Vedalken (BX Class)

A followup from my last post detailing Vedalken for 5e.

This is my first completed attempt at a BX race-class, please don't hate on it too much ;-)

Vedalken

Requirements: Minimum CON 9
Prime Requisite: INT
Hit Dice: 1d4
Maximum Level: 10
Allowed Armour: Leather, no shields
Allowed Weapons: Any
Languages: Alignment language, Common
Attacks as: Cleric/Thief
Saves as: Magic-User

Vedalken are four-armed demi-humans with slight amphibian features. They stand taller than humans at 6 to 6½ feet, but are typically slender weighing no more than 200 pounds. They require the use of special breathing helmets to walk on land for extended periods. Gifted at magic-use, they are ruthless and dispassionate in their quest for knowledge and perfection.

(click to enlarge)

Abilities

Combat: Vedalken are used to cumbersome breathing apparatus and may wear light armour. They possess some aptitude for swordplay.

Spell Casting: Vedalken cast arcane spells memorised from a spell book, as a magic-user. They have the spells per day of a magic-user and can learn spells from the magic-user list, with the exception of spells that directly damage or kill a creature. See below for a suggested list of disallowed spells.
 
Countermagic: Once per combat round, in addition to their regular action, a vedalken can attempt a counterspell. To do this the vedalken must not be surprised, and must be aware of the spell being cast. The vedalken must then expend prepared spells of a total spell level equal-or-greater-than the spell they wish to counter. If the referee is keeping the enemy's spell a secret, they may either require the player to ante prepared spells until they reach the unknown spell's level, or simply inform the player of the spell's level, at their discretion.
Once sufficient spell energy has been expended on the counterspell, the vedalken then rolls 1d6. Beginning vedalkens have a 2-in-6 chance of a successful counterspell. This increases to 3-in-6 at 4th level, 4-in-6 at 7th level, and 5-in-6 at 10th level.

Four-armed: Vedalken have four slender arms that can hold and manipulate objects, or be used to cast spells. This does not grant extra attacks.

Gills: Vedalken breathe water, and cannot breathe air. They can hold their breath for up to one hour (six turns) at a time.

Goofy Helmet: Vedalken begin play with a glass helmet that lets them breathe as though in water. When wearing it, they are immune to inhaled poisons, and their Reaction Adjustment is treated as two steps closer to (but not past) "None", as both potential friends and foes perceive them as less threatening or impressive. For example, a vedalken with CHA 18 has only +1 to reaction rolls when wearing the helmet, while one with CHA 6 would have +0 to reaction rolls.
Civilised areas with a significant vedalken population sell replacement helmets for 100 gp. Helmets may be more expensive or unavailable elsewhere. Crafting a helmet requires 50 gp in supplies and access to a furnace.

Technician: A vedalken can pick locks and remove traps as a thief of their level. However, they do not share the thief's aptitude for finding traps. The standard BX thief skills are reproduced in the table above, though the referee may prefer a different method of resolving thief skill rolls.

Magical Research and Using Magic Items: A vedalken of any level may spend time and money to research new spells to add to their spellbook. At the referee's discretion, the scope of the vedalken spell list may be expanded with illusionist spells or water/air-themed elementalist spells. A vedalken who has reached 9th level may create magic items and research other effects. A vedalken can use scrolls and other magic items as a magic-user, except for items which duplicate spells they may not cast.

Reaching 9th Level

A vedalken can establish a research institution upon reaching 9th level, attracting other vedalken, magic-users, various specialists such as alchemists, physicians and sages; and an assortment of students and other lackeys. The other researchers share a common interest in the prestige of the research institution, but otherwise owe no loyalty to the founding vedalken, and are likely to jockey for position and establish their own petty fiefdoms.

Verboten Vedalken Spells

1st magic missile
3rd fire ball, lightning bolt
4th wall of fire
5th cloudkill
6th death spell, disintegrate
(vedalken do not receive 6th-level spells unless the referee chooses to extend the level cap)


edit: some thoughts about the above:

• Balancing countermagic: I really wanted counterspelling to be a reaction, so the low odds of success is a way to balance that. High level enemy spellcasters can also outlast the vedalken in a spell duel, or hide before casting a spell. Ideas for tweaking:
  • Instead of a d6 roll, the enemy spellcaster must make a save vs spells, losing the spell if they fail. This means counterspelling gets worse as enemies have more Hit Dice, instead of improving with PC level.
  • A single spell of equal-or-greater level has to be expended, instead of making up the total spell level with "loose change".
  • Instead of expending spells, the vedalken must make a save vs. spells. Success indicates a successful counterspell. Failure means the vedalken takes backlash damage = 1d6 x spell level. If desired, you could have a "success at a cost" range of rolls where both happen.
  
  
• I'm considering a more customised spell list for these bois that really gets across "blue magic", drawing upon Labyrinth Lord AEC, Theorems & Thaumaturgy, and maybe some homebrew spells. If so, perhaps the counterspelling mechanic will simply become a spell. In any case I like that this is 100% playable with vanilla BX.
  
• Designing within the un-houseruled confines of BX was an interesting challenge. If I ever GMed an OSR game with vedalken the Goofy Helmet would function as the 5e version (disadvantage on rolls to intimidate) but I wouldn't have come up with the "adjust Reaction towards zero" idea if I'd allowed myself that freedom when writing the class.
  
• I also really love writing kinda handwavy mechanics with the expectation that the GM will make rulings they feel are appropriate. It certainly makes a change from when I used to homebrew stuff for 3.5 and Pathfinder. Parts of this class are still walls of text and up for revision to be terser.