Gamecat's vaunted "Sword Mage" PrC

[gamecat]

After literally months of wrangling, here is my sword mage PrC.

Sword Mage
(insert Fluff description here)

Requirements: To qualify to become a sword mage, a character
must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Concentration: 10 ranks.
Spellcraft: 10 ranks.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Expert Tactician, Mage Tactician, Craft Magic Arms/Armor, Proficency with any sword (DM's discretion as to what a "sword" is).
Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd level arcane spells, one of which must be Greater Magic Weapon.

Class Skills
Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Tumble (Dex). See the Player’s Handbook, Chapter Four: Skills, for skill descriptions.

Skills at each level: 2+Int Modifier.

Class Features
(Rogue BAB advancement, Good Ref and Will Saves, +1 existing spellcaster level at each level)

1st: Swordcasting: For a sword mage, a hand holding a sword is considered empty for the purposes of somatic components for arcane spells.

2nd: Canny Defense: An unarmored sword mage of 2nd level or higher adds his Intelligence modifier to his AC. This bonus is lost whenever the Sword Mage would lose his Dex mod to AC as well.

3rd: Spellcraft Iaijutsu: A 3rd level sword mage can apply the theories of magic to his masterful strokes with a sword. Thus, a sword mage may use his Spellcraft skill in place of any Iaijutsu Focus Checks he may make.

4th: Channel Touch: A 4th level sword mage may use his sword as the touch for a touch spell. For example, after Transmuting Shocking Grasp, Westenberger the Jovial may make a melee touch attack with his longsword and deal shocking grasp damage. If he desires, he may instead make a melee attack and deal sword damage in addition to shocking grasp damage.

5th: Acrobatic Attack: At 5th level, if the sword mage attacks by jumping at least 5 feet toward his opponent, jumping down at least 5 feet onto his opponent or swinging on a rope or similar object into his opponent, he gains a +2 to attack and damage rolls. Make a Jump check; if the result is less than 5 ft., you cannot use this ability on this attack. If the distance is greater than that between the sword mage and the opponent, the sword mage can limit the distance to that of the opponent as a free action. This is an extraordinary ability.

7th & 9th: The sword mage gains a bonus feat taken from either the fighter's or wizard's feat list.

I'm not sure about a 10th level ability, if there should be one, or if this class should exist.

The Mage Tactician Feat can be found here:
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21191

Questions? Comments? Death Threats?

 

[Cheiromancer]

This class is just silly.

2 bonus feats, two good saves, improved BAB, no sacrifice of caster level, a bunch of great special abilities, (including canny defense!), pre-requisites which are very worthwhile on their own,... heck, one of the pre-requisites is a blind-kobald type feat which would be broken if it was the 10th level ability of a class.

Despite the fact that you are my DM, I have to say that this Prestige Class has absolutely no redeeming virtues.

 

[gamecat]

Maybe not. Uhhh... The spellsword seemed a little, sucky, so I wanted a Jedi-influenced class. I guess maybe I should just shelf this idea.

 

[Crothian]

First I agree with above. But I want to make specific comments anyway.

Requirements: To qualify to become a sword mage, a character
must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Concentration: 10 ranks.
Spellcraft: 10 ranks.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Expert Tactician, Mage Tactician, Craft Magic Arms/Armor, Proficency with any sword (DM's discretion as to what a "sword" is).
Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd level arcane spells, one of which must be Greater Magic Weapon.

Okay. As I remeber Mage Tactician was too powerful to begin with. You really should have Combat Casting in here. It's made for Wizards/Fighters.

Class Skills
Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Tumble (Dex). See the Player’s Handbook, Chapter Four: Skills, for skill descriptions.

Skills at each level: 2+Int Modifier.

Why Alchemy? There is no reason for it.

Class Features
(Rogue BAB advancement, Good Ref and Will Saves, +1 existing spellcaster level at each level)

Reduce it to +1 spellcasting level every even level.

1st: Swordcasting: For a sword mage, a hand holding a sword is considered empty for the purposes of somatic components for arcane spells

That's to strong. At the very least if you must have this require Still Spell as a requirement.

2nd: Canny Defense: An unarmored sword mage of 2nd level or higher adds his Intelligence modifier to his AC. This bonus is lost whenever the Sword Mage would lose his Dex mod to AC as well.

3rd: Spellcraft Iaijutsu: A 3rd level sword mage can apply the theories of magic to his masterful strokes with a sword. Thus, a sword mage may use his Spellcraft skill in place of any Iaijutsu Focus Checks he may make.

So, of course you have to give them a very powerful ability and make it even stronger. You don't even have this as a requirement for the class. That's just silly. I'd either also require 10 ranks of Iaijutsu or just get rid of this power. Of course you have the canny defense. THey all have canny defense. How boring.

7th & 9th: The sword mage gains a bonus feat taken from either the fighter's or wizard's feat list.

I'm not sure about a 10th level ability, if there should be one, or if this class should exist.

How about we get rid of the bonus feats and then rebalance out the abilities above. Give one ability at each odd level, and then +1 spellcasting each even level.

Even if you take all my suggestions (which you won't, we all know that) the class will probably be a little on the strong side.

 

[las]

You and Flame boy flamed me on feats now its my time. Lose them. Lose the Spellcraft Iaijutsu for most casters thats broken (for what they will do for I have sean what they can do). In short tone the thing down abit.

For a first level ability have them add there Int to attack roles.
For second level have them as you have down.
For 3rd your 2nd level abilty as you have down.
For 5th allow them to add there int mod to damage.
for 6th Bonus of +2 to Concentration checks
for 7th have them the ability to add there Int to Init checks.
for 8th +4 to concentration checks.
For 10th +6 to concentration checks, give them to do that touch spells ability you gave them.

that what I think whould work for the level abilitys.

Good saves: Will and Fort
BaB: wizards

 

[gamecat]

ouch. can we at least still be friends?

(las, I can NEVER recall flaming you. Ever. I'll be sure to get yelled at by piratecat the next time someone flames you.)

Crothian, I am open to all ideas on this class. (tsk tsk for thinking me so two-dimensional) The "The Matrix"-influenced melee mage is an idea I am in love with. Consider Mage Tactician done away with.

Sword Mage, v 3.0

(Insert Fluff description)

Requirements: To qualify to become a sword mage, a character
must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Concentration: 10 ranks.
Jump: 5 ranks.
Tumble: 5 ranks.
Feats: Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms/Armor, Proficency with any sword (DM's discretion as to what a "sword" is).
Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd level arcane spells, one of which must be Greater Magic Weapon.

[I think one or two more feats are nessesary, but am not sure what or which. In v 2.0-2.5, I added that you had to spend (50*character level) in xp on crafting magic weapons before becoming eligible to gain your next level in the class, but that seems a little nonsensical.]

Class Skills
Concentration (Con), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Tumble (Dex). See the Player’s Handbook, Chapter Four: Skills, for skill descriptions.

Skills at each level: 2+Int Modifier.

[alchemy seemed, well, "magey" to me, so I threw it in. But maybe I need to emphasize the "fighter" in this class]

Class Features
(Rogue BAB advancement, Good Ref Save, +1 existing spellcaster level at each even level)

[v 1.0-2.0 had way more. If you saw that, you would probably choke on such munchkinism. I really didn't want to compromise spellcasting, but I guess for sanity of the game I have to.]

1st: Canny Defense: An unarmored sword mage adds his Intelligence modifier to his AC. This bonus is lost whenever the Sword Mage would lose his Dex mod to AC as well.

[Crothian, this is nessesary for any mage to stand long, toe to toe. plus, this is the first homebrew PrC I've seen with this ability]

3rd: Acrobatic Attack: At 3rd level, if the sword mage attacks by jumping at least 5 feet toward his opponent, jumping down at least 5 feet onto his opponent or swinging on a rope or similar object into his opponent, he gains a +2 to attack and damage rolls. Make a Jump check; if the result is less than 5 ft., you cannot use this ability on this attack. If the distance is greater than that between the sword mage and the opponent, the sword mage can limit the distance to that of the opponent as a free action. This is an extraordinary ability.

5th: Channel Touch: A 5th level sword mage may use his sword as the touch for a touch spell. For example, after Transmuting Shocking Grasp, Westenberger the Jovial may make a melee touch attack with his longsword and deal shocking grasp damage. If he desires, he may instead make a melee attack and deal sword damage in addition to shocking grasp damage.

I really think 7th, 9th, and 10th need abilities, but then again, who am I?

(btw, no hard feelings. Please.)

[edited for ability changes]

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

Why not just a 5 level class?

 

[gamecat]

IMC, the Sword Mages are a huge organization, plus, if it is 5 levels, there is no *epic* sword mage.

 

[trentonjoe]

I like version 3.0 much better.

Here is my question, what class or combo of classes would take this? YOu need to be a 9th level straight mage to qualify. Most 9th level mages I know off make it to 9th level by avoiding combat.

I would add in some more "special abilities" somewhere along the line to allow them to become better in melee.

What about an ability that let's you trade prepared spell levels for a bonus to AC, attack, or damage?

 

[gamecat]

The primary sword mage in the game I'm running (in my sig below!) is going the straight mage route. A mnk/sor, a bladesinger, or any basic ftr/wiz or ftr/sor could do it, and easier. You need at least 5-6 spellcaster levels, for GMW and the CMA&A feat.

Doesn't a Pal/Wiz/Sword Mage of Azuth just kick ass?

Based on a conversation with chieromancer, he suggests that the Sword Mage 3.0 have spell progression based on that of the Planeshifter (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th levels nets new spells). I like that Idea. Maybe for the 7th the Acroattack bonus grows to +4 and +6 at 9th? Still clueless as to 10th.

Trentonjoe, would you extrapolate on this cashing in of spells for ac?