Staffmage (3.5e Prestige Class)

Staffmage

Some spellcasters, mainly wizards and sorcerers, wield their staff as something more than a weapon. They see in their staff a powerful ally in battle and a tool for spellcasting.

Requirements:

To become a staffmage, a character must fulfill the following criteria.

• Base Attack Bonus: +3
• Spells: Ability to cast arcane spells of at least 3rd level
• Feat: Combat Casting

Table: The Staffmage   Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells Known/Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Protective Staff, Staff Casting, Truestriking	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Concentrative Casting	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Touching Strike I	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Subversive Casting	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Touching Strike II	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Armored Fighting I	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Battle Weary	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th	+6	+2	+2	+6	Armored Fighting II	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th	+6	+3	+3	+6	Touching Strike III	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th	+7	+3	+3	+7	Offensive Surge	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (arcana), Profession, Spellcraft.

Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the Staffmage prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A staffmage gains no new weapon, armor or shield proficiencies.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new Staffmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 3rd-level spells before she added the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 3rd-level spells before he became a Staffmage, she must decide to which class he adds each level of Staffmage for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Protective Staff: At 1st level a staffmage learns how to use her staff to help her magically defend herself in combat. While holding any staff the staffmage gains the benefits of Mage Armor and Shield (+8 AC). Doing this does not use up a spellslot and the staffmage need not prepare Mage Armor or Shield to do this ability.

Staff Casting (Ex): At 1st level a staffmage learns how to use her hands to help prepare spells even while wielding a quarterstaff. When wielding a quarterstaff, a staffmage can cast spells with somatic components even if she has no free hands.

Truestriking (Ex): At 1st level a staffmage gains the ability to use truestrike when wielding a staff four times per day. Doing this does not use up a spellslot and the staffmage need not prepare True Strike to do this ability.

Concentrated Casting: At second level the staffmage has gotten more used to combat being present while she is casting and using a staff. This ability grants a +4 bonus to concentration checks while the staffmage is holding a staff.

Touching Strike: At third level the staffmage learns how to use her staff better; allowing touch spells to be "transfered" though it. This ability grants the staffmage the ability to cast a touch spell into her staff and then use them up to 24 hours later. With this ability the staffmage can cast 2 touch spells into her staff and store them their until she decides to use them. To use the touch spells stored in her staff she must either be withing range of her opponent, and cast it. This method will result in a normal spell cast. However, the staffmage also has the option of casting her touch spell as she strikes her opponent; hitting her opponent and releasing her spell in the same round. When the staffmage does this her spell combined with her stike daze her opponent for 1 round. The amount of spells allowed to be stored in the staffmages staff increase to 4 by 5th level and to 6 by 9th level. Releasing a spell in combat does not trigger an attack of opportunity.

Subversive Casting: At fourth level the staffmage has learned how to use her staff to distract her opponents, making her spells more lethal. This ability makes it so the staffmage can choose to use an extra round to cast a spell. Because the staffmage is waving her staff and distracting her opponents during the extra round, she gains a +2 attack bonus on touch attacks and a +2 bonus on the spell save DC when cast. A staffmage may do this as many times as she likes per day.

Armored Fighting: At 6th level the staffmage learns how to wear armor and continue to make her spells powerful. This ability makes it so the staffmage is not effected by 20% or less arcane spell failure chance. However, if the staffmage has 30% spell failure change she is still effected the same. This just negates the first 20%. This ability increases to 30% negated at 8th level.

Battle Weary: At 7th level a staffmage's body has become so accustom to fighting that it is natural to fight and get injured. This ability makes it so the staffmage has the option of getting Fast Healing 3. Every day, if the staffmage so chooses, she can get Fast Healing 3. To do this the staffmage must spend 1 hour in meditation and use up 2 5th-level spellslots, 3 4th level spellslots, and 4 3rd level spellslots to complete this. This ability infuses the staffmages body with arcane magical energy that heals her as she fights with a quarterstaff. This ability only works while the staffmage is using a quarterstaff. This ability lasts until either 23 hours has passed or the staffmage has slept and regained her spellslots.

Offensive Surge: At 10th level a staffmage is able to make one all-out attack a day. This ability makes it so when the stafmage uses the full attack action, she can give up her regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at your full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. The staffmage can use Touching Strike during this attack however if Touching Strike is used, it only effects the first opponent the staffmage damages.

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