Ætherforge (3.5 base)

[sirpercival]

As requested by littha here.  Still extremely WIP.

ÆTHERFORGE

   
"The æther around us is a weapon, one that I will use against you."

-Hargrove Wynne, ætherforge

An ætherforge wields æther, the energy surrounding and suffusing all of creation, created when the Universe exploded into being.

MAKING AN ÆTHERFORGE
An ætherforge is primarily a support character, buffing his allies and controlling the battlefield.
Abilities: Wis > Con > Int = Dex > Str = Cha
Races: While humans and gnomes are quite likely to be ætherforges, because they are likely to try new things, special mention must be made of the Dwærrow, who have a racial inclination.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: As sorcerer
Starting Age: As sorcerer

Class Skills
The Ætherforge's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int

Table: The Ætherforge				HD: d8
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Base Attack Bonus +0 +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 /+1 +6 /+1 +7 /+2 +7 /+2 +8 /+3 +8 /+3 +9 /+4 +9 /+4 +10 /+5	Fort Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12	Ref Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6	Will Save +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12	Special Æther forging Æthereal view Bonus metaforge feat Æthereal essence Æthereal transformation Forged body Bonus metaforge feat Æthereal presence Improved æthereal transformation Æthereal awareness Bonus metaforge feat Improved forged body Greater æthereal transformation Æthereal sustenance Bonus metaforge feat Improved æthereal awareness Immaculate forging Greater forged body Bonus metaforge feat Æthereal being	Æther 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 17 18 20 22 23 25 27 28 30 32 33 35	Forgings Known 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: An ætherforge is proficient with simple weapons, all non-exotic armor, and shields (but not tower shields).

Æther forging (Su): An ætherforge draws in æther from the field of energy permeating the Universe and shapes it into magical effects called forgings.  Forging æther requires a standard action which provokes attacks of opportunity.  The ætherforge can make a Concentration check (DC 15 + units of æther bound to the forging) to forge defensively.  At the beginning of each day, an ætherforge draws in 1 or more units of æther into his æther pool, as shown on the table above; he can then bind the æther into forgings of various duration.  Units of æther remain bound to whatever forging they were used for, and return to the pool 1 round after the effect expires, available at that point to be used again.  The ætherforge can unforge an effect with a non-instantaneous duration as a move action, ending the forging prematurely and returning the newly-freed æther to his pool 1 round later.

An ætherforge's facility with æther is represented by his Forger level, which is equal to his levels in this class.  The power of a particular forging is determined by how many units of æther the ætherforge uses to forge it; he may bind a maximum number of units of æther equal to half his Forger level (rounded down, minimum 1) to any given effect.  The ætherforge begins by knowing 3 forgings of his choice from the list below; he learns additional forgings as he increases in experience, as shown on the table above. He must be able to bind the minimum amount of æther to a forging to be able to learn it (not including temporary boosts like the Force Æther feat).  The save DC of any forging which requires a save is 10 + 1/2 forger level + the forger's Wisdom modifier.  As supernatural abilities, forgings are not subject to spell resistance.

Æthereal view (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, an ætherforge becomes attuned to eddies in the æther even when there is no light source.  He gains darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.

Bonus metaforge feat: An ætherforge gains a bonus metaforge feat at 3rd level, and again at every 4 levels after.

Æthereal essence (Su): At 4th level, an ætherforge's body begins to undergo physical changes, as he learns to use æther to maintain his own bodily processes.  The ætherforge gains fast healing equal to one third the number of æther units remaining in his pool (and not bound to a forging) at any given time.

Æthereal transformation (Ex): Upon reaching 5th level, more changes have affected the ætherforge's physiology, as he begins to replace portions of his anatomy with pure æther.  He becomes immune to poison and sleep effects.

Forged body (Ex): Starting at 6th level, the ætherforge's body continues to transform.  He has a 25% chance to negate critical hits and precision damage.

Æthereal presence (Su): At 8th level, an ætherforge's force of will surrounds him with a constant swirl of æther.  He gains a deflection bonus to armor class equal to his Wisdom modifier at all times.

Improved æthereal transformation (Ex): Upon reaching 9th level, more changes are wrought on the ætherforge's body.  He becomes immune to paralysis.

Æthereal awareness (Ex): Starting at 10th level, an ætherforge becomes even more closely attuned to eddies in the æther which alert him to the presence and movement of creatures around him.  He becomes immune to flanking, and gains blindsense at a range of 5 feet times his Wisdom modifier.

Improved forged body (Ex): Upon reaching 12th level, even more of an ætherforge's body has been replaced by pure æther.  His chance to negate critical hits and precision damage increases to 50%.

Greater æthereal transformation (Ex): Beginning at 13th level, an ætherforge's physiology has changed sufficiently that he becomes immune to stunning.

Æthereal sustenance (Ex): An ætherforge of 14th level or higher has learned to draw more of the energy his body needs directly from the æther.  He no longer needs to drink or eat, and gains the benefit of 8 hours of sleep from only 1 actual hour.  However, time spent in a dead magic zone or antimagic field counts as time without food or water, as these environments suppress the æther he requires.

Improved æthereal awareness (Ex): Starting at 16th level, an ætherforge's blindsense improves to blindsight at the same distance.

Immaculate forging (Su): Beginning at 17th level, an ætherforge can, in an emergency, produce forgings with less æther than would normally be possible.  Once per day, the ætherforge can activate this ability as a free action; when he does so, for a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom modifier, every unit æther he binds to a forging counts double (though he is still limited by the normal maximum amount of æther he can bind to a single forging).  For example, the ætherforge could bind 8 units of æther to a forging, but remove only 4 units from his pool.

Greater forged body (Ex): The body of an ætherforge of 18th level or higher is nearly completely made of pure æther.  His chance of negating critical hits and precision damage increases to 75%.

Æthereal being (Ex): Upon reaching 20th level, an ætherforge becomes a being made entirely of pure æther.  He gains the Elemental (Augmented) type, though he is treated as having his original type whenever it would be beneficial to him.  Unlike other elementals, the ætherforge can still be raised or resurrected as normal.

In addition, the ætherforge is naturally invisible, though he can suppress or resume this invisibility as a swift action.  This invisibility cannot be dispelled and functions in an antimagic field, but a creature under the effect of true seeing can see the ætherforge as normal.

[sirpercival]

FORGINGS

Minimum 1 æther:

• Æther Barrier - Grant bonus to saves.
  
• Ætherbeast - Form a construct out of æther to attack your enemies.
  
• Æther Diffusion - Grant bonus to base speed.
  
• Æthereal Fortification - Grant temporary hit points.
  
• Ætherfire Aura - Your target's attacks deal extra force damage.
  
• Æther Probe - Identify magical auras and effects.
  
• Æther Push - Bull rush an opponent.
  
• Æther Reinforcement - Grant enhancement bonus to armor.
  
• Æther Shard - Hurl a shard of æther to damage opponent.
  
• Weapon of Æther - Create æther weapon which attacks your opponent.
  

Minimum 2 æther:

• Æther Ablation - Opponents dispel this forging instead of others.
  
• Æther Cap - Form a shield of æther around your head to grant a bonus to saves vs mind-affecting effects.
  
• Æther Contraction - Increase the gravity in an area, hampering attacks and movement.
  
• Æthereal Advantage - Your allies gain luck bonuses and your opponents suffer luck penalties.
  
• Æther Fog - Create a cloud of fog, decreasing visibility and granting concealment.
  
• Æther Fortress - Fold æther into an extradimensional space that you and others can hide in.
  
• Æther Inflation - Increase your target's size.
  
• Æther Launch - Fling objects or creatures.
  
• Essence of Æther - Grant a +4 bonus to one or more ability scores.
  

Minimum 3 æther:

• Æthereal Deflation - Reduce your target's size.
  
• Æther Dissolution - Dispel magical effects in an area.
  
• Æther Flux - Grant subject a miss chance.
  
• Æther Jump - Teleport your target through the æther.
  
• Æther Redirection - Target can change its own gravity, walking on walls and flying.
  
• Æther Revelation - Subject can sense everything in 60 feet.
  
• Æther Spy - Create a magical sensor out of æther to view a distant location.
  
• Æther Tether - Anchor your opponent to the ground.
  
• Wall of Æther - Make a wall which blocks ranged attacks and flying creatures' movement.
  

Minimum 4 æther:

• Æther Cache - Access your own personal extradimensional cupboard.
  
• Æther Redirection, Forced - Reverse target's gravity, making them fall upwards.
  
• Æther Retribution - Absorb energy damage and redirect it at attackers.
  
• Æther Static - Make spellcasting difficult in area.
  
• Æther Trap - Trap target in an æther cage.
  
• Mindspike of Æther - Drive æther into your target's brains, disrupting their thoughts.
  

Minimum 5 æther:

• Æther Bubble - Carry yourself and others around in a flying bubble of æther.
  
• Æther Piston - Greatly increase gravity in a narrow cylinder to crush opponents.
  
• Æther Puppet - Form a glove of æther around your target to control their movements.
  
• Æther Shear - Create a curtain of æther which damages creatures that pass through it.
  

Minimum 6 æther:

• Æther Passage - Create a tunnel of æther through a barrier.
  
• Æther Pressure - Condense a cloud of æther to impeded movement and damage creatures in the area.
  
• Æther Recall - Unforge to teleport to place where it was forged.
  
• Æther Stasis - Encase a creature or object in a stasis field of æther.
  
• Æther Storm -  Inflict negative levels in an area.
  

Minimum 7 æther:

• Æther Implosion - Cause a creature to implode.
  
• Chains of Æther - Create æthereal chains which grapple creatures.
  
• Infuse Æther - Use æther to produce magical effects in an antimagic field.
  

Minimum 8 æther:

• Æther Acceleration - Grant the target 1 round of accelerated time.
  
• Æther Rip - Remove æther from your target to your pool, damaging target in the process.
  
• Æther Spiral - Dispel magical effects to gain temporary æther.
  

Minimum 9 æther:

• Ætherblade - A gigantic blade of æther slices through opponents in a line.
  
• Æther Vacuum - Rip open a vortex in the æther; creatures sucked in are trapped in a bewildering maze.
  

Descriptions, part 1:

(click to show/hide)

Æther Ablation
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level
Save: None
You construct a shield of æther around yourself to catch antimagic.  Whenever a spell or other effect attempts to dispel one of your forgings, it dispels this forging instead.  If the spell or effect is 2nd level equivalent or lower, it must make a dispel check; otherwise, this forging is dispelled automatically, with no check.  For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, increase the level of spell or effect which must make a dispel check by 1.

Æther Acceleration
Minimum æther: 8
Range: Touch
Target: One touched creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
You accelerate the æther around the target creature, speeding them up so greatly that all other creatures seem frozen, though they are actually still moving at normal speed. The affected creature is free to act for 1 round of apparent time.  It can manifest powers, cast spells, move, or perform other types of actions, subject to the restrictions outlined below.

While the æther acceleration is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to the subject's attacks and abilities. This means the subject cannot target a creature with any attack or ability. However, any of the subject's abilities that affect an area and have a duration longer than the remaining time granted by the æther acceleration has its normal effect on creatures in the area once the granted time ends.  The subject can affect unattended objects, but not objects held, carried, or worn by other creatures. The subject is undetectable by any means while the æther acceleration lasts.  When the extra time granted by the æther acceleration expires, the normal time-flow resumes during your current turn.  The subject is shaken for 1 round upon its return to the standard time frame.

You do not regain the æther bound to this forging until 1 round of real time (not the extra time granted by this forging) has passed. Each additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the granted time by 1 round.

Æther Barrier
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Touch
Target: One touched creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Save: None
Æther congeals into a soft coating surrounding your target, granting them some protection from harm.  The subject gains a +1 resistance bonus to saves.  Each additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the resistance bonus by +1.

Ætherbeast
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: One created ætherbeast
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: None
You coalesce æther to form an ætherbeast, a translucent construct which attacks your enemies.  Treat an ætherbeast as a 1st-level astral construct.  For every additional æther you bind to this forging, increase the level of the ætherbeast by 1.

Ætherblade
Minimum æther: 9
Range: Long (400 feet + 40 ft/level)
Area: See text
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: Reflex partial; see text
This forging creates an enormous blade of æther in the heavens, which falls from high in the air to the ground, slicing through everything in its path.  The blade affects every creature in a 40-foot line perpendicular to you, beginning 300 feet in the air and stretching down to the ground.  All creatures within the area must make a Reflex save or immediately be reduced to -9 hp as they are sliced in half; this even affects incorporeal creatures and creatures without a discernible anatomy.  Creatures who make their saves take 1d8 force damage per forger level.  For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, increase the length of the line by 10 feet.

Æther Bubble
Minimum æther: 5
Range: Personal
Area: 20-foot-radius sphere centered on you
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: Reflex negates; see text
You draw æther around you in a bubble which lifts you and creatures around you off the ground.  You can direct the bubble as a move action each round, and it flies at a speed of 60 feet per round with perfect maneuverability, carrying along any creatures within the area of effect.  When the bubble forms, or when it moves each round, any creature within the area of effect (except you) may make a Reflex save to escape the bubble.  Creatures only partially within the radius (such as creatures large enough that they don't fit entirely inside) receive a +5 bonus to the Reflex save.  However, if a creature succeeds on its save and exits the bubble while it is in the air, the creature falls, suffering falling damage as normal.  If the bubble is in the air when the forging ends, you fall, suffering falling damage as normal.  The bubble offers no protection to the creatures inside, and attacks, spells, forgings, etc. can be made across the interface at no penalty.  Every additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the radius of the bubble by 5 feet and the bubble's flight speed by 20 feet.

Æther Cache
Minimum æther: 4
Range: 0 feet
Effect: 3' square extradimensional window
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: None
You move aside the æther in front of you, opening a window into your æther cache, an extradimensional cupboard which you can access from anywhere using this forging.  While the window is open, you can move objects in and out as normal.  The cache holds up to 500 lbs or 100 cubic feet of objects; any excess weight or volume simply does not fit.  Any objects to be placed into or out of the cache must fit through the window.  Living creatures cannot be placed in the cache.

Once you close the window, the cache exists for 24 hours.  As long as you access it again within that time frame, any objects you place inside remain.  However, if you allow 24 hours to pass without accessing the cache, it dissipates, and the contents are sent to a random location on the Astral Plane.  If you forge Æther Cache when the previous cache has dissipated, a new one simply forms, empty.

For each additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, increase the size of the window by 1' in each dimension, and double the length of time the cache exists after you access it (for example, for 6 units of æther, the window is a 5' square, and the cache lasts for 4 days before you must access it again).

Æther Cap
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
A thin layer of invisible æther covers your scalp, protecting your mind from unwanted intrusion.  You gain a +3 bonus on saves vs mind-affecting effects.  Each additional unit of æther bound this forging increases the bonus by +2.

Æther Contraction
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Area: 5 ft/level radius cylinder, 40 feet high
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: Fortitude negates
By contracting the æther in an area, you increase the gravity to an uncomfortable level, making it difficult to move.  Any creatures within the area of affect must make a Fortitude save or be slowed, as the spell.  A creature that leaves and reenters the area must make a new save.  Each additional æther you bind to this forging increases the radius by 5 feet and the height by 10 feet.

Æther Diffusion
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
By diffusing the æther in a cloud surrounding your target, you decrease gravity for that target, allowing it to move at much greater speed.  The target increases its base speed by 30 feet (granting a +12 bonus to Jump checks due to the increased speed), and always counts as having a running start for Jump checks.  For every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, the speed bonus increases by +10 feet.

Æther Dissolution
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 ft/level)
Area: 20-foot radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
You flood an area with æther, disrupting magical effects within it.  This ends ongoing spells within the area of effect, including those that have been cast on creatures or objects.  A dispelled spell ends as if its duration had expired; however, some spells, as detailed in their descriptions, can’t be dispelled.  This forging can dispel forgings and spell-like effects just as it does spells.  To dispel a spell, forging, or other effect, you make a dispel check (1d20 + your forger level, maximum +10) against the spell or effect. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the effect's caster or forger level.  Magic items are not affected by this forging.

For each creature within the area that is the subject of one or more spells or other effects, you make a dispel check against the spell or effect with the highest caster or forger level.  If that check fails, you make dispel checks against progressively weaker spells and effects until you dispel one spell or effect (which discharges this forging so far as that target is concerned) or until you fail all your checks.  For each object within the area that is the target of one or more spells or effects, you make dispel checks as with creatures.

For each ongoing area or effect spell or forging whose point of origin is within the area of this forging, you can make a dispel check to dispel the spell or forging.  For each ongoing spell or forging whose area overlaps that of this forging, you can make a dispel check to end the effect, but only within the overlapping area.  If an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell or effect (such as an ætherbeast) is in the area, you can make a dispel check to end the spell or effect that conjured that object or creature (returning it whence it came) in addition to attempting to dispel spells targeting the creature or object.

You may choose to automatically succeed on dispel checks against any forgings that you forged, returning the æther to your pool one round later.  Every additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the maximum forger level you can apply to dispel checks by 3.

Æthereal Advantage
Minimum æther: 2
Range: 30 feet
Area: All creatures within a 30-foot burst centered on you
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: None
You harness the random swirls of æther around you to your advantage.  You and your each of your allies gain a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks, while each of your foes takes a -1 penalty on such rolls.  For every 2 additional units of æther bound to this forging, increase the bonus by +1 and the penalty by -1.

Æthereal Deflation
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: Fortitude negates
By removing a stream of æther from a creature, you cause it to shrink, dividing its height, length, and width by 4 and dividing its weight by 16. This decrease reduces the creature’s size by two categories. The target gains a +4 size bonus to Dexterity and a –4 size penalty to Strength (to a minimum of 1). The creature's natural reach and size bonus to AC and attack rolls change as per this table. This forging does not change the target’s speed.

All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly reduced by the forging. Melee and projectile weapons deal less damage (see Table 2–3 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide); other magical properties are not affected by this forging. Any deflated item that leaves the deflated creature’s possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown weapons deal their normal damage (projectiles deal damage based on the size of the weapon that fired them).

For every 2 additional units of æther bound to this forging, you decrease the target's size by an additional category.  This grants an additional +2 Dexterity, -4 Strength, -1 natural armor bonus, and the normal adjustments to attack rolls and AC from decreased size.

Æther Flux
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: Will negates (harmless)
You swirl the æther surrounding your target, causing ripples which distort the subject's true position.  This distortion causes creatures attacking the subject to suffer a 5% miss chance per unit of æther bound to this forging (to a maximum of 50% at 10 æther).  A see invisibility spell does not counteract the effect, but a true seeing spell does.  Opponents that cannot see the subject ignore this forging's effect (though fighting an unseen opponent carries penalties of its own).

Æthereal Fortification
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
You bolster the target's natural fortitude with a healthy dose of æther.  The target gains 8 temporary hp per unit of æther bound to this forging, which last for the duration of the forging or until used up.  Once the temporary hp have been used up, this forging unforges automatically, returning the æther to your pool one round later.

Æthereal Inflation
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: Fortitude negates
You inflate the æther within your target's body, doubling its height and multiplying its weight by 8. This increase changes the creature’s size category to the next larger one. The target gains a +2 size bonus to Strength and a -2 size penalty to Dexterity (to a minimum of 1).  The creature's natural reach and size bonus to AC and attack rolls change as per this table. This forging does not change the target’s speed.

If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it — the forging cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.

All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly enlarged by the forging. Melee and projectile weapons affected by this forging deal more damage. Other magical properties are not affected by this forging. Any inflated item that leaves an inflated creature’s possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown weapons deal their normal damage, and projectiles deal damage based on the size of the weapon that fired them.

For every 2 additional units of æther bound to this forging, increase the target's size by an additional category.  This grants an additional +4 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +1 natural armor bonus, and the normal adjustments to attack rolls and AC from increased size.

Ætherfire Aura
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Touch
Target: One touched creature
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: None
Your target is wreathed in nearly invisible flames of rippling æther.  Any attacks your target makes for the duration of the forging deal +1d4 force damage.  Each additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the bonus damage by +2d4.

Æther Fog
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Area: Fog spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: None
You exert your will and cause a region of normally invisible æther to become visible, producing a soft white mist which reduces visibility.  The fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).  Every additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the radius and height of the fog by 20 feet.

Æther Fortress
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: One extradimensional space
Duration: 1 hour/level
Save: None
You fold yourself into a large pocket into the æther, creating an extradimensional space that you and others can enter.  Creatures in the extradimensional space are hidden, beyond the reach of spells (including divinations), unless those spells work across planes. You can fit up to 6 Medium or smaller creatures, 2 Large creatures, or 1 Huge creature inside.  Spells, forgings, or similar effects cannot be produced across the extradimensional interface unless they work across planes; nor can area effects cross it.  Those in the extradimensional space can see out of it as if a 3-foot by 5-foot window, in the space where you created the fortress entrance.  The window is present on the Material Plane, but it’s invisible, and even creatures that can see the window can’t see through it. Anything inside the extradimensional space drops out when the forging ends.  (Note: It is hazardous to create an extradimensional space within an existing extradimensional space or to take an extradimensional space into an existing one.)  For every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, the number of creatures the space can hold doubles.

Æther Implosion
Minimum æther: 7
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: Fortitude negates
You contract the æther suffusing your target's body, causing it to implode.  If your target fails the Fortitude save, it dies immediately.  For every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, you may affect an additional target within range.

Æther Jump
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 ft/level)
Target: One willing creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
You transform your target into a stream of invisible æther, and they reappear in a different location.  This forging instantly teleports the touched creature to any point within range.  The target arrives at exactly the spot you desire — you may either visualize the area, or stated a direction and distance (e.g., “900 feet straight downward,” or “upward to the northwest, 45-degree angle, 1,200 feet”).  The target can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn’t exceed the target's maximum load. If the target arrives in a place that is already occupied by a solid body, it takes 1d6 points of damage and is shunted to a random open space on a suitable surface within 100 feet of the intended location. If there is no free space within 100 feet, the target takes an additional 2d6 points of damage and is shunted to a free space within 1,000 feet. If there is no free space within 1,000 feet, the target takes an additional 4d6 points of damage and the forging simply fails.  Each additional unit of æther bound to this forging doubles the range the touched creature can teleport.

Æther Launch
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Target: One or more objects or creatures with a total weight of 100 lb. or less
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: Reflex negates or Reflex negates (object); see text
You send a swirl of æther to pick up and hurl one or more objects or creatures, sending them in a deadly hail at your foes — or simply by hurling your foe. You can hurl one object or creature per forger level (maximum fifteen separate targets), as long as all are within the forging's range and each is no more than 10 feet away from another one. Each object or creature can be hurled a maximum distance of 10 feet per level.  You must succeed on ranged attack rolls (one per creature or object thrown) to hit the target of the hurled items with the items, applying your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll instead of your Dexterity modifier. 

Hurled weapons deal their standard damage (your Strength bonus does not apply; arrows or bolts deal damage as daggers of their size when used in this manner). Other objects deal damage ranging from 1 point per 25 pounds of weight (for less dangerous objects such as an empty barrel) to 1d6 points per 25 pounds of weight (for hard, dense objects such as a boulder).  Creatures are allowed Reflex saves to negate the effect, as are those whose held possessions are targeted by this forging.  If you use this forging to hurl a creature against a solid surface, it takes damage as if it had fallen 10 feet (1d6 points).  Increase the total weight limit by 50 pounds for every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging.

[sirpercival]

FORGINGS

Descriptions, part 2:

(click to show/hide)

Æther Passage
Minimum æther: 6
Range: Touch; see text
Effect: 5-foot by 10-foot passage, 1 foot deep per level
Duration: 1 hour/level
Save: None
You create a tunnel of æther through a wall or other barrier.  The tunnel is 5 feet wide and 10 feet high, and extends for 1 foot per forger level through the barrier.  This tunnel passes through natural materials of all kinds with no difficulty, though it cannot pass through magical effects (such as a wall of force); if the tunnel reaches such an effect before extending to its full depth, it ends at the magical barrier and goes no further.  If the wall’s thickness is more than the depth of the passage created, then a single instance of this forging simply makes a niche or short tunnel.  Several of these forgings can then form a continuing passage to breach very thick walls.  When this forging ends, creatures within the tunnel are ejected out the nearest exit.  If someone dispels the forging or you unforge it, creatures in the passage are ejected out the far exit, if there is one, or out the sole exit if there is only one.  For every additional unit of æther bound to this effect, the size of the tunnel doubles in all dimensions.

Æther Piston
Minimum æther: 5
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Area: 5 foot radius cylinder, 100 feet high
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: See text
You violently contract the æther in a narrow cylinder, increasing the gravity to a possibly fatal degree.  Creatures within the area must make a Reflex save or have their movement speed reduced to 0, be denied Dexterity to AC, and be unable to make attacks. On a successful save, a creature's movement speed is instead halved, the creature suffers a -2 penalty to AC, and a -2 penalty on all attack rolls. In either case, these effects last until the beginning of your next turn.

Creatures within the area must make a Fortitude save or be instantly crushed, taking 5d6 points of damage. In addition, any creature flying in the area via a natural fly speed instead of by a spell or similar effect that fails its Fortitude save is forced to the ground, taking 1d6 damage for every 10 feet it falls. 

The intense gravitational surge that this forging creates requires an overabundance of æther investment; this causes aether bound to it to return to your pool 2 rounds after forging it instead of only 1 round afterward. Each additional æther you bind to this forging increases the radius of the effect by 5 feet, and increases the base damage by +1d6 (the falling damage suffered by flying creatures is unaffected).

Æther Pressure
Minimum æther: 6
Range: Long (400 feet + 40 ft/level)
Area: 30 foot radius emanation
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: Fortitude partial; see text
You slowly increase the density of æther in an area, increasing the gravity and causing damage to the creatures inside.  All movement speeds within the area are reduced to 5 feet; any creature wearing medium or heavier armor or carrying a medium or heavy load must make a Strength check against the DC of this forging to move.  Any creature flying via a natural fly speed instead of by a spell or similar effect is forced to the ground.  Creatures within the area must make a Fortitude save or be denied their Dex bonus to AC.  All attacks made by creatures within the area suffer a -2 penalty as their weapons are much heavier than expected.  In addition, this forging deals bludgeoning damage each round on your turn to creatures within the area of effect, starting at 1d4 on round 1 and increasing by 1d4 every round for the duration.  Whenever a creature takes damage from this forging, it may make a Fortitude save for half damage.  Creatures who enter the area of effect take damage based on when the forging began, not when they enter (for example, a creature who enters at round 6 will take 6d4 damage that round).  For every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, increase the damage die by 1 step (1d4->1d6->1d8->1d10->1d12->1d20).

Æther Probe
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 ft/2 levels)
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None or Will negates; see text
You pluck a thread of æther and use the resonance to identify magical effects.  You know the location and power of all magical auras within the area of effect. An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning level or an item’s caster level, as noted in the description of the detect magic spell.  If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Spellcraft skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Make one check per aura; DC 15 + spell level, or 15 + one-half caster level for a nonspell effect.) 

In addition, you may choose one aura among those you discover to analyze more fully.  If the aura you choose is an active spell effect, you learn the spell, its effect, and its caster level.  If instead the aura belongs to a magic item, you learn its functions, how to activate its functions (if appropriate), and how many charges are left (if it uses charges). An attended object may attempt a Will save to resist this effect if its holder so desires. If the save succeeds, you learn nothing about the object beyond the strength (and possibly school) of the aura.  An object that makes its save cannot be affected by this forging for 24 hours; you gain no information if you attempt to analyze an artifact.  For every additional unit of æther that you bind to this forging, you may analyze one additional aura.

Æther Puppet
Minimum æther: 5
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 ft/level)
Target: One Medium or smaller creature
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min./level
Save: Fortitude negates
You form æther into a form-fitting sheathe, which allows you to control the actions of any creature that is within range and to which you have line of sight.  You can force the subject to stand up, sit down, walk, turn around, and so on, but you cannot operate internal anatomy such as the vocal cords or heartbeat.  You can also hold the subject immobile, rendering it helpless. You cannot force the subject to manifest powers, cast spells, or use any special ability that is not a function of just its body movements. If you lose line of sight to the subject, the effect of this forging ends.

If you force the subject to engage in combat, its attack bonus is equal to your base attack bonus + your Wisdom bonus, and its bonus on damage rolls is equal to your Wisdom bonus. A subject of this forging cannot make attacks of opportunity. The subject gains no benefit to Armor Class from its Dexterity, but it does gain a bonus to its AC equal to your Wisdom bonus.  Although the subject’s body is under your control, the subject’s mind is not. Creatures capable of taking purely mental actions (such as manifesting powers) can do so.  Every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging allows you to affect a creature one size category larger.

Æther Push
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
You fire a ray of æther directly at your target, forcing it backwards in a burst of invisible energy.  Make a bull rush attempt against the creature, using a ranged touch attack to initiate the bull rush (the target cannot make an attack of opportunity against you).  Treat the forging as a Medium creature with a Strength modifier equal to your Wisdom modifier, except that the forging can attempt to bull rush creatures of any size.  An special bonuses you gain when making bull rush attempts (other than size or Strength bonuses) apply to the opposed Strength check.  For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, treat the æther push as one size category larger.

Æther Recall
Minimum æther: 6
Range: 0 feet; see text
Effect: 5-foot radius circle of æther
Duration: Permanent until discharged
Save: None
You form a small circle of æther on the ground.  When you unforge this forging, as long as you are on the same plane and within 10 miles per forger level, you and creatures or objects you touch are instantly teleported to the location of the circle, as the greater teleport spell.  If you desire, you may instead unforge this forging normally with no effect.  For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, the maximum range of recall is multiplied by 10.

Æther Redirection
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
You cause the æther in a cloud surrounding your target to move in different directions, changing the direction of the target's personal gravity.  The target can travel on any solid surface as though that surface possessed its own gravity (for example, the subject could walk or even run up a wall as though the wall were a perfectly level floor).  The subject can switch "down" as often as he likes during the duration of the forging, though only once per round, as a free action.  Unattended objects fall, as normal.

The target of æther redirection can fly by choosing a solid surface and letting himself fall through the air toward it.  A creature "flying" in this fashion moves at 30 feet per round and can make one turn, in any direction, once per round, by redefining his personal gravity.  A character falling in this fashion loses all "downward" momentum when he changes his gravity, and the movement due to falling uses up the character's move action as if he had moved normally.  For each additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, the speed of "flight" increases by 10 feet, and the subject can make one additional change of direction per round as a free action.

Æther Redirection, Forced
Minimum æther: 4
Range: Range (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: None; see text
You cause the æther in a cloud surrounding your target to move directly upward, causing the target's personal gravity to reverse direction.  The creature falls upward to a height of 5 feet per Forger level, arriving at the full height in 1 round. If some solid object (such as a ceiling) is encountered in this fall, the creature strikes it in the same manner as it would during a normal downward fall.  If an object or creature reaches the top of the area without striking anything, it remains there, oscillating slightly, until the forging ends. At the end of the forge duration, the affected creature falls downward.

Provided it has something to hold onto, the target can attempt a Reflex save to secure itself when the forging takes effect.  If the target can fly or levitate, it can keep itself from falling.  Each additional unit of æther bound to this forging allows it to affect an additional creature within range.

Æther Reinforcement
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Touch
Target: One suit of armor or clothing
Duration: 1 hour/level
Save: None
You create a thin coating of æther around a suit of clothing or armor or a shield, reinforcing the substance and granting a +2 enhancement bonus to the armor bonus (regular clothing has an armor bonus of +0).  Each additional unit of æther you bind to this forging increases the enhancement bonus by +1.

Æther Retribution
Minimum æther: 4
Range: Touch
Target: One touched creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
You construct a net of æther around your target, capturing incoming energy and redirecting it at attackers.  When you bind æther to this forging, choose one of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic.  The subject gains energy resistance 10 against the chosen energy type.  In addition, whenever the subject resists damage due to this forging, the next creature to successfully deal damage to the subject with a melee attack takes an amount of energy damage of the same type equal to the amount resisted, as long as the attack was made within 1 minute of the original damage, up to a maximum amount of total damage equal to your Forger level.  For example, an ætherforge with a forger level of 12, protected from acid damage by this forging, suffers two attacks in one round, each of which deals 12 acid damage.  Each attack is reduced by 10 due to the resistance; the next creature within 1 minute to strike the ætherforge with a melee attack takes 12 acid damage in return.  If no melee attacks have been made against the subject within 1 minute, the captured energy fades away harmlessly.  Every additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the energy resistance by 3.

Æther Revelation
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Touch; see text
Target: One creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
The subject suddenly becomes sensitive to disturbances in the æther, achieving preternatural awareness.  The subject can sense everything out to a range of 60 feet, ignoring invisibility, darkness, and concealment, though the subject must have line of effect to a creature or an object to discern it.  The target need not make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures; it can detect and pinpoint all creatures within 60 feet. Each additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the range of the awareness by 10 feet.

Æther Rip
Minimum æther: 8
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous; see text.
Save: None
You tear æther out of your target, damaging it significantly and increasing your æther pool.  Make a ranged touch attack against your target; if you succeed, the target takes damage equal to half its current hit point total, and you add 1 temporary unit of æther to your pool per 3 HD of your target, which last for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier.  Temporary æther units gained from multiple uses of this forging do not stack; use the greater number.  Any forgings using these temporary units of æther automatically end when the temporary æther expires.  Every additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the duration of the temporary æther by 2 rounds.

Æther Shard
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 feet + 5ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
You crystallize a shard of æther and send it hurtling toward your opponent.  Make a ranged touch attack; if it succeeds, your target takes 1d6 force damage per level, up to a maximum of 4d6.  For every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, increase the maximum damage cap by 3d6.

Æther Shear
Minimum æther: 5
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Effect: Opaque curtain of æther up to 50 ft. long and 20 ft. high
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: Fortitude partial; see text
Making a broad gesture with your arms, you drape a curtain of æther across an area.  This curtain is opaque and blocks line of sight; however, it is insubstantial and does not block line of effect.  Creatures and objects can pass through the shear without difficulty.  However, any creature which passes through the shear takes 1d3 damage per forger level as their animating essence is disrupted (Fortitude half).  Each additional unit of æther you bind to this forging increases the damage die size by one step (1d3->1d4->1d6->1d8->1d10->1d12) and the maximum length of the curtain by 25 feet.

Æther Spiral
Minimum æther: 8
Range: Personal
Area: 5 ft/level radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Save: None
You draw in a large spiral of æther, destroying magical effects and absorbing the energy which powered them.  This forging creates an area dispel within the area of effect, as per greater dispel magic, using your forger level as the caster level for the dispel attempt.  This area dispel does not affect you, your equipment, or any magical effects on you.  For each magical effect that you dispel, you add 1 temporary unit of æther to your pool (up to a maximum number of temporary units equal to your Wisdom modifier), which lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier.  Temporary æther units gained from multiple uses of this forging do not stack; use the greater number.  Any forgings using these temporary units of æther automatically end when the temporary æther expires.  Every additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the duration of the temporary æther by 2 rounds.

Æther Spy
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Long (400 feet + 40 ft/level)
Effect: Magical sensor
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: None
You attune yourself to the æther field around you with incredible precision, using it to conduct information from elsewhere.  This forging creates an invisible magical sensor at a specific location that enables you to sense almost as if you were there, with your full range of natural senses (but not magical ones). You don’t need line of sight or line of effect, but the locale must be known — a place familiar to you or an obvious one.  Once you have selected the locale, you can experience the sensor's surroundings at a radius of 20 feet in all directions. You can move the sensor at a speed of up to 60 feet, but the forging ends if the sensor moves beyond the range of the forging.  This forging functions only on the plane of existence you are currently occupying.  For every 2 additional units of æther you bind to this forging, the radius of the area that the sensor detects increases by 10 feet, and the range of the forging increases by a factor of 10.

Æther Stasis
Minimum æther: 6
Range: Touch
Target: One creature or object touched
Duration: Permanent or 1 minute/level; see text
Save: Will partial
You collapse æther around your target, freezing them in time.  You can affect a Tiny or smaller creature or object with this forging; the target makes a Will save.  If successful, the creature partially avoids the stasis field and is slowed for 1 minute per forger level.  However, on a failed save, the subject enters into a state of suspended animation -- time ceases to flow and its condition becomes fixed.  An affected creature does not grow older, and its body functions virtually cease.  The target is not aware of its surroundings or of any time passing.  No spell, attack, or other effect can affect the target.  In addition, the target is hidden from view by the enclosing æther; it cannot be seen, touched, or sensed in any other way while under the effects of this forging, except via senses or effects which make use of æther (such as an ætherforge's Æthereal View or Æthereal Awareness class features, or the Æther Probe forging).  The target is immune to divinations as per the mind blank spell.

A creature or object in stasis may only be freed if the forging is dispelled, or unforged via freedom, wish, or similar effects.  Once a creature is freed, it returns to the timestream none the worse for wear, though having missed all that took place while it was in stasis.  In such a case, the æther bound to this forging returns to your pool one round later, as normal.  If you use this forging on yourself, you may set conditions (as per the contingency spell) under which this forging unforges itself, returning you to the timestream automatically.

For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, increase the size of creature or object you can affect by one category.

Æther Static
Minimum æther: 4
Range: Personal
Area: 10 ft/level radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
You cause turbulence in the æther in an area, disrupting magical effects.  Any creature attempting to cast a spell, manifest a psionic power, or use a spell- or psi-like ability must make a caster level or manifester level check (whichever is appropriate) against the save DC of this forging to do so; failure means the spell, power, or ability fails to work.  Each additional æther you bind to this forging increases the save DC by +1.

Æther Storm
Minimum æther: 6
Range: Long (400 feet + 40 ft/level)
Area: 5 ft/level radius spread, 40 feet high
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: None
You cause violent turbulence in the æther over a large area, disrupting the life force of creatures inside.  Any creature caught in the area when this forging begins, or who enters the area at any time during the duration, receives 1d4 negative levels.  If an affected creature has at least as many negative levels as HD, it dies. Each negative level gives a creature a -1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities).  Additionally, an affected spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Negative levels stack, but a given creature can only be affected by this forging once (a creature is not affected on a successful save).

Assuming the subject survives, it regains lost levels after a number of hours equal to your forger level (maximum 15 hours). Usually, negative levels have a chance of permanently draining the victim’s levels, but the negative levels from this forging don’t last long enough to do so.  Each additional æther you bind to this forging increases the number of negative levels by 1.

Æther Tether
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10 ft/level)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/level or until discharged; see text
Save: None
You weave a leash of æther around a creature, anchoring it to the ground.  The affected creature is tethered to its current square (the anchor point).  Any creature who attempts to move the tethered subject (including the subject itself) must make a Strength check.  The subject then moves to a distance from the anchor point equal to the one half of the Strength check result, rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5 feet, in the desired direction.  If the Strength check would result in a distance which is less than the subject's current distance from the anchor point, the subject moves backwards to the distance result.  The tether breaks (discharging the effect) when the affected creature successfully moves more than 10 feet from the anchor point.  Each additional unit of æther you bind to this forging increases the maximum distance the tether can stretch without breaking by 5 feet.

Æther Trap
Minimum æther: 4
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature (see text)
Duration: 1 minute
Save: Reflex negates
You forge a cage of translucent energy around a single target of Small or Medium size, trapping them inside if they fail a Reflex save.  For each additional æther you bind to this forging, you may extend the duration by 1 minute; alternatively, for every two additional æther you bind, you can either trap a target one size category larger than Medium or smaller than Small, or trap an additional target adjacent to the first.

Æther Vacuum
Minimum æther: 9
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft/level)
Area: 20-ft-radius emanation centered on a point in space, and 40-ft-radius emanation centered on the same point; see text
Duration: 1 round; see text
Save: Reflex negates; see text
You create a vortex in the field of æther itself that sucks all loose material and living creatures into it, sending them into a bewildering maze.  This forging has a primary area and a secondary area. The primary area is the hole itself: a sphere with a 20-foot radius centered on the forging's point of origin. Within that area, all creatures, and unattended objects weighing 100 pounds or less are sucked into the vortex.

The vortex also creates a windstorm of air that affects objects and creatures in the secondary area of the forging. The secondary area is all the space farther than 20 feet from the forging's point of origin but not farther than 40 feet away. All unattended objects within the secondary area that weigh 50 pounds or less are drawn into the primary area of the vortex. Individuals within the secondary area must make a Reflex saving throw; those who fail are sucked into the primary area. Individuals who succeed on the Reflex save can move and attack as normal.

Any creatures and objects sucked into the vortex are shunted into an extradimensional labyrinth of æther. Each round on their turn, creatures may attempt an Intelligence check (DC equal to the DC of this forging) to escape the labyrinth as a full-round action. If the creatures cannot escape, the maze disappears after 10 minutes, forcing all remaining creatures and objects out. Creatures trapped in the labyrinth have no contact with each other. On escaping or leaving the maze, creatures and objects reappear where they had been when sucked into the vortex. If a creature's location is filled with a solid object, the creature appears in the nearest open space.

Spells and abilities that move a creature within a plane, such as teleport and dimension door, do not help a creature escape the labyrinth, although a plane shift spell or similar allows a trapped creature to exit to whatever plane is designated in that spell. Each additional unit of æther that you bind to this forging adds 1 minute to the duration of the labyrinth.

Chains of Æther
Minimum æther: 7
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 ft/level)
Area: 20-foot-radius burst
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: None
You call ropy strands of æther into being in an area, binding fast around the creatures caught inside.  Every creature within the area of the forging must make a grapple check, opposed by the grapple check of the chains. Treat the chains attacking a particular target as a Huge creature with a base attack bonus equal to your forger level and a Strength modifier equal to your Wisdom modifier.  The chains are immune to all types of damage, but do not deal any damage to creatures caught in the grapple, only holding them.  Any creature that enters the area of the forging is immediately attacked by the chains. Even creatures who aren’t grappling with the chains may move through the area at only half normal speed.

Because the chains are made of pure æther, they hold creatures trapped inside with more metaphysical force than real chains.  Any creature grappled by the chains is affected as if by the dimensional anchor spell.  In addition, the chains can eve grapple creatures affected by freedom of movement or similar abilities, though such creatures receive a +5 bonus on grapple checks against the chains.  The freedom spell still frees creatures who are bound by the chains of æther.  For each additional unit of æether you bind to this forging, the radius of the burst increases by 10 feet and increase the effective size of the chains (from Huge to Gargantuan, etc.).

Essence of Æther
Minimum æther: 2
Range: Touch
Target: One touched creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Save: None
You infuse your target with æther, increasing their natural aptitudes.  Choose one of your target's ability scores; that ability score gains a +4 enhancement bonus.  For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, you may choose an additional score to gain a +4 enhancement bonus.

Infuse Æther
Minimum æther: 7
Range: Personal
Area: 10 foot radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: None
You infuse the area around you with æther, returning magical power to an area which had none.  Unlike other forgings, this forging can be used in an antimagic field or dead magic zone, and allows magical effects to be used normally.  However, the amount of æther available is relatively small; only forgings requiring 1 unit of æther, spells of 1st level or lower, or equivalent magical effects can be produced within the area.  (If there is no restriction on producing magical effects, this forging does nothing.)  For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, the spell level equivalent (or maximum units of æther bound to a forging) increases by 1.

Mindspike of Æther
Minimum æther: 4
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: One creature/level
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: Will partial
By injecting a broad spike of æther into the heads of your targets, you disrupt their thought processes.  Each targeted creature must make a Will save or suffer 2d4 Intelligence damage.  In addition, all targets suffer a -6 penalty to Wisdom- and Charisma-based skill checks (no save).  Each additional unit of æther you bind to this forging increases both the Intelligence damage and the skill check penalty by 2.

Wall of Æther
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Wall up to 10 ft./level long and 5 ft./level high (S)
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: None; see text
You forge an invisible vertical curtain of swirling æther.  It takes the shape of a 2-foot-thick, silent disturbance in the air that causes difficulty to creatures and objects trying to move through it.  Its strength is sufficient to blow away any bird smaller than an eagle, or tear papers and similar materials from unsuspecting hands. (A Reflex save allows a creature to maintain its grasp on an object.) Small or smaller flying creatures cannot pass through the barrier. Loose materials and cloth garments fly upward when caught in the wall of æther. Arrows and bolts are deflected upward and miss, while any other normal ranged weapon passing through the wall has a 30% miss chance. (A giant-thrown boulder, a siege engine projectile, and other massive ranged weapons are not affected.) Gases, most gaseous breath weapons, and creatures in gaseous form cannot pass through the wall (although it is no barrier to incorporeal creatures).  While the wall must be vertical, you can shape it in any continuous path along the ground that you like. It is possible to create cylindrical or square walls of æther to enclose specific points.  For every two additional units of æther bound to this forging, the wall prevents passage by flying creatures of one size larger.

Weapon of Æther
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: Weapon made of æther
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: None
You forge æther into the form of a simple or martial weapon of your choice, which you direct to attack opponents at a distance.  The weapon deals 1d8 force damage per hit, and has the same threat range and critical multipliers as a real weapon of its form.  It strikes the opponent you designate, starting with one attack in the round that you forge it and continuing each round thereafter on your turn.  Its base attack bonus is equal to your Forger level (possibly allowing it multiple attacks per round in subsequent rounds), and it has a Strength modifier equal to your Wisdom modifier.  As a force effect, it can damage creatures that have damage reduction, and can strike incorporeal creatures without the normal miss chance associated with incorporeality.  The weapon always strikes from your direction. It does not get a flanking bonus or help a combatant get one. Your feats or combat actions do not affect the weapon. If the weapon goes beyond the range of the forging, if it goes out of your sight, or if you are not directing it, the weapon returns to you and hovers.

Each round after the first, you can use a move action to redirect the weapon to a new target.  If you do not, the weapon continues to attack the previous round’s target. On any round that the weapon switches targets, it gets one attack.  Subsequent rounds of attacking that target allow the weapon to make multiple attacks if its base attack bonus would allow it to do so. Even if the chosen weapon is a ranged weapon, use the range of the forging, not the weapon’s normal range increment, and switching targets still is a move action.

The weapon of æther cannot be attacked or harmed by physical attacks, but dispel magic, disintegrate, a sphere of annihilation, or a rod of cancellation affect it. The weapon’s AC against touch attacks is 12 (10 + size bonus for Tiny object).  For every additional æther you bind to this forging, the weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, and its touch AC increases by +1.

[sirpercival]

ÆTHERFORGE & PRESTIGE CLASSES

(click to show/hide)

Ætherforges are a breed apart and do not always qualify for prestige classes that are available to more common magic users.  Levels in ætherforge qualify a character for prestige classes with the following entry requirements:

• A caster level requirement, if no type (arcane or divine) is specified. The ætherforge uses his forger level in place of caster level.
• Ability to cast spells of X level, if no type (arcane or divine) is specified.  The ætherforge uses the maximum amount of æther he can use per forging in place of the ability to cast spells of a given level.
• Ability to bind X units of æther to a forging, or knowledge of a specific forging.

Levels in ætherforge do not qualify a character for prestige classes with the following entry requirements:

• A caster level requirement where the type (arcane or divine) is specified. Exception: Ætherforges can qualify for the mystic theurge prestige class (DMG 192). In order to do so, they are allowed to substitute the ability to bind 2 æther to a forging for the ability to cast 2nd-level spells. They must meet all other requirements for the prestige class normally.
• Ability to cast spells of X level where the type (arcane or divine) is specified.
• Ability to cast a specific spell, even if a forging exists with a similar effect.

The same holds true in reverse. Other spellcasters do not qualify for prestige classes that require the ability to bind a certain amount of æther to a forging, or knowledge a specific forging, even if a spell exists with a similar effect.

When advancing in a prestige class that states "+1 level of existing spellcasting class" or "+1 level of existing casting class," a forger adds those levels to his forging class for purposes of gaining more forgings known and more units of æther.  On the other hand, a forger does not benefit from prestige classes that only add levels to specific types of spellcasters.  A prestige class that grants "+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class" or "+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class" does not increase the character’s forging (again, excepting the mystic theurge under proper conditions).

ÆTHERFORGE IN PATHFINDER

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If using the Ætherforge class in a Pathfinder campaign (or a campaign using parts of the Pathfinder rules or similar houserules), apply the following changes, as applicable:

• Replace the skill list with the following: Craft (Int), Knowledge (all, taken individually) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
• The Æthereal Being class feature grants the Outsider type with the Elemental subtype.
• Use the following versions of these forgings instead of the original versions:

Æther Dissolution

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Æther Dissolution
Minimum æther: 3
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 ft/level)
Target: One creature or object
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
You envelop a creature or object with æther, disrupting magical effects affecting it.  This ends ongoing spells affecting the target.  A dispelled spell ends as if its duration had expired; however, some spells, as detailed in their descriptions, can’t be dispelled.  This forging can dispel forgings and spell-like effects just as it does spells.  To dispel a spell, forging, or other effect, you make a dispel check (1d20 + your forger level) against the spell or effect. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the effect's caster or forger level.  Magic items are not affected by this forging.

Make a dispel check against the spell or effect with the highest caster or forger level which is affecting the target.  If that check fails, you make dispel checks against progressively weaker spells and effects until you dispel one spell or effect (which discharges this forging) or until you fail all your checks.

You may choose to automatically succeed on dispel checks against any forgings that you forged, returning the æther to your pool one round later.  Every additional unit of æther bound to this forging increases the number of effects you can dispel on the target by 1.

Æther Implosion

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Æther Implosion
Minimum æther: 7
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: Fortitude half
You contract the æther suffusing your target's body, causing it to implode.  You deal 10 damage per level to the target, or half that on a fails Fortitude save.  For every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, you may affect an additional target within range.

Æther Puppet

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Æther Puppet
Minimum æther: 5
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 ft/level)
Target: One Medium or smaller creature
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min./level
Save: Fortitude negates
You form æther into a form-fitting sheathe, which allows you to control the actions of any creature that is within range and to which you have line of sight.  You can force the subject to stand up, sit down, walk, turn around, and so on, but you cannot operate internal anatomy such as the vocal cords or heartbeat.  You can also hold the subject immobile, rendering it helpless. You cannot force the subject to manifest powers, cast spells, or use any special ability that is not a function of just its body movements. If you lose line of sight to the subject, the effect of this forging ends.

If you force the subject to engage in combat, its attack bonus is equal to your base attack bonus + your Wisdom bonus, and its bonus on damage rolls is equal to your Wisdom bonus. A subject of this forging cannot make attacks of opportunity. The subject gains no benefit to Armor Class from its Dexterity, but it does gain a bonus to its AC equal to your Wisdom bonus.  Although the subject’s body is under your control, the subject’s mind is not. Creatures capable of taking purely mental actions (such as manifesting powers) can do so. 

The subject may make an additional Fortitude save to end the effect each round you maintain concentration on this forging.  The subject is treated as being staggered and may only perform a single move action or standard action under your direction each round.  You cannot be the target of your own Æther Puppet forging.  Every additional unit of æther you bind to this forging allows you to affect a creature one size category larger.

Æther Push

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Æther Push
Minimum æther: 1
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
You fire a ray of æther directly at your target, forcing it backwards in a burst of invisible energy.  Make a bull rush attempt against the creature, using a ranged touch attack to initiate the bull rush (the target cannot make an attack of opportunity against you).  The CMB of the bull rush attempt is equal to your forger level + your Wisdom modifier + 0 (special size modifier for a Medium creature).   Any special bonuses you gain when making bull rush attempts (other than size or Strength bonuses) apply to the check.  For each additional unit of æther bound to this forging, treat the æther push as one size category larger, increasing the special size modifier and maximum size of target as appropriate.

Æther Static

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Æther Static
Minimum æther: 4
Range: Personal
Area: 10 ft/level radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: None
You cause turbulence in the æther in an area, disrupting magical effects.  Any creature attempting to cast a spell, manifest a psionic power, or use a spell- or psi-like ability must make a Concentration check against the save DC of this forging to do so; failure means the spell, power, or ability fails to work.  Each additional æther you bind to this forging increases the save DC by +2.

Chains of Æther

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Chains of Æther
Minimum æther: 7
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 ft/level)
Area: 20-foot-radius burst
Duration: 1 round/level
Save: None
You call ropy strands of æther into being in an area, binding fast around the creatures caught inside. Every creature within the area of the forging is subject to a combat maneuver check by the chains as they attempt to start a grapple. Treat the set of chains attacking a particular target as a Huge creature with a CMB equal to your forger level + your Wis modifier + 2 (for their size), and a CMD equal to 10 + their CMB. If the chains succeed on their check, then the creature gains the grappled condition until it succeeds on a check to escape; the chains cannot perform actions other than starting a grapple, but do not need to spend additional actions to maintain the grapple. Any creature that enters the area of the forging is immediately attacked by the chains. Even creatures who aren’t grappling with the chains may move through the area at only half normal speed. The chains are immune to all types of damage.

Because the chains are made of pure æther, they hold creatures trapped inside with more metaphysical force than real chains. Any creature grappled by the chains is affected as if by the dimensional anchor spell. In addition, the chains can even grapple creatures affected by freedom of movement or similar abilities, though such creatures receive a +5 bonus on CMB and CMD against them. The freedom spell still frees creatures who are bound by the chains of æther. For each additional unit of æther you bind to this forging, the radius of the burst increases by 10 feet, and the effective size of the chains increases by one step (from Huge to Gargantuan, etc.); the chains' CMB and CMD increase by +2 at Gargantuan size, and by an additional +4 at Colossal size.

ITEMS

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Æthereal Equipment

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Price: +3
Body Slot: Varies (held or Body)
Caster Level: 12th
Aura: Strong; no school.
Activation: Standard or move action (see text)

Æthereal is a property that can be applied to any weapon, shield, or armor.  Æthereal equipment functions similarly to a forging -- a character with the Æther Forging class feature can spend a standard action to bind æther to the equipment to increase its enhancement bonus by an amount equal to the number of units of bound æther.  Any æther bound to Æthereal equipment can be released as a move action, reducing the enhancement bonus and returning the æther to the character's pool one round later.  The maximum amount of æther a character can bind to Æthereal equipment is equal to the maximum amount that the character could bind to a forging.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Reinforcement (armor or shield) or Weapon of Æther (weapon).
cost to create: Varies.

Æther Caltrops

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Price: 3600gp, 1600gp (lesser), 6400gp (greater)
Body Slot: None (held)
Caster Level: 12, 8 (lesser), 16 (greater)
Aura: Moderate (lesser) or strong; conjuration.
Activation: See text.

These appear much like normal caltrops, except with a subtle translucent glow. When stepped upon, in addition to the normal effects of caltrops, they forge an Æther Trap around the creature that stepped on them. Æther Caltrops can trap up to Large creatures. The lesser version can trap only Medium and smaller creatures, while the greater version can trap up to Huge creatures. Once triggered, the magic of the Æther Caltrops is lost forever and they become normal caltrops.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Trap.
cost to create: 1800gp, 144xp, 2 days; 800gp, 64xp, 2 days; 3200gp, 256xp, 7 days.

Æther Casque

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Price: 4000 gp
Body Slot: Head
Caster Level: 6
Aura: Faint; no school.
Activation: Continuous and immediate action.

A more permanent version of the Æther Cap forging, this æthereal item grants a +4 bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects, which does not stack with that of Æther Cap. However, if combined with the Æther Cap forging, its power improves. Once per day while affected by Æther Cap, the wearer can gain complete immunity to mind-affecting effects for 1 minute as an immediate action. Repeated forgings of Æther Cap do not allow the Casque to grant to gain this immunity more than once per day.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Cap.
cost to create: 2000 gp, 160xp, 2 days.

Æther Gem

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Price: 1000 gp
Body Slot: None (held)
Caster Level: 17
Aura: Strong; no school.
Activation: Swift action.

Once per day, an Æther Gem adds a single unit of æther the æther pool of any character with the Æther Forging class feature.  This unit can be bound to a forging as normal; however, unlike the æther the character gains from class levels, this unit is lost when it is bound, and does not return to the character's æther pool when the forging ends.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item.
cost to create: 500 gp, 40xp, 1 day.

Eyes of the Lost World

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Price: 6000 gp
Body Slot: Face
Caster Level: 10
Aura: Moderate; divination.
Activation: Use-activated.

These cyan and cobalt goggles allow you to observe eddies in the æther. You gain blindsense out to 30 feet and you can see perfectly into coterminous planes within that range. You can bind æther to this item as though it was a forging you know. For every point of æther, the range increases by 10 feet.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Revelation.
cost to create: 3000gp, 240xp, 3 days.

Forging Beads

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Price: See text
Body Slot: None (held)
Caster Level: Varies (= Forger Level)
Aura: Varies; no school.
Activation: Standard action.

Each of these beads of condensed æther holds the blueprints to a single forging within it. Their power can be used to forge a single such forging, even if it is unknown to the user, which drains the bead's power permanently. The user must provide all of the necessary æther, but the æther limit is based on the bead's forger level, not the user's. The save DC of any such forging is equal to 10 + 1.5 times the amount of æther bound to the forging.  Multiple Forging Beads are often woven together in strands and worn as bracelets or necklaces (although they do not take up a magic item slot).

The market price for a Forging Bead is equal to 25 gp times the Bead's Forger level times the minimum æther required for that Forging.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, ability to forge the forging to which the bead is keyed, forger level at least as high as the bead's forger level.
cost to create: 12.5 gp or more, 1xp or more, 1 day or more.

Sandals Over There

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Price: 18,000 gp
Body Slot: Feet
Caster Level: 6
Aura: Moderate; conjuration (teleportation).
Activation: Standard (mental).

These pieces of footwear replace space with æther, allowing the wearer to step from one location to another distant location. Three times per day, the user can teleport up to 150 feet as a standard action, as though with the Æther Jump forging.

Additionally, the user can bind æther to the sandals, as if binding æther to a forging, at any time, and it remains bound until unforged. For each point of æther bound in this way, the range of any teleportation effects the wearer uses (including activating the teleportation ability of the Sandals) increases by 10 feet.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Jump.
cost to create: 9000 gp, 720xp, 9 days.

Sash of Oddities

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Price: 3000 gp, 8000 gp (greater)
Body Slot: Waist
Caster Level: 5, 11 (greater)
Aura: Faint, moderate (greater); conjuration.
Activation: Standard (manipulation).

This conservative navy sash has a minimal sentience, and can intuitively forge æther into various tools and objects. As a standard action, the wearer can reach into a pocket of the sash to draw out a mundane tool made of æther. With a successful DC 10 Craft check (any subskill will do) to mentally guide the sash into forging specific shapes, the tool will be a specific nonmagical object worth 5g or less of the wearer's choice. Otherwise, it will be a random mundane object worth less than 1g. The object remains for 5 minutes before dissipating. The sash cannot create another object until the first one dissipates, is destroyed or dispelled, or is placed back in the sash (a move action). Objects created by the sash are visibly made of æther and show telltale signs of being temporary (and often shoddy) creations.  Food, gems, and living things cannot be made with the sash.

A greater version of the Sash of Oddities exists.  The Greater Sash requires no Craft check for a specific item worth 5g or less, and with a DC 20 Craft check, the maximum value of the object instead becomes 55g. Objects created by a Greater Sash of Oddities can last up to 1 hour and are of visibly higher quality, although they are still obviously temporary creations.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Weapon of Æther.
cost to create: 1500gp, 120xp, 2 days; 4000gp, 320xp, 4 days.

Vatwallo's Senses

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This set of magic items was originally created by the blind Ætherforge Vatwallo to aid in his experiments with Æther.

insert flavor text here

Lore: Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (the Planes), or who have the bardic knowledge ability, can research Vatwallo's Senses to learn more about these items. When a character succeeds on a check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DC's.

DC 15:

DC 20:

DC 25:

Collection Benefits: Possessing multiple pieces of this set grants you increased awareness and forging capabilities.

• 2 pieces: You gain a +2 bonus on Listen and Spellcraft checks.
  
• 3 pieces: 3 times per day, you can forge Æther Ablation, with 3 bound æther and a forger level of 5.
  
• 4 pieces: Once per day, you can forge Æther Spiral, with 8 bound æther and a forger level of 15.

Vatwallo's Ears

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Price: 15,000 gp
Body Slot: Head
Caster Level: 5
Aura: Moderate; divination.
Activation: Always active; free action (mental).

This helmet produces an audial representation of magical structures. The wearer is automatically aware of the presence or absence of magical auras within 30 feet.  The wearer knows the number and strength of such auras; however, the Ears themselves are magical, which provides enough auditory feedback to the process that further spatial pinpointing is impossible.  In addition, as a free action once per round, the wearer can focus on a single magical aura he is aware of. If he succeeds on a Listen check (DC 10 + the aura's caster level or equivalent), the wearer instantly learns information about it, as though with the Æther Probe forging (no additional Spellcraft check is required). The wearer gains a +4 bonus on any dispel checks against an identified aura made within 1 minute of identifying it.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Probe.
cost to create: 7,500 gp, 600xp, 8 days.

Vatwallo's Hands

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Price: 3000 gp
Body Slot: Hands
Caster Level: 10
Aura: Moderate; evocation.
Activation: Always active.

These fingerless gloves allow the wearer to reach into nearby planes. The wearer's hands are considered to be made of force; this effect allows unarmed strikes made with the hands to strike incorporeal and ethereal targets at no penalty, the wearer to grasp and manipulate ethereal objects, and so on. This effect can be activated or deactivated as a swift action (helpful when attempting to move past an ethereal wall).

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Puppet.
cost to create: 1500 gp, 120xp, 2 days.

Vatwallo's Nose

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Price: 1500 gp
Body Slot: Face
Caster Level: 6
Aura: Moderate; divination.
Activation: Always active.

This mask transforms æthereal eddies into olfactory sensations. This ability works like Scent, except that a wearer can only sense creatures who have cast spells, used spell-like abilities, forged æther, or produced similar effects within the last round. Likewise, the auras of spells, forgings, magic items, and similar magical effects are detected by this scent-like effect.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Revelation.
cost to create: 750 gp, 60xp, 1 day.

Vatwallo's Tongue

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Price: 36,000 gp
Body Slot: Neck
Caster Level: 10
Aura: Moderate; abjuration.
Activation: Standard (mental).

This amulet allows its wearer to consume magical energies. As a standard action, the wearer can produce an Æther Dissolution effect, with a forger level of 10; however, unlike other versions of this forging, this effect targets a specific creature, object, or magical aura and has a range of touch.  3 of the required units of æther are supplied by Vatwallo's tongue, but the remainder must be bound by the wearer.  If an effect is successfully dispelled by the Tongue, the wearer gains temporary hit points equal to the effect's caster level, which lasts for 1 minute or until used.

prerequisites: Craft Æther Item, Æther Dissolution.
cost to create: 18000 gp, 1440xp, 18 days.

(Note: Like all sets, making a set item requires possessing another item from the same set.)

FEATS

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Name	Type	Prerequisites	Benefit
Æther Conduit	Æther	Æther forging CF, Wis 13	Draw additional æther
Æthereal Fortitude	Æther	Æther forging CF, Con 13	Bind æther to gain temp HP or a bonus to Fort saves
Æthereal Reflexes	Æther	Æther forging CF, Wis 13	Bind æther to gain a bonus to initiative or Ref saves
Æthereal Will	Æther	Æther forging CF, Wis 13	Bind æther to gain a bonus to Will saves or Concentration checks
Contingent Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF, Imbue Forging	Alter a forging to be contingent upon some condition
Craft Æther Item	Æther, Item Creation	Æther forging CF, forger level 3	Create an æther item
Energize Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Turn force damage into energy damage
Enlarge Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Increase the range of your forgings
Explosive Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Make your forgings explode when unforged
Favored Forging	Æther	Æther forging CF, knowledge of 1 forging	Bind one fewer æther with chosen forging
Force Æther	Æther	Æther forging CF, Æther Conduit	Bind additional æther, but take damage
Imbue Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Store forgings in objects for others
Multiply Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Affect multiple targets with one forging
Persistent Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Increase forging duration to 24hrs.
Rapid Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Forge as a swift action instead of a standard action
Salvage Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Unforge an active forging to use the æther immediately
Widen Forging	Metaforge	Æther forging CF	Increase the area of your forgings

Additional units of æther bound to a forging due to Metaforge feats do not trigger any effects based on binding additional units of æther other than those due to the Metaforge feat.  You may apply more than one Metaforge feat to the same forging, as long as the total amount of æther is no more than the maximum amount of æther you can bind to a given forging.  You cannot apply the same Metaforge feat more than once to the same forging.

Æther Conduit [Æther]
You are able to draw in more æther than others.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, Wis 13.
Benefit: Your daily pool of æther increases by 2 units.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times; each time, the amount of æther it grants increases by 2 units.

Æthereal Fortitude [Æther]
You can infuse your own body with æther, granting yourself extra hardiness.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, Con 13.
Benefit: You may bind any amount of æther to this feat as a full-round action, up to a number of units equal to the maximum amount of æther you can bind to a forging.  For each unit of æther you bind to this feat, you gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves or 5 bonus hit points.  Any hit points you gain are not temporary hit points, and are not lost first.  Divide up the bonus however you wish when you bind the æther.  Æther bound to this feat remains so for 24 hours, or until you unbind the æther as a move action.  When the æther is unbound (or after 24 hours), it returns to your pool 1 round later.
Special: This feat counts as both Great Fortitude and Toughness for the purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Æthereal Reflexes [Æther]
You can infuse your own body with æther to move more quickly.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, Dex 13.
Benefit: You may bind any amount of æther to this feat as a full-round action, up to a number of units equal to the maximum amount of æther you can bind to a forging.  For each unit of æther you bind to this feat, you gain a +1 bonus to Reflex saves or a +1 bonus to initiative.  Divide up the bonus however you wish when you bind the æther.  Æther bound to this feat remains so for 24 hours, or until you unbind the æther as a move action.  When the æther is unbound (or after 24 hours), it returns to your pool 1 round later.
Special: This feat counts as both Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes for the purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Æthereal Will [Æther]
You can infuse your own body with æther, granting yourself more mental toughness.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, Wis 13.
Benefit: You may bind any amount of æther to this feat as a full-round action, up to a number of units equal to the maximum amount of æther you can bind to a forging.  For each unit of æther you bind to this feat, you gain a +1 bonus to Will saves or a +2 bonus to Concentration checks.  Divide up the bonus however you wish when you bind the æther.  Æther bound to this feat remains so for 24 hours, or until you unbind the æther as a move action.  When the æther is unbound (or after 24 hours), it returns to your pool 1 round later.
Special: This feat counts as both Combat Casting and Iron Will for the purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Contingent Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to have them take effect when triggered.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, Imbue Forging
Benefit: You can alter a forging so that it comes into effect under some condition you dictate when binding æther to it.  Once triggered, a contingent forging takes immediate effect upon the target (or is centered in the target's square if the forging affects an area).   Triggers for contingent forgings are usually events that happen to the bearer of the forging, and can include death, contracting disease, exposure to a breath weapon or to energy damage, falling, exposure to poison, exposure to a dangerous environment (trapped by fire, plunged underwater, and so forth), succumbing to sleep or fear effects, gaining negative levels, or being rendered helpless, deafened, or blinded.  Any æther you bind to a contingent forging remains bound to the forging while it is inactive, only returning to your pool after the forging takes effect, one round after it ends as normal.  However, if 24 hours pass without the forging being triggered, the contingent forging ends with no effect and the æther returns to your pool as normal one round later.

A contingent forging must be forged in the presence of the person to bear it, and the bearer is subject to the same restrictions as you. Once assigned to a bearer, a contingent forging cannot be transferred to another creature, although it can be destroyed; If the bearer of a contingent forging is the target of dispel magic, the contingent forging might be permanently dispelled (but not triggered), as if it were an active forging in effect on the target creature.  In an antimagic field, contingent forgings are temporarily suppressed like magic items are.  Any given creature may bear only a single contingent forging.  A contingent forging requires 3 additional units of æther.

Craft Æther Item [Æther, Item Creation]
You can craft items using æther.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, forger level 3.
Benefit: You can create any æther item whose prerequisites you meet. Enchanting an æther item takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its price. To enchant an æther item, you must spend 1/25 of the item’s price in XP and use up raw materials costing half of this price.  You can also mend a broken æther item if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place.  Some æther items incur extra costs in material components or XP, as noted in their descriptions. These costs are in addition to those derived from the item’s base price. You must pay such a cost to create an item or to mend a broken one.

Energize Forging [Metaforge]
You may alter the energy type of your forgings.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can alter a forging which deals force damage to deal energy damage.  Choose one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) when you select this feat.  You can then modify any forging which deals force damage to use the chosen type of energy instead.  An energized forging does not require additional units of æther.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times, choosing a different energy type each time.

Enlarge Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to increase their range.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can alter a forging with a range of close, medium, or long to increase its range by 100%. An enlarged forging with a range of close now has a range of 50 ft. + 5 ft./level, while medium-range forgings have a range of 200 ft. + 20 ft./level and long-range forgings have a range of 800 ft. + 80 ft./level.  Forgings whose ranges are not defined by distance, as well as spells whose ranges are not close, medium, or long, are not affected by this feat.  An enlarged forging requires one additional unit of æther.

Explosive Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to make them explode when unforged.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You may make any forging with a non-instantaneous duration into an explosive forging. Whenever an explosive forging becomes unforged (whether by you spending an move action, by being dispelled, or from the duration expiring), it deals 2d6 force damage per unit of æther bound to the forging to all creatures within a 10-foot radius burst, centered on the same square that on which the forging was centered (if the forging targeted a creature or object, the explosion is centered on any one square the creature or object occupies, chosen at random). An explosive forging requires two additional units of æther, which count when determining the amount of damage due to units of bound æther.

Favored Forging [Æther]
You specialize in the use of one particular forging, and are able to bind æther to it more efficiently.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, knowledge of one forging.
Benefit: Choose one forging you know when you select this feat.  You remove one less unit of æther from your pool than you bind to the chosen forging (to a minimum of 1 unit of æther removed).  This does not allow you to exceed the limit on æther bound to a given forging; you simply retain up to 1 unit of æther in your pool to use for other forgings.  For example, a 6th-level ætherforge with the Favored Forging (Ætherbeast) feat could bind up to 3 units of æther to an ætherbeast as normal, but would only remove 2 units of æther from her æther pool.

Force Æther [Æther]
You can bind more æther than normal to a forging, but it damages you.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature, Æther Conduit.
Benefit: You can bind one more unit of æther to a forging above your normal maximum, but in so doing you take 2d8 points of damage.
Normal: The maximum amount of æther you can bind to any given forging is equal to half your forger level (rounded down).

Imbue Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to store them in an object for others to use.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can alter a forging to store it in an object.  When forging an imbued forging, you must hold a small object of no more than 5 lbs weight in your hand, directing the æther into the object.  The forging does not take immediate effect, though the bound æther is removed from your pool as normal.  At any time within the next 24 hours, whoever is holding the object may spend a standard action to release the forging stored inside as if they had forged it, though using your æther and forger level.  The creature who releases the forging may unforge the forging as a move action.  Once the forging ends, the æther returns to your pool as normal one round later.  An imbued forging requires one additional unit of æther.

Multiply Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to affect a large number of targets.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can alter a forging which affects a single target to affect multiple targets.  The forging affects one target per level, none of which may be more than 30 feet apart.  A multiplied forging requires 3 additional units of æther.

Persistent Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to make them last all day.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can alter a forging so that it lasts for 24 hours instead of its normal duration.  You may make any forging with a duration longer than instantaneous into a persistent forging.  A persistent forging requires 1 additional unit of æther.

Rapid Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to forge them more quickly than normal.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can alter a forging to forge it rapidly.  The forging requires a swift action to forge instead of a standard action.  A rapid forging requires double the normal units of æther.

Salvage Forging [Metaforge]
You may unforge a forging immediately to harvest its æther for another forging.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can bind æther to a forging that is currently bound to another forging.  As part of the same action as producing a new forging, you unforge an existing forging and use its æther for the salvaged one.  The salvaged forging requires 3 additional units of æther.
Special: If the existing forging had insufficient æther to bind to the salvaged forging, you must make up the difference with æther from your pool.  If the existing forging instead had more æther than was required to bind to the salvaged forging, the remainder returns to your æther pool one round after it is unforged, as normal.

Widen Forging [Metaforge]
You may bind additional æther to your forgings to increase their area.
Prerequisites: Æther forging class feature
Benefit: You can alter a burst, emanation, line, or spread shaped forging to increase its area. Any numeric measurements of the forging's area increase by 100%.  Forgings that do not have an area of one of these four sorts are not affected by this feat.  A widened forging requires two additional units of æther.

[littha]

That is spectacularly awesome, I couldn't have hoped for something better. Thanks

Ideas for class features:
1. A way of expanding effects to multiple targets by expending more aether
2. Probably want to split some of the capstone effects off, ac bonuses at level 20 are not that great. Elemental is probably also a better fit than outsider considering crit immunity

Forge ideas:
1. Aether push, ranged bull rush
2. Aether launch, telekinesis type attack for ranged damage
3. Forced aether redirection, for use on enemies. Like reverse gravity
4. Aether implosion, fort save or die
5. Aether deflection, like wind wall

Hope that helps, will suggest more tomorrow when I finally get my pc set up.

[sirpercival]

That is spectacularly awesome, I couldn't have hoped for something better. Thanks

  Yesssss!  I was worried I was going in completely the wrong direction.

Ideas for class features:
1. A way of expanding effects to multiple targets by expending more aether

This is already built into some of the forgings; I could make it a class feature for the rest, or I could turn it into a Metaforge feat.  Thoughts?

2. Probably want to split some of the capstone effects off, ac bonuses at level 20 are not that great. Elemental is probably also a better fit than outsider considering crit immunity

Good call on the Elemental, and I'll move the AC bonus earlier.

Forge ideas:
1. Aether push, ranged bull rush
2. Aether launch, telekinesis type attack for ranged damage
3. Forced aether redirection, for use on enemies. Like reverse gravity
4. Aether implosion, fort save or die
5. Aether deflection, like wind wall

Hope that helps, will suggest more tomorrow when I finally get my pc set up.

Perfect, I'll write some more.

[linklord231]

As for the dead levels problem, you could do like Dread Necro does for Lichdom and give some of the benefits spread out over the class instead of lumping them all at once.  Something like free scaling Fortification starting around level 6, low light and/or darkvision at low levels, immunity to flanking at level 12 or so...
I also would consider upping the Hit Dice to d8's, matching the Elemental type (and also the Cleric, which I feel like this class is loosely based off). 
Oh, and instead of calling all the forgings "Aether X", maybe just call them "X"? 
If you were feeling really creative, you could pull a leaf out of the Truenamer's book and make each forging "reversible," ie when you know Contraction you also automatically know Diffusion.  That would double the amount of forgings you have to come up with though. 

[sirpercival]

As for the dead levels problem, you could do like Dread Necro does for Lichdom and give some of the benefits spread out over the class instead of lumping them all at once.  Something like free scaling Fortification starting around level 6, low light and/or darkvision at low levels, immunity to flanking at level 12 or so...
I also would consider upping the Hit Dice to d8's, matching the Elemental type (and also the Cleric, which I feel like this class is loosely based off). 

Nice ideas, will do!

Oh, and instead of calling all the forgings "Aether X", maybe just call them "X"? 
If you were feeling really creative, you could pull a leaf out of the Truenamer's book and make each forging "reversible," ie when you know Contraction you also automatically know Diffusion.  That would double the amount of forgings you have to come up with though.

I don't intend for every forging to be Æther X, it's just worked out that most of them are...

I thought about the reversible thing, but didn't want to go there.  Lol.

[sirpercival]

OK, a bunch of new forgings and class features up.

I'm thinking many of the feats will be metaforge feats; any other suggestions?

EDIT: New forgings planned for when I finish taking a walk with my son:

Æther Fog
Æther Storm
Æther Spiral

[Garryl]

The various defensive forgings should have durations greater than rounds/level. Given the Incarnum-like refreshability of forgings, I'm not sure why any of them have such short durations. Barring the offensive forgings, anything up to an hour or so should be good. But really, though, your average run of the mill defensive ability (not the really really strong ones) is at the edge of useless when you have to spend a standard action in combat to use it, especially if it doesn't even last the full combat.

Forgings should be sorted in some way by minimum aether, so you can show which ones are higher levels effects.

[sirpercival]

The various defensive forgings should have durations greater than rounds/level. Given the Incarnum-like refreshability of forgings, I'm not sure why any of them have such short durations. Barring the offensive forgings, anything up to an hour or so should be good. But really, though, your average run of the mill defensive ability (not the really really strong ones) is at the edge of useless when you have to spend a standard action in combat to use it, especially if it doesn't even last the full combat.

Forgings should be sorted in some way by minimum aether, so you can show which ones are higher levels effects.

Hmm... good point. I'll change Diffusion, Fog, Redirection, Reinforcement, Static, Wall, and Weapon to 10 minutes/level.  How does that sound?

Would a list by min æther be sufficient, or should I just not worry about alphabetical?

EDIT: I lied about making them all 10 minutes, but I did increase the durations.

[Garryl]

Yeah, a minimum aether list should be fine, much like how spells are sorted by level on class lists, but listed alphabetically in the full descriptions.

[Bozwevial]

Æther Piston - Greatly increase gravity in a narrow cylinder to crush opponents (possibly with a larger size = more damage clause).
Æther Vacuum - Rip open a vortex à la reality maelstrom; creatures sucked in are affected as by maze.

Something like those, or am I barking up the wrong thematic tree?

[sirpercival]

Æther Piston - Greatly increase gravity in a narrow cylinder to crush opponents (possibly with a larger size = more damage clause).
Æther Vacuum - Rip open a vortex à la reality maelstrom; creatures sucked in are affected as by maze.

Something like those, or am I barking up the wrong thematic tree?

Oh, those are awesome.  Yes, definitely correct.  Could use more mid-level stuff, too.

[TheGeometer]

Nice concept, even though, like Hanako's new homebrew, the ideas are very similar to psionics and incarnum. First of all, considering the pattern for æther / level on the chart, you should end up with 15 at level 20, not 16. Now, on to the suggestions for more forgings:

• Ætherbeast - Creates a monster made of living æther that attacks for you. Either give it a minimum of 1 and have the creatures get better with imbued æther, or make a different forging for each kind of monster. As for the monsters themselves, it would probably be easiest to apply a template to the Summon Monster monsters, but no matter what you do this forging is a must.
• Mind of Æther - Fill your enemies' heads with too much æther so that they can't think straight.
• Ætherial Inflation/Deflation - Fill the gaps in a creature's body with æther, increasing their size, or empty them of æther to shrink them.
• Æther Puppet - Move the æther around your enemies to make them move involuntarily.
• Æther Pressure - Make the æther condense in a bubble with high pressure to do damage every round.
• Æther Eye - Become so attuned to the æther that you can scry on any creature in contact with it (so basically anything) within range.

Hopefully, these gave you a few ideas of forging effects that you hadn't considered. Sorry if some of them are blatantly ripped off of spells, but what isn't nowadays?

[littha]

You might want to delay getting your aether back from an effect until the end of your next turn. At the moment you can just spam any forge with an instantaneous duration

[Amechra]

Out of curiosity... how are you typing ash? (the AE combination letter.)

[sirpercival]

You might want to delay getting your aether back from an effect until the end of your next turn. At the moment you can just spam any forge with an instantaneous duration

Still takes a standard action to do, or swift if you pay double.

But you mean a 1-round delay?  Yeah, that's probably a good idea.

Out of curiosity... how are you typing ash? (the AE combination letter.)

On a Mac, option-' (or shift-option-' for uppercase).

[sirpercival]

Nice concept, even though, like Hanako's new homebrew, the ideas are very similar to psionics and incarnum.

Yes, I recognize this; however, I think the way the mechanics end up working, with the interplay between the two, turns into an unusual and interesting resource management system.

At least, I hope so. 

First of all, considering the pattern for æther / level on the chart, you should end up with 15 at level 20, not 16.

I know -- I added an extra at 20th level (a lot of resource progressions are inconsistent) for some reason that I can't recall right now.

Other than that wonkiness, how does the æther progression actually look?  I just pulled something out of the air before I even wrote the class features or any forgings.  Do they need more? Less?

Now, on to the suggestions for more forgings:

• Ætherbeast - Creates a monster made of living æther that attacks for you. Either give it a minimum of 1 and have the creatures get better with imbued æther, or make a different forging for each kind of monster. As for the monsters themselves, it would probably be easiest to apply a template to the Summon Monster monsters, but no matter what you do this forging is a must.
• Mind of Æther - Fill your enemies' heads with too much æther so that they can't think straight.
• Ætherial Inflation/Deflation - Fill the gaps in a creature's body with æther, increasing their size, or empty them of æther to shrink them.
• Æther Puppet - Move the æther around your enemies to make them move involuntarily.
• Æther Pressure - Make the æther condense in a bubble with high pressure to do damage every round.
• Æther Eye - Become so attuned to the æther that you can scry on any creature in contact with it (so basically anything) within range.

Hopefully, these gave you a few ideas of forging effects that you hadn't considered. Sorry if some of them are blatantly ripped off of spells, but what isn't nowadays?

Awesome stuff!  I'll add these.

[linklord231]

I think the numbers for Forgings Known could use a re-working.  10 seems kind of low, especially when 3 of them are first level.  The way it is now, there's a good chance that a character might not know any forgings of 6th level, which seems kind of dumb. 
Also, I think that it's important to make sure new forgings known come on even levels, so that you can pick abilities from the next tier. 

I'd be tempted to give new Forgings Known every level, for a total of 23 at level 20.  That might be too much, so at the very least I'd do 3 + 1 every even numbered level, for a total of 13 at level 20.  That way you get a new Forging (of the highest tier you could handle) every time the Sorcerer gets a new spell level.