There was a prompt in the Worldbuilding Community a couple of days ago - Worldbuilding Prompt #629 - Magic System.
The description was "Develop a magic system for a fantasy world, including the rules, limitations, and various types of magic users."
My first reaction was along the lines of "WTF ! Companies like Wizards of the Coast spend years developing magic systems, and employ professional writers and play-testers to do it. And you want me to do all that work and try to come up with something that hasn't been done before just for a Hive post ?"
Then I thought.... "What the hell, let's give it a go".
So here it is, sort of. I've wimped out a bit. What I've done is created a Prestige Class for D&D 3.5. It draws heavily from elements and ideas found in the Complete Scoundrel and Complete Mage supplements, and I've assumed readers going through it in depth have a certain familiarity with the D&D 3.5 rules. It's fair to say it has had no playtesting whatsoever, so I'd love to hear from anyone who wants to give it a go !
All images in this post created by AI in Nightcafe Studio
The name originates from Risus, the Latin word for laughter. The Risomancer is an arcane magician who derives their magical power from laughter. More specifically, they are clowns.
Entry Requirements
Skills: 4 Ranks in two out of three of Bluff, Sleight of Hand, or Tumble, or 8 ranks in both Climb and Jump.
Ability Scores: Constitution and Charisma both 14+.
Alignment: Any Chaotic.
Most classes have the ability to select Risomancy as a Prestige Class, although it is Bards and Rogues who find it the most natural progression. However it is a useful avenue for non-spellcasters to follow as a way to gain some magical abilities, and because clowns need to be tough to deal with the level of abuse their bodies suffer, it can be a useful was for "softer" classes to gain some toughness and in-your-face combat ability.
Alignment: Any Chaotic. A Risomancer who ceases to be Chaotic loses all class abilities and spells except for Clown Feet, Clown Nose (if applicable) and any Skill Tricks which have been learned.
Hit Dice: D10. A clown needs all the hit points they can get !
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Clown Feet, Skill Trick |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Custard Pie |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Tasha's Hideous Laughter |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Skill trick |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Clown Nose |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Extra Custard Pie, Skill Trick |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Natural Armour |
| 8th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +2 | More Laughter |
| 9th | +6 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Skill Trick |
| 10th | +7 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Humorous Spell |
Spellcasting: Risomancers gain spells in a similar way to sorcerers. Not for them the boring studious ways of wizards !
When a character becomes a Risomancer, he or she is taught two 0-level and two 1st level spells from the Illusion school arcane spell lists. You also know one additional 0-level spell for each point of Charisma bonus. At each new Risomancer level, he or she may choose another Illusion spell of any level they can cast.
A Risomancer's Spell DC = 10 + Spell level + the Risomancer's Charisma bonus.
A Risomancer can cast a certain number of spells of each level each day, as per the table below, which can be any of the spells known. In addition, you can gain bonus spells if you have a high Charisma score (see page 8 of the Player's Handbook)
Spells Per Day
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 2nd | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 3rd | 5 | 4 | - | - |
| 4th | 6 | 5 | - | - |
| 5th | 6 | 5 | 2 | - |
| 6th | 6 | 6 | 3 | - |
| 7th | 6 | 6 | 4 | - |
| 8th | 6 | 7 | 5 | - |
| 9th | 6 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| 10th | 6 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
Laughter Points: Each time a Risomancer incapacitates an opponent (whether through spellcasting or by reducing them to unconsciousness with non-lethal damage)with at least half their hit dice, he or she gains one laughter point. Each opponent only counts towards this once, no additional points are gained for incapacitating the same target multiple times, including in subsequent encounters. When spellcasting, up to 2 laughter points can be expended to increase either the Spell DC or the roll to penetrate Spell Resistance (announced at the time the spell is cast). The maximum number of laughter points which can be held at any one time is equal to the Risomancer level plus charisma bonus.
Clown Feet: These are a physical adaptation, and cannot be removed like shoes. They grant a +2 on Balance and Perform checks, but a -5 on Move Silent checks.
Custard Pie: At 2nd level, a Risomancer gets to use the Custard Pie attack. As a standard action, a Risomancer can conjure a custard pie into an empty hand and immediately use it to make a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet, or a melee touch attack. This does not attract attacks of opportunity. If the attack hits, the target is blinded for D4 rounds. At 6th level, the Risomancer gains an extra use per day of this attack.
Tasha's Hideous Laughter: At 3rd level, the Risomancer gets one use per day of the Tasha's Hideous Laughter spell. At 8th level, they gain an additional use. This does not count towards their daily spell uses in the table above.
Skill Trick: Clowns may look strange, with their clumsy feet and strange garb, but they have
to develop useful mobility skills in order to be able to deliver entertaining performances. At 1st, 4th, 6th and 9th levels, they gain an additional skill trick. These can be found on page 83 of the Complete Scoundrel supplement. Risomancers can choose from the following Skill Tricks without needing to meet the normal pre-requisites; Timely Misdirection, Conceal Spellcasting, Easy Escape, Listen to This, Back on Your Feet, Extreme Leap, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge, Walk the Walls.
Clown Nose: A clown's nose is more than just an appendage ! At 5th level, a Risomancer's nose balloons out and becomes bright red, green or some other amusing colour combination. It also renders him or her immune to poison and allows them to automatically detect any gaseous poison within 5 feet.
Natural Armour: All those circus tricks mean a clown takes a battering. At 7th level, a Risomancer gains +2 bonus to their natural armour.
Humorous Spell: This is a metamagic feat; a spell cast with it uses a spell slot one level higher than normal. Adding this feat to a spell causes the target to be afflicted as if by Tasha's Hideous Laughter for a single round. A will save at the spell's DC is required to avoid this effect; this is adjudicated separately, so may happen even if the spell is otherwise saved against or rendered ineffective.
The Risomancer's class skills are; Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Nobility), Listen, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Spot, Tumble, Use magic Device, Use Rope.
Skill Points: 4 plus Int bonus per level.
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A Risomancer has the same weapon & armour proficiencies as a Bard (PHB page 28). Risomancers get +2 to attack and damage when making non-lethal melee attacks with a sap or club.
All Risomancers are given a garish clown's outfit and compact of endless grease-paint when they join the profession, as well as a rubber-blower horn. They are expected to wear this outfit and grease-paint at all times when they are in public. Any attempted use of their powers and abilities when not fully 'clowned-up' incurs a -4 penalty.
The world is your circus, and you'd better made them die laughing because if you don't, you won't get far on those funny, flappy feet of yours. As a player, it's your job to really play the class up - it's primarily a class designed to create roleplay opportunities, so have fun with it and let your inner Killer Klown come out to play !
A Risomancer can often be infuriating to their party colleagues, with an endless supply of slapdash humour and practical jokes. But a good one will know exactly how far they can push it, and under the grease-paint and garish outfit is a shrewd operator and someone who can "read the crowd". They often make excellent, if unconventional, diplomats or con-artists.
In combat, a Risomancer is unpredictable and dangerous. The extra hit points and light armour proficiency allow them to get stuck into a melee, but they are just as much at home using their illusion magic and custard pies to disable opponents and shape a fight for their comrades.
