A Prestige Class - The Masked Mage

[Jharviss]

I created this a while ago to go with a guild (Tower of Masked Mages) but never had it looked over.  Seraphine_Harmonium found it on my site and was finding some errors, so, despite his insight, I was hoping some others would do me the favor of looking it over.  With thanks, here it is...

Masked Mage (MM)[/u]
Hailing from the infamous Tower of Masked Mages, the masked mage is a fiendish master of illusions and enchantments, a deceptive caster able to warp reality in obscure ways unlike any other spellcaster.  Their iconic and otherworldly masks, silver, mithril, and gold face coverings of crazed designs, differentiate each masked mage but also grant them heinous power.  From simply speaking to the mage telepathically to fully casting spells of its own, the mask is truly a fearsome piece of the masked mageâ,¬,,¢s arsenal.  
Hit Dice: D8

Prerequisites
Feats: Any two metamagic feats.
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast illusion and enchantments spells of 3rd level or higher.
Special: Must join the Tower of Masked Mages in Surâ,¬,,¢Serevan.

Class Skills
The masked mageâ,¬,,¢s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Spellcasting
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Mask Attunment	-
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Ventriloquism	+1 level
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Warp Spellcasting	+1 level
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Living Mask	-
5	+2	+1	+1	+4		+1 level
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Protective Eye	+1 level
7	+3	+2	+2	+5	Rampaging Mask	-

Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the masked mage prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Masked mages gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Mask Attunement (Su): The masked mageâ,¬,,¢s mask becomes a part of her body, being irremovable except by such things as divine intervention or a remove curse spell.  The mask has a hardness of 20 and 5 hit points per level of masked mage the character has.  If their mask is destroyed, they lose all spellcasting and masked mage abilities until a new mask has been created.  Attuning a new mask is a free action.

Beyond showing the owner to be a member of the masked mages, the magical nature of the mask gives its wearer several unique benefits.  First and foremost, the DC for all illusion and enchantment spells cast by the masked mage increases by one.  Second, the mask allows the wearer to use the spell, disguise self, as a caster equal to the masked mageâ,¬,,¢s caster level, a number of times per day equal to the masked mageâ,¬,,¢s charisma modifier (minimum 1).  However, all masked mages can see through this illusion, making it impossible to use on fellow masked mages.  Finally, the masked mage gains a +6 Will save bonus against all fear effects.  

Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new masked mage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of masked mage to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

Ventriloquism (Sp): The masked mage can throw their voice exceptionally easily, being able to use ventriloquism, as per the spell, at will.  The caster level is equal to the masked mageâ,¬,,¢s caster level.

Warp Spellcasting (Su): The masked mage, through special training, can make the spell she is casting appear to be a very different spell.  By willingly lowering the save DC by five, the masked mage may make the spell she is casting have the same verbal and somatic components as any other spell in her reportoire..  The spell must still fulfill its components.  A spell that requires verbal and somatic components cannot be made to look like a spell that requires only somatic components, effectively making it into a silenced spell.

Living Mask (Su): Due to the incredible power the masked mage now possesses, her mask gains a personality of its own.  At fourth level, the masked mage may mentally speak with its mask.  Most masks have a personality that reflects its owner, but it differs highly between mages.  Furthermore, the mask can distort itself to have facial expressions, such as making itself smile or grimace.  The mask can also maintain watch over its owner; for example, while the mage sleeps the mask stays eternally awake and can wake the mage if it sees anything.  

Protective Eye (Sp): Once per day, as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, the masked mage may have its mask use true seeing, as per the spell.  The caster level is equal to the masked mageâ,¬,,¢s caster level.

Rampaging Mask (Su): The masked mageâ,¬,,¢s mask is now truly animated, being able to speak verbally any language the mage can speak.  The mask also gains a powerful ability: it can use spells that only have verbal components.  Once per day per masked mageâ,¬,,¢s charisma modifier, the mask can cast any spell the masked mage knows if it only has verbal components; however, the spellâ,¬,,¢s casting time is doubled (standard action to one round, one round to two rounds, and so on) and the DC is lowered by 5.  Despite these flaws, due to this ability the masked mage may simultaneously be casting two spells at one time.

The Masquerade Trials
Though the Tower of Masked Mages is, to an extent, willing to train many in the arts of the arcane and share their knowledge as far as it helps them, the true members of the tower are those officially known as masked mages.  To join the tower, one must demonstrate a huge knack for the arcane.  A senior masked mage named Kixone Halfmoon, named for his huge mask which resembles a twisted crescent moon and covers much of his torso, is in charge of the Masquerade Trials, in which new members are formally adopted into the group.  

The test is normally adminstered by any senior masked mage, often picked by Kixone or given by Kixone himself.  The test includes showing off one's arcane abilities, occassionally as a duel or in some real-world test, or simply by casting them in an open area.  All administrators of the trial do this ordeal differently.  After proving one's arcane might, they are then mentally tested by Kixone himself.  This 'interview' wracks the brain of the masked mage, and not a few have been known to go crazy afterwards (though, even of the crazed, many continue on to become masked mages).  The final test is the true Masquerade Trials, when the mask is chosen or created, then seared onto the applicants face with both fire and powerful magics.  A select few have been killed, others traumatized by this event.  Most escape with an aberation of a mask upon their face and no way of removing it.  Yet, despite this, they are now official members of the Tower of Masked Mages.

[Tangential]

"The masked mageâ,¬,,¢s mask becomes a part of her body, being irremovable except by such things as divine intervention or a remove curse spell."

I would spell out exactly what can affect it, it's a bit vague now. Does it need to be specifically a SDA or remove curse? Would a miracle work? Would a restoration greater?

I see pros and cons to simply boosting the DC, but what was your reasoning behind not just calling it a higher CL?

"However, all masked mages can see through this illusion, making it impossible to use on fellow masked mages." Could become
"Masked mages automatically make their save against the illusions of the mask". I think that would suffice.

Finaly, why a +6, and not the more standard +4?

Spells: This can be cut: "This essentially means that she adds the level of masked mage to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly."

Warp Spellcasting: I think it should integrate mechanics for others trying to figure out whats going on via Spellcraft. Perhaps a +4 or [+ = spell level] to their DCs?

Living Mask: No empathy? Try and change the wording to soemthing similar to that of psicrystals, regarding personality and ability to perceive.

Rampaging Mask: Is the -5 to DC really needed? Perhaps a -2 would be better? Can the mask use a quickened verbal only spell and then another verbal only spell?

I really like the Masquerade Trials.

What's up with a 7 level prestige class? And wearing a mask doesn't grant a bonus to Bluff checks or a penalty to the SM checks of others? Or both. Maybe that could be folded into Mask Attunement?

Erm...I'm sure there are other nitpicks but it's 2 AM here.

I quite enjoy the flavour of this class but it almost feels like it was built in 3.0 to me.