Mage (Based on Sorcerer)
Most mages in Thedas belong to the Circle of Magi. As such, they are taken from their families while still children, and highborn children who are able to use magic will lose all claims to their family's estates and titles when they are taken to the Circle. This helps to create a bond stronger than social class or race, since everybody in the Circle is raised and taught the same way.
All mages undergo a process of having their blood taken while apprentices and placed in a Phylactery. This ensures the mages' compliance as well as the ability to track down any mage who decides to run away, since a Templar can track anyone through their blood.
Some mages manage to escape the notice of the Chantry and the Circle, and grow up without the training that those who are taken from their families will have. Any mage not a part of the Circle is considered to be an apostate, and will be hunted by templars if discovered.
Some groups, such as the Dalish, are, for all intents and purposes, outside of the jurisdiction of the Chantry and the Circle, and will carry on their own magical traditions. A Dalish Keeper has considerably different training than a Circle Mage, as their tradition is supposedly based on the old elven magics. A Keeper typically has a First, the Dalish term for an apprentice.
Another example of an extra-traditional mage organization are the Witches of the Wilds, to which Flemeth and Morrigan belong.
In Thedas, magic is a natural phenomenon like air pressure, gravity, inertia, or anything else. Some people are born with the ability to interact, control, and shape it.
Magic originates from the Fade, the realm where Spirits dwell and humans and elves visit when they dream. As such, using it can draw the attention of the beings on the other side of the Veil, leading to an increased risk of demonic possession. A possessed mage becomes a distortion of their former self, a twisted monster known as an Abomination.
What a mage is able to do with magic in Thedas is somewhat limited when compared to other fantasy worlds, namely those used by Dungeons and Dragons. Interdimensional travel (discounting interaction with the Fade) and teleportation are non-existent although occasionally attempted, and the average person will rarely ever see any true example of magical power.
Mages are, however, capable of manipulating the basic elements, such as conjuring gouts of flame and small localized ice and electrical storms. There are also spells that allow for the temporary reanimation of corpses and the draining of an opponent's life-force.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Wealth: 2d6 × 10 gp (average 70 gp)
Class Skills: The mage's class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
BAB: Poor
Fort Save: Poor
Ref Save: Poor
Will Save: Good
Spell Casting: See below
Mana/Spellpoints are used in place of traditional daily spell slots. As SRD ruling, you can find the full variant here:
www.d20srd.org/srd/var...Points.htm
Level 1
Mage's Staff:
Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp)
At 1st level, a mage forms a powerful bond with a staff and begins play with one at no cost. The staff acquired at 1st level is not made of any special material but is masterwork. The staff must be wieldied to grant any of its bonuses.
A staff can be used to cast any cantrip spells the mage can cast without costing mana. Without the staff cantrips cost mana as if they were 1st level spells.
The magic properties of a staff only functions for the mage who bonds with it.
If a staff is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the mage prepares his mana. Bonding with a new staff takes a 1 hour ritual.
Eschew Materials Bonus Feat
Cantrips (Also see Mage's Staff)
Spells:
Spells Known: As Sorcerer, with Bonus Spells for High INT
Mana/Spellpoints: As Sorcerer, with Bonus for High CHA
Bloodlines:
These are more representative of study, than power in the blood, but in some cases (such as Dragons) this may be more the case. They function as normal with the exception of Arcane Bloodline and Spirit Healer (noted in above post) as noted.
From PHB:
Arcane
Destined
Dragonic
Elemental
Frost
Infernal (Is Forbidden, and many are termed Blood Mages that use this style.)
Undead
From APG:
Boreal
Deep Earth
Dreamspun
Protean
Stormborn
Verdant (Dalish Keeper)
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Arcane Bloodline - Mage Specilization
Arcane Bond (Su): At 1st level, you gain a greater bonus with your staff, and when you have your staff in hand it can channel mana for the casting of spells. Mana used from the staff can not be combined with a Mage's normal mana reserve, and must be used alone. The mana in a staff recharges once a day when the mage rests and refreshes his bond with the staff and regain his own mana normally.
The staff contains the following bonus mana:
Mage Lvl (Mana Bonus)
1-2 (1)
3-4 (2)
5-6 (2)
7-8 (3)
9-10 (3)
11-12 (4)
13-14 (4)
15-16 (5)
17-18 (5)
19-20 (6)