Theurge (3pp)

Theurge – A Simple Magic-User Class

The Theurge retreads a lot of thematic ground already covered by Wizards, Clerics and Sorcerers, but does so using simpler and more free-form mechanics, akin to those of the so-called “simple” classes. As a simple class, it relies on magic-flavored basic attacks, souped up via talents, but it requires a bit more book-keeping than the core simple classes. The Theurge is generally a ranged magic-user of some kind, whose wizardly robes/priestly garments/travel clothes are largely unsuited to close range combat (the War Caster talent notwithstanding). Its talents allow it to mix damage, support, area and control magic to represent a variety of magical traditions, mixing what are often termed “arcane” and “divine” magic.

Ability Scores

+2 Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma (different from racial bonus)

As a generic magic-user, it relies on Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma. Many talents require a decent score in one of these attributes to be effective, so you probably want to specialize in one or two, but not all three, to have a good score in whichever one you choose to be your attack stat. In general, Intelligence-based talents have a wizardly bent and focus on target manipulation, while Wisdom-based clerical-flavored talents emphasize supporting others, and sorcerous-themed Charisma-based talents aim towards offense. Constitution is also at least somewhat important, and more so if you plan to spend time in melee.

Armor

Armor Type	Base AC	Atk Penalty
None	11	0
Light	13	-2
Heavy	14	-3
Shield	+1	-1

 

Melee Weapons

	One-Handed	Two-Handed
Small	1d4 dagger	1d6 club,staff
Light or Simple	1d6  (-2 atk) shortsword, hand axe	1d8  (-2 atk) war axe, spear
Heavy or Martial	1d8 (-3 atk) longsword	1d10 (-4 atk)  greatsword

 

Ranged Weapons

	Thrown	Crossbow	Bow
Small	1d4 (-2atk) dagger	1d4 (-2atk) hand crossbow	—
Light or Simple	1d6 (-2atk) javelin, axe	1d6 (-2atk) light crossbow	1d6 (-2 atk) shortbow
Heavy or Martial	—	1d8 (-3atk) heavy crossbow	1d8 (-3 atk) longbow

Level Progression

Theurge Level	Total Hit Points	Total Feats	Class Talents	Level-up Ability Bonuses	Damage Bonus From Ability Score
Level 1	(6 + CON mod) x 3	1 adventurer	3		ability modifier
Level 2	(6 + CON mod) x 4	2 adventurer	3		ability modifier
Level 3	(6 + CON mod) x 5	3 adventurer	3		ability modifier
Level 4	(6 + CON mod) x 6	4 adventurer	3	+1 to 3 abilities	ability modifier
Level 5	(6 + CON mod) x 8	4 adventurer; 1 champion	4		2 x ability modifier
Level 6	(6 + CON mod) x 10	4 adventurer; 2 champion	4		2 x ability modifier
Level 7	(6 + CON mod) x 12	4 adventurer; 3 champion	4	+1 to 3 abilities	2 x ability modifier
Level 8	(6 + CON mod) x 16	4 adventurer; 3 champion; 1 epic	5		3 x ability modifier
Level 9	(6 + CON mod) x 20	4 adventurer; 3 champion; 2 epic	5		3 x ability modifier
Level 10	(6 + CON mod) x 24	4 adventurer; 3 champion; 3 epic	5	+1 to 3 abilities	3 x ability modifier

Stats

Initiative, AC, PD, MD, Hit Points, Recovery Dice, Feats, and some Talents are level dependent.

Ability Bonus	+2 Intelligence, Wisdom or Constitution (different from racial bonus)
Initiative	Dex mod + Level
Armor Class (no armor)	10 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level
Physical Defense	11 + middle mod of Str/Con/Dex + Level
Mental Defense	11 + middle mod of Int/Wis/Cha + Level
Hit Points	(6 + Con mod) x Level modifier (see level progression chart)
Recoveries	8
Recovery Dice	(1d6 x Level) + Con mod
Backgrounds	8 points, max 5 in any one background
Icon Relationships	3 points
Talents	3 (see level progression chart)
Feats	1 per Level

Basic Attacks

Melee Attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Strength + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage

Miss: —

Basic Ranged Attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Dexterity damage

Miss: —

Class Features

Basic Magic

Your main attacks are your magic basic attacks. These count as basic attacks for the purpose of things like making opportunity attacks (or a commander or bard’s granting you extra basic attacks).

Unlike a ranged spell you can use your magic ranged attack to target an enemy engaged with you without provoking an opportunity attack from it (exactly like any basic ranged attack). You still provoke from any other enemy engaged with you, however.

Your melee MAGIC damage die is a d4, while your ranged MAGIC die is a d8.

Your talents modify your magic basic attacks, and are designed so that you can apply multiple such talents to the same basic attack at once. You gain all of the talent’s benefits for that attack, and penalties and bonuses to e.g. damage die size stack as you’d expect. So an attack benefitting from both Mystical Might and Mass Enchantment would increase the damage die size by a single stage, for example.

While you are hampered, you can still make basic attacks, including magic ones, but any talent or ability to modify your basic attack no longer works.

Adventure Feat: You can target far away enemies with your basic magic ranged attack, at a -2 penalty to the attack roll.

Magic Melee attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: MAGIC + Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma damage of a magic type you have access to

Miss: —

Magic Ranged attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma + Level vs. PD (usually)

Hit: MAGIC + Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma damage of a magic type you have access to

Miss: Damage equal to your level

Choice of Elements

Choose two types of damage for your attacks: acid, cold, fire, force, holy, lightning, negative energy, poison, psychic and thunder. You can deal damage of either of these types with your magic basic attacks, which normally target PD. Psychic is a little special: your basic attacks dealing psychic damage target MD instead of PD, but also deal slightly less damage: you do not add any ability score modifier to damage when attacking MD. This is to account for the fact that MD is usually the easiest defense to hit, and it roughly balances out in terms of your average damage. Feel free to target MD with any other damage type you feel is appropriate for your character, but if you do you suffer the same penalty to damage.

Adventurer feat: you can pick a number of additional types from the list equal to your level, up to the entire list (and yes, when you next advance in level after picking this feat you can make a new choice, and so on). Feel free to roll randomly to determine the damage type of your attacks if you feel like it, but you don’t have to.

Ritual Caster

You are a ritual caster, but since you (mostly) lack the structure of spells or prayers, your attempts at ritual magic must cost a different resource. If you take a talent that lets you borrow spells from another class you can expend those, as usual. Most of the time that won’t be the case, however; in those instances, one of your recoveries is likely to be a sufficient sacrifice to perform a lasting magical work of some kind (see page 192 of the core rulebook for more on rituals). Should your skill check fail while performing the ritual, giving up a second recovery might let you fail forward and succeed (if that is the direction your GM wants to take the story). More potent rituals may require the expenditure of gold or magic items or unique resources for extraordinary effects, as usual.

 

Talents

Pick three of the following talents. You get an extra talent at 5th level, and another at 8th level. Unlike most classes, the feats of your talents are designed not to build on each other, so feel free to pick and choose them out of order if you so prefer.

Conjurer

You can use a standard action to summon a spirit or elemental next to you instead of attacking. This action provokes opportunity attacks and can’t be used while hampered, like a ranged spell would. Describe your summon in any way that makes sense for your particular character. You can only have one such summon active at a time. The summon dissipates harmlessly after it attacks, if it is hit by an attack or at the end of the battle, whichever comes first. The summon counts as your ally, but can’t be healed. It uses your actions, and generally moves alongside you to stay next to its conjurer if you move. As a quick action you might be able to order the spirit to move and attempt to accomplish something other than attacking, but it probably requires a skill check to do so. If it is attacked, it uses your defenses, and is destroyed in a single hit (it still took one for the team, so it wasn’t completely useless).

As an interrupt action, you can have your summon intercept a foe moving to engage you, stopping its movement before attacking it with your most damaging magic attack (it doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks with it, it just dissipates after attacking). Alternatively, as a quick action on your turn you can have your summon attack a nearby enemy instead. You can apply your other talents to the summon’s attack, as if you were attacking yourself. This talent is mainly useful to keep foes off you, but can sometimes burn a turn where otherwise you would not be able to attack. Oh, and conjuring your summon outside of battle to e.g. have it “scout” a corridor full of traps costs you a recovery (don’t complain, you still get to trigger the traps from a safe distance). You can conjure it for free amidst the adrenaline rush of battle, but it is not meant to let you trivialize exploration.

Adventurer Feat: When your summon is destroyed (whether because it attacked or was hit) it deals your highest modifier damage of a type that makes sense for it to its attacker or target.

Champion Feat: Once per battle, when your summon hits a target with a natural even hit it can either make it stuck (save ends) or deal ongoing damage equal to your highest ability score modifier (champion: x2, epic: x3) to it.

Epic Feat: Once per battle your summon can reroll its attack.

Disruptive Casting

A number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1), declare you are using this talent before attacking a target. If you are attacking multiple targets with a single action, you can burn multiple uses of this talent at once, one per target. If your attack(s) hit, the target either becomes dazed (save ends) or pops free from engagement and if the natural roll was even loses its next move action as it is pushed back and falls if it makes sense for its size and your attack.

Adventurer Feat: You can use this talent once per battle, in addition to your uses per full heal-up.

Champion Feat: On a natural 16+, the target can become weakened and vulnerable (save ends) instead, if you wish.

Epic Feat: Once per day on a natural even roll, you can instead make a staggered target become stunned or confused (save ends), if you wish.

Gemmartia

A number of times per full heal-up equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), you can as a free action add 1d4 to one of your attack rolls. Yes, this is supposed to be used after you rolled, to hopefully let you turn that miss into a hit. You can only add one 1d4 per attack (so up to once per target, if you are using this in conjunction with Mass Enchantment), and you can’t use this on a nat. 1.

Adventure Feat: If the attack still misses, deal half damage with it.

Champion Feat: If the attack still misses, also regain the use of this talent you just spent.

Epic Feat: Increase the bonus to +1d6.

Mass Enchantment

Once per battle plus a number of times per full heal-up equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) you may choose to target 1d3+1 targets in a group with your magic basic attack. However, the size of the damage die for this attack drops by one, usually from d8 to d6. And yes, this implies that you normally can’t use this talent for a magic melee attack. Unless you happen to be surrounded and have means to increase your magic melee attack damage die size, you’re going to have to use your ranged attack for this, and hence would provoke from any engaged enemy that is not included among the targets.

Adventurer Feat: Before rolling for targets, you can choose to make your mass magic attack a reckless one; add 1d3 targets, but each time you miss deal your level in damage to an ally engaged with the missed target, or a random nearby ally if none are engaged.

Champion Feat:  Once per battle, after rolling to determine the number of targets, you can add another target when you use this talent. In addition, one of the targets no longer has to be in the same group as the others, just within reach of your magic.

Epic Feat: Once per battle, ignore the damage die size penalty from this talent when you use it.

Mystical Might

A number of times per battle equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), you can increase the damage die size of your magic basic attacks by two sizes (usually d8 to d12, or d4 to d8 for melee).

Adventurer Feat: You gain an extra use of this talent per battle.

Oracle of Hypnos

Once per full heal up, your scrying or connection to the gods gives you a vision of the future. When you or one of your allies spends a 5 with an Icon, you can predict the upcoming complications and turn it into a (trouble-free) 6 instead. Alternatively, you can ask the GM to make a blind normal save (11+) so that you do not see the result: on a success, the prophecy/vision you receive truthfully answers a question you ask of the GM that you could conceivably have scryed. On a failure, you may receive no answer, just gibberish, or possibly the GM might lie.

Champion Feat: You can use this talent twice per full heal up.

Priestly Training

Choose one quick action spell from the Cleric’s list. You can cast this spell at your level (or one level below) as if you were a Cleric. You can change the spell(s) you know during a full heal-up.

Adventurer Feat: Once per day you can cast Turn Undead as if you were a Cleric.

Champion Feat: You gain a 2nd Cleric spell, but this one must be two levels lower than your level.

Epic Feat: You gain a 3rd Cleric spell, this one at your level and picked from all cleric spells.

Protective Casting

Once per encounter, as an interrupt action you may add a +4 bonus to your own or an ally’s AC. This is intended to let you negate a hit, and we assume the GM will let you know whether the bonus would actually help or not. If it doesn’t, feel free to reuse this talent later in the battle (but you still burned your interrupt action this round, sorry).

Adventurer Feat: The bonus applies to PD as well as AC.

Champion Feat: You may use this talent twice per encounter.

Epic Feat: The bonus applies to MD as well. 

Sorcerous Heritage

Once per battle you can spend your standard action to Gather Power like a Sorcerer, gaining a chaotic benefit as normal. The next spell you cast or basic magic attack you make has its effect doubled: unlike a sorcerer this includes doubling its damage, hit or miss, but also doubling its positive effects such as healing or temporary hit points, so you could use it to double the healing (but not the cost) of a use of your Touch of Healing talent, for example, or gain double the attack bonus from that Bless spell you learned from your Priestly Training. You also gain one sorcerer daily or recharge spell of your choice, which you can change after each full heal-up. Note that you are not limited to casting sorcerer spells after gathering power, your magical flexibility lets you cast any spell you may know. Also, since sorcerer spells use Charisma as their attack stat, you might want to avoid this talent unless you have a decent score in that attribute (or plan to borrow a non-attack spell).

Adventurer Feat: You gain an additional Icon relationship point with a sorcerous Icon associated with your magical heritage, subject to the usual limits on relationships.

Champion Feat: Gain a 2nd sorcerer daily or recharge spell of your choice.

Epic Feat: Once per full heal-up when the E.D. is 2+ you can gather power as a quick action.

Supportive Casting

A number of times per full heal-up equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) you may allow an ally to reroll an attack or save as an interrupt action.

Adventurer Feat: The target also adds your Wisdom modifier to the reroll.

Champion Feat: once can use this talent once per battle, in addition to however many times per day.

Touch of Healing

Twice per battle as a quick action, you can let yourself or a nearby ally heal by spending a recovery. You can only use this talent once per round.

Adventurer Feat: Add your Wisdom modifier to the healing provided by the recovery (2x champion, 3x epic).

Champion Feat: You can use this talent three times per battle.

Epic Feat: Once per day maximize the healing provided by the recovery (don’t even roll it, assume all dice ended up on their maximum possible value).

Wizardly Schooling

You gain the Wizard’s Cantrip class feature, and you can cast Utility Spell once per full heal-up at your level.

Adventurer Feat: You gain a single spell slot at your level that you can use to prepare a Wizard daily spell. You can change this spell during a full heal-up. Note that Wizard spells use Intelligence for their attack roll, so you may want to avoid this feat if you have low Intelligence, or at least focus on non-attack spells instead.

Champion Feat: You gain a 2nd Wizard spell slot, two levels lower than your level.

Epic Feat: You gain a 3rd Wizard spell slot, this one at your level.

War Caster

You do not suffer an attack penalty for attacking while in light armor (shields still carry their penalty), and raise your AC in no armor to 13. Phrase this as actual armor or magical shields, as you prefer. In addition, your basic magic melee attack damage die size increases by two stages, usually from d4 to d8, and deals your level damage on a miss. Phrase it as short-range magic or a big flaming weapon or however you like and makes sense for your character. You can also cast any ranged spell you may have borrowed from other classes, or use your Conjurer talent if you have it, without triggering opportunity attacks. However, your basic magic attacks damage (not attack) bonus is now based on your Constitution, instead of your Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma. You’ll need the HP to survive in melee.

Adventurer Feat: Your recovery dice are now d8s instead of d6s.

Champion Feat: Your base HP increases from 6 to 7.

Epic Feat: Gain a +1 bonus to all defenses.

Multiclassing Considerations

The class should already allow you to build most kinds of spellcaster without multiclassing, but if you want to add more structured complexity to it, or perhaps mix it with a more melee-oriented class, here is how it works.

Firstly, we are not going to list a huge table of key modifiers. Your key modifier must include at least one of Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, and one attribute important to your other class. You have some leeway here, so if you are multiclassing with, for example, a Commander your key modifier would probably be Str/Cha, unless you plan on picking one of the Commander talents that lets it use Wisdom or Intelligence, in which case it is probably in your interest to adapt your key modifier as well. For another example, multiclassing with a Wizard definitely needs to include Intelligence in the key modifier, and you are free to use Wisdom or Charisma as the second stat. One last example, multiclassing with a Ranger should give you the choice of Strength or Dexterity from the Ranger side, and Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma from the Theurge’s side.

Secondly, this class is most definitely not a skilled warrior. Which is a problem, because the melee weapon damage die size penalty applies to your magic dice as well (normally your d4 melee stays a d4, but your ranged d8 becomes a d6). You’ll be doing less damage with all of your attacks if you pursue this route.

Lastly, note that due to the no power crossover rule all the ways in which your talents can modify your basic magic attacks do not work across class boundaries: they can’t be used to improve your other class’ attacks. Some of them do apply to any spell you borrow using your Theurge talents, but only to the ones cast from the very few Theurge spells slots you get, not from your other half of the multiclass.

Changelog

2.6.0 to 2.7.0:

• Increase base AC to 11.
• Reword War Caster to bring No/Light Armor AC to 13 and Heavy Armor’s penalty in a range where it’s a feasible tradeoff, if not exactly a good one.
• Protective Casting Talent that was left out on the SRD.

Credits

Original class by Ryven Cedrylle, reworked and improved by Federico Pederzolli (a.k.a. Legofed3), Elias Campbell (a.k.a. Superwash) and Antti Vepsä (a.k.a. Gitrid). Many thanks to the 13th Age community for the helpful comments and discussions.

Section 15: Copyright Notice
Original version by Ryven Cedrylle, can be found here https://koboldpress.com/theurge-class-13th-age-compatible/