Background

The Spellblade character is a recent development in distinct magical classes. It was accidentally created by Wizards, although this is not public knowledge. The result is a magic user with a magical dagger that becomes, very literally, a part of its owner. It can be empowered with a number of extremely flexible effects and abilities. While it can still be taken from its owner, the owner can call it back with plain willpower. This newfound ability comes at the expense of no longer casting Wizard-style spells.

Adventures

A Spellblade often adventures to hone his skills, learn new techniques, serve as mercenaries, or in some cases, providing final services to their Mentors in exchange for their specialized training. Spellblades excel at short-term combat, lacking the endurance of a true fighter, although with increased versatility. Spellblades love to practice their art at any opportunity.

Characteristics

The Spellblade is an excellent supplement to an adventuring party, whose various magical techniques can often prove useful outside of combat.

Alignment: The Spellblade may be of any alignment.

Religion: The Spellblade favors no particular religion or god.

Races: Any, although humans, elves, and half-elves are more common. Half-orcs are quite rare.

Other Classes: Spellblades have slightly more in common with Fighters and Elementalists than the Wizards that train them. A Spellblade can never multiclass to a Wizard.

Additional Background: A Spellblade receives similar initial instruction to a Wizard, but they are led through an adjusted form of a Wizard's initiation ritual which binds the dagger to themselves, the exact details of which are a tightly-held secret. This new ritual was initially created in order to prevent a Wizard being seperated from his dagger, which is required to cast most spells. It was successful, but the act wildly altered the recipient's access and control over magic. Spellblades can no longer cast spells at other targets or themselves, which negate the otherwise wide array of spells available to a Wizard. All of their cast magics unfailingly target the blade, although the caster, or other targets, could be susceptible to certain indirect effects. Indeed, most known spells do not function at all; when they do, it is never as intended. Thus, Spellblades quickly learn their own methods to manipulate their blade, which encompasses the remaining time of their training, and soon abandon the regimented spell preparation techniques. Spellblades are often recruited into helping their Mentors in exchange for their unorthodox training, as the they are far more competent fighters – as unless the Mentor is also a Spellblade, the Mentor himself generally cannot teach such skills, and these must be paid for at significant expense.

Game Rule Information

Spellblades have the following statistics.

Abilities: Prime req. Constitution A higher Con score will give a Spellblade additional Magic Points, as well as giving additional bonuses to certain effects. A Spellblade cannot wear Medium or Heavy armor, so Dex bonuses are very useful, and are used for his primarily ranged attacks at later levels. Strength is useful to a lesser degree, as Spellblades generally use their skills in combat, but higher-level Spellblades will find it less necessary.

Hit Die: d8

Saves and Attack Bonus: Base Attack as Monk, Saves as Bard.

Starting Gold: 2d6gp, Special: If the Spellblade has insufficient funds for their chosen Drivarak form at first level, the caster instead has that weapon, but only 10gp for any other supplies.

Class Skills

None yet specified.

Class Feats

Spellblades may select a feats with a given form of their weapon. Additional feats may be applied to additional forms. Spellblades may not use Meta-Magic feats. The following Spellblade class feats are available:

Simple Weapon Proficiency: This allows the Spellblade to use all Simple weapons without a penalty.

Martial Drivarak Proficiency: The Spellblade may select a single Martial Weapon form for their Drivarak, as discussed below.

Exotic Drivarak Proficiency: Same as above, for Exotic weapons.

Improved MP Bonus: Always add your MP bonus to damage, regardless of your damage roll.

Extend Duration: This extends all duration-based effects by ten rounds. This can be taken multiple times.

Class Features

The Drivarak: This is the Spellblade's magical weapon, generally called his 'blade' in non-privileged conversation. It can be dismissed as a free action, and summoned to his hands from any location as a standard action without additional cost, as long as a Spellblade has the use of his hands. A sufficiently skilled and powered Spellblade can usually free himself from having his hands bound, although at significant magical expense. Dismissing the Drivarak can be done at any time, and automatically vanishes upon loss of consciousness or death. Upon the completion of their training, a Spellblade may pay the cost of any Simple Weapon to have their Drivarak reforged into that weapon type. The Drivarak gains those weapon's stats, but maintains its initial+1 magical bonus. Any ranged weapon, or any weapon that uses ammunition, cannot be selected. Additionally, a Feat may be used at first level to instead select a Martial or Exotic Weapon type for their Drivarak to be forged into. Note that most melee weapons cannot be thrown without magical assistance. Upon a successful sunder attack against a +1 magical weapon, the Drivarak is involuntarily dismissed. Dismissal of the primary Drivarak ends all effects, including any Copy Blade effects in use.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Spellblades are not proficient with any weapon aside from their Drivarak. A Spellblade may elect to use a Feat for normal weapon use. They are proficient with light armor. Medium and heavy armor interferes with their abilities, as using their blade to its full potential depend upon fine movements of their hands and arms. They are not proficient with shields.

Magical Items: Due to their initial Wizard training, Spellblades can use Wizard scrolls and wands. They must have the Use Magical Device skill to attempt activation of Rods, Staves or other high-order magical items, as it is too different a form of magic for them to be comfortable with.

Spellblade Magic:

Spellblades gain magic over time, building a personal reserve, as long as the blade is dismissed. Having the blade summoned merely prevents additional charging, as it takes a level of background concentration to maintain. If you take more than four times your level in damage in a single blow, Concentration DC check of 10 + damage received / 5 must be made. Failure immediately dismisses all Drivaraks. A Spellblade can expend as many points a round as he chooses. Fractions of points are not permitted. While their blade is dismissed, they regain two Magic Points per level an hour. SpellBlades gain 10 additional Magic Points per level plus their Con bonus, if any.

A Spellblade starts with knowledge of a few basic magical skills, and must learn new skillsover time. He can try to develop these himself, or learn them from another Spellblade. A Spellblade can learn one new effect each level, provided his level meets or exceeds the number of points the effect requires.. Figuring out an effect on his own takes 1d4 weeks of study and a DC 15 Int(?) check.

Many effects can be used multiple times for significantly increasing bonuses. As some effects allow for clever and unforeseen solutions, the DM has final say on the limitations of what is possible. Accordingly, there are some things a Spellblade can never do, such as creating new magical items, permanently improving their Drivarak (aside from leveling up), or using Wizard spells, regardless of their player background. The Spellblade class is still undergoing testing, and as such, DMs should be careful of how much leeway they give to unlisted effects and outcomes. All effects instantly end on any unsummoned Drivarak, even if it is immediately re-summoned. All effects only target any single Drivarak per casting.

Drivarak Effects

• N^2 pt: Extend Reach
  • Drivarak magically extends in size, adding 5' of reach. N is the number of times used. At 15'and beyond, the minimum effective range increases by 5'. At 15', it will cost 9 points, and the target must be 5' away from you; at 20' it costs 16 points, and the target must be 10' away, etc.
• 1 pt: Elemental Aura
  • Drivarak glows with elemental magic of caster's choice: Fire, Ice, or Electricity, and deals one Die Point of damage. Each additional Magic Point of the same element adds another Die Point of damage.
• 1 pt: Flying Strike
  • Drivarak may be used as a ranged weapon, regardless of weapon type. Range is 10' x Spellblade level, plus 10' per additional point. Use Ranged Attack bonus.
• 2 pts: Rapid Recall
  • Drivarak returns to owner's hand, or any place within the Spellblade's touch reach, as a free action.
• 2 pts: Guided Aim
  • Drivarak gains +1 to-hit bonus. Each additional 2 Magic Points increases by +1, to the maximum of the Spellblade's level.
• 2 pts: Reduce Blade
  • Drivarak is reduced in size by one category, generally from Medium to Small. Each additional 2 Magic Points reduces it from Small to Tiny, and from Tiny to Diminutive. Base weapon damage is adjusted to size. Final calculated range is reduced by ½ per size reduction.
• 3 pts: Distant Grasp
  • Drivarak can be used up to 10' plus 5'/caster level with the same dexterity as if it was being held. Its Strength is equal to the caster's Con. The Spellblade cannot be controlling more blades in this way than he has hands or his Con bonus, whichever is greater.
• 3 pts: Copy Blade
  • This creates an identical copy of the Spellblade's base Drivarak, and effects can amplify it in the same way. Each copied Drivarak starts with its own 10 round timer. No limit to number of duplicates, although the caster still has to find a way to wield or otherwise use it.
• 4 pts: Teleport To Blade
  • The Spellblade is brought to the current location of his Drivarak, such that the Spellblade is grasping it at the completion of this effect. If this is not possible, the Spellblade is shunted off in a random safe direction to be as close as possible to the Drivarak. Range is 10' x Spellblade level.
• 5 pts: Dancing Blade
  • Drivarak moves and attacks without total concentration required from the Spellblade. The Dancing Blade has perfect maneuverability, and can move up to 15' a round in any direction. Selecting a new target to attack is a free action. Maximum number of Dancing Blades is equal to the Spellblade level.
• 6+X pts: Elemental Burst
  • Caster chooses an element: Fire, Water, Ice, Electricity. The blade does X Die Points of damage to the target, and half damage to any target in a 10' sphere, including the Spellblade if he's within that sphere.
• 10 pts: Still Summon
  • The Spellblade can summon his Drivarak to himself and immediately empower it withother abilities without having his hands free.
• 12 pts: Penetrating Blade
  • When thrown, the Drivarak deals its damage to every target up to its total range. If used in melee, the Spellblade may use the Drivarak as though he had the Whirlwind Attack feat. It will also attempt to penetrate obstacles, to the DM's discretion.
• 14+X pts: Planar Energy
  • The Drivarak may use any sub-element of the following bases: Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Positive, Negative. Does X Die Points of damage, plus the Spellblade's level.
• 16+X pts: Wicked Blade
  • On a successful hit, the Drivarak deals wounds that will do X die points of damage to any target suceptible to the Wounding effect, until the damage is magically healed or the effect expires.
• 17+X pts: Energy Flare
  • Drivarak glows with any energy type of the Caster's choice, although not of any directly opposing alignment. Does X Die Points of damage plus the Spellblade's level to the target and any target in a Burst area of 20'.
• 19+X pts: Combination Strike
  • The Spellblade sets up a massive attack against a single target. All other effects are negated when this is used, excluding the Dual Blade class skill. On a successful hit, the Spellblade may immediately attack again, up to X times. If the Spellblade hits the target X times, the target also takes X*2 Die Points of magical damage. Any missed attack ends the effect prematurely.

Special Abilities

Uncanny Control: This may be removed

Blade Flight:

• This requires two summoned Drivaraks to activate. The Spellblade sets up a temporary magical bond to the Drivaraks, which hold themselves aloft, and gently repel the Spellblade from them to power flight, and they respond to mental commands. The Drivaraks spin rapidly during this effect. The Spellblade has Good manueverability, and may move up to 40' in a round. The Spellblade may do a flyby attack of a target and deal damage with both blades, although this will normally provoke an attack of opportunity prior to his own attack. If the Spellblade has a Con bonus greater than +2, then the Spellblade may additionally use a Distant Grasp or Dancing Blade effect on a separate blade, up to the limit of his Con bonus -2. A Con Bonus of +5 would allow up to three extra blades. Lasts 1 minute per Magic Point.

Ragna Blade:

• Displaying true mastery of the Drivarak, the blade glows with a seething black radiance. The Drivarak gains +20 to hit, and can strike any target within line-of-sight range. On a successful blow, the target is dealt 15d8 damage, and is disintegrated if it drops below 0 hit points. Additionally, anything within a 20' sphere of the struck target must make a Reflex save of DC 10+ caster's level, or take 8d8 damage. This drains the Spellblade of all remaining Magic Points and negates any other effects, but lasts for 1min/level or until discharged.