Mage

Ability Requirements:
Intelligence 9
Prime Requisite:
Intelligence
Allowed Races:
Human, half-elf, elf

Mages are more versatile than specialist wizards, who are limited to casting spells from certain schools. Mages can cast spells from any school of magic. Examples of mages from legend and literature are: Merlin, Gandalf, Medea, and Circe.

Wizards have 40 character points to spend on skills from the following list. These abilities range from 5 to 15 character points. Any unspent points can be used to acquire nonweapon proficiencies or saved for use during the game.

Access to schools: It costs 5 points per school to which the wizard has access. For example, if a wizard wanted to have access to six schools, the cost would be 30 character points. Normally, wizards spend 40 points to cast spells from the eight standard schools: abjuration, alteration, conjuration/summoning, enchantment/ charm, divination, illusion/phantasm, invocation/evocation, and necromancy. Note that the spells that make up the optional schools of alchemy, geometry, and elemental magic (from the Tome of Magic) are generally included in the standard schools of magic.

Armored wizard (15): This wizard can cast spells while wearing the armor of his choice.

Automatic spells (5): When a wizard with this spell gains access to a new level of spells, the character automatically gains a spell of that level for the character’s spellbook.

Casting reduction (5): The casting time of all the mage’s spells is reduced by 1. If a spell’s original casting time is 1, it is not reduced.

Combat bonus (10): A wizard with this ability uses the rogue THAC0 chart.

Detect magic (10): Characters purchasing this ability can detect magic once a day for every two levels. For example, a 7th level mage can detect magic three times a day. This is in addition to any detect magic spells the mage might carry. The character can spot magical radiations within his line of sight, up to 60' away. He can determine the intensity of the magic—dim, faint, moderate, strong, and overwhelming.

Extend duration (10): The duration of all non-instantaneous spells increases by 1 round for every two experience levels of the wizard. For example, if a 6th level wizard casts a spectral hand spell, it will last 15 rounds rather than 12 rounds.

Hit point bonus (10): These wizards use 1d6 for determining hit points rather than 1d4.

Warrior hit point bonus (5): A wizard with this ability can enjoy the benefits of a high Constitution score as if he were a fighter. For example, if this wizard had a Constitution score of 18, he would gain 4 bonus hit points a level, rather than 2.

Priestly wizards (15): These wizards gain access to one sphere of priest spells and can cast them as if they were wizard spells. These characters must continue to observe the number of various level spells they can cast each day.

Read magic (5): Characters purchasing this ability can read magic once a day for every two levels. For example, a 4th level mage can read magic twice a day. This is in addition to any read magic spells the mage might carry.

Resistance to sleep and charm (5): This wizard gains a +1 bonus to all saving throws versus sleep and charm spells, if the spell or effect allows a saving throw.

Weapon specialization (15): This wizard can specialize in a particular weapon. The character point cost for gaining proficiency and then specialization must be met in addition to this cost.

Optional Restriction

Limited magical item use (5+): A wizard with this restriction disdains enchanted items as a crutch for the weak and refuses to use certain categories of magical items. For each category that is barred to him, he gains 5 CPs . The categories are: potions, oils, and scrolls; rings, rods, staves, and wands, and miscellaneous magical items; and all weapons and armor.

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