Mystics

Mystics often follow deities of beauty, individualism, love, hedonism, charisma, self-perfection, darkness, the moon, joy, fertility, motherhood/birth, dance, music, disease, poison, misfortune/fortune, and the seasons. They are individualistic and independent by nature, and as such they must be chaotic in alignment. They believe that to serve their deities they need to experience the world, learn about its hidden beauties and truths, and learn how their own inner selves relate to outward things. Since they journey through life attempting to find answers to their own and others' personal questions of faith, they need high Intelligence and Wisdom scores. They also have very arresting personalities, evidenced by their high Charisma scores, that both shape the goals they pursue and provide a driving force for them in times when their faith may be tried or their resolve questioned by others. Mystics with Wisdom and Charisma scores of 16 or better gain a 10% bonus to the experience points they earn. High Dexterity scores are also useful for mystics since they do not use armor. Mystics progress in experience levels as do specialty priests.
Mystics shun the use of armor as too restrictive and binding and also because it distorts the natural form and beauty of a person. They cannot wear any armor, although they may use miscellaneous magical items that resemble pieces of armor if they are beautifully crafted (such as bracers of protection or helms of brilliance). Similarly, mystics are taught that the inherent sources of conflict are only perpetuated by the use of direct violence — one cannot persuade enemies to one's own way of thinking if they are dead. Thus, they never master martial weapons and are restricted to the staff, sling, net, lasso, and whip.
Mystics draw their spells from spheres that connect to the natural world, that protect or help them in their travels, or that help them deal with the faithful to heal or give advice. Mystics have major access to the spheres of all, animal, charm, divination, healing, protection, summoning, and travelers. They have minor access to the guardian, necromantic, and plant spheres. Note, however, that this may be modified by the exact deity the mystic worships.
Mystics may use any magical item normally usable by priests with the exception of magical armor and most magical weapon, as noted above. Mystics gain a +2 bonus to their saving throws against all forms of charm spells and abilities because of their fiercely independent personalities. Even if a charm does not normally allow a save, mytics are allowed a normal saving throw vs. spell to avoid its effect. Mystics cannot tum undead creatures. Mystics are also granted the spell-like ability to cause creatures to Sleep once a day.
Mystics are comfortable in the natural world. They often travel through and live in wilderness areas. Mystics respect and often befriend animals. At 3rd level, mystics gain the ability to Find Familiar. While this ability may be attempted once a year, it cannot be used again while a familiar already found is alive. If a familiar found with this ability dies of natural causes for its species, the mystic need not make a system shock check or die. She or he loses a point of Constitution only temporarily — for three months — until the mystic works through the grieving period for such a life-long companion. A new attempt to find a familiar may be made after this three-month period. Mystics who purposefully arrange the deaths of their own familiars lose all spellcasting abilities and special abilities of their class and cannot heal naturally until they atone for their actions through some dangerous quest. At 9th level, mystics are able to Charm Monster once per week, and at 13th level, they gain the ability to Mass Charm once per week.
Mystics make a life-long study of the medicinal and poisonous uses of plants and fungi. Because of their keen familiarity with plants, mystics gain the Herbalism non-weapon proficiency as a bonus and need not devote any slots to its purchase. This facility with herbalism allows mystics to identify plants and fungi. When mystics reach 5th level, they can make nonmagical potions and ointments that duplicate the effects of many magical potions. At 7th level, mystics gain the ability to use herbal candle magic.
At 15th level, mystics are granted longevity by their deities for their dedicated service. From this point onward, mystics age at only one-tenth the normal rate for their respective racial types, except for magical effects. Spells or items which magically age a mystic in their use or as a form of damage still age the mystic the declared amount.
While part of a church, mystics do not normally belong to a structured hierarchy. They travel and work among the common people as well as those of high birth and often live far from large metropolitan areas. They tend to minister to others on a more personal basis than most priests, much like a physician cares best for one patient at a time rather than lecturing to a room full of the sick. Mystics can be very charismatic, but never lead groups of more than 10 folk or very long without becoming uncomfortable and eventually resigning the position or moving on to another territory or interest. The ministry and faith of mystics are personal things that they have difficulty imposing on others outright.
Most mystics either help others find their own parallel paths within the parameters of a faith or work behind the scenes to make others see the validity of their position. Mystics never gain followers, nor do they ever set up temples or shrines for others to worship at. They may set up a personal shrine suitable for their own use (and perhaps one or two guests) at any time.

Brewing Potions and Ointments

Upon reaching 5th level, mystics have spent enough time studying plants and fungi that they are able to begin brewing herbal potions and ointments, including antidotes and poisons. Most of these mixtures are not magical and take from one day to one month to make, although not all of a mystic's time during that period of time is taken up by the brewing. Rather, different things must be done at different times such as assembling the initial ingredients, bringing them to a simmer for two days without letting the kettle boil dry, adding certain barks on the third day, cooling the mixture to a certain temperature before adding another ingredient, etc.
Mystics cannot brew potions or compound ointments while traveling on foot or on a mount, although they may be able to do so on a ship if they have access to the correct ingredients and tools. Mystics cannot brew multiple potions or ointments at the same time; one must be finished before another is begun. Potions must be ingested and ointments must be applied to be effective.
Poison Antidotes and Poisons (5th Level+): At 5th level, mystics learn to brew poisons and antidotes to poisons. Note that the use of poisons beyond the simple sleep, paralytic, and debilitative concoctions mystics learn to make may be contrary to mystics' alignments or their deities' tenets. Using poisons that cause damage or death is generally considered an evil act. It takes one day for mystics to brew antidotes and one week to brew poisons.
At 5th level, all that mystics can brew is a type of sleep potion that causes up to four people to fall asleep within 1d4+1 rounds unless they make a successful saving throw vs. poison. Alternatively, they may make a sleep venom usable on up to six darts, bolts, or arrows or one bladed weapon, but they may not use it themselves. This sleep venom is the only type of blade venom mystics can ever brew.
If the campaign does not use the detailed rules for poison found in the Poison section of the Combat chapter of the DMG, then upon reaching 7th level mystics may brew ingestive paralytic poisons that leave a size L or smaller being unable to move for 2d6 hours (onset 1d4 rounds). They also gain the ability to brew antidotes to any poison that does not kill immediately. At 9th level, they gain the ability to brew ingestive debilitating poisons that reduce all ability scores of a size L or smaller ingester by half for 1d3 days (onset 2d6 rounds). Upon 13th level, they gain the ability to brew lethal ingestive poisons (onset 1d4 rounds). If a campaign does use the detailed poison rules found in the DMG, then mystics can brew additional, more specific types of poison. At 7th level mystics gain the ability to brew Type G poison (Type G: onset 2d6 hours; 20 points of damage if a saving throw vs. poison is failed/no damage if the saving throw succeeds). At 9th and 11th levels, they gain the ability to brew Types H (onset 1d4 hours; 20 points/10 points) and I (onset 2d6 rounds; 30 points/15 points) poisons, respectively. At 13th level, they may brew Type J (onset 1d4 minutes; death/20 points) poisons in place of the general lethal ingestive poison noted above.
Truth Potions (6th): Mystics leam how to brew non-magical truth potions at 6th level. It takes them five days (one week in alternate campaign settings) to brew a truth potion, When a person ingests a truth potion, she or he must succeed at a saving throw vs. poison or fall into a stupor and answer 1d4 questions truthfully. The stupor prevents the victim from taking offensive actions, reduces the victim's movement by half, and lasts 2d6 turns. Victims may defend themselves against attacks normally. Only humans, demihumans, and humanoids are affected by the potion, and it is potent for only a month after it is made. For every level or Hit Die victims possess above the brewing mystic's level, they receive a +2 to their saving throws.
Love Potions (7th): At 7th level, mystics add the concoction of non- magical love potions to their capabilities. These function as philters of love. Love potions take five days (one week in alternate campaign settings) to brew and are potent for a month.
Healing Potions (8th): Mystics can brew nonmagical potions that work like potions of healing at 8th level. Healing potions take three days to brew and are potent for one month.
Extra-Healing Potions and Ointments (9th): At 9th level, mystics can make magical potions and ointments that function as potions of extra healing. A potion of extra-healing takes two weeks to brew, and extra-healing ointment takes a month to compound (but it need not be swallowed). They are potent permanently unless dispelled, since they are magical.
Flying Potions and Ointments (10th): At 10th level, mystics learn to brew nonmagical flying potions and ointments that work like potions of flying. They allow their imbibers to fly for 10+1d6 turns. A flying potion takes two weeks to brew, and flying ointment takes one month to concoct. Flying potions remain potent for two months, and flying ointments for six months.
Elixirs of Health (12th): At 12th level, mystics can brew magical elixirs of health. These take one month to brew. As magical potions, they are potent permanently unless dispelled.
Shape Change Potions (15th): At 15th level, mystics can brew a magical potion that duplicates the 9th-level wizard spell shape change when ingested. Its effects last for 2 turns. It takes one month to brew. Since it is a magical potion, it is potent permanently unless dispelled.

Candle Magic

At 7th level, mystics are able to put their mastery of herbs and influential magics together into special magical candles. Mystics may manufacture one candle per month. For each three days spent in making a candle, the candle burns for one turn, up to a maximum of nine turns (for a candle that took 27 days to make). The magic of a candle takes effect when the candle is either snuffed out or burned down to nothing at the end of its duration. A candle must be burned in the presence of the intended subject, where appropriate, to work. The subject must remain within a radius of 10 feet around the candle throughout the entire burning time.
Any candle that does not burn continuously for at least one turn has no effect. A candle that is extinguished midway through a turn is treated as though it had not burned at all during that turn as regards spell effects, but that partial turn is counted as a full turn of burning against the maximum duration the candle can burn. Mystics learn how to make new kinds of candles as they rise in level and gain proficiency in their craft.
Red Love Candle (7th): At 7th level, mystics learn to make love candles. These red candles work on their target as a philter of love. The normal chann effect of a philter is increased, though, to one day for each tum of burning. Elves, half-elves, and other human, demihumans, humanoid, or sylvan folk normally immune to charm effects are still affected by this candle. (Other creatures retain their normal resistances and immunities.) The subject gains no saving throw against the effect. The charm effect cannot be dispelled except by a Limited Wish, Alter Reality, or Wish spell until the duration expires normally, and the enamoring effect of a philter of love, if it occurs, lasts until dispelled by a dispel magic or other means.
Blue Protection Candle (9th): Mystics can make protection candles at 9th level. These blue candles generate one turn of protection from evil 10' radius/protection from good 10' radius. This power has double effects against evil beings if used by a good mystic or against good beings if used by an evil mystic. (For example, in the first case evil creatures receive a -4 penalty to attack rolls and protected creatures receive a +4 bonus to saving throws for attacks initiated by evil creatures.)
Purple Truth Candle (11th): At 11th level, mystics learn how to manufacture truth candles. Victims of a truth candle must succeed at a saving throw vs. spell or fall into a stupor and answer two questions truthfully for each turn a truth candle is burned. The stupor prevents the victim from taking offensive actions, reduces the victim's movement by half, and lasts 2d6 turns. Victims may defend themselves against attacks normally.
Gold Healing Candle (13th): Mystics are able to craft healing candles at 13th level. These candles cure 1d6 points of damage per turn of burning to any being able to be healed by magical healing, All the healing happens at once, when the candle goes out. The being cured is the being who snuffs out the candle or the being closest to the candle when it is extinguished.
Yellow Telepathy Candle (15th): At 15th level, mystics leam to craft telepathy candles. These candles allow a mystic (and only a mystic) to read a subject's mind and communicate with him or her if the subject fails a saving throw vs. spell. Subjects may voluntarily fail a saving throw by free choice or if they are charmed. All languages are understood through this mind-to- mind contact. Falsehoods and evasions are revealed as such. This communication ability is gained while the candle is burning in the presence of the subject and the mystic. They cease when the candle is extinguished.
Green Fortune Candle (17th): At 17th level, mystics can create fortune candles. A fortune candle grants good fortune similar to that granted by a stone of good luck in the form of a +1 or +5% bonus to all die rolls involving saving throws, slipping, dodging, ability checks, non-weapon proficiency checks, etc. It also grants a +1 to +10% or -1 to -10% (the subject picks before any such roll) for any roll for determination of magical items or division of treasure. Attack rolls and damage rolls are not affected. For each turn a candle is bumed, one day of fortune is granted. Consecutive turns of burning add to the duration of the effect, but the bonus granted rcmains the same.
White Purification Candle (20th): Good mystics can craft purification candles at 20th level. These either cast a remove curse spell as a 20th-level priest (thus removing one curse placed by a curse candle see below), grant the effect of imbibing an elixir of health (including curing magical diseases) in a subject, or automatically banish one cxtraplanar creature (also automatically overcoming its magic resistance — see the 7th-level wizard spell Banishment and the 4th-level priest spell Abjure for similar effects). One of these effects is generated per turn the candle is burned.
Silver Empowerment Candle (20th): Neutral mystics learn to craft empowerment candles at 20th level. When burned for a turn, an empowerment candle grants its target maximum spell effects (similar to incense of meditation, but the target need not be a priest). It also grants the target maximum damage physical damage potential; all aucccssful attack rolls do the maximum possible damage. These effects last one hour for every turn the candle is burned.
Black Curse Candle (20th): Evil mystics can create curse candles at 20th level. These candles place a curse on a victim for every turn that they burn, up to a maximum of six curses. Curses can vary, but the most typical are weakness (Strength reduced to 3), clumsiness (Dexterity reduced to 3), exhaustion (Constitution reduced to 3), feeblemindedness (Intelligence reduced to 3), foolishness (Wisdom reduced to 3), and ugliness (Charisma reduced to 3). Victims are entitled to a saving throw vs. spell for each curse as a turn ends; a successful saving throw negates that particular curse. Casting wish or remove curse (cast by a priest of at least 12th level) removes one curse for each casting of the spell. Each curse lasts indefinitely until dispelled by these spells or a remove curse candle.
Bonus Candles (25th): At 25th level, mystics of the various alignments learn to craft the 20th-level candles learned by those alignments one step from their own. Good and evil mystics may now craft empowerment candles. Neutral mystics may learn to craft either purification or curse candles. Once this choice is made, however, the other type of candle lies forever out of the reach of a neutral mystic's lore.

Requirements: Intelligence 11, Wisdom 12, Charisma 15
Prime Requisites: Wisdom, Charisma
Races Allowed: Human, elf, half-elf, halfling