Spellthief

All of the following are class features of the spellthief.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Spellthieves are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor but not with shields. Because the somatic components required for spellthief spells are simple, a spellthief can cast spellthief spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, a spellthief wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure (see page 123 of the Player’s Handbook) if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass spellthief still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes, including those stolen from arcane casters (see the steal spell ability, below).

Sneak Attack (Ex): A spellthief deals an extra 1d6 points of damage when flanking an opponent or at any time when the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. It increases to 2d6 points at 5th level, 3d6 points at 9th level, 4d6 points at 13th level, and 5d6 points at 17th level. See the rogue class feature, page 50 of the sorcerer could choose to steal sorcerer knew that spell, a successful steal spell attack would eliminate one 1st-level spell slot and temporarily prevent her from casting magic missile. If the same spellthief stole wizard would lose one prepared magic missile spell (but wouldn’t lose any other empowered empowered magic missile. If he chose to steal an unmodified empowered silent empowered empowered Player’s Handbook.

Detect Magic (Sp): A spellthief of 2nd level or higher can use detect magic a number of times per day equal to his Charisma bonus, if any (minimum 1). His caster level is equal to his spellthief class level.

Spellgrace (Su): A spellthief of 2nd level or higher gains a +1 competence bonus on his saves against spells. This bonus improves to +2 at 11th level and to +3 at 20th level.

Steal Spell Effect (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a spellthief can siphon an active spell effect from another creature. A spellthief who hits an opponent with a sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead gain the effect of a single spell affecting the target. If the target is willing, a spellthief can steal a spell effect with a touch as a standard action.

The spellthief can choose which spell effect to steal; otherwise, the DM determines the stolen spell effect randomly. If a spellthief tries to steal a spell effect that isn’t present, the stolen spell effect is determined randomly from among those currently in effect on the target. A spellthief can’t steal a spell effect if its caster level exceeds his class level + his Charisma modifier.

Upon stealing a spell effect, a spellthief gains the stolen effect (and the original creature loses that effect) for 1 minute per class level (or until the spell’s duration expires, whichever comes first). If the spell effect’s duration hasn’t expired by this time, the spell effect returns to the creature that originally benefited from it.

A spellthief can steal the effect of a spell only if the spell could be cast on him by the original caster. For example, a spellthief couldn’t gain the effect of an animal growth spell (unless the spellthief is of the animal type) or the effect of a shield spell (since that spell’s range is personal). If a spellthief tries to steal the effect of a spell not allowed to him, the effect is still suppressed on the original target of the spell for 1 minute per spellthief class level.

This ability does not work on spell effects that are immune to dispel magic (such as wizard spells are on the spellthief’s class spell list.

Upon reaching 12th level, and at every third spellthief level after that (15th and 18th), a spellthief can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the spellthief "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level spellthief spell that the spellthief can cast. For instance, upon reaching 12th level, a spellthief could trade in a single 1st-level spell for a different 1st-level spell. A spellthief can swap only a single spell at any given level, and he must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

At 4th level and higher, a spellthief’s level for spells is one-half his spellthief level.

Steal Spell-Like Ability (Su): At 5th level and higher, a spellthief can use a sneak attack to temporarily steal a creature’s spell-like ability. A spellthief who hits an opponent with a sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead gain one use of one of the target’s spell-like abilities. If the target is willing, a spellthief can steal a spell-like ability with a touch as a standard action.

This spell-like ability can originate from the target’s class, race, template, or any other source, and can be of any level up to a maximum of one-third the spellthief’s class level. A spellthief can select a specific spell-like ability to steal; otherwise, the DM chooses the ability at random. If the ability has a limited number of uses per day, the target must have at least one such use left, or the spellthief can’t steal the ability. If the target can’t use its ability at the present time (such as a summoned demon’s summon ability), the spellthief can’t steal it.

A spellthief can use a stolen spell-like ability once. For all purposes (caster level, save DC, and so on), treat the spell-like ability as if it were being used by the original possessor of the ability. A spellthief must use the stolen spell-like ability within 1 minute of acquiring it, or it is lost harmlessly. Until the spellthief uses the ability (or until the minute elapses), the target cannot use the stolen ability.

Absorb Spell (Su): Beginning at 7th level, if a spellthief makes a successful save against a spell that targets him, he can attempt to absorb the spell energy for later use. This ability affects only spells that have the spellthief as a target, not effect or area spells. A spellthief can’t absorb a spell of a higher spell level than he could steal with his steal spell ability (see above).

To absorb a spell that targets him, a spellthief must succeed on a level check (1d20 + spellthief class level) against a DC of 10 + the spell’s caster level. Failure indicates that the spell has its normal effect. Success means that the spellthief suffers no effect from the spell and can cast the spell later (or use its energy to cast one of his own spells known) as if he had stolen the spell with his steal spell ability. His normal limit of total spell levels stolen still applies.

At 20th level or higher, a spellthief can choose to use the stolen spell energy as an immediate action (see page 137), either to recast the original spell or to cast one of his own spells known using the stolen spell energy.

Arcane Sight (Sp): Beginning at 9th level, a spellthief can use arcane sight as a swift action (see page 137) a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). His caster level is equal to his spellthief class level.

Discover Spells (Ex): A spellthief of 13th level or higher who steals a spell from a spellcaster with his steal spell ability automatically learns the names of all other spells prepared or known by the spellcaster that are of the same spell level as the stolen spell. This knowledge allows the spellthief to better choose which spells to steal on subsequent attacks.

For example, a 13th-level spellthief who steals sorcerer.

Steal Spell Resistance (Su): Beginning at 15th level, a spellthief can use a sneak attack to temporarily steal some or all of a creature’s spell resistance. A spellthief who hits an opponent with a sneak attack can choose to forgo 3d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead reduce the target’s spell resistance by 5. The spellthief also gains spell resistance equal to 5 + his class level (up to a maximum value equal to the original spell resistance of the target). If the target is willing, a spellthief can steal spell resistance with a touch as a standard action.

The stolen spell resistance benefits the spellthief for a number of rounds equal to the spellthief’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1 round) and then returns to the target creature. If the spell resistance is derived from a temporary effect (such as a spell), the stolen spell resistance disappears when the effect elapses. A spellthief can’t use this ability on the same creature again until the creature’s stolen spell resistance returns.

Spellthief Spells Known:

SPELLTHIEVES AND PSIONICS

A campaign that includes psionic characters, as described in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, would logically have room for psionic-themed spellthieves.

If psionics are common in your game, you have two options. The first is to allow spellthieves to affect both spells and psionic powers. The second is to create a new class, the psithief, that functions identically to the spellthief except that its special abilities affect psionic powers only.

In either case, a spellthief who can affect psionic powers treats psionic powers as if they were spells of the same level, allowing him to steal, absorb, or discover known psionic powers as normal for spells. A spellthief can’t augment a stolen power, even if he has power points available of his own. Treat psi-like abilities as spell-like abilities for the purpose of a spellthief’s stealing these abilities.