[3.5] The Wandslinger [PrC]

[ErrantX]

Wandslinger

Ayala Reth, Karrnathi wandslinger

The art of the wandslinger is rare and overlooked talent, but those who master this magical martial art learn the great power trapped within slender lengths of rune carved wood and metal. The art is learned and mastered by artificers, sorcerers, and the occaisonal wizard most often, but sometimes multiclass rogues and bards learn the art as well. By practicing deep meditations upon the movements of his body and mind, by learning the flows of power that rush through his form, and feeling the life-beat of energy with the wands he wields, the wandslinger learns not only how to use his wands more effectively, he learns how to use them more devastatingly by calling forth more and more power from them. While this is often draining on the wands, the wandslinger must know how to make new weapons when his old ones run out.

Hit Dice: d6

Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks, Use Magic Device 4 ranks
Feats: Craft Wand, Quickdraw, any metamagic feat.
Spells: Ability to use 2nd level spells or infusions.

Wandslinger
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells

1st|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|Double Wand Wielder, identify wand|+1 existing spellcasting class

2nd|

+1

|

+0

|

+3

|

+0

|Additional action points, wandslinger initiative|+1 existing spellcasting class

3rd|

+2

|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|Metamagic spell trigger (Wand)|+1 existing spellcasting class

4th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Wandslinging mastery, evasion |+1 existing spellcasting class

5th|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Wandslinger barrage|+1 existing spellcasting class[/table]

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Profiency: Wandslinger are proficient with simple weapons and light armor.

Double Wand Wielder: The wandslinger gains Double Wand Wielder as a bonus feat. He needs not meet the feat's requirements. (found in Complete Arcane)

Identify Wand (Ex): Knowing the tools of his trade, the wandslinger gains the extraordinary ability to identify wands merely by handling and examining them. The character spends one minute studying the wand and makes a DC 20 + the level of the stored spell Spellcraft check to determine the spell stored in the wand. No retry is allowed on this check.

Additional Action Points (Ex): The wandslinger gains an additional 2 action points per level.

Wandslinger Initiative (Ex): The wandslinger's reflexes are honed to an incredibly sharp edge, ready to bring to bear his deadly weapons at a moment's notice. The wandslinger may add his class level to his initiative score.

Metamagic Spell Trigger (Wand) (Su): The wandslinger is a master of magical combat, learning to apply his mastery of metamagical techniques to his skills with a wand. Using this ability expends additional charges frm the wand equal to the number of effective spell levels the metamagic feat would add to a spell. For example, the wandslinger could quicken a spell cast from a wand by spending 5 charges (4 additional charges). If the character is an artificer with this ability, he may instead opt for an item creation feat or metamagic feat.

Wandslinging Mastery (Ex): Having learned to tap into the caged power within the wands he uses, the wandslinger is capable of coaxing more power from it, and he learns to do it with greater ease by increasing the drain on his wand. The character may improve the caster level of the wand that he uses by adding his primary casting attribute modifier to the effect of the spell. For example, a sorcerer wandslinger (with a 16 Charisma) using a wand of fireball (caster level 5) would add +3 to the caster level of the wand, making it an effective caster level of 8. Use of this ability drains an additional 1d4 charges from his wand. He may also take 10 on Use Magic Device checks when using wands.

Evasion (Ex): The wandslinger gains the evasion class feature, as the rogue class feature of the same name.

Wandslinger Barrage (Ex): By tapping into his own mental reserves and through intense training and focus, the wandslinger learns to unleash a truly devastating barrage of attacks from his wands. The character must have a wand in each hand to perform a wandslinger barrage and use of this ability is a full round action. When performing a wandslinger barrage, the character may activate both of his wands simultaneously without paying the normal cost in extra charges from his Double Wand Wielder feat. Wandslingers with more than two arms may only use this ability with two of their arms. The wandslinger may use his metamagic spell trigger ability (excluding Quicken spell) and his Wandslinging Mastery class feature in conjunction with his wandslinger barrage to further augment the attack. All spells cast from his wands receive a +2 perfection bonus to the spell's saving throw DC's (if applicable) with use of this ability. Performing a wandslinger barrage, however, is quite tiring to the character, causing him to be fatigued for 1d4 hours. This ability is usable once per day.

[ErrantX]

*bump*

No love of wandslinging?

-X

[BRC]

The DC for Identify Wand seems far too high. It is a decent PRC, it dosn't really add anything to a caster, but it dosn't lose caster levels so that's pretty good. The only real "Cost" is the Craft wand and Quick Draw feats, as casters probably don't have much reason to take those.
It's generally a decent PRC, and I don't see anything off about it.

[Comet]

I'm no good at mechanics, so no comments there. At least it doesn't seem to be broken.

Thematically I think it would be a cool PRC to play. Wands-as-revolvers has always been a fun concept for me and this class seems to do just that.
Very cinematic and dramatic. The final ability (wandslinger barrage) is definetly badass and would fit like a glove in a high-note adventure.
Good stuff.

[ErrantX]

Reduced the DC on identify wand to make it a little more forgiving. Anything else or does it look like I have it?

-X

[Occasional Sage]

1. Is it intentional that the Initiative bonus is applied whether the character is using wands or not?
2. Perhaps allow a new Identify check when a level or a rank of Spellcraft is gained?
3. I'd cite the source of the Double Wand Wielder feat for clarity.

Very Hong Kong action flick. Don't think I'd play it, but dig it!

EDIT: I haven't really thought this through, but perhaps a level of Horizon Walker would compliment this well; the Desert benefits include immunity to Fatigue, which would nicely offset the Barrage ability.

EDIT2: Wandslinger Barrage doesn't appear in the table. Nor is Wandslinger Focus explained; I assume that's Weapon Focus (Wand)?

[Pie Guy]

I think your BaB is messed up on the table.

[ErrantX]

1. Is it intentional that the Initiative bonus is applied whether the character is using wands or not?
2. Perhaps allow a new Identify check when a level or a rank of Spellcraft is gained?
3. I'd cite the source of the Double Wand Wielder feat for clarity.

Very Hong Kong action flick. Don't think I'd play it, but dig it!

EDIT: I haven't really thought this through, but perhaps a level of Horizon Walker would compliment this well; the Desert benefits include immunity to Fatigue, which would nicely offset the Barrage ability.

EDIT2: Wandslinger Barrage doesn't appear in the table. Nor is Wandslinger Focus explained; I assume that's Weapon Focus (Wand)?

1) Not intentional but at the same time, a gunslinger without a gun is still going to be as fast, ya know?
2) *shrug* I think at that point they can cast identify. It's not that expensive.
3) Noted, will do.
Edit1) Hrm, well, I don't like it, but I want it to make the 'slinger fatigued afterwards so if someone wants to abuse it, I guess that's what the rules are for.
Edit2) I originally called it wandslinger focus, but decided barrage sounded better. It's wandslinger barrage, no weapon focus thing.

Sorry you won't play it (to each their own) but thanks for digging it :) Tell a friend if they want to play a gunfighter in Eberron :P

@Pie Guy:

No... looks like 3/4 BAB to me. Am I wrong? Someone check?

-X

[ErrantX]

Hit this class with a nerf stick after seeing what it can do in play.

Significant revisions to both Wandslinging Mastery and to Wandslinger Barrage.

Enjoy,
-X