The Arcane

About the Path:

The Path Arcane, is about people who dedicate their lives to unveil and blend all known natural laws on this world, from the mundane to the ancient lore of the creation and requiring a great intellect to understand the very secretes of the universe and be able to blend it at their will. These shrewd magic-users seek, collect, and covet esoteric knowledge, drawing on cultic arts to work wonders beyond the abilities of mere mortals. While some might choose a particular field of magical study and become masters of such powers, others embrace versatility, reveling in the unbounded wonders of all magic. In either case, wizards prove a cunning and potent lot, capable of smiting their foes, empowering their allies, and shaping the world to their every desire. Namely known as Wizards, Mages, Arcanist, and depending on their magic school Abjurers, Conjurers, Diviners, Enchanters, Evokers, Illusionists, Necromancers, Transmuters and Universalist.

Related Background: Most known people on the Path of the Arcane, learned their skills since kids or teenagers in specialized institutes, others learned from relatives or a lone old man who taught their knowledge as a gesture of good faith, and few of them, learned the way of the arcane magic by their own hard means

Role: While universalist wizards might study to prepare themselves for any manner of danger, specialist wizards research schools of magic that make them exceptionally skilled within a specific focus. Yet no matter their specialty, all wizards are masters of the impossible and can aid their allies in overcoming any danger.

Alignment: Any. The Path of the Arcane is about propose and goals no morals, the diverse arcane schools lead to specific goals that can be tied directly or not with your alignment or what you seek with said power

The Path of the Arcane Background:

Perhaps no other class exemplifies the acquisition of power through sheer focus and determination as well as you, who you are on the Path of the Arcane. Neither touched by divine purpose nor blessed with magic in their blood, people like you must spend their entire lives studying the same texts, tomes, scrolls, and recitations to master the magical arts. Such a craft can be self-taught or instilled through instruction, learned in an academy or at the fringes of the world, but it can be mastered only through the most rigorous and regimented of study.

d%	Result
1 - 10	Brains over Brawn: You were bullied or excluded throughout your life because you lacked physical power and fighting prowess. To compensate, you turned to transmutation magic. Your practice and perseverance have granted you skill with spells of that school. You gain access to the Tenacious Shifting magic trait.
11 - 20	Dangerous Intellect: At a young age, those around you, whether family or friends, realized that your intellect was more than mere precociousness. As your sense of curiosity became dangerous, those responsible for you pushed you into studying magic in the hopes that you would find infinite puzzles to solve. You gain access to the Tireless Logic social trait.
21 - 30	Fitting In: You hail from a long line of sorcerers or from a community known for its natural affinity for magic. Your manifestation of wizardly talent, as opposed to blood-based sorcery, caused you to hide those talents at a young age, and then to disguise them as sorcery to the best of your ability later. You still retain some tricks from this early misdirection. You gain access to the Shrouded Casting magic trait.
31 - 40	Gifted Pride: Your affinity for magic has made you somewhat crass and arrogant, though some find your blunt disposition charming or worthy of respect. The air of superiority surrounding you is palpable and allows you to use your intellect to cow others at times when lesser individuals might barely get a word in. You gain access to the Bruising Intellect social trait.
41 - 50	Mortality's Mirror: Your childhood innocence ended the moment you realized that someday you would die. This revelation may have come to you at the deathbed of a beloved relative, during a bloody siege against your homeland, or via some other eye-opening event. You have spent the rest of your life trying to master magic in order to change this most universal fate from stealing your last breaths away. You now have a keen eye for the magic of death and for discerning answers to ancient riddles. You gain access to the Greater Purpose magic trait.
51 - 60	Righting a Wrong: In your youth, you witnessed an event that changed the fate of many or of a tragic few, such as a natural disaster (like a flood, hurricane, or fire) or simply a friend's unfortunate accident during a childish game. You were burdened by the knowledge that magic— perhaps even a spell as simple as feather fall—could have changed the course of lives. You've dedicated yourself to magic in an effort to make sure that you are never subject to the capricious whims of fate again. You gain access to the Desperate Resolve magic trait.
61 - 70	Storied Lineage: Your family name is synonymous with wizardry of the highest caliber. Magic was your destined path before you were even born, and both your family and those who know of your lineage have supported this notion your entire life, granting you an unwavering confidence in your talents. While the pursuit of arcane mastery is never easy, you are driven to live up to the expectations set forth for you. You gain access to the Resilient Caster magic trait.
71 - 80	The Way Things Work: Magic came alive the first time you held a magic item. The notion of extraordinary magic resting within something as seemingly ordinary as a ring, amulet, or stoppered vial changed the way you viewed the world, and ever since you've possessed a sense of curiosity and awe for all magic items. You gain access to the Magic Crafter magic trait and the Eldritch Researcher story feat.
81 - 90	Unpaid Debt: Someone saved your life at great cost. Whether through healing magic or basic heroism, your savior gave their life that you might live. Striving to repay this debt has led you to study magic, the only thing capable of making enough of a difference in the world to make you feel that you have earned the gift given to you. This sense of purpose has engendered an unshakable resolve in you. You gain access to the Principled faith trait.
91 - 100	Unquenchable Hunger for Knowledge: For most wizards, magic is an end to which all studies strive, but not for you. For you, magic is a means to an end—and that end is knowledge. Your desire to know all of the secrets of the world requires the ability to cross continents in a blink, ride the winds, breathe water like a fish, and survive any kind of trap. Your unquenching quest for knowledge has made you ever ready for danger. You gain access to the Eldritch Delver magic trait.

Table: The Arcane

Level	Special	Reputation Bonus
Lv1	Arcane School, Familiar, Minor Arcane Casting, Scribe Scroll, Spellbook	+1
Lv2		+1
Lv3		+2
Lv4		+2
Lv5	Bonus Feat	+3
Lv6		+3
Lv7		+3
Lv8		+4
Lv9		+4
Lv10	Bonus Feat	+4
Lv11		+5
Lv12		+5
Lv13		+5
Lv14		+6
Lv15	Bonus Feat	+6
Lv16		+6
Lv17		+7
Lv18		+7
Lv19		+7
Lv20	Bonus Feat	+8

Recommended Skills: Craft (Chemical, Visual Art, and Writing) (Int), Computer Use (Int), Concentration (Con), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Research (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).

Recommended Good Saves: Will

Weapons & Armor Proficiency: You gain no proficiency in Weapons nor Armors

Arcane School: You can choose to specialize in one school of magic, gaining additional spells and powers based on that school. This choice must be made at 1st level, and once made, it cannot be changed. If you don't select a school receives the Universalist school instead.
You must choose to specialize in one school of magic must select two other schools as his opposition schools, representing knowledge sacrificed in one area of arcane lore to gain mastery in another. A wizard who prepares spells from his opposition schools must use two spell slots of that level to prepare the spell. For example, a wizard with evocation as an opposition school must expend two of his available 3rd-level spell slots to prepare a fireball. In addition, a specialist takes a –4 penalty on any skill checks made when crafting a magic item that has a spell from one of his opposition schools as a prerequisite. A universalist wizard can prepare spells from any school without restriction.
Each arcane school gives the wizard a number of school powers. In addition, specialist wizards receive an additional spell slot of each spell level he can cast, from 1st on up. Each day, a wizard can prepare a spell from his specialty school in that slot. This spell must be in the wizard's spellbook. A wizard can select a spell modified by a metamagic feat to prepare in his school slot, but it uses up a higher-level spell slot. Wizards with the universalist school do not receive a school slot.

Familiar: You get an arcane bound with a small animal namely Familiar, a familiar is an animal chosen to aid you in your study of magic. More about in Familiar Table

Minor Arcane Casting: You start with the Minor Arcane Casting Class feat and use your Intelligence Modifier to learn and cast Spells. If you had chosen the same feat thru the Spellcaster Archetype Class or other source, you get the Advanced Spellcasting Class feat instead, no matter the requirements. If you had chosen the Minor Divine Casting or Manifest Minor Psionics Class feats before, you can have both skills and both develop at the same time as you gain levels, if you meet the requirements for Advanced Spellcasting, will benefit both Divine and Arcane spells you know, but Psionic powers will only benefit from Manifest Advanced Psionics

Scribe Scroll: At Lv1, gain Scribe Scroll as an Additional Feat

Spellbook: You start with the Spellbook Class Feat. Allowing you registry your known spells, starting with all Lv0 spells and 3 + Intelligence mod. Lv1 spells (except the spells from Forbidden Schools and adding 2 spells form the highest level you can cast when leveling up, but registry the more spells in any given moment

Bonus Feat: At lv5, 10, 15 and 20, you can choose any Meta-magic or Object creation Feats if you meet the requirements

Arcane Schools:

The following descriptions detail each arcane school and its corresponding powers.

Abjuration School

The abjurer uses magic against itself and masters the art of defensive and warding magics.

Resistance (Ex): You gain resistance 5 to an energy type of your choice, chosen when you prepare spells. This resistance can be changed each day. At 11th level, this resistance increases to 10. At 20th level, this resistance changes to immunity to the chosen energy type.

Protective Ward (Su): As a standard action, you can create a 3-meters-radius field of protective magic centered on you that lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier. All allies in this area (including you) receive a +1 deflection bonus to their AC. This bonus increases by +1 for every five class levels you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Energy Absorption (Su): At 6th level, you gain an amount of energy absorption equal to 3 times your level per day. Whenever you take energy damage, apply immunity, vulnerability (if any), and resistance first and apply the rest to this absorption, reducing your daily total by that amount. Any damage in excess of your absorption is applied to you normally.

Conjuration School

The conjurer focuses on the study of summoning monsters and magic alike to bend to his will.

Summoner's Charm (Su): Whenever you cast a conjuration (summoning) spell, increase the duration by a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your class level (minimum 1). This increase is not doubled by Extend Spell. At 20th level, you can change the duration of all summon monster spells to permanent. You can have no more than one Summon Monster spell made permanent in this way at one time. If you designate another summon monster spell as permanent, the previous spell immediately ends.

Acid Dart (Sp): As a standard action you can unleash an acid dart targeting any foe within 9 mts as a ranged touch attack. The acid dart deals 1d6 points of acid damage + 1 for every two class levels you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier. This attack ignores spell resistance.

Dimensional Steps (Sp): At 8th level, you can use this ability to teleport up to 9 mts per class level per day as a standard action. This teleportation must be used in 1.5-meters increments and such movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each additional creature brought with you.

Divination School

Diviners are masters of remote viewing, prophecies, and using magic to explore the world.

Forewarned (Su): You can always act in the surprise round even if you fail to make a Perception roll to notice a foe, but you are still considered flat-footed until you take an action. In addition, you receive a bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/2 your class level (minimum +1). At 20th level, anytime you roll initiative, assume the roll resulted in a natural 20.

Diviner's Fortune (Sp): When you activate this school power, you can touch any creature as a standard action to give it an insight bonus on all of its attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws equal to 1/2 your class level (minimum +1) for 1 round. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Scrying Adept (Su): At 8th level, you are always aware when you are being observed via magic, as if you had a permanent detect scrying. In addition, whenever you scry on a subject, treat the subject as one step more familiar to you. Very familiar subjects get a –10 penalty on their save to avoid your scrying attempts.

Enchantment School

The enchanter uses magic to control and manipulate the minds of his victims.

Enchanting Smile (Su): You gain a +2 enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skill checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every five class levels you possess, up to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. At 20th level, whenever you succeed at a saving throw against a spell of the enchantment school, that spell is reflected back at its caster, as per spell turning.

Dazing Touch (Sp): You can cause a living creature to become dazed for 1 round as a melee touch attack. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your class level are unaffected. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Aura of Despair (Su): At 8th level, you can emit a 9-meters aura of despair for a number of rounds per day equal to your wizard level. Enemies within this aura take a –2 penalty on ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Evocation School

Evokers revel in the raw power of magic and can use it to create and destroy with shocking ease.

Intense Spells (Su): Whenever you cast an evocation spell that deals hit point damage, add 1/2 your class level to the damage (minimum +1). This bonus only applies once to a spell, not once per missile or ray, and cannot be split between multiple missiles or rays. This bonus damage is not increased by Empower Spell or similar effects. This damage is of the same type as the spell. At 20th level, whenever you cast an evocation spell you can roll twice to penetrate a creature's spell resistance and take the better result.

Force Missile (Sp): As a standard action you can unleash a force missile that automatically strikes a foe, as magic missile. The force missile deals 1d4 points of damage plus the damage from your Intense Spells evocation power. This is a force effect. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Elemental Wall (Sp): At 8th level, you can create a wall of energy that lasts for a number of rounds per day equal to your class level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This wall deals acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, determined when you create it. The elemental wall otherwise functions like wall of fire.

Illusion School

Illusionists use magic to weave confounding images, figments, and phantoms to baffle and vex their foes.

Extended Illusions (Su): Any illusion spell you cast with a duration of "concentration" lasts a number of additional rounds equal to 1/2 your class level after you stop maintaining concentration (minimum +1 round). At 20th level, you can make one illusion spell with a duration of "concentration" become permanent. You can have no more than one illusion made permanent in this way at one time. If you designate another illusion as permanent, the previous permanent illusion ends.

Blinding Ray (Sp): As a standard action you can fire a shimmering ray at any foe within 9 mts as a ranged touch attack. The ray causes creatures to be blinded for 1 round. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your class level are dazzled for 1 round instead. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Invisibility Field (Sp): At 8th level, you can make yourself invisible as a swift action for a number of rounds per day equal to your class level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This otherwise function as greater invisibility.

Necromancy School

The dread and feared necromancer commands undead and uses the foul power of unlife against his enemies.

Power over Undead (Su): You receive Command Undead or Turn Undead as a bonus feat. You can channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier, but only to use the selected feat. You can take other feats to add to this ability, such as Extra Channel and Improved Channel, but not feats that alter this ability, such as Elemental Channel and Alignment Channel. The DC to save against these feats is equal to 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Charisma modifier. At 20th level, undead cannot add their channel resistance to the save against this ability.

Grave Touch (Sp): As a standard action, you can make a melee touch attack that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your character level (minimum 1). If you touch a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than your wizard level. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Life Sight (Su): At 8th level, you gain blindsight to a range of 3 mts for a number of rounds per day equal to your character level. This ability only allows you to detect living creatures and undead creatures. This sight also tells you whether a creature is living or undead. Constructs and other creatures that are neither living nor undead cannot be seen with this ability. The range of this ability increases by 3 mts at 12th level, and by an additional 3 mts for every four levels beyond 12th. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Transmutation School

Transmuters use magic to change the world around them.

Physical Enhancement (Su): You gain a +1 enhancement bonus to one physical ability score (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution). This bonus increases by +1 for every five class levels you possess to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. You can change this bonus to a new ability score when you prepare spells. At 20th level, this bonus applies to two physical ability scores of your choice.

Telekinetic Fist (Sp): As a standard action you can strike with a telekinetic fist, targeting any foe within 9 mts as a ranged touch attack. The telekinetic fist deals 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage + 1 for every two class levels you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Change Shape (Sp): At 8th level, you can change your shape for a number of rounds per day equal to your class level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This ability otherwise functions like beast shape II or elemental body I. At 12th level, this ability functions like beast shape III or elemental body II.

Universalist School

Wizards who do not specialize (known as universalists) have the most diversity of all arcane spellcasters.

Hand of the Apprentice (Su): You cause your melee weapon to fly from your grasp and strike a foe before instantly returning to you. As a standard action, you can make a single attack using a melee weapon at a range of 9 mts. This attack is treated as a ranged attack with a thrown weapon, except that you add your Intelligence modifier on the attack roll instead of your Dexterity modifier (damage still relies on Strength). This ability cannot be used to perform a combat maneuver. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Metamagic Mastery (Su): At 8th level, you can apply any one metamagic feat that you know to a spell you are about to cast. This does not alter the level of the spell or the casting time. You can use this ability once per day at 8th level and one additional time per day for every two wizard levels you possess beyond 8th. Any time you use this ability to apply a metamagic feat that increases the spell level by more than 1, you must use an additional daily usage for each level above 1 that the feat adds to the spell. Even though this ability does not modify the spell's actual level, you cannot use this ability to cast a spell whose modified spell level would be above the level of the highest-level spell that you are capable of casting.