Loreblade (3.5e Prestige Class)

Loreblade

The loreblade is a spellcaster rooted in knowledge and booksmarts that expands his abilities to include mild combat capabilities.

Requirements:

To qualify to become an loreblade, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

• Alignment Any neutral, non-chaotic - loreblades are usually rather reserved and tend to be indifferent when it comes to good or evil
• Skills: Concentration 5 ranks, Knowledge(Any 2) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
• Feats: Weapon Focus, Combat Casting
• Spells: Able to cast 3rd level arcane spells

Table: The Loreblade

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day/Spells Known
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Calculated Strike, Lore	+1 level of existing arcane class
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Bonus Feat
3rd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Master Librarian	+1 level of existing arcane class
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Reduced Spell Failure
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Battle Education	+1 level of existing arcane class
6th	+6	+5	+2	+2	Bonus Feat
7th	+7	+5	+2	+2	Master of the Written Word	+1 level of existing arcane class
8th	+8	+6	+2	+2	Bonus Feat
9th	+9	+6	+3	+3	Greater Lore	+1 level of existing arcane class
10th	+10	+7	+3	+3	Bookwarrior
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level) Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int),Gather Information (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features:

All of the following are Class Features of the Loreblade prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: loreblades gain proficiency in all simple and martial weapons and in light armor and smalls shields.

Spells per Day: Every odd level (1, 3, 5, etc) the loreblade gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds half the level of loreblade rounded up to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

Calculated Strike(Ex): A loreblade may use her expansive knowledge of the workings of the world to land attacks easily. She may replace her strength bonus with her spellcaster type's primary attribute bonus while making attack and damage rolls and is using the weapon she is focused in. She cannot do this if distracted or if she is otherwise unable to concentrate.

Lore: At 1st level, a loreblade gains the ability to know legends or information regarding various topics, just as a bard can with bardic knowledge. The loremaster adds her character level and her Intelligence or Wisdom (whichever is higher) modifier to the lore check, which functions otherwise exactly like a bardic knowledge check.

Bonus Feats: At 2nd, 6th, and 8th levels a loreblade gets a bonus combat-oriented feat. These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. A loreblade must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A loreblade is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.

Master Librarian(ex): At 3rd level a loreblade's experience with books grants her a +10 competence bonus to all Search checks involving books or book cases. Once per day as a supernatural ability the loreblade may also cast Scholar's Touch as per the spell; use the loreblade's class level as the CL.

Reduced Spell Failure(ex): At 4th level the loreblade's combined understanding of arcane casting and martial training allows her to adjust her somatic casting to enable her to wear light armor without ACF %. Wearing medium or heavy armor still impose the Arcane Casting Failure penalty.

Battle Education(ex): At 5th level a loreblade can directly apply her studies of combat styles, physiology, and arms and armor. She may take a full round action to observe a foe she is engaged in battle with, at the end of which she makes a Lore or Knowledge(Martial Lore) check (DC: enemy's level + 15). If she succeeds, for as long as she maintains focus on the target she gets a +4 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls and all saves against the studied enemy. The subject of the loreblade's focus suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to all attempts save against targeted spells cast by the loreblade. The loreblade may only maintain focus on one target at a time.

Master of the Written Word: At 7th level a loreblade has spent a good portion of her life behind dusty tomes, and is able to read and translate all non-celestial, non-infernal languages (see: Speak Language Skill. She cannot, however, speak or write them. Also, the loreblade may read a book pertaining to some knowledgeable topic while preparing spells. After reading a book in this manner, the loreblade gains an additional rank in that skill. This can only be done twice per book (not per skill) and does not allow her permanently exceed the maximum ranks per skill for a class skill; any knowledge gain through the use of this ability becomes a class skill if not already counted as one.

Greater Lore (Ex): At 9th level, a loreblade gains the ability to understand magic items, as with the identify spell.

Bookwarrior At 10th level the loreblade has conquered martial skill and has absorbed hundreds of volumes of text. The combination of the two allows her to apply all her insight to battle. She adds her spellcaster type's primary attribute bonus to her base AC; this bonus applies against touch attacks or when flat-footed, but not when she is immobilized or helpless.

Campaign Information

Playing a Loreblade

Combat: Despite their combat training, loreblades are by nature spellcasters. While they may not be as strong as a flat-out wizard or an archmage, they are most useful standing back with the other spellcasters and ranged unit. In the event that the casters are rushed or the linesmen need assistance, the loreblade can jump in.

Advancement: Obviously the loreblade is best led into from a wizard or sorcerer, but a fighter with some spells could also be doable for a more focused fighter than caster. Taking levels in Spellsword or some other class that offers more arcane failure resistance could be useful. A return to the base of fighter can help with the warrior side, or back to the loreblade's original spellcaster class to pump spells up are both viable options as well.

Resources: Loreblades walk all paths of life, and most accomplished ones will be members in one, if not many, organizations. Their vast understanding of the world and natural wit can easily lead them to high roles in high places. Many are essentially a walking library that can fight

Loreblades in the World

“

"According to my readings, your ass is grass."

”

Many loreblades are wizards who have lost their libraries to raiders or beasts and seek vengeance by cold blood on steel. Others are book-arrangers apprenticed by aging loreblades to ensure that both knowledge and martial traditions are passed on to future generations.

NPC Reactions: Loreblades are treated with respect, their knowledge impresses commoners and causes bards and divine spellcasters to treat with high regard. Brute fighters tend to not trust them as much - a very smart wizard with a sword is a troubling sight for a half-orc whose education doesn't extend beyond his axe.

Loreblade Lore

Characters with ranks in knowledge(arcana or history) can research loreblades to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
11	Loreblades are smart guys that kind fight. Sortof.
16	Loreblades are spellcasters, most often wizards, who, after years of studying, can apply knowledge to become formidable warriors.
21	Loreblades are arcane spellcasters that can use their vast knowledge in combat to take down foes with ease. They can be hard to pick out as some are well armored but possess massive spell capabilities while others may look like wizards but in fact can wield a hammer as well as any fighter.
26	The first loreblades were a secret order of librarians who fought to protect the many tomes sacred to the world's religions. This bizarre meeting of divine and arcane casters with warrior to serve a common cause led to a group of heroes learned in all three aspects and skilled in two. Most often modern loreblades are either trained by masters of the order or self-taught librarians and lore-keepers making sure they can defend themselves in a scrap.

Loreblades in the Game

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play->

Adaptation: <-Fitting this class in your campaign->

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPC of this class->

EL whatever: <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter->

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