Jackal (Character Kit)

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==Jackal==
There are a number of wizards who prefer to live by trickery and stealth than by the wielding of potent magical energies. These wizards are derisively known as jackals.
Requirements: Jackals cannot be of lawful alignments.
Role: Jackals are the thieves of the magical world, and their abilities represent this. While other wizards study and work hard to learn and cast new spells, the jackal prefers to steal such knowledge from unwary wizards they encounter.
Jackals go to great lengths to hide their true nature. Many carry the trappings of other kits, hoping that no one will question them about their "profession." If a jackal's true nature is discovered, they will be shunned by other wizards and chased away.
Weapon Proficiencies: Jackals are limited in their weapon choice, just as are other wizards. They may use the dagger, staff, jambiya, knife, dart, and sling.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Bonus Proficiencies: Begging.
* Recommended, General: Debate, haggling, etiquette.
* Recommended, Warrior: None.
* Recommended, Priest: None.
* Recommended, Wizard: Genie lore, reading/writing, spellcraft.
* Recommended, Rogue: Gaming, reading lips.
* Forbidden: None
Equipment: Jackals may purchase and use daggers, staves, jambiya, knives, darts, and slings. They may not wear armor.
Special Benefits: Jackals are thieves by nature. They can cast spells just like other wizards but must steal those they choose to cast.
Jackals don't steal spells from books or take the scrolls of other wizards. Instead, they have the ability to actually reach into another wizard's mind and take those spells they want.
This ability is far from foolproof. Jackals that are caught indulging in spell thievery will suffer the loss of one point of station as well as the undying enmity of the wizard from whom they were thieving.
To use this ability, the jackal must roll his Intelligence -1 on 1d20. If the level of the target is higher than the level of the jackal, that difference must also be subtracted from the jackal's Intelligence.
If the jackal is successful, he may take one spell level from his victim per each of his own levels. This is also the maximum number of spells that a jackal can steal from a single individual. However, it is not the maximum number of spell levels that a jackal can keep memorized at a time. The number that a jackal can keep memorized is equal to the number of spell levels that can be memorized by a standard wizard kit of the same level. If a jackal steals more spell levels than his level allows, all spells are lost.
One round per spell level is required in order for the jackal to succeed in stealing the spell. During this time the wizard that is being stolen from must remain in the jackal's line of sight. Jackals may follow the wizard they are stealing from, but if the jackal performs any actions which require more thought than walking (such as dodging an attack or attacking someone), the contact is broken and no spells are stolen.
There is a chance that the wizard from whom spells are being stolen will realize what is going on. To become aware of a jackal's thievery, a wizard must make a successful Intelligence check. The wizard receives a bonus to this roll equal to the number of spell levels that the jackal is attempting to steal. The "victim" wizard gets one chance to detect the theft.
Once the wizard is aware of the jackal's thieving, he may attempt to overload the jackal. This is done by channeling the magical energies contained in the wizard's memory toward the jackal in an attempt to surpass the jackal's limit of stolen spells. The wizard must state how many spell levels he is going to unleash and which spell(s) those levels are going to come from. A wizard may release a number of spell levels equal to his own level in one round. To overcome the jackal, the wizard must go over the jackal's maximum in one round. Otherwise the jackal simply absorbs the spells and breaks contact when he reaches his maximum.
For example: Fazid the jackal, attempts to steal three spells from Akbar the Wise. Akbar becomes aware of the jackal's attempt and decides to take cure of the problem. Akbar waits a few rounds to let Fazid absorb a little magic and start to fill up to maximum. After three rounds, Fazid has stolen three levels of spells. He is a 9th-level jackal, which means that he can steal up to nine spell levels from any one target. Akbar suddenly tries to overload Fazid by releasing four spell levels of magic. (Akbar is a 5th-level wizard with a maximum of 11 memorized spell levels—four 1st-level spells for four spell levels, two 2nd-level spells for four spell levels, and one 3rd-level spell for three spell levels. Three of these spell levels have already been stolen.) The four levels that are released are not enough to sever the connection, us they simply bring Fazid's total spell levels up to seven, which is two less than the nine he could have absorbed. Fazid leaves Akbar drained, though Akbar will probably attempt to take vengeance later. Also, Fazid loses a level of Station because he was caught stealing a spell.
The theft of spells is a crime that is very hard to prove in a Zakharan court. The crime remains unpunishable, and the jackal will receive no official penalty for what he has done. But wizards are not likely to let a known jackal run free in the streets for any length of time. And woe to the jackal foolish enough to steal spells from a member of the Brotherhood of the True Flame. Holy slayers can be terrifying foes indeed.
Special Hindrances: As noted above, jackals are unable to learn spells in a standard way. They are also unable to make scrolls or other magical items as they are simply too lazy to devote the time and resources necessary to perform such a feat. They do not have spellbooks of any kind and must constantly be on the lookout for other wizards to steal spells from.
Jackals may use scrolls and magical items, but they do so at one level below their own for determining spell failure, as detailed on table 112 of the DMG. This is because they are not used to studying a scroll or focusing on a magic item to gain magical knowledge or to activate a spell.
Jackals must specialize in two elemental provinces and cannot cast spells from outside of those two provinces.
Jackals are despised among wizards everywhere. If a jackal is discovered, other wizards will treat him as if his Station were a lowly one. Also, wizards will point jackals out to one another and are likely to take violent action against members of this kit who are caught stealing spells.
Wealth Options: Jackals start the game with 3d6 x 10 gp.
Races: Any race whose members can be wizards can become jackals. Races with level limitations must abide by those if they are jackals, just as if they were standard wizards.
Category:Character Kit
Category:Character Kit CShaH