PrC idea: Please comment

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Hi, recently I browsed the Wizards.com forums for any prestige classes for sorcerers, and did not see that many. I have developed an idea of a sorcerer I had into what would be a prestige class for arcane casters (predominantly sorcerers and bards, but also wizards as well). This is my first attempt at creating a prestige class, and I would appreciate the feedback; please comment on several issues: how believable it is, is it over- or under-powered, and, in general, whether you liked the idea
This is, of course, just a model - if the idea becomes good enough, I may speak with the DM of the campaign I'm in.
The class gives a lot of boni, but I believe that most of them are not that powerful (with a few exceptions, limited to the trademark spells for the class). Please note that I am using the male pronoun for simplicity only, there are no problems with characters of any gender or race to take the class. So here it is, the Adept of the mirrored path:

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Class name: Adept of the Mirrored Path.


Hit Die: d4

Description: Light and darkness are elements of the world often involved with magic. But they are something more, primordial forces that have existed in balance since the beginning of time, and mages recognize this fact. Many utilize the balance in the form of the illusionary magic that is composed of light and darkness, but some pursue that craft deeper. Those who have the experience and the inclination to focus on these dual forces can eventually master the mirrored path, the thin edge between light and darkness, and can utilize light and shadow as surely as others use their own hands and legs.

Requirements: SF (illusion), SF (evocation), able to cast light, shadow conjuration, and at least 3 other illusion spells; spellcraft 8, concentration 4
The adept must be proficient in the spell schools that deal with light and shadows and well versed in the study of magic in general.

Alignment – any or part neutral (NG, LN, TN, CN, NE)
(If alignment has to be part neutral): In order to understand the balance between light and shadow, the adept must be in touch with the balance within. Only someone who can appreciate both sides of the balance and accepts them can study them.

Gains caster levels as per original class
The adept is a spellcaster, first and foremost. The additional powers come from his studies, not instead of them.

Restriction: At least 1 spell per level must be either an illusion or evocation (light), including the bonus spells
The adept’s powers come with their restrictions; and he should constantly study the powers that he employs. This works as the specialist wizard slots – only it does not give an additional slot, but simply limits one slot. For spontaneous casters, one of their spells known per level must be an illusion or evocation (light).

Upon becoming an adept of the mirrored path, a character gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Attack progression: poor, +1 BAB / 2 levels
Saves progression:
Will – good
Fortutude – poor
Reflex – poor

Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int,), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int.)

Special: An adept of the mirrored path can learn the following spells even if they are not normally allowed for their spellcasting class:
Lvl. 1: Faerie fire
Lvl. 3: Searing light
lvl. 4: Illusory wall(for bards only, wizards or sorcerers learn it anyway)
Lvl. 7 (lvl.6 for bards): Sunbeam

Abilities: (Given by branch, not by level)


Light Mastery:

o Lvl. 1: Can cast the Light spell at will as a free action, requires only a somatic component (simple gesture)
o Lvl. 3: Blinding ray – blindness as spell 1/day per 3 Adept levels (rounded down) – (however, the ability functions as evocation (light) spell, and thus benefits from the spell focus and potentially the adept’s mirror focus feat), also, add the Adept’s level / 2 (rounded down) to the DC
o Lvl. 5: Daylight 1/day – lvl 5, 2/day – lvl. 10 (as spell, 10 min/adept level)
o Lvl. 6: Create lightblade – the adept creates a blade of light suited to his hand. Treat it like a longsword (1d8 damage, critical threat on 19 or 20) but without either a bonus or penalty to damage from strength. Also, on a critical hit roll for blindness (3 rnds, Fortitude save DC 10+ adept lvl) instead of double damage. If the creature can not be blinded, the effect is wasted. The blade is considered +1 or flaming for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Vampires suffer double damage and on a confirmed threat roll must make a Will Save (DC 10+Adept level) or be destroyed. The blade can be summoned 1/day at lvl 6, 2/day at lvl 8, 3/day at lvl 10, and lasts for 10 min. per adept level. The caster is considered to be proficient with the weapon and adds half his adept level (rounded down) to his attack bonus. This is a spell-like effect and can be dispelled.
- Lvl.8: Improved critical: lightblade, lightblade is considered +2 for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction
- Lvl.10: Weapon specialization: lightblade; lightblade is considered +3 for purposes of overcoming damage reduction


Eyes of the Adept:

o Lvl 1: Darkvision
o Lvl 3: Shadow eyes – can sense someone standing in shadows as standard action (similar to a sense undead spell), does not provoke AoO
o Lvl. 5: Tempered sight: +2 bonus to save vs. illusions
o lvl 10: Eyes of the horizon: immunity to blindness, sees blink, blur, invisibility (also improved invisibility, sanctuary, greater sanctuary), pupils reflect the image like mirrors.


Shadow skills:

Since these skills require the Adept to manipulate his or her shadow, they can only be cast where there will be shadows and not in complete darkness or darkness spells. Such conditions will dispel the effects if they are already in place, unless the Adept has the omnipresent shadows feat.

Lvl 2: Shadow cloak: The adept wraps himself in his own semi-solid shadow as a cloak, becoming harder to see and protecting himself from attacks: provides +4 bonus to Hide, +1 saves vs. targeted spells, +2 to Natural AC (successful attack with an enchanted or flaming weapon inflicts 1 pt. of additional damage as your shadow is pierced; a targeted fire or light spell that affects the character inflicts +50% damage or 2 points of damage if the spell itself inflicts none) - 1/day at level 2 and an additional use per day at lvl. 6 and 10. Duration – 1 min. per Adept level. Casting a shadow cloak is a standard action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. It is a spell-like effect and can be dispelled.
o Lvl. 4: Cloak of night – the shadow cloak gives a 10% concealment
o Lvl. 6: shadowmeld – an adept using their shadow cloak can hide even if observed
o Lvl. 8: greater shadow cloak - +6 bonus to hide, +2 saves vs. targeted spells, + 3 to Natural armor class and 25% concealment
o Lvl 10: shadow cloak does not cause additional damage if the character is hit with an enchanted or flaming weapon or fire or light spells, gives the character a damage resistance 10/fire

Lvl. 3: Shadow visage – as disguise self spell (1 hr/ adept level), 1/day. This is a spell-like effect.

Lvl. 4: Shadow bind – 1/day can use the shadow to immobilize (as entangle) an opponent. At levels 6,8, and 10 an additional opponent can be immobilized, as long as all bound opponents are more than 20 ft. apart from the adept – Reflex save DC 10 + Adept level negates. Duration: 1 round/adept level. This is a spell-like effect that takes 1 standard action. Shadow bind can be used 2/day at lvl 7 and 3/day at lvl 10 and can affect incorporeal creatures whom the Adept sees. The adept cannot move for the duration of the effect, if he does, the bound creatures are freed.
o Lvl. 8: Improved shadow bind – lvl. 8: The shadow bind is improved to hold effect, adept can himself move, as long as that does not put him more than 20 ft. away from any bound opponent (if he does, he must release that particular creature) Possible addition: shadow bind can affect ethereal creatures, provided the adept can see them.


Mirror Arcana:

Lvl. 4: Mirror focus: At lvl. 4, any spell of the illusion or evocation (light) school receives additional +1 to DC. Also, lightning bolt, chain lightning and the prismatic spells are included. The bonus stacks such from other feats.
o Lvl 8: Improved Mirror Focus: At level 8, the bonus increases to +2

Lvl 5. Mirror Metamagic: at lvl 5, any spell of the illusion or evocation (light) school can be cast with any metamagic feats the caster has with a spell level 1 less than the improved spell has. This can reduce a spell’s new total level to the original one. For spontaneous casters, this does not increase casting time. Wizards can cast the metamagic version of the spell instead of the original one they have prepared, if the mirror metamagic reduces a metamagic spell to its original level.
o Lvl. 10: Improved Mirror metamagic – the reduction is now 2 levels. This cannot reduce a spell’s new total level lower than it was without the metamagic feat.

Lvl. 6: Shadow mastery: through his expertise in wielding both light and shadow, the adept can attempt to rebuke/command shadows or creatures summoned through shadow magic (shadow conjuration, greater shadow conjuration, shades), as an evil cleric commands undead. For turning results, the adept’s level serves as his cleric level. Summoned creatures are considered half their original Hit Dice for the purpose. Turn attempts = 3 + Cha modifier
o Lvl 8: Shadow Warder: like permanent protection from evil, but effective only ag. Shadows and monsters summoned via illusion (shadow) spells, protects against ability or energy drain (from such creatures only)

Lvl. 7: Omnipresent shadows: shadow skills can be cast if under the effects of darkness spells (incl. deeper darkness). Also, light spells or supernatural abilities can be cast if they correspond to a level lower than the darkness spell, but do not dispel it (merely negate it temporarily)

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Ideas used: 3do's Might and Magic series (the mirrored path concept) and Kishimoto Masashi's Naruto anime and manga series (shadow bind seemed just too cool not to include).

[ February 09, 2006, 22:14: Message edited by: The Shaman ]

 

True, but I thought there were a lot of classes that do that... I was quite impressed by the "green star adept" PrC from "Complete Arcane"... Spellcaster with damage reduction 10/adamantine at the end, oookayy . While this class can be powerful for sorcerers, they are restricted to having their first spell per level be either illusion or evocation (light), and the latter aren't many. Please keep in mind also that most abilities are dispellable. And last: all these are just suggestions. If any skill seems out of context or simply too powerful, it could be dropped altogether. Alternatively, feel free to suggest additional things.

Anyway, I should tone down a few things, sure enough. If possible, discuss every one of these separately; I have no intention of nerfing everything at once

Add evocation (darkness) spells everywhere illusions and evoc. (light) spells are mentioned - allowed spells, spells benefitting from bonus feats, etc.

Possible additional restrictions: An adept only adds half his adept level to his spellcasting level casting any other spell than illusion, evocation (light), evocation (darkness), or any of the spells I have included as similar (most of these are evoc. spells). If that would reduce his/her caster level to lower than what is normally required to cast a spell of this level, he cannot cast spells of this level not of the mentioned schools. What this means is: Aishe is a sorceress (9)/ Adept (7). For illusions and evocations of the mentioned types, her caster level is 16, for any other spell (i.e. transmutation) - it is 13. Hence, she can not cast any lvl. 7 and 8 spells except illusions and the mentioned evocations, and if she carried the PrC to lvl. 10, she would not be able to cast lvl. 8 and 9 spells except these unless she goes epic. Okay, or takes Practiced spellcaster (of course, it wouldn't improve her level with evocations and illusions, since it can't get someone's caster level higher than their HD).

--- ALTERNATIVELY: simply choose an opposition school of which the adept can not learn (but can cast learned) spells - see the Incantatrix PrC. Illusion and Evocation are not allowed, naturally. Penalties to spellcraft check as per specialist wizards apply. Specialists wizards basically take another opposition school. This method seems much simpler, if not as well motivated as the previous one.

About each of the skills (a few descriptions have been added in italics):

- light at will - well, a cantrip is a cantrip, and I don't think it can do that much (sure, it has its good uses, but still...) - I might tone it down to say 3/day, although I don't think there's much point
- blinding ray - do not add adept level to DC. Boni of (at level 10) +8 to DC are a bit too much (+1 SF illusion, +2 Imp. Mirr. Focus, +5 level bonus); also, perhaps limit to 1xday or make it a usable lvl 2 spell (instantly learned by reaching the level, above and beyond bard/sorc. spells known)
- Daylight... if it's considered powerful, limit to 1xday
- Lightblade: the idea is that it is a construct of light, controlled similarly to a psion's mindblade. Therefore: damage reduced to 1d6, no weapon specialization; but perhaps it could also be extendable (reach and melee range, like spike chain). Summoned 1xday.
It might actually be cool if its shape can be changed to mimic other piercing/slashing melee weapons as according to the user's proficiencies, but it would have little practical effect. OR have it morph to any slashing or piercing weapon the user is proficient with, but with damage die 1 size category smaller than the user and no special abilities (such as trip, disarm, sunder etc.). Where the critical modifier is higher, add +5 to DC to resist blindness/destroy part. undead for x3 and +10 for x4.
OR: make it a lvl 3 spell, automatically learned.

- Eyes of the adept:
- substitute low-light vision for darkvision would be good, but only humans would benefit. So unless it really seems that good, I'd leave darkvision to up to 60 feet.
- Shadow eyes (shadow sense sounds much better) provokes attack of opportunity - one needs to concentrate for it, after all.
- Tempered sight - for someone who is a specialist in light and shadows a +2 bonus to saves vs. illusions is only natural.
- Eyes of the horizon... I'd say it's ok for a lvl 10 prestige class skill. Actually, adding immunity to magical darkness seems good as well. It might also improve the shadow sense skill not to provoke an attack of opportunity or give penalties to anyone casting illusions at the adept if they meet eyes (the adept is aware of the caster and not incapacitated in some way)

- Shadow cloak:
Sages say the shadow is tied to a person's very soul. For an adept of the mirrored path, the shadow is a sign of their own balance of light and darkness, and, as such, merits study and use. Adepts prove this true as they can use their very shadows for protection and concealment. However, this comes at great risks - if the shadow is harmed, so is the wielder's own spirit.
Okay, keep in mind that it can be dispelled and until lvl. 10 brings vulnerability to fire (although maybe the vulnerability is overdoing it) as well as extra damage if hit. Sure, it looks flashy, but at the levels it can be taken pretty much everyone carries an enchanted weapon. If it needs to be weakened further, I'd rather at least remove the bonus damage per hit with enchanted/flaming weapons.
- can only be used up to 1 min. per caster level, but this can be split several times per day.
- Natural AC does not improve at level 6 OR simply have the bonus be a deflection one instead of natural.
- The DR at lvl 10 is 10/fire or adamantine OR it could be brought down to 5/fire.
- At lvl 6, it can be transferred to another (willing) ally no more than 20 ft. away. Any extra damage is incurred by the adept (it's his shadow, after all).

--Possibly--
Just make it a partial concealment + Hide bonus, with a limited DR (5/fire at level 10) and no penalties; the concealment starts at 15%, improves to 25% at level 6 and 40% at level 10

- Shadow visage:
Adepts, by virtue of their familiarity with light and darkness, are masters of illusion. An experienced adept can use his shadow to obscure their outlook with little more than a wish.
Well, it doesn't have a candle to the druid alter self skill, and is dispelable; still, possibly limit duration to 10 min./adept level, but can be split into several uses if the total time is no more than that. It's not such a great skill, or in theme with everything else, so it could easily be removed. Then again, is it that powerful?
- Shadow bind:
Eventually, adepts grow skillful enough to not only manipulate their own shadows, but use them to control those of others. One's shadow moves as they themselves move; should it be held still, so will they be.
This skill adds some flavor, but doesn't seem overpowered, possibly limit use to 1/day (2/day at lvl 8)

- Mirror Focus: Well, we are talking about a specialized spellcaster, so it's only natural to have some boni... perhaps at lvl. 5 and 10, or only +1 at level 5 (if there is no spellcasting restriction). However, on the other hand it might be a good idea for it to also provide the same bonus to dispel checks against such illusions.
- Mirror metamagic: possibly no improved version. This is possibly one of the strongest skills, but it applies only to a limited selection of spells, after all. The incantatrix gets it for all spells.
- Shadow mastery: rebuke or turn as the character chooses. At any rate, the effective cleric level is no higher than 10, and this isn't much use for wizards, except the idea to control or banish shadow-summoned creatures. This skill can be dropped altogether, of course, but I find it an interesting interpretation of the light+shadow theme.
- shadow warder - either keep it completely or delete it. It would make sense only if the shadow mastery bonus is kept. If it is kept, it might make sense to possibly extend to a 15-foot radius at lvl. 10.
- Omnipresent shadows: possibly shift to a lvl. 10 bonus, although it doesn't seem that powerful.

Something that strikes me as odd now is that I have not included any abilities dealing with darkness per se, and it is supposed to be a class mixing light and darkness. I am thinking about the following:

- Lvl. 6 ability: mold darkness
As an adept of the mirrored path grows more skilled, their art of molding the semi-substantial shadows improves, and eventually they may wield darkness itself - but darkness having taken a material form. By power of concentration, an adept can condense the very essence of the night, creating strands of viscous material obedient to his very thoughts.
1xday, the adept can perform a full-round concentration action, and afterwards can create a mass of materialized darkness in a form similar to a rope or series of ropes (i.e. ladder or rope bridge), not exceeding 20 ft. per adept level altogether. The ropes are weightless and can be projected in any direction. They can carry up to 30 lbs per adept level at a time, but last only as long as the adept is touching them. This ability can not be cast during the day unless the adept has the omnipresent shadows feat.

[ February 15, 2006, 18:03: Message edited by: The Shaman ]