Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Why?

The obvious question one might ask is "Hey Aaron you idiot, why are you starting a new blog?" After all, I'm already committed to Dreaming About Other Worlds, and an occasional contributor to The Arcane Hour, as well as holding down a full time day job, going to school in the evenings, taking Tae Kwon Do classes, and making time for my two wonderful kids. Don't I have enough on my plate already? Why launch a sister blog for Dreaming About Other Worlds with all the work and headache that entails? Isn't that crazy? Well, sure. But I'm also a gamer, and I have to scratch that itch somehow. And blog posts about gaming don't really belong on Dreaming About Other Worlds, and certainly don't belong on The Arcane Hour. So Playing in Other Worlds was born.

By "gamer", I mean a role-playing gamer. And by "role-playing gamer", I mean a table-top pencil and paper role playing gamer. Now before someone runs off and gets the idea that I'm some sort of role-playing gaming purist, I'm not. I have played some CRPGs1, although I gave up on Oblivion after about an hour, and never finished Baldur's Gate (it kept crashing on me). I did love the Temple of Elemental Evil CRPG adaptation, which should become apparent as this blog goes on. I have played one MMORPG2 on a semi-regular basis (Lord of the Rings Online for anyone who cares), and I like it. I also have a shelf full of table top wargames, and a pile of Babylon 5 and Illuminati: The New World Order CCG3 cards. All of these endeavors are fun, and I have spent many enjoyable hours engaged in each and every one of them. But for me, nothing can compare to sitting around a table with a group of friends, pulling out the polyhedral dice, and pretending to go somewhere else for several hours.

I have been hooked on role-playing games since that summer between my 4th and 5th grade years when I visited my best friend Sean Norton for an overnight stay and he pulled out a Player's Handbook and said "Do you want to go on an adventure?" I was primed. I had read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings earlier that summer, and I jumped at the chance. I made an elven fighter/magic-user and set out into the dungeon accompanied by four men-at-arms. We played all night, until my first character was killed just before dawn by a troll. Thirty plus years later, and I still love to metaphorically strap on a sword, fire up my spell book, and walk into danger in a dark maze of underground tunnels.

Or, as has happened, create the stage for others to do that while I play all of the villains in the piece. Because I love to create, and tinker, and design. Which means that I usually end up on the opposite side of the game mastering screen with a pile of books, a handful of notes, and a gallery of horrible villains to throw at the people in front of me. And I love every minute of it. This may be why none of the other kinds of gaming hold me rapt the way table top gaming does - with a CRPG, or an MMORPG, or even a wargame, you are a player in someone else's universe. Though you design your own decks to play with when playing a CCG, you are still stuck using the tools the game designer hands you. But with a table top RPG, as the game master, you have fairly free reign. if you decide that something should be added to your game world, then you just add it in. (Yes, I know you can make changes to a MUD4, or in some cases modify a CRPG, but you have to have programming skills that I don't have to accomplish that, and even then you are constrained in what you can do). So even when I'm not sitting at the table throwing dice, I'm noodling through ideas, writing down game modifications, campaign setting details, or just putting together adventures and scenes.

So what am I going to do for this blog? well, basically this is the opportunity for me to throw out all my thoughts on gaming, garnered over three decades of playing and game mastering. I'll point out at the outset that all of my ideas on how to be a game master, how to run a game, and how to design a campaign or a campaign setting are only what has worked for me. I think these are good ideas, but others may differ in their opinions. Also, I'll be putting together and refining a campaign setting or two, and putting up all the background information to use them on here. And I'll be explaining why I made the choices I did when designing these settings and the campaigns that I intend to run within them. And I'll be writing about just about anything else game-related that I think of along the way. So if you think this sounds interesting, get out your dice, your paper, and your game books, and join me Playing in Other Worlds.

1Computer Role-Playing Games, for anyone who doesn't know.

2Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game, a hideously addictive and time-consuming form of gaming. I play LOTRO, but the most popular MMORPG is World of Warcraft,and there are numerous others, such as Champions Online.

3Collectible Card Games, colloquially known as cardboard crack for their addictive nature. The most popular CCG is Magic: The Gathering.

4Multi-User Dungeon, a text based multi-user game. For anyone who remembers Zork, a MUD is basically similar to Zork, except usually includes a much bigger play environment and is capable of supporting numerous players.

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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Marid

Marid

You were born with the power of water genies, and the magic of the marids is strong in you.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to cold. This also changes the spell’s descriptors to match this energy type.

Heritage Powers: Like a marid, you have both natural power over water and several other genie-based abilities.
  • Frost Ray (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash an elemental ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d6 points of cold damage + 1 for every two sorcerer levels you possess.

  • Elemental Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain cold resistance 10. At 9th level, your cold resistance increases to 20.

  • Water’s Fury (Su): At 9th level, you gain the ability to summon a rushing jet of water from the elemental plane of water and direct it against your foes. As a standard action, you can create a jet of water in a 60-foot line that deals 1d6 points of damage per two sorcerer levels you possess, and blinds the target that was struck for 1d6 rounds. A Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma bonus) reduces the damage by half and negates the blinding effect.

  • Elemental Movement (Su): At 15th level, you gain a swim speed of 60 feet.

  • Power of the Marid (Su): At 20th level, you gain the power of genies to grant wishes. Once per day, you can cast limited wish as a spell-like ability. Such wishes must begin with the words “I wish,” and cannot duplicate a wish you have granted within the past 24 hours. If you use this ability to duplicate a spell with a costly material component, you must provide that component. You become immune to cold damage, and can use plane shift once per day to travel to or from the Plane of Water.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritage: Dao

Dao

You were born with the power of earth genies, and the magic of the dao is strong in you.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to acid. This effect also changes the spell’s descriptors to match this energy type.

Heritage Powers: Like a dao, you have both natural power over earth and several other genie-based abilities.
  • Acid Ray (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash an elemental ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d6 points of acid damage + 1 for every two sorcerer levels you possess.

  • Elemental Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain acid resistance 10. At 9th level, your acid resistance increases to 20.

  • Avalanche (Su): At 9th level, whenever you hit a single target with a spell that deals damage, you may make a bull rush attempt as a swift action. Your effective Strength for this maneuver is equal to your sorcerer caster level + your Charisma bonus. You can make this bull rush attempt even if the target is not in melee range, and you do not provoke an attack of opportunity for making this maneuver. If the target is in contact with earth, stone, or rock, you gain a +4 bonus on your bull rush attempt.

  • Elemental Movement (Su): At 15th level, you gain a burrow speed of 30 feet.

  • Power of the Dao (Su): At 20th level, you gain the power of genies to grant wishes. Once per day, you can cast limited wish as a spell-like ability. Such wishes must begin with the words “I wish,” and cannot duplicate a wish you have granted within the past 24 hours. If you use this ability to duplicate a spell with a costly material component, you must provide that component. You become immune to acid damage, and can use plane shift once per day to travel to or from the Plane of Earth.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Conjuration

Conjuration

Self reliance is a misconception, the real secret to success is the ability to choose the right person for the job. Your mastery in conjuring allies at the right time with the right qualifications means the difference between success and failure.

Prerequisite: Only an alvari of the conjuration birth school may take this bloodline.

Heritage Arcana: When casting any spell from the school of conjuration (summoning) that summons forth extraplanar creatures, summoned creatures appears with a number of temporary hit points equal to your class level in addition to their normal hit points.

Heritage Powers: Your ties to the school of conjuration grant you a variety of powers that rely on summoning or calling forth power and materials to shape and mold to your whim.
  • Extended Summoning (Sp): At 1st level, you may extend the duration of any conjuration (summoning) spell by a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level. This power may be used in conjunction with the Extend Spell metamagic feat, but the bonus duration is not included in the extended duration from the metamagic effect. At 20th level, you may make the duration of a conjuration (summoning) permanent, though only one such spell may be made permanent at a time. If you choose to make another conjuration (summoning) spell permanent, the previous spell immediately ends.

  • Vexing Vapors (Sp): At 3rd level, you may generate a dark haze that surrounds you with a 10 foot radius as a move action. This haze provides you with concealment (20% miss chance) and moves with you, lasting for a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level, though you may dismiss it as a standard action. When subjected to a hex or spell that specifically targets you, the haze grants you a +1 enhancement bonus to any saving throws allowed, increasing by an additional +1 at 7th level and every four levels thereafter. You may generate this haze 3 + your Charisma modifier times per day.

  • Transpositioning (Sp): At 9th level, you may touch a single ally as a swift action. You may then use an immediate action in a later round to instantly teleport to your ally’s position while he appears in your location. Once you touch your ally, this ability to transport locations lasts for a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level. When activating the swapping action, neither you nor your ally is subject to attacks of opportunity, though any other actions may provoke as normal. You must have line of sight to the chosen ally in order to trigger this power. This tradition power may be used a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier, though you may only use it with one ally at a time. If you use this power with another ally while it is still active with a previous ally, the connection to the previous ally is automatically lost.

  • Master of Matter (Sp): At 15th level, when you cast a conjuration (creation) spell with a duration of at least 1 hour per caster level (such as the minor creation spell), the object created becomes permanent. If the duration of the object created is less than 1 hour per caster level, you may use this power to extend the duration by an additional number equal to your Charisma modifier. Thus if casting major creation to create gold, the duration would be extended an additional 20 minutes multiplied by your Charisma modifier. This only functions on inanimate objects and you may use this power to make a created object permanent a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier.

  • Private Sanctum (Sp): At 20th level, you may create a permanent extra-dimensional space as defined by the create demiplane spell. When you gain this power you must determine which plane this space is connected (ethereal or astral plane) and its basic conditions (air, water, or other) and environment including the appearance of the borders of the plane, the light level, and so on. You may enter your private sanctum as a standard action and may take a number of people with you equal to 10 + your Charisma modifier. When you leave the sanctum you automatically return to the same location you left to enter the sanctum. You may eject others from your private sanctum as a swift action, though the person or creature being ejected is allowed a Will saving throw to resist the eviction (you may attempt to eject the same person each round as desired). Anyone within your private sanctum is immediately ejected when you leave the sanctum, deposited randomly within 30 feet of your point of entry (no saving throw is allowed). The private sanctum may be furnished with austere furniture and goods and you may bring additional items within the sanctum as desired. You may also add space to the private sanctum, applying additional create demiplane spells as desired. Additions are limited in duration unless followed with a permanency spell as defined by the create demiplane spell. The private sanctum is not susceptible to dispel magic, but more powerful magics including limited wish, Woda’s disjunction, miracle, or wish may be used to attempt to destroy it. If you are killed or destroyed, the private sanctum automatically implodes upon itself, any permanent furnishings, equipment, or treasure stored within the sanctum is randomly deposited within the plane the sanctum was attached. If your private sanctum is destroyed or lost, you may recreate it by spending 50,000 shillings and spending a full week spent in the design and construction of the plane using your own arcane power.

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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Efreeti

Efreeti

You were born with the power of fire genies, and the magic of the efreet is strong in you.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to fire. This also changes the spell’s descriptors to match this energy type.

Heritage Powers: Like an efreeti, you have both natural power over air and several other genie-based abilities.
  • Fire Ray (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash an elemental ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d6 points of fire damage + 1 for every two sorcerer levels you possess.

  • Elemental Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain fire resistance 10. At 9th level, your fire resistance increases to 20.

  • Efreeti Form (Su): At 9th level, you gain the ability to assume the form of an efreeti once per day. This acts like the spell polymorph, except you only use it to become an efreeti and its duration is 1 round per level. While in this form, you also gain an efreeti’s heat ability.

  • Elemental Movement (Su): At 15th level, your base speed increases by +30 feet.

  • Power of the Efreet (Su): At 20th level, you gain the power of genies to grant wishes. Once per day, you can cast limited wish as a spell-like ability. Such wishes must begin with the words “I wish,” and cannot duplicate a wish you have granted within the past 24 hours. If you use this ability to duplicate a spell with a costly material component, you must provide that component. You also become immune to fire damage, and can use plane shift once per day to travel to or from the Plane of Fire.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Abjuration

Abjuration

Abjuration-blooded alvari believe that only through a good defense can one hope to withstand the onslaughts of others. They have mastered the ability to harness protective energies against all sorts of attacks, both magical and mundane.

Prerequisite: Only an alvari of the abjuration birth school may take this bloodline.

Heritage Arcana: When you cast a spell from the school of abjuration, the duration for any spell with a variable duration based on your class level lasts 50% longer. This bonus does not stack with the increase granted by the Extend Spell feat.

Heritage Powers: Your ties to the school of abjuration grant you defensive abilities that grow stronger as you gain experience and power.
  • Mystic Shield (Sp): At 1st level, you can create a force shield granting a +4 shield bonus to your Armor Class as a move action that lasts a number of rounds equal to your sorcerer level. The shield also automatically absorbs up to 20 points of damage from Force effect spells such as magic missile. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

  • Natural Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, you may choose one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) and gain energy resistance 5 for that type of energy. Once chosen it cannot be changed. At 9th level, you may either choose another energy type and gain Energy Resistance 5 for the second type of energy or you may increase your initial selection by 5 to Energy Resistance of 10.

  • Minor Invulnerability (Su): At 9th level, you may use a swift action to grant yourself Immunity to 1st level spells for a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level. You may use this ability once per day. At 17th level the immunity expands to 2nd level spells and this power may be used twice per day. At 20th level the immunity expands to 3rd level spells and this power may be used three times per day.

  • Magic Resistance (Su): At 15th level, you gain spell resistance equal to 10 + your sorcerer class level.

  • True Abjurer (Sp): At 20th level, the initial resistance you chose for your Natural Resistance becomes Immunity and your Mystic Shield power grants you a +6 shield bonus and automatically absorbs up to 100 points of force damage from spells such as magic missile. In addition, when you cast any spell from the school of Abjuration you may apply the effects of either the Empower Spell or Extend Spell metamagic feat without increasing the effective spell level of the spell, though the casting time when applying a metamagic feat to a spontaneous spell still applies.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Transmutation

Transmutation

The only constant in life is change. While some seek to change themselves or those around them, you have found new means of altering both yourself and your environment. Mastering the magics of change, you find new ways of bettering yourself and the world about you.

Prerequisite: Only an alvari of the transmutation birth school may take this bloodline.

Heritage Arcana: When you cast a transmutation spell that grants an enhancement bonus to an ability score, you add your Charisma modifier to the total bonus granted by the spell.

Heritage Powers: You learn to master not only your body, but the very environment around you.
  • Hardened Blade (Su): At 1st level, you may treat your weapon, natural attack, or unarmed attack as magic for purposes of overcoming damage reduction as a swift action. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level (minimum of 1). At 9th level, you may use this power to treat your weapon as either silver or cold iron for purposes of overcoming damage reduction (chosen when the power is initiated). At 15th level, the weapon is treated as adamantine for purposes of overcoming damage reduction and hardness.

  • Animalistic (Sp): At 3rd level, you may alter yourself to become more animalistic as the animal aspect spell as a standard action. You maintain this change for a number of minutes equal to your sorcerer level though you may dismiss the effect as a move action. In addition to the animals listed within the animal aspect spell description you may choose from the following animals as well:
    • Badger: If you take damage in combat you may go into a blood rage that grants you a +2 bonus to your Strength and Constitution but you suffer a -2 penalty to your Armor Class.

    • Boar: You do not fall unconscious when you are reduced below 0 hit points, but you are staggered and continue to lose 1 hit point per round.

    • Dog: You gain a +2 competence bonus to your perception checks and gain the Scent special ability.

    You may use this power 3 + your Charisma modifier times per day.

  • Shaping (Sp): At 9th level, you can mold metal, stone, or wood into any desired shape as a full round action. The amount of material you may alter is equal to 1 cubic foot per caster level and only one type of material may be altered at a time. This power will not function on animated objects or magical items. The quality of the item is dependent on your crafting skill with the material and a Craft check is required if creating anything with moving parts or masterwork quality. You may use this power 3 + your Charisma modifier times per day.

  • Dominate Construct (Sp): At 15th level, you may attempt to control a construct as the control construct spell, initiating control as a standard action and maintaining control through concentration. You gain a bonus to the Spellcraft check to control the construct equal to ¼ your sorcerer level. You may use this power once per day.

  • Unimpeded (Su): At 20th level, you may enter or leave the Ethereal Plane as a swift action and may travel freely in any direction at your normal movement rate, passing through physical objects and ignoring anything that would impede your movement. Force effects and abjurations still affect you normally. While in this state you cannot interact with those on the material plane including attacks or spells. If you end the effect while within a solid object you are transported to the nearest open area, though you take 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet you are transported. You may use this power a total number of rounds per day equal to your sorcerer level, though they do not have to be consecutive.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Sirchade-Touched

Sirchade-Touched

Your bloodline has been blessed by the power of the Demon Lord Sirchade. As a result of horrible experimentation or the unholy union of slithering tracker and humanoid, your bloodline contains the foul ichor of oozes. This foulness gives you horrific powers.

Heritage Arcana: When you cast a spell with ooze or oozy in the name, increase the damage by 1 per damage die or the duration by 25% (minimum 1 round). This duration bonus does not stack.

Heritage Powers: As you grow in power, the hideous effects of the pollution in your blood manifest themselves as a series of eerie powers.
  • Mucus Spray (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash a cone-shaped burst of acidic mucus with a 15-foot range. This spray deals 1d6 points of acid damage to all within the area of effect for every two sorcerer levels you possess. You can use this ability once per day per sorcerer level.

  • Gray Ooze Nature (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain cold resistance or fire resistance 5 and a +2 bonus on saving throws made against mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). At 9th level, your chosen resistance increases to 10 and your bonus to mind-affecting saves increases to +4. In addition, oozes do not attack you unless you move into contact with them.

  • Ooze Shape (Sp): At 9th level, you can change your shape for a number of rounds equal to your sorcerer level. These rounds need not be consecutive. This ability otherwise functions as lesser ooze form. You can also move through and among all creatures with the ooze type without suffering any harm. At 12th level, your ooze shape ability improves to function like ooze form.

  • Ooze Mind (Ex): At 15th level, you are considered mindless with regard to all spells and abilities. You cannot be targeted by scrying spells and your thoughts cannot be read.

  • Split (Su): At 20th level, you gain the split ability of an ochre jelly. Only the original has your identity, the rest are mindless. You gain resistance 10 to all energy types.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Djinni

Djinni

You were born with the power of air genies, and the magic of the djinn is strong in you.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to electricity. This also changes the spell’s descriptors to match this energy type.

Heritage Powers: Like a djinni, you have both natural power over air and several other genie-based abilities.
  • Electricity Ray (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash an elemental ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d6 points of electricity damage + 1 for every two sorcerer levels you possess.

  • Elemental Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain electricity resistance 10. Your electricity resistance increases to 20 at 9th level.

  • Whirlwind (Su): At 9th level, you gain the ability to turn into a 10-foot-high whirlwind (as a djinni can) once per day for 1 round per sorcerer level.

  • Elemental Movement (Su): At 15th level, you gain a fly speed of 60 feet with average maneuverability.

  • Power of the Djinn (Su): At 20th level, you gain the power of genies to grant wishes. Once per day, you can cast limited wish as a spell-like ability. Such wishes must begin with the words “I wish,” and cannot duplicate a wish you have granted within the past 24 hours. If you use this ability to duplicate a spell with a costly material component, you must provide that component. You also become immune to electricity damage, and can use plane shift once per day to travel to or from the Plane of Air.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Necromancy

Necromancy

There is power in death, power in the existence beyond death - undeath. You focus not on death, but on that which comes after death. The powers of negative energy flow freely throughout your body, providing an enigmatic strength from breaking the shackles of life.

Prerequisite: Only an alvari of the necromany birth school may take this bloodline. Given that there are no known alvari of the necromancy birth school, this somewhat limits its use in practice.

Heritage Arcana: (including animating or creating undead), you gain temporary hit points equal to the spell level being cast + your Charisma modifier. These points last for a number of minutes equal to your class level.

Heritage Powers: Death is not the end; for you, it is just the beginning. You have delved into the realm beyond life; its secrets course through your veins.
  • Channel Death (Su): At 1st level, you may channel negative energy as a standard action to either heal undead or damage living creatures within 30 feet of your position for 1d6 points of damage + ½ your sorcerer level. When used to damage living creatures, a Will save is allowed to reduce the damage by half with a DC equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. This power does grant you access to feats that may be used to alter or modify channeling positive or negative energy.

  • Undying Companion (Su): At 3rd level, you may animate a single medium sized or smaller humanoid as a skeleton that follows your commands. The animated cohort is mindless but is treated as the Druid’s animal companion, with your effective druid level equal to your class level -2. The undead cohort uses the animal companion’s Hit Dice, base attack, and saving throws, though as undead the companion uses its Charisma to determine any modifiers to Fortitude saves and hit points. The companion does not gain any skills but gains all of the advantages of the undead type and the skeleton template. The companion may apply the same tricks that may be granted to a trained animal. If the companion is lost or destroyed, you may create another one after performing a ritual lasting 24 hours and costing 500 shillings. You may only have one undying companion at a time. If you attempt to create another one, the previous companion immediately crumbles to dust.

  • Resist Death’s Touch (Su): At 9th level, you gain a bonus to any saving throw versus death effects, negative energy drain or damage, fear or other spells or spell-like abilities from the school of necromancy equal to ½ your sorcerer level.

  • Death’s Kiss (Su): At 15th level, when you cast a necromantic spell that conjures or creates undead, those created gain bonus hit points equal to ½ your sorcerer level and gain a bonus to any saving throws versus effects that would damage, turn, or destroy them equal to your Charisma modifier.

  • Master of Death (Su): At 20th level, you are treated as undead in regards to the effect of channeling of positive or negative energy. You are immune to negative level effects and gain damage reduction 5 versus either bludgeoning or slashing attacks (chosen when this power is gained).
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Illusion

Illusion

Reality is subjective our own perception and you have the ability to render that perception as desired. Harnessing forces of light and sound, you present reality in ways others can barely comprehend, twisting and molding the perceptions of others for your own benefit.

Prerequisite: Only an alvari of the illusion birth school may take this bloodline.

Heritage Arcana: When casting any spell from the school of illusion, you may choose to apply the effects of either Silent Spell or Still Spell without increasing the effective level or casting time of the spell. The spell may be modified by other metamagic feats as normal including Silent Spell or Still Spell as long as the effects of the feat were not applied by this arcana.

Heritage Powers: Reality lies in only what you can make of it, and your know how to control the reality of others.
  • Blinding Ray (Sp): At 1st level, you may fire a ray of black light, making a ranged touch attack up to 30 feet away as a standard action. The ray causes the creature struck to become blinded for 1 round. Creatures that do not rely on physical sight are not affected by this power and spell resistance applies.

  • Body Shift (Sp): At 3rd level, you may cause your image to continually shift about your actual position as a standard action as the blur spell. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your sorcerer level and you may use this power 3 + your Charisma modifier times per day.

  • Body Double (Sp): At 9th level, you may create an exact duplicate of yourself made of shadowstuff as a full round action. The duplicate has half as many hit points as your hit point total and comes equipped with any non-magical gear you possess. If reduced to 0 hit points, the duplicate immediately dissipates and any gear taken or given to others immediately dissipates. The duplicate lasts for a number of rounds equal to your class level and uses your base attack bonus and your base saving throw bonuses. The duplicate has the same scores as you do for its physical abilities while it has a value of 10 for its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma (using your Charisma modifier for any spell casting requirements and benefits). Your duplicate may cast any spells you possess, but spells cast are deducted from the number of spells you are granted for the day. The duplicate may be dispelled with a dispel magic spell and will instantly vanish if it enters an anti-magic field. You may use this power once per day.

  • Shadow Casting (Su): At 15th level, you may cast a shadow version of one of your known spells from the evocation or conjuration schools. If targeted against one or more opponents, each opponent is granted a Will save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. If the opponent fails the saving throw it suffers the normal effects of the spell, but if it succeeds the saving throw the opponent only suffers 20% of the normal effects of the spell. Spells cast using this power consume a spell slot from 1 level less than the actual spell level of the spell. You may use this power 3 + your Charisma modifier times per day.

  • Illusive Reality (Sp): At 20th level, you may alter the environment within a 50 foot radius of your position as a standard action. The effect is identical to hallucinatory terrain but includes changes to structures and creatures within range of the effect. The effect lasts while you concentrate on the effect and a number of additional rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level. Those interacting with your reality suffer a -4 penalty to any Will saving throws to actively disbelieve the illusion. You may use this power a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Minotaur

Minotaur

Your blood surges with the power, cunning, and fury of the minotaur, either due to a powerful minotaur sorcerer in your lineage or due to a gift a minotaur ruler gave an ancestor.

Heritage Arcana: When you cast a mind-affecting spell against a creature, increase the DC by 2.

Heritage Powers: The fierceness and cunning of your ancestors comes easily to you, providing bonuses in combat and defense.
  • Pointed Negotiations (Sp): At 1st level, you can grow horns as a free action for one round for every sorcerer level. Treat them as a natural weapon, and you can make a gore attack as a full attack action using your full base attack bonus. This attack does 1d6 points of damage (1d4 points if Small), plus your Strength modifier. At 5th level, the horns are considered a magic weapon for purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, the base damage increases to 1d8 points (1d6 points if Small). At 11th level, the horns can be used as flaming horns, adding 1d6 points of fire damage to each hit. The fire damage is a supernatural ability. You also gain darkvision with a range of 30 feet.

  • Bull’s Hide (Su): At 3rd level, you gain cold resistance 5 and fire resistance 5, and a natural armor bonus of +2 to your Armor Class. At 9th level, your cold resistance and fire resistance increases to 10, and the natural armor bonus increases to +4.

  • Auroch’s Strength (Sp): At 9th level, you gain a +2 inherent bonus to Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 13th level, and to +6 at 17th level.

  • Masters of the Maze (Sp): At 15th level, you can cast maze as a spell-like ability three times per day.

  • Taurian Master (Ex): At 20th level, your brutish nature becomes manifest. The flaming horns are permanent and always available as a weapon, and you permanently become one size larger (with all the bonuses and penalties that entails) as well as gaining darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Kellish

Kellish

The rage of Oxossi burns within you, and the taint of savage kell blood flows through your veins. Your anger is never far from the surface, giving you strength and driving you to seek greater power.

Heritage Arcana: You gain the kell subtype, including darkvision 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, its range increases to 90 feet. Whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, that spell deals +1 point of damage per die rolled.

Heritage Powers: You are heir to the bestial power of the great kell matriarchs of the past. You feel their rage in your blood, and must take care lest the urge to despoil and destroy consumes you.
  • Touch of Rage (Sp): At 1st level, you can touch a creature as a standard action, giving it a morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and Will saving throws equal to ½ your sorcerer level (minimum 1) for 1 round.

  • Fearless (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain a +4 bonus on saving throws made against fear and a +1 natural armor bonus. At 9th level, you gain immunity to fear, and your natural armor bonus increases to +2.

  • Strength of the Beast (Ex): At 9th level, you gain a +2 inherent bonus to your Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 13th level, and to +6 at 17th level.

  • Power of Oxossi (Sp): At 15th level, you may grow to Large size as a standard action. At this size you gain a +6 size bonus to Strength, a -2 penalty to Dexterity, a +4 size bonus to Constitution, and a +4 natural armor bonus. You may return to your normal size as a standard action. You may remain in this size for up to 1 minute per character level per day; this duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 1 minute increments.

  • Great Matriarch Reborn (Su): At 20th level, you gain the powers of a true kell matriarch of legend. You gain immunity to fire and DR 5/-. Once per day, you can cast Maþ's transformation as a spell-like ability using your sorcerer level as your caster level.

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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Evocation

Evocation

You harness eldritch forces with amazing finesse while funneling energies with devastating effect. Unlike others that rely on simply harnessing the energy for destructive ends, you seek not only to direct the energy but master the nuances most fail to recognize.

Prerequisite: Only an alvari of the evocation birth school may take this bloodline.

Heritage Arcana: When casting any spell from the school of evocation that causes variable damage, any natural damage die rolls of 1 are treated as 2 for purposes of calculating the overall damage.

Heritage Powers: Raw power fuels your very body, with the eldritch energies that surround you pulse within your very blood.
  • Arcane Strike (Su): At 1st level, you gain the arcane strike ability. You may sacrifice a spell slot as an immediate action to gain an attack and damage bonus equal to the spell level sacrificed (maximum of +5) prior to your next attack.

  • Energetic Defense (Sp): At 3rd level, you may create a personal field of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic; determined when this power is initiated) as a standard action that lasts a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level. Anyone attacking you with a melee or natural attack (including an unarmed attack or touch attack) suffers 1d6 points of damage based on the energy chosen. Spell resistance does apply. The attacker is allowed a Reflex save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier to reduce the damage by half. You may dismiss this effect as a move action and you may this power a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

  • Animated Weapon (Su): At 9th level, you may cause one melee weapon to spring to life and attack a designated target within 30 feet of you, using your caster level + your Charisma modifier for the attack with no penalties based on proficiency though size restrictions apply. Initiating this power is a standard action and lasts for a number of rounds equal to your class level. The weapon attacks the designated target once per round, but may be redirected to another target within range as a move action. The weapon must be in your possession or grasped by you when you initiate this ability. An opponent may attempt to grapple the weapon against your attack bonus, but the weapon may still attack and damage the grappler unless it is successfully pinned. The weapon may be sundered normally. You may only use this power on one weapon at a time but may use this power a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. Initiating this power on another weapon immediately ends the effect of a previously animated weapon which falls to the ground or within the grasp of an enemy if grappled. You may not empower the selected weapon with any bonuses granted by your Arcane Strike power.

  • Magnification (Su): At 15th level, you may apply the effects of the Maximize Spell metamagic feat to an evocation spell you cast without adding any additional casting time for the spell. The spell’s effective level does not change but you may only use this power once per day. You may not use this power in conjunction with the actual Maximize Spell feat.

  • Energy Burst (Su): At 20th level, you may send a burst of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) chosen when you initiate this power as a standard action. Everyone within 50 feet of you suffers 20d6 points of energy damage, though a Reflex save is allowed for half. The DC is equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. You are not damaged by the burst. You may use this ability once per day. If you are reduced to negative hit points you may also trigger this power as a free action even if you have already used this power within the last 24 hours.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Jattalaic

Jattalaic

At some point in your family’s history, giants interbred with your bloodline. Now, their strength and power flows through your veins.

Heritage Arcana: After casting a spell, you gain an enhancement bonus to your Strength equal to your Charisma modifier + ½ the spell’s level (rounded down) until the end of your next turn.

Heritage Powers: Your ability to tap into the primal power and fury of giants allows you to harness abilities normally considered the sole domain of the world’s behemoths.
  • Mighty Throw (Sp): At 1st level, you can throw a weapon with supernatural force and accuracy. Each point of Charisma modifier you possess negates one range increment penalty. Thus, a +3 Charisma modifier negates -6 attack roll penalty associated with throwing a weapon four range increments. The weapon does damage as if it were one size larger than it actually is (plus your Strength modifier as normal).

  • Powerful Build (Ex): At 3rd level, you become particularly large and muscular. Whenever you are subject to a size modifier, you are treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to you. You are also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as grab or swallow whole) can affect you. You can use weapons as if you were one size category larger than you actually are; however, your space and reach remain those of a creature of your actual size. At 7th level, your carrying capacity is figured as if you were one size category larger than you actually are. The benefits of this ability stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.

  • Lug’s Fury (Sp): At 9th level, once per day, as a free action, you can increase your size by up to two categories (Small to Large, Medium to Huge, and so on). The effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the ½ your sorcerer level (rounded down). This increases to twice per day at 15th level and three times at 20th level. You gain low-light vision with a range of 60 feet.

  • Mountain’s Path (Sp): At 15th level, you gain the ability to use passwall as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to your sorcerer level). You can use it a number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier. You also gain the extraordinary abilities of rock throwing (60 foot range) and improved rock catching. You gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

  • Mountain’s Power (Ex): At 20th level, your jattalaic heritage becomes manifest. Your increase one size category (Small to Medium, Medium to Large, and so on) permanently. You gain +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and a +4 natural armor bonus to Armor Class permanently. If you do not already possess it, you gain tremorsense with a range of 60 feet.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Verdant

Verdant

The divine Syfa has blessed your bloodline. Your heritage is infused with raw plant life, giving you innate communion with nature.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell with a range of personal, your skin toughens, granting you a natural armor bonus equal to the spell’s level for 1d4 rounds. This bonus does not stack with any other natural armor bonuses you might have.

Heritage Powers: The power of living things infuses every aspect of your magic, as you draw power from nature and its life energies flow through you.
  • Tanglevine (Sp): At 1st level, as a standard action, you can create a 15-foot-long, animated vine that springs from your hand. This vine lasts for 1 round and can be used to make a single disarm or trip attack, using your sorcerer level plus your Charisma modifier in place of your normal base attack bonus.

  • Photosynthesis (Ex): At 3rd level, you feed upon nature’s raw essence. Your need to eat and sleep is reduced as if wearing a ring of sustenance, and you gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws made against poison and sleep effects. At 9th level, these bonuses increase to +4.

  • Massmorph (Sp): At 9th level, as a full-round action, you can alter the size and health of plant life, as if using plant growth or diminish plants. Alternatively, you can transform one willing non-plant creature per sorcerer level (no two of which can be more than 30 feet apart) as tree shape. You may transform creatures as polymorph at 15th level, or shapechange at 20th level, but only into plant creatures. You can transform non-plant creatures using this power once per day.

  • Rooting (Ex): At 15th level, as a move action, you can extend roots into the ground. Your speed is reduced to 5 feet, but you gain a +4 bonus to natural armor and a +10 bonus to your base attack bonus against bull rush, overrun, and trip attacks. You also gain tremorsense 30 feet and fast healing 1. You can use this power for a number of minutes per day equal to your sorcerer level. This duration need not be consecutive, but it must be used in 1-minute increments.

  • Shepherd of the Trees (Su): At 20th level, your verdant heritage fully manifests. You gain a +4 natural armor bonus. You gain immunity to paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stunning, and you gain tremorsense 30 feet even when not rooted.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Daemonic

Daemonic

A dæmon lurks somewhere along your family tree. Your powers derive from these soul-devouring fiends, who take pleasure and gain power from manipulating mortal frailties like aging, pestilence, famine, and the horrors of war. Your lineage gives you great insight into how to exploit the weaknesses of living beings and how to use leeched soul energy to enhance your wicked abilities.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell that kills one or more living creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, the caster level of any spell you cast in the next round increases by +1 for each creature your first spell killed. This ability does not stack with other effects that increase your effective caster level, and you cannot gain a bonus greater than ½ your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). The second spell you cast must be of an equal or lower level than the first one.

Heritage Powers: Like that of a daemon, your magic derives from painful and lingering death.
  • Wasting Ray (Sp): At 1st level, as a standard action, you can impose either starvation or thirst upon a living creature you can see within 30 feet. This requires the creature to make a Constitution check each round (DC 10 + 1 for each previous check) to avoid taking 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. The creature must continue to make these checks until, as a full-round action, it quenches its thirst or sates its hunger (see starvation and thirst). You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier, but can only apply it once every 24 hours to any given creature. Creatures that do not need to eat are immune to this effect.

  • Daemonic Resistances (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain acid resistance 5 and a +2 bonus on saving throws made against poison and death effects. At 9th level, your resistance to acid increases to 10 and your bonus on saving throws against poison and death effects increases to +4.

  • Age Out (Su): At 9th level, you gain the ability to instantly recover from most harmful effects by temporarily aging yourself decades in a matter of moments. As a standard action, you can shift your effective age to the next highest aging step (for example, from adulthood to middle age). Each time you do this, any debilitating condition or effect currently affecting you that initially allowed a Will or Fortitude saving throw immediately ends. When you age yourself in this way, you take the normal penalties associated with growing older but gain none of the benefits. You cannot use this power to age beyond venerable, recover hit point damage, or remove effects that did not or do not allow a Will or Fortitude saving throw to negate. You return to your actual age 24 hours after the last time you used this ability, and all penalties to ability scores as a result of advanced age are then removed.

  • Wound Warp (Sp): At 15th level, you gain the ability to travel across the battlefield by literally erupting from the fatal wounds of deceased creatures. As a standard action once per day, you can teleport to an unoccupied square adjacent to any dead creature within 10 feet per caster level. Any creatures adjacent to the square you teleport to take 4d6 points of acid damage as you burst into being and shower them with acidic bile. Creatures that make successful Reflex saves (DC 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier) take half damage. This ability otherwise functions like dimension door. At 20th level, you can use this ability twice per day.

  • One with Abaddon (Su): At 20th level, your body embraces the unspeakable power of your dæmonic lineage. You gain immunity to acid, death effects, and poison. You also gain DR 5/good or silver and cold resistance 10, electricity resistance 10, and fire resistance 10.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Stormborn

Stormborn

The power of Þunor the Stormlord is manifest in your heritage. You trace your heritage to fierce and proud spirits of storm and sky, and living lightning sings in your veins.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell with the electricity or sonic descriptor, increase the save DC by 1.

Heritage Powers: Your mastery of the storm is reflected in the unique panoply of powers you manifest.
  • Thunderstaff (Sp): At 1st level, you can touch a weapon as a standard action, giving it the shock property for a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level (minimum 1). At 9th level, you can confer the shocking burst property instead, but the duration of the power is halved.

  • Stormchild (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain electricity resistance 5, sonic resistance 5, and treat wind effects as being one step less severe. At 9th level, you treat wind effects as being two steps less severe and gain blindsense 60 feet against concealment from natural or magical fog, mist, or weather effects.

  • Thunderbolt (Sp): At 9th level, you can command a stroke of lightning to strike from above in a 5-foot-radius cylinder 60 feet high. The thunderbolt inflicts 1d6 points of damage per sorcerer level; half of this damage is electricity and half is sonic. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier) halves this damage. Creatures failing their saves are deafened for 1 round. At 9th level, you can use this ability once per day, at 17th twice per day, and at 20th three times per day. This power has a range of 120 feet.

  • Ride the Lightning (Sp): At 15th level, as a full-round action you can become a living lightning bolt and move in a straight line up to 10 times your speed. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity while moving in this way. Creatures or objects in your path are affected as by your thunderbolt power. Creatures do not block your movement but solid barriers do unless they are reduced to 0 hit points. You can use this power once per day for a number of rounds equal to your sorcerer level.

  • Storm Lord (Ex): At 20th level, you are one with the storm. You gain immunity to deafness, stunning, and wind effects and gain blindsight 120 feet against concealment from natural or magical fog, mist, or weather. Once per day, when attacked with an electricity or sonic effect, you may forgo your saving throw and absorb the energies of the attack, healing 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise have dealt.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Frostborn

Frostborn

Descended from inhabitants of the lands of ice and snow, you count creatures of cold such as ice elementals or frost giants among your ancestors. Their savage and raw energies flow down through generations to infuse you to the marrow with the chill of the polar wind, crackling auroras, and the long winter’s night.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell with the cold descriptor, increase the spell’s save DC by 1.

Heritage Powers: Your connection to primeval winters grants you a mastery of cold magic that few can match, and a savagery that fewer still can withstand.
  • Cold Steel (Sp): At 1st level, you can touch a weapon or up to 50 pieces of ammunition as a standard action, giving it the frost property for a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level (minimum 1). At 9th level, you can confer the icy burst property instead, but the duration of the power is halved. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

  • Icewalker (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain cold resistance 5 and can move across snow and icy surfaces without penalty and without leaving tracks. At 9th level, you gain cold resistance 10 and can climb icy surfaces as if using spider climb.

  • Snow Shroud (Su): At 9th level, you ignore concealment and Listen, Search, and Spot penalties in natural or magical snow, ice, fog, and similar weather conditions. In addition, you can surround yourself with a cloak of swirling snow for a number of rounds per day equal to your sorcerer level. This power acts and deals damage as a fire shield (chill shield) that sheds no light. It provides a 20% miss chance on attacks made against you and grants a bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks equal to ½ your sorcerer level in snowy or icy areas. You can use this ability once per day at 9th level, twice per day at 17th, and three times per day at 20th.

  • Blizzard (Sp): At 15th level, you can create a savage winter storm centered on you. This power acts as control winds, but in addition the entire area (not including the “eye” at the center of the storm) is affected as a sleet storm and all in the area are exposed to extreme cold. You may use this ability once per day.

  • Child of Ancient Winters (Su): At 20th level you gain the cold subtype and become immune to cold, fatigue, and exhaustion. In addition, you gain immunity to sneak attacks and critical hits. This power causes you to gain vulnerability to fire.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Kivutar-Touched

Kivutar-Touched

You have been scarred by the withering touch of Kivutar. You were born during the height of a great magical plague, to a mother suffering from an eldritch disease, or you suffered an eldritch pox as a child, such that your very soul now carries a blight of pestilence within it.

Heritage Arcana: Vermin are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. They are treated as animals for the purposes of determining which mind-affecting spells affect them.

Heritage Powers: You awaken and quicken the lurking pestilence in your own body or the surrounding world to wreak hideous malice, or to command and commune with agents of such plagues.
  • Plague’s Caress (Sp): At 1st level, you can make a melee touch attack as a standard action that causes a living creature’s flesh to break out into rancid-smelling pustules and sores for a number of rounds equal to ½ your sorcerer level (minimum 1 round). These sores cause the victim to become sickened for the duration of the effect; this is a disease effect.

  • Accustomed to Awfulness (Ex): At 3rd level, you become immune to the sickened condition and gain a +4 bonus on all saving throws against effects that cause nausea or disease. At 9th level, you become immune to the nauseated condition and to the debilitating effects of disease (but you can still be a carrier of diseases).

  • Shroud of Vermin (Su): At 9th level, swarms no longer see you as prey. You can walk among swarms without fear of being harmed by them at all, and by taking a standard action to mentally command a swarm in which you stand, you can direct that swarm’s attacks and movements as long as you have more Hit Dice than the swarm. Even when you aren’t standing amid a swarm, your body crawls with vermin, and their chitinous bodies increase your natural armor bonus by +1. At 11th level, this bonus increases to +2, and at 17th level it increases to +3.

  • Pestilential Breath (Su): At 15th level, the sickness within your body finally becomes so potent that your very breath is deadly. Once per day as a standard action, you can exhale a cloud of pestilence in a 30-foot cone. Those caught in the area of this miasmic cloud receive a single Fortitude save to avoid suffering the effects of two different diseases. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. You can choose what two diseases you inflict on each target that succumbs to your plague breath, but they must be two different diseases chosen from the following list: blinding sickness, cackle fever, filth fever, mindfire, red ache, shakes, or slimy doom. The victim suffers the initial effects of these two diseases immediately - use the diseases’ frequency and save DC normally to determine further effects as detailed on page 292 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. At 17th level, you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level you can use this ability three times per day.

  • Plague Carrier (Su): At 20th level, your touch inflicts mummy rot on those you strike. You can choose to suppress this ability for 1 round as a swift action. You can make a touch attack to inflict this disease on a target, or transfer it as part of an attack with any melee weapon or touch-based spell. The creature touched can resist contracting mummy rot by making a Fortitude save; the DC is equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Raven-Blooded

Raven-Blooded

You claim descent from the servants of Woda. The raven-blooded sorcerers have been very carefully crafted as a line of powerful eldritch casters who wield the power of the messengers of the mighty All-Father.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell against a creature that is denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, increase that spell’s DC by +2.

Heritage Powers: You have a natural talent for information gathering and swordplay. As your power increases, you discover ever more useful ways to blend your magic with these talents.
  • Arcane Bladework (Sp): At 1st level and once every four levels thereafter (5th, 9th, 13th, 17th), you may imbue your weapon with a spell, as per the spell storing ability. The spell must be one level lower (or less) than the highest level you can cast, and no greater than 4th level. Imbuing the weapon consumes a daily use of that level spell (0th-level spells still consume a 1st-level spell slot), but the spell is expended only on a successful attack. The imbued weapon loses this property if used by someone else and the use of this power is expended.

  • Spell Smite (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, you gain the ability to empower your spells against a chosen target if that target is evil. Spells that cause damage gain a bonus equal to your sorcerer level to evil targets. You gain a bonus to any attack rolls required equal to your Charisma modifier for any touch based spells, and you add your Charisma modifier to the DC of the saving throws when applicable. You may use this ability one time per day, gaining an additional use at 7th level and every four levels thereafter (maximum of five times per day at 19th level).

  • Know the Weave of Fate (Sp): At 9th level, you may cast divination once per day at your caster level. You gain an additional daily divination every three levels thereafter (12th, 15th, 18th). Expending two daily uses of this power at one time allows you to cast contact outer plane, and expending four daily uses allows you to cast legend lore. These spells are not on your spell list unless you add them by other means.

  • Stormcrow (Sp): At 15th level, you may cast wind walk once per day at your caster level. Do not consider this spell part of your spell list, however, unless you add it by other means.

  • Eldritch Weaponry (Sp): At 20th level, you may use your arcane bladework power to imbue your weapon with a spell as per the spell storing ability - however, the spell may be up to one level lower (or less) than the highest level spell you can cast.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Hler-Touched

Hler-Touched

Your blood runs with the primordial, chaotic power of the sea. You may be descended from Hler himself, or from one of the powerful water spirits of his court under the isle of Hlesey.

Heritage Arcana: When you cast a spell with the water or cold descriptor, its duration increases by 50% (minimum 1 round).

Heritage Powers: Your powers can do more than just control water. The energy inside you also runs with the primordial chaos of Hler's blood. You can channel the formless and vast nature of water.
  • Dissolving Touch (Sp): At 1st level, you can deliver a melee touch attack that infuses a creature’s flesh with the chaos of the primordial ocean. You inflict 1d6 points of damage + 1 for every 2 sorcerer levels you possess. At 7th level, the touched creature is also slowed for 1 round. At 11th level, the damage increases by one step to 1d8. This damage bypasses damage reduction as untyped energy damage.

  • Formless (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain a bonus to your attack rolls equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. You also gain a +4 bonus to resist polymorph and petrification effects. At 9th level, if you fail a save against a polymorph or petrification effect, you revert to your normal form after 1 round.

  • Hydromancer (Ex): Starting at 9th level, you may cast a spell with the Silent Spell metamagic feat without increasing the spell’s level or casting time once per day. You may use this ability twice per day at 13th level, and three times per day at 17th level.

  • Protean Shape (Sp): At 15th level, you can change into a watery version of yourself, as if you had cast liquid form. You can do this a number of rounds per day equal to your sorcerer level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

  • Ocean Lord (Ex): At 20th level, you are immune to critical hits, sneak attacks, and sonic damage. You cannot drown, and you automatically succeed on all Swim skill checks.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Undead

Undead

The touch of the grave runs through your family. Perhaps one of your ancestors became a powerful lich or vampire, or maybe you were born dead before suddenly returning to life. Either way, the forces of death move through you and touch your every action.

Heritage Arcana: Some undead are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. Corporeal undead that were once humanoids are treated as humanoids for the purposes of determining which spells affect them.

Heritage Powers: You can call upon the foul powers of the afterlife. Unfortunately, the more you draw upon them, the closer you come to joining them.
  • Grave Touch (Su): Starting at 1st level, you can make a melee touch attack as a standard action that deals 1d6 points of cold damage + 1 for every two caster levels you possess. Creatures damaged by this attack automatically fail all stabilization checks made within 1 minute of your touch.

  • Death's Gift (Su): At 3rd level, you gain cold resistance 5 and DR 5/- against nonlethal damage. At 9th level, your resistance to cold increases to 10 and your Dr increases to 10/- against nonlethal damage.

  • Grasp of the Dead (Su): At 9th level, you can cause a swarm of skeletal arms to burst from the ground to rip and tear your foes. The skeletal arms erupt from the ground in a 20-foot-radius burst. Anyone in this area takes 1d6 points of slashing damage per caster level. Those caught in the area receive a Reflex save for half damage. Those who fail the save are also unable to move for 1 round The DC for this save is equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Constitution modifier. The skeletal arms are spectral and disappear after 1 round. The arms must burst up from a solid surface. At 9th level you can use this ability once per day. At 17th level you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level you can use this ability three times per day. This power has a range of 60 feet.

  • Incorporeal Form (Su): At 15th level, you can become incorporeal for 1 round per caster level. While in this form, you gain the incorporeal subtype and your spells do not affect corporeal creatures, but your grave touch ability functions normally. You can use this ability once per day.

  • One of Us (Ex): At 20th level, your form begins to rot (although the appearance is up to you) and undead begin to see you as one of them. You gain immunity to cold, nonlethal damage, paralysis, and sleep. You also gain DR 5/-. Unintelligent undead do not notice you unless you attack them. You receive a +4 morale bonus on saving throws made against spells and spell-like abilities cast by undead.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Twisted

Twisted

There is a taint in your blood, one that is alien and bizarre. You tend to think in odd ways, approaching problems from an angle that most would not expect. Over time, this taint manifests itself in your physical form.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell of the polymorph subschool, increase the duration of the spell by 50% (minimum 1 round). This bonus does not stack with the increase granted by the Extend Spell feat.

Heritage Powers: Twisted sorcerers show increasing signs of their tainted heritage as they increase in level, although they are only visible when used.
  • Acidic Ray (Su): Starting at 1st level, you can fire an acidic ray as a standard action, targeting a foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The acidic ray deals 1d6 points of acid damage plus 1 for every two caster levels you possess.

  • Long Limbs (Ex): At 3rd level, your reach increases by 5 feet whenever you are making a melee touch attack. This ability does not increase your threatened area. At 11th level, this bonus to your reach increases to 10 feet. At 17th level, this bonus to your reach increases to 15 feet.

  • Unusual Anatomy (Ex): At 9th level, your anatomy changes, giving you a 25% chance to ignore any critical hit or sneak attack against you. This chance increases to 50% at 13th level.

  • Alien Resistance (Su): At 15th level, you gain spell resistance equal to your sorcerer level + 10.

  • Aberrant Form (Ex): At 20th level, your body becomes truly unnatural. You are immune to critical hits and sneak attacks. In addition, you gain blindsight with a range of 60 feet and damage reduction 5/-.
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Campaign Design - Sorcerer Heritages: Sûlic

Sûlic

At some point in your family's history, a dragon interbred with your bloodline, and now its ancient power flows through your veins.

Heritage Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell with an energy descriptor that matches your sûlic bloodline’s energy type, that spell deals +1 point of damage per die rolled.

Dragon TypeEnergy TypeBreath Shape
AmethystForce60-foot line
ArcaneCold30-foot cone
BlackAcid60-foot line
BlueElectricity60-foot line
BrassFire60-foot line
BronzeElectricity60-foot line
BrownAcid60-foot line
CopperAcid60-foot line
CrystalCold30-foot cone
DeepCorrosive Gas30-foot cone
EmeraldSonic30-foot cone
FangAbility DrainBite
GoldFire30-foot cone
GreenAcid30-foot cone
MoltenFire30-foot cone
RedFire30-foot cone
ReefGrit30-foot cone
SandFire30-foot cone
SapphireSonic30-foot cone
ShadowEnergy Drain30-foot cone
SilverCold30-foot cone
SongSonic30-foot cone
TopazDehydration30-foot cone
WhiteCold30-foot cone
WildAbility Drain30-foot cone
Heritage Powers: The power of dragons flows through you and manifests in a number of ways. At 1st level, you must select one of the true dragon types. This choice cannot be changed. A number of your abilities grant resistances and deal damage based on your dragon type, as noted on the table to the right.
  • Claws (Ex): Starting at 1st level you can make two claw attacks as a full attack action. These claws are treated as natural weapons, meaning that you are always considered armed, and you do not gain additional attacks for a high base attack bonus. These attacks deal 1d4 points of damage plus your Strength modifier (1d3 if you are Small). At 5th level these claws are considered to be +1 weapons for the purpose of overcoming DR. At 7th level the damage increases to 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if you are Small). At 11th level these claws deal an additional 1d6 points of damage of your energy type on a successful hit. This is a supernatural ability.

    Fang dragon-blooded sorcerers claw attacks are more powerful than those of other heritages. They initially deal 1d6 points of damage with their claw attack (1d4 if they are Small). At 7th level, the damage increases to 1d8 points of damage (1d6 if they are Small).

  • Dragon Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level you gain resistance 5 against your energy type and a +1 natural armor bonus. At 10th level your energy resistance increases to 10 and your natural armor bonus increases to +2. At 15th level your natural armor bonus increases to +4.

    Amethyst dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy resistance. At 3rd level they gain a +2 bonus to all saves against force effects. At 10th level their saving throw bonus against force effects rises to +4.

    Deep dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy resistance. At 3rd level they gain a +4 bonus to all saves against charm effects. At 10th level they gain a +4 bonus to all saves against gaseous attacks such as stinking cloud or cloudkill.

    Fang and Wild dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy resistance. At 3rd level they gain a +8 bonus to all saves against ability drain effects. At 10th level their saving throw bonus against ability drain effects rises to +8.

    Reef dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy resistance. At 3rd level they gain a +4 bonus to all saves against blindness effects. At 10th level their saving throw bonus against blindness effects rises to +8.

    Sapphire dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain resistance to sonic energy. Instead, they gain resistance to electricity.

    Shadow dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy resistance. At 3rd level they gain a +8 bonus to all saves against energy drain effects. At 10th level their saving throw bonus against energy drain effects rises to +8.

  • Topaz dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain resistance to dehydration. Instead, they gain resistance to cold.

  • Breath Weapon (Su): At 9th level you gain a breath weapon. This breath weapon deals 1d6 points of damage of your energy type per caster level. Those caught in the area of this save is equal to 10 + ½ your sorcerer level + your Constitution modifier. The shape of the breath weapon depends on your dragon type. At 9th level you can use this ability once per day. At 17th level you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level you can use this ability three times per day.

    Amethyst dragon-blooded sorcerers can choose to inflict nonlethal damage with their breath weapon if they desire to do so. The choice to inflict lethal or nonlethal damage can be changed with each use of the breath weapon.

    The breath weapon of arcane dragon-blooded sorcerers is a cone of disjunction. All magical effects and magic items within the area of the breath weapon, except for those that the sorcerer carries or touches, are disjoined. That is, spells and spell-like effects are separated into their individual components (ending the effect as a dispel magic spell does), and each permanent magic item must make a successful Will save or be turned into a normal item. An item in a creature’s possession uses its own Will save bonus or its possessor’s Will save bonus, whichever is higher. The cone of disjunction also has a 1% chance per caster level of destroying an antimagic field. If the antimagic field survives the disjunction, no items within it are disjoined. Artifacts are not subject to the effects of the cone of disjunction.

    The breath weapon of crystal dragon-blooded sorcerers is a cone of brilliant light. Those who fail the Reflex save take the listed damage and are also blinded for 1d3 rounds.

    Fang dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain a breath weapon. Instead, they gain a bite attack that deals 2d6 points of damage (1d8 if they are Small). In addition, this bite attack can also inflict 1d4 points of Constitution damage on a successful hit. At 15th level, this increases to 1d6 points of Constitution damage on a successful bite, and at 20th level, 1d8 points of Constitution damage. At 9th level you can use this Constitution drain ability once per day. At 17th level you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level you can use this ability three times per day.

    The breath weapon of sand dragon-blooded sorcerers is a cone of flaywind, inflicting damage upon all creatures or objects with a hardness of 5 or less within its area of effect. Instead of d6s, the flaywind inflicts the same number of d4s of damage. Instead of a Reflex save to halve the damage, creatures must succeed at a Fortitude save to halve the damage inflicted by the flaywind.

    The breath weapon of sapphire dragon-blooded sorcerers is a cone of almost inaudible sonic energy. Instead of d6s, the cone of sonic energy inflicts the same number of d4s of damage. In addition to the Reflex save to halve the damage, creatures must succeed at a Will save at the same DC or be panicked for 1d3 rounds.

    The breath weapon of shadow dragon-blooded sorcerers inflicts energy drain, dealing one negative level to all those in its area of effect. This increases to 2 negative levels at 13th level, and 3 negative levels at 20th level. A successful Reflex saving throw reduces the number of negative levels by half (round down). A Fortitude saving throw against the same DC is required to remove the negative levels.

    In addition to the normal breath weapon damage, the breath weapon of a reef dragon-blooded sorcerer has a blinding effect: All those caught within the cone must make a Fortitude saving throw at the same DC or be blinded for 1d6 rounds as countless tiny particles tear into their eyes. Creatures that are wearing protective eye gear or who lack eyes automatically succeed at this save. A reef dragon-blooded sorcerer can use their breath weapon both below and above water.

    The breath weapon of topaz dragon-blooded sorcerers is a 30-foot cone of dehydration that looks like a watery blast. When directed against an aqueous liquid (water or a liquid composed mostly of water), this effect evaporates one cubic foot of water per hit point of damage dealt. Creatures caught in the cone take the indicated damage with the usual Reflex saving throw for half damage.

    The breath weapon of a wild dragon-blooded sorcerer has an Intelligence draining effect. Any aberration, animal, dragon giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, shapechanger, or vermin caught in the area of the breath weapon suffers the effective 1d3 points of Intelligence drain. Creatures caught in the area can attempt Reflex saves for half damage. For every 2 points (rounded down) of Intelligence the creature loses, it gains an effective increase of 1 point of Strength. At 14th level, the Intelligence damage rises to 1d4 points, and finally to 1d6 points at 20th level. Multiple blasts of this breath weapon stack, but they cannot drop a creature's Intelligence or Dexterity scores below 1. The breath weapon cannot further affect subjects with an Intelligence score of 1. Intelligence and Strength scores return to normal at a rate of 1 point each day.

  • Wings (Su): At 15th level leathery dragon wings grow from your back as a standard action giving you a fly speed of 60 feet with average maneuverability. You can dismiss the wings as a free action.

    If you have the brown sûl or wild sûl bloodline, you do not gain wings, but instead gain the ability to burrow with a speed of 20 feet. If you already have a burrow speed, this ability increases your burrow speed by +10 feet.

    If you have the reef sûl bloodline, you do not gain wings, but instead gain a swim speed of 20 feet. If you already have a swim speed, this ability increases you swim speed by +10 feet.

    If you have the shadow sûl bloodline, your wings give you a fly speed of 90 feet.

  • Power of Wyrms (Su): At 20th level your sûlic heritage becomes manifest. You gain immunity to paralysis, sleep, and damage of your energy type. You also gain blindsense 60 feet.

    Amethyst dragon-blooded sorcerers do not become immune to force effects, although they retain their save bonuses against force effects. In addition, they gain Fire Resistance 10.

    Deep dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy immunity, but instead gain immunity to charm effects and all gaseous attack forms.

    Fang and wild dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy immunity, but instead gain immunity to ability drain effects.

    Reef dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy immunity, but instead gain immunity to all blindness effects.

    Sapphire dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain immunity to sonic damage. Instead they gain immunity to electricity.

    Shadow dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain energy immunity, but instead gain immunity to energy drain effects.

    Topaz dragon-blooded sorcerers do not gain immunity to dehydration. Instead they gain immunity to cold.

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