Warmage Fix (3.5e Class)

Author: NigelWalmsley Date Created: 2020-10-05 Status: Complete Editing: Spelling and grammar only

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The Warmage is the redheaded stepchild of the fixed list casters. The Beguiler and Dread Necromancer both have spell lists full of game-changing spells, while the Warmage gets different flavors of blasting (and some admittedly nice battlefield control effects). This is an effort to beef of the Warmage a little bit, so that someone might be able to justify playing a Warmage who actually relied on the Warmage spell list, rather than immediately doing their level best to add as many new spells to it as possible. As such, that list has been expanded to include sidelines in buffing allies, some logistics-based utility, and suite of divinations.

Warmage

“

Of course you should fight fire with fire. You should fight everything with fire.

”

Soldiers do not fight alone. This is true not only in the literal sense that armies contain more than one person, but in the broader sense that no army contains just soldiers. Armies need food, weapons, shelter, transportation, and any number of other things. But beyond those mundane needs, any army that wishes to be taken seriously needs magic. Who provides this magic varies from army to army, but nations with dedicated armies will usually develop magical traditions dedicated to the art of war. The practioners who are part of these tradtions are known as warmages.

While all warmages posses a basic facility for casting spells that harm their enemies, enhance their allies, or provide logistical support, different cultures train their warmages in their own specialized techniques. Warmages in service to necromantic powers are often encouraged to learn the unholy arts of the Uttercold. Some armies deploy specialized warmage corps dedicated to raining down destruction on their foes, while others specialize their warmages towards small-unit support roles. Of course, not every warmage is a member of an army. Some have discovered that while their techniques are useful on the battlefield, they are equally prized among adventures.

Making a Warmage

Alignment: As there are no alignment restrictions on either war or magic, the warmage may be of any alignment.

Table: The Warmage

Hit Die: d4

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	Spells, Armored Mage, Warmage Edge	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	War Magic Study	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Advanced Learning	6	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Sudden Enlarge	6	6	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Advanced Learning	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Improved Sudden Metamagic (+1)	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Advanced Learning	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Sudden Empower	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Advanced Learning	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Improved Sudden Metamagic (+2)	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Advanced Learning	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Sudden Widen	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Advanced Learning	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Improved Sudden Metamagic (+3)	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Advanced Learning	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Sudden Maximize	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Advanced Learning	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Improved Sudden Metamagic (+4)	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Advanced Learning, Extended Summoning: 4th level	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Sudden Quicken	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level)
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int). Spot (Wis). Survival (Wis).

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The warmage is proficient with light, shields, and all simple weapons.

Spells: A warmage casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the warmage list (Carc) (with additions and modifications). The warmage automatically knows all the spells on the warmage list, as well as a selection of additional spells with her Advanced Learning ability. If she gains access to new spells through effects such as Prestige Domains, she automatically knows those spells as well. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. The warmage's spell DCs and bonus spells are determined by her Intelligence score.

The warmage recieves the same spells per day as a sorcerer of her level.

At the DM's discretion, the warmage may exchange spells on the warmage list for other evocation or damaging spells of the same level from the sorcerer/wizard list.

Armored Mage: Warmages recieve specialized training that allows them to cast more effectively in armor. A warmage ignores the arcane spell failure chance of any armor with which she is proficient.

Warmage Edge: As the original.

War Magic Study: The warmage's mandate is to study the magic of war. As such, at 2nd level she gains War Magic Study as a bonus feat. This does not confirm on him knowledge of any particular War Spells, though organized warmage traditions will typically teach their initiates War spells they have derived.

Advanced Learning: At 3rd level and each odd-numbered level thereafter, the warmage gains additional spell knowldege. She may select either one evocation spell of any spell level which she can cast from the sorcerer/wizard list, or one spell of any school of a level up to one less than the highest level she can cast from the sorcerer/wizard list. This spell is added to her list of spells known at the level at which it appears on the sorcerer/wizard list.

Sudden Enlarge: At 4th level, the warmage gains Sudden Enlarge (Carc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Enlarge, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.

Improved Sudden Metamagic: Warmages are adept at modifying their spells under combat conditions. At 6th level and again every four levels thereafter, the warmage gains one additional use of each Sudden metamagic feat she possesses. Additionally, at her option she may take any metamagic feats as Sudden metamagic feats instead, gaining the ability to apply their effect once per day without effecting the level of the modified spell (increased by the bonus from this ability). She may substitute Sudden metamagic feats for their non-Sudden equivalents for the purpose of meeting prerequisites.

Sudden Empower: At 8th level, the warmage gains Sudden Empower (Carc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Empower, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.

Sudden Widen: At 12th level, the warmage gains Sudden Widen (Carc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Widen, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.

Sudden Maximize: At 16th level, the warmage gains Sudden Maximize (Carc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Maximize, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.

Sudden Quicken: At 20th level, the warmage gains Sudden Quicken (Carc) as a bonus feat. If she already has the feat, she can choose a different metamagic feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for Sudden Quicken, but must meet the prerequisites for any substituted feat.

Warmage Spell List Changes

The warmage spell list has been modified. A number of evocation spells have been reduced in level, and a number of other spells have been added.

0th Level: burning hands, magic missile

1st Level: alarm, endure elements, enlarge person, longstrider, mage armor, protection from alignment, reduce person, snake's swiftness (SpC)

2nd Level: animal aptitude*, cone of cold, fireball, heroics (SpC), lightning bolt, mass snake's swiftness (SpC), resist energy, rope trick, sending

3rd Level: anticipate teleport (SpC), chain lightning, circle dance (SpC),clairaudience/clairvoyance, create food and water, dispel magic, fly, haste, mass mage armor (SpC)

4th Level: detect scrying, mass longstrider (SpC), mass enlarge person, mass reduce person, minor creation, scrying, secure shelter, stoneskin

5th Level: fabricate, major creation, mass fly (SpC), prying eyes, wall of stone

6th Level: greater anticipate teleport (SpC), greater dispel magic, heroes' feast, mass animal aptitude*, mass heroics*

7th Level: control weather, gate (travel only), greater scrying, mage's magnificent mansion

8th Level: greater prying eyes, meteor swarm, storm of vengeance, true creation

9th Level: foresight

Spells marked with a * are new spells

New Spells

Animal Aptitude

Transmutation
Level:	Warmage 2
Components:	V, S
Casting time:	1 standard action
Range:	Touch
Target:	Creature touched
Duration:	1 min/level
Saving Throw:	Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance:	Yes

The spell grants the target a +4 enhancement bonus to one ability score.

Animal Aptitude, Mass

Transmutation
Level:	Warmage 6
Components:	V, S
Casting time:	1 standard action
Range:	Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:	One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration:	1 min/level
Saving Throw:	Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance:	Yes

Mass animal aptitude works like animal aptitude, except that it effects multiple creatures. Each creature recieves a bonus to the same ability score.

Heroics, Mass

Transmutation
Level:	Warmage 6
Components:	V, S, M
Casting time:	1 standard action
Range:	Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target:	One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration:	10 min/level
Saving Throw:	None
Spell Resistance:	Yes

Mass heroics works like heroics (SpC), except that it effects multiple creatures. Each creature receives the same bonus feat.

Alternate Class Features

Arcane Commando

Not all wars are won on the battlefield. Some warmages are trained to attack from cover of stealth, wearing down enemy armies without ever giving battle. These techiques are common both among nomadic armies and among those like the Gnomes or Kobolds who prefer to engage in guerrilla warfare.

Class: Warmage

Level: 1st

Replaces: Warmage Edge, War Magic Study, Sudden Enlarge, Improved Sudden Metamagic, Sudden Empower, Sudden Widen, Sudden Maximize, Sudden Quicken

Benefit: The warmage gains the Trapfinding class feature of the Rogue. The warmage gains Track as a bonus feat. The warmage adds Disable Device, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Search to her list of class skills. The warmage gains skirmish as a scout (CAdv) of her level minus one (meaning it advances on even levels rather than odd ones).

Arcane Messenger

The impact of the warmage extends far beyond the battlefield. Specialized warmages can prove an invaluable intelligence asset to their armies.

Class: Warmage

Level: 10th, 14th or 18th

Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.

Benefit: Casting sending, scrying, or greater scrying on a willing target does not expend a spell slot. The warmage must still be of a high enough level to cast these spells.

Battle Magician

While the effects of magic are quite impressive on the scale of a dungeon, they are somewhat less so on a battlefield. A well-placed fireball or cloudkill can turn the tide of a battle, but some warmages prefer a more brute-force approach. Such warmages are not necessarily popular with the line troops of their armies.

Class: Warmage

Level: 10th, 14th or 18th

Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.

Benefit: Spells cast by the warmage increase in range. Close range spells become medium range, medium range spells become long range, and long range spells become extremely long range (1000ft + 100ft/caster level). The area of the warmage's spells increases by 50% per level below the highest level of spell she can cast (so a 3rd level spell cast by a warmage who can cast 6th level spells would effect an area 250% of its normal size). If this increase results in an area that is not a multiple of five, round up to the next multiple of five.

Energy Adept

Warmages have access to spells that deal almost every type of energy damage, but some feel that even this flexibility is insufficient. They want to be able to create cones of acid or lines of sound.

Class: Warmage

Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, or 18th

Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic. If she takes this ability at 6th level, she gains the baseline benefits of Improved Sudden Metamagic at whatever level she does not take an alternate class feature that replaces it.

Benefit: The warmage gains Energy Substitution [Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire] (Carc) as bonus feats. Applying one of these feats to one of her spells does not increase its casting time.

Energy Mastery

Some warmages are not satisfied by simply damaging people with energy and prefer to debilitate them as well.

Class: Warmage

Level: 14th or 18th

Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.

Benefit: Spells the warmage casts that deal acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage inflict additional effects to any target who takes damage. Targets who take acid damage are nauseated for one round per caster level. Targets who take cold damage are slowed (as the spell slow) for one round per caster level. Targets who take electricity damage are effected as by a targeted greater dispel magic (caster level equals the warmage's caster level). Targets who take fire damage take one half the damage again in the next round. Targets who take sonic damage are stunned for one round. In all cases, targets recieve a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the warmage's caster level + the warmage's Intelligence modifier) to negate the effects.

Enduring Magic

The warmage's spells last longer than ususal.

Class: Warmage

Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th

Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.

Benefit: Spells the warmage casts with a Saving Throw of (Harmless) have an increased duration. If they normally last 1 round per caster level, they instead last 1 minute per caster level. If they normally last 1 minute per caster level, they instead last 10 minutes per caster level. If they normally last 10 minutes per caster level, they instead last 1 hour per caster level.

Special: Enduring Magic may be taken twice.

Gish

Every culture that fights with both sword and spell (which is to say: every culture) has some name for those who combine the two tactics. Elven Bladesingers, Dwarven Battlesmiths, Eldritch Knights of various orders. But while the Elves insist that it is with them that the technique originated, there can be no doubt that it is the silver sword-wielding Gish of the Githyanki who represent the best-known example of this tradition. It is from them that the general term for warmages who practice with both sword and spell is taken.

Class: Warmage

Level: 1st

Replaces: Warmage Edge. The warmage recieves one less spell slot at each level of spells she can cast.

Benefit: The warmage's base attack bonus changes to Good (as a Fighter). Her hit die changes to a d8. She gains proficiency with all martial weapons and with medium armor. She gains the Arcane Channeling ability below. She may exchange any number of warmage spells for duskblade (PHBII) spells of the same level.

Arcane Channeling (Su): You can use a standard action to cast any touch spell (including range touch spells) you know and deliver the spell through your weapon with a melee attack. Casting a spell in this manner does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action or less. If the melee attack is successful, the attack deals damage normally; then the effect of the spell is resolved.

At 6th level, you can cast any touch spell you know as part of a full attack action, and the spell affects each target you hit in melee combat that round. Doing so discharges the spell at the end of the round, in the case of a touch spell that would otherwise last longer than 1 round.

Increased Force

The warmage's spells do additional damage.

Class: Warmage

Level: 6th, 10th, 14th, or 18th

Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic. If she takes this ability at 6th level, she gains the baseline benefits of Improved Sudden Metamagic at whatever level she does not take an alternate class feature that replaces it.

Benefit: The damage die of spells cast by the warmage increases by one step, to a maximum of a d12.

Special: Increased Force may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Volume of Fire

The warmage's spells effect additional targets.

Class: Warmage

Level: 10th, 14th, or 18th

Replaces: Improved Sudden Metamagic.

Benefit: The warmage's caster level counts double for the purposes of determining the number of targets her spells effect.

References

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