New Content
The previous chapters have dealt with converting what the d20 srd has to offer - the next ones are devoted to content that is entirely the author’s own. While some new content has crept in already, the point of those additions were to replace or augment existing options. The following content is what would, in a conventional distribution scheme, be delegated to a new splatbook.
New Spellcasting Classes
New Races
New Feats
New Spell Lists
New Spells
New Magic
New Races
Spiritwalker Orc
Description
Spiritwalker orcs are physically similar to their more common brethren, although they tend to be slightly less thick of chest. Most favor unobtrusive, earth-colored clothing when not dressed for war. Like other orcs, spiritwalker orcs speak Orc. If given the opportunity, they are likely to learn Common, Sylvan, or Terran.
Magic
Spiritwalker orcs have a great affinity for many forms of divine magic thanks to their high Wisdom. In addition, each spiritwalker orc has a natural ability to communicate with a certain type of animal. According to the spiritwalker orcs themselves, this is due to them not finding it very hard to talk to their ancestors, even if said ancestors have been reborn in beastial form.
Combat
Spiritwalker orcs are a proud and stubborn lot - if insulted or mistreated, they usually attempt to regain face by humiliating the offender in a duel or contest of strength.
If forced to full-out battle, they prefer overwhelming assaults, seeking to end the fight quickly. They rarely retreat or flee once committed to a fight.
Racial Traits
Spiritwalker orcs possess all orc racial traits, with additions and exceptions as noted below.
+2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Spiritwalker orcs are less brutish than some others of their kind, and more in tune with their surroundings.
No Light Sensitivity: Spiritwalker Orcs have adapted to life outside underground dungeons.
Spell-Like Ability: 1/day - Converse With Nature. Caster level 1st (regardless of character level). This spell-like ability only allows the spiritwalker orc to communicate with one certain kind of animal (selected at character creation), usually an animal that serves as the totem animal of the orc’s tribe or family.
New Feats
Feat Descriptions
| Magical Feats | Prerequisites | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Antimagic Mastery | Antimagic Affinity | Protect any number of items from Antimagic |
| Bonded Weapon | Spellstaff User, character level 3rd | You can enchant your spellstaff as a weapon |
| Circle Magic Leader | Caster level 3rd | You can lead a Circle of spellcasters |
| Circle Magic Master | Caster level 7th | You can form larger, more durable Circles |
| Cursed Recovery | Dread Knight’s Curse | Recover magical focus when damaging Cursed targets |
| Deadly Duelist | BAB +1 | Can forcefully begin lethal duels |
| Mental Fortress | No Man’s Fool | Gain immunity to mind-affecting effects |
| No Man’s Fool | - | Gain protection from mental control |
| Persistent Curse | Dread Knight’s Curse | Must again save against curse one round later |
| Physical Curse | Dread Knight’s Curse | Curse requires a Fortitude save |
| Undead Lackey | Specialist Necromancer or Blackguard level 1, or access to the Death domain | Gain Undead Lackey |
| Vermin Companion | Access to the Vermin Domain | Gain Vermin Companion |
| War Mage | BAB +1, proficiency with a martial weapon | Evocation spells deal more damage |
Antimagic Mastery
You are far more capable than most of surviving the rigors of antimagic.
Prerequisite: The Antimagic Affinity class feature.
Benefit: When you use your Antimagic Affinity class feature, you can protect any number of your magic items from the effects of an Antimagic Field.
Normal: You can shield only one item at a time from Antimagic.
Bonded Weapon
Your bonded item is a powerful arcane weapon.
Prerequisite: Spellstaff User, character level 3rd.
Benefit: You gain the ability to bestow your Spellstaff with magical enhancements, with respect to its use as a weapon. Its statistics as a creature are not affected. In addition, your spellstaff does not use the statistics of a quarterstaff when used as a weapon, but rather the statistics of any one weapon with which you are proficient, chosen at the time you take this feat. This weapon can be an exotic weapon or a weapon made out of unusual material, but it must be a masterwork weapon. In any case, the cost of the base weapon is replaces the normal (300 gp) cost involved with summoning or replacing a Spellstaff, as described by the Spellstaff User feat.
In order to enhance your Spellstaff, you must retreat to a peaceful location and disassemble magical items worth the difference between the market price of the magic item you are upgrading your Spellstaff into becoming and the market price of your Spellstaff as it was previously (which is more efficient than selling your lesser magical items at half value). You can also spend gold to cover the difference, although that requires access to a merchant capable of providing you with the necessary magical components. The upgrade process takes 8 hours. For example, an elven Wizard with this feat could upgrade his spell“staff” from being a masterwork adamantine longsword into being a +1 Spell Storing adamantine longsword by spending 8 hours and disassembling a +2 Greataxe, which was useless to him. Alternatively, he could have bought components worth 7000 gp, and disassembled one of his Pearls of Power capable of storing one spell point.
Circle Magic Leader
You know how to contact the minds of other spellcasters to form a circle.
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd.
Benefit: You can serve as a Circle Leader in Circle Magic. Members of your Circle must remain with 20’ of your location at all times, or lose the connection. Your Circle can have up to 7 members, including yourself.
Normal: You can only join Circles led by others, you cannot lead them yourself.
Circle Magic Master
You have great experience in leading the mental concert that is a magic Circle.
Prerequisite: Caster level 7th, Circle Magic Leader.
Benefit: Members of your Circle can stray out to 60’ from your location without losing the connection. Your Circle can have up to 13 members, including yourself. You automatically succeed on all Concentration checks to maintain your circle.
Cursed Recovery
The Cursed are ripe with magical charge, ready to be picked up by those who dare to benefit.
Prerequisite: Dread Knight’s Curse
Benefit: Once per encounter, immediately after dealing damage to a Cursed opponent with a weapon, you can recover your magical focus as a free action.
Deadly Duelist
To you, Mage Duels are not just harmless sparring.
Benefit: You can expend your magical focus to start a mage duel with unwilling spellcasters. To do so, start the duel normally. However, the challenged must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your caster level + your key ability modifier) to be allowed to turn down the challenge.
In addition, you can choose to deal lethal damage when you win or your opponent loses a Test of Power.
Normal: Mage duels are only performed between willing participants, and Tests of Power deal only nonlethal damage.
Mental Fortress
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.
Prerequisite: No Man’s Fool
Benefit: While magically focused, you are immune to all mind-affecting spells and effects.
No Man's Fool
You are not the kind of person to fall prey to cheap parlor tricks.
Benefit: While magically focused, you are protected from all forms of possession and mental control (including enchantment (charm) effects and enchantment (compulsion) effects that would grant the caster ongoing control over you, such as Dominate). The protection does not prevent such effects from targeting you, but it suppresses the effect for as long as you are magically focused. If you lose your magical focus before the effect granting mental control does, the would-be controller would then be able to mentally command you. Gaining magical focus does not expel a possesing life force if it is in place before the focus is gained.
Persistent Curse
Avoiding your curse once never means the victim is free.
Prerequisite: Dread Knight’s Curse
Benefit: A subject who successfully saves against your Dread Knight’s Curse must make an additional saving throw one round later or be affected regardless.
Physical Curse
Your curses hit their subjects like a hammer.
Prerequisite: Dread Knight’s Curse
Benefit: At your option when using your Dread Knight’s Curse, you can change the saving throw required to resist your curse to a Fortitude save, using the same DC.
Normal: A Will save is required to resist your Dread Knight’s Curse.
Undead Lackey
You have raised an undead servant from the dead to serve you.
Prerequisites: Specialist Necromancer or Blackguard level 1, or access to the Death Domain.
Benefit: This feat allows you to gain an Undead Lackey.
Vermin Companion
You have formed a close bond with one of nature’s more frequently misunderstood creatures.
Prerequisites: Access to the Vermin Domain.
Benefit: This feat allows you to gain a Vermin Companion.
War Mage
You are no idle scholar, but a warrior whose chosen weapon happens to be destructive magic.
Prerequisite: Proficiency with at least one martial weapon, BAB +1
Benefit: Whenever you cast an Evocation spell that deals damage expressed in a number of dice, add 1 to the damage dealt by each die.
New Spell Lists
New Bard Spells
1st-Level Bard Spells
Mental Link: You forge a limited mental bond with another creature.
Uncanny Accuracy: Your underhanded attacks are surprisingly effective.
3rd-Level Bard Spells
Piggyback: Latch on to a creature as it teleports, retaining your relative position.
New Cleric Domains
Commerce Domain
Granted Powers
Class Skill: You add Appraise to your list of Cleric class skills.
Favorable Background: A 1st-level character with this domain receives double the normal starting gold for his class. This has no effect on gold gain at subsequent levels, nor does it affect characters who gain this domain at levels other than 1st.
Goldtongue (Su): You receive a sacred bonus equal to one-half your Cleric level (minimum 1) on Diplomacy checks made as part of haggling or mediating trades, as well as on Profession checks used to make a living. This is a superatural ability that is continuously active.
Marketing (Ex): Starting at Cleric level 4th, you become supremely good at finding ways to market your goods. You receive 25% more than listed market price when selling found goods (usually gems and art objects). This does not apply to magical objects or trade goods (such as salt or silk, see the Wealth Other Than Coins table).
This is a divinely granted extraordinary ability. The powers of Commerce, while ready to support their more active paragons, do not take kindly to significant disruption of economies and will revoke this ability if abused.
Market Awareness (Su): Starting at Cleric level 8th, you are continuously aware of ways you can do business while in a settlement.
When attempting to procure a certain type of item, you immediately sense whether that item is purchasable within the settlement. If it is purchasable, you know where (you learn the direction and distance). If it is available in more than one location, you know the closest location.
You can not find a specific or unique item. You must be familiar with the type of item in question. You only sense items currently available for public sale, not closed auctions or items the possessor does not intend to sell (even if a sufficiently lucrative offer might persuade him to).
Two for One (Ex): At Cleric level 12th or later, you can find the deal of a lifetime.
To use this ability, make a purchase of a magic item, as normal. Circumstances then conspire to provide you with another, functionally identical magic item upon completion of the purchase, at no cost to you.
The item must be one that can be freely purchased for gold on the open market, not an artifact or other kind of unique item. The item’s cost may not exceed 20% of the value (not market sale value) of your current possessions.
Any given character can only use this ability once in his career.
Commerce Domain Spells
(1) Comprehend Languages: You understand all spoken and written languages.
(1) Identify: Determines properties of magic item.
(2) Zone of Truth: Subjects within field find it extremely hard to lie.
(3) Glibness: You gain a large bonus on Bluff checks.
(3) Sepia Snake Ward: Creates ward that immobilizes thieves and pickpockets.
(4) Goldskin: Taxes your attackers.
(5) Mage’s Private Sanctum: Prevents anyone from viewing or scrying an area for 24 hours.
(6) True Seeing: Lets you see all things as they really are.
(7) Hand of Midas: Touched creature or object turns to gold.
(7) Mage’s Magnificent Mansion: Door leads to extradimensional mansion.
(9) Teleportation Circle: Circle teleports any creature inside to designated spot.
Moon Domain
Granted Powers
Class Skill: Add Hide to your list of Cleric class skills.
Low-Light Vision: You gain the low-light vision special quality. If you already have low-light vision, you gain superior low-light vision instead (quadruple the distance, instead of double).
Hide in Plain Sight (Su): Starting at Cleric level 12th, you can use the Hide skill even while being observed, as long as you are within the area of some sort of shadow. This ability does not need any activation beyond making a hide check.
Moonlight Weapons (Su): As a swift action, you can expend your magical focus to have any weapons you use bypass damage reduction as if they were made of silver for a number of rounds equal to your Cleric level.
Moon Domain Spells
(1) Faerie Fire: Outlines subjects with light, canceling blur, concealment, and the like.
(1) Light: Causes object to shine like a torch.
(2) Moon Bolt: Blasts creature with silvery light, damaging and stunning it.
(2) Moonlust: You enchant a creature with visions of the moon, preventing it from acting.
(2) Darkness: 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow.
(3) Call of the Moon: Reveals lycanthropes as what they are.
(3) Summon Nature’s Ally: Summons a natural guardian to aid you.
(3) Wolfsbane: Deals debilitating damage to lycanthropes.
(3) Blink: Subject randomly vanishes and reappears for 1 round/level.
(4) Confusion: Subjects behave oddly for 1 round/level.
(5) Dream: Contact or disturb sleeping creature.
(6) Shadow Walk: Step into shadow to travel rapidly.
(7) Curse of Lycanthropy: You infect a creature with lycanthropy.
(8) Irresistible Dance: Forces subject to dance.
(9) Starfall: Brings down a shower of Moon Bolts.
New Cleric Spells
Death Domain
(1) Last Laugh: Destroy yourself in an attempt to take your enemies with you.
(4) Baleful Resurrection: Returns subject from the dead - mostly.
(7) Corpse Explosion: Cause a recently dead creature to explode.
Destruction Domain
(1) Bleed: Bleeding deals 1d3 points of Constitution damage.
Earth Domain Spells
(4) Step through Earth: Travel instantaneously through the ground.
Magic Domain
(1) Dismantle Magic: Slowly dispel a spell.
(2) Dweomer Rip: Damages creatures with active magical effects on them.
(3) Suppress Magic: Renders willing spellcaster incapable of casting spells.
Plant Domain
(1) Woodbolt: Creates a spear that flies at your enemies.
Planes Domain
(3) Piggyback: Latch on to a creature as it teleports, retaining your relative position.
(3) Astral Trap*: Temporarily transports a creature far away.
Strength Domain
(1) Surge of Strength: Gain temporary strength and hit points.
Sun Domain
(4) Orb of Light: Orb deals blinds and deals damage to a creature.
(4) Repelling Light: Globe of light keeps foul creatures at bay.
Travel Domain
(7) Free Run: Boosts overland travel speed to miraculous levels.
Vermin Domain
(2) Arachnophobia: Subject believes it is covered in spiders.
War Domain
(5) Warrior’s Impetus: Grants speed and strength to targeted creatures.
(8) Blade Storm: Circle of blades of force damages and stuns your enemies.
Water Domain
(2) Squirt: Line of water deals nonlethal damage.
New Paladin Spells
1st-Level Paladin Spells
Armaments of Faith: Arms and armor are conjured directly on to your body.
Surge of Strength: Gain temporary strength and hit points.
Summon Weapon: Summons bonded weapon to your hand.
2nd-Level Paladin Spells
Blade of the Sun: Weapon shines with brilliant energy for one round.
Divine Footstep: Tread on air for one round.
Merciful Weapon: Weapon deals nonlethal damage.
Searing Blade: Weapon deals 3d6 extra points of damage against undead and oozes, half that against others.
3rd-Level Paladin Spells
Celestial Flight: Subject sprouts wings and flies at speed of 40 ft.
Lash of Morals: Your weapons deal Charisma damage to nongood creatures.
Piggyback: Latch on to a creature as it teleports, retaining your relative position.
4th-Level Paladin Spells
Strike of Law: Weapon paralyzes your enemy for one round.
5th-Level Paladin Spells
Banishing Weapon: Melee weapon banishes outsiders.
Mace of the Astral Deva: Creature struck twice with weapon must save or be stunned.
6th-Level Paladin Spells
Assault of the Sevenfold Heaven: Creature is subjected to an array of prismatic effects.
Bow of the Solar: Creature must save or be destroyed.
Form of the Celestial: You assume the form of a majestic celestial.
New Ranger Spells
1st-level Ranger Spells
Elemental Weapons: Your weapons deal an additional 1d6 points of energy damage.
Elfcloak: You blend in with your surroundings, making it easier to hide.
Bloodhound: Grants one creature the scent special ability.
2nd-Level Ranger Spells
Stunning Arrow: Imbue a single projectile with the power to stun the creature it strikes.
Twin Blade Dance: Stun opponents struck with a pair of weapons.
3rd-Level Ranger Spells
Bloodletting Arrow: Arrow deals constitution damage.
Hail of Arrows: Fire a ranged weapon at multiple targets within range.
4th-Level Ranger Spells
Paralyzing Arrow: Imbue a single projectile with the power to paralyze the creature it strikes.
Seeker Arrow: Missile fired ignores line of effect.
Step through Earth: Travel instantaneously through the ground.
Vicious Weapons: Melee weapons you wield deal constitution damage.
5th-level Ranger Spells
Adapt Body: Your body automatically adapts to hostile environments.
Phase Arrow: Arrow passes through the ethereal plane on its way to its target.
6th-level Ranger Spells
Arrow of Death: Imbue a single projectile with the power to instantly slay the creature it strikes.
Free Run: Boosts overland travel speed to miraculous levels.
New Sorcerer/Wizard Spells
1st-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spells
Eldritch Orb: Create an orb of energy in your hand that you can throw or attack with in melee.
Mental Link: You forge a limited mental bond with another creature.
3rd-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spells
Blindsense: Subject can notice things it cannot see.
Crisis of Breath: Disrupt subject’s breathing.
Forced Visions: Useless, distracting visions flash before subject’s eyes.
Piggyback: Latch on to a creature as it teleports, retaining your relative position.
Shadow Warriors: A group of warriors made of shadow matter appears.
Suppress Magic: Renders willing spellcaster incapable of casting spells.
4th-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spells
Feedback Orb: Orb burns off spell points, dealing damage.
5th-level Sorcerer/Wizard Spells
X-ray Vision: Grants you the ability to see through solid matter.
6th-level Sorcerer/Wizard Spells
Shun: Subject is forced away.
Abjurer Spells
(1) Dismantle Magic: Slowly dispel a spell.
(2) Dweomer Rip: Damages creatures with active magical effects on them.
(6) Dweomer Blockade: You cut a creature off from all magic.
Necromancer Spells
(5) Baleful Resurrection: Returns subject from the dead - mostly.
Dread Knight Spell List
1st-Level Dread Knight Spells
Aura of Retribution: Enemies suffer ill effects from attacking you.
Bane: Enemies take -1 on attack rolls and saves against fear.
Blackfire: Fires shed light for you only.
Corrupt Weapon: Weapon bypasses the defenses of good foes.
Cursed Blade: Wounds caused by weapon refuse to heal.
Detect Poison: Detects poison or disease in one creature or small object.
Disguise Self: Changes your appearance.
Eldritch Orb: Create an orb of energy in your hand that you can throw or attack with in melee.
Expeditious Retreat: Your speed increases by 30 ft.
Fear: One creature flees for 1d4 rounds.
Hexenstrike: Deal additional damage to Cursed target.
Hideous Laughter: Subject loses actions for 1 round/level.
Magic Weapon: Weapon gains +1 bonus.
Mount: Summons magical riding horse for 2 hours/level.
Sleep: Puts 4 HD of creatures into magical slumber.
Uncanny Accuracy: Your underhanded attacks are surprisingly effective.
2nd-Level Dread Knight Spells
Blindness: Negates one of the subject’s senses.
Dancing Blade: Weapon flies out and attacks enemies within an area.
Darkvision: See 30 ft. in total darkness.
False Life: Gain 1d10 temporary hp.
Invisibility: Subject is invisible for 1 min./level or until it attacks.
Mirror Image: Creates decoy duplicates of you.
Rage: Subjects are thrown into a fit of anger, with various effects.
Resistance: Grants a Resistance bonus on saving throws.
See Invisibility: Reveals invisible creatures or objects.
Suggestion: Compels subject to follow stated course of action.
Touch of Idiocy: Subject takes 1d6 points of Int, Wis, or Cha damage.
Wombat’s Boost: Subject gains +4 to an ability score for 1 min./level.
3rd-Level Dread Knight Spells
Bestow Curse: -6 to an ability score; -4 on attack rolls, saves, and checks; or 50% chance of losing each action.
Dispel Magic: Cancels magical spells and effects.
Keen Edge: Doubles normal weapon’s threat range.
Magic Vestment: Armor or shield gains +2 enhancement bonus.
Nondetection: Masks object or creature against scrying.
Noxious Vapors: Nauseating vapors, 1 round/level.
Life Tap: Curse allows attackers to heal from the victim’s life force.
Poison: Creates a temporary batch of poison.
Remove Curse: Frees object or person from curse.
Slow: One creature takes only one action/round, -1 to AC, reflex saves, and attack rolls.
Unnatural Edge: Critical hits by weapon become more dangerous.
Vampiric Touch: Touch deals 3d6 damage; caster gains damage as hp.
4th-Level Dread Knight Spells
Contagion: Infects subject with chosen disease.
Detect Scrying: Alerts you of magical eavesdropping.
Dimension Door: Teleports you short distance.
Denial of Death’s Embrace: Subject cannot die from hit point damage.
Enervation: Subject gains 1d4 negative levels.
Phantasmal Killer: Fearsome illusion kills subject or renders it unconscious.
Planar Ally: Request aid from an extraplanar creature.
5th-Level Dread Knight Spells
Baleful Polymorph: Transforms subject into harmless animal.
Dominate: Controls humanoid telepathically.
Feeblemind: Subject’s Int and Cha drop to 1.
Form of the Horror: Subject gains the form of a tentacled monstrosity.
Widowmaker Blade: Melee weapon culls out the weak.
True Seeing: Lets you see all things as they really are.
6th-Level Dread Knight Spells
Crushing Onset of Age: Subject ages, withers, and dies before your eyes.
Deadly Fright: Humanoid dies of fright.
Dweomer Blockade: You cut a creature off from all magic.
Inexorable Onset of Death: Creature gains one negative level per round until it dies.
Mind Blank, Personal: You are immune to scrying and mental effects.
Spell Karma: Spells rebound back on subject.
Spellbreaker Spell List
1st-Level Spellbreaker Spells
Arcane Flux: Causes spellcaster to lose concentration.
Bloodhound: Grants one creature the scent special ability.
Dismantle Magic: Slowly dispel a spell.
Discern Spellcaster: Reveals whether target creature is a spellcaster.
Expeditious Retreat: Your speed increases by 30 ft.
Insightful Strikes: Your magical insight grants you vision enough into the future to strike more effectively.
Magic Aura: Alters object’s magic aura.
Magic Weapon: Weapon gains +1 bonus.
Shield: Invisible disc gives +4 to AC.
True Strike: +20 on your next attack roll.
Winged Weapon: Allows weapon to fly for one round.
2nd-Level Spellbreaker Spells
Dancing Blade: Weapon flies out and attacks enemies within an area.
Resistance : Grants a Resistance bonus on saving throws.
Resist Energy: Ignores first 10 (or more) points of damage/attack from specified energy type.
Silence: Negates sound in 20-ft. radius.
Swift Fly: Fly for a few moments.
Swift Haste: Act with increased speed for a few moments.
Swift See Invisibility: See the invisible for a few moments.
Wombat’s Boost: Subject gains +4 to an ability score for 1 min./level.
3rd-Level Spellbreaker Spells
Dispel Magic: Cancels magical spells and effects.
Feedback Orb: Orb burns off spell points, dealing damage.
Keen Edge: Doubles normal weapon’s threat range.
Magic Vestment: Armor or shield gains +2 enhancement bonus.
Nondetection: Masks object or creature against scrying.
Piggyback: Latch on to a creature as it teleports, retaining your relative position.
Remove Curse: Frees object or person from curse.
Roguespace: Allows you to completely dodge certain effects that allow a reflex save.
Suppress Magic: Renders willing spellcaster incapable of casting spells.
4th-Level Spellbreaker Spells
Detect Scrying: Alerts you of magical eavesdropping.
Dimension Door: Teleports you short distance.
Dimensional Anchor: Bars extradimensional movement.
Freedom of Movement: Subject moves normally despite impediments.
Globe of Invulnerability: Stops low-powered spell effects.
Stoneskin: Ignore 7 points of damage per attack.
5th-Level Spellbreaker Spells
Antimagic Field: Negates magic within 10 ft.
Dimensional Barrier: Teleportation and interplanar travel are briefly blocked in your immediate vicinity.
Dismissal: Forces a creature to return to native plane.
Dweomer Blockade: You cut a creature off from all magic.
Spell Resistance: Subject gains SR 12 + level.
New Magic
Additions to the spellcasting system beyond simple psionic conversion can be found here.
Modifications to the System
A New Descriptor
Curse
Circle Magic
Circle Magic is the term used to describe spellcasting performed through a special bond formed between two or more spellcasters.
A magic Circle is formed when a spellcaster with the ability to serve as a Circle Magic Leader wills it into existence as a standard action. Any spellcasting character can then join this proto-Circle as a standard action. The abilities of the Circle Leader limit the potential number of Circle members, as well as the distance between them. A Circle Leader can choose not to accept spellcasters to his Circle, causing the attempt to join the Circle to fail.
After forming or joining the Circle, each member (including the Circle Leader) must spend a free action at the start of his turn to maintain the connection for another round, or lose the bond to the Circle. While in the Circle, a spellcaster must make a Concentration check or lose the bond should he be damaged or otherwise distracted. Should the Circle Leader lose concentration or stop maintaining the Circle, the Circle immediately ends unless another member has the ability to be a Circle Leader. If such a member exists, that member becomes a Circle Leader in its stead. If the Circle contains two or more members so qualified, they must immediately and unanimously choose a successor amongst themselves, or the Circle ends.
When a spellcaster forms or joins a Circle, he commits one or more spell points to a shared pool. While the spellcaster remains a member of the Circle, he can choose to use either his own spell points or those from the shared pool to fuel his spellcasting. A Circle member who leaves the Circle regains a number of spell points equal to the number of spell points in the shared pool divided by the number of members (prior to the member leaving), up to a maximum equal to the number of points that member originally committed. The shared pool loses the same number of spell points as the leaving member regains.
Likewise, when a spellcaster forms or joins a Circle, he makes one or more of his spells known available for use by the Circle. Any member of the Circle can then use this spell as if it were their own known spell (note that not all spells may be usable by all Circle members, such as due to caster level and spell point spending restrictions, or alignment restrictions). The spells so shared remain available to the Circle for as long as the member who contributed them remains a member of the Circle.
Mage Duels
Mage duels are a way for spellcasters to test their mettle against one another.
Starting a Mage Duel: To start a mage duel, a spellcaster issues a challenge to another spellcaster as a standard action. The challenged must then accept the challenge as a standard action for the duel to begin.
As soon as the duel begins, make a Test of Power (see below).
The challenger and the challenged must be able to perceive one another, but the duel can be performed at any distance.
You can never start a mage duel with a nonspellcaster or an unwilling spellcaster (Exception: see Deadly Duelist).
Duel Checks: Repeatedly in a mage duel, the contestants must make opposed duel checks. A duel check is an ability check, using that spellcaster’s key ability modifier. In addition, a spellcaster may spend spell points on a one-to-one basis to increase his duel check. The choice of whether to spend spell points must be made before the duel check is rolled. As when casting spells, a spellcaster may never spend more spell points on a given duel check than his caster level.
A natural 20 or natural 1 is not an automatic success or failure on a duel check. On a tie, roll again (using the same spell point investiture) until the tie is resolved. You can forfeit a duel check that you do not wish to win.
Dueling Consequences: While you’re in a mage duel, your ability to attack others and defend yourself is limited.
No Threatened Squares: You don’t threaten any squares.
No Dexterity Bonus: You lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if you have one).
No Movement: You can’t move.
If You’re Dueling: When you are dueling (regardless of who started the duel), you can perform the following actions.
Cast a Spell: You can attempt to cast a spell while dueling, provided its casting time is no more than 1 standard action and it either has no verbal or somatic components or its components have been suppressed.
Quit the Duel: You can break off the duel by winning a duel check against your opponent as a standard action.
Test of Power: Make an opposed duel check as a standard action. If you win, you deal 1d6 points of nonlethal damage plus your key ability modifier to your opponent. If you lose, you take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage plus your opponent’s key ability modifier.
If the duelists are rendered incapable of perceiving one another at any point, the duel ends immediately.
Multiple Duelists: A spellcaster can duel any number of opponents simultaneously. Resolve the duels separately.
Appearance: A mage duel is evidenced by visual clues that can be identified with a DC 10 Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft check. These clues may be subtle or obvious, depending on the personalities, power and specializations of the spellcasters involved in the duel.
New Companion Types
Undead Lackey
An Undead Lackey is a loyal skeleton or zombie granted a measure of intelligence by a spellcaster with the Undead Lackey feat.
The Undead Lackey is based on one of the creatures on the following list: bat, cat, rat, raven, wolf, or human. If a human is selected, it is based on a 1st-level Warrior with three ability scores of 10 and three of 11. Only a normal, unmodified creature may become an Undead Lackey.
See below for details on how familiars work.
Undead Lackey Statistics
To create an Undead Lackey, apply the skeleton or zombie template to the base creature, with the following exceptions:
Hit Dice: An Undead Lackey becomes a creature with a number of hit dice equal to the master’s number of levels in spellcasting classes (levels of different spellcasting classes stack), regardless of how many hit dice the original creature had. These hit dice are undead hit dice, with its base attack bonus and base saving throws being modified accordingly. When the master gains additional levels in a spellcasting class, the Undead Lackey gains additional magical beast hit dice. Hit Points: Undead Lackeys gain hit points as characters do, gaining the maximum possible number of hit points at first HD, and rolling thereafter. As an undead creature, an Undead Lackey does not add any Constitution bonus to its hit points.
Ability Scores: An Undead Lackey’s mental ability scores are all changed to 10, rather than as normal for the skeleton or zombie template. It gains ability score increases as its number of HD increases as any other creature does.
Skills: The Undead Lackey gains 4 skill points per HD, as normal for creatures of the undead type with an intelligence score. The Undead Lackey’s master may rearrange the base creature’s skill ranks when the Undead Lackey is raised. The Undead Lackey’s “class” skills are the same as that of its master. The Undead Lackey retains any racial skill bonuses it may have.
Feats: The Undead Lackey’s master may rearrange the base creature’s feats (other than racial bonus feats) when the creature is summoned. The Undead Lackey gains a bonus feat from the chosen template (Improved Initiative for Skeletons and Toughness for Zombies) as normal. The Undead Lackey gains additional feats as it gains extra hit dice, as other creatures do. The Undead Lackey may choose any feat for which it qualifies, including special Companion Feats.
An Undead Lackey can speak one language of its master’s choice (so long as it is a language the owner knows). An Undead Lackey can understand all other languages known by its master, but cannot speak them. This is a supernatural ability.
Raising an Undead Lackey
Raising an Undead Lackey requires the expenditure of magical components costing 100 GP, and performing a ritual on the corpse of the base creature that takes 1 hour to complete.
Undead Lackeys and Destruction
Resurrecting or replacing a destroyed Undead Lackey requires this same ritual as raising one (including the material cost). Resurrecting an Undead Lackey requires access to the remains of the destroyed creature.
This “resurrection” or replacement fully restores it, it does not have experience to lose as characters do, its abilities are a function of its master.
If a spellcaster who is the master of an Undead Lackey dies, the companion is destroyed, becoming an inert corpse.
Dismissing an Undead Lackey
A master may dismiss his Undead Lackey at any time. The Undead Lackey then immediately de-animates, becoming a normal corpse.
The Undead Lackey itself, despite its sentience, is forever fully loyal to its master, and is incapable of choosing to sever ties with its master.
Vermin Companion
A vermin companion is the trusty, non-intelligent sidekick of a character with the Vermin Companion feat.
This vermin is a monstrous centipede, scorpion, or spider (or another monstrous vermin of similar power, at the GM’s discretion).
A vermin companion functions precisely as a Animal Companion does, with the following exceptions:
Body and size: A vermin companion’s base size depends on its number of hit dice. Use the base statistics of the largest monstrous vermin of the appropriate type whose unmodified number of hit dice is at most equal to the vermin companion’s number of hit dice. For example, a spider companion with 1 HD is small (and uses the Monstrous Spider, Small statistics block), a spider companion with 2 hit dice is medium, a spider companion with 3 to 4 HD is large, and so on.
Type: Replace all references to the animal type with corresponding references to the vermin type.
Ability Scores: A vermin companion retains its own ability scores. It does not gain ability score increases as it gains additional hit dice. Use the base ability scores of a monstrous vermin of the creature’s current size.
Skills: A vermin companion does not have any skill ranks. It retains any racial skill bonuses it may have.
Feats: A vermin companion does not have any feats.
Vermin companions are non-intelligent. They can follow very simple instructions issued by their master (such as “go over there” and “don’t eat the horse”), but otherwise revert to their natural behaviour.
Bonding a vermin companion involves finding the creature in question, and weaning it to the master’s presence through 1 hour of interaction.