| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Full disclaimer: though I am not a foremost expert on Pathfinder's wizard, I do like the class as implemented in 2e. With a former background in D&D, my expectation for the class is that they'd cast plenty of diverse spells in a variety of ways, and the wizard assuredly delivers in that respect.
With that said, however, there is clearly some room for refinement, as Paizo has explicitly called out the fact that the wizard, despite being a scholar of magic, doesn't have that much of a scholarly theme embedded into their gameplay, a flaw the developers are aiming to remediate with proper schools of magic in the remaster. It is this same broad line of criticism that I found resonating with in another player's comment in a different thread: even with the changes we've seen with the remaster, there isn't that much tying the game's foremost bookworm to any actual knowledge, bar a single Recall Knowledge-based feat ported from the Magus.
The original thread discussing the wizard went a little bit everywhere and got shut down, so I intend this to be the thread covering the more homebrew aspects of what more could be done with the wizard: the class as we know it is unlikely to fundamentally change in 2e, so whichever imperfections one may perceive in the class are unlikely to ever be fully addressed, barring a brand-new edition (whose hypotheticals can also be fun to discuss). With that said, there is still room to do new things with the wizard class, particularly in the world of homebrew, ranging from new feats to core class changes of varying scope.
If you're reading this, perhaps you may disagree with the above and feel like the wizard needs no changes, at least not in this respect. If you do feel like the wizard could use some more knowledge-based abilities, however, feel free to express your thoughts here. Some thoughts off the top of my head for feats that could work towards that theme:
The general idea being to give the Wizard more feats that let them show off their brainpower, as well as their affinity with facts, books, and learning, rather than just spells.
It looks like we are thinking about similar topics in different ways!
I agree that I want to see the scholarly side of wizards more easily expressible within the class (although I think the thesis is one excellent way to do so), but I think it is hard for me to make specific recommendations until the boundaries of the arcane magic tradition are more clearly tied to the lore of the world. Like why can't healing magic be mastered through study? What about it requires faith in the divine, or a primal connection to Creation's Forge that cannot be replicated in the same way that a wizard can conjure beings and energy from other elemental planes? Why can wizard magic work to rip away my own soul and turn me into a Lich, but self-absorbed wierdos who like to sing to strange alien blobs from outer space are some how more capable of understanding the magic of souls and spirits?
I am not saying these questions couldn't have good answers, but right now, in Golarion, it is hard to understand what those answers are, because the power source of arcane magic doesn't really exist, and the rules that seem to define it just don't have boundaries that it feels like a magical scientist wouldn't be investigating and pushing against.
It looks like we are thinking about similar topics in different ways!
I agree that I want to see the scholarly side of wizards more easily expressible within the class (although I think the thesis is one excellent way to do so), but I think it is hard for me to make specific recommendations until the boundaries of the arcane magic tradition are more clearly tied to the lore of the world. Like why can't healing magic be mastered through study? What about it requires faith in the divine, or a primal connection to Creation's Forge that cannot be replicated in the same way that a wizard can conjure beings and energy from other elemental planes? Why can wizard magic work to rip away my own soul and turn me into a Lich, but self-absorbed wierdos who like to sing to strange alien blobs from outer space are some how more capable of understanding the magic of souls and spirits?
I am not saying these questions couldn't have good answers, but right now, in Golarion, it is hard to understand what those answers are, because the power source of arcane magic doesn't really exist, and the rules that seem to define it just don't have boundaries that it feels like a magical scientist wouldn't be investigating and pushing against.
Great minds think alike! I've just posted a comment on your thread, and I largely agree with you that arcane magic itself needs to be better-defined in order for the same to happen to the wizard, as the class and the tradition are intrinsically tied to one another. As it stands, I think the arcane tradition, and thus the wizard, does a lot of things in shouldn't, while also not having exclusive access to things that really should be exclusive to arcane magic, like force damage. Paring down arcane magic so that it's clear to see what it does, rather than what it doesn't do, would be a start to giving the wizard a sharper identity as well.
Beyond that, it also means questioning what kinds of arcane casters can exist beyond the wizard: so far, the only other dedicated arcane caster we have is the magus, who's effectively a wizard who focused a little less on spells and a little more on fighting. Much like how the druid is "primal magic: the class", the same can be said right now for the wizard and the arcane tradition, which I suspect makes it difficult to come up with other dedicated casters of those traditions. If I were to come up with a separate arcane caster, without dipping into Starfinder and picking the technomancer, I'd probably want some kind of hedge mage, i.e. a self-taught caster who specifically did not study magic formally, but whose atypical approach to arcane magic affords them a different kind of flexibility untrammeled by academic rigor. Of course, for a non-studious arcane caster to stand out, it would help if the wizard were in fact strongly themed as a studious class, which is why the latter in my opinion could strongly benefit from many more lore and knowledge-based feats, among other things.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
some simple ideas:
Walking Encyclopedia (Wizard Feat 1):
For every 2 levels you have, you gain the Additional Lore Skill Feat once (minimum 1).
Universal Learner (Wizard Feat 1):
You get the Additional Lore Skill Feat twice. Additionally, you can now choose other skills as Lore topics. For instance, you could learn Religion Lore, which would let you Recall Knowledge on anything the Religion skill normally would.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Here's one spitball idea.
Meshes w/ the Scroll Savant, puts a mechanical reason to have some bookish flair to your gear, and helps Wiz claim Scrolls as their niche via an action economy helper, w/o making them OP or anything. 1 action saved per weapon per day.
-------------------------
Conduit Wax:
By using magically conductive sealing wax, you can attach up to one spell Scroll to your weapons during your daily preparations. The process is delicate, and requires you to Invest in the attached weapon(s) as if they were a worn magic item. If the weapon would already require investment, it is not compatible. Such weapons cannot be Invested by anyone other than yourself.
When you wield your scroll-attached weapon, the scroll is considered to be in-hand and ready for use.
--------------------------
With the news that Wiz will get Simple weapons, this will also help those that want to hold something other than a Staff.
Maybe at Master, it could upgrade to 2 scrolls per weapon, and 3 at Legendary? The image of those 40K inquisitors w/ prayer paper flapping off their gear is kinda what I'm picturing.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Bolster Mind (Reaction, Wizard Feat 4)
Trigger: you fail an intelligence-based skill check
You may expend a prepared spell to gain a Status bonus to the check equal to half the spell's rank (minimum 1). If the new result would be enough to change the result, you retroactively change the result.
Peer Review (Reaction, Wizard Feat 6)
Trigger: another creature fails an intelligence-based skill check
Frequency: Once per day
In a single moment of telepathic hypercognition, you go over the ally's attempted action with them and suggest improvements. The ally rerolls the triggering check with a +1 Circumstance bonus and takes the new result if it is better.
Single-Minded Scholar (Wizard Feat 8)
When you would be compelled to act against your will by effects such as Dominate, make a DC 6 flat check. On a success, for the rest of the turn you replace the compulsion with "Engage in a non-violent academic pursuit such as reading a book or observing the events around you passively".
Metaphysical Tenure (Wizard Feat 10)
The Arcane underpinnings of the universe have recognized your academic accomplishments and granted you metaphysical tenure, making it very hard to remove you from your position.
Creatures and effects that would move or teleport you against your will must roll any associated check twice and take the worse result, and for any saving throws you make against such effects you roll twice and take the better result. This is a Fortune effect.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
A few thoughts on using the skill system, instead of setting up a parallel class ability like the thaumaturge:
1) Give wizards (at least) one Trained lore skill (possibly of their choice; or one based on their arcane school and one of their choice; or Academia Lore or Library Lore, one based on their school, and one of their choice), plus the Recognize Spell feat, at 1st level;
2) Possibly give them additional skill increases at 3rd and every two levels after that can only be used on Lore skills;
3) Possibly give them autoscaling skill increases in Arcana (Expert at 3rd, Master at 7th, Legendary at 15th), similar to the inventor with Crafting;
4) Possibly give them Unified Theory as a bonus skill feat at 15th.
Bolster Mind (Reaction, Wizard Feat 4)
Trigger: you fail an intelligence-based skill check
You may expend a prepared spell to gain a Status bonus to the check equal to half the spell's rank (minimum 1). If the new result would be enough to change the result, you retroactively change the result.Peer Review (Reaction, Wizard Feat 6)
Trigger: another creature fails an intelligence-based skill check
Frequency: Once per day
In a single moment of telepathic hypercognition, you go over the ally's attempted action with them and suggest improvements. The ally rerolls the triggering check with a +1 Circumstance bonus and takes the new result if it is better.Single-Minded Scholar (Wizard Feat 8)
When you would be compelled to act against your will by effects such as Dominate, make a DC 6 flat check. On a success, for the rest of the turn you replace the compulsion with "Engage in a non-violent academic pursuit such as reading a book or observing the events around you passively".Metaphysical Tenure (Wizard Feat 10)
The Arcane underpinnings of the universe have recognized your academic accomplishments and granted you metaphysical tenure, making it very hard to remove you from your position.Creatures and effects that would move or teleport you against your will must roll any associated check twice and take the worse result, and for any saving throws you make against such effects you roll twice and take the better result. This is a Fortune effect.
These are gold! Metaphysical tenure had me spitting up my coffee, well done.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
OPEN NOTES (reaction, once per 10 minutes)
when you fail a recall knowledge check, immediately retry using prior notes scribbled into your spell book to aid you with a +1 circumstance bonus
INTENSIVE STUDY (combat encounters, once per 10 minutes)
This recall check involves a subject you paid a great deal more attention to in your studies, get the answer to two questions instead of one when succeeding a RK check
THE BEST LAID PLANS... (Ounce per day)
The plan has gone awry! Spend 10 minutes substituting one prepared spell with another. If you have the spell substitution thesis this activity can be done in combat for 1 action
WAND MECHANICS 101
during your daily preparations you study and strengthen the focus within one of your wands. This wand can be used twice without threat of destruction until your next daily preparations
DISERTATION
You may not have a silver tongue but you are most learned one in the room! Convince the common masses with the power of KNOWLEDGE! Substitute your diplomacy checks with the relevant recall knowledge check as decided by the game master
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I like it. Actually it opens up the whole theme of 'nerdy magical tools that only wizards can create.' But by using feats instead of item creation, it makes it much smoother for the Wizard to acquire, easy for the GM to control when they get them, and ensures the items contribute to the Wizard's unique academic flavor. How about:
"Auto-Quill:
Through research, study, and experimentation your wizard has crafted a magical copying quill. Whenever you buy or create a scroll during downtime, you gain a second copy of the same scroll. If you acquire a scroll during adventuring and you have blank parchment, you can make a second copy of it in 10 minutes. Due to the magic inherent in scrolls, each scroll can only be magically copied once."...
Oh, I like the idea. If Conduit Wax is the combat action helper, then this Feat could be the crafting investment one.
Here's my take on a more "Paizo" iteration of that. I don't think they'd ever do something like 2x doubling your purchased scrolls.
Keeping the Feat Scroll Savant (and Conduit Wax) in mind,
lets see if I can keep the text short, though it is a crafting feat...
----------------
Scrollerly Arcanum
Feat: [Wizard 6] [Eldritch Researcher 4]
You know what power lies in scrolls, and have dedicated yourself to their potential.
Gain Specialty Crafting in spell scrolls, enabling you to craft them even if you lack magical crafting.
Whenever you craft 1 or more spell scrolls, you trap power between the lines, and may enhance 1 of those scrolls. If you do, only you can use it.
If a heightened spell is prepared in an enhanced scroll, it possesses a second casting of the same spell, at the rank below the initial creation. There is no restriction on which must be used first, and the scroll is only consumed when both have been cast.
If you are Expert in Arcana, you can harness your expertise for a different function. Using an existing scroll(s) as the crafting materials, you can remake any existing spell scroll into the same spell, but change the tradition into Arcane for your use.
If you are Master in Arcana, you are able to craft spell scrolls of other traditions, substituting the Cast a Spell for one of your own of matching rank. When done, this changes the tradition to Arcane, and contains the second casting of an enhanced scroll.
If you are Legendary in Arcana, the extra use of an enhanced scroll is no longer a rank below, and renders non-heightening spells compatible for a second, same rank cast.
This Feat is compatible with the scrolls created via Scroll Savant. If done, these scrolls are temporary as per the Feat.
-------------------
Basically, this Feat is still quite usable on it's own, but is limited in that it needs a lot of downtime.
If you have Scroll Savant, it becomes amazing as you get to make 2 free scrolls per day.
At Master, you can make spell scrolls of non-arcane spells for free, and use them.
And of course, Conduit Wax is there to help you wear your creations.
-----------------
Conduit Wax: [Wizard 4]
By using magically conductive sealing wax, you can attach up to one spell Scroll to your weapons during your daily preparations. The process is delicate, and requires you to Invest in the attached weapon(s) as if they were a worn magic item. If the weapon would already require investment, it is not compatible. Such weapons cannot be Invested by anyone other than yourself.
When you wield your scroll-attached weapon, the scroll is considered to be in-hand and ready for use.
If you are Expert in spellcasting, this increases to 2 per weapon.
If you are Master, you may attach 1 to Invested weapons, including staves.
If you are Legend, increase both by 1, and you become able to attach 1 scroll to your armor, even if it requires Investment.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Preparing For Two: (Wizard Feat 12)
Frequency: once per day
You have adapted to your allies' habit of being woefully underprepared compared to yourself.
Once per day when you cast a beneficial spell that targets one ally and you are the target, you may also cast it on another ally at the same time.
At level 16 you may use this effect twice per day.
Precalculate Magic: (Wizard 14)
During your daily preparations, you may divine in advance the potency that one of your spells will have.
Roll all rolls involved in the spell (including saving throws) immediately without adding any modifiers or special mechanics like Fortune effects. When you cast the spell, substitute all rolls for the ones you have prerolled, then apply modifiers and effects as normal.
If a spell has multiple targets you only precalculate the effect for 1 target, and if the spell has rolls over multiple turns you only precalculate the rolls on the first turn.
A harmful spell prepared this way gains the Incapacitation trait if it doesn't have it.
Arcanic Knowledge Matrix (Wizard 16)
As you see it, scholarly knowledge is just another kind of magic.
When you make your daily preparations, you may sacrifice spell slots to gain skill training for the day. Level 1-2 slots grant Trained, level 3-4 grant expert, level 5-6 grant master and level 7+ grant legendary. You may sacrifice multiple slots to boost multiple skills or to boost a skill by multiple ranks.
Redirect All Brainpower! (Reaction, Wizard 18)
Prerequisite: Legendary in Lore
Frequency: Once per day
Trigger: You fail an attack roll, spell attack roll or skill check
Your mind is so vast that you've learned how to safely jettison portions of it in return for a surging flash of power.
Make a Lore check and substitute your original roll with the result of the Lore check. For the rest of the day, when you make a check with that Lore subcategory, you must roll twice and take the lower result.
Special: For every Lore subcategory you are Legendary in beyond the first, you may use this effect one more time, but you must wait 1 hour between each use. You must use a different subcategory each time.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
These are all fantastic ideas! I'll add that in addition to brand-new feats, existing ones like Raise a Tome and Shielded Tome, both from the magus, could fit a wizard well. The class of course also uses a spellbook, and would likely find uses for both opting into a bit of defense and gaining an extra edge when Recalling Knowledge about other creatures.