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    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Welknair's Avatar

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    Default [3.5e PrC] Battle Mage (PEACH)

    Felt like taking a whack at a decent Wizard/Fighter PrC given that I don't have a fondness for Eldritch Knight, Spell Sword, Duskblade and the other couple that I've seen.

    Battle Mage
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    "Spell or sword, I get the job done."
    -Raeth, Battle Mage

    Battle Mages are the odd cross between a martially-minded character and one more inclined towards arcane magic. Then they decided to mix the two. The result is an individual to supreme control over personal-range spells to power themselves up as well as mastery over the technique of holding detrimental spells until the time comes to unleash them upon their foes. Though often ostracized, Battle Mages are a very integral part of many combat forces for the unique role that they play. Warmages have a particularly interesting relationship with Battle Mages because at first glance they seem to have very similar rolls. However, this is not the case. Unlike the Warmage, the Battle Mage focuses primarily in being in the thick of things instead of staying in the back flinging evocation right and left. Battle Mages will buff themselves and then charge into battle like any other Fighter.

    Becoming a Battle Mage

    Battle Mages usually begin their careers as Fighters or Wizards before finding that this role alone was insufficient to fill the needs that they encountered. By walking this dual path of spell and sword they have learned how to face most any opponent. Battle Mages often find a like-minded mentor to teach them the basics of how to blend their arts and occasionally there are War Colleges set up similar to those for Warmages.

    Entry Requirements:
    Feats: Arcane Strike
    Skills: Concentration 4, Spellcraft 4
    Spells: Able to cast 2nd level Arcane Spells
    BAB: +4

    Class Skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Ride, and Spellcraft.
    Skill Points each level: 2 + Intelligence Modifier

    Hit Dice: d8


    Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spellcasting
    1st
    +1
    +2
    +0
    +2
    Armored Mage (Light), Hold Spell I -
    2nd
    +2
    +3
    +0
    +3
    Battle Hymn (2) +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
    3rd
    +3
    +3
    +1
    +3
    Hold Spell II +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
    4th
    +4
    +4
    +1
    +4
    Battle Hymn (3) +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
    5th
    +5
    +4
    +1
    +4
    Hold Spell III, Spellblade Dance +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
    6th
    +6
    +5
    +2
    +5
    Armored Mage (Medium), Battle Hymn (4) -
    7th
    +7
    +5
    +2
    +5
    Hold Spell IV +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
    8th
    +8
    +6
    +2
    +6
    Battle Hymn (5) +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
    9th
    +9
    +6
    +3
    +6
    Hold Spell V +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
    10th
    +10
    +7
    +3
    +7
    Battle Hymn (6), Supreme Spellblade Dance +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

    Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Battle Mages are proficient with all Simple and Martial Weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).

    Hold Spell: One of the key abilities of the Battle Mage is that of Holding a spell to be unleashed upon their foes. As a move action the Battle Mage may cast a first level targeted spell and Hold it. Any time the Battle Mage strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the Battle mage can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if they desire. This expends the spell. At third level a second level spell may be held, at fifth a third level spell, at seventh a fourth level spell, and at ninth a fifth level spell. More than one spell may be Held at a time, though their total levels may not exceed the limit and only one may be released at a time. If taking a Full Attack action, one may be released on each attack.

    Battle Hymn: The second talent of the Battle Mage is that of preparing sets of Buff spells together for simultaneous use. One never knows when combat will erupt and it's best not to have to spend two minutes casting spells while your friends are getting slaughtered. Beginning at Second Level the Battle Mage may prepare or cast a Battle Hymn which is a group of Personal-Range spells that are prepared or cast in a single spell slot of a level equal to the total levels of the involved spells. All involved spells must have casting time of a standard action and there may not be more than the listed number of spells involved in a single Battle Hymn. Casting a Battle Hymn takes a single Full-Round action. This ability additionally awards the Battle Mage a single extra spell slot of the highest level that they can cast which may only be filled with a Battle Hymn. Spontaneous casters still must prepare these Hymns ahead of time, taking an hour to do so.

    Spellblade Dance: At 5th level the Battle Mage has learned how to seamlessly blend their melee skill with their ability to cast arcane spells. They can work their casting into the dance of blades so fluidly that their opponent gets no opening to attack. Casting spells no longer provokes Attacks of Opportunity. In addition they now have the Arcane Channeling ability, as the Duskblade ability of the same name. As a standard action they may both make a single melee attack and cast a Touch spell, both of which have full effect on a successful hit.

    Supreme Spellblade Dance: The Battle Mage has learned how to perflectly integrate casting with melee fighting. He may now Hold a spell as a Swift action, spend a Full-Round action Holding as many spells that fit inside his Hold limit, and may sacrifice the first attack in a Full-Attack action to instead cast a Standard-Action spell.


    And there it is. I know that it doesn't have a ton of abilities, but I can actually imagine playing a character that was one of these. And yes, you can Extend a Battle Hymn. Or even Persist it. And yes, Hold Spell works just like a slightly modified Spell Storing weapon.

    PEACHing welcome.
    Last edited by Welknair; 2014-05-04 at 07:53 PM.
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  2. - Top - End - #2
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    Elfstone's Avatar

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    Default Re: [3.5e PrC] Battle Mage (PEACH

    I like it. However I don't like the combat casting feat requirement. Yeah the duskblade gets it as a bonus feat, but for those that don't its like fasting a feat. Its a well known trap. Skill focus Concentration is much better.

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    Default Re: [3.5e PrC] Battle Mage (PEACH

    Quote Originally Posted by Elfstone View Post
    I like it. However I don't like the combat casting feat requirement. Yeah the duskblade gets it as a bonus feat, but for those that don't its like fasting a feat. Its a well known trap. Skill focus Concentration is much better.
    Point. So should I entirely remove that, or should I change it to Skill Focus (Concentration)?

    Edit: Removed. Also changed the HD to a d8. Thinking d6 may actually be more appropriate.
    Last edited by Welknair; 2011-05-26 at 06:47 PM.
    Avatar by Araveugnitsuga

    Fourthland: A Game of Abstraction
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daverin View Post
    Welknair, you are like... some living avatar of win. Who's made of win. And wields win as if it were but a toy. Win.
    Quote Originally Posted by Virdish
    Welknair you are a god among men. Thank you for creating a playground for the completely insane.
    Quote Originally Posted by Morph Bark
    There have also been times where I was jealous of your ingenuity and skills.

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    Default Re: [3.5e PrC] Battle Mage (PEACH

    Now i want to try this out. It combines two of my favorite prestige classes, the war weaver and the spellsword, and refines them to make this. Moving onto an actual critique.

    The Hold Spell ability is awesome, though i'd like to see the ability to hold multiple spells as well, though only releasing one at a time, and maybe some expansion on the Arcane Strike feat since it is a requirement.

    Battle Hymn is probably my favorite part of this class, reminds me of a slightly smaller, more personal version of the Tapestry of a war weaver, esspecially the Quintessence Weaving (not sure if that's entirely right) which allows putting multiple spells into the tapestry to be cast on everyone in the tapestry at a later time.

    And the 10th level ability, while useful, could stand to be given at an earlier level, maybe 5th.

    Those are just my opinion so feel free to listen to or ignore it as you wish
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    good thing they did body attribute instead of Physical attribute, otherwise the stats would look like:

    P. hysical
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    Default Re: [3.5e PrC] Battle Mage (PEACH

    If you want to, you can switch to Focus (Concentration).

    The cap needs some work. It's a useful ability, sure, but feels like it's something that an out-of-the-box gish PrC would learn sooner in game terms; you should consider making it more of a meshing of casting and attacking you have building up while granting Combat Casting for (Heavy) Armor - I've always liked the idea of casting a touch-range spell with a successful melee attack, and you have that, so...consider allowing them to unleash any touch spell spontaneously with any successful melee attack? I'm not sure, but consider granting the 'Dance' to 5th level and developing a slightly better capstone - one that would warrant missing a final spell level.
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  6. - Top - End - #6
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    Welknair's Avatar

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    Default Re: [3.5e PrC] Battle Mage (PEACH

    Quote Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell View Post
    Now i want to try this out. It combines two of my favorite prestige classes, the war weaver and the spellsword, and refines them to make this. Moving onto an actual critique.

    The Hold Spell ability is awesome, though i'd like to see the ability to hold multiple spells as well, though only releasing one at a time, and maybe some expansion on the Arcane Strike feat since it is a requirement.

    Battle Hymn is probably my favorite part of this class, reminds me of a slightly smaller, more personal version of the Tapestry of a war weaver, esspecially the Quintessence Weaving (not sure if that's entirely right) which allows putting multiple spells into the tapestry to be cast on everyone in the tapestry at a later time.

    And the 10th level ability, while useful, could stand to be given at an earlier level, maybe 5th.

    Those are just my opinion so feel free to listen to or ignore it as you wish
    Why thank you! I moved the Dance up to 5th as suggested and made a hopefully more satisfying capstone. Also I'm a big fan of the War Weaver. If you've read my Magitech system, you'd know that it was the start of the whole thing.

    Quote Originally Posted by DrWeird View Post
    If you want to, you can switch to Focus (Concentration).

    The cap needs some work. It's a useful ability, sure, but feels like it's something that an out-of-the-box gish PrC would learn sooner in game terms; you should consider making it more of a meshing of casting and attacking you have building up while granting Combat Casting for (Heavy) Armor - I've always liked the idea of casting a touch-range spell with a successful melee attack, and you have that, so...consider allowing them to unleash any touch spell spontaneously with any successful melee attack? I'm not sure, but consider granting the 'Dance' to 5th level and developing a slightly better capstone - one that would warrant missing a final spell level.
    Again, moved Dance and made an improved Capstone. Also it isn't customary to give Armored mage (Heavy) as there is a feat specifically made to achieve that. I'll see what I can do 'bout the Touch Spell thing.



    Just noticed the requirements on Arcane Strike. Doesn't make much sense for a prerequisite feat to have higher requirements than the PrC. Guess I should boost it up to 3rd level spells?

    Edit: Changed the spellcasting requirement. Moved the first Dance up to fourth and added in Arcane Channeling, just like the Duskblade has for the touch spells. Not so sure about it. Duskblade gets it at 3rd.. Wait, I know. One second.

    Editedit: Wrapped Arcane Channeling into Spelldance and moved it back to fifth. That's much better.

    Editeditedit: Know what's fun? Using Supreme Spelldance to focus for a second (6 seconds) and fill your full Hold with five Magic Missiles. Then Five-Foot Step into the fray and take a Full-Attack action, unleashing them on the poor, unsuspecting victims. MAGIC MISSILE FLURRY. That would look so cool.
    Last edited by Welknair; 2011-05-26 at 07:36 PM.
    Avatar by Araveugnitsuga

    Fourthland: A Game of Abstraction
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daverin View Post
    Welknair, you are like... some living avatar of win. Who's made of win. And wields win as if it were but a toy. Win.
    Quote Originally Posted by Virdish
    Welknair you are a god among men. Thank you for creating a playground for the completely insane.
    Quote Originally Posted by Morph Bark
    There have also been times where I was jealous of your ingenuity and skills.

    Extended Homebrewer's Signature

  7. - Top - End - #7
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    Elfstone's Avatar

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    Default Re: [3.5e PrC] Battle Mage (PEACH

    Much better. I like it. Although some passive thematic boost that increases every or every other level would be nice. Just my feeling of what this is missing. Its quite good as is however.

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