Archmage Fix - Kobold-Bard [GitP]

8/8/2019 Archmage Fix - Kobold-Bard [GitP]

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Archmage Fix [3.5 - PEACH]

Inspired by the discussion of Arcane Fire in my thread about Archmage SLAs, and the factthat I'm rubbish at actually making new classes, I offer this fix of the Archmage; in my mindthe single coolest PrC ever, which was great when it was just core, but fell behind as stufflike IotSV and Incantatrix came into being.

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Archmage

"I hold within me Power you cannot even imagine. Stand down."

- Elthenien Sar; Grand Mage and General during the Spellfire Wars

Pre-requisites -Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 15 ranks, Spellcraft 15 RanksFeats: Skill Focus [Spellcraft], Spell Focus in two schools of magicSpellcasting: Ability to cast 7th-level arcane spells, knowledge of 5th-level or higher arcanespells from at least five schools.

Hit Dice: d4


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Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spellcasting

1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Archmage Destiny, High Arcana +1 existing spellcasting level

2 +1 +1 +1 +3 Arcane Fire, High Arcana +1 existing spellcasting level

3 +1 +1 +1 +3 High Arcana, Spell Weaver +1 existing spellcasting level

4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Greater Arcane Fire, High Arcana +1 existing spellcasting level

5 +2 +2 +2 +4 Grand Mage, High Arcana +1 existing spellcasting level

Class Skills: 2+Int Mod/level - Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (All; taken individually),Search, Speak Language, Spellcraft

Proficiencies: Archmagi gain no new proficiencies.

Class Features:

Spellcasting: When a new archmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day(and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcanespellcasting class in which he could cast 7th-level spells before he added the prestige classlevel. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have

gained. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast7th-level spells before he became an archmage, he must decide to which class he adds eachlevel of archmage for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Archmage Destiny (Ex): Each Archmage is unique, walking different paths to the samedestination of magical supremacy. They choose their destiny when they enter the class,picking one of the options below.

SpoilerPure Arcanist: Those who chose the Pure Arcanist destiny have chosen to focus all of theirenergy on mastering magic. The material and XP components & focuses for their arcanespells they cast are reduced by 25%.

Specialist Mage: Many Wizards feel a greater affinity to one school of magic over all others.Those who chose the Specialist Mage destiny must be a specialist Wizard. They gain a +1bonus to the Save DC of their chosen school and may choose one spell of their chosenschool of each spell level (picking a new spell for each new level they learn to cast). Fromnow on they may cast these spells spontaneously as a Cleric does with Cure/Inflict spells.

Theurge: Those who walk the path of the Theurge must usually face the choice betweentheir to natures. By taking this destiny they may treat their Archmage caster level advancesas increasing their spells/day, spells known (if applicable) and caster level for the twoclasses that they advanced with at least one level of a previous dual-casting class."Theurge" classes that advance other things besides spells (such as Eldritch Theurge orAnima Mage) also receive similar advances as if they had gained a level in their Theurge

class, though they don't gain any of the other benefits from the class.

Alternatively (such as if the character took ten levels in my Mystic Theurge fix and alreadyhas this ability) the Archmage may sacrifice a spell/spell slot to improve an equal or lowerlevel spell of his other Theurged casting class. The improved spell is treated as being onelevel higher (as by the Heighten Spell Feat) to a maximum of the highest level you can cast,and your effective caster level is treated as two higher while casting it.

Spell Blade: Those who choose the Spell Blade destiny know the value of studying both the


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magical & non-magical arts equally. Their Archmage levels instead grant a Base AttackBonus equal to their class level (as a Fighter) and a Good Fort Save (again as a Fighter) andthey may cast spells from the class(es) they advance with Archmage levels in light armourwithout risking Arcane Spell Failure. If they can already do this from some other method,the level of armour they can cast in unimpeded increases by one.

Alternatively, if the player wishes they may still treat their Archmage levels as having theBAB & Fort of a Fighter, but instead of being able to cast in armour unimpeded, they mayinstead treat their Archmage levels as fully increasing their Martial Initiator level rather than1/2 their level as normal for non ToB classes.

High Arcana:An archmage gains the opportunity to select a special ability from amongthose described below by permanently eliminating one existing spell slot (she cannoteliminate a spell slot of higher level than the highest-level spell she can cast). Each specialability has a minimum required spell slot level, as specified in its description.

An archmage may choose to eliminate a spell slot of a higher level than that required togain a type of high arcana.

SpoilerArcane Reach (Su): The archmage can use spells with a range of touch on a target up to 30feet away. The archmage must make a ranged touch attack. Arcane reach can be selected asecond time as a special ability, in which case the range increases to 60 feet. This abilitycosts one 7th-level spell slot.

Mastery ofCounterspelling: When the archmage counterspells a spell, it is turned back uponthe caster as if it were fully affected by a spell turning spell. If the spell cannot be affectedby spell turning, then it is merely counterspelled. This ability costs one 7th-level spell slot.

Mastery of Elements: The archmage can alter an arcane spell when cast so that it utilizes a

different element from the one it normally uses. This ability can only alter a spell with theacid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic descriptor. The spells casting time is unaffected. Thecaster decides whether to alter the spells energy type and chooses the new energy typewhen he begins casting. This ability costs one 8th-level spell slot.

Mastery of Shaping: The archmage can alter area and effect spells that use one of thefollowing shapes: burst, cone, cylinder, emanation, or spread. The alteration consists ofcreating spaces within the spells area or effect that are not subject to the spell. Theminimum dimension for these spaces is a 5-foot cube. Furthermore, any shapeable spellshave a minimum dimension of 5 feet instead of 10 feet. This ability costs one 6th-level spellslot.

Spell Power: This ability increases the archmages effective caster level by +1 (for purposes

of determining level-dependent spell variables such as damage dice or range, and casterlevel checks only). This ability costs one 5th-level spell slot.

Spell-Like Ability: An archmage who selects this type of high arcana can use one of herarcane spell slots (other than a slot expended to learn this or any other type of high arcana)to permanently prepare one of her arcane spells as a spell-like ability that can be used twiceper day. The archmage does not use any components when casting the spell, although aspell that costs XP to cast still does so and a spell with a costly material component insteadcosts her 10 times that amount in XP. This ability costs one 5th-level spell slot.


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The spell-like ability normally uses a spell slot of the spells level, although the archmagecan choose to make a spell modified by a metamagic feat into a spell-like ability at theappropriate spell level.

The archmage may use an available higher-level spell slot in order to use the spell-like

ability more often. Using a slot three levels higher than the chosen spell allows her to usethe spell-like ability four times per day, and a slot six levels higher lets her use it six timesper day.

If spell-like ability is selected more than one time as a high arcana choice, this ability canapply to the same spell chosen the first time (increasing the number of times per day it canbe used) or to a different spell.

New: Personal Wonder: At their discretion the Archmage may use their own Caster Levelwhen activating a magic item in place of the Caster level of the item's creator. This abilitycosts an 8th level spell slot.

Arcane Fire (Su): By taking the second level in this class the Archmage learns to channelarcane energy as a weapon, ensuring that they are armed, even when their spells run dry.

As a standard action they may fire a pulse of magical energy that deals 1d6/class level +Intor Cha Mod (chosen when the second level of the class is taken and can't be changed)damage. By sacrificing a spell slot as part of this action you may deal an additional1d6/level of the sacrificed slot. Despite it's name Arcane Fire is powered by raw arcaneenergy, so it is untyped. It has a long range (400ft + 40ft/class level) and requires a rangedtouch attack that uses the Caster Level of the class they advance with Archmage instead oftheir BAB (to a maximum of their character level).

Spell Weaver (Sp): Archmagi that reach third level have by their very nature developed

an understanding of how magic works at it's most fundamental level. 1/day they may useLimited Wish as a spell like ability.

Greater Arcane Fire (Su): From now on the Archmage's Arcane Fire ability (despiteremaining an (Su) ability) will now function in antimagic areas, meaning they need neveragain fear being defenceless. 1/day per point of Int or Cha Mod (the same stat as the onethat adds damage to Arcane Fire) creatures hit by it are also affected by a targeted GreaterDispel magic effect.

Grand Mage (Ex): At fifth level the Archmage unlocks the full potential of the magic withinthem, granting them several powerful abilities.

First of all they gain the power to rejuvenate their spent magic. 1/day per class level, by

focussing for 1 minute (10 consecutive full round actions) they may regain a spent first levelspell slot if they cast spontaneously or a single spent 1st level spell if they prepare spells.For every additional consecutive minute that they focus they can increase the level of theregained slot, to a maximum of the highest level they can cast in the class they haveadvanced with Archmage levels.

If they take any other actions during this focussing time the attempt is wasted for that day.If they are distracted they may make a Concentration check (DC 10+character level+spelllevel currently focussing on).


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Secondly their impressive (and possibly intimidating) skill with magic means they treat anyarcane caster as one step friendlier to a maximum of Helpful.

Finally they gain a feat that may be changed each time they recover their spells. This featmust be an Item Creation or Metamagic feat. Also, each day they may pick one item

creation or metamagic feat they possess (either from this feature or any other feat slot) andeither reduce all item creation costs (gold, time & XP) by 25% (this does not stack withother cost reduction methods) or reduce the spell level increase by 1, to a minimum of 0.

-------------------------------Thoughts? I may have gone a bit far in the other direction, but I hope not (first Grand Mageability bugs me).

The Archmage Destiny is because not everyone is a straight class caster when they enterthe class.

Documents

Archmage Fix - Kobold-Bard [GitP]