|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Having gotten some feedback from Sean on the forums here and some other discussions, we know that Mystic Motif got left out of Ultimate Magic, and that it got cut for its lack of crunch/applicability, but it got left in the text for the two sorcerer bloodlines, Maestro and Rakshasa.
From some input from Sean, the original feat had a conceptual theme chosen by the caster (such as "dragons" or "stars") which would make their spells more difficult to identify in Spellcraft checks or other detection (having a visual or other element of the chosen theme). It wasn't very potent, and it got cut. Sean told me that the replacement feat will likely be something accessible to all characters (having no prerequisites), perhaps something like Improved Initiative. I am saying maybe/perhaps because Paizo has not made an official errata yet, and this is all conjecture - but we know that 'Mystic Motif' got cut.
I did some back and forth with Sean about ideas, and ended up deciding to come up with this homebrew version of a Mystic Motif feat, basing the concept on the original elements, plus a boost from a favorite faction trait of our group, the Qadira Faction Trait, Eastern Mysteries.
Here is the feat - please tell me what you think, and if the mechanics seems appropriate. I would like to make sure it looks decent before implementing and sharing it. I will likely include it in our eventual refinement of the Rakshasa sorcerer bloodline for my setting material, The Nymian Beastlands. Don't let that discourage you - I publish in Open Game Content, so your input doesn't exclude you from benefiting from the feat's creation here - you are free to use it for your own use in its final or draft form.
Mystic Motif [General]
Choose a school of magic. Any spells you cast from that school are deceptively masked by stylish flair, and can be more potent.
Prerequisites: Cha 10.
Benefit: As a swift action, you may choose to apply a spell motif to a spell from the magic school you select; you may do this a number of times equal to half your Hit Dice, or the number of times of times you can raise the save DC (see below), whichever is higher (minimum 1). Applying a spell motif raises the Spellcraft check to identify the spell by +5, and when you take this feat, you choose a stylish element to apply, such as “dragons”; whether identified properly, or on a failed result, the identifying creature believes the spell has something to do with that element. A number of times per day equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), you may raise the save DC for any spell which allows a save by +2 any time you apply a spell motif.
Special: You may gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new school of magic.
|
|
Sounds alot like the feat Spell Thematics in Magic of Faerun. So you might want to check that out.
And since Sean worked on that product as well.....
Interesting - I have that, but was not aware of the connection. Good catch.
For that feat, it lists knowing at least one illusion spell as a prereq, which definitely limits it beyond the scope necessary for a sorcerer bloodline feat (which should have little to no prereqs, and none outside of context), and I certainly won't put that much descriptive text into it, but the inclusion, "You cannot use this feat to make your spell manifestations invisible" could be quite necessary in this case.
Any other input?
Personally, in my games, casters pick how their spells look when they get them (unless they are wizards, but then I write on scrolls or books they find what the spells look like). This person's fireball isn't the same as that person's fireball, etc. To use a feat for a wonderful potential for even roleplaying is awful, in my opinion.
BUT to each their own & I wish you the best with getting this in a future book. APG2 or some sort!
It is one thing to fireball a tree as a show of power. It's another thing to make a dragon of fire swim around you then fly off and eat it. While anyone can have a special fireball, someone with this feat is SO GOOD at spell art they get a +2 bonus to a social roll.
True, that is a good point. I just factor it all in - it all depends on the situation, characters involved in the scene, etc etc (I'm looking at you Intimidate skill check -unrelated but yeh..)