sabato 30 ottobre 2021

Patron Request: Thull Race from Morningstar Campaign

 As requested by Ronald J Paris!

This post already appeared for patrons only on my Patreon page. If you wish to see stuff in advance and have access to other rewards, please consider donating!

Thull (Advanced Race, 16 RP)

According to some scholars, thull could be the missing link between humans and giants. A primitive and illiterate race, they thrive in uncivilized lands, and tend to keep to themselves. Thull are neither good nor evil, and care little for the affairs of the greater world.

Type: Humanoid (giant) (0 RP)

Size: Large (7 RP) Large creatures gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. Large races take a –1 size penalty to their AC, a –1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks. A Large creature takes up a space that is 10 feet by 10 feet and has a reach of 5 feet.

Speed: Slow (-1 RP) 20 ft.

Ability Score Modifiers: Weakness (-1 RP) +2 Con, +2 Wis, -4 Cha. Thull are heavy-built, primitive, and clumsy.

Languages: Xenophobic (0 RP) Thull begin play speaking only Giant. They can learn Common, Dwarven, Goblin, or Orc if they have a high Intelligence score.

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

Child of Nature (4 RP): Thull get a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks in areas with the same climate as their home region, and can always take 10 on Survival checks in these areas.

Improvised Tools (2 RP): Thull gain the Tool Optimizer feat as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Sense Racial Traits

Low-Light Vision (1 RP)

Scent (Advanced Trait, 4 RP)

mercoledì 27 ottobre 2021

The Witch Raider (Updated), Level 2

 I will post the entire 20-levels spread for this character, also correcting maybe some mistakes here and there as I go.

This post already appeared for patrons only on my Patreon page. If you wish to see stuff in advance and have access to other rewards, please consider donating!

The Witch Raider, Level 2 (Updated)

The Witch Raider

Half-elf inquisitor (Expulsionist, Shield of the Gods, Soldier of the Gods) 2

NG Medium humanoid (elf, human)

Init +5; Senses low-light vision, Perception +5/+6

Defense

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 shield)

hp 14 (2d8+2)

Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +6. +2 racial bonus against enchantment spells and effects.

Defensive Abilities covenant with the gods 1/day; Immune sleep

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee mwk rapier +2 (1d6, 18-20), bastard sword one-handed +1 (1d10, 19-20), bastard sword two-handed +1 (1d10,19-20), or whip +1 (1d3, nonlethal)

Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8,19-20)

Special Attacks channel energy 5/day (1d6, DC 13; harm or turn undead or evil outsiders only)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd, concentration +4)

At will- detect chaos/evil/good/law

Magic

Caster Level 1; MSB +2, MSD 13, Concentration +4
Tradition Inquisitor (Drawbacks: Verbal Casting, Focus Casting; Boon: +1 spell point, +1 per three levels in casting classes); CAM Wis
Spell Points
6

Divination Sphere - DC 13; Duration Divine (Concentration), Sense (1 Hour); Range Medium (110 ft); Talents (Bonus: Detect Loyalties, Divine Alignment, Divine Fate, Divine Protection); Drawbacks none
- Divine (Divine, Detect Loyalties, Divine Alignment, Divine Fate, Divine Protection)
- Sense (Read Magic)

Fate Sphere - DC 13; Duration Concentration or 1 min/level; Range Consecration (20 ft.), Word (25 ft.); Talents Divine Force (good); Drawbacks none

- Consecration (Serendipity, Divine Force)

- Word (Hallow)

Protection Sphere - DC 13; Duration Aegis (1 hour), Ward (concentration; 1 round); Range Aegis (Touch), Ward (Up to 15 ft); Talents none; Drawbacks none
- Aegis (Deflection)
- Ward (Barrier)

Martial
Tradition
Expedition Spotter (Equipment: Rogue Weapon Training, Fencing sphere, Scout sphere, Trap sphere [Dismantler drawback]) PAM Wis
Equipment sphere - DC
13, Talents Rogue Weapon Training

- rogue weapon training (discipline) (proficiency with blade boot, butterfly knife, garrote, hand crossbow, kukri, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, starknife, switchblade knife, sword cane, war razor, and whip. +2 competence bonus to Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal a weapon on your person)
Fencing sphere - DC
13, Talents none, Drawbacks none
- fatal thrust (+1d6 precision damage vs. a target within 30 ft. that you are flanking, is flat-footed, or has lost its Dexterity bonus to AC)

Scout sphere - DC 13, Talents Target Weakness, Drawbacks none
- scout (swift action, identify creature's weaknesses)

- target weakness (improvise a weapon to hit a scouted creature’s weak points)

Trap sphere - DC 13, Talents Trap Finder, Drawbacks Dismantler

- trap finder (gain bonus on Disable Device, can disable magical traps)

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 14

Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 13

Traits Mediator, Schooled Inquisitor

Feats Alignment Channel*, Exotic  Heritage* (Engineering), Mystic Focus, Turn Undead*

Skills Bluff +7, Craft (traps) +6, Diplomacy +8, Heal +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge (engineering) +5, Knowledge (planes) +6/+7/+8, Knowledge (religion) +6/+7/+8, Stealth +7

Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan

SQ cunning initiative, divine magics, expel spirit, expulsionist lore +1, stern gaze +1

Gear bastard sword (35 gp), buckler (5 gp), common cure (50 gp), mwk hand crossbow (400 gp) with 20 bolts (2 gp), inquisitor’s kit (30 gp), mwk studded leather armor (175 gp), mwk rapier (320 gp), whip (1 gp)

Special Abilities

Covenant with the Gods: The shield of the gods can use sphere abilities to protect and enhance herself. As a swift action, she may use any (aegis) talent of the Protection sphere, any (consecration) talent of the Fate sphere, or any (enhance) talent from the Enhancement sphere that can be cast on a creature on herself and that has a duration greater than instantaneous. She can not include other creatures in this casting. She may use a talent she does not possess in this casting, provided she has all the prerequisites and she possesses the base sphere.

The sphere ability lasts for 1 minute without concentration and can not be extended beyond this, nor can they be sacrificed to activate other abilities (such as sacrificing an aegis to activate a succor ability). If an aegis is used, the shield of the gods spends 1 spell point less to create it (minimum: 0). Any other spell point costs must be paid normally. When cast this way, the shield of the gods may use her class level as her caster level. This stacks with other caster level sources normally.

The shield may use this ability once per day, plus an additional time every 3 levels after the 1st, up to a total of 7 times per day at 19th level.

This replaces judgement. Other class features that interact with judgment (such as true judgment) interact the same way with this ability.

Cunning Initiative (Ex) At 2nd level, an inquisitor adds her Wisdom modifier on initiative checks, in addition to her Dexterity modifier.

Detect Alignment (Sp) At will, an inquisitor can use detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, or detect law. She can only use one of these at any given time.

Divination Sphere You can predict the future and gain information not available to the usual 5 senses.

Divination: Divine You may divine to gain information. To divine, you must spend 10 minutes meditating, although you may spend a spell point to decrease this time to a single standard action. Divining always has a duration of concentration, but you must spend a full-round action concentrating (you can take no other action, not even walking); you are flat-footed while divining.

When you divine, you detect the strength and location of all magical auras within Medium range. You do not know the exact caster level of an item or spell, but you may sense the aura’s general strength according to the chart below. To determine the spell school or sphere of the effect, you must pass a Knowledge (arcana) check with a DC equal to 15 + ½  the caster level.

Table: Aura Strength

Caster Level

Aura Strength

1-5

Faint

6-11

Moderate

12-20

Strong

20+

Overwhelming

A magical aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spells and sphere effects) or is destroyed (in the case of a magic item). In such a case, divining reveals an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:

Table: Lingering Aura

Original Strength

Duration of Lingering Aura

Faint

1d6 Rounds

Moderate

1d6 Minutes

Strong

1d6 x 10 Minutes

Overwhelming

1d6 Days

When using Spellcraft to identify the properties of a magic item, you may use divine in place of the detect magic spell. Outsiders and elementals are not magical in and of themselves, but if they are summoned, the conjuration effect registers. Divining can penetrate most barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Divination: Alternate Divinations If you possess certain other spheres, you may divine for information other than magical auras. These alternate divinations are detailed below.

Fate: Detect Loyalties If you possess the Fate sphere, you may divine the top three general things matter most to the creatures you can see within range. Examples of base loyalties may include but are not limited to: Country, Faith, Family, Power, and Self. Subcategories for base loyalties may also exist where appropriate such as Self (survival) or Self (perfection). While you do not learn specific details such as proper names of the associated loyalties, you do acquire the order in which the loyalties stand. Mindless creatures might have only 1 loyalty such as Self (survival), whereas creatures with low animal-like intelligence might only have 2 loyalties such as Family (pack) and Self (survival). Only the top three loyalties are revealed, even if they have more.

Fate: Divine Alignment If you possess the Fate sphere, you may divine for a specific part of the alignment spectrum: evil, good, lawful, or chaotic. The strength of these auras are determined according to Chart: Alignment.

Traps, poisons, and other potential perils have no alignment. Creatures with aligned intents (killing in anger, aiding those in need for their own sakes, etc.) may temporarily detect according to their actions.

Creature/Object

Aura Power

None

Faint

Moderate

Strong

Overwhelming

Aligned Creature1 (HD)

4 or lower

5-10

11-25

26-50

51 or higher

Aligned Undead (HD)

-

2 or lower

3-8

9-20

21 or higher

Aligned Outsider (HD)

-

1 or lower

2-4

5-10

11 or higher

Cleric or Paladin of an Aligned Deity2 (class levels)

-

1

2-4

5-10

11 or higher

Aligned Magic Item or Spell (Caster Level)

5 or lower

6-10

11-15

16-20

21 or higher

1 Except for Undead and Outsider, which have their own entries on the table.

2 Some characters who are not clerics may radiate an aura of equivalent power. The class description will indicate whether this applies.

Fate: Divine Fate If you possess the Fate sphere, you may divine the alignment auras of creatures you can see within medium range of you. Such creatures emit a colored aura depending upon what alignments or loyalties you share with them. Creatures that share the same moral alignment (Good/Neutral/Evil) emit a red aura. Creatures that share the same ethical alignment (Law/Neutral/Chaos) emit a blue aura. Creatures that share a primary base loyalty (see divine loyalties) emit a yellow aura. Creatures that share multiple colors have their colors combined, i.e. a creature that shares the primary base loyalty of family and the ethical alignment of chaos will emit a green aura. Creatures that share all three primary colors (Red, Blue, and Yellow) emit a glowing white aura. Refer to Chart: Divine Fate below for more information on how colored auras combine. Creatures that do not share any alignment or loyalties do not emit any aura that you can see.

Chart: Divine Fate

Primary Colors  Secondary/Combination Color

Blue and Red    Purple

Blue and Yellow   Green

Red and Yellow  Orange

Blue, Red, and Yellow  White

Protection: Divine Protection: You may divine all creatures you have pinpointed within range and determine which of those creatures have the lowest and highest armor class. Alternatively, you may divine the lowest and highest saving throw each of these creatures has. You do not however determine the values for any of these attributes.

Divination: Sense As a standard action, you may grant yourself paranormal senses for 1 hour/level. When you gain the Divination sphere, you gain the following sense.

Divination: Read Magic (Sense) You may spend a spell point to gain a sense that allows you to decipher all magical writings, such as those found in books, scrolls, on weapons, or in other places intelligible to you. This does not invoke the magic contained in the writing, although it may do so in the case of a cursed or trapped scroll. Furthermore, once you have read a magical inscription through this ability, you are thereafter able to read that particular writing even without this sense. You can read at the rate of one page (250 words) per minute. You can identify glyphs, runes, and symbol spells with a Spellcraft check (DC 10 + ½ caster level).

Some talents are marked (sense). These talents grant you additional senses you may bestow upon yourself. There is no limit to the number of different senses you may have active at a time.

Divine Magics: At 1st level, the shield of the gods receives a bonus magic talent of her choice from either the Enhancement, Fate, or Protection spheres.

This replaces track.

Equipment: Rogue Weapon Training (discipline) You gain proficiency with the blade boot, butterfly knife, garrote, hand crossbow, kukri, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, starknife, switchblade knife, sword cane, war razor, and whip. Additionally, you gain a +2 competence bonus to Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal a weapon on your person. At +10 base attack bonus, this competence bonus increases to +4.

Expel Spirit (Su) At 1st level, an expulsionist receives Alignment Channel and Turn Undead as bonus feats. She can channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier as per a cleric with an effective level equal to her inquisitor level, but only to harm or turn evil outsiders or undead (treating all evil outsiders as undead creatures for the purpose of determining whether they can be affected by Turn Undead). She can take other feats that add to this ability, such as Extra Channel or Improved Channel, but not other feats that fundamentally alter this ability, such as Elemental Channel, and she cannot select Alignment Channel multiple times. The DC to save against this ability is equal to 10 + ½ the expulsionist’s inquisitor level + her Charisma modifier.

This ability replaces domain.

Expulsionist Lore (Ex) At 1st level, an expulsionist gains a bonus equal to ½ her inquisitor level (minimum +1) on skill checks to notice haunts and incorporeal creatures; on Knowledge (religion) checks to identify the abilities and weaknesses of haunts and incorporeal creatures; and on Sense Motive checks to determine whether a creature is possessed, under the effects of an enchantment or curse, or otherwise magically controlled.

This ability replaces monster lore.

Fate Sphere You command cosmic forces including luck, destiny, and alignment.

Fate: Consecration As a standard action, you may affect a 20-foot radius + 5 feet per 5 caster levels area centered on you with a consecration. This aura moves as you do. The effects of consecrations are subject to spell resistance. When you gain the Fate sphere, you gain the following consecration:

Fate: Serendipity (consecration) You bestow luck upon your allies. All allies within range gain a +1 luck bonus to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws. This bonus lasts as long as you concentrate. You may spend a spell point as a free action to allow this effect to continue for 1 round per caster level without concentration.

Fate: Word As a standard action, you may invoke a word of power, affecting a single creature or object within close range. Words are subject to spell resistance.

When you gain the Fate sphere, you gain the following word:

Fate: Hallow (word) You may spend a spell point to hallow a target for 1 minute per caster level. Choose an end of the alignment spectrum (good, evil, lawful, chaotic); you must choose an alignment that you possess. The target of this word gains a +1 sacred bonus (profane bonus if you are evil; if you are neither good nor evil you must choose whether you grant sacred or profane bonuses with this sphere) to attack rolls, AC, and saving throws made against targets of your opposed alignment (evil for good, lawful for chaotic, etc.). This bonus increases by 1 for every 10 caster levels possessed.

The target also gains immunity to any spell or sphere effect that possesses or exercises mental control over them (including enchantment charm effects and enchantment compulsion effects), so long as that effect originates from a creature who possesses your opposed alignment. If the target is already under the influence of such an effect, the target is allowed to attempt a new saving throw against the controlling effect. Success means the effect is suppressed for the duration of this word, but resumes when this word expires. This does not expel a controlling life force (such as a ghost or projected spirit), but it does prevent them from controlling the target.

Fate: Divine Force (consecration) You may fill an area with the influence of an alignment type you are connected to (good, evil, lawful, or chaotic). You must possess this alignment type. Creatures of that alignment’s opposite (good for evil, lawful for chaotic, etc.) within this area suffer one of the following detriments, chosen at random (Fortitude negates):

  1. blind 1 round
  2. deaf 2d4 rounds
  3. staggered 1d4 round
  4. sickened 1d4 round
  5. dazed 1 round
  6. shaken 1d4 round

As this power is cosmic in origin, it can affect undead, even though undead are usually immune to some of these conditions. If you are True Neutral, you may choose neutrality with this consecration, in which case all creatures at the extremes of the alignment spectrum (Lawful Good, Lawful Evil, Chaotic Good, and Chaotic Evil) suffer the ill effects. This is an instantaneous effect.

Fencing Sphere Fencers are quick fighters who use nimble footwork and expert feints to open up their target before landing a fatal blow.

When you gain the Fencing sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Bluff skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Fencing sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Bluff skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

Fencing: Fatal Thrust Whenever you make an attack action or an attack of opportunity against a target that is within 30 ft. and that you are flanking, that is flat-footed, or that has lost its Dexterity bonus to AC (such as through a successful feint), you deal an additional +1d6 precision damage to the target. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. This damage increases by an additional 1d6 precision damage for every 5 points of base attack bonus you possess.

A fencer may apply the effects of a single (exploit) talent to any fatal thrust.

Focus Casting Your magic requires you to use an item such as a wand, holy symbol, ring, or staff to create magic. Using magic without your focus requires you to make a concentration check (DC 20 + ½ the caster level) to produce the desired effect. Failure means time (and any spell points) are spent, but no effect happens. If a focus is lost, stolen, or broken, the caster must create a new focus by securing the necessary item and spending 8 hours bonding with it. At the GM’s discretion, however, another caster’s focus may be used instead.

Protection Sphere You are a user of the magics of preservation.

Protection: Aegis As a standard action, you may touch a creature and spend a spell point, granting them an aegis for 1 hour per caster level. Unwilling targets are allowed a Will save to resist gaining an aegis, and aegis is subject to spell resistance.

Multiple aegises of the same talent can be placed on a single creature, and the creature can benefit from them when they are providing different effects. This means Armored Magic can give a target both armor and shield, and Energy Resistance can grant resistance to multiple energy types to the same target.

You gain the following aegis when you gain the Protection sphere:

Protection: Deflection (aegis) You grant the target a +1 Deflection bonus to AC, +1 per 5 caster levels.

Protection: Ward As a standard action, you may create a ward centered on yourself with a radius of up to 10 feet + 5 feet per caster level, but can also be made so small as to only cover yourself. Wards remain as long as you concentrate, but you may spend a spell point to allow them to remain for 1 round per caster level without concentration. Wards remain in the location they were created, even if you move (however, if the ward is created entirely on top of a vehicle, it will move with that vehicle). If a ward affects targets inside it, its effects are subject to spell resistance.

When you gain the Protection sphere, you gain the following ward:

Protection: Barrier (ward) You may create a ward that creates a mostly-transparent wall of force at its perimeter. While this barrier does not block line of sight, it does block line of effect; thus, while you could still target a creature through the barrier (such as for an attack that attempts to break the barrier and still deal damage to the creature on the other side), the barrier does stop attacks, movement, breath weapons, and any spells or sphere effects that rely on line of effect until the barrier is destroyed. Ethereal creatures are technically stopped by the barrier, but can usually find a way around it (as the barrier does not cut through objects, and so usually stops at ground level). Creatures inside a space where a barrier is created are shunted to the nearest empty space on the outside.

A barrier has hit points equal to twice your caster level and a Break DC of 15 + ½ your caster level. A barrier can hold weight, up to 2,400 lbs. + 250 lbs. per caster level; beyond that, a barrier simply shatters as if broken with a Strength check. If a barrier is broken anywhere, the entire effect ends.

If an attack is directed at a target through the barrier, the attack first deals its damage to the barrier itself. If this damage is enough to destroy the barrier, the attack continues on to its intended target, although damage dealt to the barrier is subtracted from any damage done to the target or targets. Burst-effect attacks such as splash weapons, fireball spells, or others attempting to travel through the barrier explode at the barrier’s edge and also must overcome the barrier’s hit points to damage targets on the other side. If you maintain your barrier through concentration, its hit points are renewed each round on your turn.

Scout Sphere Training in the Scout sphere teaches you how to hide from danger, identify potential threats and hazards, track opponents through almost any environment, and identify a creature’s key weaknesses. When you gain the Scout sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Stealth skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Scout sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Stealth skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

All practitioners of the Scout sphere gain the following ability:

Scout: Scout As a swift action, you may identify a creature’s weaknesses (DC 10 + creature’s CR) as described under the Knowledge skill, but may substitute a Perception check for the appropriate Knowledge check at a -5 penalty. This only reveals the target’s weaknesses, or lack thereof, (such as damage reduction types and vulnerabilities), and does not reveal any additional information about the target. Once you have succeeded at a scout attempt or Knowledge check against a target, any talents or effects that require you to scout a target may be used against the target for the next 24 hours; after this period you must successfully use the scout ability against the target again to continue benefiting from related effects.

Scout: Target Weakness If you have successfully used the scout ability to identify a target’s weaknesses, you may use scavenged materials collected as you travel to improvise a weapon targeting one of those weaknesses as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity; you may expend your martial focus to instead use this ability as a free action. The next attack you make against the target with a manufactured or natural weapon attack, including traps, is treated as though half the total damage it deals (rounded down) were of an energy type the target has vulnerability to (for example, if you fire an arrow at a red dragon, who has vulnerability to cold damage, and would normally deal 14 points of piercing damage, you instead deal 7 points of piercing damage and 10 points of cold damage); if this attack is not made before the end of your next turn, this effect is wasted.

Additional energy damage dealt by the attack, such as from the flaming or frost weapon special abilities, is calculated separately from this effect. Alternatively, your weapons are treated as having one type listed in the target’s damage reduction (for example, if an enemy has DR 5/cold iron or good, you may treat your attacks as either good or cold iron for 1 round).

Stern Gaze (Ex) Inquisitors are skilled at sensing deception and intimidating their foes. An inquisitor receives a morale bonus on all Intimidate and Sense Motive checks equal to ½ her inquisitor level (minimum +1).

Trap Sphere When you gain the Trap sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Craft (traps) skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Trap sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Craft (traps) skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature.

Dismantler You do not gain the ability to set traps, including the darts trap and the tripwire snare. You must choose Trap Finder with the bonus talent gained from this drawback.

Trap: Trap Finder You can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps. In addition, you gain a +1 competence bonus to Perception checks to locate traps and to Disable Device checks, increasing by +1 for every 4 ranks in Craft (traps) you possess.

Verbal Casting You must speak in a loud, clear voice to cast spells. Using magic alerts all nearby hearing creatures to your presence and location, effectively breaking stealth. You cannot cast in an area of magical silence, or in any other situation where you are unable to speak clearly.

domenica 24 ottobre 2021

The Awkward Academician (Daydreaming Wizard) (Updated)

 And this is “my” new look, though I could make a new alter ego for me sooner or later…

This post already appeared for patrons only on my Patreon page. If you wish to see stuff in advance and have access to other rewards, please consider donating!

The Awkward Academician (Daydreamer Wizard)

Human wizard (Cosmic Sage) 1

CG Medium humanoid (human)

Init +1; Senses Perception +1


Defense

AC +11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)

hp 8 (1d6+2)

Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3


Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee quarterstaff +0 (1d6) or dagger +0 (1d4, 19-20)

Ranged dagger +1 (1d4, 19-20)


Magic
Caster Level 1; MSB +1; MSD 12; Concentration +4
Tradition Daydreamer (Mental Focus, Somatic Casting x2, Verbal Casting; Boons: Overcharge, +1 spell point, +1 per 3 levels in casting classes); CAM Int
Spell Points 5
Divination Sphere - DC 13; Duration Divine (Concentration), Sense (1 Hour); Range Medium (110 ft); Talents Divine Information (Bonus: Divine Protection); Drawbacks None
- Divine (Divine, Divine Information, Divine Protection)
- Sense (Read Magic)
Protection Sphere - DC 14; Duration Aegis (1 Hour), Ward (Concentration; 1 Round); Range Aegis (Touch), Ward (Up to 15 ft); Talents Continuous Barrier; Drawbacks None
- Aegis (Deflection)
- Ward (Barrier)

- Continuous Ward


Statistics

Str 10, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 13

Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD +11

Traits Avid Reader (Knowledge- arcana), Librarian 

Feats Careful Reader, Dreamspace*, Scribe Scroll*, Sphere Focus (Protection)

Skills Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Linguistics +7, Profession (librarian) +6, Spellcraft +7, Use Magic Device +7

Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Sylvan

SQ arcane bond (familiar)

Gear dagger (2 gp), quarterstaff, tome of epics, wizard’s kit (21 gp)


Special Abilities


Arcane Bond (Ex) At 1st level, the sphere wizard may choose a familiar or a bonded object as any other wizard. If the sphere wizard chooses a bonded object, then he can use it to access magical knowledge he does not normally possess. As a standard action, he may grant himself the benefit of any one magic talent he does not possess. This effect lasts for 1 minute.

If gaining a magic talent other than a base sphere, he must possess that talent’s base sphere and fulfill its prerequisites. He may do this once per day at 1st level, plus an additional once per day for every 4 class levels he possesses, up to a total of 6 times per day at 20th level. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack. If he uses this ability again before the previous duration has expired, it replaces the previous use.

If the sphere wizard’s casting tradition includes the focus casting drawback, the bond can also be their focus, but does not have to be.

This alters arcane bond.


Divination Sphere You can predict the future and gain information not available to the usual 5 senses.


Divination: Divine You may divine to gain information. To divine, you must spend 10 minutes meditating, although you may spend a spell point to decrease this time to a single standard action. Divining always has a duration of concentration, but you must spend a full-round action concentrating (you can take no other action, not even walking); you are flat-footed while divining. Divining reveals information from sources within medium range of you as an emanation; it reveals information each round the effect it is maintained. Divining can penetrate most barriers, but 3 feet of wood or dirt, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead blocks it.

When you gain the Divination sphere, you gain the ability to divine for magical auras, learning their strength and location. You do not know the exact caster level of an item or spell, but you may sense the aura’s general strength according to the chart below. To determine the spell school or sphere of the effect, you must succeed at a Knowledge (arcana) check with a DC equal to 15 + ½ the caster level.


Table: Aura Strength

Caster Level

Aura Strength

1-5

Faint

6-11

Moderate

12-20

Strong

20+

Overwhelming


A magical aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spells and sphere effects) or is destroyed (in the case of a magic item). In such a case, divining reveals an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:


Table: Lingering Aura

Original Strength

Duration of Lingering Aura

Faint

1d6 Rounds

Moderate

1d6 Minutes

Strong

1d6 x 10 Minutes

Overwhelming

1d6 Days


When using Spellcraft to identify the properties of a magic item, you may use divine in place of the detect magic spell. Outsiders and elementals are not magical in and of themselves, but if they are summoned, the conjuration effect registers.

Overwhelming Auras: Whenever an individual divines or senses an aura whose strength is overwhelming, from a source whose Hit Dice or caster level is equal to or greater than the caster's character level + 10, that individual becomes stunned for 1 round.


Alternate Divinations If you possess certain other spheres, you may divine for information other than magical auras. These alternate divinations are detailed below.


Protection: Divine Protection: You may divine all creatures you have pinpointed within range and determine which of those creatures have the lowest and highest armor class. Alternatively, you may divine the lowest and highest saving throw each of these creatures has. You do not however determine the values for any of these attributes.


Divination: Sense As a standard action, you may grant yourself paranormal senses for 1 hour/level. When you gain the Divination sphere, you gain the following sense.


Divination: Read Magic (sense) You may spend a spell point to gain a sense that allows you to decipher all magical writings, such as those found in books, scrolls, on weapons, or in other places intelligible to you. This does not invoke the magic contained in the writing, although it may do so in the case of a cursed or trapped scroll. Furthermore, once you have read a magical inscription through this ability, you are thereafter able to read that particular writing even without this sense. You can read at the rate of one page (250 words) per minute. You can identify glyphs, runes, and symbol spells with a Spellcraft check (DC 10 + ½ caster level).


Divination: Divine Information (divine) You may spend a spell point to divine for information. This grants you the ability to reroll a failed Knowledge check (or to attempt a Knowledge check untrained), with an insight bonus equal to ½ your caster level. You may only divine for information once per Knowledge check.


Mental Focus Your magic requires you to have a focus that is not always possible to achieve. You normally have focus, but lose it whenever you fail a save versus mind-affecting magic, have a critical hit confirmed on you, or a condition causes you to lose the ability to concentrate (such as being nauseated or helpless or failing an enforced concentration check such as from being entangled). Using magic without your mental focus requires you to make a concentration check (DC 20 + ½ caster level) to produce the desired effect. Failure means time (and any spell points) are spent, but no effect happens. If focus is lost, the caster can refocus by meditating as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Overcharge You may overcharge your magic, giving yourself great power at the cost of your own strength. Whenever you use a sphere ability, you may give yourself a +2 bonus to your caster level for that ability, but you become fatigued afterward. If you are already fatigued, you become exhausted. If you are exhausted, you collapse to the ground unconscious for 1d4 rounds. Creatures immune to fatigue cannot benefit from this boon.

Protection Sphere You are a user of the magics of preservation.


Protection: Aegis As a standard action, you may touch a creature and spend a spell point, granting them an aegis for 1 hour per caster level. Unwilling targets are allowed a Will save to resist gaining an aegis, and aegis is subject to spell resistance.

Multiple aegises of the same talent can be placed on a single creature, and the creature can benefit from them when they are providing different effects. This means Armored Magic can give a target both armor and shield, and Energy Resistance can grant resistance to multiple energy types to the same target.

You gain the following aegis when you gain the Protection sphere:


Protection: Deflection (aegis) You grant the target a +1 Deflection bonus to AC, +1 per 5 caster levels.


Protection: Ward As a standard action, you may create a ward centered on yourself with a radius of up to 10 feet + 5 feet per caster level, but can also be made so small as to only cover yourself. Wards remain as long as you concentrate, but you may spend a spell point to allow them to remain for 1 round per caster level without concentration. Wards remain in the location they were created, even if you move (however, if the ward is created entirely on top of a vehicle, it will move with that vehicle). If a ward affects targets inside it, its effects are subject to spell resistance.

When you gain the Protection sphere, you gain the following ward:


Protection: Barrier (ward) You may create a ward that creates a mostly-transparent wall of force at its perimeter. While this barrier does not block line of sight, it does block line of effect; thus, while you could still target a creature through the barrier (such as for an attack that attempts to break the barrier and still deal damage to the creature on the other side), the barrier does stop attacks, movement, breath weapons, and any spells or sphere effects that rely on line of effect until the barrier is destroyed. Ethereal creatures are technically stopped by the barrier, but can usually find a way around it (as the barrier does not cut through objects, and so usually stops at ground level). Creatures inside a space where a barrier is created are shunted to the nearest empty space on the outside.

A barrier has hit points equal to twice your caster level and a Break DC of 15 + ½ your caster level. A barrier can hold weight, up to 2,400 lbs. + 250 lbs. per caster level; beyond that, a barrier simply shatters as if broken with a Strength check. If a barrier is broken anywhere, the entire effect ends.

If an attack is directed at a target through the barrier, the attack first deals its damage to the barrier itself. If this damage is enough to destroy the barrier, the attack continues on to its intended target, although damage dealt to the barrier is subtracted from any damage done to the target or targets. Burst-effect attacks such as splash weapons, fireball spells, or others attempting to travel through the barrier explode at the barrier’s edge and also must overcome the barrier’s hit points to damage targets on the other side. If you maintain your barrier through concentration, its hit points are renewed each round on your turn.


Protection: Continuous Ward Wards you create may be completely sealed spheres. If creating the ward would cause it to go through another object, the ward cuts harmlessly through the material and affecting targets on the far side (without compromising the integrity of the object, but preventing the object from being moved in the case of a barrier). If creating the ward would cause a physical manifestation such as a barrier to go through a creature or animated object, the ward shunts the creature just outside the effect of the sphere.

These modifications to your wards make it so that ethereal creatures, or creatures with unusual movement modes such as burrow cannot pass through a barrier by going around the ward, but must instead destroy the barrier to enter or exit. This ability can be combined with Greater Barrier to allow your barrier wall to pass through objects.


Scribe Scroll At 1st level, the cosmic sage gains the scribe scroll feat as a bonus feat. The cosmic sage may ignore the requirement to possess the base sphere when scribing or using a scroll, although scribing a scroll without the base sphere increases the DC of the Craft check by +5.

This alters scribe scroll.


Somatic Casting You must gesture to cast spells—a process that requires you to have at least 1 hand unoccupied. When using magic, you cannot wear armor heavier than light without incurring a chance of arcane spell failure.

You may select this drawback twice. If taken a second time, you cannot wear any armor or use a shield without incurring a chance of arcane spell failure.


Verbal Casting You must speak in a loud, clear voice to cast spells. Using magic alerts all nearby hearing creatures to your presence and location, effectively breaking stealth. You cannot cast in an area of magical silence, or in any other situation where you are unable to speak clearly.

Phantasia, Cat Familiar (Dream Guide)

Effective Wizard Level 1

N Tiny magical beast
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +5

Defense
AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 4

Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +3

Defensive Abilities improved evasion


Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +4 (1d2–4), bite +4 (1d3–4)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Statistics
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 7
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 6 (10 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +6, Perception +5, Stealth +14; Racial Modifiers +4 Climb, +4 Stealth

SQ empathic link, share spells


Special Abilities


Familiar The master of a cat familiar gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks.


Build

The Awkward Academician is built with a 20-point buy and 70 gp starting wealth. Favored Class Bonus is +⅙ magic talent. If using a lower point buy, you can lower Strength and Constitution. If using a higher point buy (or rolling really well), your most important attribute is Intelligence. Intelligence is your casting statistic and affects the save DCs of all your magic and martial talents and your spell pool, in addition to increasing your skills and bonuses in Intelligence and Spellcraft. Dexterity can be useful too, increasing your initiative and AC; Wisdom helps resisting magic domination and make the right choices in combat, and Charisma is useful in social situations.


How To Play An Awkward Academician

Daydreaming and shy, you are not yet sure of your role in the world. The things that interest you are increasing your knowledge, keeping your family and friends safe, and avoiding conflicts. Permanently moving your physical body to your dreamspace via a powerful ritual should be the perfect way to do that someday.


Future Abilities

Magic Talents Ablating, Antimagic Aura, Arcane Calculation*, Armored Magic, Buttressing, Deathless, Detect Spellcaster, Divine Future, Dowsing, Enduring Protection, Energy Resistance, Epiphany, Glyph, Greater Barrier, Healing Aegis, Logos, Mental Archive, Mind Sphere (Inward Focus), Parallel Cognition, Peacebound, Permanent Ward, Planar Refuge, Ray Deflection, Reactive Barrier, Reflection, Resistance, Selective Barrier, Sense Magic, Shaped Ward, Spell Ward, Status, Undying

Feats Careful Reader, Craft Magic Arms and Armor*, Create Spellbook, Destructive Counter, Dreamwalking Initiate, Dodge, Evolved Familiar, Far-Roaming Familiar, Fast Learner, Improved Familiar

Arcane Discoveries Defensive Feedback, Golem Constructor, Immortality

Skills Knowledge, Linguistics, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device are the most useful skills for you. Some ranks in Perform could also be useful.

Increase your Intelligence and Dexterity with level advancement, and maybe Charisma too a bit. Transform your familiar in a Plane of Faerie cat at 3rd level and give it the Basic Magic evolution.


Daydreamer

Some wizards create magic with their imagination. The only limit to what they can achieve is their mental and physical strength. 

Casting Ability Modifier: Intelligence or Wisdom

Drawbacks: Mental Focus, Somatic Casting x2, Verbal Casting

Boons: Overcharge, +1 spell point +1 per 3 levels in casting classes.