Shaman

The most common means by which mortals acquire the knowledge of magic, shamanism has been present since the dawn of time. Its instigators are, and have always been, the Spirits: willing to initiate mortals in the ways of magic.

Either by posing a direct offering to the mortal, or by accepting a mortal seeking power, the arrangement always involves a pact between the mediator and the prospective shaman (many times with obscure terms from the Spirits’ part). Many shamans are not fully aware of what exactly will be asked from them, and remain in a sort of semi-allegiance with the Spirits. Shamanism is, along with song magic, one of the main traditions through which the aelfen practise spellcraft.

Breakdown:

Casting: standard action (generally) with no need for a Spellcraft check, spends spellpoints from a pool that recharges with time
Caster level: equal to number of spellpoints spent
DC to resist: 10 + level of spell + Cha mod
Special: fast casting without incantation, 1h rest recovers full casting potential  

A shaman’s link to the Spirits’ world is through the form of a familiar: a magical creature, which accompanies the shaman and teaches him how to perform magic. Familiars are very diverse, but generally they resemble ordinary small animals, often cats, owls or rats. The familiar is also a source of much of the shaman’s power, and the means by which he can commune with the spirit world.

Familiar Bond (8 skill points)

Prerequisite: you must forge a mystical pact with a magical creature that becomes your familiar.

A small magical creature becomes your familiar, granting you access to arcane secrets. In dreams, guided by your new companion, your learn Knowledge(arcana) and Spellcraft. Your familiar also allows you to learn aditional spells and spellsongs in your dreams.

As you grow in magical power, your familiar will also become more attuned to you and both will be able to perform greater magical feats.

Additionally, your magical bond opens up a wellspring of magic: you gain a pool of spell points you can spend to cast spells instantly, without rolling Knowledge(arcana) or Spellcraft checks. Your spell point pool is equal to the number of ranks you have in Spellcraft + your Int modifier. To cast a spell in this way, you must spend a spell point per each caster level of the spell you want to cast.

You must be within 5ft of your familiar to tap into the wellspring. When you spend all of your spell points, both you and your familiar become dazed until your next turn. Both you and your familiar need an extended rest (8h) to recover all your wellspring points.

Arcane Spells taught by your familiar

You can learn and scribe down a total of 2 spells per downtime, with no expenditure of skill points. These can be spells from this list or whichever other you have access to. 0-level spells, because they’re simpler, you can learn 2 of them for the time it takes to learn a more complex one.

Remember the only thing limiting your capacity to cast spells is your Spellcraft check, so you can learn spells of higher level and hope you’re good enough to cast them.

0 level

• DC of Arcana and Spellcraft checks to cast = 13
• number of checks required: 1 Knowledge(arcana), 1 Spellcraft (but cast as a full-round action)

Minor Disguise You make minor cosmetic changes in your appearance, but not overall change your body and facial structure. It grants a +2 bonus on disguise checks, and lasts 1h.

Disrupt Undead You fire a ray to a target in close range, dealing 1d6 damage if it is undead.

Unnerving Gaze You make your face look like one of the target’s departed loved one’s or bitter enemies. The subject takes a -1 morale penalty on attacks for 1 round/caster level. It can resist with a Will save. Close range.

1st level

• DC of Arcana and Spellcraft checks to cast = 14
• number of checks required: 1 Knowledge(arcana), 1 Spellcraft

Beguiling Gift Offer an object to adjacent creature, which is enticed to use, don or consume it, according to the type of object. A target can resist it with a Will save. The effect lasts until your next turn, afterwards the targets acts normally.

Ineptitude A target in close range is cursed to fail its next action: the next d20 roll it attempts during the next 2 turns gets a -20 penalty. You can maintain concentration on the spell to prolong its duration. The target can resist the spell with a Will save.

Cause Fear A target in close range becomes frightened, running away from you. A Will save ends the effect, and the target becomes shaken for 1 round.

Command A target in close range is subject to follow one simple command of yours, until your next turn. The target can resist with a Will save. No somatic components.

Piercing Scream You unleash a shrilling scream, audible only to a single target in close range. The target is dazed for 1 round and takes 1d6 sonic damage per two caster levels. A successful Fort save negates the daze and halves the damage.

Distort Speech Target in close range can’t speak coherently. It takes a -10 penalty on social skills that rely on speech and a 50% miss chance to cast spells with verbal components or activate magic items with command words. A Will save ends the effect.

Summon Ally Summons an allied creature, that appears within close range. The creature remains for as long as you concentrate plus 1 round/caster level. It will defend you to the best of its ability, but you must share a language and succeed on a Diplomacy check DC10+Hit Dice of creature to convey it orders. A creature that becomes disabled retreats to its realm, unless you can communicate with it and succeed in a Diplomacy check, at the same DC. Focus component: an empty bag and a candle.

Summon Minor Allies Summons a group of tiny animals, of the same type, that appear within close range. They will attempt to defend you if needed, and you can ask them to perform tasks for you with a Diplomacy check 12. Duration 2h.

Beastland Ferocity Touched creature gains a +4 bonus to Str when bloodied, and suffers no penalties when disabled or dying. The creature will still die if it reached -10 HP. Duration 1min/caster level.

Distract A number of creatures, up to your caster level, all within 30ft of each other, at medium range, become incredibly distracted, taking a -4 penalty on all Perception checks and can only take a single action each round. Duration 1 round/caster level. No verbal component.

Swift Expeditious Retreat Your land speed increases by 30ft for 1 round. Casting time 1 swift action. No somatic component.

Incite Creatures in a 10ft radius area within close range are urged to action if they are poised to act. The spell causes creatures that are delaying their action or have a readied action to instantly act. A Will save negates the effect. 1 swift action to cast.

Inhibit One creature in medium range is inhibited from acting, effectively delaying until next round, immediately before you. It can resist the effect with a Will save.

Wood Wose You summon a tiny nature spirit, green and translucent, that can perform simple tasks for you, up to 1h per caster level. Its tasks must be simple and involve no knowledge of technology. It will keep repeating the task until you tell it to stop or give it another task. It cannot move farther from you than close range, or it dissipated. If attacked, it also disappears.

Light of Lunia You shed silvery light as a torch, which lasts for 10min/caster level. On subsequent turns, you can release the light as rays, up to two of them, at your enemies. Each ray has a range of 30ft, deals 1d6 damage, or 2d6 damage against undead or demons. After shooting the first ray your radiance diminishes by half, and after the second it disappears.

Luminous Gaze Your eyes shed a bright light, illuminating as a torch. Every sighted creature within 20ft of you is dazzled. Duration 1 round/caster level.

Backbiter You curse an opponent’s weapon to turn on him; the target must be within close range. When the target uses the weapon to attack, the weapon twists in his hand and strikes him instead, hitting automatically. The target can resist this with a Will save. Lasts for 1 round/per level or until triggered. Focus component: a dagger.

Ray of Enfeeblement You fire a ray as a ranged touch attack up to medium range, target takes a penalty to Str equal to 1d6+1 per 2 caster levels (its Str can’t go below 1 though). A Fort save reduces the penalty by half. Duration 1 round/caster level.

Ray of Clumsiness You fire a ray as a ranged touch attack up to medium range, target takes a penalty to Dex equal to 1d6+1 per 2 caster levels (its Dex can’t go below 1 though). A Fort save reduces the penalty by half. Duration 1 round/caster level.

Trip Sweep An unseen force strikes a target at medium range, tripping it. Its attack bonus equals your caster level + Int modifier + 2. If you succeed, the target falls prone. Material component: three glass beads.

Blockade You quickly drop a tiny piece of wood onto the ground, which grows to immense size, roughly a 5ft cube. It lasts for 3 rounds before it disintegrates. Casting time 1 swift action. Material component: a tiny piece of wood.

Reduce Creature A creature in close range is reduced by one size category, gaining a +2 bonus to Dex, a -2 penalty to Str and a +1 bonus on attacks and AC. They also gain a -4 penalty on grapple and other combat maneouvers, and gain a +4 bonus on Stealth. Creatures that become smaller than Small size have a reach of 0ft, so they must enter an enemy’s square to attack in melee. All equipment worn also is reduced. A target ca resist the effect with a Fort save. Duration 1min/caster level. Material component: a pinch of powdered iron.

Spider Hand Your hand detaches, turning into a Small spider that you control. You can control it and see through its eyes and make it travel away up to 100ft per caster level. The spell lasts for as long as you concentrate, up to 1min per caster level. If the spider gets killed or is prevented from returning, your hand regrows but you’re dealt 1d6 damage. If you allows the spider to return and reattach, you take no damage.

Spellsongs taught by your familiar

Each spellsong costs 4 skill points to learn, and you must possess a minimum number of ranks (not the total modifier!) in a Perform skill that produces music. You need to know 2 spellsongs of the previous level to learn a new one.

To activate and maintain spellsongs you must succeed on a Perform check which has to succeed over the indicated DC. The caster level of a spellsong is equal to your number of ranks in Perform.

0 level

• Minimum ranks in Perform: 3
• skill point cost: 3

Lullaby Creatures within a 10ft radius that fail a Will save become drowsy and inattentive, taking a -5 penalty on Perception checks and a -2 penalty on Will saves vs sleep-inducing effects. After you stop the song, affected creatures suffer the effects for 1 round per caster level. Standard action to activate and to maintain; each round creatures are exposed they need to save against the effect again.

Mending Makes minor repairs on an object. 10 minutes to activate

1st level

• Minimum ranks in Perform: 4
• skill point cost: 4

Focusing chant You gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls, skill and ability checks for as long as you chant. Swift action to activate and maintain. No somatic component.

Healthful rest One creature per caster level, all within 30ft, recovers more rapidly when resting. For the next 24h, creatures receive double the HP when resting (this can stack with the benefits of the Heal skill). Activation time 10min.

Loud Tone You amplify the sound played in an instrument, up to a volume level similar to a dragon roar. Duration 1 round. Standard action to activate, no verbal component required.

Invigorate Adjacent creature takes no penalties from being fatigued or exhausted for 10min per caster level. However when the spell ends the target takes 1d6 nonlethal damage. Standard action to activate, no somatic component.

Sleep Living creatures, within 30ft of each other, fall asleep; up to 4HD+2HD/ranks in Perform can be affected; duration 1min/caster level, medium range. Standard action to activate, Material component: fine sand, rose petals or a live cricket.

Animate Rope Up to 50ft of rope animates for as long as you perform, at medium range, and can coil, loop and tie itself; if near or thrown at an opponent, it can trap him; each command takes a move action. Standard action to activate, swift action to maintain.

Insidious Rhythm All creatures in medium range takes a -4 penalty on Int, Wis and Cha-based skill checks due to the insidious tune you keep playing. Whenever any of them tries to concentrate on or cast a spell it must succeed on a Concentration check with the same DC as this chant + level of its spell, or lose the spell. A Will save resists the effect. Activate as an immediate action, maintain as a swift action;each round the target is exposed it needs to save against the effect again.

Unwitting Ally A target in close range becomes confused as to who his allies and enemies are, and takes no hostile action until his next turn. It also does not help in flanking with its own allies. A Will save resists the effect. Standard action to activate.

Unnatural Lust Target in close range develops a lustful fascination with another creature or object also within range, for 1 round. The target seeks to kiss or caress the target of its affection on his next action, having no other goals. It can resist with a Will save. It receives a +4 bonus on its save if the target would not normally have lustful feelings towards the chosen creature or object. Standard action to activate.

Lesser Confusion A target in close range is rendered confused for 1 round. It can resist with a Will save. Standard action to activate.

Hypnotism Several creatures in close range, all within 30ft of each other, are rendered fascinated and stare blankly at you for as long as you perform, and 2d4 rounds afterwards. You can affect a maximum of 2d4+(nº of ranks in Perform) worth of Hit Dice of creatures. Targets resist with a Will save. If you target it only at one creature outside combat, then it takes a -2 penalty on the save. Fascinated creatures become more friendly and amenable to requests, which they will try to carry out afterwards, and won’t remember they were affected. Standard action to activate, and maintain, each time the target is exposed it must make a new save.

Sorrow You play a dirge that causes one target in close range to suffer intense sadness and depression, causing a -3morale penalty on attacks, saves, skill and ability checks. Target resists with a Will save. Standard action to activate, swift action to maintain, each time the target is exposed it must make a new save. Material component: a tear.