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<blockquote data-quote="Marandahir" data-source="post: 7986845" data-attributes="member: 6803643"><p>I'm still not convinced that Swordmage is the best name for this concept, because it's a lazy portmanteau (as is Spellsword, though at least that one sounds like a pun on Sellsword, and suggests a more mercenary concept). </p><p></p><p>I think we also need to think about a name that encompasses many different magic weapon martial arts, so you could be a "Bowmage" or a "Spearmage" and still feel like the same thing. </p><p></p><p>It shouldn't need to use a shield to protect itself - that's what the Aegis and Warding are - magical force shielding. This is a common warrior-mage trope, and easily fits in the generic concept. </p><p></p><p>I'd give the other big feature as being able to channel spells prepared through the weapon of choice - burning the spell slot to do various special effects akin to the spell, or else to change the target of the spell to be "hit by weapon attack you make using your bonded weapon."</p><p></p><p>I think there exists room for a generic "Warrior-Mage" half-caster that's separate and stands alongside the 1/3 caster Eldritch Knight, and the Bladesinger, Hexblade, Battlesmith, etc martially-oriented arcane subclasses. But it's got to be done right, and finding the room for those specific genre tropes of esoteric "swordmages" is important. Those can carry a lot of class abilities. </p><p></p><p>I don't think a spellbook should be required, these should be less the elite scholars at the academy and more the Football quarterbacks who have to keep up that B+ GPA to keep their scholarship.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marandahir, post: 7986845, member: 6803643"] I'm still not convinced that Swordmage is the best name for this concept, because it's a lazy portmanteau (as is Spellsword, though at least that one sounds like a pun on Sellsword, and suggests a more mercenary concept). I think we also need to think about a name that encompasses many different magic weapon martial arts, so you could be a "Bowmage" or a "Spearmage" and still feel like the same thing. It shouldn't need to use a shield to protect itself - that's what the Aegis and Warding are - magical force shielding. This is a common warrior-mage trope, and easily fits in the generic concept. I'd give the other big feature as being able to channel spells prepared through the weapon of choice - burning the spell slot to do various special effects akin to the spell, or else to change the target of the spell to be "hit by weapon attack you make using your bonded weapon." I think there exists room for a generic "Warrior-Mage" half-caster that's separate and stands alongside the 1/3 caster Eldritch Knight, and the Bladesinger, Hexblade, Battlesmith, etc martially-oriented arcane subclasses. But it's got to be done right, and finding the room for those specific genre tropes of esoteric "swordmages" is important. Those can carry a lot of class abilities. I don't think a spellbook should be required, these should be less the elite scholars at the academy and more the Football quarterbacks who have to keep up that B+ GPA to keep their scholarship. [/QUOTE]
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