Tome And Blood. A Guidebook To Wizards And Sorcerers.pdf

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Tome and Blood: A Guidebook to Wizards and Sorcerers
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Magic Items.....................................73
Behind the Curtain:
Magic Item Pricing ..................73
New Magic Items ........................75
Wondrous Item Descriptions ..78
What This Book Is and Is Not ..........3
How to Use This Book ......................3
Acquiring Feats ................................37
Virtual Feats .................................37
Feats and Weaponlike Spells ......37
New Feats ........................................38
Arcane Preparation......................38
Augment Summoning.................39
Cooperative Spell.........................39
Delay Spell ...................................39
Energy Admixture ........................39
Sidebar: Substituting and
Admixing Energy..................39
Eschew Materials.........................40
Extra Slot......................................40
Extra Spell ....................................40
Greater Spell Focus .....................40
Greater Spell Penetration............40
Improved Familiar .......................40
Persistant Spell ............................41
Repeat Spell .................................41
Sanctum Spell..............................41
Spell Specialization .....................42
Split Ray .......................................42
Subdual Substitution...................42
Twin Spell.....................................42
Widen Spell..................................42
Creating an Effective Spellcaster.......4
The Basics......................................4
Feat Selection ................................4
Sidebar: Expanding a
Specialist’s Range..................7
For Wizards Only:
Specializing in a School ............8
Acquiring a Familiar ....................10
Dismissing a Familiar..................12
Death of a Master........................12
Alternate Familiars by
Master Size ..............................13
Sidebar: DM Note:
Recalling Information..........18
Close-Up on Skills ...........................19
Which Skill to Use? .....................19
Knowledge (Arcana) ....................20
Sorcerers and Wizards and the
World They Live In.......................20
Becoming a Wizard .....................20
Becoming a Sorcerer ...................20
Organizations:
The Few, the Proud......................21
Sidebar: Peculiar Features
of a Magical Laboratory ......24
Broken Wands..............................26
Sidebar: Escrier’s Brooch ........26
League of Diviners.......................26
The Queendom............................26
Savants of the Flame...................27
Wayfarer’s Union .........................28
How Typical is the Hollow?.........28
Location .......................................31
Sidebar: Peculiar Features
of an Arcane Spellcaster’s
Quarters ..............................31
Magic Tricks.....................................79
Weaponlike Spells........................79
Fun with Prestidigitation .............80
Researching New Spells..................81
Behind the Curtain:
Evaluating Spells .....................83
Tables
1–1: Familiars for Tiny or Smaller
Masters ....................................13
1–2: Familiars for Huge or Bigger
Masters ...................................14
2–3: Alternate Improved
Familiars .................................41
3–2: The Acolyte of the Skin ..........45
3–4: The Arcane Trickster ...............49
3–11: The Mage of the
Arcane Order ........................62
4–1: Mundane Items ......................72
4–3: Estimating Magic Item Gold
Piece Value ..............................74
Chapter 3:
Acquiring a Prestige Class ..............43
Prestige Class Descriptions ............43
Acolyte of the Skin.......................43
2
Chapter 4:
Mundane Items ...............................71
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INTRODUCTION
I ntrOductiOn
Magic is the eldritch blood that gives life to fantastic
worlds. No ingredient is more fundamental to the
D UNGEONS & D RAGONS ® game. Few classes are as elegant,
and none are as fascinating as the game’s wizards and
sorcerers. These heroes tap a power whose true source
remains a mystery. Although many have tried to master it,
all have ultimately failed for magic is a force that tran-
scends explanation.
Despite the mystery, or because of it, magic is a door-
way to a realm where all things are possible. Let the
martial classes exploit mere physical prowess—arcane
spellcasters know the verbal keys and mystic rituals that
release power from the very fabric of reality. Beholden
only to their own consciences, the most powerful spell-
casters grow ever wiser in arcane lore. Some eventually
wield powers like
unto those of a
deity.
ters about incorporating any elements of this book. DMs
can also use the new feats, spells, and prestige classes to
design nonplayer characters. Use what you wish and
change or ignore the rest. Have at it and enjoy!
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
This book’s primary goal is to help you customize your
wizard or sorcerer player character, personalizing her,
broadening her range of capabilities, and enhancing the
role she plays in an adventuring party.
The information in this book is a guide for players and
DMs. In addition to completely new material, it offers
guidance and advice on topics of perennial interest to
spellcasting characters.
Chapter 1: Arcane Lore provides explanations of,
advice on, and expansions to magical topics that are
WHAT THIS BOOK IS
AND IS NOT
This material is brand-new and pertains to the new
edition of the D UNGEONS & D RAGONS game. You’ll find
new feats, spells, and prestige classes, as well as useful
advice for getting the most out of your spellcaster.
This supplement is designed to mesh with the rules
system presented in the Player ’s Handbook , the D UNGEON
M ASTER ’s Guide, and the Monster Manual.
This book presents options, not restrictions, for playing
the D&D® game. Players should ask their Dungeon Mas-
already a part
of the game. Here you
find such topics as choosing a
specialty, picking metamagic feats,
and the care and feeding of familiars.
Chapter 2: Feats offers special feats to
enhance your spellcasters, such as Energy
Substitution and Sanctum Spell.
Chapter 3: Prestige Classes takes your spellcaster
in exciting new directions with the pale master, elemen-
tal savant, and other prestige classes.
Chapter 4: Tools of the Trade presents specialty
items of interest to both spellcasting and nonspellcasting
characters.
Chapter 5: Spells not only expands the selection of
arcane spells from 0 level to 9th level, but also provides
additional advice on designing new spells of your own as
well as providing the updated, official versions of the poly-
morph other and polymorph self spells. The versions of the
spells presented herein supersede those presented in the
Player ’s Handbook.
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CHAPTER 1: ARCANE LORE
Arcane LOre
“Talent is a gift. Training opens the box.”
less damage on average, you can afford to have fewer hit
points. In addition, a good Dexterity helps your ranged
attacks—including some spells. If your spell selection is
heavy on spells that require a ranged attack roll, a high
Dexterity serves you well.
—Mialee
Choosing a Familiar
The various familiars offer many benefits, so take the
time to think about which one gains you the most. It’s
hard to pass up the utility of a flying familiar such as a
raven or owl, especially when they become able to deliver
touch spells for you, but consider the lowly toad. It grants
a +2 modifier to your Constitution score. Not only does
that possibly strengthen your weak Fortitude save, but it
adds all-important hit points at every level—and even a
few extra can make all the difference. Measured over the
course of an adventuring career, a toad may well provide
the overall greatest benefit. The rat and weasel too are
good choices, as they each grant a +2 modifier to your
weak saving throws (Fortitude and Reflex, respectively).
How best to develop the magical talents of your PC?
Should you consider an improved familiar? What is a
good design for a magical household? This chapter
addresses these and other issues for wizards and sorcerers.
CREATING AN
EFFECTIVE SPELLCASTER
This advice is intended to help you maximize your
choices as a sorcerer or wizard. It is based on the experi-
ence of the authors, but like all advice, is subjective. Still,
it is a place to start, a foundation upon which you can
build your own, ideal spellcaster.
Equipment
These days, a spellcaster is far from useless once she’s out
of spells. Since mixing it up with a melee weapon really
isn’t your style, it’s always nice to have a ranged weapon
on hand. If you’re an elf, your good Dexterity and native
proficiency with bows make you a fair shot with a long-
bow. Even a crossbow can dish out decent damage,
though, despite the increased reload time.
Once you scrape up a little money, it pays to invest in
some “grenades”: a few flasks of acid, alchemist’s fire, or
holy water. Any of these are a great ranged attack in a
pinch—especially if you have a high Dexterity score,
making you more likely to hit. For that matter, delay and
disruption items such as thunderstones, flashpellets, and
tanglefoot bags can really save your bacon when you have
no spells available.
A familiar carrier (see Chapter 4: Tools of the Trade) is a
nigh-indispensable item to keep that precious compan-
ion safe from harm.
The Basics
A few simple tweaks for your character early on can make
all the difference later.
Ability Scores
An average 1st-level character starts the game with typical
ability scores of 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8. Your first impulse
might be to put the highest score in the ability that
governs your spellcasting (Intelligence for a wizard or
Charisma for a sorcerer). This is a good choice for several
reasons: You start with the highest possible save DCs for
all your spells, and you can cast bonus spells and spells of
higher level. If you choose a high Intelligence, your char-
acter also benefits from many more skill points.
This isn’t the only option, however. You might want to
have your highest score in an ability that helps keep you
alive long enough to cast all those great spells. The trick
here is to balance long-term prospects against short-
term survival. Putting the second-highest score into your
spellcasting ability and the highest score elsewhere is
usually a good compromise. You can always increase
Intelligence or Charisma when you reach 4th level (and
every four levels thereafter). Even if you decide to build
for the long term by putting your best score into a spell-
casting ability, it’s a good idea to put your second-highest
score into a “survival” ability.
Which abilities help you survive? Constitution is a
good choice, because it simultaneously increases your
Fortitude save, which is not your best category (Will
saves have the highest modifiers for both wizards and
sorcerers), and hit points. And what mage doesn’t need
more starting hit points?
Dexterity is as good as Constitution, but it does require
a bit more faith. Your Reflex save (also not your best)
improves, helping you avoid many spell effects and
damage from traps, as does your Armor Class. By taking
Feat Selection
All feats are important and have their uses, but when you
get them is at least as important as which ones you get. A
poor choice early on can hamper you throughout your
career.
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First Things First
Wizards get Scribe Scroll for free, so always prepare
scrolls if you have the time and the money. Scrolls of low-
level spells are inexpensive to create and make a fine
backup, allowing you to cast more spells per day than
otherwise possible. Sorcerers don’t start with a free feat,
and since they already can cast spells several times in a
given day, Scribe Scroll may not be the best choice. They
benefit more from feats that improve casting efficacy,
such as Spell Focus.
The best use for additional feats is to enhance your
spells. While metamagic feats are designed to do exactly
C hapter 1:
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CHAPTER 1: ARCANE LORE
this, most bump up the spell level farther than is practical
when you’re just starting out. So, think about taking some
general feats first.
A wonderful feat for both sorcerers and wizards is Spell
Focus, which raises the save DCs of spells you cast from a
particular school. Of course, this feat also paves the way
for Greater Spell Focus (see Chapter 2: Feats). The higher
the save DC, the more likely you’ll affect foes with your
spells. Spell Focus is useful far more often than Spell
Penetration, which is only beneficial against creatures
with spell resistance, so it makes sense to take it first. This
is especially true if you are a specialist wizard. Consider
Spell Penetration for later, though, because eventually
you’ll find yourself up against a foe with spell resistance,
and you’ll need all the help you can get.
On the other hand, when casting spells that are
resolved with ranged touch attacks, the save DCs are less
important than how well you can target them. A spell-
caster in this situation probably has a high Dexterity
score and would benefit most from Point Blank Shot and
Precise Shot. Because ranged touch spells work much as
ranged weapons do, both these feats enhance them too
(see Weaponlike Spells in Chapter 5: Spells). The best part
is, these feats also work with your bow or crossbow.
this philosophy, you would pick Spell Focus in other
schools, with Greater Spell Focus in one or more, possibly
with Spell Penetration and feats that enhance both spells
and ranged weapons. Primary among these last is Spell
Specialization (see Chapter 2: Feats): In conjunction with
Point Blank Shot, you could be dealing +3 points of
damage with your ranged attack spells.
Sorcerers should approach metamagic feats with
caution. When you use a metamagic feat, it’s a full-round
action to cast the spell (see Casting Times in Chapter 5:
Spells). You can’t take a move action during that round,
which could be dangerous in a fight. For a sorcerer,
Quicken Spell isn’t worth even considering. Maximize
Spell is still a good choice, but you can’t use it effectively
until you reach 8th level (the first level you have any 4th-
level spell slots). On the other hand, with such a limited
selection of spells, metamagic feats give you much-
needed flexibility—especially when it comes to attack
spells. For example, at 8th level you can cast a 4th-level
spell at least three times each day, but you’ll only know
one. If you pick a useful spell such as polymorph self,
improved invisibility, or dimension door, you have to give up
great 4th-level offensive spells such as ice storm. But a
maximized magic missile , an empowered Melf ’s acid arrow ,
or an enlarged or heightened fireball or lightning bolt helps
make up for it.
Next Step
Once you have a few more levels under your belt, it’s time
for another general feat. It’s hard to say no to Brew Potion,
especially if you’re a wizard. The ability to create a
consumable magic item usable by anyone, for half the
market price, is a great advantage (as is true for any item
creation feat). Craft Wand is incredibly useful as well, and
it is available at 5th level (wizards’ first bonus feat oppor-
tunity). For wizards it is a vital feat and sorcerers should
think seriously about picking it up. Many a self-created
wand has been a spellcaster’s salvation when personal
spells ran low.
Spell Selection
Spells make the mage.
Although the diversity and the number of arcane spells
let you assume a variety of roles in a party, your compan-
ions probably look to you for offensive power and the
occasional bit of magical troubleshooting. Most of the
time, you’re the only party member who can damage or
destroy several foes at the same time (without sacrificing
potential healing spells as a cleric must). At other times,
the right spell can solve a difficult problem or even turn
a defeat into a triumph.
Wizards
Wizards have a tremendous advantage in their bonus
feats (metamagic, item creation, and Spell Mastery).
Metamagic feats are your best friend, but be careful
which ones you start with. Your first choices shouldn’t
bump the spell slot up more than one or two levels. That
way, you can take advantage of them immediately with
your lowest-level spells.
Once you’re high enough level, go for the juicy meta-
magic feats, such as Quicken Spell or Maximize Spell.
Which is better? Maximize Spell only increases the spell
slot by three levels—and you can get a lot of mileage out
of maximized magic missiles . Still, Quicken Spell is your
ace in the hole: Even a quickened spider climb could allow
you to retreat from a situation you would rather not
remain in. At higher levels, a quickened dimension door or
fly is a good backup for any adventuring spellcaster.
Low-Level Spells
Some fight it, but eventually, every sorcerer and wizard
picks magic missile . And why not—it is an offensive 1st-
level spell that requires neither an attack roll nor allows a
saving throw. Even a sorcerer, with his limited spell selec-
tion, would do well with this one .
Another vital spell, especially for a wizard, is mage
armor . A sorcerer may want to wait a while to pick this up,
since casting it repeatedly is of little value. If a monk is in
the party, though, she’ll be your best friend when you cast
mage armor on her before every adventure—all the bonus
types to the monk’s AC stack.
As you acquire more 1st-level spells, consider those
that can resolve an encounter without a flash and a bang.
These include charm person (makes an otherwise
intractable foe friendly, at least for a while) and change self
(a handy disguise). The sleep spell can have spectacular
effects against large groups of weak adversaries. Color
spray is almost as effective against weak foes and retains
some efficacy even against creatures sleep can’t touch.
Sorcerers
General feats are generally the best option for sorcerers.
Because you’re casting the same spells over and over,
Spell Focus continues to be a very good choice. Following
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