Arcane Armsmaster - The Abjurant Champion's offensive counterpart [PrC]

[Xerlith]

the badass image - courtesy of Thebastardson from dA

Arcane Armsmaster

You took my weapons... Smart. Shame you left me this pointed stick. - Jared Blackstone, an Arcane Armsmaster

Arcane Armsmasters are those select few who choose to aid their martial prowess with magic. While the spellsword uses his weapons as a conduit for his spells, the Arcane Armsmaster blends those two together, to the point the weapon and the magic become one.
This class is best suited for those martial stalwarts who wish to be able to adapt their weapons to the battlefield situation in an instant.



Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Martial Lore 6
Maneuvers: Knowledge of at least one martial strike of 2nd level or higher, knowledge of at least one stance
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 1st-level arcane spells, including Magic Missile and Magic Weapon or Greater Magic Weapon

Design Notes

Spoiler

Show

Yes, this makes use of the Tome Of Battle. Initially, it did not. Instead, it required BAB +5 and Combat Casting, similarily to the Abjurant Champion. Not sure if this fares better, but for sure gives off a more martial vibe.

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Martial Arcanist, Arcane Edge| -

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Enhanced Magic Weapon|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Strike Of Distant Assault|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Enhanced Greater Magic Weapon|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Eldritch Weaponry|+1 level of existing spellcasting class[/table]

Maneuvers
{table=head]Known|Readied|Stances

1

|

0

|

0

|

0

|

1

|

0

|

1

|

0

|

1

|

0

|

1

|

0

|

1

|

0

|

0

[/table]

HD: d8
Skill Points: 2+Int mod

Class Skills:
Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Handle Animal(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Knowledge (arcana)(Int), Ride(Dex), Spellcraft(Int), Swim(Str), Martial Lore (Int)


Class Features:

Spellcasting: At each level except first, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming an Arcane Armsmaster, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.


Maneuvers: You may pick maneuvers from whatever disciplines you had access to before taking levels in this class.
At 1st, 3rd and 5th level you gain a new maneuver known. At 2nd and 4th level you gain a new maneuver readied.
You add your full class level to your initiator level.

Stances: At 3rd level you gain a new stance, which must be chosen from the disciplines available to you.


Martial Arcanist: Unless it otherwise would be higher, your caster level equals your Initiator level. However this ability does not allow your caster level to exceed your initial caster level + your Arcane Armsmaster class level until 5th level, when this restriction is lifted.

Spoiler

Show

Abjurant Champion's ability remade. No more instant 20CL with Divine Power, since it now scales with the initiator level. Also, dipping doesn't help - it scales with class level now. Reworked (and reworded) twice now.

Arcane Edge(Su): If you have a Magic Missile spell able to be cast, you may, expend it as a swift action, imbuing your weapon with it, gaining +1 to hit and a damage bonus equal to the missile's damage per every missile that would be launched. However, you cannot channel more missiles at once than the number of levels you have in this class.
If there are missiles remaining, you may attempt a Concentration check with a DC 15+number of missiles that would be lost. If you succeed, you can use the remaining charges in your next attack.
You may choose how many missiles to expend in one attack.

Beginning at 3rd level, this ability can be used with wands.

Beginning at 5th level every Magic Missile spell, either cast normally or as a part of this ability, has its damage increased to 2d4+1 per missile.



Enhanced Magic Weapon(Ex): You may, while casting Magic Weapon on a melee weapon, in addition to the normal +1 bonus, enchant it with one of the following qualities:
Frost, Flaming, Shock, Vicious or Thundering.
If, at the time of casting, you also expend one of your Magic Missile castings, you may instead make your weapon deal an additional 1d4 force damage for the spell's duration.
Multiple castings of this ability do not stack.
If you qualified for this class with the Greater Magic Weapon spell, you add Magic Weapon to your list of spells known if you don't have it already.
Beginning at 4th level, you may use this ability with wands.


Strike of Distant Assault(Su): This is a fourth level strike that you prepare and recover as normal. To prepare it you must have an initiator level allowing you to use maneuvers of this level.
If you have a magic weapon in your hand, you may initiate this strike to attack an enemy 20ft further than your reach would normally allow.
You may also augment this strike by expending spell slots:

• If you spend a spell slot of 1st level or higher, your weapon deals an additional 1d6 force damage per level of the slot expended.
• If you spend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, this becomes a ranged touch attack.
• If you spend a spell slot of 5th level or higher, all the damage this strike does is considered force damage.

Enhanced Greater Magic Weapon(Ex): While casting Greater Magic Weapon on a melee weapon, you may choose to exchange your numerical bonus from the spell for cost-equivalent special abilities (up to the maximum numerical bonus) from the following:
+1: Frost, Flaming, Shock, Vicious, Thundering, Defending
+2: Icy Burst, Flaming Burst, Shocking Burst, Wounding, Ghost Touch
+3: Speed, Holy, Unholy
+4: Dancing, Bane
+5: Brilliant Energy
If you expend the use of one of your Magic Missile castings, you may make your weapon deal an additional 1d8 force damage for the spell's duration - this is an equivalent of a +2 special ability.
Additionaly, your Greater Magic Weapon spell has its enhancement bonus increased by one (this increase cannot be exchanged for the abilities shown higher).
Multiple uses of this ability do not stack, however, you may still enchant your weapon with a normal Greater Magic Weapon casting.

If you qualified for this class with the Magic Weapon spell, you add Greater Magic Weapon to your list of spells known if you don't have it already. It cannot be exchanged (if you are a spontaneous caster).


Eldritch Weaponry(Su): Whenever you cast Magic Weapon or Greater Magic Weapon, the spell is treated as if enhanced by the Extend Spell metamagic feat. You may affect multiple weapons with one casting, dividing the duration between them.
Furthermore, you may cast those spells as a swift action, as if you had applied the Quicken Spell feat to them.
You may also, as a swift action, sacrifice a spell slot to treat your weapon as a pure force effect for one attack per level of slot expended (touch attack, dealing force damage).

[Xerlith]

Nobody has anything to comment on? Is it so perfect/useless? :P

[anacalgion]

I'm away from a computer now, so I'll do a full PEACH when I get home, but my first thoughts are that it looks alright, maybe a little weak, maybe not. I'll have to see how it compares to JPM. What're your issues with abjurant champion, out of curiosity.

[Xerlith]

My problems with Abju?
Really, just the fact that an elven wizard can take it at 10th level for an expense of one feat, getting better BAB, better HD and cheesy abjuration abilities. It doesn't cater to the warrior-mages more than it does to pure casters... It's too good for its cost.

I'll probably get about to fixing - nerfing - it soon. I have an outline in mind already- it will be using ToB though. And probably the chassis of this class, namely maneuver progression and 4/5 casting.

[Fates]

I'd consider reviewing this, but the title is so offensive that I have no intention of doing so. Many users on this website (myself included) actually have close relatives and loved ones who are mentally disadvantaged or disabled, and any jokes about such a topic are absolutely repulsive.

[Xerlith]

Well, that was never the intention. The retardation in this case means the slower spellcasting progression.
Considering your words, though, I apologize and therefore modify the thread title.

[Fates]

Thank you very much for that. It's good to see that you did not mean the word in the way most do, but the connotations associated with it should always be taken into account.

Now, I'd have to say this class is not so much a remake of the Abjurant Champion as it is an entirely new class; and not a bad one at that. It's certainly not too strong- most of the abilities are mediocre at best- but for a good BAB class with maneuver and spell progression, I'd prefer that they remain that way. All in all, I'd say the class is well-written and well thought out, and remains a good class for gishes to take without becoming an oh-my-gods-everyone-should-take-this class, the way abjurant champion seems to.

[anacalgion]

My problems with Abju?
Really, just the fact that an elven wizard can take it at 10th level for an expense of one feat, getting better BAB, better HD and cheesy abjuration abilities. It doesn't cater to the warrior-mages more than it does to pure casters... It's too good for its cost.

Except most reasonably optimized builds will be taking something more useful. One point of BAB and three or so extra hit points isn't that much, so while I like what you've done its better as a standalone class than as a replacement. Cool stuff though.

[Xerlith]

Thank you for your input.
This isn't meant to be an Abjurant Champion remake - that will be probably posted later. This is the AC's offensive counterpart - and is indeed meant as a standalone.
Looking forward to the further evaluations.
EDIT: I am thinking of giving this class Keen Edge spell for free (as in adding to the spell list, not as an upgrade for the 4th level ability) (the spontaneous gishes would love this, the prepared would still - i think - appreciate saving some gold). Also, even though the caster level loss is pretty much set in stone, I'm thinking about buffing or at least fleshing out the class a little.
I suppose it could use something more at the third level. I might be wrong, though, since it already gets two (!) maneuvers and a stance. Maybe second or fourth level, then...?

BIG EDIT: At first I had an idea that let you, instead of use the whole Magic Weapon/GMW casting at once, chop it into fragments and cast partially, up to the total of your maximum time. But i feared it might be too strong then - I mean, as a swift action you could practically change your weapon enhancements every round/minute. Should I incorporate it into the capstone?

[Xerlith]

*pokes the thread with a pointy stick*

[eftexar]

I really like this. There isn't enough support for initiator/magic combos. And truthfully magic PrCs need to be knocked down a peg anyway.

But, with that said, I think it could afford to loose another level of spells. Also, why not, instead of requiring initiator entry just leave a BaB limitation and let them pick two or three disciplines?

[Fates]

*pokes the thread with a pointy stick*

I believe you mean a pointed stick.

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

[Xerlith]

Also, why not, instead of requiring initiator entry just leave a BaB limitation and let them pick two or three disciplines?

Well, mostly because I want it to require having levels in a martial class already, because, if I'd have done as you say, it'd be not really efficient anyway - mostly because it would have, if taken by a non-martial adept - a very gimped initiator level, meaning lower-level maneuvers and not much (if any) benefit from the Martial Arcanist.

Also, the non-initiator version will probably come into existence soon. it's not too hard to do it.

I believe you mean a pointed stick.

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Nobody would.

[Xerlith]

Updated with a little fluffy things.
Added a pointed stick.

[Adam1949]

Level	BAB	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Martial Arcanist, Arcane Edge	-
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Enhanced Magic Weapon	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Strike Of Distant Assault	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Enhanced Greater Magic Weapon	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Eldritch Weaponry	+1 level of existing spellcasting class

Maneuvers

Known	Readied	Stances
1	0	0
0	1	0
1	0	1
0	1	0
1	0	0

Re-worked the table to be visible with the new code.