General Prestige Class : Wild Mage
Magic is one of the most capricious and unpredictable of all natural or supernatural forces in the universe. Attempts to codify spellcasting through arcane formulas, or to impose order on magic through the force of will, are essentially pointless - or so wild mages believe. Instead, those who would truly master magic must forger what they know and abandon their willful control of the arcane. Within this paradox lies the awesome power of wild magic.
The wild mage aspires to cast spells without structure. By taking the risk of substituting an element of randomness, she gives up the safe predictability of other arcane spellcasters. This risk allows for the potential of power greater than other casters can hope for. Of course, she also risks the potential for less power, but what is magic if not risky? Chaos is strong, and her magic often carries her to heights of power that other casters cannot reach - but chaos is also fickle, and her spells sometimes fall short of her expectations. In addition, from time to time her spells unfold in spectacular wild surges that might prove catastrophic to the wild mage and her companions. The wild mage accepts this as the price of her convictions.
Sorcerers are naturally intrigued by the study of wild magic. The act of unchaining their spells from the safeguards and controls built into these time-honored formulas appeals to many of them. One might suppose that few wizards would be drawn to the spontaneity and unpredictability of wild magic, but in fact many wizards do become wild mages, seeking to explore and harness the power of chaos.
Wild mages tend to be solitary innovators. They have little contact with their fellow spellcasters, since wild mages can't really learn from them. Rumors persist of a secretive Prismatic Cabal of wild mages who cloister themselves within the depths of Limbo to experience the power of chaos firsthand.
Capricious and powerful, NPC wild mages act much like chaotic sorcerers and wizards. Some are heroes who join parties crusading against tyranny and evil, while others are villains who revel in the chaos of destruction and disaster. A few wild mages (generally not good-aligned ones) believe that the power of their magic increases as the amount of chaos and uncertainty in the world around them rises, and therefore they bend their efforts toward instigating catastrophes of all kinds.
Adaptation: A twist on this class might include the concept that wild mages do not so much exploit instabilities in the magic as create those instabilities themselves with their skewed technique. The proliferation of such casting could possibly lead to geographic or ecological consequences that are strange at the least, or, at worst, stepping stones to disaster.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Wild Mage, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any chaotic.
- Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks, Use Magic Device 4 ranks.
- Feats: Magical Aptitude, any metamagic feat.
- Spells or Spell-like Abilities: Arcane caster level 1st.
Class Skills
The wild mage's class skills are Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Profession, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the wild mage prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wild mages gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, a wild mage gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as the bonus feat sometimes gained by a wizard). If she had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a wild mage, she must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.
Wild Magic: A wild mage casts spells differently from any other arcane spellcaster. She reduces her caster level by 3 for all spells she casts from now on. However, every time she casts a spell, her use of wild magic adds 1d6 to her adjusted caster level. For example, an 8th-level sorcerer/1st-level wild mage has a base caster level of 6th, not 9th, but her actual caster level varies from 7th to 12th for every spell she casts. Caster level affects all level-based variables of a spell, including spell penetration checks.
Random Deflector (Su): At 2nd level and higher, a wild mage has the ability to protect herself from certain attacks with this ability. Using this ability is an immediate action, which means that a wild mage activates it when it is not her turn. When activated, the random deflector lasts until the beginning of the wild mage's next turn.
The random deflector redirects ranged attacks, ranged touch attacks, and individually targeted spells (spells designating the wild mage as the sole target, but not area spells striking an area in which she happens to be the sole target) so that they instead attack or affect a random target within 20 feet of the wild mage. A wild mage includes herself and her allies among the possible new targets. Any creature targeted by a deflected attack is attacked or affected normally, so an attack roll is made normally against the new target's AC, the new target receives a saving throw if a spell or effect allows one, and so on. A wild mage can use this ability once per day at 2nd level, two times per day at 5th level, and three times per day at 8th level.
Student of Chaos (Ex): Whenever a wild mage of 3rd level or higher uses a magic item that offers a randomly determined effect (such as a bag of tricks or rod of wonder), she can roll twice and choose between the two results. If a random roll is made only once to determine the nature or contents of a device (for example, a robe of useful items or an iron flask), a wild mage gains no special advantage.
Chaotic Mind (Su): When a wild mage reaches 6th level, the power of chaos infuses her mind. She gains immunity to confusion and insanity spells and effects, and she is shielded by a continuous nondetection effect (as the spell).
Reckless Dweomer (Su): At 9th level and higher, a wild mage knows how to spontaneously convert her own spell energy into random, unpredictable results. As a standard action, she can eliminate a prepared spell or spell slot of at least 1st level to create an effect similar to that of activating a rod of wonder. The character's student of chaos ability (see above) applies when she uses her reckless dweomer ability. See Rods for details on the rod of wonder.
Wildstrike (Sp): At 10th level, a wild mage gains the ability to make a wildstrike once per day. A wildstrike affects a single creature within 60 feet, surrounding the creature in an aura of shimmering rainbow colors for 2d6 rounds. Spell resistance applies, but the target receives no saving throw. While a wildstrike is in effect, there is a 50% chance each time the affected creature casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability that its intended action fails. Instead, the creature rolls as if it had activated a rod of wonder.
| Wild Mage | Hit Die: d4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Wild magic | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Random deflector 1/day | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +1 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Student of chaos | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 4th | +2 | +1 | +4 | +1 | - | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 5th | +2 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Random deflector 2/day | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 6th | +3 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Chaotic mind | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 7th | +3 | +2 | +5 | +2 | - | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 8th | +4 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Random deflector 3/day | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 9th | +4 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Reckless dweomer | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 10th | +5 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Wildstrike | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
Wild Mages In Faerûn
Wild mages are particularly adept at exploiting zones of wild magic, and they are much less likely to experience deleterious effects while casting spells within wild magic zones. Wild mages can roll twice on Wild Magic Effects and choose the preferred result. For example, a wild mage who rolls a result of 37 (nothing happens) and a result of 57 (spell functions normally) would choose the second result.
Source: Complete Arcane