PrC rant...
A few questions:
1) What can a War Mage do? Does it cast spells isn the usual manner (X per leve/per day)? Does it cast spontaneously? I'm kinda boycotting 3.5...
2) Do you mind OGL sources?
3) Do you mind using a 3.0 PrC? It's easy enough to convert.
4) Do you expect mass combat?
I know of an OGL PrC for sorcerers called the Artillerist. It is strictly a spell caster PrC, with all the usual penalties. It DOES negate the extended spellcasting time, and allow you to reignite previously cast spells (area effect, cast no later than one round ago) at half effectiveness as a move action. You get to cast three spells a round (standard, quickened, and reignition). It also gives bonus metamagic feats (two I believe). Later levels allow you give become immune to your own spells, and pass that immuniity on to x friends for a short time.
The same book has an OGL PrC for Sorcerer's called the Arcane Blade. You have to be able to cast Armor, True Strike, Cat's Grace , and Bull's Strength. The PrC revolves around improving the effects of these spells, allowing you to enter melee combat (the Armor spell gives a +4 AC + 1 per x levels of Arcane Blade, for example). I believe it comes with a d6 HD and average BaB. You gain a decent spellcasting progression as well.
I also know of another OGL PrC called the Eldritch Swordsman. There is a 3.5 version of this out there. The PrC gives braided spells (mutliple spells cast at once, extends the casting time) and linked spells (think AD&D's fighter specialist weapon attack progression[3 attacks every 2 rounds]). It even gives you a magic sword that improves in ability as you progress. The catch with this class has to cast their spells by damaging a target with your magic weapon (you still have poor BaB, offset by the weapon). The spells effect is centered on said target (you are conveniently immune to your own spell effects). You also have to be able to cast 5th level spells and have a Spellcraft base skill of +13 before you qualify.
You also have to sacrifice magic items to improve your spellblade. You have a magic cloak that diffuses damage, but you have to sacrifice prepared spell slots to do this. Your spells available is also restricted. While you can spontaneously cast any spell from the
Book of War without memorization, those are the only spells you can cast. These spells are meant for war (think big, bad, and bloody!), and lack the subtlty of illusions and charm spells. Some even come with different abilities (streaming area of effect, mobile eminations, etc).
Also, the PrC tends to rewrite how you cast spells (you cast and have spells per day as a wizard, regardless of your previous class). You do get to add metamagic feats without added casting time, or increasing spell level, per se (Say you want to Maximize a Fireball. You can do it as a standard action, using a third level spell slot for the spell and a second level spell slot for the feat [or two first level spell slots]).
Needless to say, this PrC goes through spells per day extremely fast, but it is designed to enter combat and guarantee that a specific target (or group of targets
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
) is destroyed. This mage can easily destroy a company (if not a battalion) single handedly.
This PrC also has another variant called the Battlemage. Basically your standard mage on crack (so your spells have a range, but your not immune to your spells). Similar abilities to the Eldritch Swordsman, without have to get up close and personal. However, they do have to use an item called a Mortis Harness. Using it takes the place of Somatic components, but they can't cast without it. The runes on this harness are also prone to overload if you cast more than four spells of any given level.
Both classes suffer from very expensive spell components, but it is assumed that the character is part of a guild. They can purchase components from them. Same with the blown runes (you may even want to buy spells early).
, it just gives me more information. I was mainly interested in the Battlemage and the Artillerist. Being a warmage, I only cast damaging spells like acid orb or magic missle, I can't cast anything like bull's strength or mage armor or cat's grace and so on. Thanks for all the info though.
