The Blue Mage (3.5 E6 base class, PEACH)

[Gnorman]

The Blue Mage

HD: d6
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Disguise, Hide, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Knowledge (the planes), Move Silently, Open Lock, Profession, Search, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Tumble
Skill Points: 2 + Int per level (4x at 1st)

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|0|1|2|3

1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Spellcasting, Archetype, Trapfinding|5|4|-|-

2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Lesser Archetype Power|6|5|-|-

3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Pure Arcana|6|6|3|-

4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Moderate Archetype Power|6|6|4|-

5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Counterspell Mastery|6|6|5|3

6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Greater Archetype Power, Capstone SLA|6|6|6|4[/table]

Class Abilities

Proficiencies: A Blue Mage is proficient with light armor and simple weapons. He does not suffer from arcane failure while in light armor, though he suffers normally from all other kinds of armor and shields.

Spellcasting: A Blue Mage casts arcane spells from a specialized list, which is included below. A Blue Mage need not prepare spells ahead of time - he may spontaneously cast any spell on his list from the appropriate slot. He still requires eight hours of rest to refresh his spells. His sole casting stat is Intelligence, which dictates both the DC of his spells and his bonus spells. To cast a spell, a Blue Mage must have an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the level of spell in question.

Archetype: At 1st level, a Blue Mage chooses an archetype from the following list, each of which conveys a certain set of advantages and abilities. Once chosen, this cannot be changed or reversed. Each archetype has a Lesser power, a Moderate power, a Greater power, and a Capstone SLA associated with it, which the Blue Mage receives at the levels noted above. Each archetype also adds bonus spells known to the Blue Mage's list, which are listed below.

Trapfinding: A Blue Mage can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. A Blue Mage can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap typically has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. A Blue Mage who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his allies) without disarming it.

Lesser Archetype Power: At 2nd level, a Blue Mage gains the appropriate power for his archetype.

Pure Arcana: At 3rd level, a Blue Mage gains an untyped +2 bonus to both Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft.

Moderate Archetype Power: At 4th level, a Blue Mage gains the appropriate power for his archetype.

Counterspell Mastery: At 5th level, a Blue Mage no longer needs to use the correct spell to counterspell - he may counterspell with any spell of an equivalent level.

Greater Archetype Power: At 6th level, a Blue Mage gains the appropriate power for his archetype.

Capstone SLA: At 6th level, a Blue Mage gains the ability to cast a particular spell as an SLA 1/day, as appropriate for his archetype. His caster level is equal to his hit dice, and the DC of the spell, if applicable, is equal to 10 + 1/2 his hit dice + his Intelligence modifier.

Blue Mage Spell List:
0: Amaneunsis (SpC), Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Flare, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation
1: Charm Person, Color Spray, Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Floating Disk, Frost Fingers (SpC), Identify, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist, Protection from Alignment, Silent Image, Sleep, Summon Monster I (non-chaotic creatures only), Unseen Servant, Ventriloquism
2: Blur, Cloud of Bewilderment (SpC), Detect Thoughts, Dimension Hop (PHBII), Gust of Wind, Hideous Laughter, Ice Knife (SpC), Invisibility, Knock, Levitate, Minor Image, Mirror Image, See Invisibility, Summon Monster II (non-chaotic creatures only), Touch of Idiocy, Whispering Wind
3: Arcane Sight, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Deep Slumber, Dimension Step (PHBII), Dispel Magic, Displacement, Fly, Gaseous Form, Hold Person, Invisibility Sphere, Legion of Sentinels (PHBII), Magic Circle Against Alignment, Major Image, Nondetection, Sleet Storm, Suggestion, Summon Monster III (non-chaotic creatures only), Water Breathing, Wind Wall

Archetypes

Chronomancer

Bonus Spells:
1: Deja Vu (arcane version of the psionic power), Nerveskitter (SpC)
2: Lesser Celerity (PHBII), Snake's Swiftness (SpC)
3: Haste, Time Hop (arcane version of the psionic power)
Capstone SLA: Greater Mirror Image (PHBII) or Celerity (PHBII)

Lesser Archetype Power: A chronomancer gains a +4 bonus to initiative. This bonus is also shared with any adjacent allies at the beginning of combat.
Moderate Archetype Power: A chronomancer may take a swift action at any time he could take an immediate action - however, he is still limited to one per round.
Greater Archetype Power: Once per day, a chronomancer may jump back in time, allowing him to replay one round. He may make different choices and reroll any relevant rolls. He must declare that he is using this ability at the end of his turn. This ability may not be used if the chronomancer is unconscious or otherwise mentally unaware.

Hyperborean

Bonus Spells:
1: Ice Slick (FB), Winter's Chill (SpC)
2: Creeping Cold (SpC), Numbing Sphere (FB)
3: Arctic Haze (FB), Icelance (SpC)
Capstone SLA: Ice Storm or Wall of Ice

Lesser Archetype Power: A hyperborean gains resistance to cold 5 and may add the ice beast template to his summoned creatures, as if he knew the Conjure Ice Beast (FB) spell line.
Moderate Archetype Power: Anytime a hyperborean deals damage to an opponent with a [cold] spell, that opponent is slowed for one round with no save.
Greater Archetype Power: A hyperborean gains the cold subtype and emits an aura of frost, doing 1d6 cold damage per round to all opponents within ten feet. Allies are unaffected.

Mountebank

Bonus Spells:
1: Distract (SpC), Serene Visage (SpC)
2: Insidious Insight (MoE), Ray of Stupidity (SpC)
3: Glibness, Miser's Envy (SpC)
Capstone SLA: Confusion or Dominate Person

Lesser Archetype Power: A mountebank may add his Intelligence modifier to his Bluff skill, in addition to his Charisma modifier.
Moderate Archetype Power: If a mountebank is able to cast a spell of the enchantment or illusion school upon an opponent who is unaware of the mountebank's presence, the DC of that spell increases by 1.
Greater Archetype Power Three times per day, a mountebank may ignore an opponent's immunity to mind-affecting spells with one casting of a spell or SLA.

Wayfarer

Bonus Spells:
1: Benign Transposition (SpC), Expeditious Retreat
2: Baleful Transposition (SpC), Rope Trick
3: G'Elsewhere Chant (SpC), Regroup (PHBII)
Capstone SLA: Baleful Blink (PHBII) or Dimension Door

Lesser Archetype Power: A wayfarer gains the Abrupt Jaunt alternative class feature as described in the Player's Handbook II.
Moderate Archetype Power: A wayfarer may use a modified version of Spring Attack when teleporting - he may pause at any point during the line of transport, take a standard action (if he has one available), and then continue to his final destination.
Greater Archetype Power A wayfarer is able to target one additional creature when using a spell or SLA of the teleportation subschool. A wayfarer may take one additional creature along when using Dimension Door, for example, or switch the positions of three allies using Benign Transposition. This ability does not apply to the wayfarer's Abrupt Jaunt ability.

Weaver

Bonus Spells:
1: Instant Diversion (RotD), Net of Shadows (SpC)
2: Phantasmal Assailants (SpC), Vertigo (PHBII)
3: Mask of the Ideal (CM), Shadow Binding (SpC)
Capstone SLA: Greater Invisibility or Shadow Conjuration

Lesser Archetype Power: Opponents take a -4 penalty when attempting to disbelieve a weaver's illusions, and must still make a save even when presented with proof that it is unreal.
Moderate Archetype Power: A weaver may concentrate on illusion spells as a swift action.
Greater Archetype Power After casting an illusion spell, a weaver gains 50% concealment for one round.

[nonsi]

Ok, I don't see how Mindbreaker fits this group.
Since you already populated the White Mage group, this one should really have an air associated subclass.
Mindbreaker should belong to an illusion/enchantment associated group.

[Gnorman]

Mindbreaker was a placeholder. Now it is Mountebank, an enchantment-based class. Cryomancer does air/ice. Transporter does teleportation and movement.

[nonsi]

So, what's left: Grey (domination, illusion) and yellow (desert power) ?
and don't forget telekinetic and force effects.

[Gnorman]

So, what's left: Grey (domination, illusion) and yellow (desert power) ?
and don't forget telekinetic and force effects.

That's all I have for the series - I have no further plans to make any other base spellcasting classes once the Blue Mage is finished.

Domination/illusion are mostly handled here by the Blue Mage (though if you wanted a more specialized version, I'd suggest making a new archetype for it). Telekinetic & force effects, as well as desert power would best be envisioned as archetypes for the Red Mage. I can't say I'm thrilled by the Tactician right now, so perhaps some kind of Force Mage will take its place. Do keep in mind that Telekinesis, as a fifth level spell, is out of reach of E6 games.

I'm certainly open to suggestions for new archetypes, and they're the kind of thing that's very easy to add in - part of my desire for the modular system was so that anyone could step in and customize their own kit for the class.

[Eldan]

So, I'm just wondering here. Apart from the colour blue, what exactly connects an ice mage, a mind mage, and a teleporter mage into one class? In the white mage, they were all Holy types, but here? I fail to see what connects them.

[Mulletmanalive]

I'd initially thought this was FF colour coding but it's definitely closer to the MtG colour coding of mages.

Not familiar with much ice in blue, but it has the foolery, mind control and teleportation magics...

In fairness, only time you tend to see ice in Magic is in the Cold-X series, where it's pretty universal.

[Eldan]

Yeah, the colour wheel could work. It has a few ice things in it. Still. It's not actually much of a thematic connection. I mean, I don't see why Ice Mages should get so many illusion and enchantment spells. Or why you can't summon chaotic creatures, given how often trickery seems to be associated with the chaotic alignments.

[Morph Bark]

Yeah, the colour wheel could work. It has a few ice things in it. Still. It's not actually much of a thematic connection. I mean, I don't see why Ice Mages should get so many illusion and enchantment spells. Or why you can't summon chaotic creatures, given how often trickery seems to be associated with the chaotic alignments.

Perhaps not so much, but it is a thematic connection. And how is fire and lightning in any way connected to casting weapon spells? If it is because the Red Mage is all about the damage and those do that, then the Blue Mage is the battlefield controller (alongside the Black Mage, possibly).

Alternatively, if you prefer stretching the imagination: the Blue Mage is based off visual effects. Illusions are all about visual effects. Air is largely about visual effects, but has a great deal of physical effects as well, and could be a medium for illusions (fata morgana anyone?). Granted, the teleportation requires a bit more of a stretch ("It is a visual effect that becomes so real that suddenly I'm no longer where I was and am where I am!"), but there you have it.

[Gnorman]

In terms of connection, admittedly not much. The Blue Mage is kind of the miscellany, whatever-didn't-work-elsewhere mage, and still obviously in progress.

Think "hermetic magician," what with spirits of the air and intellect as frequently-consulted familiars and sources. Wizards who deal in subtle charms and divinations rather than more overt measures. Despite being tricky, they follow an extremely ordered process with scads of rules, hence why they hew lawful. The Blue Mage is the stereotypical wizard-as-academic - keyed off Intelligence, a somewhat-loosely-connected host of abilities, et cetera. More Harry Dresden than Harry Potter, though.

It's a stretch, I know. I'd say "back to the drawing board," but I never really left it... grumble grumble. This is the hard one, which is why it's last. If anything, I think the frost connections will be lost first, but I am set on the air/wind/flight theme for one archetype.

Thanks for the input though.

[Eldan]

I'd say it would work, but I'd move the Ice to a different kind of mage and put in something else here. A diviner, maybe.

[Gnorman]

I'd say it would work, but I'd move the Ice to a different kind of mage and put in something else here. A diviner, maybe.

Oddly enough, ice/frost themed spells might actually work best thematically for the BLACK mage, now that I think about it.

Cue thoughts about a Void Cultist archetype, with affinity for tentacles and aberrations and the cold inky blackness of space...

[Mulletmanalive]

Perhaps if you move some of the air spells to the main list and put the Genii motif into the main portion of the list with the Cryomancer being the more "hardcore" version of the theme?

Time manipulation is a big thing in the Magic Blue stripe...

[Mikka]

Where are the archetype powers? : O

[Gnorman]

Perhaps if you move some of the air spells to the main list and put the Genii motif into the main portion of the list with the Cryomancer being the more "hardcore" version of the theme?

Time manipulation is a big thing in the Magic Blue stripe...

If only D&D had more time manipulation spells... blergh. The Transporter was intended to be more of a space & time mage, but I just couldn't find enough time-warping spells, at least besides Haste & Slow.

[Mikka]

Asides from that lack i like it very much.

Nice formatting, nicely balanced (Moderate bonuses in exchange for a limited spell list) and cool feel.

We should make a thread/compilation of E6 homebrew, it isn't supported as much as i'd like : )

[Gnorman]

Archetype bonuses have not been included because I have not finished them yet.

[Morph Bark]

We should make a thread/compilation of E6 homebrew, it isn't supported as much as i'd like : )

You read my mind. Though I do think it has been done before.

EDIT: The table shows Turn Undead, while the text gives Trapfinding. One or the other needs a change.

[Gnorman]

You read my mind. Though I do think it has been done before.

I do plan on putting all of my homebrew into one big ol' encyclopedic thread. Figure I should be done with the new classes in about two weeks or so, and then work can begin on the campaign setting, races, et cetera.

Best part about E6 homebrew is that I don't have to think up fourteen extra levels of stuff!

EDIT: Trapfinding is correct, copy-and-paste oversight fixed.

EDIT 2: Hey, you know what I forgot all about? Celerity! Guess that "time and space mage" thing will work out after all.

[nonsi]

What's with the Turn Undead leftover ?

[Eldan]

If only D&D had more time manipulation spells... blergh. The Transporter was intended to be more of a space & time mage, but I just couldn't find enough time-warping spells, at least besides Haste & Slow.

It's all about fluff. Find spells that give insight boni to, well, anything. Anything that helps with initiative or reflex. Nerveskitter? Totally a time spell. True Strike? Cat's Grace? There's lots of things that work here.

[Gnorman]

It's all about fluff. Find spells that give insight boni to, well, anything. Anything that helps with initiative or reflex. Nerveskitter? Totally a time spell. True Strike? Cat's Grace? There's lots of things that work here.

Yup. I'm going to go back and gut the Tactician from the Red Mage, as pretty much all of his abilities are more relevant and more thematic here.

Then going to replace the Cryomancer with something to do with Power Words or like windstorms and crap, or something to that effect.

[Mikka]

Yup. I'm going to go back and gut the Tactician from the Red Mage, as pretty much all of his abilities are more relevant and more thematic here.

No, i think the tactitican fits well as a red mage. The blue mage are more subtle while the red mage is one of warfare and conflict. The blue mage isn't necessarily a combatant but the red most certainly is.

[Othniel Edden]

You could move air over to the time space mage, and still have it be thematic. It would also fit an illusionist well with water... have the blue mage use subtle magics.

[Gnorman]

Don't know why I didn't think about adapting psionic powers sooner - chronomancer should have plenty of unique abilities available to it now! Teleportation mage will be developed into its own separate archetype.

Eldan, much love and inspiration due you for the encouragement.

EDIT: Archetype abilities completed. Class has been narrowed in focus down to time, space, movement, and the mind. Might as well be the "Abstract Mage."

[Eldest]

You need to define the Wayfarer's Moderate Archetype ability more. Did you mean that he can pause and take a standard action at any place in a line between the place he is teleporting from and the place he is teleporting to?