Thaumaturge Class: Creating a Pathfinder 1st ed Base Class

I’m going to walk through how I go through the process of creating a new bae class for Pathfinder 1st edition. In this case, the class is the “thaumaturge.”

I always start with a concept. That concept has to narratively describe what the class is within the game’s fictional world, give an idea for what kinds of things the class can do within the game’s mechanics, and consider what kind of player might want to play this class. In at least the first and last of those cases, the concept should be one that isn’t adequately covered by existing options. (Though “adequately” is very much a judgment call. A lot of people felt the magus class was unnecessary because the eldritch knight prestige class existed, but the magus allowed the concept at 1st level and provided game mechanical options that made it play more smoothly.)

The core concept of the thaumaturgy class is a 6-level arcane spellcaster, using the occultist spell list, that focuses on the manipulation of magic and spells. Additionally, I want to make something that is exciting for a specific type of player I have run into who like the idea of being a “mage,” but find the wizard too limited and too lacking in fun special features, find the sorcerer too focused on bloodline, and find the arcanist too complex. Despite being a 6-level spellcaster, the class should be able to function as the primary arcane spellcaster in a group.

Thaumaturge Class Features

I prefer to begin class construction with the core features of the class — the things most important and defining to the class’s concept and in-play options. Obviously for a major spellcaster that has to include their spells, and for the thaumaturge I have decided to go with spontaneous spellcasting, but still be an Intelligence-based class. (I have a specific narrative reason in mind for that, which I’ll flesh out later).

Power-wise, I want lots of room for special abilities beyond spells known and spells per day. That brings me to a second unusual core decisions — despite being a 6-level spellcaster, I’m going to give the thaumaturge the worst base attack bonus progression. I may also go with d6 HP and 2 skill points/level… we’ll see. But for now, being the only class with just 6 levels of spellcasting and the worst attack progression gives me more room for special abilities.

And I want that core special ability to be Thaumaturgy, in the form of a pool of points for the class. This pool should help thaumaturges do some core arcane spellcaster abilities without the player having to think about or prepare for them in advance, so that needs to be the first thing I write a draft version of. That lets me space out those abilities, which will serve as the structure for anything else the class gets.

Here’s a first stab at that feature, and the class progression chart.

(Art by warmtail)

ClassBaseFortRefWillSpellsPerDayLevelAttack
BonusSaveSaveSaveSpecial1st2nd3rd4th5th6th1st+0+2+0+2Thaumaturgy pool (counterspell, spell known)1–––––2nd+1+3+0+32–––––3rd+1+3+1+3Thaumaturgy pool (Silent & Still)3–––––4th+2+4+1+431––––5th+2+4+1+442––––6th+3+5+2+5Thaumaturgy pool (arcane spell)43––––7th+3+5+2+5431–––8th+4+6+2+6442–––9th+4+6+3+6Thaumaturgy pool (heighten spell)543–––10th+5+7+3+75431––11th+5+7+3+75442––12th+6/+1+8+4+8Thaumaturgy pool (staves and wands)5543––13th+6/+1+8+4+855431–14th+7/+2+9+4+955442–15th+7/+2+9+5+9Thaumaturgy pool (limited wish) 55543–16th+8/+3+10+5+1055543117th+8/+3+10+5+1055544218th+9/+4+11+6+11Thaumaturgy pool (wish) 55554319th+9/+4+11+6+1155555420th+10/+5+12+6+12Thaumaturgy pool (supernatural)555555(More stuff TBD)

Thaumaturgy Pool (Sp) [1st]: A thaumaturge studies the interaction between magic energy and the specific patterns of using that magic known as spells, granting them a pool of thaumaturgy points that can be used to generate and manipulate spells. A thaumaturge has a number of points in their pool equal to their Intelligence modifier plus 1 per 4 thaumaturge levels, to a maximum equal to their thaumaturge class level (minimum 1).

Unless an ability says otherwise, using points from a thaumaturgy pool is connected to a single casting or use of a spell, and takes no additional action beyond the normal casting time of the spell. If a spellcasting or spell slot is lost (such as if attempting to cast defensively and failing), any thaumaturgy points used in conjunction with the spell are also lost.

At 1st level, if a thaumaturge successfully identifies a spell being cast they can expend a number of points from their thaumaturgy pool equal to half the spell’s level (minim 1 point) as a reaction to attempt to counterspell the spell, as if using dispel magic to counterspell.

Also at 1st level, the thaumaturge can expend a number of points equal to half a spell’s level (minimum 1 point) from their thaumaturgy pool to cast any thaumaturge spell they have selected as a spell known.

At 3rd level, a thaumaturge can expend 2 points from their thaumaturgy pool to cast any thaumaturgy spell they know without fulfilling its verbal or somatic components, as if using the Silent Spell and Still Spell feats.

At 6th level the thaumaturge can expend 3 points from their thaumaturgy pool to cast an arcane spell with a spell level no greater than half their class level that is on a scroll or in a spellbook in their possession (on their person or in a container on their person, and not held or grabbed by any other creature). This does not expend the scroll or erase the spell from the spellbook.

At 9th level, a thaumaturge can expend 3 points from their thaumaturgy pool to heighten a thaumaturge spell or spell cast using their thaumaturgy pool to have a spell level equal to half their class level (maximum 9th level), as if using the Heighten Spell metamagic feat.

At 12th level, a thaumaturge can expend 3 points from their thaumaturgy pool to activate a staff or wand without expending a charge from it. This does not allow them to activate a staff or wand they cannot norrmally use.

At 15th level, a thaumaturge can expend 4 points from their thaumaturgy pool to cast limited wish, as if they were a wizard and had prepared the spell. They must fulfill all the spell’s normal components and requirements, and cannot use their thaumaturgy pool to modify the spell.

[Design Note – this gives a thaumaturge access to this spell one level after the wizard gets it, and prevents them from bypassing the material component cost.]

At 18th level, a thaumaturge can expend 5 points from their thaumaturgy pool to cast wish, as if they were a wizard and had prepared the spell. They must fulfill all the spell’s normal components and requirements, and cannot use their thaumaturgy pool to modify the spell.

[Design Note – this gives a thaumaturge access to this spell one level after the wizard gets it, and prevents them from bypassing the material component cost.]

At 20th level, a thaumaturge can expend 5 points from their thaumaturgy pool to use a thaumaturgy spell known as a supernatural ability.

[Design Note – This lets a thaumaturge ignore components, not provoke, and not be subject to counterspells. Which is insanely powerful, but it doesn’t apply to the limited wish or wish, and it’s a capstone so hey.]

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