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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sound of Azure" data-source="post: 3609776" data-attributes="member: 40749">Great! That's a lot better  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />.The Eldritch Auras are an ability that is meant to be useful at all times, not just in battle (like their dweomers). They can also give a reason for other people to actually want a battle mage around. Part of being a good team member is being able to aid your allies. Poetically useful? <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/laugh.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="Laughing    :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /> I also didn't give the class too many auras so that they don't step on the toes of aura-based classes like the Dragon Shaman or Marshall, or buff classes like the Bard.The feats were chosen so that they would not be overpowering. Some are for making the battle mage tougher (toughness, improved toughness, endurance, diehard), improve his magical abilities (the "metamagic" feats), or improve his defence (armour and shield proficiencies). These free up the character's normal feats for other purposes.Ok. I'll just go through the things you changed.Like the martial adept classes (Crusader, Swordsage, and Warblade), I designed the battle mage so that it did not gain bonus readied spells from a high modifier. It's a different system to regular spell-casting. Allowing a direct bonus based on constitution is a mistake in my opinion.Why, you ask? Since these powers are almost at will (you just need to renew your expended dweomers to use them again), there needs to be some checks and balances. One of these checks is a low amount of known powers. The other is the low amount of powers you have available at any one time. Initially, your known and readied powers is the same, but over time there is a disparity. This encourages the player to think a little, and adapt with circumstances.Adding the key casting stat to the number of readied dweomers closes the potential gap at higher levels, reducing the opportunity cost of readying the "wrong" dweomers.Not a bad clarification in the middle. Unnecessary, since dweomers are automatically ready for use at the beginning of each encounter. A 20th-level battle mage only takes 7 rounds to refresh all expended dweomers anyway, no matter the level, in the case of an extended or consecutive encounter.I left it as only against attacks of opportunity, since it will help promote movement on the battlefield, and also allow characters to take riskier actions in combat. Having the dodge bonus apply at all times would probably be a good upgrade to the aura (see below) Initiative bonuses are very strong, especially as you're aiding the whole party. Potential upgrade would be to allow those within the aura to make free action listen/spot checks each round, instead of requiring a move action.I can see some potential there, though it's not meant to be a blanket bonus. It's meant to keep forces on their feet, and also to help mages cast their spells amidst a battle.I try to avoid giving out constant untyped bonuses to attack rolls, since it will cause stacking issues with bards and marshalls. Damage is pretty strong on its own, and may mean the difference between getting through damage reduction/hardness or not.How are these related? If you want to keep something like this, how about giving a bonus equal to 5x your Aura bonus on checks to stabilise when you are at negative hit points.Interesting. Sounds like it would make a good feat to expand the power of this aura (see bottom of post).I restricted it since it was intended to be a morale-like effect (for solidarity).---Note I didn't add extra abilities to the auras since they already scale. I didn't allow the battle mage the ability to take all of the auras, so that the player needs to really think about which ones to pick as they advance in level.However, you should have the option of taking more Auras if you really want to.Awaken Aura You awaken the power of a new Eldritch Aura.Prerequisites: 2 Eldritch Auras known, Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks.Benefit: You may add one Eldritch Aura from the list of battle mage Eldritch Auras to your Auras known. This Aura is now available for use when you raise an Eldritch Aura.Special: You can select this feat more than once. Each time you select it, you add another Eldritch Aura to you list of Auras Known.Sudden RecoveryYou can instantly refresh your reserves of power after casting a dweomer.Prerequisite: 5 known dweomersBenefit: Once per day as a swift action, you can instantly refresh an expended dweomer. In is now ready again.Extra Readied DweomerPrerequisite: Battle mage level 3+Benefit: Increase the number of dweomers you can ready for your battle mage levels by one.Special: You can take this feat only once.Eldritch VitalityYour arcane might allows you to catch a second wind when you take stock and recover your dweomers.Prerequisite: 3 dweomers known, Knowledge (arcana 5 ranks)Benefit: When you recover one or more expended dweomers, you heal 3 points of damage + 1 point per character level. You can gain this benefit only once per encounter.And potentially:-Empower Eldritch AuraYou have forged a stronger connection to your nexus of arcane power. One of your Eldritch Auras gains a secondary effect.Prerequisites: Ability to raise Eldritch Auras, Wisdom 15+, Caster level 9+, Knowledge (arcana) 12 ranksBenefit: Choose one of your Auras Known. This Aura gains a secondary effect whenever you raise it.<effects detailed in borble's post>Special: You may choose this feat more than once. Each time you select it, it applies to another of your Eldritch Auras known.</blockquote>

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