Fun with Feats 11: Esoteric Feats
A good long while back, we looked at the esoteric material component system from Pathfinder Unchained, which provided a way to enhance spells further with special expensive material components, either on their own or as a supplement to the limited magic subsystem in the same book.
It's been a while, so I’ll do a quick refresher on how the subsystem works.
Essentially, there are five special esoteric components, four of which are associated with two of the eight schools of magic, and a fifth one that can be used with all spells. Essentially, when an appropriate amount of the component is used with the right spell, it has additional potency. These vary by the component, but generally do things like improve duration, increase damage dice caps, increase area size or range, increase the difficulty to resist, and so on.
Additionally, in the case of using this subsystem in tandem with the limited magic system, these components would also help enhance spells back to their power level that is the norm for Pathfinder, rather than the reduced power associated with the limited magic.
Which brings us to today’s subject, a set of feats meant to be used with this subsystem that let a spellcaster utilize the properties of these esoteric components to squeeze a little more power than they already grant.
Entropic resin, associated with enhancing the damage of evocation and necromancy spells, can be further enhanced with Esoteric Evocation, which causes elemental energy to flare from when casting spells, blasting nearby foes in addition to those targeted normally. Meanwhile, with Esoteric Necromancy, the caster can grip one of their targets with fear. Either way, knowledge of these techniques also increases the potency of the greater effect of entropic resin, increasing their damage cap even further.
Geodes, the most mundane of these rare esoteric components, is associated with abjuration and transmutation, potentially increasing the duration when used in sufficient amounts. With Esoteric Abjuration, you can work in a minor ward to the spell that helps one target resist harmful effects while the spell protects them. Meanwhile, Esoteric Transmutation works in a minor enhancement, bolstering attack accuracy and actions done with one physical aspect. Both also help increase the duration of spells enhanced by the rock formations.
Enhancing conjuration and illusions, prismatic sand is useful for spellcasters hoping to enhance the range an area of such effects. Esoteric Conjuration lets summoned, called, or otherwise conjured creatures ease their way into the plane slightly slower, causing them to be slightly out of phase, possibly avoiding attacks. With Esoteric Illusion, the difficulty to see through long-lasting (but not permanent) illusions increases. Both feats also increase the range or area effect of the sand as well.
Verdant Salts alter perception, and therefore are useful for divination and enchantment spells, making it harder for foes to resist them or sort through the visions. With Esoteric Divination, the chances of getting useful information out of spells, be it chances of accurate information, noticing useful things with remote viewing, or getting an extra question, improves. Meanwhile, Esoteric Enchantment allows the verdant salts to further addle the mind of their target, briefly debuffing them in an additional way for a few seconds in addition to the other effects of the spell. Both also enhance the basic greater effects of the salts as well.
Additionally, there is one more esoteric feat: Unstoppable Esotery, which can be used with any school or esoteric component, and improves concentration and the spell’s resistance to being dispelled.
This group of feats can be quite useful if you’re using the esoteric material component system, especially if you are also using the limited magic system, where every bonus and buff to your casting level is a godsend. I’m not personally a fan of low-magic systems, so I’d personally never require players to play in a system where your personal gold supply is sucked away in order for your class features to be effective, or even function at all, but used in a standard power game it can be a fun way to get a little extra power out of a spell if you just happen to find some in a treasure hoard, and these feats enhance that further, but perhaps not so much so that I’d recommend taking it them in a higher magic game unless you really plan on spending a lot of gold or downtime gathering these materials.
On another note, it is interesting that with the exception of Unstoppable Esotery, none of these feats work with the rarer and more universal fifth esoteric component: yliaster, which not only can replace expensive material components no matter the magic level, but also automatically enhances spells in various ways. I think I understand why this is. For one, yliaster is more expensive to use on spells than their more specialized counterparts thanks to being able to be used with any, but it is still universal, so these feats being limited to specific components does make those components still relevant.
That about does it, but going over these feats was still a fun revisitation of a past topic on the blog. Tune in tomorrow to see more!