Incantatrix

An Incantatrix is a rare and mysterious type of wizard who specializes in incantation magic. Weaker in many ways than some mages, she is adept at countering and negating the magics of other spell casting creatures and individuals, and at dealing with creatures who exist simultaneously on more than one plane (such as certain undead). However, the incantatrix is severely limited in her choice of offensive magics and woefully weak in physical combat of any sort.

Although incantatrixes do not in any sense seem to be an organized sisterhood or secret society, they often, having similar aims and interests, act together to combat common foes — notably those individuals who use magic in a dangerous, irresponsible manner. An incantatrix seeks to police the unrestrained use of magic about her abode or challenge (not always openly) such uses that she observes elsewhere, much like a druid protecting his forest and other forests in the region. Incantatrixes seem particularly to dislike those who often create gates or otherwise compel or allow creatures to enter the Prime Material Plane from other planes, and thus often oppose specialist conjurers and elementalists.

Incantatrixes are few in number; rarely are there more than a handful well-known in any generation. Currently there are only seven widely known living incantatrixes and two suspected incantatars (male incantatrixes) in Fälgorna, but there are probably up to a few hundred who labor in relative anonymity.

Spells of the school of incantation affect the casting of magic. Such spells may enhance or reduce the effectiveness of other spells (i.e., metamagic), disrupt the magic of other spell casters, banish summoned creatures from other planes, or shield the spell caster from magical attack. The schools of conjuration/summoning, invocation/evocation, illusion/phantasm and necromancy that are not cross-listed in the school of incantation, alteration or abjuration are oppositional schools for the incantatrix.

All known incantatrixes have been human, half-elves, and elves, and almost all known specialists in the school of incantation have been female. While no known hobgoblin practices the art of incantation, the race does have the magical aptitude to pursue this school of magic. No other races have the ability to function as specialists of the school of incantation.

A minimum Intelligence of 13, Wisdom of 12, and Ego/Willpower of 13 are required to become an incantatrix, because this school of magic demands insight, intuition and willpower to police the unrestrained use of magic by other wizards and to confront creatures from other planes.
An incantatrix gains all the benefits and hindrances of a specialist. In addition, the incantatrix is able to learn spells of the schools of abjuration and divination with no penalty to her learn spells roll.

An Incantatrix gains the Spellcraft skill as a bonus nonweapon skill, but an incantatrix is not allowed to take any weapon style specialization proficiencies or weapon group proficiencies. In addition, an incantatrix may never become proficient with more than two weapons. An incantatrix is forbidden from learning nonweapon skills related to physical combat or weapon use. Likewise, she may not learn any special combat maneuvers.

At third-level, an incantatrix gains the ability to see ethereal creatures, including out-of-phase creatures and those employing temporary magics such as spells or magic items, when the incantatrix is on any plane that the ethereal plane permeates (such as the Prime Material), and so long as the ethereal creature occupies an equivalent Ethereal Plane position within 30 feet of the incantatrix's location. This power takes one round to initiate and can be maintained without concentration for one round per level thereafter. An incantatrix of third-level or higher may use this ability at will.

At fourth-level, an incantatrix gains the ability to physically or magically attack creatures who are out of phase, ethereal, blinking, and so on. For magical attacks of this sort, the incantatrix may use any spell except stealspell, ruby ray of reversal or unbinding. The incantatrix must first locate her opponent using her third-level ability to see ethereal and out-of-phase creatures before attacking them.

At sixth-level, an incantatrix gains immunity to the energy draining powers of creatures employing energies from the Negative Material Plane, such as xeg-yi and many undead. This immunity includes but is not limited to level drains, ability drains, paralysis caused by Negative Plane energy, etc.

At eighth-level, an incantatrix gains a +30% bonus to her Spellcraft nonweapon skill.

At 20th-level, an incantatrix gains a mysterious ability to drain magic from an item or device that has charges and use the magical force to restore her own vitality. This power does not work on a permanent item that has no charges nor on an artifact or relic. It cannot be used to augment or restore spells or magical items possessed by the incantatrix, but only as a form of cure light wounds magic; one drained charge restores 1d8 hit points to the incantatrix.

To use this power, the incantatrix must remain still, holding the item to be drained with her bare hands for one round per charge drained. An incantatrix can use this ability before combat to temporarily augment her hit points above her normal maximum — but this does not raise her level for purposes of spell casting, saving throws, and the like. These extra, phantom, hit points last for only one turn before their energy is forever lost, but any magical or physical damage suffered by the incantatrix during that turn diminishes and exhausts the phantom hit points before the incantatrix suffers any real hit point damage.

The incantatrix may find it extremely difficult to find an appropriate tutor. Although a senior incantatrix of at least one level higher than the new level is preferred, an incantatrix may be trained by a generalist mage of at least three levels higher than the new level to be obtained by the incantatrix.

Click here to view the spell list for the School of Incantation.