ALAKAZAM!!! [Feats]

[Mr. Moogle]

Here are some feats I made for a Charismonger (adj. one who needlessly loads up on charisma for no apparent reason) Fighter in my group who really wanted some spell-like abilitys. Later that day i discovered the ability Magician so I decided to design these Feats. Enjoy...

Magician
Prerequisites: Cha 14
Benifit: The user is constantly under the affect of Presdidigation

Improved Magician
Prerequisites: Cha 16, Magician
Benifit: The user can cast 5 cantrips avalible to sorcerers/wizards at will, however those spells lack the power to heal or repair due to their minor stature, (EAT THAT SAM). If you arent my friends brother/DM Sam, please, take no offense.

Please tell me if they're overpowered (although you can't do much with cantrips)

[Korias]

Make Improved Magician Cha 16, and then Make it so its a select 3 Cantrips at will, instead of Any.

[Proven_Paradox]

First off, precedent says that the ability score requirement should be an odd number. I've never really understood this, and I personally don't think it's a big deal, but you'll have a lot of people point that out as a flaw. You might consider making the charisma requirement 15.

Also, these would be rather powerful in the hands of say, a first level human. This would leave your charismonger fighter out, but I would add some spellcasting requirements; that would keep this in the hands higher level characters. For example, maybe magician should require arcane spellcasting of second level or higher, and improved magician require third level or higher.

I don't think unfettered access to cantrips is that big a deal myself.

[Poppatomus]

Not so much overpowered as somewhat, well, not cricket. giving access to magic through non meta-magic feats just feels wrong, even if it's not precisely overpowered. The first one isn't terrible or overpowered, and wouldn't cause many problems, but the second might be. any human with CHA over 14 can now basically gain a half level or so (more depending on how highly you value unlimted casts) of sorceror/wizard in addition to whatever other level they've taken.

This means unlimited detect magic and poison, +1 to all their saving throws, the ability to read magic, and several fairly nice low level combat spells, like fatigue, daze and dazzle. Kind of a lot for one feat.

EDIT: Korias' suggestions are very good.

[Korias]

Well, I think these feats are describing latent talent. Remember the Dude from "Next"? He had Latent Magical (ok, maybe not Magical, but still...) Talent.

Immagine this. A Level 1 Expert with 16 Charisma (His Highest Stat), probably a stage performer, gets this feat at 1st Level, and then Improved Magician. This gives him Four Cantrips he can use as a stage act. Nifty, huh? Think about it. Prestidigitation, Dancing Lights, Mage Hand, and Ghost Sound. Hows that for a stage act?

Edit: Thanks Poppatomus.

[Icewalker]

Yeah, I'd say 'pick three' would help balance it out a little. I love the idea.

I've actually considered making a somewhat minor villain with no abilities except every cantrip at will, and the ability to know EVERYTHING about the PCs. ie he can place a magic mouth to go off and say the command word of someone's wand of fireball :smallamused:

[Korias]

Yeah, I'd say 'pick three' would help balance it out a little. I love the idea.

I've actually considered making a somewhat minor villain with no abilities except every cantrip at will, and the ability to know EVERYTHING about the PCs. ie he can place a magic mouth to go off and say the command word of someone's wand of fireball :smallamused:

That would be horrible. *Steals for useage*

[Mr. Moogle]

Ok taking in all of your suggestions here is the new Improved Magician

Improved Magician
Prerequisites: Cha 16, Magician
Benifit: you may pick Five cantrips and use them at will.

I'm sorry but three was just to little. I ramped it up to five so that it could still be used at (slightly) higher levels.

[Korias]

Eh, I can live with 5+Prestidigitation.
Sounds good to me. Fairly balanced, shows innate talent. Good job, Mr. Moogle!

[Mr. Moogle]

Thank you!

[heroe_de_leyenda]

I still think it would be good to put "able to cast first level spells" as a prerequisite

[Abjurer]

I agree.
A first-level human fighter or paladin could get access to half his sorcerer or wizard counterpart's repertoire just like that.
Then again, all he's getting are spells like light, prestidigitation, and resistance.

[Scorpina]

Awesome, and seems relatively balanced. There are quite a few feats in Complete Arcane that give you three cantrips for no prerequisite, so an extra two with those restraints seems fair enough.

[DragonTounge]

I think you should add something that makes it so only spellcasters can use this. Maybe put something like "must be able to cast 1st level spells". It would be wierd having a fighter casting acid splash.

[Mr. Moogle]

OH NOOOOOO!!!!!

:smallfrown: Theres a level 0 spell in the Complete Arcane, Cure Minor Damage imagine a party of warforged with one of them that heals the other ones to full after every combat. I really dont want to ban any spells, is there any way to remedy this?

[Poppatomus]

what do you mean you don't want to ban any spells?

would something like: "However, the creature's mastery of magic is insufficient to power spells capable of restoring more than 1hp in damage to a creature or object." be acceptable.

[Mr. Moogle]

Thanks Poppatomus. Ill update that.

[Poppatomus]

happy to help.

[Justyn]

You could possibly limit the number of times per day a character can use the cantrips. An example would be 1 + charisma modifier times per day for each cantrip.

[LotharBot]

1) as mentioned before, most feats use odd stat values (13, 15) for prereqs. I think this is specifically to make the odd-numbered stats worthwhile, since your modifier only goes up at even numbers.

2) you could add some sort of concentration check / fatigue effect to the spells in order to curtail abuse. Like... you can cast a certain number over a 5-minute period and then you have to make checks to maintain your "stage presence" or whatever. Someone could use the "cure" spells to heal others, but they'd only be worth a few points of healing before the magician started to run out of steam. If he wants to heal everyone by 25 points, one point at a time, make it take a couple of hours with lots of resting (while the party cleric or whatever could accomplish the same thing in 2 rounds.) Don't hesitate to throw random encounters at a group that sits waiting for too long.

3) without unlimited healing, this seems kind of underpowered for two feats. +1 to saves (that doesn't stack with cloak of resistance due to being the same bonus type) is kinda nice... but with 2 feats, you could gain +2 to your two weakest saves. Spells like daze and dazzle are also kinda nice, but it takes an action to use them, and it's essentially the equivalent of using 2 feats to get a free stack of wands of each of those spells. The "detect magic and poison" thing is nice, I'll grant you that, but again, you can get the equivalent from a fairly cheap wand. This is fairly powerful for level 1 characters, but it's not even remotely worth 2 feats at higher levels. Personally, I'd make it just one feat with maybe 3-4 cantrips, rather than 2 feats.

4) Just a random thought: maybe give one cantrip known per two character levels, so that the feat gets more powerful at later levels. Also allow, say, 1+CHA modifier casts per minute or risk fatigue.

[Mr. Moogle]

1) as mentioned before, most feats use odd stat values (13, 15) for prereqs. I think this is specifically to make the odd-numbered stats worthwhile, since your modifier only goes up at even numbers.

2) you could add some sort of concentration check / fatigue effect to the spells in order to curtail abuse. Like... you can cast a certain number over a 5-minute period and then you have to make checks to maintain your "stage presence" or whatever. Someone could use the "cure" spells to heal others, but they'd only be worth a few points of healing before the magician started to run out of steam. If he wants to heal everyone by 25 points, one point at a time, make it take a couple of hours with lots of resting (while the party cleric or whatever could accomplish the same thing in 2 rounds.) Don't hesitate to throw random encounters at a group that sits waiting for too long.

3) without unlimited healing, this seems kind of underpowered for two feats. +1 to saves (that doesn't stack with cloak of resistance due to being the same bonus type) is kinda nice... but with 2 feats, you could gain +2 to your two weakest saves. Spells like daze and dazzle are also kinda nice, but it takes an action to use them, and it's essentially the equivalent of using 2 feats to get a free stack of wands of each of those spells. The "detect magic and poison" thing is nice, I'll grant you that, but again, you can get the equivalent from a fairly cheap wand. This is fairly powerful for level 1 characters, but it's not even remotely worth 2 feats at higher levels. Personally, I'd make it just one feat with maybe 3-4 cantrips, rather than 2 feats.

4) Just a random thought: maybe give one cantrip known per two character levels, so that the feat gets more powerful at later levels. Also allow, say, 1+CHA modifier casts per minute or risk fatigue.
But fatigue would totaly ruin combat for any fighting class, by using a cantrip.
Fighter: I cast Acid Splash
DM: *rolls* ok, you cast it but mow your fatigued
Fighter: GRAHHH!!! * slams head on table * i could have hit him with the Halfling and done more good
Halfling: *plots Fighters demise*

[Matthew]

Yeah, the 1 HP Healing thing has always been a problem with Unlimited 0 Level Spell Casting. The way I currently curtail it is to record damage as 'blows'. So when a Character gets hit for 7, 21 and 6 damage he has taken three blows. For every blow taken, a single use of Cure Minor/whatever can be used, but no more than that. It might not work for thee, but it works okay for me.

[swordmaster2000]

am I allowed ti use this? I have a few choice experts that would love to get thier hands on this