Unearthed Arcana Unearthed: Variant Classes

Arcane Champion (Champion Variant)
Some champions choose to use the mystic arts in the name of their cause. Their intense devotion allows them to manifest their very beliefs into spells.

Rules: Base Attack Bonus is reduced to medium progression (as Akashic). Hit Die is reduced to d8. Proficient with simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields.

Gains lesser spellcasting progession (as Mage Blade) using Charisma as key ability. Has access to Simple Spells that require verbal components in addition to a symbol of the champion's cause used as a material focus. Spells cast without this focus require somatic components (thus suffering a chance of spell failure when cast in armor), have their casting times doubled, and are cast at one level lower than normal (minimum of 1st level). The Arcane Champion's called or imbued shield can be used as a symbol of his cause.

Gains Spellcraft as a class skill.

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Rune Focused (Runethane Variant)
Some runethanes lack the innate talent required to cast spells and focus entirely upon their runes.

Rules: Skill points per level increase to 6 + Int modifier.

Loses spellcasting ability and no longer gains Familiarity with Magic.

Gains Sense Rune at 2nd level. Gains Invested Rune at 4rd level. Gains Password at 8th level. Gains Inscribe Rune at 12th level. Total number of runes allowed is increased by one plus one every five levels (i.e. total of 2 runes at 1st level, 7 runes at 5th, 13 runes at 10th, 19 runes at 15th, and 25 runes at 20th).

Loses Spellcraft as a class skill.

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Spirit Warrior (Greenbond Variant)
Spirit warriors feel the same strong connection to the land and its spirits as other greenbonds, but focus their talents into martial skill.

Rules: Base Attack Bonus is increased to medium progression (as Akashic). Hit Die is increased to d8. Fortitude saving throw increased to good progression (as Champion); Will saving throw is reduced to medium (as Mage Blade). Proficient with simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields. Skill points per level are reduced to 2 + Int modifier.

Spellcasting ability is reduced to lesser progression (as Mage Blade).

Gains Climb and Jump as class skills.

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Arcane Archer (Mage Blade Variant)
Arcane archers are renowned for their uncanny accuracy with a bow as well as their ability to imbue their arrows with magic.

Rules: Arcane archers use a bow instead of a bladed weapon for their athame. At 6th level, the arcane archer gains the ability to create arrows instead of gaining the Athame Defense ability. As a standard action, the arcane archer creates one arrow for every five levels of arcane archer (up to 4 arrows at 20th level). These arrows remain in existance for one round per class level. The arcane archer may create a total number of arrows equal to twice his class level each day.

At 16th level, arrows created by the arcane archer are considered to have a +2 enhancement for purposes of bypassing damage reduction instead of gaining the Spell Parry Ability.

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Fenris said:

Uh, I'm confused. AU or UA. The title is confusing.

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Khorod said:

That is a bit confusing. Just ignore the thread title. That kind of clever doesn't help an already confusing situation.

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In any case, the Arcane Champion can already be made with a Witch. I mean, yes, the default flavor is different, but the Witch is a whole lot closer than the Champion to what you're talking about. The differences are in the roleplay. Get an Iron Witch, use Bash and Lesser Enhance Ability... and you're in about the same place as what you describe.

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The Rune Focused is almost there. For starters, you need to reverse Password with Invest. This is a much discussed house-rule. But when you eliminate spellcasting from the Runethane's repertoire, he is almost useless as a proactive force until he gets Password. I think players would find themselves second (or third) string skill monkeys for those early levels, and that's no fun.

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Spirit Warrior is interesting, seems balanced.

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