Publication:World of Warcraft: The Role Playing Game/Arcanist Class
| This material is published under the OGL |
For a description of Warcraft Hunters, either buy this handbook, or read the WowWiki Arcanist article
| Multiclass and the Arcanist |
| Undoubtedly at some point a player will want a character to multiclass as a combination of arcanist paths.
When a character becomes a multiclassed arcanist, follow the guidelines below. • An arcanist’s total arcanist level (regardless of path) counts toward calculating the character’s total spell slots per day. The total arcanist level is also the base for determining the character’s arcane caster level. • Spell knowledge is never lost; a spellcaster still knows all the spells he has learned over the course of play, and the character may teach those spells to others. • A character can learn spells from another path’s spell list only when he has at least one level in that path. As well, he faces certain restrictions when casting spells from another path’s spell list according to his current path, which is the path in which he most recently took a level. See “Class Features,” Arcane Path, below. • All of the above effects are applied to a character immediately, should he take a new level in another path. While arcanists are certainly free to multiclass, the practice of arcane magic in the Warcraft setting does remain mostly specialized and focused. A necromancer/warlock is thus possible, for instance, but such an arcanist would be quite rare indeed on Azeroth — though a force to be reckoned with! |
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Scribe Scroll, Arcana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +3 | +0 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +3 | +1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Arcana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | +1 | +4 | +2 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +6/+1 | +2 | +5 | +2 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +7/+2 | +2 | +5 | +2 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +8/+3 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Arcana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +9/+3 | +3 | +6 | +3 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +10/+5 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +3 | +7 | +3 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Arcana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +4 | +8 | +4 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +4 | +9 | +4 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +5 | +9 | +5 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Arcana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +6 | Bonus Feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
<<Spell slots per day here>>
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the arcanist.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arcanists are proficient with clubs, daggers and quarterstaffs, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with an arcanist’s movements, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.
Spells: An arcanist casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the arcanist spell list and the spell list for her particular path. An arcanist must rest and then prepare her spells for the day.
To learn, prepare or cast a spell, the arcanist must have an Intellect score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The DC for a saving throw against an arcanist’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the arcanist’s Intellect modifier.
Like other spellcasters, an arcanist can cast only a certain number of spell slots of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell slot allotment is given on Table 3–4: Arcanist Spell Slots Per Day. In addition, she receives bonus spell slots per day if she has a high Intellect score.
An arcanist may know any number of spells. She must rest for 8 hours and then select her prepared spells from a spellbook. After selecting the spells, she must spend a number of minutes equal to each spell level being prepared, starting from lowest to highest level. A 0-level spell requires 1 minute to prepare.
Spellbook: An arcanist requires a spellbook in order to prepare her spells. If she does not have access to a spellbook while resting, she may not prepare her spells. She may prepare spells from her own spellbook normally. Preparing known spells from another arcanist’s spellbook takes double the normal amount of time. Arcanists cannot share spellbooks while resting.
An arcanist begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level arcanist spells and all 0-level spells of her path’s spell list, plus three 1st-level spells of the player’s choice. For each point of Intellect bonus the arcanist has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell. The arcanist can choose to learn new spells at any time; however, she must pay the costs and spend the time necessary to learn them. At any time, an arcanist can also add spells found in other arcanists’ spellbooks to her own, as long as they are available to her current path.
Arcane Corruption: The arcane energy that a necromancer or warlock uses will corrupt her. For every levels of necromancer or warlock the character has, her alignment takes one step toward an evil alignment in line with her current alignment (lawful, neutral, or chaotic). For instance, if Higgins the human necromancer is lawful neutral at 1st level, at 5th level his alignment will shift to Lawful Evil. (For a more detailed arcane corruption variant rules system, see Magic & Mayhem.)
Arcane Path: Arcanists take levels in one of three “paths” (mage, necromancer or warlock), with each path casting spells from its own spell list and gaining special abilities that reinforce and enhance its particular brand of magic. Each path also faces certain restrictions when learning and casting spells from the spell list of another path (in the case of multiclassing).
All arcanists have these class features based on their chosen paths:
• An arcanist can cast one additional spell per spell level per day from his specifi c spell list. A multiclassed arcanist must choose the path spell list for his additional spell; the path spell list need not be the same for each spell level. Thus, the arcanist receives only one additional spell per spell level per day, regardless of how many paths in which he has levels.
• The save DCs of spells from the arcanist’s path spell lists are increased by +1.
• The arcanist receives a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to learn spells from his path spell list(s).
• An arcanist acquires special abilities, called “arcana,” at 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th and 16th level according to his path, as noted in Table 3–3: The Arcanist and described below.
• Forbidden Arts: While all arcanists can cast spells from the general arcanist spell list, they face certain restrictions when casting spells from another path’s spell list. They cast spells from another path’s spell list with a –2 caster level penalty (minimum caster level 1st, but these penalties stack with those imposed by arcane addiction). The save DCs of such spells are reduced by –2, and there is a 2% chance per spell level of spell failure when casting spells from another path’s spell list. Arcanists cannot learn spells from another path’s spell list unless they have at least one level in that path. (See Chapter 16 for spell lists.)
These restrictions apply to all but the arcanist’s current path, which is the path in which she most recently took a level.
Scribe Scroll: At 1st level, an arcanist gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat.
Bonus Feat: At 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level, an arcanist gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, she can choose a metamagic feat or an item creation feat. The arcanist must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.
Arcanist Paths[edit]
Each section below details one of the three paths available to the arcanist.
Mage[edit]
Mages, the most common of arcanists, are found all over Azeroth. They focus on magic that creates and that changes things, most often with the purpose of damaging their enemies and boosting the power of their allies.
Additional Class Skills: Diplomacy (Cha) and [[Sense Motive]] (Spt).
Arcana: Mages gain the following arcana abilities:
• 1st Level—Summon Familiar (Su): A mage can obtain a familiar. A familiar is a normal animal that gains new powers and becomes a magical beast when summoned to service by a mage. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills and feats of the normal animal it once was, but it is treated as a magical beast instead of an animal for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar. An animal companion cannot also function as a familiar.
A familiar also grants special abilities to its master, as indicated on Table 3–5. These special abilities apply only when the master and familiar are within 1 mile of each other.
Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities that depend on the master’s level.
See the “Familiar Basics” sidebar for more details on summoning familiars.
| Familiar | Special | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bat | +3 bonus on Listen checks | ||||||||
| Cat | +2 bonus on Stealth checks | ||||||||
| Hawk | +3 bonus on Spot checks in bright light | ||||||||
| Lizard | +3 bonus on Climb checks | ||||||||
| Owl | +3 bonus on Spot checks in shadows | ||||||||
| Rat | +2 bonus on Fortitude saves | ||||||||
| Raven1 | +3 bonus on Appraise checks | ||||||||
| Snake2 | +3 bonus on Bluff checks | ||||||||
| Toad | +3 hit points | ||||||||
| Weasel | +2 bonus on Reflex saves | ||||||||
supernatural ability.
| |||||||||
• 4th Level—Call Elemental (Sp): Once per day, the mage can summon an air, earth, fire or water elemental as a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This ability is similar to summon monster, save that the duration is equal to 5 minutes per point of the mage’s Intellect modifier. The elemental’s size depends on the mage’s level, as shown on the following table.
| Mage's Level | Elemental's Size |
|---|---|
| 4-5 | Small |
| 6-9 | Medium |
| 10-13 | Large |
| 14-17 | Huge |
| 18-20 | Greater |
| 21+ | Elder |
The mage can use this ability twice per day at 12th level and three times per day at 20th level.
• 8th Level—Enhanced Counterspell (Ex): Mages understand the workings of arcane energy so well that they can counter most magic with great effectiveness. When attempting to counter a spell, a mage adds her arcanist path level to her counterspell check. In addition, the mage may counter a spell with any other spell she has prepared as long as it is the same level of the spell being countered and the spell being used to counter is from the same school of magic.
Necromancy or conjuration (summoning) spells cannot be counterspelled in this manner by mages. Mages must use dispel magic to counter spells from those schools.
• 12th Level—Arcane Adept (Ex): A mage’s dedication to and natural predilection for one of her schools of specialization becomes more entrenched. The mage chooses either evocation or transmutation as a preferred school. She casts spells from this preferred school at +1 caster level, and the save DC for such spells increases by +2.
• 16th Level—Fire and Frost (Ex): The mages of Kirin Tor first mastered the arts of casting spells using the elements of ice and fire. Mages may memorize an additional spell per level as long as it has the cold or fire elemental descriptor. This additional spell is cast with the effects of the Maximize Spell feat; however, the spell’s level does not change. This ability stacks with the effects of the Maximize Spell feat, which does change the spell’s level.
Necromancer[edit]
Necromancers twist arcane magic to manipulate the power of death. Commanding the undead, generally in service of the Scourge, they gradually take on the appearance and characteristics of the dead — hollow eyes, shambling gaits, pallid and sunken skin, foul odors and so forth.
Additional Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), and either Disguise (Cha) or Forgery (Int)
Arcana: Necromancers gain the following arcana abilities:
• 1st Level—Death Touch (Su): By wielding the forces of undeath, the necromancer draws vitality from the living. Death touch is a death effect. The necromancer must succeed on a melee touch attack against a living creature (using the rules for touch spells). When he touches, roll 1d6 per necromancer level he possesses. If the total at least equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies (no save). The necromancer can use this ability once per day at 1st level, twice per day at 9th level, and three times per day at 18th level .
• 4th Level—Death Resistance (Ex): The necromancer becomes immune to all death spells and magical death effects. This immunity does not protect the necromancer from other sorts of attacks such as hit point loss, poison, petrification or other effects even if they might be lethal.
• 8th Level—Animate Dead (Su): The necromancer may animate undead creatures using the vile magic at his disposal. This ability functions like the spell of the same name, but with the following exceptions.
The necromancer may use this ability a number of times per day equal to his necromancer levels divided by 2 (1/ day at 1st level). The limit of undead the necromancer can control is equal to 2 Hit Dice per level. The amount of undead controlled by this ability counts toward the number that can be controlled with the animate dead spell as normally cast by the necromancer.
• 12th Level—Dark Arts (Ex): Necromancers are skilled in wielding magic that causes pain, suffering and death. Mastering the dark arts allows the necromancer to cast spells from the necromancy school at +1 caster level, and the save DC for such spells increases by +2.
• 16th Level—Create Undead (Su): The necromancer’s knowledge of undeath reaches such unsurpassed depths that he can create powerful undead. He can use this ability like create undead twice per day or like create greater undead once per day. The ability is cast at the necromancer’s path level.
| Familiar Basics |
| Statistics: Use the basic statistics for a creature of the familiar’s kind, but make the following changes:
Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master’s character level or the familiar’s normal HD total, whichever is higher. Hit Points: The familiar has one-half the master’s total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice. Attacks: Use the master’s base attack bonus, as calculated from all his classes. Use the familiar’s Agility or Strength modifier, whichever is greater, to get the familiar’s melee attack bonus with natural weapons. Damage equals that of a normal creature of the familiar’s kind. Saving Throws: For each saving throw, use either the familiar’s base save bonus (Fortitude +2, Refl ex +2, Will +0) or the master’s (as calculated from all his classes), whichever is better. The familiar uses its own ability modifi ers to saves, and it doesn't share any of the other bonuses that the master might have on saves. Skills: For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master’s skill ranks, whichever is better. In either case, the familiar uses its own ability modifi ers. Regardless of a familiar’s total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar’s ability to use. Familiar Ability Descriptions: All familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the master’s combined level in classes that grant familiars, as shown on the table below. The abilities given on the table are cumulative. Natural Armor Adj.: The number noted here is an improvement to the familiar’s existing natural armor bonus. Int: The familiar’s Intellect score. Alertness (Ex): While a familiar is within arm’s reach, the master gains the Alertness feat. Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Refl ex saving throw for half damage, a familiar takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails. : At the master’s option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts on himself also affect his familiar. The familiar must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefi t. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the familiar if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the familiar again even if it returns to the master before the duration expires. Additionally, the master may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself. A master and his familiar can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the familiar’s type (magical beast). Empathic Link (Su): The master has an empathic link with his familiar out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The master cannot see through the familiar’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated. Because of this empathic link, the master has the same connection to an item or place that his familiar does. Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If the master is 3rd level or higher, a familiar can deliver touch spells for him. If the master and the familiar are in contact at the time the master casts a touch spell, he can designate his familiar as the “toucher.” The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the master could. As usual, if the master casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates. Speak with Master (Ex): If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help. Spell Resistance (Ex): If the master is 11th level or higher, a familiar gains spell resistance equal to the master’s level + 5. To affect the familiar with a spell, another spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the familiar’s spell resistance. Scry (Sp): If the master is 13th level or higher, he may scry on his familiar (as if casting the scrying spell) once per day. |
| Master's Class Level | Natural Armor Adj. | Int | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-2nd | +1 | 6 | Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link |
| 3rd-4th | +2 | 7 | Deliver touch spells |
| 5th-6th | +3 | 8 | Speak with master |
| 7th-8th | +4 | 9 | — |
| 9th-10th | +5 | 10 | Spell Resistance |
| 11th-12th | +6 | 11 | Scry on familiar |
| 13th-14th | +7 | 12 | — |
| 15th-16th | +8 | 13 | — |
| 17th-18th | +9 | 14 | — |
| 19th-20th | +10 | 15 | — |
Warlock[edit]
Warlocks devote themselves to trafficking with demons and other vile beings, seeking the roots of demonic power and other dark knowledge. They initially appeared on Azeroth during the First War, when Gul’dan, the first of their kind, led the Horde through the Dark Portal from Draenor while in servitude to the Burning Legion.
Additional Class Skills: Diplomacy (Cha) and Intimidate (Cha).
Arcana: Warlocks gain the following arcana abilities:
• 1st Level—Fel Companion (Ex): At 1st level, the warlock gains a fel companion. The warlock can summon the fel companion and dismiss it at any time so that he may summon a new one. The fel companion must be an evil outsider with a number of Hit Dice equal to or less than the warlock’s arcanist path level (to a maximum of 10 HD).
Should the fel companion die while in service to the warlock, the warlock must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save, at +1 DC for each HD of the companion. If the saving throw fails, the warlock loses 400 XP per warlock level; success reduces the loss to half of that amount. In addition, the warlock must make a DC 15 Will save or take 1d6 points of Stamina damage as the companion’s sudden loss tears away part of the warlock’s life force.
A warlock can obtain another fel companion by performing a ceremony of summoning. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp per HD of the creature summoned. The creature serves as a willing companion and servant. Dismissing a fel companion is a free action, and a dismissed creature immediately returns to its plane of origin.
• 4th Level—Summoner (Ex): The warlock receives the Augment Summoning feat for free. At 6th level, all conjuration (summoning) spells cast by the warlock have their durations doubled, as if the Extend Spell feat is applied to them. The level of an augmented conjuration (summoning) spell does not change; this ability stacks with the effect of the Extend Spell feat, which does change the spell’s level (see Chapter 6: Feats).
• 8th Level—Enslave Outsider (Su): A warlock is adept at convincing outsiders to do his bidding. When a warlock casts lesser planar binding, planar binding, or greater planar binding, he can add his ranks in any one relevant Knowledge skill (the planes, especially the Emerald Dream and the Twisting Nether; demons; the Burning Legion, and so forth) or in Spellcraft, whichever is higher, to the caster level check or the Charisma check made to keep the outsider trapped.
• 12th Level—Demonologist (Ex): The craft of conjuration is the primary focus of the warlock, and in taking on the mantle of a demonologist the warlock sacrifices knowledge in other areas of arcane practice. The warlock casts conjuration (summoning) spells at +1 caster level, and the save DC for such spells increases by +2.
• 16th Level—Demon Mastery (Su): The warlock has learned the compacts and rites necessary to bind a demonic creature to his will. The warlock rebukes and controls outsiders the same as an evil priest rebukes or commands undead. Use the warlock’s arcanist path levels to determine the equivalent of a turning check, and apply the relevant outsider Hit Dice to the undead HD chart (see Chapter 12: Combat, “Turn or Rebuke Undead”).
The warlock may also bolster outsiders he controls in the same way that an evil priest bolsters undead. The warlock can attempt to control or rebuke outsiders a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier; he may attempt to bolster outsiders that he did not summon himself.
