[base class] Essence Caller, new magic system

[Lord Tataraus]

Essence Caller
I draw my strength from the stone, my health from the water, my sight from the sun, my life from the world.

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d6

Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Preform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Calls per Encounter

1st|+0|+2|+0|+2|Call Essence, Aspect of Essence, Essence Backlash|
1

2nd|+1|+3|+0|+3|Assume Essence|
1

3rd|+1|+3|+1|+3|Speedy Recover|
1

4th|+2|+4|+1|+4|Expand Aspect|
1

5th|+2|+4|+1|+4||
2

6th|+3|+5|+2|+5|Assume Essence|
2

7th|+3|+5|+2|+5|Reclaim Substance|
2

8th|+4|+6|+2|+6|Expand Aspect|
2

9th|+4|+6|+3|+6||
3

10th|+5|+7|+3|+7|Assume Essence|
3

11th|+5|+7|+3|+7|Improve the Call|
3

12th|+6/+1|+8|+4|+8|Expand Aspect|
3

13th|+6/+1|+8|+4|+8||
4

14th|+7/+2|+9|+4|+9|Assume Essence|
4

15th|+7/+2|+9|+5|+9||
4

16th|+8/+3|+10|+5|+10|Expand Aspect|
4

17th|+8/+3|+10|+5|+10||
5

18th|+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Assume Essence|
5

19th|+9/+4|+11|+6|+11||
5

20th|+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Expand Aspect, Master the Call|
5

[/table]


Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: An essence caller is proficient with all light weapons. An essence caller is proficient with all light armor and no shields. An essence caller's calling requires precise movement and incurs arcane spell failure from all armor, including light armor.

Call Essence (Sp): An essence caller is a specialized caster who draws his power from the essence of physical objects. This ability is called "Essence Calling", or simply "Calling". An essence caller may call an essence once per encounter at 1st level, this increases by one calling every four levels to a maximum of 5 per encounter. Each call takes a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity unless a successful DC20 concentration check is made. Save DCs are either wisdom- or intelligence-based, whichever is higher.

To call an essence out of an object, the essence caller must have the object in hand while preforming the ritual. After the calling is complete, the object crumbles into dust and disappears from existence as it's essence leaves. Only the substance used is destroyed, thus objects made up of completely separate different substances may not be completely destroyed. For example, if the essence caller calls out the clay from a clay bowl of water, the bowl crumbles, but the water remains. Or, if the caller instead chooses the water, the bowl remains and the water is destroyed.

An essence caller may call out the essence from any non-living, inanimate object, effecting up to 1 2ft cube of material. The caller may attempt to call the essence out of an animate object, dealing 1d8 per 2 levels damage to it on a successful calling and DC20 + CR caster level check.

An essence caller may take a full-round action to recover his calls that encounter, regaining all spent uses. This action does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Aspect of Essence: An essence caller cannot learn to call every aspect out of a substance without a lot of training and must train each one at a time. Starting at 1st level an essence caller chooses one aspect to call from a substance (see Aspects table).

Essence Backlash: An essence caller must contain his ability, misuse can be devastating to the caller. If the essence called from an object has no proper target, it backlashes at the caller, dealing 1 point of damage per character level. Additionally, if the essence caller targets himself or any other any other one target a number of times greater than three times his character level per minute the essence caller is effected by backlash.

Assume Essence (Su): As an essence caller grows in his study, he learns to assume small bits of the essences he most commonly calls. At 2nd level an essence caller chooses one substance, he may now call the essence from that substance without destroying the object.

Speedy Recover (Su): An essence caller learns to exert a small burst of power to regain his callings much faster than normal. Starting at 3rd level an essence caller my regain spent calls as a swift action 1 + charisma modifier times per day (minimum 1).

Expand Aspect: An essence caller has reached the next step in his training, allowing him to expand the number of aspects to call out. At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, an essence caller may choose one more aspect to call out or he may choose to gain an effective +1 caster level to an aspect he already knows.

Reclaim Substance (Su): An essence caller learns how to draw essence from previous callings to congeal into the substance it once was. The essence caller may spend a call to make a DC10 + caster level of the call to successfully dispel the call. The essence is then transformed into the rare form of the substance used such as a mound of clay, a puddle of water, or a hunk or iron.

Improve the Call (Su): An essence caller learns to call essence out of an object from a distance. Starting at 11th level, an essence caller may take two rounds to call an essence as normal, except he may target any stationary object within 60ft. The caller must make a caster level check DC20 + 2 per 5ft to the object.

Master the Call (Su): An essence caller has learn the highest ability of his craft, he has truly mastered the Call. An essence caller may call out an essence from any substance within 60ft with no caster level check and it only takes one round.

{table=head]Aspect|Description
Protection|Gives DR, creates magical shields, etc.
Destruction|Deals damage
Enhancement|Boosts abilities and health
Enfeeblement|Disables and debuffs opponents
Enchantment|Creates lasting effects and wards
Disruption|Destroys and disrupts magical and mundane effects
[/table]

[Lord Tataraus]

Substances
{table=head]Substance|Example Objects|Protection|Destruction|Enhancement|Enfeebl ement|Enchantment|Disruption
Clay|Clay bowl, jug, dirt/earth|Grants natural armor|Deals bludgeoning damage|Grants temporary hit points|Reduces intelligence or charisma|Creates a container|Disrupts summoned creatures
Flesh|Meat, fruit, bone|Alters target's appearance|Wracks the target with pain|Grants fast healing|Pain and rot causes many penalties|Wards an area from disease, poison, and other effects|Causes disease and rot
Metal|Sword, metal shield, gauntlet|Creates an invisible shield|Deals piercing damage|Boosts strength|Curse a target|Creates an area of extreme conditions|Rusts metal objects
Oil|Lantern oil, alcohol, grease|Grants bonus to reflex saves|Causes fire damage|Boosts dexterity|Reduces speed|Causes an area to be greased|Remove a buff spell
Stone|A rock, granite wall, chalk|Gives Damage Reduction|deals bludgeoning damage|Boosts constitution|Reduces dexterity|Creates a magical barrier|Destroys magical wards
Water|Water, juice, beer|Causes the target to become blurred|Causes cold damage|Heal the target|Reduce target's natural armor or damage reduction|Ward an area with alarms|Steal magical effects
Wood|Tree, staff, spear pole|Gain environmental protection|Cause dessication damage|Gain element resistance|Entangle target|Cause an area to cause sleep or poison|Sunder objects
[/table]

More substances to come as well as specific rules for each aspect of the substance.
Clay
Protection:
Type: Transmutation
Range: Close (25ft +5ft/2 levels)
Target: 1/5 levels
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Saving Throw: None

Each target gains +2 natural armor for every 5 caster levels. This does not stack with existing natural armor.

Destruction:
Type: Evocation [Force]
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: 1/5 levels, no more than 30ft apart
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex, half

The target(s) take 1d6/2 levels (max 10d6) bludgeoning damage.

Enhancement:
Type: Transmutation
Range: Close (25ft +5ft/2 levels)
Target: 1/5 levels
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Saving Throw: None

The target(s) gain 1d6/level temporary hit points.

Enfeeblement:
Type: Necromancy
Range: Medium (100ft +10ft/level)
Target: 1/5 levels, no more than 30ft apart
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will, half

The target(s) take either 1d2 intelligence or charisma damage, chosen at the time of the casting. At caster level 5 or greater this changes to 1d4 intelligence or charisma damage, at caster level 10 or grater this changes to 1d6 intelligence or charisma damage, at caster level 15 or grater this changes to 1d6 intelligence and charisma damage, and at caster level 20 or grater this changes to 2d4 intelligence and charisma damage.

Enchantment:
Type: Conjuration [Creation]
Range: Close (25ft +5ft/2 levels)
Area: 5ft cube/2 levels
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will, see text

The caster may choose to create a container of any size up to the maximum volume. The created container is nothing but a weak field of force that can hold any stable substance in an extra-dimensional pocket. The objects in the area are sucked into the clay jug that appears. The jug looks and weighs as much as a normal clay jug, though it contains the volume as indicated. No object that could normally be taken out of the jug may exit unless the jug is broken, breaking the jug immediately dispels this effect, dumping its contents in the same orientation that they were at the time of the casting. Creatures within the targeted area may make a will save to resist being sucked into the jug at the time of the casting.

Disruption:
Type: Abjuration
Range: Close (25ft +5ft/2 levels)
Target: 1/5 levels, no more than 30ft apart
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates, see text

The targeted creature(s) must make a successful will save (DC = spell's save DC - creature's HD + your caster level) or be returned immediately to their home plane. If the creature was not summoned by a spell or spell-like ability of another creature, it gets a +10 bonus to this will save.


Flesh
Protection:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Destruction:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enhancement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enfeeblement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enchantment:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Disruption:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Metal
Protection:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Destruction:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enhancement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enfeeblement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enchantment:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Disruption:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Oil
Protection:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Destruction:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enhancement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enfeeblement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enchantment:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Disruption:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Stone
Protection:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Destruction:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enhancement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enfeeblement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enchantment:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Disruption:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Water
Protection:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Destruction:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enhancement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enfeeblement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enchantment:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Disruption:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Wood
Protection:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Destruction:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enhancement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enfeeblement:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Enchantment:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
Saving Throw:

Disruption:
Type:
Range:
Target:
Duration:
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[The Rose Dragon]

"Protection" causes "massive bludgeoning damage"?

You might want to move those one block to the right.

[Lord Tataraus]

"Protection" causes "massive bludgeoning damage"?

You might want to move those one block to the right.

Yeah, I caught that right after submitting it, but the board is running slow.

[Xefas]

"Protection" causes "massive bludgeoning damage"?

You might want to move those one block to the right.

I would assert that bludgeoning your enemy to death is the most effective way to protect everyone.

Other than that, I think you may be overextending yourself. As anecdotal evidence (the best kind, of course), I have many pages upon pages of half-finished homebrew work on my hardrive simply because I planned to do too much with it. I started a combo class that had dozens of skills, all of which changed effect depending upon the skill (or two) that were directly used before it. I have a rune class that had 10 runes that it could inscribe on a weapon, armor, or the ground itself, each of which had a different effect for each, and each of which could be combined with a second rune to make a new rune, all of which had an effect for those 3 applications.

It wasn't for lack of want, but simply because you'll either run out of game mechanics to use (there are only so many) or you'll get the problem the Cleric has, where he overlaps into everyone's territory. A Cleric can cast a spell to make him a melee damage dealer, he can cast a spell to be ranged, he can cast a spell to find traps, he can cast a spell to find hidden doors, he can cast a spell to be sneaky, he can cast damage spells, healing spells, buffing spells...he does everything, and that overshadows his party members. You don't want to do that.

There are only so many kinds of bonuses to grant, and only so many ways of dealing damage...

That all aside, I like the concept to the class. Very cool :smallcool:

[Lord Tataraus]

I would assert that bludgeoning your enemy to death is the most effective way to protect everyone.

Other than that, I think you may be overextending yourself. As anecdotal evidence (the best kind, of course), I have many pages upon pages of half-finished homebrew work on my hardrive simply because I planned to do too much with it. I started a combo class that had dozens of skills, all of which changed effect depending upon the skill (or two) that were directly used before it. I have a rune class that had 10 runes that it could inscribe on a weapon, armor, or the ground itself, each of which had a different effect for each, and each of which could be combined with a second rune to make a new rune, all of which had an effect for those 3 applications.

It wasn't for lack of want, but simply because you'll either run out of game mechanics to use (there are only so many) or you'll get the problem the Cleric has, where he overlaps into everyone's territory. A Cleric can cast a spell to make him a melee damage dealer, he can cast a spell to be ranged, he can cast a spell to find traps, he can cast a spell to find hidden doors, he can cast a spell to be sneaky, he can cast damage spells, healing spells, buffing spells...he does everything, and that overshadows his party members. You don't want to do that.

There are only so many kinds of bonuses to grant, and only so many ways of dealing damage...

That all aside, I like the concept to the class. Very cool :smallcool:

Actually, the substances are going to be very general. Nothing like iron, copper, bronze are all different. It's more like stone, metal, wood, etc. Actually, I'm low on ideas for general substances, I can't really think of any others than what I have. The essences are abstract, like flesh containing bone.

[Xefas]

Actually, the substances are going to be very general. Nothing like iron, copper, bronze are all different. It's more like stone, metal, wood, etc. Actually, I'm low on ideas for general substances, I can't really think of any others than what I have. The essences are abstract, like flesh containing bone.

Well, in that case, I hope it all comes together for you. I really like this class, and if you wouldn't mind, when the specifics are written about each Aspect use, I may yoink it for an NPC. I may have a perfect place for one, actually.

Anyway, just as a humorous side-note, I have this hilarious mental image of an Essence Caller taking a rank in Craft (Quarterstaff), instantly manifesting (because craft time is based on price, and Quarterstaves are free) a whole slew of staffs in mid-air, and turning them into flying bolts of dessication before they hit the ground.

[KingGolem]

Interesting concept! I'm definately looking forward to you fleshing this out. :smallcool: