NigelWalmsley
2020-10-04, 05:16 PM
The Warmage is the redheaded stepchild of the fixed list casters. The Beguiler and Dread Necromancer both have spell lists full of game-changing spells, while the Warmage gets different flavors of blasting (and some admittedly nice BFC effects). This is an effort to beef of the Warmage a little bit, so that someone might be able to justify playing a Warmage who actually relied on the Warmage spell list, rather than immediately doing their level best to add as many new spells to it as possible. As such, that list has been expanded to include sidelines in buffing allies, some logistics-based utility, and suite of divinations.
Warmage
Of course you should fight fire with fire. You should fight everything with fire.
Soldiers do not fight alone. This is true not only in the literal sense that armies contain more than one person, but in the broader sense that no army contains just soldiers. Armies need food, weapons, shelter, transportation, and any number of other things. But beyond those mundane needs, any army that wishes to be taken seriously needs magic. Who provides this magic varies from army to army, but nations with dedicated armies will usually develop magical traditions dedicated to the art of war. The practioners who are part of these tradtions are known as warmages.
While all warmages posses a basic facility for casting spells that harm their enemies, enhance their allies, or provide logistical support, different cultures train their warmages in their own specialized techniques. Warmages in service to necromantic powers are often encouraged to learn the unholy arts of the Uttercold. Some armies deploy specialized warmage corps dedicated to raining down destruction on their foes, while others specialize their warmages towards small-unit support roles. Of course, not every warmage is a member of an army. Some have discovered that while their techniques are useful on the battlefield, they are equally prized among adventures.
Alignment: As there are no alignment restrictions on either war or magic, the warmage may be of any alignment.
Hit Die: d4
Class Skills
The warmage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier (x4 at 1st level).
LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
1+0+0+0+2Spells, Armored Mage, Warmage Edge
2+1+0+0+3War Magic Study
3+1+1+1+3Advanced Learning
4+2+1+1+4Sudden Enlarge
5+2+1+1+4Advanced Learning
6+3+2+2+5Improved Sudden Metamagic (+1)
7+3+2+2+5Advanced Learning
8+4+2+2+6Sudden Empower
9+4+3+3+6Advanced Learning
10+5+3+3+7Improved Sudden Metamagic (+2)
11+5+3+3+7Advanced Learning
12+6/+1+4+4+8Sudden Widen
13+6/+1+4+4+8Advanced Learning
14+7/+2+4+4+9Improved Sudden Metamagic (+3)
15+7/+2+5+5+9Advanced Learning
16+8/+3+5+5+10Sudden Maximize
17+8/+3+5+5+10Advanced Learning
18+9/+4+6+6+11Improved Sudden Metamagic (+4)
19+9/+4+6+6+11Advanced Learning
20+10/+5+6+6+12Sudden Quicken
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The warmage is proficient with light, shields, and all simple weapons.
Spells: A warmage casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the warmage list. The warmage automatically knows all the spells on the warmage list, as well as a selection of additional spells her Advanced Learning ability. If she gains access to knew spells through effects such as Prestige Domains, she automatically knows those spells as well. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. The warmage's spell DCs and bonus spells are determined by her Intelligence score.
The warmage recieves the same spells per day as a sorcerer of her level.
At the DM's discretion, the warmage may exchange spells on the warmage list for other evocation or damaging spells of the same level from the sorcerer/wizard list.
Armored Mage: Warmages recieve specialized training that allows them to cast more effectively in armor. A warmage ignores the arcane spell failure chance of any armor with which she is proficient.
War Magic Study: The warmage's mandate is to study the magic of war. As such, at 2nd level she gains War Magic Study (Dragon #309) as a bonus feat. This does not confirm on him knowledge of any particular War Spells, though organized warmage traditions will typically teach their initiates War spells they have derived.
Adanced Learning: At 3rd level and each odd-numbered level thereafter, the warmage gains additional spell knowldege. She may select either one evocation spell of any spell level which she can cast from the sorcerer/wizard list, or one spell of any school of a level up to one less than the highest level she can cast from the sorcerer/wizard list. This spell is added to her list of spells known at the level at which it appears on the sorcerer/wizard list.
Sudden Enlarge: At 4th level, the warmage gains Sudden Enlarge (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Enlarge, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Improved Sudden Metamagic: Warmages are adept at modifying their spells under combat conditions. At 6th level and again every four levels thereafter, the warmage gains one additional use of each Sudden metamagic feat she possesses. Additionally, at her option she may take any metamagic feats as Sudden metamagic feats instead, gaining the ability to apply their effect once per day without effecting the level of the modified spell (increased by the bonus from this ability). She may substitute Sudden metamagic feats for their non-Sudden equivalents for the purpose of meeting prerequisites.
Sudden Empower: At 8th level, the warmage gains Sudden Empower (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Empower, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Sudden Widen: At 12th level, the warmage gains Sudden Widen (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Widen, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Sudden Maximize: At 16th level, the warmage gains Sudden Maximize (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Maximize, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Sudden Quicken: At 20th level, the warmage gains Sudden Quicken (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Quicken, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Warmage Spells
The warmage spell list has been modified. A number of evocation spells have been reduced in level, and a number of other spells have been added. The Warmage spell list is as described in Complete Arcane, but with the following spells added or re-leveled.
0th Level: burning hands, magic missile
1st Level: alarm, endure elements, enlarge person, longstrider, mage armor, protection from alignment, reduce person, snake's swiftness (SpC)
2nd Level: animal aptitude*, cone of cold, fireball, heroics (SpC), lightning bolt, mass snake's swiftness (SpC), resist energy, rope trick, sending
3rd Level: anticipate teleport (SpC), chain lightning, circle dance (SpC), clairaudience/clairvoyance, create food and water, dispel magic, fly, haste, mass mage armor (SpC)
4th Level: detect scrying, mass longstrider (SpC), mass enlarge person, minor creation, mass reduce person, scrying, secure shelter, stoneskin
5th Level: fabricate, major creation, mass fly (SpC), prying eyes, wall of stone
6th Level: greater anticipate teleport (SpC), greater dispel magic, hero's feast, mass animal aptitude*, mass heroics*
7th Level: control weather, gate (travel only), greater scrying, mage's magnificent mansion
8th Level: greater prying eyes, meteor swarm, storm of vengeance, true creation
9th Level: foresight
Spells marked with a * are new spells.
New Spells
Animal Aptitude
Transmutation
Level: Warmage 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
The spell grants the target a +4 enhancement bonus to one ability score.
Animal Aptitude, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Warmage 6
Range: Close
Target: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Mass animal aptitude works like animal aptitude, except that it effects multiple creatures. Each creature recieves a bonus to the same ability score.
Heroics, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Warmage 6
Range: Close
Target: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Mass herorics works like heroics, except that it effects multiple creatures. Each creature recieves the same bonus feat.
Alternate Class Features
Not all warmages are trained in the same way. While the archetypical warmage is one who stands behind the lines of the army raining death on her foes, other warmages fight in different ways, and some develop specialized techniques for using battlefield magic.
Arcane Commando
Not all wars are won on the battlefield. Some warmages are trained to attack from cover of stealth, wearing down enemy armies without ever giving battle. These techiques are common both among nomadic armies and among those like the Gnomes or Kobolds who prefer to engage in guerrila warfare.
Level: 1st
Replaces: Warmage Edge, War Magic Study, Sudden Enlarge, Improved Sudden Metamagic, Sudden Empower, Sudden Widen, Sudden Maximize, Sudden Quicken
Benefit: The warmage gains the Traps class feature of the Rogue. The warmage gains Track as a bonus feat. The warmage adds Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Search to her list of class skills. The warmage gains skirmish as a scout (CAdv) of her level minus one (meaning it advances on even levels rather than odd ones).
Arcane Messenger
The impact of the warmage extends far beyond the battlefield. Specialized warmages can prove an invaluable intelligence asset to their armies.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Casting sending, scrying, or greater scrying on a willing target does not expend a spell slot. The warmage must still be of a high enough level to cast these spells.
Battle Magician
While the effects of magic are quite impressive on the scale of a dungeon, they are somewhat less so on a battlefield. A well-placed fireball or cloudkill can turn the tide of a battle, but some warmages prefer a more brute-force approach. Such warmages are not necessarily popular with the line troops of their armies.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Spells cast by the warmage increase in range. Close range spells become medium range, medium range spells become long range, and long range spells become extremely long range (1000ft + 100ft/caster level). The area of the warmage's spells increases by 50% per level below the highest level of spell she can cast (so a 3rd level spell cast by a warmage who can cast 6th level spells would effect an area 250% of its normal size). If this increase results in an area that is not a multiple of five, round up to the next multiple of five.
Energy Adept
Warmages have access to spells that deal almost every type of energy damage, but some feel that even this flexibility is insufficient. They want to be able to create cones of acid or lines of sound.
Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic. If she takes this ability at 6th level, she gains the baseline benefits of Improved Sudden Metamagic at whatever level she does not take an alternate class feature that replaces it.
Benefit: The warmage gains Energy Substitution [Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire] (CArc) as bonus feats. Applying one of these feats to one of her spells does not increase its casting time.
Energy Mastery
Some warmages are not satisfied by simply damaging people with energy and prefer to debilitate them as well.
Level: 14th or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Spells the warmage casts that deal acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage inflict additional effects to any target who takes damage. Targets who take acid damage are nauseated for one round per caster level. Targets who take cold damage are slowed (as the spell slow) for one round per caster level. Targets who take electricity damage are effected as by a targeted greater dispel magic (caster level equals the warmage's caster level). Targets who take fire damage take one half the damage again in the next round. Targets who take sonic damage are stunned for one round. In all cases, targets recieve a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the warmage's caster level + the warmage's Intelligence modifier) to negate the effects.
Enduring Magic
The warmage's spells last longer than ususal.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Spells the warmage casts with a Saving Throw of (Harmless) have an increased duration. If they normally last 1 round per caster level, they instead last 1 minute per caster level. If they normally last 1 minute per caster level, they instead last 10 minutes per caster level. If they normally last 10 minutes per caster level, they instead last 1 hour per caster level.
Special: Enduring Magic may be taken twice.
Gish
Every culture that fights with both sword and spell (which is to say: every culture) has some name for those who combine the two tactics. Elven Bladesingers, Dwarven Battlesmiths, Eldritch Knights of various orders. But while the Elves insist that it is with them that the technique originated, there can be no doubt that it is the silver sword-wielding Gish of the Githyanki who represent the best-known example of this tradition. It is from them that the general term for warmages who practice with both sword and spell is taken.
Level: 1st
Replaces: Warmage Edge. The warmage recieves one less spell slot at each level of spells she can cast.
Benefit: The warmage's base attack bonus changes to Good (as a Fighter). Her hit die changes to a d8. She gains proficiency with all martial weapons and with medium armor. She gains the Arcane Channeling ability of the duskblade (PHBII), except that she can use it on a single attack at 1st level and on multiple attacks at 6th level. She may exchange any number of warmage spells for duskblade spells of the same level.
Increased Force
The warmage's spells do additional damage.
Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic. If she takes this ability at 6th level, she gains the baseline benefits of Improved Sudden Metamagic at whatever level she does not take an alternate class feature that replaces it.
Benefit: The damage die of spells cast by the warmage increases by one step, to a maximum of a d12.
Special: Increased Force may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.
Volume of Fire
The warmage's spells effect additional targets.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: The warmage's caster level counts double for the purposes of determining the number of targets her spells effect.
Source Abbreviations:
CAdv: Complete Adventurer
CArc: Complete Arcane
SpC: Spell Compendium
PHBII: Player's Handbook II
Obviously, these changes suggest changes that could be made to the Beguiler and the Dread Necromancer as well. Certainly, I personally consider the fact that of the three classes which get Advanced Learning, no two have the same progression, to be offensively stupid and would recommend you pick some centralized progression to use. But the Beguiler and Dread Necromancer are honestly quite reasonable as printed, and you would be entirely justified in deciding they don't need any additional power.
I've re-written the Warmage's "Spells" ability to clarify that the Rainbow WarSnake type tricks explicitly work. I personally consider these to be RAW already, but as there is some debate, I figured I'd make it explicit how this fix is assuming things will work.
I've combined Advanced and Eclectic Learning into a single class feature for simplicity. I also made Eclectic Learning slightly better, because I feel that the RAW version is a little too punishing. Forcing you to cast a spell out of a higher level slot pushes you towards either downtime spells (where the slot doesn't matter) or broken ones (where the effect is worth it). Instead, you get the same set of spells, but out of correctly leveled slots. Sticking it at odd levels gives you a gradual progression, with new spells and Advanced Learning coming in at different points. It does push you towards Mindbender-type tricks, but I think that's an acceptable level of system mastery to support.
Warmage
Of course you should fight fire with fire. You should fight everything with fire.
Soldiers do not fight alone. This is true not only in the literal sense that armies contain more than one person, but in the broader sense that no army contains just soldiers. Armies need food, weapons, shelter, transportation, and any number of other things. But beyond those mundane needs, any army that wishes to be taken seriously needs magic. Who provides this magic varies from army to army, but nations with dedicated armies will usually develop magical traditions dedicated to the art of war. The practioners who are part of these tradtions are known as warmages.
While all warmages posses a basic facility for casting spells that harm their enemies, enhance their allies, or provide logistical support, different cultures train their warmages in their own specialized techniques. Warmages in service to necromantic powers are often encouraged to learn the unholy arts of the Uttercold. Some armies deploy specialized warmage corps dedicated to raining down destruction on their foes, while others specialize their warmages towards small-unit support roles. Of course, not every warmage is a member of an army. Some have discovered that while their techniques are useful on the battlefield, they are equally prized among adventures.
Alignment: As there are no alignment restrictions on either war or magic, the warmage may be of any alignment.
Hit Die: d4
Class Skills
The warmage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier (x4 at 1st level).
LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
1+0+0+0+2Spells, Armored Mage, Warmage Edge
2+1+0+0+3War Magic Study
3+1+1+1+3Advanced Learning
4+2+1+1+4Sudden Enlarge
5+2+1+1+4Advanced Learning
6+3+2+2+5Improved Sudden Metamagic (+1)
7+3+2+2+5Advanced Learning
8+4+2+2+6Sudden Empower
9+4+3+3+6Advanced Learning
10+5+3+3+7Improved Sudden Metamagic (+2)
11+5+3+3+7Advanced Learning
12+6/+1+4+4+8Sudden Widen
13+6/+1+4+4+8Advanced Learning
14+7/+2+4+4+9Improved Sudden Metamagic (+3)
15+7/+2+5+5+9Advanced Learning
16+8/+3+5+5+10Sudden Maximize
17+8/+3+5+5+10Advanced Learning
18+9/+4+6+6+11Improved Sudden Metamagic (+4)
19+9/+4+6+6+11Advanced Learning
20+10/+5+6+6+12Sudden Quicken
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The warmage is proficient with light, shields, and all simple weapons.
Spells: A warmage casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the warmage list. The warmage automatically knows all the spells on the warmage list, as well as a selection of additional spells her Advanced Learning ability. If she gains access to knew spells through effects such as Prestige Domains, she automatically knows those spells as well. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. The warmage's spell DCs and bonus spells are determined by her Intelligence score.
The warmage recieves the same spells per day as a sorcerer of her level.
At the DM's discretion, the warmage may exchange spells on the warmage list for other evocation or damaging spells of the same level from the sorcerer/wizard list.
Armored Mage: Warmages recieve specialized training that allows them to cast more effectively in armor. A warmage ignores the arcane spell failure chance of any armor with which she is proficient.
War Magic Study: The warmage's mandate is to study the magic of war. As such, at 2nd level she gains War Magic Study (Dragon #309) as a bonus feat. This does not confirm on him knowledge of any particular War Spells, though organized warmage traditions will typically teach their initiates War spells they have derived.
Adanced Learning: At 3rd level and each odd-numbered level thereafter, the warmage gains additional spell knowldege. She may select either one evocation spell of any spell level which she can cast from the sorcerer/wizard list, or one spell of any school of a level up to one less than the highest level she can cast from the sorcerer/wizard list. This spell is added to her list of spells known at the level at which it appears on the sorcerer/wizard list.
Sudden Enlarge: At 4th level, the warmage gains Sudden Enlarge (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Enlarge, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Improved Sudden Metamagic: Warmages are adept at modifying their spells under combat conditions. At 6th level and again every four levels thereafter, the warmage gains one additional use of each Sudden metamagic feat she possesses. Additionally, at her option she may take any metamagic feats as Sudden metamagic feats instead, gaining the ability to apply their effect once per day without effecting the level of the modified spell (increased by the bonus from this ability). She may substitute Sudden metamagic feats for their non-Sudden equivalents for the purpose of meeting prerequisites.
Sudden Empower: At 8th level, the warmage gains Sudden Empower (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Empower, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Sudden Widen: At 12th level, the warmage gains Sudden Widen (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Widen, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Sudden Maximize: At 16th level, the warmage gains Sudden Maximize (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Maximize, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Sudden Quicken: At 20th level, the warmage gains Sudden Quicken (CArc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Quicken, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.
Warmage Spells
The warmage spell list has been modified. A number of evocation spells have been reduced in level, and a number of other spells have been added. The Warmage spell list is as described in Complete Arcane, but with the following spells added or re-leveled.
0th Level: burning hands, magic missile
1st Level: alarm, endure elements, enlarge person, longstrider, mage armor, protection from alignment, reduce person, snake's swiftness (SpC)
2nd Level: animal aptitude*, cone of cold, fireball, heroics (SpC), lightning bolt, mass snake's swiftness (SpC), resist energy, rope trick, sending
3rd Level: anticipate teleport (SpC), chain lightning, circle dance (SpC), clairaudience/clairvoyance, create food and water, dispel magic, fly, haste, mass mage armor (SpC)
4th Level: detect scrying, mass longstrider (SpC), mass enlarge person, minor creation, mass reduce person, scrying, secure shelter, stoneskin
5th Level: fabricate, major creation, mass fly (SpC), prying eyes, wall of stone
6th Level: greater anticipate teleport (SpC), greater dispel magic, hero's feast, mass animal aptitude*, mass heroics*
7th Level: control weather, gate (travel only), greater scrying, mage's magnificent mansion
8th Level: greater prying eyes, meteor swarm, storm of vengeance, true creation
9th Level: foresight
Spells marked with a * are new spells.
New Spells
Animal Aptitude
Transmutation
Level: Warmage 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
The spell grants the target a +4 enhancement bonus to one ability score.
Animal Aptitude, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Warmage 6
Range: Close
Target: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Mass animal aptitude works like animal aptitude, except that it effects multiple creatures. Each creature recieves a bonus to the same ability score.
Heroics, Mass
Transmutation
Level: Warmage 6
Range: Close
Target: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Mass herorics works like heroics, except that it effects multiple creatures. Each creature recieves the same bonus feat.
Alternate Class Features
Not all warmages are trained in the same way. While the archetypical warmage is one who stands behind the lines of the army raining death on her foes, other warmages fight in different ways, and some develop specialized techniques for using battlefield magic.
Arcane Commando
Not all wars are won on the battlefield. Some warmages are trained to attack from cover of stealth, wearing down enemy armies without ever giving battle. These techiques are common both among nomadic armies and among those like the Gnomes or Kobolds who prefer to engage in guerrila warfare.
Level: 1st
Replaces: Warmage Edge, War Magic Study, Sudden Enlarge, Improved Sudden Metamagic, Sudden Empower, Sudden Widen, Sudden Maximize, Sudden Quicken
Benefit: The warmage gains the Traps class feature of the Rogue. The warmage gains Track as a bonus feat. The warmage adds Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Search to her list of class skills. The warmage gains skirmish as a scout (CAdv) of her level minus one (meaning it advances on even levels rather than odd ones).
Arcane Messenger
The impact of the warmage extends far beyond the battlefield. Specialized warmages can prove an invaluable intelligence asset to their armies.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Casting sending, scrying, or greater scrying on a willing target does not expend a spell slot. The warmage must still be of a high enough level to cast these spells.
Battle Magician
While the effects of magic are quite impressive on the scale of a dungeon, they are somewhat less so on a battlefield. A well-placed fireball or cloudkill can turn the tide of a battle, but some warmages prefer a more brute-force approach. Such warmages are not necessarily popular with the line troops of their armies.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Spells cast by the warmage increase in range. Close range spells become medium range, medium range spells become long range, and long range spells become extremely long range (1000ft + 100ft/caster level). The area of the warmage's spells increases by 50% per level below the highest level of spell she can cast (so a 3rd level spell cast by a warmage who can cast 6th level spells would effect an area 250% of its normal size). If this increase results in an area that is not a multiple of five, round up to the next multiple of five.
Energy Adept
Warmages have access to spells that deal almost every type of energy damage, but some feel that even this flexibility is insufficient. They want to be able to create cones of acid or lines of sound.
Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic. If she takes this ability at 6th level, she gains the baseline benefits of Improved Sudden Metamagic at whatever level she does not take an alternate class feature that replaces it.
Benefit: The warmage gains Energy Substitution [Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire] (CArc) as bonus feats. Applying one of these feats to one of her spells does not increase its casting time.
Energy Mastery
Some warmages are not satisfied by simply damaging people with energy and prefer to debilitate them as well.
Level: 14th or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Spells the warmage casts that deal acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage inflict additional effects to any target who takes damage. Targets who take acid damage are nauseated for one round per caster level. Targets who take cold damage are slowed (as the spell slow) for one round per caster level. Targets who take electricity damage are effected as by a targeted greater dispel magic (caster level equals the warmage's caster level). Targets who take fire damage take one half the damage again in the next round. Targets who take sonic damage are stunned for one round. In all cases, targets recieve a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the warmage's caster level + the warmage's Intelligence modifier) to negate the effects.
Enduring Magic
The warmage's spells last longer than ususal.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: Spells the warmage casts with a Saving Throw of (Harmless) have an increased duration. If they normally last 1 round per caster level, they instead last 1 minute per caster level. If they normally last 1 minute per caster level, they instead last 10 minutes per caster level. If they normally last 10 minutes per caster level, they instead last 1 hour per caster level.
Special: Enduring Magic may be taken twice.
Gish
Every culture that fights with both sword and spell (which is to say: every culture) has some name for those who combine the two tactics. Elven Bladesingers, Dwarven Battlesmiths, Eldritch Knights of various orders. But while the Elves insist that it is with them that the technique originated, there can be no doubt that it is the silver sword-wielding Gish of the Githyanki who represent the best-known example of this tradition. It is from them that the general term for warmages who practice with both sword and spell is taken.
Level: 1st
Replaces: Warmage Edge. The warmage recieves one less spell slot at each level of spells she can cast.
Benefit: The warmage's base attack bonus changes to Good (as a Fighter). Her hit die changes to a d8. She gains proficiency with all martial weapons and with medium armor. She gains the Arcane Channeling ability of the duskblade (PHBII), except that she can use it on a single attack at 1st level and on multiple attacks at 6th level. She may exchange any number of warmage spells for duskblade spells of the same level.
Increased Force
The warmage's spells do additional damage.
Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic. If she takes this ability at 6th level, she gains the baseline benefits of Improved Sudden Metamagic at whatever level she does not take an alternate class feature that replaces it.
Benefit: The damage die of spells cast by the warmage increases by one step, to a maximum of a d12.
Special: Increased Force may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.
Volume of Fire
The warmage's spells effect additional targets.
Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th
Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.
Benefit: The warmage's caster level counts double for the purposes of determining the number of targets her spells effect.
Source Abbreviations:
CAdv: Complete Adventurer
CArc: Complete Arcane
SpC: Spell Compendium
PHBII: Player's Handbook II
Obviously, these changes suggest changes that could be made to the Beguiler and the Dread Necromancer as well. Certainly, I personally consider the fact that of the three classes which get Advanced Learning, no two have the same progression, to be offensively stupid and would recommend you pick some centralized progression to use. But the Beguiler and Dread Necromancer are honestly quite reasonable as printed, and you would be entirely justified in deciding they don't need any additional power.
I've re-written the Warmage's "Spells" ability to clarify that the Rainbow WarSnake type tricks explicitly work. I personally consider these to be RAW already, but as there is some debate, I figured I'd make it explicit how this fix is assuming things will work.
I've combined Advanced and Eclectic Learning into a single class feature for simplicity. I also made Eclectic Learning slightly better, because I feel that the RAW version is a little too punishing. Forcing you to cast a spell out of a higher level slot pushes you towards either downtime spells (where the slot doesn't matter) or broken ones (where the effect is worth it). Instead, you get the same set of spells, but out of correctly leveled slots. Sticking it at odd levels gives you a gradual progression, with new spells and Advanced Learning coming in at different points. It does push you towards Mindbender-type tricks, but I think that's an acceptable level of system mastery to support.