So as both a GM and opening up to my players I wanted to build something akin to a mix of Blood Elves from Wow and Psi Stalkers from RiFTs
Basically a magic energy vampire that isn’t undead. The closest thing I found was the drain magic Su ability which needs to be toned down of gives to a player race.
“Magic Drain (Su) The bite of a nightwing drains magical power and energy. When a nightwing bites a foe, the victim must make a DC 23 Will save or one spell effect currently affecting him immediately ends—determine which spell is drained randomly if the target is under the effects of more than one spell. The nightwing heals damage equal to twice the level of the spell drained—hit points in excess of its maximum are instead gained as temporary hit points that last for 1 hour. If a nightwing attempts to sunder a magic item with its bite, its magic-draining bite renders the item nonmagical for 1d4 rounds (if the item is a permanent magic item), drains 1d8 charges (if the item has charges), or renders it permanently nonmagical (if the item is a one-use item). The item (or its wielder, if the item is attended) can resist this effect with a DC 23 Will save. Damage dealt to an item is applied after the effects of magic drain are applied. The save DC is Charisma-based.”
Now to crop it and tone it down: So instead of a bite, I was going to do the intended target must be actively bleeding and touched to utilize this ability on a living target. Magic items can be used as MREs for substances but taste foul. Can be used (undecided) a day, after feeding both attacker gains the fatigued condition and victim gains exhausted.
As far as nutritional requirements mechanical wise I’m thinking the race as a point pool = level + Con Mod/ 4. Each day the point pool drops automatically. Points are absorbed by 1 x spell level. So each charge absorbed from say a fireball wand is 3 points, where as a 0 level spell gives no nutrition, it can be consumed much like eating a zero calorie snack to stop points going down. I also want to incorporate a magical addiction so if a point counter reaches below zero, the player becomes reckless attacking any arcane caster or monster/races with spell like abilities. If they killed an intended target, the points absorbed is double.
The save will be 10+spell level + casting modifier so trying to devour a mage armor would require a 15 save vs. 23 giving the defender an easier time.
These are all rough ideas and most sounding them off here to balance. My concerns is How many times a day do I want to allow feeding? One seems too low and I don’t want to give a free exhaustion (if they fail to save)at will either so maybe 3 times a day? Or keep it at will, downgrade exhaustion to fatigue for victim
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1) "The save will be 10+spell level + casting modifier"
That will make saving harder when the target has higher-level spells.
The usual save for that kind of thing is 10+1/2 your racial HD+your appropriate stat bonus or, if it is a class ability, 10+1/2 your class level+the stat bonus most associated with your class.
As it is a "feeding" ability and it is useful if it scales with level, 10+1/2 your HD (racial plus class) + your Constitution bonus seems appropriate.
The use of your casting stat is too convenient for spellcasters and a drawback for non-spellcasters. At most you can use Charisma instead of Constitution.
2) "after feeding both attacker gains the fatigued condition and victim gains exhausted. "
So you get to remove one of the spells on the target and make it exhausted?
Too good, especially if you are in a party, with other people that can benefit from having an exhausted target.
You should remember that it is a power that you get a level 1, not something that you get at level 10.
Plus you are stealing a spell cast on the target, not from the memory/spellcasting ability of the target.
Why removing the mage armor effect applied by a wand would exaust the one benefitting from it?
Why removing a spell that it has cast will in any way affect the caster?
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Could also base it off of the Dreamthief Hag's poisonous bite:
Mind Block (Su)
A creature bitten by a dreamthief hag cannot cast spells or attempt Intelligence checks or Intelligence-based skill checks for 1 round. Creatures with at least 1 mythic rank are immune to this ability.
This is a poison effect.
I did see them and heavily considered it.
Vs. quoting I agree the exhaustion is too good and I didn’t even think about drainage of a spell cast on a non caster. The idea in head was predictors of arcane magic (nature and divine wouldn’t apply).
I just remembered this; you could do something similar to Ghoran Spelleater.
Ghoran Spelleater lets them cast dispel magic 1/day as a spell-like ability. You could do the same but only vs a target damaged by new race's bite attack. The limitation of it affecting only 1 creature and only when they take damage might justify allowing its use more than 1/day by default.
Damage and actively bleeding hmmmm I like that. Using 1/2 hd plus con or cha mod as the modifier to add to dispel. I like it
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