Author Topic: [3.5] Numinous Base Class  (Read 3057 times)

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Stratovarius

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[3.5] Numinous Base Class
« on: October 24, 2008, 01:46:09 PM »
This class is based around using divine and arcane magic in the same class, and having enough levels of each to function as a mystic theurge from level 1 all the way up to level 20. It relies on the cleric and wizard spell lists, and so has a great range that it can utilize.

Numinous

"Magic flows from nature, and yet can be commanded by will and word."
- Sravahaa Wealana, Witchling Numinous


Text

Making a Numinous
Text

Abilities: Wisdom and Intelligence are the abilities that the Numinous uses to give himself extra spells, and are thus the most important. Abilities that relate to his physical defense come afterwards.

Races: Numinous appear amongst all races, but are most prevalent among those who are biased in favour of magical studies.

Alignment: Numinous can be of any alignment, and there is no bias in any one direction.

Table 1: The Numinous
Code: [Select]
Level  BAB   Ref   Fort  Will  Abilities                                                               
------------------------------------------------
1      +0    +0    +0    +2    Entwined Casting
2      +1    +1    +1    +3   
3      +1    +1    +1    +3    Bonus Feat
4      +2    +2    +2    +4    Braided Magic
5      +2    +2    +2    +4   
6      +3    +3    +3    +5    Bonus Feat
7      +3    +3    +3    +5    Entwined Casting
8      +4    +2    +2    +6    Interwoven Impulse
9      +4    +3    +3    +6    Bonus Feat
10     +5    +3    +3    +7    Encircled Energies
11     +5    +3    +3    +7    Braided Magic
12     +6    +4    +4    +8    Bonus Feat
13     +6    +4    +4    +8   
14     +7    +4    +4    +9    Entwined Casting
15     +7    +5    +5    +9    Bonus Feat
16     +8    +5    +5    +10   Transposition
17     +8    +5    +5    +10   Braided Magic
18     +9    +6    +6    +11   Bonus Feat
19     +9    +6    +6    +11   Coiled Puissance
20     +10   +6    +6    +12   Entwined Casting

Table 2: Arcane and Divine Spells Per Day
Code: [Select]
Level  0    1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th
---------------------------------------------
1      2    1    —    —    —    —    —   —
2      3    2    —    —    —    —    —   —
3      3    2    1    —    —    —    —   —
4      3    2    2    —    —    —    —   —
5      3    3    2    —    —    —    —   —
6      3    3    2    1    —    —    —   —
7      3    3    2    2    —    —    —   —
8      3    3    3    2    1    —    —   —
9      3    3    3    2    2    —    —   —
10     3    3    3    2    2    —    —   —
11     3    3    3    3    2    1    —   —
12     4    3    3    3    3    2    —   —
13     4    4    4    3    3    2    1   —
14     4    4    4    4    3    2    2   —
15     5    4    4    4    4    3    2   —
16     5    5    4    4    4    3    3   1
17     5    5    5    4    4    3    3   2
18     5    5    5    5    4    4    3   3
19     5    5    5    5    5    4    4   4
20     5    5    5    5    5    5    5    5


Game Rule Information
Numinous have the following game statistics.

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6
Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10 (125 gp)
Starting Age: Complex (as wizard)


Class skills
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (All) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features
Text
  • Weapon and Armour Proficiency:
  • Divine Spells:
  • Arcane Spells:
  • Bonus Feats: At 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level, a Numinous gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, he can choose any feat that affects spells from both of his sources. The Numinous must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.
  • Entwined Casting (Ex): The Numinous has woven the brilliance of nature with the intelligence of a scholar, combining the various sources of magic to create a combination more potent than either alone. If he follows an arcane spell with a divine, or a divine with an arcane, the spell cast second gains a +1 bonus to caster level and spell DC. At levels 7, 14, and 20, these bonuses increase by one, to a maximum of +4 at level 20.
  • Braided Magic (Ex): As the Numinous calls forth the magic into his mind and out through his happens, he finds that the presence of the one evokes the skills of the other. At level 4, once per encounter, the Numinous may quicken a single spell with a spell level two or greater below the maximum he can cast. Any other spell cast during that round must be from the alternate magical source. At 11th level, the Numinous can use this ability twice per encounter, and then three times at level 17.
  • Interwoven Impulse (Ex): Magic is but one and the same thing, and when the constraints are dropped, things never before possible become commonplace. By expending an arcane spell as part of casting a divine spell, the Numinous can grant a bonus on caster level equal to the level of the spell sacrificed. He may also sacrifice a divine spell while casting an arcane.
  • Encircled Energies (Ex): As the Numinous advances in skill and power, he learns that what is seen as a division between natural and artificial magics is just that: an artificial divide that can be breached by those with the skill and the passion. The Numinous can use two arcane spell slots of the same spell level to cast a divine spell he knows that is one level higher. Likewise, the Numinous can use two divine spell slots of the same spell level to cast an arcane spell he knows that is one level higher.
  • Transposition (Ex): Skilled in all the ways of magic, the Numious can easily twist one form of energy into the source for another. The Numinous can use two arcane spell slots of the same spell level to cast a divine spell he knows that is up to two levels higher. Likewise, the Numinous can use two divine spell slots of the same spell level to cast an arcane spell he knows that is up to two levels higher.
  • Coiled Puissance (Ex): By binding up the weave of one spell within the coil of another, the Numinous has learned how to unleash power untold. By expending an arcane spell as part of casting a divine spell, the Numinous can grant a bonus on spell penetration and DC equal to the level of the spell sacrificed. He may also sacrifice a divine spell while casting an arcane.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2008, 04:11:25 PM by Stratovarius »
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Risada

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2008, 02:39:55 PM »
It's nice, overall. Question: does each side (arcane/divine) have it's own slots, or they share the same slots per day?

And I miss some ability to help metamagic....

bkdubs123

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2008, 03:01:25 PM »
Here's my observation: It's a full caster that literally does nothing at 1st level. This class is going to be slightly difficult to balance, but you've definitely gone overboard. It needs first level spells at first level otherwise it's entirely useless. I'd also suggest going with medium BAB. The HD can stay where they are. You might also want to give it some meaningful class features in the first few levels so that it has something to do outside of spellcasting. After 5th level or so the class should be able to hold its own, but it needs to get there, and be contributing while it does so.

Stratovarius

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2008, 03:35:26 PM »
It's nice, overall. Question: does each side (arcane/divine) have it's own slots, or they share the same slots per day?

And I miss some ability to help metamagic....

Different slots. So it's got two of those tables. I also try and avoid metamagic enhancers, because of just how much brokenness that leads to (Incantrix, Arcane Thesis, etc).

Here's my observation: It's a full caster that literally does nothing at 1st level. This class is going to be slightly difficult to balance, but you've definitely gone overboard. It needs first level spells at first level otherwise it's entirely useless. I'd also suggest going with medium BAB. The HD can stay where they are. You might also want to give it some meaningful class features in the first few levels so that it has something to do outside of spellcasting. After 5th level or so the class should be able to hold its own, but it needs to get there, and be contributing while it does so.

Would you add 7th level spells and bump the total spells up slightly, especially at lower levels? I'm also not sure why it would have medium BAB, its very much similar to a wizard, not a druid or cleric, it's not going to wade into melee.
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bkdubs123

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2008, 03:41:32 PM »
bumping to 7th level spells is one idea, but then sheesh... that's a LOT of spells per day. If you bump it to 7th level spells make sure that it starts with 1 arcane and 1 divine spell but I wouldn't go past 3 or 4 spells of each level total. 8 spells per day of up to 7th level is more than plenty.

I was just suggesting medium BAB because without it, it isn't doing anything currently.

Stratovarius

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2008, 04:16:56 PM »
Bumped the spellcasting slightly, and gave it 7th level spells.
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SiggyDevil

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2008, 04:33:58 PM »
Not to seem egotistical but if I were a player given the choice between my Versumage and a Numinous, of any level, I would choose Versumage. Or Bard. Sorry.

However, flavorwise the abilities are great. Entwined Casting provides a small conditional boost that fits well with the "dual caster" aspect, but while Interwoven Impulse and Encircled Energies are fitting I really don't see the point of all the arcance/divine slot transactions.
After a while it would become too much math IMO.

Is anyone willing to make a battle royale match between human level 6 item-less Numinous and Versumage?  :lol

Stratovarius

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2008, 05:15:49 PM »
I think that would come down to who wins initiative, as it would with almost all spellcasters. Presuming that things such as Celerity are disallowed.

As to the intertwined casting, that was designed in such a way as to allow you to expend spells for versatility, partly because there are often more spell slots than actions available during the course of the day.
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Stratovarius

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2008, 05:44:23 PM »
The idea was to have two separate tables and sets of spells, rather than one combined list. The two sets of spells is more or less the unique core of the class. The only other class I know of with it is a Dragon Compendium class.
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Psychic Robot

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2008, 06:11:13 PM »
I like the class--a mystic theurge in a can.

Unfortunately, you've got a problem.  That mystic theurge in 3.5 gets 8th-level spells on both sides (or 9th/7th).  It also gets more spells per day, I think.  However, what you've got is full caster level and something that makes up for requiring two ability scores.

(Sorry, I'm tired and I don't really even know what I'm saying.)

Two things I'd suggest:

1. Up maximum spells/day to six.  Three arcane and three divine makes an even split, and I know that the character doesn't have to prepare them like that, but that would bother me so much as a player that I would, quite frankly, explode.

2. The bump to save DC might be a little high.  Perhaps it should reach its maximum at +3?

3. Any ideas for a cleric version of this class?

Would I play this class?  Yes.  I'm not super concerned with powerful characters, so take that with a grain of salt.

bkdubs123

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2008, 06:19:15 PM »
1. Up maximum spells/day to six.  Three arcane and three divine makes an even split, and I know that the character doesn't have to prepare them like that, but that would bother me so much as a player that I would, quite frankly, explode.

Except, if I understand it correctly, the table showing 5 spells per day, is not for both Arcane and Divine. If I understand it correctly, the Numinous gets 10 spells per day of each level, because it gets an Arcane table and a Divine table. Which I think is far too many spells, personally.

Spellcasters are broken because they aren't powerful enough at low level and because they are too powerful at high level. Gaining exponentially more powerful spells, and exponentially more spell slots is the reason why.

Stratovarius

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2008, 06:22:20 PM »
bkdubs has the spell table correct. It uses the same spells per day for both sides.

And I don't know if its possible to correct the balance issues of vancian casting while retaining that method.
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Psychic Robot

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2008, 01:04:49 PM »
I did not realize it was 5/5.  My bad.  Then the class is great.

Stratovarius

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Re: [3.5] Numinous Base Class
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2008, 11:47:01 AM »
That's the reason it has spell burning abilities, so it can use those excess spells to create more attacks and modified spells. And the reason for the free quicken, since actions are precious.
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