Boccob (Greyhawk Action)

Greyhawk Action!

Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department, " says Wernher von Braun.'
Tom Lehrer, Wernher von Braun.

Boccob, sometimes known as Al-Zarad in Baklunish lands, is the god of magical enlightenment, a learned trickster; he is exceedingly intelligent but often plays the fool. His color is blue.

Among the Baklunish Boccob is the god of magic and understanding, god of civilization and progress, the sane counterpart of Ralishaz.

Boccob is the god of arcane magic in the Common pantheon, called the uncaring, arch-mage of the gods and patron of Wizardry. His agenda is to maintain, spread, and develop the use of magic; to see to it that what needs to be secret remains in wise hands while promulgating arcane knowledge as much as possible. He does not hoard arcane secrets, instead wishing all to embrace them. He encourages acceptance and the spread of ideas and is in this way the spiritual father of the Common culture.

In Synchretism Boccob is the god of magic and manifests as other gods of magic and art. Corellon Lathean is the elven god who rules by virtue of his skill and excellence with magic. Garl Glittergold is the first gnome, trickster, jeweler and shaper of the gnomes. Boccob is popular among humans as he gladly helps others to learn his wisdom. Zagyg the Mad is an ascended archmage of Greyhawk City. Ye’cind is an ascended elven musician-mage.

Boccob (BOK-kob) is known throughout the Flanaess, oversees the maintenance of magic's existence on Oerth, and is interested in the creation of new magic items and spells (he is said to have a copy of every magic item made by mortals). He sees that Oerth's magic is declining and will eventually fade away; he combats this effect and suspects that Tharizdun is responsible. He is distant from all other gods save his servant Zagyg. Shown in purple robes with shimmering runes of gold, Boccob carries the first staff of the magi; an eye within a pentagram is his symbol.

Seek balance above good, evil, law, or chaos. Fight to push back the zeal of good just as you would the oppression of evil. Magic is the most important thing on Oerth, and it must be preserved so that the balance can be preserved.

Churches are protected from outside interference, and those within devote most of their time to research, particularly prophecies, which they guard carefully lest they fall into the wrong hands. In lands where the forces of Law, Chaos, Good, or Evil grow too strong, churches of Boccob are built to balance those forces.

Clerics of Boccob create and study magic and divine the future. They leave their churches to root out rumors of lost magic items or spells, or to defend a magical place or item from destruction. Most clerics of Boccob are neutral, as extremism in ethos is frowned upon; they must maintain the balance between all alignments. Other clerics of Boccob take the specialist stance in their Neutral alignment; they focus on magic leave politics to others.

Alignment: Neutral

Weapon: Staff

Symbol: Eye within a pentagram.

Pathfinder Domains

Artifice, Knowledge, Magic, Rune, Trickery.

Pathfinder Traits

• Battlefield Caster
• Arcane Depth

Pathfinder Obedience

Repeat the name of Boccob incessantly as you create or prepare some kind of magic; this is usually done with spell preparation but can be done with magic item creation, ritual magic, or casting spells. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on spellcraft checks.

Evangelist or Feat

1. Arcane Essence (Sp) mage armor 3/day, mirror image 2/day, or fly 1/day
2. Arcane Eye (Sp) You can use arcane eye three times per day as a spell-like ability. The arcane eye you summon functions as if you had cast arcane sight and were able to view its information through the arcane eye. This allows you to see magical auras through the arcane eye, and potentially identify the schools of magic involved. You can also potentially determine the spellcasting or spell-like abilities of viewed creatures, as noted in the spell description.
3. Robes of Boccob (Su) You can manifest an illusory robe that absorbs hostile spells for a number of rounds per day equal to 1 + 1 for every 4 Hit Dice you possess (maximum 6 rounds). These rounds don’t need to be consecutive, and you can activate or deactivate the robe as a free action. The robe functions as a lesser globe of invulnerability except that it only excludes hostile spell effects of 3rd level or lower. Any spell that would force you to attempt a saving throw; cause you to take hit point damage, negative levels, ability drain, or ability damage; or end your life is considered hostile for the purposes of this effect. Unlike a lesser globe of invulnerability, you can move normally while cloaked in the robes.

Exalted

1. Magical Essences (Sp) magic aura 3/day, misdirection 2/day, or arcane sight 1/day
2. Staff Channel (Su) You can deliver touch spells with a casting time of one standard action or longer through a quarterstaff. Using this ability doesn’t change the casting time or other qualities of the spell, but you must make a melee attack with your quarterstaff against the target’s AC rather than a touch attack against its touch AC. If you hit the target, you deal quarterstaff damage as well as discharge the spell effect. You can hold the charge as normal when delivering a touch spell through a quarterstaff.
3. Pure Magic Aura (Su) You radiate an aura of the pure essence of magic. You can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to 1 + 1 for every 4 Hit Dice you possess (maximum 6 rounds). These rounds don’t need to be consecutive, and you can activate and deactivate your aura as a free action. You and any allies within 20 feet of you increase your caster levels by 1d4. Roll this die when you activate this ability and use the same value for all who gain this benefit. The increase affects spell qualities (such as duration and number of targets) that rely on caster level, as well as caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. The bonus caster levels don’t grant higher-level spell slots or cause the recipients to learn new spells.

Sentinel

1. Magical Enhancer (Sp) magic weapon 3/day, arrow eruption^APG 2/day, or keen edge 1/day
2. Disrupt Defenses (Su) You have attuned yourself to the essence within magic weapons, and can conjure up that same aura within any weapon you hold. Any weapon attacks you make gain a +1 enhancement bonus. This stacks with other enhancement bonuses.
3. Boccob's Protection (Su) A complex arcane sigil manifests on your skin. The location of this sigil varies by individual, but always appears in a place easily displayed. (Most commonly, the sigil resembles a third eye.) While the sigil remains uncovered, you gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to 1 + 1 for every 4 Hit Dice you possess (maximum +6). You lose the deflection bonus if the sigil becomes obscured, but it returns once the sigil is made visible once again.

Action Domain

Flux, Force, Magic, Order, Spiritual.