View source for Flavorless Blue Mage (3.5e Alternate Class Feature)


{{author
|author_name=Zhenra-Khal
|date_created=2/1/2018
|status=Complete AFAIK
}}

{{3.5e Alternate Class Feature
|name=Flavorless Blue Mage
|summary=The Blue Mage class was obviously created with a specific campaign setting in mind, and many of its abilities reference creatures and organizations that are not defined in the given material; And because it's so ill-defined and specific, it doesn't fit the usual customization that D&D classes tend to exhibit. The class is absolute genius, using an obvious Incarnum theme with a completely unique set of rules. However, I'd like to draw inspiration from this and create my own variant, both with my own ideas and my takes on the original author's ideas, and with a more vague, malleable fluff that is closer to the Totemist/Necrocarnum in style.
|prereq=
|class=[[Blue Mage (3.5e Class) | Blue Mage]]
|level=1-20
|replaces=Insanity, Scimitar Wielding, Physical Spells, Azure Mutation, Chain Affinity
|benefit=The Flavorless Blue Mage's class abilities are as follows.
}}

{| class="zebra d20"
|+
<div>{{Anchor|Table: The Blue Mage}}</div>
Hit Die: d8
|-
! rowspan="2" | Level
! rowspan="2" | [[BAB|Base<br/>Attack Bonus]]
! colspan="3" | [[SRD:Saving Throw|Saving Throw]]s
! rowspan="2" | Special
! rowspan="2" | Soulmelds Known/Shaped
! rowspan="2" | Chakra Binds
|-
! [[SRD:Saving Throw#Fortitude|Fort]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Reflex|Ref]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Will|Will]]
|-
|1st||class="left" | +0 || +2 || +2 || +2
| class="left" | Savage Warrior, Beast Spells, Learning, Azure Madness, Meldshaping, Borrowed Souls, Kin's Call, Azure Lore
|1||—
|-
|2nd||class="left" | +1 || +3 || +3 || +3
| class="left" | Azure Mark, Track, Hunter's Mercy, Beast Chakra (+1 Capacity)
|2||1
|-
|3rd||class="left" | +2 || +3 || +3 || +3
| class="left" | Beast Hide +1, Azure Consumption
|2||1
|-
|4th||class="left" | +3 || +4 || +4 || +4
| class="left" | Azure Binding
|3||1
|-
|5th||class="left" | +3 || +4 || +4 || +4
| class="left" | Chakra binds (Crown, Feet, Hands), Burst Affinity
|3||2
|-
|6th||class="left" | +4 || +5 || +5 || +5
| class="left" | Monstrous Mutation (Scent)
|4||2
|-
|7th||class="left" | +5 || +5 || +5 || +5
| class="left" | Beast Hide +2, Monstrous Mutation (Poison Resistance)
|4||3
|-
|8th||class="left" | +6/+1 || +6 || +6 || +6
| class="left" | Monstrous Mutation (Speed)
|5||3
|-
|9th||class="left" | +6/+1 || +6 || +6 || +6
| class="left" | Chakra binds (Arms, Brow, Shoulders), Monstrous Mutation (Darkvision)
|5||4
|-
|10th||class="left" | +7/+2 || +7 || +7 || +7
| class="left" | The Beast Within, The Beast Without, Beast Chakra (+1 Meldshaper Level)
|6||4
|-
|11th||class="left" | +8/+3 || +7 || +7 || +7
| class="left" | Assimilation, Beast Hide +3
|6||4
|-
|12th||class="left" | +9/+4 || +8 || +8 || +8
| class="left" | Monstrous Mutation (Supernatural Disease Resistance)
|7||5
|-
|13th||class="left" | +9/+4 || +8 || +8 || +8
| class="left" | Convergence, Azure Metamagic
|7||5
|-
|14th||class="left" | +10+5 || +9 || +9 || +9
| class="left" | Chakra binds (Throat, Waist, Legs)
|8||6
|-
|15th||class="left" | +11/+6/+1 || +9 || +9 || +9
| class="left" | Beast Hide +4
|8||6
|-
|16th||class="left" | +12/+7/+2 || +10 || +10 || +10
| class="left" | Beast Chakra (+2 Capacity)
|9||6
|-
|17th||class="left" | +12/+7/+2 || +10 || +10 || +10
| class="left" | Chakra bind (Heart)
|9||7
|-
|18th||class="left" | +13/+8/+3 || +11 || +11 || +11
| class="left" | Diffusion
|10||7
|-
|19th||class="left" | +14/+9/+4 || +11 || +11 || +11
| class="left" | Beast Hide +5, Chakra bind (Soul)
|10||8
|-
|20th||class="left" | +15/+10/+5 || +12 || +12 || +12
| class="left" | Azure Soul
|11||8
|- class="noalt"
| colspan="42" class="skill" |
'''Class Skills ([[Skill Points::4]] + [[SRD:Intelligence|Int]] modifier per level, &times;4 at 1st level)'''<br/>
<!--class skills: simply delete those skills which your class does not have as class skills from the complete list below. If you only allow a subsection, such as Knowledge (arcana) (religion), write it like that. -->
{{3.5e Skills|Balance, 
Bluff, 
Climb, 
Concentration, 
Control Shape, 
Craft (Alchemy),  
Diplomacy, 
Escape Artist, 
Gather Information, 
Handle Animal, 
Heal,  
Intimidate, 
Jump, 
Knowledge (Arcana) (Nature) (Nobility and Royalty), 
Listen, 
Ride, 
Search, 
Sense Motive, 
Spellcraft, 
Spot, 
Survival, 
Swim,  
Tumble, 
Use Rope}}
|}

'''Weapon and Armor Proficiency:''' Azure Magi are proficient with all simple weapons, and with the natural weapons of any creature they mimic or take the form of. Blue Magi are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields. 

'''{{Anchor|Savage Warrior}} {{Ex}}:''' When using a Beast Spell that requires an attack roll (Such as a natural weapon, or a special attack like a Manticore's spikes), the Blue Mage's Base Attack Bonus from his Blue Mage levels is treated as though it was equal to his full Blue Mage level instead of his actual BAB. 

'''{{Anchor|Beast Spells}} {{Ex}} or {{Su}}:''' The Blue Mage's power comes from the souls of his fallen foes. With each battle, he grows stronger. A Blue Mage can absorb the soul of a fallen enemy; this requires they have a soul (Ruling out constructs, and likely some undead at your DM's discretion). Absorbing a creature's essence allows you to learn one of the creature's innate (Not class-based) Extraordinary or Supernatural abilities. The DC of these Beast Spells is equal to 10 + 1/2 your class level + your Wisdom modifier. These spells have no defined level; With the exception of abilities that replicate spells, in which case those Beast Spells can only be cast once the Blue Mage in question has two class levels per level of the spell - For example, a Blue Mage could absorb ''Astral Projection'' or ''Etherealness'' from a [[SRD:Nightmare | Nightmare]], but couldn't cast either spell until he reached his 18th level in Blue Mage. Blue Magi do not need to meditate to prepare spells each morning, but must meditate for one hour once per week to realign his soul. 

A Blue Mage's spells have no verbal or somatic components, but do suffer Arcane Spell Failure from armor heavier than light armor and from all forms of shields.

Blue Magi that are subjected to any spell that allows them to change form becomes instantly and irrevocably mad (As per Azure Rage), and only a ''Wish'' or ''Miracle'' can cure them. This affects spells like Polymorph, but not Flesh To Stone and similar. Upon being subject to such a spell (And fail their save against it, if applicable), they must make a Will save (Against the spell's DC). If they fail, they finish the transformation before the madness occurs, which can leave their party dealing with a much more ferocious creature than the Blue Mage would've otherwise been. If they succeed the save, they remain in their natural form, but still go mad. Your Beast Without class feature cannot trigger this madness, though it is triggered by your Azure Madness anyway.

A Blue Mage may only know a number of spells up to their (Permanent) Spellcraft modifier. Any time a Blue Mage learns a spell when already at the maximum, they may discard a spell permanently from their repertoire. This spell can only be relearned by absorbing the same type of creature's soul once again. However, this has no affect on their Borrowed Spells (See below).

A Blue Mage can cast a number of spells per encounter up to their Wisdom modifier. They can only cast the same spell once per day, unless using their Azure Binding class feature. You can absorb the same creature's soul more than once before it fades, but you cannot learn the same spell twice, meaning you must choose a different ability to learn. You can learn the same spell more than once - In fact, each additional time grants you one additional daily use of that spell - But this must be done with different creatures of the same type, as once you take something from an individual soul, it is simply not there for you to take again.

Most of your spells, like dragon breath, are instantaneous, and require a Standard action to "cast". Passive spells you learn, such as spell resistance or a creature's natural weapons, are activated by immediate action and last a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier or the original duration, whichever is shorter. Each time you use a Beast Spell or Borrowed ability, you suffer a cumulative -1 penalty on Will saves. This penalty fades at the same rate as ability damage, but cannot be cured with magic.


'''{{Anchor|Learning}} {{Su}}:''' By absorbing the essence of their fallen foes, the Blue Mage learns many new abilities. They do so by absorbing a portion of a fallen foe's soul. This must be done within ten rounds of the creature's death, and can only be done with creatures that have souls. To absorb a soul, you must touch the creature's corpse, spending a Standard action, and make a Spellcraft check (DC 10 + The creature's CR). If you succeed, you learn one of the creature's extraordinary or supernatural abilities randomly, either chosen by the DM or assigned values on a d% roll (In ad equal proportions as possible, in the order they are listed in the creature's entry). You can instead focus on a specific ability the creature possessed, but this increases the DC by +5. You can only absorb abilities that you have witnessed such a creature use, or otherwise know about via the appropriate Knowledge checks (Typically DC 20). A creature whose soul has been absorbed is exceedingly difficult to revive; Only Resurrection, True Resurrection, Limited Wish, Wish or Miracle can bring such a creature back to life.

A creature whose is dying but not dead (-1 to -9 HP, typically) cannot be learned from until they are dead. If not rushed or threatened, the Blue Mage can spend 5 round to take 10 on the Spellcraft check used to learn a spell from a fallen creature.


'''{{Anchor|Azure Madness}} {{Su}}:''' Blue Magi are, by nature, unstable creatures; Their soul being amalgamates of their souls and those of fallen foes. Thus a Blue Mage is always at war with themselves, holding back the beasts within, who are more often than not enraged at both their death and their imprisonment within the Blue Mage's own soul. Any time a Blue Mage's willpower slips, whether it be due to pain or a successful attempt to warp their mind, the savage rage surges forth, overwhelming the Blue Mage's control.

This manifests in their Azure Madness. Whenever a Blue Mage takes damage equal to or greater than five times their HD, plus their Constitution modifier, within a single round, or fails a Will save, they must make a Will save or enter this state of Azure Madness. The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the damage dealt (In the case of a damage trigger) or equal to 10 + the source's HD + the source's Charisma modifier (In the case of a Will save trigger).

During Azure Madness, the Blue Mage cannot use any Dexterity-, Intelligence- or Charisma-based skill except Intimidate, nor can they use any feat or ability that requires focus, concentration or intellect (Thus locking them out of most spellcasting and manifesting, as well as feats like Combat Expertise, but not their Beast Spells). They gain a bonus to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and all Will saves against Mind-Affecting effects equal to their class level for the duration. While in a maddened state, they will use whatever means are at their disposal - Beast Spells, weapons, even their bare hands or teeth - To destroy their perceived foes. Unfortunately for their allies, the Blue Mage also loses their ability to distinguish allies from enemies, and will rush headlong into battle against anything and everything they can see for as long as the madness lasts. Once the initial source of their madness is gone, they can attempt a Will save each round at the same DC to regain control. They can willingly fail this save, but each time they do so increases the DC of subsequent attempts by +1. A natural 20 does not guarantee success if a Blue Mage has willingly remained insane; If they stray beyond their own ability to regain control, a Wish or Miracle will be required to return their sanity.

A Blue Mage has constantly trained his will to withstand the onslaught of the raging beast within; This is why, unlike the original class, the Blue Mage has a good base Will save. However, each time they use a Beast Spell or Borrowed ability, they suffer a cumulative -1 penalty on Will saves. This penalty fades at the same rate as ability damage, but cannot be cured with magic.

Azure Madness counts as Rage for the purposes of prerequisites, and can be altered by anything that alters the Rage or Frenzy class feature feats, like feats such as Chaotic Rage, Ruinous Rage, or Reckless Rage, but obviously you cannot gain extra daily uses of Azure Madness, nor can you increase the duration (Though Extend Rage does increase the time between Will saves by 1 round each time it is taken). 


'''{{Anchor|Meldshaping}} {{Su}}:''' Because their abilities are fundamentally soul-based - Complete with the constant references to the color blue - The Blue Mage has minor ability to shape soulmelds. He has no Essentia capacity of his own. The save DC for his soulmelds is equal to 10 + his Wisdom modifier + the amount of Essentia invested. At 1st level, and at every even-numbered level thereafter, the Blue Mage learns, and can shape, one Soulmeld from any class list. At any level at which they do not learn a new Soulmeld, they may exchange one of their known Soulmelds for a different Soulmeld they qualify for.


'''{{Anchor|Kin's Call}} {{Su}}:''' Though the beasts within yearn to doom you, they are not inclined to attack those of their own kind; When your Azure Madness is triggered by a creature of the same species as one whose soul you've already absorbed, you gain a +1 bonus on the Will save against the madness for every spell you have learned from that specific type of creature. Thus, if you have already learned a Wisp's ''Shock'' and ''Natural Invisibility'' abilities, and a Wisp triggers your Azure Madness, you will gain a +2 bonus on that particular saving throw.

Likewise, birds of a feather flock together, all the better to bring about your end - When you attempt to absorb the soul of a creature, and you have already absorbed a spell (or spells) from that type of creature, you gain a +1 bonus on your Spellcraft check per spell. Thus, if you already knew a Hoary Steed's ''Air Walk'', ''Astral Projection'', ''Etherealness'', and ''Magic Circle Against Good'' abilities, and are attempting to learn the steed's ''Misty Breath'' from a Hoary Steed you just killed, you would gain a +4 bonus on the Spellcraft check made to learn the spell.


'''{{Anchor|Borrowed Souls}} {{Su}}:''' At 1st level, When you slay a creature and successfully absorb its essence, you gain a number of Essentia points equal to your Wisdom modifier. These Essentia points are temporary, fading at the same rate you naturally heal ability damage, but can be used as normal for Essentia. You can only gain Essentia from an individual creature once. Your Essentia capacity is equal to your Wisdom modifier, plus your class level.

Additionally, when you learn an ability, you may choose to instead "Borrow" it. You can only have one Borrowed Spell at a time, but it does not count toward your limit of known spells. You can use the spell only once before it fades, and doing so costs a number of Essentia points equal to your Wisdom modifier, "burning" the Essentia permanently. However, this does not count toward your daily limit of casting that spell - Thus you can Borrow a spell you already know, in order to cast the spell more than once throughout the day. Borrowed Spells function like Soulmelds, in that they can be unshaped by outside forces. 


'''{{Anchor|Azure Mark}} {{Su}}:''' When you strike an enemy, you can attempt to leave a tiny fragment of soulstuff within them, linking you to them. Upon making a successful melee attack against a foe, you can force them to make a Will save, using the DC of your Beast Spells. If you are successful, you can "invest" Essentia into the target, up to your maximum capacity. While this Essentia is invested, you gain a bonus to all Survival, Spot, and Listen checks against the target equal to the Essentia invested. You can also attempt a Concentration check (DC 10 + Target's CR + Target's Charisma or Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher); If you succeed, you know the precise direction of the target relative to you, as well as rough distance (Within a mile). This ability does not work across planar boundaries, however, and can be foiled by things such as ''Nondetection''. Furthermore, as is normal for you, the Essentia will fade at the same rate as the target naturally heals ability damage, meaning you only have a few hours to track them down. 


'''{{Anchor|Hunter's Mercy}} {{Ex}}:''' Your expertise at putting down wounded creatures continues to serve you well. When attacking a living creature who is below half health, your critical threat range is increased by 1 (After multipliers), and you gain a bonus on attack and damage rolls equal to 1/ your class level. 


'''{{Anchor|Beast Chakra}} {{Su}}:''' The place in which you harbor your stolen souls is a deep well, and can hold more than just spells. Beginning at 2nd level, you gain access to a Beast Chakra. This functions exactly like a Totem Chakra, with some added benefits. Like the Totem Chakra, your Beast Chakra has an Essentia capacity 1 higher than your other Chakras. Your Borrowed Spells occupy your Beast Chakra, meaning you can take the Double Chakra feat in order to have two Borrowed Spells at the same time.

At 10th level, your Beast Chakra gains an additional +1 effective Meldshaper level, making your Borrowed Spells harder to unshape. At 16th level, your Beast Chakra's Essentia capacity increases again, to a total of +2 higher than your normal capacity.


'''{{Anchor|Beast Hide}} {{Ex}}:''' The more creatures you add to yourself, the more bestial your body becomes. The first savage trait you body manifests is toughened skin. Beginning at 3rd level, you gain a +1 Natural Armor bonus to AC. This bonus increases by 1 every 4 levels after 3rd (+2 at 7th, +3 at 11th, and so forth).


'''{{Anchor|Azure Consumption}} {{Su}}:''' Beginning at 3rd level, you have learned to "burn" your excess energy to create more useful effects; Though you can only spend a number of Essentia per minute on this class feature equal to your normal Essentia capacity. As a standard action, you can:
*Heal yourself for 1d4 points of damage per point of Essentia consumed.
*Grant yourself a +1 bonus on your next Spellcraft check (Made to learn a Beast Spell) or Will save (Made to prevent or end Azure Madness) per Essentia consumed.
*Grant yourself a +1 bonus per Essentia consumed on the next Jump, Swim, Survival, Tumble, Climb or Intimidate check you make.


'''{{Anchor|Azure Binding}} {{Su}}:''' At 4th level, you learn how to bind spells to your Beast Chakra. These can be either your normal Beast Spells, or Borrowed Spells. When you do so, the spell is not expended when cast - In the case of normal Beast Spell, it does not count toward your daily limit; In the case of a Borrowed Spell, the spell does not dissipate after a single use. However, in order to use a Bound Spell, you must expend an amount of Essentia equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. The spell remains Bound until you reshape and rebind it, as normal for a Chakra. 


'''{{Anchor|The Beast Within}} {{Su}}:''' At 10th level, you are more beast than man, your soul so torn that you can no longer be considered your original race. Find the creature type (Such as Elemental, or Dragon) from which you possess the most Beast Spells. You now count as this type instead of your original type whenever it would be more beneficial. This can, interestingly, be used to qualify for prestige classes and feats, but beware - Should your most-absorbed creature type change, you will lose access to any feats or class features you had qualified for via this ability, until your most-absorbed type once more matches the prerequisites. 


'''{{Anchor|The Beast Without}} {{Su}}:''' Upon reaching 10th level, a Blue Mage's spirit begins to critically destabilize. Any time he falls into madness, he might experience side effects of the monstrous spirits used to bring out his azure essence in the first place. Whenever a Blue mage of 10th level or higher falls into Azure Madness, he has a 50% chance of turning into one of the creatures he has absorbed the essence of. The DM assigns the monsters a blue mage has learned magic from to a d% and rolls to determine the form. The creature is average in all ways for its type, except that it has the HD of the blue mage who transformed into it. 

'''{{Anchor|Azure Metamagic}} {{Su}}:''' At 13th level, you learn how to alter your Beast spells with Metamagic. This does not increase the casting time, but does burn a number of Essentia equal to the spell level increase, in addition to any other Essentia costs for casting the spell (Which means you likely can't use metamagic on Borrowed or Bound Spells, due to the total cost being higher than your Essentia capacity).

'''{{Anchor|Azure Soul}} {{Su}}:''' At 20th level, a Blue Mage has finally come to peace within himself, bringing all the monster spirits into line. He no longer has to risk going insane upon taking substantial damage or failing a will save, and can enter into a state of insanity at will. Though still able to differentiate friend from foe, he is still unable to use any skill or feat that requires intelligent thought. Finally, the Blue Mage may now count as the same type as any creature he has absorbed the essence of, whenever it would be more beneficial. This cannot, however, be used to meet prerequisites, such as for feats or prestige classes.


'''{{Anchor|Azure Lore, Track, Burst Affinity, Assimilation, Convergence, and Diffusion}}:''' These abilities function exactly as the [[Blue Mage (3.5e Class) | Blue Mage]] class features of the same names.

====Ex-Blue Mages====

Once a Blue Mage becomes infused with a monster's soul, nothing short of a ''Wish'' or ''Miracle'' spell can return them to purely human. If they do undergo this "cure", they lose all class features save for their BAB, HD, Base Save Bonuses, skills and proficiencies, until they once more willingly merge with a monster.



----
{{3.5e Alternate Class Features Breadcrumb}}

[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
[[Category:Alternate Class Feature]]
[[Category:Homebrew Alternate Class Feature]]
{{Navboxes}}
Author	Zhenra-Khal +
Class	Blue Mage +
Identifier	3.5e Alternate Class Feature +
Rating	Undiscussed +
Skill	Balance +, Bluff +, Climb +, Concentration +, Control Shape +, Craft +, Diplomacy +, Escape Artist +, Gather Information +, Handle Animal +, Heal +, Intimidate +, Jump +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Ride +, Search +, Sense Motive +, Spellcraft +, Spot +, Survival +, Swim +, Tumble + and Use Rope +
Skill Points	4 +
Summary	The Blue Mage class was obviously created … The Blue Mage class was obviously created with a specific campaign setting in mind, and many of its abilities reference creatures and organizations that are not defined in the given material; And because it's so ill-defined and specific, it doesn't fit the usual customization that D&D classes tend to exhibit. The class is absolute genius, using an obvious Incarnum theme with a completely unique set of rules. However, I'd like to draw inspiration from this and create my own variant, both with my own ideas and my takes on the original author's ideas, and with a more vague, malleable fluff that is closer to the Totemist/Necrocarnum in style. oser to the Totemist/Necrocarnum in style. +
Title	Flavorless Blue Mage +