THE WIZARD
“Remember this: knowledge is power, to be all knowing is to be all powerful.”
Being all about book learning, the wizard has a spellbook out of which he can prepare a small number of spells, then cast them to his heart's content. Given time, he can sit down and memorise different spells, but that isn't happening in the middle of a fight. Wizard spells are useful in a lot of circumstances, and run the gamut from illusions to creating undead to creating objects to blasting people with fire. Almost all wizards choose an area of magic for specialisation – they lose the ability to cast certain types of spells, but their specialist school is a whole lot better as a result.
It was hard to decide on an acceptable number of spell slots. I was toying with the idea of "The Wizard has nine spell slots." where at level one it's 9/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-, at level three it's 5/4/-/-/-/-/-/-/-, and so on until at level seventeen it's 1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1. But that is completely out of whack at the early levels. I erred on the side of caution, but then let Intelligence add a certain amount - at early levels, it's giving you a better deal than before, but at later levels it isn't doing as much, but that's okay because you innately have more slots anyway.
The actual spell lists available won't just be "See: D&D 3Ed". They can't be that. Instead I'll take a bunch of spells of each School at each level that I think work pretty well, maybe make adjustments if necessary. Spells that can be cast every round (and also swapped out when they're not relevant) without that causing problems. With the implication that people can dig through splat books and find other spells that probably also work.
Hit Points Per Level: 2 + Constitution Modifier (x4 at level 1)
BAB: Poor
Saves: Good Will
Skill Points Per Level: 2 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at level 1)
Class Skills: Alchemy, Craft, Decipher Script, Gather Information, Heal, Lore, Ride
Weapon Proficiencies: Club, Sling, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbow, Dagger
Armour Proficiencies: Cloth Armour
Level | Special | Spell Slots
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1 | Specialisation, Familiar | 1 First Level
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2 | Arcane Crafting | 1 Specialist
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3 | Second Level Spells | 1 Second Level
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4 | Lesser Specialist Arts | -
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5 | Third Level Spells | 1 Third Level
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6 | Vatic Gaze | -
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7 | Fourth Level Spells | 1 Fourth Level
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8 | Accomplished Specialist Arts | 1 Specialist
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9 | Fifth Level Spells | 1 Fifth Level
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10 | Named Spell | 1 Named Spell
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11 | Sixth Level Spells | 1 Sixth Level
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12 | Improved Specialist Arts | -
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13 | Seventh Level Spells | 1 Seventh Level
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14 | Familial Link | 1 Specialist
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15 | Eighth Level Spells | 1 Eighth Level
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16 | Greater Specialist Arts | -
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17 | Ninth Level Spells | 1 Ninth Level
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18 | Named Spell | 1 Named Spell
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19 | Contingency | 1 Contingency
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20 | Transcendent Specialist Arts | 1 Specialist
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Spell Casting: the Wizard casts arcane spells. He may know as many spells as he likes, but he can only fill his memory with a certain amount at any given moment. The Wizard begins play knowing three spells of first level, and gains another two known per level. The spells gained at a given level must be of a level he can cast. At any time, a Wizard may add a scroll to his spellbook (preventing it from being used as a scroll) or spend one hour copying a spell into his spellbook, providing it is a spell he is able to learn.
Any time he is not under pressure, the Wizard can sit down and memorise spells, preparing them from his spellbook. Each spell requires a number of minutes of concentration equal to its spell level, and fills a spell slot of the relevant level. When a spell is memorised, he may cast it at will. If a spell requires or allows a saving throw, the Save DC is 10 + half his level + his Intelligence Bonus.
To begin with, the Wizard only has one spell slot, and he slowly gains more, to a maximum of twelve (or sixteen for specialists) at level twenty. However, he gains a number of bonus spell slots, with the combined level equalling his Intelligence Bonus. As such, a first level Wizard with an Intelligence of 16 (+3 Bonus) would be able to prepare three extra spells of first level, but a third level Wizard with 16 Intelligence would be able to prepare the same bonus spells, or instead one first level and one second level spell.
Specialisation (Su): at first level, the Wizard may elect to Specialise. Specialising carries a drawback in that certain types of spell are completely blocked off, unable to be cast, but the benefits are many. If a Wizard specialises, he selects one of the Schools of Magic: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation. That is his specialist school, and for that he learns one additional spell per level of that school. Additionally, at level two, and every six levels beyond that, he gains an extra spell slot that may hold a spell of any level in his Specialist School.
Finally, he gains a number of abilities as he gains levels –
Specialist Arts.
The downside is that you must select two other Schools. They are banned to you, and you are unable to learn, memorise or cast spells from those Schools. You cannot even cast them from scrolls, wands or staves without using the Use Magic Device skill.
If a Wizard chooses not to Specialise, he is a
Generalist. He does not gain the extra spells known, nor the spell slots, but does not have to ban any schools. Additionally, although he is not a Specialist, he does gain something at the levels where he would normally gain Specialist Arts.
Familiar (Su): the Wizard is able to summon a familiar. This is a ritual that requires one hour of uninterrupted concentration and 10 GP worth of ingredients. The animal then reaches the Wizard and forms a bond with him. The Wizard may at any time use a Full Round Action to dismiss the familiar, severing the link and releasing it without harm. If the familiar is slain, the Wizard is Dazed for one round from the recoil. He may summon a new one the next time the sun rises.
The familiar can be any Tiny Animal or Vermin, providing it is a single creature and not a Swarm. From that point on, it can use the Wizard's Base Attack Bonus and Base Saving Throw Bonuses if they are better than its own, and it has half as many maximum hit points as the Wizard (unless it normally has more). It also benefits from all the skills the Wizard possesses, and provides him with a +3 Bonus on any one skill in which the normal animal normally has one or more ranks or a Racial Bonus.
Finally, any time the Wizard casts a spell on himself, he can choose for it to also affect his familiar if he wishes.
Arcane Crafting (Su): beginning at second level, the Wizard is able to channel magic into crafting more grandiose devices. He may enhance weapons, armour, shields, jewellery, clothing and similar devices with magical ability. Doing so requires having the base item in question and casting the required spells for the recipe. It also requires a specific amount of materials be used (Minor Magic Items: 2,000 GP, Moderate Items: 8,000 GP, Major Items: 32,000 GP), often also requiring a specific planar currency for more powerful things. Also, the enchanting process requires a lot of concentration with brief periods of spellcasting – each day of crafting requires twelve uninterrupted hours, meaning you're unlikely to get much else done that day. A Minor item requires four days of crafting, a Moderate item requires sixteen days, and a Major Item requires sixty four days (so a bit more than two months).
Lesser Specialist Arts (Su): at level four, the Wizard gains the first of the arts for their School of Specialisation.
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Abjuration: whenever the Abjurer casts an Abjuration spell, he gains Energy Resistance equal to his level against one energy type until the start of his next turn.
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Conjuration: whenever the Conjurer casts a Conjuration spell, he may either
Teleport up to 30 feet away as part of the casting or, when summoning a creature, grant the creature Temporary HP equal to his level.
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Divination: when the Diviner casts a Divination spell to gain information about a creature, he is also prepared for any imminent actions taken by the target: until the beginning of his next turn, he gains a bonus to Armour Class and Saving Throws against that target equal to his Intelligence Bonus.
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Enchantment: whenever somebody successfully saves against an Enchantment cast by the Enchanter, they take a penalty on Will Saves equal to the Enchanter's Intelligence Bonus until the end of his next turn.
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Evocation: whenever the Evoker casts an Evocation spell that generates a Line or Bolt, he may “bounce” the effect off surfaces it hits, either rebounding straight back or with the angle of incidence equalling the angle of refraction. If it passes through someone's area twice, they are hit twice. When casting an Evocation that generates a Cone or Burst, if the area is too small to hold the spell effect, it “squeezes” out further – every square it would normally affect but cannot due to walls or other obstructions is added to an adjacent square to the edge of the blast.
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Illusion: whenever the Illusionist casts an Illusion that is only partly real, the amount of “realness” improves by twenty percent (such as going from 40% real to 60% real).
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Necromancy: whenever the Necromancer casts a Necromancy spell that damages someone, or one of his summoned or created Undead damages someone, he regains lost hit points equal to his level.
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Transmutation: whenever the Transmuter casts a Transmutation spell on himself, he gains Damage Reduction 5/- and Temporary Hit Points equal to his level, both for the duration of the effect.
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Generalisation: the Generalist Wizard may use an Immediate Action to apply any of his own [Meta-Magic] Feats to a spell cast by anyone else within 30 feet. The spell must be valid for that Feat, and it must be a low enough level to be affected as normal.
Vatic Gaze (Su): starting at level six, the Wizard constantly sees and understands magic. He has a constant
Detect Magic effect running, even if he has banned Divination, and if he focuses on a magic item for a full minute, he can attempt to
Identify it.
Accomplished Specialist Arts (Sp): at level eight, the Wizard's skill in his School of Specialision grants him another art.
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Abjuration: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Abjurer may use an Immediate Action to surround himself with a ward, granting him Spell Resistance equal to his level + 11 until the beginning of his next turn.
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Conjuration: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Conjurer may use an Immediate Action to
Teleport up to 30 feet away. If this removes him from the range or area of effect of an attack, he is unaffected.
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Divination: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Diviner may use a Swift Action to gain insight into an incoming attack. The first attack against him until the start of his next turn suffers a penalty to the Attack roll or Save DC equal to his Intelligence Bonus.
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Enchantment: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Enchanter may use an Immediate Action to attempt to sway the mind of an attacker. If the attacker is not immune to [Mind-Affecting] effects, they are unable to target him on that turn.
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Evocation: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Evoker can use an Immediate Action to disrupt the actions of another. He makes a Ranged Touch Attack out to Close Range (25' plus 5' per 2 levels), and if it hits, the target suffers untyped damage equal to his hit dice and suffers a penalty equal to his Intelligence Bonus on any rolls made as part of that action, as well as on any Save DC for their effects.
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Illusion: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Illusionist can instantly create a single
Mirror Image, lasting until it is hit or until the beginning of his next turn. Any incoming attacks that hit him have a 50% chance of merely hitting the Image instead, destroying it.
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Necromancy: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Necromancer can use an Immediate Action to divert an incoming targeted attack or effect to an adjacent controlled Undead creature. The attack or effect is resolved against the Undead instead of him.
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Transmutation: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Transmuter may use an Immediate Action to change his Type or gain a Subtype until the beginning of his next turn, such as becoming an Ooze to negate a Sneak Attack or gaining the [Cold] Subtype to be immune to a Cone of Cold.
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Generalisation: a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence Bonus, the Generalist may use an Immediate Action to weaken someone else's spell. If the caster is within Close Range (25' + 5' per 2 levels), he may reduce the Caster Level or Save DC by an amount equal to his Intelligence Bonus, or halve the Range, Area of Effect, Damage or Duration.
Named Spell: at level ten, the Wizard develops the first of his own unique spells. From this point on, he may research others, however unlike the one gained at tenth level, they require a lot of time – twelve hours per day for one month per Spell Level. He gains an extra Spell Slot which can only be used to memorise one of his Named Spells. At level eighteen, he instantly develops another Named Spell and gains another Named Spell Slot.
A Named Spell is typically unique to that caster. If he is a Specialist, it is always from his Specialist School. He can choose a spell of at least one level lower, from any other School (even a Banned one) and convert it to his own, given some justification, or could in some way increase the power of a lower level Spell – a Necromancer might take a second-level spell and add the condition that anything slain rises as a Skeleton under his control, and call that a fifth-level spell, for instance, or a third level spell that usually only affects one target might be changed to affect one target per level as a fifth-level version. Entirely new spells can also be invented, doing new things, but this requires discussion with Mister Cavern to decide what is appropriate, keeping in mind that some effects just aren't okay as things you can do every round at will.
Improved Specialist Arts (Sp): at level twelve, the Wizard develops a new, greater art in his School of Specialisation.
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Abjuration: whenever the Abjurer casts an Abjuration spell, he remains protected from magic for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell he cast. For the duration, he has Spell Resistance of his level + 8.
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Conjuration: whenever the Conjurer casts a Conjuration spell, he may also surround himself in a conjured miasma for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell he cast. For the duration, he has a 20% Miss Chance against all attacks from attacks other than those from adjacent foes.
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Divination: whenever the Diviner casts a Divination spell, he gains insight for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell he cast. For the duration, he has a bonus on attack rolls equal to the Spell Level.
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Enchantment: whenever the Enchanter casts an Enchantment spell, others find him to be more personable. For a number of rounds equal to the Spell Level, he adds his Intelligence Bonus to Diplomacy checks, and anybody trying to attack him must first pass a Will Save against a [Mind-Affecting] effect, otherwise they are simply unable to and waste their action.
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Evocation: whenever the Evoker casts an Evocation spell, he becomes wreathed in energy for a number of rounds equal to the Spell Level. For the duration, he gains Energy Resistance equal to his level plus Intelligence Bonus against one type of energy – if the spell had an Energy descriptor, it must match that – and anyone who strikes him with a natural weapon or non-reach melee weapon suffers 1d6 damage of that type.
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Illusion: whenever the Illusionist casts an Illusion spell, a subtle magic covers him. Until the end of his next turn, he has the
Hide in Plain Sight ability, and all of his spells are Stilled and Silenced.
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Necromancy: whenever the Necromancer casts a Necromancy spell, dread and unlife cling to him. For a number of rounds equal to the Spell Level, he gains Temporary Hit Points equal to his level (these do not stack) and may add his Intelligence Bonus to Intimidate checks.
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Transmutation: whenever the Transmuter casts a Transmutation spell, his form becomes less stable for a number of rounds equal to the Spell Level. For the duration, he has a 50% chance to negate any Critical Hit, reducing it to regular damage, and if the spell was one that changed his form and had a number of options, he may use a Swift Action to change the options.
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Generalisation: whenever somebody within Close Range (25' + 5' per 2 levels) casts a spell the Generalist knows but has not Prepared, the Generalist may use an Immediate Action to swap a spell out and instantly Prepare the spell that was cast. The Spell Slot must be of a high enough level.
Familial Link: at level fourteen, the Wizard may cast his prepared spells through his familiar. Although he is still required to spend the required actions, he can treat the familiar as the point of origin, allowing him to cast spells around corners (or from miles away if he trusts his creature to survive that far from him). Additionally, he is in constant Telepathic communication with his familiar, and can
Scry on it at any time with a Full Round Action.
Greater Specialist Arts (Sp): at level sixteen, the Wizard develops yet another art that encapsulates his School of Specialisation.
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Abjuration: x
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Conjuration: x
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Divination: x
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Enchantment: x
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Evocation: x
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Illusion: x
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Necromancy: x
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Transmutation: x
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Generalisation: x
Contingency: at level nineteen, the Wizard learns the special universal spell
Contingency. When this is prepared, he must select another spell he knows, and prepares it as a
Contingency of that spell. He then specifies the circumstances in which it is automatically cast on his behalf – such as “Contingency: cast
Freedom of Movement if grappled” or “Contingency: cast
Greater Teleport if reduced below 10% hit points”. The spell will then cast itself when the conditions are met, emptying the contingency slot such that he needs to prepare it again.
Transcendent Specialist Arts (Sp): at level twenty, the Wizard is the master of his School of Specialisation, and quite possibly the best in the world. He learns the final art of his School.
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Abjuration: x
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Conjuration: x
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Divination: x
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Enchantment: x
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Evocation: x
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Illusion: x
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Necromancy: x
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Transmutation: x
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Generalisation: x