A spell for Fighters \ Casters - Artist of War

[Yehomer]

Artist of War
Divination
Level: Wis\ Sor 3, Pal 2, Rgr 2, Clr 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round \ level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

By casting this spell, you gain insight about the use of several combat maneuvers. You can use the Disarm, Trip, Bull Rush and Sunder actions without provoking attack of opportunity. In addition, you gain an insight bonus on your attempt equal to +1 and an additional +1 / 4 levels.

Artist of War, swift
Divination
Level: Wis\ Sor 2, Pal 1, Rgr 1, Clr 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like Artist of War, except as noted above.

Artist of War, Legion's
Divination
Level: Wis\ Sor 5, Pal 4, Rgr 4, Clr 5
Components: V, S
Range: Medium (100 ft + 10ft / level)
Target: Allied creatures in a 20 ft. radius burst
Duration: 1 round \ level
This spell functions like Artist of War, except as noted above.






I based those spell on the Marshal's minor aura Art of War. Do you think the spell level is appropriate?
Edit: Added a swift and legion version

[Lady Tialait]

is it 1/5 levels or 1 on first then 1/5 levels?

just wondering because if it's the latter then +5 would be at level 20.

if it was the first it wouldn't be a very good spell till level 5

[Yehomer]

Oh yes, I didn't think about it. I changed it to +1 and an additional +1 / 5 levels.

[Everyman]

Actually, it's a very nice spell. The school makes sense, the levels right on, and it really only helps out someone who is going to wander into melee and perform these actions all the time. Not a bad spell at all.

In fact, the spell lends itself well to swift actions. You could create a swift version of this spell by just changing the casting time to swift, maxing the duration to one round, and lowering the effective spell level by one. It is not necessary to do this, but would give players another way to impliment your spell without having to spend a precious action in order to cast it.

[Abjurer]

I like it as an insight bonus rather than an enhancement one.
Divination rather than transmutation. It looks good.

[hamstard4ever]

It's a really cool idea, but it's rather weak. Not only is the bonus weaker than what a comparably leveled Marshal could give with the actual Art of War aura (which technically doesn't need a comparably leveled marshal, just a guy with a 1-level marshal dip), but it's a standard action activation with a one round/level duration compared to the Marshal's continuous use ability.

The ability to use these techniques without drawing AoOs sounds cool, but I don't think it's of much practical use. Anyone with a trip/disarm/bullrush build will be almost certain to have the corresponding Improved _______ feat already, so they won't have to worry about AoOs anyway. Anyone who isn't built with tripping/disarming/etc. in mind is probably going to have a pretty low success rate even with the bonus.

I'd call this a 1st level spell across the board. Maybe bump it to 2nd for sorcerer/wizard/cleric if you want to keep the emphasis on the half-casting classes.

[TheGrimace]

I foresee my buff sorcerer (er... stalwart sorcerer, that is) having a very good time with this spell...

what?
never seen a goliath sorcerer before?

[Yehomer]

In fact, the spell lends itself well to swift actions. You could create a swift version of this spell by just changing the casting time to swift, maxing the duration to one round, and lowering the effective spell level by one. It is not necessary to do this, but would give players another way to impliment your spell without having to spend a precious action in order to cast it.

That's an excellent idea. In fact, I think that my character will only take the swift version - she usually needs only one attack to sunder a weapon.
Now that I come to think of it, I'll also make a legion version of the spell...

It's a really cool idea, but it's rather weak. Not only is the bonus weaker than what a comparably leveled Marshal could give with the actual Art of War aura (which technically doesn't need a comparably leveled marshal, just a guy with a 1-level marshal dip), but it's a standard action activation with a one round/level duration compared to the Marshal's continuous use ability.

The ability to use these techniques without drawing AoOs sounds cool, but I don't think it's of much practical use. Anyone with a trip/disarm/bullrush build will be almost certain to have the corresponding Improved _______ feat already, so they won't have to worry about AoOs anyway. Anyone who isn't built with tripping/disarming/etc. in mind is probably going to have a pretty low success rate even with the bonus.

I'd call this a 1st level spell across the board. Maybe bump it to 2nd for sorcerer/wizard/cleric if you want to keep the emphasis on the half-casting classes.

Actually, I created this spell exactly for avoiding the AoOs. I was thinking about the feats my character should take, and realized that taking martial feats was pointless - I could take a spell focused feat and get the same results of a martial feat with a spell. The bonus on the attempt was just an after thought.

About the spell level... I buffed the bonus up to +1 and an additional +1 / 4 levels, but unfortunately, that's for my DM to decide :S It might actually be underpowered for 3rd level, but for some reason he considers raising the level...

[hamstard4ever]

Ah. I was focusing more on the opposed rolls rather than sunder, but... ouch. Either your DM is very conscious of the caster/non-caster disparity and is aggressive in curbing magic abuse... or he's just plain mean.

Compare this spell to the Spell Compendium spell Heroics, which is a 2nd level sor/wiz spell that grants the recipient a bonus feat of their choice from the fighter feat list for 10 minutes/level. It does require the target to qualify for the feat as normal, meaning if you wanted one of the improved maneuver feats you'd need Str 13 + Power Attack/Int 13 + Combat Expertise, but this is a relatively small price to pay. The bonus you get from having the feat through the Heroics spell is better at most levels, the spell lasts a hundred times longer, and the improved maneuver feats often have additional benefits beyond avoiding the initial AoO. For a 2nd-level spell, rather than 3rd+.

[reorith]

why don't bards have access to this spell? wrong fluff or something?

[Fiery Diamond]

I wonder how long it will be until this thread is found by the people who are already complaining about how the wizard makes the fighter useless.

- Fiery Diamond