Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Drachasor 04-12-07, 02:57 PM	Here's a prestige class I am working on for a character I am playing. This campaign uses a heavily reduced magic system for wizards (see my signature). I've tried to adapt the entry requirements to reflect a more standard D&D world though. Note that in this game Wizards have 3/4 BAB and 4 skill points per level (beyond level 5 they have significantly less magic each day though). So consider that a translation to a more normal D&D game another caster level might need to be lost and the BAB might need to be reduced to 3/4. I'd also note that in this campaign you really can't have more than one prestige class, so one can't dip into other prestigue classes. Some of the abilities are based off of the Abjurant Champion (but toned down significantly), Imbue Weapon is akin to Channel Spell, and he has one ability a bit similar to the Empowering/Quickening Stike of the Jade Pheonix Mage. Entry Requirements Base Attack Bonus: +5 (Might need to be +4 in a normal D&D game) Feats: Weapon Focus, one Metamagic Feat Skills: Concentration 10 Ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 3rd level spells Special: Must have School Focus or be Specialized in Abjuration or Transmutation. Must be proficient in all Martial weapons. Class Stuff: HD: d6 (maybe d4?) Skills: 2 + Int (It's 4 + Int in my DM's world, but wizards are weaker and have 4 SPs/level) Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Tumble (Dex) Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spellcasting 1 +1 +2 +0 +2 Aegis, Zemto -- 2 +2 +3 +0 +3 Weapon Adaptability +1 Previous Arcane Casting class Swift Defenses 3 +3 +3 +1 +3 Imbue Weapon (Lesser) +1 Previous Arcane Casting class 4 +4 +4 +1 +4 End. Spirit +1 Previous Arcane Casting class 5 +5 +4 +1 +4 Elemental Blow +1 Previous Arcane Casting class 6 +6 +5 +2 +5 Imbue Weapon (Greater) +1 Previous Arcane Casting class 7 +7 +5 +2 +5 Rapid Recovery +1 Previous Arcane Casting class 8 +8 +6 +2 +6 Empowering Blow +1 Previous Arcane Casting class 9 +9 +6 +3 +6 Imbue Weapon (Lesser*2) +1 Previous Arcane Casting class 10 +10 +7 +3 +7 Extra Zemto, +1 Previous Arcane Casting class Quickening Blow Spellcasting: At each level beyond the first, you gain new spells per day, an increase in caster level, and spell points as if you gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not gain any other other benefits a character of that class would have gained. Aegis (Su): This ability only affects spells with a duration where you1 are the target. Whenever you cast such a spell, the duration is doubled as if it was affected by the Extend Spell feat. This costs no additional spell points. If the spell has other targets besides yourself, they do not receive this benefit. For example, when casting Mage Armor on yourself, it lasts for 2 hours per Caster Level, instead of 1 hour per caster level. If you cast it on someone else, it only lasts for 1 hour per Caster Level. If you cast it on your Familiar, it still lasts for 2 hours per Caster Level. Additionally, this ability can improve any spell you have cast which grants an Armor Bonus to your AC. As part of casting the spell, you can add an Enhancement Bonus to the Armor Bonus granted equal to the Enhancement Bonus of one piece of equipment you are currently wearing. If you stop wearing that equipment that has this enhancement bonus, then you lose this bonus. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. Example: Durath is a 1st Level Barbarian/6th level Wizard/4th level Eldritch Champion. He is wearing a Robe +3. Without any spells, his Armor Bonus to his AC is +3 – +0 from the Robe, but +3 from the enhancement bonus on it. When he casts Mage Armor on himself, he Armor Bonus to AC increases to +4. If he uses this ability, then he can increase this bonus to +7 -- +4 from the Mage Armor by itself, and +3 from the enhancement bonus his has applied to his Mage Armor. If he removes his Robe, his Armor Bonus drops back down to +4. Zemto (Sp): At first level, the Eldritch Champion learns to easily use small, magical tricks. From now on you have a number of special Cantrip slots equal to 1/2 Class Level + Charisma Modifier. In these slots you can prepare any 0th or 1st level spell that has a casting time of a Swift or Immediate Action. You must be able to target yourself with the spell. You cannot prepare two of the same spell in these slots. Like normal spells, once used a Zemto is expended. However, by spending one full round concentrating, you can recover all of your expended Zemto (this does not change the spells prepared in each slot). If you are damaged during this round, you must pass a concentration check as though you were damaged while casting a 3rd level spell. Failure means you recover no Zemto. By spending 5 minutes you can change the Zemto you have prepared. You can do this any time during the day. Each level you gain in Eldritch Champion, you learn one spell that can be used as a Zemto. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. Weapon Adaptability (Su): As a Eldritch Champion your understanding and experience with the malleable nature of magic allows you to adjust yourself in other ways. Each morning as you prepare new spells, you can also alter your mind's weapon training. This allows you to change the designated weapon for any feat that you possess to another weapon which you possess. For instance, Weapon Focus(longsword) could be changed to Weapon Focus(Great Sword) – as long as you have a Great Sword on hand. You can change as many of these feats as you want, in any order you want. You must still meet the prerequisites for all feats you possess when you are done (e.g. Proficiency, feat requirements). Unlike spell preparation, you cannot choose to leave some feats “open” to be changed later in the day. Note that this is a supernatural ability, and as such cannot be performed in a dead magic area. Swift Defenses (Su): Whenever you cast certain spells that have you as the sole target, can cast the spell as a swift action. Beyond the restriction on the targets, the spell must be from a school in which you are specialized or have School Focus, and it must be from a spell level equal to or less than your Class Level / 3 (rounded up). This ability works only on spells that can be Quickened, though you do not need to know the Quicken Spell feat to use this ability. Example: Durath, the above 1st Level Barbarian/6th level Wizard/4th level Eldritch Champion can swift-cast 1st and 2nd level Wizard Spells, though he has access to spells of up to 5th level. He also is specialized or has School Focus in Transmutation and Abjuration. Therefore he can cast any 0th, 1st, or 2nd level Abjuration or Transmutation spell on himself or his familiar as a swift action (assuming the spell can be quickened). If he wants to cast such a spell on someone else, it takes the normal casting time. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. Imbue Weapon (Lesser)(Su): This ability allows you to imbue a weapon with one spell that is targeted, ray effect, a touch attack, or ranged touch attack. The spell chosen must have a casting time of one-standard action or less. Imbuing a weapon with the spell takes a full-round action. Any time the weapon strikes a creature (or object), you can choose to release the spell as a free action. A released spell affects the creature as if you just cast the spell on him, but no other creatures are affected by the spell. The weapon can only cast this spell once, after which it must be imbued again. At 3rd level, you can only store 1 spell in 1 weapon with this ability. The spell chosen must be equal to or less than your Class Level / 3 (rounded up). The weapon must physically strike the target for this spell to function, so non-thrown ranged weapons generally must have a piece of ammunition imbued for this to work (or you could make a non-proficient melee attack with a bow...) Placing a spell into your weapon takes 1 full round and provokes an attack of opportunity. It expends resources as though you have cast the spell normally, however. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. You must have Weapon Focus in the weapon you use this ability on. Enduring Spirit (Su): Starting at 4th level, you can boost your body's ability to absorb damage. As a swift action, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your character level. These points last for 1 round per Class Level. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. Elemental Blow (Su): On the round after you unleashed a spell from your weapon via the Imbue Weapon ability, you can use Energy Substitution, as the feat, one spell you cast. You can change the energy to Fire, Lightning, or Cold. You need not know the Energy Substitution Feat to use this ability. The Spell must be of a level equal to or less than your Class Level / 3 (rounded up). You cannot use this ability and Empowering Blow or Quickening Blow in the same round. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. Imbue Weapon (Greater)(Su): This functions just like Imbue Weapon (Lesser), but you have no limitation on the level of the spell. You can use both the greater and lesser ability at the same time, but they must be on the same weapon. You cannot release the spell used by this ability in the same round you release a spell from the Imbue Weapon (Lesser) ability. Empowering Blow (Su): On the round after you unleashed a spell from your weapon via the Imbue Weapon ability, you can Empower, as the feat, one spell you cast. You need not know the Empower Spell feat to use this ability. The Spell must be of a level equal to or less than your Class Level / 3 (rounded up). You cannot use this ability and Elemental Blow or Quickening Blow in the same round. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. Imbue Weapon (Lesser*2)(Su): You can now have two spells stored via Imbue Weapon (Lesser) at the same time. They must both be in the same weapon. You cannot release both of your Imbue Weapon (Lesser) spells in the same round. Quickening Blow (Su): On the round after you unleashed a spell from your weapon via the Imbue Weapon ability, you can Quicken, as the feat, one spell you cast. The Spell must be of a level equal to or less than your Class Level / 3 (rounded up). You cannot use this ability and Elemental Blow or Empowering Blow in the same round. You cannot use this ability if you are wearing armor. Extra Zemto (Su): You gain a free Swift action each round, which can only be spent on Zemto. You can use each Zemto twice before it is expended.
Grod_The_Giant 04-12-07, 03:01 PM	the second part of Aegis is confusing me. It makes no sense at all. Zemto seems cool, but also somewhat weak. it would also help to post a list of spells that work with it.
Drachasor 04-12-07, 03:08 PM	My Thoughts: As you can see, the class is aimed for entry upon obtaining level 8. I think the Imbue Weapon bit might need to be a little toned down...though perhaps not in regular D&D play if the BAB was reduced to 3/4 and another Caster Level was removed. Note that most of the abilities only work on relatively low level spells. At level 17, when casters have 9th level spells, you'll only have 8th level spells (at best) and only be able to use most of the abilities on 4th level or lower spells. Swift Defenses mainly allow the character to replace his defenses or get them up quickly. However, he'd largely still suffer a great deal from Dispel Magic and similar effects. This just lessens that suffering. That's the aim anyhow. Weapon Adaptability is definitely not overpowered, imho. It's handy and helps you use new weapons you might come across though. It's much like the Warblade ability. I don't think it is out of place thematically. Enduring Spirit is based off of a Reserve Feat, which basically does the same thing. Since this class only gets a d6 for hit dice, I figure this ability probably isn't too bad. Perhaps I should have it require expending a Zemto to use. That would limit the number of times you can use it in a combat. I think the Zemto ability is relatively harmless. It does allow a bit more mobility and some easy tricks however. The idea was roughly based on maneuvers used by Martial Adept classes, but the Zemto are considerably weaker (though all are quick to use). The Metamagic Blow abilities are just meant to help combine the magical and martial abilities of the class. So they are used together more easily. Hmm, thinking it over, I think I should at least change it so you can only use one Imbue Weapon power in any given round. More tweaking is probably needed, however. -Drachasor
Drachasor 04-12-07, 03:29 PM	the second part of Aegis is confusing me. It makes no sense at all. Zemto seems cool, but also somewhat weak. it would also help to post a list of spells that work with it. I fixed the second part of the Aegis description. Basically it is a much weaker version of Abjurant Champion's ability. The Aegis ability only affects spells that grant an Armor Bonus to AC (such as Mage Armor, so it doesn't affect spells like Shield or Spiderskin). It only works if you are wearing an enchanted robe or similar magical item. If that item has an enhancement bonus to AC (e.g. Robe of Archmagi has a +5 enhancement bonus on it), you can add that enhancement bonus to your spell. So if you are wearing a Robe of Archmagi, then Mage Armor would grant you a +9 bonus to AC, and Greater Mage Armor would give you a +11 Armor bonus to AC. Note that since the Robe of Archmagi's Armor Bonus doesn't stack with this. Basically it allows you to have an item enchanted like armor, and gives you the benefit of that item to your Armor-granted spells. Of course it can only effectively benefit one spell at a time. I might have to work on the wording of Aegis a bit more though. As for Zemto, there are a number of useful spells for it, here are a few: Feather Fall (PHB) Blades of Fire (Spell Compendium, +1d8 fire damage on melee attacks for 1 round) Critical Strike (grants +1d6 sneak attack, improved critical, and +4 to confirm criticals for 1 round) Expeditious Retreat, Swift (+30ft. movement) Nerveskitter (+5 initiative bonus, immediate action) Instant Diversion (makes a few duplicates of you that go in various directions, make sound, and such for 1 round. Kinda like mirror images. That's in Races of the Dragon). There are quite a few other abilities, and certainly you can take a look at 1st level spells that have a 1 minute/level duration or more, and change them to 1 round or 1 round/level swift spells. That's what a fair number of swift spells do. Maybe mentioning that might work...but I think there might be some spells out there for which this would be broken (though none come to mind). Beyond that, the ability is certainly potent enough. It doesn't need anything more. It isn't supposed to be incrediably powerful, but rather just grant the character a few small magical effects he can use freely. Perhaps refreshing Zemto should also refresh daily cantrip uses too (certainly there's nothing broken there). -Drachasor