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Sigil Scions (for Pathfinder 1st Ed)
I’ve been meaning to finish this for more than two years, as I began it back when I worked at Paizo. I meant to put it up yesterday, but it took longer than the time I had allotted for blogging, so you get a triple-sized post today instead!
Tithain kept her eyes open and one hand resting easily on the longsword at her hip as she walked alongside Queen Aerigold, who was clearly keeping her attention on the crowds that had gathered to welcome their new monarch. The Queen had insisted she get a new tabard—a bright green silken thing with gold thread and the shining sun-and-tree symbol of the Queen’s Trusted on it—but beneath that Tithain had on the same utilitarian plate armor she’d worn at the Battle of Seven Crowns, all those years ago.
A glint caught Tithain’s eye, and she instinctive stepped between its source and her beloved lady. As a bolt shot out of the crowd, Tithain raised a gauntleted hand and felt the power of her family’s Sigil flow through her, its bright blue lines visible even through the steel protecting her. The arrow slammed into her and shattered, the majority of its force expended against her defensive ward.
A dozen pale-skinned men in the crowd threw off cloaks, reveling the red-and-black garb of Kakkain cultists, and drew weapons as the cityfolk began to cry out and flee from them.
One of the broadest of the men, his eyes glittering with the flickering light of a Fel Embraced, pointed a thorned mace at her and cried out in the echoing voice of those with one foot already firmly planted in Hell.
“She’s a Scion of the Shield Sigil! Kill her first, then the peace-lover queen will fall!”
Sometimes, you want to add something to a campaign that isn’t anchored in class, background, ancestry, or other standard game categories. Sometimes, you just want to be able to slap a whole new power source on characters, and see what fun evolves from it.
Sigil Scions are such a concept.
Sigil Scions have a powerful, mystic source of capability. That might be from their position within an organization, the mark of a god, the collective will of those they defend, an asteroid radiating them with runic power–whatever. The easiest way to add Sigil Scions to a game is to just decide on a narrative framework (anything from ancient heroes reincarnated or cheat codes given to modern characters when they are sent to a fantasy world), and let each player build their own sigil from there. Sigil scions are a pure power-up for characters (especially monks… ), but not as much as being gestalt characters.
Sigil Power
Select any one bloodrager bloodline, cleric domain, inquisitor inquisition, sorcerer bloodline, warpriest blessing, or wizard specialization. You cannot select a specific option you already have, nor later take the specific option you select here if you gain the appropriate class feature to do so (for example, if you select the cleric healing domain, and later gain cleric domains through some other class, you could not take the healing domain again.)
You gain the abilities of the selected class feature, using your total character level as your level in the relevant class. You do not gain any ability not expressly granted by the selection (so taking the abjuration wizard specialist schools does not give you the ability to prepare spells just because the resistance ability is tied to when you prepare spells). However, you can apply any option from the selected class feature to relevant options gained from other classes (so if you are a druid, and you select the healing domain, you can apply the healer’s blessing ability to your druidic cure spells).
When you first gain sigil power, select one ability modifier. Any time your sigil powers refer to an ability score or modifier (such as to determine save DCs or uses per day), you use the selected ability.
Sigil Spells
Sigil Scions gain spells as they grow in power.
At 1st level, you select three specific class spell lists, which you note down. When you gain Sigil Spells, they must come from these three spell lists. You cannot select spells lists from a prestige class, or a class that gains multiple spell lists (ie you cannot select the hunter class spell list, as it is made of the druid and ranger class spell lists). If a spell list comes from a class with requirements for alignment, background, or armor/equipment restrictions (such as druid or paladin), you must meet those restrictions.
Each Sigil Spell you select is noted as being from one of these three lists (even if it on multiple class lists, you must assign it to just one of your three), and follows the general rules for spellcasting from that class (such as Arcane Spell Failure), though you never need to prepare spells in advance (see below). When you cast these spells you do so as if you were a member of the selected class (Sigil Spells are normal spells, not spell-like abilities).
When you first choose Sigil Spells, You may choose to gain Eschew Materials as a bonus feat, and for all of your Sigil Spells to automatically be Still Spells (thus ignoring Arcane Spell Failure). If you do this, your Sigil Spell caster level is equal to half your character level (at 1st level, your CL is 0.5 – all CL-influenced values are halved, rounding down).
Sigil Spells can be used to meet prerequisites for feats and item creation, but not archetypes or prestige classes.
When you first gain Sigil Spells, you select three 0-level spells known. In addition to 0-level spells from your three class spell lists, you may also choose from the following 0-level spells: detect magic, guidance, light, mage hand, read magic, stabilize. You can assign these to any of your three class lists, even if they do not normally have these spell on that list.
At 2nd level, your total spells known increases to four, and the maximum spell level you can select from goes from 0-level to 1st level. You can select any one 1st level spell from the three spell lists you choose as your Sigil Spell lists to bring you spells known up to your new maximum. You also gain one spell slot you can use to cast any 1st-level or higher spell you know. Your spell slots are restored once per day at a set time (normally dawn) as long as you are not fatigued or exhausted.
As you gain in character level, you gain additional spells known and can select higher-level spells. You spell slots are used to cast any of your 1st-level or higher spells. Thus a 6th level Sigil Scion knows five spells (three of which are 0 level, one 1st-level, and one 1st or 2nd level) and has two spells slots (which can be used to cast any 1st or 2nd level spell the Scion knows). Each time you gain a new level, you can change one spell known to another spell of the same level from one of your three class lists.
When you first gain sigil power, select one ability modifier. Any time your sigil powers refer to an ability score or modifier (such as to determine save DCs or uses per day), you use the selected ability. If a spell references an ability score of yours to determine how it works (such as spiritual weapon allowing you to add your Wisdom bonus to attack rolls with it), you can also switch that to your selected ability.
As you gain levels, your total spells known and the maximum level of the spells you know increase, as shown on Table: Sigil Spells, below.
Table: Sigil Spells
1st Three spells known (max level 0), Zero slots
2nd-3rd Four spells known (max level 1), One slot
4th-5th Four spells known (max level 1), Two slots
6th-7th Five spells known (max level 2), Two slots
8th-9th Five spells known (max level 2), Three slots
10th-11th Six spells known (max level 3), Three slots
12th-13th Six spells known (max level 3), Four slots
14th-15th Seven spells known (max level 3), Four slots
16th-17th Eight spells known (max level 3), Four slots
18th-19th Nine spells known (max level 4), Five slots
20th Ten spells known (max level 4), Five slots
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PF1 Essentials, Spell Redesign Goals (and Hold Person)
Obviously if I am doing a redesign of elements of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (and this Index suggests I might be…), one of the things I need to tackle is spells. It’s extremely easy for spellcasters to dominate spotlight time in a campaign, because they have a powerful, flexible toolset that can be applied to nearly any problem. “Fixing” that is a narrow line to walk, since it’s one of the things that appeals to people who love spellcasters, and it’s easy to go too far in the opposite direction, or make spellcasters and other classes so similar they lose their distinctive play experience.
Some of the fix can be done by looking at broader options for other classes. But some spells just need to be reconsidered. They may be overpowered, or underpowered, but most importantly, they may lead to less fun in play. So let’s talk about the most frustrating and swingy spell in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game– hold person.
If your target makes their saving throw, you accomplish nothing that round. Nothing at all. Sure, when a fighter swings his sword and misses he may accomplish nothing, but the fighter doesn’t have a daily limit on how often they can swing a sword. Plus, it’s much easier for a fighter to get multiple attacks per round than for a spellcaster to get multiple spells per round. Ignoring balance, it’s just not FUN when you burn a resource for an iconic spell and nothing-at-all happens.
On the flip side, if your target fails their saving throw, odds are they’re out of the fight. Yes, they could save on their next turn–but while paralyzed they are subject to sneak attacks and coup de grace, and at minimum they lose a full round of action. I’ve been watching hold person get used for 20 years, and 75% of the time if the target fails their save, their dead before they ever get to act again. This is particularly worrying since so much of PF1 encounter design assumes a group of multiple heroes face off against one monster. The action economy already favors the PCs, and if they take a full round of actions from the foe, it’s generally game over. Which, to be honest, is often less fun for everyone else, especially if the spellcaster refuses to risk encounters if they don’t have this spell available.
Rather than these two extreme factors being balanced, they create two different but equally extreme unbalances.
So we need a spell that always has some effect, sometimes has lots of effect, but rarely has an encounter-ending effect.
While we are at it, I foresee breaking spells into three categories — arcane, divine, and psychic, to match the three kinds of spellcaster. Spells will also be broken into common, uncommon, and rare. Classes get spells of a given school(s) and rarity. So a wizard might get common, uncommon, and rare arcane spells, while a witch gets common and uncommon arcane spells, and common psychic spells. We can add a few class-specific spells in each category, like oracle’s burden is an oracle-only spell on the cleric spell list in standard PF1. (This system has oodles of advantages over each class having its own lit, which I’ll discuss in another post).
Hold Person
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level arcane 2 (common), divine 2 (common), psychic 2 (common)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F/DF
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target one humanoid creature
Duration 1 round/level (D); see text
Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes
The subject is staggered. A target that makes its saving throw is staggered for just 1 round. A target that fails its saving throw by 5 or more is dazed for 1 round, then staggered for the spell’s duration. A target with a CR greater that double this spell’s spell level is never effected for more than 1 round. A target with a CR greater that double this spell’s spell level that makes its save by 5 or more is not affected at all.
A winged creature staggered by this spell must land, and must take 1 action to do so each round while flying.
Hold Person, Mass
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level arcane 7 (rare), psychic 7 (uncommon)
Targets one or more humanoid creatures all within a 20-foot-radius
This spell functions like hold person, except as noted above.
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Really Wild West Spells, levels 0-1
While Really Wild West spellcasters can obviously use standard Starfinder spells, the flavor of spells can strongly impact the feeling of a campaign.
So, we’ll want some Western/Victorian themes spells. Here is one each at 0 and 1st-level.
(art by storm)
Phantom Pocketwatch [Mystic 0, Technomancer 0]
School enchantment (mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range touch
Targets Up to 5 willing creatures, +1 creature per level
Duration 24 hours
The technomancer version of this spell literally summons a phantom pocketwatch. The mystic version creates a small tattoo of a sundial.
Creatures effected by this spell know what time it is, including the date and year, day of the week, phase of the moon, time zone, and time down to the second. They can also have it track how much time has passed since a specific moment, and inform them when a specific time has arrived.
The most common version of the spell in the US use its official time zones, the Gregorian calendar, and so on. Variations of this spell from other cultures use other calendars, an absolute time based on dawn, and other standards. If the spell is cast while touching some timepiece or calendar, it can use that as its standard rather than its normal units.
Ask The Wind Their Name [Mystic 1]
School divination
Casting Time 1 full round
Range personal
Duration instantaneous
This spell can only be cast while outside. You learn about one creature you can currently see, or that you have previously seen and know the name of. You receive information about the creature as if you had used the identify creature skill task with a result equal to 20 + your Mysticism bonus. You do not learn any information about their allegiances or true name or identity, but if you cast it using their name you do learn if that is a name they are commonly known by.
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More Junk Spells (for GammaFinder and Starfinder)
Inspired by the hazardous junk rules I designed for GammaFinder, and loving the idea of a Starfinder-compatible junkamancer, I’ve begun looking at what else can be done with junk spells. I especially wanted a 0-level junk spell, and a junk spell that doesn’t focus on AC, attacks, or creating a ‘bot.
(art by santoelia)
JUNK GIZMO [Technomancer 0]
School conjuration (creation)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range touch
Range touch
Target at least 1 bulk of inert electronic equipment; see text
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You turn a pile of technological junk into a minor technological item. You must target inert, nonworking electronic equipment of at least 1 bulk. Valid targets include a large broken computer system, nonworking or unconnected computer or robot parts, a destroyed robot or another such trashed mechanical system, or any related electronic components or combination of the above, as long as the junk is found in sufficient quantity.
You can create any minor piece of equipment with a real-world equivalent (alarm clock, camera, digital keys for vehicles you own, timer, watch, and so on) that a GM would allow you to buy at a typical settlement as an item level 0 piece of equipment with a cost of 5 credits or less and light bulk. See the Technological Items section of the Equipment chapter of the core rulebook for notes on the vast array of technological devices beyond the number that could possibly be presented in any real-world book that can potentially be purchased with GM approval.
The item is clearly worthless junk, and always looks like it is just about to break down, but can be used by anyone. You can only have 1 junk gizmo active at a time, and casting the spell again causes any previously created junk gizmo to cease functioning. If using the hazardous junk rules, this spell is not powerful enough to create objects from hazardous junk.
JUNK HUD [Technomancer 1]
School conjuration (creation)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range touch
Range touch
Target at least 1 bulk of inert electronic equipment; see text
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You turn a pile of technological junk into a Heads Up Display (HUD) that collates information and gives it to the HUD’s wearer. You must target inert, nonworking electronic equipment of at least 1 bulk. Valid targets include a large broken computer system, nonworking or unconnected computer or robot parts, a destroyed robot or another such trashed mechanical system, or any related electronic components or combination of the above, as long as the junk is found in sufficient quantity.
You can cause the HUD to be created on yourself or an adjacent willing or unconscious ally. This grants the wearer additional combat awareness. As a result, the character cannot be flanked. Additionally the DC to successfully trick attack the target is increased by 5. If using the hazardous junk rules, this counts as junk armor for interactions with those rules.
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Mutant Magic, for GammaFinder (Starfinder-compatible)
Obviously if GammaFinder has mutant abilities & tiered mutations, and magic, the two will power sources will collide.
The cybersorcerers of the Omega Invasion were the first to unleash suppress mutation spells, which are also believed to have been the key of the negation cuffs they used to capture powerful mutants, though it has spread far beyond their control since the invasion. The DNArcana spell was discovered by genetic sorcerers in the city of Beta, before its destruction, and though not common among most spellcasters is a staple of the Augmented Arcanist Alliance.
(art by grandfailure)
DNARCANA [Mystic 2–6], [Technomancer 2–6], [Witchwarper 2-6]
School transmutation (polymorph)
Casting Time 1 round
Range touch
Target one willing creature touched
Duration 1 round/ 2 levels (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
You augment the power of the target’s tiered mutation, increasing its power by one tier. You must expend 1 Resolve Point to cast the spell, and the willing target must expend 1 Resolve Point for the spell to affect it.
Level 2: You can increase an existing tier 1 or tier 2 mutation by 1 tier.
Level 3: You can increase an existing tier 3 or tier 4 mutation by 1 tier.
Level 4: You can increase an existing tier 5 or tier 6 mutation by 1 tier.
Level 5: You can increase an existing tier 7 or tier 8 mutation by 1 tier.
Level 6: You can increase an existing tier 9 mutation by 1 tier. Alternatively, you can grant a creature one mutant ability or tier 1 mutant power.
SUPPRESS MUTATION [Mystic 3], [Witchwarper 3]
School abjuration
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets one creature
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
You temporarily suppress the mutant abilities (including tiered mutation s) of a creature. Attempt a dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) with a DC equal to 11 + the target’s level. If you succeed, the target must make a Will saving throw. If it fails, all its mutant powers and tiered mutations stop functioning, and all bonuses, effects, and abilities granted by the mutations end.
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Thanks, everyone.
Technomancer Mind-Affecting Spells VI
Today we wrap up (for now, at least) exploring the design space of technomancer mind-affecting spells.
If we want a mind-affecting spells to feel like a viable concept for a technomancer (which is the only time at which it would make sense to select the robot influence magic hack), we’re going to need at least two different mind-affecting spells at each spell level for 1st and higher, and at least one 0-level spell.
So far we’ve done a 0-level spell, two first, a 2nd-level (to go with their existing 2nd-level mind-affecting spell, daze monster), two 3rd-level, 4th-level, and 5th-level spells. So, let’s do two technomancer-flavored 6th-level mind-affecting spells.
For balance on these we looked at a lot of 6th-level spells, but since there don;t seem to be any 6th-level mind-affecting spells in Starfinder, there aren’t any specific 1-to-1 comparisons.
Algorithm [Technomancer 6]
School enchantment (compulsion, mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range medium (100 ft. +10 ft./level)
Targets one creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 feet apart
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes
You impose an algorithm on the decision-making processes and efforts undertaken by of the spell’s targets. Each round, you can designate one creature to be protected by the algorithm. Any affected target takes a -5 penalty to all skill checks regarding the target, attack rolls against the target, and to the save DC of any ability they use that affects the target. You can change the protected creature each round, ending the protection against any previous creature. Targets that fail their saving throw are unaware their actions are being influenced by a spell.
Targets that succeed at their Will save only take a -2 penalty to skills, attacks, and DCs, and are aware they are under the effects of a spell.
Target Lock [Technomancer 6]
School enchantment (compulsion, mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range medium (100 ft. +10 ft./level)
Targets one creature
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes
You lock the target’s attention onto one foe, and prompt it to attack that foe. The target must attack the foe with the attack most likely to be effective against it with at least one action per round. If the target succeeds at a Will save it can ignore this command, but the mental effort to do so causes it to be fatigued for the duration of the spell. The fatigue ends when the spell ends, or if the creature decided to attack the designated foe.
PATREON
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Technomancer Mind-Affecting Spells V
We’re still exploring the design space of technomancer mind-affecting spells.
If we want a mind-affecting spells to feel like a viable concept for a technomancer (which is the only time at which it would make sense to select the robot influence magic hack), we’re going to need at least two different mind-affecting spells at each spell level for 1st and higher, and at least one 0-level spell.
So far we’ve done a 0-level spell, two first, a 2nd-level (to go with their existing 2nd-level mind-affecting spell, daze monster), two 3rd-level spells, and two-fourth-level spells. So, let’s do two technomancer-flavored 5th-level mind-affecting spells.
Blockchain looks at the scaling fear spell for determining it’s total power level–it’s not as debilitating, but has a much larger area, targets nonliving creatures, only targets enemies, and at this level lasts long, and has some effect even on targets who make their save, with off-target a pretty good guaranteed effect (and even dazzled causes you to be -1 on all attack rolls, which may not seem like much but isn’t bad if you hit a bunch of foes as the minimum effect they take on top of off-target).
Greater check the comments looks to greater command for how to upgrade 1st-level spells at 5th level.
Blockchain [Technomancer 5]
School enchantment (compulsion, mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range 60 feet
Targets all foes in a cone-shaped emanation
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes
You flood the minds of of every foe in the area to a series of interconnected mental checklists they must fulfill while taking any action. Targets are entangled as they constantly start and stop each thing they do, trying to fulfill the checklists demanded for each decision they make. Targets that succeed at their Will save still find their minds filled with checklists, but know they are artificial and can be ignored, though the distraction causes them to still be off-target. Targets already off-target are instead dazzled.
Check the Comments, Greater [Technomancer 5]
School enchantment (compulsion, mind-affecting)
Targets up to one creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Save Will negates
This spell functions like check the comments, except you can affect up to one creature per level and creatures make their announcements in one language you know of your choice, even if they do not speak that language (or, indeed, even if they speak no language).
PATREON
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Technomancer Mind-Affecting Spells IV
We’re exploring the design space of technomancer mind-affecting spells.
If we want a mind-affecting spells to feel like a viable concept for a technomancer (which is the only time at which it would make sense to select the robot influence magic hack), we’re going to need at least two different mind-affecting spells at each spell level for 1st and higher, and at least one 0-level spell.
So far we’ve done a 0, two first, a 2nd (to go with their existing 2nd-level mind-affecting spell, daze monster), and two 3rd-level spells. So, let’s do two technomancer-flavored 4th-level mind-affecting spells.
CAPSLOCK looks at the various fear spells as a way to establish a power-level baseline, while safety on is balanced against hold monster.
CAPSLOCK isn’t nearly as debilitating as fear, but even on a failed save the target is affected briefly.
I also wrote safety on as a reminder (to myself as much as anyone) that’s there is more to technology than just computers, and thus technomancer spells should play with nondigital concepts as well. I like the concept of a technomancer being able to take the concept of a gun’s safety, and apply it to a person. It’s not as debilitating as hold monster, but the target also doesn’t get a save to end it every round, and again it has some impact even on targets that make a save.
CAPSLOCK [Technomancer 4]
School enchantment (compulsion, mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets all foes, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes
You rewire the targets’ ability to make decisions, forcing them to go all-or-nothing on everything they do. They can only take actions designated a full actions or double move actions (preventing any single attacks, standard actions, or single move actions) and cannot take reactions or swift actions. If they speak they must shout, and when moving they make heavy, deliberate steps, preventing any Bluff check to pass secret messages, and any Sleight of Hand or Stealth checks. They cannot take 10 or take 20 on skill checks, even if they have an ability that would normally allow them to do so when distracted or in danger.
If a target succeeds as a skill check, the duration of this spell is reduced to 1d4 rounds for that target.
Safety On [Technomancer 4]
School enchantment (compulsion, mind-affecting)
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets one creature
Duration 1 round/2 levels (D)
Saving Throw Will partial, see text; Spell Resistance yes
The target cannot use a weapon for any purpose, make any attack roll, or take any action that would force creatures to make saving throws if they were targeted by or in the area of the action’s end result.
A target that succeeds at a Will save can take any actions it wishes, but suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls, and the save DC of any effect it creates is reduced by 1.
PATREON
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Owen K.C. Stephens 