Holy! Knowledges and Castin' Divine Magic

Play testing "evangelical magic"
by Shea C Reinke.

Originally posted on Wizards of the Coast
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19572390/Holy_Knowledges_and_Castin_Divine_Magic?post_id=332690914#332690914

The story of Esperanto Eff, Pixie Mathmatologist.
A tale of a play testing, a why and a what for.

A player, Sarah, once wanted to be a scientist. The world she was playing in, however, was a world of magic. So what was she to do? She thought, and she thought, and she decided to ask her DM is there was anything stylistic or similar she could play in his game. A number of rule variants flowed like a fountain from her young rapscallion of a GM's mind, but one in particular caught her by the ear. "You could be a cleric of math" he said to her.
This, she thought, "I can do".

Sarah now had her race and class, but she thought there were a few other things her DM had said that the group might do that could be interesting too. She spoke with her fellow players, and they all agreed to test, what was by her referred to as, Evangelical Divine Magic. When the mighty mathmatologist, the pixie Eff, was to make a Spellcraft roll, Sarah rolled Knowledge (Math) instead. Knowledge (Math) was Spellcraft for Esperanto, and more than just this, the greatest of mathmatologists rolled her cleric level checks with Performance.

In place of her level, when making caster level checks was a skill, Perform (Preach) to be precise. Turning, spell resistance, domain abilities, and any spells that referred to caster level were linked numerically to the magnificent mathmatologist's ranks in Perform (Preach) instead. This allowed her to multiclass while still practice her homework and her preaching. Of course Esperanto Eff's rouge levels gave no new spells, but availed other options. To top this package off Sarah created a homebrew math domain for Eff, it is down below if you want to see.

Esperanto was not the only cleric in this group. At her side stood Merrik gnome druid of the natural way and master of the six pillars. His prestige class, the master of the five pillars, is also described below. Merrik had not a single level of the class druid. Instead he used these divine rules to make a character much more like what, he thought, a druid should be. Merrik's Spellcraft became Knowledge (Nature) and his caster level was replaced by the Survival skill. Sarah and Merrik's player, Joe, found this to be the most satisfying of the variants that their rule playful GM had thus far formulated.

How this works
A description of the Holy Knowledge Variant Rule System

The setting flavor that this rule variant gives you is the feeling of actually doing something sacred when casting divine spells. "What does my magic miracle really look like?", "What am I doing?", and "Why does this work this way?" are questions that many players of D&D ask their DMs. With this system you have a better way of answering those questions for yourself. Esperanto drew diagrams and measured things. She spoke the equation of creation aloud to rebuke and command her undead minions. Merrik mixed herbs and poultice, munched mushrooms and wild berries, and spoke of the words on the wings of butterflies as divine oracles.

The second half of this system was referred to as Player Defined Components at the time. Clerics and sorcerers are allowed to define the exact form that their spell components take. The gnome sorcerer, Hopkins, wielded a pick axe because it was his chosen material component for knock. While, clerics have a subtle form of this already, a diagram could easily be called a holy symbol of math, the variant pushes much farther than that. Wizards get toyed with because they learn spells with components decided by the GM or resort to crafting themselves a spell of their own.

When characters are defining their spell's components first refer to the default components. XP and any material component that you cannot eschew, can not be exchanged for any thing other than equal value, but verbal, somatic, focal, and minor material components can be interchanged for an alternate. Character story lines and backgrounds should guide the selection of spell components. Additionally, a Spellcraft (in this case Knowledge) roll is allowed in order to "emulate" components. The DC being the same as a Concentration check to cast defensively + 10.

The details are simple, use a Knowledge check, that retains the functionality it has originally as well, in place of all Spellcraft checks for the chosen kind of divine magic. Select another skill that identifies the effect your faith has on other characters. A cleric of nature knows how to survive, and help others do so as well. If in doubt Perform (Preach) covers the average aspect of the common holy man's miracles. Disable Device, Disguise, Handle Animal, Intimidate, and Heal are some other skills that have been discussed as well.

Both Merrik and Esperanto had Spellcraft too, just not very much. The intermittent bard, Ector Snaps, and good sorcerer Hopkins both used the Spellcraft skill allot. Spellcraft, in this system, is also Knowledge (arcana), the skill of the arcane. The bard gained the ability to use his Performance (any) as his caster level, that's what he wanted to do. The sorcerer fellow, now he liked this system, because it made him a real expert in the arcane, far more than any of the clerics or that lowly bardic bumbler.


The final aspect of this is that the spells cast by NPCs all have specific Knowledge skills too. If you want to know more than what Knowledge you don't have when someone casts a spell, you must be trained in that particular Knowledge skill. That's why Merrik and Esperanto had Spellcraft too, they wanted a chance at knowing more about what that goodie goodie sorcerer was doing, and the subtle sorcerer had a point or few of Holy Knowledge as well. This system should be used with the intent of providing character flavor to magic systems, and prevent resorting to eschew.

SR&D
These rules are intended to compatible with the D20 SRD, each other, and the Holy Knowledge variant rule presented here.

Feats
Five feats that were used in the play testing session.

Carrier [LEADERSHIP]
Prerequisite: 1st level in any PC Class.
Benefit: You can attract one dedicated ally that will stay near you at all times. This ally has the ability to aid you in any skill check regardless of whether or not the ally has the skill to do so normally. When first attracted a carrier is always first level, and may not be equal in level to you except at first level. Carriers effect your Leadership rating the same way as animal companions, familiars, and special mounts. You control all actions of the carrier in all situations, except in the case of abandonment (below).
A carrier and XP.
You carrier is not calculated into your party experience award like a normal ally. Your carriers' levels ( -1 per carrier ) are added to your level as a level adjustment. Your carrier gains XP from your total, and the totals of any characters that you approve of donating to the carrier's total. When your carrier is involved in an XP award without you, you receive that experience and allocate (usually at least half) as much XP to the carrier as you want to.
Abandoning and Carriers.
A carrier may abandon you, die, or simply retire. You have no control over the time or circumstances of abandonment. The death of a carrier has no effect on your leadership rating, and you may have as many carriers as you have leadership feats. Until the time of abandonment arrives you retain complete control over the actions of the carrier. Warning signs of immanent carrier abandonment may be obvious, obscure, or concealed.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times, each time you gain an additional carrier availability. You also gain a carrier availability for any other leadership feat you take after the carrier feat.

Extra Domain[GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Oathbound.
Benefit: Add a domain to your list and gain all domain powers and spells as though you had selected the domain as a first level cleric.

Oathbound [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: You must make and keep an oath.
Benefit: You get a +4 bonus on all Diplomacy checks.
Special: If you break your oath you loose the benefits of this feat until you undergo an atonement and take a new oath. The Atonement spell or simply a suitable self sacrifice will serve this purpose, and the new oath must be a related, if not the same, oath as the previous oath.

Practiced Performer[GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Five Perform skills with 5 ranks each.
Benefit: You receive a + 2 synergy bonus to any Perform check per each Perform skill you have 5 or more ranks in.

Translator[GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Five language skills (in addition to automatic languages), access to the tongues spell, and Sense Motive 5 ranks.
Benefit: You can speak any language as though trained.
Special: This feat does not grant you the ability to read or write any language.

Domains
Three domains created in the play testing session.

MATH
Created in conjunction with Sarah Smith.
Granted Power: You gain the power of analysis, which is usable once per day. This extraordinary ability grants you or a subject a synergy bonus equal to your cleric caster level on any one skill check. You or the subject gain this bonus whenever the check is attempted until the circumstances of the check have changed significantly. Analyzing the circumstances of any skill check takes one hour of exclusive activity, and a notebook to record measurements and equations.
Math Domain Spells
1. True Strike: +20 on your next attack roll.
2. Bestow Curse: –6 to an ability score; –4 on attack rolls, saves, and checks; or 50% chance of losing each action.
3. Heroism: Gives +2 bonus on attack rolls, saves, skill checks.
4. Scrying (F): Spies on subject from a distance.
5. Find the Path: Shows most direct way to a location.
6. Arcane Sight, Greater: As arcane sight, but also reveals magic effects on creatures and objects.
7. Control Weather: Changes weather in local area.
9. Time Stop: You act freely for 1d4+1 rounds.

NECROMANCY
Granted Power: Rebuke or command undead as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Use these abilities a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. This granted power is a supernatural ability.
Add Knowledge (The Planes) to your list of cleric class skills.
Necromancy Domain Spells
1. Restoration, Lesser: Dispels magical ability penalty or repairs 1d4 ability damage.
2. Speak with Dead: Corpse answers one question/two levels.
3. Spectral Hand: Creates disembodied glowing hand to deliver touch attacks.
4. Vampiric Touch: Touch deals 1d6/two levels damage; caster gains damage as hp.
5. Create Undead: Create ghouls, ghasts, mummies, or mohrgs.
6. Circle of Death (M): Kills 1d4/level HD of creatures.
7. Create Greater Undead (M): Create shadows, wraiths, spectres, or devourers.
8. Clone (M, F): Duplicate awakens when original dies.
9. Wail of the Banshee: Kills one creature/level.

BEAST
Created in conjunction with Joseph Henderson
Granted Power: Rebuke or command animals or magical beasts as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Use these abilities a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. This granted power is a supernatural ability.
Add Knowledge (Nature) to your list of cleric class skills.
Beast Domain Spells
1. Detect Animals or Plants: Detects kinds of animals or plants.
2. Speak with Animals: You can communicate with animals.
3. Summon Swarm: Summons swarm of bats, rats, but not spiders.
4. Summon Nature’s Ally III: Calls creature to fight.
5. Commune with Nature: Learn about terrain and animal life for 1 mile/level.
6. Regenerate: Subject’s severed limbs grow back, cures 4d8 damage +1/level (max +35).
7. Summon Nature’s Ally VI: Calls creature to fight.
9. Shapechange (F): Transforms you into any creature, and change forms once per round.

Merrik's Prestige Class
Created in conjunction with Joseph Henderson. A "turn check master" prestige class.

MASTER OF THE SIX PILLARS
The master of the six pillars seeks to stand at the center point of the great energy pattern of the universe. The ability to channel the energy of the elemental, the natural, and the divine is paramount to the master of the six pillars. The title is given as a sign of status by the loose confederation of atheists and pantheists known as the order of the natural way. True masters of the six pillars travel the planes by walking on the metaphysical pillars of reality and can mold energy and matter into whatever form desired. No official organization of masters exists, however their unique position amidst the power flow of the universe, and their understanding of that great pattern, means you can expect a master of the six pillars to be found amongst both the holy and the profane.

Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a master of the six pillars you must fulfill all the following criteria.
Domains: You must have two out of this list of domains. Air, Beast, Earth, Fire, Plant, or Water.
Feat: Extra Turning and Improved Turning or Oathbound, Your oath must be connected to the order of the natural way. Violation of your oath prevents you from using the master of the six pillar's special class abilities, however you retain your base attack bonus, saves, HP, skill points, and spells per day.
Skills: Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Elements), Knowledge (Planes), and Spellcraft 5 ranks.

Class Features
Class Skills
The Master of the Six Pillars class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Elements) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Base Attack Bonus: 3/4th class level.
Primary Save: Willpower.
Special
Level Table
1 - Alter Type, Bonus Domain I
2 -
3 - Elemental Conversion, Bonus Domain II
4 -
5 - Elemental Axis, Elemental Creation
6 -
7 - Bonus Domain III
8 - Pillar Walk
9 -
10 - Universal Axis, Bonus Domain IV

All of the following are Class Features of the master of the six pillars prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Masters of the six pillars gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells and Spells per Day: When a new master of the six pillars level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as an increase in the character's spell list), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting and spell slots per day. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a master of the six pillars, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day. Master of the six pillars spells and spells per day can only be applied to a divine spellcasting class, not an arcane. A
Turn or Rebuke Checks: Master of the six pillars levels are combined with clerical levels when making turn or rebuke checks.
Bonus Domain: The master of the six pillars may select any one of the following domains, that he does not have, and gain that domain's ability as normal. Air, Beast, Earth, Fire, Plant, or Water.
Alter Type: The master of the six pillars may expend an appropriate turn check to give himself or a target an elemental subtype for 1 hour per caster level.
A fire turn check adds the fire subtype or the ice subtype at the master of the six pillars' choosing.
An air turn check gives the air subtype, and a flight speed of 30 feet with good maneuverability.
A beast turn check gives the animal type and +4 natural armor, but does not alter any of the subject's racial traits.
A water turn check gives the aquatic subtype, and grants the subject a swim speed equal to the subject's landspeed.
An earth turn check gives the earth subtype, and a burrow speed of 30 feet.
A positive energy turn check grants the native subtype of the plane the subject is on at the time of alteration.
A negative energy turn check applies an extraplaner subtype of the master of the six pillars' choosing.
A plant turn check gives the plant type and removes the subject's need to breath, but does not alter any other of the subject's racial traits.
Elemental Conversion: The master of the six pillars may expend any one of his four elemental turn checks to transmute any inanimate element into another. To determine the amount of material that can be transmuted roll the master of the six pillar's turn damage. Multiply that number by 10 and you have the gp value of the material that can be affected. This ability can be used in combination with a craft check to create non-magical equipment, such as an iron short sword, instantly from natural material, such as raw stone.
Elemental Axis: The master of the six pillars may now decide to turn or rebuke all types of elementals with any elemental turn check he has available. A turn check provided by the Earth domain can be used to rebuke a fire elemental, and a turn check provided by the water domain can be used destroy a water elemental. This ability only applies to the master of the six pillars four elemental turn checks.
Elemental Creation: The master of the six pillars may expend a turn check to create a creature of a type determined by the turn check expended. A turn check provided by the Fire domain creates a fire elemental, and a turn check provided by the Plant domain creates a plant. To determine the HD of the creature created roll the master of the six pillar's turn damage. The result of the roll is the HD of the created creature. If the master of the six pillars uses positive energy the turn checks provided by the basic Turn Undead ability create positive energy beings that resemble medium sized humanoids. If the master of the six pillars uses negative energy the turn checks provided by the basic Turn Undead ability create undead of an appropriate hit die. Creatures created this way persist for a number of rounds equal to the master's level, or a master may choose to create with a number of HD less than half his effective clerical level permanently.
Pillar Walk: A master of the six pillars may teleport to any plane he is aware of 3 times a day. This ability works exactly like the teleport spell, except that the master of the six pillars may only use this ability to travel to another plane. You can not use pillar walk to teleport to anywhere on the plane you are currently on.
Universal Axis: All of the master of the six pillars' turn check allotments can be interchanged for the others. The master of the six pillars can now decide to channel (through a turn check only, not spontaneous casting) positive or negative energy at will.

Atheist Faiths
These "religions" are intended to be used with or without the Holy Knowledge variant rule.

Note: Using the Holy Knowledge variant, any cleric may choose Perform (Preach) in place of the skill designated by their faith. This choice represent the cleric's attitude about their religion. The designated skill is the skill of the aesthetic, and Perform (Preach) is the art of the evangelist.

The Order of the Natural Way
Created in conjunction with Joseph Henderson.
The order of the natural way is more an association than an actual religion. The collective opinion of the clerics that follow this faith is that the world works the way it is supposed to. The laws of nature are harsh but ultimately fulfilling. A holy man of the natural way is as at home in the wild as in a city, both are natural things. In a city the cleric dons the local dress. In the woods he allows the mud and leaves become his dress. No two clerics of the natural way are exactly alike. Each one follows his own natural path, and seeks to achieve a personal vision of the truth.
Alignment: Any neutral.
Domains: Earth, Air, Wind, Fire, Plant, Animal, Beast, Healing, Death, and Travel.
Spellcraft: Knowledge (Nature).
Caster Level: Survival.

Mathmatology
Created in conjunction with Sarah Smith.
Mathmotologists are serious scienticians! They demand respect from their less analytical peers in the divine community, but refrain from participating in any "holy" rituals if they can help it. The works of great Mathmatologist such as the Amazing Esperanto Eff are studied as though they were the words of gods themselves. These texts define and describe the equations of creation and the secret numbers of the universe. A diagram can describe all of the wonders of the world to a Mathmatologist. Most Mathmatologists are rather meek and prone to reading books of any kind, mathmatology preferably.
Alignment: Any.
Domains: Math, Trickery, Protection, Necromancy, Magic, Luck, Law, Chaos, Knowledge, and Destruction.
Spellcraft: Knowledge (Math)
Caster Level: Disable Device.

The Grand Guild Dedicated to the overthrow of Religious Hegemony
Money talks louder than the gods to the members of the grand guild. Profit is the only prophet. Many come to the guild for as many reasons. None are turned away if they are worth anything, and it is the holy money changers of the guild who judge that worth. Rarely explorers, the guild members most dedicated to highest principles of the guild are found tucked away in safe houses kept by the more mercantile members of the guild. Coordination and logistics are their primary functions to the guild. A coin keeper of the grand guild dedicated to the overthrow of religious hegemony is always in the finest clothes. Only masterwork, or magical, items are ever in their possession.
Alignment: Any Lawful.
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Good, Healing, Knowledge, Law, Luck, Protection, Strength, Travel, and War.
Spellcraft: Knowledge (Economy).
Caster Level: Appraise.