From: "Larry Hunsaker" Halfling Defiant Description: Defiants, see Kit page, are halfling defenders, raised from birth into this discipline. Only special halflings can be defiants, they must have the "Talent" as it is called. Those who show this talent when young or are tested for it and discovered to have it are trained in this art, only a rare few reject this training, as it is sure to advance the family line in status. Defiants(at least the defiant part) advance as if wizards. They use the same advancement tables/rules as a wizard, down to d4 HD, armor and weapon restrictions. The devotion to the "Talent" and their study of magic takes up as much time as studying to be a mage does. Defiants gain followers when reaching name level. They attract a number of defiant apprentices equal to their Max. henchmen limit. These are all 1st level defiants. Because defiants are very defense/reaction oriented, when no magic is present in a conflict, they are very much powerless to help with their talent. Therefore, they train in warrior combat as well, to be useful when their defiant talent is not needed. All defiants are therefore Fighter/Defiants. A halfling can progress to a limit of 12th level as a defiant, modified for high prime requisite scores. They get 10% XP bonus for 16+ INT & 16+ STR. Although defiants have the same armor restrictions as mages do for casting spells from the power they absorb, they can use their defiant powers normally in armor. Thus, an armored defiant could both absorb or deflect a spell without penalty. But, the defiant would suffer the usual mage penalty if he wanted to use those absorbed points to cast his own spell while in armor. Special Abilities: Defiants don't have spell points like mages, rather they have defiant points. They receive a number of such points as they would spell points as a mage. They can cannibalize themselves for defiant points as a mage can for spell points, use the same rules, see Sorcerer Kit. They also learn spells as a mage would, keeping a spell book. Unlike a mage, however, they cannot boost spells or learn spells above their normal spell level limit. Nor can they specialize in either a school/philosophy or spell. Defiant Points: The defiant has no spell points of his own, and so cannot cast any spell he knows by his own power. He uses the same rules for learning spells as a mage, see my Magic System Page. Defiants are able to "feel" the aska(magic) around them to a limited range. This range is 10 yards(30 feet) per level of the defiant. It is within this range the defiant can use his special powers. Any spell(mage/priest) or spell like effect(power that exactly duplicates a spell) that takes effect within a defiants range(10 yard/level radius around the defiant) can be affected by the defiant. Spells that pass through this range or whose effects fall into this range, but did not initially take effect in this range cannot be affected by the defiant. Area of effect spells are assumed to take effect at the center of their area of effect. Treat the spell's area of effect as an object and find the "center of mass" to find the center of the area. Thus, a ring of fire would have its center at the ring's center, even though the ring's center is not actually in the area of effect. 2 Defiant Powers: The defiant can do 1 of 2 things to a spell in his range that he is able to "control" and has enough defiant points to spend. - Absorption - Deflection First we define "control". A defiant can control any spell in his range if he has learned that spell himself. Even if he did not currently memorize it, as long as he knows it(made his % learn spell check) he can control it. Those spells in range but not known to the defiant can still be controlled, but with a risk of failure. Spells within the spell level limit the defiant can normally learn can be controlled if he makes his % to learn roll. He must make this roll every time he wishes to control a spell he does not know, even if he made the roll before. If the spell is 1 level above his spell level limit, he can try to control it, but checks % to learn at 1/2 normal chances. If the spell is 2 levels over his limit, he must make his % to learn roll at 1/10th normal chances to control it. Spells 3 or more levels over his limit he cannot control. When trying to control a spell, the defiant cannot perform other actions(treat like he is casting a spell). If interrupted(what ever would interrupt a mage would interrupt a defiant) during the "control" time, it takes a full phase to control a spell, so any interruption during the same phase the defiant is trying to control the spell(control occurs the same phase the spell would have had its effect), will ruin the attempt, but the defiant points are used up anyway and the spell takes effect normally. If the caster failed to get control(missed his % roll) no defiant points are lost. Absorption: The defiant spends a number of defiant points equal to the spell level of the target spell(double the spell level if above his spell level limit) for the controlled spell. The spell does not happen, and the defiant absorbs the power, he gains a number of spell points equal to the spell's level(even if he spent double because it was over his spell level limit). These spell points can be controlled by the defiant for 1 round per level. If unused by then, his anti-magical nature causes the remaining points to be sucked into him and neutralized, causing 1 hitpoint damage per point neutralized. During the time the defiant can control the spell points(1 round/level) he can use them to cast any spell he has currently memorized. When casting a spell, he cannot also use his defiant power, he must choose which to use each round. Deflection: The defiant spends a number of defiant points equal to the spell level, paying double if the spell is above his spell level limit. This allows the defiant to redirect the controlled spell, sending it to any legal target or area that is within the range the spell had left when it was intercepted by the defiant. Thus, a fireball is cast by a 10th level mage(range of 110 yards) who is 50 yards away from the defiant. He targets the defiant as the center of the blast. The defiant gets control of the spell. He redirects it. Because it had already traveled 50 yards, the defiant can redirect it anywhere within 60 yards of himself, the left over range. The casting mage could be fried by his own spell! This power does not let the defiant absorb and therefore use the power in anyway the defiant wants, but it allows the spell to take effect that phase under the defiant's redirection and the spell is unchanged. Thus, if the caster were higher level or a specialist, his spell would be more powerful, than if the defiant absorbed it and cast a spell using his level. Miscellaneous: A defiant can use quarite, see New Items Page, but treats the power it gives him as a spell to be absorbed. He must spend an equal number of defiant points as he absorbs from the quarite. The spell points are held as he holds absorbed spell points(1 round/level) with excess being neutralized at the end of the duration causing 1 hitpoint per spell point so neutralized. The defiant will not glow as other spell users who absorb too much power. Psionic Defiants: There are rumors that psionic versions of the defiant exist(follow the above rules but use psionicist advancement and rules, he affects psionic powers instead.), but this is yet unconfirmed.