Warmage, Retooled (3.5 Class)

Author: T.G. Oskar (talk) Date Created: November 11, 2009 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

Low - Moderate - High - Very High

Ratings for this homebrew: Average: NA / 4  0 users favored it (4/4).  0 users liked it (3/4).  1 were neutral on it (2/4).  0 users disliked it (1/4).  0 users opposed it (0/4).

Rate this article Your rating for this article: Favor Like Neutral Dislike Oppose Submit | Cancel Discuss this article

The Warmage

To say that a warmage is a magician devoted to the art of war is to simplify its worth. Any mage can enter an army and offer its services, and they can offer these services in a variety of ways: by improving the capabilities of an army, by altering the terrain, by serving as messengers or diviners, by creating powerful protective abjurations, or even by awakening the lifeless bodies of the enemy's fallen and cause great despair. Some mages may dabble in martial lore and combine sword and spell in (un)equal degree. None of this represents a warmage.

A warmage starts its life training as a soldier, but in a very specific way; much like how an archer begins its training by learning the nature of a bow and how to use it, the warmage learns the basics of magic and their application in combat. However, just as an archer knows the specifics of how to use a bow for combat but not for other uses such as hunting, a warmage knows the specifics of magic and how they apply in combat. Their range of spellcasting is more limited than that of a proper magician, focusing on evocations and conjurations, with a set of other spells that bolster allies, create favorable conditions for their army, and scout the terrain and its enemies for information that leads to victory. Warmages begin at lower ranks, supporting their allies through careful and judicious use of spellcasting, and eventually ascend the ranks until they can lead large units in battle, using their more powerful area spells with devastating effectiveness, without risk of harming allies.

Thus, the best way to describe a warmage is, an expertly trained soldier whose role in battle is the use of a specialized range of spells, covering artillery, battlefield control, battlefield divination and leadership. In essence: it's best to explain what is "war magic" before defining what is a warmage, because without the knowledge of "war magic" and the specialized techniques that come with it, the warmage is just as any other soldier.

Making a Warmage

The warmage works different from other spellcasters. In the way it casts spells, it works somewhere between the sorcerer and the bard, casting from a list of spells as many times as they desire, and being capable of casting while armored. They are one of the few kinds of spellcasters that can cast from the highest range of spells from medium armor right from the beginning. Albeit their list of spells is limited and specialized, the spells they do know cover a wide range of aspects in and out of combat. Their spells are mostly from the evocation, conjuration and transmutation schools, but they end up with a larger list of spells known than sorcerers, and with some degree of distinction with their advanced learning class feature. Their class abilities deal with many of the typical problems of evocation spells, such as the effect of energy resistance and energy immunity, the risk of affecting allies, the trouble of spell resistance and the range of the spells' areas of effect. Their medium BAB, alongside their proficiencies, ability to cast in medium armor and self-boosting spells make them decent melee combatants in a pinch. Warmages cover a variety of ranges, and are suited to fit a leadership position.

Abilities: A warmage's key stat is definitely Intelligence, as it is the spell that determines its spellcasting power. Warmage Edge, though, makes Intelligence a very important stat. While Strength, Dexterity and Constitution are valuable choices, they are at best tertiary to Intelligence and Charisma, and usually best replaced whenever necessary with buffing spells.

Races: Humans, naturally, make superb Warmages: they are quite balanced in most regards. Of the other classes, Elves (of the gray variety principally) make extraordinary Warmages, given their expanded choice of weaponry and their high Intelligence, which should complement Charisma well.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: 3d4×10 gp (75 gp).

Starting Age: As bard

Table: The Warmage

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Armored mage, warmage edge	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Combat Casting	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Advanced Learning	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Bonus feat	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Energy substitution	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Spell widening (-1)	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Advanced learning	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Bonus feat	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Discriminating spell (self)	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Improved warmage edge	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Advanced learning	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Bonus feat, spell widening (-2)	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Dent resistance	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Discriminating spell (allies)	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Advanced learning	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Bonus feat	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Spell widening (free)	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Advanced learning	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Bonus feat, metamagic edge	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (history) (the Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha). Class Features All of the following are class features of the warmage. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A warmage is proficient with all simple weapons, plus a martial weapon of their choice. Warmages are proficient with light and medium armor, and light shields. Spells: A warmage casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the warmage spell list below. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. When a warmage gains access to a new spell list, he automatically learns all the spells for the level listed on the warmage’s spell list. Essentially, his spell list is the same as his spells known list. Warmages also have the option of adding to their existing spell list through their advanced learning ability as they increase in level (see below). To cast a spell, a warmage must have a Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a warmage’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the warmage’s Intelligence modifier. Like other spellcasters, a warmage can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score. As noted above, a warmage need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level. Warmages choose their spells from the following list: 0—acid splash, detect magic, disrupt undead, light, ray of frost, resistance 1st—accuracyCArc, burning hands, chill touch, expeditious retreat, fist of stone, grease, hail of stoneSpC, lesser orb of acidSpC, lesser orb of coldSpC, lesser orb of electricitySpC, lesser orb of fireSpC, lesser orb of soundSpC, mage armor, magic missile, magic weapon, obscuring mist, produce flame, shield, shocking grasp, true strike 2nd—acid arrow, bear’s endurance, blades of fireSpC, bull's strength, cat's grace, continual flame, eagle’s splendor, fire trap, fireburstSpC, flame blade, flaming sphere, fog cloud, fox’s cunning, glitterdust, gust of wind, ice knifeSpC, protection from arrows, pyrotechnics, resist energy, scorching ray, see invisibility, shatter, sound burst, web, whirling bladeSpC 3rd—call lightning, daylight, dispel magic, fire shield, fireball, flame arrow, greater mage armorSpC, greater magic weapon, ice storm, haste, keen edge, lightning bolt, poison, protection from energy, ray of exhaustion, resonating boltSpC, ring of bladesSpC, searing light, sleet storm, slow, stinking cloud, vampiric touch 4th—arcane eye, black tentacles, blast of flameSpC, blistering radianceSpC, contagion, dimension door, enervation, hallucinatory terrain, mass resist energySpC, orb of acidSpC, orb of coldSpC, orb of electricitySpC, orb of fireSpC, orb of forceSpC, orb of soundSpC, phantasmal killer, shout, solid fog, spike stones, stoneskin, wall of fire, wall of ice 5th—arc of lightningSpC, blight, call lightning storm, cloudkill, cone of cold, flame strike, freezing fogSpC, greater fireburstSpC, mass fire shieldSpC, prismatic raySpC, prying eyes, sending, sword of deceptionSpC, telekinesis, telepathic bond, teleport, vitriolic sphereSpC, wall of stone, waves of fatigue 6th—acid fog, blade barrier, brilliant bladeSpC, chain lightning, circle of death, disintegrate, fire seeds, freezing sphere, greater dispel magic, mass bear’s endurance, mass bull's strength, mass cat's grace, mass eagle’s splendor, mass fox’s cunning, transformation, wall of iron 7th—control weather, delayed blast fireball, earthquake, emerald flame fistSpC, finger of death, fire storm, greater teleport, mage’s sword, prismatic spray, reverse gravity, sunbeam, waves of exhaustion 8th—greater shout, greater prying eyes, horrid wilting, incendiary cloud, iron body, moment of prescience, polar ray, prismatic wall, sunburst, whirlwind 9th—energy drain, elemental swarm, implosion, mage’s disjunction, meteor swarm, prismatic sphere, sphere of ultimate destructionSpC, storm of vengeance, wail of the banshee, weird Armored Mage (Ex): A warmage can cast warmage spells while wearing up to medium armor and light shields without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a warmage wearing heavy armor or using a heavy shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass warmage still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes. Warmage Edge: At 1st level, a warmage can deal extra damage with spells that deal hit point damage. A warmage adds his class level times his Intelligence modifier, divided by two, to all of the targets of a spell. For spells that hit multiple times, the target receives the extra damage once. Combat Casting: At 2nd level, a Warmage gains Combat Casting as a bonus feat. Advanced Learning: At 3rd level and every four levels after that, a warmage can add a new spell to his list, representing the result of personal study and experimentation. The spell must be a sorcerer/wizard spell of the abjuration, conjuration or evocation school, and of a level no higher than that of the highest spell level the warmage already knows. Once a new spell is selected, it is forever added to that warmage’s spell list and can be cast just like any other spell on the warmage’s list. Bonus Feats: At 4th level, and every 4 levels after that, a warmage gains a bonus feat. He may choose from any metamagic feat, any reserve feat, or from the list provided below, provided s/he complies with the feat’s prerequisites. Warmage Bonus Feat List: Arcane DefenseCArc, Arcane MasteryCArc, Arcane PreparationCArc, Eschew Materials, Extra SlotCArc, Extra SpellCArc, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, Ranged Spell SpecializationCArc, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Touch Spell SpecializationCArc, Weapon Focus. Energy Substitution (Su): At 5th level, a warmage can alter the damage dealt by a spell that has the fire, cold, electricity, acid or sonic descriptor. Treat as if the Energy SubstitutionCArc feat, but with the following changes: the warmage can change the energy damage of his spell to the energy type he chooses, and the spell does not take a full-round action to be cast. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to half his class level plus his Int modifier. Spell Widening (Su): At 6th level, a warmage gains the ability to expand the area of any spell he casts. At first, the spells take a great effort on the side of the warmage, but with time, he learns how to do it at a moment’s notice. Treat this ability as if the warmage had the Widen Spell metamagic feat, including for purposes of qualifying for feats or prestige classes that require this feat, but with the following changes. A warmage may only apply this ability to spells of his class list; thus, a warmage that multiclasses into another spellcasting class may not use this ability. Unlike Widen Spell, a warmage does not need to use a spell slot of three levels higher in order to use this ability. Instead, a warmage requires only a spell slot two levels higher in order to use this ability. At 12th level, a warmage needs only to use a spell slot one level higher, and at 18th level he may use this ability without expending a higher spell slot. Discriminating Spell (Ex):At 9th level, any spell cast by a warmage from his/her class list that deals damage affects does not treat you as a target. At 14th level, this benefit extends to all of your allies. A warmage may decide to include an ally in the area of the spell if it so Improved Warmage Edge: At 10th level, a warmage can increase the cap on damage dice of any warmage spell he casts, up to a maximum equal to half his character level. This increase only applies to spells that have a fixed damage dice cap, not to spells that have a different kind of cap (such as magic missile or scorching ray). The actual amount of damage dice of the spell is still determined by the warmage's caster level, as usual. Dent Resistance (Su): At 13th level, a warmage adds his Int modifier on caster level checks to defeat spell resistance. This ability stacks with both Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration. Metamagic Edge: At 20th level, the spell level cost for applying metamagic feats to spells on the Warmage spell list is reduced by 2. The final cost of the increased spell level may not be lower than 1. A warmage may not reduce the cost of Heighten Spell with this feat, nor this ability nulls the increased casting time of the spell. You may further reduce this cost by 1 a limited number of times per day equal to the warmage's Intelligence modifier. Epic Warmage Note: the author offers this progression in accordance to the Epic Levels rules as presented in the Epic Level Handbook. The author does not endorse a great deal of the things in the book, and may offer a different progression in the future. Table: The Epic Warmage Hit Die: d6 Level Special 21st — 22nd — 23rd Advanced learning 24th Bonus feats 25th — 26th — 27th Advanced learning 28th Bonus feats 29th — 30th — 2 + Int modifier skill points per level. Warmage Edge: An epic Warmage's damage with spells and the cap on damage dice increases with class levels. Energy Substitution: An epic Warmage may use its energy substitution class feature a number of times equal to half his class level plus his Intelligence modifier, as usual. Bonus Feats : The epic Warmage gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Warmage bonus feats) every four levels after 20th. Epic Warmage Bonus Feat List: Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Epic Rod, Craft Epic Staff, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Efficient Item Creation, Energy Resistance, Enhance Spell, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Ignore Material Components, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Master Staff, Master Wand, Scribe Epic Scroll, Spell Opportunity, Spell Stowaway, Spellcasting Harrier, Tenacious magic. Gray Elf Warmage Starting Package Weapons: Scimitar (1d6/18-20, 4 lb., slashing). Shortbow (1d6/x3, range inc. 60 ft., 2 lb., piercing) Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 2 + Int modifier. Skill Ranks Ability Armor Check Penalty Spellcraft 4 Int — Concentration 4 Con — Knowledge (arcana) 4 Int — Use Magic Device 4 Cha — Spot 4 Wis — Listen 4 Wis — Feat: Combat Expertise. Bonus Feats: Martial Weapon Proficiency (scimitar). Gear: Studded leather (+3 AC, armor check penalty -1, speed 30 ft., 20 lb), light wooden shield (+1 AC, armor check penalty -1, 5 lbs.), backpack with waterskin, 10 days trail rations, bedroll, sack, 2 sunrods, flint & steel. Quiver with 20 arrows. Spell component pouch. Gold: 1d4 gp. Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes