The Better Rage Mage

[Lord Iames Osari]

Rage Mage
While for most spellcasters, powerful emotions like rage are disruptive to the concentration necessary to complete the ritual of spellcasting, there are certain individuals who learn to turn their rage into a ritual in and of itself. These are the rage mages, and they are individuals to be greatly feared. While the majority are arcanists, there are a few divine casters who have unlocked the secrets of enraged spellcasting.
Hit Die: d6.

REQUIREMENTS
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Base Attack Bonus: +3.
Feats: Combat Casting.
Spells: Must be able to cast 2nd-level arcane spells.
Special: Rage or frenzy ability.

Class Skills
The rage mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int mod.

{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spells per day
1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Spell rage +0|~
2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Enraged smiting|+1 level of spellcasting class
3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Spell rage +1|+1 level of spellcasting class
4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Enraged empower|+1 level of spellcasting class
5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Break limits|~
6th|+6|+5|+2|+2|Enraged maximize, spell rage +2|~
7th|+7|+5|+2|+2|Greater rage|+1 level of spellcasting class
8th|+8|+6|+2|+2|Enraged quicken|+1 level of spellcasting class
9th|+9|+6|+3|+3|Spell rage +3|+1 level of spellcasting class
10th|+10|+7|+3|+3|Perfect rage|~[/table]

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Rage mages gain proficiency in light armor, and also learn how to ignore the arcane spell failure chance imposed by light armor.
Spells Per Day: At every level except 1st, 5th, 6th, and 10th, the rage mage's spellcasting ability improves as if he had gained a level in whichever spellcasting class he previously belonged to. He gains no other benefits of going up a level in that class.
Spell Rage (Ex): A rage mage can cast spells while in a rage or frenzy, although other activities requiring patience and concentration are still prohibited. Only spells with casting times of 1 full-round action or less and that damage or kill one’s foes, or increase one’s own ability to damage one’s foes, may be cast. This includes healing and defensive spells, since one cannot kill one’s enemy if one is dead.

During a rage, the caster level and save DCs of the rage mage's spells increase by +1 for every three rage mage levels he posesses, beginning at +0 at 1st level and progressing up to +3 at 9th level. In addition to being fatigued at the end of his rage, the rage mage also becomes mentally fatigued for the duration of the current encounter.

Rage mage levels count as and stack with barbarian levels for the purpose of determining how many times a rage mage can rage per day.
Enraged Smiting (Ex): At 2nd level, a rage mage learns to harness his rage to channel his spells through his weapon. Once per rage, a rage mage can apply the Smiting Spell metamagic feat to one of his spells without spending an higher-level spell slot or increasing its casting time.
Enraged Empower (Ex): At 4th level, a rage mage learns to harness his rage to make his spells more damaging. Once per rage, a rage mage can apply the Empower Spell metamagic feat to one of his spells without spending an higher-level spell slot or increasing its casting time.
Break Limits (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, the increase in CL granted by the rage mage's spell rage can cause a spell's damage dice to exceed the damage cap of the spell.
Enraged Maximize (Ex): At 6th level, a rage mage learns to harness his rage to draw out his spells' full destructive potential. Once per rage, a rage mage can apply the Maximize Spell metamagic feat to one of his spells without spending an higher-level spell slot or increasing its casting time.
Greater Rage (Ex): At 7th level, a rage mage’s bonuses to Strength and Constitution during his rage each increase by +2, and his morale bonus on Will saves increases by +1. The penalty to AC remains at -2.
Enraged Quicken (Ex): At 8th level, a rage mage learns to harness his rage to make his spells take less time. Once per rage, a rage mage can apply the Quicken Spell metamagic feat to one of his spells without spending an higher-level spell slot or increasing its casting time.
Perfect Rage (Ex): At 10th level, a rage mage no longer becomes fatigued and mentally fatigued at the end of his rage and has no chance of losing spellcasting ability after a rage. Also, the restrictions on what spells can be used in a rage is lifted.

Mentally Fatigued
A mentally fatigued character takes a -2 penalty to all mental ablity scores. This penalty can cause a character to be unable to cast spells for which he no longer has the prerequisite ability score (10 + spell level) and bonus spells gained from a high ability score while the penalty lasts. A mentally fatigued character becomes mentally exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause mental fatigue, or by casting a spell or manifesting a power with a casting/manifesting time of a swift or immediate action, or a spell/power modified by a metamagic/metapsionic feat. After 8 hours of complete rest, mentally fatigued characters are no longer mentally fatigued.

Mentally Exhausted
A mentally exhausted character cannot cast any spells or manifest any powers with a casting/manifesting time of a swift or immediate action, or with a casting/manifesting time of more than 1 full round action. A mentally exhausted character casts spells and powers with casting/manifesting times of 1 standard action as a full-round action. If a spontaneous caster, the character cannot apply any metamagic feats to spells. A psionic character cannot become psionically focused or apply metapsionic feats to his powers. A mentally exhausted character takes a -6 penalty to all mental ability scores. This penalty can cause a character to be unable to cast spells or manifest powers for which he no longer has the prerequisite ability score (10 + spell/power level) and bonus spells gained from a high ability score while the penalty lasts. After 1 hour of complete rest, a mentally exhausted character becomes mentally fatigued. A mentally fatigued character becomes mentally exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause mental fatigue, or by casting a spell or manifesting a power with a casting/manifesting time of a swift or immediate action, or a spell/power modified by a metamagic/metapsionic feat.

[Kyace]

Must the caster already have empower and quicken to use the enraged versions?

Also, most spellcasters would much rather get the +1 level of spellcasting class rather than spellrage +2 on level 5, since the spellrage only applies some of the time and doesn't grant more spells per day. Giving up four levels of spellcaster advancement as well as the level lost to pick up rage, might turn away most spellcasters, or atleast make them more consider the Eldritch Knight.

Also, this class doesn't seem to grant more rage usages per day, does a Wizard 3/Barbarian 1/Rage Mage 10 still only get 1 rage per day?

[Fizban]

It seems similar to the Jade Pheonix Mage, so I'm guessing you don't need empower or quicken to use those abilities.

I agree that it needs some extra rage uses.

I would up the hit die to 1d8, lower the BAB to 3/4, and grant another level of spellcasting or two, for a total loss of 2 or 3 levels. While casting in a rage is good, like a theurge character, you can only do one at a time, and rounds spent casting are rounds spent not attacking.

On the whole, I like your version a lot. Especially the mental fatigue/exhaustion, I never would have thought of that.

[Lord Iames Osari]

It does grant more rage uses.

Rage mage levels count as and stack with barbarian levels for the purpose of determining how many times a rage mage can rage per day.

No, the characters do not have to have empower or quicken already.

I had concerns that giving too many caster levels would overpower the class; and I'd really rather have full BAB and a d6 HD.

[Kyace]

Ah sorry, didn't see that line earlier.

[Fax Celestis]

You create something called "mental fatigue/exhaustion", and then don't use mental exhaustion anywhere.

Also, why a poor will save?

Last qualm: I don't like dead levels. Dead levels!

[Lord Iames Osari]

You create something called "mental fatigue/exhaustion", and then don't use mental exhaustion anywhere.

Also, why a poor will save?

Last qualm: I don't like dead levels. Dead levels!

Actually, you can become mentally exhuasted, but it's buried in the description. I'll move it to mental fatigue, where it'll be easier to find.

Re: Poor Will save: I made the judgement call that full BAB + 2 good saves + casting + nifty abilities = overpowered. Further, I assumed that the morale bonus from rage would help with that, and caster classes have good Will saves anyway, so...

There are no dead levels! Every level, the rage mage gets a special ability, a spellcasting level, or both!

[EvilElitest]

I take it something is wrong with the old one? I've never played one so i wouldn't know
from,
EE

[Lord Iames Osari]

General opinion on these boards is that the old one (from CWar) isn't very good, for a couple of reasons.

The signature ability is confusingly worded. It's unclear precisely how spell rage and normal rage interact.

And they only get half spellcasting and 3/4s BAB, so it's not even good at what it's supposed to do (be a gish).

[EvilElitest]

Thanks
from,
EE

[Winged One]

Is it possible to stack the enraged metamagic features, such as Empowering, Maximising, and Quickening a single Cone of Cold?

[Lord Iames Osari]

Yes, it is entirely possible to do so.

[Winged One]

How does this class interact with the spell rage?

[Lord Iames Osari]

How does this class interact with the spell rage?

The rage mage enters a rage, as described by the spell and the barbarian class feature, and the Spell Rage ability applies as normal.

[PinkysBrain]

Apart from the special types of fatigue/exhaustion it looks good ... those just seem to me a big headache, especially their interaction with spells, items and abilities which deal with normal fatigue.

I'd prefer something like concentration 8, combat casting, first level spellcasting and rage/frenzy for prerequisites. They railroad you a bit less in your progression and there is no potential for access before 6th.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Apart from the special types of fatigue/exhaustion it looks good ... those just seem to me a big headache, especially their interaction with spells, items and abilities which deal with normal fatigue.

How do you mean? Those spells, items, and abilities that deal with normal fatigue and exhaustion continue to do just what they've always done, no more. I'm working on equivalents that deal with mental fatigue and exhaustion.

I'd prefer something like concentration 8, combat casting, first level spellcasting and rage/frenzy for prerequisites. They railroad you a bit less in your progression and there is no potential for access before 6th.

Meh. I don't see what the problem is with the current pre-reqs. A +3 BAB is not a huge hurdle to overcome, esepcially considering that you have to dip into barbarian to get the rage.

[PirateMonk]

Something I want clarified: if you have six levels in Rage Mage and CL 30, when you use Spell Rage, Break Limits has your (for example) Fireball deal 12D6, not 32D6, right? It's just the increase that exceeds the normal maximum?

[Lord Iames Osari]

Something I want clarified: if you have six levels in Rage Mage and CL 30, when you use Spell Rage, Break Limits has your (for example) Fireball deal 12D6, not 32D6, right? It's just the increase that exceeds the normal maximum?

That is correct.

[PinkysBrain]

It's not about difficulty, it's about options. You are forced into playing mainly a caster at low level for decent entry, it's always going to be the optimal entry ... but why not allow a different one? If you are stuck with RHD for instance allowing an entry with less spellcasting would be very nice and certainly not unbalancing.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Sorry, but the flavor, in my mind, demands that the characters have a deeper mastery of magic than a mere novice. The 2nd-level spell requirement stays.