Alright, I finally got off my rear to finish this. It's been in the works for awhile, but I've been too lazy to finish it. Here's what I feel is the Red Mage, which is in a word: Versatility.
A bit unoriginal, I know, but the red mage has always been my favorite class in the FF series, and this might be pretty close to the true essence of one. The only thing I'm not the happiest about is the spell list, but again, my laziness took over, and I haven't finished the personalized spell list, which will be a slimmed down version of what it is now.
So, I'll now let you all rip it apart,
But any suggestion made will be taken to heart and considered. Please read it all thoroughly, because there are a few confusing parts that I will attempt to reword if I confuse too many people,
Red Mage
Alignment: Any Neutral.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The Red Mage’s class skills are (see below)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Spells per day: As bard
Spells Known: As bard
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the red mage.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A red mage is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, (except two-handed melee weapons,) light armor, light shields and bucklers. A red mage can cast red mage spells while wearing light armor or using a light shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a red mage wearing medium or heavy armor or using a heavy or tower shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do).
Spells: A red mage casts arcane spells, which are drawn from either the bard spell list or the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a Red Mage must have a total Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma bonus equal to at least the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a red mage’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the red mage’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a red mage can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Red Mage. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: Red Mage Spells Known indicates that the red mage gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.
The red mage’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A red mage begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new red mage levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Red Mage Spells Known. Unlike other spellcasters, the number of spells a red mage knows is affected by his Intelligence score. For each of the spell levels, the red mage earns a bonus spell, acquirable once he is able to cast spells of that level, if his Intelligence bonus matches or exceeds the spell level. (Example: A level 6 red mage with an Intelligence of 16 would receive a bonus spell of the first and second spell levels, but not the third until he reaches level 7.) A red mage gains these bonus spells when he gains a level. A red mage cannot learn more cantrips.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered red mage level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a red mage can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the red mage “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level red mage spell the red mage can cast. A red mage may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, a red mage need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
Jack of All Trades: A red mage, in an effort to be able to do a little bit of everything, automatically gains all skills as class skills at first level. However, since such generalization leaves no room for specific training, the highest rank he can achieve in a skill is 1/2(class level +3), the same as a cross-class skill. When multi-classing, a player has the following options:
- Use the red mage style, using the wide range, but poor ability of all skills.
- Use the red mage style, with the following exception: Choose class skills that the new(or old) class has to keep as 'official' class skills. However, for each one picked, the player must choose to make one of that class' cross-class skills to make permanently cross-class.
King of All Trades: At 7th level, the red mage becomes more adept at the variety of skills at his disposal. The highest rank he can achieve in a skill is increased by +2.
Ace of All Trades: At 15th level, the red mage masters, (well, as close as a red mage can 'master' something,) the skill arsenal at his disposal. The highest rank he can achieve in a skill is increased further by another +2.
Save Bonus: Any red mage knows that being versatile is the key to victory. Thus, by augmenting his mind and body, he can increase one of his saves. Starting at 2nd level, once per day a red mage is able to turn any one of his saves into a 'good' save of level equal to his red mage level. This requires a full-round action, and lasts a number of minutes equal to the red mage level + his Charisma modifier. A red mage gains additional uses of this ability at 6th, 10th, and every four levels thereafter.
Elemental Shift: At 12th level, a red mage gains the extraordinary ability to change elemental damage in one of his spells to another. To do this, the red mage needs to choose a spell that deals elemental damage, such as fireball, lightning bolt, etc. He must then memorize that spell, much as a Cleric or Wizard would, in a spell slot of equal level to the modified spell. In addition, he must specify the spell's new damage type (an acidic lightning bolt, a cold fireball, etc.) The spell is then memorized, and occupies a spell slot equal to the modified spell. A red mage cannot sacrifice this spell to cast another spell.
So...whatcha think? It's got its pro's and con's, but I can't tell, from an unbiased perspective, whether it's balanced, overpowered or underpowered. Any thoughts?
A bit unoriginal, I know, but the red mage has always been my favorite class in the FF series, and this might be pretty close to the true essence of one. The only thing I'm not the happiest about is the spell list, but again, my laziness took over, and I haven't finished the personalized spell list, which will be a slimmed down version of what it is now.
So, I'll now let you all rip it apart,
But any suggestion made will be taken to heart and considered. Please read it all thoroughly, because there are a few confusing parts that I will attempt to reword if I confuse too many people, Red Mage
Alignment: Any Neutral.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The Red Mage’s class skills are (see below)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Code:
Table: The Red Mage
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +0 +0 +0 +0 Jack of All Trades
2nd +1 +0 +0 +0 Save Bonus 1/day
3rd +2 +1 +1 +1
4th +3 +1 +1 +1
5th +3 +1 +1 +1
6th +4 +2 +2 +2 Save Bonus 2/day
7th +5 +2 +2 +2 King of All Trades
8th +6/+1 +2 +2 +2
9th +6/+1 +3 +3 +3
10th +7/+2 +3 +3 +3 Save Bonus 3/day
11th +8/+3 +3 +3 +3
12th +9/+4 +4 +4 +4 Elemental Shift
13th +9/+4 +4 +4 +4
14th +10/+5 +4 +4 +4 Save Bonus 4/day
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +5 Ace of All Trades
16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +5
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +5
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +6 Save Bonus 5/day
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +6
20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +6Spells per day: As bard
Spells Known: As bard
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the red mage.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A red mage is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, (except two-handed melee weapons,) light armor, light shields and bucklers. A red mage can cast red mage spells while wearing light armor or using a light shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a red mage wearing medium or heavy armor or using a heavy or tower shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do).
Spells: A red mage casts arcane spells, which are drawn from either the bard spell list or the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a Red Mage must have a total Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma bonus equal to at least the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a red mage’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the red mage’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a red mage can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Red Mage. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: Red Mage Spells Known indicates that the red mage gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level.
The red mage’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A red mage begins play knowing four 0-level spells of your choice. At most new red mage levels, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Red Mage Spells Known. Unlike other spellcasters, the number of spells a red mage knows is affected by his Intelligence score. For each of the spell levels, the red mage earns a bonus spell, acquirable once he is able to cast spells of that level, if his Intelligence bonus matches or exceeds the spell level. (Example: A level 6 red mage with an Intelligence of 16 would receive a bonus spell of the first and second spell levels, but not the third until he reaches level 7.) A red mage gains these bonus spells when he gains a level. A red mage cannot learn more cantrips.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered red mage level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a red mage can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the red mage “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level red mage spell the red mage can cast. A red mage may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
As noted above, a red mage need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
Jack of All Trades: A red mage, in an effort to be able to do a little bit of everything, automatically gains all skills as class skills at first level. However, since such generalization leaves no room for specific training, the highest rank he can achieve in a skill is 1/2(class level +3), the same as a cross-class skill. When multi-classing, a player has the following options:
- Use the red mage style, using the wide range, but poor ability of all skills.
- Use the red mage style, with the following exception: Choose class skills that the new(or old) class has to keep as 'official' class skills. However, for each one picked, the player must choose to make one of that class' cross-class skills to make permanently cross-class.
King of All Trades: At 7th level, the red mage becomes more adept at the variety of skills at his disposal. The highest rank he can achieve in a skill is increased by +2.
Ace of All Trades: At 15th level, the red mage masters, (well, as close as a red mage can 'master' something,) the skill arsenal at his disposal. The highest rank he can achieve in a skill is increased further by another +2.
Save Bonus: Any red mage knows that being versatile is the key to victory. Thus, by augmenting his mind and body, he can increase one of his saves. Starting at 2nd level, once per day a red mage is able to turn any one of his saves into a 'good' save of level equal to his red mage level. This requires a full-round action, and lasts a number of minutes equal to the red mage level + his Charisma modifier. A red mage gains additional uses of this ability at 6th, 10th, and every four levels thereafter.
Elemental Shift: At 12th level, a red mage gains the extraordinary ability to change elemental damage in one of his spells to another. To do this, the red mage needs to choose a spell that deals elemental damage, such as fireball, lightning bolt, etc. He must then memorize that spell, much as a Cleric or Wizard would, in a spell slot of equal level to the modified spell. In addition, he must specify the spell's new damage type (an acidic lightning bolt, a cold fireball, etc.) The spell is then memorized, and occupies a spell slot equal to the modified spell. A red mage cannot sacrifice this spell to cast another spell.
So...whatcha think? It's got its pro's and con's, but I can't tell, from an unbiased perspective, whether it's balanced, overpowered or underpowered. Any thoughts?
