1.5.19 The Wise
Some low-magic settings have a particular place for concepts that aren’t exactly magical, but have some special place in society. Whether a mundane priest of the dominant faith, a feared forest warlock, or a sacred oracle of the gods, these Wise have a special role to fill.
Some of these Wise may have very minor or subtle magical powers suitable to a low-magic campaign setting.
In general, the Wise class is usually only viable in a low- or no-magic setting where their limited powers are still more than almost anyone else has access to. If standard magic exists in your campaign the Wise may not offer enough to appeal to players.
Benefits Of The Wise
The Wise is a partial expert class that must be taken by an adventurer with another partial class. It’s generally suited for low-magic campaigns, but strictly mundane versions of it may pass muster for a no-magic setting.
While the Wise count as a partial Expert class for other purposes, they do not gain the advantage of the partial Expert’s Quick Learner class ability or the bonus non-combat Focus that a partial Expert normally gets at first level. An Adventurer who is a standard partial Expert/partial Wise does get these perks, however.
All Wise gain level-0 in a bonus skill appropriate to their concept, be it Pray, Know, Magic, Survive, or some other skill that makes sense to the GM.
The Wise do not use Effort. All of their arts are either constantly in effect or can be used under particular circumstances or a particular number of times each day.
The arts the Wise learn are generally fixed by their concept and role. A mundane priest will learn certain arts as they advance in level, while a witch or an oracular seer will learn others. At some levels, the Wise might have a choice; they can pick whichever art they wish, but most arts can be taken only once.
The example tables here provide progression patterns for a non-magical priest of a faith, a witch with minor magical powers of cursing and foresight, and an oracle with limited powers of divination. For GMs that wish to allow player-made concepts, the Esoteric column can be used, or a specific progression can be worked up in cooperation with the player.
1.5.19.1 Wise Arts
General Arts
- Dread Awe: Your Kind Are Figures Of Fear And Mistrust. Gain a +1 bonus on all skill checks related to intimidation or threat. You can spend a Main Action cursing your foes in battle; those who hear suffer a -1 penalty to their next Morale check. You can do this only once per scene.
- Elite Ties: You have ties with figures of societal importance. You can get audiences with them with minimal effort. Once per game session, get a favor from them that would not particularly inconvenience them to grant.
- Erudite: You are uncommonly learned. Once per day, reroll a failed skill check related to intellectual pursuits or things a scholar would know about.
- Folk-Friend: Commoners and other lower-class natives consider you a useful healer and helper. Once per day, get a modest favor from a commoner who doesn’t hate you in exchange for a blessing or bit of advice.
- Healer: You are a trained and capable healer. Gain a +1 on all Heal skill checks; once per day, as an On Turn action, automatically succeed at a skill check to stabilize a Mortally Wounded subject.
- Holy Sanctity: You are honored and respected by most in this region. Gain a +1 bonus on social skill checks with locals who are not naturally opposed to your religion or social institution.
- Personal Impunity: You bear signs of sanctity, and physically harming you is considered taboo in this region. Only the most vicious or desperate humans will initiate violence against you, though any will fight if you attack them. Hostile groups will hesitate to attack your companions unless provoked.
- Skilled: Gain three skill points to spend on any non-combat skills, up to the maximum skill level allowed by your character level. This art may be taken more than once.
Divination Arts
- Compel Truth: The Diviner Compels a Person To Drink a Particular Brew, Participate In a Specific Ritual, Or Otherwise Undergo a Scene Long Ordeal. Afterwards, The Diviner May Ask The Target a Single Question And The Gm Secretly Rolls a Cha/Magic Skill Check Against a Difficulty Of The Target’s Morale+1, Or Level+6 For PCs. On a Success, The Subject Must Answer The Question Truthfully And Fully. On a Failure, They May Give Any Answer They Wish. The Same Or Substantially Same Question May Not Be Asked Twice With This Art.
- Deliver Oracle: A petitioner asks about the outcome of a particular course of action. The diviner then spends a day in various rituals, seeking an oracular answer. At the end, the GM makes a secret Wis/ Magic skill check. If the skill check beats difficulty 8, an oracular sentence with some truth in it is produced. If the skill check beats difficulty 12, a direct and obvious oracle is produced. If the skill check is 7 or less, a hopelessly ambiguous oracle is produced, and if the dice roll a natural 2 an intentionally misleading oracle is delivered. Oracles are usually delivered as metaphors, poetry, or visions. The GM should ensure that some element of a true oracle actually does come to pass.
- Find Object: The diviner spends a scene performing a ritual to locate a particular animal, object or type of substance known to them, be it gold, water, or a specific stolen cow. People cannot be found with this art. The GM makes a secret Wis/Magic skill check against a difficulty of 8 to 11, depending on how close the nearest suitable object is; something in the same village is 8, something a mile or more away is 11, and something more than five miles away is undetectable. If the check is successful, the diviner gets an impression of the direction the object is in. On a failure, roll 1d12 and use it as a clock face to give a random direction. This art can be used once per day.
- Read Omens: A petitioner proposes a course of action to the PC. After a scene-long ritual involving at least 10 sp worth of livestock or sacrificial material, the GM makes a secret Wis/Magic skill check against difficulty 10. On a success, the PC gets an impression of whether the course of action will lead to success or failure, as the GM thinks most likely. On a failure, the GM gives a random result. Multiplying the ritual costs by 10 adds +1 to the skill check, thus, a sacrifice of 1,000 sp worth of livestock gets a +2 on the check. The same course of action cannot be divined more than once a month.
Curses And Blessings
The Bringing Of Fortune Or Ill Fate Is Not a Trivial Thing. A Given Creature Can Be Cursed Or Blessed By One Of These Arts Only Once a Day.
- Auspicious Undertaking: As a Main Action, bless a particular plan or undertaking currently sought by the target. During the plan’s execution or while seeking the desired end, the blessed subject can reroll one failed skill check or one missed hit roll. The blessing lasts until it is used, the plan is finished, or one day per caster level has passed. Only one plan can be blessed at a time.
- Evil Eye: This art improves your curse and blessing arts. You can now use these arts as an Instant action, albeit still only one such art per round, and you need do no more than look at the target rather than vocalizing any particular curse or blessing.
- Ill Fate: As a Main Action, curse a visible target. You may specify a particular kind of undertaking or apply the curse to anything they may do. The next pertinent skill check they make is made at a -1 penalty. If their raw die roll is equal or less than the PC’s Magic skill plus one their effort goes disastrously wrong. The curse lasts until the next relevant skill check.
- Luck Blessing: As a Main Action, confer a blessing on a visible target. The next skill check they make that day will have a +1 bonus. Only one luck blessing can be in place for a creature at a time.
- War Curse: As a Main Action, curse a visible enemy. They suffer a -2 penalty to hit rolls, damage rolls, and Shock damage for the rest of the scene. If they miss an attack with a raw to-hit die roll less than the Wise’s Magic skill, they accidentally hurt themselves for normal damage. Only one war curse can be applied at a time.
Partial Expert/Wise
| Level | Hit Dice | Attack Bonus | Focus Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1d6 | +0 | 1 Expert +1 Any |
| 2 | 2d6 | +1 | +1 Any |
| 3 | 3d6 | +1 | |
| 4 | 4d6 | +2 | |
| 5 | 5d6 | +2 | +1 Any |
| 6 | 6d6 | +3 | |
| 7 | 7d6 | +3 | +1 Any |
| 8 | 8d6 | +4 | |
| 9 | 9d6 | +4 | |
| 10 | 10d6 | +5 | +1 Any |
Partial Mage/Wise
| Level | Hit Dice | Attack Bonus | Focus Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1d6 | +0 | 1 Any |
| 2 | 2d6 | +0 | +1 Any |
| 3 | 3d6 | +0 | |
| 4 | 4d6 | +0 | |
| 5 | 5d6 | +1 | +1 Any |
| 6 | 6d6 | +1 | |
| 7 | 7d6 | +1 | +1 Any |
| 8 | 8d6 | +1 | |
| 9 | 9d6 | +1 | |
| 10 | 10d6 | +2 | +1 Any |
Partial Warrior/Wise
| Level | Hit Dice | Attack Bonus | Focus Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1d6 | +1 | 1 Warrior +1 Any |
| 2 | 2d6 | +2 | +1 Any |
| 3 | 3d6 | +2 | |
| 4 | 4d6 | +3 | |
| 5 | 5d6 | +4 | +1 Any |
| 6 | 6d6 | +5 | |
| 7 | 7d6 | +5 | +1 Any |
| 8 | 8d6 | +6 | |
| 9 | 9d6 | +6 | |
| 10 | 10d6 | +7 | +1 Any |
Example Art Progressions For Different Types Of Wise
| Level | Mundane Priest | Witch | Seer | Esoteric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holy Sanctity | Dread Awe | Erudite or Folk-Friend | Any Art |
| 2 | Dread Awe or Folk-Friend | Any Curse or Blessing | Any Divination | |
| 3 | Any Art | |||
| 4 | Skilled or Erudite | Healer or Any Curse or Blessing | Any Divination | |
| 5 | Personal Impunity | Any Divination | Any Divination | Any Art |
| 6 | Elite Ties or Folk-friend | Skilled | Skilled or Elite Ties | |
| 7 | Any Art | |||
| 8 | Any General Art | Any Divination or Curse or Blessing | Skilled or Elite Ties | |
| 9 | Any Art | |||
| 10 | Any General Art | Any Curse or Blessing | Any Divination |