The Anti-Magic Mage

[Corlon]

I've always liked the idea of a forsaker, but since he can't use magic at all, he can't use the best stuff for destroying magic.

Antimagic field, dispel magic, greater dispel magic, intelligent items that want to kill all magic.

So I thought of a cool prestige class, the Anti-Magic Mage.

This mage uses magic to destroy magic. At first I thought of it as a forsaker kind of thing, but then it was pointed out to me that it might not make sense, "I hate magic, so I will use it."

So more ideas came up that the character might think that magic is an all powerful force, and if he is the only one that controls it, he will be all powerful.

But whatever their reason is, the Anti-Magic Mages use magic to destroy it.

He may get More dispellings per day, spells that hurt spellcasters and drain their slots and stuff. More counterspelling goodness, and mabye shooting orbs of anti-magic.

Or mabye go even as far as making a different type of magic, anti-magic. There's normal magic, battle magic, shadowweave magic, all from various books, but anit magic could be a cool addition.

I'll work on it when I have the time, but in the mean time Any ideaz?

 

[Jeph]

Interesting concept. Maybe he could be of the opinion that only an elite few are the True Magi, and everyone else who uses magic needs to be firmly chastised, and if they won't convert, have their ass kicked? A few special ability ideas . . .

prerequisites:
Knowledge (Arcana): 10 ranks
Spellcraft: 10 ranks
Feats: Spell Focus (Abjuration)
Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd level Arcane spells, able to cast Dispell Magic as an Arcane spell

Hit Die: d4
Skills: As Wizard
Saves: Will good
BAB: Low
Spellcasting: +1 level of existing class at every even numbered level


Lv     Special
1      Spell Resistance, Smite Magi 1/day
2      Improeved Dispelling (+2)
3      Arcane Feedback (d4/DC 15)
4      Smite Magi 2/day
5      Improved Dispelling (+4)
6      Arcane Feedback (d8/DC 20)
7      Smite Magi 3/day
8      Improved Dispelling (+6)
9      Arcane Feedback (d12/DC 25)
10     Smite Magi 4/day

Spell Resistance: SR = 10 + Cha modifier + class level

Smite Magi: Add Charisma bonus to attack, and class level to damage once per day. Only used against arcane casters. Can be used with any Target spell or spell that requires an attack roll.

Improved Dispelling: You gain this bonus to caster level checks when using Dispell Magic.

Arcane Feedback: Whenever an Arcane spellcaster fails to beat your SR, they take the listed die plus the level of the spell which they tried to cast on you in damage. If they succeed at a Will save (with the listed DC), they take half damage.

Thoughts?

 

[Corlon]

hmm, all that looks cool except for smite magi... I don't really like that for some reason. Plus why just arcane spells, you should be able to hit divine people too, even if some don't.

How about instead of smite, they get anit-magic channeling(1, 2, 3, and 4) abilities, letting them counter with dispel with attacks of opportunity, shaping anti-magic fields, etc. all at different levels.

Making a table that the mage could choose from could make the class more flexible.

Here's one.
Improved Counterspelling:
prereqs: none
benefit: Once per round, the Anti-Magic Mage can counter a spell as normal, but by using up an attack of opportunity instead of having to ready an action. The mage may not ready an action and use this ability in a round.

Counterspelling Mastery
prereqs: Improved Counterspelling
benefit: as Improved Counterspelling except the Anti-Magic Mage can counter a number of spells equal to 1+ 1/2 his anti-magic mage levels (as long as he has that many attacks of opportunity.)

Anti-Magic Placement
prereqs:none
benefit: The range of anti magic field becomes touch and no longer personal. The spell can now be placed on objects or other creatures (will save for involuntary).

Improved Anti-Magic Placement
prereqs: Anti-Magic Placement
benefit: As Anti-Magic Placement, except that the range is now close.

Anti-Magic Placement Mastery
prereqs: Improved Anti-Magic Placement
benefit: Range is now medium

Anti-Magic Shaping
prereqs: none
benefit: The mage can remove squares of the anti-magic field at the time of the casting, and these stay the same throughout the entire casting.

Improved Anti-Magic Shaping
prereqs: Anti-Magic Shaping
benefit: The mage can now shape the field in any way he wishes as long as the number of squares taken up isn't bigger than normally allowed.

and come to think of it, how about the only thing the mage gets is spell resistance, and then one ability every level.


ideaz, comments, criticism?

 

[Corlon]

Improved Dispelling
prereqs: none
benefit: +2 to all dispel checks

Dispelling Mastery
prereqs: Improved Dispelling
benefit: additional +2 to all dispel checks

Improved Dispelling Master
prereqs: Dispelling Mastery
benefit: yet another addition +2 to all dispel checks

Arcane Feedback:
prereqs: none
benefit: Whenever an Arcane spellcaster fails to beat your SR, they take 1d4 plus the level of the spell which they tried to cast on you in damage. If they succeed at a Will save (DC15), they take half damage.

Improved Arcane Feedback
prereqs: Arcane Feedback
benefit: as Arcane feedback, except 1d8 damage, and DC 20

Arcane Feedback Mastery
prereqs: Improved Arcane Feedback
benefit: as Arcane feedback, except 1d12 damage, and DC25

Smite Magi
prereqs: none
benefit: once per day, the Anti-Magic Mage adds his Charisma bonus to attack, and class level to damage. Only used against spellcasters. Can be used with any Target spell or spell that requires an attack roll.

Extra Smite Magi
prereqs: Smite Magi
benefit: the Mage can smite Magi one more time per day
special: can be taken multiple times, each time adding one additional use.

Anti-Magic Spell
prereqs: none
benefit: by using up a spell slot that could be used to cast a dispel magic spell, you may imbue and other spell with anti-magic powers. This gives dispel magic the radius, range, and save of the spell cast (if you have spell focus evocation, and you imbue a fireball, it upgrades it) in addition to the normal spell effect. These spells are also uncounterable except by a dispel or greater dispel magic, and even then the character gets a +4 to the opposed check.

Improved Anti-Magic Spell
prereqs: Anti-Magic Spell
benefit: As Anti-Magic Spell except that the dispel spell uses up a slot one level lower (this is useless to wizards unless they get instant anti-magic, see below)

Instant Anti-Magic
prereqs: none
benefit: Any anti-magic or dispel spell my now be cast spontaneously by the Anti-Magic Mage.

Disrupt Magic
prereqs: Anti-Magic Mage lv 5+
benefit: Any spells dispeled or countered by the Anti-Magic Mage don't simply dissapear, but lash out and destroy things. When they are countered they deal 1d4 damage per spell level to everyone within 5ft. of the spell (in cases of countering, count the 5ft. radius as eminating from the caster) unless they make a reflex save (DC normal for the countering or dispel spell cast) for half damage.

How are these going so far?
Are some a bit too powerful?
Right now a lower spell slot for dispel spells looks a bit powerful to me...

 

[Corlon]

Anti-Magic Enlargement
prereqs: none
benefit: The anti-magic mage's anti magic fields are increased by 5ft. in every direction

Improved Anti-Magic Enlargement
prereqs: Anti-Magic Enlargement
benefit: fields increased by an additional 5ft.

Anti-Magic Mastery
prereqs: Anti-Magic Mage level 10+, Improved Anti-Magic Enlargement, Disrupt Magic, Anti-Magic Shaping, Anti-Magic placement
benefit: By expending a level nine spell, the Anti-Magic mage can once per day make an anti-magic field through which he can cast spells.


Someone comment!

 

[MarauderX]

Ok, let me chime in.

Why would the Anti-mage cast any spells at all? I was thinking that the Anti-mage would absorb spells, like a black hole, soaking up spell after spell (for possible reuse?) To me this PrC would be more of Sorcerer that wants to negate all of the other spellcaster's abilities, with the motivation to remove all magic within the world, as they might see magic is evil or in much the same way a monk would feel about money. The PrC will need some thought, but I like where this is going.

This one is a take-off from the Improved Dispeling:

Magic Drain
prereq: Anti-Mage Level 5
benefit: The anti-mage can drain magic weapons and items of its power. Effect is temporary on permanent items for 1 hour, and for each full round can remove a +1 or item special ability. Mage can destroy scrolls and 1 charge from wands, staffs, etc. for every full round in contact.

 

[Corlon]

Yeah, he could be like that, but as I said they have different reasons.

One example being that after all the magic was destroyed, he would be the all powerful one wielding it, so we could make some "black-hole" type abilities, and if the character wanted more dispelling power, mabye we could make up some more spells, becasue there are really only 3-5 anti-spell spells.

Improved anti-magic field
prereqs: improved dispelling, disrupt magic
benefit: The anti-magic fields created by the mage don't only surpress but destroy magic that enters them, any magic entering the field is automatically surpressed (as the spell) but is also targeted by a dispel check (as the third level spell in all aspects)

Improved absorb spell
prereqs: absorb spell (spells and spellcraft), anti-magic mage lv 3+
benefit: the mage gets a +4 to will saves made to absorb a spell.

 

[Corlon]

one hundred and sixty six views, and only two other people have been posting?

even if you don't have any additions or reductions, someone please comment if they think it's good/bad, cool/dumb, balance/unbalanced

 

[MarauderX]

How about Silence 15'? It may not be anti-magic, but it would be anti-mage. It conjures up the image of a hundred clerics bombarding the magic school with silence before an assault, and no one would hear a word.

 

[Rahkan]

Ok, let me chime in.

Why would the Anti-mage cast any spells at all? I was thinking that the Anti-mage would absorb spells, like a black hole, soaking up spell after spell (for possible reuse?) To me this PrC would be more of Sorcerer that wants to negate all of the other spellcaster's abilities, with the motivation to remove all magic within the world, as they might see magic is evil or in much the same way a monk would feel about money. The PrC will need some thought, but I like where this is going.

I really like this idea, but it should definately be open to any class. Nobody who enters the prestige class could cast magic though, however if they were a pure caster before (arcane or divine, but not ranger, paladin, or bard) then they can do a blackguard type thing where they change in levels of their former class for Anti-Mage levels or other special abilities. In my humble opinion the Anti-Mage would be exactly like you say, basically a black hole for spells, with the additional caveat that he also has spell-like abilities (such as dispel magic, greater dispelling, anti-magic field, and silence) that counter magic. Perhaps he uses the spell levels he absorbs in order to use those abilities? Or perhaps anyone who joins the class gets spell absorption powers, but only those who previously could cast spells could get the spell-like abilities (in return for giving up all caster levels of course) and the amount of abilities they would get would be equivalent to the amount of spell power they had before.

This latter is good because in its core form the Anti-Mage would just be like the Forsaker, basically immune or nearly immune to magic, and would have a decent BAB. But if its takers previously had spellcasting ability then of course they wouldn't want to lose all their power just for that, so the power they lose is balanced out by the power they gain in terms of spell-like abilities. The only problem is that, spell level for spell level, divine casters are weaker than arcane casters (though they make up for it with better BAB and armor). This model allows for a wide variety of anti-magical styles instead of the limited model in which you can only be a Forsaker (anti-magical warrior) or Anti-Mage (anti-magical wizard).