Wizard - Mage Astrologer Kit Description: Astrologers study the heavens, marking the passing of time, the cycles of the moon and the planets, and the succession of constellations and stellar formations. They understand the hidden significance of the stars and their movement through the sky and can often read the future in the appearance of celestial bodies. Astrologers use the constellations as an aid in casting spells and use the power of the stars and their alignment to amplify their magical powers. Astrologers often come from wealthy backgrounds, as the large amount of specialized equipment represents a substantial investment. This equipment also tends to add to the air of mystery and inscrutability about an Astrologer, as the use of much of it (especially the orrery) is indecipherable even to other wizards. They almost never establish their laboratories and observatories within cities, tending to set up shop far from any lights that would disturb their view of the stars. They tend to be aloof and distant, always seeming a bit distracted by their musings on the infinite cosmos. Nevertheless, their advice is much sought after for its insight into future events. Requirements: As a standard Mage, save that an Astrologer must be of lawful alignment and must have Intelligence and Wisdom of at least 13. Weapons & Armor: Dagger/knife (any), dart, scimitar, sling, staff. Special Benefits: Astrologers are very knowledgeable in the arts of divination, with a special focus on the observation of the stars, moons, planets, and constellations and their magical influences upon creatures and the destiny of the universe. Their magical studies and observations grant them the following special abilities: Arcane Lore: As a standard Mage. Fortune Telling: As a standard Mage, save that an Astrologer must be able to consult his or her star charts for one hour (or the night sky itself for but a single round, assuming stars are visible) in order to gain a glimpse of the future. Instead of gaining the ability to contact other plane, however, Astrologers of 9th level and above can gain a vision (as the spell) once per week by meditating upon the night sky. In addition to the above, an Astrologer's Fortune Telling ability allows him or her to predict the likely positive or negative outcome of a future event or action. Such divination requires one turn of observation of the night sky plus one hour of study of his or her star charts and use of an orrery to determine precisely stellar and planetary alignments. If the stars cannot be seen, this ability cannot be used. Once this observation and study have been completed, the Astrologer can gain insight equivalent to an augury spell about the chosen event, with the normal chance of success for the spell but with a -1% penalty per day into the future (e.g., divination about an event to occur in 20 days would incur a -20% penalty to the chance of a successful augury). At 9th level and above, an Astrologer's insight improves, allowing him or her to receive knowledge as a divination spell instead. Regardless of success or failure, such prediction can be undertaken no more than once per night, and an Astrologer can attempt to gain information about a particular event no more than once per experience level; if the roll fails, he or she cannot attempt another prediction about the same action or event until he or she gains a level of experience. In addition to these special abilities, when using the Astrology proficiency normally the great skill and knowledge of an Astrologer grants a +1 bonus to his or her proficiency score for every three levels of experience (rounding up). Further, they never gain "wildly inaccurate" information even on a natural roll of 20. Night Magic: Astrologers can learn and cast any spell from the School of Astrology as a part of their Primary FOS, rather than suffering the normal learning and casting penalty of Mages. In fact, Astrologers gain a +15% bonus to learn spells from the School of Astrology, and when researching new Astrology spells he or she does so as if they were one level lower than their actual level for determining cost, difficulty, etc. An Astrologer never needs material components when casting spells from the School of Astrology, the range of such spells is increased by 50%, and the casting time of such spells is always reduced by 1 due to his or her familiarity with them. These modifiers have no effect on spells with a casting time of 1 round or greater or spells with a range of 0 or Touch. In addition, Astrologers are at the peak of their magical power outdoors under the night sky. If the moon and/or stars are visible above, any spell can be cast by an Astrologer without the need for material components, with a -1 reduction in casting time and a 50% increase in range. These bonuses are cumulative with bonuses for casting an Astrology spell. As they also study the sun and its movements and powers (though to a lesser extent than the moon and other stars), an Astrologer who casts a spell in direct sunlight can choose one of the above benefits (i.e., no material component, range increase, or casting time reduction) to apply to each spell. In addition to these magical casting benefits, Astrologers spend a great deal of time out and about at night, and their vision gradually becomes accustomed and adapted to wide variances in light conditions. At 5th level, an Astrologer can see as well in moonlight as a normal human would in broad daylight, and he or she reduces normal darkness-based combat penalties by 1. At 9th level, an Astrologer can see as well by starlight as if in broad daylight and reduces darkness penalties by 2. An Astrologer is never able to see in total darkness (such as magical darkness) or through fog or other obscurement, but he or she does gain a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. attacks based on light or darkness. Finally, Astrologers can make use of any magical item that uses light or darkness or that relates to the sun, moon, or stars, regardless of normal class restrictions. Special Hindrances: Astrologers are far less interested in theatrics and performance than other Mages, and they have no facility with Stage Magic. Similarly, their studies of the infinite and measured progression of the heavens gives them a sense of patience and ordered rigidity in the operation of the universe that preclude the use of something as fluid and unpredictable as the Improvisational Magic used by other Mages. Since they draw some of their power from the heavenly bodies above, any spell cast by an Astrologer indoors (if there are no windows) or underground will take effect at one level lower than normal (minimum of 1st level). Astrologers have a unique view on the nature of magic and its interrelation with the forces of the universe. Thus, when they learn and transcribe a spell they must create a set of complex star charts and stellar maps that describe the heavenly bodies that influence that particular manifestation of magic and how to harness their power to bring about the desired spell effects. As a result, any magical scroll or spellbook created by an Astrologer is useless to a wizard of another type unless he or she knows the Astrology non-weapon proficiency, and even then a successful proficiency check at half the normal chance of success must be made in order to understand and be able to use the item in question. Because of this unusual method of learning and transcribing spells, attempting to learn a spell from a wizard who is not an Astrologer, to learn a spell from a non- Astrologer spellbook, or for an Astrologer to teach a spell to a wizard of another type requires double the normal amount of time. Astrologers can use non- Astrologer scrolls without difficulty. In addition, in order to attempt to learn any spell, an Astrologer must have his or her orrery. This device is a highly advanced version of the more common astrolabe, being a sphere surrounded by concentric rings. Each ring describes the position of various stars, constellations, and astronomical phenomena of magical significance, with an array of lenses mounted within the central sphere and upon the various rings. When the orrery is properly calibrated and a light shone through the lenses in the central ball, the orrery can be set to show which stars and constellations will be in the sky on any given date and also shows which of the heavenly bodies influence one another. All of this information allows the Astrologer to interpret the relationships of the heavens and how they combine to create the magical effect he or she seeks to achieve. An Astrologer without his or her orrery cannot learn new spells or to inscribe spells into a spellbook or scroll. Orreries are never complete when an Astrologer first creates one (due to his or her incomplete knowledge and skill). At 1st level, an orrery contains the basic markings and lenses necessary to learn and inscribe 1st and 2nd level spells. In order to use the orrery for higher-level spells, an Astrologer must spend time and effort crafting new lenses for his or her orrery and making delicate adjustments and new notations. Each time an Astrologer gains a level, he or she may attempt to improve his or her orrery. This requires him or her to spend 1d4 days per times the spell level to be added and to spend 100 g.p. times the spell level to be added on materials, reference works, and special equipment. No significant activity can be undertaken during the time this work is being done. At the conclusion of his or her work, the Astrologer must make Astrology and Lens Crafting proficiency checks. If both are successful, the orrery gains one spell level of usefulness. If either roll fails, the orrery is not improved. If both rolls fail, however, the Astrologer has damaged the orrery and it loses one level of usefulness. This damage can be repaired at any time (i.e., the Astrologer does not need to wait to gain a level) by spending the amount of time and money noted above for the spell level just lost and again making successful proficiency checks. An orrery that has been damaged to the point that it is useful for only 1st level spells that is again damaged by failing both proficiency checks is useless until the Astrologer is able to repair it to the point where it is useful for at least 1st level spells. Though it can be made useless until it is repaired, an orrery cannot be completely destroyed by failing these proficiency checks. Bonus Proficiencies: Astrology, Lens Crafting Required Proficiencies: Artistic Ability (drawing star charts), Gem Cutting, Glassblowing, Reading/Writing Preferred Proficiencies: Ancient History, Awareness, Arcanology, Bookbinding, Calligraphy, Cartography, Clockwork Creation, Concentration, Direction Sense, Distance Sense, Excellent Vision, Hypnosis, Language (Ancient), Law, Magecraft, Metalworking, Navigation, Night Vision, Numeracy, Papermaking, Planar Sense, Research, Sixth Sense, Supernumerate, Time Sense ***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 >