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View Full Version : Retooled Warmage Class and Battle Mage PrC [3.5 PEACH]



Revan Ordo
2009-12-21, 01:42 PM
Thought about retooling the war mage for a while now. All in all it is an okay class, but nothing special to write home about. The warmage edge ability is not very useful even if you take the extra edge feat (not worth it). So after looking around on various boards and discussing with other DMs I know in my area I came up with the following revisions for the warmage class.

Warmage Changes

Skills: Add Listen, Knowledge: the Planes, Spot, & Use Magic Device to skill list
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier.

Warmage Edge: Add 1/2 your caster level plus your Intelligence modifier to the damage done by any spell that does hit-point damage.

Bonus Feats: The warmage gains a bonus metamagic feat or fighter feat at 5th, 10th, 15th, & 20th levels respectively. (Loses the Sudden Metamagic Feats)

War Spell: Upon reaching 6th level, the warmage gains the ability to expand the area of any spell he casts as if he had the Widen Spell feat. Unlike the feat, the warmage only requires a spell slot two levels higher in order to apply the widening effect. A warmage may only apply this ability to his warmage spells, not from spells or spell-like abilities gained from other classes. At 12th level, the warmage only needs to use a spell slot one level higher. At 18th level, the warmage may use this ability without expending a higher level spell slot at all. (Borrowed this feature from the thread by T.G. Oskar. Lots of DMs and players I know loved this idea. So nicely done T.G. Oskar)


I also designed this prestige class a while back after looking at the War Mage PrC from the Dragonlance Campaign Setting and left it in a folder that has been collecting dust. Overall I like the abilities of this PrC, but I'm not certain about balance or about the prerequisites required to enter this prestige class.

Battle Mage

Prerequisites:
Skills: Concentration 5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks, Knowledge: Arcana 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks.
Feats: Any one metamagic feat, Skill Focus: Concentration
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 3rd level arcane spells, two of which must be evocation spells.

HD: d8
{table]
Level|
BAB|
Fort|
Ref|
Will|
Special|
Spellcasting
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|
Arcane Aegis 1, Battle Magic|
+1 level in existing spellcasting class
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|
Bonus Feat|
+1 level in existing spellcasting class
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|
Arcane Aegis 2, Battle Magic|
+1 level in existing spellcasting class
4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|
Bonus Feat|
+1 level in existing spellcasting class
5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|
Arcane Aegis 3, Battle Magic|
+1 level in existing spellcasting class[/table]

Skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge: Arcana, Listen, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim
Skill Points: 2 + Int modifier

Arcane Aegis: At 1st level the battle mage may add his Charisma bonus as a morale bonus to AC to 1 ally within 30’. At 3rd level, the battle mage may use arcane aegis to affect up to 2 allies. At 5th level, the battle mage may use arcane aegis to affect up to 3 allies.

Battle Magic: At 1st, 3rd, and 5th levels the battle mage may gain one of the following abilities of his/her choice:


Battle Mage’s Edge – The Battle Mage may add +1 point of damage per die of damage dealt by any spell he/she casts.
Battle Ward – Any ally affected by the Battle Mage’s Arcane Aegis gains the same morale bonus to their saves.
Improved Arcane Aegis – The Battle Mage may grant the protective abilities of the Arcane Aegis to allies within 60’.
Piercing Spell – The Battle Mage gains the ability to cast a spell that deals energy damage that ignores the energy resistance of creatures affected by the spell, and affected creatures with immunity to the energy type still take half damage. The Battle Mage can use this ability 2 times per day. This ability may be selected more than once and multiple uses stack.
Quick Cast – The Battle Mage may reduce the casting time of 2 spells per day to 1 Swift Action. The spell must have a casting time of 1 Standard Action. This ability may be selected more than once and multiple uses stack.
Spell Power – Spells cast by the Battle Mage gain a permanent +1 bonus to the save DC and to caster level.


Bonus Feat: The Battle Mage may choose between a fighter feat or a metamagic feat whose prerequisites the Battle Mage meets.

Melamoto
2009-12-21, 02:26 PM
Can you stack the same Battle Magic more than once?

Revan Ordo
2009-12-21, 02:50 PM
Melamoto,

Only to gain additional uses of the Piercing Spell and Quick Cast Battle Magic.

Revan Ordo
2009-12-23, 08:04 AM
I would appreciate some feedback regarding my suggestions on fixing the warmage and on the battle mage PrC I created.

Mongoose87
2009-12-23, 09:21 AM
I'm not sure if the PRC is worth losing a caster level for, particularly since it's blaster-oriented.

Burley
2009-12-23, 09:51 AM
I agree. I would suggest giving it full casting progression. However, that would make this PrC extremely valuable to just about every arcane caster. I suggest making the prerequisite spellcasting: Ability to cast 3rd level arcane spells, 2 of which must be of the evocation school.

The warmage will have those on his list, and it keeps uber wizards who ban evocation (because that's what the char-ops said to do...:smallsigh:) out of the class.

Revan Ordo
2009-12-23, 11:18 AM
Mongoose87 & Burley,

Thanks for your input I will make the following changes to the PrC:

Full Spellcasting Progression, Add the requirement of being able to cast at least two 3rd level evocation spells.