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This is an idea in progress for a base class that is magical in nature and yet does not use spells. Rather, the idea here is that the class's magic takes more the form of at-will supernatural and spell-like abilities that they simply know, with something of a flavor of "shaping magic" or conjuration, some evocation and channeling energy, and a bit of the idea of being physically transformed by magic. But also able to go in other directions. It's a bit like a "magical monk".
To summarize, I somewhat based the skeleton/form of the class on the Monk, but it's Charisma based, and this could potentially function as a somewhat more powerful (though more MAD) substitute class for the Monk in a campaign or setting. But it also has a bit of the flavor of the Oracle, being attuned to a particular type of magical force that supernaturally grants them powers. In a way, it's like a Sorcerer but even more intuitive and more directly harnessing magic.
The essential mechanical ideas here are:
- You choose an attunement, which represents either an element, some energy type or source of magical power tied to the planes or some kind of theme. Each attunement gives you either the ability to conjure a magical weapon or some other magical form of attack associated with an element or type of magic, which improves as you level, and then a series of at-will powers or spell-like abilities or supernatural traits as you level. They also present players with a variety of play style and build options, from different types of melee combat to ranged combat to bad touch to utility and rogue-ish stuff.
- You get a "nimbus", which sort of starts as a permanent Mage Hand as a stand-in for a familiar, but has the potential to evolve and to grant you the equivalent of certain at-will spell-like abilities. It ends up taking more the form of "permanent spells".
The essence of everything is there, though it's not all completely filled out, most attunements are fairly incomplete beyond their base ability, the class has some empty levels still, and there is plenty that I think could be tweaked and balanced with what's there. Here is the link to the work as it currently is, including some feats, ideas for archetypes, a prestige class designed to synergize with oracles and sorcerers, and a custom race idea that fits the theme:
Would love some feedback, suggestions, inspiration, constructive criticism, etc.
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Looking over at what I have right now, it seems the key here is going to be getting some of the Attunements balanced and really fleshing out what they will be like further, and the same thing with the Nimbus Powers.
Examples of a complete or near-complete attunement: Dream, Shadow, Spirit.
Examples of attunements that I think set a good balance for base abilities or have a nice start but need to be filled out more: Force, Nature, Space.
Examples of Attunements that I think badly need work or rethinking in their base ability: Death, Life, maybe Time.
The elemental Attunements seem pretty straight forward but need to be filled out more as well.
I would also say that a number of Nimbus Powers also make it somewhat ambiguous as to what it means for your nimbus to "function as" a spell, and the nimbus concept in general could be refined and clarified better. It's sort of meant to be like a familiar or a magical item/focus linked to your character that provides some form of utility and often functions much like a permanent spell or magical conjuration.
The feats are mostly there to enable and improve your combat style from your Attunement, make you more versatile, and otherwise opens up a few practical options for multiclassing, most likely with Sorcerer or Oracle, which leads into the Supernatural Disciple prestige class. Not entirely sure what else to do with them atm.
I'm not 100% on how much I like the Supernatural Disciple almost copying the Magus's Spell Combat ability, but the ability as written is somewhat different in a number of ways. As a Prestige class it's loosely modeled after the Dragon Disciple, but specifically tailored around the Eidolon, with your Attunement powers standing in for the Dragon Disciple's dragon based powers. And it grants the equivalent of permanent metamagic abilities.
The archetypes are mostly there to enable a few different basic build types. Supernatural Warrior is for those who want a "magic warrior" type of build, most likely melee. Supernatural Scoundrel is for those who want a more skillfull and rogue-ish build. Blood Disciple gives a more Barbarian/Bloodrager option with bloodrage and bloodrage powers. And Channeler gives you more of a Cleric-ish option with domain powers and variant channeling. I'm not sure I want to keep the Wild Disciple archetype, as Wild Shape is technically already covered by the Nature attunement.
Can't read your document as it is protected.