Calastian Battlemage: Need a critique!

[Nightfall]

I'd like some input on this.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I'm sorry, I couldn't possibly, I'm much too busy!

 

[-Eä-]

Greetings!

Just some thoughts here:

What does this mean?

From Improved Maximized Spells: Also this ability cannot exceed the spell's maximum damage.

Isn't that exactly what the feat does?

Personally I think the folks get too much from this class, but not overwhelmingly so. What about changing the Improved Spell Focus to have the prerequisite Greater Spell Focus ? And perhaps not limit it to Cha +1 times per day? I can certainly see wizards taking this PrC as the Knowledge Skills are heaviliy weighted in the prerequisites.

Drop Armour Casting : Why would a battle mage that already is at least level 10 use armour? There are several spells that will give a BattleMage better defence options than using armour, hindering as armour might be.

I would add Improved Initiative to the prerequistes and instead drop the ability in the class or optionally give a +2 extra. Personally I would drop it altogether...


As for the other abilities: I think they are all nice, and if I were a Calastian Wizard, I would certainly consider becoming a Calastian Battlemage

 

[Nightfall]

Greetings!

Just some thoughts here:

What does this mean?

From Improved Maximized Spells: Also this ability cannot exceed the spell's maximum damage.

Isn't that exactly what the feat does?

No. A fireball STILL can only go up to 15d6. Thus the spell only HELPS in the progression of casting the spell. Now if he used the improved Empower spell feat in conjuction with that, it could change to d8, but it STILL would have the cap limit on 15d8.

Personally I think the folks get too much from this class, but not overwhelmingly so. What about changing the Improved Spell Focus to have the prerequisite Greater Spell Focus

?

I'd love to BUT this is a d20/OGL type of Pr-class. Thus I cannot use Greater spell focus. This is was my way of compensating it.

And perhaps not limit it to Cha +1 times per day?

Is that too harsh or just making it too easy to use?

I can certainly see wizards taking this PrC as the Knowledge Skills are heaviliy weighted in the prerequisites.

So what do you suggest I do then to compesate for that? I'd like sorcerers BUT in the world I was working it in, wizards are less feared.

Drop Armour Casting : Why would a battle mage that already is at least level 10 use armour?

Mainly for show, but some times a wizard CAN run out of spells.

I would add Improved Initiative to the prerequistes and instead drop the ability in the class or optionally give a +2 extra. Personally I would drop it altogether...

I'll think about it.

As for the other abilities: I think they are all nice, and if I were a Calastian Wizard, I would certainly consider becoming a Calastian Battlemage

Well that's a good thought here then.

 

[Nightfall]

I'm sorry, I couldn't possibly, I'm much too busy!

*sarcasm on* No body asked you! *sarcasm off*

 

[-Eä-]

Greetings again!

For a change, I will adapt to the consensus of quoting what I'm commenting on first. Perhaps it will be easier if I do so.

Coming with some suggestions here:

No. A fireball STILL can only go up to 15d6. Thus the spell only HELPS in the progression of casting the spell. Now if he used the improved Empower spell feat in conjuction with that, it could change to d8, but it STILL would have the cap limit on 15d8.

In that case, I understand what it does. Perhaps describing it with fewer words would increase the readability? I didn't get the intent the first time I read it, but that may be because of the formatting, though.

I'd love to BUT this is a d20/OGL type of Pr-class. Thus I cannot use Greater spell focus. This is was my way of compensating it.

I'm sorry: I wasn't aware of that...

Is that too harsh or just making it too easy to use?

Remember, 3 of your abilities are dependent on charisma for number of uses. If this is a sorcerer only class, fine, but then you should put in Must be able to cast spells spontaneously in the requirements. Perhaps going for a non-spellcasting score would be the way (con or wis)? Or perhaps basing the number of uses on the level of the Calastian Battlemage?

So what do you suggest I do then to compesate for that? I'd like sorcerers BUT in the world I was working it in, wizards are less feared.

I take it that this is Scarred Lands or something like that? I don't know much about the setting (except from what I have read in Relics and Rituals). Perhaps the suggestions above might work. If sorcerers are more feared, then perhaps this is the counter-offensive of the wizards?

Mainly for show, but some times a wizard CAN run out of spells.

Two things I have to say to this: 1. Many wizards usually take their next highest score in dexterity to get higher AC, this would prevent them from valueing dexteruty as much, and perhaps be something more of a tank, having a great constitution. 2. A wizard may cast plenty of Extended protection spells on himself at the beginning of the day, and more later. The point being that they can cast them and that they often last for a long time.
Actually, removing this ability may make the PrC more wizardish. A wizard can have all protection spells where a sorcerer will have to choose some... Perhaps a way of compensating?

I'll think about it.

Marvellous (-;

Well that's a good thought here then.

Well, sometimes they just pop out of my head, like popcorn!


Actually, I think that my next villain will use some of the concepts within this class. A rogue wizard that have used the secrests of the battlemages for his own troupe of spellcasters, or something like that... Perhaps a cliché, but hey, I can't help it but like them once in a while (-;

 

[Nightfall]

Well I've thought about it and I think the three things I need to do is 1: Give an example for the Improved Maximized Spell feature. 2: Change Cha to Wis (makes sense since there's a good bit of godly influence in the Scarred Lands). 3. I think I'll change that armor into damage reduction. Say like 2 point every two levels? Kind of like an improved version of the barbarian BUT it can only be used in combat and can be invoked as a move eqivulent and lasts only as long as half their Con mod per hour.

That sound okay with you?

 

[-Eä-]

Well I've thought about it and I think the three things I need to do is 1: Give an example for the Improved Maximized Spell feature. 2: Change Cha to Wis (makes sense since there's a good bit of godly influence in the Scarred Lands). 3. I think I'll change that armor into damage reduction. Say like 2 point every two levels? Kind of like an improved version of the barbarian BUT it can only be used in combat and can be invoked as a move eqivulent and lasts only as long as half their Con mod per hour.

That sound okay with you?

I think those changes are the ones that are needed to make it an excellent PrC. Good work (-;

As for 3: DR 10/- at level 10 is a tad too much in my opinion. DR 8/- is more balanced as I see it, giving +2 at 2, 5, 7 and 10. What do you mean by "and lasts only as long as half their Con mod per hour."?

 

[Nightfall]

I mean that the DR isn't permentant. They have to concentrate to keep it and it's not a permentent effect either. That explain it for you? 8/- sounds fine by me.