Stycotl
2008-06-02, 01:02 AM
inspired by the tremere rituals in the widow's might, by eric griffin. prc in the works...
Sigil Circle (Alternate Class Feature)
Sigil circles are an obscure, though potent form of runic magic. This ancient art was rooted in the theories of abjuration magic, though it has been shaped and developed to the point where it exists as its own discipline. This class feature allows the arcanist to draw carefully prescribed circles into which he can invest potent magical energy, much like a circle of protection, or glyph of warding. The largest difference is that these circles are meant to augment the arcanist’s other spells.
Developed by dueling wizards and cunning sorcerers, the sigil circle sees its greatest tactical advantage in the arcanist that can plan his battleground, and knows exactly which strategy to employ. Alternatively, a few enterprising bards have found great use of the circle in their performances, delighting crowds with multitudinous, dazzlingly potent effects.
Any arcane caster can replace its find familiar class ability with this one in order to learn the art of sigil circle creation and use.
Level: 1st
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.
Benefit: You can draw circles of arcane magic that act as defensive and offensive barriers. Drawing a sigil circle takes ten minutes and requires material components, such as fine powders, incense, oil, and inks, costing 5 gp per caster level. Once inscribed, a sigil circle is good until activated, or destroyed. If a circle is activated, it loses magical effect, and must be created anew; if it is destoyed (scattered, erased, or disturbed in any other major fashion), it must be redrawn as if it had been activated. An arcanist can have as many sigil circles drawn at a time as he can afford time and money, but he can only activate a few of those circles within a given period—one circle/point of key ability modifier per day at first level. At 4th level, and every four levels after that, he can activate one more sigil circle per day, up to a maximum of key ability modifier plus six times per day at 20th level.
Upon creation of the circle, the arcanist can inscribe the runes of one spell to which he has access (even through scrolls), at first level. At 5th level, and every five levels after that, he can inscribe one more spell of which he has access into the sigil circle, up to a maximum of five spells at one time in one circle. The level of the spell does not matter so long as the arcanist can actually cast it; attempting to inscribe a spell beyond the arcanist’s ability, and without the aid of a scroll or similar aid would end up having no effect (or at the Dm’s whim, disastrous effect).
Activation of a circle requires a move action, during which the arcanist stands within the circle. The activation is accompanied by a great theatrical effect which depends on the personality of the arcanist and the spells within, including aural, olefactoral, and visual representations (thunder and lightning, smoke, incense, otherworldly voices or music, etc). The drawn circle then disappears, replaced by luminous faerie fire of varying colors dependant on the spells used within. Once activated, a circle remains good for one minute per caster level. The arcanist may come and go as he pleases, though he only gains the effects of the circle when within its warded confines.
The arcanist also has the ability to draw on a Sigil Circle even if he is far away from it, so long as he is on the same plane. In order to do so, he must create a sigil circle as normal, and pocket some of the ash and incense used in its final preparations. Later, in order to activate that circle from anywhere outside of the circle itself, he must spend one standard action in casting, and two of his daily sigil circle activations. This casting utilizes verbal and somatic components, with the pocketed ash as a material component. After that round of casting, the sigil circle activates where he is, as if he had drawn it there earlier; the real created circle is expended normally. It is from then on the same as any other sigil circle, and the arcanist must be within the circle in order to benefit from its magic.
While within a sigil circle that he created, an arcanist gains certain benefits. First of all, he can convert any spell slot of equal or greater level to one of the spells that has been inscribed, much as a cleric can spontaneously convert spells to heal. Any time one of the inscribed spells is cast by the arcanist within the sigil circle, he gains a +1 bonus to his caster level for all caster-dependent effects and a +1 bonus to the DC of the spells.
For example, Sorin, a 12th-level wizard, can activate four sigil circles every day. He can also inscribe three spells into any circle he creates. If he inscribes eyebite, baleful polymorph, and power word kill (which he has access to thanks to a pair of scrolls he acquired), he could spontaneously convert any of his 6th-level spell slots into an eyebite spell, and any of his 5th, or 6th-level spell slots into a baleful polymorph spell. He could not convert any of his spell slots into spontaneous power word kill spells, because he does not have a high enough caster level. But whenever he casts any of these three spells within the activated sigil circle, including the spells granted him by scrolls, he gains a +1 bonus to his caster level for caster level checks and dependent effects and a +1 bonus to the DC of any of those spells.
Feats
Circle Mage
You gain the effects of the Sigil Circle alternative class feature.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, arcane caster level 3rd.
Benefit: You can utilize sigil circles in the same manner as an arcane caster with the sigil circle alternative class feature. The normal rules for creating and utilizing sigil circles apply.
Capacitious Circle Mage
You have a greater understanding of the magic of a sigil circle, and have learned how to more fully and more often harness its strength.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcane) 9 ranks, Sigil circle class feature, arcane caster level 6th.
Benefit: You can inscribe one extra spell into your sigil circle, and you can activate one extra sigil circle per day.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.
Sigil Circle (Alternate Class Feature)
Sigil circles are an obscure, though potent form of runic magic. This ancient art was rooted in the theories of abjuration magic, though it has been shaped and developed to the point where it exists as its own discipline. This class feature allows the arcanist to draw carefully prescribed circles into which he can invest potent magical energy, much like a circle of protection, or glyph of warding. The largest difference is that these circles are meant to augment the arcanist’s other spells.
Developed by dueling wizards and cunning sorcerers, the sigil circle sees its greatest tactical advantage in the arcanist that can plan his battleground, and knows exactly which strategy to employ. Alternatively, a few enterprising bards have found great use of the circle in their performances, delighting crowds with multitudinous, dazzlingly potent effects.
Any arcane caster can replace its find familiar class ability with this one in order to learn the art of sigil circle creation and use.
Level: 1st
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.
Benefit: You can draw circles of arcane magic that act as defensive and offensive barriers. Drawing a sigil circle takes ten minutes and requires material components, such as fine powders, incense, oil, and inks, costing 5 gp per caster level. Once inscribed, a sigil circle is good until activated, or destroyed. If a circle is activated, it loses magical effect, and must be created anew; if it is destoyed (scattered, erased, or disturbed in any other major fashion), it must be redrawn as if it had been activated. An arcanist can have as many sigil circles drawn at a time as he can afford time and money, but he can only activate a few of those circles within a given period—one circle/point of key ability modifier per day at first level. At 4th level, and every four levels after that, he can activate one more sigil circle per day, up to a maximum of key ability modifier plus six times per day at 20th level.
Upon creation of the circle, the arcanist can inscribe the runes of one spell to which he has access (even through scrolls), at first level. At 5th level, and every five levels after that, he can inscribe one more spell of which he has access into the sigil circle, up to a maximum of five spells at one time in one circle. The level of the spell does not matter so long as the arcanist can actually cast it; attempting to inscribe a spell beyond the arcanist’s ability, and without the aid of a scroll or similar aid would end up having no effect (or at the Dm’s whim, disastrous effect).
Activation of a circle requires a move action, during which the arcanist stands within the circle. The activation is accompanied by a great theatrical effect which depends on the personality of the arcanist and the spells within, including aural, olefactoral, and visual representations (thunder and lightning, smoke, incense, otherworldly voices or music, etc). The drawn circle then disappears, replaced by luminous faerie fire of varying colors dependant on the spells used within. Once activated, a circle remains good for one minute per caster level. The arcanist may come and go as he pleases, though he only gains the effects of the circle when within its warded confines.
The arcanist also has the ability to draw on a Sigil Circle even if he is far away from it, so long as he is on the same plane. In order to do so, he must create a sigil circle as normal, and pocket some of the ash and incense used in its final preparations. Later, in order to activate that circle from anywhere outside of the circle itself, he must spend one standard action in casting, and two of his daily sigil circle activations. This casting utilizes verbal and somatic components, with the pocketed ash as a material component. After that round of casting, the sigil circle activates where he is, as if he had drawn it there earlier; the real created circle is expended normally. It is from then on the same as any other sigil circle, and the arcanist must be within the circle in order to benefit from its magic.
While within a sigil circle that he created, an arcanist gains certain benefits. First of all, he can convert any spell slot of equal or greater level to one of the spells that has been inscribed, much as a cleric can spontaneously convert spells to heal. Any time one of the inscribed spells is cast by the arcanist within the sigil circle, he gains a +1 bonus to his caster level for all caster-dependent effects and a +1 bonus to the DC of the spells.
For example, Sorin, a 12th-level wizard, can activate four sigil circles every day. He can also inscribe three spells into any circle he creates. If he inscribes eyebite, baleful polymorph, and power word kill (which he has access to thanks to a pair of scrolls he acquired), he could spontaneously convert any of his 6th-level spell slots into an eyebite spell, and any of his 5th, or 6th-level spell slots into a baleful polymorph spell. He could not convert any of his spell slots into spontaneous power word kill spells, because he does not have a high enough caster level. But whenever he casts any of these three spells within the activated sigil circle, including the spells granted him by scrolls, he gains a +1 bonus to his caster level for caster level checks and dependent effects and a +1 bonus to the DC of any of those spells.
Feats
Circle Mage
You gain the effects of the Sigil Circle alternative class feature.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, arcane caster level 3rd.
Benefit: You can utilize sigil circles in the same manner as an arcane caster with the sigil circle alternative class feature. The normal rules for creating and utilizing sigil circles apply.
Capacitious Circle Mage
You have a greater understanding of the magic of a sigil circle, and have learned how to more fully and more often harness its strength.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcane) 9 ranks, Sigil circle class feature, arcane caster level 6th.
Benefit: You can inscribe one extra spell into your sigil circle, and you can activate one extra sigil circle per day.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.