Improving the Warmage flavor

[warderbrad]

I was looking at the requirements and a thought occured to me. What if these weren't feats so to say, but more a class feature, with maybe a new feat that allowed a student to acquire a second field of study.

What I mean is have all the requirements be attainable by say 3rd level (warmage alone so multiclassed warmages may have a leg up but still can't focus on a field before 3rd). So at 3rd level the class feature of Field of Study is given to the character. Then they have to choose the field they qualify for. I am not sure what would happen to characters that don't qualify for any, maybe have a general field that gives a few generic spells and has no requirements.

This is just an idea and would make it reasonable to reduce the number of spells given to only 3 and all, maybe making a single non class skill that applies to the field now class would also fit in this too.

Also there should be a standardization to the requirements, say one feat and one cross-class skill at 3+ and one feat or something like that. Any thoughts from anyone else?

 

[Khaalis]

For the scout requirement I would lean toward Hide over Move Silently for the requirement, or go with a requirement of both, but drop it to say +3 or +4 in each.

Spells w/ more then 1 spell in a level:
War College: Scout - 4th Mass Camouflage, 4th Invisibility-Greater
War College: Calvary - 1st Mount, 1st Traveler's Mount
War College: Frontline - 1st Enlarge Person, 1st Magic Weapon
War College: Formation - 2nd Wall of Gloom, 2nd Glitterdust, 6th Bear’s Endurance-Mass, 6th Bull Strength-Mass
War College: Counter-Wizard - 6th Dispel Magic-Greater, 6th Globe of Invulnerability
War College: Phalanx - 2nd Protection from Arrows, 2nd Body Of The Sun
War College: Siege - 5th Passwall, 5th Wall of Stone

Any suggestions to replace these spells?

Well from the general "feel" of the class, the Warmage is all about combat and personal affectiveness in combat. They get few group oriented spells or abilities, so I would stick with that theme.

War College: Scout - 4th Invisibility-Greater
War College: Calvary - 1st Mount
War College: Frontline - 1st Enlarge Person
War College: Formation - 2nd Wall of Gloom, 6th (Neither - this should be about battlefield control thus something like Move Earth [fortifications])
War College: Counter-Wizard - 6th Dispel Magic-Greater
War College: Phalanx - 2nd Protection from Arrows
War College: Siege - 5th Passwall


As to the overall power of the feats, I may be in the minority, but I tend to think that Spending a feat out of the 7 (8 if human) you get to acquire a few more spells known is a fair trade off. Taking the FR "Initiate of" feats as a point of balance comparison, these Warmage feats are actually on the "Light" side considering that the Initiate feats also grant a domain type power along with at least 3 (most many more) non-cleric list spells to add to their list. Personally I think these would be balanced (due to no "abilities" gained) with even 1 spell per spell level gained for all available spell levels like a "domain" spell list, assuming of course that all of the "colleges" have spells that are fitting for each spell level.

JMHO - YMMV

 

[Joker]

I was looking at the requirements and a thought occured to me. What if these weren't feats so to say, but more a class feature, with maybe a new feat that allowed a student to acquire a second field of study.

Bastard . Beat me to it.

This is what I thought aswel. That at 1st level a player chooses which direction he goes and then he gets several spells added everytime he would normally get the Advanced Learning ability.

Otherwise, I think it's a very good idea. I had a chance to see a 10th level warmage in action (playtesting so it was mostly role-playing) and man was it boring. This feat/ability looks like a good way to add some much needed versatility.

 

[TheYeti1775]

Yoinking....

I'll be yoinking this if you don't mind.
With only one restriction, maybe two, to these feats.
Feat must be chosen by 6th Character Level. (This is the maybe.)
A real restriction, only one of the feats may be chosen by any one Warmage. This will keep in mind that the Warmage is a true specialist.

Thanks.
The Yeti

 

[Salthorae]

2) why did I think mass haste was a spell? so much for increasing your groups horses!!!
X) I was hoping not to make new spells or feats, so as to make this as portable as possible to others - only seige tower (and mass haste, I suppose) are new.
BB

Mass Haste is a 6th level spell, it's from the Complete Arcane I think. It is mentioned in Tome & Blood, and listed as a spell on the web ehancement spell list for that book as well, though I can't actually find it in the Tome & Blood. it's a 6th level spell, my wizard in the current game i'm playing casts it....so you're safe there increasing the mounts speeds.