Monday, January 12, 2015

Campaign Design - Base Classes: Sorcerer

Sorcerer
(adapted from the Player's Handbook and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game)

Sorcerers create magic the way a poet creates poems, with inborn talent honed by practice. They have no books, no mentors, no theories - just raw power that they direct at will. Sorcerers cast spells through innate power rather than through careful training and study. Their magic is intuitive rather than logical. Sorcerers know fewer spells than wizards do and acquire powerful spells more slowly, but they can cast spells more often and have no need to select and prepare their spells ahead of time. Sorcerers do not specialize in certain schools of magic the way that wizards sometimes do.

Abilities: Charisma determines how powerful a spell a sorcerer can cast, how many spells he can cast per day, and how hard those spells are to resist. Like a wizard, a sorcerer benefits from high Dexterity and Constitution scores.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d4.
Luck Die: d2.

Class Skills
  • Skill List: The sorcerer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft: Any (Int), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Profession: Any (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
  • Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
  • Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Intelligence modifier) x4.
  • Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are the class features of the sorcerer:
  • Base Attack Bonus: Poor. A sorcerer gains +½ base attack bonus per class level.

  • Base Fortitude Save Bonus: Poor. A sorcerer gains +⅓ base Reflex save bonus per class level.

  • Base Reflex Save Bonus: Poor. A sorcerer gains +⅓ base Reflex save bonus per class level.

  • Base Will Save Bonus: Good. A sorcerer gains a +2½ base Will save bonus at first level, and an additional +½ base Will save bonus per class level.

  • Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sorcerers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a sorcerer's arcane gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.

  • Spells: A sorcerer casts arcane spells (the same type of spells available to wizards), which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time the way a wizard must (see Sorcerer Spells). To cast a spell, a sorcerer must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level (Charisma 10 for 0th-level spells; Charisma 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a sorcerer's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the sorcerer's Charisma modifier. Like other spell casters, a sorcerer can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells for a high Charisma. Unlike a wizard, a sorcerer's selection of spells is limited. A sorcerer begins play knowing four 0th-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new sorcerer level, she gains one or more new spells as indicated on the Sorcerer Table below. (Unlike spells per day, her Charisma score does not affect the number of spells a sorcerer knows; the numbers on the table are fixed).

    Upon reaching 4th-level, and at every even-numbered sorcerer level after that (6th-level, 8th-level, and so on), a sorcerer “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level sorcerer spell the favored soul can cast. A sorcerer may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level. Unlike a wizard, a sorcerer need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not used up her spells per day for that spell level. As a spontaneous spell caster, a sorcerer must take more time to cast a metamagic spell than a regular spell. If a spell's normal casting time is 1 action, casting a metamagic spell is a full-round action for a sorcerer. For spells with a longer casting time, it takes an extra full-round action to cast the spell. Sorcerers cannot use the Quicken Spell metamagic feat.

  • Sorcerous Heritage: A sorcerer may choose a heritage as the source of his power. Sorcerous heritage grants the character an array of abilities as a result of the magical power that flows through his veins. This choice must be made at 1st level and may not be changed thereafter.

  • Arcane Affinity: A sorcerer gain a benefit from his affinity for the arcane. A sorcerer must choose one of the following abilities. This choice is made at 1st level and may not be changed thereafter.

    • Aligned Spellcaster (Ex): A sorcerer with this ability must choose an alignment they have that is not neutral. Spells they cast gain the appropriate alignment descriptor unless they already have the opposite alignment descriptor. Spells they cast that target creatures of the opposite alignment are cast at +1 caster level and at +2 caster level if they have the opposite alignment as a subtype. Area of effect and other spells that affect such creatures without targeting them do not gain this bonus. A true neutral spellcaster gains no benefit from this ability.

    • Beleaguered Spellcaster (Ex): Whenever a sorcerer with this ability takes an amount of damage equal to 3 times their arcane caster level from one attack, the next spell they cast is automatically maximized or extended (the sorcerer's choice) without increasing the spell level or casting time.

      You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + the sorcerer's Charisma modifier (minimum 1 time per day).

    • Disciple of Hœnir: A sorcerer with ability qualifies for item creation feats as a character 1 caster level higher than they actually are. Magic items they create are crafted at +1 caster level. The item created gains this bonus for free. The sorcerer does not pay the extra cost associated with the higher caster level. If a sorcerer with this ability destroys a permanent magic item, they lose all arcane spellcasting abilities for 1 day per caster level of the item.

    • Impromptu Metamagic: Each day, a sorcerer with ability may choose a metamagic feat they have. They can cast spells affected by that feat without increasing the spell level or casting time of the spells. They may not use any other metamagic feats that day. They may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 5 minus the level adjustment of the metamagic feat. Even though this ability does not increase the spell's level, the character must be able to cast spells of the level the spell would be if they applied the metamagic feat normally.

    • Metamagic Specialist (Ex): A sorcerer with this ability can apply metamagic feats that they know to sorcerer spells without increasing the casting time. This benefit even lets a sorcerer quicken their sorcerer spells with the Quicken Spell feat.

      A sorcerer may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).

    • School Mastery: A sorcerer must be alvari to pick this option. An alvari sorcerer may only select the ability that corresponds to their birth school of magic.

      • Natural Abjurer: A sorcerer with this ability casts all abjuration spells at +1 caster level. Any noninstantaneous, nonpermanent abjuration spell they cast on someone other than themselves that does not require concentration has double to duration. They cannot use this ability on any spell with a duration that has been modified in any other manner, such as with the Extend Spell metamagic feat.

      • Natural Conjuror: A sorcerer with this ability casts all conjuration spells at +1 caster level. Any creature they conjure with any summon spell gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity and Wisdom for the duration of the spell that summoned it.

      • Natural Diviner: A sorcerer with this ability casts all divination spells at +1 caster level. Whenever they cast a divination spell, they immediately gain a +2 insight bonus on Listen and Spot checks for 1 hour per level of the spell they cast (0th-level spells grant the bonus for 30 minutes). Multiple castings of divination spells do not stack.

      • Natural Enchanter: A sorcerer with this ability casts all enchantment spells at +1 caster level. For 24 hours after an enchantment spell they cast expires, the target of the spell takes a -2 penalty on all Will saves made to resist the sorcerer's spells or spell-like abilities. The sorcerer may only affect one creature at a time in this way. If their enchantment spell affected multiple targets, they must choose one creature against whom the penalty applies. Whenever an enchantment spell the sorcerer cast expires while such a penalty is active, the old penalty immediately disappears.

      • Natural Evoker: A sorcerer with this ability casts all evocation spells at +1 caster level. Whenever the sorcerer casts an evocation spell that deals hit point damage, that spell deals +1 point of damage.

      • Natural Illusionist: A sorcerer with this ability casts all illusion spells at +1 caster level. Whenever the sorcerer casts an illusion (shadow) spell that creates a partially real effect (such as shadow conjuration or shadow evocation), the effect is 10% more real than normal.

      • Natural Transmuter: A sorcerer with this ability casts all transmutation spells at +1 caster level. Whenever the sorcerer casts a spell that alters a creature's form, kind, or type, the DC to resist the spell increases by +1.

    • Summon Familiar: A sorcerer with this ability can obtain a familiar.


Sorcerer
                                            Spells per Day
Level
Special
0th1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st
Arcane affinity,
sorcerous heritage
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2nd
-
6
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3rd
-
6
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4th
-
6
6
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5th
-
6
6
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6th
-
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
7th
-
6
6
6
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
8th
-
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
-
-
9th
-
6
6
6
6
4
-
-
-
-
-
10th
-
6
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
-
11th
-
6
6
6
6
6
4
-
-
-
-
12th
-
6
6
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
-
13th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
-
-
-
14th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
3
-
-
15th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
-
-
16th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
3
-
17th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
-
18th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
5
3
19th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
20th
-
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6

Spells Known
Level0th1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2nd
5
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3rd
6
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4th
6
3
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5th
6
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6th
7
4
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
7th
7
5
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
8th
8
5
3
2
1
-
-
-
-
-
9th
8
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
10th
9
5
4
3
2
1
-
-
-
-
11th
9
5
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
12th
9
5
5
4
3
2
1
-
-
-
13th
9
5
5
4
4
3
2
-
-
-
14th
9
5
5
4
4
3
2
1
-
-
15th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
2
-
-
16th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
2
1
-
17th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
2
-
18th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
2
1
19th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
2
20th
9
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
3

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Campaign Design - Base Classes: Sorcerer Heritage

Sorcerers may choose a heritage at 1st level. The following inheritances represent only some of the possible sources of power a sorcerer could draw upon. Unless otherwise specified, sorcerers are assumed to have the alvari haritage.

Every inheritance has Heritage Arcana, which is a power that can manifest in all of the sorcerer's magical endeavors, and bloodline powers, which are granted abilities that manifest as the sorcerer advances in power. Some Sorcerous Heritages are limited to those of a certain race, or to those who have a certain Bloodline. Other Sorcerous Heritages are more effective for individuals from a particular background. These details are given in the individual Heritage descriptions.
Alvari-only heritages:
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