
Detect Magic |
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Here's my homebrew attempt at making a Black Mage. It's worth noting that the class does not cast spells as per Pathfinder. There are only five spell levels, and they are based upon mana costs.
Hit Points: d6
Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence modifier
Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Knowledge (All) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int)
1 Black Magic I, Focus, Mage Armor
2 Elemental Mastery +1
3 Arcane Weaponry I
4 Elemental Mastery +2
5 Black Magic II
6 Elemental Mastery +3
7 Arcane Weaponry II
8 Elemental Mastery +4
9 Black Magic III
10 Elemental Mastery +5
11 Arcane Weaponry III
12 Elemental Mastery +6
13 Black Magic IV
14 Elemental Mastery +7
15 Arcane Weaponry IV
16 Elemental Mastery +8
17 Black Magic V
18 Elemental Mastery +9
19 Arcane Weaponry V
20 Elemental Mastery +10
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Black magi are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a mage's movements, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.
Limit Break (Manafont)
Once per day, when a black mage's hit point total is reduced to 1/4th his maximum, he may enter a state of clear casting as a swift action. While in this state, his spells do not consume mana. This limit break lasts for 1d4+1 rounds.
Black Magic:
The black mage has a mana pool (equal to twice his level plus his Intelligence score), and access to black magic spells (DC = 10 + 1/2 the black mage's level + his Intelligence modifier). Every six hours, a black mage recovers 1/4th of his total MP.
Focus:
The black mage may spend a full-round action casting a black magic spell to enhance its effects.
Mage Armor:
The black mage adds his Intelligence modifier to his AC when unarmored and unencumbered.
Elemental Mastery:
The black mage deals additional damage with elemental spells equal to half his level.
Arcane Weaponry I :
The black mage adds his Intelligence modifier on attack rolls made with arcane weapons (staves or rods).
Arcane Weaponry II :
The black mage recovers a number of MP after dealing damage with an arcane weapon (staff or rod) equal to the MP cost of the highest level spell he is capable of casting.
Arcane Weaponry III:
The black mage deals an additional 1d6 elemental damage with an arcane weapon (staff or rod), as if his weapon had the flaming, frost, or shocking property.
Arcane Weaponry IV:
On a critical hit with an arcane weapon (staff or rod), the black mage may cast a level one black magic spell.
Arcane Weaponry V:
The black mage automatically confirms all critical threats with an arcane weapon (staff or rod).
Example Spells:
Fire I
– Cost: 2 MP
– Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 levels)
– Area: 1 target (ranged touch attack), plus adjacent creatures (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d6 fire damage per mage level (maximum 5d6), plus burn additional 1d4 fire damage each round for a number of rounds equal to the half mage's level; Reflex save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 5 fire resist, plus burning creatures are fatigued, and the DC to end the effect is increased by +2
Fire II (Fira)
– Cost: 4 MP
– Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. per level)
– Area: 10-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d8 fire damage per mage level (maximum 10d8), plus burn (additional 1d6 fire damage each round for a number of rounds equal to the half mage's level; Reflex save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 10 fire resist, plus burning creatures are fatigued, and the DC to end the effect is increased by +2
Fire III (Firaga)
– Cost: 8 MP
– Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. per level)
– Area: 10-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d10 fire damage per mage level (maximum 15d10), plus burn (additional 1d8 fire damage each round for a number of rounds equal to half the mage's level; Reflex save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 15 fire resist, plus burning creatures are fatigued, and the DC to end the effect is increased by +2
Fire IV (Firaja)
– Cost: 16 MP
– Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft. per level)
– Area: 20-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d12 fire damage per mage level (maximum 20d12), plus burn (additional 2d6 fire damage each round for a number of rounds equal to half the mage's level; Reflex save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 20 fire resist, plus burning creatures are fatigued, and the DC to end the effect is increased by +2, plus each creature which takes full damage from the spell is knocked prone
Blizzard I
– Cost: 2 MP
– Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 levels)
– Area: 1 target (ranged touch attack), plus adjacent creatures (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d6 cold damage per mage level (maximum 5d6), plus freeze (movement speed reduced to half for a number of rounds equal to half the mage's level; Fortitude save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 5 cold resist, plus creatures are frozen in place (unable to move) for 1 round (Fortitude save negates)
Blizzard II (Blizzara)
– Cost: 4 MP
– Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. per level)
– Area: 10-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d8 cold damage per mage level (maximum 10d8), plus freeze (movement speed reduced to half for a number of rounds equal to half the mage's level; Fortitude save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 10 cold resist, plus creatures are frozen in place (unable to move) for 1 round (Fortitude save negates)
Blizzard III (Blizzaga)
– Cost: 8 MP
– Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. per level)
– Area: 10-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d10 cold damage per mage level (maximum 15d10), plus freeze (movement speed reduced to half for a number of rounds equal to half the mage's level; Fortitude save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 15 cold resist, plus creatures are frozen in place (unable to move) for 1 round (Fortitude save negates)
Blizzard IV (Blizzaja)
– Cost: 16 MP
– Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft. per level)
– Area: 20-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d12 cold damage per mage level (maximum 20d12), plus freeze (movement speed reduced to half for a number of rounds equal to half the mage's level; Fortitude save negates)
– Focus: Ignore up to 20 cold resist, plus creatures are frozen in place (unable to move) for 1 round (Fortitude save negates), plus each creature which is frozen is dealt 1d4 piercing damage per two mage levels (maximum 10d4) on the following round, as the ice shatters
Thunder I
– Cost: 2 MP
– Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 levels)
– Area: 1 target (ranged touch attack), plus adjacent creatures (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d6 electricity damage per mage level (maximum 5d6), plus shock (2 MP Drain)
– Focus: Ignore up to 5 electricity resist, plus each creature which takes full damage from the spell is staggered for 1 round
Thunder II (Thundara)
– Cost: 4 MP
– Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. per level)
– Area: 10-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d8 electricity damage per mage level (maximum 10d8), plus shock (4 MP Drain)
– Focus: Ignore up to 10 electricity resist, plus each creature which takes full damage from the spell is staggered for 1 round
Thunder III (Thundaga)
– Cost: 8 MP
– Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. per level)
– Area: 10-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d10 electricity damage per mage level (maximum 15d10), plus shock (8 MP Drain)
– Focus: Ignore up to 15 electricity resist, plus each creature which takes full damage from the spell is staggered for 1 round
Thunder IV (Thundaja)
– Cost: 16 MP
– Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft. per level)
– Area: 20-ft. radius (Reflex half)
– Damage: 1d12 electricity damage per mage level (maximum 20d12), plus shock (16 MP Drain)
– Focus: Ignore up to 20 electricity resist, plus each creature which takes full damage from the spell is stunned for 1 round
Ultima
– Cost: 32 MP
– Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft. per level)
– Area: 20-ft. radius (Fortitude half; bypasses SR)
– Damage: 2d6 un-typed damage per mage level (maximum 40d6), creatures that are killed by this spell are reduced to ashes, and cannot be resurrected by anything short of true resurrection
– Focus: N/A (Ultima requires a full-round action to cast)

Richard Leonhart |

without lvl restriction on spells, you'll see such mages go nova, I would make III and IV spells lvl 5 and 10 available.
And "full damage" is more likely the lower your lvl, which is weird as you should get better at things.
You've got easy examples as spells, but I believe others will be more difficult to implement, and he won't be very versatile.
Nice combat mage however.
+ I love the Final Fantasy flavour all over it, gives lots of good memories, it makes me think mainly of FF9 Vivi.
Edit: thinking about it, 2*lvl +int mana isn't enough, at lvl 20 you'll barely be able to cast 1 ultima per day, even the lowest spells could be considered going nova. You've beefed his martial offense a bit, I believe it would profit from some game testing.

Detect Magic |

There is a level restriction on spells:
At 1st level, Black Magic I grants level one spells.
At 5th level, Black Magic II grants level two spells; a black mage of 4th level or lower is incapable of casting spells higher than level one.
At 9th level, Black Magic III grants level three spells; a black mage of 8th level or lower is incapable of casting spells higher than level two.
At 13th level, Black Magic IV grants level four spells; a black mage of 12th level or lower is incapable of casting spells higher than level three.
At 17th level, Black Magic V grants level five spells; a black mage of 16th level or lower is incapable of casting spells higher than level four.

Detect Magic |

thinking about it, 2*lvl +int mana isn't enough, at lvl 20 you'll barely be able to cast 1 ultima per day, even the lowest spells could be considered going nova. You've beefed his martial offense a bit, I believe it would profit from some game testing.
Well, if you consider items which grant mana bonus, mana potions (a mana V potion would recover 32 mana), and the built-in mana regeneration (1/4th mana pool per 6 hours; mana recovered with Arcane Weaponry), it isn't all that bad.
But, yes-- Ultima would be a taxing spell to cast (though, at 20th level it would only cast 16 mana, down from 32, due to Archmage).
Testing would definitely help.

Drejk |

Love general idea but I would (as usually) tweak with bits of it.
I would add cantrips (3 at 1st level, +1 at 2nd, 4th and 6th level) to let him look like a mage.
Mage Armor would probably replace with constant mage armor with additional enhancement of +1 per three levels. Mostly to keep up with the name.
Mana, mana costs and some details of the spells could be recalculated a bit.
Also, if only mana just regenerated by 100% per day without the need of rest! I would save so many gils on tents and inns. :P

Detect Magic |

New feat:
Chemist
Your familiarity with alchemy enhances the effect potions have on you.
Prerequisites: Craft (Alchemy) 4 ranks
Benefit: When you consume a potion, you gain double (+100%) the hit points or mana points associated with the item.
This might help with mana.
Also considering adding a mana bonus to the black mage while wearing cloth/robe armor (aka unarmored, as per Pathfinder rules). Though, having these boons built into specific armors also interests me (one of my favorite things about the FF games was collecting items and visiting shops in search of whatever boosts were available).

Detect Magic |

Rolled Black Magic II - V into Black Magic (not really necessary to have it on the table).
Changed Mage Armor so that the black mage adds his Int to AC while wearing cloth armor. Added Mage Armor II (5th level), III (9th level), IV (13th level), and V (17th level); each granting the black mage an additional materia slot for cloth armor he is wearing (these are in addition to materia slots the armor already possesses; most armor typically have 1 materia slot, while some rarer armors have 2).
Example materia:
Elemental -
Armor: When applied to armor, its wearer gains resist 5 of the elemental subtype associated with the materia (fire, ice, or lightning).
Weapon: When applied to a weapon, it gains the flaming, frost, or shocking property, based upon the elemental subtype associated with the materia (fire, ice, or lightning).
I think most weapon and armor enhancements would be made into materia. Guard (deflection modifier to AC), Fortify Ability Score (bonus to Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha), and the like.
Further, I think materia might "level" when used; an elemental materia might become resist 10 (armor), or gain the burst property (weapon), etc.

Artemis Moonstar |

Artemis Moonstar wrote:You already got it in 3.5. I believe it was in the Player's Handbook II.Dot..
Question...
When do I get my Hadoken? I already sacrificed the 9 orphans... I WANT TO SIPHON ALL LOVE OUT OF THE UNIVERSE DAG NABBIT!
I never really did use splat books in 3.5. What spell is this?

Patterson |

Lathiira wrote:I never really did use splat books in 3.5. What spell is this?Artemis Moonstar wrote:You already got it in 3.5. I believe it was in the Player's Handbook II.Dot..
Question...
When do I get my Hadoken? I already sacrificed the 9 orphans... I WANT TO SIPHON ALL LOVE OUT OF THE UNIVERSE DAG NABBIT!
Yeah me too!!