One of the players in my class, under my suggestion, picked up the Warmage class. However, after playing several sessions, it didn't satisfy them. The player wants a fighting capable class, but also 'I point at it and do damage to it'.
After reviewing both the Warmage and Duskblade class, the PC finally said "Here, something I jotted down. Does this look too powerful to you?"
I am asking you if this class is too powerful. At first blush, it looks weakish - a light armored cleric with no Fort save and very limited spellcasting. But the fact a PC wrote it to play makes me a little wary.
For a point of reference, the character would be 3rd level. This character is the only Arcane caster in the party. Everyone else is: barbarian, rogue, spirit shaman and an archivist.
[sblock=Battlemage]
Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills (2 + Int Modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Climb, Concentration, Craft, Bluff, Jump, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Swim.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Battlemages are proficient with all martial and simple weapons, as well as light armor.
Spellcasting: Battlemages must prepare spells each day as a wizard does. The focus of magical energy into patterns inside themselves to be released as cast spells allows them to use those held patterns as conduits for their special abilities. However a battlemage has no spellbook, instead he just memorizes the patterns of a few spells and prepares each day using those remembered patterns. Giving up the wide diversity of a experienced wizard's spell-list in exchange for not having the weakness of a spellbook that can be lost, stolen, or destroyed by the enemy.
Spells Known: Battlemages begin play with 2 0-level spells and 2 1st-level spells, plus one additional 0-level spell for each point of intelligence bonus, chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list.
Learning spells: Each time you gain a new battlemage class level, you learn one additional spell of any level you can cast, chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list.
At 1st level a Battlemage learns the Minor Elemental Channeling feat.
Minor Elemental Channeling (feat)
Prerequisite: Base Attack Bonus +1, Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells.
Benefit: This feat allows you to use a swift action to expend a single 0-level spell to imbue your weapon with a small amount of elemental energy. The spell expended must be a spell that does damage and has an energy type. The next attack with that weapon does an extra 1d3 damage of the same energy type of the spell expended. It only affects the first person hit with the weapon, and only melee weapons can be imbued with this energy. If the weapon is dropped the energy dissipates harmlessly. If the first attack with the weapon misses, the energy can be held in the weapon for a number of rounds equal to the highest arcane caster level you have. The energy expending itself on the first target the weapon hits successfully.
Armored Mage (light): Normally, armor of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster's gestures, which can cause spells to fail if those spells have somatic components. A Battlemage's intensely focused training, however, allows him to avoid arcane spell failure so long as you stick to light armor. This training does not extend to medium or heavy armor, or any shields.
At 3rd level, and every four levels after that (7th, 11th, 15th, 19th), the Battlemages picks a reserve feat free.
Quick Cast: Beginning at 5th level, you can use one of your reserve feat abilities as a swift action once a day.
You can use this ability twice a day at 9th level, three times per day at 13th level, and four times per day at 17th level.[/sblock]
Is it too strong or too weak? What do you suggest doing with it?
How should bonus spells be handled, if at all? Per Day or Spells Known?
After reviewing both the Warmage and Duskblade class, the PC finally said "Here, something I jotted down. Does this look too powerful to you?"
I am asking you if this class is too powerful. At first blush, it looks weakish - a light armored cleric with no Fort save and very limited spellcasting. But the fact a PC wrote it to play makes me a little wary.
For a point of reference, the character would be 3rd level. This character is the only Arcane caster in the party. Everyone else is: barbarian, rogue, spirit shaman and an archivist.
[sblock=Battlemage]
Code:
Level Attack Bonus Fort Ref Will Special Spells per day
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Armored Mage (light) 3 1 — — — — — — — —
Elemental Channeling
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 4 2 — — — — — — — —
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Reserve Feat 4 2 1 — — — — — — —
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 4 3 2 — — — — — — —
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Quick Cast 1/day 4 3 2 1 — — — — — —
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 4 3 3 2 — — — — — —
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 Reserve Feat 4 4 3 2 1 — — — — —
8th +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 4 4 3 3 2 — — — — —
9th +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Quick Cast 2/day 4 4 4 3 2 1 — — — —
10th +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 4 4 4 3 3 2 — — — —
11th +8/+3 +3 +3 +7 Reserve Feat 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 — — —
12th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 — — —
13th +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Quick Cast 3/day 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 — —
14th +10/+5 +4 +4 +9 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 — —
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 Reserve Feat 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 —
16th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 —
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Quick Cast 4/day 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 1
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Reserve Feat 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3
20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills (2 + Int Modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Climb, Concentration, Craft, Bluff, Jump, Knowledge (all skills taken individually), Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Swim.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Battlemages are proficient with all martial and simple weapons, as well as light armor.
Spellcasting: Battlemages must prepare spells each day as a wizard does. The focus of magical energy into patterns inside themselves to be released as cast spells allows them to use those held patterns as conduits for their special abilities. However a battlemage has no spellbook, instead he just memorizes the patterns of a few spells and prepares each day using those remembered patterns. Giving up the wide diversity of a experienced wizard's spell-list in exchange for not having the weakness of a spellbook that can be lost, stolen, or destroyed by the enemy.
Spells Known: Battlemages begin play with 2 0-level spells and 2 1st-level spells, plus one additional 0-level spell for each point of intelligence bonus, chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list.
Learning spells: Each time you gain a new battlemage class level, you learn one additional spell of any level you can cast, chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list.
At 1st level a Battlemage learns the Minor Elemental Channeling feat.
Minor Elemental Channeling (feat)
Prerequisite: Base Attack Bonus +1, Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells.
Benefit: This feat allows you to use a swift action to expend a single 0-level spell to imbue your weapon with a small amount of elemental energy. The spell expended must be a spell that does damage and has an energy type. The next attack with that weapon does an extra 1d3 damage of the same energy type of the spell expended. It only affects the first person hit with the weapon, and only melee weapons can be imbued with this energy. If the weapon is dropped the energy dissipates harmlessly. If the first attack with the weapon misses, the energy can be held in the weapon for a number of rounds equal to the highest arcane caster level you have. The energy expending itself on the first target the weapon hits successfully.
Armored Mage (light): Normally, armor of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster's gestures, which can cause spells to fail if those spells have somatic components. A Battlemage's intensely focused training, however, allows him to avoid arcane spell failure so long as you stick to light armor. This training does not extend to medium or heavy armor, or any shields.
At 3rd level, and every four levels after that (7th, 11th, 15th, 19th), the Battlemages picks a reserve feat free.
Quick Cast: Beginning at 5th level, you can use one of your reserve feat abilities as a swift action once a day.
You can use this ability twice a day at 9th level, three times per day at 13th level, and four times per day at 17th level.[/sblock]
Is it too strong or too weak? What do you suggest doing with it?
How should bonus spells be handled, if at all? Per Day or Spells Known?
