Ethermagic Expanded - The Ethershaper Base Class

What is the ether?

The ether fills the void between universes, effectively cushioning creation in its endless gyrations. Were two such universes ever to touch, their likely-incompatible physics would tear each other apart in much the same way as an encounter between a paladin and an anti-paladin. That is to say, one may survive the encounter, but neither are going to look happy when it’s over. In order to prevent this from happening, the ether absorbs the excess translational energy of the entire multiverse, which, in turn, makes it the greatest source of raw energy there is. Mind you, this means the greatest source of energy in the multiverse can be accurately described as a vat of gelatin studded with universes as though they were bits of pineapple.

Not by study, not by blood, but by sheer, dumb luck, a mortal can find himself attuned to the limitless well that is the ether. As an infinite gift with no apparent source or rationale has a tendency to be construed as divine mandate, the vast majority of ethermages are insufferable louts, though some few take their gift and use it for nobler deeds.

How does the ether play?

Ultimate Ethermagic takes equal parts Douglas Adams and H. P. Lovecraft to produce an “all day long” system of magic with a cosmic flavor. Spiritual successors to the warlock base class of the 3.5 days, ethermagic classes seek to have improved playability by offering the ability to mix and match spell effects to make custom evocations on the fly. Whereas the warlock simply blasted, the ethermagician can ask, “How hard?”

Thanks to the advent of a rapidly-regenerating spell point pool, players must choose whether or not to spend more than they will regenerate next turn. Incredibly potent effects are indeed possible, but firing them off without a care in the world will reduce the player to single-target ranged touch attacks in a hurry!

The Ethershaper Base Class introduces a new advanced play base class to the ethermagic canon: the ethershaper. Sole user of the new voidshape etherheart (basically a school of magic), the ethershaper combines damage, support, and debilitating effects that can be woven into single spells, but then applies them based on the target’s initiative score at the time. Combined with limited initiative manipulation to allow a single spell to buff one target and deal damage to another, this makes the ethershaper more combo-oriented than any other extant ethermagic class, and as initiative scores will be different for every combat, new combos will need to be created for each fight.

Product Features

• The ethershaper base class

• The herald of the self archetype, which adds chaos magic to the mix

• The new voidshape etherheart with 70+ manifestations

• A reprint of the alteration (self buff), bestow (other buff/debuff), and genesis (conjuration) etherhearts, including all manifestations.