Minor spellcasters include those characters whose primary abilities lie in other areas - paladins, rangers, and any other characters who gain minor magical abilities at higher levels. For these characters, spells are only a small part of their repertoire of abilities, often acquired late in their adventuring careers.
In many campaigns, the magical powers of minor spellcasters tend to be ignored. Since they have to wait longer than the wizards and priests of a campaign to gain their spell powers, minor spellcasters only have access to spells that their enemies can easily counter. When a 10th-level paladin can cure 20 points of damage by laying on hands, his cure light wounds seems insignificant, and his bless spell only takes his adjusted THAC0 from a 5 or so to a 4. The opponents that an 11th-level ranger is likely to be facing will have an easy time making their saves against an entangle spell. The spell powers of minor spellcasters are far more important to a character operating alone or looking for spells that support or enhance his abilities.
Paladins[]
Paladins gain the ability to cast priest spells from the spheres of combat, divination, healing, and protection at 9th level. Unlike true priest characters, paladins do not gain extra spells for high Wisdom scores and may not use clerical magical items. At 9th level, the paladin's effective casting level is only 1st level; for each experience level past 9th, the paladin's casting level increases by one, to a maximum of 9th level for a 17th-level paladin. (See Table 17 : Paladin Spell Progression in the PHB.)
Since paladins only use priest spells, they may use armor with no restrictions while casting spells. However, the character should have at least one hand free to present his holy symbol or any other material components required, so a character might have to drop a shield or second weapon in order to cast a spell.
Optional Spell Abilities for Paladins[]
The paladin's spell powers can be customized, just like those of any other class. Some of the options available include the following:
Alternate Sphere Access (5+): Refer to Table 6 : Access Costs in the previous chapter. Standard paladins have the equivalent of minor access to the spheres of combat, divination, healing, and protection, totalling 20 CPs. A paladin may choose to have minor access to any combination of alternate spheres totalling 20 CPs or less. For example, the paladin of a sea god might choose all, elemental water, healing, weather, and creation. Note that the paladin only pays for minor access, but still gains the ability to cast 4th-level spells. The paladin may exchange spheres for 5 CPs or buy additional spheres at the cost listed in Table 6 .
Increased spell power (7): A paladin with this power casts spells with an effective casting level only four levels less than his true level and has no maximum casting level. Normally, a 9th-level paladin casts spells as a 1st-level priest, but with this ability the 9th-level paladin casts spells with the power of a 5th-level priest. Spell progression is unaffected; only level-based characteristics of an individual spell are affected by this ability.
Increased spell progression (10/15): A paladin with this power gains his spell ability earlier than 9th level. For 10 points, he begins to gain spells at 7th level; for 15 points, he begins to gain spells at 4th level. In all other respects, his spell powers are unchanged, and he simply enters Table 17 in the PHB at the level indicated. Each level he gains from that point on advances him one level on the chart, so a 7th-level paladin with this ability uses the 9th-level entry and goes on to the 10th-level entry when he rises to 8th level.
Optional Spell Limitations for Paladins[]
Since the scope of this book is simply to discuss magical powers, the paladin class-design options have not been included in their entirety. Players interested in creating customized paladin characters should refer to the Player's Option: Skills & Powers book. The abilities above simply add to the slate of available powers for paladin characters.
If you wish to use these special advantages without the Skills & Powers rules, you can simply assign the paladin an experience point penalty of 30% plus 1% per point spent. If a paladin chooses increased spell progression and increased spell power, his total penalty would be 30% + 10% + 7%, or 47%; if the DM awards 3,000 experience points for an adventure, the paladin would gain 1,410 less than normal, only collecting 1,590 experience points. This slower advancement counters the character's unusual advantages.
Rangers[]
Rangers gain the ability to cast priest spells at 8th level. They have access to the spheres of plant and animal. Like paladins, rangers don't gain bonus spells for high Wisdom scores and may not use clerical magical items. At 8th level, the ranger casts spells with the effectiveness of a 1st-level priest; for each level past 8th, the ranger's casting level increases by one, to a maximum of 9th level for a 16th-level ranger. (See Table 18 : Ranger Abilities in the PHB.)
Like paladins, rangers may use armor with no restrictions while casting spells. However, the ranger should have at least one hand free to present his holy symbol or other material components, so a character might have to put down or drop a shield or second weapon in order to cast a spell.
Optional Spell Abilities for Rangers[]
The ranger's spell powers can be customized, just like those of any other class. Some of the options available include the following:
Alternate sphere access (5+): Normally, rangers have minor access to the spheres of plant and animal, totalling 10 CPs. A ranger may choose to have minor access to any combination of alternate spheres totalling 10 CPs or less. For example, a ranger might choose travelers, elemental air, and healing. If spheres are exchanged on a point-for-point basis, this optional ability has a base cost of only 5 CPs, but a ranger may choose extra spheres of access and add the costs listed in Table 6 : Access Costs.
Increased spell power (7): A ranger with this power casts spells with an effective casting level only four levels less than his true level and has no maximum casting level. Normally, an 8th-level ranger casts spells as a 1st-level priest, but with this ability the ranger has a casting level of 4 instead of 1. Spell progression is unaffected; only level-based characteristics of a spell are affected by this ability.
Increased spell progression (7/12): A ranger with this power gains his spell ability earlier than 8th level. For 7 points, he begins to gain spells at 6th level; for 12 points, he begins to gain spells at 4th level. In all other respects, his spell powers are unchanged, and he simply enters the Table 18 at the level indicated. Each level he gains from that point on advances him one level on the chart.
Optional Restrictions for Rangers[]
Ranger class-design options are discussed in detail in the Player's Option: Skills & Powers book. The abilities above are simply added to the slate of available powers for ranger characters.
If you wish to use these abilities without the Skills & Powers rules, you can assign the ranger an experience point penalty of 30% plus 1% per point spent. If a ranger chooses access to two additional spheres totalling 8 points, his total penalty would be 30% + 13%, or 43%. If the DM awards 2,000 experience points for an adventure, the ranger would gain 860 less than normal, only collecting 1,140 experience points. This experience penalty will counter some of the character's unusual advantages.
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