Transcript
The Arcane Fighter Prestige Class Arcane spellcasters have an excellent collection of defensive / protection spells in their spellbooks but they traditionally lack melee fighting abilities. This class offers such abilities, which, combined with the arcane magic protections, allow the character to even take the role of a very effective (self)buffed heavy melee fighter (like the buffed clerics). More specifically the class deals with three main issues which prevent arcane spellcasters from fighting: Low BAB, low hitpoints and inability to use heavy armour (with resulting AC loss) because of arcane spell failure. The class also continues spellcasting progression but not at a full rate.
Requirements: • Base Attack Bonus: +3 • Feats: Toughness and Martial Weapon Proficiency. • Skills: Concentration +8. • Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.
Class Features: • Number of Levels: 5 • Hit Die: d6 • Base Attack Bonus: Low. • High Saves: Fortitude. • Armor / Weapon Proficiencies: Light Armor Proficiency at level 1. • Skill Points: 2 + Int Modifier. • Class Skills: Concentration, Craft Alchemy, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Lore and Spellcraft. • Spells per Day/Spells Known: At the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Arcane Fighter level, the character gains new spells per day and an added level of effective spellcasting as though she had gained a level in the spellcasting class which gave her access to 3rd level arcane spells. If, when taking the first Arcane
Fighter level, the character has more than one class that offer her access to 3rd level arcane spells, she must select one of them for spellcast advancing. • Arcane Fighting: This feat has three proficiency levels gained at Arcane Fighter levels 1, 3 and 5 respectively. The three proficiency levels are: o Basic: The BAB (Base Attack Bonus) of the character increases as if all her arcane spellcasting classes which have low BAB progression, were instead providing medium BAB progression. The effect lasts 2 rounds per caster level and can be activated 4 times per day. o Advanced: Like the Basic Arcane Fighting, but with duration extended to 4 rounds per caster level. o Expert: The BAB (Base Attack Bonus) of the character increases as if all her arcane spellcasting classes which have low or medium BAB progression, were instead providing high BAB progression. The effect lasts 4 rounds per caster level and can be activated 4 times per day. All three levels of Arcane Fighting also offer a +4 Strength bonus. • Arcane Stamina: This feat also has three proficiency levels gained at Arcane Fighter levels 1, 2 and 4 respectively. The three proficiency levels are: o Basic: The character gains a number of bonus hitpoints for every level of every arcane spellcasting class she has. Two hitpoints per level are given for classes wit d4 HD and one hitpoint per level for classes with d6 HD. The effect lasts 1 Hour per caster level and can be activated once per day. o Advanced: Like the Basic level, with the number of bonus hitpoints per level increased to 3 for classes with d4 HD and 2 for classes with d6 HD. o Expert: The bonus hitpoints per level further increase to 4 for classes with d4 HD and 3 for classes with d6 HD. • Expert Mage Armor: At level 3 and beyond the Arcane Fighter can cast an even further improved version of the Improved Mage Armor spell. This expert version is the same as the Improved Mage Armor except that the Armor bonus increases depending on what the target wears (in the chest slot):
o +8 if the target wears something other than an armor (e.g. a robe) and her character level is below 12. o +10 if she wears something other than an armor and her character level is 12 or greater o +8 if she wears a light armor It is also required that both the caster and the spell target have this feat. In all other cases (absence of the feat or other types of armor) the Armor bonus remains to +6. (This Expert form of the spell continues to appear in the spellbook as Improved Mage Armor)
The following table gives a summary of the class progression:
Level
1
2
3
4
5
SpellSpell-like Abilities Arcane Stamina Arcane Fighting (once per day (4 times per day) 1 H / lvl ) BAB (all classes): Bonus HP per level: d4 : +2 HP Low Medium d6 : +1 HP 2 rounds / lvl Bonus HP per level: d4 : +3 HP d6 : +2 HP BAB (all classes): Low Medium 4 rounds / lvl Bonus HP per level: d4 : +4 HP d6 : +3 HP BAB (all classes): Low, Medium High 4 rounds / lvl
Other bonuses BAB
Caster Level
Feats Light Armor Proficiency
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
Expert Mage Armor (increased armor bonus)
