Prerequisites: Int 9

Prime requisites: Int

Progression as: wizard or defiler

Wizards are men and women who are able to wrench the powers and the forces of the planes to tremendous effects – be it a mundane "light" or the feared fireball spell, the results are dreadful to say at least.

On the other side, almost nobody is as bad in weapons as the wizard since all of his time goes to magical research.

Wizards have 40 CPs to spend on class abilities.

Standard Abilities (Mage): Access to all eight standard schools of magic.

Class Breakdown

All Wizards

Access to schools (5+): A customized wizard pays 5 CPs for each school from which he may learn and cast spells. A standard mage pays 40 CPs to gain access to the eight schools of magic: abjuration, alteration, conjuration/summoning, divination, enchantment/charm, illusion, invocation/evocation, and necromancy.

Armor (5/10/15): With this ability, the PC wizard may ignore the normal restriction against wearing armor. For 5 CPs, the wizard may wear padded armor; for 10 CPs, the wizard may wear leather, studded leather, hide, or brigandine armor; and for 15 CPs, the wizard may wear any armor that he chooses. Note that the wizard may not use any kind of shield.

Automatic spell acquisition (2/5): The wizard may add a new spell of his choice to his spell book each time he gains a level, without having to pass a learn spells check. The wizard need not have a copy of the spell but must have witnessed it used at least once. For 2 CPs, the PC can choose spells from one particular school; for 5 CPs, the wizard can choose spells from any school that he has access to.

Casting time reduction (2/5): Spells cast by the PC are unusually swift and have a casting time of 1 less than normal (to a minimum of 1). For 2 CPs, this applies to one school only; for 5 CPs, this applies to every spell that the wizard can cast.

Combat bonus (8/10): A PC with this ability is much better in combat than usual. For 8 CPs, the wizard's THAC0 advances as a Rogue; for 10 CPs, it advances as a Priest.

Constitution adjustment (5): The PC gains the extra hit points allowed to Warriors for CON of 17+.

Detect magic (10): A PC with this power can use detect magic once per day per two levels (twice at 3rd level, three times at 5th level, etc) without needing to memorize the spell

Dispel (10/15): The PC can dispel one kind of effect or spell once per day, or three times per day for 15 CPs. The range for this power is 30 yards, and it requires nothing more than one round of concentration. The base chance of success is 50%, + or -5% for each level difference between the dispeller and the creator of the magic to be dispelled. The type of effect that may be dispelled must be a group of linked spells in the same school; for example, charm spells, polymorph spells, or shadow magic and monsters are good examples.

Enhanced casting level (10): A wizard with this ability may cast spells of one school as if he were 1d4 levels higher than his actual level. This power may only be invoked once per day

Extended spell duration (10/15): Non-instantaneous spells cast by the PC last an additional time unit (round, turn, hour, day, etc) per two levels. For 10 CPs, this applies to all spells of one school. For 15 CPs, it applies to all spells cast by the wizard.

Immunity (10+): A PC with this power gains complete immunity to one particular spell, at a cost of 10 CPs + 1 CP per spell level. The wizard ignores the effects of the spell and cannot be directly harmed or damaged by the spell, although he could be indirectly harmed. The PC may gain immunity to a group of related spells by spending CPs to become immune to the highest level spell in that group. The DM should disallow any immunity which he feels is too powerful.

Improved hit dice (10/20): For 10 CPs, the wizard uses a d6 for hit points. For 20 CPs, he uses a d8.

Literacy (5): For each modern language that the mage knows, he effectively has the Read/Write proficiency for that language with a score of 8. If the mage buys the Read/Write or Ancient Languages proficiencies, this skill grants a +2 bonus to them. This skill has no effect on languages which do not have a written form.

No components (5/8): With this talent, the PC may designate one spell of each level as a spell that requires no material components. For 5 CPs, this spell must be from one particular school; for 8 CPs, it can be from any school that the wizard can cast from or, as an option, all spells from one specific school.

Range increase (5/7+): All ranged spells from one school known to the wizard have their range increased by 25% for 5 CPs or 50% for 7 CPs. The wizard can gain this bonus to all ranged spells by doubling the CP cost.

Read magic (5): The PC may use read magic once a day per two levels (twice at 3rd level, three times at 5th level, etc) without memorizing the spell.

Spell Focus (5): the character’s spells are linked to one of two major forces on Athas: the cerulean storm or the crimson sun. Whenever in direct contact with his “element” (i.e. under the furry of a storm or under the unclouded sun), his effective level as far as spell effects are concerned is increased by 4.

Veiled alliance (5): this ability is only available to preservers. The character starts as a member of the veiled alliance of his home town.

Weapon selection (10/15): For 10 CPs, the wizard may expand his selection of weapons to include either the cleric or priest list. For 15 CPs, the wizard may gain proficiency in any weapon that he chooses.

Weapon specialization (15): With this talent, the PC gains the ability to specialize in a weapon. The PC is still required to pay for the proficiency and specialization.

Defiler's Options

Increased Power gathering (10): This is a major ability for any defiler. Normally, a defiler gathers 4 spell points +2 per level. With this ability, the gathering increases to 4 Spell points + 4 per level. The area of effect of vegetation ruined during spell casting is multiplied by 3 each time he uses this ability.

Sacrifice (10): With this ability, the defiler is able to supply his own life force to cast spells. This ability is ideal if any manifestation of defiling magic would be inappropriate. The cost is 1 HP per spell level. Since the life force so spend is already gathered in the defiler's body, the casting time of the spells suffers no penalty. HP lost in this manner heal normally.

Transcription (10/20): This ability is extremely useful to any defiler. Normally, he can only learn spells if they are written for defilers – any scroll or spellbook designed for a normal wizard is useless for him. With this ability, he can attempt to transcript these spells so that he can then attempt to learn them normally. The defiler's base chances are: (chance to learn spell) – (spell level x10)

He can attempt once for each spell only – if he fails, he will never be allowed to try to transcript this spell again. He will be granted a new chance once he gained a new experience level. As a 20 point ability, the defiler's base chances are (chance to learn spell) – (spell level x 5)

Once the spell is successfully transcribed, he will have to learn it using the normal rules governing the learning of a new spell. The time needed for a transcription is 1 day per spell level and an access to an arcane library (identical to a new spell research).

Withering (5): This ability may seem useless to most, but it can have dramatic effects. With this ability, a defiler effectively doubles the area that turns to ashes when he casts spells. He still can choose to cast spells normally.

Optional Limitations

Awkward casting method (5): The wizard's spells must be cast in an extremely obvious fashion, alerting anyone within earshot that the wizard is using magic. The wizard might be surrounded by brilliant motes of dancing light, he might have to shout at the top of his lungs, people nearby might feel waves of cold - the wizard's spellcasting is always noticed immediately.

Behavior/taboo (2): The wizard has a strong set of beliefs that require him to act in a particular way. The wizard's actions might make it easier for enemies to find or harass him by exploiting his taboos. Furthermore, a wizard who violates his beliefs loses all spells that he has currently memorised; he believes that he cannot cast spells until he behaves in the required manner again.

Difficult memorisation (5): The PC can study and memorise spells only in very specific circumstances - for example, he must be in his lab or a temple of his god.

Environmental condition (5+): The PC requires certain conditions for spells to be effective; eg, a wizard may only cast spells during the day, while in contact with a favoured element, or while no priests are nearby. Restrictions are worth 20 CPs for everyday circumstances, 15 CPs for common circumstances, 10 CPs for rare circumstances, or 5 CPs for very specific circumstances.

Hazardous spells (10): Each time that the wizard casts a spell, he must save vs. breath weapons or suffer 1 hp damage per level of the spell. Alternatively, the wizard has a 1% chance per spell level, cumulative, of going insane for 3d4 days per spell level. This then resets to 0%.

Learning penalty (5/8): The wizard may learn spells of one school without penalty; for all other schools, he suffers a -15% penalty to his learn spell checks, or a -25% for 8 CPs.

Limited magical item use (5+): A PC with this restriction cannot use certain magical items. For each category which is unusable, the PC gains 5 CPs. The categories are: potions, oils, and scrolls; rings; rods, staves, and wands; miscellaneous items; and weapons and armor.

Mark of power (2): There is an unearthly feature to the wizard which indicates his supernatural nature- glowing eyes, a metallic tint to the hair, runes upon the hand which feel cold to the touch, or some other mark which informs those that notice it that the PC is a wizard.

Monstrous visage (10): The wizard's face is obviously unhuman - either hideously ugly, unnaturally beautiful, or simply utterly alien. The PC will always be identified as a wizard (or worse!) by those who see him, and may find it difficult to relate to "normal" society.

Reduced hit points (10): The PC rolls 1d3 for hit points rather than 1d4, and is limited to a +1 Constitution bonus per die.

Reduced spell knowledge (7): The maximum number of spells of each level that a wizard may know is reduced to 50% normal, to a maximum of 10.

Reduced spell progression (15): This is the reverse of the bonus spells option. A wizard with this restriction may memorise one less spell of each level than normal.

Slower casting time (2/5): Spells cast by the wizard are unusually complicated and require more time to cast. All spell casting times increase by 3. For 5 CPs, the wizard's spells automatically increase to the next greatest time unit. This means that spells with casting times of 1 to 9 increase to one full round.

Talisman (8): The wizard's magical power is inextricably linked with a single object or talisman. he must have this object on his person in order to cast spells. If the wizard's talisman is destroyed, he can create a new one with 1d4 weeks of work in his laboratory or home.

Weapon restriction (3/5): As a 3 point restriction, the wizard may never have proficiency in any weapon. As a 5 point restriction, the wizard is not allowed to attempt to wield a weapon at all and may never try to injure another creature with a weapon. Doing so renders all spell use impossible for the character for at least a month.