Chaos Mage

Chaos Mage

Ability Scores

Chaos Mages gain a +2 class bonus to Intelligence or Charisma, as long as it isn’t the same ability you increase with your +2 racial bonus.

Backgrounds

Possible backgrounds include: blossoming witch, jester, fireworks exhibitionist, no-longer-frustrated librarian, stirge wrangler, living spell, living dungeon denizen, wandering musician, hero from another world.

Gear

At 1st level, chaos mages start with adventuring clothes, a simple dagger (or a uniquely weird but similarly powerful weapon befitting to their background), and any other minor (and unusual) elements of gear their backgrounds suggest.

Gold Pieces

Chaos Mages may start with either 25 gp or 1d6 x 10 gp.

Armor

Armor

Armor Type	Base AC	Atk Penalty
None	10	—
Light	10	—
Heavy	11	–2
Shield	+1	–2

Weapons

Melee Weapons

	One-Handed	Two-Handed
Small	1d4 dagger, pronged fork	1d6 club, staff
Light or Simple	1d6 (-2 atk) mace, shortsword	1d8 (-4 atk) spear
Heavy or Martial	1d8 (-5 atk) scimitar, warhammer	1d10 (–6 atk) greatsword

 

Ranged Weapons

	Thrown	Crossbow	Bow
Small	1d4 dagger, star	1d4 hand crossbow	—
Light or Simple	1d6 (-2 atk) javelin	1d6 (-1 atk) light crossbow	1d6 (-2 atk) shortbow
Heavy or Martial	—	1d8 (–4 atk) heavy crossbow	1d8 (–5 atk) longbow

Level Progression

Chaos Mage Level	Total Hit Points	Total Feats	Daily Spells (M)	Once-per-Battle Spells (M)	Spell Level (M)	Level-up Ability Bonuses	Damage Bonus From Ability Score
Level 1 Multiclass	(Avg. of both classes) x 3	As 1st level PC	1	1	1st level	Not affected	ability modifier
Level 1	(6 + CON mod) x 3	1 adventurer	2	1	1st level	—	ability modifier
Level 2	(6 + CON mod) x 4	2 adventurer	3	1	1st level	—	ability modifier
Level 3	(6 + CON mod) x 5	3 adventurer	3	1	3rd level	—	ability modifier
Level 4	(6 + CON mod) x 6	4 adventurer	4	1	3rd level	+1 to 3 abilities	ability modifier
Level 5	(6 + CON mod) x 8	4 adventurer; 1 champion	4	1	5th level	—	2 x ability modifier
Level 6	(6 + CON mod) x 10	4 adventurer; 2 champion	4	2	5th level	—	2 x ability modifier
Level 7	(6 + CON mod) x 12	4 adventurer; 3 champion	4	2	7th level	+1 to 3 abilities	2 x ability modifier
Level 8	(6 + CON mod) x 16	4 adventurer; 3 champion; 1 epic	5	2	7th level	—	3 x ability modifier
Level 9	(6 + CON mod) x 20	4 adventurer; 3 champion; 2 epic	5	2	9th level	—	3 x ability modifier
Level 10	(6 + CON mod) x 24	4 adventurer; 3 champion; 3 epic	6	2	9th level	+1 to 3 abilities	3 x ability modifier

(M): Indicates columns in which multiclass characters lag one level behind.

Note: Although not listed on the table, this class gets three talents. It does not get more at higher levels.

Stats

Ability Bonus	+2 Intelligence or Charisma (different from racial bonus)
Initiative	Dex mod + Level
Armor Class (light armor)	10 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level
Physical Defense	10 + 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	(probably) 8
Recovery Dice	(1d6 x level) + Con mod
Backgrounds	8 points, max 5 in any one background
Icon Relationships	3 points (4 at 5th level; 5 at 8th level)
Talents	3
Feats	1 per level

Basic Attacks

Melee Attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Strength + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage

Miss: —

Ranged Attack

At-Will

Target: One enemy

Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Dexterity damage

Miss: —

Class Features

Chaos mages use arcane implements, such as wands and staffs, to improve their attacks. Unlike wizards and clerics, chaos mages don’t choose the spells they know. Instead, a chaos mage of a given level can access all the spells in a category that are their level or lower.

The category of spell you’ll cast on your turn is randomly decided, but you get to decide how many of your resources you’ll use. You have a limited number of daily and once-per-battle spells, so each turn you must decide whether to use one of the powerful spells in the category you’re casting from or whether you’ll stick with an at-will spell.

Chaos mages are not allowed to cast rituals.

Chaos Magic

Chaos magic has three main categories of spells: attack, defense, and iconic.

Since the category of magic spells you’ll cast is randomly chosen, you’ll need 6 “stones” (gems, beads, poker chips, or whatever you like) of three different colors—two stones for each color. You’ll also need a bag (or cup) to put them in and draw them from. Put two of each color into the bag, then assign one color to attack, one color to defense, and the last color to iconic.

If you’d rather use dice instead of stones in a bag, use a d6; 1-2 is attack, 3-4 is defense, 5-6 is iconic.

You draw a stone from the bag to determine the next type of spell you’ll be able to cast. You usually do this when you roll initiative at the start of a battle, at the end of your turn (to set up the spell you can cast during your next turn), or as required during your turn if you somehow get an extra standard action.

Each stone you draw should be set aside so that each turn you draw from a smaller pool of stones. When there is one stone left in the bag, don’t draw it. Instead, refill the bag with the other six stones and draw. At the end of the battle, refill the bag.

If you draw…

• Attack: The next chaos mage spell you cast during the battle must be an attack spell, but you won’t have to choose the spell until your turn.
• Defense: The next chaos mage spell you cast during the battle must be a defense spell, but you won’t have to choose the spell until your turn.
• Iconic: The next chaos mage spell you cast during the battle must be an iconic spell. Immediately roll a die to determine which icon’s spells you’ll have to choose from. For example, if there are 12 icons in your game, assign a number to each icon and roll a d12. You don’t have to choose the specific spell until your turn.

Whether you cast an at-will, per-battle, or daily spell, you cast it at the spell level shown on the spell progression table.

Adventurer Feat Once per day when you cast an iconic daily or once-per-battle spell from an icon you have at least a one-point relationship with, roll a normal save. If you succeed, you don’t expend that spell, allowing you to cast it again, or another daily/once-per-battle spell.

Champion Feat Once per day when you draw an iconic spell, before rolling, choose an icon you have at least a one-point relationship with. The spell you cast next will be from that icon.

Epic Feat You can use the champion feat power a second time, but only if you choose an icon that you have at least a two-point relationship with.

High Weirdness

Chaos mages usually display an uncanny weirdness that presents itself through their spellcasting, and sometimes even bleeds through to their general demeanor. This weirdness is represented in game mechanics through the High Weirdness table below.

When an enemy scores a critical hit against you, roll high weirdness and consult the table to see what effect applies. If you hate the effect you’re experiencing, you can use a standard action to change it. Unless otherwise specified, the high weirdness effects last until the end of the battle.

Unless otherwise specified, the high weirdness effects last until the end of the battle.

Adventurer Feat If you have one or more Warp talents, whenever you make a d6 roll for one, also roll for a new high weirdness effect. The new effect replaces the weirdness effect currently active, if any.

If you have no Warp talents, roll for a new high weirdness effect whenever you draw an iconic spell.

Champion Feat Once per battle when you roll for a high weirdness effect, roll twice and use both results. Reroll duplicate results.

Epic Feat One battle per day, each time you roll for a high weirdness effect, roll twice and use both results. Reroll duplicate results.

Spell level: Whether you’re casting an at-will, per battle, or daily spell, you cast it at the spell level shown on the level progression chart.

If you don’t cast a spell: If circumstances dictate that you need to do something else with your standard action during your turn than cast a chaos mage spell (like rally), keep the stone you chose until you do cast a chaos mage spell. You don’t get to re-choose.

High Weirdness Table

d100	High Weirdness Effect
1–2	You accidentally summon 1d3 wibbles that either attack you or drift off to wreak a small amount of havoc elsewhere in the battle.
3–4	You’re hit by a pulsing wrinkle in time. You move and speak ever–so–slightly slower than you should until you catch up. There’s no effect this turn, but at the end of your turn, decrease your initiative 2d6 points, to a minimum of 1.
5–6	Each creature in the battle with temporary hit points loses half of them.
7–8	You can only speak by asking questions. If you or your character violates this requirement, your character takes 1 damage the first time, 2 damage the second time, and so on. (Have another player keep track.)
9–10	Your magic items’ quirks take over. If you aren’t doing a good enough job of roleplaying this personality fiasco, the GM and the rest of the players are authorized to suggest (in)appropriate behavior.
11	You leech personality traits from surrounding spirits, whatever those happen to be. These are only traits, not personality overrides.
12	You must speak in what you think could be the voice of the last creature your chaos mage attacked. If it doesn’t seem to have a voice, invent one.
13	Small squeaking rodents erupt from any plausible cover that you go near. There’s no real effect except they’re somewhat noisy and rodents suddenly pop up in unexpected places.
14	Your (the PC) favorite song begins playing around you magically, getting louder and louder (tell the table what type of song it is, or maybe hum it). It might or might not interfere with bardic songs or monsters that need to be heard properly to get their dirty work done.
15	Your gender changes. At your discretion, the shift could be permanent when the weirdness ends. Or as permanent as things get for you.
16	You grow horns or other spikes all over. If you already have horns, then you lose them. Some of the horns, or lack thereof, persist after the weirdness ends.
17	One of your arms becomes a functional tentacle. It has no mechanical effects, but unless you’re special or lucky it’s probably not a very pretty tentacle. Your option on whether or not it remains after the weirdness ends.
18	A great gust of wind circles around the battlefield. It probably has no serious effect unless there’s something happening that a great gust of wind could seriously affect.
19	All creatures leave colored trails behind them as they move, turning the battle scene into a strange glowing artwork. Images fade every ten seconds or so.
20	Some minor detail of your appearance changes hair color, gaps between teeth, handedness, and so on. The change is permanent–ish.
21–22	Grit, explosive dust, or other debris explodes into the air around you, dealing 1d4 damage per tier to each nearby creature.
23–24	There’s tension in the air, or the rumble of distant thunder, or a sense of impending disaster, and the next creature that misses with an attack this battle takes damage equal your Charisma modifier (double your Charisma modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).
25–26	Quickly passing auras blur and shake across the battlefield, or cold winds whip through and grow warmer as they pass, or the lights flicker . . . and the creature that has taken the most damage in the battle gains temporary hit points equal to 10% of its maximum hit points.
27–28	One random creature in the battle other than you teleports next to and is engaged by one of its random enemies other than you.
29–30	(Global effect) Space seriously twists, affecting the spells and ranged attacks of each creature in the battle creatures that are nearby count as if they were far away, and creatures that are far away count as if they are nearby.
31–32	The first spell you cast this battle has effects (not damage) like a spell two levels higher than it, if possible.
33–34	(Global effect) All normal saves made by creatures in the battle are actually easy saves (6+).
35–36	(Global effect) There’s a blurring at the edge of all things. No creature can intercept another. Disengage attempts automatically succeed.
37–38	(Global effect) The champions shall inherit the dirt! Until the end of your next turn, saves that fail count as if they succeed, and saves that succeed count as if they fail!
39–40	Roll the escalation die and use the new result.
41–42	(Global effect) Each creature in the battle taking ongoing damage immediately takes that damage. Then all ongoing damage effects end.
43–44	(Global effect) Each creature that makes an attack targeting PD targets MD instead. Attacks against MD target PD instead.
45–46	Your shadow detaches and flits around you. Until the weirdness ends, you gain a +2 attack bonus but take a –2 penalty to saves. Your personality may or may not be affected. It’s up to you.
47–48	Choose yourself or one ally with temporary hit points and double those temporary hit points.
49–50	There’s a large magical special effect of your choice (non-mechanical), and each creature in the battle ignores all resistances.
51–55	You gain an additional quick action during each of your turns while this weirdness is in effect.
56–60	When one of your allies casts an arcane spell this battle, the spell gains a small bonus effect chosen by the GM (something that suits the spell and the story).
61–65	You and your allies gain small halos, or celestial light pours in, or a subtle glow illuminates each countenance. When one of your allies casts a divine spell this battle, it gains a small bonus effect chosen by the GM, something that suits the spell and the story.
66–70	Your features shift and settle into a temporary new pattern. You gain a random racial ability until the end of your next turn. Ignore results that duplicate a racial ability you already have. Roll a d8. 1: dwarf’s that’s your best shot; 2: dark elf’s cruel; 3: high elf’s highblood teleport; 4: gnome’s confounding; 5: half–elf’s surprising; 6: halfling’s evasive; 7: holy one’s halo; 8: tieflings’s curse of chaos.
71–75	If one of your allies is at 0 hit points or below, that ally can roll a free death save that won’t count against their missed death save total.
76–80	Choose one creature (including you) that has already rallied this battle. It can rally again this battle (using the same action it normally would) as if it hadn’t already rallied (no roll if the first use).
81–85	Your presence blurs through space, spirit, and time, and you can fight in spirit on your turn (see Combat Rules, Special Action) in addition to taking your normal turn.
86–90	You shift, you waver, or you go transparent. You don’t take any miss damage while this weirdness is affecting you.
91–95	The magic items in the area all start talking at once. You or one ally of your choice can roll to recharge one magic item (affected creature’s choice).
96–97	Something related to your one unique thing goes very right for you. This is on you and the GM to work out together. The GM has the final say, though.
98	If you and your allies flee RIGHT NOW, you don’t take a campaign loss for your discretion. This may take some explaining. It’s all about the chaos magic.
99	Roll twice more on this table. If you wish you can ignore one of the rolled results but must stick with the other. If you roll the same result twice, you get that weirdness just once.
100	You gain an extra standard action during the next turn after this weirdness goes into effect.

Class Talents

Choose three of the following class talents.

Warp Talents

There are three separate Warp talents that you may choose from. They provide random powers or features that surface unpredictably during battles (and perhaps during non-combat moments of high tension).

If a warp talent gives you access to a spell from another class, associate it with chaos magic’s attack category or defense category. You can then cast it if that spell type comes up for you.

Attacking Warp

Your magic provides you with a random warp effect when the next spell you cast will be an attack spell. This talent works best for chaos mages with a high Dexterity.

When your random spell choice indicates an attack spell, roll a d6 to determine the effect you’ll gain from the elemental warp. Even though you can’t cast the spell until your next turn, the warp effect applies now.

d6	Effect
1	Air: You gain flight until the end of your next turn.
2	Earth: Until the end of your next turn, each enemy that misses you with a melee attack is stuck until the end of its next turn.
3	Fire: Until the end of your next turn, you can pop free from staggered enemies as a quick action.
4	Water: You gain a bonus to disengage checks until the end of your next turn equal to your Dexterity modifier
5	Metal: Until the end of your next turn, when an enemy disengages from you, it takes damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (double your Dexterity modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).
6	Void: During your next turn, you can use a move action to teleport to a nearby location you can see.

Adventurer Feat When you roll a successful disengage check, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Dexterity modifier (double your Dexterity modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).

Champion Feat While you are flying due to any effect, you gain a bonus to disengage checks equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Epic Feat When one of your spells or powers lets you teleport to a nearby location, you can instead teleport to a far away location you can see.

Defensive Warp

Your magic provides you with a random warp effect when the next spell you cast will be a defense spell. This talent works best for chaos mages with a high Wisdom.

When your random spell choice indicates a defense spell, roll a d6 to determine the effect you’ll gain from the elemental warp. Even though you can’t cast the spell until your next turn, the warp effect applies now.

d6	Effect
1	Air: Once before the end of your next turn, you can heal using a recovery as a quick action.
2	Earth: You gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier (double your Wisdom modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).
3	Fire: Until the end of your next turn, when an enemy moves to engage you, it takes fire damage equal to your Wisdom modifier (double your Wisdom modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).
4	Water: Until the end of your next turn, when you heal using a recovery, add hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier to that healing (double your Wisdom modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).
5	Metal: Until the end of your next turn, you gain a +2 bonus to AC.
6	Void: Until the end of your next turn, the first time an attack hits you, as a free action you can choose to lose hit points equal to your level to force the attacker to reroll the attack.

Adventurer Feat When you heal using a recovery, add hit points equal to the escalation die to that healing.

Champion Feat While you are at maximum hit points, you gain a +1 bonus to all defenses.

Epic Feat When an attacker rerolls an attack against you, it takes an attack penalty equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Iconic Warp

Your magic provides you with a random warp effect when the next spell you cast will be an iconic spell. This talent works best for chaos mages with a high Intelligence.

When your random spell choice indicates an iconic spell, roll a d6 to determine the effect you’ll gain from the elemental warp. Even though you can’t cast the spell until your next turn, the warp effect applies now.

d6	Effect
1	Air: Randomly determine two icon associations for the spell you’ll cast instead of one. Choose one of those associations to use for that spell.
2	Earth: Until the end of your next turn, you gain a bonus to PD and MD equal to your Intelligence modifier.
3	Fire: Until the end of your next turn, you gain the once-per-battle racial power of a random nearby ally; ignore this benefit if it duplicates your own racial power or if it doesn’t make sense during the battle (human, for example).
4	Water: Until the end of your next turn, you gain a bonus to saves equal to your Intelligence modifier.
5	Metal: Until the end of your next turn, critical hits scored against you only count as normal hits.
6	Void: When you roll a natural 20 with an attack, the critical hit range of your attacks expands by 2 until the end of the battle (cumulative).

Adventurer Feat Once per battle when you roll for an iconic warp effect, roll the d6 twice and choose the result you want.

Champion Feat When you roll a natural 18–20 on a save, a nearby ally of your choice can roll a save against a save ends effect.

Epic Feat When you roll a natural 20 with an attack, the critical hit range of your attacks expands by 2 until the end of the battle (cumulative).

Separate Existence

You are ever-so-slightly detached from normal physical reality. Play the story side of that as you like; the game mechanics side is that you can cast ranged spells while engaged with enemies without taking opportunity attacks.

Adventurer Feat While you have an air or void warp effect active, you take no damage from missed attacks.

Champion Feat When you teleport, you can heal using a recovery.

Stench of Necromancy

You gain a random spell from the necromancer class. Whenever you take a full heal-up, randomly choose a necromancer spell of the highest level you can cast. For the rest of the day, you know this necromancer spell and can cast it according to its normal usage pattern—at-will, once per battle, recharge, or daily—when that option comes up during your chaos mage spellcasting sequence.

If the necromancer spell refers to Intelligence, you can replace that ability score with references to Charisma.

Adventurer Feat One battle per day, you can gain the Cackling Soliloquist talent from the necromancer class.

Champion Feat While you have an earth or metal warp effect active, when an enemy in the battle drops to 0 hp, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (double your Charisma modifier at 5th level;triple it at 8th level).

Epic Feat If you don’t like the first random necromancer spell you select for the day, you can determine another random necromancer spell. You’re stuck with the second one.

Touch of Wizardry

You gain a random spell from the wizard class. Whenever you take a full heal-up, randomly choose a wizard spell of the highest level you can cast. For the rest of the day, you know this wizard spell and can cast it according to its normal usage pattern—at-will, cyclic, once per battle, recharge, or daily—when that option comes up during your chaos mage spellcasting sequence.

If the wizard spell refers to Intelligence, you can replace that ability score with references to Charisma.

Adventurer Feat You gain a random wizard talent at the start of each day. Roll a d3. 1: Abjuration; 2: Evocation; 3: High Arcana (counter magic). Replace references to “wizard” in these talents with “chaos mage” and Intelligence with Charisma.

Champion Feat You gain a single daily use of the wizard’s utility spell, cast at your level or lower.

Epic Feat If you don’t like the first random wizard spell you select for the day, you can determine another random wizard spell. You’re stuck with the second one.

Trace of the Divine

You gain a random spell from the cleric class. Whenever you take a full heal-up, randomly choose a cleric spell of the highest level you can cast. For the rest of the day, you know this cleric spell and can cast it according to its normal usage pattern—at-will, once per battle, recharge, or daily—when that option comes up during your chaos mage spellcasting sequence.

If the cleric spell refers to Wisdom, you can replace that ability score with references to Charisma.

Adventurer Feat At the start of the day, choose a random cleric invocation, excepting those from the healing domain. You can use that invocation as if you were a cleric once this day as a quick action.

Champion Feat While you have an air or water warp effect active, when you heal using a recovery or cast a spell that lets an ally heal using a recovery, add an extra recovery die to the healing.

Epic Feat In addition to the random invocation you gain at the start of the day, you also get the talent/domain powers that go with it.

Whiff of Sorcery

You gain a random spell from the sorcerer class. Whenever you take a full heal-up, randomly choose a sorcerer spell of the highest level you can cast. For the rest of the day, you know this sorcerer spell and can cast it according to its normal usage pattern—at-will, once per battle, recharge, or daily—when that option comes up during your chaos mage spellcasting sequence.

Adventurer Feat Twice per day, you can gather power as if you were a sorcerer in order to deal double damage with either a sorcerer spell or a chaos mage spell the next time you cast a spell. You also gain the chaotic benefit for gathering power. (Note that you should have already determined the type of spell you will be casting, since you select a spell type when you roll initiative and at the end of each turn, so you’re generally better off waiting to gather power when you know you have an attack or iconic spell coming.)

Champion Feat While you have an air or fire warp effect active, add fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier to your miss damage (double your Charisma modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).

Epic Feat If you don’t like the first random sorcerer spell you select for the day, you can determine another random sorcerer spell. You’re stuck with the second one.

Attack Spells (1st Level+)

Force Tentacle

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One random nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 1d10 + Charisma force damage.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3rd level spell: 3d10 damage.

5th level spell: 5d10 damage.

7th level spell: 7d10 damage.

9th level spell: 9d10 damage.

Adventurer Feat You can now also target far away enemies.

Champion Feat This spell’s damage dice increase by one size to d12s.

Epic Feat One battle per day, you can deal half damage on a natural even miss with this spell.

Chaos Ray

Ranged spell

Once per battle

Target: One nearby or far away enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 1d8 + Charisma damage.

Natural Even Hit: Another nearby enemy takes half damage.

Miss: 1d6 damage to a different nearby enemy.

3rd level spell 4d6 damage: 1d10 damage on a miss.

5th level spell 6d6 damage: 2d12 damage on a miss.

7th level spell 6d10 damage: 3d12 damage on a miss.

9th level spell 8d10 damage: 5d12 damage on a miss.

Blarrrrgh!

Ranged spell

Daily

Targets: 1d6 nearby enemies

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 3d6 + Charisma damage, and roll a d4 for the effect (same damage for all targets but a separate effect for each one).

d4	Effect
1	The target is dazed (save ends).
2	The target is weakened (save ends).
3	The target is hampered until the end of your next turn.
4	The target is confused until the end of your next turn.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3rd level spell: 6d6 damage.

5th level spell: 6d10 damage.

7th level spell: 10d10 damage.

9th level spell: 2d8 x 10 damage.

Defense Spells (1st Level+)

Chaos Blessing

Range: Close-quarters spell

At-Will

Effect: Roll a d20 to determine which effect the blessing grants. Higher-level versions of the spell improve the first three blessings, but you still get only the blessing you roll.

d20	Effect
1–4	Gift—You or one of your nearby allies gains 7 temporary hit points.
5–8	Resilience—You gain 7 temporary hit points.
9–12	Aura/tentacles—The next enemy that moves to engage you this battle takes 2d6 damage.
13–16	Defense bonus—You gain a +2 bonus to the defense of your choice (AC, PD, or MD) until an attack against that defense misses you or until the end of the battle.
17–20	Healing—You or your nearby ally with the fewest hit points can heal using a recovery. (If you’re the one with the fewest hit points among you and your nearby allies, it’s you.)

3rd level spell: gift and resilience now grant 12 temporary hit points; aura/tentacles damage is 2d10.

5th level spell: gift and resilience now grant 20 temporary hit points; aura/tentacles damage is 4d10.

7th level spell: gift and resilience now grant 35 temporary hit points; aura/tentacles damage is 6d8.

9th level spell: gift and resilience now grant 60 temporary hit points; aura/tentacles damage is 10d8.

Adventurer Feat The defense bonus effect now applies to all the target’s defenses (and therefore ends as soon as the target is missed by an attack).

Champion Feat A number of times per day equal to your highest non-Charisma modifier, you can roll twice when you cast chaos blessing and gain both effects (reroll a duplicate result).

Epic Feat The damage dice for the aura/tentacles effect increase by one size (for example, d8s to d10s).

Warped Healing

Range: Close-quarters spell

Once per battle

Targets: Two nearby allies, or you and one nearby ally

Effect: Randomly choose one of the targets. That target can heal using a recovery. The other target gains 10 temporary hit points and grows a strange eye, limb, or other physical feature that lasts as long as the temporary hit points do.

3rd level spell: 20 temporary hit points.

5th level spell: 30 temporary hit points.

7th level spell: 45 temporary hit points.

9th level spell: 70 temporary hit points.

Iconic Spells & Feats

In setting up your game universe, you should have a set of icons. Distribute them more or less evenly into the spell groups below according to the theme that matches best (Blood of Warriors, Light of the High Ones, Twisted Path). When the chaos mage rolls a particular icon, they can choose any spell associate that that icon’s group of spells.

Multiple icons should belong to each group. Each group should have at-will spells and at least one per-battle and daily spell.

Blood of Warriors

Castigation (1st level+)

Close-quarters spell

At-Will

Target: One enemy you are engaged with if possible; if not, then one nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD

Hit: 1d8 + Charisma psychic damage

Hit vs. a Staggered Target: As a hit, except there is no damage roll; the target takes maximum damage.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3rd level spell: 3d6 damage.

5th level spell: 5d6 damage.

7th level spell: 5d8 damage.

9th level spell: 6d10 damage.

Adventurer Feat When you hit a demon with this spell, it’s also hampered (save ends).

Champion Feat The damage dice for the spell increase by one size (for example, d6s to d8s).

Epic Feat The spell now deals half damage on a miss.

Terribly Spiky Armor (3rd level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Effect: Until the end of the battle, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and when an enemy engaged with you misses you with an attack, it takes 3d6 + Charisma damage.

5th level spell: 5d6 damage.

7th level spell: 5d8 damage.

9th level spell: 7d10 damage.

Yours! (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: You or one ally in the battle, chosen randomly

Effect: Roll a d20.

1–10: The target can heal using a recovery.

11–20: The target can make a basic attack as a free action.

Adventurer Feat When this spell allows a target to attack, the attack deals half damage on a miss instead of normal miss damage.

Champion Feat The target can move as a free action before using a recovery or attacking.

Epic Feat When the target heals using a recovery, it adds hit points equal to 1d10 x the escalation die to that healing.

Ours! (1st level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Target: One nearby ally

Effect: The target can heal using a free recovery, adding hit points equal to 1d6 x the escalation die to that healing. Unless you or the target is a dwarf, randomly choose one of the target’s true magic items. You actively gain that item’s quirk until the end of the day.

Fiery Claw (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Special: This spell attack ignores all the target’s resistances.

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 1d8 + Charisma fire damage, and the target loses its resist damage abilities, if any (hard save ends, 16+).

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3rd level spell 3d8 damage.

5th level spell 5d8 damage.

7th level spell 7d8 damage.

9th level spell 9d8 damage.

Adventurer Feat This spell can now deal holy damage instead of fire damage.

Champion Feat The damage dice for this spell increase from d8s to d10s.

Epic Feat This spell now deals half damage on a miss.

Final Wrath (5th level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Targets: 1d4 nearby enemies in a group

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 7d6 + Charisma fire damage.

Natural Even Hit: As a hit, plus if the target is staggered after the attack, it’s also stunned until the end of its next turn.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

7th level spell: 9d10 damage.

9th level spell: 2d6 x 10 damage.

Champion Feat This spell now deals half damage on a miss.

Epic Feat This spell now targets 2d3 enemies in a group.

War Drums (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Effect: The next natural odd attack roll you or one of your allies makes this battle that hits an enemy deals 13 extra damage.

3rd level spell: 23 extra damage.

5th level spell: 33 extra damage.

7th level spell: 53 extra damage.

9th level spell: 83 extra damage.

Adventurer Feat Add your Charisma modifier to the extra damage (double your Charisma modifier at 5th level; triple it at 8th level).

Champion Feat When you cast this spell, each nearby enemy that’s staggered also takes 2d6 thunder damage (4d6 thunder damage at 8th level).

Epic Feat When this spell’s effect deals the extra damage, you can roll a hard save (16+). If you succeed, the war drums keep beating and the effect extends to the next natural odd hit this battle! (And so on if you keep succeeding.)

Savage Endings (3rd level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Targets: Each nearby creature that’s staggered (yes, including allies, even those who are dying)

Effect: Each target takes 5d6 + Charisma damage.

5th level spell: 5d8 damage.

7th level spell: 7d10 damage.

9th level spell: 10d10 damage.

Adventurer Feat The spell no longer targets your allies.

Champion Feat The spell’s damage dice increase by one size (for example, d10s to d12s).

Epic Feat When you drop one or more non-mook creatures to 0 hp with this spell, you can heal using a free recovery.

Light of the High Ones

Silver Arrows (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Targets: 1d3 nearby enemies

Effect: The target takes 4 force damage.

3rd level spell: 7 damage.

5th level spell: 10 damage.

7th level spell: 14 damage.

9th level spell: 27 damage.

Adventurer Feat This spell now targets 1d4 nearby or far away enemies.

Champion Feat This spell now targets 1d6 nearby or far away enemies.

Epic Feat This spell now targets a number of nearby or far away enemies equal to the escalation die.

Cascading Power (5th level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Targets: A number of random nearby creatures equal to the escalation die

Effect: The targets are embroiled in silver fire! Each targeted ally can roll an immediate easy save (6+); if that ally succeeds, they regain one daily or recharge power of their choice. Then each targeted enemy takes damage equal to 1d10 x the escalation die.

After the damage, roll the escalation die and use the new result.

7th level spell: Damage equal to 2d6 x the escalation die.

9th level spell: Damage equal to 2d12 x the escalation die.

Shards of Magic (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One nearby or far away enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Natural Even Hit: 1d6 + Charisma force damage, and you can roll a hard save (16+). If you succeed, you get an extra standard action this turn.

Natural Odd Hit: 7 ongoing damage.

Natural Even Miss: You can teleport to a nearby location you can see as a free action.

3rd level spell: Even hit:3d6 damage; Odd hit: 10 ongoing damage.

5th level spell: Even hit:5d6 damage; Odd hit: 18 ongoing damage.

7th level spell: Even hit:5d8 damage; Odd hit: 28 ongoing damage.

9th level spell: Even hit:7d10 damage; Odd hit: 40 ongoing damage.

Adventurer Feat A natural odd miss now deals damage equal to your level.

Champion Feat A natural odd miss now deals half the force damage an even hit would have dealt.

Epic Feat A natural even miss now allows you to teleport to a far away location you can see as a free action.

Coronation (3rd level+)

Close-quarters spell

Daily

Effect: Until the end of the battle, when a staggered enemy hits you with an attack, you can make the following attack against that enemy as a free action after the attack.

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD

Hit: The target is confused until the end of its next turn.

Champion Feat Once per battle when a staggered enemy misses you with an attack while this spell’s effect is active, you can make the attack against that enemy.

Epic Feat When you make a natural even roll with a coronation attack, you can have the target become confused (save ends) instead of taking damage.

Bolt and Thunder (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 1d4 + Charisma lightning damage, and a different random nearby enemy takes the same amount of thunder damage.

3rd level spell: 2d6 damage.

5th level spell: 3d6 damage.

7th level spell: 5d6 damage.

9th level spell: 5d8 damage.

Adventurer Feat This spell now deals damage equal to your level on a miss.

Champion Feat The damage dice for this spell increase by one size (for example, from 3d6 to 3d8).

Epic Feat This spell now deals half damage on a miss.

The Final Surge (3rd level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Effect: You and each of your nearby allies each heal hit points equal to 1d6 x the number of recoveries that character has expended this day. (And no, free recoveries don’t count;this spell only counts the resources you’ve expended.)

5th level spell: 1d10 x the number of recoveries.

7th level spell: 2d6 x the number of recoveries.

9th level spell: 2d10 x the number of recoveries.

Twisted Path

Tortured Scream (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One nearby enemy

Special: When you cast the spell, you or a willing nearby ally of your choice loses 1d6 hit points.

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD

Hit: 3d6 + Charisma psychic damage.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3rd level spell: 6d6 damage, you or ally loses 2d6 hit points.

5th level spell: 6d10 damage, you or ally loses 4d6 hit points.

7th level spell: 10d10 damage, you or ally loses 6d6 hit points.

9th level spell: 2d8 x 10 damage, you or ally loses 8d6 hit points.

Adventurer Feat The spell now deals half damage on a miss.

Champion Feat You or an ally now lose one less die of hit points (for example, 3d6 instead of 4d6).

Epic Feat The first time each battle you miss with this spell, if the escalation die is 3+, you can reroll the attack by having you or your ally lose the same amount of hit points again.

Trace of Corruption (1st level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Target: You or one nearby ally; the target must have a positive or conflicted relationship with a villainous icon

Effect: The target rolls a save against each save ends effect affecting it. Then the target can heal using a recovery from a nearby ally (target’s choice, even if that ally isn’t willing).

Evil Touch (1st level+)

Close-quarters spell

At-Will

Target: One enemy engaged with you

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 1d10 + Charisma negative energy damage.

Natural Even Hit: As a hit, plus you gain 5 temporary hit points if the target drops to 0 hp during the battle.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3rd level spell: 3d10 damage, 8 temporary hit points.

5th level spell: 5d10 damage, 10 temporary hit points.

7th level spell: 7d10 damage, 15 temporary hit points.

9th level spell: 9d10 damage, 25 temporary hit points.

Adventurer Feat This spell now deals half damage on a miss.

Champion Feat When the target drops to 0 hp, instead of gaining temporary hit points, you can choose to deal that amount of negative energy damage to one nearby enemy as a free action.

Epic Feat This spell can now target a nearby enemy.

Unsummoning (7th level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Target: One nearby non-undead enemy that the GM hasn’t given a proper name, or that doesn’t play a key role in the current storyline

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD

Hit: The target is sent elsewhere, possibly to a location that’s close enough for the PCs to have to deal with it in a subsequent battle. It might also go somewhere “interesting.”

Replace the target with the GM’s choice of an undamaged and hostile undead creature that is one level lower than the original target. If the target was a large or double-strength creature, the replacement must be large or double-strength, or perhaps two normal undead instead of one show up. Ditto for huge/triple-strength targets. Therefore you’re only slightly reducing the raw power of the opposition; the advantage of using the spell is that you’re getting rid of an enemy you match up badly against and dropping the level of the opposition by one. The disadvantage, of course, is that you’ll probably have to face that enemy again.

Miss: 7d10 + Charisma psychic damage.

9th level spell: 8d10 + Charisma psychic damage on a miss.

Champion Feat This spell can now also target an entire mob of mooks. If the attack hits, replace them with a mob of undead mooks that is one level lower.

Epic Feat You don’t expend the spell when you miss with it.

Holy Spark (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Hit: 1d8 + Charisma holy damage, and one nearby ally gains 3 temporary hit points.

Miss: Damage equal to your level.

3rd level spell: 3d8 damage, 5 temporary hit points.

5th level spell: 5d8 damage, 8 temporary hit points.

7th level spell: 7d8 damage, 10 temporary hit points.

9th level spell: 9d8 damage, 15 temporary hit points.

Adventurer Feat When you miss with the spell, one of your nearby allies now gains the temporary hit points.

Champion Feat This spell now deals half damage on a miss.

Epic Feat You can now target a far away enemy with this spell. In addition, the spell’s damage dice increase by one size from d8s to d10s.

Temple Bells (1st level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Targets: You and each nearby ally that has 10 hp or fewer

Effect: The target can heal using a recovery.

3rd level spell: Target with 20 hp or fewer.

5th level spell: Target with 40 hp or fewer.

7th level spell: Target with 60 hp or fewer.

9th level spell: Target with 100 hp or fewer.

Adventurer Feat One target that heals can also roll a save against a save ends effect.

Champion Feat The recovery is now free.

Epic Feat Add 50 hp to the hit point threshold for targets that can be affected.

Shadow Dance (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Targets: Two nearby creatures, enemies or allies (including you)

Effect: The targets teleport and swap places. Each teleported enemy takes 1d6 damage. You and your allies don’t take damage from teleporting.

3rd level spell: 2d6 damage.

5th level spell: 2d10 damage.

7th level spell: 3d12 damage.

9th level spell: 4d12 damage.

Adventurer Feat Once per day, one or more targets of the spell can be far away.

Champion Feat The damage increases by one die (for example, 2d10 becomes 3d10).

Epic Feat The spell can now target up to three nearby creatures.

Step into Shadow (3^rd level+)

Close-quarters spell

Once per battle

Effect: Remove yourself from the battle (you can’t be targeted by attacks or effects while in the shadows). At the start of your next turn, return to the battle nearby your previous location and roll a d6 to determine a random benefit you gain from coming out of the shadows.

1–4: You can heal using a recovery.

5+: You deal double damage to the first target you hit with a chaos mage spell this turn.

Champion Feat You can choose to add +1 to the d6 roll after seeing it.

Epic Feat If you roll 6+, you gain both effects.

Twisted beam (1st level+)

Ranged spell

At-Will

Target: One nearby enemy

Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD

Natural Even Hit: 1d6 + Charisma fire damage.

Natural Odd Hit: Lightning damage equal to half the damage from a natural even hit, and you can roll another twisted beam attack against an enemy you haven’t targeted with it this turn.

Natural Even Miss: 3 ongoing acid damage.

3rd level spell: 3d6 damage, 6 ongoing damage.

5th level spell: 5d6 damage, 9 ongoing damage.

7th level spell: 7d8 damage, 12 ongoing damage.

9th level spell: 9d8 damage, 18 ongoing damage.

Adventurer Feat This spell can now target far away enemies.

Champion Feat A natural odd miss now deals half natural even hit damage.

Epic Feat The first save against the ongoing damage from a natural even miss is a hard save (16+). The second and subsequent saves are normal.

Ancient Scales (3rd level+)

Ranged spell

Daily

Effect: Until the end of the battle, you have flight while the escalation die is even. While the escalation die is odd, you can cast twisted beam once during your turn as a quick action.

Chaos Mage Multiclass

See Multiclassing for general multiclassing rules.

You lag one level behind in the three central columns of the Chaos Mage Level Progression table: daily spells, once-per-battle spells, and spell level.

Chaos Mages don’t count as skillful warriors. Your weapon dice drop one step.

Drop three new stones of the same color (but a different color from your attack/defense/iconic stones) into your chaos mage bag. These stones correspond to your other class. When you draw one of the stones, any warp effects or high weirdness you’ve got going on from a previous chaos mage turn end. On your next turn, you must use a standard action attack from your non-chaos mage class, just as if you had drawn a stone for one of your standard three types of chaos magic.

If your chaos mage talents allow you to draft random spells from other classes (Stench of Necromancy, Touch of Wizardry, Trace of the Divine, and Whiff of Sorcery), those spells remain with the attack or defense slots you assigned them to as usual.

Continual Warp

Adventurer Tier If you have a warp effect already going, drawing the stone from your other class doesn’t cancel the warp effect. The warp effect continues until it’s replaced by another warp effect or the end of the battle, as usual.

Champion Tier If you invested in high weirdness, your high weirdness effects don’t stop when you draw a multiclass stone.

Key Modifiers

Key Modifier	Other class
Str/Cha	Barbarian, Commander, Fighter, Paladin
Str or Dex/Cha	Bard, Ranger
Dex/Cha	Monk, Rogue
Con/Cha	Sorcerer
Int/Cha	Necromancer, Occultist, Wizard
Wis/Cha	Cleric, Druid