Mage, GT (3.5e Class)

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A general Spellcaster that can be customized.

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Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting Other

Mage, GT

The Mage is a Spellcaster class that aims to replace all other full casters. It was designed around a point based Mana system that recovers over time, and offers actual class features that you can use to customize it to perform a wide variety of character types and fit a variety of fluff. As such, I am going to include very little fluff here as it is intended to, depending on build, be a sorcerer, necromancer, wizard, warlock, warmage, beguiler, druid, cleric, etc... From here on out this class will be referred to as the Mage.

Making a Mage

<-Strong points and weak points, and effectiveness with party members.->

Abilities: Charisma is the most important attribute for a mage as it determines the strength of their spells and how much Mana they have. Intelligence and Wisdom are also important, as they determine bonus spells known and how fast they regain spent Mana respectively. Dexterity, Constitution, and Strength range in importance depending on which Eldritch Path and Sorcery Traits you select.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: <-starting gold; 2d8->×10 gp (<-average starting gold. This is calculated by multiplying the number of die rolls by the die size plus one and multiplying the result by 5 [Y × (Z + 1) × 5].-> gp).

Starting Age: <-Select "Simple" or "As rogue", "Moderate" or "As fighter", or "Complex" or "As wizard", to let players know which starting age category to use for 1st-level characters->.

Table: The Mage

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Spellcasting, Mana, Mystic Focus, Eldritch Path, Sorcery Trait
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Sorcery Trait, Detect Magic
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Sorcery Trait
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Sorcery Trait
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Sorcery Trait
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Invest Mana
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Sorcery Trait
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Sorcery Trait
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Sorcery Trait
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Sorcery Trait
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Sorcery Trait
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Sorcery Trait
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Sorcery Trait
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Sorcery Trait
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Sorcery Trait
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Truespeak (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha), Witchcraft ().

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the <-class name->.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Mage is not proficient with any armor or shields, and is proficient with only simple weapons.

Spellcasting (Sp): A mage casts arcane spells. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

To learn or cast a spell, a she must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell grade. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against her spell is 10 + ½ HD + her Charisma modifier.

A mage’s spell’s known are limited. She learns one spell per class level and an additional spell whenever she gains access to a new grade of spell. These spells are selected from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, but see Eldritch Path.

She also gains bonus spells known based on her Intelligence score, the same way other spellcasters might gain bonus spells per day.

Cantrips, unlike other spells are remarkably simple. A mage begins play knowing 1 cantrip and gains bonus cantrips known equal to her Intelligence bonus and ranks in Spellcraft or Witchcraft. Unlike other grades of spells, a mage can learn additional cantrips by study, allowing her to know as many as she puts the time in to learn. Learning a new cantrip takes 1 hour and requires her to make a DC 20 Spellcraft or Witchcraft check.

At each new level, a mage can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, she “loses” the old spell in exchange for a new one of the same grade. She may swap a number of spells up to her Wisdom bonus (min. 1) at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spells at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.

A mage can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming she can pay its mana cost. She does not have to decide ahead of time which spells she’ll cast.

A mage with metamagic feats may apply them to her spells, to do so she must expend her mystical focus or increase the casting time as if she lesser channeled the spell. She also must expend mana equal to twice the adjustment listed in the feat’s description. She may choose to both expend her mystical focus and lesser channel the spell to reduce the mana cost increase to the the metamagic feat's adjustment rather than twice its adjustment. Metamagic feats with an adjustment of 0 do not require her to lesser channel or expend her mystical focus. A mage may apply 2 metamagic feats by expending her focus for one and channeling the other, there is no limit on 0 adjustment metamagic she can apply to spells.

Mana (Su): A Mage has a pool of Mana that they use to cast their spells.

Mana Pool = 3 + Class Level + Charisma bonus

Mana recovers at a rate of one point per point of Wisdom bonus (minimum 1) per 10 minutes. A Mage may not regain Mana from ongoing spells, in effect a spell with a duration applies a penalty to the amount of Mana her Mana Pool can hold.

Some spells inflict Mana Drain recovers at a rate of 1 point per hour and likewise cannot be recovered until the spell’s duration ends.

Any spell with an XP cost causes Mana Drain instead of normal Mana expenditure.

Spells with a duration of Permanent are an exception to the rule that Mana not be recovered until the duration expires, treat them as instantaneous duration spells. Such spell cause mana drain.

Spells cost an amount of Mana equal to twice its Grade. Grade 0 spells, or cantrips, count as Grade ½ for this purpose and thus cost 1 Mana.

The Mage does not use the standard spell level system, but the spell grade system. This spreads spell "levels" out among class levels. This is detailed in the table below.

Table: Spell Grade Conversion

Mage Level	Spell Grade	Equivalent Spell Level	Default Mana Cost
1	0	0	1
1	1	1	2
4	2	2	4
7	3	3 and 4	6
10	4	5	8
13	5	6	10
16	6	7	12
19	7	8 and 9	14

Mystic Focus (Su): Merely having Mana gives Mages a special energy. Mages can put that energy to work without actually paying a Mana cost—they can become mystically focused as a special use of the Concentration skill.

If you have 1 or more Mana available, you can meditate to attempt to become mystically focused. The DC to become focused is 20. Meditating is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. When you are focused, you can expend your mystical focus on any single Concentration check you make thereafter.

When you expend your focus in this manner, your Concentration check is treated as if you rolled a 15. It’s like taking 10, except that the number you add to your Concentration modifier is 15. You can also expend your focus to gain various benefits.

While the Mage has a mystical focus, all Mana costs for spells are reduced by 1 (allowing cantrips to be cast for free).

Once you are mystically focused, you remain focused until you expend your focus, become unconscious, or go to sleep, or until your Mana drops to 0.

Detect Magic (Sp): A mage of at least 2nd level may use detect magic at will. This may be used as a 60ft cone, 120ft line, or 30ft radius, chosen when casting.

Invest Mana (Su): A mage of at least 7th level may choose to invest mana into non-instantaneous spells. If she does so, the spell’s mana cost increases based on its original duration and its duration changes to Focus. A spell with a duration of Focus lasts until it is dismissed, dispelled, or the caster loses or expends their mystic focus. As the spell has an ongoing duration, the mage may not regain the mana spent on the spell until the spell ends.

Original Duration	Invest Mana Cost
Rounds per level or less than 1 minute	+6
Minutes per level or less than 10 minutes	+4
10 Minutes per level or less than 1 hour	+2
Hours per level or less than 1 day	+0
Days per level or longer	-2

Eldritch Path: At first level, a mage selects her Eldritch Path. An Eldritch Path does many things, the most important of which is that it gives a spellcaster a "path" for her to develop on. An Eldritch Path always adds spells to her spell list, adds some additional class skills, and helps her to qualify for Sorcery Traits. It may also affect her hit die, saving throws, base attack bonus, spell progression, spells known, or skill points per level.

Eldritch Paths are detailed below.

Sorcery Trait: At first level, and each Mage class level where she does not gain access to a new grade of spell, the mage gains a sorcery trait. Some sorcery traits have prerequisites she must meet before she can select them, much like feats. Sorcery traits are listed here

--Eldritch Paths--

Path of the Necromancer

• All Necromancy Spells and spells on the Dread Necromancer's Spell List are added to your Spell List.
• Gain a bonus Necromancy spell known for each spell grade you have access to.
• You may use Knowledge (arcana) as Knowledge (religion) for all purposes. In addition these skill are synergy skills.
• You may use your Detect Magic class feature to replicate the effects of either Detect Undead or Detect Power Level instead of detect magic.
• You may qualify for Necromancer sorcery traits and gain one as a bonus sorcery trait.
• You gain a unique spell as a bonus spell known: Turn or Rebuke Undead

Turn or Rebuke Undead

Necromancy

• Level: Mage 1
• Components: V, S, DF
• Casting time: 1 standard action
• Range: Close x2 (50ft + 5ft/lv)
• Targets: One or more Undead
• Duration: Instantaneous
• Saving Throw: None
• Spell Resistance: No

This spell functions as the cleric class feature except for range and uses per day. Your cleric level is equal to your caster level and you use the target undeads' Challenge Rating as their Hit Dice. Knowing this spell counts as having the Turn or Rebuke Undead class features for all purposes.

Path of the Warmage

• All Evocation spells and spells on the Warmage's Spell list are added to your Spell List.
• You gain a bonus spell known of each grade you have access to, these spells must be from those that would be added to your spell list by this path.
• You gain proficiency with light and medium armor and shields. You gain proficiency with a number of martial weapons equal to your Intelligence bonus and reduce Arcane Spell Failure from Armor and Shields by 5% times the highest grade of spell you have access to.
• Your HD increases to a d8 and your BAB becomes medium for mage levels.
• You may qualify for Warmage sorcery traits and gain the Warmage's Edge sorcery trait as a bonus sorcery trait.
• You gain a unique spell as a bonus spell known: Eldritch Blast. You may learn 2 Blast shape or eldritch essence invocations instead of a spell known whenever you gain a spell known.

Eldritch Blast

Evocation

• Level: Mage 0
• Components: S
• Casting time: 1 standard action
• Range: Close x2 (50ft + 5ft/lv)
• Area: Ray
• Duration: Instantaneous
• Saving Throw: None
• Spell Resistance: Yes

Make a ranged touch attack against a target in range. They take 1d6 points of damage per two caster levels. If you know any eldritch essences or blast shape invocations, you may apply one of each to this spell at the cost of increasing its mana cost by 1 per invocation added. Knowing this spell counts as having the Eldritch Blast class feature for all purposes.

Path of the Druid

• All spells on the Druid's Spell list are added to your Spell List.
• You gain Wild Empathy as per the Druid Class feature.
• You gain Druidic as a bonus language.
• You gain Simple Lifestyle as per a Monk of the Wilderness and cannot use metal armor or shields. A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to regain Mana or use her spellcasting, supernatural or spell-like class abilities without increasing the casting time as if greater channeling while doing so and for 1 hour thereafter
• You may use your Detect Magic class feature to replicate the effects Detect_Animals or Plants instead of detect magic and use Commune with Nature at will as a spell-like ability.
• She adds Handle Animal and Survival to her class skills and gains Track as a bonus feat. Her Knowledge (nature), Survival, and Handle Animal all receive a competence bonus equal to 2 + 1/3 her mage level.
• You gain proficiency with light and medium armor and shields and reduce Arcane Spell Failure from Armor and Shields by 5% times the highest grade of spell you have access to.
• Your HD increases to a d8, your Fortitude save progression becomes good, and your BAB becomes medium for mage levels.
• A Druid receives Codex Endurance as a bonus feat at level 7.
• You may qualify for Druidic sorcery traits and gain a bonus druidic sorcery trait.

Path of the Wizard

• You gain the Book Magic sorcery trait as a bonus sorcery trait.
• You do not gain an additional spell known upon gaining access to a new grade of spell, instead you may add 2 spells to your Spellbook for free at each level.
• You can add spells not on your Spell List to your Spellbook. The DC for Deceiphering such spells is increased by 10 + the Spell's grade.
• You do not gain bonus spells known based on your Intelligence score, instead you may prepare a number of spells of each grade you can cast equal to the number of bonus spells known from Intelligence you should have. Doing so takes 1 hour, but these spells are treated as spells known until you rest.
• You may use read magic as a spell-like ability at will.
• You may qualify for wizardry sorcery traits.
• You gain a new class skill called Lore (Int). Anytime you would make a knowledge check of any kind you may make a Lore check instead. Ranks in Lore count as ranks in every knowledge skill for prerequisites and synergy bonuses.

Path of the Beguiler

• All Enchantment, Illusion, and [fear] Spells and spells on the Beguiler's Spell List are added to your Spell List.
• You gain a bonus spell known of each grade you have access to, these spells must be from those that would be added to your spell list by this path.
• You gain 2 additional skill points per level (multiplied by 4 at 1st) and add Balance, Bluff, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Tumble to your class skills.
• You gain Trapfinding as a rogue.
• By lesser channeling as spell, you may cast it without somatic or verbal components.
• You gain 1d6 Sneak Attack as per the rogue class feature. This improves by 1d6 per 4 levels past 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, 17th)
• Whenever you cast a spell on a target that would qualify as a target for Sneak Attack, the mage adds her Intelligence bonus to the DC and Spell Penetration check.
• You may use your Detect Magic class feature to replicate the effects Detect_Snares and Traps instead of detect magic
• You become proficient with light armor and the following weapons: hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword.
• You may qualify for beguiler Sorcery traits.

Path of the Cleric

• All Spells on the Cleric Spell List are added to your Spell List.
• You no longer require material components that have no listed cost or those with a cost of 50gp or less, instead you require a Holy Symbol
• You may not cast spells with an alignment opposed to your own.
• Select 2 Domains of your Deity (if you do not worship a particular deity, pick 2 that are thematically appropriate), all spells in those domains are added to your spells known. You also gain the granted power of those domains, if the granted power was usable X/per time period, you may use it by spending 2 Mana.
• You may determine your bonus spells known using your Wisdom score instead of your Intelligence score.
• You may use your Detect Magic class feature to replicate the effects Detect_Evil (except it matches your alignment) instead of detect magic.
• You may qualify for clerical sorcery traits and gain a bonus clerical sorcery trait.

Path of the Summoner

• All Conjuration spells and spells on the Summoner's Spell List are added to your Spell List.
• You gain a bonus spell known of each grade you have access to, these spells must be from those that would be added to your spell list by this path.
• You may cast [summoning] spells with a casting time of 1 round as a standard action, if you do so the summoned creature is staggered for 1 round.
• You may use Magic Circle against Evil at will as a spell-like ability. Unlike the spell, the casting time is 10 minutes, the duration is permanent, the circle may be any size, it functions against all (extraplanar) and (incorporeal) creatures and objects regardless of alignment, and grants the effects of a sanctuary spell to those within. A creature can leave the circle without breaking its effect, but if any action that would end the sanctuary effect is performed from within the circle, the circle is destroyed.
• You gain a bonus language for each rank you have in decipher script, Speak Language, or Truespeak. These bonus languages may be any except for secret languages.
• You may qualify for summoner sorcery traits and gain a bonus summoner sorcery trait.

Path of the Sorcerer

• Your Mana Pool is equal to 3 + (1.5 x her class level) + Charisma bonus
• While mystically focused, the mana cost of your spells is reduced. Instead of being reduced by 1, the Mana cost of spells is reduced by ¹/₂ the grade of your highest grade spell, rounded up.
• You gain a bonus Sorcery Trait. It may be any trait you meet the prerequisites for.

Path of the Gish

• All spells on the Duskblade Spell List and powers on the Psychic Warrior Power List are added to your Spell List as spells. Powers cast as spells are fully augmented as if they were Psi-like abilities.
• Your Base Attack Bonus becomes equal to your class level for mage levels.
• Either your Fortitude or Reflex save progression becomes good.
• You gain Codex Combat Casting as a bonus feat.
• The levels you gain access to new grades of spells changes. You gain access to a new grade of spell every 4 levels after 1st rather than every 3. (Grade 2 at level 5, Grade 3 at level 9, Grade 4 at level 14, and Grade 5 at level 17). The levels you gain Sorcery traits changes accordingly.
• Any time you would gain a sorcery trait on an even level, you instead gain two [Fighter] feats as bonus feats.
• Your HD for mage levels becomes a d10.
• You gain weapon, shield, and armor proficiencies as the Fighter class. You gain Weapon Focus as a bonus feat. In place of proficiency with Martial weapons, you may be proficient with a number of exotic weapons equal to the number of attacks from BAB she can make on a full attack plus her intelligence bonus.
• You can cast spells with somatic components even while wielding weapons and shields. The total arcane spell failure chance for armor and shields is reduced by 5% + 5% per attack from BAB (+1=5%, +6=10%, +11=15%, +16=20%) + 5% x highest spell grade you can cast. For example, a level 20 gish would reduce ASF by 5% + 20% (+20 BAB) + 25% (can cast grade 5 spells), or a total of 50%.
• Balance, Climb, Jump, and Swim become class skills.
• You may Qualify for Gish sorcery traits.

Epic Mage

The Epic Mage continues to gain spells known and mana at the same rate as pre-epic levels (+1 per level). Sorcery Traits are gained every other level (22, 24, 26, etc...).

<-Sample race of your choice-> <-class name-> Starting Package

Weapons: <-Weapon selection for starting at 1st level with this class.->

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

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable, put "—"->
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable, put "—"-> <-copy and paste the rows as necessary.->

Feat: <-1st-level feat selection->.

Bonus Feats: <-1st-level feat bonus feats due to class or sample race. Remove this section if this sample doesn't get any bonus feats at 1st level. ->.

Gear: <-Starting armor and other equipment outside of weapons.->.

Gold: <-Starting gold using this package.->.

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