The Card-Mage A Homebrew D&D 3.5e Base Class, by Tristan Payne.

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1 The Card-Mage A Homebrew D&D 3.5e Base Class, by Tristan Payne. NOTE: Class requires player to use a standard 52 deck-of-cards, (+2 Optional Jokers). Recommended Abilities: CHA (Spell-casting modifier), DEX (AC and skills), CONS (Survival and health). Alignment: Requires any Chaotic alignment. Hit Die: 1d4 Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Arcana), Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spell-craft. Skill Points at 1st Level: (2+INT modifier) x4 Skill Points at each additional level: 2+INT modifier Weapon / Armor Proficiencies: All simple weapons, including; Exotic Weapon Proficiency Card. No armor or shield proficiencies.

2 Spell casting - - To cast a spell, a Card-mage must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level. The Difficulty Class of a saving throw against a Card-Mage's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the Card-mage's Charisma modifier. - Character can set caster level for spell at highest caster level possible, can choose lower caster level if decided and declared. I.e. At level 1-1st level spells, at level 4th Level - 2nd level spells, etc. Card- Mages cannot cast spells of a higher caster level unless otherwise stated. - Spell-Casting provokes attacks of opportunity in combat if the caster is in a threatened square. Card-Mages spell-casting mechanic: Card-Casting: (See table, 1) Player draws 2 Cards as part of a Draw ; Low Heart: Transmutation High Heart: Enchantment Low Diamond: Divination High Diamond: Illusion Low Spade: Necromancy High Spade: Conjuration Low Club: Abjuration High Club: Evocation Joker: Wild-Card 1st (Top) Card; Number and suit on card determine spell school. [Low Card (2-7) High Card (8-A)] Wild-Card; Joker Wild-cards for the 1st card drawing stage allows the Card-Mage to choose a spellschool of his choosing for the purpose of the spell. 2nd Card; Number on card selects spell on spell list. For example; a draw of 2 is the second spell, 3 is the third, Jack is the 11 th, Queen is the 12 th, and Aces count as the 1 st. Treat Joker cards as a wild card in this instance. In the event that the spell list does not contain as many total spells as the card number; begin from the top of the list and continue counting down.

3 If the spell's casting time is longer than a full-round action, the card's spell is one further down the spell list. If the caster has used a move-action, prior to drawing spell-cards; treat the selection of a Full-Round spell as one further down the on the spell list until a suitable spell is found. If the spell is a touch spell; treat the spell as readied until the touch attack attempt. The spell-list is specifically the Wizard/Sorcerer spell-list found in the Player's Handbook 1 (The Spell- Compendium may also be used). Example; a level 1 Card-Mage Drawing an Ace of Spaces and then a Queen of Diamonds would subsequently cast a Summon Monster 1 spell from the energies within the cards. The Card-mage is always aware of what spell has been drawn from the Card Cast. The Card-Mage can use the spell in the normal way as described the spells description. Card Casting can be cancelled at will without penalty (although still acting as a standard action as part of the draw), this fizzles the spell and counts as using one of the Card-Mages' spells per-day. The cards then return to the bottom of the Card-Mages deck. Casting a spell does not destroy or consume the card, but the card must return to the bottom of the deck before it can be used to cast again. Spells per-day; as the Sorcerer table but with additional spells as granted by a high Charisma Modifier. Take the card-mages Charisma modifier and use this in addition to the number in the table. For example; a 4th level Card-Mage with a Charisma Modifier of +2 would be able to draw 5 level 2 spell cards per day. As Card-Mages do not require learning the finite details of any spell, this enables them to cast more spells per-day than the more traditional casters. Card Casting, Expanded: A Card-Mage does not know, and can not remember or write a scroll of any spells themselves. Card- Magic is not traditional magic. The only spell component required for all spells is a standard deck of cards. Casting can be subject to the Silent Spell, but not Still Spell Meta-Magic feat. Also Card-Mages cannot learn or use the Spell Mastery Feat. As no other spell components are required for the Card-Mage s Card Cast ability. They gain Eschew Materials at 1st level as a bonus feat, though XP cost of certain spells still remain (See table, 1). The Spell-Mage only requires a mundane pack of cards to cast spells from. If the deck is incomplete, this naturally irks the Card-Mage, limiting his access to spells per day by half and requires a DC10 concentration check on all casting. The Card-Mage should feel compelled to seek out replacement or to find the missing cards in the deck. Frequently, the Card-Mage carries many decks, or finds ways to prevent such occasions. Mundane decks of cards are often inconsequential in price (1gp) and often found with little difficulty in adventuring good shops, toy shops and general good shops. The shop-keep may drastically increase the price of such a good on a successful DC 12 Knowledge, or Sense-Motive check on

4 determining that the character is a Card-Mage. Decks of cards can be of Master-Craft quality (10gp); and these decks are decorated ornately. Decks may also be further enhanced and enchanted. Treat Arcane Spell Failure as normal. Class features and Abilities: - Card Throw; The Card-Mage is skilled at throwing cards effectively, for tricks and for defence. For the purpose of dealing physical damage; thrown cards deal 1 Slashing damage, and have a critical threat range 19-20x2, with 10ft effective range. Thrown cards return to the Card-Mage as if they were affected by the Returning enhancement, and in perfect condition. The Card-Mage's deck of cards may be enhanced as if it was considered a weapon, but the weapon effects occur only in the hands of a Card-Mage. (See table, 1). - Card-Mages gain a bonus Craft (Card-Making) Skill Focus feat at 2 nd level (See table, 2) Card-Pick-Up; as a move action, the Card-Mage may skilfully pick up and return every card to the deck if misplaced, dropped or disarmed in battle (This provokes an attack of opportunity) (See table, 3). - "Burn"; Once per encounter; the Card-Mage may discard one of their card draws and draw another pair automatically, without penalty. The card-mage must cast the second draw, regardless of spell. (See table, 4) - "Snap!" - In the event that two cards of the same type (number or picture card are drawn): For the purpose of this single spell only; treat the Card-Mage as 1 level higher (but ignore gaining feats and ability points) and having access to the higher spell level (in accordance to the 'Spells per day' table.) For example; A 2nd Level Card-Mage with "Snap!" would be able to cast 1st level spells as a 3rd Level Card-Mage, a 3rd Level Card-Mage with "Snap!" would be able to cast a 2nd level spell as a 4th level Card-Mage (See Table, 4). - "Now you see it, ; A Card-Mage is often very difficult to separate from their cards. On a DC15 sleight of hand skill check, the Card-Mage can attempt to magically make their deck of cards 'disappear'. If successful; the Card-Mage casts Invisibility as a spell-like-ability on the deck and lasts until dispelled at will. Returning the cards to normal is a free action. If the Sleight of Hand check fails, the Card-Mage drops every card except two which may count as a single draw. (See Table, 5) - Cheat; on a successful DC12 sleight of hand skill check. The card-mage is free to draw an extra hand for storing. Card-Mages may now store one hand in a sleeve or elsewhere, ready to use at a later moment. The spell must be cast within 12 hours or is dispelled without consequence. The cards must then return to the bottom of the deck. On a failed check, the cheat fails and one of the Card-Mages spell s per day slots are used. (See Table, 8)

5 - Card-Mages are unusually lucky and gain bonus Luck Feats at level 10 and 20. (See Table, 6) - Reactionary Draw: Upon rolling initiative for combat; the Card-Mage does not utilise their dexterity. Do not add any dexterity modifier bonus to the roll. Instead, the card-mage draws a single card; the number on the card becomes the initiative modifier for the purpose of initiative for this encounter. Picture-cards count as 0 in this instance, Aces count as 1. Once drawn, this card is returned to the bottom of the deck. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses that improve initiative. (See Table, 7) - "Now you see it," greater: As "Now you see it," except the spell-like-ability becomes a local Teleport Object, and the returning of the cards at will becomes Drawmij s Instant Summons, with no material cost. (See Table, 9) - Draw from the Deck of Wonder: This ability is active once per day. Draw two cards; only use card numbered from 2-10 and the Ace (The ace counts as a 1 in this instance). Return picture cards to the bottom of the deck and redraw that card. 10 s count as a 0. The first number card in the draw counts as the Ten as a percentile (I.e. 5 is 50%), the second counts as the second digit of the percentile (E.g. a 2 is drawn, the complete roll would be 52%). A draw of two 10's count as 100% as a percentile result. Use this percentile to determine the effect as described on the Rod of Wonder table. Snap has no effect. (DMG, Page 237.) (See Table, 12) - Heart of the Cards: Once per day, the Card-Mage can magically will any specific two cards to the top of the deck for the next draw for the purpose of Card-Casting. Heart of the cards does not function for the purpose of the Snap, Reactionary Draw, Draw from the Deck of Wonder, or Draw from the Deck of Many class features. The Card-Mage is then considered fatigued for the rest of the encounter after this feat and must make concentration DC 10 checks to continue casting. (See Table, 10) - Draw from the Deck of Many: Once per day, the Card-Mage may draw a card from their deck. Treat the card as if it were drawn from a Deck of Many Things. (DMG, Page 278.) (See Table, 11)