Custom character feature question (Brb/BatSrc)

[FdL]

One of my players came up with this idea for his character. He wants to multiclass in Barbarian and Battle Sorcerer (variant from Unearthed Arcana). But he wants to play with a house ruled variation.

The character would use the onset of his rage to cast spells on himself. And he wouldn't be able to cast at another time. Just when he rages. He exemplified this saying he would be able to Enlarge and Blur himself.

Now, I noticed this is quite a big alteration, and was worried about the potential unbalance this might bring. I'm going to make him lose the Familiar, but don't know if that's enough.

In our discussion we ended up agreeing on a limit to the number of spells he could cast in his rage. We came with a number equal to spell levels the character has. As he's multiclassing he won't have a lot of spell levels (even if he's taking few levels of barbarian).

If you think about it, there's already limitations to this ability. It's similar to a self-buffing spell-like ability.

So I'd like to know if this is a viable option, and if you have any suggestions.

[Seffbasilisk]

........I don't think this is viable at all...

Battle Sorcerer/Barbarian that automatically buffs himself when he rages? So that's two spells cast in a free action? Or if he takes the 'Instantaneous Rage' feat, it'd be in an Immediate action.

If he wants to play a raging spellcaster, he should check out Rage Mage, or possibly Spellrage and such.

[oriong]

yes, and taking away a sorcerer's familiar is pretty much meaningless. Especially one already multiclassed.

but, like seff said, it's just too powerful.

First off, how would it work? would he just cast every buff spell he knows on himself the moment he starts raging? it would be insanity.

The ability to cast your spells only when raging isn't much of a restriction, he barely has any spells at all as a battle sorcerer, all he has to do is keep his spell selection to buff only and it doesn't matter that he can't cast outside of rage, he'd only want to cast inside it anyway (he could jsut use wands/scrolsl for outside of rage casting anyway)

[FdL]

Thanks for your advice!

Well, I'm not sure if he wants to play a raging spellcaster. His seems to be a strange combination. He would only use his sorcerer levels to get more powerful buffs for himself.

Oriong, the idea is to put a limit to the number of spells he can cast at once. I know this is the overpowering part of the concept. I thought that two spells would be a good limit, but if you think about it it's too much. Even a single spell would be too much of an advantage over the other characters.

Now I'm thinking if this could be fixed in some way that makes it balanced or if I have to tell him to choose any combination he wants of existing classes strictly as they appear in the books.

[shaka gl]

(...) if I have to tell him to choose any combination he wants of existing classes strictly as they appear in the books.

That sounds right.

[Darrin]

Thanks for your advice!
Well, I'm not sure if he wants to play a raging spellcaster. His seems to be a strange combination. He would only use his sorcerer levels to get more powerful buffs for himself.


Steer him towards Rage Mage (Complete Warrior, p. 72). He can get into it with BatSor4/Brb1.

Another prestige class he might want to consider: Battle Howler of Grummsh (requires Bardic Music, but 5 full caster levels).

I'd recommend against only allowing him to cast while raging. While I understand he's deliberately trying to limit spellcasting to fit in with a particular character concept... the game rules just aren't really set up to handle such a restriction on spellcasting. I'd rather just make up a feat that allows him to cast any spell with a limited range (such as "Personal") while raging, and if he wants to only cast while raging, then he can just roleplay that as part of his character.