Impulse Mage“Plan? Who goes into a battle with a plan?”—Keha Moag, impulse mage
A master of the spontaneous, the impulse mage is a capricious spellshaper—an adept whose abilities occur to her on the spot. She has no overarching plan, nor does she have any strategy. She acts in the moment, never knowing whether she will choose to throw a ball of fire or a bolt of lightning.
An impulse mage draws on arcane energies, but in a raw, untamed manner. She trusts her intuition and inspiration to guide her through battle, relying on flashes of insight that tell her how to shape her spells. Moreover, she is so keyed into the moment that she can react to nearly anything, allowing her to dodge even the most carefully aimed attack.
Making an Impulse MageLike most spellshapers, an impulse mage’s powers are primarily offensive. Though she can shape her formulae without having to stop and think, she is still far more restricted than a wizard or sorcerer. However, her impulsivity also allows her to tap into an unpredictable power that makes her a powerful ally and a dangerous foe.
Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability for an impulse mage, as it governs which formulae she can learn and how difficult those formulae are to resist. Like all spellshapers, an impulse mage also benefits from a high Dexterity, allowing her attacks to land more reliably. As always, a good Constitution score is useful.
Races: An impulse mage can come from any race with spellcasting ability, but a member of a race that views magic as an art is less likely to follow such a path. The reliance on intuition and impulse also means that those races without the ability to think on their feet make poor impulse mages.
Alignment: Almost all impulse mages are chaotic. The chaotic, unplanned style drives away many lawful magic-users, who prefer to know their next moves. However, lawful impulse mages—though rare—are not entirely unheard of.
An impulse mage can be good, neutral, or evil. Many who view good and evil as too much commitment will choose the neutral path, but impulse mages can also champion a cause, viewing their gifts as blessings that should be used in the pursuit of a cause.
Starting Gold: 4d4x10 gp (100 gp).
Starting Age: As sorcerer.
Class FeaturesThe following are the class features of the impulse mage.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As an impulse mage, you are proficient with simple weapons and light armor, but not with shields.
As an impulse mage, you can shape formulae while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, you incur a chance of arcane spell failure when wearing medium or heavy armor or when using a shield. This only applies to the formulae you know as an impulse mage, and you might incur arcane spell failure chance for formulae received from other spellshaper classes.
Formulae: You begin your career with knowledge of six arcane formulae. You have access to five circles of your choice, which you select at 1st level.
Once you know a formula, you must prepare it before you can use it (see Formulae Prepared, below). A formula usable by an impulse mage is considered a spell-like ability unless otherwise noted in its description. Unlike most other spell-like abilities, arcane formulae are subject to arcane spell failure chance, as described in Weapon and Armor Proficiency above. The save DC for a formula that allows a save is 10 + formula level + your Charisma modifier.
You learn additional formulae at higher levels, as shown on Table 1–2. To learn or shape a formula, you must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the formula level, as well as meeting the formula’s prerequisite. See Table 5–1, page XX, to determine the highest-level formulae you can learn.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered impulse mage level after that (6th, 8th, 10th, and so on), you can choose to learn a new formula in place of one you already know. In effect, you lose the old formula in exchange for the new one. You can choose a new formula of any level you like, as long as you observe your restriction on the highest-level formulae you know; you need not replace the old formula with a formula of the same level.
Formulae Prepared: You can only prepare five of your known formulae at 1st level, so you will have to choose which formulae to prepare. You prepare your formulae by meditating for 5 minutes. The formulae you choose remain prepared until you decide to meditate again and change them. You need not sleep or rest for any long period of time to prepare your formulae; any time you spend 5 minutes in meditation, you can change your prepared formulae.
You begin an encounter with all your prepared formulae unexpended, regardless of how many times you might have already used them since you chose them. When you shape a formula, you expend it for the current encounter, so each of your prepared formulae can be used once per encounter (unless you recover them, as described below).
Impulse mages are unique among spellshapers, relying on flashes of sudden insight and inspiration to use their arcane formulae. As such, you do not control access to your prepared formulae. Before you take your first action in an encounter, two of your prepared formulae (randomly determined) occur to you. The rest of your prepared formulae are repressed, currently inaccessible. At the end of each turn, one previously repressed formula (again, randomly determined) occurs to you, and thus becomes accessible for your next turn and subsequent turns. You can freely choose to shape any formula that has currently occurred to you when your turn begins, but you cannot shape a repressed formula. If you choose not to employ a formula in a given round, your currently occurred formulae remain available, and a previously repressed formula is granted, as described above. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you use your formulae or not—at the end of each of your turns, one repressed formula from your selection of prepared formulae occurs to you. Over the course of a few rounds, all of your formulae will eventually occur to you.
If, at the end of your turn, a formula cannot occur to you because you have no repressed formulae remaining, you recover all expended formulae, and a new set of prepared formulae occurs to you. Randomly determine which of your formulae occur to you and which are repressed. At the end of your next turn, a repressed formula occurs to you, and the whole process of inspiration begins anew.
As you advance as an impulse mage, the number of formulae that occur to you at the beginning of an encounter and when you recover your expended formulae increases, as shown on Table 1–2.
Once per encounter, you can change your prepared formulae as a swift action. Changing your prepared formulae in this way also recovers expended formulae, as though you had prepared them in the usual way. Your currently occurred formulae are also repressed and you gain new occurred formulae as if you had just prepared your formulae.
Spellshape Attacks (Sp): The first abilities you learn as an impulse mage are your spellshape attacks. You learn the five spellshape attacks associated with the circles to which you have access.
Impulsive Surge (Ex): By tapping into your impulsive nature, you can draw upon an unpredictable strength. When you activate your impulsive surge, roll 1d6. Until the beginning of your next turn, you gain a +2 bonus to two of your attributes, depending on the result of the die roll.
| 1d6 | | Attributes Improved |
| 1 | | Armor Class and attack rolls |
| 2 | | Attack rolls and saving throws |
| 3 | | Saving throws and shaper level |
| 4 | | Armor Class and saving throws |
| 5 | | Attack rolls and shaper level |
| 6 | | Armor Class and shaper level |
At the beginning of each of your turns, roll the die again and apply the designated bonuses. At 11th level, the bonuses granted by your impulsive surge increase to +3. At 20th level, the bonuses increase to +4.
An impulsive surge lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. You may prematurely end an impulsive surge if you wish. At the end of an impulsive surge, you lose any bonuses granted by the impulsive surge and become fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can't charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter.
You may invoke an impulsive surge only once per encounter. At 1st level, you can use your impulsive surge ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, you can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Beginning an impulsive surge takes no time itself, but you can do it only during your turn, not in response to someone else's action.
Adept's Knack (Ex): At 2nd level, you unlock an innate knack that allows you to succeed on many tasks, even those in which you merely dabble. When making any skill check, you can choose to use 1/2 your impulse mage level (rounded up) in place of the number of ranks you have in the skill (even if that number is 0).
For example, a 5th-level impulse mage would have the equivalent of 3 ranks in Appraise, Balance, Bluff, and so on (but only for the purpose of making skill checks).
You can't take 10 on checks when you use your adept's knack (to take 10 you have to use your actual ranks). If the skill doesn't allow untrained checks, you must have at least 1 actual rank to attempt the check.
Slippery Mind (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, if you are affected by an enchantment spell or effect and you fail your saving throw, you can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. You get only this one extra chance to succeed on your saving throw.
Evasion (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, you can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If you make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals damage on a successful save, you instead take no damage. Evasion can be used only if you are wearing light armor or no armor. If you are helpless, you do not gain the benefit of evasion.
Quick to Act (Ex): When you reach 5th level, you gain a +1 bonus on initiative checks. This bonus increases by 1 at 10th, 15th, and 20th level.
Abrupt Step (Su): At 7th level, you learn to use your magic to slip away from your foes. As an immediate action, you can travel between locations as if by a
dimension door spell, except that you cannot transport other creatures with you. You may use this ability to travel a total number of feet each day equal to 10 x your impulse mage level x your Charisma modifier. This amount can be split among many abrupt steps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment.
Blurred Movements (Ex): At 10th level, you learn to heighten your focus whenever you are in danger, making you more difficult to hit as attacks against you fail. Each time an opponent misses you with an attack, you become harder to see, imposing a 10% miss chance on attacks against you. This miss chance lasts until the start of your next turn and is cumulative for the round, but it cannot exceed 50%. The miss chance applies to any attacks made by all opponents until the beginning of your next turn.
Intuitive Shaping: When you reach 11th level, spellshaping becomes a part of who you are. Your impulse mage spellshape attacks and arcane formulae now function as supernatural abilities, and therefore are not subject to spell resistance or arcane spell failure chance and do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Unruly Mind (Ex): Starting at 12th level, if you succeed on a Will save against an attack that would normally produce a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Will partial), you instead negate the effect. You do not benefit from this ability while unconscious or sleeping.
Improved Evasion (Ex): From 14th level on, you gain the benefit of improved evasion. You still take no damage if you make a successful Reflex save against an attack, and even if you fail the Reflex save, you take only half damage from the attack. If you are helpless, you do not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Temporal Instability (Su): When you reach 18th level, you become unfocused in time, allowing you to replay your turn three times per day. Using this ability is a free action that you must perform before the end of your turn. You return to the position you occupied when your turn began, and any effects that occurred during that time are reversed (including any readied actions or attacks of opportunity that your actions provoked). You recover any formulae that you expended on this turn. However, any daily uses of this ability remain spent. You can use this ability no more than once per round.
Shape the Unknown (Ex): At 19th level, by tapping into your spontaneous nature, you can shape magics normally unknown to you. Using this ability takes no action, but you can only do so once per encounter.
When you use this ability, you gain the use of one formula belonging to a circle to which you have access. You must meet the prerequisite for this formula as normal. As soon as you choose the formula, it immediately occurs to you, allowing you to shape it as one of your impulse mage formulae. You can recover this formula normally for the duration of the encounter, but knowledge of the formula fades immediately after the encounter ends.
Master of the Moment (Ex): When you reach 20th level, you gain a perfect understanding of the present moment in time, allowing you to take full advantage of every instant. You may take an additional swift or immediate action each round.
In addition, your attunement to the present allows you to recover from any mishap, and you no longer automatically fail attacks and saving throws on a roll of 1. You might still fail the attack or save if your result is too low.
Playing an Impulse MageAs an impulse mage, you live in the moment, rarely sparing a thought for the future or the past. By holding no expectations, you are ready for anything. You shape your magic as the mood takes you, pursuing fun and glory more than enlightenment. Thus, you approach each encounter as a new challenge to enjoy. Every chance you get, you test your skill against worthy foes, reacting to their attacks before they can connect. You pride yourself on your elusiveness, tempting fate by staying close to dangerous enemies—though, if a true threat rears its head, you know that you can escape in a moment.
ReligionAs a magic user, you stand a good chance of worshiping Wee Jas, Boccob, or Vecna, the gods of magic. However, the lifestyle of an impulse mage lends itself to other structures, and you might worship Kord—though you possess little physical strength, you view battle in much the same way that a barbarian does. Alternatively, given your proclivity for wandering, you might worship Fharlanghn.
Other ClassesBecause you appreciate the value of spontaneity, you have great respect for sorcerers, bards, and other spontaneous casters—though you sometimes feel a rivalry with them, as well, due to the differing natures of your magical abilities. Your love of battle also grants you rapport with barbarians and warblades. Wizards and divine spellcasters are foreign to your pursuit of controlled spontaneity, and your different method of shaping magic brands many such spellcasters as rivals. While you are capable of working well with other impulse mages, such alliances often devolve into contests of daring and speed.
CombatYou exult in combat. Your place is blasting foes from just out of their reach, and then skillfully dodging them when they attempt to retaliate. You should make good use of any defensive formulae you might know to always stay one step ahead of your foes, but do not neglect your offensive capabiltiies. Although your abilities may not be as impressive as a wizard’s spells, you do not need to prepare them in advance, nor are you limited to a certain number of uses per day.
Your lack of control over what formulae you will be able to shape means that even you don’t know what you will do next. Learning many formulae in one circle generally makes you more lethal in combat than an impulse mage who learns a few formulae from each of several circles. This phenomenon stems from the fact that taking many formulae from one circle while largely ignoring the rest lets you master higher-level formulae sooner.
AdvancementImpulse mages come from all walks of life. Perhaps you were raised under a tyrannical government and you rebelled by casting magic in the most uncontrolled way imaginable. Perhaps you were simply born with a chaotic nature.
As you become more skilled, your most important decisions are which formulae to learn. When selecting formulae, try not to choose in isolation. Instead, pick several that work well in synergy so that your formulae can set up one another.
Impulse Mages in the World“Sometimes, she’d spend a full hour just dancing around an enemy, dodging his attacks like they had planned the whole thing in advance. By the end of it, he’d be tired—and pissed off—and she’d barely have broken a sweat.”—Berunda Fillskin, companion to Jalla Bay
Impulse mages live by magic and intuition, but their interaction with the campaign world is not limited to trading magical blasts for sword slashes. These characters are keenly aware of the world around them, and have no qualms about reacting to the most minor of events. Because the impulse mage does not think about the past or future, she is often unaware of historical feuds between kingdoms; however, her mastery of the moment means that she always knows how to calm hot tempers. Her flashes of insight can serve her just as well in a diplomatic entanglement as they can on the battlefield.
Daily LifeAn impulse mage must train constantly to maintain her power. Thus, a significant portion of her day is spent developing her muscle memory and destroying random objects. Many impulse mages live in secluded areas, with large boulders or trees that can be safely detonated for practice. While out adventuring, however, a mad caster must restrain her more destructive urges, leading to a high level of distractibility. She must constantly fight the gnawing boredom, and will often spend her time at night on watch playing with sticks or dirt. The character taking the next watch is likely to wake and find his predecessor in the trees, camouflaged with mud and pretending to be a squirrel.
NotablesFamous impulse mages fall into two categories: those who are famous for great acts of magic and feats of spellshaping, and those who have passed into folk legend for their amusing antics. Among the impulse mages who are famous for greatness, the one known as Jalla Bay is famous for her awe-inspiring mastery of earth and fire. Her power was so great that she was rumored to be able to influence the behavior of volcanoes and earthquakes.
OrganizationsBecause of their chaotic natures and lack of foresight, impulse mages experience great difficulty in creating any form of organization. Impulse mages who know each other will often call on their friends for help, but there is no power system or central organization. While some attempts have been made, they have all dwindled away into nothing after only a brief time.
NPC ReactionsMany lay people cannot tell an impulse mage from any other spellcaster until they see her spontaneous fighting style. However, once a layperson recognizes an impulse mage, the reaction is almost always fear or suspicion. While impulse mages generally have a good reputation for honesty and decency, they also have a reputation for uncontrollability and random destruction. Authority figures and church leaders tend to try to send impulse mages back onto the road as quickly as possible, in the same way that most individuals attempt to keep their powder kegs away from open flame.
Impulse Mage LoreCharacters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can research impulse mages to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs.
DC 10: Impulse mages are unpredictable magic-users that rely on flashes of insight to understand how to shape their magic.
DC 15: An impulse mage practices a chaotic form of spellshaping, with no control on what formulae she can shape at a given time. Her focus on the moment allows her to react to situations much more quickly than most people can, giving her the chance to dodge or avoid attacks with ease.
DC 20: An impulse mage tends to be a chaotic creature. Her downfall is boredom—if she is kept from acting, she will eventually turn to destructive ways of entertaining herself. The promises of interest and adventure are often enough to entice an impulse mage to risk her life. Indeed, she views risk itself as a good reason for an adventure, reveling in the thrill of adrenaline.
Impulse Mages in the GameCombat is the natural campaign entry point for impulse mages. With their preternaturally fast reaction times, these characters can leave their opponents behind with ease. The first impulse mage in your campaign might be a wandering mage seeking to challenge greater and greater foes (such as the PCs). Her arcane formulae are the result of painstaking personal development, and she employs them in the name of improving her already impressive abilities. Alternatively, if a PC is the first impulse mage in your campaign world, she might experience an epiphany in battle that unlocks her latent magical abilities.
Once impulse mages have become an established part of a campaign world, they find their niches on the battlefield, in the wilds, and in the area of public entertainment. With their ridiculous behavior and impressive arcane formulae, impulse mages make excellent street performers and gladiators, and their thirst for entertainment can easily lead them to either stage. However, impulse mages are equally likely to live on the fringes of society, where they can practice and improve their abilities without fear of harming others.
AdaptationOne way to adapt impulse mages is to remove some of the chaotic flavor from the class, making them into a previously hidden school of secret magic techniques. In such an arrangement, an impulse mage would channel her personality to produce her arcane formulae, rather than waiting for flashes of insight. In like manner, her supernatural reaction speed would be the result of careful training under other impulse mages, not an extreme focus on the moment.
