The True Mage
The true mage is a master of magic. Rather than drawing power in a single way for every situation, the true mage has a variety of tricks, tactics and styles for a variety of encounters.
BAB – Cleric
Fort – Poor
Ref – Poor
Will – Good
Skills – As Sorcerer
Hit Points – d8
True Mage Spell Casting
The True Mage's primary casting stat is Charisma.
She gains additional spells per day for having a high Charisma.
The True Mage gains spells known according to the sorcerer spells known chart. She knows additional spells according to her Intelligence bonus.
At each level, she may trade one spell known out for another of the same level.
Spells per Day
Level Spells per Level 0/1/2/3
1 4/0
2 5/0
3 5/1
4 5/1/0
5 5/1/1
6 6/1/1/0
Ritual Meditation
True Mages can cast many more spells than their spells per day chart would normally allow. For an hour per day, per level, a true mage can meditate in order to invoke any spell they know.
The mage must choose what spell they are preparing at the beginning of their meditation. After spending 10 minutes per spell level, the mage can cast the spell.
By spending additional time in meditation, the mage can apply the effects of a metamagic feat she possesses. Each time the mage doubles the time she has spent in meditation, the effective spell slot increases by 1.
For example, a mage prepares to assault a castle with a fireball spell by meditating for thirty minutes. Instead of casting the spell, or remaining in idle meditation to keep the spell loaded so to speak (which would count against the amount of time she can remain in meditation) she begins to Empower it. Empower increases the spell level by 2, so she must double the time spent once, and then double it again. After two hours in meditation (total) the Empowered spell is ready.
Class Abilities
The true mage looses access to all of the arcane powers if she takes a level of another class. These powers require constant and rigorous devotion. Applying herself to another trade would weaken them.
Level 1: Arcane Blast 1d6, Arcane Ability
Level 2: Bonus Feat, Arcane Combat +5
Level 3: Transcendent Meditation, Arcane Blast 2d6, Arcane Ability
Level 4: Bonus Feat, Arcane Levitation, Arcane Combat +6
Level 5: Arcane Shield, Arcane Blast 3d6, Arcane Ability
Level 6: Bonus Feat, Arcane Combat +7
Arcane Blast
The True Mage is capable of launching a blast of pure cosmic power. This attack is a ranged touch which adds Dexterity to strike, but Charisma to damage.
At first level, this attack deals 1d6 damage. It improves by 1d6 at 3rd and 5th level.
The Arcane Blast has a critical hit range of 20 (x2) and a range increment of 30’.
Archery feats can improve this attack, though feats taken with this power in mind can’t be applied to conventional weapons.
Arcane Blast draws an AoO if used while threatened.
Should this power’s damage dice be more than doubled by any means, the true mage must make a Fortitude save DC 15 or become Nauseated for 1d4 rounds whenever it is used.
Arcane Ability
The sorcerer gains a special arcane ability at levels 1, 3 and 5. The ability is selected from the catalog below.
Arcane Combat
The mage is able to defend in combat by creating a series of temporary force fields. Invoking this power is a swift action, but once invoked can be continued with minimal concentration.
This power provides a +5 bonus to armor class, and gains an additional +1 at 4th and 6th level.
This power adds to the mage’s touch AC
This power interferes with armor based magic, such as Mage Armor, making it impossible to use both at once.
Transcendent Meditation
Once per day, by spending an hour in meditation, the sorcerer gains a Willpower save, DC 20, to expel all negative status effects and restore all lost levels and ability score points (not lost to their own magic).
If the mage fails this saving throw, the duration of those effects is reset, as if they were just cast. If the mage wants to attempt the meditation again, the DC is 1 higher and the amount of time required in meditation doubles.
If the mage is forced to perform the Transcendent Meditation twice in a 7 day period for the same effect (such as being drained by the same kind of undead) the amount of time required in meditation doubles.
Bonus Feat
At levels 2, 4 and 6, the mage gains a bonus feat. This feat must either be an item creation feat, meta-magic feat, or fighter feat.
Arcane Levitation
The mage gains a fly speed of 40’. While flying, she gains a +2 bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
To begin flying, the mage must spend a standard action.
Arcane Shield
When the true mage goes into full defense, she can create a powerful force field.
The force field grants a DR of 15 / - Energy Resistance 15 to all those within its 5’ radius.
Once created, the Arcane Shield only lasts until the true mage’s next turn. If any attack strikes the shield for more than 15 points of damage, it is instantly dispelled.
The true mage retains the +4 AC normally granted to those in Full Defense.
Those inside the shield suffer a 50% miss chance when attacking anyone beyond its boarder.
Catalog of Arcane Abilities
Arcane Martial Arts
The true mage learns to tie her ability to channel and summon arcane energy into her unarmed fighting. While she has not performed the body hardening exercises of the monk or the rigorous competition of the fighter, she is able to make her strikes extremely dangerous by cloaking them in a wreath of magical energy.
The true mage gains the feat, “Improved Unarmed Strike” and the ability to deal 1d8 points of lethal damage per hit. While using Arcane Martial Arts, the true mage adds Charisma to damage.
While holding a melee weapon, the true mage naturally energizes it with her energy. The weapon adds Charisma to damage instead of Strength. When wielding the weapon in two hands, she may add Charisma * 1.5 to the weapon’s damage.
Arcane Martial Arts – Elemental
Prerequisite: Arcane Martial Arts
The true mage has learned to tie powerful elemental energy into her martial arts techniques. When this ability is selected, the martial artist must select fire, electricity or cold as her elemental type. All of her hand to hand and melee attacks gain that type.
This energy flies like ribbons off of her hands and feet, simultaneously extending their reach while making them much more dangerous.
Add +1 Strike and AC
Add 1d6 Damage to all Melee Strikes
Increase Reach by 5’
Arcane Secrecy
The true mage may add Bluff and Stealth to her list of class skills.
Calling Darkness
The sorcerer can cast “Darkness” as if it were a zero level spell she knows.
Demonic Form
The true mage has a dark side which can rear its ugly head in a fit or primal rage. By allowing her dark side to show through (as a swift action), she gains the following modifiers:
Strike (Arcane Blast / Arcane Martial Arts) -2
Damage (Arcane Blast / Arcane Martial Arts) +1d6
Intimidate +5
Fortitude Save +2
Will Save -2
Anyone that can see her must make a Will save, DC 16 or become Shaken.
Elemental Arcane Strike
The true mage’s arcane strike deals an additional 1d6 damage. All of its damage is considered to be of a particular element.
This ability can be taken more than once, though its bonuses do not stack. The mage can simply make the attack another element.
The true mage can choose to perform her arcane blast without this power, gaining neither the elemental type nor the extra damage.
Empower Weapon
As a standard action, the true mage can enchant a weapon. For 24 hours, that weapon touched by the mage gains a +1 Enhancement bonus. If the weapon is already magical, the +1 can be used to purchase a +1 equivalent ability. At 5th level, this bonus becomes +2.
The true mage need not wield this weapon herself.
Fascinate
The true mage can use her performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with her. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear her, and capable of paying attention to her. The true mage must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a true mage has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.
Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the true mage’s level + her Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the true mage cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the she continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect.
Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.
Faint
The true mage can induce a fainting spell in a target by making eye contact from within 30’. The subject of her eye contact must make a Willpower saving throw of DC 10 + ½ the True Mage’s Level + Cha. The victim of this power can be awoken by a character in direct contact spending a standard action.
This power can only be used effectively on characters with fewer hit dice than the true mage. Those with equal or greater hit dice gain a +10 bonus to their saving throw.
Those who make their saving throw against this power become immune for 24 hours.
Greater Arcane Blast
The true mage’s Arcane Blast gains a range increment of 60’ and deals x3 damage on a critical hit.
Invocation of Inner Light
The true mage is able to draw upon the light at the core of her being to empower her Arcane Blast.
As a standard action, she can make a single powerful attack that can overcome supernatural evil.
The use of this power requires the true mage to make a Will save, DC 15. If successful, she deals an extra 2d6 damage and ignores all Spell Resistance / Energy Resistance, should it apply.
Should her Will save be failed, she can either make a single standard blast or delay her attack until next round. If she waits until next round, she gains a +4 to the Will save.
Master of Energy
The true mage gains a +5 bonus on saving throws against energy draining type effects. Should the true mage succeed on this saving throw, her would be attacker suffers 1d6 damage.
A true mage with this power gains a +5 on her will save when using the power, “Invocation of Inner Light.”
The Master of Energy can’t be changed into the undead by any means. She is immune to zombie plague, mummy rot, and vampirism.
Otherworldly Charm
The enchantress gains an additional +5 bonus to her Diplomacy skill.
When using the Diplomacy skill, the enchantress can improve a creature’s attitude by more than two steps.
When rolling Diplomacy, she may roll twice and take the higher result.
This power is not effective against characters with mind protecting enchantments. This power does not allow the Diplomacy skill to work in situations where it is ordinarily prohibited, such as combat.
Shadow Magic
Prerequisite: Calling Darkness
While in a place dark enough to produce Concealment (including magically created darkness), the true mage gains the following abilities:
Damage Bonus: Add 1d6 Damage to Arcane Blast and Arcane Martial Arts
Saving Throw Bonus: Add +1 on all Saving Throws
Shadow Bend: The ability to manipulate shadows as if they were a physical substance gives the mage a permanent at will ability to cast Prestidigitation, Unseen Servant and Spectral Hand.
Stunning Performance
As a standard action, the sorcerer may use her charm to grab the attention of a single target within 10’.
The target must make a Willpower save, DC 10 + ½ Performer’s level + CHA. Failure indicates the target is Stunned.
The true mage can keep the target stunned by spending her move action each round to distract him. Should the target be attacked (slapped or shaken), the performance stopped, or the performer moved more than 10’ away, the effect is broken.
Any target that makes the saving throw will gain immunity to this power for 24 hours.
The true mage can only perform the Stunning Performance on one person at a time.
