Weapon Mage / Blade Singer
Of all the Noble Races, the elves are known throughout the Wold for their
mastery of magical arts and grace in combat. So it is no surprise that
the elves learned how to marry their arcane and martial knowledge into
a unique form of art. Over time, however, the practitioners of this art
evolved into three corps. The first corps, welding the arts of archery
and magic, is the arcane archer (per the DM Guide). Members of the second
corps, called weapon mages, blend magic with the mastery of a particular
melee weapon. Students of both magic and war, weapon mages gradually learn
to store and channel spells through their weapons and to cast spells while
wearing armor. Members of the third corps, called blade singers, go one
step further, blending arcane swordplay with the beauty of dance in deadly
combination. Named after the hum of their deadly whirling swords, blade
singers have a vocation to protect all elven peoples and homelands from
threats of any kind. The art of bladesong was lost to the Wold for millennia,
until one of the Gold Dragons -- an elven warrior named Greymaulkin --
quested to regain the forgotten knowledge. Since then, the corps of blade
singers has grown ... and rumors say that even one or two blade singers
without elven blood have been admitted to the ranks.
Only candidates with intense martial training and extensive arcane experience
can learn these arts: weapon mages and blade singers are usually wizard/fighters,
although sorcerers, rangers, bards, and even paladins have passed the
tests required for membership. Both weapon mages and blade singers must
prove their worth before being admitted to the corps. The corps of weapon
mages is willing to share their art with any elf-friend, regardless of
race. Blade singers and arcane archers are less open and, as a rule, exclude
those without elf blood.
As NPCs, weapon mages and blade singers are solitary figures, feared
by mages for their ability to cast spells while wearing armor and by the
common warrior for their arcane ability. Because of this, they often try
to appear fairly easygoing and lighthearted so as to put others at ease.
While often adventurous, they pride themselves on protecting the weak
and setting an example of good works. In addition, blade singers have
a deeper calling, since they are sworn to defend elvenkind and nature.
Hit die: d6
Requirements
To qualify to become a weapon mage or blade singer, a character must
fulfill the following criteria.
Base BAB: +6
Knowledge (Arcana): 6 ranks
Weapon and armor proficiency: All simple and martial weapons and all armor.
Spells: Ability to cast 2nd level arcane spells
Feat: Combat Casting
Feat (weapon mage): Weapon Focus with any melee weapon
Feat (blade singer): Weapon Focus with short sword, rapier, scimitar,
long sword, or bastard sword
Alignment: any good
Special (weapon mage): Must have demonstrated magical and melee mastery
in performing a service to elves.
Special (blade singer): Must swear to follow the blade singer ethos, must
have elf blood.
Class Skills
The weapon mage and the blade singer have the same class skills: Balance
(Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Knowledge
Arcana (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession
(Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points per level: 2 + Int modifier
Table -- The Weapon Mage / Blade Singer
Lvl...Att...Will...Refx...Fort...Special Abilities
.1....+0.......+2.....+2.....+0.....Enhance Weapon +1
.2....+1.......+3.....+3.....+0.....Ignore spell failure 10%, +1 spell
level
.3....+2.......+3.....+3.....+1.....Weapon Casting / Defensive Dance
.4....+3.......+4.....+4.....+1.....+1 spell level
.5....+3.......+4.....+4.....+1.....Enhance +3
.6....+4.......+5.....+5.....+2.....Store Spells / Grace, +1 spell level
.7....+5.......+5.....+5.....+2.....Ignore spell failure 20%
.8....+6.......+6.....+6.....+2.....Weapon Mastery, +1 spell level
.9....+6.......+6.....+6.....+3.....Absorption / Elegant Strike
10...+7.......+7.....+7.....+3.....Enhance +5, +1 spell level
Blade Singer Ethos
All blade singers swear to obey the following code of behavior: 1. Honor
your word. 2. Temper justice with mercy. 3. Defend the defenseless. Moreover,
blade singers are required to respond to calls for help from elves in
need. If a blade singer ever unknowingly violates this ethos, then all
Class Features (listed below) are lost until the blade singer atones.
If the ethos is ever knowingly and deliberately violated, then all Class
Features are lost forever, and no further advancement in levels in this
prestige class is possible.
CLASS FEATURES
Throughout their training there are points at which the Blade Singer
and the Weapon Mage diverge, both in their ways of thinking and the areas
on which they focus. This is shown through their specific choices of certain
abilities and special feats that each is allowed to attain.
Spells per Day: At every second level gained in the
prestige class, you gain new spells as if you had also gained a level
in your spellcasting class (if you have more than one, pick a class in
which you can cast second level arcane spells). You do not, however, gain
any other benefit from that prior class.
Enhance Weapon (Su) At first level in the PrC, pick
a melee weapon to which you have applied the Weapon Focus feat. If you
are a blade singer, your choice is more limited (see above). This type
of weapon is your specialty weapon. With the Enhance Weapon ability, any
specialty weapon becomes a magical weapon when you weild it, gaining a
+1 enhancement bonus. This bonus only applies to weapons you are holding.
If your specialty weapon is a double weapon, then both ends are enhanced;
if you use two weapons of the same type, both are enhanced. As you gain
levels in the prestige class, your weapons will gain greater potency:
+1 at first level; +3 at fifth level; and +5 at tenth level. The bonus
gained from this ability does not stack with any other enhancement bonus
gained if your specialty weapon is a masterwork or magical weapon.
Ignore Spell Failure (Ex): Beginning at second level,
your hard work and practice at joining spell and weapon play start to
pay off. As an extraordinary ability, you are able to ignore a portion
of the arcane spell failure chance associated with using armor and shields.
This reduction begins at 10% at second level and increases to 20% at seventh
level. You subtract the listed percentage value from your total spell
failure chance.
Weapon Casting (weapon mage) or Defensive Dance (blade singer)
Weapon Casting (Su): At third level, the weapon mage
gains an arcane symbiosis with specialty weapons. Once per round, you
can cast spells while holding your weapon, even those with both somatic
and material components. Any time you cast a touch or target-specific
spell, you can choose to use your weapon to deliver the spell instead
of making a touch attack. For example, in the same round, a weapon mage
can cast Shocking Grasp and then deliver it as part of a standard melee
attack through his weapon. You can move before casting the spell, after
casting the spell but before making the attack, or after making the attack
-- just like a touch attack. You can also choose to hold the charge. This
ability works with any specialty weapon you weild.
Defensive Dance (Ex): At third level, when keeping one
hand free (no shield, secondary weapon, or other object), a blade singer
adds one point of intelligence or charisma bonus per blade singer level
to your dexterity bonus to modify armor class, while wielding their specialty
blade. Use intelligence if your blade singer levels boost wizard spell
casting; use charisma if your blade singer levels boost your sorcerer
or bard casting. (Rare witch blade singers can use wisdom or charisma.)
For instance a third level wizard / blade singer with an 18 Int and bonus
of +4 can add +3 to her armor class; at fourth level, that AC bonus rises
to +4.
Store Spell (weapon mage) or Grace (blade singer)
Store Spell (Sp): At sixth level the weapon mage learns
how to store spells up to third level in a single nonmagic specialty weapon.
Effectively, you gain the "Brew Potion" feat using an alternative
medium. All rules, XP costs, and expenses that apply to "Brew Potion"
also apply to this ability, with the following exceptions. Once the spell
is entered into the weapon, it remains there until triggered. You can
store a number of spells in your weapon equal to your weapon mage level
plus Intelligence bonus. You can only store spells in a single weapon,
and you must carry that weapon on you at all times. Stored spells are
lost only when the weapon is broken or if the weapon is out of your reach
for more than a day. Only you can activate spells that are stored, doing
so with a silent gesture: While weilding the weapon, you can activate
a stored spell upon yourself as a standard action, or on a friend with
a touch of the weapon as a standard action, or on an enemy as part of
a standard attack (in addition to the normal attack, but not as part of
a full attack). Only one stored spell can be triggered per round. Stored
spells can be meta-magicked, but Silent, Still, and Quick effects have
no relevance. You can store spells with your DM's approval; you do not
have to go to the Catacombs to pay the XP and gold cost, as would a potion-brewer.
Only a nonmagic masterwork weapon can be used to store spells.
Grace (Ex): At sixth level a blade singer gains an additional
+2 competence bonus on all reflex saving throws. You also gain the rogue’s
evasion ability. If you already have evasion from another class, such
as rogue, then you gain improved evasion. The save bonus and evasion only
function when you are wearing light or no armor and when not using a shield
or weapon in your secondary hand.
Greater Weapon Focus (Ex): At eighth level, you gain
the feats of Weapon Specialization and Greater Weapon Focus with your
specialty weapon.
Absorption (weapon mage) or Elegant Strike (blade singer)
Absorption (Su): At ninth level the weapon mage's specialty
weapon (the same one in which you Store Spells) acts as a Rod of Absorption.
Treat this as the Rod of Absorption magic item in all ways, except you
can only store spell levels equal to your weapon mage level plus Intelligence
bonus. After using stored levels, however, you can absorb more levels
to replace them, unlike the rod, which can only absorb spell levels once.
You know how many levels are stored in the weapon at any given time.
Elegant Strike (Ex): At ninth level a blade singer gains
the ability to strike precisely with her specialty weapon, gaining an
extra 2d6 damage added to normal damage. Elegant strike only works against
living creatures with discernable anatomies. Creatures who are not subject
to critical hits are also not subject to this additional damage.
SPECIAL FEATS
While other feats are certainly available to the weapon mage and blade
singer, several special feats exist that only they are allowed to use.
These feats, of course, must be taken in place of the normal feats that
the you get as you advance in level.
BLADE SINGER FEATS
Feat: Bladesong [SPECIAL]
Prerequisites: Blade singer level 1, Still Spell, 3 ranks Perform (dance).
Benefit: With this feat, any time you use your sword to attack, you gain
a +1 morale bonus on attacks, damage, and armor class.
Feat: Improved Bladesong [SPECIAL]
Prerequisite: Bladesong; 6 ranks Perform (dance).
Benefit: Your bladesong morale bonus doubles to +2.
Feat: Bladedance [SPECIAL]
Prerequisite: Improved Bladesong; 9 ranks Perform (dance).
Benefit: You can release your sword (requiring a standard action) to attack
on its own. It fights for four rounds using your base attack bonus and
then drops. It never leaves your side (never straying more than 5 feet)
and fights on even if you fall. If you do not move more than 5 feet, it
makes multiple attacks based on your base attack bonus; if you move more
than 5 feet, it will follow you and make a standard attack. You can mentally
command it to attack certain enemies; otherwise it attacks the nearest.
It takes up a 5-by-5 space and has a reach of 5 feet. You can grasp it
while it is attacking on its own as a free action, but when so retrieved
it can't dance (attack on its own) again for four rounds. While the sword
is dancing, you can cast spells, draw another sword and attack, or take
any other normal actions.
Weapon Mage Feats
Feat: Arcane Offense [SPECIAL]
Prerequisite: Weapon mage level 3, 3 ranks Spellcraft.
Benefit: With this feat, any time you use weapon casting to cast a spell
through your weapon, add +1 to that spell’s DC.
Feat: Improved Arcane Offense [SPECIAL]
Prerequisite: Arcane Offense, 6 ranks Spellcraft.
Benefit: Your arcane weapon casting spell DC bonus doubles to +2.
Feat: Spell Parry [SPECIAL]
Prerequisite: Improved Bladesong or Improved Arcane Offense, 9 ranks Spellcraft.
Benefit: When you Fight Defensively, in addition to the +2 dodge bonus
you normally gain to AC, you also gain a +2 dodge bonus to all saving
throws vs. magical attacks (spells and supernatural and spell-like abilities).
When you use the Total Defense action, you gain the usual +4 dodge bonus
to AC as well as a +4 dodge bonus to all saving throws vs. magic. If you
have five or more ranks in the Tumble skill, the bonuses rise to +3 for
Defensive Fighting and +6 for Total Defense for both AC and saves. (This
feat is also open to blade singers.)
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The weapon mage was created by Kent; the Woldian blade singer was created
by Donna, Cayzle, and Kent.
Approved by Cayzle on 10 April 2005.
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