[D&D 3.5 Class] Duskcaster (Shadow Evocation Inspired Class)[WiP, PEACH]

[Xuldarinar]

DUSKCASTER

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Abilities: Charisma determines how powerful a spell or power a duskcaster can copy, how often, and how hard they are to resist. Dexterity helps in a number of the Duskcaster's skills and in making them harder to hit. Constitution helps in any case they actually are hit.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6

Class Skills
The duskcaster's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all, taken individually) (Int), Knowledge (Psionics) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Slight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Shadow Pool
1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Shadow Replication I|2
2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3|-|4
3rd|+2|+1|+3|+3|Shadow Replication II|7
4th|+3|+1|+4|+4|-|11
5th|+3|+1|+4|+4|Shadow Replication III|16
6th|+4|+2|+5|+5|-|24
7th|+5|+2|+5|+5|Shadow Replication IV|33
8th|+6/+1|+2|+6|+6|-|44
9th|+6/+1|+3|+6|+6|Shadow Replication V|56
10th|+7/+2|+3|+7|+7|-|72
11th|+8/+3|+3|+7|+7|Shadow Replication VI|88
12th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8|-|104
13th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+8|Shadow Replication VII|120
14th|+10/+5|+4|+9|+9|-|136
15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+9|+9|Shadow Replication VII|152
16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|-|168
17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+10|Shadow Replication IX|184
18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+11|-|200
19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|-|216
20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|-|232 [/table]
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Duskcasters are proficient with all simple weapons. They however are not proficient with any type of armor or shield.
Shadow Replication (Sp): Starting at 1st level, a duskcaster gains the ability to shape shadows to copy any spell or power up to 1st level they know. This increases to 2 at 3rd level, and by 1 every odd numbered thereafter until they gain the ability to copy 9th level spells.
In order to replicate a spell, a dusk caster must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a duskcaster's spell is 10 + the spell level + the duskcaster's Charisma modifier. Rather than having spells per day, duskcasters draw from a pool of essence from the plane of shadow. This pool increases with each level, and refills in the same manner as a sorcerer's spells. To replicate a spell, a duskcaster must spend a number of points based upon the level of the spell or power being replicated, reflected by the following table.
{table=head] Spell/power level|Shadow Point Cost
0|*
1st|1
2nd|3
3rd|5
4th|7
5th|9
6th|11
7th|13
8th|15
9th|17 [/table]
* 0-level spells can be used a total of 5/day.

Duskcasters only know a limited number of spells and powers they can replicate. They begin play knowing 3 0-level spells, and 2 1st level spells. At each level gained they learn 2 additional spells/powers known. They may select any spell or power of the Evocation, Conjuration, Illusion, Metacreativity, and Psychokinesis schools drawn from the Cleric, Druid, Lurk, Psion/Wilder, and Sorcerer/Wizard lists.
Any spell or power they copy by means of this spell is not entirely real. The percentage real the spell is is equal to their Duskcaster level x 5, - 5 per level of spell above 1st. A duskcaster's replicated spells and powers cannot be more than 90% real. For example, a 5th level Duskcaster's replicated 1st-level spells are only 25% real, while their 2nd-level spells are 20% real, and their 3rd-level spells are 15% real. This only comes into play if the target disbelieves the effect of a duskcaster's shadow replication.
For the purposes of casting, this ability functions as shadow conjuration and shadow evocation, except as noted above.

Consult the table below to determine bonus points for the duskcaster's shadow pool.

{table=head]Score|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
12-13|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1|1
14-15|1|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4
16-17|1|4|9|9|9|9|9|9|9
18-19|1|4|9|16|16|16|16|16|16
20-21|2|5|10|17|26|26|26|26|26
22-23|2|8|13|20|29|40|40|40|40
24-25|2|8|18|25|34|45|58|58|58
26-27|2|8|18|32|41|52|65|80|80
28-29|3|9|19|33|51|62|75|90|107
30-31|3|12|22|36|54|76|89|104|121
32-33|3|12|24|38|56|78|104|119|136
34-35|3|12|27|48|66|88|114|144|161
36-37|4|13|28|49|76|98|124|154|188
38-39|4|16|31|52|77|110|136|166|200
40-41|4|16|36|57|84|117|156|186|220 [/table]
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As you can see, theres work to be done. But I thought I'd get out what I had in mind and see what people thought. If anyone has some advice, ideas, ways to help clean up the language, questions, or anything else really. I'd love to hear it. This will be worked on more in the coming hours and days, pending on how long it takes to get finished.

[Rainbownaga]

Infinite cantrips and rainbow serpent-esque casting. For newbies the shadow weakness will suck big time, But a skilled player could be pretty powerful.


The main concern i have is that this class takes a quadratic progression class and makes it moreso. At level 20 A wizard path caster is better than a lightning warrior, but at level one they are scronging the splatbooks to find spells where disbelief is irrelevant.

Also you have to deal woth shadow transmutations- I disbelieve they are a cryohydra? I disbelieve they can fly?

It's a cool idea but it will take a lot of work to bzlance. Also gnomes.

[Arcanist]

I thought this class would involve more ducks or at least provide a martial progression into Quack-Fu...

[Xuldarinar]

Infinite cantrips and rainbow serpent-esque casting. For newbies the shadow weakness will suck big time, But a skilled player could be pretty powerful.


The main concern i have is that this class takes a quadratic progression class and makes it moreso. At level 20 A wizard path caster is better than a lightning warrior, but at level one they are scronging the splatbooks to find spells where disbelief is irrelevant.

Also you have to deal woth shadow transmutations- I disbelieve they are a cryohydra? I disbelieve they can fly?

It's a cool idea but it will take a lot of work to bzlance. Also gnomes.

As stated, there are kinks to work out. Im going to restrict their spell list, some how. Im thinking of throwing at it a "spells known" progression, maybe pull or tweak path of shadow.

edit: i've made some adjustments. I want to get the "casting" worked out before I add other class features. For that, I'm still thinking of what approach to take.

[Xuldarinar]

I thought this class would involve more ducks or at least provide a martial progression into Quack-Fu...

Why would this class have anything to do with ducks?

[Arcanist]

Why would this class have anything to do with ducks?

Because I wrote that comment at 2am and thought it said Duck

[Xuldarinar]

Because I wrote that comment at 2am and thought it said Duck

Ah. Yes, the things we read/think/say/do at 2 in the morning.

[ArkenBrony]

so just getting this straight, a 20th level duskcaster could cast 21 9th level spells, each 90% real?

[Xuldarinar]

so just getting this straight, a 20th level duskcaster could cast 21 9th level spells, each 90% real?

With the way it is at the moment, yes. If they didn't cast any other spells. Perhaps I should adjust costs, making them similar if not identical to the costs of psionic powers. That would be the easiest adjustment to make.


Edit: I've adjusted point progression, costs, and bonus points to be based upon the spell-point system from UA. That does bring things down a little. Is it perfect? No, but its based on an existing system within D&D.