Playtested a warmage? Any good?

[drothgery]

Hmm... I built my current tabletop PC as a warmage mostly because I didn't want to try and run a 14th-level prepared spells caster from scratch (my bard/sublime chord having died, and the evoker/cleric/Silver Pyromancer that the bard replaced having persihed long ago). I think he's working out okay, but I haven't run into anything really tough yet.

 

[Horishijin]

I've been playing a warmage for a fair amount of time now. I multi-classed him with Paragon Human from Unearthed Arcana to level 3 (+2 spellcasting levels over 3 levels, improved hits, added skills that were weak for a warmage, and proficiency in longsword; not to mention a +2 stat bump..) and took a few levels of Havoc Mage from Miniatures Handbook. With the armored mage feat he can wear medium (and later heavy) armor, cast some spells without provoking an AoO and make a melee attack in the same round. It has been an interesting character to play..

 

[satori01]

It's the themed casters that can't really prepare for a fight. How can a warmage gear up for a tough fight? What scrolls are they going to use - more copies of spells they can already cast in abundance? If their limited range of abilities isn't going to cut, they either have to get someone/thing else to take care of things (granted, beguilers and dread necs can be good with indirect methods), or go Use Magic Device.

True but not true. Many of the classes in the game have to resort to potions, and other items to add defensive, stat buffs....and on their fellow party mates.

As a member of a party the Warmage fills a specific role, and can do it
well. Advanced Learning, Arcane Disciple, and other feats can broaden the scope somewhat, but the simple truth of the matter is the Warmage is all about the blasting....and as long as people accept that, and try not to twist the class into something else, it is very good at it, better than a Sorcerer.

 

[Particle_Man]

One problem with blasting spells is that monsters and npcs in 3rd edition simply have more hit points (partially due to con scores, partially due to HD per level never capping), while spells have a damage cap on them and so do less damage unless you use the highest tier spells. If all you do is damage, this is not so nice for you.

 

[JRR_Talking]

Basically if the answer to a problem is on the warmages spell list, then the problem is overcome very easily

In our Liv Gre game the only arcane we have is a bard/warmage.

John

And whoever said above they cant do much at 1st level is IMO wrong (d4+4 damage with an automatic hit MagMiss cant be wrong at 1st level, more if u go grey elf or somesuch)