Combat Mage

Combat Mages are the tanks of the Mage Classes.  Unlike the Battle Mage or the Martial Arcanist, Combat Mages are on the front line in a battle right along with most fighter classes.  Combat Mages tend to follow the Mercenary Company path or the Free Lance Fighter path. 

Everyone wants to do something. Some people want to heal & help others, whether by magical or nonmagical means. Some wish to become great warriors, forging their names in battle & increasing their martial prowess. Some wish to become better magicians, learning new spells or having better control over powers they already have. Others wish to become more skillful, learning new skills & becoming better at the skills they already have. But there are a rare few who wish to do everything at once. These skilled individuals are known as Combat Mages. They are Jacks & Jills of all trades, but masters of none.

Making a Combat Mage

Abilities

Intelligence determines how powerful a spell a Combat mage can cast, how many spells she can cast per day, & how hard those spells are to resist. Charisma gives bonuses to various class skills & certain special abilities. A Combat Mage also benefits from a high Constitution, Dexterity, & Strength scores.

Races

Human & half-elf Combat Mages are common because humans & half-elves, like Combat mages, are very diverse. Elves & drow usually take up the class, though drow-elves (half elf, half drow) become Combat Mages more often than the other elven subraces. Gnomes & halflings often become Combat mages for various reasons. Bugbears, dwarves, orcs & half-orcs rarely become Combat mages.

Alignment

Any. No two Combat Mages are alike, so each individual Combat Mage has his/her own ideas on morality & ethics.

Starting Gold

6d4×10 gp (150 gp).

Abilities: Charisma is used to determine what level of spell a Combat Mage may cast and how hard the spells are to resist. A Combat Mage benefits most from a higher Strength/Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma due to melee attacks, Sorcerer-based spells, and Cleric-based spells.

Races: Any race may become a Combat Mage, though Human and half-elf Combat Mages are the most common.

Class Features  All of the following are class features of the Combat Mage.

A Combat Mage is a combination of a Sorcerer, Cleric, and Fighter. They are able to cast destructive magic, healing magic, buffing, and debuffing magic. At the cost of spells per day, Combat Mages are granted increased prowess in melee combat. Additionally, Combat Mages have no proficiency in ranged weapons; they may only use a bladed weapon or spells. All of the following are class features of the Combat Mage.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Combat Mages are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, short bow, and whip.  A Combat Mage can also have proficiencies in the following weapons: bastard sword (2-Handed version), falchion, great sword, longsword,  scimitar, and two-bladed sword. They also have proficiency with light armor,

Combat Mages are also proficient with light armor and medium armor, and shields (excluding tower shields) no Arcane Spell Failure when casting Combat Mage spells while using them. However, like all arcane spellcasters, they still incur the arcane spell chance failure while wearing heavy armor. A multiclass Combat mage still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Sword and Spell : The Combat Mage chooses one of three weapon specializations below. If equipping additional weapons or using a weapon combination not a part of their specialization, they take a -4 penalty on attack rolls and a passive 15% arcane spell failure chance. This effect stacks with a Combat Mage equipping a weapon they are not proficient in. Unless stated below, the weapons and spells in each specialization do not affect innate weapon and armor proficiency, nor do they affect the manner in which you cast spells.

Sword and Offense: The Combat Mage may equip two weapons or a double weapon that they are proficient with. You gain the Two-Weapon Fighting feat but reduce the number of all nth-level spells/day you may cast by 1. If the amount of nth-level spells/day would be reduced to below 1 due to this effect, they instead stay at 1 nth-level spell/day. Additionally, your character cannot carry or equip heavy armor. Combat Mages with this specialization can no longer cast 6th level or higher spells.

Sword and Defense: The Combat Mage may equip a weapon they are proficient with along with a shield. Equipping a shield does not incur arcane spell failure chance, but your character may not carry or equip heavy armor.

Sword and Balance: The Combat Mage may equip a two-handed weapon they are proficient with. You gain the Weapon Focus feat for your selected weapon. You also receive a passive 5% reduction on arcane spell failure chance for all armor (excluding shields). By reverting to a more balanced state between weapons and spells, you lose your ability to equip and carry heavy armor and medium armor.

Double cast : Available at the 5th level with upgrades at the 10th and 20th level, this spell allows a Combat Mage to cast two spells at once in 1 standard action. Both spells used must have a verbal or somatic component to cast, as well as the caster being in a state where they can cast such a spell. The sum of each spell's levels cannot exceed 0 + 1/10lvls. An example of this: A 5th level Combat Mage may cast two 0 level spells, while a 10th level Combat Mage may cast a 0 level and a 1st level spell.  At the 30th level, Double cast receives its final upgrade where the sum of each spell's levels cannot exceed 3.

Once per day, a Combat mage can imbue two spells she knows into a single casting. To do so, she announces the two spells which she wishes to cast, both of which must be on her Combat mage spell list, available to cast, and have casting times of at most a standard action. She begins casting a new spell that has a full-round casting time, spell level equivalent to the higher spell level of the two spells (although the save DC of each is modified by the original spell's level), and has every descriptor that either of the two spells has. Both spells count against her spells per day, as normal. The new spell counts as a single spell, and as such, can be counter spelled as a single spell, or identified with Spellcraft as a single spell (when identified with Spellcraft, the observer is aware of both spells imbued in the casting). Metamagic feats and effects may not be applied to either spell individually or the double-spell. The spells' effects resolve next round, immediately before the Combat mage's initiative count, in the order which he then specifies. If a spell effect has targets, those targets must be in range both at the beginning and end of the spell's casting in order for that effect to occur. The Combat mage may use Double cast more often at higher levels, as described in the table.

Blade Defense : Available at the 15th level, the Combat Mage receives a modified version of the fighter bonus feat Blade Defense. Having Weapon Focus on the weapon you are using is not required to earn the bonus. While in combat you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. When using the total defense action, you get an additional +3 dodge bonus to Armor Class. These bonuses are in addition to the normal benefits of the chosen defensive tactic.

Bonus Feats: Every 5 levels, the Combat Mage may choose any Feat that they meet the prerequisites for.

Minor Mastery: At 2nd level and 6th level, a Combat mage chooses one of the following abilities to add to her list of class features:

"Arcane Channeling:" The Combat Mage can deliver any spell he can cast through his weapon as a Standard action.

Summon Familiar: The Combat mage gains a familiar with this ability. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up materials worth 100 gp.

Advanced Learning (Ex): The Combat mage can add a new spell to her list with a level of her highest known spell level or lower. The spell chosen must be an Evocation or Illusion wizard spell, or a Conjuration or Necromancy cleric spell.

A Combat mage must have twice the level of the spell in ranks in either Knowledge (Arcana) for a wizard spell, or Knowledge (religion) for a cleric spell.

You may select this special ability multiple times, each time you add a different spell to your spells known.

Weapon Bond (Ex): Select one weapon that you are proficient with. You gain Weapon Focus with this weapon, even if you do not meet the prerequisites for it. This feat only applies if the Combat mage wears light or no armor.

Bonus Metamagic Feat: The Combat mage gains a bonus metamagic feat she meets the prerequisites for.

Moderate Mastery: At 11th and 15th levels, the Combat Mage may add one of the following abilities, or a Minor Mastery ability, to her list of class features.

Arcane Resilience: With this ability, a Combat mage can add her Intelligence modifier as a bonus (minimum +1) on saving throws against spells & spell—like effects.

Improved Weapon Bond: The Combat Mage selects a weapon type for which she has the Weapon Bond ability. She is treated as having the Weapon Specialization feat for that weapon, even if she does not meet the prerequisites, and any weapon of the chosen type wielded by the Combat Mage counts as a +1 magical weapon.

Skill Mastery: Upon gaining this ability, the Combat mage selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so.

Major Mastery: At 18th level, the Combat Mage may add one of the following abilities, or a Moderate or Minor ability, to her list of class features.

Innate Spell: A Combat mage with this ability selects one Combat Mage spell that she knows. She may now cast that spell as a spell-like ability three times per day. If the spell chosen has an xp component, or a material or focus component worth more than 10 gp, the Combat Mage must still provide the component. You may select this ability multiple times, each time you select another spell that you know.

Quick Cast: The Combat mage gains the Sudden Quicken Spell feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If she already has the feat, she may use it two more times per day.

Greater Weapon Bond: The Combat Mage selects a weapon type for which she has the Improved Weapon Bond ability and chooses a weapon bonus with +2 modifier or less. Whenever a Combat Mage wields the chosen weapon type, it operates with the chosen bonus in addition to all its other abilities.

Spells

The Combat mage casts arcane spells which are drawn primarily from the Combat mage spell list (see below). Combat mages have a fixed list of spells that they cast spontaneously. A first-level Combat Mage begins play knowing all 0- and 1st-level spells on her list. When she gains access to a new level of spells, she adds all the spells on the Combat Mage spell list of that level to her spells known. Essentially, her spells known list is equivalent to the Combat Mage spell list (with one exception; see the Advanced Learning class feature below).

There is a focus towards spells that strengthen allies, have utility purposes, or weaken enemies. If a spell states that it requires a material component, the material component must be present in your inventory to cast the spell.

To know and cast a spell, a Combat Mage must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Combat Mage’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Combat Mage’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a Combat Mage can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Combat Mage. However, he does not receive additional spells based on his Charisma score.

0, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells do not need to be prepared in advance. 4th, 5th, and 6th levels spells must be prepared in advance. In order to prepare spells, a Combat Mage must determine the spells to prepare and then rest for two hours. You may only rest once every 24 hours. Spells that are prepared will still have their daily cast limit affected by Double cast/Triple cast if applicable. Once a level's daily spell count is up, the Combat Mage cannot cast spells of that level until they rest again.

Combat Mages know and can only use these spells from the following list:

0 Level Combat Mage Spells:

Barb, Cure Minor Wounds, Daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Flare, Inflict Minor Wound, Pepper shot, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance, Silver Sword, Thunder thump, Touch of Fatigue: Touch Attack, Virtue

1st Level Combat Mage Spells:

Bane, Bless, Burning Hands, Burning Bolt, Burst, Cause Fear, Chill Touch, Color Spray, Cure Light Wounds, Divine Favor, Doom, Endure Elements, Entropic Shield, Expeditious Retreat, Ghoulish Gourmet, Identify, Inflict Light Wounds, Invoke Smite, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Protection from Chaos, Protection from Evil, Protection from Good, Protection from Law, Punishing Spit, Ray of Clumsiness, Ray of Enfeeblement, Remove Fear, Shield, Shield of Faith, Shocking Grasp, Sleep, Thunder strike, True Strike

2nd Level Combat Mage Spells:

Acid Arrow, Aid, Bear's Endurance, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Continual Flame, Cry Havoc, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkvision, Eagle's Splendor, Enhance Magical Flow Ethereal Blast,  False Life, Flaming Shield, Flaming Sphere, Flaming/Freezing Weapon,  Fox's Cunning, Glitter dust, Hold Person, Ice Bolt, Inflict Moderate Wound, Iron Fist, Killer Instinct, Owl's Wisdom, Protection from Arrows, Pyrotechnics, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy, Salt burst, Shatter, Shield Other, Shriek of Fear, Sound Burst, Spiritual Weapon, Status, Stunning Bolt, Touch of Idiocy

3rd Level Combat Mage Spells:

Bestow Curse, Blink, Cure Serious Wounds, Deafening Weapon, Dispel Magic, Dragon skin, Flame Arrow, Fireball, Fist of Iron, Greater Magic Weapon,  Greater Sleep, Haste, Heroism, Inflict Serious Wound, Keen Edge, Magic Vestment, Protection from Energy, Rage, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Slow, Triple Threat, Venom Blade, Water Walk, Water Breathing, Wind Wall,

4th Level Combat Mage Spells:

Blessed Strike, Confusion, Crushing Despair, Cure Critical Wounds, Detect Scrying, Dimensional Anchor, Divine Power, Dogs of War, Enervation, Fire Shield, Flaming Corrosion, Freedom of Movement, Greater Magical Flow Enhancement, Inflict Critical Wounds,  Neutralize Poison, Poison, Remove Curse, Restoration, Solid Fog, Spell Burn, Spell Immunity, Stone skin, Warding Globes,

5th Level Combat Mage Spells:

Break Enchantment, Circle of Doom, Cloud kill, Create Healing Spring, Dispel Chaos/Evil/Law/Good,  Disrupting Weapon, Divine Smite,  Feeble mind, Flame Strike, Healing Circle, Interposing Hand, Mark of Justice, Mind Fog, Nightmare, Permanency, Pillar of Pulling/Pushing, Ray of Rust, Slay Living: Touch attack, Spell Resistance, Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Sleep, Telekinesis,  Weapon of Shade

6th Level Combat Mage Spells:

Anti-magic Field, Bear's Endurance, Mass, Blade Barrier, Bolts from Above, Bull's Strength, Mass, Cat's Grace, Mass, Chain Lightning,  Eagle's Splendor, Mass, Eye bite, Fox's Cunning, Mass, Greater Dispelling, Heal, Heroism, Greater, Harm, Heal, Owl's Wisdom, Mass, Transformation, True Seeing, Visage of the Overlord, Word of Recall

Epic Combat Mage

Might and Magic : Upon becoming an Epic Combat Mage, the specialization that a Combat Mage chose at 1st level with the "Sword and Spell" special ability receives one of the upgrades below:

Sword and Offense: You gain the Two-Weapon Rend feat and may equip weapons one size larger than what you can normally wield. If the Two-Weapon Rend feat has already been chosen, you receive a free bonus feat instead.

Sword and Defense: You may now carry and equip heavy armor. Additionally, you gain proficiency with that type of armor. Movement speed penalties from armor are reduced by -5 feet.

Sword and Balance: Armor no longer incurs arcane spell failure chance. You gain the Reach Spell feat. If the Reach Spell feat has already been chosen, you receive a free bonus feat instead.

Triple cast : Available at the 25th level with an upgrade at the 30th level, this spell allows a Combat Mage to cast three spells at once in 1 standard action. Both spells used must have a verbal or somatic component to cast, as well as the caster being in a state where they can cast such a spell. The sum of each spell's levels cannot exceed 0 + 1/10lvls. An example of this: A 25th level Epic Combat Mage may cast two 0 level spells and one 2nd level spell in one round, while a 30th level Epic Combat Mage may cast three 1st level spells in one round.

Bonus Feats: The epic Combat Mage gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Combat Mage bonus feats) every 5 levels after 20th.

Epic Combat Mage Bonus Feat List: Improved Combat Casting, Damage Reduction, Improved Combat Reflexes, Fast Healing, Energy Resistance, Epic Endurance, Epic Skill Focus, Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Toughness, Epic Will, Epic Weapon Focus, Mobile Defense, Superior Initiative, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Health, Ignore Material Components, Spell Opportunity, Epic Prowess, Spell Stowaway,

Playing a Combat Mage[edit]

As a Combat mage, you best serve the party as a support character, helping the other characters via magical & nonmagical means. Although you are not as good as a dedicated healer or mage, you are still somewhat skilled at both, and your ability to cast two spells in one round allows for A) a fairly effective healer/mage combo & B) a good asset to the party.

Religion[edit]

Combat Mages worship whatever deity they want, though deities of magic, war, & healing are most common, but a lot of Combat Mages are impious.

Other Classes[edit]

Your interaction with other classes varies, but you relate to other characters with dual natures, such as hybrid classes & multiclass characters.

Combat[edit]

Due to your low hit dice & poor armor proficiency, you may want to stay out of melee combat if you can. You fit in best behind tougher characters, (such as fighters, paladins, barbarians, etc) doing things such as healing wounded allies, buffing fighting charters, & blasting enemies. Since the Combat mage has a large reliance on dexterity, you can make a fairly good ranged combatant.

Advancement[edit]

Like the sorcerer, you face a crucial decision: what spells to select when gaining new spells known. It is best to take healing spells, to help heal yourself & your comrades, plus spells that enhance & protect as well. You should definitely take Magic Missile, since an arcane spellcaster without Magic Missile, is like binge drinking with only one kidney: it can be done, but it is not a good idea.

Due to the fact that your double cast ability is very dependent on Spellcraft, put as many ranks in Spellcraft as you can. Concentration is another important skill for any arcane spellcaster, so put some ranks in it. if you intend to use the Advanced Learning special ability, put ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (Religion). For feats, consider taking metamagic feats, & take Practiced Spellcaster if you multiclass. For special abilities, take Innate Spell if you want to use your spells more often, plus Arcane Resilience is good for an intelligent Combat mage.

Since the Combat mage are very dependent on Dexterity, your main weapon should be finessable to take advantage of this. The heaviest armor you should get, if you are willing to take the armor check penalty, is Mirthal Breastplate; although a Mirthal chain shirt is better if you choose to be more dependent on skills that have an armor check penalty. On magic items, spend most of your budget on wands & scrolls, but also get items that boost Intelligence, Dexterity, & Constitution.

Your combination of several abilities will make you a very versatile character if optimized properly. The Combat mage can fulfill multiple roles but is not as good in each individual role as a specialist.

Combat Mages are a combination of mage, healer, & supporter. Their multitude of abilities & options, both magical & nonmagical, makes them a great asset to anyone who has them as an ally. The Combat mage's Reroll & Double cast abilities make them a very potent ally or enemy.

Daily Life

Each Combat mage is different, so their daily lives differ from Combat mage to Combat mage. Some Combat mages are incredibly focused & self-discipled, training and studying before other characters get up, and continuing their work well after everyone else falls asleep. There are also some Combat mages that are incredible lazy, getting up well after everyone else has gotten up, spending their days screwing around, goofing off, and doing nothing productive. But each Combat mage is different, so no two Combat mages spend their days exactly in the same manner.

Organizations

Several organizations have Combat mages in their ranks, except for those which are extremely mage phobic. There have also been several cases where Combat mages have founded their own organizations, recruiting other Combat mages & other dual nature characters. Some of the most notable organizations founded by, controlled, or involved with or by Combat mages are The Cloak & Staff Society, The Mages of Scarlet, and the Night Casters United,

NPC Reactions

Each NPC has a different reaction to Combat mages. Most common folk don't really care about Combat mages unless they need healing, or a Combat mage is destroying their homes. Mage phobic NPCs view & treat Combat mages with the same hatred, fear & disgust that they have for every other spellcaster. Adventurers often bring along a Combat mage or two as a backup healer & a support character.

Races

Each race reacts differently to Combat mages, since not all Combat mages are the same.

Other Classes

The way Combat Mages treat other classes, & how other classes treat Combat Mages, varies, though Combat Mages get along best with Bards, Battle Mages & Mercenaries, due to their dual natures.

Combat Mage Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research Combat mages and find out more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC 5

Combat mages are jacks and jills of all trades, but masters of none

DC 10

Combat mages can be a great asset to their allies, if used properly.

DC 15

Those who follow down the path of the Combat mage have several abilities, both magical & nonmagical, both helping & damaging, at their option.

DC 20

The Combat mage is a mage capable of casting 2 spells at once and can occasionally snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Combat Mages in the Game

Combat mages can fit into a campaign just fine due to their versatility & adaptability. Combat mage NPCs can act anyway you want towards the party, whether it is friendly, antagonistic, or indifferent to them.

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