The Quintessential Chaos Mage
The Quintessential Chaos Mage front cover
| Author | Patrick Younts |
| Series | Quintessential Series |
| Publisher | Mongoose Publishing |
| Publish date | 2003 |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 1-904577-54-7 |
| OGL Section 15 | qcmg |
Note: Material in this section may be "mature" in nature.
The material below is designated as Open Game Content
Direct Damage Effects
The most straightforward tool in the chaos mage’s arsenal, a damage effect is a simple expulsion of chaos energy, a twisting, ravenous burst that strips away sanity, flesh and the bonds of reality with equal facility. Injuries created with a damage effect tend to be horrific, with even those spells crafted to replicate the effects of fire or ice leaving the targeted flesh bloated with corruption – injuries inflicted by chaos damage effects are horrific to look upon, greasy and covered with pustules that scream and moan before fading to quiescence.
All damage effects impose a -1 penalty to saving throws made by lawfully aligned beings. Conversely, chaotic beings gain a +1 bonus to saving throws made to resist damage effects.
Raw Damage Effect
Casting DC: 10
Save: Fort half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
Raw Damage is the most straightforward effect a chaos mage can produce, a simple expulsion of violent energy directed at one or more targets. Raw Damage is subtle as a hammer to the face, but also an effective as… a hammer to the face. Raw Damage effect spells inflict 1d8 points of damage per caster level, though a chaos mage can intentionally choose to inflict less damage.
Persistent Damage Effect
Casting DC: 5
Save: Fort half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: Yes
Rather than create a spell effect which instantaneously delivers all its damage, a chaos mage can choose to craft a spell which causes a gradually escalating amount of damage, until it reaches its full potential over several rounds’ time. Spells of this effect element take longer to deliver damage, but are easier to cast than single blasts of chaos energy. The Persistent Damage effect causes a single 1d8 points of damage upon the target, or targets, in the round that it is cast, with the damage increasing by 1d8 on each subsequent round until all available damage has been dealt. Persistent Damage spells inflict a total of 1d8 per caster level, as Direct Damage spells do, though a chaos mage can of course choose to do less damage.
Another advantage of persistent spell effects is that the victim is required to attempt a new save each round he receives damage. The result of each save, positive or negative, applies only to the damage inflicted that round.
To make record keeping easier, it is recommended that the chaos mage’s player set aside a number of dice equal to the damage dealt by the Persistent Damage effect, removing and rolling dice from the pool each round. When the final dice have been rolled, the spell is complete.
For example: A 6th level chaos mage casts a persistent spell at an unsuspecting ogre. The spell inflicts just 1d8 points of damage in the first round, with the ogre saving for half damage immediately. In the second round, the spell inflicts 2d8 points of damage, with the ogre saving against the damage as before. In the third round, the spell inflicts 3d8 damage, and the ogre rolls to save one final time. The third round is the final round of spell duration, as the spell has inflicted a total of 6d8 of damage, and thus there are no more dice of damage to inflict. Had the chaos mage been 7th level, In the fourth round the spell would have inflicted a single die of damage, for a total of 7d8.
Persistent Damage effects need not be combined with a By Round Duration element. They continue to inflict normal damage each round, until their limit is reached as normal.
Degrading Damage Effect
Casting DC: 10
Save: Fort half
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: Yes
Spells of this effect deliver an initial blast of arcane energy which lingers for multiple rounds, inflicting a reduced amount of harm each round until it dissipates.
In the first round, the spell does one-half the caster’s chaos mage level in d8s of damage, one die less than that in the following round, then continues to drop by 1d8 per round after that until no more dice remain. As with a Persistent Damage effect, the victim is required to make a new save each round, with the results applying only to the damage inflicted in that round.
Degrading Damage effect is very powerful, with the potential to inflict a great deal of damage. Still, it has its limits and no spell using the Degrading Damage effect can ever inflict more than 30d8 total damage. In addition, while a chaos mage using Degrading Damage spells can potentially inflict more damage than with a Direct Damage spell, he may not get the chance to – the retaliation from an enemy who survives the halved first round of damage could be enough to disrupt the chaos mage’s concentration or kill him outright, ending the spell prematurely.
For example: A 10th level chaos mage casts a Degrading Damage effect on a small dragon. In the first round, the spell inflicts 5d8 damage, or half the total potential damage of the spell. In the second round, the spell inflicts one die less damage, or 4d8.
In the third round it inflicts 3d8, in the fourth 2d8, and in the fifth and final round, 1d8 points of damage. The total damage inflicted is 5d8 + 4d8 + 3d8 + 2d8 + 1d8 = 15d8 damage.
Degrading Damage effects must be combined with a By Round Duration element, or they dissipate immediately upon inflicting the first round of damage.
Nonlethal Damage Effect
Casting DC: +2
Using damaging spell energy to subdue, rather than slay, requires subtlety, finesse and restraint. Unfortunately, chaos is not so easily restrained. Any of the damage effects listed above can be altered to inflict nonlethal, rather than killing, damage, but the base casting DC is increased by +2.
Personal Immunity Effect
Casting DC: +2
It simply would not do for a chaos mage to fall victim to his own chaos energies, or at least, not more often then he already does. Adding personal immunity to his damage inflicting spells allows him to centre explosions of chaos on himself, which is very handy for destroying foes who dare come too close.
Damage Causing Spells, Elemental Energies and Strange Effects
Spells that make use of the damage effect element generate vivid visual effects that are unique to the individual caster. Any sort of visual or sensory effect is possible, from shrieking, flaming demons soaring about the caster’s hands, to columns of flame which surround him like a corona, to sudden flurries of crystalline blue glass shards which pop and crackle and then burst like fattened ticks, but the visual effects, no matter what form they take, have no in-game mechanical effect. The player and Games Master should work together to come up with an appropriate visual hook for the character, at the time of creation.
Normally, chaos magic damage effects inflict force damage. If the caster wills it, however, the damage inflicted can be changed to fire, cold, electric, sonic or acid. To alter the damage type in this fashion increases the casting DC by +1.
Domination Effects
Chaos magicians can use their mastery of chaos to bend and change the perceptions of those around them. At the lowest levels, chaos magic can force victims to undertake actions they would not normally consider, while the most powerful chaos effects can completely rearrange the target’s mental pathways, altering their personalities and very souls, on a fundamental level.
Generally, Domination effects are considered mindaffecting spell effects. With the Games Master’s permission, and with suitable justification and explanation, a player could conceivably invent an effect which is not mind-affecting.
Negligible Effect
Casting DC: 5
Save: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continuous Concentration: No
A Negligible Domination effect is a bit of mental sleight of hand, a soft nudge able to influence, but not control, a target. A Negligible Domination effect can be used to create the following effects, as well as others:
A Negligible Domination effect can cause a target, or targets, to involuntarily speak one word for every class level the chaos mage possesses. The victims can be forced to speak any words, in any language that either the caster or the victim knows, but they cannot be forced to utter words which cause magical effects, such as verbal components. If multiple victims are affected by the spells, they can only be forced to speak the same phrase, or phrases.
Once the target has spoken the words, there is nothing stopping them from immediately denying what was said – save another Domination effect. A Negligible Domination effect can impose an enhancement bonus or penalty on an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma-based skill check. The penalty or bonus is equal to +1 or -1 per two class levels, to a maximum of +/-5.
A Negligible effect can create over-confidence in a target, or targets, causing them to neglect their defence against ‘inferior’ opponents, suffering a –1 penalty to their Armour Class per 2 caster levels, to a maximum -5 penalty.
A Negligible Domination effect can inspire trust or distrust. A successful casting can impose a bonus or penalty to non-player character reaction checks, equal to +1 or -1 per two caster levels, to a maximum of +/-5.
Minor Effect
Casting DC: 10
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continuous Concentration: No
Minor Domination effects are more insidious than Negligible effects and are capable of, albeit temporarily, seizing control of the victim’s mind. Minor Domination effects can be used to perform, but are not limited to, the following actions:
A minor effect can create self-doubt in an opponent, forcing them to fight defensively. For the length of the Duration element, the target must choose the defensive casting or fight defensively actions.
A minor effect can be used to temporarily charm a target, as the spell. Chaos mages gain a +5 insight bonus to attempts to charm chaotically aligned beings and suffer a -5 insight penalty to attempts to charm lawfully aligned beings. A minor effect can be used to enrage an opponent, forcing them to charge into close combat. Those who fail to save must move with all haste into melee range, and must attack with full attack actions once they are there. Each time they are attacked or struck, they are permitted a new Will save to shake off the effect.
A minor effect can be used to cause fear, causing them to flee for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect.
A minor effect can overload an opponent’s senses, stunning them temporarily. A victim who fails to save is considered to be stunned for the Duration element.
A minor effect can force creatures to believe your words to be truth, though not in face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Major Effect
Casting DC: 15
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continuous Concentration: See below
A major effect can have lasting implications on the target. A major Domination effect can be used to accomplish the following goals, among many others:
A major Domination effect can alter a target’s alignment for the Duration element. The chaos mage can alter alignments only along the chaos– neutral–law axis (so he cannot make a target evil, for instance). He receives a +5 insight bonus to his casting check when attempting to alter another’s alignment to chaos, and a -5 insight penalty when attempting to alter an alignment to lawful.
A major Domination effect can resculpt a single memory. For each round of the Duration element, the chaos mage can permanently alter one of the target’s memories as he sees fit. Note that this memory is changed only in a single context. You could, for example, change a memory so that the target remembers seeing you at a bazaar, rather than in the middle of his alchemical laboratory. You could not, however, change his memory so that he never remembered seeing you at all, because the memory of your face is tied in with other memories, such as his remembering that he does not much care for you.
This Domination effect basically twists the target’s memory and then leaves it twisted – but every time a character is confronted with the true memory (such as someone reminding him), he is allowed a further Will saving throw.
A major Domination effect can force unwanted emotions on the target, or targets. The chaos mage can create feelings of love, hate, distrust or absolute adoration, either between victims of the spell, or between victims and some other designated being, object or belief.
A major Domination effect can seize control of a target’s mind for the length of the Duration element. The target is allowed a Will save against any activity you choose to undertake which is directly harmful to his person, or which is strongly against his belief. You gain a +5 insight bonus to your casting check when using this effect to control a chaotically aligned person, and suffer a -5 insight penalty when attempting to seize control of a lawfully aligned mind. This effect requires continuous concentration.
Extraordinary Effect
Casting DC: 20
Save: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continuous Concentration: See below
Extraordinary Domination effects are powerful enough to change the fate of nations. Among other things, an extraordinary Domination effect can accomplish the following:
It can fundamentally alter the nature of a being’s core beliefs. For the length of the Duration element, the victim’s alignment, both along the law vs chaos and good vs evil axis, can be altered to whatever the chaos mage desires.
An extraordinary Domination effect can shut down a victim’s mind entirely. For the length of the Duration element, the victim’s Intelligence and Wisdom scores are reduced by up to the chaos mage’s caster level, to a minimum of 1.
Materialisation Effects
Subnote: Materialisation Effects and Damage
Materialisation effects cannot be used to inflict Direct Damage. While a chaos mage can create a sword using Materialisation effects, and can also create an animated construct from pure chaos energy, he cannot drop energy anvils on his opponent’s head, nor may he materialise razor blades inside a hapless foe’s throat. When the chaos mage wishes to inflict damage directly, he must rely on Direct Damage effects.
Materialisation Effects
Materialisation effect elements allow the chaos mage to fashion solid items from pure chaos stuff. Objects created in this fashion appear wholly unnatural – or perhaps it is better to say that they appear utterly alien in their pure, otherworldly naturalness. In any case, chaos objects are unmistakable, their surfaces slick with currents of energy, currents which crackle and spark in a rainbow of bizarre shades. Materialised objects are roughly as strong and dense as bronze, though they would never be mistaken for that metal.
Materialised objects can be made to appear anywhere within the range of the spell and do not have to appearin the same place should more than one object be created in the casting.
Objects created with the Materialisation effect must have enough space to allow for their materialisation – a spiked ball cannot be made to materialise inside the skull of a target, for example, because there is simply not enough space for it. In addition, all Materialisation effects must be linked to a Duration element of at least One Round, lest they disappear the instant they are created.
All materialised objects created with this effect element will radiate a magical aura, for the purposes of detect magic and similar spells, though they have no inherent magical properties.
Images and sounds created by Materialisation effects are considered to be mind-affecting spell effects for the purposes of determining what may be affected by them.
The difficulty of a Materialisation effect is directly linked to the size of the object, or objects, to be created. The increasing levels of effect that can be generated with this effect element are listed below.
Negligible Effect
Casting DC: 5
Save: None
Spell Resistance: No
Continued Concentration: No
A single item of up to an ounce of weight per caster level can be created from the primal matter of chaos. Alternately, the chaos mage can generate a quiet noise, roughly equal to a soft cough, or a very dim light equivalent to a candle can be materialised.
The sound created by a Negligible Materialisation effect is sufficient to awaken sleeping beings, so long as they are not under the effects of magical sleep.
A Negligible effect is sufficient to create a simple chaotic construct with an equivalent Strength of 3. This construct can perform a single task, determined at the time of casting, but is largely immaterial and disperses immediately if attacked.
The dim light created by a Negligible effect can be commanded to move, as a free action, anywhere within the area of effect of the spell, if the spell has
an area of effect element. It arrives at its directed point effectively instantaneously.
A Negligible Materialisation effect can produce a shroud of darkness sufficient to snuff a very dim light, equivalent to a candle, for the duration of the spell effect.
Minor Effect
Casting DC: 10
Save: None
Spell Resistance: No
Continued Concentration: No
A single item, weighing no more than one pound per caster level, can be created from chaos matter. This level of effect is also sufficient to generate a noise equivalent to armour clanking on stone, or strangely-inflected, monosyllabic speech. Alternately, it can create a multi-coloured light equivalent
to a lantern.
A minor Materialisation effect is sufficient to create any of the following:
A shield of chaos energy which offers increased protection from nonmagical missiles and ranged attacks, and complete protection from single target missile effect spells (such as magic missile, acid arrow and the like), unless the caster of that spell defeats the chaos mage in an opposed caster level check. Against nonmagical ranged attacks, the subject gains a bonus to his Armour Class equal to +1 per two chaos mage class levels, to a maximum bonus of +5.
The chaos mage may create a weapon, or weapons, so long as they do not weigh more than one pound per caster level. The weapon is considered to be of masterwork quality.
A minor Materialisation effect can create a suit of armour from pure chaos energy. The suit provides a +1 armour bonus for every two chaos mage class levels, to a maximum bonus of +5. Armour created in this fashion is weightless and causes neither armour check penalties, or spell failure. In order to create a suit of armour in this fashion, the chaos mage must be able to produce items weighing no less than five pounds, meaning he must be of at least 5th level. The bonuses from a suit of chaos armour replace, rather than stack with, those gained from normal armour, but do stack with those gained by a shield.
A minor Materialisation effect can create a cloud of sparkling, greasy, opaque energy that obscures sight into and out of the affected area. The cloud fills an area equal to the spell’s area of effect – all creatures within the area of effect have total concealment from those outside the effect, and vice versa.
Auditory effects created by a minor Materialisation effect can mimic speech, in any language in which the caster is fluent, but the sound is always recognisably not natural. The sound can be heard up to 20 feet from its point of origin, and can originate from anywhere within the spell’s area of effect, if an area of effect element has been chosen. The materialised speech lasts a maximum of 2 seconds per caster level, and repeats in an endless loop throughout the spell’s duration.
A chaos construct with an equivalent Strength of 4 can be created with a minor Materialisation effect, subject to the restrictions listed under Negligible
effects.
Weapons created with a minor Materialisation effect are considered to be magical weapons for the purposes of piercing damage reduction. Images created by a minor Materialisation effects are crude and unsubtle. They can spell out words, but any images created are crude as cave drawings.
Multiple colours and images are possible, however, and can convey complex thoughts as envisioned by the caster. Created images can be made to move, or shift position, up to a maximum of 2 seconds per caster level.
Moderate Effect
Casting DC: 15
Save: None
Spell Resistance: No
Continued Concentration: No
At this level of effect, the chaos mage can create one or more items with a maximum combined weight of two pounds per level of the caster. Alternately, a moderate effect can produce loud and complex sounds, or normal human-sounding speech. If the caster wishes, he can instead summon up spectral lights in a variety of colours, with brightness equivalent to a daylight spell.
Moderate effects are considerably more powerful and versatile than Negligible or Minor Materialisation effects. A chaos mage who successfully casts a moderate effect can achieve, but is not limited to, any of these effects:
A moderate effect can duplicate an item accurately. It will replicate an item exactly, though it cannot duplicate magical properties. This sort of duplication is useful for creating items like keys, or puzzle pieces, as it duplicates them to the smallest detail, but the item will still appear unnatural to the naked eye.
A moderate effect can create breathable air within the radius of effect. This sphere of air has positive pressure which helps prevent any poisonous gas from entering the area of effect for the duration of the spell – those within the area of effect gain a +1 per two class level bonus to saves against poisonous gas effects, to a maximum bonus of +5.
Weapons created with a moderate effect are considered to be magical weapons for the purposes of piercing damage reduction.
A moderate effect can create a rudimentary chaos construct with an effective Strength of 7. This construct can obey a single simple order, chosen at the time of creation. It is physically unstable and disappears if struck.
Images created with moderate effects appear real to the eyes, though a successful Will save allows the viewer to perceive the illusion for what it is. Images of this power have a tactile element as well, strong enough to create a sense of solidity. A successful Will save, however, allows those who come in contact with the image to not only resist its sensation, but the tactile element of any other images you create within the next 24 hours. As with minor effects, images created by a moderate Materialisation effect can be made to move and alter their shape, and can be as large as the spell’s total area of effect.
Auditory illusions created by a moderate Materialisation effect can be of a maximum volume equal to a grown man shouting. Speech generated by a moderate effect sounds natural to the ear, and can be of any length up to and including the full duration of the spell.
Major Effect
Casting DC: 20
Save: None
Spell Resistance: No
Continued Concentration: No
A major Materialisation effect is sufficient to create objects with a maximum combined weight of five pounds per caster level. The items can also be imbued with sounds equivalent to a lion’s roar, or colours and light equivalent to the noon-day sun. Major Materialisation effects are truly powerful, as befits a spell effect so difficult to pull off. Major effects include, but are not limited to, the following:
A major Materialisation effect can create a wall of pure chaos energy, the size of one 10 feet cube per four caster levels. The cube may be shaped in any manner desired by the chaos mage, and has hardness 5 and 10 hit points per 10 feet square per inch of thickness. This means that a 10 feet cube has 1,200 hit points.
A major effect can create a suit of armour that provides a +1 armour bonus per two caster levels, to a maximum bonus of +10. The suit is otherwise subject to the restrictions listed under minor Materialisation effects.
An image summoned by a major manifestation is effectively real. At this level, the chaos mage can create any sound or image he can conceive, and it will appear exactly as the actual object or creature, with no traces of unnatural chaos energy. Those who know the image is false, or those who succeed at a Will save, see through the sensory illusion, and are only marginally affected by it. The chaos mage can create creatures of up to his caster level in hit dice, which can move freely as directed within the area of effect. Targets struck by the creature are allowed a Will save each time a blow connects – success means they suffer only a single hit point of damage. Major image manifestations can also mimic damaging effects, such as fireballs, with the targets suffering only a single point of damage if they succeed at a Will save when ‘struck’ by the effect.
Weapons created with major Materialisation effect are considered to be magical weapons for the purposes of piercing damage reduction. Alternately, they can be created to mimic any one or two of the following special properties: anarchic, holy or unholy (as appropriate to the mage’s alignment), alchemical silver, adamantine or cold iron.
Chaos Construct Effect
Casting DC: 20 – 30
Save: None
Spell Resistance: No
Continued Concentration: Yes
A chaos mage can, if he chooses, create an animated creature of chaos, a being with rudimentary intelligence and the ability to follow its master’s orders. These entities are made of pure chaos matter, and appear as humanoids made of swirling motes of energy. When summoned, they coalesce anywhere within the spell’s range and are already aware of their
first command.
There are three classes of chaos construct, as shown on the Chaos Construct table.
Chaos Constructs
| Minor Construct | Moderate Construct | Major Construct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hit Dice: | 1d4 per caster level | 1d8 per caster level | 1d12 per caster level |
| Initiative: | +1 (Dex) | +1 (Dex) | +1 (Dex) |
| Speed: | 20 feet | 30 feet | 30 feet |
| AC: | 10 + 1/4 caster level | 10 + 1/2 caster level | 10 + caster level |
| Attacks: | Slam + 1/4 caster level | Slam +1/2 caster level + 2 | Slam + caster level + 4 |
| Damage: | 1d4 | 1d8 + 2 | 1d12 + 4 |
| Face/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. | 5 ft./5 ft. | 5 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Qualities: | Chaos Construct | Chaos Construct | Chaos Construct |
| Saves: | As caster | As caster | As caster |
| Abilities: | Str 10, Dex 12, Con -, Int-, Wis 10, Cha 1 | Str 14, Dex 12, Con-, Int-, Wis 10, Cha 1 | Str 19, Dex 12, Con-, Int-, Wis 10, Cha 1 |
| Casting DC: | 20 | 25 | 30 |
Chaos Construct (Su): Chaos constructs are only able to obey one simple order at a time. The summoning chaos mage can change this order as he wills, as a free action. The construct and the chaos mage who created it can communicate via mental command so long as the construct is with 100 + 10 feet per caster level of the mage. Chaos constructs are immune to mind-affecting spells and spell like effects, poison and disease. Chaos constructs are likewise immune to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability score damage, energy drain and death from massive damage. They have spell resistance equal to the caster level check result rolled during their creation, are considered outsiders, sharing their creator’s alignment.
Movement Effects
The ability to move nearly instantaneously from place to place is a powerful one and a huge boon to parties of adventurers. A chaos mage can, through sheer force of will, submerge himself, willing allies, and even unwilling targets, into the churning sea of chaos, effectively ignoring the concepts of space and time. A skilled chaos mage can step behind a rock and reappear at the bottom of the ocean, or hurl himself from a cliff top and come to rest on the soft earth of an extra-dimensional moon.
The difficulty of a Movement effect is directly related to the distance to be travelled – the further the voyage, the more difficult the element is to incorporate into a casting.
It is safer for a chaos mage to only move himself with his powers, for while others can easily slip into the chaos ether with him, their bodies, minds and souls are not likely to be prepared for what they will encounter there. Chaos mages can also use Movement effects to boost their allies’ speed, or to slow or even paralyse opponents.
Movement effects with Duration elements can be used in either of the following two fashions:
† The movement occurs slowly, over the course of the spell’s Duration element. When used in this fashion, the total movement should be divided as evenly as possible, with any remaining movement occurring in the last round of the spell’s duration. The speed of movement cannot be altered in any fashion, save by the use of another spell.
† The Movement effect can work at up to full value in any round of the Duration element, as a move equivalent action. This allows for very rapid movement, up to and including flight (see below). When used in this fashion, the spell ends when the full potential value of its movement is reached.
Spells of this sort include a protective element; should the recipient find himself in mid-air when the spell ends, he floats to the ground over the course of one round, as though by a feather fall spell.
Minor Effect
Casting DC: 10
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
A minor Movement effect is sufficient to allow the caster or an amount of weight equal to 10 x his caster level to move a maximum distance of 20 feet + 5 feet per caster level.
In addition, a minor Movement effect can be used to produce a number of related effects, including, but not limited to, those presented below:
The spell effect can be used to open or shut a door, window, flap, pouch or any other object which can be opened or closed. The effect will not lock or unlock the target object, and is restricted to moving objects no heavier than 10 x the chaos mage’s caster level in pounds.
The spell effect can create a field which presents creatures of a designated sex, racial type or other visible identifying characteristic from touching the target of the spell or moving with the area of effect of the spell. This prevents unarmed attacks, but will not prevent the use of ranged attacks or attacks with reach by the prohibited creature. Multiple stacked effects of this sort must be overcome individually, should a creature belong to more than one banned group.
The chaos mage can ‘throw’ his voice by shunting it through the quicksilver chaos ether. His words are transmitted instantly from his mouth to the targeted creature or area of effect, and can only be heard by those within that area.
A minor Movement effect can increase or decrease a target’s base speed by 5 feet + 1 feet per caster level, to a maximum of +/– 15 feet. Speed cannot be reduced below 5 feet in this fashion.
A minor Movement effect can grant a +1 per caster level bonus (to a maximum of +10), to saves against all spells and spell-like effects which impede movement, and render the recipient immune to the effects of terrain and conditions which normally hinder movement. A person so enhanced can move at full normal speed regardless of terrain conditions, though they gain no special immunity to environmental damage.
A minor Movement effect can grant a +1 per caster level bonus, to a maximum of +10, to all saves against environmental hazards and fatigue.
Moderate Effect
Casting DC: 15
Saves: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Concentration: No
A moderate Movement effect is sufficient to allow travel to a distance of 100 feet + 10 feet per caster level.
Alternately, a moderate Movement effect can be used to create related effects, including, but not limited to, those listed below:
The targets of the spell are anchored to the current plane of existence and are unable to leave unless they defeat the chaos mage in an opposed caster level check, using either their spellcasting level or Will save (their choice). Creatures with natural extradimensional movement powers use their hit dice as their caster level for the purposes of the check, unless their movement powers have a listed effective caster level.
The target object of this effect changes from open to closed. Suitable targets include pouches, windows, doors or any other object which can be open or closed. This will, if the caster wishes, automatically lock or unlock any one bar, lock, restraint, tie or other sealing device. Each additional sealing device to be locked or unlocked increases the DC of the effect by 1. Alternately, the caster can open or close any two objects, but will not be able to lock or unlock them with this spell effect.
All creatures are prevented from entering the nearby area (the size of the area is determined by the area effect attached to the spell), or from touching the targeted object or being. A Will save overcomes the effect and renders the one who saved immune to further moderate Movement effects of this sort for one day. Alternately, the effect can be reversed, preventing creatures from leaving the area of effect.
For the duration of the spell, all targeted creatures can communicate perfectly with one another, so long as they remain with 100 feet per caster level of the chaos mage. Unaffected beings cannot hear the recipients of the spell at all, as their voices are directly transmitted from recipient to recipient. This is not a mind-affecting effect, nor is it telepathic in nature.
The target, or targets, of the Movement effect are able to climb up walls or across ceilings at their normal movement rate for the duration of the spell. If an area effect is added to the spell and it is targeted on an area, then any being can move across any surface of that area as though it were level ground.
A moderate effect can be used to grant a target an extra attack when making a full attack action. When augmented in this fashion, the recipient’s base speed is increased by 1 feet per caster level. Conversely, it can be used to restrict a target, or targets, to a single standard or move action each turn. Those affected by this effect suffer a -1 feet per caster level penalty to their movement, to a minimum speed of 5 feet per round.
Major Effect
Casting DC: 20
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
A major Movement effect is sufficient to allow affected beings to move 500 feet + 50 feet per caster level. Alternately, a major Movement effect can be used to do the following:
The words of the recipient, or recipients, of the spell are transferred to one another over a distance of up to 10 miles + 1 mile per caster level. Unaffected beings cannot hear the recipients of the spell at all, as their voices are directly transmitted from recipient to recipient. This is not a mind-affecting effect, nor is it telepathic in nature.
A major Movement effect can be used to animate non-living objects, as by an animate object spell.
The total of the chaos mage’s caster check is the number of small objects which can be animated by the use of this effect. For the purposes of determining how many larger objects can be moved, use the equivalencies listed in the animate object spell.
A major effect can open or close a single object as long as its weight is no greater than 100 pounds + 50 pounds per level of the caster. This effect can also lock or unlock a single restraining device, such as a bar, lock, or tie.
Alternately, a major effect can be used to open or close, and lock and unlock, any number of objects no larger or heavier than a standard metal door. By increasing the DC by 1, the spell can automatically break a single enchanted lock, such as those of held or arcane locked doors.
Extreme Effect
Casting DC: 25
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
An extreme Movement effect is powerful enough to move recipients 1 mile + 1 mile per caster level. Alternately, it can be used to create other effects, including, but not limited to, the following examples:
An extreme Movement effect can transmit spoken language, instantaneously, to anywhere on the plane. Unaffected beings cannot hear the recipients of the spell at all, as their voices are directly transmitted from recipient to recipient. This is not a mindaffecting effect, nor is it telepathic in nature. A targeted creature which fails a Will save is instantaneously returned to its plane of origin.
A targeted area of ground or wall can be made to repel all beings who come within range. Beings who fail to save begin to levitate and are lifted up or pushed away at a rate of 1 feet per caster level per round, for the duration of the spell, or until they leave the area
of effect.
Universal Effect
Casting DC: 30
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
A universal effect is the most powerful of all Movement effects, sufficient to allow the chaos mage, or those he designates as targets, to pierce the veil between worlds and travel to other dimensions. A single casting allows the targeted beings, to move to a dimension which is, cosmologically speaking, next to the one they are on. Chaos mages gain a +5 insight bonus when dimension shifting to chaotically aligned planes, and suffer a -5 insight penalty when moving to lawfully-aligned planes.
Subnote 1: The Dangers of Chaos Movement Effects
Chaos mages think nothing of immersing themselves in the raw essence of chaos. Even the idea of surrendering to, and submersing themselves completely in the endless, churning river of chaos that lies between the dimensions holds no fear for them, for they understand its nature and indeed, are of its nature.
The same cannot be said for other beings. Non-chaos mages who are targeted with chaos Movement effects must succeed at a Fortitude save against a DC of 15 or suffer nonlethal damage as follows:
† Minor effect 1d8
† Moderate effect 2d8
† Major effect 3d8
† Extreme 4d8
† Universal 5d8
Rolling a ‘1’ on the Fortitude results in the damage being lethal, not nonlethal.
Subnote 2: Dropping Enemies from Great Heights (or ‘Devious Player Problems’)
Clever and especially murderous players might seize upon the Movement effect as a convenient way to eliminate their opposition. After all, it would seem a relatively simple matter to just pop a target out of existence and then bring them back 500 feet above the tree line. This is, in truth, a very useful tactic, which seems like it could quickly unbalance play. This powerful ability is, however, balanced by the following:
† The target is allowed a Will save to completely negate the effect.
† The casting check DCs of Movement effects are slightly higher than those of other effects. Combined with the need to add area effects to offensive uses of this power, lest the caster be forced to risk delivering the effect by touch, this can lead to high casting check failure rates.
† By the time the chaos mage can reliably use this power, many of his opponents should, and will, have access to flight or similar abilities. Should you feel the potential benefits of offensive use of this power are still too great, introduce the following rule:
Vertical movement is considered five times more distant than horizontal movement, unless the target is being moved to an area of solid footing. This makes teleporting extremely difficult if the target is to be popped fifty feet up into empty air, but no more difficult if he is to be moved to a platform fifty feet up. This limitation does not apply to willing subjects.
Transformation Effect
At their simplest, Transformation effects are little tricks useful for cleanliness, or mending cloth or erasing spilled drops of ink and the like. At their most complex, Transformation effects can fundamentally alter the nature of reality, changing lead to gold and transforming man to beast with equal facility. It is with good reason, then, that men fear the transformative power of chaos.
Regardless of the strength of the effect, the total amount of material which may be transformed (physically or mentally) is equal to 20 pounds per level of the caster.
Many of the effects listed below allow the caster to grant or inflict a variety of bonuses or penalties to a subject. In every case, the exact bonuses and penalties may be specified by the caster, though the maximum bonus is equal to +1 or -1 per two caster levels.
All Transformation effects must be coupled with a Duration element. Those that do not include a Duration element can still transform their target, but the target returns to its original shape almost instantaneously, without adverse or positive effect.
Negligible Effect
Casting DC: 5
Save: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
Negligible Transformation effects allow for nothing more than surface changes, or the most minor of benefits. Examples of these benefits include, but are not limited to:
A Negligible effect can clean or repair minor damage to an object. This includes repairing tears in fabric, fixing seams, closing small holes in metal, fixing chipped bits of wood or erasing stains and spots. A single application of a Negligible effect will repair all incidental damage on an object no larger than a traveller’s cloak. This mends up to 1 hit point per two caster levels of damage to the object.
A Negligible effect can grant an enhancement bonus to a single saving throw for the duration of the effect.
The specific saving throw is selected at the time of casting and the bonus is granted for the length of the Duration element attached, or until the recipient fails an enhanced save. A Negligible Transformation effect can alter the appearance of a subject or object, similar to the disguise self spell. The effect grants a bonus to all Disguise checks equal to +1 per two caster levels. A Negligible Transformation effect can erase or create one written sentence per caster level, simply by altering the patterns on the written surface.
A Negligible Transformation effect can render any object or creature immune to the effects of 0 levels spells of all sorts, unless the caster of the 0 level spell defeats the chaos mage in an opposed caster level check.
Minor Effect
Casting DC: 10
Save: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
Minor Transformation effects are both powerful and dangerous. At this level of effect, a chaos mage may, among other things:
Grant an enhancement bonus or penalty to all saves, to Armour Class, or to a single ability score. The maximum granted bonus is equal to +1 per two chaos mage caster levels.
Grant resistance to a specific type of energy (acid, cold, electric, fire or sonic) equal to +1 per caster level.
A minor effect can be used to deafen or blind a target, or targets, for the duration of the effect. Alternately, the effect can be used to restore vision and hearing – if the loss of senses was caused by a magical effect, then that effect is permanently dispelled, but if the blindness or deafness was natural, then the restoration lasts only so long as the Duration element.
The targets, of a minor effect can be rendered immune to all spells of a given school for the duration of the effect, unless the caster of the spell defeats the chaos mage in an opposed caster level check. Alternately, the target, or targets, can be rendered immune to all 1st level spells of all schools, unless the caster defeats the chaos mage in an opposed caster level check.
A minor effect can create a hole in a solid, non-living object of up to 1 foot in diameter and 1 foot in depth per class level. The targeted object receives a saving throw as normal.
A minor Transformation effect can render targets effectively invisible. The recipients cannot be seen by normal sight, though the effect ends immediately if the beneficiary attacks any target, casts a spell or does anything which draws attention to itself.
The target of the spell effect gains low-light vision or darkvision to a range of 10 feet per caster level. This ability does not allow the recipient to see through magical darkness.
The critical threat range of targeted weapons is increased by 2 steps (so a rapier increases its threat range from 18-20 to 16-20), as it’s chaotic chances of dealing grievous damage are temporarily enhanced.
A minor effect can transform the state of non-living matter, albeit to a minor degree. It can transform matter into other, similar, forms of matter, which must be as supple or solid as the original form. So, for example, it can transform paper to cloth, or change oak to cedar, but could not transform water into rock. Non-living matter can only be transformed into a material which has the same hardness, or a hardness one point greater or less, than the original material.
All non-magical fires within the target effect are immediately extinguished. Alternately, the effect can be used to produce flame, as the spell at the chaos mage’s caster level.
Moderate Effect
Casting DC: 15
Saves: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
Moderate Transformation effects are capable of rendering massive changes in the target, warping their form and their flesh as easily as a potter shapes clay. Examples of moderate Transformation effects include:
Cause solid objects to become ethereal for the length of the Duration element. Living beings rendered ethereal by means of this effect cannot affect the physical world until the effect ends, but can interact with ethereal creatures as normal.
Grant the targeted being energy resistance to two forms of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire or sonic), equal to 2 per three caster levels for the duration of the effect. Alternately, it grants 3 points of energy resistance per 2 class levels to any single form of energy.
A moderate Transformation effect can suppress a single magical quality (supernatural or spell-like) in an object or being for the duration of the effect, unless the target succeeds with its Will save. The magical quality is not permanently erased, simply suppressed, and take effect again immediately upon the Transformation effect’s conclusion.
The target creature gains damage reduction equal to the caster’s class level + 5, which is only susceptible to lawful or magical attacks.
The target creature, or creatures, gains the ability to see in darkness as though with low light vision or darkvision, to a range of 10 feet per caster level. The recipient also gains the ability to see through all magical forms of darkness, or through other magical\ effects which restrict vision. Alternately, the target creatures can be given the ability to see invisible and ethereal creatures.
A moderate effect can double the critical threat range of a target weapon, or weapons. This doubling does not apply to any increases already gained due to a minor Transformation effect.
A moderate effect can increase or decrease the size of a target object or creature by 10% per level of the caster, to a maximum of 50%. Note that the object or target can only expand to the limits of its environment, and only shrink until it meets the resistance of objects it contains. Therefore, this effect could not be used to crush a warrior in his own armour by reducing its size or increasing his. See the Transformation Size Modifiers table for the effects of increasing or decreasing the size of a creature or object.
A moderate effect can alter a subject’s form, in a similar manner to an alter self spell.
A moderate effect can convert the state of non-living matter, as a minor effect can, but on a greater level. At this level, the chaos mage is not restricted to transforming objects to similar materials and can, should he so choose, transform stone to sand, or water to wood.
Transformation Size Modifiers
| Size Change (in %) | Height/Length Modifier | Weight Modifier | Str Modifier | Hit Point Modifier (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -90 | x.1 | x.01 | -5 | -45 |
| -80 | x.2 | x.02 | -4 | -40 |
| -70 | x.3 | x.03 | -3 | -35 |
| -60 | x.4 | x.06 | -3 | -30 |
| -50 | x.5 | x.12 | -2 | -25 |
| -40 | x.6 | x.22 | -2 | -20 |
| -30 | x.7 | x.34 | -1 | -15 |
| -20 | x.8 | x.50 | -1 | -10 |
| -10 | x.9 | x.75 | -0 | -5 |
| +10 | x1.1 | x1.3 | +0 | +5 |
| +20 | x1.2 | x1.7 | +1 | +10 |
| +30 | x1.3 | x2.2 | +1 | +15 |
| +40 | x1.4 | x2.7 | +2 | +20 |
| +50 | x1.5 | x3.4 | +2 | +25 |
| +60 | x1.6 | x4.1 | +3 | +30 |
| +70 | x1.7 | x4.9 | +3 | +35 |
| +80 | x1.8 | x5.8 | +4 | +40 |
| +90 | x1.9 | x6.9 | +4 | +45 |
| +100 | x2 | x8 | +5 | +50 |
Total Effect
Casting DC: 20
Save: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
A total Transformation effect is startling in its comprehensiveness and sheer power. Among other uses, it can cause:
Target creatures or objects in the area to be rendered completely immune to all spells of 5th level or less for the length of the Duration element, unless the caster of the spell defeats the chaos mage in an opposed caster check. Alternately, the target becomes immune to all spells, regardless of level, of a particular school, unless the caster wins an opposed caster check.
Alterations to a target, causing them to become wholly insubstantial. The recipient, as well as all carried equipment, are able to pass through even the smallest cracks or holes. While in this state, affected creatures can move at their normal movement rate, but are unable to fly or swim. They gain damage reduction 20/lawful and are unable to physically attack or cast spells which require material components.
Transformations of living beings into solid, nonliving materials. They gain hardness equal to 5, or the established hardness of the material if it is higher, but are rendered unable to move or act. A total Transformation effect can change raw materials into finished, crafted products. For example, a stick of wood could be transformed into a finely crafted staff. When combined with a second Transformation effect to convert materials into another form, the same stick of wood could become a longsword or battleaxe.
Non-living to be converted matter into another, dissimilar type – water into steel, or wood into air, for example.
Alternately, nonliving matter can simply be transformed into harmless, light based energy for the duration of the effect. A subject to gain the equivalent of improved invisibility for the length of the Duration element.
A total Transformation can grant an object an entirely new form, as though by the spells polymorph, polymorph any object or baleful polymorph. An increase or decrease to a target’s size by up to 100%. The table below lists the effects for increasing or decreasing an object’s size.
Chaotic Reconstruction Effect
Casting DC: 30
Save: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Continued Concentration: No
The ultimate expression of the transformative power of chaos. At this level of effect, items are transformed into pure chaos energy and can be refashioned as the chaos mage wills. Weight can be increased by 10% per caster level, uniquely beneficial features can be added and the composition of the object can be changed in utterly unnatural ways.
At the moment of transformation, chaotic energies flare up in a 20 foot radius around each target, causing 1d8 points of damage for every 20 pounds transformed, to a maximum of 10d8 damage, to everyone but the target. No creature with hit dice greater than the chaos mage’s class level may be affected, nor may inanimate objects which weigh more than 100 pounds per caster level.
Creatures altered by chaotic reconstruction can move between size categories, suffering bonuses or penalties to their Armour Class and base attack bonus modifiers as appropriate.
A chaos mage can also use a chaotic reconstruction Transformation effect to disrupt and suppress all existing magical effects, subject to the chaos mage overcoming all the original casters with a single opposed caster check. All spells or spell-like effects successfully overcome in this fashion are suppressed for the length of the Duration element.
Finally, a chaotic reconstruction Transformation effect can also be used to twist reality like taffy. A successful casting check allows the chaos mage to alter the fundamental structure of reality, just like a wish spell. Material components are not needed to create such an effect, but the chaos mage’s transformations are still limited to impermanent effects.
Subnote: The Killing Transformation
Transformation effects, like polymorph spells, are potential game breakers if not monitored carefully. The following rules are presented here to highlight their importance.
Transformations cannot purposefully transform portions of an inanimate object. Only complete objects can be transformed with this effect. A door could be transformed independently of the wall it is built into, as the door is a complete object in and of itself. Conversely, a single hinge or nail in said door could not be transformed, as it is a component of the door. To allow otherwise risks situations like the following:
A chaos mage chooses to transform two walls of a shack into air, likely causing the other two walls and the roof to instantly collapse. At the end of the effect’s duration, when the two walls return to their original form, the other walls and the roof would remain destroyed.
Additionally, no creature may be killed outright via a Transformation effect. If a creature is transformed into inanimate matter, raw energy, a non-living state or any other potentially lethal form, the creature reforms, unharmed, in its original location (unless removed by Movement effects or external forces) at the end of the effect’s duration.
Living creatures can only be subject to one Transformation effect at any one time. The strongest (highest Transformation effect DC) will dispel all others when placed on a creature and weaker Transformation effects will be automatically resisted.
Combining Multiple Effects
Part of the chaos mage’s strength lies in his ability to combine multiple effects within a single casting.
This ability to modify spells on the fly gives the chaos mage a versatility that traditional arcane casters simply cannot match. To determine the casting DC of a spell with more than one effect, first determine which effect begins with the lowest casting DC. Then, add one half of that lower DC (rounding up) to the casting DC of the other effect, which gives you the total effect element DC. In cases where two separate effects have the same casting DC, simply select one of them for the reduced cost. The effect with the reduced cost is referred to as the subsidiary effect.
As a chaos mage grows in power, he gains the ability to blend third, fourth and fifth elements into his spells. When combining three or more elements, calculate the final casting DC just as you would with only two elements – namely, halve the values of all the subsidiary casting DCs, save the highest, and then add that amount to the highest effect’s DC to determine the total casting DC. As before, these additional effects are considered to be subsidiary effects.
So, for example, a chaos mage wishes to combine three elements, with casting DCs of 5, 10 and 15 together. To calculate the total casting DC, he divides the two lowest (5 and 10) in half, to 3 and 5 respectively, then adds them to the highest DC, for a final casting DC of 3 + 5 +15 = 23.
When multiple effects exist within a single spell, by default they all share the same area of effect, range, duration and saving throw elements, as well as sharing the ability to defeat spell resistance. An element that is always instantaneous (like the Raw Damage effect) may be included with effects of a differing duration, however, without penalty. This includes persistent and Degrading Damage effects, which last as long as is required to deliver their full damage, even if the rest of the spell effects end before that time.
Stacking Multiple Effects
It is also possible to stack multiple effects of the same type. It is not permitted, however, for multiple elements of the same type to be the only effects within the spell. If you are able to cast a spell containing three elements, for example, all three cannot be damage effect elements. Further, you cannot put two elements of the exact same type in the same spell. So you can have a spell with a Domination effect and two Transformation effects, but they must be Transformation effects of a different degree – one minor and one major, for example.
