I just won a bid for the old AD&D Dark Sun boxed set on eBay. Hopefully I can get my players together and get a campaign started within the next month or two.
Got a question for you guys. I am seriously considering using the d20 Modern basic ruleset for my campaign. I like how the basic classes are balanced and I like the flexibility of the system a bit more than I like D&D 3.5. After taking a close, critical look at Athas.org's Dark Sun Prestige Class Appendix 1, I don't think you would have to modify anything at all to make them work with d20 Modern's basic classes. I might have to substitute a few skills and feats, but they all seem to have analogs in each system, so that should be no problem at all. What isn't present but needed can be ported over with no problem.
The only thing I think would present a problem would be magic and psionics. I'm thinking about creating a few 10-level advanced classes to take care of this problem. These would be designed to bridge the gap between d20 Modern's 5-level spell and power lists and the larger D&D lists. Here's a short list:
1. Preserver
2. Defiler
3. Elemental Cleric
4. Templar
5. Egoist
6. Seer
7. Telepath
8. Kineticist
9. Nomad
10. Shaper
You get the picture. For access to higher level spells and powers, we'll use what's in Appendix 1, and create what we don't have (there'll most likely be a need for a psionic prestige class or two).
I also prefer d20 Modern's Wealth system over the standard "coin" method. Things seem to move faster, so there's less shopping and more adventuring, and players don't seem to get caught up in the whole "I'm gonna get stuff" routine.
:D
Opinions anyone? Ya think it'll work? If so, why? If not, why not?
What I am building is a D20/d20 modern version of darksun, and it is working out pretty well actually.
The allegiance system works sooooo much better than the alignment system for darksun and makes the ideas of differing divine casters and arcane casters so much easier.
I am also working up a total rework of the psionics system to fit better and basing it off half from the expanded psi handbook, and a skill based system for the wild talents.....
the magic system especially the stuff on arcane magic became so much easier as soon as I did the allegiance system.... if anyone is interested I will post some of the stuff I am working on it so far.
"If you do this, you will know only sorrow..!"
Actually I have been working on this exact thing for the last couple of weeks..... and am most of the way through it.
What I am building is a D20/d20 modern version of darksun, and it is working out pretty well actually.
The allegiance system works sooooo much better than the alignment system for darksun and makes the ideas of differing divine casters and arcane casters so much easier.
I am also working up a total rework of the psionics system to fit better and basing it off half from the expanded psi handbook, and a skill based system for the wild talents.....
the magic system especially the stuff on arcane magic became so much easier as soon as I did the allegiance system.... if anyone is interested I will post some of the stuff I am working on it so far.
Whoa!!!
I have to see this. Where can I download what you have? Or would you email it to me? I would be eternally grateful.
Don't!
"If you do this, you will know only sorrow..!"
Naaaah...I think it'll be cool. Besides, if I use d20 Modern, I won't have to explain to everyone where I live that I'm really not a goat-slaying, D&D-playing, wacko Satanist.
Whoa!!!
I have to see this. Where can I download what you have? Or would you email it to me? I would be eternally grateful.
Naaaah...I think it'll be cool. Besides, if I use d20 Modern, I won't have to explain to everyone where I live that I'm really not a goat-slaying, D&D-playing, wacko Satanist.
Emailed you the allegiance and occupation rules...... I will send you copies of the rest as I finnish them
Something I got stuck on was Backgrounds. I might get back to it eventually.
Another substitute was to use Green Ronin's Psychic's Handbook, a skill and feat system to psionics. Even more ambitiously, I wanted to use the magic system from The Black Company Campaign Sourcebook.
Since discovering Grim Tales I my pessimism at D20 has almost disappeared.
rules changes:
Allegiences: As modern... you can only have 3 and can only gain them as you level, or in the case of arcane or divine allegiance, when you gain them from another source
standard for city, Sorcerer Monarch, Veiled alliance and such.
Special Allegiances:
Arcane Philosophy: An arcane spellcaster with no allegiance may cast as a defiler or preserver, they are considered tainted for purposes of casting arcane spells. The four arcane allegiances are Defiler, Preserver, The Black, and The Gray (there is a fifth allegiance after the cerulean storm is formed, that being Cerulean Storm). A character with the Presever allegiance loses it immediately upon casting a defiling spell. A character who fails the Will save when casting a defiling spell, loses all previous arcane philosophy allegiances and gains the Defiler allegiance, from this point on they can only cast spells as a defiler until they gain a new arcane philosophy allegiance. To gain an arcane allegiance other than Preserver or Defiler, requires the caster to gain favor and training from another person with the same allegiance. This normally requires quests to be performed and may only be gained as a character gains in level with the GM's permission.
Divine Allegiance: Divine allegiances are extremely important to divine casters, as the lose all supernatural abilities and spell casting if they lose their allegiance. There are several types of divine allegiances. They are Elemental (Clerics must choose per the specific element or paraelement that they are aligned to), Spirit of the Land (Druids must choose a specific spirit of the land that they are linked to and this confers bonuses by the spirit type.), and Sorcerer Monarch (Templars must be aligned to a specific Sorcerer Monarch). It is normally not possible to have more than one divine allegiance at a time, the only known exception to this rule is that there are a few templars of Hamanu that also have the Spirit of the Land divine allegiance as well. Divine allegiances may only be granted by the actual creature that the allegiance is to or their representative.
Occupation:
this is a big thing and I have a large listing of them. (including templar, gladiator, noble, priest, academy apprentice, slave, dune trader, and many more) This determines your perm class skills, bonus feat or feats, and starting money. (I used D20 money system not modern though and is set to dark sun currency)
Base classes:
as the modern rules, save differeing skill and feat lists as I use the D20 skills and feats not modern for the most part
Advanced classes:
Sorcerer (this is the base wizard class for both preserver and defiler)
Cleric
Druid
Bard
Psionicist
etc...
Feats:
from SRD and a new type allegiance feats, these are things like secular authority (which is the ability of templars to arrest and such in their own cities.) that require a specific allegiance to have any effect for the character.
Skills:
as per SRD plus literacy, and several new skills..... channel (used for divine spellcasting), focus (seperated into differiing types such as focus: telekinesis, focus: telepathy, etc... used for psionics), and Gather (used for arcane spellcasting) This has a big effect due to the spellcasting system I am designing
Combat:
Damage reduction on the armor effects
Wound and vitality system instead of hit points
Psionics system:
uses a cross between the psionics from the SRD and skills
lesser powers, like telekinesis and such are used using the skill Focus:telekinesis, and cost vitality points to manifest. Are called devotions and anyone can use them..... ie the way people get wildtalents but they cannot be used unskilled. (this also includes mental attack powers and such)
greater powers, are only gained by taking levels in a psionic class and follow rules similiar to the expanded psionic handbooks version of psionics, though a more limited selection and only goes up to level 5 powers (though the level 5 powers are significantly more powerful.... think the level 6-8th levels)
Divine magic system:
Divine casters have a limited number of known spells..... they get bonus spells as they level. However they can learn spells they come across by spending exp. The max level of spell they can cast is determined by level in an advanced/prestige class. (if they do not have a divine class but have the allegiance they can only cast or learn 0 level spells.)
To cast a spell is just a Channel skill check, difficulty controlled by the level of the spell and if the caster chooses to increase the DC to gain heightened effect. Anytime a divine caster casts a spell the spell is cast as if cast by a 1st level caster, if they are willing to increase the DC they cast as a higher level caster up to their actual caster level.
divine advanced classes only go up to 5th level spells, higher level spells are only available as rituals or through specific prestige classes.
Arcane magic system:
Arcane casters must ready spells into memory, max number of each spell level is controlled by characters level in arcane advanced/prestige classes. To ready spells the sorcerer must study their spellbook for a period of time, and the spells are readied untill the caster chooses to change them.
To cast a spell is just a Gather skill check, difficulty controlled by the level of the spell and if the caster chooses to increase the DC to gain heightened effect. Anytime an arcane caster casts a spell the spell is cast as if cast by a 1st level caster, if they are willing to increase the DC they cast as a higher level caster up to their actual caster level. Note casting as a preserver increases the DC of the Gather check. This means casting as a defiler means it is easier to cast.
arcane advanced classes only go up to 5th level spells, higher level spells are only available as rituals or through specific prestige classes. (and these prestige classes always have allegiance requirements.)
this was just a quick overview of what I am doing on it..... let me know if people have suggestions.
Emailed you the allegiance and occupation rules...... I will send you copies of the rest as I finnish them
Got 'em!
You're a great American!
- scrubing you from my yahoo contacts -
You're American?!
- scrubing you from my yahoo contacts -
LOL
like you did not know
You're American?!
I wonder if there might be some Norwegian blood in his lineage, though.
I wonder if there might be some Norwegian blood in his lineage, though.
lol
nope nope nope.... I am a half breed, half Cherokee (Native Americain tribe) and half Irish
though thank you for the compliment
And... I don't understand the idea of having d20 modern rules, but with 20-level classes instead of the 10-level ones. Part of the fun of d20 Modern is that the classes are a bit more free-flowing, and people pick a level here or a level there of different classes, and build far more interesting (in my opinion) and definitely more unique types of characters.
And yea, I like the allegience system from d20 Modern. I use that for all my D&D campaigns instead of Alignment. Allows for much more wide-reaching ideals, and bit less rigidly enforced and limiting system in place (I don't see everyone as falling into one of 9 possible categories - people are too diverse for something like that).
Seker, will the Dark Sun Prestige Class Appendix 1 be compatible with your system?
At this point some of it will be, alot of the prestige classes become unness. using this system though, as they become part of the base/advanced classes just controlled by allegiances and such. Note any of them that do not include an alignment requirement would still be possible to be taken just some are no longer needed
The biggest problem I've ever had with trying to use D&D setings in a d20 Modern environment, is that spellcasting (and Psionics) doesn't really exist in the Basic classes. I love how more open-ended the class system is with Basicand Advanced Classes (plus Prestige classes thrown in as well). I dunno, I've tossed the idea around once or twice on it, but always came blank when it came to how to handle the lack of something like this. I guess it's not a sin to force people to reach epic levels just to be able to be a level 20 spellcaster (or manifester).
Actually if you note on my revised psionic and divine casting..... I figured out ways to allow minimal spellcasting and psionics even at first level in a base class..... Arcane casting I made only available through a advanced class though. Note the base spellcasting advanced classes will advance as per standard from d20 modern up to getting 5th level spells...... And prestige classes are required to get higher level spells. Note even if I go a standard rate from d20 for 6-9th level spells on the prestige class, then the earliest they would be able to cast 9th level spells is character level 19.... not too different that in D7D 3.5
And... I don't understand the idea of having d20 modern rules, but with 20-level classes instead of the 10-level ones. Part of the fun of d20 Modern is that the classes are a bit more free-flowing, and people pick a level here or a level there of different classes, and build far more interesting (in my opinion) and definitely more unique types of characters.
I am more likely to keep it 10 level classes, but the epic rules will progress the 10 level classes of all types the same as they do in the epic level rules in the SRD. (with slight tweaking which I will place in the epic rules for D20 darksun, I am building the whole system after all)
Just checking in to see how the work on your system's coming.
I eagerly await your creation...
Arcane:
Max caster level = character level
Max spell level = ½ character level.
(note the max caster level is due to the fact that the amount of energy you gather for the spell determines your caster level.)
Skill:
Gather: (Cha) Allows the caster to gather energy for spells, treat as a move action to gather spell energy. Casting a spell as a defiler gives a +4 on the gather check. Spell energy may be conserved for a number of rounds equal to the sorcerer’s Constitution score. (Which allows you to build up spell energy for more powerful spells.)
Feats:
Arcane training: (Requires literacy: draconic.) Allows the character to ready arcane spells into memory. Character can ready Int bonus in spell levels. (An arcane caster can cast the same spells repeatedly throughout the day..... just have to gather the energy each time. I am working up the limitations on this now, possible vitality cost when you cast equal to the spell level.)
Example of casting.
A 4th level character is wanting to cast a magic missile at spell at 3rd caster level to get 2 missiles..... his DC on the gather check would be: (base DC for 1st level spell) + (DC for 3rd caster level)
However if the same caster wanted to cast the magic missile as a 3rd caster level, but with the silent metamagic the DC would be: (base DC for 2nd level spell) + (DC for 3rd caster level)
Especially what you've done with the Gather skill. It captures the whole "energy-from-the-planet" feel quite nicely. But everything I've seen so far looks phenomenal.
Keep up the good work! This is gonna be good...
This also makes it easy to make the ability to gather from the Black, the Grey, or the Cerulean Storm easy..... they will be feats that a character can take IF they have the allegiance and meets the requirements of the feat.
Though on second thought, I might just make it that if you have the arcane allegiance you gain the ability to gather from the other source.
DC for Gather/Channel:
(Spell level x 3 +10) + (caster level)
so the DC's in my previous examples would be as follows:
A 4th level preserver character is wanting to cast a magic missile at spell at 3rd caster level to get 2 missiles..... his DC on the gather check would be: 16 [(base DC for 1st level spell) + (DC for 3rd caster level)]
However if the same caster wanted to cast the magic missile as a 3rd caster level, but with the silent metamagic the DC would be: 19 [(base DC for 2nd level spell) + (DC for 3rd caster level)]
so if he had a max gather skill (7 if it is a class skill 3 if not) and a max Cha bonus (+4) he would need to roll a 5+(9+ if crossclass) or a 8+(12+ if crossclass) to cast the spell in the same round that he gathered energy.
However if he does not finnish gathering energy in the move action, he can either save the energy to cast on the next round or can use make their entire action move actions for this round and gather the second time in hopes of getting the energy needed.
This system will require you to gather energy for some time to be able to cast the most poerful spells in most cases.
This system will require you to gather energy for some time to be able to cast the most poerful spells in most cases.
Which captures the flavor of Dark Sun far better than anything else out there thus far.
Not trying to hurry you along, but is there anything I can do to help? This project sounds like it has a great deal of promise, and I'd like to contribute if possible.
Which captures the flavor of Dark Sun far better than anything else out there thus far.
Not trying to hurry you along, but is there anything I can do to help? This project sounds like it has a great deal of promise, and I'd like to contribute if possible.
main thing I am going to need is people to go over it after I finnish the first draft and tell me what they feel needs to be done better...... that is the thing that will help the most....
I have everything planned out I am just building the final bits and as I write it down find stuff I need to fix to work better and do so.
dont worry it will not be that much longer..... the hardest part is just the idea after that it comes out pretty quick for me.
Kind of like what was done on the boards for the dragon rules for the epic bureau..... that is what I am going to need first off. I need to have people to bounce ideas off of
main thing I am going to need is people to go over it after I finnish the first draft and tell me what they feel needs to be done better...... that is the thing that will help the most....
I have everything planned out I am just building the final bits and as I write it down find stuff I need to fix to work better and do so.
dont worry it will not be that much longer..... the hardest part is just the idea after that it comes out pretty quick for me.
Kind of like what was done on the boards for the dragon rules for the epic bureau..... that is what I am going to need first off. I need to have people to bounce ideas off of
Easily done. I don't think you'll have any problem finding someone around here to rip your ideas to shreds...
:D
Just for the hey-hey of it, I'll go ahead and insert a preemptive critique here. I don't know you're planning to use the d20 Modern basic classes as they are, but if so, the Fast Hero's Defense bonus needs to be tweaked, as it is very front-loaded and too good to be true. At present, it looks like this:
Oh status update, the following sections are complete:
Allegiances
Occupations (updated)
Vitality and wound point system
Base classes
Skills
Feats
Sections still in proccess:
Advanced classes
Prestige classes
Magic section (list of spells and rules list)
Psionics section (the devotions [wild talents that use the focus skills] and the sciences [powers that are only gained from psionicist advanced class])
oh and still need to look at:
races
equipment
so it is coming along really nicely
Actually I personally like the Fast characters defense adjustment as there is already another base class with the one step lower defense adjustment, and that is one of the things which makes the Fast character different.
Most people on the d20 Modern boards adamantly maintain that the Fast Hero's Defense progression is very front-loaded and very broken - especially when you add in armor bonuses, Dodge bonuses, etc. I can see the logic in where you're coming from, but check this out. The next lowest Defense progression belongs to the Strong/Tough Hero and compares like this:
Most people on the d20 Modern boards adamantly maintain that the Fast Hero's Defense progression is very front-loaded and very broken - especially when you add in armor bonuses, Dodge bonuses, etc. I can see the logic in where you're coming from, but check this out. The next lowest Defense progression belongs to the Strong/Tough Hero and compares like this:
I may relook at it.... but also note..... armor does NOT give bonus to AC in my system, armor gives damage reduction. So people with armor (ie strong or tough characters) get hit but not damaged vs those that are like fast heros avoid the attack.
so you have more gladiators that will be fast heroes, vs guards and such would more likely use armor so that they could resist the blows better.
Armor is going to be limiting the max defense bonus you get just like it limits the max dex bonus in the d20 sytems.
so the higher defense bonus would really even out for the fast characters as long as they do NOT wear armor
Makes a lot more sense when armor provides Damage Reduction as opposed to a Defense bonus.
Makes a lot more sense when armor provides Damage Reduction as opposed to a Defense bonus.
I thought so... and if the defense bonus is negated by armor penalties..... you have to choose armor for DR or high defense...... makes that advantage from being a fast character not so great for everyone.... it is nice but it is a choice
I want suggestions on advanced classes and prestige classes people would ike to see for the darksun D20 modern. I have the following so far, tell me what else people would like:
Advanced classes:
Bard (of course)
Druid (closer to the grove master PrC from Athas.org)
Elemental Cleric (closer to the 2ed version than standard D&D)
Gladiator (gladiator is also a starting occupation, so may need a better name for professional gladiators, could make it arena champion though)
Lifeleech (animal life draining arcane caster advances similiar to sorcerer but differing feats and class abilities)
Myrmeleon (similiar to the PrC from Athas.org advances similiar to sorcerer but differing feats and class abilities)
Psionicist (cross between 2ed and psion/psychic warrior)
Reavers (based off the animal hunting PrC from Athas.org)
Rogue (of course)
Sorcerer (dont let the name fool you.... it is more like a wizard/sorcerer cross.... you do have to ready spells from a spellbook)
Templar (templar is also a starting occupation that does not grant spelcasting, this is primarily for those templars that are granted spells from their Monarch)
Wildlander (Darksun version of the ranger.)
Prestige Classes:
Master of the Storm
Necromant
Shadow Sorcerer
True Defiler
True Preserver
Note dragons, avangions, elementals, and spirits of the land will be seperate in the epic rules I will be generating.
The allegiance system works sooooo much better than the alignment system for darksun...
Amen too that, though I will add that the allegiance system is far better than the alignment system all-around for any campaign setting and should be used at all times, but that's just my personal view.
Haven't really thought about combining Dark Sun with D20 Modern though, I have just cherry picked the things that I have read and liked in the D20 Modern system. I guess I need to look at that more closely and see how it would work out, cause I just can't stand Dark Sun being in a normal D&D 3.5 system, ugh.
Amen too that, though I will add that the allegiance system is far better than the alignment system all-around for any campaign setting and should be used at all times, but that's just my personal view.
Haven't really thought about combining Dark Sun with D20 Modern though, I have just cherry picked the things that I have read and liked in the D20 Modern system. I guess I need to look at that more closely and see how it would work out, cause I just can't stand Dark Sun being in a normal D&D 3.5 system, ugh.
Well as soon as I get the advanced classes, my revision or the psionics, and a few other things complete I will make the version available to everyone. I am trying to make it alot closer to 2ed feel and it seems to be working out well.
I even found the way around the limitation of the spells and psionics so that first level characters can have magic and psionics in d20 modern based system. (oh and it has the added advantage of the system no longer neutering multiclass casters..... even though they are not as strong as straight casters they at least have a chance to compete as characters. Instead of requiring a prestige class to even be able to be functional as a half and half character.)
MAGIC OVERVIEW
Unless otherwise noted, rules are as per PHB
A spell is a one-time magical effect. Spells come in two types: arcane (cast by sorcerers) and divine (cast by elemental clerics, druids, and templars). Spellcasters select and ready their spells in memory from a limited list of spells known.
Sorcerers ready their spells in advance from a spellbook, while divine casters have a set of known spells they may pray upon to ready their spells.
Despite these different ways that characters use to learn or prepare their spells, when it comes to casting them, the spells are very much alike.
Cutting across the categories of arcane and divine spells are the eight schools of magic. These schools represent the different ways that spells take effect.
CASTING SPELLS
Whether a spell is arcane or divine casting a spell works the same way.
CHOOSING A SPELL
First you must choose which spell to cast. You select from among spells readied earlier in the day (see Readying Sorcerer Spells and Readying Divine Spells.)
To cast a spell, you must be able to speak (if the spell has a verbal component), gesture (if it has a somatic component), and manipulate the material components or focus (if any). Additionally, you must concentrate to cast a spell.
If a spell has multiple versions, you choose which version to use when you cast it. You don’t have to ready in memory a specific version of the spell.
Once you’ve cast a readied a spell, you can cast it as often as you would like until you ready a different spell in those spell slots.
GATHERING/CHANNELING ENERGY FOR THE SPELL
Once the spell is chosen the character must accumulate the energy to cast the spell. For Arcane spells the character uses the Gather skill to accumulate enough plant life energy (or through research other forms of energy) to cast the arcane spell. Divine casters use the Channel skill to bring the elemental energy forth to power their spells. Each attempt to Gather/Channel is considered a move action.
In either case the DC for the skill checks is the same:
(Spell level x 3 +10) + (caster level)
If the skill check succeeds the spell is cast with all effects per the spell description and the caster loses 1vitality/spell level of the spell cast. If the check fails, the caster can choose to either abandon the casting of the spell, or store the energy and try again on subsequent actions to gather enough energy to cast the spell. This means that a caster can accumulate energy over several rounds to cast a powerful spell or gather energy before hand to have the energy needed to cast a spell when they will not be near a source for their type of casting. Spell energy from the checks may only be stored for a number of rounds equal to the casters Constitution score. Arcane casters gain a +4 defiler bonus on the Gather skill check if they defile.
CONCENTRATION
To cast a spell, you must concentrate. If something interrupts your concentration while you’re casting, you must make a Concentration check or the spell automatically fails. The more distracting the interruption and the higher the level of the spell you are trying to cast, the higher the DC is. If you fail the check, you lose the spell just as if you had cast it to no effect.
Injury: If while trying to cast a spell you take damage, you must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + points of damage taken + the level of the spell you’re casting). If you fail the check, the spell fails to cast and thus has no effect. The interrupting event strikes during spellcasting if it comes between when you start and when you complete a spell (for a spell with a casting time of 1 full round or more) or if it comes in response to your casting the spell (such as an attack of opportunity provoked by the spell or a contingent attack, such as a readied action).
If you are taking continuous damage half the damage is considered to take place while you are casting a spell. You must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + 1/2 the damage that the continuous source last dealt + the level of the spell you’re casting). If the last damage dealt was the last damage that the effect could deal then the damage is over, and it does not distract you.
Repeated damage does not count as continuous damage.
Spell: If you are affected by a spell while attempting to cast a spell of your own, you must make a Concentration check or lose the spell you are casting. If the spell affecting you deals damage, the DC is 10 + points of damage + the level of the spell you’re casting.
If the spell interferes with you or distracts you in some other way, the DC is the spell’s saving throw DC + the level of the spell you’re casting. For a spell with no saving throw, it’s the DC that the spell’s saving throw would have if a save were allowed.
Grappling or Pinned: The only spells you can cast while grappling or pinned are those without somatic components and whose material components (if any) you have in hand. Even so, you must make a Concentration check (DC 20 + the level of the spell you’re casting) or the spell fails.
Vigorous Motion: If you are riding on a moving mount, taking a bouncy ride in a wagon, on a small boat in rough water, below-decks in a storm-tossed ship, or simply being jostled in a similar fashion, you must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + the level of the spell you’re casting) or the spell fails.
Violent Motion: If you are on a galloping horse, taking a very rough ride in a wagon, on a small boat in rapids or in a storm, on deck in a storm-tossed ship, or being tossed roughly about in a similar fashion, you must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the spell you’re casting) or the spell fails.
Violent Weather: You must make a Concentration check if you try to cast a spell in violent weather. If you are in a high wind carrying blinding rain or sleet, the DC is 5 + the level of the spell you’re casting. If you are in wind-driven hail, dust, or debris, the DC is 10 + the level of the spell you’re casting. In either case, the spell fails if you fail the Concentration check. If the weather is caused by a spell, use the rules in the Spell subsection above.
Casting Defensively: If you want to cast a spell without provoking any attacks of opportunity, you must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the spell you’re casting) to succeed. If you fail the check, the spell fails.
Entangled: If you want to cast a spell while entangled in a net or by a tanglefoot bag or while you’re affected by a spell with similar effects, you must make a DC 15 Concentration check to cast the spell. If you fail the check, the spell fails.
COUNTERSPELLS
It is possible to cast any spell as a counterspell. By doing so, you are using the spell’s energy to disrupt the casting of the same spell by another character. Counterspelling works even if one spell is divine and the other arcane.
How Counterspells Work: To use a counterspell, you must select an opponent as the target of the counterspell. You do this by choosing the ready action. In doing so, you elect to wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to cast a spell. (You may still move your speed, since ready is a standard action.)
If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell’s level). This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, you correctly identify the opponent’s spell and can attempt to counter it. If the check fails, you can’t do either of these things.
To complete the action, you must then cast the correct spell. As a general rule, a spell can only counter itself. If you are able to cast the same spell and you have it readied, you cast it, altering it slightly to create a counterspell effect. If the target is within range, both spells automatically negate each other with no other results.
Counterspelling Metamagic Spells: Metamagic feats are not taken into account when determining whether a spell can be countered
Specific Exceptions: Some spells specifically counter each other, especially when they have diametrically opposed effects.
Dispel Magic as a Counterspell: You can use dispel magic to counterspell another spellcaster, and you don’t need to identify the spell he or she is casting. However, dispel magic doesn’t always work as a counterspell (see the spell description).
CASTER LEVEL
A spell’s power often depends on its caster level, which is variable, chosen when the spell is cast.
The max caster level a character has is equal to their character level. (This means that a 5th level character that can cast arcane spells could cast their spell at any level of first through fifth.)
Note the DC for the skill check for casting a spell increases by the caster level you choose to cast a spell at.
In the event that a class feature, domain granted power, or other special ability provides an adjustment to your caster level, that adjustment applies not only to effects based on caster level (such as range, duration, and damage dealt) but also to your caster level check to overcome your target’s spell resistance and to the caster level used in dispel checks (both the dispel check and the DC of the check).
ARCANE SPELLS
Sorcerers cast arcane spells. Compared to divine spells, arcane spells are more likely to produce dramatic results.
READYING SORCERER SPELLS
A sorecer’s level limits the number of spell levels she can ready at a time. Her high Intelligence score might allow her to ready a few extra spell levels. To ready a spell the sorcerer must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell’s level.
Rest: To prepare her daily spells, a sorcerer must first sleep for 8 hours. The sorcerer does not have to slumber for every minute of the time, but she must refrain from movement, combat, spellcasting, skill use, conversation, or any other fairly demanding physical or mental task during the rest period. If her rest is interrupted, each interruption adds 1 hour to the total amount of time she has to rest in order to clear her mind, and she must have at least 1 hour of uninterrupted rest immediately prior to readying her spells. If the character does not need to sleep for some reason, she still must have 8 hours of restful calm before readying any spells.
Preparation Environment: To ready any spell, a sorcerer must have enough peace, quiet, and comfort to allow for proper concentration. The sorcerer’s surroundings need not be luxurious, but they must be free from overt distractions. Exposure to inclement weather prevents the necessary concentration, as does any injury or failed saving throw the character might experience while studying. Sorcerers also must have access to their spellbooks to study from and sufficient light to read them by. There is one major exception: A sorcerer can ready a read magic spell even without a spellbook.
Spell Preparation Time: After resting, a sorcerer must study her spellbook to ready any spells. If she wants to ready all her spells, the process takes 1 hour. Readying some smaller portion of her daily capacity takes a proportionally smaller amount of time, but always at least 15 minutes, the minimum time required to achieve the proper mental state.
Spell Selection: Until she readies spells from her spellbook, the only spells a sorcerer has available to cast are the ones that she already had readied from the previous day. During the study period, she chooses which spells to ready. If a sorcerer already has spells readied, she can abandon some or all of them to make room for new spells.
When readying spells for the day, a sorcerer can leave some of these spell levels open. Later during that day, she can repeat the process as often as she likes, time and circumstances permitting. During these extra sessions, the sorcerer can fill these unused spell levels. She cannot, however, abandon a previously readied spell to replace it with another one. That sort of preparation requires a mind fresh from rest. Like the first session of the day, this session takes at least 15 minutes, and it takes longer if the sorcerer prepares more than one-quarter of her spell levels.
Readied Spell Retention: Once a sorcerer readies a spell, it remains in her mind as a formula that can be used over and over again until such time as she chooses to abandon the spell. Certain other events, such as the effects of magic items or special attacks from monsters, can wipe a readied spell from a character’s mind.
Death and Spell Retention: If a spellcaster dies, all readied spells stored in his or her mind are wiped away. Potent magic (such as raise dead, resurrection, or true resurrection) can recover the lost formulas when it recovers the character.
ARCANE MAGICAL WRITINGS
To record an arcane spell in written form, a character uses complex notation that describes the magical forces involved in the spell. The writer uses the same system no matter what her native language or culture. However, each character uses the system in her own way. Another person’s magical writing remains incomprehensible to even the most powerful sorcerer until she takes time to study and decipher it.
To decipher an arcane magical writing (such as a single spell in written form in another’s spellbook or on a scroll), a character must make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the spell’s level). If the skill check fails, the character cannot attempt to read that particular spell again until the next day. A read magic spell automatically deciphers a magical writing without a skill check. If the person who created the magical writing is on hand to help the reader, success is also automatic.
Once a character deciphers a particular magical writing, she does not need to decipher it again. Deciphering a magical writing allows the reader to identify the spell and gives some idea of its effects (as explained in the spell description). If the magical writing was a scroll and the reader can cast arcane spells, she can attempt to use the scroll.
Sorcerer Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks
A sorcerer can use a borrowed spellbook to ready a spell she already knows and has recorded in her own spellbook, but preparation success is not assured. First, the sorcerer must decipher the writing in the book (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Once a spell from another spellcaster’s book is deciphered, the reader must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level) to ready the spell. If the check succeeds, the sorcerer can ready the spell. She must repeat the check to ready the spell again, no matter how many times she has readied it before. If the check fails, she cannot try to ready the spell from the same source again until the next day. (However, as explained above, she does not need to repeat a check to decipher the writing.)
Adding Spells to a Sorcerer’s Spellbook
Sorcerers can add new spells to their spellbooks through several methods.
Spells Gained at a New Level: Sorcerers perform a certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time a character attains a new sorcerer level (or other class that gives advances in number of spell levels that they can ready), she gains two spells of her choice to add to her spellbook. The two free spells must be of spell levels she can cast.
Spells Copied from Another’s Spellbook or a Scroll: A sorcerer can also add a spell to her book whenever she encounters one on a magic scroll or in another sorcerer’s spellbook, however this is very draining on a sorcerer. No matter what the spell’s source, the sorcerer must first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Next, she must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). If the check succeeds, the Sorcerer understands the spell and can copy it into her spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, below). The process leaves a spellbook that was copied from unharmed, but a spell successfully copied from a magic scroll disappears from the parchment.
If the check fails, the sorcerer cannot understand or copy the spell. She cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft. A spell that was being copied from a scroll does not vanish from the scroll.
In most cases, a sorcerer will not willingly allow another sorcerer to copy from their spellbook, and if they do the price for doing so will be high.
Independent Research: A Sorcerer also can research a spell independently, duplicating an existing spell or creating an entirely new one.
Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook
Once a sorcerer understands a new spell, she can record it into her spellbook.
Time: The process takes 24 hours, regardless of the spell’s level.
Space in the Spellbook: A spell usually takes up one page of the spellbook, though this may vary for more complex spells. Note a spellbook does not need to be a book, so the number of pages available varies widely.
Costs: Learning new spells for a sorcerer is a very taxing process and the sorcerer must expend 25exp./spell level to learn a spell so that they can copy it to the spellbook. (The exp cost is only paid if the sorcerer successfully researches the spell or, in the case of copying the spell from another source, succeeds on the Spellcraft check to understand the spell.) Researching a new spell costs 100cp/spell level, takes 1 day/spell level, and requires a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell’s level) to successfully research.
Replacing and Copying Spellbooks
A Sorcerer can use the procedure for learning a spell to reconstruct a lost spellbook. If she already has a particular spell readied, she can write it directly into a new book at no cost save that of the spellbook itself. If she does not have the spell readied, she can ready it from a borrowed spellbook and then write it into a new book.
Duplicating an existing spellbook uses the same procedure as replacing it, but the task is much easier. The time requirement is halved.
Selling a Spellbook
Captured spellbooks can rarely be sold, and what a character could gain by such a sale would be strictly controlled by who they sold it to. As arcane magic is illegal in most city states, it would be hard to find people who would be willing to buy such items.
DIVINE SPELLS
Elemental clerics, druids, and templars can cast divine spells. Unlike arcane spells, divine spells draw power from a divine elemental source. Elemental clerics gain spell power from elemental powers. Druids gain their power from the Spirits of the Land that are linked to the elemental planes themselves. And the templars of the Sorcerer Monarch’s are gifted with their power through the Sorcerer Monarch’s themselves. (Though some claim the power actually comes from elemental vortexes that each Monarch is linked to, which acts as a conduit for the elemental energies.) Divine spells tend to focus on healing and protection and are less flashy, destructive, and disruptive than arcane spells.
READYING DIVINE SPELLS
Divine spellcasters ready their spells in largely the same manner as sorcerers do, but with a few differences. The relevant ability for divine spells is Wisdom. To ready a divine spell, a character must have a Wisdom score of 10 + the spell’s level. Likewise, bonus spell levels are based on Wisdom.
Time of Day: A divine spellcaster chooses and readies spells ahead of time, just as a wizard does. However, a divine spellcaster does not require a period of rest to ready spells. Instead, the character chooses a particular part of the day to pray and receive spells. The time is usually associated with some daily event. If some event prevents a character from praying at the proper time, he must do so as soon as possible. If the character does not stop to pray for spells at the first opportunity, he must wait until the next day to ready spells.
Spell Selection: A divine spellcaster selects and readies spells ahead of time through prayer and meditation at a particular time of day. The time required to ready spells is the same as it is for a wizard (1 hour), as is the requirement for a relatively peaceful environment. A divine spellcaster does not have to prepare all his spells at once. However, the character’s mind is considered fresh only during his or her first daily spell preparation, so a divine spellcaster cannot fill a slot that is empty because he or she has abandoned a previously readied spell.
Divine spellcasters do not require spellbooks. However, such a character’s spell selection is limited to the spells that she knows from feats and class abilities. Elemental clerics, druids, and templars have separate spell lists.
DIVINE MAGICAL WRITINGS
Divine spells can be written down and deciphered just as arcane spells can (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Any character with the Spellcraft skill can attempt to decipher the divine magical writing and identify it. However, only characters who have the spell in question (in its divine form) on their class spell list can cast a divine spell from a scroll.
NEW DIVINE SPELLS
Divine spellcasters most frequently gain new spells in one of the following two ways.
Spells Gained at a New Level: Divine casters perform a certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time a character attains a new divine caster class level (druid, elemental cleric, templar, etc..), she gains two spells of her choice to add to her spells known. The two free spells must be of spell levels she can cast.
Spells Learned from a Scroll: A divine caster can also add a spell to her spells known whenever she encounters one on a magic scroll, however this is very draining on a caster. The divine caster must first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Next, she must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). If the check succeeds, the Divine caster understands the spell and learns the spell as a spell known. A spell successfully copied from a magic scroll disappears from the parchment.
If the check fails, the divine caster cannot understand or copy the spell. She cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft. A spell that was being copied from a scroll does not vanish from the scroll.
Independent Research: A Divine caster also can research a spell independently, duplicating an existing spell or creating an entirely new one.
Learning new spells.
Costs: Learning new spells for a divine caster is a very taxing process and the caster must expend 25exp./spell level to learn a spell. (The exp cost is only paid if the divine caster successfully researches the spell or, in the case of copying the spell from another source, succeeds on the Spellcraft check to understand the spell.) Researching a new spell costs 100cp/spell level, takes 1 day/spell level, and requires a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell’s level) to successfully research.