Delandel
2009-11-14, 07:28 PM
Frostfire Mage
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9214/1026invoke.jpg
Frostfireball, anyone?
Description: Frostfire mages are spellcasters that desire to solve their problems with explosions of raw power. Unable to decide whether to "kill it with fire," or, "freeze it with ice," they instead do both. Dedicating their focus to this singular art, frostfire mages specialize in blasting their foes to pieces instead of taking a more "subtle" approach.
Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 2nd-level arcane spells.
Special: Must be able to cast a spell with the fire descriptor and one with the cold descriptor.
HD: d4
Class Skills (2+Int modifier per level): Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no proficiency with any weapons, armor, or shields.
{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Frostfire Spell, Focused Blaster | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Frostfire Augmentation | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Pierce Resistance | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Improved Accuracy | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Blazing Speed | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Amplify Intensity | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Chill to the Bones | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Protective Flames | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Pierce Immunity | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Dragon's Fury | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class [/table]
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the frostfire mage prestige class.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class you belonged to before adding this prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.
Frostfire Spell (Su): You may change spells you cast with the fire or cold descriptor into a frostfire spell. Frostfire spells have both the cold and fire descriptor and deal half fire damage, half cold damage. You may only add frostfire to spells that deal hit point damage (though the spell may still have secondary effects). This ability is added to the spell as it is cast, with no adjustment to spell level or casting time. For example, if Mialee casts a frostfireball (fireball) that deals 10 damage, 5 damage would be cold and the other 5 damage would be fire.
In addition, you also cast frostfire spells with a +1 caster level bonus.
Focused Blaster: At 1st level, you give up a school of magic to focus more on the remaining schools. You must choose a school of magic other than evocation and conjuration as a prohibited school. This prohibited school is in addition to any others already chosen due to spell specialization.
Frostfire Augmentation (Su): At 2nd level, your constant experimenting with frostfire opens your mind to new possibilities and grants you powerful augmentation abilities. When casting a frostfire spell you may augment it with a metamagic ability listed under Augmentations list (see below). Doing this adds the metamagic ability to the spell as though using the appropriate metamagic feat on it, but with no adjustment to spell level or casting time. You can only apply one augmentation per spell cast. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your frostfire mage class level.
Augmentations: Explosive Spell, Sculpt Spell, Fiery Spell, Blistering Spell, Flash Frost Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Piercing Cold, Searing Spell
Pierce Resistance (Su): At 3rd level, your spells are powerful enough to punch through your enemies' resistances. Your frostfire spells ignore cold/fire resistance.
Improved Accuracy (Ex): At 4th level, you've become more accurate landing your spells. When casting frostfire spells, any saving throws required increase by 1 DC and you gain +1 ranged attack bonus to land them.
Blazing Speed (Su): At 5th level, your speed is magically heightened. Your movement speed increases by +10 feet. You can also move both before and after performing a standard action, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate.
Amplified Intensity (Su): At 6th level, you can amplify the heat and cold of your spells, making them deadlier. When casting frostfire spells, you may sacrifice a spell of 1st level or higher to deal extra damage equal to 1d6 x the level of the spell sacrificed. You cannot add more d6 rolls than your frostfire mage class level.
Chill to the Bones (Su): At 7th level, the bitter cold of your spells is enough to partially freeze your foes. Anyone damaged by your cold spells must make a Reflex save DC equal to 10 + spell level + your primary spellcasting ability modifier or be slowed as the Slow spell (PHB p280)for 1 round.
Protective Flames (Su): At 8th level, you can sheathe yourself in protective flames. You may cast Fire Shield (PHB p230) a number of times per day equal to your frostfire mage class level.
Pierce Immunity (Su): At 9th level, your spells are no longer treated as mere fire or ice, but something greater than the sum of its parts. Your frostfire spells ignore cold/fire immunities. In addition, you apply your spellcasting ability modifier to caster level checks to defeat spell resistance against your frostfire spells.
Dragon's Fury (Su): At 10th level, your mastery of frostfire reaches its peak. Once per day you may unleash the fury within your soul, manifesting it around you in the form of a fiery dragon. As a full round action you charge a foe without provoking attacks of opportunity, detonating the flames when you reach the target, causing a massive forceful explosion. You deal 1d12/CL frostfire damage to everyone within a 30 foot radius, with a Reflex Save equal to 10 + your primary spellcasting ability modifier + half your caster level for half damage. Anyone who does not succeed on the reflex save is shunted out of the blast radius, taking damage equal to 1d6 per 10 feet moved and falls prone, as described in Explosive Metamagic. After this occurs you are dazed for 1 round and fatigued for the rest of the encounter.
Designer's Notes, Class Balance:
This is a blaster PrC first and foremost. It caters specifically to things blasters want most 1) a reason to cast blasting spells instead of control spells 2) damage 3) metamagic 4) accuracy.
A problem in terms of balance is when a class offers too much in a single type of boost. For example, the Incanatrix PrC is wildly considered overpowered precisely because it boosts your metamagic to such extremes. Likewise, an "ubercharger" stacking multiple ways to maximize raw damage output ends up threatening to one-shot all of a DM's BBEG's. One exception of note, however, is the Red Wizard PrC in the DMG -- it greatly increases the DC of the caster's spells, but it doesn't take it to a crazy extreme, it's distributed over a nice amount of levels, and requires a feat + banning a school of magic to enter. Therefore a good rule of thumb is to spread the love on multiple abilities evenly, instead of invest too much in a single one. I decided to do that with this PrC.
The frostfire mage has very easy prerequisites and offers full caster progression with a good payoff. However, this class isn't without restrictions. The class only boosts damage dealing spells, which are weaker than the control spells a caster has access to. Also, it only boosts spells with the fire and cold descriptor, which greatly narrows the field of useful blast spells. This can be overcome by taking the feat Energy Substitution, but it still requires a feat spent. Finally, entering this class requires you to ban a school of magic, which further cuts down on the caster's versatility. These are things most blasters can live with, but should thoroughly discourage generalist casters from dipping here. When looking at class balance I constantly made comparisons to full spellcasting PrCs such a Master Specialist, Red Wizard of Thay, Paragnostic Apostle, and others. Paragnostic Apostle was the biggest reference point though. In 5 levels of that PrC a blaster can get partially/fully ignore spell resistance and spell immunity to an energy type, +1 caster level to an energy type, +1 ranged attack to most monsters, and some other useful ability like +2 AC. I think everyone can agree that the Apostle is a balanced PrC. Compare it to the frostfire mage, and I think it's on the same level.
It's also important to keep some abilities in context. Blazing Speed, for example, is basically a much better Spring Attack for no feat investment. But the frostfire mage is most certainly not a gish, so why is it here? Because there's alot of sweet blaster spells that require touch attacks, and thus are never used. This ability makes them finally usable. It also helps you position cone spells when the Big Stupid Fighter is in the middle of mooks and you don't want to hit him. Now you can run in there, blast, and then run the hell out.
Hope you enjoy the class! Feel free to comment and suggest changes, nothing has to be set in stone.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9214/1026invoke.jpg
Frostfireball, anyone?
Description: Frostfire mages are spellcasters that desire to solve their problems with explosions of raw power. Unable to decide whether to "kill it with fire," or, "freeze it with ice," they instead do both. Dedicating their focus to this singular art, frostfire mages specialize in blasting their foes to pieces instead of taking a more "subtle" approach.
Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 2nd-level arcane spells.
Special: Must be able to cast a spell with the fire descriptor and one with the cold descriptor.
HD: d4
Class Skills (2+Int modifier per level): Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no proficiency with any weapons, armor, or shields.
{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Frostfire Spell, Focused Blaster | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Frostfire Augmentation | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Pierce Resistance | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Improved Accuracy | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Blazing Speed | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Amplify Intensity | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Chill to the Bones | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Protective Flames | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Pierce Immunity | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Dragon's Fury | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class [/table]
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the frostfire mage prestige class.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class you belonged to before adding this prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.
Frostfire Spell (Su): You may change spells you cast with the fire or cold descriptor into a frostfire spell. Frostfire spells have both the cold and fire descriptor and deal half fire damage, half cold damage. You may only add frostfire to spells that deal hit point damage (though the spell may still have secondary effects). This ability is added to the spell as it is cast, with no adjustment to spell level or casting time. For example, if Mialee casts a frostfireball (fireball) that deals 10 damage, 5 damage would be cold and the other 5 damage would be fire.
In addition, you also cast frostfire spells with a +1 caster level bonus.
Focused Blaster: At 1st level, you give up a school of magic to focus more on the remaining schools. You must choose a school of magic other than evocation and conjuration as a prohibited school. This prohibited school is in addition to any others already chosen due to spell specialization.
Frostfire Augmentation (Su): At 2nd level, your constant experimenting with frostfire opens your mind to new possibilities and grants you powerful augmentation abilities. When casting a frostfire spell you may augment it with a metamagic ability listed under Augmentations list (see below). Doing this adds the metamagic ability to the spell as though using the appropriate metamagic feat on it, but with no adjustment to spell level or casting time. You can only apply one augmentation per spell cast. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your frostfire mage class level.
Augmentations: Explosive Spell, Sculpt Spell, Fiery Spell, Blistering Spell, Flash Frost Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Piercing Cold, Searing Spell
Pierce Resistance (Su): At 3rd level, your spells are powerful enough to punch through your enemies' resistances. Your frostfire spells ignore cold/fire resistance.
Improved Accuracy (Ex): At 4th level, you've become more accurate landing your spells. When casting frostfire spells, any saving throws required increase by 1 DC and you gain +1 ranged attack bonus to land them.
Blazing Speed (Su): At 5th level, your speed is magically heightened. Your movement speed increases by +10 feet. You can also move both before and after performing a standard action, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate.
Amplified Intensity (Su): At 6th level, you can amplify the heat and cold of your spells, making them deadlier. When casting frostfire spells, you may sacrifice a spell of 1st level or higher to deal extra damage equal to 1d6 x the level of the spell sacrificed. You cannot add more d6 rolls than your frostfire mage class level.
Chill to the Bones (Su): At 7th level, the bitter cold of your spells is enough to partially freeze your foes. Anyone damaged by your cold spells must make a Reflex save DC equal to 10 + spell level + your primary spellcasting ability modifier or be slowed as the Slow spell (PHB p280)for 1 round.
Protective Flames (Su): At 8th level, you can sheathe yourself in protective flames. You may cast Fire Shield (PHB p230) a number of times per day equal to your frostfire mage class level.
Pierce Immunity (Su): At 9th level, your spells are no longer treated as mere fire or ice, but something greater than the sum of its parts. Your frostfire spells ignore cold/fire immunities. In addition, you apply your spellcasting ability modifier to caster level checks to defeat spell resistance against your frostfire spells.
Dragon's Fury (Su): At 10th level, your mastery of frostfire reaches its peak. Once per day you may unleash the fury within your soul, manifesting it around you in the form of a fiery dragon. As a full round action you charge a foe without provoking attacks of opportunity, detonating the flames when you reach the target, causing a massive forceful explosion. You deal 1d12/CL frostfire damage to everyone within a 30 foot radius, with a Reflex Save equal to 10 + your primary spellcasting ability modifier + half your caster level for half damage. Anyone who does not succeed on the reflex save is shunted out of the blast radius, taking damage equal to 1d6 per 10 feet moved and falls prone, as described in Explosive Metamagic. After this occurs you are dazed for 1 round and fatigued for the rest of the encounter.
Designer's Notes, Class Balance:
This is a blaster PrC first and foremost. It caters specifically to things blasters want most 1) a reason to cast blasting spells instead of control spells 2) damage 3) metamagic 4) accuracy.
A problem in terms of balance is when a class offers too much in a single type of boost. For example, the Incanatrix PrC is wildly considered overpowered precisely because it boosts your metamagic to such extremes. Likewise, an "ubercharger" stacking multiple ways to maximize raw damage output ends up threatening to one-shot all of a DM's BBEG's. One exception of note, however, is the Red Wizard PrC in the DMG -- it greatly increases the DC of the caster's spells, but it doesn't take it to a crazy extreme, it's distributed over a nice amount of levels, and requires a feat + banning a school of magic to enter. Therefore a good rule of thumb is to spread the love on multiple abilities evenly, instead of invest too much in a single one. I decided to do that with this PrC.
The frostfire mage has very easy prerequisites and offers full caster progression with a good payoff. However, this class isn't without restrictions. The class only boosts damage dealing spells, which are weaker than the control spells a caster has access to. Also, it only boosts spells with the fire and cold descriptor, which greatly narrows the field of useful blast spells. This can be overcome by taking the feat Energy Substitution, but it still requires a feat spent. Finally, entering this class requires you to ban a school of magic, which further cuts down on the caster's versatility. These are things most blasters can live with, but should thoroughly discourage generalist casters from dipping here. When looking at class balance I constantly made comparisons to full spellcasting PrCs such a Master Specialist, Red Wizard of Thay, Paragnostic Apostle, and others. Paragnostic Apostle was the biggest reference point though. In 5 levels of that PrC a blaster can get partially/fully ignore spell resistance and spell immunity to an energy type, +1 caster level to an energy type, +1 ranged attack to most monsters, and some other useful ability like +2 AC. I think everyone can agree that the Apostle is a balanced PrC. Compare it to the frostfire mage, and I think it's on the same level.
It's also important to keep some abilities in context. Blazing Speed, for example, is basically a much better Spring Attack for no feat investment. But the frostfire mage is most certainly not a gish, so why is it here? Because there's alot of sweet blaster spells that require touch attacks, and thus are never used. This ability makes them finally usable. It also helps you position cone spells when the Big Stupid Fighter is in the middle of mooks and you don't want to hit him. Now you can run in there, blast, and then run the hell out.
Hope you enjoy the class! Feel free to comment and suggest changes, nothing has to be set in stone.