Since I've decided that the WotC Greyhawk forums are no longer my cup of tea, predominantly due to the idiotic admins and users, I'm reposting my AUGH article here for your pleasure and reference. Well, actually more my reference, and my ultimate goal of getting a kiss from chatdemon
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AUGH
Class Names and Origin
Magisters are called 'magi' and the singular is 'magus'. They
originate from the Baklunish lands but the tradition has spread and
become one of the most dominant types of arcane spell caster. This is
most likely due to the survival of Baklunish magical traditions after
the Twin Cataclysms whereas other traditions were lost or quashed or
deemed inferior.
Greenbonds are known as 'shamans' or 'sibyls', depending on gender.
The tradition of shamans is most prevalent in the northern flan and
even some of the nomads to the northeast. They are often lonely
figures who remain aloof from tribes and tribal politics as they see
them as being a distraction from what is truly important; the
protection and enhancement of life and the connection to the
spiritworld.
Witches are known as 'warlocks' or 'witches' depending on gender.
Witchery is a flan tradition which has grown up next to druidism as a
respected lesser. Most often, witches and warlocks are those who dwell
within or close to towns rather than in the wilderness and often take
on the mantle of protector of such areas. They function as medicine
men and lorekeepers for the community they attach themselves too.
Wizards are the suelish magic tradition. They seek out lost tomes of
lore harkening back to the days when the Suel Imperium was at its
height. The Silent Ones are believed to be the last true wizards on
oerth, and all others are pale imitators seeking lost glories which
will never be found.
Sorcerers are from oeridian stock and are looked down on even by their
own people these days as the oerids have taken up the more 'superior'
form of magic manipulation known as wizardry. Still, sorcerers from
all cultures pop up now and then and those few who are recognized may
manage to be trained by a sorcerer and learn how to control and
increase their power. Otherwise, such people usually fall into the
role of adepts and never truly learn of their potential.
--
Magic
All spells from PHB are categorized as simple, complex or exotic and
only wizards have ready access to exotic spells. All other
spell-casting classes (with the exception of Greenbonds who have
access to ALL plant and positive energy spells).
Magisters, mageblades, witches and runethanes no longer have access to
positive or negative energy spells. Greenbonds gain access to all
positive energy spells.
Arcane casters who want access to Negative or Positive Energy spells
can do so by spending a feat (Negative/Positive Energy Caster) which
gives access to one spell, whether simple, complex or exotic, much in
the same way that the Unique Spell and Exotic Spell feats do.
All Item Creation feats from PHB are replaced with the Item Creation
feats from AU.
All rules pertaining to spell slot use, ie. diminished, heightened,
laden, can be used by all spell casters.
--
Classes
Wizards
- Gain Familiarity with Magic at 5th-level.
- Can memorize, scribe, copy to a spellbook and create simple, complex
and exotic spells without recourse to the feats Exotic Spell or Unique
Spell.
- The wizards Bonus Feats list includes all feats required to gain
access to templates, as well as: Blood as Power, Aid Spellcasting,
Attune to Magic Item, Conjure Mastery, Modify Spell, Brandish Magical
Might, Energy Mage, Mirror Sight and Tattoed Spell.
- Gains Lesser Aspect of Power at 10th-level.
- Gains Mind Over Matter at 12th-level
- Gains Greater Aspect of Power at 16th-level.
- Necromancers can utilize negative energy spells without recourse to
the feat Negative Energy Caster.
Sorcerers
- Gain Familiarity with Magic at 10th-level.
- Can cast and choose to know simple spells only.
- Gains Lesser Aspect of Power at 7th and 10th levels.
- Gains Greater Aspect of Power at 14th and 18th levels.
- Gains one spell template at 1st, 9th, and 17th levels.
- Increase Skill points to 4 per level.
Clerics
- Clerics gain Familiarity with Magic at 10th-level.
- Clerics use modified (to AU) Domain Spell Lists to determine what
spells are available to them. These are now essentially 'spheres'.
- All good clerics have access to all simple spells with the Positive
Energy descriptor and all evil clerics have access to all simple
spells with the Negative Energy Descriptor. Neutral clerics have
access to all simple force spells.
- The extra domain spell slot that a cleric gains can be chosen from
the 'Domain' spell that is tied to each sphere, in each level. This
bonus spell can be memorized in a normal spell slot. It simply
reflects the nature of the domain more closely than any other spell
and therefore can be memorized one extra time.
Bards
- Gain access to Familiarity with Magic at 12th-level.
- Can cast simple spells.
- Has access to simple positive and negative energy spells.
Paladins
- Can cast simple spells specific to the war, good and law domains as
listed for AU.
- Has access to simple positive energy spells.
Rangers
- Can cast simple spells specific to the animal, plant and travel
domains as listed for AU.
- Has access to simple positive or negative energy spells depending on
alignment.
--
Domains
Most domain powers remain the same, however some grant access to spell
templates (for spells within the domain only) as well. They are as
follows:
Air (air template), Animal, Chaos (wild template), Death, Destruction,
Earth (earth template), Evil (corrupted template), Fire (fire
template), Good (blessed template), Healing (subdual template),
Knowledge, Law (programmed template), Luck, Magic (eldritch template),
Plant, Protection (sanctum template), Strength, Sun, Travel, Trickery,
War (war template), Water (water template).
The following lists are 'spheres' of which are attached the domain
powers of the same name from the PHB. A cleric picks two of these and gains the domain powers of those two, as well as the ability to fill the domain spell slot with the indicated domain spell. The difference between PHB clerics and AUGH clerics is that the domain spell can be memorized normally in any slot as well, and the clerics spell selection is restricted to the spells listed within each domain the god has.
The exception to this is the 'All' category, which includes Transfer Wounds, Faith Healing, Weapon of the Deity, Aspect of the Deity and other similar, universal cleric spells.
When using 'spontaneous casting', a cleric can swap out any spell for
the equivalent level, simple healing spell, eg. Transfer Wounds at
1st-level. _________________ In more modern times, only Delglath of Rinloru is known to have crafted any items from the stone of this atrocious place. Even masters of the dark arts such as Xaene and Karoolck would hesitate to follow.
Interesting way of "organizing" magic class options.
I think the idea that a male witch is called a warlock is recent, perhaps springing from the sitcom Bewitched. The word warlock
means "oathbreaker" and originally came from witches who agreed to testify against other witches at Inquisitions / witch trials. (At least from what I've heard in a history of witchcraft university course).
All of the practicing witches I know use "witch" irrespective of gender. _________________ My campaigns are multilayered tapestries upon which I texture themes and subject matter which, quite frankly, would simply be too strong for your hobbyist gamer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mp7Ikko8SI
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