Yakk
2021-04-16, 11:17 AM
I'm writing up some feats that boost spellcasting focuses. I have a myriad of Arcane ones, a Idol holy symbol one.
What should the "Living Magic" focus do?
Stonekeeper (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
During a long rest you can imprint a Crystal Spellcasting Focus with a spell of each level from 1 to 5 inclusive that you can cast. When you cast any of those spell using your Crystal Spellcasting Focus as a focus:
It is treated as 1 slot level higher for the purpose of “at higher level” clauses in the spell.
Roll 1d4 when you cast the spell; if the roll exceeds the level of the slot used, the spell slot is not expended. Add 1 to the spell slot level for this purpose for every previous success since your last long rest. Increase the 1d4 to 1d6, 1d8 or 1d10 when the character reaches level 5, 11 and 17 respectively.
In addition, you can use your Crystal Spellcasting Focus on jewelry without holding them in your hands. If you use it to substitute for Somatic components while not holding it, the Arcane Focus must not be covered, and it glows with a dim 5’ radius light while you are casting the spell.
Wandcraft (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
You have mastered the wand.
When you can a spell using a Wand as an Arcane Focus or using charges from a wand to make a ranged spell attack, you may reroll 1 missed spell attack roll.
When using charges from a wand, roll 1d20 plus your proficiency modifier. On a 10 or higher, you don’t expend the charges.
When you roll a natural 20 with a spell attack using a wand as a focus or expending charges from a wand, you can choose to repeat the attack as a bonus action. This repeat of the attack does not require additional spell slots or charges, and can be on the same or different target.
Orbweaver (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
When using an Orb as an Arcane focus:
If you cast an illusion spell using a spell slot that targets at least 1 creature (including yourself), you can target one additional creature within 10’ of another creature targeted by the spell, even if that creature would not normally be a permitted target.
Creatures have disadvantage on investigation checks on illusion spells cast.
Rod Master (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
Spare the rod, spoil the summoned.
Any creature summoned from a spell that uses a Rod arcane focus has a bonus to their attack damage equal to your Constitution modifier (min 1), and gains temporary HP equal to your proficiency bonus plus your spellcasting attribute at the start of each of its turns.
You have advantage on charisma checks on summoned creatures.
Staffshielding (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
After you cast a spell using a staff as an Arcane Focus:
If the spell uses a spell slot, until the start of your next turn in response to being hit or failing a saving throw, you can protect yourself with the staff. You expend a reaction and gain a bonus to your AC or the saving throw equal to the slot level used you used.
As a bonus action, you can strike a surface and create a 10’ radius ward that remains until you leave the area, use this ability again, or are no longer wielding the staff. Ranged attacks on creatures within the ward are at disadvantage, and as a reaction you can grant advantage on a saving throw done by a creature within the ward that you can see.
Idolatry (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Holy Symbols.
You gain faith from your Idols.
Creatures targeted by a spell that uses your Holy Symbol as a Focus cannot gain advantage on attacks against you until the end of your next turn.
When you score a critical hit on an attack that deals radiant or necrotic damage, you gain temporary HP equal to the radiant or necrotic damage done.
When using a Holy Symbol as a Focus, your spells ignore resistance to radiant and necrotic damage, and treat immunity to radiant or necrotic damage as resistance.
Design notes
These magic feats are intended as alternatives to ability score increases for spellcasters that make them better at spellcasting. They are balanced to be as tempting as “great weapon master”, “polearm master”, “shield master”, “sharpshooter” and “crossbow expert” are for weapon users. By requiring a different focus type each, taking more than one is awkward, and they cannot stack.
Now, as yet, each of them does not overlap - you can only use one spellcasting focus, so you can't activate two of them on the same spell.
A concern with "living magic focus" is that it is easy to justify your staff/wand/holy symbol is actually made of living wood. So it would stack.
I suppose I could split feats into material/shape, like how weapon users have PAM/SS and GWM/PAM. (I have added a similar matrix of feats for weapon users)
Material of Focus:
Plant (Berries, Wood)
Mineral (Crystal, Stone)
Bone (or Animal?)
Forged (Metal)
Form of Focus:
Orb
Staff
Wand
Idol
that could form a fun 4x4 matrix.
What should the "Living Magic" focus do?
Stonekeeper (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
During a long rest you can imprint a Crystal Spellcasting Focus with a spell of each level from 1 to 5 inclusive that you can cast. When you cast any of those spell using your Crystal Spellcasting Focus as a focus:
It is treated as 1 slot level higher for the purpose of “at higher level” clauses in the spell.
Roll 1d4 when you cast the spell; if the roll exceeds the level of the slot used, the spell slot is not expended. Add 1 to the spell slot level for this purpose for every previous success since your last long rest. Increase the 1d4 to 1d6, 1d8 or 1d10 when the character reaches level 5, 11 and 17 respectively.
In addition, you can use your Crystal Spellcasting Focus on jewelry without holding them in your hands. If you use it to substitute for Somatic components while not holding it, the Arcane Focus must not be covered, and it glows with a dim 5’ radius light while you are casting the spell.
Wandcraft (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
You have mastered the wand.
When you can a spell using a Wand as an Arcane Focus or using charges from a wand to make a ranged spell attack, you may reroll 1 missed spell attack roll.
When using charges from a wand, roll 1d20 plus your proficiency modifier. On a 10 or higher, you don’t expend the charges.
When you roll a natural 20 with a spell attack using a wand as a focus or expending charges from a wand, you can choose to repeat the attack as a bonus action. This repeat of the attack does not require additional spell slots or charges, and can be on the same or different target.
Orbweaver (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
When using an Orb as an Arcane focus:
If you cast an illusion spell using a spell slot that targets at least 1 creature (including yourself), you can target one additional creature within 10’ of another creature targeted by the spell, even if that creature would not normally be a permitted target.
Creatures have disadvantage on investigation checks on illusion spells cast.
Rod Master (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
Spare the rod, spoil the summoned.
Any creature summoned from a spell that uses a Rod arcane focus has a bonus to their attack damage equal to your Constitution modifier (min 1), and gains temporary HP equal to your proficiency bonus plus your spellcasting attribute at the start of each of its turns.
You have advantage on charisma checks on summoned creatures.
Staffshielding (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Arcane Focuses
After you cast a spell using a staff as an Arcane Focus:
If the spell uses a spell slot, until the start of your next turn in response to being hit or failing a saving throw, you can protect yourself with the staff. You expend a reaction and gain a bonus to your AC or the saving throw equal to the slot level used you used.
As a bonus action, you can strike a surface and create a 10’ radius ward that remains until you leave the area, use this ability again, or are no longer wielding the staff. Ranged attacks on creatures within the ward are at disadvantage, and as a reaction you can grant advantage on a saving throw done by a creature within the ward that you can see.
Idolatry (New Feat)
Prerequisite: Ability to use Holy Symbols.
You gain faith from your Idols.
Creatures targeted by a spell that uses your Holy Symbol as a Focus cannot gain advantage on attacks against you until the end of your next turn.
When you score a critical hit on an attack that deals radiant or necrotic damage, you gain temporary HP equal to the radiant or necrotic damage done.
When using a Holy Symbol as a Focus, your spells ignore resistance to radiant and necrotic damage, and treat immunity to radiant or necrotic damage as resistance.
Design notes
These magic feats are intended as alternatives to ability score increases for spellcasters that make them better at spellcasting. They are balanced to be as tempting as “great weapon master”, “polearm master”, “shield master”, “sharpshooter” and “crossbow expert” are for weapon users. By requiring a different focus type each, taking more than one is awkward, and they cannot stack.
Now, as yet, each of them does not overlap - you can only use one spellcasting focus, so you can't activate two of them on the same spell.
A concern with "living magic focus" is that it is easy to justify your staff/wand/holy symbol is actually made of living wood. So it would stack.
I suppose I could split feats into material/shape, like how weapon users have PAM/SS and GWM/PAM. (I have added a similar matrix of feats for weapon users)
Material of Focus:
Plant (Berries, Wood)
Mineral (Crystal, Stone)
Bone (or Animal?)
Forged (Metal)
Form of Focus:
Orb
Staff
Wand
Idol
that could form a fun 4x4 matrix.