Spellsword (Pathfinder)
The Spellsword prestige class is mix of martial and magical prowess, focused on using spells to enhance melee attacks. First introduced in the Complete Warrior, this page updates this class for use with the Pathfinder system, and tries to correct some its flaws along the way. (Notes at the end of the page provide details of the goals of this conversion. Also, while we use this version of the class in play, feedback has suggested some alternates, one a bit more arcane, one a bit more martial.)
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
- Base Attack Bonus: +4
- Proficiency: all simple and martial weapons
- Proficiency: all light, medium and heavy armor
- Feats: Arcane Armor Training
- Spells: Able to cast 2nd level arcane spells
- Special: Must have defeated a foe through force of arms alone, without any spell casting
Class Skills
The spellsword's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Str), Climb (Str), Craft (armor, weapons) (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +1 | +0 | +1 | Channel spell (0th level), Rapid channel, Arcane Armor Mastery, Spellsword Armor | - |
| 2nd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Channel spell (1st level) | +1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +3 | +2 | +1 | +2 | Channel spell (2nd level), Reduce spell failure 5% | +1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
| 4th | +4 | +2 | +1 | +2 | Channel spell (3rd level) | +1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
| 5th | +5 | +3 | +2 | +3 | Additional channel, Bonus feat, Reduce spell failure 10% | - |
| 6th | +6 | +3 | +2 | +3 | Channel spell (4th level) | +1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
| 7th | +7 | +4 | +2 | +4 | Bonus feat, Reduce spell failure 15% | +1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
| 8th | +8 | +4 | +3 | +4 | Additional channel | +1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
| 9th | +9 | +5 | +3 | +5 | Channel spell (5th level), Reduce spell failure 20% | - |
| 10th | +10 | +5 | +3 | +5 | Multiple channel spell | +1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Spellswords gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Arcane Armor Mastery: At 1st level, a spellsword gains Arcane Armor Mastery as a bonus feat if he does not already have it.
Spellsword Armor: Spellsword levels stack with levels of Fighter for determining the effects of Armor Training.
Channel Spell (Sp): At 1st level, a spellsword gains the ability to channel any spell he can cast into his melee weapon. This is a standard spellcasting action in all ways, including requiring the spell's normal casting time, except that rather than the spell being released, it is stored within the weapon. Once a spell is stored in this way, it may be released into a target successfully hit with that weapon. The spellsword chooses weather or not the spell is channeled into the target, but must make the choice after the attack hits, but before damage is rolled. The spell effects the target just as if the spellsword had just cast it on him, rolling any saving throws or spell resistance that might apply. Any to-hit rolls normally required by the spell are assumed to have already succeeded by virtue of the weapon's attack roll. Also, the spell affect is confined only to the target being hit, regardless of the spells normal area of effect or range. Once the spell is released, it is spent.
Initially, spellswords may only channel 0-level spells into only one weapon at a time. The weapon can hold only one spell at a time, and a channeled spell is lost if not used in eight hours. As spellsword levels are gained, more potent spells may be channeled, as indicated in the table. At 4th level, for example, the spellsword may channel third level arcane spells. Channeling any spell uses up the prepared spell or spell slot just as if the spell has been cast normally. Spells cast from scrolls or similar items may be channeled (if under the level limit), but spell-like abilities cannot be. When channeling, the spell is measured by the slot it occupies. If, for example, a metamagic effect requires a certain spell be cast using a 4th level slot, a spellsword could only channel that spell if they were allowed to channel 4th level spells, regardless of the spell's base level.
Channeling spells using 3rd level slots or higher will destroy non-magical weapons. Once the attack and spell are resolved, the weapon turns to dust. Channeling spells using 5th level slots will do the same to +1 weapons as well.
Rapid Channel (Sp): By using a full-round action, a spellsword can combine the action of channeling a spell with a single melee attack that releases the spell into the target. This works as a normal spell channel in all ways, except additional restrictions are placed on what spells can be cast. The spell must have a casting time of one standard action or less. Further, spells from scrolls or other devices cannot be channeled rapidly. Because it is part of the attack, the casting needed to rapidly channel does not provoke opportunity attacks, but does require a concentration roll for "violent motion while casting" (DC 15 + spell level). If this check fails, the spell is lost and the attack takes a -4 penalty.
Reduce Spell Failure (Ex): At 3rd level, the spellsword's merging of spellcraft and weaponry allows him to reduce the chance of arcane spell failure associated with armor by an additional 5%. This chance is reduced by a further 5% for every two levels thereafter. This ability stacks with the bonus from Arcane Armor Mastery; however, unlike that feat, it does not require any kind of action to activate, but rather is an intrinsic effect.
Bonus Feat: At 4th level, a spellsword gains a bonus feat that must be either a metamagic feat, a bloodline feat, or one drawn from the list of fighter bonus feats. This is in addition to the feats that a character of any class normally gets from advancing levels. The character must still meet any prerequisites for these bonus feats. A spellsword gains an additional such feat at 7th level.
Additional Channel (Sp): At 5th level, the spellsword may prepare an additional channeled spell. This can either be a spell channeled into a second weapon, or a second spell channeled into the same weapon. In either case, only one spell may actually be released per successful attack. If the spellsword hits with a weapon containing multiple channels, he may select which goes off for a particular attack. Another additional channel is gained at 8th level.
Multiple Channel Spell (Sp): A 10th-level spellsword can activate any of the channels in his weapon in a single attack. Thus, on a successful attack, all of the spells channeled into the weapon used in the attack effect the target. When the attack is resolved, the spellsword decides which, if any, of the channels affect the target, and in what order. At most, one of the spells channeled by this attack can be rapidly channeled.
Spells per Day: At the indicated levels, a spell sword gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a spellsword, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.
Design Notes
The original version of this class is considered to be fairly weak in the d20 system, giving up too much spellcasting ability to be considered useful for more than a few levels. As originally written, it also is somewhat weak when compared to Pathfinder's updated Eldritch Knight class, particularly considering the availability of Pathfinder's Arcane Armor Mastery feat.
Also, the original class tends to be viewed mostly as a way for arcane fighters to use armor, as the implementation of its core concept (channeling spells through weapons) was not that compelling. In particular, the daily limit for spell channeling seemed unnecessary, given that spell use itself already has a daily limit. All the channeling does is allow the spellsword to cast spells and melee attack in a single action. Essentially, it just provides a really versatile mechanism for buffing a weapon. So, it seemed more appropriate to allow the spell sword to channel as much as he likes, but use level progression to limit the effectiveness of the spells being channeled.
So, keeping all this in mind, this port of the Spellsword is based mostly on the Pathfinder revision of the Eldritch Knight, altered as follows:
- Channel Spell ability
- Better reduction arcane spell failure
- Better Will saves
- Smaller hit dice
- Slower spell progression
- Doesn't stack levels for feat qualification
- Does stack levels for Armor Training
- Fewer feats