New 5e Character Sheet

Adam Frank (frequent co-author of the fluff to my crunch) recently got me back into 5e, and after spending some time with the standard character sheet, I couldn't help but brainstorm some ways to make it better (for me, at least). Here is a link to the new 5e character sheet I created. Please enjoy! 

--Tim

Trade Wizard (Arcanist and Wizard Archetype)

Greetings Faithful Readers,

If we have been wondering where we haven't been posting the past few months, I will tell you. I lost my job. And while that would seem to make more time for writing and posting blog posts, it actually turns your schedule into a maelstrom of chaos. Anyways, my co-conspirator, Adam, kept bugging me to get my act together, and now weekly or every-other-week blog posts will resume. Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,
Tim Wallace

Illustration by NathanParkArt and used under the Creative Commons Attribution-
Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. (original image)

Trade Wizard

by Adam Frank and Tim Wallace

Covered in various powders, oils, and inks, the Trade Wizard is a master craftsman. While many magic users are able to create the mystic from the mundane, the Trade Wizard has honed their crafting to an art form. They specialize in outfitting themselves and others for the various trials of adventuring. It is often said that a Trade Wizard is never caught unaware and this has certainly proven to be true. The knapsack of a Trade Wizard, while often a powerful magical dweomer in itself, holds countless mysteries of the arcane ready to help the arcanist out in a heartbeat.

Some Trade Wizards prefer to settle down and create a shop of magical wares and goods. These individuals are known for taking old junk like worn out boots, rusty old swords, or well-worn armors and breathing new life into them. They will buy items from almost anyone and turn around to sell it back with some new enchantment or another, always turning a tidy profit.

Always willing to bark their wares, the Trade Wizard is constantly carrying a plethora of scrolls and potions for various occasions and are always willing to help someone in need for the right price. A Trade Wizard seems to always show up at the right time to offer a magical solution to a problem, should one arise. 

Trade Wizard (Arcanist or Wizard)

While oftentimes underappreciated, the Trade Wizard can be useful anywhere and at any time due to how prepared they tend to be. They have created both some truly wondrous items and some terrifying cursed charms. It is said even that some of the most powerful Trade Wizards can store pieces of their souls in the wonders they craft, imbuing them with sentience.

Bonus Feat: At 1st, 9th (or 10th level if she is a wizard), and 15th level, a trade wizard gains a bonus item creation feat from the following list: Brew Potion, Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, or Scribe Scroll. At 9th level, the following feats are added to the list: Craft Rod, Craft Staff, and Forge Ring. A trade wizard need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them. This replaces the arcanist exploits gained at 1st, 9th, and 15th levels for an arcanist, or the Scribe Scroll feat and the bonus feats gained at 10th and 15th levels for a wizard.

Master Artificer: At 5th level, a trade wizard receives a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks, and may create magical items much more quickly than normal.  Whenever a trade wizard makes magical items using Spellcraft, use the item's gp value as its sp value when determining his progress (do not multiply the item's gp cost by 10 to determine its sp cost). This replaces the arcanist exploit gained at 5th level for an arcanist and the bonus feat gained at 5th level for a wizard.

Feat-Based Spellcasting

by Tim Wallace

One aspect of of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and 3.5 that I don't think has ever been done correctly is giving players access to spellcasting through feats. At least not in a way that is balanced and still fun. This is my attempt my attempt to remedy it.

Spell Dabbler

Your innate magical ability is starting to show itself.

Prerequisites: Cha 10, Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank.

Benefit: Choose three cantrips, knacks, or orisons from any one spell list. You may cast these spells an unlimited number of times per day. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Special: If you later select the Hedge Caster of the 1st Echelon feat, it and its antecedent feats must use the same spell list you choose for this feat. If you select this feat after selecting Hedge Caster of the 1st Echelon, you must select 0-level spells from the same spell list you chose for that feat, unless that spell list does not have 0-level spells. You may not choose a spell list for which you already have access to spells from by having levels in a spellcasting class.

Illustration by Yuikami and used under the Creative Commons Attribution-
Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. (original image)

Familiar

A magical pet has made its way to you. You can sense its loyalty and you feel a strong bond to it.

Prerequisites: Cha 11, Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank, Spell Dabbler or Hedge Caster of the 1st Echelon.

Benefit: You gain the service of a mystical advisor, a familiar to both serve you and reveal to you secrets unknown to most mortals. This uses the same rules as the wizard's arcane bond class feature (link). Use your character level as your effective wizard level when determining the abilities of your familiar. You can choose any of the familiars available to a wizard.

If a familiar is lost or dies, it can be replaced 1 day later through a special ritual that costs 500 gp per character level. The ritual takes 8 hours to complete.

Hedge Caster of the 1st Echelon

Your magical abilities are strong enough to be considered among the ranks of spell casters.

Prerequisites: Cha 11, Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank.

Benefit: Chose a spell list (bard, cleric/oracle, druid, inquisitor, magus, mesmerist, occultist, psychic, shaman, sorcerer/wizard, spiritualist, summoner, or witch). You know and can cast 1st-level spells from that spell list (as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells Known and Spells per Day). Any antecedent Hedge Caster feats you take must use this same spell list. You may gain bonus spells per day for having a high Charisma score (see Chart: Hedge Caster Bonus Spells per Day). Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

You need not prepare your spells in advance. You can cast any spell you know at any time, assuming you have not yet used up your allotment of spells per day for the spell's level.

Some spells can be undercast. This means that you can cast the spell at the level that you know, or as any lower-level version of that spell, using the appropriate spell slot. When you a spell, it is treated exactly like the lower-level version, including when determining its effect, saving throw, and other variables. For example, a spellcaster who adds beast shape III to his list of spells known can cast it as beast shape I, II, or III. If he casts it as beast shape I, it is treated in all ways as that spell; it uses the text and the saving throw DC for that spell, and requires him to expend a 3rd-level spell slot.

Whenever you add a spell to your list of spells known that can be undercast, you can immediately learn a spell in place of each lower-level version of that spell you know. In essence, you lose each earlier version and can replace it with another spell of the same level that is on your spell list.

Special: If you later select the Spell Dabbler feat, it must use the same spell list as you chose for this feat, unless the spell list you chose for this feat does not have 0-level spells. If you select this feat after selecting Spell Dabbler, you must select the same spell list you chose for that feat. You may not choose a spell list for which you already have access to spells from by having levels in a spellcasting class.

Chart: Hedge Caster Spells Known and Spells per Day

Hedge Caster	————Spells per Day————						————Spells Known————
Feat	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1st Echelon	2	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
2nd Echelon	3	2	—	—	—	—	1	1	—	—	—	—
3rd Echelon	3	2	—	—	—	—	2	1	—	—	—	—
4th Echelon	3	3	2	—	—	—	2	1	1	—	—	—
5th Echelon	3	3	2	—	—	—	2	2	1	—	—	—
6th Echelon	3	3	3	2	—	—	2	2	1	1	—	—
7th Echelon	3	3	3	2	—	—	3	2	2	1	—	—
8th Echelon	3	3	3	3	2	—	3	2	2	1	1	—
9th Echelon	3	3	3	3	2	—	3	3	2	2	1	—
10th Echelon	3	3	3	3	3	2	3	3	2	2	1	1

Chart: Hedge Caster Bonus Spells per Day

Charisma	——Bonus Spells per Day——
Score	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
12–13	1	—	—	—	—	—
14–15	1	1	—	—	—	—
16–17	1	1	1	—	—	—
18–19	1	1	1	1	—	—
20–21	2	1	1	1	1	—
22–23	2	2	1	1	1	1
24–25	2	2	2	1	1	1
26–27	2	2	2	2	1	1
28–29	3	2	2	2	2	1
30–31	3	3	2	2	2	2
32–33	3	3	3	2	2	2
34–35	3	3	3	3	2	2
36–37	4	3	3	3	3	2
38–39	4	4	3	3	3	3
40–41	4	4	4	3	3	3
42–43	4	4	4	4	3	3
44–45	5	4	4	4	4	3

Hedge Caster of the 2nd Echelon

As you continue to experiment your natural ability has grown to accommodate your power.

Prerequisites: Cha 12, Hedge Caster of the 1st Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 3 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 3rd Echelon

As your power grows you gain further magical talents.

Prerequisites: Cha 12, Hedge Caster of the 2nd Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 4th Echelon

None doubt your natural talent for magic.

Prerequisites: Cha 13, Hedge Caster of the 3rd Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 5th Echelon

Your power grows, your magics are evident even to the layman.

Prerequisites: Cha 13, Hedge Caster of the 4th Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 7 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 6th Echelon

Despite your lack of formal training or practice you can hold your own among other casters.

Prerequisites: Cha 14, Hedge Caster of the 5th Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 7th Echelon

Magical power hold little mystery for you. Despite the lack of direct study the arcane or divine arts have truly revealed themselves to you.

Prerequisites: Cha 14, Hedge Caster of the 6th Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 8th Echelon

You are among the elite! Without training or the magical talent of a sorcerer you can stand on your own as a spellcaster.

Prerequisites: Cha 15, Hedge Caster of the 7th Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 12 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 9th Echelon

Through dedication, blessing, or luck, you have become one of the few most powerful spell casters.

Prerequisites: Cha 15, Hedge Caster of the 8th Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 13 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.

Hedge Caster of the 10th Echelon

You have reached the echelon of your magical prowess. You have gained more power than most dream of!

Prerequisites: Cha 16, Hedge Caster of the 9th Echelon, Knowledge (arcana) 15 ranks.

Benefit: Your spells per day and spells known increase as per Chart: Hedge Caster Spells per Day and Spells Known. Your caster level for the purpose of casting these spells is equal to your character level.