What do you envision for a magically enhanced warrior?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Many kinds of telekinesis mesh well with melee combat. So does firing off balls/bolts of energy.

More subtle is something I was doing with my 4Ed Warloc/Psion. He had some summonings that let him control small parts of the battlefield (funneling foes to where he could deal with them more easily), and had just started down a path of accumulating abilities that let him attack from unusual angles when the campaign fizzled.

By unusual angles, I mean that he had taken and was slated to take more powers that created duplicates of himself he could place in various places in the battlefield. He could thus have LoS on YOU and Attack without you being able to return the favor.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

People who effectively channel their magic through their fighting, be it their sword or their fists in a way that cannot be separated. It's not a guy who one turn casts a spell to enhance his hitting ability, and the next turn makes a sword swing. It's a guy who makes magical sword swings. The magic and the fighting are one and cannot be separated out into clearly delineated parts.

I think a guy who can channel mystic energy to improve his odds of hitting, or his weapon’s damage output, or both is pretty doggone magical. It’s not the ONLY way, clearly, but it is perfectly valid.

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Psst! Its not magic. Its a miracle!

 

[Blue]

Can’t think of any types I’ve wanted to play that I haven’t...but I left some off that prior list.

Supernatural ancestry
Living construct
Living magical energy
Linked to astrology, phases of the moons, seasons, etc.
Fallen/exiled supernatural being trying to regain power
Empowered by a magical curse, blessing, pact or oath

So, what do they do? For example a magical warrior linked to the phases of the moon - how do they use that in fighting? In ways that emphasize that they are a warrior first and not a caster.

These are fantastic origins, now I'm looking to flesh it out with powers.

 

[Immortal Sun]

I think a guy who can channel mystic energy to improve his odds of hitting, or his weapon’s damage output, or both is pretty doggone magical. It’s not the ONLY way, clearly, but it is perfectly valid.

But that's not what I described. I described a person who first has to cast a spell. Then wait a round. Then make an attack. The fact that they're magical isn't the point. It's how they combine that with "fighter" to become a "magical fighter".

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

To me, lag doesn’t matter if they’re the caster. If he had to cast a ritual that decided his powers for the day, that would still be magical.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So, what do they do? For example a magical warrior linked to the phases of the moon - how do they use that in fighting? In ways that emphasize that they are a warrior first and not a caster.

These are fantastic origins, now I'm looking to flesh it out with powers.

It would depend on the exact PC, of course.

Sticking with D&D lingo and the moon phase warrior, perhaps they get bonuses to strength, constitution & dexterity (thus, Attack, HP, and AC & accuracy bonuses) based on the moon’s phase. When the moon is new, they get no bonuses (or even penalties), but when it is full, they’re maxed out. They might also receive some improved ability to see in the dark.

Then you might get rarer powers based on rarer events. A blood moon might grant them berserker rages. A blue moon might grant them mystic visions or boost all of their senses.

And an eclipse of the sun? All of the above, plus going up a size class.

What you would do in any case would be dependent on how much bookkeeping the GM & player want to do. A complex version might have a celestial warrior’s benefits be even more complex than the one I sketched out for the moon phase warrior. A simple one might just be a set of modifiers and powers. If their magic was based on their astrological sign or a particular constellation- for example, a Scorpio or someone born when Orion the Hunter was ascendant- might have the ability to coat their weapon with magical poisons or have some rangeresque capabilities without being a ranger.

Someone born during a meteor shower might be able to manifest the odd ball of magical energy.

Someone born while a comet passed might have some divination at their disposal.

 

[Immortal Sun]

To me, lag doesn’t matter if they’re the caster. If he had to cast a ritual that decided his powers for the day, that would still be magical.

Kay. I'm not here to argue my way is the right way. I'm just here to share my vision.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Xianxia has a lot of high powered magic martial arts. There are a bunch of web novels in the genre at wuxia world and violate. Shows like Xuan Yuan Sword Scar of Sky, Journey of Flower and Legend of Qin might also have good examples. Films like Zu Warriors and Storm riders might be good. Wuxia also has some good inspiration. Brave Archer series is a solid series of movies inspired by Condor Heroes. You might want to check out Buddha’s Palm, Bride with White Hair, a Chinese Ghost story and other films.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Kay. I'm not here to argue my way is the right way. I'm just here to share my vision.

Not so much an argument or asserting “one true wayism” as just putting forth my personal counterpoint to that particular assertion. I mean, I’ve already listed a whole bunch of other different magical warrior types.