Prestige Class (3.5e): Spellcaller

gastoff
gastoff

Sorcery is an undisciplined method of using magic, according to most wizards. Yet some sorcerers have managed to master their gift with years of training. This mastery focuses the raw power coursing through the sorcerer’s veins, giving the Spellcaller far more control over their spells, and unique insight into the nature of metamagic. This control comes at a cost: Spellcallers cannot cast spells as often as a normal sorcerer.

Hit Die: d4

REQUIREMENTS: To qualify as a Spellcaller, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks.

Special: Must be able to cast 3rd level arcane spells without preparation.

CLASS SKILLS: The Spellcaller’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (any) (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills) (Int), Profession (any) (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Cha). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURES: All of the following are class features of the Spellcaller prestige class.

Spells per Day: When a new Spellcaller level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever spontaneous arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.

Spell Studies: Due to his intense study into the nature of spells, a Spellcaller has access to far more spells than a normal spontaneous spell caster, but at the sacrifice of having fewer spells per day. A Spellcaller is able to know 2 more spells per spell level than their base arcane spellcasting class would normally allow. However, a Spellcaller can cast two less arcane spells for each spell level known (not including bonus spells from a high stat score). For example, a 6th level Sorcerer/1st level Spellcaller can only cast four 0-level spells, four 1st, four 2nd, and two 3rd level spells, but knows nine 0-level spells, seven 1st, five 2nd, and four 3rd level spells.

Metamagic Knowledge: At 2nd level, a Spellcaller gains a bonus metamagic feat.

Spell Mimic (Ex): At 3rd level, a Spellcaller can learn spells that he has seen cast. When he sees a spell being cast, if a successful Spellcraft check is made (DC 15 + spell level), the character may choose to learn the spell by immediately sacrificing 200XP per level of the spell being cast. If the XP is spent, the Spellcaller adds the spell to their list of spells known. Spells discovered in this way do not count against the normal limit of spells known, allowing a Spellcaller to amass a vast amount of spells known if they spend enough XP. Spells can be learned when witnessing either an arcane or divine spell being cast, but only spells that appear on an arcane spell list can be learned.

Spell-like and supernatural abilities cannot be copied, even if the ability is a direct duplication of a spell. Likewise, spells cast from items (including potions, scrolls, wands, staves, and wondrous items) cannot be copied either.

Metamagic Casting (Ex): At 4th level, the Spellcaller can cast metamagic spells as if they were prepared in advance, turning most metamagic spells into a standard action, instead of a full-round action. This allows them to learn and apply the Quicken Spell metamagic feat.

Metamagic Mastery (Ex):  At 5th level, the Spellcaller has gained true insight into the nature of magic. When casting a spell with a metamagic feat, the Spellcaller may choose to use an additional spell slot to account for the levels needed to cast the spell with metamagic. He must still be high enough level to cast the spell without using an additional spell slot. For example, a sorcerer 11/Spellcaller 5 could cast a quickened fireball by expending a 3rd level spell slot (for the base spell) and a 4th level spell slot (for the metamagic feat), but could not cast an empowered and quickened fireball because he cannot cast 9th level spells.

Only one additional spell slot can be used per spell, so a Spellcaller could not use three 1st level spells to cast a silent and still magic missile. He could, however, cast the silent and still magic missile using a 1st level spell (for the base spell) and a 2nd level spell (to cover the two metamagic feats). The Spellcaller must still have the feat(s) used to enhance their spell.

Post edited by gastoff on

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Comments

  • gastoff
    gastoff
    Posts: 136

    Disclaimer: This is a modified version of the Spellcaller prestige class found in the Player's Guide to Arcanis (Paradigm Concepts) [pg. 245]. In its original form, it was a 10 level prestige class with that was able to gain access to all spell, divine or arcane, with a cheaper XP cost to learn spells. I felt this made the class too powerful, so when condensing it to 5 levels, I steepened the XP cost, restricted the spells to only arcane, and moved the spell learning ability to 3rd level instead of having it available with only a 1 level dip.

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