Knight-Mage

[SolosAddie]

If anyone's read The Outstretched Candle by Mercedes Lackey, you'll be familiar with the Knight-mage in her book.

The question can it be adapted to AD&D?

My first thoughts, limited to medium or light armor. And for the battle-mind that Kellen goes into for balance I would use the same rules as barbarian rage, but instead of +strength, +dex.

More thoughts if people can comment on this.

 

[comrade raoul]

There are probably more people interested in the concept you're talking about than who read The Outstretched Candle, so a quick overview of the knight-mage as represented in the books would be really helpful here.

 

[SolosAddie]

Ug. but that's more work .

Basically, the knight-mage is a direct agent for the wild magic (the good magic in this case)

Abilities knight-mages have exhibited in the books or are said to have include:

Good combat ability able to enter a combat mind, where they become aware of enemies move just before they make it, so they know either where to block or where to strike for a best chance of a hit.

The character is tired after battles, so the rage ability looks pretty close.

They have a limited spell casting ability, mostly healing.

They cannot be turned from their chosen path (ie immune/resistant to charms, dominate)

They can get the sense of something about to happen, (ambush about to spring, entering the caves would be bad).

The interesting thing about the magic system in the books, is that all magic spells have a price. A Knight-mage attempting a healing spell would be given a price, for example a price for a healing was to clean out a fouled pond. The price for a spell can be shared among anyone present who agrees to share it, usually all spells take a portion of participants life force (i was thinking non-lethal damage in this case).

 

[Aus_Snow]

Note: I only have an idea of what you're talking about here, to the extent that I have read your last post.

Basically, the knight-mage is a direct agent for the wild magic (the good magic in this case)

Right, so probably Chaotic Good. High-ish Wisdom and Charisma, perhaps?

Good combat ability able to enter a combat mind, where they become aware of enemies move just before they make it, so they know either where to block or where to strike for a best chance of a hit.

Hm. I think Combat Focus and its related feats (found in the Players Handbook II, from Wizards of the Coast) sound absolutely perfect for this.

The character is tired after battles, so the rage ability looks pretty close.

Indeed, that would make a kind of sense. Also, see a couple of points down.

They have a limited spell casting ability, mostly healing.

Some kind of spontaneous casting access to Druid (or maybe Cleric) spells --- that variant is from Unearthed Arcana, published by Wizards of the Coast, which is a very useful book IMO --- or even a Bard level or two?

They cannot be turned from their chosen path (ie immune/resistant to charms, dominate)

But then again, maybe some levels in Paladin of Freedom instead? --- again, from UA. Maybe 4 levels, just to get a tiny bit of magic.

They can get the sense of something about to happen, (ambush about to spring, entering the caves would be bad).

How about Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense, Survival and Listen for starters (i.e., 3 levels of Barbarian). . .? Even the Divine Grace, from Paladin of Freedom, could represent a kind of intuitive knack or awareness. A bit of reinterpretation, I know. Just an idea.

The interesting thing about the magic system in the books, is that all magic spells have a price. A Knight-mage attempting a healing spell would be given a price, for example a price for a healing was to clean out a fouled pond. The price for a spell can be shared among anyone present who agrees to share it, usually all spells take a portion of participants life force (i was thinking non-lethal damage in this case).

Hm. Well, this steps a bit outside the usual D&D approach, of course. How about just adding it in as flavour - so you just have to do such-and-such for a given spell, as decreed by the GM at the time, according, at least in part, to common sense and previous 'pacts'. If you're talking nonlethal damage, maybe d6 per spell (or even caster) level? Or d4?

When you say that spells "take a portion of participants' life force", do you mean that this is a permanent sacrifice? Or just "ow!", "ugh. . ." or suchlike, and done?

Anyway, in inconclusive conclusion, I'd say it might be something like a Barbarian 3 / Paladin of Freedom 4, er. . . and whatever else.


edit --- what about armour and weapons? any details there?

 

[Arkhandus]

Hrm. Probably easiest to model with a new class rather than a sorta-functional hodgepodge of multiclassing and variant rules.

d10 hit dice

4 skill points per level, + Int mod
Class skills similar to druid, with a few skills removed and a few bardic skills added, like Knowledge (arcana), Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, etc.

Alignment limited to non-evil, non-lawful; violating the alignment restriction prevents further advancement in the class forevermore, and probably takes away most of the class features.

Medium base attack bonus

all-around high saving throws

Proficiencies as per a barbarian

Limited access to minor/moderate cleric and druid spells of certain sorts, up to perhaps 5th or 6th level spells at best (but only able to use a few spells per day; probably by 20th-level they'd be able to use a maximum of 4/3/3/2/2/1/1 spells per day (of 0th-6th level), before bonus slots are factored in). Few spells on their list of each spell level. Spells would work like a cleric's, but spontaneous, probably a different divine focus from that of druids and clerics, and would have additional costs when cast. DM determines the RP cost of the spell, and the knight-mage has to accept a certain amount of subdual/nonlethal damage (ignoring resistances/reduction/suchlike). Either 2 subdual/nonlethal damage per spell level, or 1d4 per spell level (whatever ya choose). Allies in close contact (or close range, dunno) can accept some of the subdual/nonlethal damage themselves (choosing a certain number of spell levels worth of damage to take in place of the knight-mage; so a 3rd-level spell could have its backlash divided amongst 4 people at most), but at least 1 spell level's worth must be to the knight-mage.

Combat Trance at 1st-level, 1/day initially, gains additional uses and improvements at the same rate as a barbarian's rage, works like rage but with the following changes: ability bonuses are +4 Dexterity and Wisdom, gives +2 Insight bonus to melee attack rolls instead of a further bonus to Will saves, and has a duration of 5 rounds + Constitution modifier. When greater rage would be obtained, instead gets Greater Combat Trance, yielding an increase of +2 to the bonuses of Combat Trance. Mighty rage is replaced with Mighty Combat Trance, which makes the Insight bonus apply to melee damage as well as attack rolls, and allows adding the knight-mage's Wisdom modifier (if positive) to their effective Dexterity bonus to AC. Tireless rage becomes Tireless Combat Trance.

Bonus feat from the fighter's list (excluding any feats that are fighter-exclusive) at 2nd-level and every seven or eight levels thereafter.

Intuit Danger supernatural ability gained at 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th level, gives some of the benefits of a Foresight spell for a few rounds each day, probably triggered when needed rather than useable at will. Gains another daily use (or a few more rounds worth of daily duration) every 5 or 6 levels thereafter.

Immunity to Charm extraordinary ability gained between 4th and 6th level, makes them immune to effects of the Charm descriptor of course.

Immunity to Compulsion extraordinary ability gained somewhere between 7th and 12th level, renders them immune to effects of the Compulsion descriptor of course.

May or may not get Mettle, Evasion, or Defensive Roll at 20th-level (so as not to get absolutely nothing for sticking with the class 20 whole levels).

 

[Thurbane]

The Whirling Frenzy alternative to Rage in UA might be useful to simulate Combat Mind:

RAGE VARIANT: WHIRLING FRENZY
A barbarian with this variant form of rage doesn't gain the normal bonuses when he enters a rage. Instead, when a barbarian with whirling frenzy enters a rage, he temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength and a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class and on Reflex saves. While in a whirling frenzy, the barbarian may make one extra attack in a round at his highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the barbarian might make before his next action.
Whirling frenzy is otherwise identical to the standard barbarian rage in all other ways. At 11th level (when a standard barbarian gains greater rage), the Strength bonus increases to +6, and the dodge bonus to Armor Class and on Reflex saves increases to +3. At 20th level (when a standard barbarian gains mighty rage), the Strength bonus increases to +8, and the dodge bonus to Armor Class and on Reflex saves increases to +4.

A barbarian using this variant doesn't gain indomitable will at 14th level. Instead, he gains evasion, but only while in a whirling frenzy.

A character can't use whirling frenzy at the same time that he uses any other form of rage (or similar ability).