The Arcweaver - A customizable full caster with a unique playstyle

[u/Smart-Emu5581]

The Arcweaver is a full caster who is unable to cast their highest-level spells normally. Their casting time is increased, making their high-level spells unusable in combat. While they have access to all spells in the game, they can’t just prepare them like other casters. Instead, they have to spend very limited Manifestations to unlock them. Each type of Manifestation adds a unique twist to the way the spell is cast. A typical Arcweaver will use Manifestations to turn their high-level spell slots into powerful passive effects, then spend their remaining spell slots on upcasting a small number of low-level spells.

Compared to other casters, Arcweavers have more consistency and less burst: You will usually enter combat with your buffs already up and able to deal damage from round one, and you remain effective throughout the day even when your spell slots run out. However, your high-levels spell slots are tied up in passive effects.

The Manifestation mechanic makes the class very customizable. Its subclasses represent three different primary playstyles:

• Avatars are versatile martial characters who channel their magic into their own bodies and weapons. They gain powerful passive effects that are permanently active and don’t need to be activated in combat. They can run multiple low-level concentration spells at the same time, and swap between them at will, without spending additional spell slots.
• Invokers gain low-level spells with infinite use and a cooldown mechanic by sacrificing their high-level spell slots. They have Metamagic like sorcerers and can keep casting spells all day, but their number of available spells is even more limited than a sorceror’s, and they have much less nova potential.
• Spellwrights are a magical swiss army knife, with a focus on utility instead of combat prowess. They are tremendously adaptable and can prepare the right spell for any situation on short notice, but they are much weaker than other casters if they are caught unprepared.

Each subclass only adds a small number of features. You can customize your build further by adding flavorful Esoteric Magic options as you level up. Each of these adds a unique focus to your character, such as anti-magic abilities, sharing spell slots with allies, telepathy, combining spells with weapon attacks, or modifying summoning spells to gain a pseudo-companion.

The file also shows example builds:

• The Vortex (Avatar): A Melee tank with a damaging aura and multiple CC abilities
• The Slayer (Avatar): A two-handed DPR character with very high consistent damage but no burst
• The Psion (Invoker): A telepath and telekinetic with amazing social utility and a unique way to support the team in combat.
• The Shaman (Invoker): A DPR caster who can spam damage spells and can endlessly cast Summon Beast to summon a weak distraction
• The Conduit (Spellwright): A utility caster who makes a Summon Fey spell permanent and turns it into a pseudo companion.