Battle wizard (like the battle sorc)

Based on Unearthed Arcana's battle sorcerer.

As wizard, but:

* d6 instead of d4
* cleric BAB instead of wizard BAB
* light armour proficiency and no spell failure in light armour
* 1 spell per day per level less
* add 1 spell to spellbook for free at each odd level, instead of 2 at every level
* proficient with simple weapons and one martial weapon.

To be clear, I think the battle sorcerer is fairer if it's tweaked so that it's d8 instead of d6 and proficient with any one martial weapon instead of any one one-handed martial weapon. In a campaign where the battle sorc is straight out of UA, the battle Wiz would also have d8 and one one-handed martial weapon proficiency.

Does it sound balanced? My reasoning was that while he's hurting less for spells known, since with time and money he can have all the spells he wants anyway, -1 spell per day per level should hurt him more than it does the sorcerer, since the wizard already has less spells per day.

I would probably also not allow a Battle Wizard to choose a specialist school.

Why not?

I'd say specialization is probably more tempting for a battle wizard than a regular wizard... but it's not like specialization is super-tempting as it is.

What's wrong with having battle transmuters or battle evokers, who give up two schools for a boost in BAB and hp and proficiencies (effectively), instead of giving up schools for extra spells?

The only problem with a Specialist Battle Wizard is it allows them to overcome their Major Weakness. They lose a spell per spell level, but then gain it back as a specialist. You wouldnt HAVE a battle wizard that wasnt a specialist. However, if you really want to allow a form of Specialist - I would use the Domain Wizard rules from the UA rather than Specialists. It still overcomes the spells per day, but puts a much larger restriction on the spells the battle wizard can cast, unlike a specialist.

What I would suggest to make this work is the following using material directly form the UA.

Battle Wizard
* d8 instead of d4
* BAB: As Cleric (Intermediate)
* Class Skills:Remove Decipher Script from the battle wizard's skill list. Add Intimidate to the battle wizard's class skill list.
* Weapons & Armor Proficiency: Light armour proficiency with no spell failure in light armour. Proficient with any light or one-handed martial weapon.
* 1 spell per day per level less. If this reduces the battle wizard's spells per day to 0 they do not gain spells for that spell level unless they have a bonus spell due to high Intelligence.
* Only add 1 spell to spellbook for free at each level, instead of 2 at every level.
* Domain Wizard: The battle wizard must be a domain wizard of one the following domains: Abjuration, Battle, Cold, Conjuration, Evocation, Fire, Storm or Transmutation.

Just my humble thoughts.

Khaalis said:

The only problem with a Specialist Battle Wizard is it allows them to overcome their Major Weakness. They lose a spell per spell level, but then gain it back as a specialist.

Click to expand...

But then they lose two other schools.

So, effectively, they trade access to two schools of magic for better combat stuff: HD, BAB, proficiencies.

Khaalis said:

You wouldnt HAVE a battle wizard that wasnt a specialist.

Click to expand...

Hm. While I agree there would be a higher percentage of specialist battle wizards than specialist regular wizards, I'm not sure everyone would be willing to sacrifice two schools (or one and be forced to fill their bonus slots with divinations).

Khaalis said:

However, if you really want to allow a form of Specialist -

Click to expand...

Not really, no. It's not vital to the concept, I just wondered why the previous poster thought it would be a problem, assuming he thought the battle Wiz is OK otherwise. The specialization would still cost them.

Khaalis said:

I would use the Domain Wizard rules from the UA rather than Specialists. It still overcomes the spells per day, but puts a much larger restriction on the spells the battle wizard can cast, unlike a specialist.

Click to expand...

I don't actually have UA, so I don't know how exactly domain wizards work. But wouldn't this be even better (for the battle wizard) than just letting them specialize? If I understood correctly, a domain wizard gets +1 slot per level per day, which he must fill with the domain spell for that level. They don't sacrifice anything, they just get a free spell at each level.

Still, the domains sound like an interesting idea in general, not just for battle wizards. Maybe I should try and get UA...