All numbers are WIP. This is just a general idea of what could be possible to maybe make wizards more interesting/compelling/competitive. Feedback would be appreciated but honestly I'd be willing to work with somebody to make... even parts of this happen. Love the class, and I know ideas are cheap. Unfortunately I don't have the skills as a developer.
Purpose: To offer interesting, meaningful choices to the wizard class, beyond what currently exists in the present state of the game, and modernize them to Arelith's design standards. Or at least to do my best damn attempt at it anyway. Give them more. But don't make them overpowered. Also, it's nice if they are wizard themed honestly.
Mechanical Details
Hit Die: d6
Proficiencies: Armor (Robes), Weapons (Wizard)
Skill Points: 4 + int modifier ( (4 + int modifier) * 4 at 1st level)
Skills: Appraise, Concentration, Craft Mastery, Heal, Lore, Sail, Spellcraft, Search, Use Magic Device
Primary Saving Throw(s): Will
Base attack bonus: +1 / 2 level
Major changes:
The wizard bonus feats have been changed to the Arcane Thesis options. Bonus feats are still selectable as options for any Arcane Thesis feat.
Wizard loses the +3 CL at level 21+ (Potentially)
Shadowmage is deleted. Replaced by Shadow Caster.
Notes:
The traditional wizard bonus feat list is only available at 5, 10, 15, 20, 23, 26, and 29 as expected. You can also use these levels to take the new Arcane Thesis options, but you cannot take spell foci or others at the additional feat levels.
The reasoning for this is so that wizards still are limited in the spell foci they have available, and aren't able to just pick everything without meaningful choice.
Feat's at level 2, 7, 12, 17, 21, 25, 28, 30 are meant solely for Arcane Thesis feats.
Reasoning behind numbers: Being able to max 2 of these if you decide to go full 30 wizard is the general intention. It may be too much, could be lowered due to the ability to use bonus feats, but then you're definitely cutting into spell foci and epic spells, so it'd be a decision to make.
Wizards are studious. Unlike clerics and favoured souls who get their magic from Gods and Goddesses, or powerful spirits and concepts, or warlocks who pact for their powers, sorcerer's or invokers who attain their powers by other means, wizards have earned their gift through intense study and intellect.
It follows then, that they are able to continue their studies of the arcane, to gain a number of powerful effects as they advance. The following branches each allow for different unique abilities that allow for greater support, greater versatility, or greater power.
Golemancy:
Intention: This is meant to be a more 'good/neutral' aligned palemaster adjacent class. It still requires a solid investment, and golems are intended to be versatile, but not as easily changeable on the fly. Golems are a theme I suspect many would like to have fun with but in their current state seem more of an afterthought.
Prototype Golem - Able to summon a golem that is made out of wood. The Golem has 3 upgrade slots. Regular golems made by this individual are empowered slightly, if used by the Golemancer. (Similar to Conjuration/Necromancy bonuses at the Spell Focus Level)
Artificers Golem: Able to summon a golem made out of steel. The golem has 5 upgrade slots. Regular golems made by this individual are empowered moderately, if used by the Golemancer. (Similar to the Conjuration/Necromancy bonuses at the Greater Spell Focus Level)
Requires: Prototype Golem, Level 10
Advanced Construct: Able to summon a golem made of adamantine. The golem has 7 upgrade slots. Regular golems made by this individual are empowered greatly, if used by the Golemancer. (Similar to the Conjuration/Necromancy epic level scaling bonuses at the Epic spell focus level)
Requires: Artificiers Golem, Level 21+
Auto-Surgical Golemancy: Mastery over golemancy allows the wizard to become something beyond a merely biological being. Replacing parts of themselves with clockwork, they gain immense toughness and durability. They gain palemaster immunities, but take increased damage from crumble/disintegrate, etc as if they were a construct. Destruction domains deafening clang treats them as constructs.
Requires: Advanced Construct, Level 21+
Upgrade Slots: (Numbers TBD, for example only)
Prototype:
+ 5 AC
+ 2 AB
+ 4 Damage
+ 10/+1 DR
+ 16 Spell Resistance
+ 50 HP
Artificer:
+7 AC
+4 AB
+8 Damage
+15/+3 DR
+26 Spell Resist
Split Focus: Two lower tier golems are made instead of one.
10/- Elemental Resistance
Freedom of Movement
30% Movement Speed Enhancement
+ 100 HP
Advanced:
+12 AC
+6 AB
+12 Damage
+20/+5 DR
+32 Spell Resist
Split Focus: Two lower tier golems are made instead of one.
20/- Elemental Resistance
Freedom of Movement
50% Movement Speed Enhancement
Greater Spell Breach 3 Minute Cooldown
Self Destruct on Death Wizard 1d6/Level Electricity damage
+ 200 HP
Upgrades are slotted into golems, by speaking to them in the vicinity of a Golemancy workbench. They cannot be changed on the fly, and require the specialized tools needed to adjust their components and parts. This can be done outside of battle for a small fee.
Arcane Trickster:
Intention: The 'Seeker' mage. I felt like having it progress less as a fighter in combat abilities, but more like a rogue was fitting. Light armor, shield possibly. A lightly armored tricky wizard/rogue or similar build with synergy without being a trap. Still benefits having larger progression in other classes. For the level 21+ ability I feel like this could be very interesting. It allows for a possible swing and something incredibly under handed.
Charlatan: Gain Light armor proficiency and shield proficiency.
Gain reduced arcane spell failure on up to light shields, and light armor. Still suffer full arcane spell failure from medium or heavy armor, and tower shields.
Gain +2 skill points per level, and a +4 to Open Lock, Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Listen, and Set Trap.
Questionable Education: Gain a 2/3 CL synergy with rogue, assassin, Shadowdancer, and swashbuckler levels, and a 1:1 Dispel CL synergy with these classes.
Wizard levels count towards hidden weapon, poison bonuses, and rogue weapon bonuses, but not to lightly armored.
Wizard levels count ⅔ +1 towards swashbuckler progression of Swashbuckler Dodge, Acrobatic Mastery, Feint, and Second and Third Intention, if at least 10 Swashbuckler levels are present.
If shadowdancer levels are present, ⅔ levels of wizard count towards the strength of the shadowdancer's shadow.
Requires Charlatan.
Hit Them Where It Hurts: Gains a sneak attack damage dice of 1d6 + 1d6 per 3 levels of wizard. Sneak attack works on Melee and ranged touch attack spells, if the attacker is within point blank shot distance. Tenser's Transformation gives the wizard the equivalent of a ¾ AB progression, as though it were a rogue, including any additional APR. Can be used with less than 80% wizard levels with the nerfed AB
Requires Questionable Education, Level 15+. Cannot learn epic spells outside of Epic Mage Armor.
Spellthief: Gains the ability once every 3 minutes, to make a dispel check against an enemy as a melee touch attack, as though it were a greater dispel cast. Breaches 3 spells. Each spell that is removed from the target, is given to the user as a buff. These buffs last only one minute, to a maximum of one buff per 5 caster levels.
Requires: Hit Them Where It Hurts, Level 21+
Theurge:
Intention: Playing cleric/druid with wizard. It'd be rough just due to the stat split. Usually impossible due to the CL issues and dispel issues. This would make it more viable. Favored soul and shaman were left out because they sort of need you to pick your spells, and you can't really do that. I also don't want this to be something where monk scaling makes it stupid which it absolutely could. The intention is that you can max this tree out at level 12 wizard due to the requirements, if you intend to go down this route. That's sort of the 'minimum' investment.
Divine Inspiration: Gain 2:3 Caster Level Scaling with Cleric, Druid, Harper Mage, Harper Priest, Zhentarim Naug-Adar, and Zhentarim Fear Speaker classes. Also gain 1:1 CL VS Dispels with these classes. Includes spells per day but not spells known for wizard. You gain ⅓ Monk AC bonuses from wisdom if present.
Split Studies: Wizard Levels will count towards the advancement of any cleric domain abilities and benefits. Wizard levels count towards strength of Druid wildshape forms. Gain soft wisdom or Intelligence equal to half your wizard level, whichever is lower. Counts hard bonuses only. If equal, selection must be made. (+12 Soft Max)
Requires: Divine Inspiration
Somatic Training: Wizard gains -20% arcane spell failure if at least 10 levels of cleric or druid are present on shields and armor.
Requires Split Studies, Level 10+
Magic is Magic: Caster level scaling with cleric, druid, harper mage, harper priest, zhentarim naug-adar and Zhentarim fear speaker classes becomes 1:1. ⅔ Wizard levels count towards advancement of cleric paths if present for abilities/feats, if at least 10 cleric levels are present.
Requires Somatic Training, Level 10+. Requires 5 Cleric or Druid levels.
Arcane Crafter:
Intention: Interesting crafting decisions that give some additional power, but aren't progressing beyond what a commoner is able to do. Would need to change Creation Acumen potentially if the +1 crafting levels per level is an issue. With how crafting system works relevel would need to be disabled for this pick otherwise, as you'd be able to pull levels out and not lose crafting picks. Unacceptable for obvious reasons. Buffs on Ultimate Production Efficacy seem small but that's pure profit margins to anyone using it.
Creation Acumin: Gain Improved Dweomer Crafting Feat, And an additional +1 Crafting Levels Per Level. Note - This feat disables -relevel.
Magical Means of Production: Gain the Skill Focus: Craft Mastery, Craft Wand and Brew potion feats.
Requires: Creation Acumin
Advanced Design Documents: Removes racial and class restrictions on crafting and the Epic Skill Focus: Craft Mastery feat.
Requires: Magical Means of Production, Level 10
Ultimate Production Efficacy: Gain a 10% cost reduction in all dwoemer crafted equipment. In addition, gain a 5% reduction in the cost of scribing scrolls, brewing potions. Gain a +2 to maximum charges for wands (Max 50).
Requires: Advanced Design Documents, Level 21+
Summoner:
Intention: Make summons good but only for the wizard. It allows for a much stronger control over how good these get, but also force investment to be able to do so. It helps resolve the problem of every class getting amazing summons. Leverages the truly amazing familiar system update to make you want them on the field beside you at all times.
Eidolon: The users familiar gains 10 HP/Level, 3/4 AB Scaling, +5 AC, and additional damage, as well as DR 5/+1
Enhanced Eidolon: Familiar gains full AB scaling up to level 15. +10 AC, additional damage, increased DR, minor regeneration.
Requires: Eidolon, Level 10+
Partner Training: Allows the summoner to do the following tricks, having trained extensively with their familiar.
Swap places with their familiar, similar to a shadow dancer once every 5 minutes.
Deliver a touch attack spell through their familiar from range once every minute
The Eidolon gains 12+Level SR, maximum 26.
Heal their familiar using their own lifeforce if good or neutral (Up to 50%)
Steal the familiar's life force to heal if evil (Up to 50%)
Requires: Enhanced Eidolon, Level 10+
Master of Form: Familiars gain full AB scaling up to level 25. +15 AC, Additional damage, Increased DR, increased regeneration. Familiar is able to be taught up to 2 spells from the wizard's spellbook (Maximum level 5 spells) that can be cast on a 3 minute cooldown. The position swap is changed to every 2.5 minutes. Eidolon acts as hasted if the caster is hasted. Touch attack spells can be cast through familiar every 30 seconds.
Requires: Partner Training, Level 21+
Ritualist:
Intention: Honestly having a way to -really- explore a bunch of different rituals and make this a core part of your build/experience seems fun. I don't know how many rituals there are or intend to be, the idea is that it'd gain a number of them without necessarily gaining all of them, and allows it to actually use them with more and more investment. Essence sacrifice could be fun to designate a target as a sacrifice (If they accept OOCly) since it allows for all sorts of RP experiences.
Cult Leader: Gain a +2 bonus to all skill rolls for all individuals partaking in a ritual, if you're leading the ritual. Gain +2 Rituals. Ignore ritual class requirements for ritual leader.
Intense Translations: Ignore language requirements for all rituals. Gain +2 Rituals. Total of +4 bonus to all skill rolls for individuals taking part in a ritual, if you're the ritual leader.
Requires: Cult Leader
Essence Sacrifices: Ignore any alignment requirements for all rituals. Lesser ritual objects can be ignored, if the caster pays 50% of their HP pool, and take a permanent -6 Constitution penalty until they rest. Greater ritual objects can be ignored, but there is a possibility on ritual completion that the sacrifice dies (Target must consent OOCly, must be part of the ritual). Gain +2 Rituals
Requires: Intense Translations, Level 21+
Master Of Ritual: All ritual members gain a +6 to all skill checks while taking part in a ritual. Any required spell foci may be ignored if you're the leader of the ritual. Rituals gain an additional 25-50% (Random) progression bonus upon successful completion. Gain +2 Rituals
Requires: Essence Sacrifices, Level 21+
Shadowcaster: Requires: Non Good
Intention: Shadowmage is… bad. And a trap. I feel like shadow caster could be done in a very interesting way.
Apprentice of Paths: Gain a +2 DC and Caster Level on Illusion, Enchantment, and Shadow spells. -6 Caster Level and DC to all traditional evocation spells.
Initiate of Paths: All shadow spells have their damage scaling uncapped, and has a % chance to refresh.
Spell Level
1-3: 100%
4-6: 70%
7: 50%
8: 25%
9: 10%
Requires: Apprentice of Paths, Level 10
Master of Paths: Ignores 50% of negative energy damage. Negative energy damage caused by shadow spells becomes entropy damage. In addition, gain a special gate summon: the Nightrshade. Scales off illusion spell focus. Very high concealment, but will mimic all spells cast by the user.
Requires: Initiate of Paths, Level 21+
The Ultimate Truth: All magic fuels shadow magic. It is born of the reflection of spells and the energies, and the void in between spaces for each spell that is born through the weave. The Shadow Caster gains a possible arcane flux from any spell within a colossal radius of them. Be they from themselves, allies or enemies, with a 30 second cooldown.
Requires: Master of Paths, Level 21+
Erudite:
Intention: Something knowledge adjacent, but with a specifically wizard twist without infringing on the loremasters domain. Some bonuses for the studious and the magic nerds who like learning magical tricks.
Cunning Linguist: Gain knowledge learning proficiency equivalent to the knowledge domain. Become capable of learning an additional +2 languages (This isn't picked like the loremaster). When studying objects with special skill checks to determine additional information, gain a +10
Metamagic Study: Gain Silent Spell, Still Spell, Quicken Spell, and Extend spell feats.
Requires Cunning Linguist, Level 5
The Pagemaster: Any spell cast from a magical book, is cast at an additional +5 Caster Level. In addition, the user gains an additional +20 to Use Magic Device. Gain all summoning and undead summoning streams, and EDK streams.
Requires: Metamagic Mastery, Level 15
Metamagic Mastery: Spells level 1-6 are extended for free. If you have taken empower metamagic, it modifies spell levels by only +1. If you have Maximize metamagic, it modifies spell levels by only +2
Requires: The Pagemaster, Level 21+