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View Full Version : [3.5e] The (Unoriginal) Red Mage! [Base Class, PEACH]



RMS Oceanic
2008-11-06, 07:09 AM
Red Mage

Having viewed Divine Casters at work, the Red Mage is intrigued in an intellectual way, and is inspired to learn, even if he does nto have the divine spark. While training as an arcane caster, he will devote just as much time studying divine spellcasters, and he will eventually succeed in recreating divine miracles through arcane intellectual study. This intense study means the Red Mage knows and can often cast more lower level spells than his pure wizard or cleric counterparts, but at a sacrifice of raw power. By spending so much time studying both, his spellcasting power progresses more slowly.

Races: Besides Humans, Elves and Half-Elves are most likely to be interested in blending divine and arcane, and have the patience to do so.

Alignment: Because of the study required, Red Mages lean towards being lawful, but can be of any alignment. If a Red Mage studied with clerics of a given Deity, he is usually within one step of that Deity's alignment.

Abilities: Intelligence is needed to cast Red Mage spells, and wisdom can enhance the spells' power. Constitution is important to boost hit points, and dexterity enhances armor class and improves the chance of ranged touch attacks hitting.

Hit Die: d6

Skill Points: 2+Int modifier
Skill Points at First Level: (2+Int modifier)x4

Class Skills: Concentrate, Heal, Knowledge (All), Sense Motive, Spellcraft

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

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Scribe Scroll|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Divine Insight 1/Day|5|4|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 5%|6|4|2|-|-|-|-|-

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4| |6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-

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

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 10%|6|6|4|2|-|-|-|-

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5| |6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Divine Insight 2/Day|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 15%|6|6|6|4|2|-|-|-

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

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

12th|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 20%|6|6|6|6|4|2|-|-

13th|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8| |6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-

14th|
+7|
+4|
+4|
+9|Divine Insight 3/Day|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-

15th|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+9|Bonus Feat, Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 25%|6|6|6|6|6|4|2|-

16th|
+8|
+5|
+5|
+10| |6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-

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

18th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+11|Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 30%|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|2

19th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+11| |6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3

20th|
+10|
+6|
+6|
+12|Bonus Feat, Divine Insight 4/day|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Red Mages are proficient with all light weapons. Red Mages are also proficient with light armor and shields (but not tower shields).

Scribe Scroll: At 1st level the Red Mage gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat. Whenever he scribes a scroll for a spell that is only on divine casters spell list, it is considered divine.

Spellcasting: A Red Mage prepares and casts spells like a wizard does, but with one important difference: The spells the Red Mage known are in his head, and he does not need to consult a spellbook to prepare them. To cast a spell, a Red Mage must have an int score equal to 10 plus the spell level (even if it is a cleric spell). Regardless of the spell he casts, he is considered an arcane caster. To determine his bonus spells for the day, combine his intelligence and wisdom modifiers. (For example, if the Red Mage had an Int of 16 and a Wis of 14, he would have an effective modifier of +5 to determine bonus spells). The Save DC of spells cast is equal to 10 + Spell Level + Int Modifier.

Spells Known: A Red Mage begins with all Sorceror/Wizard/Cleric 0th level spells known. He also starts with 2 + Int modifier 1st level wizard/sorceror spells known, and 2 + Wis modifier cleric spells known. Upon reaching a new level, a Red Mage learns two additional wizard/sorceror spells, and two additional cleric spells, each of which can be of any level he can cast. If a spell appears on both the wizard/sorceror and cleric lists, the Red Mage learns the wizard/sorceror version.

The Red Mage can also learn additional spells in the same way a Wizard can, through consulting a spellbook/scroll, and he can also learn cleric spells by consulting a divine scroll.

Divine Insight: Starting at 2nd level, once per day, a Red Mage can add his widsom modifier to the save DC of a spell he is casting as a free action. At 8th level and every six levels after this, he gains an additional daily use of this.

Ignore Arcane Spell Failure: A Red Mage's insight into how divine casters cast their spells allows him to apply this to arcane spells. At 3rd level he can ignore the first 5% of Arcane Spell Failure incurred through wearing armor or shields, but only in armor or shields he is proficient with. This increases by 5% every three levels, to a maximum of 30% at 18th level.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level and every 5 levels after this, a Red Mage gains a bonus feat. It can be any Metamagic Feat, Item Creation Feat, (Greater) Spell Focus, (Greater) Spell Penetration, Weapon Focus (Ray), Weapon Specialization (Ray)

What do you think? I'm not sure about the class skills, hit points or whether the class abilities are too much.

Lappy9000
2008-11-06, 10:15 AM
It looks nice, but you forgot to mention the twinking abilities and powers to alter their character sheet at will :smallbiggrin:

RMS Oceanic
2008-11-06, 10:20 AM
The concept of the red mage predates Red Mage by at least 14-15 years. :smalltongue:

sigurd
2008-11-06, 11:05 AM
How does your Red Mage get the divine Mojo to cast his spells? If its a spell from Thor does he rip the power from the air? or from Thor?

I think you have to limit his\her spell choice more. Magic is already an overpowering element of the game. Giving the class access to %70 of the spells in the game is a huge huge thing.

I'd limit the extra spells per level to 2. I'd make learning other divine spells require intense study in the least.


Sigurd

RMS Oceanic
2008-11-06, 11:07 AM
Perhaps I wasn't clear: through intense study, the Red Mage has been able to mimic divine spells with arcane power, using his knowledge of divine spellcasting philosophy, which is why wisdom comes into it. This time-consuming study means he doesn't reach the real "meat" of either progression, level 8/9 spells.

DracoDei
2008-11-06, 03:32 PM
Think you need to tone down the spells per day/spells known from class levels 1 to about 5 to 8. As it stands this beats the pants off a wizard at first level.

UserClone
2008-11-06, 05:13 PM
A 1st level Fighter beats the pants off of a 1st level Wizard. And let's be honest, so does a housecat.

Fizban
2008-11-07, 06:04 PM
I think it's a fine variant on the Red Mage concept. I only wonder, why no spellbook? Without the scribing costs, they lose the main reason not to know every spell ever, aside from the cost to read someone's book. Archivists use a "prayer book", so there's divine precedent, if that was the issue.

I'd give it a spellbook and call it good.

SoD
2008-11-07, 06:14 PM
You'll just want to mention, on the bonus feats: 'the Red Mage must meet all prerequisites for the feat chosen', only with better spelling of 'prerequisites'.