D&D 5E (2014) Giving the arcane gish an identity.

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We could have had classes like the Raging-Man, the Healing-Guy, the Music-Man, the Nature-Guru, or the Pact-Making-Dude.

All powered by Greyskull.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I too hate helpful and descriptive things. I rip all the labels off my cans before I put them in the cupboard.

Let's be real here: a spell slinging warrior is not a thing we have a word for because it wasn't a thing in our real-world history.

it sounds super modern or like a guy who is just seeing one for the first time, not the formal name of a thing.

 

[Yora]

All powered by Greyskull.

"I have the Power."

No, that could cause problems. So use the Force instead.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

We can't call the class 'Gandalf'! We'll get sued by the Tolkien Estate!

Is Glamdring also under copyright?

That could be a good name...it even has ''glam'' in it!

 

[Vaalingrade]

it sounds super modern or like a guy who is just seeing one for the first time, not the formal name of a thing.

Just because English is a lazy language that stole other people's compound words instead of making its own like a grown-up tongue.

Okay, let's make an English sounding (meaning cribbed from German and French after being punched by Vikings) word - glamfuar. Behold the might of the Glamfuar class and its subclasses the Tindrag, the Ephestus, and the Yearniwoe.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Just because English is a lazy language that stole other people's compound words instead of making its own like a grown-up tongue.

Fair enough. "Swordmage."

 

[ECMO3]

1.) Make this a wizard subclass.
2.) At 2nd level they gain martial weapons, medium armor and shields. They also gain a single elemental power they can emanate from their weapon (flaming sword, etc...) for an extra d4 (that grows to d6 at 6th, d8 at 11th, and finally d10 at 17th). In addition to lighting on fire, they'd also be able to do something (cold slows 10 feet, fire provides light and can ignite, acid does double damage to objects, etc... Additionally, they gain temp hps whenever they cast a spell (to make up for their low wizard hps).
3.) Give it access to unique 'spellstrike' spells at lower levels similar to the smite spells of the paladin. Also allow them to concentrate on two spells at once when both spells target only them.
4.) At 6th level, give them the ability to cast a spell as a bonus action, but only on a target that has been hit by their weapon attack that round. They would not get multiattack. They also gain heavy armor here.
5.) At 10th level they get resistance to damage from spells.
6.) At 14th they can concentrate on as many spells as they wish, so long as the spells target only them.

I think this is way too OP, two of the things you do are things specifically recommended against by the game designers for homebrew - changing the action mechanic and changing the concentration mechanic, and that is without the extra things even.

I think you need to get rid of the armor and shield proficiency. You have a character with the kind of offensive power a Paladin has. That is too much to combine with a full caster. 18+dex AC should be plenty (mage armor plus shield) and I don't think they should get extra hps either because they have spells that can reduce damage.

I would also limit them to 1-handed weapons for the smite mechanic and eliminate the concentration bonuses. I don't get the themmatic reason that a wizard who spends time mastering swordplay should be able to conccentrate on extra spells.

For the 6th level ability, what specifically are you saying? All classes can cast spells with a bonus action, they are just limited to casting no other spells on their turn when they do. I think you are saying they should be able to cast spells that require an action as a bonus action, that is way over the top. That is basically giving them action surge every single turn.

How about this:

2.) At 2nd level they gain martial weapons. They also gain a single elemental power they can emanate from their weapon (flaming sword, etc...). This causes an extra d4 damage that grows to d6 at 11th level (if you go higher than d6 you are outrunning the ranger subclasses). They can only use this extra damage once per turn. They also get resistance to damage from the chosen element.

They also get access to the smite spells of the paladin and the ability to do do arcane smite, which functions identically to Paladin divine smite. The swordmage can only use this with a melee weapon being wielded in one hand.

6.) At 6th level, if they cast a cantrip they can make a single weapon attack as a bonus action.

10.) At 10th level they get immunity to damage from the element they chose at 2nd level.

14.) At 14th level they can add their intelligence modifier to their damage when they use a wizard cantrip or make a weapon attack.

 

[ECMO3]

I mean, all classes apart from the 'core three' have a story behind them. A paladin has sworn an oath and gains their power from it. A cleric follows a god and is powered by their faith. A ranger protects civilisation from the wilderness.

Some of these are more loose from others, but they're all there. For a gish class, there needs to be more than 'this guy can swing a sword and cast a spell' as their entire class background.

I disagree with this. I think with the exception of Warlock, there is very little story built into any of the classes. Even Clerics don't really require devotion to their God necessarily, and d&d novels have multiple examples clerics of luke-warm faith or even clerics who flat don't or refuse to worship their God.

You mention a Ranger, I can't really see a Chaotic Evil Ranger protecting anyone except himself.

That is not to say you can't make these things part of the story or the character, but it isn't required.

 

[Marandahir]

Arcane Gish has an identity. It's called Artificer.

 

[Tinker-TDC]

Arcane Gish has an identity. It's called Artificer.

This is a good post because it does get everyone to intrinsically know what the identity of the Battlemage is: A Martial Intelligence Half-Caster that is NOT an Artificer.

Edit: Martial as in warrior, not as in the forum non-caster definition.