Maybe I should leave well enough alone? After all, there’s really nothing wrong with
the ACKS mage. And yet, somehow it tweaks
me how similar player character mages seem to one another. Proficiencies can help differentiate mages a
lot, but mages only receive three Class proficiencies over fourteen
levels. Spells, especially expanding
spell lists, like the Player’s Companion does, or creating custom spells can
dramatically differentiate mages.
However, player character mages tend to gravitate toward the old
standbys, the magic research breakthroughs of yore, like sleep and fireball. I’m looking for something else.
What tools do we have to work with? At its most basic level, the classic magic
system we are all familiar with consists of “spell lists”, “spells known” and “spell
slots”. ACKS adds “spell repertoire”, or
ready spells. In ACKS, spell lists,
spells known and spell repertoire are one and the same for divine spell
casters, which gives divine spell casters tremendous flexibility. Additionally, most divine spell casters have
access to the Apostasy proficiency, which adds four spells to the character’s
spell list (as well as spells known and spell repertoire).
An ACKS mage’s spell list is limited only by the Judge –
potentially a mage could find a scroll with an unknown arcane spell and make
use of that scroll, for example. A
mage’s spells known is limited only by the cost of adding new spells to the
mage’s spell book. Additionally, a
mage’s master will teach him or her spells equal to the number and level of
spells the caster can use in a single day, up until the mage exceeds 8th level. That’s guaranteed knowledge of at least ten
spells, plus up to three additional 1st level spells. A mage’s spell slots increase with level,
eventually reaching four each of 1st through 4th level and three each of 5th
and 6th level. Only mages receive 6th
level spells. A mage’s spell repertoire
is the mage’s most limited resource. A
mage’s repertoire can include a number of spells up to the number and level of
spells listed for his level, increased by his Intelligence bonus.
What if mages could make different choices, trading off
between spell lists, spells known, spell repertoire and spell slots? As a
practical matter, player modification of spell lists outside the context of
campaign is problematic, as the Judge manages the existence, availability and
“flavor” of all spells in a given campaign. Similarly, player modification of spells
known, spell repertoire and spell slots at the most granular level is likely to
lead to “min-maxing” around key spells. What if mages could choose between a
limited selection of options balancing spells known, spell repertoire and spell
slots? This choice would be made at 1st level and would be final. The choices I
have created are the archivist mage, the generalist mage, the specialist mage
and the focused mage. Any ability not modified by the choices detailed below remains
as the standard mage.
The archivist mage values spell knowledge above all else.
An archivist mage automatically learns two additional spells per mage level.
Additionally, an archivist mage continues to automatically learn additional
spells beyond 8th level, as the archivist’s accumulated spell knowledge opens
the way to new spells without the aid of a master. Finally, archivist mages are
more efficient at drawing upon their collected spell knowledge, needing only 1 day
of game time and 500gp for each spell level to replace a spell in the
repertoire with another. An archivist mage receives the normal Intelligence
bonus to spell repertoire and 1st level spells learned as a 1st level mage.
A 5th level archivist mage readies 2 1st level spells, 2
2nd level spells and 1 3rd level spell, and a 5th level archivist mage has 2
1st level spell slots, 2 2nd level spell slots and 1 3rd level spell slot
available for casting. The spell book of a 5th level archivist mage has a
minimum of 6 1st level spells, 6 2nd level spells and 3 3rd level spells.
Archivist Mage Spells Learned
Level
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
1
|
1+2
|
|||||
2
|
2+4
|
|||||
3
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
||||
4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
||||
5
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
|||
6
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
|||
7
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
||
8
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
||
9
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
|
10
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
|
11
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
12
|
4+4
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
13
|
4+6
|
4+4
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
14
|
4+6
|
4+6
|
4+4
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
The generalist mage values spell repertoire above all
else. A generalist mage gains two additional spells readied per mage level. A
generalist mage receives the normal Intelligence bonus to spell repertoire and
1st level spells learned as a 1st level mage.
A 5th level generalist mage readies 6 1st level spells, 6
2nd level spells and 3 3rd level spells, and a 5th level generalist mage has 2
1st level spell slots, 2 2nd level spell slots and 1 3rd level spell slot available
for casting. The spell book of a 5th level generalist mage has a minimum of 2
1st level spells, 2 2nd level spells and 1 3rd level spell.
Generalist Mage Spell Repertoire
Level
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
1
|
1+2
|
|||||
2
|
2+4
|
|||||
3
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
||||
4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
||||
5
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
|||
6
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
|||
7
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
||
8
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
2+4
|
||
9
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
|
10
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
|
11
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
1+2
|
12
|
4+4
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
13
|
4+6
|
4+4
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
2+4
|
14
|
4+6
|
4+6
|
4+4
|
4+4
|
3+4
|
3+4
|
The specialist mage balances spell repertoire and spell
power through specialization in one spell type. Spell types include
death/necromancy, elemental, enchantment, illusion and transmogrification. A
specialist mage gains one additional spell readied per spell level and one additional
spell slot per spell level, both of which may only be used for spells of the
specialist’s selected spell type. A specialist mage’s master will always teach
the specialist a spell of the specialist’s selected spell type when a new spell
level is gained. A specialist mage receives the normal Intelligence bonus to
spell repertoire and 1st level spells learned as a 1st level mage.
A 5th level specialist mage readies 3 1st level spells, 3
2nd level spells and 2 3rd level spells, and a 5th level specialist mage has 3
1st level spell slots, 3 2nd level spell slots and 2 3rd level spell slots
available for casting. The spell book of a 5th level specialist mage has a
minimum of 2 1st level spells, 2 2nd level spells and 1 3rd level spell, with
the first spell of each spell level being of the specialist’s selected spell
type.
Specialist Mage Spell Repertoire and Slots
Level
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
1
|
1+1
|
|||||
2
|
2+1
|
|||||
3
|
2+1
|
1+1
|
||||
4
|
2+1
|
2+1
|
||||
5
|
2+1
|
2+1
|
1+1
|
|||
6
|
2+1
|
2+1
|
2+1
|
|||
7
|
3+1
|
2+1
|
2+1
|
1+1
|
||
8
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
2+1
|
2+1
|
||
9
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
2+1
|
1+1
|
|
10
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
2+1
|
|
11
|
4+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
2+1
|
1+1
|
12
|
4+1
|
4+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
2+1
|
13
|
4+1
|
4+1
|
4+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
2+1
|
14
|
4+1
|
4+1
|
4+1
|
4+1
|
3+1
|
3+1
|
The focused mage values spell power above all else. A
focused mage gains one additional spell slot per mage level. A focused mage
does not receive the normal Intelligence bonus to spell repertoire and 1st
level spells learned as a 1st level mage. Instead, a focused mage receives one
additional spell slot per point of Intelligence above 12, of 1st through 6th
level, as follows.
Intelligence
|
Spell Slot
|
13
|
1st level
|
14
|
2nd level
|
15
|
3rd level
|
16
|
4th level
|
17
|
5th level
|
18
|
6th level
|
A 5th level focused mage readies 2 1st level spells, 2
2nd level spells and 1 3rd level spell, and a 5th level focused mage has 4 1st
level spell slots, 4 2nd level spell slots and 2 3rd level spell slots
available for casting. The spell book of a 5th level focused mage has a minimum
of 2 1st level spells, 2 2nd level spells and 1 3rd level spell.
Focused Mage Spell Slots
Level
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
1
|
1+1
|
|||||
2
|
2+2
|
|||||
3
|
2+2
|
1+1
|
||||
4
|
2+2
|
2+2
|
||||
5
|
2+2
|
2+2
|
1+1
|
|||
6
|
2+2
|
2+2
|
2+2
|
|||
7
|
3+2
|
2+2
|
2+2
|
1+1
|
||
8
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
2+2
|
2+2
|
||
9
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
2+2
|
1+1
|
|
10
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
2+2
|
|
11
|
4+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
2+2
|
1+1
|
12
|
4+2
|
4+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
2+2
|
13
|
4+3
|
4+2
|
4+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
2+2
|
14
|
4+3
|
4+3
|
4+2
|
4+2
|
3+2
|
3+2
|
Following is a comparison of each of these options for a
5th level mage and for a 5th level mage with an Intelligence of 18.
5th level Mage
|
Spell
Repertoire
|
Spell
Slots
|
Spell Book
Minimum
|
Archivist
|
2/2/1
|
2/2/1
|
6/6/3
|
Generalist
|
6/6/3
|
2/2/1
|
2/2/1
|
Specialist
|
3/3/2
|
3/3/2
|
2/2/1
|
Focused
|
2/2/1
|
4/4/2
|
2/2/1
|
5th level Mage
with INT 18
|
Spell
Repertoire
|
Spell
Slots
|
Spell Book
Minimum
|
Archivist
|
5/5/4
|
2/2/1
|
9/6/3
|
Generalist
|
9/9/6
|
2/2/1
|
5/2/1
|
Specialist
|
6/6/5
|
3/3/2
|
5/2/1
|
Focused
|
2/2/1
|
5/5/3
|
2/2/1
|
When retrofitting these options to existing campaign NPC
mages, the archivist mage is the closest to the mage in the core rulebook, as
far as elements likely to enter play. I am currently trying these options for
human mages only.
This is really interesting and I'm eager to hear how it works in play.
ReplyDeleteI don't like how focused mages are so attribute dependant though. I think they shouldn't be...just give those extra slots over the course of their levels.
Generalists, Specialists and Archivists are not punished for low int so I don't think focused one should be either.
Oh, and as an interesting thought, you might allow elves and other non-human casters to pick from this, but give them a limited selection: maybe elves can only be archivists or focused casters, and maybe gnomes can only be specialists and generalists, or whatever.
Thanks! Once I'm satisfied with the four options, I do plan to extend them to other arcane classes. As you suggest, only human mages will have all four options.
ReplyDelete