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So I had this idea to run a Pathfinder game with a "Science Hero" spin on it. The big thing will be to figure out how to make the magic using classes still viable. Magic items will still be available, just with a "gadgety" re-flavoring.
NO CHANGE
- Alchemist, Barbarian, Cavalier, Fighter, Gunslinger, Monk, Rogue
CHANGE or RE-FLAVOR
Bard - Archeologist
Magus - Bladebound (the power all comes from the blade)
Paladin - Warrior of the Holy Light
Ranger - Skirmisher or Trapper
Summoner - "dimensional science"
Cleric -
Druid -
Inquisitor -
Oracle -
Sorcerer -
Witch -
Wizard -
druid-Biologist
Witch-psuedo-science
Cleric-embodies a type of science(elemental, dimensional, etc.)
Wizard-Science.
Sorcerer-mutations
Oracle-Vessel of a extra-dimensional being
Inquisitor-same role as rangher but going more for aberrant creatures and mad science gone wrong.
What is magic but a science we have not mastered yet? I say run it like they do in CoC. A Druid/Biologist 'spells' come from their mastery of biological science that allows them to mutate their body and things they require including their plant based spells.
Wizards are scientist dealing with the field of pseudo-science dealing with the taboo arts. Transmutation is just that, using nanites to alter matter and samew goes for necromancy.
Sorcerer-Mutant, their 'magic' is powers they have studied.
Clerics and Oracles spells come from possession
i think advanced nanites can pretty much cover arcane magic, with intelligence casters intentionally injecting and learning to use them and charisma casters being born with them in their systems and having a more instinctual element to their control. advanced extraterrestrials could explain divine magic as a more advanced form of nanites, but ones you have to be granted permission for control.
But how do you explain spellcasting in a Science Hero setting? That's my issue at the moment.
All detection spells require a component of "scanning device." Magic missile and similar spells are like star trek phazers. Fireball and similar spells are grenades. All ray or ranged touch attack spells are ray guns.
Just make every spell have some sort of device component, and it works out. For example, in Golarian, there's a country with a lot of high tech stuff (Numeria), and Paizo suggests that we just treat any high device device as rules equivalent to a magic item or spell effect.