The Smoke Mystery
Oracle mysteries are a lot of work. Yes, a large part of that is simply the fact that they’re so much longer than other archetypes, but a large part of it is that there are only so many single-word concepts that are both resonant enough to be cool and exciting, and have enough design space for nine spells and eleven revelations. So, when I stumbled across the fact that there was no smoke mystery from Paizo or any 3rd-party publisher that I could find with a quick Google search (I’m not saying they’re not out there, I’m just saying I couldn’t find them), I leapt at the chance to bring this mystery to life.
New Oracle Mystery
Smoke
Many make the mistake of believing that smoke is little more than an accompaniment to fire. Nothing could be further from the truth. Smoke has powers all its own. Illusion and concealment are within smoke’s domain, as is the sending and receiving of messages, and even the ability to poison one’s foes. For long after the fire has burned bright and died out, the smoke continues to rise from the ashes.
Class Skills: An oracle with the smoke mystery adds Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand, and Steal to her list of class skills.
Bonus Spells: obscuring mist (2nd), obscure object (4th), stinking cloud (6th), gaseous form (8th), cloudkill (10th), wind walk (12th), project image (14th), incendiary cloud (16th), etherealness (18th).
Revelations: An oracle with the smoke mystery can choose from any of the following revelations.
Cloying Smoke (Su): As a standard action, you can create a cloud of smoke in a 20-foot-radius emanation, centered on you. This functions as obscuring mist, except that it moves with you. Additionally, each creature that begins or ends its turn within the smoke (including you, unless you have the smokefriend revelation or are otherwise immune to the effects of smoke) must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your oracle level + your Charisma modifier) or be staggered for 1 round as they hack and cough in the smoke. You may use this ability three times per day.
Curse of Smoke (Su): As a standard action, you can cause a cloud of smoke to form about a target’s face, travelling with him and obstructing both his vision and his breath. The target suffers a 20% miss chance on all attacks, unless he has blindsight or is similarly capable of seeing without normal vision. Additionally, the target must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your oracle level + your Charisma modifier) or be unable to breathe the smoke. This does not cause any immediate harm, but the target must hold his breath for as long as the effect remains, and if he cannot, he will eventually begin to suffocate. You can use this ability at will, but can only have one curse of smoke active at any given time, and must spend a move action each round to maintain the effect for longer than one round. A moderate wind (11+ mph), such as from a gust of wind spell, disperses the effect after four rounds, while a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the effect immediately.
Hallucinogenic Smoke (Su): As a standard action, you create a cloud of smoke in a 10-foot-radius burst, centered on any point within 60 feet of you. This functions as obscuring mist, except that it lasts only 1 round per oracle level you possess, and any creature that enters or begins its turn within the cloud must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your oracle level + your Charisma modifier) or be dazzled for 1 round by hallucinogenic images. At 7th level, you may choose to have the cloud cause creatures that fail their Will save to be fascinated, rather than dazzled. At 11th level, you may choose to have the cloud cause creatures that fail their Will save to be confused, rather than dazzled. You may use this ability three times per day.
Smoke Clones (Sp): As a standard action, you can create a number of smoky duplicates of yourself. This functions as mirror image, with a few exceptions. It only lasts a number of rounds equal to your caster level, and a moderate wind (11+ mph), such as from a gust of wind spell, disperses the effect after four rounds, while a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the effect immediately. However, whenever one of the smoky duplicates is destroyed, it explodes in a cloud of smoke, granting you concealment (20% miss chance) until the beginning of your next turn.
Smoke Form (Sp): As a standard action, you can transform into a smoky version of yourself. This functions as gaseous form, except that you can fly at a speed of 30 feet with perfect maneuverability. While in this form, however, a moderate wind (11+ mph), such as from a gust of wind spell, inflicts 1d8 points of damage to you per turn, while a strong wind (21+ mph) inflicts 3d8 points of damage. This effect ignores the DR granted by the gaseous form spell. If you are reduced to 0 hit points in this way, your body is scattered as smoke and does not reform. You may use this ability three times per day. You must be at least 7th level to select this mystery.
Smoke Illusions (Sp): As a standard action, you can create an illusory image made of smoke. This functions as major image, except that you don’t need to concentrate in order to maintain it, though you do need to concentrate in order to make it move or react. The image lasts up to 1 minute per oracle level you possess, and the saving throw DC to disbelieve it is equal to 10 + 1/2 your oracle level + your Charisma modifier. A moderate wind (11+ mph) such as from a gust of wind spell allows a new saving throw to disbelieve the effect, and completely dispels it after four rounds. A strong wind (21+ mph) dispels the effect immediately. You can use this ability three times per day.
Smoke Scry (Sp): You can scry by staring into smoke, which twists and shifts under your gaze to reveal what you want to know. This functions as the scrying spell, except that you need to have a source of smoke available, rather than a pool of water and a mirror. At 15th level, it functions as the greater scrying spell, instead. You may use this ability three times per day. You must be at least 11th level to select this mystery.
Smoke Signals (Su): You can create a signal in the sky out of smoke and clouds. Doing so requires one minute of concentration. The signal takes whatever form you desire, and can be clearly seen a number of miles away equal to 1/2 your oracle level, even in poor conditions (such as at night, or on a cloudy day, etc.). In good conditions, it can be clearly seen from 10 times that distance. The signals themselves do not impart any special understanding on those who see them, so only those who know what to look for will understand the signal’s meaning.
Smokefriend (Su): You can see through fire, fog, and smoke without penalty, as long as the light is sufficient to allow you to see normally. At 7th level, you can breathe smoke as though it were pure air, and are immune to all inhaled poisons and abilities that rely on breathing (including stench, stinking cloud, and similar spells and abilities).
Smoky Exit (Su): As a move action, you can disappear in a cloud of smoke. You create an area of smoky clouds, as the spell obscuring mist, except that it fills only a 10-foot-radius area, and become invisible until the beginning of your next turn. The smoke dissipates at the beginning of your next turn, as well. You can use this ability once per day, plus an additional time per day for every three oracle levels you possess.
Final Revelation (Sp): Beginning at 20th level, you gain the ability to trap your foes in an extradimensional maze of smoke and clouds. This functions as the spell maze, with the following exceptions. First, a creature can escape the maze by making a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your oracle level + your Charisma modifier), and cannot escape the maze with a successful DC 20 Intelligence check. Additionally, the target is unable to breathe while within the maze (unless he or she can normally breathe smoke) and must hold their breath for as long as they remain within the maze. Creatures that suffocate within the maze do not return, even after 10 minutes have passed.