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After a few months I am attempting to overhaul my Blaster base class trying to make it more generic - allowing for both Black and White Mages as well as Gray in between.
Role: Mages invoke raw magic to blast their enemies out of existence and devastate anything that opposes them.
Alignment: Any.
Base Attack Bonus: Low
Good Saving Throws: Will
Hit Dice: d6.
Class Skills: The mage’s class skills are Craft (Int), Knowledge [arcana] (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Mages with Intelligence selected as their primary ability score treat all Knowledge skills as class skills.
Mages with Wisdom selected as their primary ability score treat Perception and Survival as their class skills.
Mages with Charisma selected as their primary ability score treat Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive as their class skills.
Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier
Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Mages are proficient with simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of shield or armor.
Level.. Special
1......... Mage bolt (1 mana), mage order, mana mantle, mana pool
2......... Extra matrix
3......... Attunement (1st matrix)
4......... Extra matrix
5......... Mage bolt (2 mana)
6......... Extra matrix
7......... Attunement (2nd matrix)
8......... Extra matrix
9......... Mage bolt (3 mana)
10....... Extra matrix, mage-adept
11....... Attunement (3rd matrix)
12....... Extra matrix
13....... Mage bolt (4 mana)
14....... Extra matrix
15....... Mage-master
16....... Extra matrix
17....... Mage bolt (5 mana)
18....... Extra matrix
19.......
20....... Extra matrix, mage-lord
Class Features:
Mage Bolt (Su): Mages’ primary ability is projection of bolts of destructive energy. Mage bolt is a ranged touch attack with range of 100 feet with base damage of one die plus one additional die per two levels beyond first. The type of damage and damage die size is determined by the element matrix used. Using this ability provokes attacks of opportunity but cannot be disrupted by damage.
When the mage bolt is fired, mages have to pick one element matrix determining damage die, damage type and eventual saving throw. They can spend one mana point from their mana pool to add additional effects to the bolt, selected from the element matrix used, other compatibile matrices known and general shaping options. At 5th level mages gain ability to spend up to two mana points with one additional mana point per four class levels beyond 5th.
Mage Beam (1, 2 or 3 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a 30 feet (1 point), 60 feet (2 points) or 120 feet (3 points) line. Affected creatures that make a successful saving throw suffer half damage.
Mage Blast (2, 3 or 4 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a tiny bead that flies up to 100 feet and explodes into 20 feet radius burst. Three point version has 30 feet radius and four point version has 40 feet radius. Affected creatures that make a successful saving throw suffer half damage.
Mage Nova (1, 2 or 3 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a circular burst centered on the mage with the radius of 10 feet (1 point), 20 feet (2 points) or 30 feet (3 points). Affected creatures that make a successful saving throw suffer half damage. The mage may include or exclude oneself from the area of mage nova.
Mage Wave (1, 2 or 3 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a 15 feet (1 point), 30 feet (2 points) or 60 feet (3 points) cone-shaped burst.
The DC of any required save is equal to 10+1/2 the mage’s level+the mage’s primary ability bonus.
Mage Order: Each mage belongs to one of the orders—black, white, grey or possibly one of more exotic ones. The mage order determines starting known matrices.
Bonus class skill: Intimidate (Cha)
Special Abilities: Know Their Weakness—Black mages add half their level (minimum +1) to all Knowledge checks made to determine defensive abilities and weaknesses of their opponents and may make such checks untrained.
White Order: White order invokes power of raw magic to bolster and heal while retaining enough offensive power to crush and incapacitate its enemies.
Bonus class skill: Heal (Wis)
Special Abilities: Diagnosis—White mages add half their level (minimum +1) to Heal checks and to all Knowledge and Spellcraft checks made to diagnose aflictions, detrimental conditions or identify spells, items and abilities that cause them and may make such checks untrained.
Mana Pool: Each mage has a pool of raw magic energy used to power their abilities equal to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma bonus. At second level and every two levels thereafter mana pool increases by 1 point. Spent mana points are regained after eight hours of rest, although those hours don’t need to be consecutive.
At 1st level, mages have to select one of Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma as their primary ability score. Selected ability is used to calculate their mana pool, saving throw DCs and efficiency of other abilities.
Mana Mantle (Su): Mages can wave their magic into defensive ability as well as offensive. While conscious, mages have armor bonus to AC equal to the lower of their class level and their power ability bonus. This is a force effect. They also add lower of their class level and their power ability bonus to all damage inflicted, temporary hit points granted and healing provided by their mage bolt and its morphs.
Extra Matrix: Mages master one additional matrix at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter.
Attunement (Su): After reaching 3rd level, mages can attune to one of their matrices gaining its attunement effect. The attunement can be changed after eight hours of sleep while mana points are refreshed. At 7th and 11th level mages gain ability to attune to one additional matrix at the same time.
Mage-adept: At 10th level mages pick one of the following abilities:
Acolyte: The mage gains cohort as per the Leadership feat.
Bonded item: The mage gains bonded item using own class level in place of caster level. Instead of allowing casting of an extra spell it possess 2 mana points, replenishing each day, that can be used to power the mage’s abilities.
Combine elements: Grants the ability to combine two elmental matrices in single mage bolt. The effect uses lower damage dice, inflicts half damage of each type and allows using augmentations of both elements.
Familiar: The mage gains a regular familiar that has a 2 point mana pool or Improved Familiar feat. The mage uses own class level in place of wizard level and arcane caster level to determine abilities of the familiar and meeting prerequisites of feats. Mana points possesed by regular familiar can be used by its master while adjacent and replenish once per day.
Manacrafter: The mage learned secrets of creating mana-powered magic items. This works like item creation feat but allows for creation of specific items: ioun stone (mana battery), ioun stone (matrix), mage rods, mana elixirs, mana staves, matrix. Additionally, the mage can recharge magic staves by expenditure of mana points.
Mage-master: At 15th level mages pick one of the following abilities or select one additional ability listed under mage-adept. The same ability cannot be selected more thanm once.
Master element: The mage improves the die used by single elemental matrix by one step. Elemental matrix die progression is 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12.
Mage-lord: A 20th level mages wield the ultimate power over raw magic.
Damage: 1d6, acid
Saving Throw: Reflex
Attunement: Acid resistance equal to twice the class level.
Augmentations:
Fumes (1 mana point): Damaged victims that failed their saving throw are sickened for 1 minute. A successful saving throw renders them sickened for one round instead.
Damage: 1d6, fire
Saving Throw: Reflex
Attunement: Fire resistance equal to twice the class level.
Augmentations:
Burning (1 mana point): Damaged victims catch on fire.
Damage: 1d4, force
Saving Throw: Reflex
Attunement:
Augmentations:
Knockdown (1 point): Damaged victim that failed their saving throw are knocked prone.
Damage: 1d6, cold
Saving Throw: Fortitude
Attunement: Cold resistance equal to twice the class level.
Augmentations:
Freezing (1 point): Damaged victims that failed their saving throw are fatigued for 1 minute. A successful saving throw renders them fatigued for one round instead. This fatigued condition does not stack with fatigue from other sources.
Damage: 1d4, holy
Saving Throw: Will
Attunement: Grants +4 sacred bonus to all Diplomacy checks and to Charisma-based checks made while interacting socially with good creatures. The attuned mage emanates ful-strength aura of good.
Augmentations:
Damage: 1d6, electricity
Saving Throw: Reflex
Attunement: Electricity resistance equal to twice the class level.
Augmentations:
Shock (1 point): Damaged victim that failed their saving throw are staggered for 1d4+1 rounds.
Damage: 1d8, nonlethal mind-affecting
Saving Throw: Will
Attunement: Grants immunity to fear effects.
Augmentations:
Terrify (1 point): Damaged victims that failed their saving throw are shaken for 1 minute. A successful saving throw leaves them shaken for 1 round. This shaken condition does not stack with other fear effects.
Damage: 1d4, sonic
Saving Throw: Fortitude
Attunement: Grants immunity to deafness and +4 bonus to saving throws against language-dependent effects.
Augmentations:
Deafness (1 point): Damaged victims that failed their saving throw are deafened for 1 minute. A successful saving throw leaves them deafened for 1 round.
Damage: 1d4, unholy
Saving Throw: Will
Attunement: Grants +4 profane bonus to all Intimidate checks and to Charisma-based checks made while interacting socially with evil creatures. The attuned mage emanates ful-strength aura of evil.
Augmentations:
Damage: 1d4, recipients gain temporary hit points for one round instead of suffering damage.
Saving Throw: Willing only
Attunement:
Augmentations:
Healing (1 point): Affected creatures are healed instead of gaining temporary hit points.
Persistence (1–3 mana points): Temporary hit points bestowed last for 1 minute (1 point), 10 minutes (2 points) or 1 hour (3 points).
I really like this. No, "like" is too weak. I really LOVE this.I look forward to your completion of it.
Android: Add +1/2 to total damage of force matrix effects.
Dwarf: Add +1/4 to their mana mantle armor bonus.
Elf: Add +1/2 to total hit points bestowed by vital matrix effects.
Half-elf: Add +1/6 matrix known.
Half-orc: Add +1/4 to their mana mantle damage bonus.
Human: Add +1/3 mana point.
Ifrit: Add +1/2 to total damage of flame matrix effects.
Lashunta: Add +1/2 to total damage of psychic matrix effects.
Oreads: Add +1/2 to total damage of corrosion matrix effects.
Sylphs: Add +1/2 to total damage of lightning matrix effects.
Tiefling: Add +1/2 to total damage of unholy matrix effects.
Undines: Add +1/2 to total damage of frost matrix effects.
Prerequisites: Mana pool feature.
Benefits: The character increases his mana pool by 2. This feat can be taken multiple times and its effects stack.
Benefits: The character gains access to one more matrix. This feat can be taken multiple times and its effects stack.
Prerequisites: Mage bolt
Benefits: The character can morph mage bolt into mage touch affecting single creature touched with a successful melee touch attack. This ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Benefits: Effects of one matrix selected when this feat is gained have their saving throw DC increased by 1.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple each time applying to a different matrix. Effects of multiple Matrix Focus feats do not stack.
Prerequisites: Matrix Focus for the same matrix
Benefits: Effects of one matrix selected when this feat is gained have their saving throw DC increased by 1. This increase stacks with corresponding Matrix Focus but not with other Matrix Focus feats.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple each time applying to a different matrix. Effects of multiple Greater Matrix Focus feats do not stack.
Prerequisites: Mage bolt feature
Benefits: Mage bolt can be morphed into multiple bolts. Each additional bolt beyond first requires expenditure of one mana point and has to be directed against different target.
Prerequisites: Mage bolt feature
Benefits: Allows activation of mage bolt with a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Requires expenditure of 3 mana points.
Have you given any thought to a means by which a mage might counterspell another mages power or that or an actual spell cast by divine/arcane sources (in a similar vein to your crafting entry)?
Additionally, I intend to use your class, once finished, for a "Three Kingdoms" era style (my Asian setting is heavily Chinese influenced) setting in my campaign world (mages will replace sorcerers and be called "Wu Shi") - with your permission of course. If time permits, would you be willing to add an entry for metal, wood, and void elemental matrices?
I'll consider such options but as my reserve computer just broke down a few hours ago (after my laptop broke on Tuesday) and I am doing a serious necromancy on carcass of a very old computer I cannot promise this will happen anytime soon...
I wish you the best of luck. Raise Dead Computer is a time-consuming, costly, and frustrating spell.
A sample cosmic/utility matrix:
Gravity is matrix of movement or it lack. Mages that master gravity may move their enemies and allies around or hinder their movemement.
Orders: Black, Gray, White
Attunement: The gravity-attuned mages halve all the forced movement affecting them (rounding down down to multiple of five feet).
Compatibile Matrices: Force, Psychic, Thunder, Vital
Augmentations:
Bind (1 mana point): Exposed creatures that fail their saving throw are entangled for 1d4+1 rounds. Those who succeeded their save are entangled for 1 round.
Pull (1 mana point): Exposed creatures that fail their saving throw are pulled up to 5 feet per die of damage towards the effect source.
Push (1 mana point): Exposed creatures that fail their saving throw are pushed up to 5 feet per die of damage away from the effect source.
A small change to Flame matrix augmentation:
Burn (1 mana point): Damaged victims that failed their saving throw catch on fire. Victims that are already burning increase continuous damage by 1d6.
A change I am considering - separating effects of mana mantle. It would give armor bonus to AC to all orders, while the damage/healing bonus would be based on the order selected. White mages would get bonus to healing and temporary hp, black mages would get bonus to damage and gray mages would probably get bonus to saving throws.
If time permits, would you be willing to add an entry for metal, wood, and void elemental matrices?
Initially I planned Void matrix to be a cosmic one (i.e. utility) instead of elemental. It was to be teleportation-related but I changed that matrix name to Astral. I might do something else with Void but I am not sure if it will be elemental or cosmic. I like the prospect of having 10 elemental matrices and 10 cosmic ones.
A change I am considering - separating effects of mana mantle. It would give armor bonus to AC to all orders, while the damage/healing bonus would be based on the order selected. White mages would get bonus to healing and temporary hp, black mages would get bonus to damage and gray mages would probably get bonus to saving throws.
I think that is a good call. It helps to separate or further solidify the distinctions between the three orders you're using.
Initially I planned Void matrix to be a cosmic one (i.e. utility) instead of elemental. It was to be teleportation-related but I changed that matrix name to Astral. I might do something else with Void but I am not sure if it will be elemental or cosmic. I like the prospect of having 10 elemental matrices and 10 cosmic ones.
I believe I get where you're going. I would add, I really love where you're taking it.
Another sample of unfinished cosmic matrix:
Orders: Black, gray, white.
Attunement: Grants evasion special ability.
Compatibile Matrices: Corrosion, Flame, Frost, Lightning [black, gray, white]
Augmentations:
Devastate (1 mana point): Increases damage to one die per mage level.
Primal mark (3 mana points): Exposed creatures that fail their saving throw are imprinted with primal mark for 3 rounds. All weapon, unarmed or natural weapon attacks made against the bearer of a primal mark inflict additional 1d6 points of acid, cold, electricity or fire, as determined by the elemntal matrix used.
Vulnerability (2 mana points): Exposed creatures that fail their saving throw become vulnerable to the energy type used for 1 round.
I wonder what class skill would be good for gray mages? Stealth?
I love this.
Two things, though.
1. The number of class skills is somewhat small. I don't think a 2+Int is that many skill points because Int as a casting stat is not guaranteed.
2. Tie the casting stat to the order. Wisdom for White, Intelligence for Black, Charisma for Gray. It would be a great fit for the Black and White orders' features.
3. For Gray, of the first two destroy and regenerate, the one in between could be a buff/debuff of some kind? OR, since the first two are rather loud and obvious, the third could be subtle...
Gray Order: Gray Order prefers to work from the shadows, subtly shifting the balance of powers from the shadows.
enforces balance of power and focuses on teamwork and coordination. Gray Mages start with the Shadow matrix.
Bonus class skill: Stealth.
Special Abilities: Conceal and Reveal—Gray mages add half their level (minimum +1) to all Perception checks made to notice invisible, ethereal or merely stealthy creatures.
Damage: 1d4, magic
Saving Throw: Will
Attunement: Hide in Plain Sight.
Augmentations:
Shadow Step (4 mana points): The mage can materialize at any point of the bolt's area of effect. If the bolt has no area of effect, this augmentation can not be used when targeting a creature.
please, please, please,! may I have a google doc? This to go into my homebrew folder.
1. I thought about it. I might increase number of skills to 4+Int bonus but at the moment I am not sure about it. Sorcerers live with 2+Int bonus somehow.
2. This is what I deliberately want to avoid. I'd like to keep it a choice, if one makes his White Mage focusing on intelligence, insight or sheer charisma.
3. Grays will be able of picking any element matrix - there are 10 at the moment with 9 dealing damage and 10th bestowing temporary hp/healing) - but they will have lesser choice of cosmic matrices (probably 6 out of ten planned). My intention is to make them versatile, not subtle. In fact Mage class will be hardly subtle due to its main ability being blasting enemies (even White Mages will be capable of lots of blasting with right choice of matrices).
Proposed Shadow matrix: Ability to teleport to any one square within the area of effect/adjacent to bolt's target is something that will be available, but as augmentation option of Astral matrix (which is still in design). At the moment I don't want to add more elemental matrices (i.e. matrices that determine damage die and damage type).
Now I started to wonder... Maybe Gray Order should compensate their lack of more sophisticated/powerful matrices by adding half of their level to initiative checks like diviners?
Now I started to wonder... Maybe Gray Order should compensate their lack of more sophisticated/powerful matrices by adding half of their level to initiative checks like diviners?
sounds reasonable powerwise.
One of the changes I reluctantly consider: switching Primal attunement to constant endure elements while evasion becoming attunement of Force. This would fit the fluff of each matrix but would deny evasion to white mages...
EDIT: It won't be obvious because I haven't written yet that black order would lack access to holy and vital matrices, white order would lack access to unholy and force and gray order would have access to all ten elemental matrices but only to six out of ten cosmic matrices while the first two would have access to eight out of ten cosmic matrices.
At the moment those are Astral (probably inaccessible to gray), Death (black only), Discord (black and gray), Earth, Gravity, Light (gray and white), Life (white only) and Primal. Two remaining are yet to be invented...
After having a chance to play Guild Wars 2, now I want to add some things from there to the Mage. Signets, wells, minions... Will need some thought about that.
I think that Gray Mages will get unique Phantom matrix allowing distracting opponents and creation of short lasting copies of the mage.
A new augmentation for elemental and some of cosmic matrices: Avatar Of ...
Current version of sample avatars:
As polymorphy effect avatars do not stack. There will be downside for taking avatar form after it expires, the most probable is being staggered for a few rounds at the moment plus inability to take avatar form again for some time (to prevent maintainig regeneration for longer periods of time).
Thought that haunts me for some time now:
I consider creating two separate pools of energy with one being daily points that are used to add special effects to the mage bolt and the second being fast recovering points that can be used to change mage bolt into area effects and such. Or maybe the other way around - daily being used to purchase area augmentations and "encounter" pool buying special augmentations.
please, please, please,! may I have a google doc? This to go into my homebrew folder.
Sorry, I was going to do so but then focused on some other things.
Here you are. Expect some mess here and there, as well as more changes to matrices in the future.
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!
And now I think about redesigning the matrices and augmentations to limit them to 1-2 point value. Possibly involving the aforementioned two pools - daily and encounter.
Also, I'd like to get back to combination effects partially based on earlier Blaster designs, partially on combos from Guild Wars 2...
Thoughts on a force avatar. immunity to force effects, constant protection from arrows, treated as having the ghost touch armor property, and grants a penalty to attack rolls made against him. Oh and free knockdown. Too much?
And now I think about redesigning the matrices and augmentations to limit them to 1-2 point value. Possibly involving the aforementioned two pools - daily and encounter.
Also, I'd like to get back to combination effects partially based on earlier Blaster designs, partially on combos from Guild Wars 2...
I'm Christos Gurd and I support this message. yay combos...though it sounds incredibly difficult to work though. If I can help in any way let me know. I tend to mostly playtest in my games, though I currently have 2 classes I am playtesting as DmPCs.
One step would be rebuilding Mage Bolt into something which names eludes me at the moment... Mana Projection is working name.
Core assumption would be that each time Mage uses his mana projection he selects single pattern (i.e. shape) and single element (damage type and dice size) and might add one or more augmentation options selected from known matrices.
Basic patterns would be bolt, beam (line) and wave (cone). Probably at 5th level there would be advanced patterns of nova (burst centered on mage) and blast (burst centered on a point within range). I think that at 9th level range of bolt, beam and wave would increase and at 13th level radius of nova and burst would increase.
Augmentations would be paid for with regular daily mana points. Most of the time, at least.
Now, I am torn between two options:
(1) Having a quickly recharging pool of points used to pay for patterns with bolt being cheap enough so it could be spammed every round while the remaining patterns would require greater expenditure and saving of the juice.
(2) Mage producing charges with each basic bolt fired that can be burned to apply other patterns. There would be a maximum amount of charges that can be had at any one time and they would dissipate very quickly (like one per round in which no charge is gained).
Either way, a desperate mage could probably burn through his daily mana to substitute for missing energy points/charges.
Another version would be where the daily mana is used to pay for patterns other than basic bolt while the energy/charges are used to add augmentations (at least lesser ones - those I decide would be balanced enough to be available all day long).
hmm, not sure though I kinda like the look of 2.
As a historical note I'll describe one of the older design ideas I had:
Blaster, the mage's progenitor class was planned to have a pool of energy points equal to it's level, renewing to full at the beginning of each turn. When using magic attack ability blaster would divide this energy between damage (1 die of damage per point of energy), shapes (0 for simple ray, more for area effects) and conditions (1 for short lasting conditions like entangled, sickened or shaken, more for more potent conditions).
Thus, 3rd level Blaster could fire 3d6 damage ray or 2d6 damage ray that also sickens on failed Fort saving throw or 1d6 ray that sickens on failed Fort save and entangles on failed Reflex save.
I had problem with balancing the price for conditions, however so that design was discontinued.
I am considering turning holy and unholy matrices into cosmic matrices instead of elemental. Their augmentation would be applied to existing elemental matrices turning half of the damage into holy/unholy in similar vein to flame strike spell. I'd have to ad more elemental matrices then but it would probably push them beyond 10... Air, earth, water, light? I have yet to decide.
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Expected incoming rework to matrices:
I am considering 10-12 elemental matrices now: Air (slashing), Corrosion (acid), Earth (piercing), Fire (fire), Force (force), Frost (cold), Lightning (electricity), Psychic (nonlethal mind-affecting damage), Thunder (sonic), Water (bludgeoning). The last two would be Vital (temporary hp instead of damage) and probably something like Light/Radiance, Void or maybe Life and Death but I am not sure on that. I still undecided if there should be healing element or rather would that be the role for one of cosmic matrices. I could go with Light/Radiance and Dark/Shadow instead and make healing part of cosmic matrix of Life.
Each elemental matrix would have assigned damage die, damage type, (probably) saving throw, constant attunement effect, activated short-lasting avatar effect and (probably) three augmentations options: condition bestowed upon target, mark placed upon target and (probably) area effect.
Cosmic matrices would be at 8-12 for a total of either 20 or 24 matrices. Each would offer attunement effect, possibly avatar and two or three augmentation options.
EDIT: Expected cosmic matrices would be Discord, Holy, Order, Unholy, possibly Life and Death if they won't become elemental matrices plus some others.
Primal matrix would be removed in this model, at least in its current form, having its effects split between generic augmentation option (devastate), specific elements (primal mark) and yet unnamed cosmic matrix (vulnerability).
I came back to thinking about this project. Mostly during breaks at work.
I consider reworking the class to have following orders: Elementalist, Healer, Mesmer, Warlock/Necromancer. Not that it would be inspired by Guild Wars 2, nope, not at all...
Still, I have fondness for Black/Grey/White Mages and might keep them as options or alternate orders.
I expect to rework matrices drastically or even remove them completely with sets of elements (i.e. damage types) being determined by order (Elementalis - acid, cold, electricity, fire; Healer - holy, psychic; Mesmer - force, psychic, possibly sonic; Necromancer - unholy, possibly some others).