New Prestige Class: The Air Mage

[Merlion]

Ok...I like elemental magic, and the concept of an elemental mage, especially Air. The Elemental Savant is ok, but my big problem with it is that its more like an Energy Savant...most of the abilities enhance your spells of a wedded energy type...an Air Savant isnt any better at casting Fog Cloud than the next person. Nor does it allow you enhanced access to the spells of your element. Also, the whole "transformational" part doesnt really appeal much to me...getting the movement abilities is nifty, but slowing taking on the characteristics of the Elemental type isnt really what I am looking for.


So, I have attempted to do something a little different. I've started with the Air Mage, will probably slowly do the other three.

Note, that I wish opnions on wether this is balanced compared to other similiar prestige classes...I realize some people just dont like prestige classes, or think they dont come at a high enough cost, or that a theme like this needs a prestige class. Thats not what I'm interested in...I want to know if it seems balanced compared to current prestige class trends, plus any flavour suggestions. The higher levels especially I'm not sure I am happy with.



Anywho, here it goes.


Air Mage

Requirements:

Skills: Spellcraft 10 ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 4 ranks

Language: Must speak Auran

Feat: Lightning Reflexes

Spells: Ability to cast 4th level spells. Must be able to cast Obscuring Mist, Fog Cloud and Wind Wall or have access to the Air domain.

Special: Must spend a full 24 hours on a windy mountaintop or similar locale in meditation. Then the character must make peaceful contact with an elemental or outsider of the Air subtype.


BAB, Saves and Skills as Wizard. Spellcasting: Loses caster level at 1st and 5th level.


1st level:
Air Magic(Ex): Gain access to the Air Mage spell list. Lose access to any spell dealing with earth or stone.

2nd level: Voice of the Air(Su): The Air Mage may use Whispering Wind as a spell-like ability once per day per class level

Body of Air: (Su) At 2nd level, the Air Mage gains the ability to transform into air. This functions like a gaseous form spell and may be used once per day. At 6th level, it may be used twice per day, and three times at 10th level.

3rd level: Air Power: at 3rd level the Air Mage casts all Air Mage spells, and all spells with the Air or Electricity descriptors at +1 caster level. This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level, and to +3 at 9th level.

4th level: Children of the Sky: At 4th level, the Air Mage becomes more proficient at summoning air based and flying creatures. He adds the following choices to the list of creatures he can summon with a Summon Monster spell. Additionally, any time the Air Mage summons one of these creatures or any creature of the Air subtype, he is treated as having the Augment Summoning feat. However, he may not use spells to summon or call creatures of the Earth subtype.

Summon Monster 1: Eagle (Animal)

Summon Monster 2: Small Air Elemental, Hippogriff

Summon Monster 3: Eagle, Giant, Owl, Giant

Summon Monster 4: Arrowhawk, Juvenile, Medium Air Elemental

Summon Monster 5: Arrowhawk, Adult, Griffon, Large Air Elemental

Summon Monster 6: Huge Air Elemental

Summon Monster 7: Arrowhawk, Elder, Greater Air Elemental

Summon Monster 8: Roc

Summon Monster 9: Elder Air Elemental

5th level: Gift of Flight (Su): At 5th level the Air Mage gains the power of flight. He may fly at will at his base land speed, with good maneuverability. At 7th level, his flight speed increases to double his base land speed. At 9th level, his maneuverability becomes Perfect. .

6th level: Breathless: At 6th level, the Air Mage no longer needs to breathe, making him immune to drowning, suffocation, and inhaled poisons.

10th level (Su): Call to the Winds: At 10th level, the Air Mage gains the ability to call to the air for aid. As a standard action, once per day, he may summon an Elder air elemental. The elemental has maximum hitpoints, and gains all benefits of the Children of the Sky ability. After 10 rounds, the elemental returns to its home plane.


Spell List:

Air Mage Spells

1st level:
Feather Fall
Obscuring Mist
Shocking Grasp
Whispering Wind

2nd level:
Fog Cloud
Gust of Wind
Levitate

3rd level:
Fly
Gaseous Form
Lightning Bolt
Water Breathing
Wind Wall

4th level:
Air Walk
Freedom of Movement
Solid Fog

5th level:
Cloudkill
Control Winds
Overland Flight


6th level:
Acid Fog
Chain Lightning


7th level:
Control Weather
Wind Walk

8th level:
Incendiary Cloud
Whirlwind

9th level:
Elemental Swarm (Air Only)
Storm of Vengeance

 

[MeiRen]

Its much too weak. Those bonuses are no big deal, especially at level 10+. Letting Wizards qualify at level 5, lose only 1st spellcasting level, compress the bonuses into five levels. That'd do it.

 

[Merlion]

Its much too weak. Those bonuses are no big deal, especially at level 10+. Letting Wizards qualify at level 5, lose only 1st spellcasting level, compress the bonuses into five levels.

I think your underestimating some of the abilities a little, and I think condensing it all into 5 levels would be a little much since you'd be looking at gaining 2 or 3 abilites each level for 5 levels.


I'm curious as to why you see the abilities as weak. Air Magic of course isnt really a big deal...just picking up some extra spells. But the summoning and flight abilites especially seem quite strong to me.

 

[Li Shenron]

I agree, at first sight it is slightly underpowered for at least the following reason (IIUC):

- the spells are added to your list, but a Wiz/Sor already has them all (or almost), so first level gives nothing and misses 1 spellcasting level; it is otherwise a good advantage for Clerics who also automatically KNOW those extra spells, but they have to give up BAB and HD (and I think you didn't mean this PrCl for clerics)

- Whispering Wind is very flavor-cool, but doesn't significantly empower the character

- extra summonable creatures are cool as well, but to change the summon lists is something which isn't worth 4 levels of a PrCls, it is suggested in the DMG and UA to allow specialized lists freely; also, the Wiz/Sor still has to learn all those spells separately to benefit a lot

- gift of flight is good, although in average adventures a Fly spell is usually enough; a good ability, but not to overestimate (you're at least lv12th here)

- at the time you get the polymorphing ability you're level 17th and as such any wiz/sor can cast Shapechange, although it won't give the S.L.A. IIRc; as such, it is equivalent at best to a free known spell

It is quite ok after all, and the "not need to breathe" can be really huge. You can keep it this way, but I'd suggest not to have blank levels like the first and to have more gradual appearance of the features, like you did with the caster level bonus (for example, allowing a graduality in the flight ability and the polymorph).

 

[tjoneslo]

Ok...I like elemental magic, and the concept of an elemental mage, especially Air. The Elemental Savant is ok, but my big problem with it is that its more like an Energy Savant...most of the abilities enhance your spells of a wedded energy type...an Air Savant isnt any better at casting Fog Cloud than the next person. Nor does it allow you enhanced access to the spells of your element. Also, the whole "transformational" part doesnt really appeal much to me...getting the movement abilities is nifty, but slowing taking on the characteristics of the Elemental type isnt really what I am looking for.

Ohh, look another test for the class construction guide:

Air Mage: Hit Dice d4 (10), 2 skill points per level (5), 15 class skills (6), Poor BAB (15), one good save (13), no armor (0), no weapons (0), +8 caster levels (24), Air Magic (0), voices of the air (5), Air Power (6), Childern of the sky (2), Gifr of flight (7.5), breathless (4), one with the air (2), requires one skill at 7th level (-4), requires one skill at 2nd level (-1), requires one feat (-1), requires a language (-0.5), requires casting 4th level spells (-4), requires minor quest (-1), Total: 88.

So the system agrees with the other posters. Average prestige class is about 115 points, so this falls somewhat short. It would fit nicely into a five level prestige class.

 

[Merlion]

Ok I made some changes. Removed the transforming into an air elemental. Added a gaseous form ability. Added increases at certain levels to the flight ability. Added summoning an uber elder air elemental at 10th level.