Homebrew Swordmage Class

[commonlyquixotic]

I love the 4th Edition Swordmage Class, and haven't seen anything even remotely close to it for Pathfinder. I like the swordmage because it is highly mobile, is an effective defender of allies, and has some cool magical abilities that don't require tracking spells/day and the like. Pathfinder doesn't have a class that comes close to fulfilling these criteria. So, I put together my own version of the Swordmage. Let me know what you think!

Swordmage

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Acrobatics, Disable/Use Device, Craft, Knowledge, Arcana, Perception, Insight, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Level/Base Attack Bonus/Fort Save/Ref Save/Will Save/Special
1st/+1/+0/+0/+2/Dimensional Agility, Swordmage Warding, Swordmage Charms
2nd/+2/+0/+0/+3/Swordbond +1
3rd/+3/+1/+1/+3/Enchant Weapon +1
4th/+4/+1/+1/+4/Bonus Feat
5th/+5/+1/+1/+4/Swordmage Charms
6th/+6/+2/+2/+5/Swordbond +2
7th/+7/+2/+2/+5/Enchant Weapon +2
8th/+8/+2/+2/+6/Bonus Feat, Dimensional Dervish
9th/+9/+3/+3/+6/Swordmage Charms
10th/+10/+3/+3/+7/Improved Warding, Swordbond +3
11th/+11/+3/+3/+7/Enchant Weapon +3
12th/+12/+4/+4/+8/Bonus Feat
13th/+13/+4/+4/+8/Swordmage Charms
14th/+14/+4/+4/+9/Swordbond +4
15th/+15/+5/+5/+9/Dimensional Savant, Enchant Weapon +4
16th/+16/+5/+5/+10/Bonus Feat
17th/+17/+5/+5/+10/Swordmage Charms
18th/+18/+6/+6/+11/Swordbond +5
19th/+19/+6/+6/+11/Enchant Weapon +5
20th/+20/+6/+6/+12/Bonus Feat, Ultimate Swordbond

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A swordmage is proficient with simple weapons, as well as three additional weapon groups (I use weapon groups instead of individual weapon proficiencies in my campaign. Substitute this however you like). A swordmage is also proficient with light armor.

Dimensional Agility
As a move action, you may teleport up to your speed. You may not bring any other creatures with you, and afterward you can take any actions you still have remaining on your turn.

Swordmage Warding
The Swordmage Warding class feature grants the swordmage a +1 Armor bonus to AC while wielding a one-handed weapon. This bonus increases to +3 if the swordmage has at least one hand free and is wearing light or no armor.

Swordmage Charms
Once per turn, as an immediate action when the swordmage hits a creature with a basic melee attack, he may choose one of the following effects.

Level 1
Swordmage Aegis
The swordmage may target the creature hit with one of the following effects. This allows the swordmage to spend an attack of opportunity triggered when the target hits with an attack that did not include the swordmage as a target. The creature is targeted for a number of rounds equal to the swordmage's level, or until the swordmage targets a different creature with an aegis.

Aegis of assault allows the swordmage to teleport to the target and make a melee basic attack against it.

Aegis of ensnarement allows the swordmage to teleport the target into an adjacent square and make it grant combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Aegis of shielding reduces the triggering attack's damage against one creature by an amount equal to the swordmage's CON plus ½ swordmage level.

Level 5
Take a 5 Foot Step
This movement does not count against your ability to move or take a 5-foot step earlier or later in the round

Level 7
Defender
You may give one adjacent ally +2 to AC for one round.

Level 9
Reduce Damage Resistance – Reduce the target's DR by 5 for 1 round.

Level 13
Maneuvering strike
Make a combat maneuver check against the creature. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and the opponent cannot attempt a combat maneuver against you if you fail.

Level 17
Spell Copy – You may gain the effect of one spell or magical effect active on the target for 1 minute (or until the effect expires, whichever comes first).

Enchant Weapon
You may enchant a weapon as a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity
Enchant Weapon +1
Your weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus, as well as one of the following abilities. You may apply bonus damage and other effects to your attacks. If the weapon is magic, take the better bonus. It's normal ability is temporarily suppressed. The enchantment lasts a number of rounds equal to your level, or until you use Enchant Weapon again.
Impervious - An impervious weapon is warded from damage and decay.
Benevolent - When the wielder of a benevolent weapon uses the aid another action to grant an ally a bonus on attack rolls, he increases the aid another bonus by the enhancement bonus of the weapon.
Corrosive - deals an extra 1d6 points of acid damage on a successful hit.
Countering - +2 bonus to his combat maneuver defense against combat maneuvers made to disarm or sunder this weapon. If the attempt fails, the wielder can immediately attempt the same maneuver against the opponent
Flaming - deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit.
Frost - deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage on a successful hit.
Ghost touch - A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures.
Heartseeker - A heartseeker weapon ignores the miss chance for concealment against most living targets, though the attack must still target the proper square.
Keen - This ability doubles the threat range of a weapon.
Limning - On a successful strike against a creature affected by a means of magical concealment, the weapon outlines the creature in faerie fire (as the spell) for 1 round.
Menacing - When the wielder is adjacent to a creature that is being flanked by an ally, the flanking bonus on attack rolls for all flanking allies increases by +2.
Merciful - A merciful weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of damage, but all damage it deals is nonlethal damage.
Mighty cleaving - A mighty cleaving weapon allows a wielder using the Cleave feat to make one additional attack if the first attack hits, as long as the next foe is adjacent to the first and also within reach.
Ominous - An ominous weapon trails a shadowy haze behind every stroke, and moans a menacing dirge in battle. An ominous weapon adds its enhancement bonus on Intimidate checks made by the wielder. In addition, when an ominous weapon confirms a critical hit, the target is shaken for 1 minute (DC 13 Will negates)
Planar - When used to attack outsiders, a planar weapon ignores 5 points of their damage reduction.
Seaborne - With the weapon in hand, the wielder gains a bonus on Swim checks equal to twice the weapon's enhancement bonus. In addition, the wielder does not take the normal penalties to attack and damage rolls imposed by being underwater, as if he were subject to the spell freedom of movement.
Shock - deals an extra 1d6 points of electricity damage on a successful hit.
Throwing - gains a range increment of 10 feet and can be thrown by a wielder proficient in its normal use.

Level 7
Enchant Weapon +2
Your weapon gains a +2 enhancement bonus, as well as two +1 abilities, or one of the following abilities. You may apply bonus damage and other effects to your attacks. If the weapon is magic, take the better bonus. It's normal ability is temporarily suppressed. The enchantment lasts a number of rounds equal to your level, or until you use Enchant Weapon again.
Corrosive burst - deals an extra 1d6 points of acid damage on a successful hit, and an additional 1d10 points of acid damage on a successful critical hit.
Defiant - A defiant weapon stays in its wielder's hand even if she is panicked, stunned, or unconscious. She adds the weapon's enhancement bonus as a bonus on checks to stabilize when dying and on saving throws to end ongoing conditions such as disease, poison, and hold person.
Flaming burst - deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit, and an additional 1d10 points of fire damage on a successful critical hit.
Furyborn - Each time the wielder damages an opponent with the weapon, its enhancement bonus increases by +1 when making attacks against that opponent (to a maximum total enhancement bonus of +5). This extra enhancement bonus goes away if the opponent dies, the wielder uses the weapon to attack a different creature, or 1 hour passes.
Glorious - A glorious weapon glows with a dazzling light equal to a daylight spell when drawn. Any creature the wielder attacks in melee is automatically dazzled until the beginning of the wielder's next turn. When a glorious weapon confirms a critical hit, the target is blinded until the beginning of the wielder's next turn (DC 14 Will negates)
Icy burst - deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage on a successful hit, and an additional 1d10 points of cold damage on a successful critical hit.
Igniting - deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit, also causes the target to catch fire upon striking it with a successful critical hit. The target does not get a saving throw to avoid catching fire, but can make a save each round (DC 15 Ref) on its turn to put out the fire or take an additional 1d6.
Invigorating - After an attack with this weapon drops a living foe, if its wielder is fatigued, the weapon removes the fatigue. If exhausted, the wielder becomes fatigued instead. If neither, the wielder gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls and a +10 foot enhancement bonus to all modes of movement possessed until the end of the wielder's next turn.
Shocking burst - deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit, and an additional 1d10 points of fire damage on a successful critical hit.
Wounding - deals 1 point of bleed damage when it hits a creature. Multiple hits from a wounding weapon increase the bleed damage. Bleeding creatures take the bleed damage at the start of their turns. Bleeding can be stopped by a successful DC 15 Heal check or through the application of any spell that cures hit point damage.

Level 11
Enchant Weapon +3
Your weapon gains a +3 enhancement bonus, as well as any combination of abilities equal to +3. You may apply bonus damage and other effects to your attacks. If the weapon is magic, take the better bonus. It's normal ability is temporarily suppressed. The enchantment lasts a number of rounds equal to your level, or until you use Enchant Weapon again.
Nullifying - Anytime the weapon strikes a creature with spell resistance and the creature takes damage from the weapon, the target's spell resistance is reduced by 1 for 1 minute. On a confirmed critical hit, its spell resistance is instead reduced by an amount equal to the weapon's critical multiplier. Multiple hits from a nullifying weapon stack.
Speed - When making a full-attack action, the wielder of a speed weapon may make one extra attack with it. The attack uses the wielder's full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation.

Level 15
Enchant Weapon +4
Your weapon gains a +4 enhancement bonus, as well as a combination of abilities equal to +4. You may apply bonus damage and other effects to your attacks. If the weapon is magic, take the better bonus. It's normal ability is temporarily suppressed. The enchantment lasts a number of rounds equal to your level, or until you use Enchant Weapon again.
Brilliant energy - A brilliant energy always gives off light as a torch (20-foot radius). A brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving matter. Armor and shield bonuses to AC do not count against it because the weapon passes through armor. A brilliant energy weapon cannot harm undead, constructs, or objects.

Level 19
Enchant Weapon +5
Your weapon gains a +5 enhancement bonus, as well as a combination of abilities equal to +5. You may apply bonus damage and other effects to your attacks. If the weapon is magic, take the better bonus. It's normal ability is temporarily suppressed. The enchantment lasts a number of rounds equal to your level, or until you use this ability again.
Transformative - A transformative weapon alters its shape at its wielder's command, becoming any other melee or thrown weapon.
Bonus Feats
At 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, a swordmage gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained by normal advancement.

Swordbond (Su)
By spending 1 hour of meditation with a chosen weapon, the swordmage can forge a special bond with the weapon. As a swift action, the swordmage can call the bonded weapon to their hand from up to 100 feet away. A swordmage can bond to a new weapon by spending an hour in meditation with the chosen weapon. The old bond is broken, and a new bond forms after the time elapses. If the bonded weapon is broken or damaged, the swordmage can spend an hour of meditation to recreate the weapon from a mere fragment. The process automatically destroys the other fragments of the weapon, and can’t create multiple copies of the weapon.

At 2nd level, the swordmage has a bonus to attack and damage with the bonded weapon equal to +1. This increases by one every four levels. The bonded weapon also gains the impervious ability (this is not suppressed by your enchant weapon skill), using the swordbond bonus in place of the weapon's enhancement bonus

Dimensional Dervish
You can take a full-attack action and teleport up to twice your speed, dividing this teleportation into increments you use before your first attack, between each attack, and after your last attack. You must teleport at least 5 feet each time you teleport.

Improved Warding
The Improved Warding class feature increases the swordmage warding bonuses to a +2 armor bonus to AC while wearing light or no armor and carrying their bonded weapon or wielding a one-handed weapon. This bonus increases to +6 if the swordmage has at least one hand free.

Dimensional Savant
While using the Dimensional Dervish ability, you provide flanking from all squares you attack from. Flanking starts from the moment you make an attack until the end of your turn. You can effectively flank with yourself and with multiple allies when using this feat.

Ultimate Swordbond
Your bound weapon permanently gains the Transformative ability (This is not suppressed by your Enchant weapon skill). Treat the weapon as its original form for the purposes of proficiencies and bonuses from feats or class abilities. You automatically confirm critical hits with your bound weapon. You may recall your weapon to your hand with a free action.

[Cyrad]

Oh gosh, I wish people used Google Drive for these things!

1) They do get iterative attacks, right? You gave them a full BAB without the iterative attacks listed. Also, if he has a full BAB, he should also have a d10 hit dice.

2) I'm confused why a swordmage is not a spellcaster. I loved the swordmage class because it was an agile spellcasting fighter.

3) Ability descriptions need to indicate what level the class receives them.

4) Why do many class features and abilities use the same name as existing content in the game? There's already feats called Dimensional Agility, Dimensional Dervish, and Dimensional Savant. Pretty much all of the weapon enchantments have been directly lifted from the magic weapon rules. You shouldn't be reinventing these abilities -- that's a poor use of the design space. If you want to make your own versions of them, then name them something else.

5) Teleportation is really strong and almost no character gets a teleportation ability until level 7. The only class that break this rule are the arcanist (via exploit) and the teleportation subschool wizard. Both of these classes still follow the "you can't take actions" thing and teleportation is less useful for them because full spellcasters don't need to be mobile during a battle. I'd recommend you have this class's teleportation ability work like those abilities at the very least.

6) Swordmage Warding doesn't stack with armor because it grants an armor bonus. It should be a shield or perhaps a deflection bonus. Making it work like the monk's AC bonuses might work, too.

7) Swordmage Aegis has really confusing text that uses terms that don't exist in Pathfinder.

8) The higher level swordmage charms are really lackluster except for spell copy and reduce DR.

9) Enchant weapon feels like an absolute mess that completely throws the rules for enchanting magic weapons out the window. It feels like you're trying to reinvent the magus's arcane pool class feature

10) I have to admit, giving transformative to your bond weapon is kind of cool. I kind of wish it was something you get a few level earlier.

11) The class features need to be indicated whether they're extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like abilities.

12) For a full martial, the class has very few class features.

Honestly, I am quite baffled by your criteria for a swordmage. That was my favorite class in 4th Edition. The swordmage was a spellcasting fighter that could be built like a support/martial or a rogueish damage dealer. The magus is the closest class to that. A swordmage would probably fit better as an archetype of the magus. If it deserved its own class, I could see it working like an arcane paladin.

To me, your class doesn't fit the description of a swordmage at all, not even to the name!

[commonlyquixotic]

Okay, that's a long list of critiques. Kind of intimidating, but thank you for all the feedback!

1) Yes, they do iterative attacks. I just find the table easier to read in this format without them. I didn't realize that full BAB, was always linked to a d10 hit die. Thanks for pointing that out.

2) I think I loved the Swordmage for a different reason. I really liked that it was essentially a magically-flavored martial character. By that I mean you didn't have to track spells or worry about provoking attacks of opportunity through spellcasting or concentration checks, but still had access to things like the ability to call your weapon, do elemental damage, and teleport. Most of the swormage's spells were very martial based, and the charms and weapon enchantments cover many of their effects.

3) Thanks, I'll change that.

4) I hadn't changed the names, because when I first added them, they were exactly like the original feats/abilities. The weapon enchantments are intentionally lifted from the magic weapon rules, so I see no reason to change the names, but the teleportation abilities have evolved, so I probably should rename those.

5) I see teleportation as one of the signature abilities of the swordmage, so I want it to come into play in the first few levels. Looking back, my swordmage was an eladrin which got fey step (essentially teleport) as an encounter power at level one. I loved how that synergized with the class. But maybe I should make the first teleport power more like Dimensional Warp, a level 2 utility power, which allowed you to swap places with an ally, and bump the rest up to higher levels. I think the swordmage should be allowed to act after teleporting, and don't think this would be overpowered because their focus is on mobility. They sacrifice some damage output and defense in favor of this. But, it will require playtesting to know for sure.

6) Thanks, I'll make it a deflection bonus.

7) I'll see if I can reword that to make it clearer.

8) I'm open to suggestions. Maybe throw in some of the spell-like effects you feel are missing, here?

9) This was inspired by the Magus' arcane pool, but I personally like it much better. It's more flexible, and doesn't require you to track points, so you can use it any number of times in a day. Your critique here is really vague, if you have more specific criticisms or suggestions, I'd like to hear them.

10)I agree, but I feel that way about all the good level 20 abilities, so I think it'll stay like it is.

11)I'll have to figure that out.

12) I realize that, but many of them are quite powerful. I am of course, open to suggestions.

As I said in #2, I think I liked different things about the swordmage. My class emphasizes the things I really enjoyed about the class, and is quite different from any other Pathfinder classes I've seen. I'm planning to keep it for my Homebrew game, but I'd love to hear thoughts on how to improve it.

[Cyrad]

2) The swordmage is like that because 4th Edition basically homogenizes spellcasting with all other types of abilities. The swordmage was still a spellcaster. Most of their abilities involved casting magic or channeling magic through a weapon attack, which lies within the flavor of the magus. Their abilities still provoked attacks of opportunity. I can understand you don't like spell bookkeeping and probably don't like the magus because of it utilizes complex mechanics. At the very least, call the class something other than a "swordmage" because it makes no sense that they're called a "mage" when they do not cast spells.

5) Teleportation is very powerful. You must understand that abilities that seem balanced in combat can have huge consequences elsewhere. An ability that teleports you 30 feet as a move action at-will doesn't seem like a big deal in combat, but it means the character can make any obstacle trivial. Even 4th Edition limited the teleportation abilities. I recommend reworking this class's ability to model the arcanist's Dimensional Slide exploit and have it expend a resource or have a usage per day.

8) Start with reworking the aegis ability.

9) Having the ability replace the existing enhancements is really lame. At the same time, this ability also grants you a free +5 weapon at 7th level. In addition, there's no duration listed and the class can change the enhancements easily. Either this needs to work like the magus's arcane pool or reduce the bonus progression significantly. If I designed this, I'd either have it work similarly to the bladebound magus's blackblade or the warpriest's sacred weapon.

12) You don't really have any of the swordmage's powers here, just a clunky version of some of their class features.

I still believe a good approach is either make this an archetype or use an existing class as a reference. Designing classes is hard. I find it very surprising many attempt designing entire classes when it's one of the most difficult things to design in the game.

[Stuffy Grammarian]

Weapons in 3rd edition D&D (and, by extension, Pathfinder) cannot be "enchanted." In those rules, Enchantment is a school of magic, comprised of [charm] and [compulsion] spells, all of which are mind-affecting. Being mindless objects, weapons therefore cannot be enchanted.

They can be "enhanced," however (i.e., given a magical enhancement bonus of +1 or higher, and/or given magical weapon properties).

I would recommend, at the very least, changing the name to match what you're trying to do.

[Ciaran Barnes]

Teleportation should be toned back. If you want it available at 1st level, it should be short distance (maybe 10 feet) and have limited uses per day. Alternately, it goes further but he cannot act afterwards. If you move the ability to a higher level, it can be more potent.

[commonlyquixotic]

2) The ability to channel magic through a weapon attack at will is one of the things I really like about the 4th edition swordmage. The ability to enhance their own weapon seemed to me the best way to translate that to pathfinder. And mage is about the most ambiguous term for a possible magic user. Mage or magi is still occasionally used to refer to a person who is merely wise or learned. I think it works for the non-spell related abilities of the Swordmage.

5) You're probably right. I'll get to work on that.

8) I do want to make it more understandable, but I don't want to change what it does. I really like the aegis ability

9) I respectfully disagree. Stacking on top of the existing enhancements would be too overpowered, and having to start with a non-magic weapon would be lame. I don't have a problem with the free +5 weapon (although, unless I'm mistaken it's +4 at level 7). By comparison, spellcasters give you free wands or potions. The enhancement lasts a number of round's equal to the swordmage's level and requires a standard action to change (warpriest requires only a swift action).

12) The class features are more important to the powers to me.

No class in Pathfinder had the abilities I wanted, so I had to make something from scratch. It is hard, which is why I'm asking for help. Thank you for the assistance you have offered so far.

[Cyrad]

2) That's why I suggested the magus. The magus is the class for channeling spells through weapons. Their three primary class features are:
A) enhancing weapons with temporary magic
B) casting a spell and attacking at the same time
C) channeling a touch spell through a weapon

9) A +4 weapon is still pretty insane at that level. Wands/potions are not comparable (especially considering it's actually NOT free for spellcasters). Magic weapons are one of the "big 6" of wealth The standard action to use the ability is kind of lame, too. Have you considered doing something like giving them Arcane Strike as a bonus feat and letting them do additional things with it?

12) I was suggesting looking at the other powers of the swordmage to help flesh out the class.

[commonlyquixotic]

@Stuffy Grammarian
Thanks, that does make much more sense

@Ciaran Barnes
I do think I need to rework the Teleportation Abilities. It's on my list of things to do.

@Cyrad
2)
A)It's really the weapon properties rather than the enhancement bonus that seem important to me for the Swordmage. They're pretty firmly linked when you're talking about magic items, but maybe I should separate them for this class. Having a transformative weapon is really cool, but it's really hard to get a +10 magic sword (as it should be).

B) I really dislike Spell Combat. I don't even know if I can articulate why I dislike it so much. I think it would be a shame to play a class if I dislike one of it's core mechanics so much.

C)After double checking the fourth edition rules, only ranged and area powers provoke attacks of opportunity. This is one of the things that really made the Swordmage an enjoyable melee magic user for me.

9)Again, it's the weapon properties that really interest me, so arcane strike may not be the best fit.

12)Are there any in particular that you recommend? It seems like the encounter or daily powers would be especially difficult to translate, but I'm most interested in the at-will powers anyway.

[commonlyquixotic]

I also think, if I were to add spells to the class, that the Swordmage would be better as a spontaneous caster. But, I do tend to prefer spontaneous casters in general.

[Marc Radle]

I never played 4E so I'm not familiar with the swordmage class, but I might suggest taking a look at the Battle Scion in the New Paths Compendium. From what I'm seeing here, it might be pretty close to what you're looking for.

[Cap. Darling]

Seems like this guy isk getting around + 10 to hit and Dam above full bab. And teleportation and extra mobility options and bonus feats and stuff. He blows every other full bab guy out of the water.
I suggest you look at what other classes get and try to moderate this one a bit. At the very least sword bound and enchant weapon will need to be one power and cap at 5. And even then this will still be a DM's pet class compared to good solid classes like a slayer. IMOP.

[Cyrad]

Cap. Darling makes a good point. The magus uses arcane pool to make up for his 3/4 BAB. This guy has a full BAB.

[Pupsocket]

Cyrad wrote:

Oh gosh, I wish people used Google Drive for these things!

1) They do get iterative attacks, right? You gave them a full BAB without the iterative attacks listed. Also, if he has a full BAB, he should also have a d10 hit dice.

2) I'm confused why a swordmage is not a spellcaster. I loved the swordmage class because it was an agile spellcasting fighter.

0: Agreed, agreed so much.

1: Stop it, you're just confusing the noobs. There's no difference between a "+6/+1" and a "+6" BAB.

2: Indeed. Swordmage? Needs more mage.

[Ciaran Barnes]

Skills
Athletics and Endurance are not skills in PF, and Disable/Use Device is just Disable Device.

Proficiencies
Just make it all simple and martial weapons, especially if you keep this as a full-bab warrior. There'a a good chance the character will only use a few different weapons anyhow. Its simpler this way.

Teleportation
I suggest considering the following, not neccessarily all together:
-Point pool. Go with either the 1/2 level + ability mod model (magus or monk) or ability mod recharge model (gunslinger) or 2xlevel + ability mod (bard or barbarian). Choose one. Doing this at-will without consequnce is problematic.
-use a full-round action to teleport adjacent to an enemy and make a single attack. At low level, this simulates move and a standard. At higher levels, he could make more than one attack. Doing this gets rid of "i'm going to most negate movement-based skills with a 1st level ability.
-You should still consider raising the level of this ability. 1st level characters had heavier front-loading because multi-classing wasn't done the same as in PF. Your class as written is an insanely good to take a single level of if you are playing an unarmored character.

Swordmage Warding
Why does the swordmage have better defenses than any other lightly armored 1st level character? At least with the monk, he can't wear any armor. I understand that your is based very obviously on 4th, but that mechanic was in place to keep AC where they expected it to be. If the charcter can wear light armor, I would move this ability to 3rd level or so and give him a +1 deflection bonus for every three levels he has.

Swordmage Charms
What is a basic melee attack? In PF its just an attack. :) The way you have this written, it is difficult to tell what is a class feature and what is a sub-heading under this class feature. Using boldface or italics helps the reader. Again, I would link this to a point pool.

Swordmage Aegis
Remove terms like combat advantage. The open ended nature of these features allows for some strange situations. A battle in 4th ed was pretty much always in a small area, and teleportation was never more than 100 feet (I think). The way you have this written, a clever player could use an aegis on on his party members to teleport them all over the place. You should take a step back and take another look at these.

[UsagiTaicho]

This swordmage is a spellcaster, just not a vancian one.

Ciaran has good suggestions. If you clean up your wording a little bit, you'll have a great class here.

[Cyrad]

UsagiTaicho wrote:

This swordmage is a spellcaster, just not a vancian one.

Ciaran has good suggestions. If you clean up your wording a little bit, you'll have a great class here.

The term "spell" is not just a general term. It has an actual definition with mechanical consequences -- rules for how they're used and interacted with. Even if the class uses a different magical system, they must be considered "spells" for the class to be a spellcaster. Anything can be magical without being a spellcaster.

[UsagiTaicho]

I was under the impression that Enchant Weapon was a spell-like ability.

[kestral287]

Given that it doesn't provoke an AoO, probably Supernatural. That's what the Magus' version is at least.

[Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus]

Cyrad wrote:

1) They do get iterative attacks, right? You gave them a full BAB without the iterative attacks listed. Also, if he has a full BAB, he should also have a d10 hit dice.

Hit and run here, but I never liked this associations at all personally, and personally I would love to break it.