I thought you just said they shouldn't try to hide being useless in combat.
I was going for a more narrative feel, so that the wizard, in order to detect magic, would be less like Spock with a tricorder and more like, "Wait! I sense something..."Sense Magic: Why not just give the Detect Magic as an at-will SLA?
I was trying to avoid the shenanigans people pull with the planar binding line of spells. I was also trying to make sure that the magic had risks. As for Int dependency, all of the class features depend on Intelligence already. Do you think I should do something else to make them Int-dependent earlier on, so it's less of a jump?Scrying: okay
Rebuke Monster: Interesting, and you finally have something to do in combat
Bind Monster: Alright, this sounds cool, but also incredibly unreliable for a capstone. Also, you've suddenly gone from a NAD-but-Int-is-nice to Int/Wis dependency.
Unlimited. It's like a language you know. I thought the best balance came in the realistic limitations of the animals' personalities and mentalities, rather than in a duration.Great Arcanas
Animal Speech: Duration?
I forgot about gnomes and their Alchemy bonus. As for the 20-round thing, isn't a hit point a round a little weak? I mean, Thunderhead is only a 0-level spell.Chilling Flask: Assuming Optimization for Craft(Alchemy), this reliably comes online (succeed when taking 10) at level 8 (+3 Skill Focus, +2 Gnome, +4 Int, +11 Ranks). Single Target 20 damage at level 8 that takes as many as 20 rounds is horrific, especially given that this is a pretty early combat option.
I gave examples. It has to be a specific kind of creature, such as red dragons, trolls, or unicorns, like the AD&D Hated Enemy of rangers.Controlled Poison: How specific must it be? I would say use the Ranger's Favored Enemy list, but only humanoid and outsider require subtypes.
I agree it's not quite as good as I had been thinking of when I thought of it. Any suggestions on ways to get it to be better while still being something you use sparingly?Deaden Pain: Interesting idea, but you're basically trading 2 AC for 9 HP. Questionable at best.
In complete agreement here. That was my failure; I had other things to do last night and was trying to power through things.Flash Powder: Needs a modifier to allow increasing the Craft DC to increase the save DC
It's supposed to be like actual hypnosis, maybe a little better, and not a magic spell. It's Charisma-based because hypnosis is all about performance and making your target believe you have power over them.Hypnosis: First off, the save: what is with the number? The usual save for this kind of ability is 10+1/2 class level + ability modifier. Why 11 base? Also, you suddenly introduce Cha as a stat.
As far as the actual effects, I really like them. They are interesting and open up some very different gameplay.
Yeah, remember that these people are almost always going to be making lots of alchemical items to boot. And it's not a 5-round delay; it's a 5-round duration.Instill Vulnerability: Nice idea, but the 5 round delay and negligible damage make it pretty useless. Maybe some interaction with Energy damages (Instill Vulnerability Heat and then throw Alchemists Fire at them)
Is there some way you can think of to make it better? I guess you could make a longer rod with reach or something.Jolting Wand: Fun idea, but now you're up in melee. Not a place you want to be.
Pyrophoric Material: Again, interesting, but the combination of low damage, low save, expense, and high craft DC make it pretty silly.
Well, it is meant to be a trap, and most people in medieval societies aren't going to recognize what is essentially a really large Leyden jar. I was considering giving them some way to recover (the 5% was meant to be a one-time thing) through external aid, but CPR isn't exactly Middle-Ages medicine. Should I make it a Heal check, just for balance?Shocking Trap: so, a small damage Save or Die that takes 10 minutes to prep and a stupid opponent. Also, it is impossible to stop them from dying. I would clarify if the recovery chance is 5% occurring each round or just once. I would also add the option of using a Heal check to save them.
The upgrading adds d3s of damage, but the trap itself deal 2d4. Is the disconnect of dice intentional?
That sort of recovery could just be listed as an effect of whatever magic could be used, but I agree that certain powerful effects could heal it. As for a Heal check, that's medicine well beyond today's abilities. Regenerating damaged neural tissue isn't easy.Zombification: Again, I would allow for a Heal check (DC high) to help someone recover. That or some kind of high magic (I know this is for a low magic setting, but high magic could be location based or gods themselves and the like).
Final Summary: What ability are you trying to key off of? Zombie and Shock Trap use Int, as do Knowledge and Craft skills, but Hypnosis (probably my favorite of your abilities) is Cha, and the capstone is indirectly Wis (Will save).
It should have some ability to produce cures. Herbal remedies are another staple of low-magic mages.
[/QUOTE] It has Heal as a class skill, and that helps them deal with poisons, disease, etc. I was considering giving them Brew Potion for certain low-level potions, but I wasn't sure what I should allow, considering they don't even have most spells per se. If I did include Brew Potion or something similar, what do you think they should be able to make?
I see what you mean about combat, though I think plenty of their feats of greater arcana are combat-usable. I didn't want them to be using crossbows and slings because I don't think of them as very "wizardy" weapons; do you think giving them the medium BAB would work instead, possibly with some sort of AC boost (refluffed as "Intimidating Presence" or something like that)? I don't want the wizard to outshine the fighter in combat here, so I'm trying to achieve a delicate balance.It needs something to do in combat. I know you don't feel that Wizards should be useful in combat, but in most campaigns combat takes up a good amount of time. Especially since, by nerfing wizards down to this, you have removed the primary means of avoiding combat. No one wants to be sitting there like a useless lump for 2 hours. And if you say that you use your abilities to avoid the combats, then you have just removed a huge aspect of the game that most people build characters for, which is even worse.
All in all, I would run it with PF cantrips (to give at will Ray of Frost/Acid Splash) and proficiency with crossbow and sling, as well as a healing ability.
Also, the feats of greater arcana aren't meant to be a comprehensive list; I can add more as necessary. I've got a couple of ideas currently for some, and suggestions are welcome.