Rate my "Quick and Dirty" warrior wizard.

[JiffyPopTart]

I'm starting a new somewhat-non-by-the-book campaign. I want the players to play anything they want, within reason. I am more interested in them being happy with their characters rathern than them being straightjacketed by the rules.

So a player said he wanted to be a wizard, but wanted to be able to fight a little better than a wizard can. He also doesn't like the bookkeeping of memorizing spells.

Rate my quick-and-dirty fighter/wizard variant...

LOSE FROM THE WIZARD ABILITIES
-Familiars
-All Bonus feats for level progression

GAIN TO THE WIZARD ABILITIES
-Can cast in light armor, and light armor proficiency. Shields still have spell failure, as does heavier armor.
-D6 instead of D4 HP
-Cleric BAB instead of the Wizards

This alone seems like a fair trade in spell ability for a minor bit of fighting ability. But then I had to address the "Hates to memorize" issue. Here was my variant "Quick and dirty spontaneous casting" based loosely on Unearthed Arcana spell points.

To figure spell points per day...
1. Calculate number of total spell levels you can cast based on the chart for the wizard including bonus spells for high stats (0 level spells counted as 1/2 a spell point).
2. Multiply the number of spell levels by 2/3rds rounding up. This is the penalty for spontaneous casting.
3. You have no "maximum number of spells known" like a sorcerer, instead you have a spell book mechanic like a wizard.
4. Since you spontaneously cast, you don't actually have a spellbook, instead you have magical runes inscribed on your skin representing spells you have learned in your lifetime. The cost of a rune is the exact same as the cost of scribing a spell in the spellbook. Effectively your skin is your spellbook.
5. Cast away.

Seem balanced (or fairly balanced anyway)?

DS

 

[Gordo]

good start

I'm starting a new somewhat-non-by-the-book campaign. I want the players to play anything they want, within reason. I am more interested in them being happy with their characters rathern than them being straightjacketed by the rules.

So a player said he wanted to be a wizard, but wanted to be able to fight a little better than a wizard can. He also doesn't like the bookkeeping of memorizing spells.

Rate my quick-and-dirty fighter/wizard variant...

LOSE FROM THE WIZARD ABILITIES
-Familiars
-All Bonus feats for level progression

GAIN TO THE WIZARD ABILITIES
-Can cast in light armor, and light armor proficiency. Shields still have spell failure, as does heavier armor.
-D6 instead of D4 HP
-Cleric BAB instead of the Wizards

This alone seems like a fair trade in spell ability for a minor bit of fighting ability. But then I had to address the "Hates to memorize" issue. Here was my variant "Quick and dirty spontaneous casting" based loosely on Unearthed Arcana spell points.

To figure spell points per day...
1. Calculate number of total spell levels you can cast based on the chart for the wizard including bonus spells for high stats (0 level spells counted as 1/2 a spell point).
2. Multiply the number of spell levels by 2/3rds rounding up. This is the penalty for spontaneous casting.
3. You have no "maximum number of spells known" like a sorcerer, instead you have a spell book mechanic like a wizard.
4. Since you spontaneously cast, you don't actually have a spellbook, instead you have magical runes inscribed on your skin representing spells you have learned in your lifetime. The cost of a rune is the exact same as the cost of scribing a spell in the spellbook. Effectively your skin is your spellbook.
5. Cast away.

Seem balanced (or fairly balanced anyway)?

DS

I like a lot of it. Here's some ideas to consider.

-Drop armor proficiencies of any type in favor of either a monk-esque bonus to AC, or try applying your prime stat (CHA?) to AC, or both (phased in over multiple levels).
-don't gain access to higher level spells (6+ ?); instead consider both add SR and DR/magic at higher levels.
-maybe add the ability to spontaneously drop prepared spells in favor of combat bonuses (to hit, damage, defense)
-have them proficient with all simple weapons plus 1 additional, and let that be anything, martial, exotic, etc. why? for flavor, mainly. at a higher level, have a weapon bond that after requisite time and xp, can act as a spell focus which amplifies power, or acts as a reservoir for storing spells or can trigger spells, or something like that.
-maybe restrict the spells to movement, combat bonus and warrior-ish stuff like that.
-as far as spell progression/# of spells per level, maybe base the whole thing off the ranger -- the same with BAB too.
-offer progression in combat style like the ranger, and include the 2 that come with the ranger, but also those available for the swashbuckler, too. open it right up, add flavor and personalization.
-skills? dunno, yet.

basically, i'd see this as a non-wilderness ranger - combined arms & magic, highly skilled in a particular mode of combat. can toss in a few spells to supplement combat.

overall, a real good start i think.

cheers!

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

If bonding to a weapon and casting spells through it is your thing, check out the Mageblade from Arcana Unearthed (NOT Unearthed Arcana). They cast spells in all armor, but only start out proficient with light. They become proficient with medium at level 7, and get to mive full speed in it. Their spells go to 7th, and their bonded weapon automatically increases in enhancement bonus, to +5 at 20th, and can be ensorceled with other things.

 

[tensen]

This seems like the Warmage from the Miniatures handbook... only with more versatility. Seems like you are giving too much to the class, and not enough penalties.

 

[TracerBullet42]

Take a look at the battle sorcerer variant in Unearthed Arcana. It's pretty much how you described what you want to do.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I like a lot of it. Here's some ideas to consider.

-Drop armor proficiencies of any type in favor of either a monk-esque bonus to AC, or try applying your prime stat (CHA?) to AC, or both (phased in over multiple levels).
-don't gain access to higher level spells (6+ ?); instead consider both add SR and DR/magic at higher levels.
-maybe add the ability to spontaneously drop prepared spells in favor of combat bonuses (to hit, damage, defense)
-have them proficient with all simple weapons plus 1 additional, and let that be anything, martial, exotic, etc. why? for flavor, mainly. at a higher level, have a weapon bond that after requisite time and xp, can act as a spell focus which amplifies power, or acts as a reservoir for storing spells or can trigger spells, or something like that.
-maybe restrict the spells to movement, combat bonus and warrior-ish stuff like that.
-as far as spell progression/# of spells per level, maybe base the whole thing off the ranger -- the same with BAB too.
-offer progression in combat style like the ranger, and include the 2 that come with the ranger, but also those available for the swashbuckler, too. open it right up, add flavor and personalization.
-skills? dunno, yet.

I actually did just what you said with the all simple and one (actually one melee and one ranged) martial weapon choices.

The "background" of the character is that his tribe grew up in the jungle, where they harvested trees and such that provides the magical ink used to make the arcane tatoos. All members of the tribe learn spellcasting with the tatoos as well as learn basic weapon defence. Some of the tribe are more martial (aka rangers) and others are more magical (aka this quick class).

Skill points I didn't worry about changing, as im giving everyone 4 extra skillpoints per level. I am using a JUNKLOAD of skill checks in my game, so woe be the person with no craft or profession. We already have had the monk adding ranks to Craft: Origami after the first adventure.

John Q: Don't have AU, just UA. Sounds like something Gordo might want to try out.

Tensen: I don't think ive given too much. I almost felt bad about reducing spell points by 1/3 instead of 1/4. Losing one out of every 4 spells is a pretty big hit when you are already the least spellified of the major casters. Another non-written balance of the class will be the relative difficulty of finding other spell runes to inscribe on your skin to gain the power. Its not as easy as buying a scroll and tatooing the contents of the scroll on your body. There will also be a finite amount of "pages" on ones skin, unless he gets FAT. Hmmm.....**Fiendishly thinking about rules for that bit**

Tracerbullet42: You know, after re-reading that, thats probably where I got most of my ideas from. I got that book a couple weeks ago and read through it but it was info overload. It is indeed almost exactly what I did, although I think the huge limit of even less "spells known per level" makes the sorcerer balanced but more boring. Since the other three party members are a werebear, a hound archon, and a monk I really am more interested in everyone liking their character and having fun more than I am in anything else.

Thanks for your look-sees, guys (and possibly gals).

DS

 

[Nifft]

I second the Mageblade from Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed. In fact, try out the whole system, with its spells broken into Simple, Complex and Exotic.

You'll be playing "by-the-book", but it's a different book.

-- N

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Must...stop...spending all disposable income....on....miniatures!

I was in rare luck form today. I purchased my 5th and 6th pack of Dragoneye and in the 5th pack was a Black Dragon and in the 6th was the holy-of-holies, the Red Dragon.

The gods were pleased!

DS