New base class: praetorian adept

[Irrealist]

This class is heavily inspired by the Warmage, Beguiler and Dread Necromancer classes. I wanted to create a caster specialized in protection, and this is the result:

The Praetorian Adept

Nobles and those less noble who have enemies that are after their lives usually hire bodyguards to protect them. Those with powerful enemies don't rely only on mundane guards, but hire spellcasters to guard them against magic. Praetorian adepts are specially trained in protective magic.
Abilities: Charisma determines how powerful a spell a praetorian adept can cast. High Constitution benefits him as it does sorcerors and wizards, although he has the hit die of a rogue.
Races:All races have important persons that need protection, and so praetorian adepts can be found among all races. Humans are most common, while half-orcs typically lack the talent for this kind of magic.
Alignment: Any. The need for defense is universal, although the more protective nature of this class tends to attract those of good or neutral alignment.
Hit Die: d6

Class Skills
The praetorian adept's class skills are Concentration (Con), Gather Information(Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge(arcane) (Int), Knowledge(nobility and royalty) (Int), Listen(Wis), Ride(Dex), Sense Motive(Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot(Wis) and Use Magic Device(Cha)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Starting Gold: 5d4x10 gp (125 gp)
Starting Age:As Wizard (PH 109)

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th| 9th

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Armored mage (light), Ward other|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Nooo!|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Advanced Learning|6|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Practiced Counterspeller +2|6|6|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Bonus feat|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Uncanny Dodge|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Advanced Learning|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Practiced Counterspeller +4|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Armored mage (shields)|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Bonus feat|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-

11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Advanced Learning|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-

12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Quick Counterspeller 1/day|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-

13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8||6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-

14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|Armored mage(medium)|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-

15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Advanced Learning, Bonus feat|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-

16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Practiced Counterspeller +6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-

17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10||6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-

18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Quick Counterspeller 3/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3

19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Advanced Learning|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4

20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Bonus feat|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5[/table]

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Praetorian adepts are proficient with all simple weapons and with one martial weapon of their choice, and with light armor and shields.

Spellcasting: A praetorian adept casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the praetorian adept's spell list (see below). Like a sorcerer, he can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. When a praetorian adept gains access to a new level of spells, he automatically knows all the spells for that level given on the praetorian adept's spell list. Praetorian adepts also have the option of adding to their existing spell list through their advanced learning ability as they increase in level (see below).
To cast a spell, a praetorian adept must have a Charisma score of 10 + the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a praetorian adept's spell is 10 + the spell's level + his Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a praetorian adept can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given in the table above. In addition, he receives bonus spells for a high Charisma score (see Table 1-1 on page 8 of the Player's Handbook).

Armored Mage (Ex): Normally, armor of any type interferes with an arcane spellcaster's gestures, which can cause his spells to fail if they have somatic components. A pretorian adept's limited focus and specialized training, however, allows him to avoid arcane spell failure as long as he restricts himself to light armor and light shields. This training does not extend to any other form of armor, nor does this ability apply to spells gained from other spellcasting classes. At 9th level, a praetorian adept learns to use all shields and at 14th level to use medium armor with no chance of spell failure.


Ward Other: A praetorian adept has been trained to protect his charge. He can cast abjuration spells with a range of "personal" as touch spells.

Nooo!: If everything else fails, a praetorian is expected to protect his charge at the cost of his own life. If any character within 10 feet is targeted by an effect requiring a reflex save or by a ranged weapon that the praetorian is aware of, the praetorian can attempt a reflex save of his own. The DC is the DC of the effect, or 10 plus the BAB of the attacker for a ranged attack. If he succeeds, he takes full damage, but the protected character takes none. The damage he takes cannot be reduced by making another reflex save or by the evasion or improved evasion abilities.

Advanced Learning (Ex): At 3rd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a praetorian adept can add a new spell to his list, representing the result of personal study and experimentation. The spell must be a sorcerer/wizard spell of the abjuration or divination school, and of a
level no higher than that of the highest-level spell the praetorian adept already knows. Once a new spell is selected, it is added to that praetorian adept's spell list and can be cast just like any other spell he knows.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, a praetorian adept gets a bonus feat which must be drawn from the following list: combat casting, improved initiative, improved counterspell, reactive counterspell, spell focus, greater spell focus, any metamagic.

Practiced Counterspeller: A praetorian adept of at least 4th level recieves a +2 bonus to dispel checks. At 8th and 16th level, this bonus increases to +4 resp. +6.

Uncanny Dodge: A praetorian adept of at least 6th level is always on his guard and can never be caught flat-footed.

Quick Counterspeller: A praetorian adept of at least 12th level can cast a counterspell 1/day as an immediate action. At 18th level, this ability is usable 3/day.

Praetorian Adept Spell List

Cantrips:Detect Poison, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Resistance, Light, Message, Caltrops*
1st Level:Alarm, Mage Armor, Shield, Obscuring Mist, Feather Fall, Magic Missile, Dispel Ward*, Ectoplasmic Armor*, Ironguts*, Nightshield*, Benign Transposition*, Deep Breath* Nerveskitter*, Shieldbearer*
2nd Level:Arcane Lock, Obscure Object, Protection from Arrows, Resist Energy, Glitterdust, Detect Thoughts, See Invisibility, Invisibility, Scorching Ray, Rope Trick, Darkvision, Alarm, Greater*, Distracting Ray*, Portal Alarm*, Fly, Swift*,
3rd Level:Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Nondetection, Protection from Energy, Arcane Sight, Fly, Gaseous Form, Blink, Haste, Invisibility Sphere, Anticipate Teleportation*, Mage Armor, Greater*, Mage Armor, Mass*, Telepathic Bond, Lesser*, Healing Touch*
4th Level:Extradimensional Anchor, Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser, Remove Curse, Stoneskin, Secure Shelter, Arcane Eye, Detect Scrying, Locate Creature, Invisibility, Greater, Resilient Sphere, Dispelling Screen*, Forceward*, Portal Alarm, Improved*, Ray Deflection*, Resistance, Greater*, Resist Energy, Mass*
5th Level: Break Enchantment, Dismissal, Private Sanctum, Teleport, Overland Flight, False Vision, Seeming, Passwall, Permanency, Anticold Sphere*, Contingent Energy Resistance*, Duelward*, Ironguard, Lesser*, Indomitability*, Refusal*, Symbol of Spell Loss*, Zone of Respite*, Moonbow*
6th Level: Antimagic Field, Dispel Magic, Greater, Globe of Invulerability, Guards and Wards, Repulsion, True Seeing, Contengency, Disintegrate, Anticipate Teleportation, Greater*, Aura of Evasion*, Ruby Ray of Reversal*, Reistance, Superior*, Probe Thoughts*,
7th Level:Banishment, Sequester, Spell Turning, Arcane Sight, Greater, Ethereal Jaunt, Antimagic Ray*, Dispelling Screen, Greater*, Energy Immunity*, Ghost Trap*, Ironguard*, Synostodweomer*
8th Level:Dimensional Lock, Mind Blank, Prismatic Wall, Protection from Spells, Discern Location, Iron Body, Invisibility, Superior*
9th Level: Disjunction, Prismatic Wall, Foresight, Etherealness, Time Stop, Effulgent Epuration*, Unbinding*

* denotes a spell from the spell compendium

Questions or comments?

[RTGoodman]

As a class focused on protection, being limited to just light armor and no shields seems kinda weird to me. Maybe let them start with light armor and light shields, then heavy shields at 9th level, and then medium armor at 14th level. Or something like that. Maybe add in the Somatic Weaponry feat as a bonus feat (or at least a bonus feat option).

Swift Counterspeller is basically useless as written, I think. Doesn't counterspelling require you to ready an action anyway? You'd have to ready a standard action to counterspell, but you'd waste that by counterspelling as a swift action. Maybe make it counterspell as an immediate action 3/day without having to ready the action (but still having to have dispel magic, greater dispel magic, or the correct other spell prepared or known). That seems much better as higher-level ability.

[Irrealist]

I should have looked that up better, thanks for pointing it out. And the improvement of the armored mage ability makes the higher levels look less emtpy.