The Archmage prestige class

[Mournblade94]

I am considering adding the archmage from 3.5, or maybe the Forgotten realms 3.0 version. I am not sure if this is wise so I am throwing it out here for advice.

Technically alot of the old ARCHMAGE abilities can be done with feats now. Archmage will allow a mage to do those spell effects without feats, but they must sacrifice permanent spell slots.

For example if an archmage chooses Elemental mastery they can change any spell into an opposite for of energy.

Granted alot of these abilities are for high level characters, for example Elemental Mastery requires a loss of 8th level spell slot permanently. But the mage never has to worry about the elemental spell feat (Which to mimic this power would have ot be taken 4 times).

Here is the link to archmage:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/archmage.htm

Please let me know your thoughts!

Many Thanks!

Carl

[LazarX]

The feats and development that Paizo have put into arcanist don't leave much room for the ArchMage. I go with the philosophy that the ArchMage is the title that any powerful wizard will claim for himself, not a class.

And that means if Xykon wants to call himself an ArchMage, he's got arguments that are hard to refute. :)

[Hobbun]

I'd say give it a try. Even though there are Archmage-like feats that are availabe now, it's still plays very differently than when doing so through the prestige class.

For example, I would much rather sacrifice a permanent spell slot than having to add +1 to my spell level or having to spend 4 feats just to get the Elemental Shaping ability. Nevermind the fact you can't even have sonic anymore.

As for the whole issue of throwing out the prestige class just because it's called Archmage, never agreed with that reasoning. If that's the case, then Paizo could have just renamed the prestige class to something else.

[Mournblade94]

Hobbun wrote:

I'd say give it a try. Even though there are Archmage-like feats that are availabe now, it's still plays very differently than when doing so through the prestige class.

For example, I would much rather sacrifice a permanent spell slot than having to add +1 to my spell level or having to spend 4 feats just to get the Elemental Shaping ability. Nevermind the fact you can't even have sonic anymore.

As for the whole issue of throwing out the prestige class just because it's called Archmage, never agreed with that reasoning. If that's the case, then Paizo could have just renamed the prestige class to something else.

Like Lazarus said, I think some of the things are redundant,

But I agree with you. The Archmage plays VERY different.