Chronomancer (Time Mage)

[Conan Tierney]

My hope is to find a viable, balanced class that can affect time. Please give me feedback on this. I have never actually play tested it because I don't want it to be terrible or completely over powered. I appreciate your help

Chronomancer
Hit Points- d8
Skill Point- 2 + INT
BAB- 1/2
Saves- Good Reflex and Will
Spells per day- Wizard level
Spells Known- Sorcerer level
Skills- Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (Arcana or Religion based on spell type), Profession, Spellcraft

1 - Accelerated Life-force +1, Temporal Powers, Speed
2 -
3 - Guardian
4 -
5 -
6 - Accelerated Lifeforce +2, Hop
7 -
8 - Slow/Haste
9 -
10 - Temporal Combining
11 - Accelerated Lifeforce +3, Advanced Speed
12 -
13 - Advanced Guardian
14 -
15 -
16 - Accelerated Lifeforce +4, Advanced Hop
17 -
18 - Mass Time Stop
19 -
20 - Accelerated Lifeforce +5, Temporal Regression

Weapon & Armor Proficiency- Chronomancers are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, and shields (except tower)

Spellcasting- Chronomancers can cast their spells as either arcane or divine. If they choose arcane, their CHA modifier is used to determine the difficulty class of their spells' saving throws and the highest level spells they can cast. If they choose divine, their WIS modifier is used instead.
Regardless of what type of spells they cast, Chronomancers must choose either the sorcerer/wizard, cleric, or druid spell list. Once they choose a list they may not switch. Chronomancers are spontaneous casters like sorcerers.

Accelerated Life-force- Chronomancers bodies are permanently altered due to their exposure to temporal energy. They gain fast healing 1 at level 1 which increases as they level up.

Temporal Powers- Chronomancers spend all their energy on learning the mysteries of time. Through their studies, they gain unique powers that allow them to alter time in specific ways. They can use these powers a number of times per day equal to 5 + their spell ability modifier. Tampering with time causes some temporal backlash, a welcome risk for the control over time. Using these abilities takes a standard action.
● Speed- Increases the movement speed of the target by 20 ft. and their initiative by +2 for 10 minutes/lvl. (max. 10). Backlash- 1d4
● Guardian- Gives the target a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 to reflex saving throws for 1 minute/lvl. (max. 10). Backlash- 1d6
● Hop- Allows the target to disappear from time for a number of rounds up to the Chonomancer's level. The number of rounds is decided at the casting by the chronomancer. They appear in the exact spot they disappeared from as if no time had passed. When they return, the target acts as though they were under the effects of time stop for one round before returning to normal speed. Backlash- 2d6
● Slow/Haste- If this power is used on an enemy, they receive a will save equal to 10+1/2 chronomancer level+Spell ability modifier. If they succeed, one use is expended but no effects or backlash occurs. If they fail, the target is immobilized for 1 round. Then for a number of rounds equal to the chronomancer's level (max. 10) the target is under the effect of the slow spell. If it is used on an ally, they gain the effects of time stop for 1 round and then haste for 1 round/level (max. 10) Backlash- 4d4
● Temporal Combining- Allows the chronomancer to use 2 powers at once. If they do, they take 1.5x the backlash from both powers. This takes a full round action but only counts as 1 use of power instead of 2.
● Advanced Speed- Gives an increase of 60 ft. to move speed, +6 to initiative, and the effects of the spell, freedom of movement, for 10 minutes/level. Backlash- 6d4
● Advanced Guardian- Gives a +6 deflection bonus to AC, +6 to reflex saves, and the effects of evasion for 1 minute/level. Backlash- 6d6
● Advanced Hop- Allows the chronomancer to take with him a number of willing allies equal to his spell ability modifier. All those targeted are sent forward in time up to 1 hour/lvl. They reappear in the same spot where they were when this power was used as if no time had passed. They act as though they were under the time stop spell for one round before returning to normal. Backlash- 6d8
● Mass Time Stop- Allows the chronomancer to take with him a number of willing allies equal to his spell ability modifier. This functions just like the spell time stop. Backlash- 6d10
● Temporal Regression- Allows the chronomancer to turn back time. He is limited to a max number of rounds equal to his spell ability modifier. The backlash for this power is dealt for every round he chooses to go back. If he is killed by backlash, the power still happens and he is dead in the past. Backlash- 6d12/round

[Zaydos]

Well first question is: Balanced against what?

As is this is sorcerer who trades spells per day (2 of each level) for Good Reflex, +2 hp/level, always being at full health after combat, and some abilities

Backlash would be damage when the ability is used, correct? So at 1st level it's +4 hp, +2 to Ref, always at full health after combat and +20 ft speed and +2 Initiative for 2 spells. I'd actually say this is beating the sorcerer, but it's close.

At 3rd level you have a 2nd level slot you can't use and a small bonus to AC and saves if you know you're about to start combat, but it's not worth using in combat. In a dungeon crawl this means you use it before opening a door and wait a few rounds. The +2 to initiative is better actually.

At 6th level... Can Hop be used on an unwilling target?

At 8th you are now down 2 spells of 1st and 2nd level, 1 of 4th, and have in effect extra 3rd level spells. Is Immobilized in Slow/Haste the condition from ToM or full fledged Hold spell style inability to act?

At 10th level you can now keep the Init and AC boosts up for a whole adventure and still have a few Slow/Haste effects.

At 11th Advanced Speed makes that better; the backlash is meaningless because of a 2 hour duration and Fast Healing 3.

At 18th level you get Mass Time Stop which makes up for the lost 9th level spells per day and then some.

At 20th level you get another really big ability.

So again what is the balance point? This looks to be depending upon level and optimization level worse or better than sorcerer with some significant advantages (the divine version would compare to Favored Soul actually less favorably).

I'd actually suggest making it more like Dread Necromancer/Beguiler and giving them a fixed list of themed spells known and their own spell progression, but finding that many Time based spells is hard. Either way I would give them their own spells known/spells per day to avoid weirdness like getting spells per day for levels they don't know yet.

[Conan Tierney]

Well first question is: Balanced against what?

As is this is sorcerer who trades spells per day (2 of each level) for Good Reflex, +2 hp/level, always being at full health after combat, and some abilities

Backlash would be damage when the ability is used, correct? So at 1st level it's +4 hp, +2 to Ref, always at full health after combat and +20 ft speed and +2 Initiative for 2 spells. I'd actually say this is beating the sorcerer, but it's close.

At 3rd level you have a 2nd level slot you can't use and a small bonus to AC and saves if you know you're about to start combat, but it's not worth using in combat. In a dungeon crawl this means you use it before opening a door and wait a few rounds. The +2 to initiative is better actually.

At 6th level... Can Hop be used on an unwilling target?

At 8th you are now down 2 spells of 1st and 2nd level, 1 of 4th, and have in effect extra 3rd level spells. Is Immobilized in Slow/Haste the condition from ToM or full fledged Hold spell style inability to act?

At 10th level you can now keep the Init and AC boosts up for a whole adventure and still have a few Slow/Haste effects.

At 11th Advanced Speed makes that better; the backlash is meaningless because of a 2 hour duration and Fast Healing 3.

At 18th level you get Mass Time Stop which makes up for the lost 9th level spells per day and then some.

At 20th level you get another really big ability.

So again what is the balance point? This looks to be depending upon level and optimization level worse or better than sorcerer with some significant advantages (the divine version would compare to Favored Soul actually less favorably).

I'd actually suggest making it more like Dread Necromancer/Beguiler and giving them a fixed list of themed spells known and their own spell progression, but finding that many Time based spells is hard. Either way I would give them their own spells known/spells per day to avoid weirdness like getting spells per day for levels they don't know yet.

My hope was that it could be balanced in a fairly normal party with experienced players. I actually lined up the wizards spells per day with the sorcerer's spells known so they don't get the spell slot until the even levels like a sorcerer. I knew that I had to make them a less powerful sorcerer because my original model was what you suggested where they have their own spell list. The problem was the variety was very limited especially at low levels so I altered it and used the time spells as abilities with damage to the user (backlash) to make them usable at low levels. The backlash was something I found when exploring creating spells in the epic level handbook. I obviously had to create my own amounts but that was the starting point for the idea. In Slow/Haste, the hold is like Hold Person. The idea was that it was the opposite as a much as possible from the Time Stop effect in the haste part of the spell. For Hop, I forgot to put that if it used on an enemy they would receive a will save just like those affected by Slow/Haste.

My thoughts would be that I could see removing the reflex save since having two good saves could be too much. The idea with the backlash was that it is more of a big deal in battle. If you are already taking damage from the opponent then it might be difficult to survive the backlash. The opposite is true because if you managed to use your abilities to buff yourself or team but you took backlash then you would vulnerable to enemy attacks. The Accelerated Life-force was meant to help you not die in battle especially because not every party has a healer and you may take a lot of damage.

I hope this helps clarify things and thank you for your help!