New Arcane Caster -- feedback welcome!

[Kafkonia]

I was thinking the other day that there are divine equivalents of the sorceror-style spontaneous casting (Favoured Soul) and wizard-style book-based casting (Archivist) but there's no arcane equivalent of the cleric's "pray for spells" variety. So I've put this together as kind of a thought experiment. My chief concern is that it may be overpowered by granting too much versatility to the arcane caster... I'm also not too fond of the name.

Magic User

HD: d4
BAB: Poor
Saves: Will Good, Fort & Ref Poor
Skills: Concentration; Spellcraft; Knowledge (Arcana); Sense Motive; Craft; Profession.

[B]Spellcasting Progression[/B]
[U]Level   0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9[/U]
1       3   1
2       4   2
3       4   3
4       4   3   1
5       4   3   2
6       5   3   3   1
7       5   4   3   2
8       5   4   3   3   1
9       5   4   4   3   2
10      5   4   4   3   3   1
11      5   4   4   3   3   2
12      5   5   4   4   3   3   1
13      6   5   4   4   3   3   2
14      6   5   4   4   4   3   3   1
15      6   5   5   4   4   3   3   2
16      6   5   5   4   4   4   3   3   1
17      6   6   5   5   4   4   3   3   2
18      6   6   5   5   4   4   4   3   3   1
19      6   6   5   5   5   4   4   3   3   2
20      6   6   6   5   5   4   4   4   3   3

Weapon and Armour Proficiency
The magic user is proficient with all simple weapons, but not with any type of armour or shield. Armour of any type interferes with a Magic User's movments, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.

Spells
A magic user casts arcane spells which are drawn from the wizard/sorceror spell list.

To prepare or cast a spell, a magic user must have a Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Int 10 for 0-level spells, 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth.) The Difficulty Class for a savings throw against a magic user's spell is 10 + the spell level + the magic user's Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a magic user can only cast a certain number of spells per day. Her base daily allotment is given above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence.

Once per day, the magic user must spend one hour to attune herself to the flow of magic across the plane on which she finds herself. At this time she draws upon the ambient magical energy to prepare her spells. A magic user may prepare and cast any spell on the wizard/sorceror spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily attunement.

Familiar
A magic user can obtain a familiar in exactly the same manner as a sorceror can.

Mastery of Magic
At 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th level, the magic user's ability to attune herself to magic energy improves. She may select any spell not on the sorceror/wizard spell list, so long as it is no higher than one level below the highest level of spell that she can cast as a magic user. This spell is now considered to be on her spells known list, and can be prepared in the same manner as any sorceror/wizard spell.

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I put Sense Motive on the skills list because it seemed to fit with the idea of the class having a connection to the energy connecting people and things.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Definately overpowered, as it seems to be basically a sorc with the added arcane mastery ability.

 

[Paraxis]

As long as the spell preperation is like a cleric and I assume it is (ie spell you chose in morning is set for rest of day) I see it as balanced. Just I would limit it to spells from PHB only, so the character isn't pulling wierd spells out of other books. Basicly a wizard is more powerful for the most part, I mean if you use rules for buying magic items out of DMG and you can just go buy any spells you want on scrolls and add them to your spellbook, a wizard would have about the same choices per day and have greater number of spells per day and at a level lower.

Magic user seems a little general to any arcane caster now in 3E.
Maybe Arcane Savant, or Line Weaver(as in magical lay lines and such).

 

[Kafkonia]

Definately overpowered, as it seems to be basically a sorc with the added arcane mastery ability.

Yes, I'm thinking of lowering the spells per day to bring it more in-line with the wizard's -- but still with the sorceror's one-level delay on availability. I should probably reduce the weapon familiarities, as well.

 

[Kafkonia]

As long as the spell preperation is like a cleric and I assume it is (ie spell you chose in morning is set for rest of day) I see it as balanced.

Yes, that's my intention. I should clarify the wording I guess?

Just I would limit it to spells from PHB only, so the character isn't pulling wierd spells out of other books.

It kind of feels like it would go against proper class design to make references to metagame elements such as which supplement a spell can be drawn from. I'd leave that up to DM fiat -- although I was careful to mention wizard/sorceror as being the default spell list once I discovered that Races of the Dragon has sorceror-only spells in it.

Magic user seems a little general to any arcane caster now in 3E.
Maybe Arcane Savant, or Line Weaver(as in magical lay lines and such).

Yeah, I'm just using "magic user" as a placeholder with a nostalgic ring to it. I really want to call it "spellcaster", but that's just as generic... Spellmaster, maybe...

 

[ValhallaGH]

It uses two abilities for its casting; that's a huge balancing factor. Possibly so large that very few players would use this class.
The Mastery of Magic ability is really powerful, since it allows this caster to fill roles that no arcane caster is supposed to fill; I won't say it's broken, since it doesn't allow spells above 7th level but that's still plenty high enough for Resurection.
Overall, the class actually seems pretty balanced, though it needs some playtesting. Magically, it's as flexible as a Druid would be if the Druid were arcane, and in a fight it is no better off than a Sorcerer. I think you have created a nice midground between the Sorcerer and the Wizard, though I have some concerns about the Mastery of Magic.

Edit: As for names, how about Arcanist, Arcane Priest, Accolyte of the Word, Cabalyst, Student of Wiardry, Mage, or That Guy, The One With The Power.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Yes, I'm thinking of lowering the spells per day to bring it more in-line with the wizard's -- but still with the sorceror's one-level delay on availability. I should probably reduce the weapon familiarities, as well.

Do whatever feels right with weapon familiarity--when you're dealing with a poor BAB, you're going to suck at combat even if you can swing a greatsword.

 

[Kafkonia]

It uses two abilities for its casting; that's a huge balancing factor. Possibly so large that very few players would use this class.

I was hoping the two-ability based casting would serve as a balancing factor -- with FS and Archivist doing likewise, I thought it was the best way to go.

The Mastery of Magic ability is really powerful, since it allows this caster to fill roles that no arcane caster is supposed to fill; I won't say it's broken, since it doesn't allow spells above 7th level but that's still plenty high enough for Resurection.

It is powerful, but I think it's comparable to the Arcane Disciple feat -- yes, you can cast the spell more than once per day, but you only have one spell rather than a whole domain.

I could give it to them less often, or put a lower cap on the spells available...

Edit: As for names, how about Arcanist, Arcane Priest, Accolyte of the Word, Cabalyst, Student of Wiardry, Mage, or That Guy, The One With The Power.

I like that last one.

 

[Lorehead]

I can't be sure without seeing this character in play, but my initial impression is that this class is probably underpowered. Half as many spells as the sorcerer, with the same delayed spell progression, plus multiple ability dependency severely limit this character's power.

The magic-user has only two advantages: he automatically knows all spells on the sor/wiz list without scribing them, and he can learn a small handful of spells not on the sor/wiz list. These don't compensate; the former only saves the magic-user the cost of scribing spells into his book. The latter might turn out to be a useful ability with respect to bard spells, which have a deceptively low spell level due to the bard's delayed spell progression, but I don't think lowering the level of Tasha's hideous laughter, charm monster and greater heroism by one makes up for this class' other weaknesses.

 

[Brother Richard]

I have some fluff

Ok, so this class could be a class that worships or makes a pact with a fey or some similar but evil aligned creature to gain power. Warlock would be the best name, but unfortunately that name is already taken. Therefore, I would call the class a...... Spellsworn? Not a great name, but i cannot think of anything.