6.13 Wizard

PIC

Table 6.14:Wizard Progression
Rank (Level)

Arcane Magic

Arcane Spell Mastery ✨

Alchemist

Arcane Scholar ✨

School Specialist ✨

1 (1)

Arcane spells, mage armor

Metamagic

Alchemical toxins, portable workshop

Ritualist, spell knowledge

School specialization

2 (4)

Arcane spells+

Expert metamage, intricate spell

Alchemical discovery

Scholastic insight

School knowledge

3 (7)

Spell-trained understanding

Alchemical precision, alchemical tolerance

Contingency

School resilience

4 (10)

Mage armor+

Metamagic+

Alchemical discovery+

Scholastic insight+

School specialization+

5 (13)

Arcane spells+

Attunement point

Experienced quaffing

Ritual leader

School knowledge+

6 (16)

Experienced spellcaster

Alchemical discovery+

Scholastic insight+

School resilience+

7 (19)

Mage armor+

Metamagic+

Alchemical tolerance+

Contingency+

School specialization+

Wizards are arcane spellcasters who study magic to unlock its powerful secrets. They have spent years studying the primal forces that define the universe. Their extensive research has revealed complicated ways in which those forces can be accessed and manipulated by mere mortals.

Wizards are almost never completely self-taught. The primal forces of the universe do not give up their power easily, and the methods used to access that power are unintuitive. Most wizards learn at arcane colleges or through direct mentorship by older, wiser wizards. Even wizard prodigies who learn alone have some access to the research performed by wizards over the centuries, generally in the form of massive books.

There are two fundamental principles of arcane magic that are shared by all wizards. The first principle is the creation of links between planes. A wizard can expend a small amount of energy to open an extremely small, extremely short-lived interdimensional gate that leads to a source of power. The destination for this gate depends on the mystic sphere the wizard are manipulating. As a simple example, pyromancy spells generally require gates to the Plane of Fire. Other spheres can be more complex. For example, revelation spells generally require gates that lead to prescient entities or extraplanar sites with powerful ambient magic.

The second principle is the manipulation of raw power accessed through these gates. Wizards learn how to create complex magical bindings that can store power and release it in highly specific ways. This allows them to create long-lasting effects that were fueled by extremely brief flashes of power.

Sorcerers are an endless fascination and source of frustration to wizards. While wizards must spend years or decades perfecting their art, sorcerers are able to easily and intuitively replicate the same techniques for accessing and binding magical energy. This often makes younger wizards jealous. Wizards have spent centuries trying to understand how to mimic the shortcuts that sorcerers use, with little success. However, sorcerers lack the ability to perform complex arcane rituals that do not allow any simple shortcuts. Many older wizards regard this as a crippling weakness.

Alignment: Any.

Archetypes: Wizards have the Arcane Magic, Arcane Spell Mastery, Alchemist, Arcane Scholar, and School Specialist archetypes.

6.13.1 Base Class Effects

If you choose wizard as your base class, you gain the following benefits.

Attributes

You gain a +1 bonus to your Intelligence. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to either your Perception or your Willpower.

Hit Points

You have 6 hit points + your Constitution, plus 1 hit points per level beyond 1. This increases as your level increases, as indicated below.

Resources

You learn four trained skills from among your class skills (see Skills). You also gain two additional attunement points and an additional insight point.

Weapon Proficiencies

You are proficient with simple weapons.

Armor Proficiencies

You are not proficient with any type of armor.

Class Skills

You have the following class skills:

6.13.2 Arcane Magic

This archetype grants you the ability to cast arcane spells.

Rank 1 – Arcane Spells ✨

Your extensive studies grant you the ability to use arcane magic. You gain access to one arcane mystic sphere, plus the universal mystic sphere (see Arcane Mystic Spheres). You may spend insight points to gain access to one additional arcane mystic sphere per two insight points. You can only learn arcane spells from arcane mystic spheres that you have access to.

You automatically learn all cantrips from each of your mystic spheres. In addition, you learn two rank 1 arcane spells. You can also spend insight points to learn one additional rank 1 spell per insight point.

Arcane spells require both verbal components and somatic components to cast (see Ability Usage Components). For details about mystic spheres and casting spells, see Spell and Ritual Mechanics.

When you gain access to a new mystic sphere or spell rank, you can forget any number of spells you know to learn that many new spells in exchange, including spells of the higher rank.

Advancement: The maximum rank of arcane spells that you can learn is equal to your rank in this archetype. Arcane spells also increase in power in unique ways based on your rank in this archetype, as indicated in their descriptions.

Rank 1 – Mage Armor ✨

Mage Armor

Usage time: Standard action.

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You create a translucent suit of magical armor on your body and over your hands. This functions like body armor that provides a +2 bonus to your Armor defense and has no encumbrance. It also provides a bonus to damage resistance equal to three times your rank in this archetype.

You can also use a free hand to wield the barrier as a shield. This functions like a buckler, granting you a +1 bonus to your Armor defense, except that you do not need to be proficient with light armor. Since this bonus comes from a shield, it does not stack with the benefits of using any other shield.

This ability lasts until you use it again or until you dismiss it. In addition, it is automatically dismissed if you wear other body armor of any kind.

Rank 2 – Arcane Spells+ ✨

You learn an additional arcane spell.

Rank 4 – Mage Armor+ ✨

The damage resistance bonus increases to four times your rank in this archetype.

Rank 5 – Arcane Spells+ ✨

You learn an additional arcane spell.

Rank 7 – Mage Armor+ ✨

The damage resistance bonus increases to five times your rank in this archetype.

6.13.3 Arcane Spell Mastery ✨

This archetype improves the arcane spells you cast. You must have the Arcane Magic archetype from the wizard class to gain the abilities from this archetype. All abilities from this archetype are magical ✨.

Rank 1 – Metamagic ✨

You learn how to further refine your spellcasting abilities. Choose two metamagic abilities from the list below.

Some metamagic abilities affect specific spells. You cannot choose the same spell with more than two metamagic abilities. Whenever you learn a new spell, you may change which specific spells your metamagic abilities affect.

Calculated Spell: Choose an arcane spell you know. As a minor action, you can calculate the effect that the spell would have. When you do, roll 1d10. If you cast that spell that round, you use that die result as your accuracy roll for any attacks that round, exploding as normal if the die result was a 10. After calculating in this way, you briefly cannot do so again, whether or not you cast the spell. You cannot choose this ability multiple times.

Distant Spell: Choose an arcane spell you know with a standard range: Short (30 ft.), Medium (60 ft.), Long (90 ft.), Distant (120 ft.), or Extreme (180 ft.). You increase that spell’s range to the next standard range category, to a maximum of Extreme range. You can choose this ability multiple times, choosing a different spell each time.

Researched Spell: Choose an arcane spell you know. You use your Intelligence in place of your Willpower to determine your power with that spell. You can choose this ability multiple times, choosing a different spell each time.

Rituals: You gain the ability to perform arcane rituals to create unique magical effects (see Spell and Ritual Mechanics). The maximum rank of arcane ritual you can learn or perform is equal to the maximum rank of arcane spell that you can cast. When you gain this ability, you can memorize a rank 1 arcane ritual from any arcane mystic sphere you have access to. Whenever you gain access to a new spellcasting rank, you can memorize an additional ritual of that rank or lower. You cannot choose this ability multiple times.

Widened Spell: Choose an arcane spell you know with a standard area: Small (15 ft.), Medium (30 ft.), Large (60 ft.), Huge (90 ft.), or Gargantuan (120 ft.). You increase that spell’s area to the next standard area category, to a maximum of a Gargantuan area. You can choose this ability multiple times, choosing a different spell each time.

Rank 2 – Expert Metamage ✨

You can spend insight points to learn one additional metamagic ability per insight point.

Rank 2 – Intricate Spell ✨

Whenever you cast a spell, you can use this ability to make the spell’s incantations more nuanced and complex. If you do, you gain a +1 accuracy bonus with the spell this round. However, you take a -2 penalty to your Armor and Reflex defenses this round. This defense penalty is Swift.

Rank 3 – Spell-Trained Understanding ✨

You gain a +1 bonus to your Intelligence.

Rank 4 – Metamagic+ ✨

You gain an additional metamagic ability.

Rank 5 – Attunement Point ✨

You gain an additional attunement point.

Rank 6 – Experienced Spellcaster ✨

You gain a +1 accuracy bonus.

Rank 7 – Metamagic+ ✨

You gain two additional metamagic abilities.

6.13.4 Alchemist

This archetype improves your ability to use alchemy to create unusual concoctions to aid your allies and harm your foes.

Rank 1 – Alchemical Toxins ✨

If you have access to arcane magic, you add the toxicology mystic sphere to your list of arcane mystic spheres (see Mystic Spheres).

Rank 1 – Portable Workshop ✨

You carry materials necessary to refine low-grade alchemical items wherever you are. This includes any item created using Craft (alchemy), such as potions, elixirs, and alchemist’s fire. Where you lack material components, you fill in with some of your own magic, allowing you to create items more easily. The items are just as effective when used as items created normally. However, they are less durable, since they are partially sustained by your magic.

You can use this ability to create alchemical items with a rank lower than your rank in this archetype (see Item Ranks). Creating an item in this way functions in the same way as crafting items normally (see Crafting Items), with the following exceptions:

You can invest any number of insight points into this ability. Unlike normal for insight points, this does not directly grant you any additional abilities known. Instead, for each insight point invested, the number of items you can maintain simultaneously with this ability increases by one.

Rank 2 – Alchemical Discovery ✨

You learn how to create alchemical items more effectively. You gain your choice of one of the following benefits. Each benefit can only be chosen once. You may spend insight points to gain access to one additional alchemical discovery per two insight points.

You can only apply one of your alchemical discoveries whenever you create an item. For example, if you had both the Aerodynamic Construction and Expanded Construction discoveries, you could not create an item with both double throwing range and double area. You would have to choose which alchemical discovery to apply when creating the item.

Advanced Workshop: You can use your portable workshop ability to create items with a rank equal to your rank in this archetype.

Aerodynamic Construction: You double the range of thrown alchemical items you create. This does not affect alchemical items that are not designed to be thrown.

Efficient Crafting: You do not need an alchemist’s lab to craft alchemical items (see Crafting Items). In addition, you reduce the difficulty value to craft alchemical items by 5.

Enduring Construction: The duration of alchemical items you create is doubled. In addition, alchemical items that last for a fixed number of uses have that number of uses doubled.

Expanded Construction: The area affected by any alchemical item you create is doubled.

Explosive Construction: Whenever you create an alchemical item that deals damage, you can enhance its destructive potential. Attacks with the item gain a +2 accuracy bonus. However, if the attacker rolls a 1 on the attack roll, ignoring dice rolled for explosions, they suffer a glancing blow from the attack.

Repetitive Construction: Whenever you use your portable workshop ability, you can create two copies of the same alchemical item. This only counts as one item for the purpose of determining the number of items you can maintain with that ability.

Rank 3 – Alchemical Precision ✨

You gain a +1 accuracy bonus with alchemical items.

Rank 3 – Alchemical Tolerance ✨

You gain a +1 bonus to your Fortitude defense. In addition, you are immune to Poison attacks.

Rank 4 – Alchemical Discovery+ ✨

You gain an additional alchemical discovery ability.

Rank 5 – Experienced Quaffing

You can drink up to two doses of potions, elixirs, and other drinkable alchemical items as part of the same standard action.

Rank 6 – Alchemical Discovery+ ✨

You gain an additional alchemical discovery ability.

Rank 7 – Alchemical Tolerance+ ✨

You gain a +1 bonus to your Constitution. In addition, you are immune to Acid attacks.

6.13.5 Arcane Scholar ✨

This archetype deepens your study of arcane magic. You must have the Arcane Magic archetype from the wizard class to gain the abilities from this archetype. All abilities from this archetype are magical ✨.

Rank 1 – Ritualist ✨

You gain the ability to perform arcane rituals to create unique magical effects (see Spell and Ritual Mechanics). The maximum rank of arcane ritual you can learn or perform is equal to the maximum rank of arcane spell that you can cast. In addition, you automatically learn one free arcane ritual of each rank you have access to, including new ranks as you gain access to them.

Rank 1 – Spell Knowledge ✨

You learn an additional spell from any arcane mystic sphere that you have access to.

Rank 2 – Scholastic Insight ✨

You gain one of the following insights. Some insights can be chosen multiple times, as indicated in their descriptions. You may spend insight points to gain access to one additional scholastic insight per two insight points.

Arcane Tattoo: You gain a +3 bonus to your Fortitude defense, Reflex defense, or Mental defense.

You can choose this insight multiple times, choosing a different defense each time.

Esoteric Spell Knowledge: You learn a single spell from any arcane mystic sphere. You do not not need to have access to that mystic sphere. This does not grant you access to that mystic sphere for any other purposes. Whenever you gain access to a new mystic sphere or spell rank, you may choose a different spell with this ability.

You can choose this insight multiple times, learning an additional spell each time.

Expanded Sphere Access: You gain access to a new mystic sphere.

You can choose this insight multiple times, gaining access to an additional mystic sphere each time.

Soulwoven Spell: Choose a spell you know with the Attune tag that is not a deep attunement. That spell becomes permanently active on you without requiring an attunement point. No outside force can remove it, and you cannot consciously suppress its effects. If the spell would normally release its own attunement or otherwise end as part of its own effect, it is automatically applied to you again after one minute.

You cannot choose this insight multiple times.

Sphere Specialization: Choose a a mystic sphere you have access to. You gain +2 accuracy bonus with abilities from that mystic sphere. You also memorize all rituals from that mystic sphere that your spellcasting rank gives you access to. In exchange, you must lose access to another mystic sphere you have. You must exchange all spells you know from that mystic sphere with spells from other mystic spheres you have access to.

You cannot choose this insight multiple times.

Rank 3 – Contingency ✨

You gain the ability to prepare a spell so it takes effect automatically if specific circumstances arise.

Contingency

Attune

Usage time: One minute.

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When you use this ability, you choose a spell that you know. The spell has no immediate effect. Instead, you specify circumstances that will automatically cause the spell to take effect. You cannot consciously control the spell after setting the circumstances, and any attacks made as part of the spell’s resolution are reactive attacks.

The spell can be set to trigger in response to any circumstances that a typical human observing you and your situation could detect. For example, you could specify “when I fall at least 50 feet” or “when I take a vital wound”, but not “when there is an invisible creature within 50 feet of me” or “when I have only one hit point remaining.” The more specific the required circumstances, the better – vague requirements, such as “when I am in danger”, may cause the spell to trigger unexpectedly or fail to trigger at all. If you attempt to specify multiple separate triggering conditions, such as “when I take damage or when an enemy is adjacent to me”, the spell will randomly ignore all but one of the conditions.

If the spell needs to be targeted, the trigger condition can specify a simple rule for identifying how to target the spell, such as “the closest enemy”. If the rule is poorly worded or imprecise, the spell may target incorrectly or fail to activate at all. Any spells which require decisions, such as the dimension door spell, must have those decisions made when this ability is used. You cannot alter those decisions when the contingency takes effect.

Rank 4 – Scholastic Insight+ ✨

You gain an additional scholastic insight.

Rank 5 – Ritual Leader ✨

Whenever you lead a ritual, it requires half the normal number of fatigue levels and half the normal time to complete, to a minimum of zero fatigue levels.

Rank 6 – Scholastic Insight+ ✨

You gain an additional scholastic insight.

Rank 7 – Contingency+ ✨

You gain an additional attunement point that can only be used to attune to the contingency ability. In addition, you can attune to the contingency ability up to three times. Each contingency must have a different associated spell and triggering condition. Only one contigency can trigger each round. If multiple contingencies would activate simultaneously, choose one to activate randomly.

6.13.6 School Specialist ✨

This archetype improves your ability to cast spells from a particular school of magic while sacrificing some versatility. You must have the Arcane Magic archetype from the wizard class to gain the abilities from this archetype. All abilities from this archetype are magical ✨.

Rank 1 – School Specialization ✨

The arcane mystic spheres can be divided into six traditional schools of magic. Choose one of the following schools of magic. You are a specialist in your chosen school. You cannot gain access to any arcane mystic spheres outside of your specialized school, and you cannot learn spells or rituals from those spheres by any means. In exchange, you gain a benefit based on your specialized school.

Abjuration: The telekinesis and thaumaturgy mystic spheres. If you specialize in this school, you gain a bonus equal to three times your rank in this archetype to your damage resistance.

Conjuration: The astromancy, fabrication, and summoning mystic spheres. If you specialize in this school, you gain a +30 foot bonus to the range of arcane spells you cast.

Evocation: The cryomancy, electromancy, and pyromancy mystic spheres. If you specialize in this school, you gain a +2 bonus to your magical power.

Illusion: The enchantment, photomancy, and umbramancy mystic spheres. If you specialize in this school, you gain a +1 bonus to your accuracy.

Transmutation: The chronomancy, polymorph, and terramancy mystic spheres. If you specialize in this school, you gain a +2 bonus to your Fortitude, Reflex, or Mental defense. You can change which defense this bonus applies to as a minor action. This ability has the Swift tag, so it protects you from attacks during the current phase.

Necromancy: The revelation and vivimancy mystic spheres. If you specialize in this school, you gain a bonus equal to three times your rank in this archetype to your maximum hit points.

Rank 2 – School Knowledge ✨

You learn an additional spell from any mystic sphere within your chosen school, even if you do not have access to that mystic sphere. If you already know at least one spell from all mystic spheres within your chosen school, you can instead gain an additional attunement point. You can only use this attunement point to attune to a spell from your chosen school.

Rank 3 – School Resilience ✨

You gain a defensive ability based on your chosen school.

Abjuration: You are immune to push and knockback effects unless you choose to be affected.

Conjuration: You passively flicker into the Astral Plane, causing all targeted attacks against you to have a 10% failure chance.

Evocation: You are impervious to attacks from your choice of one of the following tags: Cold, Electricity, or Fire.

Illusion: You are immune to being dazzled (20% miss chance, no special vision) and blinded (50% miss chance, -2 Armor and Ref).

Transmutation: You gain a +1 bonus to vital rolls.

Necromancy: You are impervious to attacks from creatures with less than half of their maximum hit points remaining.

Rank 4 – School Specialization+ ✨

Your understanding of your chosen school improves.

Abjuration: The bonus to damage resistance increases to four times your rank in this archetype.

Conjuration: The range improvement increases to +60 feet.

Evocation: The power bonus increases to +3.

Illusion: The accuracy bonus increases to +2.

Transmutation: The defense bonus increases to +3.

Necromancy: The hit point bonus increases to four times your rank in this archetype.

Rank 5 – School Knowledge+ ✨

You learn an additional spell from any mystic sphere within your chosen school, even if you do not have access to that mystic sphere. If you already know at least three spells from all mystic spheres within your chosen school, you can instead gain an additional attunement point. You can only use this attunement point to attune to a spell from your chosen school.

Rank 6 – School Resilience+ ✨

Your defensive ability based on your chosen school improves.

Abjuration: You cannot be grappled.

Conjuration: The failure chance increases to 20%.

Evocation: You are impervious to Cold, Electricity, and Fire attacks.

Illusion: You are immune to Emotion and Visual attacks.

Transmutation: The vital roll bonus increases to +2.

Necromancy: You are impervious to attacks from creatures with any missing hit points and undead creatures.

Rank 7 – School Specialization+ ✨

Your understanding of your chosen school reaches its full potential.

Abjuration: The bonus to damage resistance increases to five times your rank in this archetype.

Conjuration: The range improvement increases to +90 feet.

Evocation: The power bonus increases to +4.

Illusion: The accuracy bonus increases to +3.

Transmutation: The defense bonus increases to +4. In addition, you can change which defense the bonus applies to as a free action instead of as a minor action.

Necromancy: The hit point bonus increases to five times your rank in this archetype.