Weather Mage
"The elements marshal their infinite might at my beckoning! Power seethes in the roiling clouds! Now, at my command -- STRIKE!"
Ororo Munroe, Weather Mage
The sunny spring day gives way as thunder rumbles loud overhead, fingers of cloud spreading across the sky and thickening, blotting out the bright light beyond. A soft sprinkle starts and grows quickly, becoming a torrential downpour in seconds. A chill wind whips at clothes and banners as the rain turns to sleet and hail, lightning crashing and booming in the clouds.
The orcs and goblins cowered and shook, as the woman they thought frail and vulnerable rises into the sky, arms outstretched, laughing. A clap of thunder and flash of light, and what was glowering goblinoids only moments ago was now scorched earth and smoking grass.
A weather mage channels some of the most powerful and frightening energies known to most inhabitants of the mortal planes--the weather above every commoner and king's heads.
Role: The weather mage controls primal forces which may be used to blast enemies with electricity, pelt them with ice, douse even the most powerful flames, raise or lower the ambient temperature around them, and change others' attitudes so subtly they may not even realize they're being manipulated. Weather mages blast, control the battlefield, and can act as the party face as they change the weather to their interests and needs.
d8 HD
Poor BAB (1/2 HD)
Good Ref
2+Int skills
Class skills: Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Fly, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nature), Sense Motive, Survival
| Level | Special
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| 1 | Weather's Might, Subtle Manipulation
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| 2 | Calling the Wind
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| 3 | Weather's Might, Blinding Rain
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| 4 | Weather Sphere (Basic)
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| 5 | Pushing the Wind
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| 6 | Weather's Might, Dragging Snow
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| 7 | Greater Subtle Manipulation, Weather Sphere (Advanced)
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| 8 | Driving the Wind
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| 9 | Rising Winds, Weather's Might
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| 10 | Altered Weather Arcana, Veiling Fog
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| 11 | Enraging the Winds
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| 12 | Hail, Sleet and Snow
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| 13 | -
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| 14 | Command the Frenzied Winds
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| 15 | Thunderstorm
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| 16 | Weather Sphere (Expert)
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| 17 | -
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| 18 | Masterful Manipulation
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| 19 | Tornado
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| 20 | Call the Mythic Storm
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Weapon and Armour proficiencies: The Weather Mage primarily fights via their Weather's Might ability, as such, they generally do not--as a whole--focus on weapons training. Weather Mages are proficient in simple weapons. They are proficient in only light armour, and typically wear robes and cloaks over such armour that can whip and billow impressively in their summoned winds.
Weather's Might (Ex.): A weather mage's primary weapon is their ability to channel the pure energies of the storm. A 1st level Weather Mage chooses one of the attacks below. At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, they may choose another. These are standard actions which may be used in a full attack, unless otherwise noted. All Weather's Might abilities deal an additional die of damage per two levels beyond 2nd and operate out to Close range unless otherwise noted.
- Lightning Strike: The weather mage throws a bolt of electricity at their enemies. This is a ranged touch attack which deals 1d8 electric damage.
- Whipping Winds: A blast of skin flensing winds washes over the target, dealing 1d10 slashing damage as a ranged attack.
- Hail Blast: The weather mage condenses droplets of water in the air around their hands while making the temperature plummet in that same small space, then sends chunks and shards of ice flying forth in a 10' cone which deals 1d6 cold to all targets within the area, Ref save for half. This is a standard action, but cannot be made as part of a full attack.
The cone length increases to 15' at fifth, 20' at tenth, 45' at 15th and 60' at 20th level.
- Thunder Clap: The weather mage manipulates the air around them much as they would to summon lightning, but instead of the energy manifesting as electricity, it is stifled to produce only a booming clap of thunder around them. A thunder clap is a full round action, and deals 1d6 sonic damage in a burst centered on the weather mage with a radius of 5 feet per 2 class levels.
Subtle Manipulation (Ex.): Weather plays an important role in people's moods and perceptions. A cool, sunny day brings many a good mood, while beating, oppressive heat or a miserable rainy day can drive many miserable, and a properly timed crack of thunder can make any threat carry more weight. As such, a weather mage gains a +2 morale bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks so long as they are not underground. While individuals often have different preferences, a weather mage can generally determine what would create the desired change in mood unless the target is truly alien. As a side benefit, a weather mage may also cause an already present sun to shine brightly through cloud cover, dazzling creatures sensitive to sunlight.
Calling the Wind (Ex.): One of the most potent tools at a weather mage's command is wind. It can be both weapon and shield, and, with experience, even allow the mage to fly. A 2nd level weather mage can, as a Move action, create a Strong Wind out to 5' around themselves, resulting in ranged attacks against them and flying checks made by enemies within 5' of them suffering a -2 penalty. Tiny creatures are Checked and need to make a DC 10 (20 if flying) strength check to move into a square adjacent to the weather mage. A weather mage may also reduce winds within 5' of themselves by one category (Tornado->Hurricane->Windstorm->Severe->Strong->Moderate->Light), and never suffers the penalties of their own created Wind or weather effects.
Blinding Rain (Ex.): A third level weather mage may, as a full range action, call rain within Close range radius, centered on them. This rain is completely mundane, save that it is under the control of the weather mage. It reduces visibility ranges by half, resulting in a –4 penalty on Perception (Spot) checks and ranged attacks, and it has a 50% chance of extinguishing unprotected flames. (If a weather mage wishes, they may call bright sunlight from an already present sun instead, which inflicts only the Perception/Spot penalty.)
Weather Sphere (Sp): A fourth level weather mage gains limited access to a small, but growing, suite of weather powers.
Weather
Granted Ability: Weather you do not create or control is one step less severe if you or your actions against enemies would be penalized and one step more severe when you or your actions against enemies would benefit (ie, natural Windstorms are treated as Severe Wind for you, fog grants you you total concealment from your enemies but your enemies receive no concealment against you, etc.). Modifiers which do not have steps are doubled if beneficial to you, and halved if not (ie, Rain conveys a -2 penalty to your Perception (Spot/Listen) checks, and a -8 penalty to enemies' Perception (Spot/Listen) checks against you, snow does not increase the cost for you to move through terrain, etc.)
1: Obscuring Mist
3: Gust of Wind
5: Sleet Storm
7: Ice Storm
9: Call Lightning Storm
11: Control Winds
13: Sirocco (APG)
15: Scouring Winds
17: Control Weather (the user may call weather regardless of season)
19: Sunburst
Pushing the Wind (Ex.): The weather mage may create a Strong Wind out to Close range (-2 penalty to ranged attacks and Fly checks within a 25'+5'/2 levels radius, Tiny and smaller creatures are Checked and must make a DC 10 (20 if flying) strength check to move toward the weather mage). When using Calling the Wind, they may now create a Severe Wind (-4 to ranged attacks made against them and fly checks made within 5' of them by enemies, Small creatures are Checked and must make a DC 10--20 if flying--strength check to move into a square adjacent to them and Tiny and smaller adjacent creatures must make a DC 15 strength check or be knocked prone and Blown Away--directly back--1d4*10 feet, taking 1d4 nonlethal damage per 10', if the creature is flying, the DC is 25, it is blown back 2d6*10 feet and takes 2d6 nonlethal damage). The weather mage may, once per hour, also reduce winds within 5' of themselves by two categories (see Pushing the Wind) and within Close range by one category. Creating or reducing winds is a Move action.
Dragging Snow (Ex.): The weather mage may, as a full round action, call a snow fall out to Close range radius, centered on themselves. This snow is completely mundane, except that it is at the command of the weather mage, and accumulates quickly. The snow has the same effects as Blinding Rain, but also creates difficult terrain in the affected area as soon as it is called. The weather mage's Blinding Rain ability now affects a Medium range radius. A weather mage may dismiss weather they create as a free action.
Greater Subtle Manipulation (Ex.): At 7th level the weather mage's manipulations of mood through alteration of the weather grows more potent. The bonus granted to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks increases to +10.
Driving the Wind (Ex.): The weather mage may create a Windstorm in a 5' radius around themselves (Ranged attacks made against the weather mage automatically miss, redirected in a direction of the weather mage's choice out to one range increment of the weapon away from the mage--they may aim the attack at another target, in which case the attack is resolved as normal for being fired by it's original source. Siege weapon attacks made against the weather mage's square suffer a -4 penalty, and Medium creatures are Checked and creatures of Small size or below are Blown Away as per Pushing the Wind's Severe Wind), a Severe Wind out to Close range (-4 to ranged attacks and Fly checks, Small creatures are Checked, Tiny and smaller creatures are Blown Away), and a Strong Wind out to Medium range. The weather mage may also, once per hour, reduce winds within 5' of themselves by three categories (see Pushing the Wind), within Close range by two categories, and within Medium range by one category. Creating or reducing winds is a Move action.
Rising Winds (Ex.): A 9th level weather mage's power over the winds around themselves has become strong enough that they may now use the winds to fly. The weather mage gains a 60' (Good) fly speed.
Altered Weather Arcana: At 10th level, the weather mage fine tunes their control of the weather to allow more unusual effects. They choose one of the two abilities below, and gain the other at 13th level.
- Acid Rains The weather mage is a pragmatist, and learns to harness the effects of pollutants within the sky such as smoke and the various noxious fumes which pour from volcanoes into the sky. Any rain or water based effect used by the weather mage may, at their option, deal acid damage. If the effect does not deal damage already, it deals 1d6 acid damage per 2 class levels. They also gain a new Weather's Might attack called Acid Spray, which deals 1d6 acid damage per 2 class levels as a cone with range equal to that of their Hail Blast.
- Divine Fire The weather mage manipulates the air around a target like a veteran alchemist, creating just the right mix to react violently when an electric charge is introduced. At the weather mage's option, an electricity or lightning based ability deals fire damage instead of electricity.
Veiling Fog (Ex.): As a full round action, a 10th level weather mage may call fog out to Close range radius, centered on them. This is mundane fog, save that it is under the command of the weather mage. The fog obscures vision, including darkvision, beyond 5', granting creatures concealment against creatures more than 5' away. They may now call snow out to Medium range radius, and rain out to Long range radius.
Enraging the Winds (Ex.): The weather mage approaches the full might of the winds. An 11th level weather mage may create a Hurricane Wind in a 5' radius around themselves (Ranged attacks redirected as per Driving the Wind, Siege attacks made against her square suffer a -8 penalty, Large creatures which attempt to move adjacent to or attack the weather mage in melee are Checked and Medium and smaller adjacent or melee attacking creatures are Blown Away as per the Windstorm of Driving the Winds), a Windstorm out to Close range, a Severe Wind out to Medium range, and a Strong Wind out to Long range. The weather mage may also, once per hour, reduce winds within 5' of themselves by four categories (see Pushing the Wind), within Close range by three categories, within Medium range by two categories, and within Long range by one category. Creating or reducing winds is a Move action.
Hail, Sleet and Snow (Ex.): As a full round action, a 12th level weather mage may call heavy snowfall, sleet and hail out to Close range radius centered on themselves. Snow is identical to that called by Dragging Snow, save that it falls even more heavily, causing terrain to cost 4x normal to move through, has a 75% chance per round per source of extinguishing unprotected flames, and deals 1d4 cold damage per round to creatures and objects within the area. They may now call fog out to Medium range radius, and snow or rain out to Long range radius.
Command the Frenzied Wind (Ex.): At level 14, the weather mage's ability to call wind reaches it's greatest, most terrible potency. They may, as a Move action, create Tornado Winds in a 5' radius around themselves (Ranged and Siege attacks redirected as per Driving the Wind, Huge creatures are Checked, and Large or smaller creatures are Blown away as per the Hurricane Winds of Enraging Winds.
Thunderstorm (Ex.): Whenever a 15th level weather mage calls weather (through their Blinding Rain, Dragging Snow, Veiling Fog, Hail, Sleet and Snow, or Spell Like Abilities), they may call an accompanying Thunderstorm. This is a supernaturally vicious thunderstorm, striking targets of the weather mage's choice with one lightning bolt per round which deals 1d8 electric damage per two class levels (against targets in metal armour, increase damage to 1d10/2 class levels). These bolts do not cost any action from the weather mage. A level 15 weather mage may also call the weather from Hail, Sleet and Snow out to Medium range radius centered on themselves, and fog, snow or rain out to Long range radius.
Masterful Manipulation (Ex.): At 16th level, the weather mage's control over moods has grown to it's greatest height. The bonus from Subtle Manipulation increases to +15.
Tornado (Ex.): Whenever a 19th level weather mage calls weather (through their Blinding Rain, Dragging Snow, Veiling Fog, Hail, Sleet and Snow, or Spell Like Abilities), they may call an accompanying Tornado, centered on themselves. Unprotected flames under the weather's radius are automatically extinguished, ranged and siege attacks are impossible, as are sound-based Perception (Listen) checks. Instead of being blown away, characters in close proximity to a tornado who fail their Strength checks are sucked toward the tornado. Those who come in contact with the actual funnel cloud are picked up and whirled around for 1d10 rounds, taking 6d6 points of damage per round, before being violently expelled (falling damage might apply). While a tornado's rotational speed can be as great as 300 mph, the funnel itself moves forward at an average of 30 mph (roughly 250 feet per round). A tornado uproots trees, destroys buildings, and causes similar forms of major destruction. A weather mage is unharmed by their own Tornadoes. A 19th level weather mage can call the weather of Hail, Sleet and Snow, fog, snow or rain out to Long range radius.
Call the Mythic Storm (Ex.): Once per day per point of Cha mod, the weather mage may call a form of supernatural weather. This weather takes ten minutes to call and form, has a duration of Concentration plus 1 hour per cha modifier, and covers an area of 20 miles, centered on the weather mage. The weather mage may choose from the following supernatural storms when they use this ability:
Fall of Thorns: Spurs and thorns, as if from a large plant, fall from the sky. Creatures caught in the storm take 1d4 points of damage per round, unless under cover. Where the thorns and spurs strike the ground, they burrow into the soil and take root.
I'll put more work into this in a bit.
I'm going to call this pretty much complete. The capstone is basically the spell Evil Weather from BoVD once per
mumblemumbleundecided without a corruption cost.
Obviously it was written primarily for Pathfinder, but translates easily enough. I think there are probably some differences between PF's weather rules and D&D's, but the intent is pretty clear.
Let me know what's too powerful for the average competent PF group, or too weak (though I doubt that one), or came out completely incomprehensible due to scattered writing and an oncoming mysterious not-feeling-well-ness.
