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gooddragon1
2018-12-05, 01:52 AM
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Maat Mons
2018-12-05, 03:44 AM
Waiting until 10th level to get any electricity resistance seems a bit late. I mean, since the class can cast Resist Energy, this is basically just a way to save a 2nd-level spell slot. Granted, the class feature is 24/7. But the spell can handle multiple energy types and protect allies. I feel like you could give resistance 10 at 3rd level, resistance 20 at 7th level, and resistance 30 at 11th level (same progression as the spell), and it wouldn't be overpowered.

The class gains the ability to cast Energy Immunity at 12th level. Maybe that should be when it gains immunity to electricity damage. And this spell has a 24 hour duration, so the 24/7 nature of the class feature is less of a relative benefit.



Maybe the ability to learn spells from other class lists should be based off of Energy Substitution. So the spell selected has to be eligible for Energy Substitution, and it always acts as if under the effects of that metamagic feat (with no casting time increase).

Actually, while we're at it, why not give Energy Substitution (Electricity) for free, and allow the Lightning Mage to apply the feat without adjusting casting time?



I feel like the +1 damage per die ability should eventually be usable at-will.

You know, Dragonlance: Age of Mortals has a prestige class called War Mage that gives +3 damage per die at character level 10. And that's an at-will ability.



Didn't read Lightning Innovation, sorry.



I'd base Piercing Electricity on the metamagic feats from Frostburn and Sandstorm. The ones that completely ignore resistance, and deal half damage to creatures normally immune.

And I'd skip the random chance part.

rferries
2018-12-06, 06:52 AM
I'm getting a Diablo 2 vibe from the random nature of the electricity, not sure if that was an inspiration. :)

Agreed that the abilities could be simplified and streamlined. Definitely drop the random 50% chance thing. I like it overall though.

nonsi
2018-12-06, 11:00 AM
.

An idea:
1. change the name to Thunder Mage.
2. As rferries stated, the 50% thing is annoying, so make it Electricity or Sonic . . . or Electricity and Sonic 50:50 of each - character's choice.

Reason: On one hand there aren't too many creatures out there that immune to both types. On the other hand, you don't have to resort to "untyped damage".

rferries
2018-12-06, 11:48 AM
.

An idea:
1. change the name to Thunder Mage.
2. As rferries stated, the 50% thing is annoying, so make it Electricity or Sonic . . . or Electricity and Sonic 50:50 of each - character's choice.

Reason: On one hand there aren't too many creatures out there that immune to both types. On the other hand, you don't have to resort to "untyped damage".

This is brilliant, electricity and sonic should be paired more often IMHO, a flavourful and logical combo.

gooddragon1
2018-12-06, 10:10 PM
I'm getting a Diablo 2 vibe from the random nature of the electricity, not sure if that was an inspiration. :)

Agreed that the abilities could be simplified and streamlined. Definitely drop the random 50% chance thing. I like it overall though.

Static Field is from diablo 2 in name. Bolt is from shining force (http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=pvyGsIOwVUc&p=n#/0;21). Lightning greaves are from magic the gathering.


.

An idea:
1. change the name to Thunder Mage.
2. As rferries stated, the 50% thing is annoying, so make it Electricity or Sonic . . . or Electricity and Sonic 50:50 of each - character's choice.

Reason: On one hand there aren't too many creatures out there that immune to both types. On the other hand, you don't have to resort to "untyped damage".

But it doesn't even get a familiar...

Yeah it's probably too powerful.

How about a will save to make it half electricity half sonic at level 1, then you can choose at 6 to have the electricity half ignore resistance and immunity?

I'm going to also make a spoilered/scaled down version which does less but does include untyped

To avoid conflict of versions, I'll post the scaled down version in this post instead of the main post. It's still stronger than an ordinary sorcerer, but it doesn't have nearly as many abilities. In exchange, it also gets to keep its familiar.


[B]Sorcerer Variant [Upgrade]: Lightning Mage

Some sorcerers have an unusually strong connection to lightning. Such sorcerers can call down the fury of lightning on their enemies and cast bizarre adaptations of spells that use electricity.

Class Features

The lightning mage has all the standard sorcerer class features, except as noted below.

Lightning Spell (Su)

At 1st level and every 2 levels thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, etc.), a lightning mage may add a spell from any list that deals damage to his list of spells known. All the damage caused by this spell becomes electricity damage instead of its previous type. Furthermore, if the lightning mage has a caster level of 10 or more, any spell added in this fashion can instead deal half of its damage as sonic damage and half of its damage as electricity damage. A lightning spell can never cause healing unless the target would heal from electricity damage (or sonic damage if applicable), it will only cause damage in the form of the corresponding energy damage (electricity or sonic damage).

Conjured Bolt (Su)

A lightning mage may conjure a stroke of electricity to blast his enemies from seemingly out of nowhere within 60 feet as a standard action. The lightning mage must have line of effect to the area he chooses to affect with a bolt, but line of sight is not required. Enemies are allowed a reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 Caster Level + Charisma Modifier). At 1st level, this bolt can be focused on a single 5 ft. square or can affect each square adjacent to the 5 ft. square as well with less power. If the bolt is focused on a single square it deals 1d6 electricity damage + 1d6 additional electricity damage per 2 caster levels the lightning mage has. If it affects adjacent squares it deals 1d4 electricity damage + 1d4 additional electricity damage per 2 caster levels the lightning mage has to the central square and 1d3 electricity damage + 1d3 additional electricity damage per 2 caster levels the lightning mage has to the adjacent squares.

A lightning mage may expend an unexpended spell slot of 3rd level or lower while conjuring a bolt to boost his caster level for the purpose of this that bolt by twice the amount (a 0 level spell adds a single caster level) of the spell slot expended for the purpose of damage and range (saving throw DC is unaffected). If the spell slot is 4th level or higher, the lightning mage instead doubles his caster level (only his base caster level before other adjustments is doubled) for the purpose of the damage dealt corresponding bolt and its range.

At 3rd level, the range for this ability becomes medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft./Caster Level).

At 6th level, the lightning mage may choose to affect 4 10 ft. cubes instead (they cannot overlap) with 1d6 electricity damage + 1d6 additional electricity damage per 2 caster levels the lightning mage has. Also, at 6th level, all the damage dice for affecting adjacent squares increase to d6 and the damage for affecting a single 5 ft square increases by 1 point per damage dice.

A lightning mage never takes damage from his own use of this ability and the amount of damage dealt increases by 1 point per damage dice if he is within 20 feet of any part of the effect or 2 points per damage dice if he is within 5 feet of any part of the effect.

Piercing Bolt (Ex)

At 9th level, a lightning mage may make a will save immediately before conjuring a bolt (he announces all decisions for the ability before seeing the result of the save). If the result of that save is at least 10, he may choose to have half the damage dealt be raw destructive energy instead of electricity or to forgo the electricity portion of the damage and only deal the destructive energy portion of the damage. If the dice roll on the will save is a 1 the result of the will save is treated as a 1 (regardless of the modifiers involved).

At 11th level, in the case of a dice roll result of 1 on the will save for this ability, the lightning mage may make a DC 10 Charisma check to treat the dice roll result of the will save for this ability as a 2 instead.

If the result of that save is at least 20, and the lightning mage is at least 12th level, he may choose to have his conjured bolt ability be treated as an extraordinary ability instead of a supernatural ability (this could be useful against antimagic and similar issues) .



Waiting until 10th level to get any electricity resistance seems a bit late. I mean, since the class can cast Resist Energy, this is basically just a way to save a 2nd-level spell slot. Granted, the class feature is 24/7. But the spell can handle multiple energy types and protect allies. I feel like you could give resistance 10 at 3rd level, resistance 20 at 7th level, and resistance 30 at 11th level (same progression as the spell), and it wouldn't be overpowered.

The class gains the ability to cast Energy Immunity at 12th level. Maybe that should be when it gains immunity to electricity damage. And this spell has a 24 hour duration, so the 24/7 nature of the class feature is less of a relative benefit.



Maybe the ability to learn spells from other class lists should be based off of Energy Substitution. So the spell selected has to be eligible for Energy Substitution, and it always acts as if under the effects of that metamagic feat (with no casting time increase).

Actually, while we're at it, why not give Energy Substitution (Electricity) for free, and allow the Lightning Mage to apply the feat without adjusting casting time?



I feel like the +1 damage per die ability should eventually be usable at-will.

You know, Dragonlance: Age of Mortals has a prestige class called War Mage that gives +3 damage per die at character level 10. And that's an at-will ability.



Didn't read Lightning Innovation, sorry.



I'd base Piercing Electricity on the metamagic feats from Frostburn and Sandstorm. The ones that completely ignore resistance, and deal half damage to creatures normally immune.

And I'd skip the random chance part.

I don't know much about out of core stuff. I know some, but we'll see.