User:Zhenra-Khal/Wizard-Initiator (3.5e Alternate Class Feature)

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Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk)
Date Created: 10/8/2018
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Wizard-Initiator

Instead of casting your spells traditionally, you instead ready and initiate them in the same way a martial adept readies and initiates their martial maneuvers.

Class: Wizard

Level: 1-20

Replaces: Traditional spellcasting, bonus feats, and dead levels.

Benefit: You gain the following class features.


Table: The Wizard-Initiator

Hit Die: d4

Level Base
Attack Bonus
Saving Throws Special Spell-Maneuvers
Fort Ref Will Max Spell Lvel Known Max Stance Level Stances Readied Maneuvers Readied Utility Spells
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Familiar, Adept Spellcasting, Scribe Scroll 1st 0th 1 2 2
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Eclectic Learning 1st 0th 2 2 2
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Signature Move 2nd 0th 2 3 2
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus Feat 2nd 0th 2 3 3
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Aesthetic Learning 2nd 1st 2 4 3
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Signature Move 3rd 1st 3 4 3
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Eclectic Learning 3rd 1st 3 5 4
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Bonus Feat, Magician Spellcasting 4th 1st 3 5 4
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Aesthetic Learning 4th 2nd 3 6 4
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Signature Move 5th 2nd 4 6 5
11th +5 +3 +3 +7 Eclectic Learning 5th 2nd 4 7 5
12th +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Bonus Feat 6th 2nd 4 7 5
13th +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Aesthetic Learning 6th 3rd 4 8 6
14th +7/+2 +4 +4 +9 Signature Move, Arcanist Spellcasting 7th 3rd 5 8 6
15th +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 Eclectic Learning 7th 3rd 5 9 6
16th +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 Bonus Feat 8th 4th 5 9 7
17th +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 Aesthetic Learning 8th 4th 5 10 7
18th +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Signature Move 9th 4th 6 10 7
19th +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Eclectic Learning 9th 4th 6 11 8
20th +10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Bonus Feat 9th 4th 6 11 8

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)
Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis).

Spell-Maneuvers (Sp) and (Su): As a Wizard-Initiator, you cast spells in an unorthodox way - Initiating them as martial maneuvers, rather than casting them normally. These spells still use verbal, somatic, material, focus and XP components as normal, but you are not limited to casting a certain number of spells per day in most cases. You keep a spellbook like a normal wizard, but when you prepare spells, you choose how to prepare them. You can prepare a certain number of spells at a time, listed on the table above. You can, of course, spend time and learn every spell on your class list, plus a few more with your Aesthetic Learning and Eclectic Learning features.

The number of spells you can prepare as Stances is separate from your other spells. You can swap between any Stance spell prepared as a swift action, just like a normal martial adept switches between their known stances. You can prepare a spell as a Stance if it gives a numerical bonus to you (Such as Mage Armor, but not Magic Missile), has a duration longer than 1 round, and it's of a level equal to or lower than your maximum Stance spell level, listed on the table.

You can prepare a spell as a Strike if it deals damage to a target, such as Acid Arrow, or applies a penalty to a target, such as Bestow Curse. If it only adds damage or a debuff to an attack, such as Bloodfreeze Arrow, it would be prepared as a Boost instead.

You can prepare a spell as a Boost if it gives you a numerical bonus, such as Displacement, or adds an effect, such as bonus damage or a debuff effect, to your attacks, such as Ghoul Touch. Regardless of the spell's normal duration, it only lasts for 1 round or until discharged.

You can prepare a spell as a Counter if it gives you a bonus to defensive statistics, such as AC, saving throws, or temporary hit points. Regardless of the spell's normal duration, it only lasts until the beginning of your next turn or until discharged.

You can prepare a spell as a Rush if it transports you, such as Dimension Door, or grants you a bonus to movement of some sort, such as Jump or Expeditious Retreat. Regardless of the spell's duration, the spell only lasts for the duration of the initation action (Usually a Move action).

A spell that doesn't fit any of the criteria, such as True Seeing, Summon Monster or Cure Light Wounds, is prepared as a Utility spell instead. The table lists both how many utility spells you can prepare at any one time, and how many utility spells you may cast per hour. Unlike the other categories of spell-maneuver, Utility spells do not have their normal casting time or duration altered.

Wizard-Initiators learn and cast spells from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list. The DC of your spells is equal to 10 + your Intelligence modifier + the spell's level, as usual. Spells higher than 0th-level are divided into the Adept, Magician and Arcanist spell grades. Your cantrips count as both spells and supernatural abilities, whichever would be more beneficial in each situation.

Spells of 1st, 2nd and 3rd level are known as Adept spells. Spells of 4th, 5th and 6th level are known as Magician spells; When you learn to cast Magician spells, your Adept spells instead become spell-like abilities. Spells of 7th, 8th and 9th level are known as Arcanist spells; When you learn to cast Arcanist spells, your Magician spells become spell-like abilities, and your Adept spells become supernatural abilities. This only affects how they interact with being interrupted and the like, not how they interact with metamagic or item creation.

Recovering a spell-maneuver takes 1 full round of meditation that provokes attacks of opportunity, during which the Wizard-Initiator loses their Dexterity bonus to AC. Recovering a spell-like spell maneuver functions the same, except the action required is only a standard action. Recovering a supernatural spell-maneuver is a swift action that doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity, nor does it cause the Wizard-Initiator to lose their Dex to AC. Utility spells are always recovered as normal spell-maneuvers (A full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity), regardless of their grade.

You may cast a spell-maneuver with metamagic attached, but the combined levels of the spell-maneuver and the metamagic feat's level adjustment can't exceed the maximum level of spell-maneuver you can learn and prepare. For example, you could only prepare and ready a Maximized Fireball if you can ready and initiate spell-maneuvers of 6th level or heigher. You can use each metamagic feat once per hour on normal spell-manuevers, twice per hour on spell-like spell-manuvers, and thrice per hour on supernatural spell-maneuvers; There is no need to change your readied spell-maneuvers - You can cast the Fireball normally while you're waiting to have the Maximized version available again.


Familiar: At 1st level, you can choose to gain a Familiar, as the Sorceror class feature of the same name.

Bonus Feats: At 1st level, you gain Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat. At every level divisible by 4 (4th, 8th, 12th, etc.) you gain a bonus feat of your choice; This bonus feat must be a metamagic, item creation, reserve or spelltouched feat, or the Spell Mastery or Improved Familiar feats.

Aesthetic Learning (Ex): At 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the Wizard-Initiator learns any maneuver or stance of their choice from any discipline, so long as it is of a level they can prepare and initiate, and they meet the prerequisites for it. They forever add that maneuver to their spellbook and may ready it as normal. They cannot, however, otherwise learn new maneuvers or stances outside of spell-maneuvers from the Sorcerer/Wizard list or their Eclectic Learning feature.

Signature Move (Ex): At 3rd level, 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the Wizard-Initiate chooses one manuever they know as a Signature Move. Once chosen, this can only be changed the next time you gain a Signature Move - Whenever you gain a new Signature Move, you can change all of your old Signature Moves. Signature Moves can be readied without your spellbook, are treated as always readied, are always treated as Supernatural abilities, and you can convert any other readied maneuver of equal or higher level into a Signature Move.

Eclectic Learning (Ex): At 2nd level, 7th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the Wizard-Initiator learns a new spell from any spell list, adding it to their spellbook. The spell must be at least one level lower than the highest-level spell the Wizard-Initiator can ready and initate.


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