[Tier & Thoughts] Ultimate Prestige Classes Volume 1: Arcane Avatar.

[Yael]

I want this to become a recurring thread where we discuss potential and/or power gaming beyond unknown prestige classes to the Tier System for Prestige Classes (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5198.0).

This time, and from the Ultimate Prestige Classes Volume 1, 3.0 third-party book, the Arcane Avatar.

What does it have?
Gold means godlike.
Blue aims for good.
Black stands for average (highly subject to changes)
Purple goes to mediocre.
Red goes to poor.

Feats: Any 4 metamagic feats.
Spellcasting: Ability to prepare 6th level arcane spells.

• d4 Hit Die.
• Poor BAB (1/2)
• Bad Fort.
• Bad Reflexes.
• Good Will.

Class Features. (Won't type directly from the book, but I will give a short explanation of each).
• No extra proficiencies.
• 5/5 spellcasting.
• [Level 1st] Avatar of Magic (Su): Gives Spell Resistance 15 + Cha, irradiates a magic aura and has a permanencied Detect Magic.
• [Level 2nd] Augment Magic: Select two metamagic feats and reduce their adjustments by one.
• [Level 3rd] Call Spell: Allows you to sacrifice two spell slots when preparing spells to prepare a spell of the same level that you do not have in your spellbook, but from your same list.
• [Level 4th] Counter Magic (Su): You dispel magic at will without using spell slots, you must ready your action. 1d20+CL.
• [Level 5th] Master of Magic: Once per day, the Arcane Avatar may enter a state of trance that requires a full-round action and lasts 2d4 rounds. During this time, he is helpless, and before entering the state one must decide how much time you will spend in trance (up to the dice roll). Each round you may select one of the benefits below to have to ocurr (while in-trance):
Replenish Magic: You may regain a spell slot up to 3rd level, if you concentrate two rounds, it may be up to 6th level.
Silence Magic: Creates a 60 ft. radius sphere centered in the Arcane Avatar that operates like Antimagic Field.
Strenghen Magic: Allies in a 60-ft radius, centered in the Avatar, have their spell DCs increase by 4.

I haven't colored nothing yet, so give your thoughts.

[Bluydee]

Really, not much of a change from a normal wizard. You lose one bonus feat for weak SR, atwill detect and dispel magic, and improved meta magic feats, as in like two free easy meta magic feats, and some situational trance abilities that can easily kill you if handled wrong, though regaining a 6th level spell or below once per day could be nice. Overall, it's a plain +0. While better than a normal wizard, it doesn't really do much other reduce meta magic for free.

[malonkey1]

Hm...How does Call Spell work for spontaneous casters? (or does it simply not work?)

[Yael]

Hm...How does Call Spell work for spontaneous casters? (or does it simply not work?)

It doesn't say anything about it, because the entry requirements are to prepare 6th level spells, so I think this was intended for a prepared caster.

[thethird]

Let's see

Entry:
Minimum level entry 12, which is a tad step
Four metamagic feats means that we want metamagic feats (no **** sherlock) so this is probably going to go with Incantatrix or similar metamagic focused prcs.

HD, saves, BAB:
As a normal wizard, could be better, couldn't be much worse

Spellcasting:
Fits the old maximum (you shall not spellcaster levels)

First level ability:
It scales independently of class levels so it might make a good dip, still it would need a really strong charisma to be worth it. Consider using Sha'ir as a base, which is a Cha focused prepared caster.

Second level ability:
Potentially awesometastic depending on the metamagic feats you choose and if there is an actual minimum. Depending on the wording we could see invisible for minus one. A reasonable reading of extend to 0 would still be cool. And a minimum one adjustment would be a pain unless we use it to high level increase metamagic such as Persist. It also synergies well with the Incantatrix capstone.

Third level ability:
Good for a Sha'ir mediocre for a wizard but potentially useful. You would use this for obscure utility during non adventuring times, so it can be useful. You are basically saving money by sacrificing temporary slots, not a big pain.

Fourth level ability:
Does this work as dispel magic (or greater dispel magic)? If yes you have a counterspell as a (su) which means that it itself can't be countered. The wording might invite to get a level of sacred exorcist to get turn undead and divine defiance (to bypass the readied action requirement) and a dip in archmage to be able to turn back the spells. Could the dispel magic be used as normal or only to counter spell? Dispel Magic is a good spell and having it at will (and being a Su) is pretty good.

Fifth level ability:
Recovering spell slots might be useful, the others are either detrimental being helpless in an antimagic field, I'm sure that's a good idea, or extremely niche increasing the DC of friendly spellcasters, how many do you have in the party?

So my verdict is that this class is great for two levels, and potentially great/good for four levels but it is only good/meh for five.

It also improves the Sha'ir class a lot more than it does the wizard but he has more problems meeting the prereqs since the wizard gets bonus metamagic feats (which he probably isn't taking, but still).