Post by Stix on Jul 14, 2008 13:05:02 GMT -5
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 9, one other stat requirement
Prime Requisite: Intelligence, other stat
Hit Die: d4
Weapons: Dagger, Dart, Knife, Quarterstaff, Sling
Armor: None
Spells: A thaumaturge may learn and cast spells from wizard schools to which he is not opposed.
Automatic Spell Acquisition: When the thaumaturge attains a new spell level, he automatically gains one new spell of his specialty school to add to his spellbook.
Bonus Spell: Thaumaturges may memorize one additional spell per spell level, provided it is from the school of specialty.
Learning bonus/penalty: The thaumaturge receives a +15% bonus to learn spells of his chosen school, but a -15% penalty to learn spells of all other schools. (Wild mages do not receive this ability.)
Research bonus: When a thaumaturge attempts to create a new spell of the chosen school through research, the spell is treated as though it were one level lower.
School bonuses: Thaumaturges receive the following additional benefits based on their chosen school:
*****
Alchemist
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Dexterity 14
Opposition Schools: Illusion, Necromancy
Alchemy spells have no verbal component
6th level: learn potion formulae
*****
Artificer
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 12, Constitution 15
Opposition Schools: Charm, Necromancy
4th level: store spells in prepared items
7th level: create temporary magic items
+10% bonus to enchant items
15% +5%/level chance to identify magic items
*****
Dimensionalist
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 16
Opposition School: Enchantment/Charm, Necromancy
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
8th level: disappear into pocket dimension 1/day
11th level: bring creature or object into pocket dimension up to 500 lbs.
14th level: bring five creatures or objects into pocket dimension up to 1500 lbs.
*****
Force Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 12, Constitution 15
Opposition Schools: Alteration, Divination
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
8th level: additional +1 vs. force
11th level: save vs. force effects for half, even if no save allowed
14th level: additional +1 vs. force
*****
Geometer
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Wisdom 14
Opposition Schools: Enchantment/Charm, Illlusion
Geometry spells have no verbal component
4th level: scribe scrolls
7th level: scribe protection scrolls
*****
Mentalist
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Wisdom 16
Opposition Schools: Alteration, Necromancy
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
8th level: additional +1 vs. mentalism
11th level: detect mental influence 3/day
14th level: dispel mental influence 1/day
*****
Shadow Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Wisdom 16
Opposition Schools: Abjuration, Invocation/Evocation
Inflict save adjustment based on lighting
4th level: penalties from darkness reduced by 1, see as well in moonlight as in broad daylight
7th level: penalties from darkness reduced by 2, see as well in starlight as in broad daylight
10th level: no penalties from darkness, see as well in complete darkness as in broad daylight
*****
Song Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 14, Charisma 15
Opposition Schools: Divination, Invocation/Evocation, Necromancy
Song spells have no somatic or material components
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
+1 save bonus vs. sound-related attacks
8th level: +50% effect of all sound-based magic items
11th level: counter song or sound attacks 1/day
*****
Wild Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 16
Opposition Schools: none
+10% learning bonus on wild magic, -5% penalty on other schools
50% chance to control randomness-based magic items
Wild surge
8th level: additional +1 vs. alteration
11th level: additional +1 vs. alteration
*****
A thaumaturge may use Character Points to buy the following abilities at character creation:
Combat bonus (8/10): For eight CPs, the wizard’s THAC0 advances as if he were a rogue of equal level. For 10 CPs, the wizard’s THAC0 advances as a priest’s.
Greater hit die (10/15/20): For 10 points, the wizard rolls d6 for hit points. For 15 points, the wizard rolls d8 for hit points. With the 20-point option, the wizard rolls d10 for hit points.
A thaumaturge may buy the following abilities at any level:
Armor (5/10/15): As a 5-point ability, the wizard may wear padded armor. For 10 points, the wizard may wear leather, studded leather, hide, or brigantine armor. For 15 points, the wizard may wear any armor desired. Wizards are not allowed to use shields.
Casting time reduction (2): Casting times of the thaumaturge's chosen school are reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1).
Detect magic (10): This ability allows the wizard to detect magic once a day for every two levels of the wizard.
Dispel magic (10): Wizard can cast dispel magic once a day for every five levels possessed.
Enhanced casting level (10): Once per day, a thaumaturge with this ability may cast spells of his chosen school as if he were 1d4 levels higher. All level-based effects of the spell are altered, including damage, range, duration, and area of effect.
Extend duration (10): Noninstantaneous spells of the thaumaturge’s school last an additional time unit (round, hour, day, etc.) per two levels. The exact time unit depends on the normal duration of the spell—if the duration is noted in hours, a 5th-level wizard’s bonus would be an extra three hours.
Extra bonus spell (10): If the Bonus Spell option was taken, the thaumaturge now receives a second bonus spell per spell level provided that the spell belongs to his chosen school.
Focused magic (10): Most beings in the planes have some form of magic resistance which makes it difficult for wizards to use offensive spells. The wizard has enhanced his spellcasting to attempt to overcome that magic resistance. Once a day, any being targeted by a spell cast from the thaumaturge’s chosen school is first treated as if affected by lower resistance for that spell only.
Followers (10): Normally, wizards do not attract loyal followers at high levels like other characters do. A wizard who selects this ability automatically attracts 20 to 200 0-level men-at-arms at 8th level if he establishes a castle, keep, tower, or other place of strength. In addition, 1d6 low-level wizards (1st to 3rd level) will also appear and request permission to study beneath the PC wizard. These loyal apprentices can undertake minor errands or research on the wizard’s behalf, as long as they are treated well.
Immunity (10+): A wizard with this power gains complete immunity to one particular spell, at a cost of 10 CPs plus 1 CP per spell level. The wizard ignores the effects of the spell and cannot be directly damaged or harmed by the spell. The wizard may gain immunity to a group of related spells by spending CPs to become immune to the highest level spell in that group, so a wizard who wanted to become immune to all charms (charm person, charm monster etc.) would spend 18 CPs for immunity to mass charm.
Intense magic (5): If a wizard casts a spell from his chosen school, the targets of that spell suffer a -1 saving throw penalty. This option may be purchased several times with a cumulative effect.
Learning bonus (2): The thaumaturge gains an additional +10% bonus to his chance to learn spells of his chosen school.
Magic resistance (10): The thaumaturge gains 10% magic resistance against magic from his specialty school which may be added to any other magic resistance.
No components (10): The ability to designate one specialty-school spell per character level as a spell that does not require material components.
Persistent spell effect (15 +2/spell level): The wizard may select one spell that he knows (and can cast) to have a persistent, permanent effect. He must give up one spell slot of the appropriate level, so a wizard who wants to have ESP as a persistent power must leave one 2nd-level spell slot empty. Only spells with noninstantaneous, nonspecial durations may be selected as persistent powers, and the spell must be one which affects the caster. By concentrating, the wizard may invoke the power and maintain it for as long as he continues to concentrate. Changing the persistent spell requires a full week of uninterrupted work. If the wizard is struck by a dispel magic, the persistent effect fails. First-level spells that are appropriate for persistent effects include: change self, chill touch, detect undead, feather fall, gaze reflection, jump, protection from evil, shield, spider climb, and ventriloquism.
Planar strength (10): On his home plane, spells of his chosen school cast by the thaumaturge have their effects doubled.
Proficiency group crossovers (5+): Normally, a wizard may select proficiencies from the wizard and general groups, and must pay a penalty in character points or proficiency slots for choosing proficiencies out of these groups. At a cost of 5 CPs each, the wizard may select another character group for a NWP crossover.
Range increase (5/7): All ranged spells from the thaumaturge’s chosen school have their range increased by 25% for 5 CPs or 50% for 7 CPs.
Read magic (5): Wizard can read magic once a day for every two levels possessed.
Saving throw bonus (5): +1 bonus on saving throws vs. spells cast at wizard from school of specialization. This option may be purchased several times with a cumulative effect.
Specialty bonus (10): All spells in the wizard’s chosen school cast by the thaumaturge are treated as if the wizard were two levels higher for purposes of damage, duration, etc.
Specialty sense (5): The thaumaturge is very much in tune with his specialty school and instinctively knows how the physical conditions on any plane will affect spells from his chosen school. This knowledge comes to a wizard within 1d3 turns upon arrival on a plane.
Thief ability (10+): A wizard with this talent possesses one thief ability of his choice. For every 5 additional points he spends, he may choose another thief ability. (Note that backstab is included as a thief ability.) The wizard’s percentage scores increase as noted in the DMG on Table 19: Thief Average Ability Table. Modifiers for race, armor worn, and exceptional Dexterity score all apply.
Weapon selection (10/15): For 10 CPs, the wizard may expand his selection of weapons to either the cleric or thief lists (player’s choice). For 15 points, the wizard is completely unrestricted in his choice of weapons and may gain proficiency in any weapon he spends a slot to learn.
Weapon specialization (15): With this power, the wizard gains the ability to specialize in a weapon. Choosing this ability doesn’t confer specialization—it merely makes it available for the wizard, who is still required to spend the necessary CPs or proficiency slots to actually specialize.
Thaumaturges may also select any of the following limitations:
Awkward casting method (5): The wizard’s spells must be cast in an extremely obvious fashion, alerting anyone within earshot that the wizard is using magic. The wizard might be surrounded by brilliant dancing motes of light, he might have to shout his vocal component at the top of his lungs, people nearby might feel waves of chilling cold wash over them—however it works, the wizard’s spellcasting activity is immediately noticed. Casting spells from ambush is nearly impossible, and casting spells discretely is right out, so a quiet ESP in a tavern will never be available to the wizard.
Behavior/taboo (2): The wizard has a strong set of beliefs that require him to act strangely. For example, he may have to dress in certain colors, avoid physical contact with other people, avoid certain foods, and so on. The behavior chosen is well-known by most NPCs as the behavior of a wizard, so it becomes difficult for the wizard to conceal his profession. The wizard’s actions may also make it easier for enemies to find or harass him by exploiting his taboos. Most importantly, a wizard who violates his beliefs loses all spells he currently has memorized; he believes that he can’t cast spells until he behaves in the required manner again.
Difficult memorization (5): A wizard with this limitation can study and memorize spells only in very specific circumstances. For example, the wizard must be in his lab to memorize spells, he must be in a temple of the god of magic, or he must perform a rite lasting one full day and using materials worth at least 250 gp per level in order to prepare himself to memorize spells.
Environmental condition (5+): The wizard requires certain conditions for spells to be effective; for example, a wizard may only be able to cast spells by day, while in contact with a favored element, or as long as no priests are nearby. The DM should evaluate the proposed restriction to determine if it applies in everyday circumstances (20 points), common situations (15 points), rare circumstances (10 points), or only under very specific conditions (5 points.) For example, the mage who can only cast spells in daylight hours has an everyday restriction—each night, he’s almost helpless. Another mage who can’t cast spells during the dark of the moon only has a 5-point restriction, since this occurs for only a couple of days each month.
Hazardous spells (10): A wizard with this limitation pays the price for his magic. Each time the wizard casts a spell, he must attempt a saving throw vs. breath weapon or suffer 1 point of damage per level of spell. Alternatively, the wizard has a 1% chance per spell level, cumulative, of going insane. The madness lasts 3d4 days, during which the wizard may be catatonic, psychotic, paranoid, or generally disturbed in whatever fashion the DM deems appropriate, before the character can recover and reset the chance of madness to 0% again.
Learning penalty (5+): Wizard suffers a -15% penalty when trying to learn spells in all schools of magic except their chosen school.
Limited magical item use (5+): The PC with this penalty refuses to use certain categories of magical items. The wizard gains 5 CPs for every category selected:
More opposition schools (5+): The PC with this restriction may choose to take additional opposing schools, gaining 5 points for each school in opposition to his specialty. Only standard specialty schools as described in the PHB can be selected as additional oppositional schools.
Reduced hit points (10): Wizard uses d3 for hit points rather than d4.
Reduced spell knowledge (7): The maximum number of spells of each level that the wizard may know is reduced to one-half normal, or 10 if his Intelligence is high enough to allow him to know all the available spells. For example, a wizard with an Intelligence of 16 may know up to 11 spells of each level, but with this limitation he may only know six spells of each level.
Reduced spell progression (15): A wizard with this restriction can memorize one less spell than normal at each level, so a 1st-level wizard is reduced from one spell in memory to none at all—a serious disadvantage for lower-level characters.
Slower casting time (2/5): Spells cast by the wizard are unusually complicated and require more time than normal to cast. All spell casting times increase by 3. For 5 points, the wizard’s spells automatically increase to the next greater time unit. This means that spells with casting times of 1 to 9 increase to one full round. Spells with casting times in rounds require a similar number of turns, turns go to hours, and hours go to days.
Supernatural constraint (5+): The process by which the wizard gained access to his magical powers transformed him into a supernatural creature with unusual vulnerabilities. Unlike a belief or taboo, these constraints cannot be violated by the wizard by any means. Some examples: the wizard can’t cross running water; the wizard can’t enter a home or community without an invitation; the wizard can’t set foot on hallowed ground; the wizard automatically becomes lost at crossroads; the wizard leaves footprints that can always be tracked; normal animals are terrified of the wizard and won’t let him near; and any number of other such constraints. These constraints can be used by clever enemies to render the wizard powerless or severely restrict his movements. The DM should evaluate the proposed constraint and assign a limitation of 5 to 15 points depending on how often it comes into play and how much it interferes with the character on a daily basis.
Talisman (8): The wizard’s magical power is inextricably linked with a single object or talisman. He must have this object on his person in order to cast spells. Typically, a talisman might be a crystal, a staff, an amulet, a ring, or some similar item. If the wizard’s talisman is destroyed, he can create a new one with 1d4 weeks of work in his laboratory or home base.
Weapon restriction (3/5): For 3 points, the wizard may never have a weapon proficiency. For 5 points, the wizard can never wield a weapon even to save his life. This last restriction is not limited to weapons wholly created by the wizard’s spells such as ice knife.
Prime Requisite: Intelligence, other stat
Hit Die: d4
Weapons: Dagger, Dart, Knife, Quarterstaff, Sling
Armor: None
| Level | XP Required | Hit Dice |
| 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | 2,500 | 2 |
| 3 | 5,000 | 3 |
| 4 | 10,000 | 4 |
| 5 | 20,000 | 5 |
| 6 | 40,000 | 6 |
| 7 | 60,000 | 7 |
| 8 | 90,000 | 8 |
| 9 | 135,000 | 9 |
| 10 | 250,000 | 10 |
| 11 | 375,000 | 10+1 |
| 12 | 750,000 | 10+2 |
| 13 | 1,125,000 | 10+3 |
| 14 | 1,500,000 | 10+4 |
| 15 | 1,875,000 | 10+5 |
| 16 | 2,250,000 | 10+6 |
| 17 | 2,625,000 | 10+7 |
| 18 | 3,000,000 | 10+8 |
| 19 | 3,375,000 | 10+9 |
| 20 | 3,750,000 | 10+10 |
Spells: A thaumaturge may learn and cast spells from wizard schools to which he is not opposed.
Automatic Spell Acquisition: When the thaumaturge attains a new spell level, he automatically gains one new spell of his specialty school to add to his spellbook.
Bonus Spell: Thaumaturges may memorize one additional spell per spell level, provided it is from the school of specialty.
Learning bonus/penalty: The thaumaturge receives a +15% bonus to learn spells of his chosen school, but a -15% penalty to learn spells of all other schools. (Wild mages do not receive this ability.)
Research bonus: When a thaumaturge attempts to create a new spell of the chosen school through research, the spell is treated as though it were one level lower.
School bonuses: Thaumaturges receive the following additional benefits based on their chosen school:
*****
Alchemist
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Dexterity 14
Opposition Schools: Illusion, Necromancy
Alchemy spells have no verbal component
6th level: learn potion formulae
*****
Artificer
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 12, Constitution 15
Opposition Schools: Charm, Necromancy
4th level: store spells in prepared items
7th level: create temporary magic items
+10% bonus to enchant items
15% +5%/level chance to identify magic items
*****
Dimensionalist
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 16
Opposition School: Enchantment/Charm, Necromancy
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
8th level: disappear into pocket dimension 1/day
11th level: bring creature or object into pocket dimension up to 500 lbs.
14th level: bring five creatures or objects into pocket dimension up to 1500 lbs.
*****
Force Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 12, Constitution 15
Opposition Schools: Alteration, Divination
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
8th level: additional +1 vs. force
11th level: save vs. force effects for half, even if no save allowed
14th level: additional +1 vs. force
*****
Geometer
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Wisdom 14
Opposition Schools: Enchantment/Charm, Illlusion
Geometry spells have no verbal component
4th level: scribe scrolls
7th level: scribe protection scrolls
*****
Mentalist
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Wisdom 16
Opposition Schools: Alteration, Necromancy
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
8th level: additional +1 vs. mentalism
11th level: detect mental influence 3/day
14th level: dispel mental influence 1/day
*****
Shadow Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 15, Wisdom 16
Opposition Schools: Abjuration, Invocation/Evocation
Inflict save adjustment based on lighting
4th level: penalties from darkness reduced by 1, see as well in moonlight as in broad daylight
7th level: penalties from darkness reduced by 2, see as well in starlight as in broad daylight
10th level: no penalties from darkness, see as well in complete darkness as in broad daylight
*****
Song Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 14, Charisma 15
Opposition Schools: Divination, Invocation/Evocation, Necromancy
Song spells have no somatic or material components
+1 save bonus vs. chosen school, inflict -1 penalty to others' saves
+1 save bonus vs. sound-related attacks
8th level: +50% effect of all sound-based magic items
11th level: counter song or sound attacks 1/day
*****
Wild Mage
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 16
Opposition Schools: none
+10% learning bonus on wild magic, -5% penalty on other schools
50% chance to control randomness-based magic items
Wild surge
8th level: additional +1 vs. alteration
11th level: additional +1 vs. alteration
*****
A thaumaturge may use Character Points to buy the following abilities at character creation:
Combat bonus (8/10): For eight CPs, the wizard’s THAC0 advances as if he were a rogue of equal level. For 10 CPs, the wizard’s THAC0 advances as a priest’s.
Greater hit die (10/15/20): For 10 points, the wizard rolls d6 for hit points. For 15 points, the wizard rolls d8 for hit points. With the 20-point option, the wizard rolls d10 for hit points.
A thaumaturge may buy the following abilities at any level:
Armor (5/10/15): As a 5-point ability, the wizard may wear padded armor. For 10 points, the wizard may wear leather, studded leather, hide, or brigantine armor. For 15 points, the wizard may wear any armor desired. Wizards are not allowed to use shields.
Casting time reduction (2): Casting times of the thaumaturge's chosen school are reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1).
Detect magic (10): This ability allows the wizard to detect magic once a day for every two levels of the wizard.
Dispel magic (10): Wizard can cast dispel magic once a day for every five levels possessed.
Enhanced casting level (10): Once per day, a thaumaturge with this ability may cast spells of his chosen school as if he were 1d4 levels higher. All level-based effects of the spell are altered, including damage, range, duration, and area of effect.
Extend duration (10): Noninstantaneous spells of the thaumaturge’s school last an additional time unit (round, hour, day, etc.) per two levels. The exact time unit depends on the normal duration of the spell—if the duration is noted in hours, a 5th-level wizard’s bonus would be an extra three hours.
Extra bonus spell (10): If the Bonus Spell option was taken, the thaumaturge now receives a second bonus spell per spell level provided that the spell belongs to his chosen school.
Focused magic (10): Most beings in the planes have some form of magic resistance which makes it difficult for wizards to use offensive spells. The wizard has enhanced his spellcasting to attempt to overcome that magic resistance. Once a day, any being targeted by a spell cast from the thaumaturge’s chosen school is first treated as if affected by lower resistance for that spell only.
Followers (10): Normally, wizards do not attract loyal followers at high levels like other characters do. A wizard who selects this ability automatically attracts 20 to 200 0-level men-at-arms at 8th level if he establishes a castle, keep, tower, or other place of strength. In addition, 1d6 low-level wizards (1st to 3rd level) will also appear and request permission to study beneath the PC wizard. These loyal apprentices can undertake minor errands or research on the wizard’s behalf, as long as they are treated well.
Immunity (10+): A wizard with this power gains complete immunity to one particular spell, at a cost of 10 CPs plus 1 CP per spell level. The wizard ignores the effects of the spell and cannot be directly damaged or harmed by the spell. The wizard may gain immunity to a group of related spells by spending CPs to become immune to the highest level spell in that group, so a wizard who wanted to become immune to all charms (charm person, charm monster etc.) would spend 18 CPs for immunity to mass charm.
Intense magic (5): If a wizard casts a spell from his chosen school, the targets of that spell suffer a -1 saving throw penalty. This option may be purchased several times with a cumulative effect.
Learning bonus (2): The thaumaturge gains an additional +10% bonus to his chance to learn spells of his chosen school.
Magic resistance (10): The thaumaturge gains 10% magic resistance against magic from his specialty school which may be added to any other magic resistance.
No components (10): The ability to designate one specialty-school spell per character level as a spell that does not require material components.
Persistent spell effect (15 +2/spell level): The wizard may select one spell that he knows (and can cast) to have a persistent, permanent effect. He must give up one spell slot of the appropriate level, so a wizard who wants to have ESP as a persistent power must leave one 2nd-level spell slot empty. Only spells with noninstantaneous, nonspecial durations may be selected as persistent powers, and the spell must be one which affects the caster. By concentrating, the wizard may invoke the power and maintain it for as long as he continues to concentrate. Changing the persistent spell requires a full week of uninterrupted work. If the wizard is struck by a dispel magic, the persistent effect fails. First-level spells that are appropriate for persistent effects include: change self, chill touch, detect undead, feather fall, gaze reflection, jump, protection from evil, shield, spider climb, and ventriloquism.
Planar strength (10): On his home plane, spells of his chosen school cast by the thaumaturge have their effects doubled.
Proficiency group crossovers (5+): Normally, a wizard may select proficiencies from the wizard and general groups, and must pay a penalty in character points or proficiency slots for choosing proficiencies out of these groups. At a cost of 5 CPs each, the wizard may select another character group for a NWP crossover.
Range increase (5/7): All ranged spells from the thaumaturge’s chosen school have their range increased by 25% for 5 CPs or 50% for 7 CPs.
Read magic (5): Wizard can read magic once a day for every two levels possessed.
Saving throw bonus (5): +1 bonus on saving throws vs. spells cast at wizard from school of specialization. This option may be purchased several times with a cumulative effect.
Specialty bonus (10): All spells in the wizard’s chosen school cast by the thaumaturge are treated as if the wizard were two levels higher for purposes of damage, duration, etc.
Specialty sense (5): The thaumaturge is very much in tune with his specialty school and instinctively knows how the physical conditions on any plane will affect spells from his chosen school. This knowledge comes to a wizard within 1d3 turns upon arrival on a plane.
Thief ability (10+): A wizard with this talent possesses one thief ability of his choice. For every 5 additional points he spends, he may choose another thief ability. (Note that backstab is included as a thief ability.) The wizard’s percentage scores increase as noted in the DMG on Table 19: Thief Average Ability Table. Modifiers for race, armor worn, and exceptional Dexterity score all apply.
Weapon selection (10/15): For 10 CPs, the wizard may expand his selection of weapons to either the cleric or thief lists (player’s choice). For 15 points, the wizard is completely unrestricted in his choice of weapons and may gain proficiency in any weapon he spends a slot to learn.
Weapon specialization (15): With this power, the wizard gains the ability to specialize in a weapon. Choosing this ability doesn’t confer specialization—it merely makes it available for the wizard, who is still required to spend the necessary CPs or proficiency slots to actually specialize.
Thaumaturges may also select any of the following limitations:
Awkward casting method (5): The wizard’s spells must be cast in an extremely obvious fashion, alerting anyone within earshot that the wizard is using magic. The wizard might be surrounded by brilliant dancing motes of light, he might have to shout his vocal component at the top of his lungs, people nearby might feel waves of chilling cold wash over them—however it works, the wizard’s spellcasting activity is immediately noticed. Casting spells from ambush is nearly impossible, and casting spells discretely is right out, so a quiet ESP in a tavern will never be available to the wizard.
Behavior/taboo (2): The wizard has a strong set of beliefs that require him to act strangely. For example, he may have to dress in certain colors, avoid physical contact with other people, avoid certain foods, and so on. The behavior chosen is well-known by most NPCs as the behavior of a wizard, so it becomes difficult for the wizard to conceal his profession. The wizard’s actions may also make it easier for enemies to find or harass him by exploiting his taboos. Most importantly, a wizard who violates his beliefs loses all spells he currently has memorized; he believes that he can’t cast spells until he behaves in the required manner again.
Difficult memorization (5): A wizard with this limitation can study and memorize spells only in very specific circumstances. For example, the wizard must be in his lab to memorize spells, he must be in a temple of the god of magic, or he must perform a rite lasting one full day and using materials worth at least 250 gp per level in order to prepare himself to memorize spells.
Environmental condition (5+): The wizard requires certain conditions for spells to be effective; for example, a wizard may only be able to cast spells by day, while in contact with a favored element, or as long as no priests are nearby. The DM should evaluate the proposed restriction to determine if it applies in everyday circumstances (20 points), common situations (15 points), rare circumstances (10 points), or only under very specific conditions (5 points.) For example, the mage who can only cast spells in daylight hours has an everyday restriction—each night, he’s almost helpless. Another mage who can’t cast spells during the dark of the moon only has a 5-point restriction, since this occurs for only a couple of days each month.
Hazardous spells (10): A wizard with this limitation pays the price for his magic. Each time the wizard casts a spell, he must attempt a saving throw vs. breath weapon or suffer 1 point of damage per level of spell. Alternatively, the wizard has a 1% chance per spell level, cumulative, of going insane. The madness lasts 3d4 days, during which the wizard may be catatonic, psychotic, paranoid, or generally disturbed in whatever fashion the DM deems appropriate, before the character can recover and reset the chance of madness to 0% again.
Learning penalty (5+): Wizard suffers a -15% penalty when trying to learn spells in all schools of magic except their chosen school.
Limited magical item use (5+): The PC with this penalty refuses to use certain categories of magical items. The wizard gains 5 CPs for every category selected:
- potions, oils, and scrolls
- rings, rods, staves, wands, and miscellaneous items
- weapons and armor
More opposition schools (5+): The PC with this restriction may choose to take additional opposing schools, gaining 5 points for each school in opposition to his specialty. Only standard specialty schools as described in the PHB can be selected as additional oppositional schools.
Reduced hit points (10): Wizard uses d3 for hit points rather than d4.
Reduced spell knowledge (7): The maximum number of spells of each level that the wizard may know is reduced to one-half normal, or 10 if his Intelligence is high enough to allow him to know all the available spells. For example, a wizard with an Intelligence of 16 may know up to 11 spells of each level, but with this limitation he may only know six spells of each level.
Reduced spell progression (15): A wizard with this restriction can memorize one less spell than normal at each level, so a 1st-level wizard is reduced from one spell in memory to none at all—a serious disadvantage for lower-level characters.
Slower casting time (2/5): Spells cast by the wizard are unusually complicated and require more time than normal to cast. All spell casting times increase by 3. For 5 points, the wizard’s spells automatically increase to the next greater time unit. This means that spells with casting times of 1 to 9 increase to one full round. Spells with casting times in rounds require a similar number of turns, turns go to hours, and hours go to days.
Supernatural constraint (5+): The process by which the wizard gained access to his magical powers transformed him into a supernatural creature with unusual vulnerabilities. Unlike a belief or taboo, these constraints cannot be violated by the wizard by any means. Some examples: the wizard can’t cross running water; the wizard can’t enter a home or community without an invitation; the wizard can’t set foot on hallowed ground; the wizard automatically becomes lost at crossroads; the wizard leaves footprints that can always be tracked; normal animals are terrified of the wizard and won’t let him near; and any number of other such constraints. These constraints can be used by clever enemies to render the wizard powerless or severely restrict his movements. The DM should evaluate the proposed constraint and assign a limitation of 5 to 15 points depending on how often it comes into play and how much it interferes with the character on a daily basis.
Talisman (8): The wizard’s magical power is inextricably linked with a single object or talisman. He must have this object on his person in order to cast spells. Typically, a talisman might be a crystal, a staff, an amulet, a ring, or some similar item. If the wizard’s talisman is destroyed, he can create a new one with 1d4 weeks of work in his laboratory or home base.
Weapon restriction (3/5): For 3 points, the wizard may never have a weapon proficiency. For 5 points, the wizard can never wield a weapon even to save his life. This last restriction is not limited to weapons wholly created by the wizard’s spells such as ice knife.