Illuminamancer (3.5e Class)

Illuminamancer
Often seperated into Shadowmancers and Lightmancers, quite wrongly most will 'gently' inform, Illuminamancers are maguses who have taken an innate, or scholarly interest in the ability to control, direct, and empower the light and dark aspects of all worlds. Unoriginally pooled into the Convent of the Illuminatus, Illuminamancers are magus who have dedicated themselves to the study of two of the more oft forgotten 'elements', Light and Dark.

Making a Illuminamancer
Illuminamancers, as a whole, tend to take the strengths of Arcane and Divine Spellcasting classes, and specialize. Although not as versatile as the Wizard, nor as talented as the Sorceror (And the same to be said for Clerics or Druids), the Illuminamancer's specialization has turned him into a formidable opponent and ally on and off the battlefield.

Abilities: Intelligence is the most important ability to any Illuminamancer, it being their ability and will to control the powers that they have studied. Charisma is the second most important trait to any Illuminamancer, allowing them control over their innate power over the powers within them. Dexterity is an important trait as well, giving the Illuminamancer, without much protection to speak of, the ability to dodge and avoid the blows that would surely fell them without a more armored and tough ally between them and their foe.

Races: Illuminamancers are more often than not Aasimars, Tieflings, and Humans. Their already innate closeness with the realms of Light and Dark gives these three races the most cause and oppurtunity to become Illuminamancers. Although, it is not unheard of for Elves, Half-Elves, Drow, Halflings, or Gnomes to take up this path. Other races are much more rare in the midst of the Convent, and are often regarded as prodigal entries.

Alignment: Neutral Any, or Any Neutral.

Starting Gold: As Wizard.

Starting Age: Moderate.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Illuminamancer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Illuminamancers are proficient with all simple weapons, and no types of armor. Armor interferes with their ability to cast spells with somatic components, but does not interfere with their ability to cast Rays or Pillars.

Illuminamancers spell saves are based on their Intelligence, 10 + Spell Level + Intelligence Bonus. Illuminamancers choose their spells from the Illuminamancer list:


 * : Cure Minor Wounds, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Flare, Light, Read Magic


 * : Burning Hands, Chill Touch, Color Spray, Cure Light Wounds, Detect (Good, Evil, Chaos, Law) Inflict Light Wounds, Magic Missile, Protection (Good, Evil, Chaos, Law), Shocking Grasp, Silent Image


 * : Acid Arrow, Align Weapon (Good, Evil, Chaos, Law), Blindness, Continual Flame, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Darkvision, Flaming Sphere, Hypnotic Pattern, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Pyrotechnics, Scorching Ray


 * : Blacklight, Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Deeper Darkness, Fireball, Flame Arrow, Inflict Serious Wounds, Lightning Bolt, Magic Circle (Good Evil Law Chaos), Protection from Energy, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Searing Light


 * : Black Tentacles, Cure Critical Wounds, Cure Light Wounds (Mass), Fire Trap, Ice Storm, Inflict Critical Wounds, Inflict Light Wounds (Mass), Planar Ally (Lesser), Rainbow Pattern, Shadow Conjuration, Shadow Evocation, Shadow Walk Wall of Fire, Wall of Ice


 * : Cone of Cold, Dispel (Good, Evil, Law, Chaos), Mirage Arcana, Flame Strike, Wall of Force,


 * : Acid Fog, Chain Lightning, Cure Moderate Wounds (Mass), Freezing Sphere, Harm, Heal, Inflict Moderate Wounds (Mass)


 * : Cure Serious Wounds (Mass), Inflict Serious Wounds (Mass) Prismatic Spray, Shadow Conjuration (Greater)


 * : Cloak of Chaos, Cure Critical Wounds (Mass), Fire Storm, Incendiary Cloud, Inflict Critical Wounds (Mass), Planar Ally (Greater), Polar Ray, Prismatic Wall, Protection from Spells, Shadow Evocation (Greater) Shield of Law, Sunburst


 * : Heal {Mass}, Meteor Swarm, Prismatic Sphere, Shades

 (Su): The Illuminamancer adds his Intelligence modifier as a Deflection bonus to his AC when he chooses to fight defensively, or guard himself.

 (Su): Once per round, as a standard action, the Illuminamancer may make a ranged touch attack versus an opponent within 50 feet of her position, dealing Positive or Negative (the Illuminamancer's choice) Damage to that target equal to half her class level in d6 (Minimum 1d6, Maximum 20d6). This attack benefits from the Weapon Focus (Ray) feat, and can not be used to heal their allies, only deal damage to foes. Foes immune or resistant to Positive and/or Negative Energy damage (Read: They are not affected by it at all) are immune likewise to Illuminant Ray. Enemies normally that are healed by Positive and/or Negative Energy take damage as normal, unless otherwise noted by something reducing damage, such as DR, or Hardness.

 (Su): All spells that the Illuminamancer casts that deal damage in forms other than Positive and Negative damage now deal damage in one of those two forms at the Illuminamancer's choice. (Example: Fireball becomes "Shadowball" dealing Negative energy damage instead of Fire damage. These spells, other than Inflict and Cure spells, are still under the restriction Illuminant Ray is in that they may not heal their allies or foe unless they are designed to do so.)

 (Su): At 4th level, once per day, an Illuminamancer can conjure a pillar of positive or negative energy within a 5 ft space within 50 feet of her position. As an attack, this functions similarly to her Illuminant Ray ability, dealing half her level in positive or negative energy damage in D6 (Minimum 1d6), but the pillar spawned by Illuminant Pillar remains for up to 1d4 rounds (1d8 at 10th level), any who enter this space (Voluntarily or not) suffer damage equal to the Ray attack, and must make a Fortitude save VS. Illuminamancer's attack roll or be knocked airborne and prone into an adjacent square being dealt an additional 1d6 damage from the fall (Or from striking the ceiling.)

At 10th level, the Illuminamancer gains the Greater Spell Focus feat for the spell school they chose to Focus in at 5th level. If the Illuminamancer already has these feats in one spell school, they choose a different spell school for these bonus feats.

 (Ex): At 8th level, the Illuminamancer has dealt in the world of Light and Shadow so long that they can traverse the realm of shadows. They may use Shadowstep and Hide in Plain Sight, as the Shadowdancer powers, with an effective cooldown of 1d6 rounds (Out of Combat 5 minutes) after using an ability. At 16th level, the Illuminamancer has grown so powerful in the use and dealings with Light and Shadow that they can create a Construct or building of Light or Shadow with 10 HP, Hardness 15. This construct, or building, can only take forms of a Wall (As Wall of Iron), Bridge (Up to 30 feet long), Shelter for 5, a Minion, Ship, or a Ladder (Up to 30 feet long). Making use of Illuminatus takes a standard action, and the effect lasts until broken or until dismissed.

 (Ex): At 20th level, the Illuminamancer becomes the very personification of Light and Dark in it's balance. Becoming an Outsider (Native) if he is not already, the Illuminamancer stops aging, no longer suffering from the penalties associated with age and becoming immune to magical aging. Any penalties or bonuses already gained from their age category remains, but penalties are removed from their age category, and bonuses still apply and stack. While considered an Outsider, the Illuminamancer still benefits from being brought back to life through the use of normal Resurrection spells.

Ex-Illuminamancer
An Illuminamancer who stops being Neutral in some form becomes unable to benefit from it's spells, or abilities save for their weapon proficiencies, and skills. Illuminamancers must regain their Neutral alignment status to continue taking levels in Illuminamancer.

Tiefling Illuminamancer Starting Package
Weapons: Morningstar.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Feat: Improved Intiative.

Gear: Standard Adventurer's Gear, Spellbook.

Gold: 36 GP

Playing a Illuminamancer
Religion: Illuminamancers as a whole worship balance, and the struggles between Light and Dark, Good and Evil, Law and Chaos. As such, they are more driven to Neutral god(desses), but more often than not simply revere the Balance of all that is in nature. The Convent of the Illuminatus is a True Neutral organization that forms the primary worship of all Illuminamancers.

Other Classes: Illuminamancers, yet another spellcasting class, are held in higher regard by their Wizard and Rogue brethren than most other companions. Rogues find their innate and detailed level of trickery quite fond in friendship when a shadow can be made to hide in. Druids share an often similar form of worship, and as such sometimes band together in camaraderie. Fighters, Paladins, Clerics, and Sorcerers are all more often neutral to an Illuminamancer unless there is previous associations with them.

Combat: Illuminamancers typically take a backseat in combat, using their spells and abilities to pour damage unto their allies' enemies from behind plate-wearing companions. Although some are more stealthy, or tricky, and fill their opponent's minds and eyes with illusions, shadows, and blinding light to confuse and settle the odds firmly in their parties' favor.

Advancement: Illuminamancers generally do not multiclass, but it is not unheard of for more focused members to enter prestige classes that further their knowledge of spells, or give them a much easier time taking to the midst of combat, or the subtleties of skillfulness.

Illuminamancers in the World
"''"There will always be Light to create the Dark, and there will always be Good to combat Evil.""

Illuminamancers are a very specific group of magicians and warriors. They are not difficult to place in most campaign settings, but in realms of low magic, or low neutrality, there is no true place for this group.

Daily Life: Illuminamancers are just as typical as their Wizard, or Cleric cousins.

Notables: Valerio Seraph of Bonfires, Local Chapter Leader, Illuminamancer9/Archivist1

Organizations: The Convent of Illuminatus is a temple built into the Earth, constructed in the dark, and gifted with light by a large sunroof. It varies from campaign to campaign.

NPC Reactions: NPCs typically respond to this class as yet another Wizard or Cleric.

Illuminamancer Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana or Religion) can research Illuminamancers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.