Doll Mage (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

A doll mage uses his magic to animate dolls, and learns to use his magic through these dolls.

Class Information

This is a wizard archetype.

Hit Dice: d6.

Class Abilities

This archetype has all normal class abilities, except as noted.

Magic Dolls (Ex)

A doll mage makes magical animated dolls. Except as described below, these function as familiars, with the base creature being a tiny animated object. Each magic doll has the Additional Movement (fly), Exceptional Reach (giving it a reach of 5 ft.) and Piercing Attack construction abilities and begin with one additional construction point to spend.

Magic dolls are normally humanoid in shape, can speak, and can manipulate objects. All magic dolls are normally in the same space as the doll mage, hovering about him or riding on him, only leaving his space if directly ordered. A magic doll in the doll mage's space has cover (Meaning it normally does not trigger attacks of opportunity) and need not take actions to move or make any skill rolls (such as Fly) to move along with the doll mage as he moves. If the doll mage teleports or is teleported, all his magic dolls in his space teleport along with him without counting against the restrictions of the teleport effect.

Unlike other classes that have familiars, a doll mage has several magic dolls, beginning with two and gaining an additional doll at level 8, 13, 17, and 20. At the same levels, each doll gains an additional construction point to spend. All of a doll mage's magic dolls have identical statistics and the same construction point abilities. Destroyed dolls are replaced with 8 hours of work and a Craft (sewing) check (DC 10 + class level). There is no monetary cost to craft a doll, it is assumed to be made out of various rags and home-made materials.

Magic dolls must remain dolls; abilities that would permanently change them to not be dolls (such as the Improved Familiar feat) cause them to cease being familiars. Magic dolls cannot use magic items. A doll generally has a child-like humanoid appearance. Most people can identify it as a doll quite easily. A doll crafted to look like some tiny creature can make Disguise checks with a +10 circumstance bonus to stay in role, all normal modifiers apply. Few dolls are good at Disguise. Such a specialized form might also make the doll unable to use tools or make the normal attacks. For example, a magic doll crafted to look like a songbird has no hands and no reach.

This replaces Arcane Bond.

Doll Powers

Magic dolls gain powers as the doll mage advances in level. When a magic doll uses one of these powers to cast a spell, this uses up one of the doll mage's spells per day and the spell has the same effect as it would have if by cast by the doll mage herself.

Doll Cantrips

Each magic doll can cast a cantrips (level zero wizard spell) from among those the doll mage has prepared that day.

Doll Spellcasting

At level 5, several dolls acting in concert can cast a spell. All spellcasting the dolls must be in the same space as the doll mage and the spell must be one the doll mage has prepared and must be lower in spell level than the number of dolls casting it. Only one spell can be cast this way each round. This works just as if the doll mage cast the spell herself; he expends the spell as if he cast it herself, and all attributes of the spell are based on his spellcasting ability.

At 13th level, a group of 2 magic dolls can cast a 1st level spell, 3 dolls can cast a 2nd level spell, and all 4 dolls can cast a third level spell.

Doll Sacrifice

At level 10, a magic doll can sacrifice itself to intercept an attack aimed at the doll mage. Doll sacrifice must be declared before the attack is resolved and destroys one doll. If this is an attack with a to-hit roll, doll sacrifice is automatically successful. If it is against an attack that grants a saving throw, the doll mage gains a +4 bonus on this saving throw and suffers no effect whatsoever on a successful save. Against an attack that requires neither an attack roll nor allows a saving throw, the doll mage is allowed a Reflex saving throw with a DC based on the level of spell or 10 + ½ HD + Charisma bonus of the user of a non-spell ability to negate the effect.

Alternatively, a group of dolls can use doll spellcasting to cast a spell the doll mage has already expended for the day. This works just like normal doll spellcasting, but one of the participating dolls has to sacrifice itself.

Doll Counterspell

At level 15, magic dolls can counterspell as an immediate action, collaborating in the same way they do for doll spellcasting. The dolls cannot use doll spellcasting in the following round.

Greater Doll Spellcasting

At level 20, the dolls can cast spells even when not in the same space as the doll mage, but each 100 ft. of distance (rounded up) between the doll mage and the spellcasting dolls reduces the maximum level of spell that can be cast by one. All the spellcasting dolls must be in the same square to cast a spell. Also, several groups of magic dolls can cast spells simultaneously, casting more than one spell per round using doll spellcasting.

Anga the doll mage has 5 magic dolls in two groups, one group of three dolls at 20 ft. range and one of two dolls in her space. The two groups can each cast a spell using doll spellcasting. The two dolls in her space can cast a spell of a level less than two. The three dolls at 20 ft. range would normally be able to cast 2nd level spells, but since they are at range, they lose one spell level (20/100 = 1/5, rounded up to 1) and they too can only cast a first level spell. Anga is in trouble.

This replaces Scribe scroll, the bonus feats gained at level 5,10,15, and 20, as well as Arcane School.

Table: Doll Mage

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Doll cantrips, magic dolls, cantrips	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3		4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3		4	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4		4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Doll spellcasting	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5		4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5		4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Multiple dolls (2)	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6		4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Doll sacrifice	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7		4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Multiple dolls (3)	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9		4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Doll counterspell	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Multiple dolls (4)	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Multiple dolls (5), greater doll spellcasting	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

• Arcane Bond
• Arcane School
• Scribe Scroll
• Bonus Feats (all)

Alternate: Pet Mage

A pet mage is a variant doll mage that has regular familiars rather than dolls. These gain all the abilities of doll mages, but have regular familiars rather than animated objects and these familiars do not gain any construction abilities. Instead they gain one bonus feat at level 1 and each time a magic doll would gain a construction point. A pet mage's familiars can speak, but generally not use tools or weapons. They have no trouble with somatic components. Like a doll mage, a pet mage can't benefit from Improved Familiar.

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