RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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I've noticed a disturbing trend in D&D lately: Sorcerers get to be the center of attention in the arcane world. Maybe it's because of their striking looks and impressive mien but, as a champion of wizardry the world over, I think it's time for a change.
The particular 'sorcerous favoritism' I'm referencing is the various heritage feats presented in the PHB2 and a few (I think) in the Complete Arcane. Draconic Heritage, Celestial Heritage, and Infernal Heritage in particular. These are entire feat chains that offer unique abilities and bonuses to the sorcerer class. Wizards haven't really gotten anything that is exclusively 'theirs' yet (except for the Master Specialist PrC, which is really cool but requires you to be, well, a specialist).
I propose that it's time wizards got their due. They need new feats! Feats that reflect the advantages of meticulous arcane study over a period of years that gives them an edge over the sorcerer's natural-born talent for magic. Feats like:
Arcane Formula
Prerequisites: Wizard level 1
Benefit: A character with this feat may memorize an additional spell of the highest level he is able to cast each day. This spell, when cast, is cast at +1 caster level.
Special: Whenever the wizard gains access to higher level spells than he could cast when he took this feat, the slot 'moves up' to the new highest spell level available. This feat may not be taken more than once.
Arcane Synergy
Prerequisites: Arcane Formula, Wizard level 3
Benefit: Any spells the wizard has memorized that share a school with the spell he has memorized via the Arcane Formula feat are cast at +1 caster level as long as the Arcane Formula spell remains prepared. This spell also applies to the Arcane Formula spell itself if it is cast (meaning that the Arcane Formula spell would be cast at +2 caster levels).
Arcane Buffer
Prerequisites: Arcane Formula, Wizard level 5
Benefit: The wizard receives a +2 bonus on saving throws against any spell that shares a descriptor with the spell he has memorized in the slot granted by Arcane Formula.
Special: If the character also possesses the Arcane Synergy and Arcane Combination feats, the bonus increases to +4.
Arcane Combination
Prerequisites: Arcane Formula, Arcane Synergy, Wizard level 11
Benefit: Whenever the wizard casts the spell he has prepared in his Arcane Formula slot, he may also cast any lower level spell he has memorized as a swift action without altering the spell slot's level or casting time.
Special: If the wizard possesses the Arcane Buffer feat, this feat allows another spell to be cast as a swift action in addition to the first one but this additional spell must be at least 3 levels lower than the Arcane Formula spell and must be a spell with a range of personal or touch. This additional spell can only target the caster.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Arcane Combination would be wicked cool at high levels, too. Imagine preparing time stop with your Arcane Formula slot, casting it, and getting a free casting of protection from spells and displacement (if you have Arcane Buffer as well)! Then you get your 1d4+1 rounds of relative impunity to buff yourself like crazy! It'd be sweet.
Arcane Formula- Looks good. Kind of like the Elf Wizard variant.
Arcane Synergy- I would require Spell focus in the school but, otherwise doesn't look bad. Its just like the reserve feats.
Arcane Buffer-Like how you used descriptor there. Doesn't make it too powerful
Arcane Combination-This one is a bit powerful. I get to cast a 5th level spell and follow it up with a 4th as a swift action? Or if I followed the whole arc I can cast a 5th, 4th, and a 2nd level range personal spell in one round?!? I would suggest putting the 3 level lower and range personal/touch and target caster as the benefit and toss the special
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Wizards are already considered the most powerful casters in the game, why give them more? The only reason that Sorcerers are getting the TLC is that they need it to compete with a wizard. A wizard can cast ANY spell while a Sorcerer can only cast a small handful.
What you are doing is essentially giving clerics extra feats and domains because they aren't given any love in the new books.
The standard answer for top 3 most powerful core classes is usually Cleric, Wizard, and Druid.
In my experience, played correctly in a campaign that requires heavy investments in foresight and planning, wizards are easily at the top of the heap--better than clerics even--better than anyone. However, in a dungeon-crawl blast-fest in which combat overshadows everything else, they're woefully unable to compete with sorcerers, and usually even lag behind bards in overall usefulness. So, instead of trying to buff wizards, and then buff sorcerers to catch up, etc., I try to find an appropriate balance in the action focus in the campaign so that they're both viable.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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I don't actually have a problem with the power level of wizards. They're my favorite class and yes, I'll agree that they're probably the most powerful class out there.
I just felt that, since the sorcerer gets a slew of 'sorcerous heritage' feats, wizards should get some similar feats to further distance themselves from the sorcerers. Feats are not an intrinsic part of a class and thus, by themselves, do not contribute to class balance issues. Feats must be chosen, they aren't given for free (usually).
These feats aren't an attempt to make wizards more powerful, it's intended to give them more flavor.
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Arcane Formula
Prerequisites: Wizard level 1
Benefit: A character with this feat may memorize an additional spell of the highest level he is able to cast each day. This spell, when cast, is cast at +1 caster level.
Special: Whenever the wizard gains access to higher level spells than he could cast when he took this feat, the slot 'moves up' to the new highest spell level available. This feat may not be taken more than once.
My only comment is that, IIRC, this is strictly better than the existing feat that gives a bonus spell slot. That feat makes you pick the spell level at the time you take it, the spell level must be one lower than the highest level you can cast, and there is no caster level bonus.
That being said, I really like the underlying idea and think you've hit upon a pretty cool chunk of design space. I would push it in the direction of saying that Arcane Formula applies to a particular spell slot already in existence. That spell slot then provides certain benefits for spells in that slot. It seems to me that the mechanic has a natural overlap with the specialist's extra spell slot, so I would probably have it apply to all spells in that extra spell slot and have it provide a bonus to such spells. Theoretically, it could be tailored to school or you could go with something like a +1 caster level bump. In effect, it would be bumping up the power level of the specialist's bonus spells without bumping up all spells in the specialist's school.
Arcane Synergy
Prerequisites: Arcane Formula, Wizard level 3
Benefit: Any spells the wizard has memorized that share a school with the spell he has memorized via the Arcane Formula feat are cast at +1 caster level as long as the Arcane Formula spell remains prepared. This spell also applies to the Arcane Formula spell itself if it is cast (meaning that the Arcane Formula spell would be cast at +2 caster levels).
This one doesn't work with the stuff I discussed above, but seems okay if you just have arcane formula apply to a signal dedicated slot.
Arcane Buffer
Prerequisites: Arcane Formula, Wizard level 5
Benefit: The wizard receives a +2 bonus on saving throws against any spell that shares a descriptor with the spell he has memorized in the slot granted by Arcane Formula.
Special: If the character also possesses the Arcane Synergy and Arcane Combination feats, the bonus increases to +4.
I read buffer as in "buff your friends". Not very sexy, but okay.
Arcane Combination
Prerequisites: Arcane Formula, Arcane Synergy, Wizard level 11
Benefit: Whenever the wizard casts the spell he has prepared in his Arcane Formula slot, he may also cast any lower level spell he has memorized as a swift action without altering the spell slot's level or casting time.
Special: If the wizard possesses the Arcane Buffer feat, this feat allows another spell to be cast as a swift action in addition to the first one but this additional spell must be at least 3 levels lower than the Arcane Formula spell and must be a spell with a range of personal or touch. This additional spell can only target the caster.
Generally like it. I'm a big fan of multiple spells per round. I'd probably make the prereq "able to cast xth level arcane spells" instead of Wizard Level 11. I'd be comfortable losing the limitation that the spell must target the caster (doesn't work so well with evocation spells, neh?). Compare this to the feat that lets you quicken spells 3 times per day. The way you have this system written, you can only use this spell once per day and it can only be used on a spell 3 levels lower instead of 4 levels lower as with the quicken variant. That seems like a fair trade to me without imposing the range/target limitations.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Generally like it. I'm a big fan of multiple spells per round. I'd probably make the prereq "able to cast xth level arcane spells" instead of Wizard Level 11. I'd be comfortable losing the limitation that the spell must target the caster (doesn't work so well with evocation spells, neh?). Compare this to the feat that lets you quicken spells 3 times per day. The way you have this system written, you can only use this spell once per day and it can only be used on a spell 3 levels lower instead of 4 levels lower as with the quicken variant. That seems like a fair trade to me without imposing the range/target limitations.Arcane Combination
Prerequisites: Arcane Formula, Arcane Synergy, Wizard level 11
Benefit: Whenever the wizard casts the spell he has prepared in his Arcane Formula slot, he may also cast any lower level spell he has memorized as a swift action without altering the spell slot's level or casting time.
Special: If the wizard possesses the Arcane Buffer feat, this feat allows another spell to be cast as a swift action in addition to the first one but this additional spell must be at least 3 levels lower than the Arcane Formula spell and must be a spell with a range of personal or touch. This additional spell can only target the caster.
If you read closely, this feat can give you up to two quickened spells. The first one simply says 'lower level' and has no target restrictions. The second one (available only if you also possess the Arcane Buffer feat) must be 3 levels lower and target the caster. This feat basically allows a wizard to pop off two nasty attack spells and prepare himself with a buff all in the same round.
Also, I agree that 'Arcane Buffer' is an ugly name, but I couldn't think of anything better at the time. Perhaps 'Arcane Matrix' or 'Arcane Screen'?
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These feats aren't an attempt to make wizards more powerful, it's intended to give them more flavor.
Check out the following from the great Netbook of Feats:
ARCANE UNDERSTANDING [Special, Magical]
You increase the number of spells learned automatically with each new level.
Prerequisite: Int 13, Wizard level 1st, Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks
Benefit: After gaining this feat, you gain an additional spell each time you advance in levels. Thus, you get three free spells with each level advance instead of the normal two.
Normal: At each level, the Wizard gains two spells of any level that can be added to their spellbook.
Special: This feat can be taken several times, and stacks with itself.
ARCANE UNDERSTANDING Copyright 2000, Bradley H. Bemis Jr.
Revised by the Netbook of Feats Review Board
Balance: 4.62 (Purp 4.50, Pow 4.50, Port 4.70, Comp 4.70, Rule 4.70)
CANTRIP MASTERY [Magical]
You have mastered cantrips in a way that allows you to use them more freely.
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd, Memorizes spells as a Wizard, Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks
Benefit: Instead of memorising set cantrips (0-level spells) for the day, you can freely use any cantrip available to you (known or in your spellbooks) up to the total number of cantrips you can cast per day.
CANTRIP MASTERY Copyright 2001, Bradley H. Bemis Jr.
Revised by the Netbook of Feats Review Board
Balance: 4.00 (Purp 3.60, Pow 4.70, Port 4.00, Comp 4.70, Rule 3.00)
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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If you read closely, this feat can give you up to two quickened spells. The first one simply says 'lower level' and has no target restrictions. The second one (available only if you also possess the Arcane Buffer feat) must be 3 levels lower and target the caster. This feat basically allows a wizard to pop off two nasty attack spells and prepare himself with a buff all in the same round.
Also, I agree that 'Arcane Buffer' is an ugly name, but I couldn't think of anything better at the time. Perhaps 'Arcane Matrix' or 'Arcane Screen'?
Ah. Okay, then that seems a bit bah-roken. And overly complicated. The ability to shell out two spells from your highest level slots is huge. Adding a third spell on top of that is just plain mean.
I'd look for a more interesting effect and then work on the name. A bonus to saves is about the dullest thing on earth.
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Someone above mentioned the elven wizard variant which might give you some things you like, its in races of the wild. Has some things that are a lot like the lower level feats that you made.
Also, there is a very easily overlooked feat called 'collegiate wizard' in the complete arcana. Its actually not listed with the feats at all, but is in a side bar back in the section that discusses different caster organizations. Its a very nice little feat and when taken along with the elven alternate can have you starting out with a huge spell list and getting more spells then you know what to do with every level.
Some cool, flavourful extra feats for wizards.
Those feats look pretty cool, and I like what you are trying to do.
However, the first feat in the chain is too powerful. If you have a look at the sorcerer feats you mentioned, the original feat for all the chains is actually rather weak to act as a gateway feat.
I suggest you aim at doing something similar with these. Arcane formula gives you an extra 1st level spell slot, (and maybe a +2 to spellcraft or something).
Then you can leave the others the same, and Arcane Combination lets you cast your spell from Arcane Formula as a swift action when you cast another spell?
This way keeps the flavour you are going for, without making feats that every wizard would take.
CANTRIP MASTERY [Magical]
You have mastered cantrips in a way that allows you to use them more freely.
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd, Memorizes spells as a Wizard, Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks
Benefit: Instead of memorising set cantrips (0-level spells) for the day, you can freely use any cantrip available to you (known or in your spellbooks) up to the total number of cantrips you can cast per day.
CANTRIP MASTERY Copyright 2001, Bradley H. Bemis Jr.
Revised by the Netbook of Feats Review Board
Balance: 4.00 (Purp 3.60, Pow 4.70, Port 4.00, Comp 4.70, Rule 3.00)
We have been giving that to all spell casters for free for a while now and it doesn't seem to be an issue at all.
I would consider applying these feats to wizards in my campaign world as they aren't too bad (though they also need some modification as some people suggest).
Of course all these feats will probably be voided in 8 months when 4e comes out and magic changes.
Of course all these feats will probably be voided in 8 months when 4e comes out and magic changes.
Only if you stop playing 3.5
I like what you're trying to do, but I think Arcane Formula and Combination are too good. I can't imagine any wizard not taking this feat chain.
Maybe instead of Arcane Formula allowing the preparation of an additional spell, it allows the wizard to re-prepare an already cast spell like a pearl of power does? And personally I'd ditch the +1 CL just because who wants to remember that one of their spells gets one extra caster level?
I think that Arcane Combination needs some restrictions. I'd at least rule that those one or two swift spells must be 4 levels lower than your max spell level. Even then, that's possibly three spells in one round... and I just don't like items and abilities that allow the caster to apply metamagic feats while bypassing the level boost.