Master of Transmutation [PEACH]

[Tyndmyr]

Master of Transmutation

A Master of Transmutation sees the value in other varieties of spells, and may even learn a couple, but his real talent lies with manipulating form and substance into whatever he needs. A few MoTs extend the love of change into their personal lives, seeking out a constant change in environments, new sights, and new things to experience. The MoT is a valuable addition to the party, bringing with him a variety of useful buffs and abilities. While they disdain a straightforward application of brute force to slay enemies, the MoT often has a more creative way to attack at the ready.


Master of Transmutation
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|+0|+2|+0|+2|Practiced Transmuter|5|3|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|+1|+3|+0|+3|-|6|4|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|+1|+3|+1|+3|Advanced Learning|6|5|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

4th|+2|+4|+1|+4|-|6|6|3|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

5th|+2|+4|+1|+4|-|6|6|4|—|—|—|—|—|—|—

6th|+3|+5|+2|+5|Eclectic Learning|6|6|5|3|—|—|—|—|—|—

7th|+3|+5|+2|+5|Durable Transmutation|6|6|6|4|—|—|—|—|—|—

8th|+4|+6|+2|+6|Advanced Learning|6|6|6|5|3|—|—|—|—|—

9th|+4|+6|+3|+6|-|6|6|6|6|4|—|—|—|—|—

10th|+5|+7|+3|+7|Bonus Feat|6|6|6|6|5|3|—|—|—|—

11th|+5|+7|+3|+7|Eclectic Learning|6|6|6|6|6|4|—|—|—|—

12th|+6/+1|+8|+4|+8|-|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|—|—|—

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

14th|+7/+2|+9|+4|+9|Advanced Learning|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|—|—

15th|+7/+2|+9|+5|+9|-|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|—|—

16th|+8/+3|+10|+5|+10|Bonus Feat|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|—

17th|+8/+3|+10|+5|+10|Eclectic Learning|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|—

18th|+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|-|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3

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

20th|+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Advanced Learning|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5
[/table]

Alignment: Any
HP Die: d6
Class Skills:
Concentration. Craft(any), Heal, Knowledge(any), Profession(any), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Abilities:

Weapons and Armor:
The MoT is not proficient with any armor, or shields. The MoT is proficient with simple weapons only.

Spellcasting:
The MoT gains spells from the MoT spell list. The MoT knows all spells on her list at all times. The MoT is an int-based caster.

Practiced Transmuter:
All transmutation spells are cast at +1 CL.

Advanced Learning:
At each level where Advanaced Learning is gained, the Master of Transmutation may select any one transmutation spell from the wizard/sorcerer spell list to add to his Spells Known. The level of this spell may not be higher than he can currently cast.

Eclectic Learning:
At each level where Eclectic Learning is gained, the Master of Transmutation may select any one arcane spell to add to his Spells Known. Unless it's a transmutation spell, increase the level of this spell by one. The final level of this spell may not be higher than he can currently cast.

Durable Transmutation:
At 7th Level, the duration of all transmutation spells cast by the Master of Transmutation are doubled. This stacks with metamagic that modifies spell durations as if it were a metamagic.

Bonus Feat:
At 10th level and again at 16th, the Master of Transmutation may select any metamagic or item creation feat as a bonus feat.

Countertransmute:
At 13th level, once per day, the Master of Transmutation may counter a spell of the transmutation school without readying an action or expending a spell. If this ability is targetted at a non-transmutation spell, it is expended without effect.

Master of Transmutation Spell List:
0 Level: Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Light, Detect Magic
1st Level: Animate Rope, Enlarge Person, Erase, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Jump, Magic Weapon, Reduce Person, Floating Disc, Unseen Servant
2nd Level: Alter Self, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strengh, Cat's Grace, Darkvision, Eagle's Splendor, Foxes' Cunning, Levitation, Owl's Wisdom, Rope Trick, Spider Climb
3rd Level: Blink, Fly, Gaseous Form, Haste, Keen Edge, Greater Magic Weapon, Secret Page, Shrink Item, Slow, Water Breathing
4th Level: Mass Enlarge Person, Minor Creation, Polymorph, Mass Reduce Person, Solid Fog, Stone Shape
5th Level: Animal Growth, Baleful Polymorph, Fabricate, Overland Flight, Passwall, Telekinesis, Transmute Rock to Mud, Transmute Mud to Rock, Transformation
6th Level: Control Water, Disintigrate, Flesh to Stone, Move Earth, Stone to Flesh, Contingency
7th Level: Control Weather, Ethereal Jaunt, Reverse Gravity, Statue, Simulacrum, Forcecage
8th Level: Iron Body, Polymorph Any Object, Temporal Stasis, Maze, Incendiary Cloud, Telekinetic Sphere
9th Level: Etherealness, Shapechange, Time Stop, Imprisonment, Freedom



Design Notes: A Master of Transmutation is designed around a similar concept as the warmage...a caster that is heavily themed around a particular school/flavor of magic, with a set list, and a few niche abilities. I would expect this class to end up somewhere between sorcerer and warmage in terms of potency. In play, I see the MoT fitting a buffer role quite well, with a variety of helpful options in it's spell list, though the MoT also has a number of out of combat options. Direct damage is basically not a thing.

[ShiningStarling]

I do love the smell of tranmutation in the morning, never smells the same.

Anywho, two points immediately:
1. The Class Features are not in order of level gained.
2. Eclectic Learning is learn any sor/wiz spell of 1 level lower than your highest, but as a spell of one level higher.
Ex: @ 6th level, learn Invisibility as a 3rd level spell, Magic Missile as a 2nd level spell, etc...

I would not give it Ltd. Wish and Wish, as no other fixed-list caster, such as Warmage and Beguiler, gets them and they are not Transmutation spells.

Other than that, looks like a winner! Was fun to think about. Peace out!

[Tyndmyr]

I do love the smell of tranmutation in the morning, never smells the same.

Anywho, two points immediately:
1. The Class Features are not in order of level gained.
2. Eclectic Learning is learn any sor/wiz spell of 1 level lower than your highest, but as a spell of one level higher.
Ex: @ 6th level, learn Invisibility as a 3rd level spell, Magic Missile as a 2nd level spell, etc...

Good points both. I'll tack em on.

I would not give it Ltd. Wish and Wish, as no other fixed-list caster, such as Warmage and Beguiler, gets them and they are not Transmutation spells.

Other than that, looks like a winner! Was fun to think about. Peace out!

Yeah, I'll admit I was a bit uncertain about those. They do somewhat subvert the fixed list thing to a degree(albeit at a price). Honestly, I was just short on good transmutation spells without going outside of core. Any good suggestions for replacements? At worst, I suppose I could whip up some new transmutation spells, but I'd prefer to keep my homebrew fairly plug and play.

[jiriku]

It might be nifty to add something like "Inviolable Form" at high levels, a defensive class features that gives you spell resistance or immunity against harmful transmutations targeting your own person.

Likewise, some sort of dispel resistance (above and beyond the +1 caster level gained at 1st level) would be nice. Perhaps shape-altering transmutations the MoT casts on himself could become extraordinary effects once cast, rendering them immune to dispelling.

It might also be nice to add a feature that enables a MoT to get more effect out of shapeshifting magic. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "make the polymorph line better? Lolwut?" but hear me out. There are some weird kinks in the polymorph line that you could fix here. For example, polymorph strips the caster of his own extraordinary sensory qualities, but doesn't grant those of the assumed form, which leads to oddities such as a dwarf who uses alter self or polymorph to assume the form of another dwarf loses darkvision. The transmuter could either retain his own extraordinary sensory capabilities in whatever form, or he could assume those of the new form.

I assume this is a d6 hit die class? You haven't specified.

On the spell list:
Expeditious retreat is misspelled.
Spells like solid fog, incendiary cloud, and wall of iron seem out of place. Not only are they conjurations, but their role (battlefield control) doesn't match with the rest of the spell list.
Tenser's transformation is a horribad at 6th level. It might be a decent option as a 4th level spell though.
I get the impression from the spell list that you don't want to go outside the SRD, but if you're willing to add spells from the Spell Compendium, there's some extremely decent transmutations to be had there.

I'm having trouble imagining how a MoT would contribute to combat at 1st - 2nd level. I suppose he could enlarge the party fighter or cast magic weapon on someone's weapon, but I'd suggest you add one more decent 1st-level combat spell to the list to expand his options in that level range. Or maybe some kind of "minor transmutation" class feature that gives him something useful to do besides casting spells.

[Tyndmyr]

It might be nifty to add something like "Inviolable Form" at high levels, a defensive class features that gives you spell resistance or immunity against harmful transmutations targeting your own person.

Likewise, some sort of dispel resistance (above and beyond the +1 caster level gained at 1st level) would be nice. Perhaps shape-altering transmutations the MoT casts on himself could become extraordinary effects once cast, rendering them immune to dispelling.

I actually considered both of those...I didn't want to get TOO happy with different abilities, to the point where it'd be awkward to remember, but I'm certainly open to adding dispel resistance or the like.

It might also be nice to add a feature that enables a MoT to get more effect out of shapeshifting magic. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "make the polymorph line better? Lolwut?" but hear me out. There are some weird kinks in the polymorph line that you could fix here. For example, polymorph strips the caster of his own extraordinary sensory qualities, but doesn't grant those of the assumed form, which leads to oddities such as a dwarf who uses alter self or polymorph to assume the form of another dwarf loses darkvision. The transmuter could either retain his own extraordinary sensory capabilities in whatever form, or he could assume those of the new form.

That actually makes a great deal of sense. I believe I'll add that.

I assume this is a d6 hit die class? You haven't specified.

Ah, it's in my notepad version, but somehow got eaten on the way over. Yup, that's correct, I'll edit that in. I suppose I'll also need to add starting gold.

On the spell list:
Expeditious retreat is misspelled.
Spells like solid fog, incendiary cloud, and wall of iron seem out of place. Not only are they conjurations, but their role (battlefield control) doesn't match with the rest of the spell list.
Tenser's transformation is a horribad at 6th level. It might be a decent option as a 4th level spell though.
I get the impression from the spell list that you don't want to go outside the SRD, but if you're willing to add spells from the Spell Compendium, there's some extremely decent transmutations to be had there.

Correct. I was trying to stick close to core, and to keep the total number of spells similar to the warmage. The warmage does draw from a few schools, but sticks close to blasty in style. I'm open to other options, but I would like to keep the number of sources to a minimum.

I'll probably drop TT by a single level. This seems to be about the most done for specific caster lists...and while it is a pretty poor spell, it's thematically appropriate to keep on the list. I considered adding the mass versions of the various stat buffs, but honestly, it felt like padding instead of adding realistic options.

I'm having trouble imagining how a MoT would contribute to combat at 1st - 2nd level. I suppose he could enlarge the party fighter or cast magic weapon on someone's weapon, but I'd suggest you add one more decent 1st-level combat spell to the list to expand his options in that level range. Or maybe some kind of "minor transmutation" class feature that gives him something useful to do besides casting spells.

First level is rough. The primary reason for the +1 CL is to make his rnd/lvl buffs not entirely meaningless at low levels. It'll help later too, sure, but durations are rough. Animating a rope to grapple someone is actually his best direct act.

Baleful Transmutation? 1d6 +1d6/2 lvls of damage, fort save negates? Would be a solid option for the first couple of levels, but would later be fairly weak.

[jiriku]

I actually considered both of those...I didn't want to get TOO happy with different abilities, to the point where it'd be awkward to remember, but I'm certainly open to adding dispel resistance or the like.

Mayhap you could add them as new feats that could be chosen with the bonus feats granted by the class, or as ACFs for the Durable Transmutation feature, then.

First level is rough. The primary reason for the +1 CL is to make his rnd/lvl buffs not entirely meaningless at low levels. It'll help later too, sure, but durations are rough. Animating a rope to grapple someone is actually his best direct act.

Baleful Transmutation? 1d6 +1d6/2 lvls of damage, fort save negates? Would be a solid option for the first couple of levels, but would later be fairly weak.

Hmm. Since you wanted to veer away from direct damage, perhaps Baleful Transmutation could function as a debuff. Say, something like this:

BALEFUL TRANSMUTATION
Transmutation
Level: Master of Transmutation 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fort Partial (see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes

As your spell affects the creature, its movements become jerky and uncoordinated, its joints distending and its limbs twitching spasmodically.

You transmute a creature's joints and limbs to disrupt its mobility and overall coordination. The target creature takes a -10 penalty to the speed of all of its movement modes, and becomes flat-footed. The creature is entitled to a Fortitude save when first affected by the spell, and may save again at the beginning of each of your turns. A successful save negates the flat-footed condition for that round, but the creature's speed is still reduced.

Incorporeal creatures, oozes, swarms, and creatures with the [shapeshifter] subtype are immune to this spell. Creatures with the Uncanny Dodge feature can still be affected, but do not suffer most of the penalties associated with the flat-footed condition.

[Tyndmyr]

Changes Made: Fixed Expeditious Retreat typo, ordering of special abilities, lowered level of TT, Removed a few inappropriate spells from the list, added hit die.

Changes to make: Add a couple transmutation based class features, adopt a few spells from another source.

[ShiningStarling]

I believe some Spell Compendium mojo is calledfor to stop that stupid low-level-useless feeling.

Look up: Cutting Hand, Ebon Eyes, Fist of Stone, Ray of Clumsiness, and Shieldbearer. All 1st level Transmutations, all my favorites, all useful. Still feelin' the low-level blues later? Try Sonic Weapon and Wraithstrike, 2nd level Transmutation. I wouldn't add more than that, but I hope it helps!

Also, just for a later installment of Durable Transmutation, add +5 CL vs. dispel. Works for PrCs. Ciao!