Magician, Generic Caster (3.5e Class)

Author: Limitrophic Researcher (talk) Date Created: 2024-12-08 Status: Playable, untested Editing: Clarity edits or new arcana only please.

Low - Moderate - High - Very High

Rate this article Your rating for this article: Favor Like Neutral Dislike Oppose Submit | Cancel Discuss this article

A spellcaster that fully replaces other prepared casters. 20 1 Poor Poor Poor Good Prepared Arcane Spellcasting, Prepared Divine Spellcasting Full

Magician

The Magician is a master of magic, able to wield power from any discipline, no matter how obscure. While an Elementalist or a Dread Necromancer might outstrip the Magician in their particular field, nobody can match the breadth of the Magician's learnings. Magicians who draw spells primarily from Arcane sources are commonly called Wizards, those who prefer Divine magic work as Priests, and those who wander the woods naked communing with trees are called Druids and probably know better than them.

Wizards tend to focus on their arcane repertoire, studying Arcana that allow them to improve their spells, create magic items, or directly add to the magic that they can perform. Solutions to their issues beyond magic are a last resort. They can be found working as sages to hero kings who offer them a quiet environment, hedge mages using their currently meager magical learnings to impress and assist small towns, or joining vast colleges. Wizard Colleges care not for the morality of their members, only instituting rules to not make trouble in the backyards of other powerful Wizards.

Priests often join temples where the higher ranked priest are more scholarly and focus on expanding their capabilities to match portfolios while the missionaries and town priests are more militant in order to survive in the harsh world. Temples may be polytheistic or opportunistic, worshiping whole pantheons or providing the common folk knowledge of all deities known to the temple. Magical purity tests are common, so corruption is very rare in the temples with very public executions of traitors using methods that prevent resurrection.

Druids spend most of their time in nature, only dealing with towns or cities in order to procure goods they cannot make from the land. Druids see bloom and decay as a natural cycle, although one they might meddle with that order to further their study of nature or for their own interests. Druid Circles share secrets but not goals. They work against each other as a matter of course, seeing their attempts to impose their will upon the natural world as part of the struggle of nature. A Druid will not intentionally kill another Druid, although they might beat them senseless and leave them naked in the wilds with only an Antilife Shell to protect them. If a Druid cannot survive after having their schemes unraveled, then they weren't strong enough to truly live naturally.

There are as many ways a Magician might see themselves as there are spells printed for D&D, so think about how your Magician chooses to interact with that world.

Making a Magician

There are at least two ways to solve the flavor issue of Wizards in D&D. One is to eliminate casters with wide ranges of abilities entirely and make many caster class that cover a narrow school. The other is embrace the generic flavor of the Wizard and apply it to all casters, allowing players to create their own magical discipline through their spell choices. This class takes the latter route, giving access to all spells and a wide array of abilities that the Magician gains slowly but steadily over their career. They aren't nearly as overtuned as the standard Cleric or Druid, but they do have access to the strongest spells in the game and with a strong spell selection will be able to contribute to any party.

Although Magicians in the same party can freely share spells, players will wish to distinguish their own characters, choosing spells that complement their fellow Magician without overlapping. For a prepared spellcaster, it is not how many spells they know that truly define who they are as a character, but what spells they wish to have available each day.

The class can be used as a spontaneous caster by substituting its casting mechanics for Sorcerer and Int for Cha with the understanding that they will be generally weaker. Domains add to Spells Known and a Sorcerer can only learn one spell from their Opposed Schools per spell level from leveling. Skip is wrong, they can use Quicken Spell.

Abilities: Intelligence is the class's casting stat while Wisdom is used for all of its other abilities.

Races: Most races have members of this class although some favor Arcane or Divine magic.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gp.

Starting Age: Complex.

Table: The Magician

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Spellcasting, Spellbook, Aura, Minor Arcana	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Minor Arcana	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Minor Arcana	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Minor Arcana	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Minor Arcana	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Minor Arcana	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Major Arcana	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Major Arcana	5	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Major Arcana	5	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Major Arcana	5	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Major Arcana	6	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Major Arcana	6	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	High Arcana	6	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
14th	+7+/2	+4	+4	+9	High Arcana	7	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	High Arcana	7	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	High Arcana	7	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	High Arcana	8	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	High Arcana	8	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	2
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Sublimation	8	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Ascension	9	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (druidic or sylvan) (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str). Class Features All of the following are Class Features of the Magician class. The Magician gains abilities according to the above table. All save DCs are 10+1/2 character level+Wis modifier unless stated otherwise. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Magicians are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, sling, spear, and quarterstaff. Magicians are proficient with no armor or shields. They are also proficient with all natural attacks of forms they assume with Magician abilities. Spellcasting: The Magician casts spells as a Wizard. Their spells are both Arcane and Divine, detecting as either or both depending on which spell lists they appear on. They have a chance for spell failure for wearing armor regardless of what kind of spell they're casting. They use Intelligence for casting spells and Wisdom for any Arcana feature even if it would call for Charisma. A Magician's caster level is equal to their character level and their spells have a save DC of 10+1/2 character level+Int modifier regardless of level. They don't need to match any stat minimum for casting spells. A Magician's prepared cantrips are not expended upon being cast. Spellbook: The Magician records their learned spells in some sort of object, be it an traditional grimoire, a shimmering crystal of many facets, or a rosary inscribed with runic sigils. This functions exactly as a Wizard's spellbook except that the Magician draws spells from the spell list of every class that can cast ninth level spells and the Spellbook is not a particularly costly magic items. Scribing costs only apply to the research of the spell, not its replication, so the Magician can make unlimited backups of their books for cheap. The Magician can take any feat that requires levels in a specific spellcasting class if they learn spells off that class's spell list. A Magician starts the game with all cantrips of any class's spell list and learns one cantrip every level in addition to their normal spells. Aura (Ex): A Magician who casts a spell with an alignment descriptor detects as that alignment as a cleric of their class level for a number of days equal to the spell level. Upon taking an alignment domain, this aura becomes permanent for that alignment. Minor Arcana: At 1st level and for every level until 7th, the Magician can select one of the following Arcana. Priests tend to describe tangible Arcana as Blessings while Druids describe theirs as Secrets. A Thousand Faces (Su): The Magician can use Human Form (Dungeonomicon) at-will. Animal Companion (Ex): The Magician gains an animal companion as a Druid except it is any animal of a CR of half or two less than their character level whichever is higher. Reduce the effective Druid level by the creature's CR to determine abilities. If they have the Familiar Arcana, the two creatures become one creature with both Animal Companion and Familiar traits, selectable off either list. Armor Training: The Magician gains Light Armor Proficiency, the ability to cast spells without spell failure while wearing light armor, and their Hit Die improves by one step (recalculate HP). Upon taking this Arcana again, it applies to medium armor and then heavy armor. Domain: The Magician gains a Domain as a Cleric would, including the granted power. Rather than gaining extra spell slots, they can spontaneously cast spells from their Domain by praying to a deity that represents the Domain and expending a prepared spell of the same or higher level. Upon taking this Arcana additional times, they gain a new Domain and granted power. They may take this Arcana a number of times equal to their Wisdom modifier. Familiar: As the wizard ability, based on character level. If taken again, the Magician can apply the Celestial, Fiendish, Anarchic or Axiomatic template to their Familiar for free or take an Improved Familiar as the feat. Innocuous Guise (Sp): The Magician gains the ability to Polymorph Self (Dungeonomicon) into the form of an animal or vermin of less than 1 CR at-will. Martial Training: The Magician's base attack bonus improves to Medium and they gain proficiency with all simple weapons, two martial weapons of their choice, and non-tower shields. Upon taking this Arcana again their base attack bonus improves to Good and they gain proficiency all martial weapons, two exotic weapons of their choice and Tower shields. Metamagic: Each time this Arcana is taken, the Magician gains the benefit of a Metamagic (non-scaling) feat with a spell level modifier of +1 or lower. They must meet the prerequisites of the feat. Regadless of the source of the Metamagic, instead of preparing spells in higher slots, the Magician performs all calculations to determine out if they can use the Metamagic as one of their highest level spells per day, and then prepares the altered spell as normal. No reduction of a metamagic's effective level applies to this calculation. The Magician can apply Metamagic multiple times if that's a thing they want to do, although that mostly only makes sense for Extend, Empower, and Twin. Occult Craft: The Magician gains Body Assemblage or any [Item Creation] feat that would require a caster level of 6th level or lower as a bonus feat. Organization: The Magician is a member of a Wizard College, Druid Circle, Temple, Witch's Coven, or some other gathering of Magicians. The organization offers the Magician a safe location to learn spells, craft magic items, or otherwise progress their studies without interruption. The members of the organization offer nonhazardous magical services at cost to their fellows and associates. However, they must perform a task for the organization appropriate for their level every year. Survivor (Ex): The Magician's Reflex or Fortitude save progression improves to Good. This Arcana may be taken again to affect the other save. Upon taking it a third time, the Magician gains the ability to fully negate the effect to themselves of any spell that allows for a Fortitude or Will saving throw upon making their save. Specialization: The Magician chooses a school of magic to Specialize in. They can prepare the spells of their Specialty school without needing a spellbook (although they are learned as normal), and they gain an extra slot of each level which they can use to prepare their Specialty spells into. Unless they choose Divination, they must also choose an Opposed School, restricting them to only prepare one spell of each level of spells from opposed schools and preventing them from learning spells of their opposed schools on leveling up. Upon taking this Arcana additional times they choose another Specialty school and Opposed school but do not gain extra spell slots. Specialty and Opposed schools cannot overlap, and Universal spells are not from a school. The Magician can go to an Elven school and gain their Generalist Wizard ACF instead, but they may never take this Arcana again afterwards. Trackless Step (Ex): As the Druid ability. Turn/Rebuke Undead (Su): As the Cleric ability. They can choose positive or negative energy regardless of alignment. When this Arcana is taken additional times it grants Extra Turning feats instead. Wild Empathy (Ex): As the Druid ability based on Handle Animal ranks instead of class levels. Woodland Stride (Ex): As the Druid ability. Major Arcana: At 7th level and for every level until 13th, the Magician can select one of the following Arcana. Advanced Metamagic: Each time this Arcana is taken, the Magician gains the benefit of a Metamagic feat with a spell level modifier of +3 or lower. They must meet the prerequisites of the feat. These Metamagic function as the Metamagic Arcana. Arcane Archer (Su): The Magician can treat any ammunition as a spell storing weapon. They may trigger spell storing ammunition that they have stored a spell in with a command word. Upon taking this Arcana again, they gain the ability to immediately make an attack action upon storing a spell in ammunition. Taking the Arcana a third time allows them to summon a ranged weapon of raw Force and create Force ammunition as a free action. The ammunition has an enhancement bonus equal to the Magician's character level divided by three and the seeking special ability. The Force objects if not attended by the Magician disappear after 1 round. Arcane Sight (Su): The Magician permanently benefits from Arcane Sight. Blue Mage (Sp): The Magician can use the Counterspelling or Targeted Dispel function of Dispel Magic at-will. Upon taking this ability again, they can perform a Counterspelling action as an immediate action, but they are Staggered for 1 round afterwards. Eldritch Craft: The Magician gains any [Item Creation] or [Necromantic Creation] feat that would require a caster level of 12th level or lower as a bonus feat. They must still meet all prerequisites to gain the feat. Eldritch Knight (Ex): The Magician can deliver touch spells with any melee attack. Upon taking this Arcana again, they can immediately makean attack action after casting any spell. Taking the Arcana a third time allows them after hitting an enemy with their first attack for the round to cast any spell that can be cast within a full round, using the attack roll that they already succeeded on for any attack rolls the spell requires. The second and third abilities cannot be used in the same round Farsight (Sp): The Magician can create an Arcane Eye (as the spell) at-will. The Arcane Eye is permanent until dismissed. They may only maintain one Arcane Eye with this ability, creating a new eye dismissing the old eye. Each time they take this Arcana the number of eyes that may exist simultaneously increases by one. Flight (Sp): The Magician permanently benefits from Levitate. When this Arcana is taken again, they can benefit from Fly instead. Upon taking it a third time, they can benefit from Overland Flight instead. They may switch between each spell as a free action. Gith Martial Arts (Sp): The Magician can use Telekinesis at-will. Major Cantrip (Sp): The Magician chooses a spell they know of 2nd level or lower or an Evocation spell they know of 3rd level or lower. When prepared, this spell is not expended upon being cast. They cannot choose spells from their opposed schools. This Arcana can be taken any number of times. Minor Arcanas: The Magician selects two Minor Arcanas. This Arcana can be taken any number of times. Sudden Metamagic: The Magician can apply or alter the metamagic applied to a prepared spell a number of times equal to their Wisdom modifier. The metamagic are calculated as per the Metamagic arcana. Each additional time the Magician takes this Arcana they increase the number of times they can use this Arcana by their Wisdom modifier. Telepathy (Su): 100 feet. You were going to dip Mindbender anyway, weren't you? You hog. The Magician can take this Arcana again to get Mindsight. Venom Immunity (Ex): As the Druid ability. Wild Shape (Su): The Magician gains the ability to use Lycanthropy (Dungeonomicon) at-will. This Arcana can be taken one more time, gaining the ability to use Monstrous Form (Dungeonomicon) as an immediate action a number of times per day equal to their Wisdom modifier (min 1). High Arcana: At 13th level and for every level until 19th, the Magician can select one of the following Arcana. You don't have to spend any spell slots for these, god. Arcane Reach: As the Archmage ability. Avatar of the Planes (Ex): The Magician may choose an Outer Plane to pledge their allegiance towards. From that point on, they are under the effects of a geas to attempt to advance the interests of one the Plane's denizens besides themselves when given the opportunity. They can break the geas at any time, but they lose the effects of this Arcana until receiving an Atonement from a creature from the plane that they wish to make their new pledge towards. As long as they have an active pledge, they are considered a native of the plane, ignoring all harmful planar effects. They can plane shift to any known point in the plane unerringly and all denizens of the plane are Friendly to the Magician when first met. Denizens of the plane called by the Magician do not require payment for a nonhazardous task, and treat hazardous tasks as nonhazardous. Draconic Shape (Su): The Magician gains the ability to use Dragon Form a number of times per day equal to their Wisdom modifier (min 1). This Arcana can be taken any number of times. Divine Craft: The Magician gains any [Item Creation] or [Necromantic Creation] feat as a bonus feat. Divine Metamagic: Each time this Arcana is taken, the Magician gains the benefit of a Metamagic feat. They do not need to meet any prerequisites for this feat. These Metamagic function as the Metamagic Arcana. High Cantrip (Sp): The Magician chooses a spell they know of 5th level or lower or an Evocation spell they know of 6th level or lower. When prepared, this spell is not expended upon being cast. They cannot choose spells from their opposed schools. This Arcana can be taken any number of times. Genesis (Sp): The Magician can use Genesis as a full round action once per month. Major Arcanas: The Magician selects two Major Arcanas. This Arcana can be taken any number of times. Mastery of Counterspelling: As the Archmage ability. Primal Bubble (Sp): As a full round action, the Magician can create a bubble of space within an Inner Plane that functions as if it were in the Prime Material Plane. The bubble has a 5-foot diameter initially before slowly expanding at a rate of a foot per day for every day the Magician spends eight hours within the bubble. The bubble is an instantaneous effect and can only be destroyed by filling it with the element of the Inner Plane it is located within. It is intangible to all creatures and spells and simply prevents unattended objects from crossing the threshold. The Magician can plane shift to a bubble that they created unerringly. Time Walk (Sp): If a creature casts Time Stop within 120 feet of the Magician, the Magician may cast Time Stop as a spell-like ability as an immediate action, allowing it to act normally within the opposed Time Stop. Upon taking this Arcana again the range extends to line of sight. Timeless Body (Ex): As the Druid ability. If the Arcana is taken again, death from old age becomes impossible. Sublimation (Ex): Although the Magician has reached the height of magical power, learning forever continues. With a month (PMP time) of study, the Magician can select an additional Minor Arcana. Study for two months and four months allows for a Major or High Arcana, respectively. Ascension (Ex): The Magician becomes a Demigod in their own right, allowing prayers towards them to grant spells. The Magician is treated as a Deity for any effect that recognizes deities and if killed, they simply reform after a week in an Outer Plane matching their alignment or an Inner Plane if True Neutral. Multiclassed Magicians A Magician cannot have levels in Wizard, Cleric, or Druid. A Magician who previously had levels in those classes replaces them with Magician. Kinda obvious. Maybe like...a Kaelik Cleric would be fine or something, I dunno, you wouldn't want to multiclass a full caster anyway. Epic Magician Table: The Epic Magician Hit Die: d4 Level Special 21st Epic Spellcasting 22nd Epic Arcana 23rd 24th Epic Arcana 25th 26th Epic Arcana 27th 28th Epic Arcana 29th 30th Epic Arcana 2 + Int modifier skill points per level. Epic Spellcasting: The Magician gains Epic Spellcasting as a bonus feat. You should probably buy your DM the stiffest drink they can handle. Epic Arcana: The Magician gains two High Arcanas or an Epic Feat of their choice at 22nd level and every even level thereafter. They must meet any prerequisites of the feat. Campaign Information Magician Lore Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana, religion, nature) can research Magicians to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs. Knowledge (arcana, religion, nature) DC Result 5 Magicians are spellcasters that can dedicate themselves to a wide array of magical disciplines. They must learn their spells with exacting discipline and prepare their spells beforehand. 10 Reveal if a known Magician is a Wizard, Druid, or Priest. 15 Reveal all the Minor Arcana that fit the Knowledge field and state a known Magician's most conspicuous Minor Arcana. 20 Reveal all the Major Arcana that fit the Knowledge field and state a known Magician's most conspicuous Major Arcana. 25 Reveal all the High Arcana that fit the Knowledge field and state a known Magician's most conspicuous High Arcana. Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes