Hedge Mage (-ry) Feats

[Westhart]

Inspired by RoC's cantrips, and rferries recent spells, here it is!

Tricks of the Road
Constantly traveling in a land where it seems everyone can weave at least the basics of magic has its benefits.
Prerequisites: Cha, Wis, or Int 12
Benefits: You can cast a 0th level spell 3 times per day, and a 1st level spell once per day. Choose one of the following classes: Favored Soul, Bard or Sorcerer. You know 3 cantrips from your chosen spell list and 1 first level from your chosen spell list. You cast as the class you chose (but I made them all spontaneous on purpose... so yeah :P). Your caster level for your 0 and 1st level spells equals you CL
Special: When you take this feat you must choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. this is your casting stat you use for DC's.

Minor Hedge Mage
There are those who always hunger for more power, then there is you. Guess who's getting slain by the next goody two shoes adventuring party?
Prerequisites: Ability to cast at least 1st level spells.
Benefits: You add all cantrips (or orisons) on your spell list to your spells known and you gain bonus cantrips per day equal to double the first level bonus spells you would get from having a high ability score.

Hedge Mage
You have refined your smaller spells, an you are now capable of mighty small magics that most would find surprising.
Prerequisites: Minor Hedge Mage, Primary Casting Stat 14*
Benefits: You can cast your cantrips at will, however you do not learn the secrets of bending reality, and remove wish (along with limited wish, ad miracle if applicable) from your spell list and may never cast it from a spellcasting class. (Items still work etc).
*Charisma for bards/sor, Int for wizards, Wisdom for clerics/druids etc.
Design Notes: Was thinking saying they lose one slot from their highest level they can cast, but felt that cutting wish out worked, that way I can still get greater scrying on a druid with these... For the visual looking into a pool of water effect more then utility of course ^^. If it is preferred I can change it to that.

Major Hedge Mage
You have mastered Ultimate POWER! the tiny things.
Prerequisites: Minor Hedge Mage, Hedge Mage, Primary Casting Stat 16*
Benefits: You now add all orisons/cantrips to your spells known, regardless of what spell list they appear on, and you can use your first level spells at will. However the more advanced art of changing your shape is lost to you, and you lose the ability to cast polymorph effects above 3rd level.
Design Note: Is the penalty too harsh?
*Charisma for bards/sor, Int for wizards, Wisdom for clerics/druids etc.

Lord of the Hedges
Behold! I have gone where no mortal dared bothered going!
Prerequisites: Minor Hedge Mage, Hedge Mage, Major hedge Mage, Primary Casting Stat 18*
Benefits:
Your 0th- and 1st-level spells are now treated as supernatural abilities (and therefore cannot be counterspelled or dispelled).

All 1st-level spells are considered spells known for you (and you can thereforeuse them at will as spell-like abilities).

You can cast your 2nd-level spells known at will as spell-like abilities.

Your caster level for spells of 4th-level or lower increases to equal your character level, however you caster level or spells of 5th level and above now have their caster level reduced by 4.

Special: Your focus has lost you some of your higher powers, reducing the number of higher-level spells that you can cast each day. You lose one 6th-level, one 7th-level, two 8th-level, and two 9th-level spell slots each day (assuming you had spell slots of those levels available).

Design Note: If you use metamagic the spells will still be increased in level, thus they are no longer Su... Barring metamagic of +1 (for 0th level) or +0 and metamagic reducers. I really believe I went too Harsh on the penalty for this one... maybe 2 of your highest?

Overall
Spells at will: 0th, 1st, 2nd
All spells added: 0th, 1st
Cantrips treated as Su abilities
Spell Levels Lost: 6th -1, 7th -1, 8th -2, 9th -2, total spell slots lost: 6
Spells Lost: Limited Wish, Wish, Miracle, Polymorph affects above 3rd level.
Casts 0-4 spells at character level, cast 5th+ at -4 caster level.

How this would work with noncasters, using a human fighter as our example, with a Cha of 18.
L1- Tricks of the trade, Minor Hedge Mage,
In this example the fighter chose bard casting, he knows all bard cantrips, and may cast them 3+(bonus spells from cha) times per day. In addition he can cast one first level spell each day.
L3-Hedge Mage
He can now use his cantrips at will
L6-Major Hedge Mage
Adds all orisons/cantrips to his spells known, and he can cast his 1 first level spell at will XD
L9: Lord of the hedges
He treats his cantrips as Su, all first level spells known now, he gains no benefit from 2nd levels spells as he has none.
If not using a human, you can go as early as 12th. Keep in mind that they are also sacrificing all other abilities...
I plan on making a hedge mage base class (using bard progression), but then I have to throw together a spell list (blech)

[rferries]

It gets a bit complex, would there be an easier way to write it (especially for the higher feats)? However it's an absolutely awesome character concept - would make for a great NPC out in the sticks or really help non-casters. The flavour text is all great too. :)

[Westhart]

It gets a bit complex, would there be an easier way to write it (especially for the higher feats)? However it's an absolutely awesome character concept - would make for a great NPC out in the sticks or really help non-casters. The flavour text is all great too. :)

Thanks! How would you streamline it?

[rferries]

Thanks! How would you streamline it?

I'm not quite sure - maybe make it so you simply can't cast spells of 6th-level and above (so that casters can't "double-dip" with their own casting and these feats)? I've recently had a heated discussion in the other thread about the power of at-will SLAs; if they're available at early levels (as with your feats) there may be a need for harsher penalties.

Then again, maybe not! :D A simple rewrite may be enough, e.g. for Lord:

Lord of the Hedges
Behold! I have gone where no mortal dared bothered going!

Prerequisites
Minor Hedge Mage, Hedge Mage, Major hedge Mage, Primary Casting Stat 18*

Benefits
Your 0th- and 1st-level spells are now treated as supernatural abilities (and therefore cannot be counterspelled or dispelled).

All 1st-level spells are considered spells known for you (and you can thereforeuse them at will as spell-like abilities).

You can cast your 2nd-level spells known at will as spell-like abilities.

Your caster level for spells of 5th-level or lower increases to equal your character level.

Special
Your focus has lost you some of your higher powers, reducing the number of higher-level spells that you can cast each day. You lose one 6th-level, one 7th-level, two 8th-level, and two 9th-level spell slots each day (assuming you had spell slots of those levels available).

There's actually a lot going on in these feats, haha!

[Westhart]

I'm not quite sure - maybe make it so you simply can't cast spells of 6th-level and above (so that casters can't "double-dip" with their own casting and these feats)? I've recently had a heated discussion in the other thread about the power of at-will SLAs; if they're available at early levels (as with your feats) there may be a need for harsher penalties.

No way, really? :P

Then again, maybe not! :D A simple rewrite may be enough, e.g. for Lord:
[snip]
There's actually a lot going on in these feats, haha!

Hmm, your rewrite is more powerful, as normally my feats affect 0-2nd level not 5th... and yours are spells, whereas mine are feats (more costly IMO), Hmm, I think I'll use that but cap it at 4th, that way their best spells are penalized.

Edit: Edited the lord, and am going to look at the others now.

[rferries]

No way, really? :P


Hmm, your rewrite is more powerful, as normally my feats affect 0-2nd level not 5th... and yours are spells, whereas mine are feats (more costly IMO), Hmm, I think I'll use that but cap it at 4th, that way their best spells are penalized.

Edit: Edited the lord, and am going to look at the others now.

Wait wait, I may have misread it then - the rewrite was just meant to be for grammar, not changing any of your mechanics. Ignore any changes! :)

[Westhart]

Wait wait, I may have misread it then - the rewrite was just meant to be for grammar, not changing any of your mechanics. Ignore any changes! :)

Meh, the only change with it now is "Your caster level for spells of 4th-level or lower increases to equal your character level, however you caster level or spells of 5th level and above now have their caster level reduced by 4."

[Aniikinis]

I honestly love these feats, they make the Gish-type actually passable as a character archetype. That being said, I think the penalties are fine: losing power on high spells and broken spells in exchange for At-wills of alright buff spells and useful simple spells is very reasonable.

[Westhart]

I honestly love these feats, they make the Gish-type actually passable as a character archetype. That being said, I think the penalties are fine: losing power on high spells and broken spells in exchange for At-wills of alright buff spells and useful simple spells is very reasonable.

Thanks!
Yes, if I can get the PrC contest up and running smoothly I intend on posting my Hedge Mage class... think witch/bard/sorceror/fighter type gish class... May be interesting... I have not started it yet honestly

[Aniikinis]

Hedge Mage class... think witch/bard/sorceror/fighter type gish class... May be interesting... I have not started it yet honestly

I'm not gonna lie, I'm gonna be expecting something. It might not be grand(probably be T2-3 at most), but it will definitely be really good to see.

[Westhart]

I'm not gonna lie, I'm gonna be expecting something. It might not be grand(probably be T2-3 at most), but it will definitely be really good to see.

Well, I'll try not to disappoint!