Looking Into the Eye and Spellsword (Pathfinder): Difference between pages

Revision as of 17:07, 28 August 2010

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.)

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), Bonus feat	-
5th	+5	+3	+2	+3	Additional channel, Reduce spell failure 10%	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
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%	+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
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

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Abstract''':
+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 [[system::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.)
-'''Dramatic Purpose''': Major plot exposition.
+'''Hit Die''': d8
-'''Metagaming Purpose''': Sets up the whole next year of gaming.
+'''Requirements'''
-'''Setting''': Inside the chamber of the [[Eye of Autochthon]]
+* Base Attack Bonus: +4
+* Proficiency: all simple and martial weapons
+* Proficiency: all light, medium and heavy armor
+* Feats: [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arcane-armor-training-combat---final 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
-'''Order''': After [[Interview with a Glass Sorcerer]]
+'''Class Skills'''
-'''Principals''': [[Eye of Autochthon]]
+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).
-'''Specifics''': The room is pretty bloody with the remains of the alchemicals, and reeks of burned flesh and vaporized metal.
+'''Skill Ranks at Each Level''': 2 + Int modifier.
-* Heavenly Bitter Metal looks to have exploded, and parts of his body, both flesh and mechanical can be seen all over the place. All of the soulsteel bits have been shattered into globs, each containing exactly one soul. They are all moaning.
+{| class="wikitable"
-* Unrepentantly Battleworn Servant's organic parts have turned to salt. Her gear and implants are undamaged.
+!Level!!BAB!!Fort!!Ref!!Will!!Special!!Spells per day
-* Gloriously Still Alloy's implants became molten rock, quickly burning his flesh. The magma has cooled significantly, but still glows. His gear is intact.
+|-
-* Silkily Descending Mountain has been turned into pale blue glass, and slightly melted, like wax caught in a strong breeze. She appears to have been averting her eyes from the blast. Her gear is intact.
+|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), Bonus feat||-
+|-
+|5th||+5||+3||+2||+3||''Additional channel'', Reduce spell failure 10%||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
+|-
+|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%||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
+|-
+|10th||+10||+5||+3||+5||''Multiple channel spell''||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
+|}
-The Eye will answer a question, then start to stutter and freeze. It will retract into the ground, which closes around it. The light gets much dimmer. About two seconds later, the ground opens and the Eye rises again. From this point, it will be completely oblivious that it has seen the exalts before, and will have forgotten about the alchemicals.
+'''Weapon and Armor Proficiency''': Spellswords gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
-"Eternal Monitoring Method resumed."
+'''Arcane Armor Mastery''': At 1st level, a spellsword gains Arcane Armor Mastery as a bonus feat if he does not already have it.
-"Condition critical. Elsewhere sheath breached."
-"Executing primary protocol". The lights come back on in full, and energy surges into the eye.
-"Exaltation beacon activated." Laser light scans the circle.
-"Greetings to authorized exalted. Name lookup fails. Please restate your names."
-"Have you knowledge of the condition of Autochthonia?"
-It will interrogate the characters of what it knows of Yugash and the Locust Crusade. It will ask about the Seal of Divinities and why it was broken.
-"Analysis... All functions critical. Essence supply recovering, but soul-capacity of Radiant Amphora of Celestial Accumulation nearing depletion. Full entropic collapse imminent. Action: Refill Radiant Amphora. Locating Well of Souls. Scanning..."
-A map comes up, depicting an area much larger than the current creation (similar to the First Age map seen before). The map begins to shrink to the current borders. Around the map come images of the constellations. Superimposed through it all is a very faint, three dimentional spider web. Certain strands light up in rapid succession. This goes on a long time, with periodic stalls when strands cluster around a particular constellation (the Mask).
+'''Spellsword Armor''': Spellsword levels stack with levels of Fighter for determining the effects of Armor Training.
-It will answer questions while this happens, though curtly.
+'''''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.
-"Location process fails. Tapestry discrepancy detected. Well of Souls inaccessible."
+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.
-Radiant Amphora of Celestial Accumulation was original filled with souls to sustain the Great Maker. Either in response to a question about it, or on its own, it will change gears:
+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.
-"Analysis... Action: Check Creation-based connections to Amphora."
+'''''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.
-"Locks of Yugash found. Alchemical Manses marked." The icons light up.
-"Setting manses to primary functional mode."
-"Activation fails."
-"Manual recalibration required."
-"Analysis..." It thinks for a while. It will answer questions.
-"Contingency 51762389 activated."
+'''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.
-"Potent exalts, the Great Maker calls upon you to aid in his hour of need. The probability of refilling the Radiant Amphora of Celestial Accumulation before total entropic collapse is barely measurable. Contingency 51762389 requires the need to pull the Great Maker back into creation. To accomplish this, the manses connected to the Amphora must be reconfigured during the next Calibration. The Great Maker requires you to visit these manses, open the locks Yugash placed on them and place the manse's hearthstones in this device..."
-...a crystal pod materializes...
+'''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.
-"...on the first day of Calibration. The device must be guarded until the final day of Calibration. Do you accept?"
+'''''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.
-If they ask for help, talk about the marks.
+'''''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.
-If they ask about the keys "secrets of the locks entrusted to the original eight".
+'''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.
-Will react to Abyssal as before.
+'''Design Notes'''
-As things wind on, Eye will show more signs of malfunction, and energy will start sparking from various spots. A flash will teleport the circle miles into the air. Below them, the city is destroyed in a mushroom cloud.
+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 [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/eldritch-knight Eldritch Knight] class, particularly considering the availability of Pathfinder's [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arcane-armor-mastery-combat---final 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
-Exposition about restarting the maker, including map.
+[[Category:Prestige Class]]
-Set deadline of next Calibration.
-Offer of the [[Mark of Autochthon]].
-Map will collapse into a crystal. Crystal can bring up the map at any time.
-* [[Source map notes]]
-''Aspects'': In the Presence of the Eye, Reek of Death
-'''Variations''':
-'''Outcome''':
-'''Debugging''':
-'''Field Testing''':
-[[Category:Encounter Page]] [[campaign::Forgotten Suns| ]]