Belial_the_Leveler
2008-11-24, 11:40 AM
Here's my attempt at three birds with one stone: (A) the creation of a class that can represent everything Gandalf did as well as adapt to the DnD system, (B) a substitute for the far too powerful spellcasting classes that, while balanced, doesn't have the feel of gimping that limits fun, and (C) an alternative for the Warlock that can both adapt to various alignments and isn't limited to 31 points of damage at level 20 unless he seriously multiclasses.
Istari
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/zethiron/balrog.jpg
Hit-Die: d6
Armor Proficiency: None
Weapon Proficiency: Simple, Longsword
Skills/level: 2
Str: Jump.
Con: Concentration
Int: Craft (any), Knowledge (any), Spellcraft, Speak Language
Wis: Spot, Listen, Sense Motive.
Cha: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Use Magic Device.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Invocations
1st|+1|+0|+0|+2|Magestrike, Worldly Insight|1
2nd|+2|+0|+0|+3|Spells|2
3rd|+3|+1|+1|+3|Daylight|3
4th|+4|+1|+1|+4|Least Combat Insight|4
5th|+5|+1|+1|+4||5
6th|+6/+1|+2|+2|+5|Wizard Fire|5/1
7th|+7/+2|+2|+2|+5|Lesser Combat Insight 2/3|5/2
8th|+8/+3|+2|+2|+6||5/3
9th|+9/+4|+3|+3|+6||5/4
10th|+10/+5|+3|+3|+7|Greater Combat Insight|5/5
11th|+11/+6/+1|+3|+3|+7|Thunderbolt|5/5/1
12th|+12/+7/+2|+4|+4|+8||5/5/2
13th|+13/+8/+3|+4|+4|+8|Battle of Wills|5/5/3
14th|+14/+9/+4|+4|+4|+9||5/5/4
15th|+15/+10/+5|+5|+5|+9||5/5/5
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+5|+5|+10|Searing Light|5/5/5/1
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+5|+5|+10||5/5/5/2
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+6|+6|+11||5/5/5/3
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+6|+6|+11||5/5/5/4
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+6|+6|+12|Apotheosis|5/5/5/5[/table]
Attack Bonus: Istari have the indicated BAB for combat maneuers, staves, longswords and Magestrikes. For any other weapon and spells requiring touch or ranged touch attacks they get the BAB of a wizard of their level.
Magestrike (Su) : Istari attack with blasts of power they can channel through their hands or a staff they are wielding. This is a ranged attack with a range increment of 60 feet, critical 3x and dealing crushing damage of 1d8 + wisdom modifier + whatever enchantments the staff has. Use the better of dexterity for the attack roll. An Istari can full attack with Magestrike as with any ranged weapon and take any feat that would apply for ranged weapons in general or for Longbow specifically (such as point-blank shot, weapon focus or improved critical) for his Magestrike instead.
An Istari can use Magestrike within antimagic fields or other effects that inhibit magic if he succeeds on a DC 20 will save for each attempt. However, Magestrike damage is affected by damage reduction-though it counts as a magic weapon.
Magestrike BAB only benefits from levels in Istar. Disregard BAB of other classes when you use Magestrike.
Invocations (Sp) : Istari can manipulate the Fires of Creation and bring about many miraculous changes in the world that others see as magical. All normal rules for spells apply to Istari invocations with two exceptions: Istari can use Invocations within antimagic fields or other effects that inhibit magic if they succeed on a DC 20 will save for each attempt and there is no material component if the invocation mimicks a spell that has one.
Istari gain 1 least invocation per class level in levels 1-5, 1 lesser per class level in levels 6-10, 1 greater per class level in levels 11-15 and 1 true invocation per level in levels 16-20.
Worldly Insight (Ex) : Istari have a deep understanding and knowledge of the world. This ability functions as the Bardic Knowledge ability but use Wisdom instead of Intelligence for the check.
Spells (Sp) : Starting at level 2, one of the Wise Men can cast all cantrips at will. In addition, they have 1 spell slot plus 1 aditional spell slot per 5 class levels. These spell slots are of a level equal to half their class level. Spell DCs are based on intelligence and spell slot level, not base spell level.
The Istari learn 1 spell of the max level they can cast or less per class level and may learn additional spells from scrolls or research. They never need spellbooks-they hold those spells in their minds. Memorization of spells to the spell slots takes 1 minute per spell to be memorized. All other rules for arcane spells apply as normal and metamagic spells can be memorized normally if the Istar in question posesses the requisite feats.
Light of Ea (Ex) : Istari can manipulate natural light in an emanation with a radius of 10 ft per class level up to lvl 10 then an additional 30 ft per class level beyond 10th. They can increase light intensity to broad daylight at any time of day or night even in enclosed or underground spaces or diminish light intensity to total darkness at any time of night or day, even in open spaces at midday.
Torches, light spells or other artificial and magical sources of light or darkness are not affected-only natural daylight, moonlight and starlight. For the purposes of creatures specifically harmed or benefired by either daylight or darkness, Light of Ea counts as natural light or darkness if the Istar has at least as many HD as the creature in question.
Wizard Fire (Su) : At 6th level, the damage of the Istari's Magestrikes increases by 1. In addition, an Istar may choose to turn Magestrike damage to fire damage. If he does, the damage is affected by fire resistance instead of damage reduction and creatures and objects adjacent to the target must make reflex saves or take damage as well.
Combat Insight: Starting at 4th level, unarmored and unencumbered Istari take one third (round up) their wisdom modifier as a bonus to AC. The bonus increases to 2/3 at 7th level and full wisdom modifier at 10th level. This bonus can never exceed the Istari's class level and does not stack with other effects that add additional ability modifiers to AC.
Thunderbolt: At 11th level, the damage of the Istari's Magestrikes increases by 1. In addition, an Istar may choose to turn the damage into lightning or sonic damage. If he does, the damage is affected by the appropriate energy resistance instead of damage reduction and creatures struck must make a fortitude save or be blinded (if lightning) or deafened (if sonic) for 1 round.
Battle of Wills: Starting at 13th level, Istari may will magic to ignore them. To affect an Istar with a harmful spell, an opponent must succeed in an opposed will save against the Istar. For the purposes of this contest, ignore any magical bonuses to will saves. At 15th level this also applies to all spell like effects and at 17th level it also applies to supernatural effects.
Searing Light: At 16th level, the damage of the Istari's Magestrikes increases by 1. In addition, an Istar may choose to turn the damage into Divine damage. If he does, Magestrike ignores hardness and does an additional 1d6 damage to targets with different alignment components to his own.
Apotheosis: At 20th level, the Istari's type changes to outsider, he no longer take aging penalties and he has damage reduction 'magic' equal to his wisdom modifier +5.
Invocation List:
Least Invocations:
See the Unseen (n) : as per warlock
Baleful Utterance (n) : as per warlock
Unravel magic (n) : CL check to dispel 1 effect within 10 ft. Casting time equal to effect level
Farcaster (n) : Strike shape. Your Strikes have 120 ft increment.
Charm (n) : as per warlock
Blessing (g) : as per dark one's own luck but divine bonus instead. can give it to others
Shield (g) : as the spell, can have only one
Continual Light (g) : as continual flame
Devil's Sight (e) : as per warlock
Silence (e) : as the spell, can have only one
Persistent Dark (e) : as continual flame but sheds darkness instead of light
Lesser Invocations:
Magesight (n) : can see magic auras in LoS. Spellcraft standard action identifies 1 aura.
Lightning (n) : as lightning bolt but does Magestrike damage
Dispel Magic (n) : uncapped dispel magic
Spellbane Strike (n) : Strike shape. Your strikes ignore either concealment or AC from spells and spell-like abilities.
Phantom Steed (n) : as the spell but steed has your defences and half your HP. Can have only one, arrives in 1 min and if it dies cannot be called for a day.
Divine Gift (g) : +4 to 1 ability score, can have only one
Halt Darkness (g) : as halt undead, works on shadow and half-real creatures too.
Hold Monster (g) : as the spell, on targets of your HD or less only, can have only 1
Magic Circle (g/e) : as the spell, vs evil if good, vs good if evil
Bestow Curse (e) : as the spell
The Dead Walk (e) : as per warlock
Fear (e) : as the spell
Greater Invocations:
Farseeing (n) : can use clairaudience/clairvoyance and scrying as the spells
Wall of Fire (n) : as the spell
Control Magic (n) : uncapped dispel. if you succeed, you may assume control of the spell as if you'd cast it instead of dispelling it. can have only one spell under control at the time
Arcfire (n) : Blast shape. As a full-round action, you can Magestrike all enemies in a 60 ft cone. Arcfire cannot attack objects.
Suggestion (n) : as the spell, up to class levels/5 active at once
Wall of Light (g) : as per wall of force, sheds light as daylight up to 20 ft. can have only 1.
Sphere of Light (g) : as per resilient sphere, self only. Roll full attack Magestrike damage. The sphere has that many HP. Usable 1/min.
Purge Evil (g) : as per dismissal. evil native creatures that fail saves flee for 1 round/level instead.
Hallow/Unhallow (g/e) : as the spells
Chilling Tentacles (e) : as per warlock
Flee the Scene (e) : as per warlock
Command the Fallen (e) : as per chained command undead but works on all evil creatures of 4 HD or less
True Invocations:
True Foresight (n) : as per warlock's dark foresight
Earthquake (n) : as the spell, 100 ft range
Abolish Magic (n) : uncapped dispel, +4 bonus to dispel checks
Dual Strike (n) : Strike shape. You can strike at 2 different targets at once either in a standard attack or in a full attack.
Word of Changing (n) : as per warlock
Blinding Glory (g) : shed light like the sun. You have total concealment for the purposes of being targeted with attacks or effects and gain bonuses to attack in melee as if you were invisible. You surpress darkness effects within 20 feet and anyone attacking you in meele must make a fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round.
Healing Aura (g) : 20 ft aura. For every hour living creatures spend in your aura they heal HP and ability damage as if they had rested for a day. If they actually rest for 8 hours, they heal 2 pts of ability drain and make disease and negative level saves with a bonus equal to your wisdom modifier.
Holy/Unholy Aura (g/e) : as the spells
Spirit Call (g/e) : you may speak remotely as per sending. alternatively, you may call an extraplanar or undead creature of 12 HD or less to you. It comes within 10 min but must serve you of its own free will. Attacking it or attempting to magically coerce or control it causes it to immediately return to its home
Cloak of Night (e) : use Greater Invisibility+Nondetection as the spells, self only.
Path of Darkness (e) : as per warlock's path of shadow. In addition, you are at all times immune to negative energy, ability drain and death effects.
Designer Notes
Damage: The class functions damage-wise as an archer with a longbow. The archer could add both strength and dexterity to damage or even deal double damage with the right enchantments but the Istar is less affected by DR and has a few tricks.
Compared to the Warlock, the damage is higher, the to-hit reliability is lower (because it's ranged attack, not ranged touch) and there are no save-or-lose effects such as nauseation and paralysis.
Invocations: More invocations than the Warlock but fewer combinations for direct attacks. Overall Invocation strength has been upped because the warlock was sub-par compared to even lightly optimised meelers or gishes.
Spells: Spells are secondary. They are there to provide the odd effects that could not be squeezed into the invocation list and the occasional nova but they are very limited.
Tell me what you think. Too strong? Too complicated? Just right?
Istari
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/zethiron/balrog.jpg
Hit-Die: d6
Armor Proficiency: None
Weapon Proficiency: Simple, Longsword
Skills/level: 2
Str: Jump.
Con: Concentration
Int: Craft (any), Knowledge (any), Spellcraft, Speak Language
Wis: Spot, Listen, Sense Motive.
Cha: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Use Magic Device.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Invocations
1st|+1|+0|+0|+2|Magestrike, Worldly Insight|1
2nd|+2|+0|+0|+3|Spells|2
3rd|+3|+1|+1|+3|Daylight|3
4th|+4|+1|+1|+4|Least Combat Insight|4
5th|+5|+1|+1|+4||5
6th|+6/+1|+2|+2|+5|Wizard Fire|5/1
7th|+7/+2|+2|+2|+5|Lesser Combat Insight 2/3|5/2
8th|+8/+3|+2|+2|+6||5/3
9th|+9/+4|+3|+3|+6||5/4
10th|+10/+5|+3|+3|+7|Greater Combat Insight|5/5
11th|+11/+6/+1|+3|+3|+7|Thunderbolt|5/5/1
12th|+12/+7/+2|+4|+4|+8||5/5/2
13th|+13/+8/+3|+4|+4|+8|Battle of Wills|5/5/3
14th|+14/+9/+4|+4|+4|+9||5/5/4
15th|+15/+10/+5|+5|+5|+9||5/5/5
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+5|+5|+10|Searing Light|5/5/5/1
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+5|+5|+10||5/5/5/2
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+6|+6|+11||5/5/5/3
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+6|+6|+11||5/5/5/4
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+6|+6|+12|Apotheosis|5/5/5/5[/table]
Attack Bonus: Istari have the indicated BAB for combat maneuers, staves, longswords and Magestrikes. For any other weapon and spells requiring touch or ranged touch attacks they get the BAB of a wizard of their level.
Magestrike (Su) : Istari attack with blasts of power they can channel through their hands or a staff they are wielding. This is a ranged attack with a range increment of 60 feet, critical 3x and dealing crushing damage of 1d8 + wisdom modifier + whatever enchantments the staff has. Use the better of dexterity for the attack roll. An Istari can full attack with Magestrike as with any ranged weapon and take any feat that would apply for ranged weapons in general or for Longbow specifically (such as point-blank shot, weapon focus or improved critical) for his Magestrike instead.
An Istari can use Magestrike within antimagic fields or other effects that inhibit magic if he succeeds on a DC 20 will save for each attempt. However, Magestrike damage is affected by damage reduction-though it counts as a magic weapon.
Magestrike BAB only benefits from levels in Istar. Disregard BAB of other classes when you use Magestrike.
Invocations (Sp) : Istari can manipulate the Fires of Creation and bring about many miraculous changes in the world that others see as magical. All normal rules for spells apply to Istari invocations with two exceptions: Istari can use Invocations within antimagic fields or other effects that inhibit magic if they succeed on a DC 20 will save for each attempt and there is no material component if the invocation mimicks a spell that has one.
Istari gain 1 least invocation per class level in levels 1-5, 1 lesser per class level in levels 6-10, 1 greater per class level in levels 11-15 and 1 true invocation per level in levels 16-20.
Worldly Insight (Ex) : Istari have a deep understanding and knowledge of the world. This ability functions as the Bardic Knowledge ability but use Wisdom instead of Intelligence for the check.
Spells (Sp) : Starting at level 2, one of the Wise Men can cast all cantrips at will. In addition, they have 1 spell slot plus 1 aditional spell slot per 5 class levels. These spell slots are of a level equal to half their class level. Spell DCs are based on intelligence and spell slot level, not base spell level.
The Istari learn 1 spell of the max level they can cast or less per class level and may learn additional spells from scrolls or research. They never need spellbooks-they hold those spells in their minds. Memorization of spells to the spell slots takes 1 minute per spell to be memorized. All other rules for arcane spells apply as normal and metamagic spells can be memorized normally if the Istar in question posesses the requisite feats.
Light of Ea (Ex) : Istari can manipulate natural light in an emanation with a radius of 10 ft per class level up to lvl 10 then an additional 30 ft per class level beyond 10th. They can increase light intensity to broad daylight at any time of day or night even in enclosed or underground spaces or diminish light intensity to total darkness at any time of night or day, even in open spaces at midday.
Torches, light spells or other artificial and magical sources of light or darkness are not affected-only natural daylight, moonlight and starlight. For the purposes of creatures specifically harmed or benefired by either daylight or darkness, Light of Ea counts as natural light or darkness if the Istar has at least as many HD as the creature in question.
Wizard Fire (Su) : At 6th level, the damage of the Istari's Magestrikes increases by 1. In addition, an Istar may choose to turn Magestrike damage to fire damage. If he does, the damage is affected by fire resistance instead of damage reduction and creatures and objects adjacent to the target must make reflex saves or take damage as well.
Combat Insight: Starting at 4th level, unarmored and unencumbered Istari take one third (round up) their wisdom modifier as a bonus to AC. The bonus increases to 2/3 at 7th level and full wisdom modifier at 10th level. This bonus can never exceed the Istari's class level and does not stack with other effects that add additional ability modifiers to AC.
Thunderbolt: At 11th level, the damage of the Istari's Magestrikes increases by 1. In addition, an Istar may choose to turn the damage into lightning or sonic damage. If he does, the damage is affected by the appropriate energy resistance instead of damage reduction and creatures struck must make a fortitude save or be blinded (if lightning) or deafened (if sonic) for 1 round.
Battle of Wills: Starting at 13th level, Istari may will magic to ignore them. To affect an Istar with a harmful spell, an opponent must succeed in an opposed will save against the Istar. For the purposes of this contest, ignore any magical bonuses to will saves. At 15th level this also applies to all spell like effects and at 17th level it also applies to supernatural effects.
Searing Light: At 16th level, the damage of the Istari's Magestrikes increases by 1. In addition, an Istar may choose to turn the damage into Divine damage. If he does, Magestrike ignores hardness and does an additional 1d6 damage to targets with different alignment components to his own.
Apotheosis: At 20th level, the Istari's type changes to outsider, he no longer take aging penalties and he has damage reduction 'magic' equal to his wisdom modifier +5.
Invocation List:
Least Invocations:
See the Unseen (n) : as per warlock
Baleful Utterance (n) : as per warlock
Unravel magic (n) : CL check to dispel 1 effect within 10 ft. Casting time equal to effect level
Farcaster (n) : Strike shape. Your Strikes have 120 ft increment.
Charm (n) : as per warlock
Blessing (g) : as per dark one's own luck but divine bonus instead. can give it to others
Shield (g) : as the spell, can have only one
Continual Light (g) : as continual flame
Devil's Sight (e) : as per warlock
Silence (e) : as the spell, can have only one
Persistent Dark (e) : as continual flame but sheds darkness instead of light
Lesser Invocations:
Magesight (n) : can see magic auras in LoS. Spellcraft standard action identifies 1 aura.
Lightning (n) : as lightning bolt but does Magestrike damage
Dispel Magic (n) : uncapped dispel magic
Spellbane Strike (n) : Strike shape. Your strikes ignore either concealment or AC from spells and spell-like abilities.
Phantom Steed (n) : as the spell but steed has your defences and half your HP. Can have only one, arrives in 1 min and if it dies cannot be called for a day.
Divine Gift (g) : +4 to 1 ability score, can have only one
Halt Darkness (g) : as halt undead, works on shadow and half-real creatures too.
Hold Monster (g) : as the spell, on targets of your HD or less only, can have only 1
Magic Circle (g/e) : as the spell, vs evil if good, vs good if evil
Bestow Curse (e) : as the spell
The Dead Walk (e) : as per warlock
Fear (e) : as the spell
Greater Invocations:
Farseeing (n) : can use clairaudience/clairvoyance and scrying as the spells
Wall of Fire (n) : as the spell
Control Magic (n) : uncapped dispel. if you succeed, you may assume control of the spell as if you'd cast it instead of dispelling it. can have only one spell under control at the time
Arcfire (n) : Blast shape. As a full-round action, you can Magestrike all enemies in a 60 ft cone. Arcfire cannot attack objects.
Suggestion (n) : as the spell, up to class levels/5 active at once
Wall of Light (g) : as per wall of force, sheds light as daylight up to 20 ft. can have only 1.
Sphere of Light (g) : as per resilient sphere, self only. Roll full attack Magestrike damage. The sphere has that many HP. Usable 1/min.
Purge Evil (g) : as per dismissal. evil native creatures that fail saves flee for 1 round/level instead.
Hallow/Unhallow (g/e) : as the spells
Chilling Tentacles (e) : as per warlock
Flee the Scene (e) : as per warlock
Command the Fallen (e) : as per chained command undead but works on all evil creatures of 4 HD or less
True Invocations:
True Foresight (n) : as per warlock's dark foresight
Earthquake (n) : as the spell, 100 ft range
Abolish Magic (n) : uncapped dispel, +4 bonus to dispel checks
Dual Strike (n) : Strike shape. You can strike at 2 different targets at once either in a standard attack or in a full attack.
Word of Changing (n) : as per warlock
Blinding Glory (g) : shed light like the sun. You have total concealment for the purposes of being targeted with attacks or effects and gain bonuses to attack in melee as if you were invisible. You surpress darkness effects within 20 feet and anyone attacking you in meele must make a fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round.
Healing Aura (g) : 20 ft aura. For every hour living creatures spend in your aura they heal HP and ability damage as if they had rested for a day. If they actually rest for 8 hours, they heal 2 pts of ability drain and make disease and negative level saves with a bonus equal to your wisdom modifier.
Holy/Unholy Aura (g/e) : as the spells
Spirit Call (g/e) : you may speak remotely as per sending. alternatively, you may call an extraplanar or undead creature of 12 HD or less to you. It comes within 10 min but must serve you of its own free will. Attacking it or attempting to magically coerce or control it causes it to immediately return to its home
Cloak of Night (e) : use Greater Invisibility+Nondetection as the spells, self only.
Path of Darkness (e) : as per warlock's path of shadow. In addition, you are at all times immune to negative energy, ability drain and death effects.
Designer Notes
Damage: The class functions damage-wise as an archer with a longbow. The archer could add both strength and dexterity to damage or even deal double damage with the right enchantments but the Istar is less affected by DR and has a few tricks.
Compared to the Warlock, the damage is higher, the to-hit reliability is lower (because it's ranged attack, not ranged touch) and there are no save-or-lose effects such as nauseation and paralysis.
Invocations: More invocations than the Warlock but fewer combinations for direct attacks. Overall Invocation strength has been upped because the warlock was sub-par compared to even lightly optimised meelers or gishes.
Spells: Spells are secondary. They are there to provide the odd effects that could not be squeezed into the invocation list and the occasional nova but they are very limited.
Tell me what you think. Too strong? Too complicated? Just right?