healing LorecallSpC, StabilizeSpC, PanaceaSpC, and Mass RestorationSpC to your arcane (theurge) spell list at the same spell levels they are gained by clerics, and to your arcane (theurge) spells known as soon as you have access to spells of the proper level.

Blessing: You may sacrifice a prepared divine spell to cast any arcane spell you know of the same level or lower. You may sacrifice one divine spell of each level you possess this way each day.

Bonus Domain: At 12th level you gain a third domain. This domain must be the Knowledge, Magic, or Spell domain (even if it is not among your deity’s domains granted) unless you already have two of these three domains in which case it may be any domain your deity grants.

3rd Path Ability: At 17th level a theurge’s magical talents have progressed towards a powerful pinnacle of magical might and they gain a 3rd ability based on their chosen path.

Learning: You gain the ability to create a spell sequence 2 times per day; to create a spell sequence requires 1 minute and you select two spells you have prepared; one of which is at least 2 levels lower than the highest level spell you may prepare. When you cast one spell in the sequence you immediately cast the second spell as a free action (you may not choose not to cast the second spell). The spells remain sequenced until the next time your prepare spells. You must have prepared arcane spellcasting to select this path.

Gnosis: You add your domain spells to your arcane (theurge) spells known and add one cleric spell per spell level to your arcane (theurge) spell list and spells known at the appropriate level.

Blessing: You gain a bonus arcane (theurge) spell known of any level you can cast elected from either the Sorcerer spell list or the Cleric spell list. Each day when you prepare your divine spells you may reselect this bonus spell known, even changing its level if desired.

Miracle of Magic: A theurge represents the hybridization of two powerful types of magic. At 20th level they gain the ability to perform a single spell each day of the truly titanic heights of power that magic can ascend to. They gain a single 9th level arcane spell slot (you do not gain bonus spells of this level) and gain a single 9th level arcane spell known. This spell is not added to your spellbook (if any) but you do not need to memorize it from your spellbook, and you may not add other 9th level spells to your spell book and they may not use the 3rd Path ability of the Blessing Path to learn an additional 9th level arcane spell. In addition to this arcane spell you also learn the 9th level spells of each of your domains and Miracle as 9th level arcane spells (which are not added to your spellbook but may be prepared without one) and if you have the Gnosis path Mass Heal.

Zaydos
2015-02-10, 02:25 PM
Realized that the Gnosis path grants two spells that don't officially exist and I didn't post them here.

Greater Close Wounds
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Cleric 4
This spell functions as Close WoundsSpC except as mentioned here and that it heals the target 4d4+CL (max +10) hit points.

Mass Close Wounds
Conjuration (Healing)
Level: Cleric 6
Range: Medium (100-ft + 10-ft/caster level).
Targets: Up to 1 creature per caster level, no two of which may be more than 30-ft apart.
This spell functions as Close WoundsSpC except as mentioned here and that it heals each target 2d4+CL (max +15) hit points.

Zaydos
2015-02-14, 11:11 AM
Oh yeah, thought of a question I almost forgot to ask. When I give them Divine Familiar I couldn't think of good Neutral Evil, Chaotic Neutral, or True Neutral options, anyone got a good suggestion for an outsider of one of those three alignments of the same approximate power level/utility?