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Extra Arcana
Prerequisite: 1st level Sorcerer, Wizard, or Cleric
Benefit: You may use a daily limited ability that is granted by a first level sorcerer's bloodline, first level wizard's magic school, or a single first level cleric's domain an additional three times per day.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take this feat, select a new first level arcana.
(Not sure about the wording of this, someone help?)
Arcana Mastery
Prerequisite: 5th level Sorcerer, Wizard, or Cleric
Benefit: You can charge magic items or scribe scrolls with daily limited abilities that are granted by a first level sorcerer's bloodline, first level wizard's magic school, or a single first level cleric's domain. For the purposes of creating magic items, these abilities are considered 1st level spells.
Special: You can only create or charge a magic item with an ability you personally possess.
Rather than feat-bloat everything, isn't it usual that special abilities are used as qualifying for crafting magic items, rather than always having spells?
As a player I object to the second especially since it looks like the DM eating my feats for stuff I should already be able to do without it by the rules.
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I hadn't seen that rule anywhere, but I could be wrong. A spell-like ability that duplicates an existing spell, I could see, as such a spell-like ability would have a "spell level." There are no rules that say what level a spell-like ability is.
But wands and scrolls I believe (at least in the PFRPG rules) are pretty much exclusively for spells. The Arcana Mastery feat allows scrolls and wands of arcana so that others can use them (as well as yourself) if you wanted to create a wand of elemental ray or whatever.
For rule purposes in the following feats, the term "arcana" refers to a daily limited ability that is granted by a first level sorcerer's bloodline, first level wizard's magic school, or a single first level cleric's domain.
True Arcana
Prerequisite: Extra Arcana
Benefit: You may use an arcana for which you have the extra arcana feat an additional 10 times per day. This stacks with the additional uses provided by the Extra Arcana feat.
By holding a special 8 hour ritual, you can imbue an ally with the ability to use any one of the 1st level arcana you have three times. The ritual costs 300gp in incense and special materials.
Metamagic Arcana (Metamagic)
Prerequisite: Any Metamagic Feat
Benefit: You may apply metamagic templates to any 1st level arcana you possess. Each use of a metamagic arcana uses up additional uses per day equal to the number of increased levels the metamagic would normally apply to spells.
If the creator has the item creation feat and access to the power desired there isn't any reason why you can't allow them.
One thing I hated about 3rd edition is that they boiled all item creation down to spells in a stick. They even invented new spells to cover some of the glaring holes (greater magic weapon anyone?).
They ruled the imagination out of item creation. What spells do you need for creation of an Instant Fortress, Stone Golem, or a potion of longevity?
There are already eight feats covering item creation. Do you really want to add number nine?
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If the creator has the item creation feat and access to the power desired there isn't any reason why you can't allow them.
One thing I hated about 3rd edition is that they boiled all item creation down to spells in a stick. They even invented new spells to cover some of the glaring holes (greater magic weapon anyone?).
They ruled the imagination out of item creation. What spells do you need for creation of an Instant Fortress, Stone Golem, or a potion of longevity?
There are already eight feats covering item creation. Do you really want to add number nine?
Nope, not if the DM and player both agree that they can do it that way. Like I said, there just was not any rule support for doing it that way. The feat provides the rules for doing so, answering those vague questions like what level is a spell-like ability? If the DM and player both agree to be able to create magical items of their class arcana, more power to them. :P
Rather than making multiple feats (which I don't think folks would take) just make one feat that scales.
Extra Arcana
You can use a wizard's specialist power an additional 3 times per day plus one additional time per day for each class level.
Or something like that. The thing is the power is less likely to be used at higher levels and other character's damage is going to surpass this by so much it's not a big deal.
I can see a few corner cases where this power might get used a bit more frequently (arcane trickster maybe?).
One other though is perhaps an arcana focus. A fairly cheap item with allows you to use your 1st level SLA more frequently.
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Rather than making multiple feats (which I don't think folks would take) just make one feat that scales.
Extra Arcana
You can use a wizard's specialist power an additional 3 times per day plus one additional time per day for each class level.Or something like that. The thing is the power is less likely to be used at higher levels and other character's damage is going to surpass this by so much it's not a big deal.
I can see a few corner cases where this power might get used a bit more frequently (arcane trickster maybe?).
One other though is perhaps an arcana focus. A fairly cheap item with allows you to use your 1st level SLA more frequently.
The Extra Arcana feat is supposed to be on par with Extra Rage, Extra Grace, Extra Performance, etcetera. But I wanted to provide the characters the opportunities to invest further into their spell-like class abilities with the other feats. (It's one of the most interesting features of the PFRPG), and I think it would be interesting to see these abilities become more common, enhanced with metamagic, and generally forged into a variety of magical items.
Oil of Heavenly Fire (200 gp)
Stored in pale blue vials, the oil glows brightly but is cool to the touch. An evil creature handling a vial of Oil of Heavenly Fire takes 2 points of divine damage per round. The vial may be thrown as a grenade weapon, dealing 1d4+4 points of divine damage to an evil creature or healing 1d4+4 hitpoints to a good creature. Creatures within 5' splash radius are healed 1d4 hitpoints (if they are good) or take 1d4 divine damage (if evil). A creature can only be healed by a heavenly fire effect once per day.
Requirements: Craft Potion, divine fire spell-like ability. Cost: 100 gp
Rod of Lightning (8,000 gp)
Up to five times per day, this rod may be activated as a standard action. A streak of lightning bursts from the rod, requiring you to make a ranged touch attack at a range of 60 feet, causing 1d6+5 electrical damage if it hits the target.
Requirements: Craft Rod, Enlarge Spell, lightning arc spell-like ability. Cost: 4,000 gp
Lucky Coin (675 gp)
A lucky coin may be flipped three times before losing its powers. Each flip requires a standard action. For the round after the first flip, any time the bearer rolls a d20, the bearer may roll twice and take the more favorable result. For the round after the second and third flips, the bearer gains a +3 insight bonus to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws. Once the coin has been flipped three times, it disappears completely.
Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, bit of luck spell-like ability, touch of destiny spell-like ability, diviner's fortune spell-like ability. Cost: 337 gp, 5 sp
While I hate to shoot down any creativity that brings more options to the table, I have to point out that these feats feel very underpowered to me.
Sure, sure, when you're first level, having an extra three acid blasts, or whatever, sounds really cool.
But later, when you're 15th level, and the monsters you're fighting have 200 HP and the spells you're casting do scores of HP, or simply blast them out of the fight instantly, then you're not going to be very happy that you blew a feat on something you never ever use anymore except to impress the ladies in the local taverns.
Maybe, if you're playing with the Retroactive Changes rules from the 3.5 PHBII and somewhere around 7th-10th level you decide to remove that feat and replace it with Spell Penetration, or Empower Spell, or even Toughness, then these feats may be worth it to spice up your lower levels.
Or maybe you never reach levels where doing a d6+5 damage becomes meaningless, in which case carry on, these feats will be perfect for a campaign that starts at level 1 and retires the PCs at level 6.
Otherwise, I would never take them. Ever. I would be too certain that in my future I would regret the choice.
I don't want to be one to rain on the parade without offering suggestions, so my suggestions would be to enhance the feats such that they scale with the character's level.
And no, don't scale the uses per day. Getting one extra use per level only means that at 20th level you can cast over 30 little worthless d6+10 damage bursts, and if you dump all 30 of them on the dragon you're fighting, you won't even do half of his HP in total damage, but it will take you 30 rounds to get him to even notice that you're there.
So instead, scale the power of the ability *AND* increase the number of uses. Give them 3 extr uses and also let them add another d6 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level. Heck, then at level 20 you can at least do 4d6+10 damage so you'll feel like you at least tickled the monster.
Do that, and maybe you'll be onto something.
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Okay, so the feeling I get from the previous post, is that Arcana are generally not as useful as performances, rages, or the like, so the Extra Arcana feat is weaker than Extra Performance, or other class daily use abilities. I can see that (I think). So let's think about a scaling arcana feat.
Empower Arcana
Prerequisites: A healing or damaging arcana that uses dice to determine results (wording assistance?), Extra Arcana
Benefit: Select one healing or damaging arcana you have access to. You roll one additional die for every two spellcaster levels beyond the first you posses and add your class level instead of 1/2 your class level if the arcana would normally allow that. (wording assistance?)
Normal: A healing or damaging arcana only does one die damage, with a bonus of 1 for every 2 class levels.
So, a 1st level human Sorcerer (Cha 18) could have Extra Arcana and Empower Arcana as feats, allowing 10 uses of an ability that deals 1d6+1 damage or heals 1d4+1 damage. When the Sorcerer increases to third level, the Arcana causes 2d6+3 damage or heals 2d4+3 damage.
1_____1d6+1_____1d4+1
3_____2d6+3_____2d4+3
5_____3d6+5_____3d4+5
7_____4d6+7_____4d4+7
9_____5d6+9_____5d4+9
11____6d6+11____6d4+11
13____7d6+13____7d4+13
15____8d6+15____8d4+15
17____9d6+17____9d4+17
19____10d6+19___10d4+19
Level 9: minimum 14 - maximum 39/29
Level 19: minimum 29 - maximum 79/59
Is this properly scaled? Should we decrease it to an additional die every additional three levels?
4____2d6+4_____2d4+4
7____3d6+7_____3d4+7
10___4d6+10____4d4+10
13___5d6+13____5d4+13
16___6d6+16____6d4+16
19___7d6+19____7d4+19
Level 10: minimum 14 - maximum 34/26
Level 19: minimum 26 - maximum 61/47
While I hate to shoot down any creativity that brings more options to the table, I have to point out that these feats feel very underpowered to me.
Yes. If you are higher than 6th level and worried about your at-will power running out you are likely doing something wrong. The only reason I didn't just suggest unlimited uses above is because I don't care for 1st level wizards spamming their power all day long.
Okay, so the feeling I get from the previous post, is that Arcana are generally not as useful as performances, rages, or the like, so the Extra Arcana feat is weaker than Extra Performance, or other class daily use abilities. I can see that (I think). So let's think about a scaling arcana feat.
Err. No.
1st level powers are designed to extend the power of low level casters and to give higher level wizards and sorcerers something to do without burning up their spell slots. By ramping up the power of the 1st level SLA you are making them more powerful than the 1st and in some casts second level spells of those classes.
If you start scaling this power then you are significantly ramping up the power of two of the most powerful classes in the game.
While I hate to shoot down any creativity that brings more options to the table, I have to point out that these feats feel very underpowered to me.Yes. If you are higher than 6th level and worried about your at-will power running out you are likely doing something wrong. The only reason I didn't just suggest unlimited uses above is because I don't care for 1st level wizards spamming their power all day long.
Not necessarily but I do admit it is situational. My wife ran the Goodman module Stormbringer Jagernaut. My 15th level wizard teleported the party onto the poop deck. The deck was manned with ogres and infernal hell hounds. The ogres had at their command two lightning cannons, giant unlimited charge lighting bolt wands. 8 hours later out of spells, ammo and nearly dead we teleported off the ship. My wife did the sensible thing and had the ship go to battle stations and fight off the boarders (us). In the end I would have been glad for any offensive at-will powers. As I said it is situational but can happen.
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Jeez, you can't please everyone.... *sigh* :P
Empower Arcana
Prerequisite: 1st level spell-like ability, Extra Arcana
Benefit: You may use additional daily uses of an arcana to empower a single use of the arcana. For each additional daily use you use, the damage is increased by 1d6 plus 1 for ever 2 class levels.
A 1st level human Sorcerer (Cha 18) takes Extra Arcana and Empower Arcana. He has 10 uses per day. He can use up 2 uses to empower the arcana, dealing 2d6 damage. When he reaches 2nd level, he can use up 2 uses to empower the arcana so that it deals 2d6+2 damage.
This means that the 1st level human Sorcerer could use up all of his daily arcana uses for a single strike that deals 10d6 damage. At 2nd level, he can use 10 daily uses to deal 10d6+10. 4th level: 10d6+20. 6th level: 10d6+30. 8th level: 10d6+40. 10th level 10d6+50. 12th level 10d6+60.
Is this on par for a one-use per day ability? Or again too powerful?
Jeez, you can't please everyone.... *sigh* :P
Empower Arcana
Prerequisite: 1st level spell-like ability, Extra Arcana
Benefit: You may use additional daily uses of an arcana to empower a single use of the arcana. For each additional daily use you use, the damage is increased by 1d6 plus 1 for ever 2 class levels.A 1st level human Sorcerer (Cha 18) takes Extra Arcana and Empower Arcana. He has 10 uses per day. He can use up 2 uses to empower the arcana, dealing 2d6 damage. When he reaches 2nd level, he can use up 2 uses to empower the arcana so that it deals 2d6+2 damage.
This means that the 1st level human Sorcerer could use up all of his daily arcana uses for a single strike that deals 10d6 damage. At 2nd level, he can use 10 daily uses to deal 10d6+10. 4th level: 10d6+20. 6th level: 10d6+30. 8th level: 10d6+40. 10th level 10d6+50. 12th level 10d6+60.
Is this on par for a one-use per day ability? Or again too powerful?
I think there should be a cap on this equal to say half your caster level rounded up. So at level one you can expend one extra 'arcana' use, and the same at level 2. At level 3-4 you can expend 2 extra, and so on.
I think without the cap it is too strong, even for a single use ability. 10d6+10 at 2nd level is a hell of a nova.
I also think extra arcana should scale 3+1 for every level past the first. I know you want it to be on par with extra rage and such, but remember those abilities already scale, if people are going to sink feats into their first level abilities they are no longer the 'extra' that adds to their longevity, and are instead a primary character ability, more akin to rage or song rounds, and thus should scale like those abilities do.
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Empower Arcana
Prerequisite: 1st level spell-like ability, Extra Arcana
Benefit: You may use additional daily uses of an arcana to empower a single use of the arcana. For each additional daily use you use, the damage is increased by 1d6 plus 1 for every 2 class levels.
Special: You can only use a number of additional daily uses to empower an arcana equal to 1/2 your class level (minimum 1). More powerful arcana are more difficult to target effectively, for every two additional daily uses you apply to an arcana; you have a -1 penalty to hit with any required ranged touch attack.
A 1st level human Sorcerer (Cha 18) takes Extra Arcana and Empower Arcana. He has 10 uses per day.
Level/Normal/Max Empowered
1_____1d6_____2d6 (2 uses)
2_____1d6+1___2d6+2 (2 uses)
4_____1d6+2___3d6+6 (3 uses) (-1 to hit)
6_____1d6+3___4d6+12 (4 uses)
8_____1d6+4___5d6+20 (5 uses)(-2 to hit)
10____1d6+5___6d6+30 (6 uses)
12____1d6+6___7d6+42 (7 uses)(-3 to hit)
14____1d6+7___8d6+56 (8 uses)
16____1d6+8___9d6+72 (9 uses)(-4 to hit)
18____1d6+9___10d6+90 (10 uses)
20____1d6+10__11d6+110 (11 uses)(-5 to hit)
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Extra Arcana
Prerequisite: 1st level Sorcerer, Wizard, or Cleric
Benefit: You may use a daily limited ability that is granted by a first level sorcerer's bloodline, first level wizard's magic school, or a single first level cleric's domain an additional number of times per day equal to 3 plus 1 for every four class levels you obtain.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take this feat, select a new first level arcana.
Sorcerer with 18 Charisma and Extra Arcana feat.
1...10
2...10
3...10
4...11
5...11
6...11
7...11
8...12
9...12
10..12
11..12
12..13
13..13
14..13
15..13
Barbarian with 18 Constitution and Extra Rage feat
1...14
2...16
3...18
4...20
5...22
6...24
7...26
8...28
9...30
..etc..
15..46 rounds
Paladin with 18 Charisma and Extra Lay on Hands feat
2...7
3...7
4...8
5...8
6...9
7...9
8...10
9...10
10..11
11..11
12..12
14..12
15..13