The Campaign Builder's Guild

Greetings all.  It's been mentioned to me several times that the magic system I'm using in my Living World of Glaesra setting (basically core Vancian magic with different arcane, divine, and primal spell lists) doesn't fit the flavor quite right.  It doesn't differentiate between the types of magic enough and, frankly, is just unoriginal.  So I've been working up an alternate magic system for review, and here it is.

Basic background of Glaesran magic--There are three kinds of magic: arcane, divine, and primal.  Arcane magic is granted by the demiurges (think unique beings like Asmodeus or the Lady of Pain) and is focused around destruction; divine magic is granted by the gods and is focused around transformation; primal magic is granted by the primordials (Greek titan-esque creatures, not the 4e primordials) and is focused around creation.  This magic is external to the spellcaster and is granted directly by these supreme beings rather than being an energy field of sorts.  Beginning arcane casters are called "mages" and may later become wizards or warlocks; beginning divine casters are called "novices" and may later become clerics or favored souls; beginning primal casters are called "ascetics" and may later become druids or shamans.

Basic mechanics--This is a freeform system.  The basic caster is called the "conduit" (because I feel "channeler" is over-used) with the arcane/divine/primal division being taken care of by different feats and class abilities.  Instead of using mana points or suffering strain or the like, casters in this system have a "casting threshold" or CT; they can cast any spell whose constituent effects have a point cost equal to or less than their CT, or take ability damage to cast above it.  The list of possible spell effects available to everyone is under the Spell Effects spoiler block, and several class abilities and feats add extra options.

Without further ado, the system.  Fair warning: My writing tends to be long and wordy, and though I've tried to cut it down to the bare essentials and have separated the fluff from the mechanics, it's still kind of long.  If there's anything unclear, just ask; I've tried to cover every possible eventuality, so things are kind of complex.  Thanks in advance for any comments.

The Conduit

[spoiler=Beginning Fluff]'I don't understand how he does it.  I spend a few hours studying intensely complex mathematical formulae, while he sits on the ground and meditates about clouds, and at the end of those hours he can still cast a better lightning bolt than I can!'
'"Soran Elleris, elf mage

Named for their direct connection to an outside source of power and their reference to 'channeling' that power, conduits harness raw magical power to craft whatever spell they wish.  Conduits come in several varieties: Arcane spellcasters gain power through destruction, converting matter to energy and 'trading' that energy to their patrons for power.  Divine spellcasters obey their patrons and are rewarded for their obedience, building up a reservoir of divine energy which they convert to other forms of energy to power their spells.  Primal spellcasters ask surrounding beings and creatures to grant them bits of power which they collect and collate, then they use their own personal power to 'grow' this energy before using it.
 
Making a Conduit

Adventures: Conduits usually divide into two camps when it comes to adventuring.  Some see adventures as ways to better themselves; every new experience gives conduits a new way to explore and expand their power and a new way to show off to others.  Other conduits see adventures as a way to better their patrons; they dedicate themselves to furthering the desires of their patrons and travel wherever they are sent to carry out their will, though this is neither mandatory nor common.  Most fall somewhere in the middle, and can have any other common motivations for adventuring as well.

Abilities: Charisma is by far the most important score for a conduit; their power level is directly connected to their Charisma score.  Constitution is also important for conduits, as Concentration is a very important skill for them, and they need high hit points to withstand the drain of using powerful abilities.  Intelligence is also important, as Knowledge is a very important skill to them and they need all the skill points they can get.

Religion: The importance of religion to an individual conduit may vary.  Divine conduits, who draw on a deity's power, obviously revere their patrons, while an arcane conduit who learned the demiurges' teachings secondhand might not care about some random being far away from the tangible 'here and now'.  That said, however, many conduits whether deity-bound or not realize that just because you can create things out of thin air and change the world to better suit you doesn't mean there is no one more powerful than you are.  Even the most self-centered conduits at least pay lip service to some deity just to avoid the occasional lightning bolt from an overzealous initiate.

Background: In terms of demographics, a majority of conduits identify themselves as divine casters, whether because they draw their power from a deity, they believe they draw their power from a deity but aren't quite sure, or they want others to believe they draw power from a deity.  Conduits of other powerful extraplanar beings would like to remind them, however, that one need not be a deity to provide power, thank you very much.

Races: No one race favors one path of the conduit over any other, except perhaps the elves, who produce more clerics than druids or wizards.  All of the common races have shown affinity for it, producing hundreds conduits over the years.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Mechanics]GAME RULE INFORMATION
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d6
Starting Gold: 5d4×10 (average 125 gp)
Starting Age: As sorcerer

Class Skills
The conduit's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all, individually) (Int), and Sense Motive (Cha).

Skill Points at 1st Level (4 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level 4 + Int modifier
[table=The Conduit]
[tr][td]Level[/td][td]BAB[/td][td]Fort[/td][td]Ref[/td][td]Will[/td][td]Special[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]1st[/td][td]+0[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+0[/td][td]+2[/td][td]Channeling, Path[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]2nd[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+0[/td][td]+3[/td][td]Hold Conduit[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]3rd[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+3[/td][td]Meta-Channeling[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]4th[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+4[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]5th[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+4[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]6th[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+5[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]7th[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+5[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]8th[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+6[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+6[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]9th[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+6[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+6[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]10th[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+7[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+7[/td][td]Patron's Protection[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]11th[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+7[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+7[/td][td]Path Ability[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]12th[/td][td]+6/+1[/td][td]+8[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+8[/td][td]Counter[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]13th[/td][td]+6/+1[/td][td]+8[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+8[/td][td]Store Potential[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]14th[/td][td]+7/+2[/td][td]+9[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+9[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]15th[/td][td]+7/+2[/td][td]+9[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+9[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]16th[/td][td]+8/+3[/td][td]+10[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+10[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]17th[/td][td]+8/+3[/td][td]+10[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+10[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]18th[/td][td]+9/+4[/td][td]+11[/td][td]+6[/td][td]+11[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]19th[/td][td]+9/+4[/td][td]+11[/td][td]+6[/td][td]+11[/td][td]Gift of the Source[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]20th[/td][td]+10/+5[/td][td]+12[/td][td]+6[/td][td]+12[/td][td]Patron's Inspiration[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the conduit.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Conduits are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).  

Channeling
Conduits don't cast spells like other spellcasters do; instead, they draw power from an outside source (see Path, below) to power their abilities.  The conduit does not have specific abilities or spells like other classes, but instead crafts and casts spells 'on the fly.'

Conduits have a menu of abilities from which they may choose when deciding what spell to cast, from hit point damage to telekinesis to practically anything else.  Each effect has a point cost, from a flat 4 points for 1d6 damage to a certain cost per weight or volume for a target of telekinesis; a complete list of effects and their costs can be found at the end of the conduit class description. (Any necessary examples will use hit point damage for consistency.)  For damaging and buffing spells, a conduit gains damage types and one bonus types with which to begin at first level based on his  path (see Path, below).

A conduit does not have an analog to spell points which he uses up with each casting.  Instead, he has a 'casting threshold,' hereafter referred to as his 'CT,' which is the maximum point cost of a spell which he may safely cast.  He may cast as many spells as he wants whose cost is less than his CT without a problem.  A conduit's CT equals his class level + his Cha score '" 10.  So if a first level conduit with 18 Cha (CT=1+18-10=9) wishes to deal damage to an opponent, he may deal 2d6+1 damage (cost 9) as often as he wants, all day if necessary.  He may combine multiple effects in a single casting; the same conduit could use 4 points for telekinesis to pull an opponent's weapon from them, then 5 points to deal damage to and possibly destroy it.

Casting a spell takes 1 standard action.  A conduit's spells may carry verbal, somatic, or material components based on his Path, but don't carry focus components unless the appropriate class ability is chosen (see Gift of the Source, below).  Conduits' spells have a duration of one round per 4 class levels, with a minimum duration of 1 round, unless modified by the appropriate ability (see Hold Channel, below).  Conduits' spells have a range of 5ft. and have a save DC of 15 + (cost/2), save negates, unless any of these are modified with Meta-Channeling (see below).

Conduits' spells apply their effects only once.  For example, a spell granting an additional move action would grant only 1 extra move to be used at any time during the spell's duration, like the psionic power hustle, rather than 1 extra move action per round, like the 3.0 version of haste.  To create spells that repeat their effects round after round, a conduit must either cast the spell again and again or use the Pulsed Channel ability described later.  (An effect in the list of abilities that does not follow this rule will be marked with an asterisk'"'*'.)

A conduit may attempt to cast a spell whose cost is greater than his CT, but doing so carries a cost.  Channeling large amounts of power is dangerous as well as mentally and physically demanding.  As a result, for each point a spell costs above his CT, the conduit takes an amount of drain.  Taking drain means that the conduit takes either -2 Charisma burn or 2d8 damage burn per point the spell cost exceeds his CT.  A conduit need not take the same kind of drain for each point the cost exceeds his CT; he may distribute the drain among either option as he would like.  All drain a conduit incurs is 'burn' rather than 'damage,' meaning it cannot be healed in any way other than natural rest and healing.  If any way is found to prevent or negate the drain, in any way, shape, or form, the desired spell does not take effect.

Cha burn taken from drain can lower a conduit's CT.  In fact, any temporary or permanent effect may lower a conduit's CT, but only permanent effects may raise it.  For example, a conduit cannot raise his CT by putting on a cloak or charisma, but he could raise it through his every-four-levels ability increase.  A conduit whose CT drops to 0 or below may still cast spells, but he incurs drain for every point of a spell over his CT as normal, so attempting to cast with a negative CT often proves fatal.

At first level, a conduit has several choices of damage types and bonus types for use with damaging and buff spells: He may use one or more of electricity, acid, cold, or sonic energy with damaging spells and may grant enhancement or morale bonuses or penalties with buff spells.

Path
Conduits draw their power from an outside source.  Every conduit draws his power from a different source; some conduits choose their source, some sources choose their conduits.  Regardless of the nature of the source chosen, that of a given conduit is referred to by others as his 'patron source'; among themselves, conduits simply refer to their Source, with the capital S readily audible.

A conduit may have one of three types of patron: he may choose to draw power from a deity (or deities), a demiurge (or several of them), a primordial (or many of them).  The choice of patron is entirely arbitrary for most purposes; however, a few class abilities are restricted based upon a conduit's choice of source.

The first effects a conduit's source has occur at first level, as the conduit selects his skill and gains a feat based on his patron source.
'¢Arcane An arcane conduit uses Knowledge (Arcana) as his key skill and gains the Mage feat as a bonus feat.
'¢Divine A divine conduit uses Knowledge (Religion) as his key skill and gains the Novice feat as a bonus feat.
'¢Primal A primal conduit uses Knowledge (Nature) as his key skill and gains the Ascetic feat as a bonus feat.
A conduit may choose to follow multiple paths by taking the other two path initiate feats and later feats in the chain, but his key skill never changes.

Hold Conduit
2nd-level conduits gain a greater understanding of using their patron's power, as well as the discipline necessary to hold the channel between himself and his patron open to sustain a spell.  A 2nd-level conduit gains the ability to hold spells for much longer than their normal duration.  He has a number of 'holding slots' equal to his ranks in Concentration; each ongoing spell fills one slot.  Any spell in a holding slot lasts as long as it is held, with the caveat that held spells are still vulnerable to Countering.  For each slot filled, the conduit's effective ranks in Concentration are reduced by one until the spell is removed from the slot.  The number of holding slots available changes if the conduit's ranks in Concentration increase or decrease.

A spell may be placed in a holding slot as part of casting a spell, or an ongoing spell may be placed in a slot as a standard action.  A spell may be removed from a slot as a move action; any spell removed from a slot ends immediately, whether or not its duration would have expired.
 
Meta-Channeling
3rd-level conduits have the ability to modify their spells just as other casters can with metamagic abilities, but conduits do not need to use up feats to do so.  In the same way that they have 'holding slots' based on Concentration, conduits have 'metamagic slots' based on their key Knowledge skill'"Arcana for arcane conduits, Religion for divine conduits, and Nature for primal conduits.  Each Knowledge slot can hold one metamagic effect, reducing effective Knowledge ranks in the process; any and all metamagic effects in Knowledge slots may be applied to a conduit's spell at no extra cost.  Changing metamagic slot allocation is a move action.  Effects may be chosen multiple times, and they stack.

Available effects include the following:
'¢Increase range by 10 ft.
'¢Increase save DC by 1
'¢Change to area (10ft. spread; line, cone, sphere, cylinder)
'¢Increase area by 15ft. (line), 10 ft. (cone), or 5ft. radius (sphere/cylinder)
'¢Add 1 additional target
'¢Add 1 save (Reflex + Will, etc) for differing effects (damage + telekinesis)
'¢Save for partial/half instead of save negates
'¢Melee/ranged attack roll instead of save

In addition to the above effects, the conduit may choose to use one of the following effects, which each take up 12 slots:
'¢Cast spell as swift action
'¢Ignore line of sight/line of effect requirement

Note that swift action spells (and immediate action spells, when the conduit gains the ability to cast them) count against the conduits CT for that round; if a conduit with a CT of 20 casts a spell as a standard action that costs 5 points, then casts a spell as a swift action with a cost of 20 points, he takes drain as if he had cast 25-point spell.

'Additional saves' are a special case.  The normal type of save for an effect, Fort or Will (except HP damage, which is Ref), is listed with each effect at the end of the conduit class description.  If multiple effects are chosen with differing types, either type is chosen.  If the spell is modified to affect multiple targets, the conduit may choose to make it a Ref save.  With the additional saves metamagic effect, the conduit may choose to have multiple effects of a spell require separate saves to resist or change the normal type of save (for example, requiring a Will save for hp damage or requiring a Ref save for a single-target spell).

If a conduit has the Counter ability, he may apply any readied metamagic effects to the countering process.  For example, if an opponent casts a fireball at a conduit who has filled 4 metamagic slots with 'increase range by 10ft.', instead of countering the damage, the conduit may decrease the fireball's range by 40 ft., dropping it at the opponent's feet or negating it if it is cast with a range less than 40 ft.  In addition, while the conduit may not normally modify the duration of his spells through meta-channeling, if he has the Counter ability he may reserve some of his Spellcraft slots for a 1-increment duration decrease, at the cost of 2 slots per round.  For example, a conduit may fill 4 slots with 'Duration decrease,' getting a 2-round decrease which the conduit can use to suppress targeted spells for up to two rounds per use of this ability

Gift of the Source
Conduits are not all alike; as their patron sources are different, so are they.  At each level noted on the class table, the conduit gains one of the abilities from the list below.  Each may be chosen only once unless otherwise noted.

Easy Channeling
Conduits with this ability no longer have to always rely on the crutches of spell components, nor do they have to focus as much on channeling as they once did.  As part of casting a spell, a conduit may make a Spellcraft check with a DC of 20 + spell cost; if this check succeeds, the spell is treated as a supernatural ability which, among other things, means it requires no components, does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and cannot be dispelled.  If the check fails, the spell is cast as normal.

Rapid Channeling
Conduits with this ability may make a Spellcraft check with a DC of 25 + spell cost to cast a spell as an immediate action.  If the check fails, the spell does not go off, but the conduit suffers no ill effect.

Everlasting Link
Conduits with this ability learn to give their spells an independent link to their patron source, which lets them be maintained without any effort on the conduit's part.  Instead of filling a holding slot with a spell, a conduit may sacrifice 100 XP per point of a spell's cost to make a spell affecting the conduit permanent, 200 XP per point for a spell affecting another being, or 300 XP per point for a spell on an object.

Focus
A conduit may choose a particular item to be a focus for his ability to channel his patron's power.  This item does not need to be significant to the patron, although it can be; it is an aid to the conduit rather than a representation of the patron.  The conduit must choose a particular item, not a type or group of items, to be his focus.  When the conduit has his focus on him, he adds 3 to his CT; if it is destroyed or it leaves his immediate possession, he subtracts 3 from his CT.  A conduit may replace a current or destroyed focus with 8 hours of meditation with the old and new focus at hand (if the old focus still exists).  If a focus is destroyed, the conduit must wait a minimum of 3 days before attuning a new focus to himself.  The focus must be presented and visible as part of spellcasting, and effectively adds a Focus (F) component to the spell's requirements.  Bonuses and penalties to the conduit's CT from this ability stack with any from the Sanctuary ability, above.

Additional Bonus Types
Conduits with this ability may learn to use more bonus types on top of those he learned at 1st level for purposes of buff spells. He gains the ability to grant luck, circumstance, and competence bonuses with his spells.

Plane Shift
Conduits with this ability may travel among the planes at will.  To shift to a different plane, he makes a Spellcraft check with a DC of 15 for the Material, 20 for an Inner Plane, 25 for a Middle Plane, and 30 for an Outer Plane; if he succeeds, he appears exactly where he wants to arrive, but if he fails he is off target by 1d6 feet for every point lower his result it than the DC.  He takes with him any gear he carries, up to a light load, as well as any creatures he personally is touching and their gear.  However, if he carries additional beings, or gear above a light load, he increases the DC by 10; if he is carrying another being and either he or any one of the additional beings has a medium or heavy load, he increases the DC by 15.

Smite
Conduits with this ability with this ability may cast a smiting spell once per day: a spell on a person or object that ignores physical objects and cover in the way, does not allow a save, and does not require an attack roll.  The target of this ability must be significant to the conduit's patron.  For example, if the conduit's patron is a primordial, this must be used against someone defiling nature, or an aberration or undead; likewise, if the conduit channels a demiurge who despises elves (for example), this must be used against an elf or someone or something obviously serving or being used by an elf.  The DM determines if a creature of object is a valid target for this ability.  This ability may be chosen multiple times, each time adding an additional daily use of this ability; the conduit may attempt to use it more often than his daily use(s) allow(s), but to do so he must succeed on a Spellcraft check with a DC equal to 20 + 10 per previous successful use.

Disruption
Conduits with this ability become more familiar with their patron sources and become able to draw more power than usual; there is always some leakage of power when a conduit forms his spells, and he is now able to attempt to use it to interfere with others' power.  A conduit may apply a miss percentage to others or to himself, either to incoming or outgoing rolls.  'Incoming rolls' are made against the target, while 'outgoing rolls' are made by the target; for example, applying the former could work like concealment, and applying the latter could work like confusion.  This use of this ability has a spell cost of 4 points per 5% below 100%, and is cast on or at something like any other spell; the conduit must choose a type of roll (attack roll, save, skill check, etc.) to which to apply the miss percentage with each spell, and though multiple spells affecting the same type of roll do not stack, he may use this ability multiple times on a single target as long as each affects a different kind of roll.

Multiplied Power
Conduits with this ability gain the ability to provide multipliers to certain stats in addition to adding or subtracting.  For example, to prevent an opponent from running away, a conduit may cast a spell changing the opponent's run multiplier from x4 to x2 (multiplying by x1/2 twice) or make the terrain more difficult by multiplying the movement cost by x2, or he may improve the critical multiplier of a weapon from x2 to x3 (multiplying by x2).  The usual rule for multiplying several times is in effect, and applying multipliers to the same thing multiple times does not stack.  The cost for a spell using this ability is 10 x multiplier.  (The cost for multiplying by 1/2 is the same as that for multiplying by x2, the cost for multiplying by 1/3 is the same as that for multiplying by x3, and so on.)

Pulsed Channel
Conduits with this ability eventually learn to cast spells that draw on a link to their source in order to renew their power periodically.  The conduit may cast a spell that repeats every round or every few rounds, but this lessens his own power as the spell reserves part of the link between the conduit and his source.  Mechanically, the spell repeats its effects each round for the duration (lingering damage, healing over time, extra actions each round, etc.), but the conduit's CT is reduced by the cost of the spell for as long as it lasts.  For example, a conduit with a CT of 20 who casts a 16-point spell on himself lasting 6 rounds has an effective CT of 4 until 6 rounds have elapsed.  The conduit can mitigate this CT reduction by lengthening the time between the repetitions of the spell's effects.  For each additional round (for personal spells), minute (for spells on other beings), or hour (for spells on objects) between iterations, the CT reduction is lessened by one, while the original cost remains the same.  For example, if the same conduit mentioned above makes the spell take effect every other round, the cost remains 16 points but his CT is only reduced to 5, not 4.

Resilience
Conduits with this ability choose one type of saving throw.  If Fortitude is chosen, the conduit gains the Mettle ability (Fortitude only); If Will is chosen, the conduit receives the Mettle ability (Will only); and If Reflex is chosen, the conduit receives the Evasion ability.  This ability may be chosen multiple times, choosing a different type of save each time.

Pact with the Source
Conduits with this ability gain a limited ability to store their patron's power for later use.  In the same way conduits may hold ongoing spells to extend their durations, a conduit with this ability may store instantaneous-duration spells in a contingent form.  The triggering conditions may be as vague ('I am attacked') or as specific ('An ogre wearing blue points a sword at me') as desired, but the trigger phrase may contain only one word per class level, and the trigger condition is interpreted literally and with no thought for context.  For example, a trigger condition of 'Someone attacks me' would activate if anything attacks you in any way, whether or not an attack is successful or is meant in jest.  Also, a trigger cannot be based off of intangibles such as alignment or HD, not can a trigger see the future but rather takes effect after the condition has been fulfilled; 'If a lawful creature is about to attack me' would fail because (a) a trigger cannot determine what is 'lawful' and (b) it cannot tell if the conduit is about to be attacked, and a condition of 'If anything attacks me' would trigger after damage has been taken and the conduit's condition has been determined.
A contingent spell does not need to affect the conduit, but if it affects another target, the target must be related to the trigger in some way.  For example, a trigger of 'I am attacked' could trigger an offensive spell against the attacker, as the trigger deals with the conduit being attacked, but it could not trigger a protective spell on an ally.
If a contingent spell would cost the conduit drain, 3/4 of the drain occurs when the spell is stored and 1/4 of the drain occurs when the spell takes effect, rounded towards when the spell takes effect.

Patron's Protection
10th-level conduits are valuable servants to their patrons, and their patron sources invest more effort and power to protect them.  The conduit adds his Charisma bonus to his AC and initiative.

Path Ability
Based on the path a conduit chose at first level, he gains a benefit unique to that path.  If he has taken multiple initiate feats (Mage, Novice, and Ascetic) he gains the abilities appropriate to both or all three of the paths he has followed; taking one of those feats after 11th level will retroactively grant a conduit the appropriate ability.

Item Creation
Arcane conduits are able to store some of their power in items.  With one minute of concentration, an arcane conduit may craft a single spell and store it in an item worth at least 10 gp per point of the spell's cost; investing the spell in the item costs as much XP as it would to make a spell on the object permanent, but the conduit may make a Will save with a DC equal to the spell's cost to halve the XP cost.  When used, this spell works exactly as if the conduit had cast it himself'"including using any class features or feats in conjunction with the spell that the conduit wishes'"so if he had the appropriate abilities he could use the Pulsed Channel ability to make it take effect multiple times, or use the Hold Conduit ability to make it last as long as the wielder holds it in a Concentration slot, and so forth.  Items invested with the spell are one-use items only; a few possible items are given at the end of the conduit class description.

Shapeshifting
Divine conduits are able to change their physical forms.  With one minute of concentration, a divine conduit may change the size, shape, or other features of a target creature.  He may increase or decrease the target's size by one category per point of Wisdom bonus, may change its shape to another creature, or may grant or remove limbs or other organs.  Apart from the size change, the differences are purely cosmetic; granting a target the shape of a dragon will not give it a dragon's breath weapon unless he uses another spell to do so, and multiple limbs will not grant a target multiple attacks unless another spell grants him more actions.  Using this ability causes the target to automatically succeed on Disguise checks based on appearance, but he still may be forced to make Bluff or Disguise checks if he does not act like the creature he appears to be.

Reincarnation
Primal conduits are able to place the souls of deceased creatures in new bodies.  With one minute of concentration, a primal conduit may resurrect a character who has died.  There is no time limit past which a character may not be resurrected, but creatures long dead make the process more difficult: for each year or portion thereof a creature has been dead, it must make a Will save with a DC equal to three times its HD minus its Constitution score to avoid losing a level due to the stresses of resurrection; if it fails three saves or rolls a natural 1, it is dead forever and may not be thereafter resurrected.

Counter
12th-level conduits are able to counter the abilities of others.  This is similar to counterspelling, but instead of crafting a spell to oppose the particular ability being countered, the conduit tries to subvert the energies used by his opponent.  The conduit must make a Spellcraft check to see whether he can identify the source of power and spell, power, meld, or other magic being used.  Whether the conduit identifies the ability successfully or not, he crafts a spell to use in countering.  The conduit attempts to negate the effect of an opponents power by modifying its effects on a 1-for-1 basis.  For example, if the opponent is casting fireball, the conduit could craft a spell that deals 4d6 damage.  If the opposing caster has a 10d6 fireball, the resulting fireball would deal only 6d6 after the counter.  If the conduit's spell completely negates the opponent's ability, such as negating a 5d6 fireball with a spell dealing 5d6 damage, the energies of the conduit's spell and the ability to be countered are destroyed in the same way matter and antimatter destroy each other.  There is no adverse consequence for the opponent; the negated ability is simply discharged harmlessly into the environment with no more effect than perhaps a flash of light.  The conduit must still obey all rules for abilities used, spell cost, and CT.  Countering is used as an immediate action (the spell used to counter counts against the conduit's CT for the round), and may be used once per hour per point of the conduit's Charisma bonus.  For more countering options, see Meta-Channeling.

A conduit may also counter effects already in place in addition to those just being cast, in the same way by which he would counter a spell or power.  If an effect is placed on a creature or object, he may counter and dispel it permanently with a Spellcraft check against a DC of 10 + effect's caster level + caster's key ability score; if he fails the check, it is still countered, but only for one round.  If the effect is not tied to a creature or object but just exists in space (summoned creatures, conjured walls, etc.), the conduit can counter it for only one round.  For example, to bring down a wall of fire, the conduit may negate the damage it does that round or reduce the area it covers, but it will spring back to life the next round.

Store Potential
13th-level conduits may keep experience points at each level to use to power their Everlasting Link ability.  He may store XP instead of gaining a level, but the conduit may save only 1/2 his class level's worth of XP at any time; for instance, to go from level 14 to level 15 requires 15000 XP, so a 15th-level conduit cannot store more than 7500 XP with this ability.

Patron's Inspiration
20th-level conduits are perfect extensions of their patron's will and power.  Their patron sources take great pains to benefit such powerful and devoted servants.  As a swift action, he may substitute his Cha bonus for any other bonus on any one roll during that round, whether on his turn or not.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Spell Effects]A comprehensive list of possible spell effects and their costs follows.

Effects, Comments, and Save Types
'¢ HP

*1 hp'"1 point
*1d2 hp'"2 points
*1d4 hp'"3 points
*1d6 hp'"4 points
*Ref save

'¢ Attack bonus*

*3 points per +/-
*Fort save (penalty only)

'¢ AC*

*2 points per +/-
*Fort save (penalty only)

'¢ Save*

*3 points per +/-
*May only affect 1 save type per casting
*Matching save (penalty only)

'¢ Skill modifier*

*3 points per +/-
*May only affect 1 skill per casting
*Fort (penalty to Str/Dex/Con skill)/Will (penalty to Int/Wis/Cha skill)

'¢ # of Actions

*+/- standard'"25 points
*+/- move'"25 points
*+/- full-round'"35 points
*+/- iterative attack'"15 points
*+/- swift'"30 points
*+/- immediate'"35 points
*+/- readied action'"30 points
*+/- AoO'"10 points
*Each casting gives # of actions usable at any point during duration; for # extra per round, one needs Pulsed Channel ability
*Will save (action reduction only)

'¢ Speed*

*+/-5 ft'"3 points
*Adjust fly maneuverability rating'"10 points per step
*Grant burrow speed'"20 points
*Fort save (penalty only)

'¢ Teleport

*Per 100 lbs. transported'"19 points
*Per creature transported'"8 points
*Per 1 mile range'"8 points
*Costs don't stack; use most expensive option
*Will save

'¢ DR/[something]*

*DR 1/'" 7 points
*DR 1/[material]'"5 points
*DR 1/[damage type]'"3 points
*Fort save (DR reduction only)

'¢ Energy Resistance

*Resistance 1'"4 points
*Negative resistance = vulnerability/additional damage
*Fort save (resistance reduction only)

'¢ Telekinesis*

*Per 50 lbs. moved'"1 point
*Per 5ft movement speed'"2 points
*Per object moved'"

[# of objects squared] points
*Costs don't stack; use most expensive option
*Fort save[/list]
'¢ Summon/banish

*Summon: per HD of target'"2 points
*Banish: per HD of target'"3 points
*Call: per HD of target'"4 points
*Will save (banish only)

'¢ Extra senses*

*Darkvision: per 5ft range'"6 points
*Low-light vision: per 5ft range'"5 points
*Tremorsense: per 5ft range'"10 points
*Blindsight: per 5ft range'"9 points
*No save

'¢ Immunities*

*Immunity to damage type'"30 points
*Immunity to type of ability'"28 points
*Bypass/suppress immunity'"36 points
*Fort save (immunity reduction only

'¢ Initiative

*+/-1 to initiative'"8 points
*Make flat-footed'"16 points
*Will save (penalty only)

'¢ Skill use

*Take 10: dangerous situation'"4 points
*Take 10: skill doesn't allow taking 10'"24 points
*Take 20: dangerous situation'"13 points
*Take 20: skill doesn't allow taking 20'"33 points
*Treat as trained in skill'"8 points
*No save

'¢ Affect probability

*Reroll'"19 points
*Adjust % roll: per 1%'"2 points
*Will save (forced reroll only)

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=More Fluff]About Conduits
'No one but us conduits really understands power.  Yes, skilled swordsmen can hold empires in thrall through fear, and nobles can yell at the public until it does what they want, but we have a Source of raw power we shape through pure force of will, no time-wasting soldiering or obscene amounts of wealth required.'
'"Eldran Ilsaven, human conduit

Playing a Conduit

Combat: While conduits don't have the staying power of any other caster, as their power curve lags slightly behind others', they make up for it in flexibility.  To a conduit, there is no energy immunity too strange and no barrier too unsurpassable to overcome somehow.

Advancement: Once a conduit can sense the connection between him- or herself and his or her patron source, training ends.  Continuing development simply means gaining a finer control over his or her power and discovering how to manipulate his or her power in new and different ways.

Daily Life: No two conduits are alike.  The conduit of Slangrian might spend her days alongside his clerics in Slangrian's temple, while a conduit of a diabolical demiurge plots mayhem and destruction.

Conduit Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes), Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), or Knowledge (nature) have probably heard at least a little information about conduits:

DC 10: The magic-users known as 'conduits' draw power directly from gods, primordials, or demiurges, and can produce almost any effect on the fly.

DC 15: Conduits can produce almost any effect imaginable, limited only by their 'casting threshold,' which is a measure of their power. Experienced conduits can make their spells permanent, travel the planes, and manipulate others' spells.

DC 20: Conduits' power is based on their experience and force of personality.  They may use their power an unlimited number of times per day and can sustain their spells long after one would think they should have faded.  Their connection to their source of power, called their 'patron source' or simply 'patron,' allows them to increase their power in certain places or using certain items.

DC 30: Information about conduits, drawn from the 'Making a Conduit' and 'Playing a  Conduit' sections above.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Casting Examples]Conduits in the Game
The list of conduits' powers and ability choices leaves out the flavor and includes only the mechanics for a reason.  Every conduit is unique, and the flavor should reflect that.  A fairly simple, damage-dealing spell could be a spray of metal shards, lines of light, streaks of hail and lightning, or anything else; likewise, ability damage could be the righteous wrath of Slangrian, an insidious disease or poison, a paralyzing beam of energy, or whatever strikes the player's fancy'"be creative!  Most conduits pick a 'theme' to give themselves a signature, which usually matches the nature of their patron.  The options available to a conduit can be overwhelming at times, so most often they have a few trademark abilities they use over and over.

In exchange for their unlimited casting and extreme versatility, conduits are meant to have a much lower power curve than most core D&D spellcasters.  Re-creations of two iconic D&D spells for comparison follow with their costs and how they are created noted:

Fireball: 10d6 damage in a 20-ft-radius spread at a 400-ft range, Reflex negates.
Cost: 10d6 damage'"40 points total
Meta-Channeling: Change to area; increase radius by 5 ft (x3); increase range by 10 ft (x40)

Magic Missile: Automatically hit one target within 25 feet with 5 missiles of 1d4+1 damage each.
Cost: 5d4+5 damage'"20 points total
Meta-Channeling: Increase range by 10 ft (x2)
Gift of the Source: Smite required

As you can see, high-damage or wide-area spells are beyond most conduits' power; given that a conduit who starts with an 18 Charisma and boosts it at every opportunity (every-four-levels level-up bumps and inherent bonuses) will have a CT of 38 at 20th level, flashy spells like these are not common, and even magic missile is delayed until later levels.  Taking the Gift of the Source ability Focus, a [Master] feat, and the Overchannel feat (see the next section for conduit feats) can boost this to a CT of 61, but even then they can barely manage the fireball that every core wizard can cast by 10th level at the latest.

Some ideas for spells conduits do cast often:

Get Away From Me: Deal 2d6 damage, push up to 8 adjacent enemies backwards 20 feet, and reduce their AC by 5; Will halves movement, Reflex halves damage, Fort halves AC penalty.
Cost: 2d6 damage'"8 points; move enemy 20 ft (telekinesis)'"10 points; -5 AC'"10 points; 2 points for using 3 effects (30 points total)
Meta-Channeling: Increase number of targets by 1 (x7), additional save (x2), change save negates to save partial
Minimum level: Assuming starting Cha 18 and regular boosts'"18, or 15 with Focus, or 7 with Focus and a [Master] feat.  (Lowest possible level is 7 for the 10 meta-channeling slots needed.)

Storm Ray: Deal 4d6 electricity and sonic damage (half of each) to a target within 35 feet and weaken the target (-5 attack, -5 saves).
Cost: 4d6 damage'"16 points; -5 attack'"15 points; -5 saves'"15 points; 2 for using 3 effects (48 points total)
Meta-Channeling: Increase range by 10 feet (x3)
Minimum level: Assume starting Cha 18 and regular boosts'"22 with Focus or 15 with Overchannel/[Master] feat or 12 with Focus and Overchannel/[Master] feat.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Conduit Feats]
Descriptors: Feats with the [Conduit] descriptor require levels in conduit to take; feats with the [Initiate] descriptor give access to conduit abilities dependent on path (mage gives arcane, novice gives divine, ascetic gives primal); feats with the [Master] descriptor remove the -10 penalty to CT, so a conduit with one of these feats has a CT of level + Cha rather than level + Cha '" 10.

Shaped Channel [Conduit]
You have a knack for battlefield control, sending spells around friends and enemies to hit exactly the right spot.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana, religion, or nature) 8 ranks, Conduit level 6th
Benefit: You may leave 'holes' in your area spells to avoid harming allies or helping enemies.  For every 6 points you add to a spell's cost, you may leave one 5ftx5ftx5ft cube unaffected.

Overchannel [Conduit]
With a bit of extra concentration, you can pump just a bit more power into your spells.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana, religion, or nature) 11 ranks, Conduit level 9th
Benefit: As a swift action, you may increase your CT by 10 until your next turn; casting a spell with this enhanced CT takes a full-round action rather than a standard action.

Efficient Allocation [Conduit]
You are more adept at managing flows of power than the average conduit.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana, religion, or nature) 14 ranks, Conduit level 12th
Benefit: You may now reallocate metamagic slots, place spells in holding slots, and release spells from holding slots as a swift action, taking a separate swift action to do each of the above.
Normal: Metamagic slots are allocated as move actions; spells are placed in holding slots as standard actions and released as move actions.

Mage [Initiate]
Due to your dedication to the study of arcane magic, your destructive magic is more powerful than that of other spellcasters.
Prerequisites: Conduit level 1st
Benefit: You may increase the type of damage die you use up to one step'"d6 to d8, d8 to d10, and d10 to d12 (the maximum).  Each step increase requires a 2 point increase in the spell's cost, so each d8 costs 7 points, each d10 costs 9 points, and each d12 costs 11 points.  In addition, you add force to the list of damage types you can access for damaging spells, which ignores concealment and incorporeality.
Special: If you take this feat, you may not take the Novice or Ascetic feats until and unless you first take either the Wizard or Warlock feat.

Wizard [Master]
After studying a particular type of magic extensively, you have mastered it to the exclusion of others.
Prerequisites: Mage, Conduit level 5th
Benefit: Choose one category of magic from the conduit list (telekinesis, saves, etc.).  Your CT for any spells using only that type of magic is increased by 3, but your CT for any spells that include other types and do not include your chosen type is reduced by 3.  Bonuses to the conduit's CT from this ability stack with any from the Gift of the Source ability Focus.

Warlock [Master]
Your patron granted you the ability to sense magic as easily as you see light or hear sounds.
Prerequisites: Mage, Conduit level 5th
Benefit: You can sense when a spell is cast within 30 feet of you, automatically determining the location of the caster and the effect types (damage, telekinesis, etc.) of the spell.  You detect this information quick enough to allow you to attempt to Counter the spell.

Novice [Initiate]
As you are initiated into the mysteries of divine magic, you learn to channel their energy to alter and heal living things.
Prerequisites: Conduit level 1st
Benefit: You gain the ability to alter others' ability scores and grant scores to creatures or objects who lack them.  This is treated as any other spell with a point cost as follows: 6 points per 1-point increase or decrease in each score; 1 point per ability affected; 2 points to grant a score to a creature or object without it (not cumulative).  Granting an ability score to a creature functions for all intents and purposes as if it were a 'natural' score; for instance, an undead creature given a Constitution score would then be alive, and an object given an Intelligence and Wisdom score would actually be sentient.  For instance, to give a living ally a +2 bonus to Constitution costs 13 points (6 times 2 for the +2, 1 for affecting 1 ability), while to give an inanimate object a 3 in all six scores costs 26 (6 times 3 for the +3, 6 for affecting 6 abilities, 2 for granting an ability score to an object).  Granting a bonus to an existing ability does not allow a save; targets may make a Fort save to avoid a penalty to a physical score (or to be granted a physical score they do not already possess) and/or may make a Will save to avoid a penalty to a mental score (or to be granted a mental score they do not already possess.

In addition, you add positive energy to the list of damage types you can access for damaging spells, which heals living creatures by half of the amount that would otherwise have been dealt and deals normal damage to undead.
Special: If you take this feat, you may not take the Mage or Ascetic feats until and unless you first take either the Cleric or Favored Soul feat.

Cleric [Master]
Your faith strengthens and reinforces your spells in places sacred to your patron.
Prerequisites: Novice, Conduit level 5th
Benefit: In a place important to your patron, you add 3 to your CT.  Important places to a patron include temples and sites associated with the patron's influence and/or portfolio; possessing items personally significant to the source such as artifacts or relics will also give this bonus.  The DM determines if a given place or object qualifies as important to the patron.  Bonuses to the conduit's CT from this ability stack with any from the Gift of the Source ability Focus.

Favored Soul [Master]
Your superior service to the gods has caused them to grant you the gift of flight.
Prerequisites: Novice, Conduit level 5th
Benefit: You grow a pair of feathered wings which grant you flight as a raptoran of your class level.

Ascetic [Initiate]
Delving into primal magic, you learn to draw objects from nothingness by drawing on the purely creative energies of the primordials.
Prerequisites: Conduit level 1st
Benefit: You can create materials or objects out of nothingness by converting your patron's power directly to matter.  This is treated as any other spell with a point cost as follows: 1 point per 100gp value of the object or material; 2 points per 10 lb. of the object's or material's weight; 2 points per 1 cubic foot of the object's or material's volume.  Costs don't stack, but use the most expensive option; for instance, a suit of full plate costs 1500gp, weighs 50 lbs, and is probably around 6 cubic feet in volume.  The highest point cost would be 15 points for the gp cost, so a conduit would need a CT of 15 to create it without incurring drain.  In addition, you add physical damage to the list of damage types you can access for damaging spells, which is a damage type that counts as piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning (your choice at time of casting).
Special: If you take this feat, you may not take the Mage or Novice feats until and unless you first take either the Druid or Shaman feat.

Druid [Master]
A particular primordial singles you out as its favorite and grants you additional power when you are near it.
Prerequisites: Ascetic, Conduit level 5th
Benefit: Choose a type of terrain: ocean, forest, swamp, mountains, plains, caverns, or tundra.  In that type of terrain, add 3 to your CT.  Bonuses to the conduit's CT from this ability stack with any from the Gift of the Source ability Focus.

Shaman [Master]
Your connection with the creatures of nature has made you more like them.
Prerequisites: Ascetic, Conduit level 5th
Benefit: You gain low-light vision (or darkvision if you have low-light vision, or blindsight if you have darkvision) and scent.[/spoiler]

46 views and no replies? x. Looks like I screwed this up worse than I thought.

Oookay...since it seems I've vastly underestimated my familiarity with the system and overestimated the draw of freeform magic, I'll ask a few specific questions to see if that gets me anywhere.

1) Is the basic idea of a system where you can cast as much and as often as you want, as long as it's below a certain power threshold (as opposed to a skill-based or limited resource system) a good one?

2) Is the writeup for this too long?  Too complex (i.e., a bunch more examples would help)?  Or is there just no interest in it at all?

3) Are people concerned the power level is too high?  Too low?  Too hard to tell?

No, no, been crazy, will take a good look tonight if I am able.  
I like the unique mechanics of casting a certain amount of take damage, I love the idea of the conduit being charisma based...But we need more explanation why.  Is it because the conduit source has to like the caster???  I'm trying to figure why charisma is used to describe the ability to create the conduit.

[blockquote=PODL]Conduits don't cast spells like other spellcasters do; instead, they draw power from an outside source (see Path, below) to power their abilities. The conduit does not have specific abilities or spells like other classes, but instead crafts and casts spells 'on the fly.'[/blockquote]  like other spellcasters in Glaesra, or in other systems?  

Quote from: PODLConduits don't cast spells like other spellcasters do; instead, they draw power from an outside source (see Path, below) to power their abilities. The conduit does not have specific abilities or spells like other classes, but instead crafts and casts spells 'on the fly.'[/blockquote]  like other spellcasters in Glaesra, or in other systems?  

the[/i] spellcaster in the setting.  Wizards, warlocks, clerics, favored souls, druids, and spirit shamans are all just feats for the conduit that give appropriately-themed abilities.  I'm trying to cut down the number of classes a lot--the conduit and psion for casters, a Tome of Battle class and regular warrior class (names and details undecided), and two NPC classes (coming soon-ish)--which is part of the reason why the conduit's system is meant to be so broad in scope,