Elven Fighter/Wizard Core Class

[johnsemlak]

According to their interview on Mortality Radio, the Paradigm elf sourcebook, Eldest Sons, will have a new elven fighter-wizard core class. presumably this core class will be more desirable than a standard multiclass and will be reminicent of the 1e elf fighter/magicuser or the Basic D&D Elf class.

Is anybody else looking forward to this? I really hope it makes the 'traditional' elf fighter/wizard a more viable option.

I hope to use it as a model to create core classes for other demi-human races. Of course, it's primarily relavent to spellcasting multiclass characters.

 

[Crothian]

While it could be interesting, I really think that it will either have balance problems or appear weak. The best solution would be a bard variant. Decent spells, and decent fighting ability but not excelling at either.

 

[MerricB]

There are actually a couple of prestige classes in Tome and Blood which make the multi-class wizard a lot better way to go - I'm especially thinking of the Arcane Trickster: you could quite easily have a Wizard 6/Rogue 4/Arcane Trickster 10, which is quite similar to a Wizard 16/Rogue 14.

Cheers!

 

[Crothian]

There are actually a couple of prestige classes in Tome and Blood which make the multi-class wizard a lot better way to go - I'm especially thinking of the Arcane Trickster: you could quite easily have a Wizard 6/Rogue 4/Arcane Trickster 10, which is quite similar to a Wizard 16/Rogue 14.

Cheers!

Which is one reason that is the mostpowerful class in that book and many people think it is way too good.

 

[RangerWickett]

Well, arcane trickster is overpowered.

But I must wonder, why not just multiclass? With the apprenticeship rules in the DMG, you can multiclass from the get-go.

 

[johnsemlak]

There are actually a couple of prestige classes in Tome and Blood which make the multi-class wizard a lot better way to go - I'm especially thinking of the Arcane Trickster: you could quite easily have a Wizard 6/Rogue 4/Arcane Trickster 10, which is quite similar to a Wizard 16/Rogue 14.

Cheers!

Not sure if this is related but have you seen the arcane burgler PrC in the Netbook of classes (a free download)?

I may be guilty of highjacking my own thread, but I'm quite interested in PrCs that give rogue types some magic abilities. I might give Tome and Blood a look (have avoided it thus far--most people seem to rate other arcane magic sourcebooks higher).

 

[johnsemlak]

But I must wonder, why not just multiclass? With the apprenticeship rules in the DMG, you can multiclass from the get-go.

Simple

Spellcasting multiclassers really suffer from a lack of high level spells.

I do prefer the DMG varient for multiclassing at 1st level. I require it for characters who want to do it from the start.

quoted by Crothian

While it could be interesting, I really think that it will either have balance problems or appear weak. The best solution would be a bard variant. Decent spells, and decent fighting ability but not excelling at either.

Well, the trick would be finding the balance between being weak and overpowered, right?

I think it can be done. My idea would be to give the fighter/wizard a reasonable access to higher level spells, but give fewer spells overall. Or, they might require them to use another, scaled, XP table.

 

[Zhure]

We call those Wizard 16/Fighter 4's.

Greg

 

[Fenes 2]

I am as looking forward to a elven wizard/fighter coreclass as I am looking forward to root canal surgery. The elven wizard/fighters were grossly overpowered in 2E, and imho it is a good thing they got rid of them in 3E. 3E multiclassing is a fine, balanced way to get a wizard/fighter that actually sacrifices something for being neither fish or fowl, but a piece of both.

As an aside, I am fed up with 2E "elven whatever" overpowered relics altogether. The bladesinger kit was particularly bad in that aspect.

 

[trancejeremy]

AEG's Mercenaries book has a couple of core classes that are like (sort of) a combination fighter-wizard.

The Guardian and the Myrmidon. The Guardian is closer to being a fighter-wizard, as it casts wizard spells (the Myrmidon has a smaller, restricted spell list).

Basically, the Guardian gets the average BAB progression (like a Rogue or Cleric), d8 for hit points, and a spell progression pretty much like a Bard. They can also cast spells in light armor without having a spell failure check.

The Myrmidon is basically the same, but has a much smaller spell list (closer to a Bards), but can cast spells without any spell failure check.

Both are interesting, though I haven't tried them. They seem about right, power wise. If not for the casting in armor bit, they'd probably be weaker than a multi-class fighter/wizard.