Arcane Blade [Archive] - Wizards Community

Arcane Blade [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Greatbear
08-28-06, 12:12 AM This is a variant on the Hexblade from Complete Warrior. I came up with the idea for it after looking at the duskblade in PHBII and saw that it was a little too powerful for my tastes. Any comments on this would be appreciated.

Arcane Blade
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills
The arcane blade’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

BAB: +1/level (as fighter)
Fort Save: Poor
Will Save: Poor
Ref Save: Good

––—— Spells per Day ——–—
Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1st — — — —
2nd 0 — — —
3rd 1 — — —
4th 2 0 — —
5th 3 1 — —
6th 3 2 — —
7th 3 2 0 —
8th 3 3 1 —
9th 3 3 2 —
10th 3 3 2 0
11th 3 3 3 1
12th 3 3 3 2
13th 3 3 3 2
14th 3 3 3 3
15th 4 3 3 3
16th 4 4 3 3
17th 4 4 4 3
18th 4 4 4 4
19th 4 4 4 4
20th 4 4 4 4

Table: Arcane Blade Spells Known
Spells Known
Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1st — — — —
2nd 21 — — —
3rd 3 — — —
4th 3 21 — —
5th 4 3 — —
6th 4 3 — —
7th 4 4 21 —
8th 4 4 3 —
9th 4 4 3 —
10th 4 4 4 21
11th 4 4 4 3
12th 4 4 4 3
13th 4 4 4 4
14th 4 4 4 4
15th 4 4 4 4
16th 5 4 4 4
17th 5 5 4 4
18th 5 5 5 4
19th 5 5 5 5
20th 5 5 5 5

1 Provided the arcane blade has a high enough Charisma score to have a bonus spell of this level.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: an arcane blade is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Arcane blades are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). An arcane blade can cast arcane blade spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance because the gestures for his spells are severely limited. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane blade wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass arcane blade still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Magic Weapon: Once per day, an arcane blade can use Magic Weapon as a spell-like ability. His caster level is equal to his class level. At fifth level and every five levels thereafter, he can use this ability one more time per day (Maximum of 5 times/day at 20th level). At 10th level, it becomes Greater Magic Weapon. This is a spell-like ability.

Bonus Feat: At 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels, the arcane blade gains a bonus feat. This feat may be any of the following: Combat Casting, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, or any metamagic feat. He must meet any prerequisites for his bonus feats.

Arcane Resistance: At 2nd level, the arcane blade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum of +1) on all saves vs. spells and spell-like effects.

Spells: Starting at second level, an arcane blade casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the arcane blade spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Every arcane blade spell has a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music). To learn or cast a spell, an arcane blade must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an arcane blade’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the arcane blade’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, an arcane blade can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Arcane Blade. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: Arcane Blade Spells Known indicates that the arcane blade gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level. The arcane blade’s caster level is equal to one half his class level.

The arcane blade’s selection of spells is extremely limited. After first level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Arcane blade Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a arcane blade knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Arcane Blade Spells Known are fixed.)

Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third arcane blade level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), an arcane blade can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the arcane blade “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level arcane blade spell the arcane blade can cast. An arcane blade may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

As noted above, an arcane blade need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.

Mettle: At third level, the arcane blade gains greater resistance to spells and spell-like effects. If he makes a successful Fortitude or Will save against an attack that would result in a lesser effect, such a Will save for partial or Fortitude for half, he instead is not affected. A successful save negates the effect entirely.

Summon Familiar: At 4th level, he gains the ability to summon a familiar as a sorcerer or wizard can. Treat his effective sorcerer level as his arcane blade level minus three for determining the special abilities of his familiar.

Greater Mettle: At 9th level, whenever an arcane blade makes an unsuccessful Fortitude or Will save which would result in a lesser effect, such as Will save for partial or Fortitude for half, he instead suffers only the lesser effect instead of the full effect.

Table: Arcane Blade Spell List
1-level
Alarm
Chill Touch
Enlarge Person
Endure Elements
Expeditious Retreat
Grease
Mage Armor
Magic Weapon
Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
Ray of Enfeeblement
Shield.
True Strike

2-level
Bear’s Endurance
Blindness/Deafness
Blur
Bull’s Strength
Cat’s Grace
Darkvision
Eagle’s Splendor
Ghoul Touch
Protection from Arrows
Resist Energy
Scare

3-level
Blink
Dispel Magic
Displacement
Haste
Heroism
Keen Edge
Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
Magic Weapon, Greater
Protection from Energy
Rage
Slow

4-level
Bestow Curse
Confusion
Contagion
Crushing Despair
Dimension Door
Enlarge Person, Mass
Remove Curse
Resilient Sphere
Solid Fog
Stoneskin
Greatbear
08-28-06, 12:14 AM I messed up and forgot that the boards don't recognize superscripts. What looks like 21's in the spells per day column was supposed to be a 2 with a 1 superscript.
Greatbear
08-29-06, 08:23 PM :bump:
Seerow
08-29-06, 08:28 PM So... a Duskblade with a buff-oriented spell list, less spells per day and a lower spell level, and none of the neat special abilities?

I'd personally just edit the duskblade spell list rather than try to make a new class, but if this is what works for you, I'd say it's a more than fair trade off for a better spell list.
Greatbear
08-30-06, 08:02 PM The build is actually off of the hexblade, although I did give it some more spells per day.

You guessed right that the spell list is designed to be focused on buffs instead of necromancy and curses like the hexblade.

Is it significantly underpowered? I thought about allowing the class to select fighter feats for its bonus feat slots. Would that be too much?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Greatbear 08-28-06, 12:12 AM	This is a variant on the Hexblade from Complete Warrior. I came up with the idea for it after looking at the duskblade in PHBII and saw that it was a little too powerful for my tastes. Any comments on this would be appreciated. Arcane Blade Alignment: Any Hit Die: d10. Class Skills The arcane blade’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha). Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. BAB: +1/level (as fighter) Fort Save: Poor Will Save: Poor Ref Save: Good ––—— Spells per Day ——–— Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st — — — — 2nd 0 — — — 3rd 1 — — — 4th 2 0 — — 5th 3 1 — — 6th 3 2 — — 7th 3 2 0 — 8th 3 3 1 — 9th 3 3 2 — 10th 3 3 2 0 11th 3 3 3 1 12th 3 3 3 2 13th 3 3 3 2 14th 3 3 3 3 15th 4 3 3 3 16th 4 4 3 3 17th 4 4 4 3 18th 4 4 4 4 19th 4 4 4 4 20th 4 4 4 4 Table: Arcane Blade Spells Known Spells Known Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st — — — — 2nd 21 — — — 3rd 3 — — — 4th 3 21 — — 5th 4 3 — — 6th 4 3 — — 7th 4 4 21 — 8th 4 4 3 — 9th 4 4 3 — 10th 4 4 4 21 11th 4 4 4 3 12th 4 4 4 3 13th 4 4 4 4 14th 4 4 4 4 15th 4 4 4 4 16th 5 4 4 4 17th 5 5 4 4 18th 5 5 5 4 19th 5 5 5 5 20th 5 5 5 5 1 Provided the arcane blade has a high enough Charisma score to have a bonus spell of this level. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: an arcane blade is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Arcane blades are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). An arcane blade can cast arcane blade spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance because the gestures for his spells are severely limited. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane blade wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass arcane blade still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. Magic Weapon: Once per day, an arcane blade can use Magic Weapon as a spell-like ability. His caster level is equal to his class level. At fifth level and every five levels thereafter, he can use this ability one more time per day (Maximum of 5 times/day at 20th level). At 10th level, it becomes Greater Magic Weapon. This is a spell-like ability. Bonus Feat: At 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels, the arcane blade gains a bonus feat. This feat may be any of the following: Combat Casting, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, or any metamagic feat. He must meet any prerequisites for his bonus feats. Arcane Resistance: At 2nd level, the arcane blade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum of +1) on all saves vs. spells and spell-like effects. Spells: Starting at second level, an arcane blade casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the arcane blade spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. Every arcane blade spell has a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music). To learn or cast a spell, an arcane blade must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an arcane blade’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the arcane blade’s Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, an arcane blade can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Arcane Blade. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. When Table: Arcane Blade Spells Known indicates that the arcane blade gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level. The arcane blade’s caster level is equal to one half his class level. The arcane blade’s selection of spells is extremely limited. After first level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Arcane blade Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a arcane blade knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Arcane Blade Spells Known are fixed.) Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third arcane blade level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), an arcane blade can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the arcane blade “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level arcane blade spell the arcane blade can cast. An arcane blade may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level. As noted above, an arcane blade need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level. Mettle: At third level, the arcane blade gains greater resistance to spells and spell-like effects. If he makes a successful Fortitude or Will save against an attack that would result in a lesser effect, such a Will save for partial or Fortitude for half, he instead is not affected. A successful save negates the effect entirely. Summon Familiar: At 4th level, he gains the ability to summon a familiar as a sorcerer or wizard can. Treat his effective sorcerer level as his arcane blade level minus three for determining the special abilities of his familiar. Greater Mettle: At 9th level, whenever an arcane blade makes an unsuccessful Fortitude or Will save which would result in a lesser effect, such as Will save for partial or Fortitude for half, he instead suffers only the lesser effect instead of the full effect. Table: Arcane Blade Spell List 1-level Alarm Chill Touch Enlarge Person Endure Elements Expeditious Retreat Grease Mage Armor Magic Weapon Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law Ray of Enfeeblement Shield. True Strike 2-level Bear’s Endurance Blindness/Deafness Blur Bull’s Strength Cat’s Grace Darkvision Eagle’s Splendor Ghoul Touch Protection from Arrows Resist Energy Scare 3-level Blink Dispel Magic Displacement Haste Heroism Keen Edge Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law Magic Weapon, Greater Protection from Energy Rage Slow 4-level Bestow Curse Confusion Contagion Crushing Despair Dimension Door Enlarge Person, Mass Remove Curse Resilient Sphere Solid Fog Stoneskin
Greatbear 08-28-06, 12:14 AM	I messed up and forgot that the boards don't recognize superscripts. What looks like 21's in the spells per day column was supposed to be a 2 with a 1 superscript.
Greatbear 08-29-06, 08:23 PM	:bump:
Seerow 08-29-06, 08:28 PM	So... a Duskblade with a buff-oriented spell list, less spells per day and a lower spell level, and none of the neat special abilities? I'd personally just edit the duskblade spell list rather than try to make a new class, but if this is what works for you, I'd say it's a more than fair trade off for a better spell list.
Greatbear 08-30-06, 08:02 PM	The build is actually off of the hexblade, although I did give it some more spells per day. You guessed right that the spell list is designed to be focused on buffs instead of necromancy and curses like the hexblade. Is it significantly underpowered? I thought about allowing the class to select fighter feats for its bonus feat slots. Would that be too much?