Hello, guyz... this is my first time posting on these forums. Before i begin, i just have to say that i love homebrewing... i may not be the best at doing so (i tend to create overpowered stuff), but i love creating stuff.
So i have my own setting and try to homebrew rules for it for more than a year now. At first my base was World of Darkness (yes i am aiming for dark/flavor campaign). I created more than 200 pages of content that i m not satisfied with and my players dont seem to enjoy either.
So after few discussions on reddit i toyed with many scenarios (Godbound, Exalted, etc etc). So here i am i decided to give 5e a try.Before i continue with the mage class and just to be clear, my goal to create something that has freedom for narration like Fate or WoD but has enough space for strategic thinking and theory crafting like DnD.
The flavor of the mage is as followed: mages are born with magic. It is part of their being and soul. No1 can learn magic like wizards do for example. Magic manifests at the mages will therefore they can pretty much do anything they can think of if they have enough talent/skill.
Their magic is tied to one of five elements (classic four plus aether). So this is implemented in the form of Improvised Spellcasting like in Mage the Awakening in a way (a very different game i know... see more info below).
In addition to that, magic has two drawbacks: one is Backlash. This is when a mage attempts to go beyond his limit or attempts something vulgar or powerful his physical form gets wounded. In MtA i implemented this through Spell Reach. When a mage added Spell Reach to a spell Backlash happened in the form of Bashing Damage that could not be healed.
The second drawback is the chance of losing control. Just because magic is tied to a mages souls (emotions) they can lose control when getting angry and go into a spell frenzy of sorts. So this is the flavor ... let me post u the class itself in a sec (or what i have ready for now atleast).
Mage
This class replaces all Classes that focus on spellcasting; like Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric and Druid, but not Artificer, Paladin and Ranger. Warlock is a special case.
Description: Mages follow the Sorcerer core class features and spellcasting. They have spells and Cantrips known as described at the table.
Armor Proficiency: No
Weapon Proficiency: Simple
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom and Intelligence or Charisma (picked by the player)
Skill: (Background Proficiency Optional rule DMG)
Sorcerous Origin: Instead of traditional Origins, the Mage chooses a Path
lvl
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Spells
1
+2
Spellcasting, Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
2
+2
Font of Magic
As Sorcerer
3
+2
Metamagic
As Sorcerer
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
5
+3
As Sorcerer
6
+3
Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
7
+3
As Sorcerer
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
9
+4
As Sorcerer
10
+4
Metamagic
As Sorcerer
11
+4
As Sorcerer
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
13
+5
As Sorcerer
14
+5
Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
15
+5
As Sorcerer
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
17
+6
As Sorcerer
18
+6
Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
20
+6
Sorcerous Restoration
As Sorcerer
Mage Paths
The player chooses his Mage’s blessing and the Star alignment he belongs. Each Path is tied to an Element among Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Aether. The character can Improvise Spells tied to his element (see below) and gets to add his Ability modifier to any spell that deals damage of his element.
Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence or Wisdom or Charisma
Elemental Resistance: Radiant and Necrotic (but not Backlash damage)
Turn Undead (and progression)
Divine Purity
Divine Aspect (gain flight speed and recover Spell Slots when casting high level Spells)
Improvised Spellcasting: the character gains the ability to cast spells at a whim even if a spell is not on his Known Spell list. These spells must be of his Path’s Sphere of Influence and the character must expend a Spell Slot higher than the appropriate level. For example, a Fire Mage wants to improvise Fireball expends a 4 level Spell Slot to cast the spell even if he does not have Fireball to his Known Spell List.
If the player wants to produce an effect that is not described by any DnD spells, then the Storyteller must declare the Spell level equivalent.
To facilitate this theme Cantrips have a more abstract concept. Therefore there is not a specified effect like Firebolt, but more open concept like Thaumaturgy.
So the following Cantrips are introduced:
Influence Element (Fire, Water, Air, Earth): This allows the mage to manipulate the element around him, change its quality or even attack someone in a distance (60ft).
Awaken Mind (Fire, Water Aether): The mage can influence basic thoughts for a limited duration, talk to someone’s mind or gain advantage on next roll.
Paradox (Backlash effect)
Description: Option 1: When casting any Spell (not Cantrips) Roll a Wisdom Saving Throw DC: 10+Spell level cast. Option 2: When the character wants to add a Metamagic on a Spell for free without expending spell points.
Dramatic Failure: Character takes Backlash damage (see above) and has disadvantage on the next Paradox roll.
Failure: Character takes 1d4 points of necrotic damage per spell level. While in Spell Rage, the character does not take damage, but another effect takes effect thematic to his Path.
Success: Character is not affected
Critical Success: Character avoids Backlash damage and has advantage on the next Paradox roll.
Spell Rage
Description: Whatever the cause of Ecstatic frenzy, Mages may try to resist the Mysty Surge and maintain control by rolling a Wisdom Saving Throw against DC: 8 +Charisma. The player rolls whenever his character gets “triggered” (see below), but once per Scene. If the character makes a successful roll against one specific trigger, he is immune to the same trigger for the rest of the Scene. If any of the rolls fail, however, the character goes berserk and his magic is awakened. The DC increases with greater provocation.
Triggers:
Threatened (character is at half health or vitality)
Mages consumes a Tass or channels energy from a place of power
A loved one is slain: +2 DC
Success: Character remains calm and becomes immune to the trigger for the rest of the encounter
Failure: Character goes berserk until he unleashes all he has against his enemies.
So i am open to suggestions! I know it is very powerful, but i dont mind powerful. I 'd prefer powerful and flavorful than limited (flavor-wise) and balanced. I only want it not to be game breaking ... no one wants that ! :P i ve toyed with many ideas, but this is what i have rdy for now.
Keep in mind that i dont want the flavor to change (improvised and abstract casting, spell rage or backlash) i d want to tweak the numbers maybe? or set some rules for it to be smoother? cause i acknowledge this is a lot of rolls for a player to make in a round.
This is really great!! I'm looking to make a mage class as well, but I'm working on it to be more of a separate class from the main ones we have now. I'm looking to make it a blaster/mobility based class that can use a lot of Cantrips, and change the way spells work. I'd love to talk more about it sometime.
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Hello, guyz... this is my first time posting on these forums. Before i begin, i just have to say that i love homebrewing... i may not be the best at doing so (i tend to create overpowered stuff), but i love creating stuff.
So i have my own setting and try to homebrew rules for it for more than a year now. At first my base was World of Darkness (yes i am aiming for dark/flavor campaign). I created more than 200 pages of content that i m not satisfied with and my players dont seem to enjoy either.
So after few discussions on reddit i toyed with many scenarios (Godbound, Exalted, etc etc). So here i am i decided to give 5e a try.Before i continue with the mage class and just to be clear, my goal to create something that has freedom for narration like Fate or WoD but has enough space for strategic thinking and theory crafting like DnD.
The flavor of the mage is as followed: mages are born with magic. It is part of their being and soul. No1 can learn magic like wizards do for example. Magic manifests at the mages will therefore they can pretty much do anything they can think of if they have enough talent/skill.
Their magic is tied to one of five elements (classic four plus aether). So this is implemented in the form of Improvised Spellcasting like in Mage the Awakening in a way (a very different game i know... see more info below).
In addition to that, magic has two drawbacks: one is Backlash. This is when a mage attempts to go beyond his limit or attempts something vulgar or powerful his physical form gets wounded. In MtA i implemented this through Spell Reach. When a mage added Spell Reach to a spell Backlash happened in the form of Bashing Damage that could not be healed.
The second drawback is the chance of losing control. Just because magic is tied to a mages souls (emotions) they can lose control when getting angry and go into a spell frenzy of sorts. So this is the flavor ... let me post u the class itself in a sec (or what i have ready for now atleast).
Mage
This class replaces all Classes that focus on spellcasting; like Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric and Druid, but not Artificer, Paladin and Ranger. Warlock is a special case.
Description: Mages follow the Sorcerer core class features and spellcasting. They have spells and Cantrips known as described at the table.
Armor Proficiency: No
Weapon Proficiency: Simple
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom and Intelligence or Charisma (picked by the player)
Skill: (Background Proficiency Optional rule DMG)
Sorcerous Origin: Instead of traditional Origins, the Mage chooses a Path
lvl
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Spells
1
+2
Spellcasting, Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
2
+2
Font of Magic
As Sorcerer
3
+2
Metamagic
As Sorcerer
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
5
+3
As Sorcerer
6
+3
Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
7
+3
As Sorcerer
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
9
+4
As Sorcerer
10
+4
Metamagic
As Sorcerer
11
+4
As Sorcerer
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
13
+5
As Sorcerer
14
+5
Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
15
+5
As Sorcerer
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
17
+6
As Sorcerer
18
+6
Star Alignment Feature
As Sorcerer
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
As Sorcerer
20
+6
Sorcerous Restoration
As Sorcerer
Mage Paths
The player chooses his Mage’s blessing and the Star alignment he belongs. Each Path is tied to an Element among Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Aether. The character can Improvise Spells tied to his element (see below) and gets to add his Ability modifier to any spell that deals damage of his element.
Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence or Wisdom or Charisma
Fire
Sphere of Influence: Passion, Charisma, Fire, Light, Cleansing, Purification, Creation, Thought.
Bonus Features:
Water
Sphere of Influence: Contemplation, Purity, Clarity, Cleansing, Ocean, Water, Rain, Healing, Empathy, Life.
Bonus Features:
Earth
Sphere of Influence: Endurance, Space, Metal, Rock, Wood, Life, Creation, Communion, Resistance.
Bonus Features:
Air
Sphere of Influence: Wind, Weather, Storm, Sound, Travelling, Spirit, Breath, Agility, Fate, Manipulation.
Bonus Features:
Aether
Sphere of Influence: Divinity, Law, Prime, Creation, Death, Life, Morality, Spirit, Essence, Heavens, Hell.
Bonus Features:
Improvised Spellcasting: the character gains the ability to cast spells at a whim even if a spell is not on his Known Spell list. These spells must be of his Path’s Sphere of Influence and the character must expend a Spell Slot higher than the appropriate level. For example, a Fire Mage wants to improvise Fireball expends a 4 level Spell Slot to cast the spell even if he does not have Fireball to his Known Spell List.
If the player wants to produce an effect that is not described by any DnD spells, then the Storyteller must declare the Spell level equivalent.
To facilitate this theme Cantrips have a more abstract concept. Therefore there is not a specified effect like Firebolt, but more open concept like Thaumaturgy.
So the following Cantrips are introduced:
Paradox (Backlash effect)
Description: Option 1: When casting any Spell (not Cantrips) Roll a Wisdom Saving Throw DC: 10+Spell level cast. Option 2: When the character wants to add a Metamagic on a Spell for free without expending spell points.
Dramatic Failure: Character takes Backlash damage (see above) and has disadvantage on the next Paradox roll.
Failure: Character takes 1d4 points of necrotic damage per spell level. While in Spell Rage, the character does not take damage, but another effect takes effect thematic to his Path.
Success: Character is not affected
Critical Success: Character avoids Backlash damage and has advantage on the next Paradox roll.
Spell Rage
Description: Whatever the cause of Ecstatic frenzy, Mages may try to resist the Mysty Surge and maintain control by rolling a Wisdom Saving Throw against DC: 8 +Charisma. The player rolls whenever his character gets “triggered” (see below), but once per Scene. If the character makes a successful roll against one specific trigger, he is immune to the same trigger for the rest of the Scene. If any of the rolls fail, however, the character goes berserk and his magic is awakened. The DC increases with greater provocation.
Triggers:
Success: Character remains calm and becomes immune to the trigger for the rest of the encounter
Failure: Character goes berserk until he unleashes all he has against his enemies.
So i am open to suggestions! I know it is very powerful, but i dont mind powerful. I 'd prefer powerful and flavorful than limited (flavor-wise) and balanced. I only want it not to be game breaking ... no one wants that ! :P i ve toyed with many ideas, but this is what i have rdy for now.
Keep in mind that i dont want the flavor to change (improvised and abstract casting, spell rage or backlash) i d want to tweak the numbers maybe? or set some rules for it to be smoother? cause i acknowledge this is a lot of rolls for a player to make in a round.
Thanks in advance!!
This is really great!! I'm looking to make a mage class as well, but I'm working on it to be more of a separate class from the main ones we have now. I'm looking to make it a blaster/mobility based class that can use a lot of Cantrips, and change the way spells work. I'd love to talk more about it sometime.