New Feats and Spells

Feats

Ritual magic

The character learns the basics of ritual magic, and can use Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), or Spellcraft to figure out basic information about how ritual magic works.

Figuring out a ritual greatly increases the chance of success (performing a ritual blind increases all DCs by +5).

A ritualist may have up to 3 ‘figured out’ rituals at a time, and can swap in new rituals.

The difficulty does not improve for re-researching a previously known ritual, though the researcher at least has a good expectation of what it will look like once learned.

Ritual magic is outlined more fully in the thaumaturge class, as a greater version of weavings. While based on Incantations from Unearthed Arcana, ritual magic calculates base DC a little simpler: 18 + 2 per spell level, minimum backlash of 1. Incantation modifiers apply to tweak the spell, but otherwise range/duration/targets are determined more in line with specific spells.

Rituals are more quirky, often applying time limits (only on the full moon) or having very specific effects (teleport from one specific location to another specific location).

The effects of failure are usually quite deadly (teleport parts of you to different locations, or teleport straight up or down...). Generally, the failure is calculated as a spell of equivalent level.

Characters cannot Aid Another to perform a ritual. Instead, if any help is allowed, it counts toward helpers as outlined in thaumaturgic weaving (basically, -1 DC for each sqrt of # of helpers).

Helpers can be even more useful in a ritual because rituals more often involve unexpected or unusual skills that the main caster does not have.

Ritual mastery

Prerequisite: Ritual magic

The character may research an additional 3 rituals.

Mundane works

Mundane works are great achievements that have a fundamentally mundane structure. They are treated like rituals, but they don’t actually involve magic. This makes them more limited, but also the failure of mundane works is usually more limited as well.

So, for example, a cook may want to create a grand banquet to honor the Duke. The effect is a level one spell of ‘good will,’ without any specific dramatic effect, and requires a single success.

The cook may later want to create a banquet that will be remembered for years, and plans on an expanded version of heroes’ feast, affecting dozens of guests. This is roughly a 7th level effect.

The cook is likely to use material components (500 gp), intervals of hours (cooking for a day or two beforehand), and employ many helpers, with a backlash of exhaustion and possibly incidental damage due to the effort.

If successful, it will be a night to be remembered, with miraculous good health and ease of suffering to all who attend.

If the effort fails, it will also be a night to be remembered, as every guest is affected by poison.

Like ritual magic, mundane work permits 3 ‘studied’ efforts.

Mundane mastery

Prerequisite: Mundane works

As with ritual mastery, 3 additional effects.

 A character with ritual magic can also perform mundane works, and vice versa; the feats are interchangeable, and the pool of learned incantations can be applied to either magical or mundane efforts.

Like with magical efforts, anyone can attempt a ‘mundane work.’

Skill Training

You hone your skills over time.

Benefit

You immediately gain an extra 5 skill points. You spend these skill points as normal. You cannot exceed the normal maximum ranks for your level in any skill.

Special

You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you immediately gain another 5 skill points.

Note This is not a new feat exactly, but Open Minded from Psionics handbook, modified slightly to account for Pathfinder skill rules.

Companions

There are several types of companion feats. Only one feat may be selected (though the player may change the feat over time, if desired and after appropriate events/efforts).

While characters may gain mounts and animals in normal ways, a companion is something special. This is the same as the druidic ability, using the character's character level for druid level.

Cohort

Characters may have hirelings in the normal course of events. A cohort is something special, an individual with a true connection to the character.

A cohort is a warrior or expert with NPC wealth level, equal in level to the character.

Familiar

As the sorcerer/wizard ability, the character has a small creature that has an intimate spiritual bond.

If the character lacks spellcaster level, the familiar has Int 5, basic familiar qualities, but none of the other adjustments or familiar special abilities. The character has an empathic link with the familiar, but the range is limited to about 100 feet.

Concoters and thaumaturges have caster level (even if the effect may be limited), and can advance familiar abilities. Also, these characters may take improved familiar. The familiars available at caster level 7 are adjusted down to available at level 6.

Item bond

The character has a single legendary weapon (or other item), and may freely 'discover' new abilities or powers in the item. Effectively, the character uses level +5 to craft new magical functions of the item, regardless of feats or training.

The character is assumed to have any needed prerequisites for the item.

Note that the character can still fail in this attempt, either cracking the spirit of the item or revealing malevolence as it becomes cursed.

This feat does not confer any special ability to use the item (such as a wand).

The item must have a coherent 'theme' that governs or limits what powers may be discovered. Alternately (and more entertainingly), the player can leave details up to the DM.

Many characters will want to take this feat if they lack the ability to create or find magical items.

Sorcerer/wizard cantrips

Ignition

School evocation [fire]; Level sorcerer/wizard 0

Casting Time 1 standard action

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Effect target ignites or takes minor damage

Duration instantaneous

Saving Throw Reflex none; Spell Resistance yes

This handy cantrip is often used to light candles or to start campfires. With unattended candles, lamps, and kindling, the cantrip simply ignites the item with a brief, small, point of heat. Creatures, and held objects, are entitled to a Reflex save to evade the mote.

If the target is particularly flammable (covered in oil, made of some dry combustible material, and the like), the target immediately ignites, taking 1d6 damage. Putting out the fire after that is governed by

(and normal Reflex save DC of 15).

Most targets are not flammable. Instead, they simply take 1 point of fire damage on a failed Reflex save.