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Crisis21
2019-04-10, 11:11 AM
School of Combat

You had an old friend. He was the physical jock and you were the cerebral nerd. Many questioned why the heck you were friends, but friends you were. It wasn't any surprise when your friend got accepted to soldier training, nor was it a surprise when you were apprenticed to a local wizard. People were a bit surprised when you two remained friends though and kept in touch. You talked about your arcane studies and he talked about his martial training, and you kept getting into friendly arguments over which was harder to learn, which led to the bet: If your friend could learn arcane spellcasting in addition to his martial training, you would have to reciprocate by learning the ways of martial combat in addition to your arcane studies. You accepted, thinking this would be an easy bet to win.

Then the goofball went and succeeded. Now the honor of your friendship demands you do the same. And hopefully not impale yourself on a sword trying.

Bonus Cantrip

When you take this archetype, you learn the cantrip Green Flame Blade. This does not count against your cantrips known.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you take this archetype at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in light armor and simple weapons. You may also add half your proficiency bonus to any martial weapons you are not proficient in.
When you reach 6th level, you gain full proficiency in martial weapons as well as proficiency in medium armor and shields.

Quick-Witted Combat

Beginning at 2nd level, when you are wielding a one-handed weapon without the Heavy property, you may use your Intelligence as your bonus to attack rolls and damage instead of Strength.

In addition, you may choose one fighting style available to the Fighter class and gain its benefits. You may not choose a new fighting style later.

At 6th level, you may use your Intelligence modifier for Initiative rolls instead of your Dexterity modifier.

War Magic

Beginning at 6th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action. In addition, you may use a weapon you are wielding as a spellcasting focus.

Misty Step

At 10th level, you memorize the Misty Step spell. If it is not already in your spellbook, you may add it. You always have this spell prepared and it does not count against your number of spells prepared. In addition, you may change its casting time to 1 reaction once (you must still expend a spell slot to cast it) and regain the ability to do so after a short or long rest.

Improved War Magic

Starting at 14th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.


Note: The bonus proficiencies feature is meant to reflect what a Wizard would get if they actually multiclassed to Fighter. Also, before anyone asks, yes, this does mirror the Eldritch Knight more than a little (they straight-up share three two features). That was intentional. The implication was that the Fighter became an Eldritch Knight (clearly his soldier training involved some opportunities for quick xp to get to 3rd level before his buddy reached 2nd), so his Wizard buddy did this. And then they went on to become adventuring bash brothers.

Edit: Changed 'Arcane Charge' because I remembered Misty Step was a thing on the Wizard spell list. Also moved Medium armor proficiency to 6th level because making a player wait 8 levels for a feature they could get through a 1-level multiclass seemed a bit much.

JeenLeen
2019-04-10, 03:55 PM
This seems a bit too good, in that it would enable you pretty easily to make a fairly tanky wizard. Yeah, you don't have Heavy Armor Proficiency or Extra Attack, but you get decent melee attacks on top of full spellcasting. I get the similarities to Eldritch Knight, but Eldritch Knight is rather limiting in spellcasting.

Not sure how to fix it. Just it seems like an overpowered archetype to me. Then again, I haven't played a lot of builds using half-casters, so others could very likely have more valid opinions.

The line "In addition, you may use a weapon you are wielding as a spellcasting focus." would not negate the need for a hand for somatic components, would it? I think the rules state that the same hand can manipulate a focus/use component pouch and do somatic components, but I'm not certain. If this allows you to wield a weapon and a shield without requiring that feat... seems really good.

Crisis21
2019-04-10, 04:27 PM
If I recall correctly, to do somatic components properly, you need at least one hand free (barring a feature that says otherwise, like Warcaster). So, still no sword, board, and spells without Warcaster.

Yeah, EK is limited in spellcasting, but without Extra Attack, this subclass is limited martially.

Also, I did note that the weapon and armor proficiencies weren't anything that couldn't be gained by a 1 level dip in Fighter. In fact, they're exactly what could be gained by multiclassing to Fighter, only gained more slowly.

Also remember that for all the added martial prowess, you're still a d6 hit die Wizard.

It's why I allowed the subclass to use INT as an attack stat, so they can focus on buffing CON to close some of that hp gap.

Vulsutyr
2019-04-18, 06:53 PM
Two levels in this would be a huge boost to the Eldritch Knight. The EK could 1) increase spellcasting just like all EK-wizard dips. 2) put DEX at 14 (for medium armor), dump STR and pump int. Then use a longsword and shield. It's like the Hexblade for INT casters. 3) The half-profeciency bonus adding to martial weapons stacks with proficiency with martial weapons. You need to change that.

I love the flavor, but it does not really fill a niche that bladesinger doesn't IMO.

Crisis21
2019-04-18, 07:28 PM
Two levels in this would be a huge boost to the Eldritch Knight. The EK could 1) increase spellcasting just like all EK-wizard dips. 2) put DEX at 14 (for medium armor), dump STR and pump int. Then use a longsword and shield. It's like the Hexblade for INT casters. 3) The half-profeciency bonus adding to martial weapons stacks with proficiency with martial weapons. You need to change that.

I love the flavor, but it does not really fill a niche that bladesinger doesn't IMO.

Fixed the half proficiency thing. Also, I think Bladesingers are an Elf-exclusive archetype or something like the Battlerager Barbarian is for Dwarves.

Vulsutyr
2019-04-18, 08:11 PM
Fixed the half proficiency thing. Also, I think Bladesingers are an Elf-exclusive archetype or something like the Battlerager Barbarian is for Dwarves.

You are correct, but many DMs, particulary ones not playing in Faerun allow anyone to take it. But either way, is this a good alternative for a Elf compared with bladesinger? I think so, but I'm not sure there is much difference.

Crisis21
2019-04-18, 09:59 PM
You are correct, but many DMs, particulary ones not playing in Faerun allow anyone to take it. But either way, is this a good alternative for a Elf compared with bladesinger? I think so, but I'm not sure there is much difference.

Just looked over 5e bladesinger for the first time and, while I agree there are some similarities between it and mine, that one seems to focus on basically being a magic dance fighter of some sort.

Vulsutyr
2019-04-19, 11:07 AM
Well yes, the flavor is somewhat different. But the mechanical niches they fill are very similar.

Vulsutyr
2019-04-19, 11:10 AM
Also, I really think you should consider the immense benefit this would give to eldritch knights, arcane tricksters, and artificers that fight. Doesn’t it seem dangerous to allow those classes to fight with Int? Makes it almost mandatory for a casting/heavy build.

Crisis21
2019-04-19, 01:12 PM
Also, I really think you should consider the immense benefit this would give to eldritch knights, arcane tricksters, and artificers that fight. Doesn’t it seem dangerous to allow those classes to fight with Int? Makes it almost mandatory for a casting/heavy build.

Hmm... what if I specified Finesse weapons only and allowed the INT modifier to replace the DEX modifier instead?