A Hole in Magic [3.5 Base Class, PEACH]

[absolmorph]

Design goals:
Two key ability scores (Strength and Constitution).
Able to take on spell-casters without being one.
Tier 3.

Anti-Mage
There is no force in the universe without its opposite. For all the pressure pushing a star to expand, there is gravity to hold it in. For the process which creates new beings to roam the earth, there is death to remove them. For the creation of a universe, there is entropy to slowly wear it down.
There are some people who are naturally adept at using the power of magic to create incredible effects.
Their opposite is the anti-mage. An anti-mage sucks the manipulated energy of magic out of their surroundings, prematurely sending it back to the roiling mass of energy from which it was drawn. Most anti-mages are only trained with weapons; the rest is a natural side-effect of the energy that flows through their body. Some anti-mages are trained, usually in secret, to tear down the creations of spellcasters.

Alignment: Any.
Hit dice: d10

Skill points at first level: (4 + Int modifier)x4
Skill points at each additional level: (4 + Int modifier)
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex).


{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2| Mage Slayer, Disruptive Aura

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3| Dispelling Fury 1/day, Mundane Perception

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3| Spell Absorption, All-terrain movement, Dodge

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4| Mettle, Pierce Magical Concealment

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4| Enduring Shield, Magebane, Mobility

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+5| Dispelling Fury 2/day, Swift Soldier

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+5| Enduring Warrior

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+6| Flying Bane, Improved Magebane

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+6| Enduring Action, Spring Attack

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+7| Magic Survivor, Dispelling Fury 3/day

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+7| Improved Swift Soldier

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+8| Improved Disruptive Aura

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+8| Improved Mettle

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+9| Swift Strike, Dispelling Fury 4/day

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+9|

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+5|

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11| Dispelling Fury 5/day

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12| Null Magic Zone[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An anti-mage is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Mage Slayer: At level 1, an anti-mage gains Mage Slayer as a bonus feat, even if they don't meet the prerequisites for the feat.

Disruptive Aura (Ex): The presence of an anti-mage can prevent the use of magic around them as they warp the flow of energy around them with their existence. They have a disruptive aura which extends 10 feet per class level. Any enemy who attempts to cast a spell, use a spell-like or supernatural ability or use a spell completion item must make a Concentration check (DC 10+1/2 anti-mage level+Constitution modifier) or the attempt fails, though the ability is expended.
Additionally, an anti-mage can sense the location and strength of all magic within their disruptive aura, and may make a Spellcraft check to determine the school (DC 15+spell level, or DC 15+caster level for non-spell effects)

Dispelling Fury (Ex): An anti-mage can enter a state of being where their attacks can tear the effects of magic from an enemy. At level 2, anti-mages learn to destroy magical effects. Once per day, they may enter a dispelling fury. While in dispelling fury, their melee weapon attacks carry a dispel effect. Whenever they strike an opponent, their opponent is subject to a targeted dispel magic effect, as the spell, with the bonus on the check being equal to the anti-mage's class level+Strength modifier. Dispelling fury lasts a number of rounds equal to the anti-mages Constitution modifier. They gain an additional use of dispelling fury every 4 class levels after level 2.

Extraordinary Perception (Su): The lingering energy has left the anti-mage capable of seeing with more than their eyes. At level 2, an anti-mage gains Blind-fight as a bonus feat, even if they don't meet the prerequisites, and blindsense out 5 feet for every 2 levels of anti-mage they have.

Spell Absorption (Ex): As an anti-mage grows in power, they find themselves capable of new ways to stop the manipulation of magic. Sometimes, this brings them even more benefit than it normally would. Starting at level 3, once per encounter as an immediate action, and one additional time for every 3 levels of anti-mage past level three, an anti-mage may absorb a spell, spell-like ability or supernatural ability (so long as it duplicates a spell) which would affect them. This forces the creature attempting to use the ability to make a caster level check against DC 9+the anti-mage's class level+Constitution modifier. Any bonuses which normally apply to spell resistance checks are also added to this check. If the ability is nullified, the anti-mage is healed for 5*spell level plus caster level hit points, and gets a bonus on attack rolls equal to the spell level until the end of their next turn.
This can only be used against spells cast by enemies once every 1d4+1 rounds; however, anti-mages may use this ability any number of times against spells cast by their allies.
For example, a level 13 anti-mage activates this against the effect of a fireball spell cast on him by a level 12 wizard. If the anti-mage has 16 Constitution, the wizard must beat a DC 24 caster level check. Assuming the wizard fails, no creature takes the 10d6 damage they would from the fireball. The anti-mage is healed for 27 hitpoints (5*3+12) and gets a +3 bonus on attack rolls until the end of their next turn.

All-terrain Movement: At third level, anti-mages become less affected by terrain. They may ignore difficult terrain and gain a climb speed and swim speed equal to their base land speed, if they don't already have them. If they have a climb or swim speed already, that speed increases by +20 feet.

Dodge: At level 3, an anti-mage gains the Dodge feat as a bonus feat, even if they don't meet the prerequisites.

Mettle: At level 4, an anti-mage becomes better able to shrug off debilitating effects. When they make a Fortitude or Will save against an effect that would have a partial effect on a successful save, they're unaffected.

Pierce Magical Concealment: At level 4, an anti-mage gains Pierce Magical Concealment as a bonus feat.

Enduring Shield: At level 5, anti-mages learn to use the energy they warp to protect themselves. They gain a bonus to AC equal to their Constitution modifier plus 1 per 4 class levels.

Magebane: The warping properties of an anti-mage cause harm to those who manipulate the energies used for magic, both arcane and divine. Level 5 anti-mages imbue the weapons they wield with the bane (spell-caster) property (this does not increase the effective enhancement bonus when enchanting the weapon).

Mobility: At level 5, anti-mages gain the Mobility feat as a bonus feat, even if they don't meet the prerequisites.

Swift Soldier: The magic which flows through an anti-mage makes their body faster than most of their race. At level 6, an anti-mage more quickly. They gain a +10 feet bonus to all their movement speeds, and an additional +10 for every 6 levels of anti-mage they have past the sixth.

Enduring Warrior: A level 7 anti-mage learns to better resist magic. Against magical effects, they gain a bonus to saving throws equal to their Constitution modifier.

Flying Bane: At level 8, an anti-mage gains a fly speed equal to their base land speed with average maneuverability. At level 10, the maneuverability improves to good. At level 15, the maneuverability improves to perfect.

Improved Magebane: The weapon of a level 8 anti-mage becomes even more deadly to magic-weilders. Any weapon the anti-mage weilds gains the fiercebane (spell caster) enhancement (this does not increase the effective enhancement bonus when enchanting the weapon).

Enduring Action: A level 9 anti-mage gains a bonus to initiative rolls equal to their Constitution modifier.

Spring Attack: At level 9, anti-mages gain the Spring Attack feat as a bonus feat, even if they don't meet the prerequisites.

Magic Survivor: At level 10, magical effects which would kill or destroy the anti-mage instead are effected by their spell absorption ability. This use does not count against their limit of spell absorptions for an encounter. Summoned creatures are counted as a magical effect for this ability.

Improved Swift Soldier: At level 11, an anti-mage can use the warped energies around them to move more quickly. A number of times per encounter equal to their Constitution modifier, they may move their speed as a swift action.

Improved Disruptive Aura: A level 12 anti-mage's disruptive aura can sap the magic from foes. When an enemy's casting is disrupted by their aura, the anti-mage can absorb the spell as if with their spell absorption ability. This doesn't count against the use limit of the spell absorption.

Improved Mettle: At level 13, if an anti-mage fails a Fortitude or Will save against an effect which would have a partial effect on a successful save, they only take the partial effect.

Swift Strike: At level 14, an anti-mage's attacks come more swiftly. They may make a full-attack action as a standard action instead of a full round action. Additionally, they may make a full attack when they charge. Furthermore, they may combine a full attack action with the Spring Attack feat, targeting enemies they move past at any point with the attacks.

Null Magic Zone: At level 20, the anti-magic traits of the anti-mage increase dramatically. They radiate a null magic zone 30 feet around them. No enemy may cast spells, use spell-like abilities or supernatural abilities in this zone, and any spells which would be prevented by this zone are absorbed by the anti-mage as if using the spell absorption ability. These spells do not count against the use limit of the spell absorption ability.

[absolmorph]

Reserved for feats.

I'd like suggestions for the dead levels, and where abilities should be moved.

Also, I realize I don't have the proficiencies and skills up yet. They will be soon.

[Hyooz]

So they just... suddenly start flying? Before Raptorans, a race with wings, can?

Spell Absorption is pretty broken, even the level 3 version. The other levels are just icing on the broken cake.

I'm really not sure what kind of flavor you're going for here. Are they supposed to be mundane, pushing through the magic? Or magical on their own, specialized in nullifying other magic?

Because mundane just isn't going to work.

And let's say you're fighting... bears. As a CR appropriate encounter. What can this class contribute?

I think that's the primary mark against this class. It isn't one that does something cool of its own. It's purely reactionary, and only reactionary to a specific form of enemy. You don't do cool things, you prevent other people from doing cool things. And, if there's not someone there doing those cool things, you don't have any tricks.

Other than flying... somehow.

EDIT: Also, there seems to be nothing preventing one of these guys from multiclassing into a casting class. This would be the best entry into Ur-Priest ever.

[absolmorph]

Fly is a level 3 spell, available to primary spell casters at level 5 or 6 (for spontaneous casters).
This class can fly at level 8.

Also, for non-magical encounters: there is absolutely nothing stopping them from hitting normal things. They just get more bonuses against magical things.

How is Spell Absorption broken?

[Hyooz]

I understand that casters can cast a spell enabling them to fly at a similar level. These guys get... Extraordinary? (Should specify what kind of abilities each of these is, Ex, Su, or Sp) flight with no apparent source of it. Do they sprout wings? Is it magic? From the gods?

And yeah, non-magical encounters allow them to full-attack or whatever, but they're not particularly good at it. They won't have the feats they need to keep their to-hit and damage relevant.

And how is Spell Absorption NOT broken? It's strictly better than SR way above standard for his level plus a lot of bonuses for it. Especially when the uses don't matter anymore against all summoned creatures and death effects.

[Stompy]

Fly is a level 3 spell, available to primary spell casters at level 5 or 6 (for spontaneous casters).
This class can fly at level 8.

Yes. All the time. You're looking for Overland Flight to compare it to, which is a fifth level spell that wizards get at level 9. (although in all fairness, the warlock can fly at 6.)

Also, could you label which of your abilities are spell-like (Sp), supernatural, (Su), or extraordinary (Ex)? That would help me critique how this guy is flying, going super fast, etc.


Also, for non-magical encounters: there is absolutely nothing stopping them from hitting normal things. They just get more bonuses against magical things.

This is true, but even without magic in play, you are still getting CON to AC, every movement type ever, and a bunch of fighter feats.


How is Spell Absorption broken?

It is an automatic negate a magic spell (even for your allies in some cases). It is pretty powerful. Also, when can I declare this?:

a) before I get to roll spellcraft to identify the spell
b) after identification but before saving
c) after I roll a save but before the DM has announced success or failure
d) after I roll a save but and the DM has announced success or failure

EDIT: also, it gets level/3 absorptions per ENCOUNTER. Enjoy not being the subject of harmful magic ever again.

[Zakaroth]

Some suggestions:

Spell Absorption should allow for some sort of check, maybe reworking it a bit so that it grants spell resistance and if the caster fails the check you get the absorb effect, with "cooldown" (1d4 rounds) or some limit. This was it would also scale by class level, which makes it far less useful as a dip ability.
Now a level 3 anti-mage can ignore a level 20 wizard's empowered maximized heightened Orb of Force or whatever. Doesn't make sense to me.

Null Magic Zone should be suppressible by will, otherwise it may be quite a hindrance. What if your party caster wants to heal you?

How about a skill that grants him the ability to see magic aura's instead of the blindsight (don't really get why he has this, fluff-wise). This can be upgraded at some point to grant a Arcane Sight like effect.

For such a swift/agile character I would expect him to have High reflex in place of a High Fort.


Just my 2 cents.

[absolmorph]

Some suggestions:

Spell Absorption should allow for some sort of check, maybe reworking it a bit so that it grants spell resistance and if the caster fails the check you get the absorb effect, with "cooldown" (1d4 rounds) or some limit. This was it would also scale by class level, which makes it far less useful as a dip ability.
Now a level 3 anti-mage can ignore a level 20 wizard's empowered maximized heightened Orb of Force or whatever. Doesn't make sense to me.

Null Magic Zone should be suppressible by will, otherwise it may be quite a hindrance. What if your party caster wants to heal you?

How about a skill that grants him the ability to see magic aura's instead of the blindsight (don't really get why he has this, fluff-wise). This can be upgraded at some point to grant a Arcane Sight like effect.

For such a swift/agile character I would expect him to have High reflex in place of a High Fort.


Just my 2 cents.
That is actually a much better mechanic for Spell Absorption. The current one was just my initial thought, with some experimental numbers placed on it.

Null Magic Zone only effects enemies. Allies can cast in it with no problem.

Blindsight was just what I pulled out of my head first for an idea that I got; I can change that.
The Arcane Sight ability to identify auras is a rider on the Disruptive Aura ability from level 1.

[Demidos]

Soo....at level 20, they can just chill out with their allied casters in an area where enemy casters cant affect them, but allies can still cast:smalleek:? Seems.....strong? Almost too strong?

[absolmorph]

Soo....at level 20, they can just chill out with their allied casters in an area where enemy casters cant affect them, but allies can still cast:smalleek:? Seems.....strong? Almost too strong?
That would make the anti-mage just about useless as anything beyond a shield for the characters who need the least protection against magic (since they can provide their own protection).

Rewrote Spell Absorption, it now creates pseudo-SR. Also, the clause which gives it unlimited uses against spells cast by allies is specifically to make any spell slot a possible source of healing for this class, and slightly better than a Cure X Wounds spell of the equal level.

Any suggestions for making them suck less against non-casters would be appreciated.

[Realms of Chaos]

Looking at this class, it reminds me of one that I produced awhile ago. Where was it...

Ah, here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117233) it is.

Yours seems a lot more combat-focused and doesn't simply fold like tissue paper against non-caster enemies. Kudos.

Edit: Also, I don't see why everyone seems so convinced that this class is so terrible in non-magical situations. You still get full BAB, a couple of bonus feats, and increased maneuverability (fly/swim speeds + increased speed + movement as a swift action). You may not have as many non-magical options as a warblade or swordsage but you are still completely capable to acting as a front-liner against most creatures out of the MM unless I'm missing something.

[cfalcon]

Wow is that flight out of nowhere. "Well, fly exists as a spell, so you get it all the time, because you don't like magic."

You need to tag the abilities (Ex), (Su), and (Sp). I'm assuming you'll tag them all (Ex).

[Hyooz]

Edit: Also, I don't see why everyone seems so convinced that this class is so terrible in non-magical situations. You still get full BAB, a couple of bonus feats, and increased maneuverability (fly/swim speeds + increased speed + movement as a swift action). You may not have as many non-magical options as a warblade or swordsage but you are still completely capable to acting as a front-liner against most creatures out of the MM unless I'm missing something.
The maneuverability gives it a slight, slight edge over the fighter, but then we enter the world of To-Hit and damage. The fighter basically needs its bonus feats to keep up once you hit mid levels. This just won't keep up.

[absolmorph]

Wow is that flight out of nowhere. "Well, fly exists as a spell, so you get it all the time, because you don't like magic."

You need to tag the abilities (Ex), (Su), and (Sp). I'm assuming you'll tag them all (Ex).
I think a lot of them will be (Su), actually. And the flight kind of does come out of nowhere, I admit.


The maneuverability gives it a slight, slight edge over the fighter, but then we enter the world of To-Hit and damage. The fighter basically needs its bonus feats to keep up once you hit mid levels. This just won't keep up.
Again, how can I fix this?
I said that suggestions to help them against non-casters would be appreciated.

[NichG]

Chiming in with the other posters who have said this class is too reactionary. I'd suggest coming up with particular active things this guy can do that are cool and thematically fit with the 'hole in magic' idea.

What if the class were to give the ability to negate specific supernatural effects, the number, power, and range of which increase with level. So instead of giving himself flight, he can take away the supernatural flight of enemies, and so on.

Starting at 1st level, the class would require a melee touch attack to shut down an ability, and the character could only shut down one ability at a time. The power would be limited to 1st level spellcasting/spell-likes. At higher levels he gets it as a ranged touch attack, then an area of effect, then an emanation around himself. It'd advance to higher level spells/spell-likes, supernatural abilities, etc. At some point they'd get the ability to enforce mundanity upon a thing on a failed save (basically a SoD against golems, undead, outsiders, magical beasts, etc).

Because they're choosing particular types of abilities to shut down, there's at least some interesting tactical choices involved (okay, I'm going to shut down magical healing near me to keep these trolls down! Wait, they have supernatural DR? Okay, switching to that!).

[Realms of Chaos]

The maneuverability gives it a slight, slight edge over the fighter, but then we enter the world of To-Hit and damage. The fighter basically needs its bonus feats to keep up once you hit mid levels. This just won't keep up.

Hmmmmm...

I'm not sure that I've ever really bought this argument, however popular it might be. From what I've seen, a fighter requires their tons of feats to make them a decent uber-charger or trip-master and establish 1- or 2-hit kills against everything (or otherwise establish a lock so doing so isn't necessary).

Even without the bonus feats, however, a fighter can still pick up the power attack/improved bull rush/shock trooper/leap attack feats (the feats that let uberchargers get huge damage) and still have extra feats left over to spend on other sources (in fact, these guys effectively gain pounce, making charging a rather good strategy). Furthermore, relatively few bonus feats actually give bonuses to attack rolls and those that do are generally seen as being completely not worthwhile except (maybe) as a prerequisite for weapon supremacy. The +2 to attack and +4 to damage from the weapon focus/specialization line wasn't ever impressive in the first place and in their absence seems unlikely to hurt anybody.

It is certainly true that this class won't be very versatile if relying on feats to gain a decent damage output but even outside of their element, I've seen minimal evidence that a well-equipped combatant is likely to actually lose fights. They may not reach the damage output of others in the party but because the "norm" for PCs in this department is so high (combat conclusion is generally expected in PC favor within 3 rounds) but saying that this class can't contribute may be going a bit far.

This isn't even considering the various matches where your oponent can't fly and lacks ranged attacks, meaning that you can kill them reliably with arrows.

That said, using the class in these sorts of situations would probably be pretty darn boring so I'll admit that there's a problem there.