WIZARD - SORCERER Description: Sorcerers are wizards who study the art of using magic in combat situations. Sorcerers are natural leaders who exude authority in battle situations. This may be due to their upbringing, their training, their own innate tendencies, or any combination of factors, but whatever the reason taking charge comes automatically to a Sorcerer. He or she is decisive, imposing, and at times inspiring. The safety of companions is of paramount importance to a Sorcerer, and he or she feels personally responsible for their actions. A Sorcerer is not always the leader of a party, knowing full well that a leader cannot function without able followers (a role which they are also happy to fulfil), but they often act like it nonetheless, issuing orders, taking charge, and showing initiative when others are slow to act. Many Sorcerers see the adventuring life as a means to further their own personal wealth and stature, accepting a job with a party for a set fee or share of treasure found. Not all Sorcerers have such mercenary attitudes, but all enjoy acquiring souvenirs for their personal collections, liking nothing better than to unearth magical devices to add to their hoards or new spells to fatten their spellbooks. Sorcerers often hold the belief that wizards are the most powerful of all mortals, and their supreme confidence in meeting challenges head on is an essential part of their leadership. To most Sorcerers, their access to magic makes them superior to others in many ways (especially those who cannot cast spells), and they may treat such folk with varying attitudes ranging from sympathy to impatience; this attitude tends to develop as a Sorcerer increases in power and experience. Regardless of their motivations and their outlook on others, Sorcerers all share a deep and abiding conviction that there is no opponent too tough and no obstacle too difficult to be overcome by the power of magic. Requirements: Sorcerers use the Wizard advancement table and have four-sided hit dice. Sorcerers use a Wizard's THAC0 and saving throw tables. Sorcerers begin with 1 weapon and 4 non-weapon proficiencies, and they gain one weapon and two non-weapon slots every six levels of experience. Sorcerers may be of any alignment but must have scores of at least 12 in Intelligence and Constitution and 9 in Dexterity and Charisma. Humans, aasimar, tieflings, elves, and half- elves can become Sorcerers. Weapons & Armor: Like other wizards, Sorcerers cannot wear armor or use shields. Sorcerers are limited to the following weapons: blowgun, dart (any), knife/dagger (any), sling (any), or staff. Magical Philosophy: The Primary Field of Study for this class is Sorcery, which consists of the manipulation, projection, and deflection or avoidance of energy or force, with a particular eye toward offensive and defensive applications in combat. Sorcery also subsumes the ability to contact, summon, bind, and even create allies or servants through the use of magical power, and part of that process is learning the ins and outs of interdimensional magic. Sorcery deals with 'pure' magical energy or force (including basic universal forces such as light, electricity, magnetism, and gravity) rather than manipulating elemental planar energies and matter directly. Besides standard Universal Magic, most spells of Sorcery come from the schools of Abjuration, Conjuration/Summoning, Dimensionalism, Force Magic, and Invocation, but Sorcerers appreciate the value of all forms of magic in terms of their usefulness in combat. Special Benefits: Sorcerers specialize in the use of magic in combat, and their special abilities relate to this focus. Sorcerers receive the following standard Wizard abilities: - Have the option to leave any or all 'spell slots' open rather than memorizing spells immediately after rest. Such spell slots can then be used later in the day by reading and memorizing a particular spell from the Sorcerer's spellbooks at the time it is needed (requiring the normal 10 minutes per spell level) and then casting it, allowing for greater flexibility but leaving him or her without a prememorized, ready-to-cast spell in that slot. - Receive bonus spells (and/or have a spell failure chance) based on their Intelligence score as a Priest would for a high Wisdom score; these bonus spells must be selected from the realm of Sorcery. - Research and create spells and magical items (within the Realm of Sorcery). - Scribe spells onto scrolls beginning at 6th level, provided appropriate spell inks can be bought or manufactured and the Calligraphy proficiency is known. In addition, Sorcerers gain the following unique class abilities: Magical Attack: Sorcerers are skilled at channeling the energies of offensive spells in combat situations. Thus, any damage-inflicting spell cast by a Sorcerer gains a +1 bonus to every die of damage. Offensive spells that do not inflict damage instead apply a -1 penalty to enemy saving throws. Sorcerers also gain a +1 bonus to hit with any spell or magical effect that requires an attack roll. Magical Defense: Sorcerers are skilled at subtle manipulations of magical energy to defend themselves. A Sorcerer gains a +1 bonus to his or her frontal Armor Class for every ten levels of experience (rounding up). This Armor Class bonus is doubled vs. magical attacks (including spells or magical powers that require a roll to hit, but not attacks with magical weapons). Sorcerers also gain a +1 bonus to saves vs. spells for every ten levels of experience (rounding up), but this applies only to offensive spells used against them; hence, a Sorcerer would gain no bonus to saves vs. divinations, most illusions, and other non-offensive spells. Progressive Mastery: Sorcerers begin their careers with knowledge only of their own field of Sorcery, plus Universal Magic. Unlike other types of Wizards, however, whose access to magic is set by their selection of class, a Sorcerer has the ability to attain Progressive Mastery of magic of all kinds, as they readily appreciate the battlefield utility of magic of all sorts. Sorcerers must obtain level training as usual when they gain the ability to cast a new level of spells, and the need to assimilate such new knowledge precludes gaining Progressive Mastery at those levels. At any other level of experience, however, a Sorcerer can attempt to gain Progressive Mastery in a selected Realm of Magic. A Sorcerer must first find another wizard willing to teach him or her the appropriate version of read magic for that Realm. If he or she fails to learn the spell, access to that Realm of Magic is forever blocked to him or her, barring a change in Intelligence or some other special case. If he or she is successful in learning to read magic in the Realm he or she desires, the Sorcerer must then undertake full-scale training with a wizard who is familiar with that Realm of Magic (identical in cost and time requirements to level training). At the end of this time, the Sorcerer must attempt an Intelligence check with a +1 bonus for every three levels of experience (rounding down); a natural 20 always fails. If the check fails, the Sorcerer has failed to learn enough about that Realm of Magic to be able to use spells from it, but he or she can attempt training again at a later level with an additional +2 bonus (cumulative if he or she fails to learn it more than once). If it is successful, he or she gains access to that Realm of Magic as a Minor Field of Study. As a Sorcerer advances in level, he or she can elect to increase his or her knowledge in a Minor FOS to make it a Major FOS by undertaking an additional session of training identical to that described above. Obviously, a Sorcerer need not learn a new form of read magic in order to gain Progressive Mastery in a field he or she already knows as a Minor FOS, but such advanced training has only half the normal chance of success. A Sorcerer does gain a cumulative +2 bonus for subsequent attempts to learn a particular Realm of Magic as a Major FOS after previous failed attempts. Of course, the Sorcerer must be tutored by another wizard who already knows that Realm of Magic as a Major or Primary FOS. Spell Specialization: At each level of experience (including 1st), a Sorcerer can choose one spell he or she knows in which to specialize. Whenever a Sorcerer casts one of these spells, he or she gains the option of casting it with one-half the normal casting time (rounding down) or casting it with its normal casting time but causing it to take effect as if the Sorcerer was two levels higher than his or her actual level. To specialize in a spell, a Sorcerer must spend at least one week per level of the spell learning and refining its use and must make an Intelligence check with a +1 bonus for every three levels of experience, but with penalty equal to the level of the spell--higher level spells are more difficult to specialize in than lower level spells. A Sorcerer is best at specializing in spells from the Realm of Sorcery; any attempt to gain Spell Specialization in a spell from another Realm requires double the normal amount of time (and money) and has only half the normal chance of success. This research and practice costs 1d10 x 100 g.p. per level of the spell in materials, components, and reference books. If a Sorcerer has the means to store or transport a library of magical reference materials, 10% of the cost of such research can be added to the aggregate value of his or her library in the form of useful books for his or her collection. Special Hindrances: None. Bonus Proficiencies: Battle Magic Required Proficiencies: Reading/Writing, Spellcraft Preferred Proficiencies: Lightning Reflexes, Monster Lore, Tactics, all Wizard proficiencies ***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 >