Spellhacking
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Spheres of Guile
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Operatives of the Spellhacking sphere are skilled at getting spells and magic items to do what they want, even far beyond their normal limits.

Associated Skill: Use Magic Device.

Rule Note: Dispel Checks

Some Spellhacking effects require you to succeed at a dispel check. A dispel check for the Spellhacking sphere adds only your ranks in the associated skill to the d20 roll (no other modifiers). You automatically fail this dispel check when you roll a 1 on the die.

Rule Note: Your Hacking Instrument

Using your hack magic ability requires repurposing a magic item, a spell focus, or similar tool. You must either hold the item in hand or wear it properly. Common choices for low-level operatives are dull gray ioun stones (which count as worn for the purpose of talents while orbiting), holy symbols, and spell component pouches. As with the Use Magic Device skill, your hacking methods can vary significantly depending on what magical effect you are hacking. You might need to experiment with magic words, cross magical runes, or handle an item in a bizarre manner.

You gain the following benefits when you gain the Spellhacking sphere.

When you gain the Spellhacking sphere, you gain 5 ranks in Use Magic Device, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Spellhacking sphere (maximum ranks equal to your Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in Use Magic Device, you may immediately retrain them.

Skill Leverage: When you gain the Spellhacking sphere, you unlock skill leverage with the Spellcraft and Use Magic Device skills.

Bonus Talent: You gain one ordinary (hack) talent of your choice when you gain the Spellhacking sphere. It cannot be an exceptional talent.

You also acquire the Control Mishap and Hack Magic abilities.

Control Mishap (Su)

When you fail to activate a magic item or lose a spell by failing a concentration check, you can opt to control the unleashed magic as a swift or immediate action. You must attempt an associated skill check against DC 15 + effect’s caster level. A successful check produces the effect of a (mishap) talent you have, which replaces any other mishap that would happen (if any); a failed check changes nothing.

If a (hack) talent is also a (mishap), applying it as a mishap does not require hacking magic and it does not count against the limit of (hack) talents that can be applied to the effect.

You can also intentionally coax a (mishap) talent’s effect out of any magic item as a standard action with a successful associated skill check against DC 15 + item’s caster level. If you fail this check by 5 or more, you produce an uncontrolled mishap (GM’s choice, usually 2d6 bludgeoning damage to you or changing the target). Coaxing a mishap intentionally does not expend charges or uses from an item.

When you gain the Spellhacking sphere, you gain the Magical Resonance mishap.

Magical Resonance (mishap)

The mishap causes magical vibrations to feedback between the source and the magic auras of all creatures, objects, and magical effects within 15 feet. The mishap sheds dim light in its area. You and any creature who spends a move action to study the area by sight are automatically aware of the presence or absence of magic in objects and creatures within the area and the strength of the strongest aura. The area moves with the source of the mishap and lasts for 1 minute per rank in the associated skill you possess. All but the simplest magic traps do not react to this effect.

As a standard action, you can touch or visually study an item, place, or creature to learn whether it is magical and the strength of its magic aura (if any). Once you know an aura’s strength, you can spend a standard action concentrating on that aura to attempt a Spellcraft check to identify its school of magic. Knowing an aura’s school allows a Knowledge check to identify a spell or special magical effect (a free action). If you are already aware of its aura, you can attempt to identify the properties of a magic item you can examine using Spellcraft as a standard action.Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical emanations may distort or conceal weaker auras. If you possess at least 5 ranks in the associated skill, you can learn a target’s aura strength as a move action. With at least 10 ranks, you can identify an aura’s school of magic as a free action. With at least 15 ranks, you can identify a magic item’s properties as a move action.

Aura Strength: An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning spell level or an item’s caster level; see Table: Resonance Aura Power. If an aura falls into multiple categories, the mishap indicates the strongest one.

Table: Resonance Aura Power
Aura Power
Spell or Object Faint Moderate Strong Overwhelming
Functioning spell (spell level) 3rd or lower 4th-6th 7th-9th 10th+ (deity-level)
Magic item (caster level) 5th or lower 6th-11th 12th-20th 21st+ (artifact)

Lingering Aura: A magical aura lingers after a spell ends or a magic item is destroyed. If you examine such a location, you sense an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the dim aura lingers depends on its original power:

Original Strength Duration of Lingering Aura
Faint 1d6 rounds
Moderate 1d6 minutes
Strong 1d6 x 10 minutes
Overwhelming 1d6 days

Hack Magic (Su)

As a standard action, you modify a magic item or ongoing magical effect by either applying a single (hack) talent to it or removing one from it. You must touch a hacking instrument (described above) as part of hacking magic. You can always hack an effect or item within your natural reach; in addition, you can hack an effect if you are within its range (so you could hack a medium-range spell cast at 9th level while you are within 190 feet of the effect) as long as you can sense its source, target, area, or effect. When calculating range to an area effect, use its point of origin (not its edge).

You must succeed at a dispel check to hack magic unless the effect was produced by a creature willing for you to alter it or an item held by a willing creature. The DC is 11 + caster level and automatically fails if you roll a 1 on the die. You automatically fail to hack a curse or cursed item if the curse’s DC is greater than 11 + the number ranks in the associated skill you possess. Once you attempt to hack an effect (successfully or not), you automatically fail further attempts to either add or remove that talent (whichever you already attempted to do) on that effect for 24 hours. You produce a mishap if your dispel check automatically fails or fails by 10 or more; the targeted effect remains unaltered. The mishap deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage to you (unless you successfully use control mishap).

If you readied an action to hack an effect from a specific source, you can alter that effect as it begins. The caster (if any) is aware of the effects of the (hack) talent, and may choose the spell’s effects (but not stop casting it) with this in mind. You learn what the caster chose and apply the (hack talent) a split second before the magic takes effect.

The magic begins with the changes already in place. For example, if you apply the Reposition Magic talent to an area effect, the caster chooses where to place the area knowing that you can move it, then you choose a distance and direction to move the area (it takes effect at the destination you chose).

A (hack) talent that does not produce an obvious change can only be noticed with a successful Spellcraft check against DC 11 + your associated skill modifier. Creatures get to roll this check to notice the hack whenever they spend at least a move action examining the item or effect and the first time they attempt to command or activate the effect after you hack it.

The alteration from hack magic ends after 1 hour per rank in the associated skill you possess. To remove your (hack) talent by hacking magic, an opponent must succeed at a dispel check against DC 11 + your associated skill ranks; if they possess the (hack) talent they want to remove, it is automatically removed and they may add a (hack) talent to the effect as part of the same action. The caster of a magical effect can undo your alteration as a standard action if they are within the effect’s range and succeed at a caster level check against the same DC.

Spellhacking Talent Types

Some Spellhacking talents have the (hack) or (mishap) tags, unlocking options with the corresponding base sphere ability.

Hack

Talents with the (hack) tag allow you to change the rules of magical effects, most often effects produced by spells and magic items. Each hack can only be applied to an effect that matches its Target entry. An effect may only be altered by one (hack) talent at a time, or two if at least one has the [utility] tag. You cannot apply the same hack to one effect multiple times simultaneously.

Mishap

Talents with the (mishap) tag allow you to intentionally create mishaps with magic items or other spellhacking instruments and control the effects of your mishaps. All mishaps are supernatural effects.

Spellhacking Talents

Confounding Hacks

You can always outwit any creature who has an item or effect on them that you hacked if you remove your hack as the cost to outwit them. You must be within hack magic range.

Easy Dismissal

You can dismiss a dismissible spell or item effect as a swift action. When you make a dispel check (such as with dispel magic or the hack magic ability) to target a creature or a worn or carried item, you can outwit the target creature to get a 10 on the d20 instead of rolling.

Hacker’s Analysis [utility]

You can read subtle clues in the way a spell or magic item is put together, allowing you to learn about the caster. As a swift or immediate action, you can choose an item you can see and make a Spellcraft check to identify its properties. Even if you fail a skill check to identify a spell, you learn its caster level, tradition, and spell level.

You can also spend 1 use of skill leverage to learn whether a creature you can see has any ability to use spells, supernatural abilities, or spell-like abilities. If the effect is a spell or spell-like, you know the highest spell level

Hide Manifestation

When you successfully cast a spell defensively or activate a magic item, you can attempt to hide perceptible signs that a spell is originating from you. (As clarified in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue most spells and spell-like abilities produce an obvious flash, sound, or other manifestation that magic has been used.)

This is not possible with a touch spell, ray, fireball, or any other spell where an intrinsic part of the spell’s effect obviously comes from you. This talent does not hide somatic or verbal components (although you can still do so by other means such as the new Spellcraft skill use to whisper verbal components on page 71). You must attempt a check with the associated skill to determine how hard it is for observers to notice the manifestation.

Creatures can notice your magic’s manifestation with an opposed Perception or Spellcraft check with a bonus equal to the spell’s level (using whichever modifier is higher). If you provided no noticed components, observers who fail to notice the manifestation cannot tell you performed magic.

Associated Feat: Conceal Spell (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue).

Innate Spellhacking [utility]

You need no spellhacking instrument to hack magic as long as you have the ability to cast spells or use a spell-like or supernatural ability. You can use Spellcraft as the associated skill for all applications of the Spellhacking sphere that do not target a magic item. You gain Spellcraft as an additional associated skill for this sphere.

Magical Curiosity

You regain 1 use of skill leverage whenever you successfully activate or identify a magic item, spell, or other magic effect you have neither activated nor identified before (multiple copies of the same item count as one item for this purpose). You cannot regain skill leverage from this talent again until you regain it in a different way.

Magic Sweep [approach] [utility]

You can spend a swift action to adopt this approach while you or an item you carry emits Magical Resonance or another way for you to perceive magical auras. As long as you maintain the approach, you can use Spellcraft in place of Perception to find magic traps. You can disable magic traps as if you had trapfinding, and use your associated skill modifier in place of your Disable Device modifier for that purpose.

Prescient Hack [plan]

You can delay the application of your hack magic ability until you are ready to exploit it. You can reveal a plan to be a use of hack magic to alter a magic item or effect you could access when you last prepared plans. Revealing this plan is a full-round action, which can include drawing the item you reveal to be hacked, concentrating on a magic effect you reveal to be hacked, or otherwise directing such an effect.

Silent Activation [utility]

You can provide a magic item’s command word or spell trigger word mentally. The activation takes the same action, but might be less obvious and can avoid restrictions like a gag or magical silence. (Spell completion items such as scrolls are not affected by this talent.)

Simultaneous Hacks

You can apply a hack to an effect that already has a hack without the [utility] tag applied, up to a maximum of three talents if at least one has the [utility] tag.

If you possess at least 10 ranks in the associated skill, you can also apply up to two (hack) talents at once as a full-round action. Likewise, you can also remove up to two (hack) talents simultaneously. For every talent you do not possess, you must make a separate dispel check to remove it.

Steady Hacker [approach]

Adopting this approach is a swift action. Until you adopt another approach, you roll 2d10 instead of a d20 for Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device checks. You do not count as rolling a 1 on the die unless both d10s roll a 1. You can also spend 1 use of skill leverage to take 10 on a Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft check, even in combat or when otherwise distracted.

Track Caster [utility]

You can sense the magic linking a magic effect or item to its creator. If you can perceive a magic effect’s aura (such as using your Magical Resonance mishap), you can spend 1 use of skill leverage as a move action to know whether the caster cast, concentrated on, or directed the effect in the past minute. You can always use Spellcraft to track a creature using the usual rules for tracking with the Survival skill, but visibility and terrain do not impact the trail. Instead, the aura becomes difficult to follow if it passes through another aura of similar or greater strength or if it passes through a ley line. Magical auras are spoiled by running water just as thoroughly as tracks are. The base DC is 20. Confounding auras increase the DC by 5 + 5 per step stronger the strongest aura is than the aura you are tracking (or more in exceptional cases).

Hack Talents

Blast Tuning (hack)

Target: A magical area effect in a line, cone, burst, or emanation

You can convert a burst, emanation, or line into a cone; or convert a cone into a line or burst. The resulting dimensions depend on the original dimensions. A line becomes a cone with length one-third the length of the line. A burst or emanation becomes a cone with length equal to twice the burst’s radius; if the new cone emanates from a creature, the creature can choose a new direction for the cone as a free action once per turn. A cone becomes either a line with triple the cone’s length or a burst centered on the caster with a radius equal to half the cone’s length. (You must first use the Prepared Hacking feat in order to alter an effect as you cast it.)

Dimension Tuning (hack)

Prerequisites: Associated skill 5 ranks.
Target: A magical area effect with a duration other than instantaneous, concentration, or permanent, or with at least one variable, numeric effect

You can increase a magical area in each dimension by 50%. If it has a suitable duration and effects, they are each reduced by 25%. If it has such a duration but no variable, numeric effects, reduce its duration by half. If its duration is instantaneous, concentration, or permanent, then reduce its variable, numeric effects by half.

If you possess at least 10 ranks in the associated skill, you can take this talent a second time. Doing so allows you to either double or halve the magical effect’s area in each dimension. Doubling the area reduces any variable, numeric effects of the area as well as its duration by 50% each. Halving the area increases any variable, numeric effects of the area by 50% as if with the Empower Spell feat and doubles the remaining duration as if with the Enlarge Spell feat.

Imbue Hack (hack)

Target: A magic item that can be activated or a magic trap you have bypassed

You choose another (hack) talent you possess and implant it into the target. You must pay any cost of the (hack) talent when you imbue it. You choose a simple manner for the talent to apply to the next effect produced by activating the item or triggering the trap. If the hack cannot apply to that activation, the activation is not altered but the hack remains imbued until it can take effect. The (hack) talent fades from the item after it is applied.

Range Tuning (hack)

Target: A magical effect with a numerical range greater than personal

You can alter a spell or effect’s range and caster level inversely, weakening it to make it reach farther or strengthening it at the cost of a shorter range. (You must first use the Prepared Hacking feat in order to alter an effect as you cast it.)

Enlarge: You can double the effect’s range, as if with the Enlarge Spell feat, by reducing its caster level by 1 if the caster level was 4 or less, or reducing it by 2 if it was 5 or more. The hack automatically fails and produces a mishap if this would reduce the caster level below the minimum (such as below caster level 4th for a 2nd-level sorcerer spell). If the magical effect has a range of touch or up to 10 feet, reducing its caster level increases the range to close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 caster levels).

Reduce: If the spell’s caster level is no higher than your associated skill ranks, you divide the range in half by adding a +1 enhancement bonus to its caster level.

Reposition Area (hack)

Target: A magical area effect centered on a point in space (not a targeted spell nor a conjured effect, nor any area centered on or emanating from a creature or object)

You move a magical area 5 feet in any direction. For every 5 ranks in the associated skill that you possess, the distance you can move the effect increases by 5 feet. If the effect is normally mobile (such as a flaming sphere), you get a +4 circumstance bonus on any dispel check that might be required to hack magic, you are not restricted from hacking the effect again, and the new location does not count as a hack (it cannot be removed, although the effect can be moved normally from its new location). When this hack is removed, the effect returns to its prior position.

If you change an instantaneous area’s location (perhaps by using a readied action to hack magic) and it requires a saving throw, creatures excluded by this hack’s alteration must still attempt a saving throw but get a +4 bonus on the saving throw. Creatures included only because of this hack also get this bonus on their saving throw.

If you possess at least 10 ranks in the associated skill, this talent gains the (mishap) tag. When you Reposition Area as a mishap, the new location is chosen randomly by the GM within this talent’s parameters.

Repurpose Change (hack)

Target: A magic item or magical effect with caster level no greater than the ranks in the associated skill you possess which physically changes a creature

You change the magic into a different one for 1 round per rank in the associated skill you possess. The effect changes to granting the target one of the following benefits of your choice:

  • A +20-foot enhancement bonus to one of the following speeds: climb speed, land speed, or swim speed. If the creature did not already have the chosen speed, they gain it with a base speed of 0 feet (which is then increased by the enhancement bonus). For every 3 the caster level exceeds the minimum, increase the speed bonus by 5 feet.
  • Claw natural weapons on up to two of the target’s arms with 1d4 base damage for a Medium target.

If you have at least 5 ranks in the associated skill and the effect’s caster level is at least 5th, you can instead choose two of the above options (if you gain a speed bonus again, choose a different speed each time) or one of the following advanced options:

  • The creature gains the ability to breathe air as well as water.
  • A bite (1d6), horn (1d6), or tail (1d8) natural weapon.

If you have at least 10 ranks in the associated skill and the effect’s caster level is at least 10th, you can instead choose any three options (if you choose a natural weapon multiple times, choose a different natural weapon each time). With 15 ranks and caster level 15th, you can choose any four options.

Repurpose Defense (hack)

Target: A magic item or magical effect with caster level no greater than your associated skill ranks that grants a continuous bonus to AC (not to AC against certain attacks or for certain purposes) or continuous damage reduction

You change the target’s protection of a kind listed above into a different one for 1 round per associated skill rank. If the target has more than one suitable protection, you choose one bonus to AC or one damage reduction to replace. The new protection options depend upon the protection you are replacing. Only magical bonuses are changed (so you can replace magic armor’s enhancement bonus, but not the rest of its armor bonus).

Repurpose AC Bonus: If the previous protection was a bonus to AC, you replace it with either a resistance bonus to all saving throws with half its value, or else damage reduction penetrated by magic with the same value. If you choose damage reduction, once the hacked damage reduction absorbs damage equal to 5 points per rank in the associated skill you possess, the effect reverts. If you possess at least 8 ranks in the associated skill, damage reduction you grant is penetrated by adamantine rather than magic.

Repurpose Damage Reduction: If the protection was damage reduction, you replace it with either a natural armor bonus to AC equal to one-quarter its value, or else a resistance bonus to all saving throws equal to one-quarter its value.

Repurpose Resilience (hack)

Target: A magic item or magical effect with caster level no greater than your associated skill ranks that grants a continuous bonus to all saving throws (not to saving throws against specific categories of effects) or continuous energy resistance

You change the target’s protection of a kind listed above into a different one for 1 round per associated skill rank. If the target has more than one suitable protection, you choose one bonus to all saving throws or one energy resistance to replace. The new protection options depend upon the protection you are replacing.

Repurpose Save Bonus: If the previous protection was a bonus to all saving throws, you replace it with either an equal natural armor bonus to AC; or energy resistance against one of acid, cold, electricity, or fire with twice the value. If you possess at least 8 ranks in the associated skill, you can also choose sonic.

Repurpose Energy Resistance: If the protection was energy resistance, you can reduce its value by half and change its type to acid, cold, electricity, or fire. If you possess at least 8 ranks in the associated skill, you can also choose sonic.

Repurpose Skill (hack)

Target: A magic item or ongoing magical effect that grants a continuous bonus to a skill or ability score with caster level no greater than the ranks in the associated skill you possess

You change the item’s bonus into a different one for 1 round per rank in the associated skill you possess. The new bonus options depend upon the previous bonus.

Repurpose Skill: If the previous bonus was to a skill, you replace it with a competence bonus to another skill that also uses a mental or physical ability modifier (whichever the original skill used) with the value reduced by half.

Repurpose Ability Score: If the previous bonus was to an ability score, you replace it with a competence bonus to one skill using that ability score with the same value or an enhancement bonus to another mental or physical ability score (whichever the original ability score was) with the value reduced by half. For example, if the previous bonus was to Strength, you could change it to an enhancement bonus of half that value to Constitution or Dexterity.

Sabotage Item (hack)

Target: A magic item

You alter the properties of a magic item. When you place the sabotage, you can choose for it to have a mishap the next time it is activated or when it is activated in a clear, observable circumstance you define. Instead of the intended effect, the item produces the effect of one of your (mishap) talents. This hack then ends.

You cannot use this talent to sabotage more items at once than your operative ability modifier; sabotaging another ends another sabotage of yours chosen at random.

Associated Feat: Sabotage Magic Item (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Intrigue).

Splinter Magic (hack)

Target: A magical effect with at least one target, a duration of at least 5 rounds, and a range greater than personal

You fracture a targeted magical effect, splitting it to include an additional valid target for the effect. The new target must be within the effect’s range from you and the effect or both must be within your reach. You can ignore the effect’s own limits on distance between multiple targets (such as mass charm person). The target gets any saving throw allowed, negating the effect on a success. You make any attack roll required. If the effect allows spell resistance, you make the check, using the number of ranks in the associated skill you possess in place of your caster level. If the effect has a concentration duration, you must concentrate to maintain the splinter. You cannot use Splinter Magic on the splinter effect produced by this talent.

If the effect normally allows only 1 target, the splinter magic is less effective due to how its magic must be split to affect the new target. This has the following effects: new target gets a +2 bonus on its saving throw and to its spell resistance against the splinter effect, and the duration of the splinter effect on the new target (if not instantaneous, concentration, or permanent) is one-fifth the remaining duration on the target you are copying it from (at minimum lasting until the end of your next turn). You cannot splinter a single-target effect that is permanent except with the Retarget Magic exceptional talent.

Subvert Information (hack) [utility]

Target: A magic item or magical effect that stores information (such as a trigger or bypass condition) or that passes information to its caster or another creature

You tap into the information stored or transmitted by the target, learning and potentially altering it. When the target transmits information, such as the results of a divination effect or the mental alarm from an alarm spell, you learn all that information as long as this (hack) talent remains applied to the effect. When you hack magic or as a standard action while the effect is in hack magic range, you can choose one of the following ways to tamper with the magical effect.

  • Alter or replace the next piece of information the item or effect sends or receives. (Changes also alter the copy you receive.) If the information is sent continuously or covers more than 1 minute of information, as in the case of a prolonged telepathic message, scrying, or prying eyes, you alter up to 1 minute of information per associated skill rank. Altering text requires a Linguistics check as if making a forgery. Altering a creature’s or object’s appearance requires a Disguise check opposed by Perception. Altering spoken or signed words requires a Bluff check opposed by Sense Motive. Altering other information (such as the nature of an aura) gives the caster a Spellcraft check to notice your tampering (as described in hack magic) if they otherwise would not get one.
  • Attempt to learn information stored in the magical effect or item. You must attempt a check using the associated skill against DC 15 + 150% caster level. If you succeed, you learn one piece of stored information, such as one way an alarm can be bypassed, the way a contingency is triggered, the message stored in a magic mouth, a command word for a magic item, or the alignment a forbiddance is keyed to. If you fail, you cannot attempt this skill check against that magical effect again for 24 hours.

Mishap Talents

Dazzling Mishap (mishap)

The mishap takes the form of a 30-foot emanation of light from yourself or the item. The exception is items or effects that must target or produce undead, use negative energy, have the shadow descriptor, or produce cold or darkness; they emit darkness instead. The emanation raises (or lowers) the light level by one step and suppresses magical darkness (or light, whatever is opposite) with a lower caster level than the item’s. When light appears, creatures in the area (including you) must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or be dazzled for 1 round (darkness does not have this effect). The illumination change moves with the source of the mishap and lasts for 1 minute per rank in the associated skill you possess.

If you have at least 5 associated skill ranks and the source has a caster level of at least 5th, you can choose for the item to change the light level by two steps in the 30-foot emanation and one step for 30 feet beyond; the light also suppresses magical concealment and invisibility on creatures in the area with caster level less than the item’s.

With 10 associated skill ranks and caster level 10th, either creatures in an area made bright by the spell are blinded instead of dazzled on a failed save or the darkness can be supernaturally dark, blocking darkvision.

With 15 associated skill ranks and caster level 15th, you can choose for the mishap to deal damage when it begins. Light deals 1d6 points of damage (1d10 against undead, fungi, and oozes) per 2 ranks you possess; darkness deals 1d6 points of cold damage per 2 ranks you possess. A successful save reduces the damage by half.

Energy Surge (mishap)

The mishap takes the form of a blast of energy that fills a 5-foot cube within close range that you choose. Each creature in the area takes 1d8 points of damage + 1d8 per 3 ranks you have in the associated skill with a Reflex save for half damage. The damage is one type the item or lost spell normally deals (your choice, if there are multiple types and you know what they are, or a random type it deals otherwise).

Damage from the energy surge has no effect on creatures that would normally be healed by it (a positive energy surge would not affect living creatures; a negative energy surge would not affect undead). If the item does not normally deal damage, the dice are d6s and the type is bludgeoning.

False Activation (mishap) [utility]

The mishap takes the form of an illusion of the item’s usual non-illusory effect (a figment for an area, object, or creature, or a glamer for a targeted effect). Observers who interact with the illusion can disbelieve it with a successful Will saving throw (making it transparent to them). The illusion lasts as long as the effect normally would, up to a maximum of 1 hour per rank you possess in the associated skill. The illusion is always visual, and you can add one other sense of your choice from auditory, olfactory, or temperature if you possess at least 5 associated skill ranks and the source has a caster level of at least 5th. You cannot apply this mishap to an item or failed spell without a perceptible effect or with a purely illusory perceptible effect.

Obscuring Mishap (mishap)

The mishap takes the form of a 20-foot radius burst related to the item’s nature that you can center on a point within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in the associated skill you possess). An item that normally deals damage, alters the area, or conjures anything instead conjures a blast of harmless gasses, swarms, or clouds (such as steam, ash, smoke, butterflies, ink, or leaves). Other items create a visual illusion related to their usual effect (such as a rain of sparkling copper from a wand of daylight). Regardless of its nature, the cloud provides concealment within 5 feet and total concealment beyond 5 feet. The mishap lasts for 1 minute per rank in the associated skill you possess. A cloud (but not an illusion) is dispersed by a moderate wind (11+ mph) in 4 rounds, or by a strong wind (21+ mph) in 1 round. An illusion can be disbelieved with a Will saving throw (making it transparent to the disbeliever).

If you have at least 5 ranks in the associated skill and the source has a caster level of at least 5th, you can choose for the cloud to either extend another 5 feet per 5 ranks you possess, or cast bright light within its area and raise the level of illumination 20 feet beyond by one step.

Terrain Mishap (mishap)

The mishap conjures random objects into a 10-foot radius circle that you can center on a point within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in the associated skill you possess). The objects form either a layer of slippery liquid or cluttering obstacles thematically related to the intended effect (such as rocks for something that toughens skin, pitch for a fireball, or crystals for a divination). The surfaces in the area become difficult terrain. Creatures in the area must succeed at a Reflex saving throw with an effect determined by the source of the mishap. A source that would deal damage, alter the area, or conjure anything makes creatures entangled until they leave the area; other effects make creatures fall prone. The mishap lasts for 1 minute per associated skill rank you possess.

If you have at least 5 ranks in the associated skill and the source has a caster level of at least 5th, you can choose one of the following options:

  • The area extends another 5 feet per 5 ranks you possess.
  • The area traps creatures that fail their Reflex save until they spend a standard action and succeed at either an Escape Artist check against your sphere DC or a DC 15 Strength check.
  • The edges of the area provide cover that is 2 feet high (partial for Medium creatures or standard cover for Small creatures) either against creatures outside the area or above the area.

Watchful Mishap (mishap) [utility]

The mishap produces a scrying sensor on the intended target or in the intended area. If the source does not normally have a target or area, the sensor watches the magic item. You can view the sensor’s vision instead of your own by concentrating as a standard action. The sensor’s range of vision is limited to within 15 feet of itself. If the sensor is on a creature or object, it moves with them at a speed of up to 120 feet per round. The sensor remains active for 1 hour per rank you possess in the associated skill.

If you have at least 5 ranks in the associated skill and the source has a caster level of at least 5th, the sensor can see invisible things. With 10 ranks and caster level 10th, the sensor can produce the effects of detect thoughts using your sphere DC as part of your action to concentrate on the sensor.

With 15 ranks and caster level 15th, you can send and receive telepathic messages through the sensor to any creature it can see that knows a language.

Exceptional Talents

Catalyze Lost Magic (hack)

Prerequisites: Spellcraft 7 ranks, Spellhacking sphere, Prepared Hacking.

Target: A spell that is about to be lost by its caster due to damage or broken concentration, or a magic item mishap

This hack can only be applied as a readied or immediate action because the spell or mishap is only a valid target for an instant. You replace the target’s effect with one of your (mishap) talents.

Conditional Hack

Prerequisites: Associated skill 10 ranks, Spellhacking sphere.

When you hack magic, you can choose an observable condition that will remove the hack. Triggers react to what appears to be the case within 15 feet of the hacked target. Disguises and illusions can fool them. Normal darkness does not defeat a visual trigger, but magical darkness or invisibility does. Silent movement or magical silence defeats audible triggers. Audible triggers can be keyed to general types of noises or to a specific noise or spoken word. Actions can serve as triggers if they are visible or audible.

Item Optimization

Prerequisites: Use Magic Device 7 ranks, Spellhacking sphere.

When you activate a magic item that allows a saving throw and that has one of your hacks applied to it, you can use your sphere DC – 4 in place of the item’s saving throw DC for that activation. If an item calls for a saving throw without activation, you can spend a swift action to replace the save DC for its continuous function until the end of your next turn.

Retarget Magic

Prerequisites: Associated skill 15 ranks, Spellhacking sphere (Splinter Magic).

When you apply Splinter Magic, you can move the targeted magical effect rather than duplicate it. Splinter Magic’s special conditions for targeted effects that only have 1 target do not apply. If you successfully affect the new target, the magical effect ends on the previous target.

You can apply Splinter Magic as a mishap using control mishap if you move the effect to a target randomly chosen by the GM, causing the spell to take effect solely on the new target instead of the intended target.

Salvage Splinter

Prerequisites: Associated skill 7 ranks, Spellhacking sphere (Splinter Magic).

When a magical effect that has one of your (hack) talents applied to it ends before its maximum duration, you can spend an immediate action to salvage part of it. The effect must have a range greater than personal and have one or more targets. You remove the current (hack) talent and use Splinter Magic on the effect just before it ends. The splinter cannot target the original target.

Subvert Control (hack)

Prerequisites: Associated skill 7 ranks, Spellhacking sphere.

Target: A magical effect that has the option for the caster to dismiss, alter, or direct it after it takes effect

You gain the same degree of control over the effect as the caster has. You do not prevent the caster from continuing to control it using their own actions. If the spell is dismissible, you can dismiss it. If the effect can normally be moved, you can move it using the same action. If the effect allows the caster to issue new orders or suggestions, you can do so but any order that contradicts the caster’s previous order is only followed if you succeed at an opposed Charisma check against the caster.

If you have also applied the Subvert Information (hack) to the effect, your Subvert Information can interfere with the caster’s ability to control the effect. When you use this option, the next time the caster sends a command to the hacked effect, the attempt fails unless they succeed at a caster level check against DC 10 + the ranks in the associated skill you possess.

Suspend Magic (hack, mishap)

Prerequisites: Associated skill 5 ranks, Spellhacking sphere.

Target: A magical effect

You suppress the target effect for a duration you choose, at least 1 minute or up to the maximum duration you can apply a (hack) talent. While suppressed, the effect’s duration does not elapse. (You can remove this hack to resume the duration early.) If this talent is applied to an effect as it is cast, the effect is prevented from beginning (or calling for saving throws or spell resistance) until the hack is removed and the target or area is only set approximately. When this hack is removed from an effect that had not begun yet, the effect begins as intended if both the source and the intended target or area are within 30 feet of each other or within 30 feet of where they were when the magic was suspended. Failing that, you can intentionally remove Suspend Magic with hack magic to choose a new target or area as the suspended effect resumes. Otherwise, the GM chooses the target or area in roughly the analogous distance and direction from the source’s current location as the intended target or area was from the source’s location when you hacked magic.

If you also have the Conditional Hack exceptional talent and apply it to this hack, the suspended magic interferes with contingency spells or other similar effects on you, preventing them from triggering until the conditional Suspend Magic hack is removed. If the suspended effect resumes early due to a Conditional Hack and the effect’s caster level was higher than two-thirds the number of ranks in the associated skill you possess, its caster level is reduced to that maximum if it would not bring the spell below its minimum caster level (for example, caster level 11th is the minimum for a 6th-level wizard spell). If the spell’s caster level would be reduced below the minimum, the spell becomes a mishap, with the effect of one of your (mishap) talents of the GM’s choice.

If you also have the Prescient Hack talent, you can cast an undefined spell as part of preparing your plans in order to have the option of revealing a suspended spell.

You expend a spell slot or other resources for the spell when you prepare plans, but do not choose which spell it is or make any choices for it until you reveal it. If you reveal the spell did not use all the resources, the unspent resources become available to you. If you expend all your plans without revealing the spell, the slot becomes available to you (without a spell prepared, if you are a prepared spellcaster).

Drawbacks

Destabilized Focus

Through a damaged implement, unstable source of magic, or some other source of instability, you have adapted to using these mishaps to your advantage. You do not gain the hack magic ability (or a (hack) talent of your choice), and gain a (mishap) talent of your choice instead. If you choose a [utility] (mishap) talent, the base sphere gains the [utility] tag.

Stable Instrument

You do not gain the control mishap ability, and gain the Steady Hacker talent instead.

Personal Hacking

You may only use hack magic on effects that you cast, and cannot use hack magic on effects cast by a creature in range, even if they are willing. You gain a (hack) talent.

Truenamer [alternate start]

You use Linguistics instead of Use Magic Device as the associated skill.

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