Battle mage prestige class anyone?
- Thread starter uv23
- Start date
I haven't seen the spellsword no. In terms of what I'm going for, here's some ideas I have so far that have yet to be formalized.
Limited spell progression - only advances every second level.
Combat spell focus - can choose one of several "paths" in which to focus. Right now I have these as area effect, touch, and single target. The advantages of this combat spell focus (and corresponding disadvantages) have yet to be set in stone.
A system enabling proficiency with heavy armor
Limited spell progression - only advances every second level.
Combat spell focus - can choose one of several "paths" in which to focus. Right now I have these as area effect, touch, and single target. The advantages of this combat spell focus (and corresponding disadvantages) have yet to be set in stone.
A system enabling proficiency with heavy armor
uv23 said:
The 1st and 3rd in the list is the same as the spellsword. This prestige class is a kind of fighter/wizard, whereas yours sounds like it is more wizard oriented, much like the 2nd Edition war wizard kit.
For more details of the spellsword, see here:
http://www.angelfire.com/games3/3DandD/prestige_classes/spellsword.html
The combat spell focus idea is interesting, and I haven't seen it done before. Presumably there might be certain similarities to the school specialisation approach. Are we talking about a large scale battle mage, like the war wizard? If so, most of those would be area effect specialists, although you might find the other sorts in adventuring parties.
Anyway, you might get some inspiration from the spellsword description, and if I think of anything, I'll post here. Sounds like a promising and well balanced PrC!
Thanks very much, I'll check it out. As far as the war wizard goes, it sounds like they're different. The battle mage I have envisioned is first and foremost a combatant but his style varies. His expertise outside of combat-focused magic is limited. I like to build customisability wherever I can, which is why I have the three different paths (from which the battle mage cannot diverge once choosing.)
Here's something I knocked out very quickly - not sure what you've gto in mind for spell type specialisation, but I've left that for now, as I'll need to think about it.
Requirements
Skills : Spellcraft 8 ranks, Concentration 8 Ranks
Feats : At least one from Empower Spell/ Heigthen Spell/Maximise Spell?
Other : Not sure yet
Class skills : Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int, Exclusive skill), Spellcraft (Int), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str)
Skill Points : 2 + Int Modifier.
Hit Dice : 1d4 (or maybe even 1d6?)
Starting Feats : None
BAB and Saves As A Wizard
1st level: Light Armour prof. /
2nd Level: -5% armour failure chance / +1 caster level
3rd level: -5% armour failure chance
4th level: Medium Armour prof. / +1 caster Level
5th level: -5% armour failure chance
6th level: -5% armour failure chance / +1 caster level
7th Level: Heavy Armour prof.
8th level: -5% armour failure chance / +1 caster Level
9th level: -5% armour failure chance
10th level: Add ability here/ +1 caster level
Requirements
Skills : Spellcraft 8 ranks, Concentration 8 Ranks
Feats : At least one from Empower Spell/ Heigthen Spell/Maximise Spell?
Other : Not sure yet
Class skills : Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int, Exclusive skill), Spellcraft (Int), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str)
Skill Points : 2 + Int Modifier.
Hit Dice : 1d4 (or maybe even 1d6?)
Starting Feats : None
BAB and Saves As A Wizard
1st level: Light Armour prof. /
2nd Level: -5% armour failure chance / +1 caster level
3rd level: -5% armour failure chance
4th level: Medium Armour prof. / +1 caster Level
5th level: -5% armour failure chance
6th level: -5% armour failure chance / +1 caster level
7th Level: Heavy Armour prof.
8th level: -5% armour failure chance / +1 caster Level
9th level: -5% armour failure chance
10th level: Add ability here/ +1 caster level
He will be trained in the use of more weapons but as a backup more than anything else. I see him as 1/3 weapon use, 2/3 magic use. I'll probably go with the assassin BAB. And as far as armor proficiency, its going to have to start at a much higher point, or give an outright proficiency with heavy armor and no arcane spell faliure as one of the primary abilities.
I don't have time to post more, but here's an idea outline for the combat spell focus.
Each level of battle mage gives 1 'focus level'. This focus level can be put towards adding a metamagic feat to a spell without increasing the level of the spell slot. This can only be applied to spells from your focus group (i.e. area effect, touch etc), and you must actually possess the metamagic feat being applied (hence the requirement that you have some metamagic feats to join the PrC).
Example: A 5th level wizard, 4th level Battle Mage gets 4 focus levels. He can empower 2 Fireballs (which are still prepared in 3rd level slots, not 5th level), or quicken one Cone of Cold (still 5th level), or anything which adds up to 4 levels of metamagic.
You can also prepare extra metamagic spells on top of your free allowance, but these are handled as normal.
To balance this, I suggest you take the wizard spell list and remove most of the non-combat spells above 2nd level. This forms the Battle Mage spell list. He can cast some low-level utility spells from when he was just a normal wizard, but otherwise is very combat oriented.
To summarise the advantages and disadvantages over a normal wizard
- Get some extra weapons, plus armour proficiency and reduced spell failure chance
- 'Free' metamagic spells from spell focus
- d6 instead of d4 for hit points
- Only gets partial caster progression
- Limited spell list
Each level of battle mage gives 1 'focus level'. This focus level can be put towards adding a metamagic feat to a spell without increasing the level of the spell slot. This can only be applied to spells from your focus group (i.e. area effect, touch etc), and you must actually possess the metamagic feat being applied (hence the requirement that you have some metamagic feats to join the PrC).
Example: A 5th level wizard, 4th level Battle Mage gets 4 focus levels. He can empower 2 Fireballs (which are still prepared in 3rd level slots, not 5th level), or quicken one Cone of Cold (still 5th level), or anything which adds up to 4 levels of metamagic.
You can also prepare extra metamagic spells on top of your free allowance, but these are handled as normal.
To balance this, I suggest you take the wizard spell list and remove most of the non-combat spells above 2nd level. This forms the Battle Mage spell list. He can cast some low-level utility spells from when he was just a normal wizard, but otherwise is very combat oriented.
To summarise the advantages and disadvantages over a normal wizard
- Get some extra weapons, plus armour proficiency and reduced spell failure chance
- 'Free' metamagic spells from spell focus
- d6 instead of d4 for hit points
- Only gets partial caster progression
- Limited spell list
the Jester
Legend
My battlemage
Here ya go...
BATTLEMAGE
There is a long tradition in elven culture of the battlemage, who charges into battle armored, then casts spells in the face of the enemy. These brave warriors are usually elves or half-elves, but occasionally other races earn the trust of the elves enough to be taught the secret ways.
Hit Die: d8
Prerequisites: Base attack +6. Able to cast at least three arcane spells per day dealing at least 30 hp of damage each. Proficiency in all types of armor and at least one martial weapon. Battlemages must be elf-trained.
Class Skills: Alchemy (int), Concentration (con), Craft (int), Jump (str), Knowledge (arcana) (int), Ride (dex), Scry (int), Spellcraft (int), Swim (str). Skill points per level: 2 + int bonus.
Base Attack: Medium (as rogue).
Good Saves: Fort and Will.
Poor Saves: Ref.
Level Special Abilities
1 Armored Magery (-5%)
2 Bonus Feat or Spell Increase
3 Armored Magery (-10%)
4 Damage Focus (Battlemage)
5 Bonus Feat or Spell Increase
6 Armored Magery (-15%)
7 Defensive Magery
8 Bonus Feat or Spell Increase
9 Armored Magery (-20%)
10 Damage Focus (total)
CLASS FEATURES
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Battlemages are proficient in all armor and shields and in simple and martial weapons.
Spells: For every level of battlemage, the character can prepare or use one extra spell per day as long as it deals damage. This spell may be of any level that the battlemage can cast.
Armored Magery: A battlemage’s arcane spell failure chance due to armor is reduced due to his skill with armored spell-casting.
Bonus Feat or Spell Increase: At 2nd, 5th and 8th level, the battlemage may choose a bonus feat from the fighter or metamagic list, or he may choose to learn one spell that is one level higher than his current highest-level spell. He can cast one spell of this new level per day, modified as usual for ability scores or other pertinent effects.
Damage Focus: At 4th level the battlemage may add his battlemage levels to any spellcaster levels for purposes of determining spell damage (for example, a fireball from a 5th-level wizard/4th-level battlemage would do 9d6 damage). At 10th level, all the character’s levels stack for determining spell damage.
Defensive Magery (Ex): From 7th level on, casting spells no longer provokes attacks of opportunity on the battlemage.
Here ya go...
BATTLEMAGE
There is a long tradition in elven culture of the battlemage, who charges into battle armored, then casts spells in the face of the enemy. These brave warriors are usually elves or half-elves, but occasionally other races earn the trust of the elves enough to be taught the secret ways.
Hit Die: d8
Prerequisites: Base attack +6. Able to cast at least three arcane spells per day dealing at least 30 hp of damage each. Proficiency in all types of armor and at least one martial weapon. Battlemages must be elf-trained.
Class Skills: Alchemy (int), Concentration (con), Craft (int), Jump (str), Knowledge (arcana) (int), Ride (dex), Scry (int), Spellcraft (int), Swim (str). Skill points per level: 2 + int bonus.
Base Attack: Medium (as rogue).
Good Saves: Fort and Will.
Poor Saves: Ref.
Level Special Abilities
1 Armored Magery (-5%)
2 Bonus Feat or Spell Increase
3 Armored Magery (-10%)
4 Damage Focus (Battlemage)
5 Bonus Feat or Spell Increase
6 Armored Magery (-15%)
7 Defensive Magery
8 Bonus Feat or Spell Increase
9 Armored Magery (-20%)
10 Damage Focus (total)
CLASS FEATURES
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Battlemages are proficient in all armor and shields and in simple and martial weapons.
Spells: For every level of battlemage, the character can prepare or use one extra spell per day as long as it deals damage. This spell may be of any level that the battlemage can cast.
Armored Magery: A battlemage’s arcane spell failure chance due to armor is reduced due to his skill with armored spell-casting.
Bonus Feat or Spell Increase: At 2nd, 5th and 8th level, the battlemage may choose a bonus feat from the fighter or metamagic list, or he may choose to learn one spell that is one level higher than his current highest-level spell. He can cast one spell of this new level per day, modified as usual for ability scores or other pertinent effects.
Damage Focus: At 4th level the battlemage may add his battlemage levels to any spellcaster levels for purposes of determining spell damage (for example, a fireball from a 5th-level wizard/4th-level battlemage would do 9d6 damage). At 10th level, all the character’s levels stack for determining spell damage.
Defensive Magery (Ex): From 7th level on, casting spells no longer provokes attacks of opportunity on the battlemage.
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