Race: Esper
The concept of the Esper as presented here is (probably) the property of Square Enix. However, all Trinity-specific background and d20 mechanics are original.
Contents
Espers
- "Your mortal understanding of the arcane is no match for my own. You study magic; I am magic."
The first recorded appearance of an esper comes from the formation of the Lost, a massive desert covering the northeastern portion of Sarteri. An arcane duel of epic proportions leveled the once-temperate plains there, turning it into a lifeless wasteland. While many of the towns and villages in the region were destroyed, one village - straddling the Rynol River, the boundary-line of the destruction - survived. Its people, however, were changed, their bodies infused with arcane energy.
The elves studied the people of the village, which had been called Esperia, and concluded that the presence of so much arcane energy had caused them to undergo transformations, into something new. The elves called them "espers," in honor of their village, and the name stuck.
Since that time, espers have appeared in lands where magic saturates the very earth itself. Centuries of usage of magic in a region gradually strengthen magic's hold on it, weakening the very laws of physics, and giving rise to the potential for its inhabitants to turn into espers. Almost any race has the potential to yield espers from their number, and there is no known way to foretell if a creature will be an esper: there are warning signs, but only when a given individual reaches the age of maturity does their esper nature make its presence known.
Espers make up a very small minority in the world of Trinity, but their small numbers by no means indicate their impact on the world around them. They are symbolic of the strength of magic, and its ability to overcome the very laws of physics and biology. They are an assurance that, no matter how strong the other Forces of the Trinity of Reality may be, magic is here to stay.
Personality: Erratic and prone to thinking outside the box, espers are not a race to be trifled with. They have a tendency to be free-thinkers and somewhat chaotic in their approaches to life, often refusing to follow rigid structure and instead go their own way. Their innate ability to bend the world to their will tends to make them seem arrogant to others. Some espers grow to appreciate their abilities and not use them frivolously; however, most will use any excuse to make a show of their power. A large number of espers also tend to be individualistic, preferring to work alone rather than with others.
Vital Statistics - Esper
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aging Effects | ||||||||
| Middle Age | Old | Venerable | Max Age | |||||
| Age | +2d12 years | +2d12+24 years | +4d12+48 years | +6d12+96 years | ||||
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||||||||
| Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier | |||||
| Male | As base creature | As base creature | ||||||
| Female | As base creature | As base creature | ||||||
Physical Description: As children, espers are largely unidentifiable, save that their hair may be an abnormal color - but even this is not a definite sign of an esper-to-be. Upon reaching puberty (for the appropriate age of their original race), however, the esper's body undergoes massive transformations. While in their "natural state" they retain roughly the same physical appearance of their native race, with wildly- and abnormally-colored hair and eyes and exaggerated features: one cannot mistake an esper for a normal member of their native race.
When under the effects of their arcane transformation, they take on an entirely new appearance, oftentimes appearing to resemble some sort of mythological beast, though some espers retain a roughly humanoid form, if completely unique from their native state. When using the living spell variation of their transformation, espers simply appear as a physical manifestation of the chosen spell: an esper manifesting as a fireball, for instance, resembles a giant ball of flame.
Regardless of their parent races, espers can breed with one another. The resulting offspring are sometimes referred to as "true espers." Such individuals always appear to be in the throes of their arcane transformation, and have no "natural state."
Vital Statistics - True Esper
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Age | Aging Effects | |||||||
| Adulthood | Simple | Moderate | Complex | Middle Age | Old | Venerable | Max Age | |
| Age | 16 years | +1d4 | +1d6 | +1d8 | 50 years | 100 years | 200 years | +2d100 years |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||||||||
| Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier | |||||
| Male | 4' 6" | +2d6" | 100 lbs. | x(2d4) lbs. | ||||
| Female | 4' 3" | +2d6" | 80 lbs. | x(2d4) lbs. | ||||
Ethos: Espers vary wildly in their personal beliefs. In general, they tend to cluster their beliefs in Red, Blue, or Green, sometimes mixing two or even all three into a belief structure that puts clever thinking, personal freedom, and the gut instinct above all else. Espers are mixed, as a race, in terms of ethics, and generally lack a unified racial ethos, given that they lack a single, unified culture.
- Up to here has been edited.
Esper Lands: Espers have no lands to call home; there are not enough to even warrant a small city if they all gathered in one place, and they have no racial homeland. Espers settle where their parent race did; if that place is not acceptable, they will move on to a nation that at least tolerates the existence of magic.
Religion: Espers almost universally worship the Eidolons; however, they see them more as role models than as actual deities, and many espers aspire to be counted among the ranks of the Eidolons.
Language: With a natural understanding of magic comes a natural understanding of the language of magic - espers who have reached maturity suddenly gain the linguistic skills of a mage who has studied the Arcanic language for years. Beyond that, espers retain the languages they grew up learning.
Names: Espers will sometimes carry their original name, which is wholly dependent on their parent race. However, upon maturity, some espers choose a new name for themselves, that fits their new form.
Male Names: Alexander, Ark, Bahamut, Carbunkle, Ifrit, Kazahuya, Leviathan, Palidor, Ramuh, Terrato.
Female Names: Asura, Eden, Isis, Kirin, Maduin, Phoenix, Terra, Shiva, Sylph.
Adventurers: Espers - being a rarity in the world - often traverse Trinity to gather a more thorough understanding of themselves and of the power they wield. Only through attaining arcane power can they gain a more complete understanding of themselves, and so many espers become adventurers.
Esper Racial Traits (d20)
"Esper" is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid without racial spell resistance.
An esper loses all of their racial abilities from their base race save for size, and instead uses the abilities below. So-called "true espers" consider their parent race to be Medium in size with a 30 foot movement rate.
- -2 Con, +2 Int, +4 Cha. Espers are not physically hardy, but are intellectually quick, and often have a powerful and commanding presence.
- Size equal to parent race's size.
- Elemental: Espers are elementals, not humanoids. As such, they are not affected by spells or effects that normally only affect humanoids. Unlike other elementals, however, they are subject to critical hits and flanking, and they eat, sleep, and breathe normally.
- Espers have a base move rate equal to parent race's base move rate.
- Espers have darkvision with a base of 60 feet.
- Innate Spell (Sp): At 1st level, an esper chooses a single arcane spell or artificer infusion of 1st level. The esper can cast this spell at will, though doing so deals 1 point of damage to the esper; this damage cannot be prevented by any means. Your caster level with this effect is equal to your character level. By drawing on their essence, an esper can effect change on the world.
- Resistances (Ex): Espers have PR and TR equal to their level. These resistances overlap (do not stack) with resistances gained due to class.
- Dispel Vulnerability (Ex): If an esper is the target of a targeted dispel magic or similar effect, she takes 1d6/caster level points of damage in addition to the spell's normal effects; if the effect allows a save, the esper suffers only half damage on a successful save. If she is within the radius of such an effect but is not specifically targeted by it, she instead takes 1d4/caster level points of damage (with a successful save against the effect negating the damage). An esper that is within the radius of a disjoining effect (such as mage's disjunction) must make the effect's saving throw or else die; if the effect does not allow a saving throw, the esper may make a Will save against what the spell's DC would be. Espers are partially magic, and effects that disrupt magic disrupt her very being.
- Living Arcana (Sp): Instead of using a spell slot to cast an arcane spell or artificer infusion, the esper may instead take an amount of damage equal to double the spell or infusion's level plus one (so 0-level spells deal 2 points of damage); this damage cannot be prevented by any means. Espers are partially made of magic, and they can shape this into spells, though it requires some of their own life force. Casting an epic arcane spell in this manner deals an amount of damage equal to double the spell's Spellcraft DC to cast. (Special: If you are using MP, you instead can expend an amount of hp equal to the spell's MP cost to cast it.)
- Arcane Healing (Sp): As a standard action, an esper may expend a spell slot or artificer infusion to heal herself. Doing so heals 1d4+1/spell level points of damage (0-level spells heal 1d4 points). Alternatively, the esper may use a warlock invocation to heal herself; if she does, she gains fast healing for a number of rounds equal to the invocation's equivalent spell level, and loses access to that invocation for one hour per point of fast healing granted. The amount of fast healing gained is dependant upon the invocation used for this ability: a least invocation grants fast healing 1; a lesser grants fast healing 2; a greater grants fast healing 3; and a dark grants fast healing 5.
- Arcane Transformation (Sp): Summoning all of their internal arcane power, an esper can temporarily transform into a living expression of arcane power - either a living spell, or enter their esper form. An esper can use this ability once per day, plus an additional time per five levels (so 2/day at 5th, 3/day at 10th, and so on). Any damage suffered while in these alternate forms is transferred to the esper after the transformation ends.
- Living Spell: When the esper uses this ability, she chooses a single arcane spell (or infusion, if she is an artificer; or invocation, if she is a warlock) she knows, which is the spell she turns into. This transformation lasts for 1 round per character level.
- Esper Form: At first level, an esper creatures an alternate form, created using the eidolon rules from Pathfinder, using her character level as her effective Hit Dice for any and all abilities. The esper may dictate the appearance of her esper form, but once chosen, this cannot be changed. Upon entering the esper form, the esper's ability scores and other abilities change to those of her esper form; while in esper form, she cannot access any of her normal abilities. This transformation lasts for 1 round per character level.
- Automatic Languages: As per parent race.
- Favored Class: Choose one - artificer, sorcerer, warlock, wizard.
- LA: +1. Remember that LA can be bought off.
Esper Paragon (d20 Class)
The Esper Paragon
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Mana Die | Caster Level |
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +1 | +2 | Detect Magic | d2 | +1 level of existing casting class |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +2 | +3 | Arcane Versatility | d2 | +1 level of existing casting class |
| 3 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +3 | Ability Boost (Cha +2), Esper Apotheosis | d4 | +1 level of existing casting class |
Some espers focus their exploring their innate connection to the Force of Magic. While other spellcasters typically approach Magic from a single angle, esper paragons approach it from many, attaining versatility and depth at the same time.
Esper paragons often have a minimal reserve of arcane power to call upon, even if they have no need for it; while this reserve may not be used for normal purposes, it allows the esper to access other abilities that may require an individual to have a mana pool. In addition, it fuels her ability to be versatile: a young esper can often call upon magic from many different disciplines with little formal training, simply by virtue of the nature of her existence.
Game Rule Information
Esper paragons have the following game statistics.
Force Alignment: Magic.
Force Resistances: PR 5 + level, TR 5 + level.
Abilities: Intelligence and Charisma are most important for an esper paragon, as these are the abilities that most arcane spellcasting classes uses.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills: The esper paragon's class skills are Concentration (Con), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points: 2 + Int.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Age: As per rogue.
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gp.
Class Features
The following are the class features of the esper paragon class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Esper paragons are not proficient with any weapons or armor.
Spells per Day: At each level, an esper paragon gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in a previous arcane spellcasting class (artificer, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard). She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic feats, and so on).
- Special: If you are a warlock, these caster levels count as warlock levels for purposes of determining the damage of your eldritch blast ability.
If an esper paragon has no levels in an appropriate class, she instead chooses a single Magic-using class at first level. She gains new spells per day as if she had gained levels in that class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic feats, and so on). If you choose to emulate a warlock, you gain access to the eldritch blast ability, and your esper paragon levels count as warlock levels for determining that effect's strength.
Mana Points: An esper's ability to command magic is partially represented by her mana points. To cast spells, she must expend mana, and when her pool is empty, she cannot cast until she has rested. An esper completely replenishes his mana points after a night's rest.
At each class level, an esper gains additional mana points, as per the table above. An esper rolls for mana points much like a character rolls for hit points. An esper adds her Intelligence modifier to her mana die; as with hit points, later changes in her Intelligence score are retroactive to her mana points.
A character whose first level is taken in esper paragon receives the maximum result for her mana die (just as she receives the maximum result for hit points). A character who multiclasses into esper paragon after first level rolls her mana die as normal.
Detect Magic (Su): At 1st level, an esper paragon can always see magical auras, as though she had cast detect magic.
Arcane Versatility (Sp): Choose two spells of up to 1st level, infusions of up to 1st level, and/or least invocations, and add them to your known list. You can use this ability to gain knowledge of spells, infusions, or invocations that do not appear on your class list, including Magic abilities of other types (thus, if you normally only cast spells, you can learn an infusion, and so forth). If an ability you choose does not have a listed MP cost, its MP cost is equal to (half [spell level + 1]) squared, rounded down; if it is a 0-level effect, it costs 0 MP, but can only be cast while you have at least 1 MP. The abilities you choose need not be of the same type (thus, you could learn one spell, and one infusion).
Ability Boost (Ex): At 3rd level, an esper paragon's Charisma score increases by 2 points.
Esper Apotheosis: At 3rd level, an esper paragon automatically qualifies to take levels in the esper arcantrix prestige class, even if she does not meet its prerequisites.
Add your esper paragon levels to your esper arcantrix levels for all calculations that involve your esper arcantrix level, including abilities from that prestige class that are reliant on class level as opposed to character level.
