Mages traditionally are known for many items- wands, rods, staffs, orbs, or even stranger items. This allows an option for mages who would like an item, rather than the standard option of a familiar. This might be one of the options mentioned above, but could be an amulet containing the source of their magical power, a specific weapon, a brooch, a particular statuette, or other option as allowed by the Game Master. Note: This class ability is intended for use with my Mage class. If used with an ordinary Sorcerer/Wizard, it may take some tweaking. As part of their training (or leading up to when they select the ability), the mage carefully crafts or receives the item, personalises it with their own touches, and attunes the item to their unique magical signature. It might be handed down to them by a master, or be a traditional item of their family. What matters is their familiarity with the item, and the ability to continue developing it over time, whether that means engraving runes upon the item, investing magical power into its crystal matrix, or imbuing it with their soul. Statistics: As the Mage advances in levels, the focus item (or sometimes just 'focus') gains additional powers, as below. If the Mage's focus item is destroyed, they gain the drained condition, increasing the hit point cost of any spellcasting they perform, until they can craft a new focus. Benefits: Double hardness: The Focus is supernaturally hardened, and doubles its ordinary hardness. It also has 5 hit points per Mage level, making it extraordinarily difficult to destroy. Cantrips: The Mage's focus can emit a soft light as per the spell at will, which is maintained without concentration until the mage dismisses it as a free action, or if the mage drops to 0 or fewer hit points. In addition, the focus item can hold a single cantrip of the mage's choice when it is first crafted. Once per day as a standard action, the mage can activate this cantrip from the staff as if they were casting it. The cantrip's save DC is always 10. Deliver touch spells: The Mage may choose to use their focus to deliver a touch spell. If the focus is a weapon, this is made as an attack roll instead of a touch attack. If this attack roll is a critical hit, the spell's damage is also multiplied as per the critical. Enhanced defence/weapon: From 3rd level, the Mage gains a +1 enhancement bonus to Armour Class and saving throws while grasping their focus in at least one hand. If the focus is a weapon, it also gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. From 7th level, this enhancement bonus increases to +2, and at 13th level, it increases to +3. Drain resistance: From 5th level, the Mage gains Drain Resistance 1 while holding their focus in at least one hand. Note that this does not stack with drain resistance from being in Focus, but does stack with the reduction in spellcasting costs from the Arcane Font ability. From 15th level, this increases to Drain Resistance 2. Call item: From 9th level, as a standard action, the Mage can call their focus to their hand. Unless restrained somehow, it flies at a rate of 50 feet per round. If it is being restrained, it uses the Mage's Charisma bonus as its Strength modifier. The focus attempts to fly in a straight line, and does not possess any pathfinding ability. From 19th level, the Mage can choose instead to have their focus teleport to their hand. Mighty: From 11th level, the Mage can take a standard action to 'charge' their focus. This 'charge' lasts a maximum of 3 rounds, and is discharged the next time the mage uses the focus to cast a damaging spell through, or deliver an attack (if it is a weapon). The focus increases the spell's damage (or the attack's damage) by an additional +1d6. This does not apply if the attack would not normally inflict damage (or is used to deliver a non-damaging spell, for example). From 17th level, this bonus is +2d6 damage. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 8 May 2019. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
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