Chaos Mage - Pathfinder Conversion?

[ccrossley4]

I've got a friend itching to run a Pathfinder game.

If I understand correctly, PF is basically D&D 3.5 with some tweaks. It's been YEARS since I've played Third Edition.

I just remembered that one of my last Third Edition purchases was Mongoose Publishing's The Quintessential Chaos Mage...and I was excited to try it out...but never got the chance.

Since this will be a PBP game, I even have the benefit of not having all eyes on me while sitting at a table and trying to work out the math of the spell that I want to create. I can take my time without holding anyone up.

So...my question for this esteemed community...

Has anyone worked up PF conversions for the Quintessential Chaos Mage book?

Anyone have some suggestions/warnings that they'd like to throw my way?

I'd appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks!

-Chris

 

[Psychowarrior]

A bit of gravedigging perhaps, but I felt like this deserved an answer.

HD is increased to d6.

All of the prestige classes get their HD increased to d6 if their BAB is a wizard's or a d8 if they have a bard's BAB.

The typical skill marriages occur; Spot, Listen and Search get lumped into Perception for example. This includes the skills your Chaos Familar can learn. I'd also add the Fly skill to the Familar's skill list.

Also remember that you don't get x4 skill points at each level, so the chaos mage only gets 2+INT mod each level. The plus side is that he doesn't need to blow 2 points for 1 cross class skill

The biggest change perhaps comes from the Pathfinder Conversion PDF where it suggests that you should get something at every level outside of increased saves and BAB. That's an easy fix for the Chaos Mage since the book has so many unique feats to choose from. Simply have the mage get a Chaos feat each level he doesn't gain something. This helps since the effects of many of these feats stack on top of each other.

If you want more choices instead of the chaos feats, open up the skill tricks in the back of the book as options with the skills as prerequisites. Another option is to have them as skill tricks, where you can buy them for 2 skill points as stated in the Complete Scoundrel book

 

[Supplement Four]

Instead of all the neat Combat Maneuvers in Conan, Pathfinder gives you a generic throw number to do whatever the player can make up. I don't find this near as interesting as all of the Conan RPG options, but some like the simplicity.

 

[Psychowarrior]

another grave dig, but I've ran a few more games with my mage.

Had a lot of fun adding in parts of the Protean bloodline(pathfinder advanced player book) for the sorcerer into the mage's progression. I didn't add the bloodline powers outside of Protean Resistances and Avatar of Chaos to my mage's progression, but I did add the bloodline feats just for flavor but of course I didn't give my mage any of the bloodline spells, bloodline arcana, or the bonus class skill. I felt the feats were enough.

it seemed fitting having this in the mage's repertoire, and he really does need more stuff besides what he gets. Though, at 20th I did forsee the problem of a mage bombing himself with 20d8 acid burst spells thanks to Avatar of Chaos's acid immunity, but lots of monsters are immune to acid, especially high level ones. I wasn't sure about the other abilities you get in this bloodline though. Some felt like they're too... safe. The point of a Chaos mage to me is that your magic is dangerous, but more dangerous for your enemies. giving him a weak acid spray and later dimensional door seems to take away from his spell crafting ability. why use the movement spells if you can gate yourself with no damage?

The skill tricks he can learn from concentration I feel can be granted as normal abilities, say at 2nd and the other at 6th level.

One thing I haven't felt concrete about was the bonus option at each level. Normally you can get +1 to HP or +1 skill point. the advanced player guide in Pathfinder suggests more options, and running upping the caster level (like what you get in multiclassing) at 1/3 per level seems to work out.

also, for concentration I have the "spell level" as 1/5 of the DC of the chaos spell rounded up, not the deductions for triggers.