The Spheredancer: A Path of War/Spheres of Power theurge

[digiman619]

Anyone who games with me knows that I love me some 3rd party Pathfinder, and Spheres of Power and Path of War are my current favorites. I really like the combination, as it keeps both martials and magic interesting. Here's a way to mix them

The Spheredancer

Prerequisites:
Base Attack Bonus +4
Caster Level: 4
Skills: Knowledge (martial) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks
Maneuvers: Able to use 1st level maneuvers, including at least 1 stance



Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
CL
Talents
Known
Readied
Stances



1
+0
+1
+0
+1
Martial Casting (1 Spell point)
+0
0
0
0
0


2
+1
+1
+1
+1
Augment Maneuver (strike)
+1
1
1
0
0


3
+2
+2
+1
+2
Martial Casting (activation time)
+2
2
0
1
1


4
+3
+2
+1
+2
Augment Maneuver (boost)
+3
3
1
0
0


5
+3
+3
+2
+3
Martial Casting (metamagic)
+3
3
0
0
0


6
+4
+3
+2
+4
Augment Maneuver (counter)
+4
4
1
1
0


7
+5
+4
+2
+4
Martial Casting (2 spell points)
+5
5
0
0
0


8
+6
+4
+3
+5
Augment Maneuver (recovery)
+6
6
1
0
1


9
+6
+5
+3
+5
Martial Casting (improved activation time)
+6
6
0
1
0


10
+7
+5
+3
+5
Spheredancing,
+7
7
1
0
0



Hit Die: d8

Skill Points: 4 + Int bonus

Class Skills: The class skills for the Sphere dancer (and their key abilities) are: Acrobatics (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (martial) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (dancing) (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Spheredancer gains no additional weapon or armor proficiency.

Maneuvers: At every even-numbered level, a spheredancer gains new maneuvers known from as any discipline he previously had access to (either from a martial disciple class or from the Martial Training feat). He must meet a maneuver's prerequisites to learn it. The character adds his full spheredancer levels to his initiator level to determine his total initiator level and his highest-level maneuvers known.

At 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, he gains additional maneuvers readied per day, and 2nd, 5th, and 8th levels he may exchange a known maneuver for a different maneuver that he qualifies for.

Stances Known: At 3rd level and again at 8th level, the bladecaster learns a new martial stance from his in-class disciplines. He must meet the stance's prerequisites to learn it.

Casting: The spheredancer may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. The spheredancer is considered a Mid-Caster, and spheredancer levels stack with any casting levels you may have to determine your MSB, MSD and spell pool

Magic Talents: At every level except 1st, 4th and 9th, a spheredancer gains a new magic talent.

Martial Casting: Whenever you activate a sphere ability that requires a spell point, you may expend (but not initiate) a maneuver you have readied as part of that action. If you do, you reduce the cost of that ability by 1 (minimum 0). At 7th level, you may reduce its cost by 2 instead. You must have readied maneuvers to exhaust, therefore you can only use this ability during combat.

At 3rd level, whenever you activate a sphere ability, you may expend (but not initiate) a maneuver as part of that action to decrease to activation time one step. At 9th level, you may exhaust two maneuvers to reduce it two steps this way.

At 5th level, you may expend (but not initiate) a maneuver as part of that action to ignore the time increases to activate a metamagic effect. This doesn’t decrease the additional spell point cost.

Augment Maneuver: Whenever you initiate a strike, you may spend a spell point as part of that action. If you do, it deals +2 damage and DC for any saving throw it requires increases by 2.

At 4th level, whenever you activate a boost, you may spend a spell point as part of that action to extend the effect an additional turn. That boost can’t be recovered while it is extended this way.

At 6th level, whenever you expend a counter, you may spend a spell point as part of that action to initiate it as a free action rather than an immediate action.

At 8th level, whenever you initiate a maneuver, you may spend a spell point as part of that action to immediately recover it.

Spheredancing: Whenever you initiate a boost, you may use a sphere effect that targets you (and only you) as part of the same action. In addition, whenever you initiate a strike, you may use a sphere effect effecting the same target. If that maneuver had an additional effect that affects an ally, you may have that effect target them instead. You can’t target yourself this way.

While the only prestige class SoP has a prerequisite of a caster level and talents known, I removed that so that a pure initiator or caster can qualify if they take two feats (Initiators can take Basic Magic Training and Advanced Magic Training and Spherecasters can take Martial Training I & II)

Also, in order not to bust the game, I made Martial Casting a combat only.

[stack]

Qualifications are probably good.

Needs HD (d8 I presume) and probably some fluff. 4+Int mod skills should be added with a basic list (the prereq skills, knowledge arcana, probably acrobatics and some others).

Stance progression is off, granting 1 each at 7th and 8th.

Basic problem: you are using a renewable resource (maneuvers) to pay for a non-renewable resource (spell points). This breaks the assumptions of SoP, where SP are not renewable and leads to issues like unlimited healing (which bothers some people) and generally messes with the SP economy for the cost of a couple feats and a 1 level dip.

PP, SP, and animus are also not equivalent, though that can be adjusted via scaling.

Spheredancing needs some language clarification I think, I'll have to look closer.

[digiman619]

Qualifications are probably good.

Needs HD (d8 I presume) and probably some fluff. 4+Int mod skills should be added with a basic list (the prereq skills, knowledge arcana, probably acrobatics and some others).

Stance progression is off, granting 1 each at 7th and 8th.

Basic problem: you are using a renewable resource (maneuvers) to pay for a non-renewable resource (spell points). This breaks the assumptions of SoP, where SP are not renewable and leads to issues like unlimited healing (which bothers some people) and generally messes with the SP economy for the cost of a couple feats and a 1 level dip.

PP, SP, and animus are also not equivalent, though that can be adjusted via scaling.

Spheredancing needs some language clarification I think, I'll have to look closer.

Added HD and skills.
Stance Progression is a typo; fixed.

Good point on the roundabout extra spell points. Any ideas on what a good 1st (and 7th level) ability should be, then?

Dropped the SP-to-PP/Animus aspect, as that was just a last minute idea.

[stack]

I'm trying to think of a way to make the cost reduction work. Minimum cost 1 so might be enough, or limit it to being used in combat similar to animus.

[digiman619]

I limited Martial Casting to combat only, which was my intention in the first place.

[pi4t]

There are a couple of technical errors with the class as written, which I've spotted on a first read through:

1) The class is missing the standard "maneuver progression" text for prestige classes - and the "sphere progression" text, if there is any (I'm not so familiar with SoP's prestige classes).
2) The correct term is that you "expend" a maneuver, not "exhaust" it.
3) It isn't clear whether it takes any kind of action to use martial casting (or augment maneuver for that matter). Adding the text "As a free action (which can be taken even when it is not your turn) when you initiate a strike/activate a sphere ability...", or "As part of the action of activating a sphere ability/initiating a strike..." would make it much clearer.
4) As you might have guessed from the above...a free action can only be taken on your turn. This makes the 6th level augment maneuver ability...rather useless. The standard solution that Dreamscarred tends to use is to say that it's a free action that you can take even when it's not your turn.

[digiman619]

There are a couple of technical errors with the class as written, which I've spotted on a first read through:

1) The class is missing the standard "maneuver progression" text for prestige classes - and the "sphere progression" text, if there is any (I'm not so familiar with SoP's prestige classes).
2) The correct term is that you "expend" a maneuver, not "exhaust" it.
3) It isn't clear whether it takes any kind of action to use martial casting (or augment maneuver for that matter). Adding the text "As a free action (which can be taken even when it is not your turn) when you initiate a strike/activate a sphere ability...", or "As part of the action of activating a sphere ability/initiating a strike..." would make it much clearer.
4) As you might have guessed from the above...a free action can only be taken on your turn. This makes the 6th level augment maneuver ability...rather useless. The standard solution that Dreamscarred tends to use is to say that it's a free action that you can take even when it's not your turn.

1) Fair point; I forgot to include them, that is now fixed.
2) Don't know why I mixed up the terms, but that too is now fixed.
3 & 4) I have now specified that expending maneuvers to augment sphere abilities and spell points to improve maneuvers are done as part of that action. I think that fixes the action economy issue. I don't claim to be a rules expert, but that should do what I want it do and still obey the rules.