King Herodes
First Post
Hi, I want to show you a new base class I came up with the last days.
Would be happy to get some opinions, especially refering to its balance
Small Info: Baculus is Latin, and means staff. So the Baculumant is a guy wielding a (spell)staff...
BACULUMANT
„I have no need for weapons, armor or shields, not even for the gods at the high heavens above me, with this staff in my hands!“
Allerion Jens-Drin, human Baculumant
FLUFF
The types of magic are manifold, sometimes also rare and weird. One of strangest forms of magic is surely those of the Baculumants. These individuals, blessed with inborn magical power similar to a sorcerer, transfer some of their magical energy and personality at the expense of their own strength into a chosen weapon via a mystical ritual. In this way they create a powerful, intelligent magical weapon, their so called personal Spellstaff. This spellstaff is a lot more than a mundane magical item. It is a loyal comrade and ally, his chosen weapon, and not least a part of himself. Only with his Spellstaff, a Baculumant can use his greatest powers, the arcane martial arts of the Magic-Strike and the Spell-Strike. Even though they cast arcane spells, they are barely comparable to wizards or sorcerers. Baculumants are arcane Warriors, which use their given magical powers primarily to excel at combat.
Adventures: Baculumants don’t have to study their powers to improve them. Similar to sorcerers they hone them the best through practical exercises. Developing their powers by this means to approach self-perfection is a common and important reason for most Baculumants to adventure. In addition, a Baculumant can have any further usual motives for adventures, depending on their alignment, background and personality. However, a more or less distinctive quest for power can be found among almost all Baculumants.
Characteristics: Although Baculumants are somehow similar to sorcerers, using inborn, spontaneous arcane magic, their use for these powers is quite different. Their skills in the field of pure magic are clearly less trained, because they sacrifice a part of their magical power to create their personal Spellstaff and train the arcane martial arts. However, through this battlesome focus, they are tougher and sturdier than sorcerers, and gain special abilities to use their magic in combat.
Alignment: Baculumants can be of any alignment. Because of the spontaneous nature of their magic, many of them slightly tend toward chaos over law.
Religion: Baculumants don’t show any general, significant tendencies concerning faith and religion. Also most of them pray to gods associated with magic or mystical secrets, many of them pray to gods associated with fighting or other gods as well, while some ignore religion at all.
Background: Baculumants usually develop rudimentary powers at a young age, but sometimes not until higher ages, too. By far the most Baculumants were detected by an older Baculumant, often by order of secret Baculumants’ organizations. Those Baculumants instruct young talented individuals in the mystical art of the Baculumants. With the personalisation of their own spellstaff the education is completed, and the disciple allowed to call himself a “Baculumant”. Only few individuals research the art of the Baculumants on their own, by means of mystical writings or similar clues, giving them information about the rare and almost forgotten magical art of the Baculumants. Therefore, Baculumants see themselves as members of a distinct group, similar to wizards and contrary to sorcerers. Uninformed people often consider Baculumants as Sorcerers. Only few non-Baculumants really knew something about this arcane caste, a fact welcomed by most Baculumants.
Races: Most Baculumants are humans, because organizations, imparting and teaching the secret lores of the Baculumants, are most common among their cultures. Although the inborn magical talents, necessary for the path of the Baculumant, are often found among elves and gnomes, members of these races normally choose other kinds of magic. Gnomes commonly disdain the militant aspect of the Baculumant, preferring trickery and illusions over raw power. Elves, seeking to combine magic and fighting normally become Duskblades, the traditional magical fighters of their culture. Halflings with battlesome preferences quite often become Baculumants, if they have access to the required information, admiring the ability to compensate their weak figure through magical power. Also dwarven Baculumants are extremely rare, dwarfs usually sympathise with Baculumants more than with other arcane casters, admiring their militant aspects. However, similar to half-orcs, most dwarfs lack the magical talents for the path of the Baculumant.
Other Classes: Baculumants usually get along well with other independent, autonomous classes, especially when these classes are magically or battlesome talented. Therefore they get on particularly well with warlocks, hexblades, duskblades, bards and spellthiefs, but also with sorcerers, rogues, rangers and barbarians. Baculumants often don’t show great respect to inflexible and weakly classes like wizards, but this has not to end in aversion or hostility.
Role: Baculumants are sort of arcane fighters, who perfect the use of their magic as a weapon. Although they can fill the role of an “normal” arcane caster, they never be on par with a wizard or sorcerer in the field of pure magical power, because of their significantly slowed down spell progression. Their most powerful ability is their Magic-Strike, which is usable at will, especially when combined with spells for a so called Spell-Strike. Outside of combat a Baculumant, with his usually high Charisma, can often shine at social tasks, particularly when supported by his skill- and spell-selection.
Starting Age: As Bard
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gp (100 gp)
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Baculumants have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma determines how powerful a spell a Baculumant can cast, how many spells he can cast per day, and how hard those spells are to resist (see spells; below). Like sorcerers Baculumants benefit from high Dexterity and Constitution scores, providing him higher AC and hit points.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills
The Baculumant’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magical Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st level: ( 2 + Int modifier ) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Table 1-1: THE BACULUMANT
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Baculumant.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Baculumant is proficient with all simple weapons. Baculumants are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Because the somatic components required for Baculumant spells are relatively simple, a Baculumant can cast Baculumant spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a Baculumant wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass Baculumant still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spell received from other classes.
Spells: A Baculumant casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list (but only up to spell level 5). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, just like a sorcerer.
To learn or cast a spell, a Baculumant must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Baculumant’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Baculumant’s Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a Baculumant can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1-1: The Baculumant. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
A Baculumant’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A Baculumant begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new Baculumant level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table above. Upon reaching 5th level, and at every uneven-numbered Baculumant level after that, a Baculumant can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the Baculumant “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The knew spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level Baculumant spell the Baculumant can cast.
The Baculumant’s spells don’t need any material components with a value of 1gp or less. Additionally, a Baculumant can perform all somatic components of his Baculumant spells with his personal spellstaff, if he wants to.
Spellstaff: The typical recognition feature of a Baculumant is his personal spellstaff, a powerful intelligent magical weapon. A Baculumant creates this item by personalising a melee weapon of his choice he has proficiency with (this don’t have to be a real staff actually), transferring some of his magical power and personality into it. A Baculumant begins with a personal Spellstaff at 1st level, and he can never have more than one personal spellstaff at any given time. Only when wielding his spellstaff a Baculumant can perform a Magic-Strike or Spell-Strike. For more details of personal spellstaffs see below.
Magic-Strike (Sp): A Baculumant can perform a special arcane martial art, called Magic-Strike, with his personal spellstaff. A Magic-Strike is a spell-like ability, with an equivalent spell level of 1 + 1/4 caster-levels. Bashing through the air with his personal spellstaff, the Baculumant can attack a single opponent within 50ft. + 5ft./caster-level as a standard action with his Magic-Strike by succeeding on a ranged touch attack. With a successful hit he deals 1d6 points of damage (crit. 20/x2). This damage raises every uneven casterlevel thereafter by one additional d6. There’s no save allowed to reduce or negate this damage, but a Magic-Strike is subject to a target’s spell resistance.
A Baculumant can use his Magic-Strike at will, as long as he wields his personal spellstaff.
Spell-Strike (Su):
Preface: The most outstanding ability of a Baculumant is without a doubt his Spell-Strike, which enables him to combine his Magic-Strike with specific spells beginning at second level. By performing a Spell-Strike, you can cast a spell and deliver it through your Magic-Strike as a single standard action. Only spells with a casting time of 1 standard action or less can be used for a Spell-Strike. The target of the spell is always the same as the target of the Magic-Strike, and the range of the spell is replaced by the Magic-Strike’s range.
With a Spell-Strike, you first attack the target with your Magic-Strike as a ranged touch attack. If the Magic-Strike misses, the spell fades without any effect. If the Magic-Strike hits, the spell automatically hits the target thereafter, too. If the Baculumant scores a critical hit with his Magic-Strike, the spell is considered as a critical hit, too, if appropriate for the spell.
Usable Spells: Beginning at 2nd level, a Baculumant can use all spells which need a ranged touch attack (for example acid splash) with their Spell-Strike. If such a spell allows more than one ranged touch attack as a single action (for example scorching ray at caster-level 7 or higher), you can deliver all of them through your Magic-Strike, but all have to hit the same target (the target of your Magic Strike). Beginning at 6th level, a Baculumant can also use all spells with a single, specific target (for example hold person) with their Spell-Strike. Beginning at 10th level, a Baculumant can also use all spells which need a normal touch attack (for example shocking grasp) with their Spell-Strike. Beginning at 14th level, a Baculumant can finally also use all area-effect spells (for example fireball) with their Spell-Strike, whereupon the target of the Spell-Strike represents the center or origin of the particular area (radius, cone, line, etc…).
A multiclass Baculumant cannot use spells received from other classes for his Spell-Strike.
Spell Enhancement: Additionally, the spells cast via a Spell-Strike become more and more difficult to resist at higher Baculumant levels. Beginning at 4th level, a Baculumant gets a +2 bonus to all caster level checks to overcome the opponent’s spell resistance with a spell cast through his Spell-Strike. This bonus raises to +4 beginning at 16th level. Beginning at 8th level Baculumant gets a +1 bonus to the Difficulty Class for saving throws against a spell cast through a Spell-Strike. This bonus raises to +2 beginning at 18th level. Beginning at 12th level, a spell cast through a Spell-Strike can bypass up to 5 points of energy-resistance, the opponent might possess. Beginning at 20th level, a spell cast through a Spell-Strike can bypass even up to 10 points of the opponent’s energy-resistance. This last ability has no effect on enemies with immunities or no energy-resistance.
SPELLSTAFFS
A spellstaff is a Baculumant’s powerful, personalised melee weapons, which gets its own personality through to a mystical ritual. A Baculumant needs his spellstaff to use his arcane martial arts.
Personalising a Spellstaff: To transfer some of his magical powers and his personality into a chosen weapon, a Baculumant must perform a special ritual, requiring 8 hours of uninterrupted work, as well as special materials worth 100 gp. A Baculumant begins with such a personalised spellstaff at first level.
Losing a Spellstaff: If a Baculumant’s spellstaff is destroyed or dismissed, the Baculumant looses 200 experience points per caster-level. If he’s wielding his spellstaff at the time of destruction or dismissal, a Baculumant can try to absorb the released spellstaff essence by succeeding on a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15), negating the experience loss.
Thereafter a Baculumant can personalise a new spellstaff without any additional drawbacks.
Personal Spellstaffs
A personal spellstaff becomes stronger with the Baculumant's casterlevel, and grants his master several, special abilities (beside the Magic-Strike and Spell-Strike), as given in the table below:
Hardness: The number noted here is an improvement to the personal Spellstaff's hardness.
Hit Points: The number noted here is an improvement to the personal Spellstaff's hit points.
Abilities: The mental Ability-scores of a Baculumant's Spellstaff, in this order: Int/Wis/Cha. A Spellstaff has no physical abilities.
Senses/Cumminication: The Senses and Communication-abilities of a Baculumant's Spellstaff. A Spellstaff can see and hear at a range of 30ft. This range raises to 60ft. at third level and 120ft. at 11th level. Beginning at 19th level a Spellstaff gains Darkvision 120ft. A Spellstaff can telepathically communicate with its master. Beginning at 7th level it can also speak any language the Baculumant knows. Beginning at 13th level a Spellstaff can read any language, he can speak.
Altertness: While a Baculumant holds his personal Spellstaff in his hands, he recieves the benefits of the Alertness feat.
Clear Mind: While a Baculumant holds his personal Spellstaff in his hands, he recieves a +3 bonus on all Concentration checks.
Find Spellstaff: A Baculumant can feel the direction to his personal Spellstaff as a standard action, as long as his Spellstaff is on the same plane. If his Spellstaff is on another plane, he only gets this information.
Repair Spellstaff: By transfering some of his magical energy into his spellstaff, a Baculumant can repair his personal Spellstaff. Doing so requires one hour of uninterupted work and materials worth 25 gp (the same kind as needed for personalising a spellstaff). At the end of this ritual, a Baculumant can sacrifice any amount of spells for this day, repairing the spellstaff for 2hp/spell-level sacrificed (1hp for a cantrip). A Baculumant has to hold his spellstaff in his hands, for doing so.
Healing Spellstaff: A Baculumant not only transfers energy into his Spellstaff, but can also take back some of this energy in times of need. Beginning at third caster-level, a Baculumant's spellstaff holds the indicated number of charges ([X]) each day (which do not stack, but substitute each other every day), which can be used for the listed spells. Activating such a charge requires a standard action and doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. The Baculumant can use this charges only when holding his spellstaff, and only on himself.
Call Spellstaff: Beginning at fifth level, a Baculumant can magically teleport his Spellstaff into his hands as a standard action at will, if his Spellstaff is not more than 1 mile away from him. Pure, physical power (for example a strong creature holding the Spellstaff) cannot prevent the Baculumant from calling his Spellstaff, but some spells can prevent this teleport.
Hold Concentration: Beginning at 9th level, as a free action, a Baculumant can assign his personal Spellstaff the task of concentrating on a spell that is maintained through concentration. The Baculumant can act normally, while his spellstaff holds the concentration for that spell. A Spellstaff can concentrate on only one spell any given time. If necessary, the Spellstaff makes Concentration checks for the Baculumant, using the Baculumant's normal Concentration modifier. The Spellstaff does not have to make a Concentration check, when the Baculumant takes damage, but only if the Spellstaff takes damage. A Baculumant can use this ability only when holding his Spellstaff in his hands.
Scry on Spellstaff: If the Baculumant is 13th level or higher, he may scry on his personal Spellstaff (as if casting the scrying spell) once per day.
Catch Spellstaff-Essence (Long Range): Beginning at 17th level, a Baculumant can catch his spellstaff’s essence, as long as the spellstaff and Baculumant are on the same plane at the moment of destruction/dismissal.
FEATS
Double Spell-Strike
Prerequisites: Spell-Strike-Ability, caster-level 6
Benefit: You can use two of your spells with a single Spell-Strike, as long as the combined spell-level of both spells is at least 2 below your highest spell-level available. After a successful hit with your Magic-Strike, both spells hit the target thereafter automatically.
Metamagic Spell-Strike
Prerequisites: Spell-Strike-Ability, one metamagic feat, caster-level 6
Benefit: You can use your Spell-Strike ability with metamagical enhanced spells, even if those spells normally would have a casting time of 1 full-round action.
Powerful Magic-Strike
Prerequisites: Magic-Strike-Ability, BAB +2, Cha 15
Benefit: You can lessen your accuracy with your Magic-Strike (or its combination with spells as Spell-Strike), to get more raw magical power into it. For every point of attack bonus you sacrifice (up to your BAB) your Magic-Strike deals one additional point of damage.
Greetings,
King Herodes
Would be happy to get some opinions, especially refering to its balance
Small Info: Baculus is Latin, and means staff. So the Baculumant is a guy wielding a (spell)staff...
BACULUMANT
„I have no need for weapons, armor or shields, not even for the gods at the high heavens above me, with this staff in my hands!“
Allerion Jens-Drin, human Baculumant
FLUFF
The types of magic are manifold, sometimes also rare and weird. One of strangest forms of magic is surely those of the Baculumants. These individuals, blessed with inborn magical power similar to a sorcerer, transfer some of their magical energy and personality at the expense of their own strength into a chosen weapon via a mystical ritual. In this way they create a powerful, intelligent magical weapon, their so called personal Spellstaff. This spellstaff is a lot more than a mundane magical item. It is a loyal comrade and ally, his chosen weapon, and not least a part of himself. Only with his Spellstaff, a Baculumant can use his greatest powers, the arcane martial arts of the Magic-Strike and the Spell-Strike. Even though they cast arcane spells, they are barely comparable to wizards or sorcerers. Baculumants are arcane Warriors, which use their given magical powers primarily to excel at combat.
Adventures: Baculumants don’t have to study their powers to improve them. Similar to sorcerers they hone them the best through practical exercises. Developing their powers by this means to approach self-perfection is a common and important reason for most Baculumants to adventure. In addition, a Baculumant can have any further usual motives for adventures, depending on their alignment, background and personality. However, a more or less distinctive quest for power can be found among almost all Baculumants.
Characteristics: Although Baculumants are somehow similar to sorcerers, using inborn, spontaneous arcane magic, their use for these powers is quite different. Their skills in the field of pure magic are clearly less trained, because they sacrifice a part of their magical power to create their personal Spellstaff and train the arcane martial arts. However, through this battlesome focus, they are tougher and sturdier than sorcerers, and gain special abilities to use their magic in combat.
Alignment: Baculumants can be of any alignment. Because of the spontaneous nature of their magic, many of them slightly tend toward chaos over law.
Religion: Baculumants don’t show any general, significant tendencies concerning faith and religion. Also most of them pray to gods associated with magic or mystical secrets, many of them pray to gods associated with fighting or other gods as well, while some ignore religion at all.
Background: Baculumants usually develop rudimentary powers at a young age, but sometimes not until higher ages, too. By far the most Baculumants were detected by an older Baculumant, often by order of secret Baculumants’ organizations. Those Baculumants instruct young talented individuals in the mystical art of the Baculumants. With the personalisation of their own spellstaff the education is completed, and the disciple allowed to call himself a “Baculumant”. Only few individuals research the art of the Baculumants on their own, by means of mystical writings or similar clues, giving them information about the rare and almost forgotten magical art of the Baculumants. Therefore, Baculumants see themselves as members of a distinct group, similar to wizards and contrary to sorcerers. Uninformed people often consider Baculumants as Sorcerers. Only few non-Baculumants really knew something about this arcane caste, a fact welcomed by most Baculumants.
Races: Most Baculumants are humans, because organizations, imparting and teaching the secret lores of the Baculumants, are most common among their cultures. Although the inborn magical talents, necessary for the path of the Baculumant, are often found among elves and gnomes, members of these races normally choose other kinds of magic. Gnomes commonly disdain the militant aspect of the Baculumant, preferring trickery and illusions over raw power. Elves, seeking to combine magic and fighting normally become Duskblades, the traditional magical fighters of their culture. Halflings with battlesome preferences quite often become Baculumants, if they have access to the required information, admiring the ability to compensate their weak figure through magical power. Also dwarven Baculumants are extremely rare, dwarfs usually sympathise with Baculumants more than with other arcane casters, admiring their militant aspects. However, similar to half-orcs, most dwarfs lack the magical talents for the path of the Baculumant.
Other Classes: Baculumants usually get along well with other independent, autonomous classes, especially when these classes are magically or battlesome talented. Therefore they get on particularly well with warlocks, hexblades, duskblades, bards and spellthiefs, but also with sorcerers, rogues, rangers and barbarians. Baculumants often don’t show great respect to inflexible and weakly classes like wizards, but this has not to end in aversion or hostility.
Role: Baculumants are sort of arcane fighters, who perfect the use of their magic as a weapon. Although they can fill the role of an “normal” arcane caster, they never be on par with a wizard or sorcerer in the field of pure magical power, because of their significantly slowed down spell progression. Their most powerful ability is their Magic-Strike, which is usable at will, especially when combined with spells for a so called Spell-Strike. Outside of combat a Baculumant, with his usually high Charisma, can often shine at social tasks, particularly when supported by his skill- and spell-selection.
Starting Age: As Bard
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gp (100 gp)
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Baculumants have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma determines how powerful a spell a Baculumant can cast, how many spells he can cast per day, and how hard those spells are to resist (see spells; below). Like sorcerers Baculumants benefit from high Dexterity and Constitution scores, providing him higher AC and hit points.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills
The Baculumant’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magical Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st level: ( 2 + Int modifier ) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Table 1-1: THE BACULUMANT
Code:
[B] Base Fort Ref Will --------- Spells per day / Spells known ----------
Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th [/B]
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Spellstaff, Magic-Strike (1d6) 6 / 4 2 / 2 - / - - / - - / - - / -
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Spell-Strike (Ranged Touch spells) 7 / 5 3 / 3 - / - - / - - / - - / -
3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Magic-Strike (2d6) 7 / 6 5 / 3 - / - - / - - / - - / -
4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Spell-Strike (+2 to overcome SR) 8 / 6 6 / 4 - / - - / - - / - - / -
5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Magic-Strike (3d6) 8 / 6 6 / 4 2 / 2 - / - - / - - / -
6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Spell-Strike (Single Target spells) 9 / 7 7 / 4 3 / 3 - / - - / - - / -
7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Magic-Strike (4d6) 9 / 7 7 / 5 5 / 3 - / - - / - - / -
8th +6/+1 +6 +2 +6 Spell-Strike (+1 to save DC) 10/ 7 8 / 5 6 / 4 - / - - / - - / -
9th +6/+1 +6 +3 +6 Magic-Strike (5d6) 10/ 7 8 / 5 6 / 4 2 / 2 - / - - / -
10th +7/+2 +7 +3 +7 Spell-Strike (Touch spells) 10/ 7 9 / 6 7 / 4 3 / 3 - / - - / -
11th +8/+3 +7 +3 +7 Magic-Strike (6d6) 10/ 7 9 / 6 7 / 5 5 / 3 - / - - / -
12th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Spell-Strike (Bypass resistance 5) 10/ 7 10/ 6 8 / 5 6 / 4 - / - - / -
13th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Magic-Strike (7d6) 10/ 7 10/ 6 8 / 5 6 / 4 2 / 2 - / -
14th +10/+5 +9 +4 +9 Spell-Strike (Area spells) 10/ 7 10/ 6 9 / 6 7 / 4 3 / 3 - / -
15th +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +9 Magic-Strike (8d6) 10/ 7 10/ 6 9 / 6 7 / 5 5 / 3 - / -
16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Spell-Strike (+4 to overcome SR) 10/ 7 10/ 6 10/ 6 8 / 5 6 / 4 - / -
17th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Magic-Strike (9d6) 10/ 7 10/ 6 10/ 6 8 / 5 6 / 4 2 / 2
18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Spell-Strike (+2 to save DC) 10/ 7 10/ 6 10/ 6 9 / 6 7 / 5 3 / 3
19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Magic-Strike (10d6) 10/ 7 10/ 6 10/ 6 9 / 6 7 / 5 5 / 4
20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Spell-Strike (Bypass resistance 10) 10/ 7 10/ 6 10/ 6 10/ 6 8 / 6 6 / 5Class Features
All the following are class features of the Baculumant.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Baculumant is proficient with all simple weapons. Baculumants are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Because the somatic components required for Baculumant spells are relatively simple, a Baculumant can cast Baculumant spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a Baculumant wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass Baculumant still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spell received from other classes.
Spells: A Baculumant casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list (but only up to spell level 5). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, just like a sorcerer.
To learn or cast a spell, a Baculumant must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Baculumant’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Baculumant’s Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a Baculumant can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1-1: The Baculumant. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
A Baculumant’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A Baculumant begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new Baculumant level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on the table above. Upon reaching 5th level, and at every uneven-numbered Baculumant level after that, a Baculumant can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the Baculumant “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The knew spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level Baculumant spell the Baculumant can cast.
The Baculumant’s spells don’t need any material components with a value of 1gp or less. Additionally, a Baculumant can perform all somatic components of his Baculumant spells with his personal spellstaff, if he wants to.
Spellstaff: The typical recognition feature of a Baculumant is his personal spellstaff, a powerful intelligent magical weapon. A Baculumant creates this item by personalising a melee weapon of his choice he has proficiency with (this don’t have to be a real staff actually), transferring some of his magical power and personality into it. A Baculumant begins with a personal Spellstaff at 1st level, and he can never have more than one personal spellstaff at any given time. Only when wielding his spellstaff a Baculumant can perform a Magic-Strike or Spell-Strike. For more details of personal spellstaffs see below.
Magic-Strike (Sp): A Baculumant can perform a special arcane martial art, called Magic-Strike, with his personal spellstaff. A Magic-Strike is a spell-like ability, with an equivalent spell level of 1 + 1/4 caster-levels. Bashing through the air with his personal spellstaff, the Baculumant can attack a single opponent within 50ft. + 5ft./caster-level as a standard action with his Magic-Strike by succeeding on a ranged touch attack. With a successful hit he deals 1d6 points of damage (crit. 20/x2). This damage raises every uneven casterlevel thereafter by one additional d6. There’s no save allowed to reduce or negate this damage, but a Magic-Strike is subject to a target’s spell resistance.
A Baculumant can use his Magic-Strike at will, as long as he wields his personal spellstaff.
Spell-Strike (Su):
Preface: The most outstanding ability of a Baculumant is without a doubt his Spell-Strike, which enables him to combine his Magic-Strike with specific spells beginning at second level. By performing a Spell-Strike, you can cast a spell and deliver it through your Magic-Strike as a single standard action. Only spells with a casting time of 1 standard action or less can be used for a Spell-Strike. The target of the spell is always the same as the target of the Magic-Strike, and the range of the spell is replaced by the Magic-Strike’s range.
With a Spell-Strike, you first attack the target with your Magic-Strike as a ranged touch attack. If the Magic-Strike misses, the spell fades without any effect. If the Magic-Strike hits, the spell automatically hits the target thereafter, too. If the Baculumant scores a critical hit with his Magic-Strike, the spell is considered as a critical hit, too, if appropriate for the spell.
Usable Spells: Beginning at 2nd level, a Baculumant can use all spells which need a ranged touch attack (for example acid splash) with their Spell-Strike. If such a spell allows more than one ranged touch attack as a single action (for example scorching ray at caster-level 7 or higher), you can deliver all of them through your Magic-Strike, but all have to hit the same target (the target of your Magic Strike). Beginning at 6th level, a Baculumant can also use all spells with a single, specific target (for example hold person) with their Spell-Strike. Beginning at 10th level, a Baculumant can also use all spells which need a normal touch attack (for example shocking grasp) with their Spell-Strike. Beginning at 14th level, a Baculumant can finally also use all area-effect spells (for example fireball) with their Spell-Strike, whereupon the target of the Spell-Strike represents the center or origin of the particular area (radius, cone, line, etc…).
A multiclass Baculumant cannot use spells received from other classes for his Spell-Strike.
Spell Enhancement: Additionally, the spells cast via a Spell-Strike become more and more difficult to resist at higher Baculumant levels. Beginning at 4th level, a Baculumant gets a +2 bonus to all caster level checks to overcome the opponent’s spell resistance with a spell cast through his Spell-Strike. This bonus raises to +4 beginning at 16th level. Beginning at 8th level Baculumant gets a +1 bonus to the Difficulty Class for saving throws against a spell cast through a Spell-Strike. This bonus raises to +2 beginning at 18th level. Beginning at 12th level, a spell cast through a Spell-Strike can bypass up to 5 points of energy-resistance, the opponent might possess. Beginning at 20th level, a spell cast through a Spell-Strike can bypass even up to 10 points of the opponent’s energy-resistance. This last ability has no effect on enemies with immunities or no energy-resistance.
SPELLSTAFFS
A spellstaff is a Baculumant’s powerful, personalised melee weapons, which gets its own personality through to a mystical ritual. A Baculumant needs his spellstaff to use his arcane martial arts.
Personalising a Spellstaff: To transfer some of his magical powers and his personality into a chosen weapon, a Baculumant must perform a special ritual, requiring 8 hours of uninterrupted work, as well as special materials worth 100 gp. A Baculumant begins with such a personalised spellstaff at first level.
Losing a Spellstaff: If a Baculumant’s spellstaff is destroyed or dismissed, the Baculumant looses 200 experience points per caster-level. If he’s wielding his spellstaff at the time of destruction or dismissal, a Baculumant can try to absorb the released spellstaff essence by succeeding on a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15), negating the experience loss.
Thereafter a Baculumant can personalise a new spellstaff without any additional drawbacks.
Personal Spellstaffs
A personal spellstaff becomes stronger with the Baculumant's casterlevel, and grants his master several, special abilities (beside the Magic-Strike and Spell-Strike), as given in the table below:
Code:
[b] Hardness hp Abilities Senses/Communication Special[/b]
1.-2. +2 +5 7/7/11 Seeing, Hearing (30ft.) Alterness, Clear Mind, Find Spellstaff, Repair Spellstaff
Telepathic Bond
3.-4. +4 +10 8/8/12 Seeing, Hearing (60ft.) Healing Spellstaff [1] ([I]Cure Light Wounds[/I])
5.-6. +6 +15 8/8/13 - Call Spellstaff
7.-8. +8 +20 9/9/14 Speak Healing Spellstaff [2] ([I]Remove Fear[/I])
9.-10. +10 +25 9/9/15 - Hold Concentration
11.-12. +12 +30 10/10/16 Seeing, Hearing (120ft.) Healing Spellstaff [3] ([I]Cure Moderate Wounds, Lesser Restoration[/I])
13.-14. +14 +35 10/10/17 - [I]Scry[/I] on Spellstaff
15.-16. +16 +40 11/11/18 Read Healing Spellstaff [4] ([I]Cure Serious Wounds, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease[/I])
17.-18. +18 +45 11/11/19 - Catch Spellstaff-Essence (Long Range)
19.-20. +20 +50 12/12/20 Darkvision, Hearing (120ft.) Healing Spellstaff [5] ([I]Cure Critical Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Restoration[/I])Hardness: The number noted here is an improvement to the personal Spellstaff's hardness.
Hit Points: The number noted here is an improvement to the personal Spellstaff's hit points.
Abilities: The mental Ability-scores of a Baculumant's Spellstaff, in this order: Int/Wis/Cha. A Spellstaff has no physical abilities.
Senses/Cumminication: The Senses and Communication-abilities of a Baculumant's Spellstaff. A Spellstaff can see and hear at a range of 30ft. This range raises to 60ft. at third level and 120ft. at 11th level. Beginning at 19th level a Spellstaff gains Darkvision 120ft. A Spellstaff can telepathically communicate with its master. Beginning at 7th level it can also speak any language the Baculumant knows. Beginning at 13th level a Spellstaff can read any language, he can speak.
Altertness: While a Baculumant holds his personal Spellstaff in his hands, he recieves the benefits of the Alertness feat.
Clear Mind: While a Baculumant holds his personal Spellstaff in his hands, he recieves a +3 bonus on all Concentration checks.
Find Spellstaff: A Baculumant can feel the direction to his personal Spellstaff as a standard action, as long as his Spellstaff is on the same plane. If his Spellstaff is on another plane, he only gets this information.
Repair Spellstaff: By transfering some of his magical energy into his spellstaff, a Baculumant can repair his personal Spellstaff. Doing so requires one hour of uninterupted work and materials worth 25 gp (the same kind as needed for personalising a spellstaff). At the end of this ritual, a Baculumant can sacrifice any amount of spells for this day, repairing the spellstaff for 2hp/spell-level sacrificed (1hp for a cantrip). A Baculumant has to hold his spellstaff in his hands, for doing so.
Healing Spellstaff: A Baculumant not only transfers energy into his Spellstaff, but can also take back some of this energy in times of need. Beginning at third caster-level, a Baculumant's spellstaff holds the indicated number of charges ([X]) each day (which do not stack, but substitute each other every day), which can be used for the listed spells. Activating such a charge requires a standard action and doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. The Baculumant can use this charges only when holding his spellstaff, and only on himself.
Call Spellstaff: Beginning at fifth level, a Baculumant can magically teleport his Spellstaff into his hands as a standard action at will, if his Spellstaff is not more than 1 mile away from him. Pure, physical power (for example a strong creature holding the Spellstaff) cannot prevent the Baculumant from calling his Spellstaff, but some spells can prevent this teleport.
Hold Concentration: Beginning at 9th level, as a free action, a Baculumant can assign his personal Spellstaff the task of concentrating on a spell that is maintained through concentration. The Baculumant can act normally, while his spellstaff holds the concentration for that spell. A Spellstaff can concentrate on only one spell any given time. If necessary, the Spellstaff makes Concentration checks for the Baculumant, using the Baculumant's normal Concentration modifier. The Spellstaff does not have to make a Concentration check, when the Baculumant takes damage, but only if the Spellstaff takes damage. A Baculumant can use this ability only when holding his Spellstaff in his hands.
Scry on Spellstaff: If the Baculumant is 13th level or higher, he may scry on his personal Spellstaff (as if casting the scrying spell) once per day.
Catch Spellstaff-Essence (Long Range): Beginning at 17th level, a Baculumant can catch his spellstaff’s essence, as long as the spellstaff and Baculumant are on the same plane at the moment of destruction/dismissal.
FEATS
Double Spell-Strike
Prerequisites: Spell-Strike-Ability, caster-level 6
Benefit: You can use two of your spells with a single Spell-Strike, as long as the combined spell-level of both spells is at least 2 below your highest spell-level available. After a successful hit with your Magic-Strike, both spells hit the target thereafter automatically.
Metamagic Spell-Strike
Prerequisites: Spell-Strike-Ability, one metamagic feat, caster-level 6
Benefit: You can use your Spell-Strike ability with metamagical enhanced spells, even if those spells normally would have a casting time of 1 full-round action.
Powerful Magic-Strike
Prerequisites: Magic-Strike-Ability, BAB +2, Cha 15
Benefit: You can lessen your accuracy with your Magic-Strike (or its combination with spells as Spell-Strike), to get more raw magical power into it. For every point of attack bonus you sacrifice (up to your BAB) your Magic-Strike deals one additional point of damage.
Greetings,
King Herodes
