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Related to Adam B. 135’s thread, and based on Drop Dead Studios’ Spheres of Power system, but posted separately to avoid thread-jacking the effort to convert the canon classes to sphere-casting.
Now, as a metre-stick: this is meant for an E10-style, relatively low-magic setting inspired by Mazes and Minotaurs and Sean K Reynolds’ The New Argonauts. Magical healing isn’t particularly common, and permanent magic items rare, usually recovered relics or gifts from the Gods; stat-boosting items like the Big 6 won’t be a big thing. The primary Corinthian arcane classes are the Elementalist (below) and the Corinthian sorcerer(ess) (the latter of which I would gladly accept help in converting to SoP!).
How does it look? Will it dominate a low-magic campaign, will is be a drag on the party, or is it just blasty enough to be useful without overshadowing martial characters like Talented Fighters?
Corinthian academia holds that everything in the world is composed of four elements: air, earth, fire, and water. Through intensive study, Corinthian elementalists learn how to unlock and manipulate the various mixes of these metaphysical energies that lie within all things, letting them plumb the mysteries of the universe, craft and shape works of mundane utility or wondrous might — or wreak horrific destruction upon their enemies. The warrior-mages of Corinthian society, they can be found throughout the region, either fighting fiercely for their chosen causes or wresting the lost magical secrets of fallen civilisations from the tombs and ruins that hold them.
Spheres: Conjuration, Creation, Destruction, Divination, Enhancement, Protection, Telekinesis, Weather
Drawbacks: Draining Casting (general), Elongated Summoning (Conjuration), Energy Focus (see below/Destruction sphere), Focus Casting (general), Hidden Magic (Divination), Protected Soul (Protection), Somatic Casting (2, general), Verbal Casting (general)
Boons: None
Role: An elementalist’s abilities are best suited to dealing damage to his enemies, but a skilled elementalist can also learn to manipulate a battlefield and defend his allies against other wielders of destructive magics.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 20 sp (average 210 sp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 20 sp or less. A Corinthian elementalist also begins play with a free focal staff (see below), which he is assumed to have crafted during his studies and training.
Class Skills: The Corinthian elementalist’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all; Int), Linguistics (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
BAB: Poor (1/2 levels)
Good Saves: Will
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Corinthian elementalist is proficient with all simple weapons, but not with armour or shields.
Casting (Sp): A Corinthian elementalist may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. A Corinthian elementalist is considered a Mid-Caster and uses Intelligence as his casting stat modifier. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.) However, the tradition also comes with limitations: he also gains the Draining Casting, Energy Focus, and Focus Casting drawbacks (see below).
Spell Pool: A Corinthian elementalist gains a small reservoir of energy he can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to twice his class level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.
Magic Talents: A Corinthian elementalist gains 1 magic talent every time he gains a caster level, according to Table: Corinthian Elementalist.
Table: Corinthian Elementalist
Level . . . BAB . . Fort. . . Ref . . . Will. . . . . Caster Level. . . . . . Talents . . . Special . . . . . . . . . . .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
. 1st . . . +0. . . .+0 . . . .+0 . . . .+2 . . . . . .+0 . . . . . . . . . . . 0(+2) . . . . Casting, favoured element, focal staff, bonus feat
. 2nd . . . +1. . . .+0 . . . .+0 . . . .+3 . . . . . +1. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 3rd . . . +1. . . .+1 . . . .+1 . . . .+3 . . . . . +2. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . Alchemical secrets. . . . .
. 4th . . . +2. . . .+1 . . . .+1 . . . .+4 . . . . . +3. . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 5th . . . +2. . . .+1 . . . .+1 . . . .+4 . . . . . +3. . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . Improved Elemental Control, Elemental Defence
. 6th . . . +3. . . .+2 . . . .+2 . . . .+5 . . . . . +4. . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 7th . . . +3. . . .+2 . . . .+2 . . . .+5 . . . . . +5. . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . Magecrafter . . . . . . . .
. 8th . . . +4. . . .+2 . . . .+2 . . . .+6 . . . . . +6. . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 9th . . . +4. . . .+3 . . . .+3 . . . .+6 . . . . . +6. . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10th . . . +5. . . .+3 . . . .+3 . . . .+7 . . . . . +7. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . Elemental Mastery, Improved Elemental Defence
Favoured Element (Su): At 1st level, the Corinthian elementalist gains the Destruction sphere as a bonus magic talent, and he uses his class level as his caster level with the Destruction sphere. This stacks normally with caster levels gained from other sources.
However, a Corinthian elementalist must choose a favoured element. He incurs the Energy Focus drawback (he cannot manifest blast types of other elements, unless they are also listed for his favoured element; this exclusion also applies to the force or nether blast types) and must use the bonus talent from the drawback to take a blast type talent associated with this element (see below). When he creates a destructive blast associated with his primary element, it deals an additional + ½ damage per elementalist level. If he has or gains access to the Conjuration sphere, his companion(s) must use one of their bonus (form) talents to acquire the Elemental Form talent matching his favoured element (acid = Earth, cold = Water, electricity = Air, fire = Fire).
Focal Staff (Su): A Corinthian elementalist’s casting is bound to his staff, by long tradition the symbol and focus of his power. If his staff is ever broken, lost, or taken from him, he incurs the full effect of the Focus Casting drawback and loses the benefits of his favoured element (forfeiting the bonus damage and reverting to using his caster level as listed on the table above, rather than his class level) until he replaces his staff by spending 1,000sp of alchemical resources and a day’s work.
Bonus feat (Ex): A Corinthian elementalist’s life of study gives him a broad and often deep knowledge of the larger world. At 1st level, he gain either Monster Hunter or Nature Spirit Lore as a bonus feat (this choice cannot be altered once made).
Alchemical Secrets (Ex): At 3rd level, the Corinthian elementalist gains Corinthian Alchemy* as a bonus feat.
Improved Elemental Control: At 5th level, the Corinthian elementalist’s control of his powers increases. The bonus damage inflicted by his favoured element’s destructive blast improves to +1 per elementalist level.
Additionally, he may choose a second favoured element (termed his secondary element), which cannot be opposed to his favoured element. He may choose and create additional destructive blast types from this element, applying a damage bonus of +½ per elementalist level to its destructive blasts. If he has the Conjuration sphere, he may choose to give his companion(s) the elemental form talent matching either his favoured or secondary element.
Elemental Defence (Su): At 5th level, a Corinthian elementalist gains resistance 10 to whatever energy type he has selected as his primary element (air blast grants resistance to non-lethal damage from external sources, crystal blast grants DR 1/bludgeoning, and stone blast grants DR 1/piercing). At 10th level, the elementalist gains this bonus against his secondary element, and the bonus against his favoured element increases by the listed amount.
Magecrafter: At 7th level, the Corinthian elementalist has gained enough metaphysical insights to infuse objects with magical and elemental energies. He gains Master Craftsman as a bonus feat and may use it to expand his options for crafting magical items.
Elemental Mastery: At 10th level, the Corinthian elementalist attains true mastery over his powers. The bonus damage inflicted by his primary element’s destructive blasts improves to +2 per elementalist level, and he may apply a damage bonus of +1 per elementalist level to the destructive blasts of his secondary element.
* Corinthian Alchemy [Item Creation]
Your skill with natural materials lets you create fantastic items.
Prerequisites: Craft (alchemy) 1 rank.
Benefit: You may create various magic items [described elsewhere] as long as you meet the prerequisites. Crafting items with this feat uses the normal rules for crafting magic items. Craft (alchemy) is always a class skill for you.
Special: Apart from Master Craftsman, this is the only item creation feat available in this campaign.
Note: Based on the feat Hellenic Alchemy, from Sean K Reynolds’ The New Argonauts.
Looks effective and feels flavorful. Lots of non-combat fluff abilities made me happy. Sounds like it fits better into that setting then the standard elementalist.
I am a fan of that custom caster tradition. I have been thinking about creating some of my own to represent the teachings of different magical institutes. Let me know what your players think of their GM making their caster traditions.