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| | 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.) |
| As you look at the map, you realize that finding and restarting all these manses may take a while. The five manses are scattered all over creation. It's pretty clear that the moon icon represents the moonsilver manse, the sun the orihcalcum manse, the star the starmetal manse and the skull the soulsteel manse. The symbol near the center is a common symbol used for jade, so that is probably the jade manse. Your guess is that the eye icon represents where you are now, that is, where the Eye is right now.
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| {{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Eswoboda | 1 | 0 }} or {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
| | '''Hit Die''': d8 |
| '''Adrios''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 7 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are a radial coordinate system, pinpointing the location of the manses. The first number is clearly an angle, measured relative to an imaginary line between the centerpoint of the map and the middle of the far right edge (representing the line between the elemental poles of earth and wood). The second number is obviously a distance from the center of the map to the manse. These are really big numbers, so you guess that they are measured in yards, which would make them very accurate. You think the last number might be elevation above sea level, also in yards. | |
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| '''Stag''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 6 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are a radial coordinate system, pinpointing the location of the manses. The first number is clearly an angle, measured relative to an imaginary line between the centerpoint of the map and the middle of the far right edge (representing the line between the elemental poles of earth and wood). The second number is obviously a distance from the center of the map to the manse. These are really big numbers, so you guess that they are measured in yards. You're not sure about the last number. | | '''Requirements''' |
| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Qaz48 | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Gutts''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 2, and your emerging reading ability, tells you that the symbols next to the icons are called "numbers", but you have no idea what they mean.
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| '''Varden''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 6 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are a radial coordinate system, pinpointing the location of the manses. The first number is clearly an angle, measured relative to an imaginary line between the centerpoint of the map and the middle of the far right edge (representing the line between the elemental poles of earth and wood). The second number is obviously a distance from the center of the map to the manse. These are really big numbers, so you guess that they are measured in yards. You're not sure about the last number.
| | * Base Attack Bonus: +4 |
| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Guen | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
| | * Proficiency: all simple and martial weapons |
| '''Guen''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 3 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are probably some kind of coordinate system, but you are not sure how it works.
| | * 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 |
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| '''Juuken''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 3 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are probably some kind of coordinate system, but you are not sure how it works. | | '''Class Skills''' |
| |}}{{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman |
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| '''Cruxis''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 6 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are a radial coordinate system, pinpointing the location of the manses. The first number is clearly an angle, measured relative to an imaginary line between the centerpoint of the map and the middle of the far right edge (representing the line between the elemental poles of earth and wood). The second number is obviously a distance from the center of the map to the manse. These are really big numbers, so you guess that they are measured in yards. You're not sure about the last number. | | 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). |
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| '''Jorias''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 7 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are a radial coordinate system, pinpointing the location of the manses. The first number is clearly an angle, measured relative to an imaginary line between the centerpoint of the map and the middle of the far right edge (representing the line between the elemental poles of earth and wood). The second number is obviously a distance from the center of the map to the manse. These are really big numbers, so you guess that they are measured in yards, which would make them very accurate. You thing the last number might be elevation above sea level, also in yards. | | '''Skill Ranks at Each Level''': 2 + Int modifier. |
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| '''Regret''': Your combined Intelligence + Lore score of 4 tells you that the numbers next to the icons are definitely some kind of coordinate system. The second number gets bigger as the line gets longer, so that is probably the distance from the center of the map. You're not sure about the other numbers. | | {| class="wikitable" |
| |}} | | !Level!!BAB!!Fort!!Ref!!Will!!Special!!Spells per day |
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| | |1st||+1||+1||+0||+1||''Channel spell'' (0th level), ''Rapid channel'', Arcane Armor Mastery, Spellsword Armor||- |
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| | |2nd||+2||+1||+1||+1||''Channel spell'' (1st level) ||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
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| | |3rd||+3||+2||+1||+2||''Channel spell'' (2nd level), Reduce spell failure 5%||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
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| | |4th||+4||+2||+1||+2||''Channel spell'' (3rd level), Bonus feat||- |
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| | |5th||+5||+3||+2||+3||''Additional channel'', Reduce spell failure 10%||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
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| | |6th||+6||+3||+2||+3||''Channel spell'' (4th level)||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
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| | |7th||+7||+4||+2||+4||Bonus feat, Reduce spell failure 15%||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
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| | |8th||+8||+4||+3||+4||''Additional channel''||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
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| | |9th||+9||+5||+3||+5||''Channel spell'' (5th level), Reduce spell failure 20%||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
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| | |10th||+10||+5||+3||+5||''Multiple channel spell''||+1 level of arcane spellcasting class |
| | |} |
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| Some things you notice about the various manses, in alphabetical order:
| | '''Weapon and Armor Proficiency''': Spellswords gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor. |
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| == Jade manse ==
| | '''Arcane Armor Mastery''': At 1st level, a spellsword gains Arcane Armor Mastery as a bonus feat if he does not already have it. |
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| The jade manse is very near the center of the map, but not exactly at the center. It appears to be on the spot of the Imperial Mountain, also called Mount Meru. This mountain rises ''six hundred miles'' high and is both the literal and symbolic heart of Creation. It can be seen from every part of the Blessed Isle and, on a clear day, even from the Threshold. Though called the Imperial Mountain, the Imperial City is actually far away on the east cost of the Isle.
| | '''Spellsword Armor''': Spellsword levels stack with levels of Fighter for determining the effects of Armor Training. |
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| {{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Eswoboda | 1 | 0 }} or {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
| | '''''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. |
| '''Adrios''': If the final number of the coordinate system really is an elevation, this manse being only 155 yards above sea level would mean that it is ''deep'' under the mountain. | |
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| '''Stag''': You've seen the Mountain up close with your own eyes. Back when you were masquerading as an Immaculate, thousands of people a year used spend a month or so making a pilgrimage up the mountain, though you never did so. Near the very top of the mountain lie the ruins of Meru, once the seat of the Solar Deliberative, from where the solars ruled Creation. It is said to be inhabited by all sorts of strange creatures now. The mountain itself is the manifestation of the elemental pole of earth. Unlike most elemental poles, it is not surrounded with the chaos of the Wyld, but there are occasional unpredictable currents of earth essence that can be dangerous.
| | 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. |
| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Qaz48 | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Gutts''': The mountain is extremely deep into Imperial territory. Getting there is likely to be difficult, even by air, as the large chunk of the Realm's military, including airships, defend the Blessed Isle.
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| '''Varden''': Back when you were mortal, your circus made a couple of stops on the Blessed Isle, and you saw the mountain first hand. You always wanted to try to climb it, but you never had he opportunity.
| | 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. |
| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Guen | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Guen''': The mountain is rumored to be quite inhospitable, though there are supposedly trails for pilgrims that are well traveled. You once heard a lunar tell a story about an older lunar named Walks Under the Ice who bragged about climbing to the summit back in the First Age, in human form, without using magic. This was considered so impossible that no one believed him. This caused him such a loss of face that he ultimately agreed to a repeat performance, with younger lunar as a witness. He attempted it several hundred years ago, at the full height of the Realm's power. He and his witness were never seen again.
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| '''Juuken''': Every year, thousands of people make a pilgrimage to the Imperial Mountain, walking a path called the Spine of the Amaranthine Dragon. This begins at the foot of the mountain four days outside of Juche, at an Immaculate monastery called the Steady Foundation Pagoda. Healthy mortals can make the trip to the Victorious Ascendance of Mankind (a temple at the highest point mortals are allowed to go) in about a month. Exalted are allowed to travel a few weeks higher through the cold, to the Immaculate Temple of Ivory Resplendence, just below the summit. | | '''''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. |
| |}}{{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman |
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| '''Cruxis''': Cruxis once attempted to make the pilgrimage up the mountain, largely at the behest of Tela, someone Cruxis was sweet on. Tela's friend was a strong follower of Pasiap, and convinced Tela to go with her. Tela and Cruxis followed for about a week, then got "distracted" and spent the rest of the month wandering around the Blessed Isle. | | '''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. |
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| '''Jorias''': If the final number of the coordinate system really is an elevation, this manse being only 155 yards above sea level would mean that it is ''deep'' under the mountain. The mountain itself is the manifestation of the elemental pole of earth. It was once the seat of the Solar Deliberative. | | '''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. |
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| '''Regret''': Regret associates the mountain with the Realm and the Blessed Isle, so will not have much good to say about it. | | '''''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. |
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| == Orichalcum manse ==
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| The orichalcum manse looks to be suspiciously close to [[Rathess]]. As you will recall, though now in ruins, Rathess once was the capital of Creation, possibly the oldest city ever. In the Wyld, you also learned that the city was the center of [[Dragon Kings|dragon king]] culture.
| | '''''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. |
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| You have been told by [[Sundial]] that the sword [[Soul Mirror]] is somewhere in Rathess, and have recovered the memories of the two terrestrials that hid it. Stag was chosen to view those memories. After doing so, he told each of you a step on the path to locating the sword. With Jorias' help, he eliminated all knowledge of the path except the proper ordering of your hints, placing it into a sorcerous gem, which was then destroyed.
| | '''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. |
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| {{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Eswoboda | 1 | 0 }} or {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
| | '''Design Notes''' |
| '''Adrios''': When spreading instructions about finding Soul Mirror, Stag told you: "While looking at the face of the room's major feature, take the passageway to your immediate left. Take the first left, then a quick right, then go a half mile until you see the sun." | |
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| '''Stag''': Stag has intentionally forgotten the visions he got from memory gems that revealed the hiding place of Soul Mirror, but he remembers the order of the visions he told to the others: | | 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. |
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| # Guen
| | 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. |
| # Gutts
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| # Adrios
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| # Jorias
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| # Varden
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| Rathess certainly holds one of the gates to Yu-Shan. You haven't heard of anyone using it, though.
| | 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: |
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| One of the wonders of Rathess was its Great Observatory, supposedly the greatest astrological tool in all of Creation, in some ways apparently surpassing the Loom of Fate itself. It is known to be damaged to the point that it no longer functions.
| | * Channel Spell ability |
| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Qaz48 | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
| | * Better reduction arcane spell failure |
| '''Gutts''': When spreading instructions about finding Soul Mirror, Stag told you: "In the water, enter the mouth of the dragon. Go left, then right, another right and a left, until you lament the shark." | | * Better Will saves |
| | * Smaller hit dice |
| | * Slower spell progression |
| | * Doesn't stack levels for feat qualification |
| | * Does stack levels for Armor Training |
| | * Fewer feats |
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| A while ago, when you were back on the ship headed to Lap, you remember Jorias saying that one of those gates to Yu-Shan (heaven) is somewhere in Rathess.
| | [[Category:Prestige Class]] |
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| Back in your days with the [[Band of the Hawk]], you remember [[Griffin]] occasionally mentioning Rathess as a place "someone will have to clean up some day".
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| '''Varden''': When spreading instructions about finding Soul Mirror, Stag told you: "Move forward the direction you face. At the intersection, go strait. Then straight, straight, straight, right, left, straight. About ten yards before this hallway leads to the next room, stop and remove a stone from the ceiling."
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| A while ago, when you were back on the ship headed to Lap, you remember Jorias saying that one of those gates to Yu-Shan (heaven) is somewhere in Rathess.
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| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Guen | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Guen''': When spreading instructions about finding Soul Mirror, Stag told you: "In the city, find the red granite road. From its halfway point, you can see the white jade footbridge. Go to the bridge, and jump off of it."
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| A while ago, when you were back on the ship headed to Lap, you remember Jorias saying that one of those gates to Yu-Shan (heaven) is somewhere in Rathess.
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| You do not know of any lunar that claims Rathess as territory, but it is surrounded by a vast jungle, so anything is possible.
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| '''Juuken''': Though Rathess is several thousand miles away from Harborhead, the nation that occupies the attention of the White Queen, that is still fairly "close" by the standards of Creation. You remember overhearing a report made to the White Queen about a scouting party sent out to the deep East having been ambushed on the way by an organized band of goblins near Rathess. Only three men survived, describing the attackers as "fanatical zealots" and "cannibals".
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| '''Cruxis''': A long time ago, when you were back on the ship headed to Lap, you remember Jorias telling that one of those gates to Yu-Shan (heaven) is somewhere in Rathess.
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| '''Jorias''': When spreading instructions about finding Soul Mirror, Stag told you: "Head towards the passage closest to the statue's shield. Ignore all the archways and branches you see, heading straight until you run into a T-intersection. From there, backtrack until you reach the third archway on the left. Walk through that archway."
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| '''Regret''':
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| == Moonsilver manse ==
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| The moonsilver manse appears to be in the middle of the western ocean, way south of the [[Wavecrest Archipelago]], the largest nation in the West. Wavecrest itself is relatively peaceful, though it is often a target for pirates, and the citizens are known to appease the gods of the local volcanoes with human sacrifices.
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| Its possible the Lintha pirates would be that far south the Wavecrest, but since it is far out of shipping lanes, this would be unlikely.
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| {{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Eswoboda | 1 | 0 }} or {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Adrios''': If the last number on the map really is an elevation, then this manse is almost a half-mile under water.
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| '''Stag''': Somewhere out in the middle of the southwestern ocean lay the remnants of an undersea civilization of hybrids, humans altered to survive underwater (and breed true), called the pelagials. During the First Age, they ruled a vast empire across the ocean floor. They have dwindled to nothing now, but the ruins of their civilization probably still holds caches of First Age technology, particularly the empire's capital, known as the [[City of the Shining Reefs]]. Since the Usurpation, the sidereals have gone to great lengths to hide the location of this city from the world in general, and the Scarlet Empire in particular. When you were in the Imperial City, one of your (minor) standing orders was to mess with and/or supress any information about the pelagials that you found, though you never ran across any. Supposedly Yu-Shan gate #44 floats on the surface of the water, above the [[City of the Shining Reefs]], but passage through that gate is restricted. You're not sure of the location of the city, but the Pelagial Empire was so large that any action going on in the depths of that part of the ocean is likely to encounter its ruins.
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| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Qaz48 | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Gutts''': You're pretty sure that Wavecrest has a decent navy, but otherwise have heard very little about the west in general.
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| '''Varden''': Circus freak show barkers are always exaggerating the origins of the weird curiosities. You remember that any weird thing that was remotely aquatic was always said to come from the "mysterious Pelagial Empire", supposedly and ancient (but extinct) underwater nation of mutant fish men or some such, that was supposed to be in the southwestern ocean.
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| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Guen | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Guen''': This area on the map lies past the southern edge of the territory of a legendary lunar known as Leviathan (sometimes Admiral Leviathan), an orca-totem who was a dominant general in the First Age, and still lives today, though he no longer makes much contact with the Silver Pact.
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| '''Juuken''': Wavecrest is a technically a tributary of the Realm, but is ruled by locals, who give yearly tribute. Still, this location seems too far away for Wavecrest to really be that interested in it. The only other you you notice about it is that it is only a couple thousand miles away from the water manse where you learned Celestial Monkey style from [[Serene Tail]].
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| '''Cruxis''':
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| '''Jorias''': Jorias has heard of the Pelagial Empire, but doesn't know much about it.
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| '''Regret''': The whispers inside Regret's head sometimes babble the word "pelagials", but he doesn't know what that means.
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| == Soulsteel manse ==
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| This location looks to be close the city of [[Gethamane]], a large city built into a mountain in the frozen north. The city is self-supporting, making its inhabitants practical and fairly patriotic. Being buried under a mountain, the city is easily defended, and so has not had to bow to the Realm. It tries to remain neutral and has strong ties to the Guild, but this sometimes pulls it into conflict. This happened most recently about 200 years ago, when disagreements between Gethamane's neighbor to the north, the [[Haslanti League]], and the Guild led to the League occupying the lands surrounding Gethamane for a time.
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| Gethamane is ruled by a hereditary ruler, known as the Master, advised by a council of 15 citizens representing various vocations (hunter, farmer, merchant, etc.) within the city.
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| {{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Eswoboda | 1 | 0 }} or {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Adrios''': Having spent most of your life in the South, you know very little about Gethamane.
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| '''Stag''': Yu-Shan gate #31 supposedly opens on a very deep level of Gethamane, but you've never heard of anyone using it. Gethamane was built during the First Age, but something happened to it after the Usurpation that killed all of the inhabitants, even the gods. The current population didn't begin until several hundred years later.
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| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Qaz48 | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Gutts''': You know next to nothing Gethamane.
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| '''Varden''': You've been to Gethamane before. The locals eat a fungus that they grow inside. The city gets less civilized the deeper you go. You were warned not to go down too far because "dark things lurk down there".
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| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Guen | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Guen''': You don't know of any lunars in Gethamane; however, it is an open secret in the Silver Pact that one lunar or another has been involved in shaping the Haslanti League to the north for a long time.
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| '''Juuken''': You know very little about Gethamane.
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| {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman |
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| '''Cruxis''':
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| '''Jorias''':
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| '''Regret''':
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| == Starmetal manse ==
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| This manse appears to be in or near the city of [[Yane]], one of the more important of the eight city-states making up the [[Varang confederacy]]. Varangia is a strange little nation, known for its rigid caste system, inscrutable customs and a fixation on astrology. The culture is extremely xenophobic, and foreigners are allowed in only two of the cities in the confederacy, the coastal cities of [[Kriss]] and [[Talt]]. Yane lies between these two cities, also on the coast.
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| {{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Eswoboda | 1 | 0 }} or {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Adrios''': The [[Tri-Kahn]] of [[Chiaroscuro]], like most of the Chiaroscuro's inhabitants, has little good to say about the Varang confederatio, dismissing it as a den of superstitious crazies. Chiaroscuro had no treaties at all with Varang, and no official trade, though the Guild would often move goods between the two realms.
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| '''Stag''': You were born in Yane and, like all citizens, received a palm-sized tattoo on your neck indicating your caste. (It's up to you if you still want this. It could be hiding under that mask, or maybe it was removed when you became a sidereal.) Yane is about as close to a "capital" of the Varang confederation as it can get, with other cities sending both bureaucrats to run it and military to defend it. Rather than Yane running the nation, however, the nation actually runs Yane, which acts as "neutral ground" for all the other cities.
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| Varang as a whole is more than "fixated" on astrology: it runs their whole country. Yane is a particular hot bed for astrology, because most of the priestly class converges on Yane to discuss the topic periodically. The Varang worship the Loom of Fate and the Five Maidens openly, as their primary (but not sole) religion.
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| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Qaz48 | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Gutts''': Each of the city-states in Varang run their own military. The Varang are not expansionist, so their forces tend to be heavily defensive, mostly using infantry and artillery (some mounted on armored elephants), keeping cavalry only for scouting. They do, however, have a national waterborne coastal defense force, based out of Yane, that includes sailors from every city.
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| '''Varden''': You've never been to Yane, but your circus traveled just outside the Varang city of Talt. To protect the citizenry from the obvious criminality of foreigners like you, the city military guarded your camp, mostly to prevent the performers from entering the city. Naturally, you snuck in anyway. All the citizens have strange tattoos on their necks, supposedly marking which caste they are in. As you didn't have these, your visit was fairly short, narrowly avoiding capture. You were there long enough, however, to become fascinated by these intricate time-keeping devices that a lot of the citizens carried. The whole place seemed to be much more aware of time and clocks than anywhere you've ever been. Everyone also seemed to be obsessed with gambling. You also noticed that there were no signs on the stores; everyone just seemed to know which store sold what.
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| |}}{{#ifexpr: {{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Guen | 1 | 0 }} or {{ #ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman | 1 | 0 }} |
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| '''Guen''': You don't know much about the Varang city-states, but you've heard of what goes on in-between them. People in the Southeast as a whole tend to fear disease and deformity more than usual. Combined with Varang taboos about violating the strict caste system, this results in a good number people being outcast into the wilderness. These outcasts tend to settle in small, nomadic bands, often united by their infirmity, mutation or situation. These so-called "jackal tribes" are completely disorganized, but range all over the wild and Wyld areas of the southeast. They traditionally wear crimson scarves over their faces, to warn others that they are "unclean". As you might expect, they hold no love for the "healthy", but are quite hospitable to other "jackals". You don't know of any lunars who claim the area as territory, but it's possible.
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| '''Juuken''': The Varang confederacy shares a border with [[Harborhead]], the nation currently occupying the attention of the [[White Queen]]. You are sure that Varang sends spies into Harborhead constantly, and you have heard some mutterings that the White Queen has sent agents into Varang, though you are not sure to what purpose.
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| Varang is an ally of the Realm, but not an official Imperial holding the way Harborhead is. The ambassador to the Empire resides in Yane, taking advantage of of a clause in the alliance agreement that allows Imperial officials to enter the city. The Immaculate Order also maintains a temple there.
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| |}}{{#ifeq: {{CURRENTUSER}} | Wordman |
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| '''Cruxis''': Has stashed money in both Kriss and Talt, but has never been to Yane.
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| '''Jorias''': Never been there.
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| '''Regret''': As an Imperial messenger, Regret is one of the few foreigners who has visited Yane, though he was not there long, and spent most of the time in Imperial buildings.
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| [[category:Player Handout]] [[campaign::Forgotten Suns| ]]
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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
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| 1st |
+1 |
+1 |
+0 |
+1 |
Channel spell (0th level), Rapid channel, Arcane Armor Mastery, Spellsword Armor |
-
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| 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
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| 8th |
+8 |
+4 |
+3 |
+4 |
Additional channel |
+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
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| 9th |
+9 |
+5 |
+3 |
+5 |
Channel spell (5th level), Reduce spell failure 20% |
+1 level of arcane spellcasting class
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| 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