Zaeron
2007-07-01, 08:23 PM
This is a variant class based on the wizard. In my homebrewed world, all wizards are forced to specialize. However, specialized wizards gain no benefits from specialization except a +1 to caster level when casting spells of their school, and still must bar two schools. The two barred schools for each school of magic have already been chosen. I was just looking for opinions and comments on this class, the first of eight.
(Note: Do you guys think it's overpowered? It's the Evocation specialized class, so I figured as the pretty much undesputed weakest school, it was safe to give it fairly powerful class abilities, especially since those abilities didn't normally synergize well with the wizard class.)
The Red Swords
The Red Swords were founded during the Dying Time, when the True Tower was shattered and broken. They were the first to rise from the ruins of the True Tower, wielding blades forged with red spellsteel. Masters of the Order of Evocation, the Red Swords honed their skills with both magic and blade into a fine art. No other wizards have blended swordplay and magic as the Red Swords have.
First among the Red Swords is Archmage Sairen Moor, an elf of 325 years. He is one of less than a half dozen members of the Red Swords who actually wields a Dragoncrest blade. Few among the Red Swords ever achieve enough skill with a blade to complete the tests required to gain a Dragoncrest blade, especially as those tests disallow the use of magic in any form, but Sairen has wielded one for nearly fifty years.
The Red Swords rule from Castle Isren, located in Arenhold. They have many smaller keeps, preferring them by far to the towers most other mages build. The Red Swords also maintain the largest standing army of any of the seven Orders.
Of the seven Orders, the Red Swords are the most warlike. More than any of the other Orders, a member of the Red Swords lives for combat. He thrives on it. The final test of an apprentice before they become a full member is to face an opponent in single combat without the use of spells, only a blade. Most Red Swords aspire to raise an army, seeking glory in battle and perhaps enough land to build a keep of their own.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d6
Class Skills/Skill Points: As standard wizard.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Red Swords are proficient with all of the following weapons: Dagger, Shortsword, Longsword, Bastard Sword and Greatsword. At 5th level, the Red Sword gains proficiency with light armor.
The Red Sword
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Spellstrike
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Armored Mage
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Spellstrike, Greater
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Spellparry
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
19th|[center]+9/+4/center]|
+6|
+6|
+11|
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Spellstrike, Devastating[/table]
Spellcasting: A Red Sword gains a +1 caster level bonus on all spells of the Evocation school, and cannot memorize spells from the Transmutation of Enchantment schools.
Spellstrike: A Red Sword may expend a spell of at least 1st level, in order to charge a single melee weapon he is wielding with arcane power. He gains a bonus on attack rolls and damage equal to the level of spell expended, for a number of rounds equal to his intelligence modifier.
Armored Mage: The Red Sword may wear light armor without suffering the usual arcane spell failure chance. Additionally, the Red Sword gains proficiency with Light Armor.
Spellstrike, Greater: This ability can only be used once the Red Sword’s weapon is charged with the Spellstrike ability. As a Standard Action, the Red Sword may fire a blast of arcane energy from the blade. This attack requires a ranged touch attack, and has a maximum range equal to 100ft + 10ft per caster level. It deals 1d6 damage per level of the spell used to charge the blade. (Thus, a 5th level spell would deal 5d6 damage.) Additionally, when resolving melee attacks with a charged blade, the Red Sword now adds his strength and intelligence modifier together to determine extra damage. This bonus damage from intelligence is multiplied as normal for special abilities such as power attack, and when wielding a weapon two handed.
Spellparry: As an immediate action, while wielding a sword he is proficient with, a Red Sword may expend a spell of at least first level in order to automatically counter a spell of equal or lesser level targeting the Red Sword. The spell countered must be either a spell targeting only the Red Sword or with him in its area of effect. This ability must be used when the spell is cast, before any effects take place.
Spellstrike, Devastating: This ability can only be used after the Red Sword’s weapon has been charged with the Spellstrike ability. As a Standard Action, the Red Sword may make a single melee touch attack at his full bonus. If he hits, instead of dealing normal damage, he deals 3d6 damage per level of the spell used to charge the blade. Additionally, the target of the attack must make a fortitude save, DC 10 + the level of the spell used to charge the blade + the Red Blade’s intelligence modifier, or die instantly. If the target of the attack dies from this ability, either due to the damage taken or a failed save, his body is instantly obliterated completely by the arcane force of the blow. Using this ability immediately uses up any charge left in the blade, no matter how many rounds are left.
(Note: Do you guys think it's overpowered? It's the Evocation specialized class, so I figured as the pretty much undesputed weakest school, it was safe to give it fairly powerful class abilities, especially since those abilities didn't normally synergize well with the wizard class.)
The Red Swords
The Red Swords were founded during the Dying Time, when the True Tower was shattered and broken. They were the first to rise from the ruins of the True Tower, wielding blades forged with red spellsteel. Masters of the Order of Evocation, the Red Swords honed their skills with both magic and blade into a fine art. No other wizards have blended swordplay and magic as the Red Swords have.
First among the Red Swords is Archmage Sairen Moor, an elf of 325 years. He is one of less than a half dozen members of the Red Swords who actually wields a Dragoncrest blade. Few among the Red Swords ever achieve enough skill with a blade to complete the tests required to gain a Dragoncrest blade, especially as those tests disallow the use of magic in any form, but Sairen has wielded one for nearly fifty years.
The Red Swords rule from Castle Isren, located in Arenhold. They have many smaller keeps, preferring them by far to the towers most other mages build. The Red Swords also maintain the largest standing army of any of the seven Orders.
Of the seven Orders, the Red Swords are the most warlike. More than any of the other Orders, a member of the Red Swords lives for combat. He thrives on it. The final test of an apprentice before they become a full member is to face an opponent in single combat without the use of spells, only a blade. Most Red Swords aspire to raise an army, seeking glory in battle and perhaps enough land to build a keep of their own.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d6
Class Skills/Skill Points: As standard wizard.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Red Swords are proficient with all of the following weapons: Dagger, Shortsword, Longsword, Bastard Sword and Greatsword. At 5th level, the Red Sword gains proficiency with light armor.
The Red Sword
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Spellstrike
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Armored Mage
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Spellstrike, Greater
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Spellparry
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
19th|[center]+9/+4/center]|
+6|
+6|
+11|
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Spellstrike, Devastating[/table]
Spellcasting: A Red Sword gains a +1 caster level bonus on all spells of the Evocation school, and cannot memorize spells from the Transmutation of Enchantment schools.
Spellstrike: A Red Sword may expend a spell of at least 1st level, in order to charge a single melee weapon he is wielding with arcane power. He gains a bonus on attack rolls and damage equal to the level of spell expended, for a number of rounds equal to his intelligence modifier.
Armored Mage: The Red Sword may wear light armor without suffering the usual arcane spell failure chance. Additionally, the Red Sword gains proficiency with Light Armor.
Spellstrike, Greater: This ability can only be used once the Red Sword’s weapon is charged with the Spellstrike ability. As a Standard Action, the Red Sword may fire a blast of arcane energy from the blade. This attack requires a ranged touch attack, and has a maximum range equal to 100ft + 10ft per caster level. It deals 1d6 damage per level of the spell used to charge the blade. (Thus, a 5th level spell would deal 5d6 damage.) Additionally, when resolving melee attacks with a charged blade, the Red Sword now adds his strength and intelligence modifier together to determine extra damage. This bonus damage from intelligence is multiplied as normal for special abilities such as power attack, and when wielding a weapon two handed.
Spellparry: As an immediate action, while wielding a sword he is proficient with, a Red Sword may expend a spell of at least first level in order to automatically counter a spell of equal or lesser level targeting the Red Sword. The spell countered must be either a spell targeting only the Red Sword or with him in its area of effect. This ability must be used when the spell is cast, before any effects take place.
Spellstrike, Devastating: This ability can only be used after the Red Sword’s weapon has been charged with the Spellstrike ability. As a Standard Action, the Red Sword may make a single melee touch attack at his full bonus. If he hits, instead of dealing normal damage, he deals 3d6 damage per level of the spell used to charge the blade. Additionally, the target of the attack must make a fortitude save, DC 10 + the level of the spell used to charge the blade + the Red Blade’s intelligence modifier, or die instantly. If the target of the attack dies from this ability, either due to the damage taken or a failed save, his body is instantly obliterated completely by the arcane force of the blow. Using this ability immediately uses up any charge left in the blade, no matter how many rounds are left.