WIZARD - SORCERER Chronomancer Kit Description: Chronomancers are shadowy figures by choice. Nearly all of these strange wizards hide their ability to manipulate time from all but their closest companions, and large numbers of them take this one step further by hiding the fact that they are even a wizard. Some believe that their operations would be hindered should chronomancy become widespread knowledge, such that all of their time and effort would be wasted fixing temporal problems created by others. Some wish to cloister their power within a small elite cadre of 'insiders', while others simply fear how the ignorant masses (peasants and nobles alike) would react to the prospect of manipulation of time. For these reasons and any number of others, secrecy is deeply ingrained into Chronomancers at an early stage in their training and is fostered throughout the rest of their lives. It is a puzzle that some Chronomancers can even trust an apprentice enough to pass on their mystical knowledge. Many Chronomancers take the role of historians, being deeply infatuated with the past and its accurate recollection; if found out to be wizards, they will generally pass themselves off as 'diviners' of past events. Others may use their abilities to make a way for themselves as seers or prophets, "predicting" future events (often by simply relating their own experiences in the future) and sometimes manipulating events in the present to cause certain events to come to pass. Still others simply enjoy skipping about through the time stream to observe events and persons of importance or perhaps trying to rewrite the past to fit their desires or as some sort of bizarre experiment. As a rule, Chronomancers are careful when time traveling, though whether they are careful not to disturb events in another time or careful to manipulate them according to their desires can vary a great deal. Requirements: As a standard Sorcerer, but a Chronomancer must have Intelligence and Wisdom of at least 16, though they have no minimum Dexterity score. Only humans, elves, and half-elves can become Chronomancers, and they cannot be of chaotic alignment. Weapons & Armor: As a standard Sorcerer. However, at the DM's option it may be possible for a Chronomancer to become proficient in weapons not native to his or her own time period (either from the past or the future), though such weapons must generally weigh less than 5 pounds and have a speed factor of 4 or less. Special Benefits: Chronomancers can easily find work for themselves and an accepted place in society as scribes, sages, advisors, or similar tasks, based on their great knowledge of history and their generally uncannily accurate predictions. As a result of past research projects, money paid for soothsaying services, and the like, all Chronomancers begin play with double the normal starting money for wizards (i.e., 2d4+2 g.p.). Chronal Manipulation: As Chronomancers advance in level, they become more able to subtly influence the flow of time and weave that throughout their magic use. As a result, Chronomancers always gain a +2 bonus to saves vs. any sort of aging or time-related spell. In addition, a Chronomancer gains the ability to extend the duration of any spell he or she casts by one additional 'time unit' for every two levels of experience (rounding up; e.g., if the spell has a duration measured in turns, a 7th level Chronomancer would increase the duration by four turns). This ability has no effect on spells with an Instantaneous, Special, or Permanent duration. Chronal Mastery: Chronomancers are able to learn Chronomancy spells from any Realm of Magic as if they were within their Primary FOS. They also gain a +10% bonus to their chance to know such spells, regardless of the Realm of Magic from which they are drawn. In addition, because of their Chronal Mastery a Chronomancer can attempt to learn priest spells of the Time sphere of any level as if they were wizard spells of equal level. Such spells must be learned from priests able to cast them, with the normal chance for understanding (though without the +10% bonus for learning Chronomancy wizard spells), and they count normally against the Chronomancer's maximum number of spells per level. Because of their universal skill in dealing with the time stream and chronal manipulations, a Chronomancer can use any magical item that makes use of time- related magic (including priestly spells of the Time sphere) regardless of normal class restrictions, including the ability to use priest spell scrolls. Progressive Mastery: As a standard Sorcerer, although a Chronomancer suffers a -20% penalty to his or her chance to know all non-Chronomancy spells from outside the Realm of Sorcery, including all forms of read magic, and because of their intensive focus a Chronomancer also suffers a -10% penalty to learn non- Chronomancy spells within the Realm of Sorcery! It must be noted that, because of their absolute devotion to time-related magic, a Chronomancer can never learn any new Realm of Magic beyond the level of a Minor Field of Study. Spell Specialization: As a standard Sorcerer, but a Chronomancer can only specialize in Chronomancy spells. A Chronomancer suffers no penalty when specializing in a Chronomancy spell from another Realm of Magic. Special Hindrances: Chronomancers are not generally aggressive and combative by nature and do not learn the Magical Attack and Magical Defense skills practiced by typical Sorcerers. They are also subject to scrutiny and occasional intervention at the hands of whatever temporal guardians or creatures may exist in the DM's world, as well as repercussions of time journeys they may make. DMs are referred to the Chronomancer supplement for suggestions on dealing with PC time travel and its complications, including supervision of PC time trips. Chronomancers suffer a variety of hindrances when working with other fields of magic. They cannot research spells or create magical items save for those that draw upon the school of Chronomancy. In addition, they suffer a -10% penalty when learning non-Chronomancy spells from the Realm of Sorcery, doubled to -20% for non-Chronomancy spells from other Realms of Magic. Finally, Chronomancers do not tend to engender great trust or loyalty in their associates, as NPCs seem able to sense a certain distance or aloofness in them. Hirelings will rarely stay with a Chronomancer for long, and he or she may attract only half the normal number of henchmen allowed for his or her Charisma score (rounding down). Chronomancers do not attract followers as a general rule, but those who reach high level (at least 12th) may have a small chance (no more than 5% per level after 11th, checked each time he or she gains a level) of being sought out by some young and talented would-be apprentice who has somehow puzzled out that the Chronomancer is perhaps not what he or she appears to be and may even have a natural sensitivity to time manipulation that has drawn him or her to find tutelage at the feet of the PC. Such a prospective student or apprentice is often related to the PC or another Chronomancer in some way, as the talent for this class appears to run in family lines. Bonus Proficiencies: Time Sense Required Proficiencies: Reading/Writing, Spellcraft Preferred Proficiencies: Ancient History, Archaeology, Alertness, Awareness, Bureaucracy, Ceremony/Ritual, Direction Sense, Divining, Endurance, Etiquette, Language (Modern), Lightning Reflexes, Local History, Observation, Prophecy, Reading Lips, Religion, Teaching ***DISCLAIMER*** As with all postings by me of classes or races, it should be noted that portions of the information contained herein were inspired by or derived from information in published works of TSR, Inc., and may contain references to those works, quotations or passages of text (especially in the area of 'Character Description', where applicable sections from TSR works were often carried over more or less intact into my campaign world), or particular powers or abilities invented by TSR staff writers. No relationship with TSR, Inc., is to be implied by this use, nor is any attempt being made to solicit profit or remuneration of any kind. I have read the TSR Online Policy document, and have tried to accommodate the stipulations contained therein. In instances where I have lifted an essentially complete class or race without significant alteration, I have not included these in my postings but instead have inserted a reference to the appropriate D&D sourcebook for those curious in including it in their campaign. Only variations that include a significant component of original work, alteration, or reformulation (including the compositing elements from various TSR sources into new combinations) of have been included in this set of postings. Jason Eric Nelson < tjaden@u.washington.edu >