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A fledgeling wizard picks up a sword and shield and finds that she likes the way they feel in her hands. A young warrior sees an arcane inscription and becomes fascinated by its complexity. Faced with such an experience, some might give up one art to master the other; others would make time to study both disciplines independently. A few are not content with those options. Instead they blend martial and arcane techniques together, creating a unique style which relies on both. These individuals are known as iron mages: toe-to-toe with an opponent, clad in armor and bearing arms, they wield an arsenal of arcane power.
Role: Iron mages do not fling spells from shy safety, protected by more stalwart guardians. They are the bold guardians, the front-line warriors, at home in the heart of a fray and quite capable of defending their allies.
Starting Gold: 5d6x10.
Starting Age: As wizard.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Dice / BAB: d10 / Full.
Good Saves: Fortitude, Will.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
-- Spell progression as Paladin/Ranger, plus cantrips as indicated below. --
1st: Bookish arcanist, cantrips (1), school focus, witching 1
2nd: Counter-threat, school power, warding 1
3rd: Curriculum
4th: Arcane conversion, cantrips (2), school spell
5th: Warding 2, witching 2
6th: Fluency
7th: Cantrips (3), curriculum
8th: School power, warding 3
9th: Fluency, improved counter-threat
10th: Witching 3
11th: Curriculum, warding 4
12th: Fluency, greater warding
13th: School power
14th: Warding 5
15th: Curriculum, fluency, witching 4
16th: Greater witching
17th: Warding 6
18th: Fluency
19th: Curriculum, school power
20th: Dire witching, warding 7, witching 5
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Iron mages are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light and medium armor and shields (except tower shields). An iron mage does not incur the normal arcane spell failure chance from wearing light or medium armor, or from wearing a shield. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an iron mage wearing heavy armor incurs a chance of spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass iron mage still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Bookish Arcanist: An iron mage gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat at 1st level. Though she pursues specialized techniques which slow her mastery of spellcasting, an iron mage studies magic in the same way as a wizard. She can use spell completion and spell trigger items containing sorcerer/wizard spells of any level, and qualifies for the Spell Mastery feat as if she were a wizard.
Cantrips: Iron mages can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on the class table. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Focus School: Every iron mage selects one school of arcane magic as the primary focus of her studies. This choice is made at 1st level, and cannot be changed.
School Power (Sp): At 2nd, 8th, 13th and 19th levels, an iron mage gains an ability determined by her focus school.
Spells: An iron mage casts arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. An iron mage must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To learn, prepare or cast a spell, the iron mage must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an iron mage's spell is 10 + the spell level + the iron mage's Intelligence modifier.
An iron mage can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the class table. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score. When the class table indicates that the iron mage gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Intelligence score for that spell level.
An iron mage may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the iron mage decides which spells to prepare.
An iron mage's caster level is equal to her iron mage level. However, when casting spells or using spell completion items from schools other than the Universal school or her focus school, she suffers a -3 penalty to her caster level (minimum 1st level).
Spellbooks: An iron mage must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which all iron mages can prepare from memory. A character with levels in both iron mage and wizard can use a single spellbook; though the two classes' spells are distinct when prepared, they are recorded identically and need only be learned once.
An iron mage begins play with a spellbook containing the spells arcane mark, prestidigitation and read magic, plus one 0-level spell from her focus school. At each new iron mage level, she gains one new spell of any spell level that she can cast (based on her new iron mage level) for her spellbook. At any time, an iron mage can also add spells found in other spellbooks to her own.
Witching (Su): An iron mage imbues her weapons with arcane power as if using the Arcane Strike feat, granting a damage bonus and causing her attacks to count as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. The damage bonus granted by this ability is equal to her witching rank, initially 1 and increasing by 1 for every 5 iron mage levels. She gains this benefit on every attack she makes, without needing to spend the swift action normally required to activate Arcane Strike. In addition, the iron mage's weapons are imbued with an effect determined by her focus school. Witching is ineffective against targets more than 30 feet from the iron mage.
Counter-Threat (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, as part of the action used to cast a spell or activate a spell-like ability, an iron mage can designate one opponent she threatens in melee. The current action does not provoke attacks of opportunity from that opponent. This ability is not limited to spells and spell-like abilities gained from the iron mage class.
Warding (Su): A 2nd level iron mage learns to weave potent defenses into her magical aura. As long as she is conscious she gains a warding benefit determined by her focus school, initially at rank 1. Her warding rank improves by 1 at 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter.
Curricula: At 3rd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, an iron mage masters a curriculum selected from the list below. An iron mage cannot select the same curriculum more than once.
- Bonus Feat: The iron mage gains a bonus feat, for which she must meet any prerequisites. This feat must be a combat, item creation or metamagic feat, or Spell Mastery.
- Cram Session: The iron mage gains Spell Mastery as a bonus feat. She also gains fluency (see below) with one additional spell.
- Distant Witching: The iron mage's witching and greater witching effects apply to attacks at any range, rather than being limited to targets within 30 feet.
- Familiar: The iron mage obtains a familiar. This ability functions like the wizard arcane bond ability, using the iron mage's class level as her effective wizard level. If the iron mage already has a familiar, her class level stacks with levels from any other class which grants a familiar to determine her effective wizard level. An iron mage may not select the bonded item benefit of the arcane bond ability, and cannot select this curriculum if she already possesses a bonded item.
- Greater Focus: Spells and abilities from the iron mage's focus school gain a +2 bonus to the DCs of any saving throws they generate. This ability does not stack with bonuses granted by the Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus or Ability Focus feats.
- Handy Trick: The iron mage can activate her dampening field, expedience, forcecube or stifle ability 2 additional times per day. She can also activate that ability as a swift action, but doing so reduces its duration by 1 round.
- Heavy Metal: The iron mage gains proficiency with heavy armor and tower shields. Her spells ignore any arcane spell failure chance from worn armor or shields.
- Metafluency: The iron mage gains any one metamagic feat as a bonus feat. She must meet any prerequisites for that feat. When applying metamagic to a spell which she has selected for her fluency class feature, that spell is no longer automatically Hightened one level, but the final effective level of the spell is reduced by one (to a minimum of its original level). If she uses fluency to cast a spell spontaneously, she does not gain this benefit but instead can apply metamagic to that spell without increasing its casting time.
- Magewright: The iron mage gains Craft Magic Arms and Armor as a bonus feat. She also chooses one of Craft (armor), Craft (bows) or Craft (weapons) and gains Skill Focus for that skill as a bonus feat.
- Martial Drill: The iron mage gains any one combat feat as a bonus feat. She must meet any prerequisites for that feat. For the purpose of meeting feat prerequisites she is considered to have a number of Fighter levels equal to her iron mage level, in addition to any actual fighter levels she may possess.
- Remedial Wizardry: The iron mage no longer suffers a -3 penalty to her caster level for spells from schools other than her focus school and the Universal school. She may prepare one additional additional 0-level spell per day, and immediately learns a number of 0-level wizard spells equal to her Intelligence modifier.
- Twin Style: When wielding a melee weapon with which she is proficient and keeping at least one hand empty and unrestrained, the iron mage can use touch spells in tandem with physical attacks. She can cast and deliver a touch spell (or deliver the charge from a held touch spell) as part of a full attack action, or in place of her melee attack when making an attack of opportunity. This does not incur two-weapon fighting penalties, but the touch attack and any concentration checks required to cast the spell suffer a -5 penalty. Spells with a casting time of more than 1 standard action cannot be cast in this way. When casting in place of an attack of opportunity, the iron mage must designate the target of that attack as her counter-threat opponent.
- Weapon Component: With an uninterrupted hour of meditation and practice, the iron mage can attune herself to a melee weapon with which she is proficient. When wielding that weapon she gains the benefit of the Eschew Materials feat when casting iron mage spells, and can substitute the weapon for any spell focus item costing 1gp or less. She can also use a hand holding that weapon to perform somatic components. An iron mage can only be attuned in this way with one weapon at a time.
Arcane Conversion: As a swift action, an iron mage can sacrifice one of her prepared spells of 1st level or higher to increase her witching rank by an amount equal to the sacrificed spell's level for one round.
School Spell: At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, an iron mage learns an additional spell from her focus school, which can be of any level that she can cast.
Fluency: At 6th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the iron mage learns one spell by rote. She selects a spell which is already in her spellbook. From now on, she can prepare that spell without referring to a spellbook, and can sacrifice a prepared spell of equal or greater level to cast it spontaneously. If prepared normally, the spell uses a slot of its normal level but is treated as Heightened by one level (or one additional level if it is already Heightened). If a 0-level spell is chosen for fluency, the iron mage can cast it spontaneously without needing to sacrifice a prepared spell. The iron mage must select a different spell each time she gains this ability.
Improved Counter-Threat: An iron mage of 9th level or higher never provokes attacks of opportunity from foes she threatens when casting spells or using spell-like abilities.
Greater Warding (Su): A 12th level iron mage gains an additional benefit from her warding, determined by her focus school. She may suppress or resume this effect as a swift action.
Greater Witching (Su): At 16th level, if an iron mage uses the attack action, her attack causes an additional effect depending on her focus school. This effect does not apply to targets more than 30 feet away.
Dire witching: A 20th level iron mage can apply her greater witching effect to any weapon attack. When she uses the attack action, her witching rank is doubled for that attack.
Each iron mage must choose from among the following schools. The DC to save against most school abilities is equal to 10 + 1/2 the iron mage's level + the iron mage's Intelligence modifier. The DC to save against the school powers gained at 13th and 19th level is determined as if they were 6th and 9th level spells, respectively.
Abjuration
You specialize in hindering your enemies' offense, whether physical or magical.
Witching: Your weapons count as all alignments for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A creature damaged by your attack suffers a penalty equal to your witching rank to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, CMB, and the DC of any saving throws caused by its spells or abilities. This penalty lasts for one round.
Greater Witching: A creature damaged by your attack finds itself pacified. For one round, it treats all other creatures as if they were protected by the sanctuary spell.
Warding: You gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your warding rank.
Greater Warding: You gain spell resistance equal to your iron mage level + 10.
School powers:
- Dampening Field (Sp): At 2nd level, you can emanate an aura of protective magic which lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + your Intelligence bonus. Choose acid, cold, electricity, fire or sonic; all creatures and objects within 10 feet of you gain resist energy 10 against that energy type. At 11th level your dampening field grants resist energy 20. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
- Unfettered (Su): Once per day at 8th level, as a swift action, you can bestow the benefits of the freedom of movement spell to yourself or any creature within 30 feet for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your iron mage level. You can use this ability twice per day at 14th level, and 3 times per day at 20th level.
- Greater Dispel Magic (Sp): You can use greater dispel magic as a spell-like ability once per day at 13th level and twice per day at 17th level.
- Prismatic Sphere (Sp): You can use prismatic sphere as a spell-like ability once per day at 19th level.
Evocation
You wield pure energies, both raw destructive elements and controlled fields of force.
Witching: Your weapons are considered to have the ghost touch enhancement, and additionally deal 1d4 extra force damage per witching rank you possess.
Greater Witching: A wave of force follows your weapon, buffeting any creature or object struck. The target flies 10 feet in a direction of your choice and is knocked prone. Huge and Gargantuan targets are only moved 5 feet by this ability, and Colossal targets are not moved (but still knocked prone). You can only push the target in a straight line, and it can't move closer to you than the square it started in. If an obstacle prevents the target's motion, it and the obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the target stops in the space adjacent to the obstacle.
Warding: A floating disk of force grants you a shield bonus to AC equal to your warding rank.
Greater Warding: Whenever you are damaged by a physical attack, the impact triggers a burst of force which streaks back to the attacker, dealing damage equal to your warding rank. Ranged attackers take this damage only if they are within 30 feet of you. Any effect which prevents or absorbs damage from magic missiles also affects your greater warding.
School powers:
- Force Cube (Sp): At 2nd level, you can create a cube of force measuring up to 5 feet on each side, occupying any empty space within 30 feet. The cube is transparent, but shimmers visibly. It lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + your Intelligence bonus, and otherwise has the same properties as a resilient sphere. At 11th level you can increase your force cube's dimensions, up to 10 feet on each side. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier. If you attempt to create a force cube in an occupied space, it fails to appear but still counts against your daily uses.
- Spell Channeling (Su): Once per day at 8th level, as a swift action, you can imbue a weapon you are wielding with an instantaneous evocation spell which you currently have prepared. Spells with costly material or focus components, or with a casting time greater than 1 standard action, cannot be used with this ability. The next successful attack made with the imbued weapon delivers the spell's effects to the creature struck. Spells delivered in this way do not allow Reflex saving throws, but other saving throws are made as normal and any spell resistance the target possesses must still be overcome. Regardless of the spell's normal targets or area of effect, only the creature or object struck is affected. If there is no meaningful way for the spell to affect the target, it is harmlessly discharged. If a successful attack is not made with the imbued weapon within a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your iron mage level, the imbued spell is lost. You can use this ability twice per day at 14th level, and 3 times per day at 20th level.
- Forceful Hand (Sp): You can use forceful hand as a spell-like ability once per day at 13th level and twice per day at 17th level.
- Meteor Swarm (Sp): You can use meteor swarm as a spell-like ability once per day at 19th level.
Necromancy
You weave dire magic to confound your foes, and fortify your body with negative energy.
Witching: Your weapons count as piercing, slashing and bludgeoning for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A creature damaged by your attack suffers a penalty equal to your witching rank to AC, CMD and saving throws. This penalty takes effect at the end of the current turn, and lasts for one round.
Greater Witching: A creature damaged by your attack suffers a severe curse of unluck for one round. Any time the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, it must roll twice and take the worse result.
Warding: You gain DR 1/— per warding rank you possess.
Greater Warding: You emanate an unnerving aura of necromantic energy. This aura causes creatures within 30 feet whose hit dice total no more than 1/2 your iron mage level to become shaken, with no save. As a swift action you can momentarily increase the intensity of this aura, giving yourself a frightful presence. When you do, all opponents within 30 feet must succeed on a Will saving throw with DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your iron mage level + your Intelligence modifier or become shaken for a number of rounds equal to your warding rank. A successful save makes that creature immune to your frightful presence for 24 hours, though weak creatures are still shaken by your aura. Your frightful presence stacks with your aura, so a creature affected by both becomes frightened.
School powers:
- Stifle (Sp): At 2nd level, you can cause a creature within 30 feet to become fatigued for a number of rounds equal to 1 + your Intelligence bonus if it fails a Fortitude saving throw. At 11th level a creature you stifle is exhausted for the duration if it fails its save, and fatigued even if it succeeds. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
- False Flesh (Su): Once per day at 8th level, as an immediate action, you can gain temporary hit points equal to twice your iron mage level. This ability can be activated in time to absorb the damage from an incoming attack or spell. These temporary hit points vanish at the beginning of your next turn. You can use this ability twice per day at 14th level, and 3 times per day at 20th level.
- Eyebite (Sp): You can use eyebite as a spell-like ability once per day at 13th level and twice per day at 17th level.
- Energy Drain (Sp): You can use energy drain as a spell-like ability once per day at 19th level.
Transmutation
You create combat advantages by manipulating time, space and substance.
Witching: You gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to your witching rank, and your weapons bypass any damage reduction which would be overcome by special materials such as cold iron, silver or adamantine. A creature damaged by your attack suffers a penalty to all of its movement speeds equal to 10 feet × your witching rank. This penalty lasts for one round, and cannot reduce a creature's movement to less than 5 feet.
Greater Witching: A creature damaged by your attack becomes slowed for one round (as the slow spell).
Warding: You gain an enhancement bonus to natural armor equal to your warding rank.
Greater Warding: Your natural reach increases by 5 feet and opponents flanking you do not receive the usual +2 bonus to attack.
School powers:
- Expedience (Sp): At 2nd level, you can grant the effects of the expeditious retreat spell to yourself or another creature within 30 feet for a number of rounds equal to 1 + your Intelligence bonus. At 11th level, you instead grant the effects of haste. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
- Distortion (Su): Once per day at 8th level, as a swift action, you can change the size of yourself or one creature within 30 feet of you, increasing or decreasing it by one size category. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your iron mage level. An unwilling creature is entitled to a Fortitude saving throw. Except as noted above, this ability is equivalent to enlarge person or reduce person and does not stack with similar effects. You can use this ability twice per day at 14th level, and 3 times per day at 20th level.
- Disintegrate (Sp): You can use disintegrate as a spell-like ability once per day at 13th level and twice per day at 17th level.
- Etherealness (Sp): You can use etherealness as a spell-like ability once per day at 19th level.
My initial thought is that it's a bit too much. First off, the Spell Chance should not be just negated. Handing out the Arcane Armour feats at higher levels might make sense, but not as freebies from level 1 onward that ignore all armor penalties. Better to add those 2 feats as options to the Curricula, so that to get them, they have to give something up.
The spell progression isn't very clear. He gets his 1st, first level spell at level 4? And can only learn up to 4th level spells? But get 6th and higher level spells as spell-like abilities at 13th+ levels?
Has nearly as many feats (should they go that route with Curricula) as a Fighter, memorizes spells better than any Wizard (Fluency + Spell Like Abilities), Always has a magic weapon with magic ability (witching) as long as they have a weapon on them, can choose to not have attacks of opportunity against him whenever he casts a spell (counter-threat, improved counter-threat), etc, etc...
It seems like an awful lot. Especially with a full BAB.
You may have missed that each curriculum can only be taken once, just like rogue talents. He can only get two bonus fighter feats, one from Martial Drill and one from Bonus Feat. That's nine feats less than a fighter, or eleven less if you prefer other curricula. No competition.
He memorizes spells better than a wizard, but they're always much weaker spells. The wizard more than makes up for it in superior power. Even the high-end spell-likes are two levels behind the wizard, and you can't just pick another one when they're useless that day. Counter-threat is destroyed by sunder, disarm, or a reach weapon; it's solid but not airtight. Armored casting is sort of this class's thing, the whole point is to have an arcane counterpart to the paladin, someone who can replace the party fighter.
Witching is the class's iconic ability, and yeah, it's good. But at first level rage is nearly twice as good, and later on having a magic weapon isn't really something special. I tried imposing resource management on witching but it was always clunky and ultimately seemed unnecessary.
There were nine public drafts posted here before this version; piles of feedback, extensive number-crunching and a fair bit of actual playtesting. Many concerns have been raised and investigated. Fighters are just as tough and better at consistent raw damage, rangers and paladins are slightly weaker on baseline but far better against their favored foes, wizards and sorcerers are patently superior spellcasters by any measure. I'm quite happy with the overall design and balance, which is why it says "final" in the topic line. :)
I really liked it since your first release. Now that it's final I will translate and give to my DM to see if I can use it in this carnival recess RPG marathon (live in Brazil... hate carnival, but love the days off).
But some questions: This class seems great to play with a bow, particularly the Evocation specialist (hail to the arcane archer wannabe). About the Twin Style curricula, since you can wield a bow with only one hand (you just need two to fire the arrow) it's a valid choice for this curricula?
If yes, then I will go bow route, wearing a spiked gaunglet for counter-threat purposes, get Distant Witching and probably Martial Drill for Improved Point-Blank Shoot, or Weapon Spec., don't really know (maybe 2 level dip in fighter to get both plus Greater Weapon Spec). Can't wait... >:]
About the Twin Style curricula, since you can wield a bow with only one hand (you just need two to fire the arrow) it's a valid choice for this curricula?
If yes, then I will go bow route, wearing a spiked gaunglet for counter-threat purposes, get Distant Witching and probably Martial Drill for Improved Point-Blank Shoot, or Weapon Spec., don't really know (maybe 2 level dip in fighter to get both plus Greater Weapon Spec). Can't wait... >:]
The spiked gauntlet qualifies for Twin Style, because it's a melee weapon with which you are proficient. However, the bow does not qualify (it isn't melee); and if you're using the spiked gauntlet to threaten, that hand is not available for casting. (This isn't specified under Twin Style because it's necessary for casting in general.) (Edit: Not to mention, a gauntleted hand isn't empty for the purpose of touch spells.) There are a few options to make this work, but nearly all of them depend on DM rulings.
1. Can you change what your hands are being used for more than once per round? That is, if you're firing arrows, are both hands on the bow all round? My ruling, based on the idea that things are happening simultaneously and a full-round attack actually fills all six seconds rather than the specific moment of your turn, is that NO, you cannot do this. Similarly, if you're wielding a two-handed weapon, you have to choose whether you've got both hands on it (and can attack/threaten), or are just holding it in one hand (and can cast spells): this decision lasts until the beginning of your next turn. However, I know that MANY people assume you can change hand configuration as much as you want, and your DM might allow it.
2. Does Catch Off-Guard technically make you proficient with improvised weapons, or is there no such thing as "improvised proficiency" and it only allow you to use them without penalty? Personally I allow you to treat this as actual proficiency (to compensate I'm pretty stingy about the damage of improvised weapons), but some DMs will want to lock things down a bit more.
3. Does the Improved Unarmed Strike feat allow only punches, or does it allow kicks too? I'm wishy-washy about this. Makes sense either way; punching is more common and seems implied by a lot of the rules text, but it's never explicitly stated so maybe kicks and head-butts are allowed. On the other hand, it makes monks a little more special if they're the only ones who get to be armed with their hands tied.
So with those questions in mind, here are the options I see for using Twin Style with ranged attacks:
- Daggers, shortspears, or some other one-handed weapon which is good for both melee and throwing. This one is unambiguously legal: you threaten with that weapon, and your other hand is completely free. (Javelins are up to the DM, related to ruling #2.)
- Catch Off-Guard, allowing you to use the bow as a crappy club and threaten with it. Depends on ruling #2 making you "proficient," and on ruling #1 allowing you to cast with your arrow hand, and also on the GM allowing the bow as an improvised club. (If it's anything but a shortbow, staff is probably more appropriate, requiring two hands to wield.)
- One level of monk. You threaten without using your hands. Depends on ruling #1 as above.
- Improved Unarmed Strike, as monk. Depends on rulings #1 and #3.
- Light crossbow, already loaded, combined with a level of monk. Unambiguously legal.
- Light crossbow and Catch Off-Guard (with ruling #2) or Improved Unarmed Strike (with ruling #3).
P.S. hooray Brazil! I need to visit there after I get a little better at capoeira. :)
Good class. I like it!
Question: If I have a magic weapon, do I gain the witchin bonus to damage and the magic bonus from the weapon?
PS: I'm Brazilian too. I think there is a pretty good brazilian minority going around on these boards... Maybe we can start bugging Paizo til they decide to bring Pathfinder translated to our country...
If I have a magic weapon, do I gain the witchin bonus to damage and the magic bonus from the weapon?
Yes. Witching is a modification of the Arcane Strike feat, which provides an untyped damage bonus. It doesn't stack with Arcane Strike or with itself, but it does stack with pretty much everything else. This applies to both the base damage from the ability and the extra effect from your school, so a Transumation iron mage effectively adds his witching rank to any weapon enhancement.
Note that an iron mage can take the Magewright curriculum at level 3, and make actual magic weapons earlier than anyone else!
Ok, had some time to think it over clearly. The problem is that you don't actually allow these casters to use spells with somatic components if they're holding a weapon and shield (they MUST have 1 hand free as per the definition of Somatic). I assume that the intent is allowing them to wield a weapon/shield and cast spells, even if they have somantic components...
I'd recommend the following, which not only overcomes this problem, but makes more sense than allowing an up to 85% chance of failure to be completely written off (since your current wording allows Tower Shields as well).
Kata Casting: Martial Arcanists can use their Melee Weapons to replace the somatic component of any spell, doing so requires performing kata-like moves with their weapons. Being busy in this fashion, they can not make any melee attacks until their next turn, not even attacks of opportunity. However, they can negate any spell chance failure they would normally incur for wearing armour, or wielding a shield that is not a Tower Shield. Alternately, they can choose to forego this Kata, but will risk spell failure for their spell.
Idea: Maybe let them use their Kata for that dazzling feat you can do with weapons as part of their spell casting, would be interesting if they had the intimidation to back it up. ;)
Also, haven't completely analyzed it yet, but something about the Transmutation witching effect is setting off alarms in my head. I know there's something broken with it, just can't think of what it is...
Ok, had some time to think it over clearly. The problem is that you don't actually allow these casters to use spells with somatic components if they're holding a weapon and shield (they MUST have 1 hand free as per the definition of Somatic).
There's a curriculum for that: Weapon Component, last one in the list. Not every iron mage will want it, and that's not just because of the Twin Style alternative...
I assume that the intent is allowing them to wield a weapon/shield and cast spells, even if they have somantic components...
Actually, no! The iron mage is not inherently a combat-casting gish. It can be built in that direction, but can be perfectly viable without the ability to sling spells between physical attacks. Spell-likes require no free hand, and even if all your slots are filled with non-combat utility like comprehend languages and knock (which can be just as beneficial to the party as scorching ray), you've always got the option of Arcane Conversion.
allowing an up to 85% chance of failure to be completely written off (since your current wording allows Tower Shields as well)
...but does not give proficiency with them, and non-proficiency means an extra -10 on attacks which is far more important to this class. That wording was deliberate; making use of it will cost a feat, or a curriculum (Heavy Metal), or a Fighter dip. Fine with me.
Also, haven't completely analyzed it yet, but something about the Transmutation witching effect is setting off alarms in my head. I know there's something broken with it, just can't think of what it is...
Is it any of these?
- Hit bonuses are very good in general. I've run a lot of numbers; the transmuter iron mage doesn't do broken damage compared to similarly-built fighters, rangers or paladins.
- An archer transmuter can do very mean things to a melee-only opponent. This is extremely terrain- and opponent-dependent. Yes, it can be pretty broken in certain situations, but the GM has to create/allow those situations; the issue is essentially the same as a ranger or paladin's enormous bonuses against certain creatures.
- Under 3.5e rules, I believe the speed reduction would have knocked some flying creatures out of the air. Not an issue with Pathfinder, the only threshold is "half speed" which is reduced in proportion to the base speed.
- When stacked with the slow effect from greater witching, it can reduce a target's movement to zero (5, then half, then rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5). This is deliberate (dude, 16th level!), and remember that even a creature with a speed of zero can move five feet as a full-round action.
Nice catch, and nice Curric, and how the heck did I not see that??? o.O It should however, probably be made more clear that they do still need a hand free to do somatic spells, because people reading this will likely be people who don't know the rules by heart and are seeing the cast/combat combo going on. Remind people to sheathe that weapon if they have a shield for the spell-casting (and maybe even suggest quick draw or something) Anyhows, seems solid, just worry a bit on the possible overlook newbs like me might have.Ok, had some time to think it over clearly. The problem is that you don't actually allow these casters to use spells with somatic components if they're holding a weapon and shield (they MUST have 1 hand free as per the definition of Somatic).There's a curriculum for that: Weapon Component, last one in the list. Not every iron mage will want it, and that's not just because of the Twin Style alternative...
But it does remain that they can ignore the Tower Shield's -50% easily. I think that's bad. That particular penalty should never be negated, in my opinion.
allowing an up to 85% chance of failure to be completely written off (since your current wording allows Tower Shields as well)...but does not give proficiency with them, and non-proficiency means an extra -10 on attacks which is far more important to this class. That wording was deliberate; making use of it will cost a feat, or a curriculum (Heavy Metal), or a Fighter dip. Fine with me.
Also, haven't completely analyzed it yet, but something about the Transmutation witching effect is setting off alarms in my head. I know there's something broken with it, just can't think of what it is...Is it any of these?
I think it's the fact that you can pretty much guarantee speed redux with unstoppable hits by sacrificing a level 4 spell with your already lowered attack roll target number. There's no save or anything against it, and if you have the spells to spare, you can repeat it for multiple rounds. While the penalty isn't that much more powerful than from the other classes (and it is more powerful), what feels broken is the other inherent ability which makes it so much easier to do. The other schools will only succeed 50% of the time, vs his 80% and more powerful effect. Plus, you eventually get to do it at a greater reach... I can see reach weapons being very powerful in this guy's hands. Anyhows, I haven't tested it, like I said, I just have my GM alarms going off (and when you're trying to sell this idea to GMs, you don't want their alarms going off. :P)
Anyhows, as a GM, the complete negate of armour penalty, would have me saying no to this class. If it said it reduced the armour penalty for spell casting by 30% (or -40% for Heavy Metal) I'd be much more likely to allow this class in my games. I'd be wary about Transmutation, warning the player that if it becomes unbalanced, I'd throw in a House Rule to reduce it, most likely making the bonus to attack rolls equal to half the witching rank, but I think then I might allow it.
I also don't think I'd allow him to MC into any arcane classes either... too much bookwork to track which spells he gets some bonuses with, and how it expands into Prestige Classes like Arcane Archer. If he wanted to play this, he'd have to accept those conditions.
BTW, -not- dissing the class, I think an Arcane Fighter class is not only a welcomed idea, but it was very nicely done. Just trying to show complete honesty on how I, as a GM, feel when I see this class so you can maybe sell the idea to GMs a bit easier.
Anyhows, as a GM, the complete negate of armour penalty, would have me saying no to this class.
The "ignore arcane spell failure from armor" bit is common to gish classes. The Magus can do it in light armor and in medium armor. Both the warmage and the duskblade form 3.5 could too. It's the main reason for a class like this to exist.
Nice catch, and nice Curric, and how the heck did I not see that??? o.O It should however, probably be made more clear that they do still need a hand free to do somatic spells, because people reading this will likely be people who don't know the rules by heart and are seeing the cast/combat combo going on.
That's actually a formatting issue: if this were web-only I'd have that text in there, but the print version of this fills four pages and it's a balancing act to prevent it from pushing onto five. Reminder text is always the first thing to cut. You could be right that I should prioritize this one, though. Will review before making the PDF public. (Official: settworks.com, nothing up yet but the domain and host are confirmed.)
But it does remain that they can ignore the Tower Shield's -50% easily. I think that's bad. That particular penalty should never be negated, in my opinion.
I'm curious: why not? Tower shields are considered to be among the worst options in the game by optimization folk, because of the -2 penalty to hit. Personally I think they have good uses, and if this were a six-level casting class or had a custom spell list with some early access, I could see the concern; but with only late and restricted access to the wizard list, it just doesn't seem worth worrying about.
I think it's the fact that you can pretty much guarantee speed redux with unstoppable hits by sacrificing a level 4 spell with your already lowered attack roll target number.
You can do that four rounds a day, five if you really push Intelligence. Absolutely agreed that it's powerful and unique, but remember that at the same level as the iron mage (potentially) gains his first 4th-level spell, a pure wizard can cast prismatic spray.
To be honest, if you're going to worry about any of the school penalties, I'd keep an eye on what necromancy can do for the whole party.
I also don't think I'd allow him to MC into any arcane classes either... too much bookwork to track which spells he gets some bonuses with, and how it expands into Prestige Classes like Arcane Archer.
Nothing different here from any other casting class. It's not common for people to go bard/sorcerer, but it probably happens. There was even a specific prestige class for wizard/sorcerer in one of the later 3.5 books!
It's certainly quite different from the fighter/arcane caster hybrid I came up with!
Hey that reminds me, I should pick that up right now. :)
Quick update so nobody thinks I've vanished again: currently working with my ISP to figure out why I can't access my hosting space via FTP. Thought it would be resolved this week but apparently not. :P
I understand this is a final draft and not open for discussion, but this seems really OP to me. Transmutation specialists or Enchantment specialists could really horrify people on the field. Even Evocation relegated solely to Color Spray could be really bad.
I look forward to hearing playtest results. I want to know how this works out.
I understand this is a final draft and not open for discussion, but this seems really OP to me. Transmutation specialists or Enchantment specialists could really horrify people on the field. Even Evocation relegated solely to Color Spray could be really bad.
I look forward to hearing playtest results. I want to know how this works out.
Enchantment? I wasn't aware that he did an Enchantment Focus School. If this is still related to the previous incarnations, the only selections for Focus School are the four schools listed: Abjuration, Evocation, Necromancy, and Transmutation.
1. (No further comment.)
2. Caliga: the base progression is exactly like the paladin, gaining 1st-level spells at level 4. However, as a special class ability they get cantrips starting at first level. So they start with a spellbook containing four spells, and gain spells at 2nd and 3rd level, but those are all 0-level spells. Later on each specialization gets spell-like abilities which imitate one 6th and one 9th level spell, but these are handled separately from the basic class progression which caps out at 4th level spells.
The one place where the basic class rules are different from a paladin or ranger is that you start with a caster level, and it's equal to your full class level rather than your class level minus three. For spells which aren't part of your specialization or Universal you get a -3 CL penalty, which makes it mostly the same in practice, but there are a few situations (e.g. item creation and associated feats) where it's important to remember that your base CL is technically higher.