Feats of Advanced Arcana IV
This week we’re celebrating the release of the latest installment in our most popular series of books, Advanced Arcana IV. As anyone who has read one of the previous installments is aware, each Advanced Arcana is more than just a collection of spells, but actually deliberately explores specific mechanics designed to question or challenge certain assumptions about the way the game works. Advanced Arcana I explored the “cost” of a spell, with spells that required both more and less than a single spell slot. Advanced Arcana II explored spells that were different each time they were cast, and Advanced Arcana III challenged the nature of what spells do, by creating metamagic spells and spells that grant bonuses for as long as they are prepared and unused.
So, what’s the theme for Advanced Arcana IV? You’ll find out on Thursday (assuming you haven’t already picked up your copy by then), but the following feats, designed to capitalize on some of the mechanics introduced in Advanced Arcana IV and its numerous bountiful appendices, should give you a pretty good hint. And if you have the book already, well, you may find them very useful.
Dual-School Focus
You are particularly focused on the area where two or more schools of magic overlap.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (any two schools of magic).
Benefit: Whenever you cast a spell that is associated with two or more schools of magic (including dual-school spells and alternate-school spells, but not universal spells), if you have the Spell Focus or Greater Spell Focus feats for two or more of those schools, then for the purposes of that spell, the bonuses from those feats stack. For more information on dual-school and alternate-school spells, see Advanced Arcana IV.
Magical Expertise
You are an expert at casting certain spells.
Prerequisite: Able to cast 2nd-level spells.
Benefit: Choose two spells that you know, which you do not currently have any level of spell mastery in. You gain the ability to cast the expert level version of those spells. For more information on spell mastery and expert level spells, see Advanced Arcana IV.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time, select two additional spells that you do not currently have any level of spell mastery in.
Merge Magic
You know how to draw on both arcane and divine power in order to boost the effectiveness of your spells.
Prerequisite: Able to cast 2nd-level arcane spells and Knowledge (religion) 3 ranks, 0r able to cast 2nd-level divine spells and Knowledge (arcana) 3 ranks.
Benefit: Whenever you cast a spell that appears on both a divine spellcasting class’s spell list (such as cleric, druid, inquisitor, paladin, or ranger) and an arcane spellcasting class’s spell list (such as alchemist, bard, magus, sorcerer/wizard, summoner, or witch), you treat your caster level as being 2 higher than it actually is for the purposes of that spell.
Unassailable Sanctum
While you are within your sanctum, you are better protected from harmful spells.
Prerequisite: Must have at least one sanctum with at least 5 sanctum points invested in it.
Benefit: As long as you are within your sanctum, whenever you are forced to make a saving throw to resist the effects of a spell or spell-like ability, you may roll twice and take the better result. For more information on sanctums, see Advanced Arcana IV.
Versatile Spellcraft
You are particularly skilled at mimicking the spellcasting techniques of other spellcasters.
Prerequisite: Able to cast 2nd-level spells, Spellcraft or Use Magic Device 5 ranks.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Use Magic Device checks made to use a scroll, staff, wand, or other item that requires that you have a given spell on your class spell list. If you have 10 or more ranks in Use Magic Device, this bonus increases to +4. This bonus does not stack with those granted by Skill Focus or similar sources. Additionally, whenever you cast a spell whose effects vary depending on the class of the caster (such as the alternate-list spells presented in Advanced Arcana IV, or control weather, etc.), you may make a special Spellcraft check (DC 10 + twice the spell’s level) as part of casting the spell. If you do, you may choose to be treated as belonging to a different class for the purposes of the effects of that spell (for example, a wizard with this feat who cast control weather could choose to be treated as a druid in order to double the spell’s duration and affect a larger area). This does not allow you to cast spells at a different spell level than normal, nor does it allow you to avoid using a material component or divine focus, etc.