where does eldritch knight magic come from?

[Rfkannen]

Seriusly? So sorcerers get magic from their blood, so their stat is charisma, clerics and druids both have ties to something (God or nature) So they have to sense it and have wisdom, and then wizards get their magic by studying and have intelligence. But then were does eldrich knight magic come from? The obvious choice would be studying because of the fact they use int, but they don't have a spell book or anything like that. In fact they aren't even prepared spell casters. So where in the world does there magic come from?

[Demonic Spoon]

Per the PHB, it's also from study, but they commit a small number of spells to memory rather than a larger number of spells to a spell book

[Nargrakhan]

Fun fact: EK's doesn't get the benefit of an arcane focus (thematically it should be the bond weapon IMHO).
It's rouge counterpart (Arcane Trickster) also suffers the same flaw, so I don't think it was an oversight.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

Odd, but I'd overlook that as a DM. I don't want to get bogged down in when the gishes have a hand free or not to cast. They trained to fight and cast, so the rounds they cast instead of attacking I'm just going to assume they're able to shift their equipment around to provide the components that round.
Sure it invalidates part of War Casting, but I already have a painful enough time explaining to the dual-wielders that they can only pull out one weapon at a time every combat.

[Bacchanalian]

The fighter in my group who went that way described herself as bookish and prone to getting stuck in a town for days as she read everything she could find that she had not read before well before she ever saw the PHB and knew what an Eldritch Knight was. When I saw it as DM, I pointed it out to her as something that fit her character perfectly, as when you read every book you come across you're bound to find some magic-related texts.

[MaxWilson]

EK magic comes from their Styric instructors, and ultimately from the Younger Gods of Styricum.

(I.e. Pandion Knights are the quintessential Eldritch Knight.)

[mephnick]

I think Robin from Fire Emblem/Smash Bros is a cool EK image. Book+blade.

[Nargrakhan]

I think Robin from Fire Emblem/Smash Bros is a cool EK image. Book+blade.

The book thing is more of a gameplay balance mechanic, than what the actual happens in Fire Emblem metalore: they cast spells without a book sometimes (for cut scenes or story plot events).

Plus if we wanna enter spoilerific territory, one could debate Robin dipped into...
Sorcerer for the whole Dragon blooded heritage.

[CyberThread]

Is that before or after little mac whoops his butt like a proper fighter.

[Falcon X]

Per the PHB, it's also from study, but they commit a small number of spells to memory rather than a larger number of spells to a spell book
I agree. The same kind of training as a Wizard, but they prepare the same spells every day, and thus don't need a book to remember them all.

If you want to add some flavor, you can have the EK have memory exercises. Such as a weapon kata/drill, chanting, song, etc. that helps him remember.
3rd edition Tome of Battle had feats and things with this flavor. They focus themselves rapidly to cause their body to remember maneuvers.

[mr_odd]

Is that before or after little mac whoops his butt like a proper fighter.

Little Mac is more of a Rogue, super quick and does a lot of damage, but doesn't take much of a beating himself.

Anywho, EK's magic comes from study, similar to how an eidedic wizard remembers their spells.

[Inevitability]

Little Mac is more of a Rogue, super quick and does a lot of damage, but doesn't take much of a beating himself.

More of a monk, I'd say. Rogues aren't that damaging when they are denied their sneak attack.

[mr_odd]

More of a monk, I'd say. Rogues aren't that damaging when they are denied their sneak attack.

Ahh, that's true. When thinking of classes, monk is usually the last to come to mind.