GrayDeath
2020-10-26, 03:00 PM
Preface: This class is meant for full 3.p, please consider that when giving feedback.
The Class is meant for either The Forgotten Realms or a homebrew variant of them (we usually use the second, if jsut to avoid all the insanely powerful morons^^), but can be used in any setting that is not entirely "No Undead Please!".
The Goal is to offer a less odious, less LA-focussed and Alignment.Neutral Lich tthat, aside from requiring Wizard (I am also at building a Sorcerer variant, but not even remotely done, as they must be different and still work^^).
The listed LA of +3 assumes that some form of LA buyoff is in play.
Ideally the rules we use, which allow to buy off one LA per 4 total levels, every 4 Levels (So say someon started with an LA 3 class, he would become LA 2 at Level 5, LA +1 at Level 9, and LA 0 at Level 13).
For this Class: buyoffs at 13, 17 and 21 for LA 0.
If no LA Buyoff is in play, I would advice to recalculate the LA, especially seeing that the full use of the Template also requires to take the 3 Substitution levels.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Skeletal Wizard/Bone Wizard/Naked Wizard/etc:
Requirements: Alive, Humanoid or half humanoid, 2 arms, 2 legs, no wings or tail, 7 Levels Wizard, Knowledge Arcane 7 Ranks, Must have the following Spells in their Spellbook: Identify, Protection from (Alignment), Command Undead, Detect Undead.
Must be a Specialist, banned School cannot be Necromancy.
Must either pay 175000 Gold, or agree to 2 Quests and 1 year of teaching at a Centre of Arcane Research and Immortality (between total level 13 and 18).
At taking the first Level after attaining this Template, must choose a second School to specialize in, and another School to ban. Necromancy cannot be banned.
Effects:
1.: Basics:
Can no longer drink or eat (Potions can be made to work as external Apllications for an average Cost increase of 15%), does not need to sleep, can meditate like Elves or sleep the Dreamless Sleep of the Dead for 2 hours each to recover daily.
Must prepare his Spells during Nighttime. No other Restrictions except the 24 Hour regulars.
Ability Mods: +4 Str, +2 Dex, +4 Int, -4 Cha.
HP: All existing Levels hitdice become D12, all future Hitdice increase to the next higher Level.
Saves/Defenses:
Immune to Instant Death, Ability Drain and Damage of any (nonepic) source, regular Undead Immunities.
The Lattices of Adamantium and Obdurum count as innate Light Armor with a +4 enchantment, and the following total Stats:
AC +9, Max Dex +5, DR 5/-, Elemental Resistance 10/All Elements. These Bone modifications do not have an ASF Chance.
At the Construction of the Body, the Council of the Immortal Wizards (or as its mostly named, the Shadow Council) creates a recepicle bound to the Wizards Soul.
This works like a Lichs phylactery....ONCE.
If the Bone Wizard dies and wants to reforge his Safety net, he will have to both trust the Shadow Council, pay them 25000 Gold, and undergo a 7 days long ritual to attune to another Recepticle.
The advantage is that these “Semiphylacteries” are all placed in exceedingly well protected Demiplanes under the control and protection of at least a dozen very high leveled Wizards that see you as ally/Tool/Research partner.
The Disdavantages are obvious...
2.: Society, Looks and heritage
Looks/Materials: The Bone Wizard is made up of his pure, polished and bleached brightly white or "smoky dark" Bones, embroidered with Runes, strengthened by a very fine lattice of Pure Ore Obduriom and Adamantite, and almost covered in various Gemstones (6 of them above 5cm diameter, in eyes, right and left hand, centre of the Ribs and at the third eye position).
Their Voice sounds exactly like they want it to, but they can no longer shout (whispering doesnt work either, but they can reduce the volume very low, just not above "regular loud talking").
Unlike other Undead, Bone Wizards do not need to be of any particular Alignment, and since their transformation does not require deeds of specific alignments, they usually keep their mortal Alignment.
Even so, they do LOOK a lot like Gem crusted Liches, and so suffer a malus of -4 to all nonintimidate Social Rolls in areas/societies where Undead are not the norm.
It is whispered that the origin of these Wizards are the byproduct of a failed “less restrictive” Lich Transformation, but the detail and depth of the Ritual make that unlikely.
It has however not been practiced until around 45 years ago, unless you count the ancient Legends of the Bone Lodge Wizards of the deep south (which are rumored to have left for nicer planes roughly 4200 years ago).
3.: Specials/Casting/Aging/Restrictions
Bone Wizards do no longer age in any form. However for every 20+1D20 years, their Intelligence and Wisdom increases by 1, up to a total increase of +10 for each.
Implanted Spell gems:
5 of the 6 Giant Gems implanted in the Bone Wizard carry metamagic Power.
As long as the Wizard is only applying one at a time, and only to spells from his 2 specialized Schools, he can spontaneously add a metamagic Effect to his spells.
All these are limited to metamagic Effects of +2 or less, and as stated above, only one of them can be applied. They can be applied to memorized Metamagic versions of spells, but even then, the same Metamagic may not stack.
Available Choices:
Hands: Must have a metamagic that strengthens Spells or increases their Range.
Eyes: Must have Metamagic that changes a spells element, increases its Spell Resistance penetration or its Duration.
“Heart”: No specific limitation.
The Third Eye Gem grants the Bone Wizard permanently active See Invisibility and +2 perception rolls until total HD of 13, then it changes to true Seeing and +4 perception Rolls.
If any of the Gems is removed, Sundered or successfully dispelled (only epic Spells can do that while the Bone Wizard is awake and of his own mind), they not only no longer provide their abovementioned effects, but also reduce the Wizards effective Caster level by 1 per Gem.
Restoring the Gem requires highly qualified gem and Bone Crafters (usually the Shadow Council offers this Service rather cheaply, after all, they do have to keep their reputation^^).
4.: Class Interactions and Special levels:
A: Bone Wizard Racial Susbtitution level:
Can be taken instead of a Wizard Level any time between levels 9 and 19. If the first level is taken, the second and third must be taken before taking levels in another class.
Basics:
Hitdie: D12 (retroactively, also converts all future Class Hitdice to D12).
BAB : Medium.
High Will, High Fort, low Reflex,
2+ Int Mod, Class Skills as Wizard.
Gain Proficiency with Scythes, Warscythes and unarmed attacks.
Level 1:Arcane Reservoir, Touch of Undeath.
Level 2: Greater Devouring or 7th Gem*, Increases Spell Resistance, if preexisting, by 4, otherwise grants SR 11+HD,
Level 3: Mind over Matter, Superior Specialist (1 School), Choose Greater Touch of Undeath or Touch of Negativity.
Touch of Undeath: grants 2 Slam Attacks, each dealing 1D6 crushing damage (20-20*2) which also have a chance of 50% to drain 1 Level when hitting a living Creature.
Greater Touch of Undeath: Now attacks Touch AC and can interact with incorporeal targets normally. Damage increases to 2D4, 19-20*2.
Greater Devouring: In addition to the 1d4 healed HP if wounded, now also increases Fast Healing by ½ the level, round up, for 10 minutes.
If unwounded, applies Haste and Bulls Stength for 5 Minutes each.
7th Gem: A 7th Giant Gem (cost at least 10000 gold) is placed on the Top of the head.
This Gem can contain any 2 of the following Spells as SLA, usable 6-1/2 Spell level times/Day:
true Strike, Identify, Owls Wisdom, Fox´s Cunning, Haste, Cirlce of Protection from Alignment, Detect Thoughts, Sending, Arcane Sight, Tongues, Greater Invisibility, Summon Monster 3 or 4, or any Necromancy Spell below level 6.
Once chosen, the Choice can only be changed by undergoing a ritual at the Circle of Undying Knowledge or an allied Academy, and only up to once per year.
Arcane Reservoir: Whenever a Bone Wizard did not expend at least half their spells/Day, they may make a 2 hour long Meditation instead of normal resting, and add the average Spell level of the unspent spells*2 to their Reservoir.
Your maximum Number of Reservoir points is equal to your unbuffed (ergo no temporary effects like items or spells) Intelligence Bonus + your total level.
Reservoir Effects:
1.: passive: The following effects apply if the Bone Wizard has not used an active Reservoir Ability in the last hour, and has more than the mentioned amount of pts in it.
6: Gains Fast Healing 3.
9: Increases their “natural” Elemental Resistance to 20.
12: Increases Fast Healing to 8.
15: Adds +1 cl to all Spells cast (untyped Bonus).
18: Is immune to any Spells from their Specilized Schools unless cast by themselves.
Active Uses of reservoir Points:
spend 1 point to counter spell a spell from your specialized Schools.
Spend 2 pts to counterspell a spell of a level equal to or lower than your highest Spell level.
3: Add 25% to all variable effects of a spell (stacks with any metamagic).
5: Dispel and devour an ongoing Spell you identified. You gain healing/temporary Hitpoints +1d4 per Spell level and have a chance of 33% to isntantly learn the Spell/Scribe it into your Spellbook for free.
All: Deals 1D10 negative Energy Damage and 1D10 force Damage per your total HD in an area of 50ft radious around you. This is a swift Action.
Beings killed with this spell have a chance of 59% to be reanimated as Wights loyal to you.
Every time you use this ability, your Maximum Reservoir Size is decreased by 2.
Mind over Matter: Adds half their Intelligence Bonus to HP/Level (retroactively) and Attack Rolls.
Superior Specialist: Choose one of the 2 Schools you have specialized in. All Spells of the School are at +2 CL in addition to any previous bonuses.
Touch of Negativity: Touch Attack. Deals 1D4 negative Energy Damage or point of permanent Intelligence Bonus.
Interaction with other Prestige Classes:
Fluffwise, almost any "shortsighted" Prestige class can only expect cool contempt even should they have abilities the Bone Wizards do not.
Classes going for other paths of immortality however, pique their interest greatly!
Mechanics:
Focussed Specialist: You may apply the bonuses from this class to BOTH your Schools, if you ban another School. As always Necromancy cannot be banned.
Archmage: Modifies the Class as follows:
Can only apply the Archmages Special Abilities to Spells of your Specialized Schools.
As exchange, Archmage progresses Spellcasting fully at Levels 2 and 4.
Incantatrix: Racial Substitution levels of Bone Wizard and Levels of Incantatrix are incompatible. Bone wizards without Racial Substitution levels can take Incantatrix levels normally.
Red Wizard: Red Wizards have been praising this Template since its rediscovery. Obviously fitting their Philosophy, and bringing quite a bit of extra power, this surprised nobody.
Ergo, the exception was made that Bone Wizards, even if they were not Thayan before becoming BW, are allowed to join.
Changes: +2 Skillpts/Level, Specialist Defense applies to both Schools specialized in OR effects are doubled.
So far, Bone Wizards are not allowed to become Circle Leaders, but the discussion is still ongoing.
Thats it for the Alpha.
Looking forward to all your feedback!
The Class is meant for either The Forgotten Realms or a homebrew variant of them (we usually use the second, if jsut to avoid all the insanely powerful morons^^), but can be used in any setting that is not entirely "No Undead Please!".
The Goal is to offer a less odious, less LA-focussed and Alignment.Neutral Lich tthat, aside from requiring Wizard (I am also at building a Sorcerer variant, but not even remotely done, as they must be different and still work^^).
The listed LA of +3 assumes that some form of LA buyoff is in play.
Ideally the rules we use, which allow to buy off one LA per 4 total levels, every 4 Levels (So say someon started with an LA 3 class, he would become LA 2 at Level 5, LA +1 at Level 9, and LA 0 at Level 13).
For this Class: buyoffs at 13, 17 and 21 for LA 0.
If no LA Buyoff is in play, I would advice to recalculate the LA, especially seeing that the full use of the Template also requires to take the 3 Substitution levels.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Skeletal Wizard/Bone Wizard/Naked Wizard/etc:
Requirements: Alive, Humanoid or half humanoid, 2 arms, 2 legs, no wings or tail, 7 Levels Wizard, Knowledge Arcane 7 Ranks, Must have the following Spells in their Spellbook: Identify, Protection from (Alignment), Command Undead, Detect Undead.
Must be a Specialist, banned School cannot be Necromancy.
Must either pay 175000 Gold, or agree to 2 Quests and 1 year of teaching at a Centre of Arcane Research and Immortality (between total level 13 and 18).
At taking the first Level after attaining this Template, must choose a second School to specialize in, and another School to ban. Necromancy cannot be banned.
Effects:
1.: Basics:
Can no longer drink or eat (Potions can be made to work as external Apllications for an average Cost increase of 15%), does not need to sleep, can meditate like Elves or sleep the Dreamless Sleep of the Dead for 2 hours each to recover daily.
Must prepare his Spells during Nighttime. No other Restrictions except the 24 Hour regulars.
Ability Mods: +4 Str, +2 Dex, +4 Int, -4 Cha.
HP: All existing Levels hitdice become D12, all future Hitdice increase to the next higher Level.
Saves/Defenses:
Immune to Instant Death, Ability Drain and Damage of any (nonepic) source, regular Undead Immunities.
The Lattices of Adamantium and Obdurum count as innate Light Armor with a +4 enchantment, and the following total Stats:
AC +9, Max Dex +5, DR 5/-, Elemental Resistance 10/All Elements. These Bone modifications do not have an ASF Chance.
At the Construction of the Body, the Council of the Immortal Wizards (or as its mostly named, the Shadow Council) creates a recepicle bound to the Wizards Soul.
This works like a Lichs phylactery....ONCE.
If the Bone Wizard dies and wants to reforge his Safety net, he will have to both trust the Shadow Council, pay them 25000 Gold, and undergo a 7 days long ritual to attune to another Recepticle.
The advantage is that these “Semiphylacteries” are all placed in exceedingly well protected Demiplanes under the control and protection of at least a dozen very high leveled Wizards that see you as ally/Tool/Research partner.
The Disdavantages are obvious...
2.: Society, Looks and heritage
Looks/Materials: The Bone Wizard is made up of his pure, polished and bleached brightly white or "smoky dark" Bones, embroidered with Runes, strengthened by a very fine lattice of Pure Ore Obduriom and Adamantite, and almost covered in various Gemstones (6 of them above 5cm diameter, in eyes, right and left hand, centre of the Ribs and at the third eye position).
Their Voice sounds exactly like they want it to, but they can no longer shout (whispering doesnt work either, but they can reduce the volume very low, just not above "regular loud talking").
Unlike other Undead, Bone Wizards do not need to be of any particular Alignment, and since their transformation does not require deeds of specific alignments, they usually keep their mortal Alignment.
Even so, they do LOOK a lot like Gem crusted Liches, and so suffer a malus of -4 to all nonintimidate Social Rolls in areas/societies where Undead are not the norm.
It is whispered that the origin of these Wizards are the byproduct of a failed “less restrictive” Lich Transformation, but the detail and depth of the Ritual make that unlikely.
It has however not been practiced until around 45 years ago, unless you count the ancient Legends of the Bone Lodge Wizards of the deep south (which are rumored to have left for nicer planes roughly 4200 years ago).
3.: Specials/Casting/Aging/Restrictions
Bone Wizards do no longer age in any form. However for every 20+1D20 years, their Intelligence and Wisdom increases by 1, up to a total increase of +10 for each.
Implanted Spell gems:
5 of the 6 Giant Gems implanted in the Bone Wizard carry metamagic Power.
As long as the Wizard is only applying one at a time, and only to spells from his 2 specialized Schools, he can spontaneously add a metamagic Effect to his spells.
All these are limited to metamagic Effects of +2 or less, and as stated above, only one of them can be applied. They can be applied to memorized Metamagic versions of spells, but even then, the same Metamagic may not stack.
Available Choices:
Hands: Must have a metamagic that strengthens Spells or increases their Range.
Eyes: Must have Metamagic that changes a spells element, increases its Spell Resistance penetration or its Duration.
“Heart”: No specific limitation.
The Third Eye Gem grants the Bone Wizard permanently active See Invisibility and +2 perception rolls until total HD of 13, then it changes to true Seeing and +4 perception Rolls.
If any of the Gems is removed, Sundered or successfully dispelled (only epic Spells can do that while the Bone Wizard is awake and of his own mind), they not only no longer provide their abovementioned effects, but also reduce the Wizards effective Caster level by 1 per Gem.
Restoring the Gem requires highly qualified gem and Bone Crafters (usually the Shadow Council offers this Service rather cheaply, after all, they do have to keep their reputation^^).
4.: Class Interactions and Special levels:
A: Bone Wizard Racial Susbtitution level:
Can be taken instead of a Wizard Level any time between levels 9 and 19. If the first level is taken, the second and third must be taken before taking levels in another class.
Basics:
Hitdie: D12 (retroactively, also converts all future Class Hitdice to D12).
BAB : Medium.
High Will, High Fort, low Reflex,
2+ Int Mod, Class Skills as Wizard.
Gain Proficiency with Scythes, Warscythes and unarmed attacks.
Level 1:Arcane Reservoir, Touch of Undeath.
Level 2: Greater Devouring or 7th Gem*, Increases Spell Resistance, if preexisting, by 4, otherwise grants SR 11+HD,
Level 3: Mind over Matter, Superior Specialist (1 School), Choose Greater Touch of Undeath or Touch of Negativity.
Touch of Undeath: grants 2 Slam Attacks, each dealing 1D6 crushing damage (20-20*2) which also have a chance of 50% to drain 1 Level when hitting a living Creature.
Greater Touch of Undeath: Now attacks Touch AC and can interact with incorporeal targets normally. Damage increases to 2D4, 19-20*2.
Greater Devouring: In addition to the 1d4 healed HP if wounded, now also increases Fast Healing by ½ the level, round up, for 10 minutes.
If unwounded, applies Haste and Bulls Stength for 5 Minutes each.
7th Gem: A 7th Giant Gem (cost at least 10000 gold) is placed on the Top of the head.
This Gem can contain any 2 of the following Spells as SLA, usable 6-1/2 Spell level times/Day:
true Strike, Identify, Owls Wisdom, Fox´s Cunning, Haste, Cirlce of Protection from Alignment, Detect Thoughts, Sending, Arcane Sight, Tongues, Greater Invisibility, Summon Monster 3 or 4, or any Necromancy Spell below level 6.
Once chosen, the Choice can only be changed by undergoing a ritual at the Circle of Undying Knowledge or an allied Academy, and only up to once per year.
Arcane Reservoir: Whenever a Bone Wizard did not expend at least half their spells/Day, they may make a 2 hour long Meditation instead of normal resting, and add the average Spell level of the unspent spells*2 to their Reservoir.
Your maximum Number of Reservoir points is equal to your unbuffed (ergo no temporary effects like items or spells) Intelligence Bonus + your total level.
Reservoir Effects:
1.: passive: The following effects apply if the Bone Wizard has not used an active Reservoir Ability in the last hour, and has more than the mentioned amount of pts in it.
6: Gains Fast Healing 3.
9: Increases their “natural” Elemental Resistance to 20.
12: Increases Fast Healing to 8.
15: Adds +1 cl to all Spells cast (untyped Bonus).
18: Is immune to any Spells from their Specilized Schools unless cast by themselves.
Active Uses of reservoir Points:
spend 1 point to counter spell a spell from your specialized Schools.
Spend 2 pts to counterspell a spell of a level equal to or lower than your highest Spell level.
3: Add 25% to all variable effects of a spell (stacks with any metamagic).
5: Dispel and devour an ongoing Spell you identified. You gain healing/temporary Hitpoints +1d4 per Spell level and have a chance of 33% to isntantly learn the Spell/Scribe it into your Spellbook for free.
All: Deals 1D10 negative Energy Damage and 1D10 force Damage per your total HD in an area of 50ft radious around you. This is a swift Action.
Beings killed with this spell have a chance of 59% to be reanimated as Wights loyal to you.
Every time you use this ability, your Maximum Reservoir Size is decreased by 2.
Mind over Matter: Adds half their Intelligence Bonus to HP/Level (retroactively) and Attack Rolls.
Superior Specialist: Choose one of the 2 Schools you have specialized in. All Spells of the School are at +2 CL in addition to any previous bonuses.
Touch of Negativity: Touch Attack. Deals 1D4 negative Energy Damage or point of permanent Intelligence Bonus.
Interaction with other Prestige Classes:
Fluffwise, almost any "shortsighted" Prestige class can only expect cool contempt even should they have abilities the Bone Wizards do not.
Classes going for other paths of immortality however, pique their interest greatly!
Mechanics:
Focussed Specialist: You may apply the bonuses from this class to BOTH your Schools, if you ban another School. As always Necromancy cannot be banned.
Archmage: Modifies the Class as follows:
Can only apply the Archmages Special Abilities to Spells of your Specialized Schools.
As exchange, Archmage progresses Spellcasting fully at Levels 2 and 4.
Incantatrix: Racial Substitution levels of Bone Wizard and Levels of Incantatrix are incompatible. Bone wizards without Racial Substitution levels can take Incantatrix levels normally.
Red Wizard: Red Wizards have been praising this Template since its rediscovery. Obviously fitting their Philosophy, and bringing quite a bit of extra power, this surprised nobody.
Ergo, the exception was made that Bone Wizards, even if they were not Thayan before becoming BW, are allowed to join.
Changes: +2 Skillpts/Level, Specialist Defense applies to both Schools specialized in OR effects are doubled.
So far, Bone Wizards are not allowed to become Circle Leaders, but the discussion is still ongoing.
Thats it for the Alpha.
Looking forward to all your feedback!