Spheres of Power
From Titan's Teeth
| Main > > Magic > Spheres of Power |
Spheres provide a caster with a broad magical focus; for example, powers that deal with moving objects through space are contained in the Telekinesis sphere, while powers that deal with manipulating winds and rain are contained in the Weather sphere. Each sphere provides the caster with an at-will ability, which may be further refined through gaining talents associated with that sphere.
Beyond the spheres themselves (located later in this chapter), there are several terms that must be explained for use with this system:
Magic Talents
As a caster gains levels, they gain magic talents. Magic talents, like feats, may be spent to allow a caster to gain new powers and abilities.
Whenever a caster gains a magic talent, they may spend it in one of two ways: to gain a new base sphere or to gain a talent associated with a sphere they already possess.
The number of magic talents a caster gains differs between classes, but all characters gain two bonus magic talents the first time they gain a level in a casting class, regardless of which class is chosen. Once a talent is spent, it cannot be changed except through retraining, which follows the same rules as retraining a feat.
Caster Level
Caster level is not as synonymous with class level in Spheres of Power as it is with most of the core Pathfinder spellcasting classes. Instead, it would be more appropriate to think it as akin to Base Attack Bonus: as a creature gains levels in a casting class, they gain caster levels at different rates depending on the class chosen. A multi-classed caster determines his total caster levels by adding together his caster levels from all his classes, similar to how Base Attack Bonus is cumulated between all classes. A caster level of 0 is treated as if it were 1 when determining a caster’s capabilities.
All casting classes fall into one of three categories: High-Casters (wizards, sorcerers, clerics, etc.), Mid-Casters (bards, etc.), and Low-Casters (paladins, etc.). Each of these groups gains caster levels at a slightly different rate, as indicated by Table: Caster Level.
| Table: Caster Level | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | High Caster | Mid Caster | Low Caster |
| 1 | +1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | +2 | +1 | +1 |
| 3 | +3 | +2 | +1 |
| 4 | +4 | +3 | +2 |
| 5 | +5 | +3 | +2 |
| 6 | +6 | +4 | +3 |
| 7 | +7 | +5 | +3 |
| 8 | +8 | +6 | +4 |
| 9 | +9 | +6 | +4 |
| 10 | +10 | +7 | +5 |
Casting Ability Modifier
Not every class in the Spheres of Power system uses the same mental ability score when determining their magical potency. Just as with the core Pathfinder magic system, some classes use Intelligence, some use Wisdom, and others use Charisma. In Spheres of Power, this is called their casting ability modifier (CAM). Casting ability modifiers are used to determine the Difficulty Class of sphere abilities, as well as the caster’s total number of spell points.
If a caster takes levels in multiple casting classes, they must select which of those classes’ casting ability modifiers they will use as their casting ability modifier; only one may be applied.
Distances
Many sphere abilities use Close, Medium, and Long as indicators for their range. Just as with spells, Close equals 25 ft + 5 ft per 2 caster levels, Medium equals 100 ft + 10 ft per caster level, and Long equals 400 ft + 40 ft per caster level.
Casting Time
Most sphere abilities require a standard action to use, but there are exceptions. Certain abilities, such as metamagic feats and some drawbacks, may increase or decrease a casting time by a certain number of ‘steps’ as seen in Chart: Casting Times.
Note: Unless otherwise specified, a sphere ability cannot have a shorter casting time than a swift action, nor a longer casting time than 1 hour.
| Chart: Casting Times |
|---|
| 1 hour |
| 10 minutes |
| 1 minute |
| 1 round |
| full-round action |
| standard action |
| move action |
| swift action |
Duration
Concentration: Concentrating to maintain a spell is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Anything that could break your concentration when casting a spell can also break your concentration while you’re maintaining one, causing the spell to end.
You can’t cast a spell while concentrating on another one. Some spells last for a short time after you cease concentrating.
Spell Points
Along with gaining caster levels, casters using the Spheres of Power system also gain a spell pool, which accumulates spell points as they gain levels. Spell points are a measure of a spellcaster’s capability and are spent to increase the power of their various sphere abilities. Each caster gains a pool of spell points equal to their class level plus their casting ability modifier. Just like with caster level, a caster adds together all their levels in Sphere casting classes when determining the size of their spell pool. If they possess levels in multiple casting classes, add those class levels together when determining the number of spell points possessed.
A caster’s spell pool refreshes every day after roughly 8 hours of rest. These hours do not need to be consecutive.
Saving Throw Difficulty Class
Whenever a sphere ability calls for a saving throw, the Difficulty Class (DC) for that saving throw is equal to 10 + 1/2 the caster level + the caster’s casting ability modifier. If the targeted creature meets or exceeds this number with their saving throw, they often reduce or negate the effect. If a caster chooses to use an effect at a lower caster level than his maximum, the DC is also lowered.
Magic Skill Bonus and Magic Skill Defense
Sometimes, it isn’t a caster’s raw power that is important, but rather his skill and experience with magic in general. This includes concentration checks or times when a caster directly pits his magic against that of another caster. At these times, the caster’s magic skill bonus (MSB) and magic skill defense (MSD) are used to determine the outcome.
A caster’s MSB is equal to his total levels in casting classes.
A caster’s MSD is equal to 11 + his total levels in casting classes.
Sometimes, a power or circumstance will call for a magic skill check. At this point, the caster making the check rolls a d20 and adds her MSB to the roll. If this equals or exceeds the target’s MSD, the check succeeds. If not, the check fails.
When attempting to penetrate a creature’s Spell Resistance, she rolls a d20 and adds her MSB to the roll.
An MSB is also used when attempting to counter another caster’s magic, such as when using the Counterspell feat.
Any feat or ability that would normally call for a caster level check instead calls for an MSB check. Any feat or ability that normally adds to a creature’s caster level for the purposes of one of the caster level checks listed above instead adds to their MSB for that purpose.
When combining Spheres of Power with the core Pathfinder magic system, whenever a caster level check is called for or when a DC of 10 or 11 + a creature’s caster level is called for, the character’s MSB and MSD should be substituted respectively.
Concentration
When a Sphere caster makes a concentration check (as called for by the Pathfinder Core rulebook), instead of rolling a d20 and adding his caster level + his casting ability modifier, he rolls a d20 and adds his MSB + his casting ability modifier to the roll. Treat an effect’s caster level/2 as the effective spell level for this purpose. A spellcaster may always choose to manifest a magical effect at a lower caster level than his total in order to make a concentration check easier.
Example: When casting defensively, a caster must make a concentration check (1d20 + caster level + Int, Wis, or Cha) against a DC equal to 15 + double the spell level. In SoP, this would instead require a check equal to 1d20 + MSB + casting ability modifier, and would be against a DC equal to 15 + the caster level of the ability.
Metamagic Feats
A caster may choose to augment their sphere effect with an appropriate metamagic feat at the time of casting. To use a metamagic feat, the caster must spend a number of additional spell points equal to the cost of the metamagic feat. In addition, the sphere effect’s casting time increases by 1 step. These effects are cumulative for every metamagic feat applied.
Example: Soren the Thaumaturge uses a powerful destructive blast with the explosive orb talent (2 spell points) augmented by the Maximize Spell (3 spell points), and Silent Spell (1 spell point) metamagic talents. This costs 6 spell points and takes 1 round to cast (+2 time increases).
The only exception to this is Quicken Spell which, instead of increasing the casting time, decreases the casting time by 2 steps to a minimum of one swift action. Like all metamagic feats, a caster cannot apply Quicken Spell multiple times to the same effect.
If the effect of a metamagic feat is determined by spell level, treat the sphere effect’s caster level/2 as its effective spell level..