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Lysander
2009-06-14, 03:21 AM
A Mage Slayer is a skilled non-magical warrior, such as a fighter or barbarian, who becomes adept at battling spellcasting enemies and creatures. They are capable of resisting and negating magical power through sheer will alone, and using their mundane brute prowess to slay all varieties of foes. The secret of their power is cold iron. All Mage Slayers must use a cold iron weapon, shield, and/or wear cold iron body armor or they are unable to access the prestige class' abilities.

Your opinion is greatly appreciated. Overpowered? Underpowered? This class is similar to the fighter, but with a better will save and feats that are only useful against magicians.

Alignment
Non-chaotic

Prerequisites:
Iron Will, Bab 7, 5 Ranks in Spellcraft, Having no class levels that grant divine or arcane spellcasting abilities

Requirements
A Mage Slayer cannot use class abilities without a cold iron melee weapon, shield, and/or body armor. A Mage Slayer can never take a class level that would provide arcane or divine spells.

Class Skills

The Mage Slayer class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str), Spellcraft (Int)

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A Mage Slayer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).

{table=head]Level|Bab|Fort|Reflex|Will|Special
1|+1|+2|+0|+2|Iron Resistance, Mage Slayer Ability
2|+2|+3|+0|+3|Dampen Magic
3|+3|+3|+1|+3|Mass Resist, Mage Slayer Ability
4|+4|+4|+1|+4|Anti-Magic Aura
5|+5|+4|+1|+4|Detect Magic, Mage Slayer Ability[/table]

Iron Resistance
A Mage Slayer may meditate over a cold iron object for eight hours to grant it a permanent resistance against spells, but only when carrier by the Mage Slayer. It counts a magical object created by a caster equal to the Mage Slayer's total character level, despite being completely non-magical. If the weapon is also magical, use its magical defense or this, whichever is highest.

Mass Resist
Whenever a spell that subjects multiple people to a will save includes the Mage Slayer, each person can use either the Mage Slayer's will save or their own, whichever is higher should the Mage Slayer choose it.

Dampen Magic
A Mage Slayer can choose to reduce the effective caster level of any spell successfully cast on them (and others if cast as part of a Mass spell) by their number of Mage Slayer levels.

Anti-Magic Aura
Once per day a Mage Slayer can maintain an anti-magic field as a full action for up to three continuous rounds, or for a single round as a standard action. Though similar to the anti-magic spell this effect is based on willpower and non-magical, and cannot be affected by Mage's Disjunction.

Detect Magic
At fifth level a Mage Slayer is so accustomed to fighting magic that they can sense its presence.

Mage Slayer Ability
On their first level and every other level after, a Mage Slayer gains a new ability of their choice. The ability is extraordinary and non-magical. Each individual ability can be used a number of times daily equal to their Mage Slayer level, except for Spell Survival and Spell movement which are permanent passive abilities. Multiple abilities can be combined in one turn, and take up multiple uses. Mage Slayers can choose from the following:

Boundless Will - A Mage Slayer can roll an additional die to resist a magical effect that allows a save and use whichever die is higher. They must choose to use this ability before rolling the first die. They can allocate as many uses of this ability per roll as they like (for example two uses would allow them to use the highest of three rolls).

Willing Flesh - They can choose to use a will save to resist a spell that would normally require a fortitude or reflex save. This can combine with Boundless Will and Block Magic.

Block Magic - They can use their own will save to attempt to block a magical effect that allows a will save that is aimed at an ally. If they fail the original target is affected. This can combine with Boundless Will, Willing Flesh. and Escape Enchantment.

Escape Enchantment - If a Mage Slayer is under a spell that allowed a will save when it was cast they can use this ability to roll another will save to break free. This ability is a free action but can only be used once per turn. If the spell already allows will saves to escape it this ability provides a second chance, as Boundless Will. This can be combined with Boundless Will, and with Block Magic this can free others from curses.

Bind Caster - For one hour after hitting a caster with a cold iron weapon, this ability allows them to roll a will save to prevent that caster's attempts to leave with conjuration magic such as teleport, plane shift, and word of recall, or to activate a spell that allows flying. The Mage Slayer must be able to see the caster who is trying to leave.

Spell Survival - The Mage Slayer is under a permanent Death Ward effect, except it provides no protection from the natural drain of the Negative Energy Plane.

Spell Movement - The Mage Slayer is under a permanent Freedom of Movement effect, except it does not protect against grapples or ease underwater attacks.

Belial_the_Leveler
2009-06-14, 04:55 AM
*casts transmute metal to wood, metal melt or chain shatter*


That aside, the flavor for some of the abilities doesn't work. A mental power that affects magic should be supernatural, not extraordinary.

Lysander
2009-06-14, 10:21 AM
*casts transmute metal to wood, metal melt or chain shatter*


That aside, the flavor for some of the abilities doesn't work. A mental power that affects magic should be supernatural, not extraordinary.

But they are extraordinary, despite having limited uses. They all still function in an anti-magic field. For example, a Mage Slayer could use Block Magic or Bind Caster from within an anti-magic field on someone outside.

Good point about the magical spells that target metal. I've added a new ability to counter that. Iron Resistance gives their weapon or armor protection equal to a magic object's protection. They can also use magic to protect their weapon.