Arcane Warrior Core Class

[Jeph]

~~~Insert Fluff Here~~~

Okay, cut to the crunchy stuff. The Arcane Warrior!

Level -- BAB -- Fort -- Ref --- Will -- Special
01 ----- +00 -- +02 -- +00 -- +00 --- Bonus Feat
02 ----- +01 -- +03 -- +00 -- +00 --- Ignore Spell Failure (15%)
03 ----- +02 -- +03 -- +01 -- +01 ---
04 ----- +03 -- +04 -- +01 -- +01 --- Bonus Feat
05 ----- +03 -- +04 -- +01 -- +01 --- Ignore Spell Failure (20%), Medium Armor
06 ----- +04 -- +05 -- +02 -- +02 ---
07 ----- +05 -- +05 -- +02 -- +02 ---
08 ----- +06 -- +06 -- +02 -- +02 --- Bonus Feat
09 ----- +06 -- +06 -- +03 -- +03 ---
10 ----- +07 -- +07 -- +03 -- +03 --- Ignore Spell Failure (25%)
11 ----- +08 -- +07 -- +03 -- +03 ---
12 ----- +09 -- +08 -- +04 -- +04 --- Bonus Feat
13 ----- +09 -- +08 -- +04 -- +04 ---
14 ----- +10 -- +09 -- +04 -- +04 ---
15 ----- +11 -- +09 -- +05 -- +05 --- Ignore Spell Gailure (30%)
16 ----- +12 -- +10 -- +05 -- +05 --- Bonus Feat
17 ----- +12 -- +10 -- +05 -- +05 ---
18 ----- +13 -- +11 -- +06 -- +06 ---
19 ----- +14 -- +11 -- +06 -- +06 ---
20 ----- +15 -- +12 -- +06 -- +06 --- Ignore Spell Failure (35%), Bonus Feat

~~~Insert Fluff Here~~~

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points per Level: 2 + int modifier
Class Skills: Alchemy, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Profession, Ride, Spellcraft, Swim, Use Magic Device.

Game Rule Information

Proficiencies: The Arcane Warrior is proficient with all Simple and Martial weapons, and with Light armor and Shields.
Spells: The Arcane Warrior knows and casts a number of spells per day according to the below table. They do not need to prepare spells, and their spells are based off of Charisma. The number before the slash indicates Spells per Day, and the number after indicates Spells Known. An Arcane Warrior only knows spells of a level in which he has '0' spells per day if he recieves a bonus spell for that level. The Arcane Warrior's spells are Arcane spells.

Level -- 0 --- 1 ---- 2 --- 3 ---- 4 --- 5 ---- 6
01 ---- 2/4 - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X
02 ---- 3/5 - 0/2 - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X
03 ---- 3/6 - 1/3 - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X
04 ---- 3/6 - 2/3 - 0/2 - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X
05 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 1/3 - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X
06 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 2/3 - X/X - X/X - X/X - X/X
07 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 2/4 - 0/2 - X/X - X/X - X/X
08 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 1/3 - X/X - X/X - X/X
09 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 2/3 - X/X - X/X - X/X
10 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 2/4 - 0/2 - X/X - X/X
11 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 1/3 - X/X - X/X
12 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 2/3 - X/X - X/X
13 ---- 3/6 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 2/4 - 0/2 - X/X
14 ---- 4/6 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 1/3 - X/X
15 ---- 4/6 - 4/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 2/3 - X/X
16 ---- 4/6 - 4/5 - 4/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 0/2
17 ---- 4/6 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 1/3
18 ---- 4/6 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/4 - 3/4 - 2/3
19 ---- 4/6 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/4 - 3/4
20 ---- 4/6 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/5 - 4/4

Ignore Spell Failure: Subtract this number from your Arcane Spell Failure Chance.
Bonus Feats: The Arcane Warrior's bonus feats may be taken from the list of Fighter bonus feats (excluding Weapon Specialization), metamagic feats, and from the following list: Combat Casting, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Arcane Preparation, Arcane Resistance, Extra Slot, Extra Spell.
Medium Armor: At 5th level, the Arcane Warrior gains proficiency in Medium armors.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Suggestion: Add Handle Animal to the Skill list, drop Ignore Spell Failure completely, bump the Feats from every four levels to every three, add Armored Caster (Netbook of Feats) to the Feat List, drop Medium Armor, add Armor Proficiency (Medium) to the Feat List, cut the number of castings by 1 (1st through 5th) and 2 (6th through 9th).

 

[Jeph]

D'oh! Forgot spell list!

0 level spells
Resistance
Detect Poison
Detect Undead
Dancing Lights
Daze
Light
Mage Hand
Open/Close
Detect Magic
Read Magic
Arcane Mark
Prstidigitation

1st level spells
Endure Elements
Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
Shield
Mage Armor
Mount
True Strike
Enlarge
Expiditions Retreat
Feather Fall
Jump
Magic Weapon
Reduce
Spider Climb

2nd level spells
Protection from Arrows
Resist Elements
Blur
Invisibility
Mirror Image
Alter Self
Bull's Strength
Cat's Grace
Darkvision
Endurance


3rd level spells
Magic Circle agains Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
Protection from Elements
Displacement
Invisibility Sphere
Blink
Fly
Gaseous Form
Greater Magic Weapon
Haste
Keen Edge
Water Breathing

4th level spells
Minor Globe of Invulnerability
Stoneskin
Fire Shield
Improved Invisibility
Dimension Door
Polymorph Self
Wall of Fire
Wall of Ice

5th level spells
Telekenesis
Teleport
Bigby's Interposing Hand
Wall of Force
Telekenesis
Wall of Iron
Wall of Stone

6th level spells
Globe of Invulnerability
Bigby's Forceful Hand
Contingency
Project Self
Mass Haste
Tensor's Transformation

Okay, all done!

 

[Shirt Guy John]

I was gonna try this too a while back, but go more along the lines of an rcane version of the Paladin than a arc-magic Psychic Warrior. If you ask me, leave the concept to the Psychic Warrior if you can, and for god's sake man, put some fluff on it!

If you're intent on using this class, I would at least provide us with a spell list, because it should be obvious, if this is based on the PW (and I know it is), that what spells he can learn are majorly important to balance issues.

Other than that, I would just like to say that you'd better make it better than a Spellsword character, or else you shouldn't even bother.

 

[Jeph]

Whoa! cool your jets! There's a spell list right above you!

 

[Shirt Guy John]

Well, I'd go back and fix my post, but that takes the same amount of work as this, and at the time that i started there was no spell list online.

So... you find this list to be... balanced? I would say that it gives much too much power to someone who shouldn't have it. I would namely drop the wall spells and the Haste spells right off the bat. The inclusion of Tensor's Transformation makes this guy just a fighter that can pump himself up like crazy before combat without the aid of a spellcaster. I'd drop it. I wouldn't have him take illusion spells either, but that's just a flavor choice.

 

[Jeph]

Hmmmm . . . I guess you'r right. I added the wall spells so that there would be as many choices for spells to learn as 5th level 'spells known,' so I'll have to find something else for that.

The idea was to give him a bunch of buff spells. I'll edit the list when I find the time (i.e., get off my lasy arse).

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I'd actually add a few spells to the spell list:

2: False Life (T&B)
5: Energy Buffer (T&B)

I'd also consider adding a couple of other spells from the cleric list:
4: Tenser's Efficacious Enlargment (identical to the cleric spell Righteous Might
5: Tenser's martial Puissance (identical to the cleric spell Divine Power)
6: Anti-magic field

I would not consider removing either Haste or Tenser's Transformation either. Both of those spells are essential to an arcane fighter. If they're removed, then a character is much better off multiclassing fighter and wizard. Even with them, the Arcane Warrior will only be able to outfight a fighter by using a large quantity of his high level buff spells to buff himself. There's not a problem with that. Without using those spells, the he'll get his clock cleaned by a fighter of equal level. He's also much more effected by dispel magics and antimagic fields than the fighter of equal level. And, one also has to consider that the context in which characters are balanced is an adventuring party. The single classed fighter will not lack for a bull's strength simply because he can't cast it. Nor will he lack for haste simply because he can't cast it. Most of the time, other party members will cast these upon the fighter. If the arcane warrior benefits from these buffs, then a single classed fighter benefits even more.

 

[DreamChaser]

Not to be all negative, but I have the same problem with this class that I have with a psychic warrior. It is a fighter/sorcerer that is better at both at 20th level than a 10/10 multiclass would be and without any of the drawbacks that such a multiclass would entail. I nixed Psychic Warrior from my game for that same reason. I would not use this class in my game.

If you are going to keep the class (which I assume you like the idea of, since you posted it) I would say to leave the spell list as it is. An arcane warrior should focus on combat related spells. I could go either way on the wall spells since they can hinder the caster as much as the enemies but I think they fit alright.

Hope this helps.
DC

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Not to be intentionally rude but of course it's better than a 10/10 multiclass would be. A 10/10 multiclass is just about the stupidest way anyone can possibly multiclass fighter and wizard or fighter and sorceror. Even 12/8 is significantly better in almost every single facet of the character. (The 12/8 wizard/fighter would be able to cast Tenser's Transformation--which, of all sor/wizard spells probably makes best use of the few synergies in the fighter/wizard class and the 12/8 fighter/wizard would have 4 attacks per round at 20th level and going into epic levels--something a 10/10 multiclass would never get).

In order to make an effective fighter/wizard under the current rules you have to heavily favor one class or the other. (I run a 2/6 fighter/wizard for instance and the character is infinitely more effective than a 4/4 would be but he still would have trouble holding his own against a single classed character from either class). If this arcane warrior manages to effectively make a 1/1 progression into a viable concept then it, like the psy warrior has done its job.

Not to be all negative, but I have the same problem with this class that I have with a psychic warrior. It is a fighter/sorcerer that is better at both at 20th level than a 10/10 multiclass would be and without any of the drawbacks that such a multiclass would entail. I nixed Psychic Warrior from my game for that same reason. I would not use this class in my game.

If you are going to keep the class (which I assume you like the idea of, since you posted it) I would say to leave the spell list as it is. An arcane warrior should focus on combat related spells. I could go either way on the wall spells since they can hinder the caster as much as the enemies but I think they fit alright.

Hope this helps.
DC