Focused Sorcerer (3.5e Class)

HomeBrew

Focused Sorcerer

The Focused Sorcerer is a variant on the base Sorcerer class. In effect, you choose to restrict one or more spell schools to gain several metamagic benefits and more spells known from the remaining spell schools. In all other regards, the Focused Sorcerer is exactly the same as the Sorcerer.

Making a Focused Sorcerer

Alignment: Any.

Starting Age: Simple.

Table: The Focused Sorcerer

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		0	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	5^th	6^th	7^th	8^th	9^th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Summon Familiar	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3		6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3		6	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4		6	6	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4		6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5		6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5		6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6		6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6		6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7		6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7		6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9		6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the focused sorcerer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Focused Sorcerers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a focused sorcerer’s gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.

Spells: A focused sorcerer casts arcane spells which are drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

To learn or cast a spell, a focused sorcerer must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a focused sorcerer’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the focused sorcerer’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a focused sorcerer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Focused Sorcerer. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.

A focused sorcerer’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A focused sorcerer begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new focused sorcerer level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Focused Sorcerer Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a sorcerer knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Focused Sorcerer Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the focused sorcerer has gained some understanding of by study. The focused sorcerer can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered focused sorcerer level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a focused sorcerer can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the focused sorcerer “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level focused sorcerer spell the sorcerer can cast. A focused sorcerer may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

Unlike a wizard or a cleric, a focused sorcerer need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.

School Specialization: The focused sorcerer may choose to specialize in up to 4 schools of magic (Divination, Illusion, Evocation, Abjuration, Conjuration, Necromancy, Enchantment, or Transmutation.) The focused sorcerer is then restricted from learning spells of the opposing school. (The focused sorcerer may still use scrolls, wands, and other magical items that make use of restricted spells.) As the focused sorcerer gains levels, the benefits she receives from each specialized school increase. Note that if a focused sorcerer doesn't choose any schools to specialize in, she is essentially just a sorcerer.

Divination: If you give up access to the Illusion school of spells, you may use Detect Magic as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier. In addition, you may cast any Divination spell with a costly material component without paying for that component. (You must still expend any experience points, if nessecary.) At level 5, once a day you may cast a Divination spell as a swift action, as if you had applied the Quicken Spell metamagic feat.

Illusion: If you give up access to the Divination school of spells, you may choose to modify any spell cast from the Evocation, Conjuration, or Transmutation schools with the benefits of the Invisible Spell metamagic feat. At At level 5, all spells you cast may benefit from the effects of the Silent Spell metamagic feat, with no increase in effective spell level.

Evocation: If you give up access to the Abjuration school of spells, all Evocation spells you cast benefit from increased damage as though you had applied the effects of the Empower Spell metamagic feat, with no increase in effective spell level. At level 5, all Evocation spells you cast benefit from increased damage as if you had applied the effects of the Maximize Spell metamagic feat, with no increase in effective spell level. Note that an Empowered, Maximized spell gains the separate benefits of each feat; the maximum result plus one-half the normally rolled result. You may choose to modify any Evocation spell cast with the benefits of the Energy Substitution metamagic feat.

Abjuration: If you give up access to the Evocation school of spells, you gain spell resistance equal to 10 + your level. You also gain immunity to one of the following energy types: Fire, Cold, Electricity, Acid, or Force. At level 5, you may cast Dispel Magic a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier as a spell-like ability (it otherwise functions as though you had cast Dispel Magic.)

Conjuration: If you give up access to the Necromancy school of spells, all creatures you summon with Conjuration (Summoning) spells benefit from the effects of the feat Augumented Summoning. In addition, all Evocation and Conjuration (Creation) spells you cast may be modified as if you had used the Sculpt Spell metamagic feat, with no change in effective spell level. All Conjuration (Summoning) spells with a casting time of 1 round only take 1 standard action for you to cast.

Necromancy: If you give up access to the Conjuration school of spells, all Necromancy spells you cast that cause ability damage or bestow negative levels benefit from the Maximize Spell metamagic feat, with no increase in effective spell level. At level 5, you exude an aura of fear. All foes within 30 feet that can see you must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your level + your Charisma modifier) or be panicked. Even if the Will save succeeds, the creature is shaken for 1 round.

Enchantment: If you give up access to the Transmutation school of spells, all Enchantment spells you cast may be improved by the effects of the Heighten Spell metamagic feat, treating them as spells 3 levels higher (for the purpose of overcoming spell resistance and Will saves.) Spells cast in this way do not use up a spell slot higher than they normally would. At level 5, you may choose an item creation feat.

Transmutation: If you give up access to the Enchantment school of spells, all Transmutation spells you cast benefit from an increased duration as if they had been modified by the Extend Spell metamagic feat, with no increase in effective spell level. At level 5, all Transmutation spells you cast benefit from an increased duration as if they had been modified by the Persistent Spell metamagic feat, with no increase in effective spell level.

Table: Focused Sorcerer Spells Known

Level	Spells Known
	0	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	5^th	6^th	7^th	8^th	9^th
1st	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	5	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	6	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	7	4	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	7	5	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	8	5	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
9th	8	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
10th	9	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
11th	9	5	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—
12th	9	5	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
13th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	—	—	—
14th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
15th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	—	—
16th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
17th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
18th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	1
19th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	2
20th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	3

• In addition, focused sorcerers add one spell per specialized school to spells known at each level. These do not count against the focused sorcerer's normal number of spells known. These additional spells must be of the corresponding school.

Familiar: A focused sorcerer can obtain a familiar (see below). Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.

The focused sorcerer chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the focused sorcerer advances in level, his familiar also increases in power.

If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the sorcerer, the focused sorcerer must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per focused sorcerer level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a focused sorcerer’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Consitution point when this happy event occurs.

A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.

Arcane Spells and Armor

Familiars

A familiar is a normal animal that gains new powers and becomes a magical beast when summoned to service by a sorcerer or wizard. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but it is treated as a magical beast instead of an animal for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar. An animal companion cannot also function as a familiar.

A familiar also grants special abilities to its master (a sorcerer or wizard), as given on the table below. These special abilities apply only when the master and familiar are within 1 mile of each other.

Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities that depend on the master’s level.

Familiar	Special
Bat	Master gains a +3 bonus on Listen checks
Cat	Master gains a +3 bonus on Move Silently checks
Hawk	Master gains a +3 bonus on Spot checks in bright light
Lizard	Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks
Owl	Master gains a +3 bonus on Spot checks in shadows
Rat	Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Raven^1	Master gains a +3 bonus on Appraise checks
Snake^2	Master gains a +3 bonus on Bluff checks
Toad	Master gains +3 hit points
Weasel	Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves
A raven familiar can speak one language of its master's choice as a supernatural ability. Tiny viper.

Familiar Basics: Use the basic statistics for a creature of the familiar’s kind, but make the following changes:

Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master’s character level or the familiar’s normal HD total, whichever is higher.

Hit Points: The familiar has one-half the master’s total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice.

Attacks: Use the master’s base attack bonus, as calculated from all his classes. Use the familiar’s Dexterity or Strength modifier, whichever is greater, to get the familiar’s melee attack bonus with natural weapons.

Damage equals that of a normal creature of the familiar’s kind.

Saving Throws: For each saving throw, use either the familiar’s base save bonus (Fortitude +2, Reflex +2, Will +0) or the master’s (as calculated from all his classes), whichever is better. The familiar uses its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any of the other bonuses that the master might have on saves.

Skills: For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master’s skill ranks, whichever are better. In either case, the familiar uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a familiar’s total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar’s ability to use.

Familiar Ability Descriptions: All familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the master’s combined level in classes that grant familiars, as shown on the table below. The abilities given on the table are cumulative.

Master Class Level	Natural Armor Adj.	Int	Special
1st-2nd	+1	6	Alertness, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Empathic Link
3rd-4th	+2	7	Deliver Touch Spells
5th-6th	+3	8	Speak with Master
7th-8th	+4	9	Speak with Animals of Its Kind
9th-10th	+5	10
11th-12th	+6	11	Spell Resistance
13th-14th	+7	12	Scry on Familiar
15th-16th	+8	13
17th-18th	+9	14
19th-20th	+10	15

Natural Armor Adj.: The number noted here is an improvement to the familiar’s existing natural armor bonus.

Int: The familiar’s Intelligence score.

Alertness (Ex): While a familiar is within arm’s reach, the master gains the Alertness feat.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a familiar takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells: At the master’s option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts on himself also affect his familiar. The familiar must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit.

If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the familiar if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the familiar again even if it returns to the master before the duration expires. Additionally, the master may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself.

A master and his familiar can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the familiar’s type (magical beast).

Empathic Link (Su): The master has an empathic link with his familiar out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The master cannot see through the familiar’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated.

Because of this empathic link, the master has the same connection to an item or place that his familiar does.

Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If the master is 3rd level or higher, a familiar can deliver touch spells for him. If the master and the familiar are in contact at the time the master casts a touch spell, he can designate his familiar as the “toucher.” The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the master could. As usual, if the master casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates.

Speak with Master (Ex): If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help.

Speak with Animals of Its Kind (Ex): If the master is 7th level or higher, a familiar can communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties): bats with bats, rats with rodents, cats with felines, hawks and owls and ravens with birds, lizards and snakes with reptiles, toads with amphibians, weasels with similar creatures (weasels, minks, polecats, ermines, skunks, wolverines, and badgers). Such communication is limited by the intelligence of the conversing creatures.

Spell Resistance (Ex): If the master is 11th level or higher, a familiar gains spell resistance equal to the master’s level + 5. To affect the familiar with a spell, another spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the familiar’s spell resistance.

Scry on Familiar (Sp): If the master is 13th level or higher, he may scry on his familiar (as if casting the scrying spell) once per day.

Familiars at Epic Level: Special abilities granted to a familiar continue to grow as the level of its master increases beyond 20th, as shown on Table: Epic Familiar Special Abilities. Even though the table shows advancement only to 42nd level, that is not the limit. The patterns in the table continue infinitely. Familiar special abilities gained at less than 20th level also continue to improve.

Table: Epic Familiar Special Abilities

Master Class Level	Natural Armor Adj.	Int	Special
21st–22nd	+11	16	Familiar Spell
23rd–24th	+12	17
25th–26th	+13	18
27th–28th	+14	19
29th–30th	+15	20
31st–32nd	+16	21	Familiar Spell
33rd–34th	+17	22
35th–36th	+18	23
37th–38th	+19	24
39th–40th	+20	25
41st–42nd	+21	26	Familiar Spell

Familiar Spell: The familiar gains the benefit of the Familiar Spell epic feat for the spell its master chooses.

Epic Focused Sorcerer

Table: The Epic Focused Sorcerer

Hit Die: d4

Level	Special
21st
22nd
23rd	Bonus Feat
24th
25th
26th	Bonus Feat
27th
28th
29th	Bonus Feat
30th
2 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Spells: The focused sorcerer’s caster level is equal to his or her class level. The focused sorcerer’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. The focused sorcerer does not learn additional spells unless he or she selects the Spell Knowledge feat.

Familiar: The focused sorcerer’s familiar continues to increase in power. Every two levels beyond 20th the familiar’s natural armor and Intelligence each increase by +1. The familiar’s spell resistance is equal to the master’s class level + 5. At 21^st level and again every ten levels higher than 21^st, the familiar gains the benefit of the Familiar Spell epic feat for a spell of its master’s choice.

Bonus Feats: The epic focused sorcerer gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic focused sorcerer bonus feats) every three levels after 20th.

Epic Focused Sorcerer Bonus Feat List: Augmented Alchemy, Automatic Quicken Spell, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Energy Resistance, Enhance Spell, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Familiar Spell, Ignore Material Components, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Master Staff, Master Wand, Multispell, Permanent Emanation, Spell Knowledge, Spell Stowaway, Spell Opportunity.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes