General Prestige Class : Aeromancer
by Michael Mearls, Dragon #308
Most spellcasters pay little heed to the source and flow of magical energy. Throughout their training, they learn to consider the typical state of magic as the accepted norm, rather than one of several different states. The aeromancer, however, studies the ebb and flow of magical energies, unlocking the patterns of arcane power that move beneath and through the world's natural weather systems. To an aeromancer, an innocent-seeming drizzle or a sudden breeze holds the secrets of magic. As she advances, she learns that magic dances around her in varying levels of power that merely appear to average out to the level otherwise considered typical. These subtle clues combine to grant her insight into how magical energy moves, how she can harvest it even in the most difficult conditions, and how to tweak the local magical conditions to suit her needs.
Requirements
To qualify to become an Aeromancer, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Knowledge (arcana): 14 ranks, Knowledge (nature): 5 ranks.
- Feats: Any two metamagic feats.
- Special: Access to and ability to cast the spells gust of wind and control weather.
Class Skills
The aeromancer's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Profession, and Spellcraft.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the aeromancer prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Aeromancers gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: At 2nd level and at 4th level, an aeromancer gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (metamagic or item creation feats, for example). If the character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an aeromancer, the player must decide to which class to add each level for determining spells per day and spells known.
Magical Flux (Su): Beginning at 1st level, an aeromancer can create a subtle magical weather system centered on herself that duplicates the magical flux trait. The character selects one school of magic or spell descriptor to be affected. She also chooses one metamagic feat she possesses that raises the required spell slot of an affected spell by no more than one level. Creating a magical flux requires a full-round action.
The magical flux fills a 50-foot-radius spread that is centered on the aeromancer and moves with her. Within this area, a highly localized weather pattern (DM's choice) is also in effect. This weather pattern can not be one severe enough to impose penalties or inhibit actions. For example, a light, misty rain might fall in the area, a flurry of winds might surround the aeromancer, or a slight patina of frost might cover the ground if she lingers too long in one place.
While the magical flux is in effect, every spellcaster in the area (including the aeromancer herself) automatically applies the benefit of the selected feat to each spell from the designated category that she casts. If desired, a caster can negate the metamagic effect by making a successful Spellcraft check (DC 15) upon casting the spell.
A successful Survival or Spellcraft check (DC 10) detects the presence of a magical flux. A second successful Spellcraft check (DC 30) identifies the spell school or descriptor that the flux affects and the metamagic feat that it applies to spells.
The character can use this ability once per day per aeromancer level, and the effect lasts 10 minutes per aeromancer level or until dismissed. Dismissing a flux is a standard action.
An aeromancer may have no more than one magical flux in operation at a time.
Deadening Air (Su): At 3rd level, the aeromancer can create a deadening air effect as a full-round action. This effect occupies the same area as his magical flux, and the two effects may operate concurrently if desired. The aeromancer may choose one school of magic or one spell descriptor to be affected. Any spellcaster (including the aeromancer herself) attempting to use a spell from the selected category must make a successful Spellcraft check to cast it; otherwise the spell is lost. The DC for this check is 10 + spell level +1d10.
A successful Survival or Spellcraft check (DC 10) detects the presence of deadening air. A second successful Spellcraft check (DC 30) identifies the spell school or descriptor affected.
The aeromancer can use this ability once per day per aeromancer level, and the effect lasts 10 minutes per aeromancer level or until dismissed. Dismissing a deadening air effect is a standard action,
An aeromancer may have no more than one deadening air effect in operation at a time.
Create Magical Storm (Sp): At 3rd level, the aeromancer learns to produce magical storms with her control weather spell. The character may add the following magical storms described above to the list of weather patterns she can summon in any season with a control weather spell: arcane storm, divine storm, fire storm, and psychic storm. A magical storm produced in this manner lasts for the duration of the spell. If the aeromancer also has a deadening air or a magical flux effect operating at the same time, she may apply that effect to the magical storm as well (or he may apply both effects, if both are operating). In such a case, the parameters - that is, spell school(s), spell descriptor(s), and metamagic feat, if applicable - that she has already established for those effects also apply to the storm. Note that magical storms created with this ability last only 2d4-1 hours (the normal duration for magical storms) rather than the 4d12 hour duration of the control weather spell.
Augmented Deadening Air: At 5th level, the aeromancer may choose two schools of magic, two spell descriptors, or one of each for her deadening air to affect.
Augmented Magical Flux: At 5th level, the aeromancer may choose two schools of magic, two spell descriptors, or one of each for her magical flux to affect.
Transcend Weather (Su): At 5th level, the aeromancer gains the ability to ignore the effects of mundane or magical weather by sheathing himself in a well of magical energy. She suffers no ill effects from extreme heat or cold caused by the weather, winds simply flow around her, and magical storms have no detrimental effects on her. The aeromancer can freely choose which effects of a weather pattern she wishes to nullify; thus, she can still receive the benefits of a magical flux without the harmful effects of whatever weather it accompanies. Transcend weather protects the aeromancer only from the direct effects of wind, temperature, and magical storms; it offers no protection against flood waters caused by rain, snowdrifts, visibility problems, or other indirect effects of weather. This ability is always active unless suppressed or dismissed. The aeromancer can activate or dismiss the effect as a standard action.
| Aeromancer | Hit Die: d4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells/day |
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Magical flux | - |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | - | +1 level of existing class |
| 3rd | +1 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Create magical storm, deadening air | - |
| 4th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | - | +i level of existing class |
| 5th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Augmented deadening air, augmented | magical flux, transcend weather |
Source: Dragon #308