Spellsword (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

The spellsword is a warrior who is also a minor arcane spellcaster. He focuses on using magic outside of combat, complimenting his fighting skills with minor spellcasting abilities and a deep theoretical understanding of arcane magic. This makes him able to create and use scrolls and other magic items to cast spells in a deliberate, planned manner.

Class Information

This is a multiclass archetype.

Primary Class: Fighter.

Secondary Class: Magus.

The spellsword has all the class features of the primary class except as noted here. A spellsword cannot multiclass as a either the primary or secondary class, or with any of their subclasses, combination classes, or multiclass archetypes.

Age: The spellsword is an educated class and uses the oldest starting age bracket.

Alignment: Any

Hit dice: d10

Class Skills

Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill points per level: 2 + Int bonus

Class features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Spellswords are proficient with all simple and martial melee weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Spells

A spellsword casts arcane spells drawn from the magus spell list, but only up to the 4th level of spells. A spellsword has no access to magus spells of level 5 or higher, such spells are not considered to be on his spell list for any purpose, precluding him from using spell trigger and spell completion items based on those spells. (See magic theorist below for exceptions to this.) A spellsword must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time. The spellsword only begins with the ability to cast cantrips, but is a spellcaster from level 1 and has a caster level equal to his spellsword level.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the spellsword must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a spellsword's spell is 10 + the spell level + the spellsword's Intelligence modifier.

A spellsword can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Spellsword. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells). When Table: Spellsword indicates that the spellsword gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Intelligence score for that spell level.

A spellsword may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the spellsword decides which spells to prepare.

Spellbooks: A spellsword must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook. At 1st level a spellsword gains a spellbook containing the cantrips he knows. At 4th level the spellsword adds three 1st-level spells of his choice to his spellbook. The spellsword also selects a number of additional 1st-level magus spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook at this time. At each new spellsword level after the fourth, he gains one spell of any spell level that he can cast (based on his new spellsword level) for his spellbook.

At any time, a spellsword can also add spells of level 1 or greater found in other spellbooks to his own. A spellsword can learn spells from a wizard’s spellbook, just as a wizard can from a spellsword’s spellbook. The spells learned must be on the magus spell list. A spellsword cannot learn spells from an alchemist's formula book.

A spellsword can also use others' spellbooks to make magic items based on spells he has not recorded in his own spellbook, see spellbook mastery below.

Cantrips

Spellswords learn to cast cantrips, or 0-level spells. A spellsword does not prepare cantrips and cannot add them to his spellbook like he can add higher-level spells; he knows a limited selection that does not change over time and can use any of the cantrips he knows at any time. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.

Spellswords know a number of cantrips equal to their Intelligence modifier at first level. They learn one new cantrip every level from level 2 to level 5, for a total of 4 bonus cantrips.

Magic Theorist

A spellsword has a deep understanding of the theories of magic. All spells from the magus and sorcerer/wizard spell list are assumed to be on the spellsword's spell list for the purpose of using spell trigger and spell completion items.

Weapon Somatics

The spellsword can use a melee weapon to replace the somatic components of any spellsword spells he casts. This works just like the Still Spell feat, except that the spellsword must be wielding a melee weapon and must be able to use it. He need not have a free hand besides the one holding the weapon. Weapon somatics can be used in a grapple, but only of the spellsword would be able to use his weapon to attack (not if wielding a two-handed weapon) and the normal concentration checks to cast spells without somatic components in grapple still apply.

This ability only works with melee weapons held in one or more hands; it is of no use with ranged weapons, natural weapons, spiked armor, or similar weapons that are not held in the hand.

Scribe Scroll

The spellsword gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat at 2nd level.

Spellbook Mastery

At third level, a spellsword can use a sorcerer/wizard spell from a spellbook he owns as a prerequisite for creating a magic item. This need not be his own spell book or a spell he knows or is capable of casting. As long as the spell in question has been deciphered (using Spellcraft or read magic), the spellsword can use the spellbook to satisfy prerequisites for creating magic items.

Note that this and Scribe Scroll gives the spellsword a sort of ritual magic; by scribing a scroll of a high-level spell, he can make that spell available for a single use.

At 11th level the spellsword can use a spellbook and points from his magic pool to cast sorcerer/wizard spells. Doing this takes one minute (or longer if the spell's casting time is longer) and costs a number of points from the arcane pool equal to the spell's level. The level of the spell can be no higher than half the spellsword's class level. At 17th level the casting time for a spell cast like this becomes one round. A spellsword can cast these spells using weapon somatics.

Bonus Feats

At 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level, a spellsword gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, he can choose a combat feat or an item creation feat. The spellsword must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums. Spellswords can also qualify for feats that are normally restricted only to fighters. Half of any spellsword levels count as fighter levels to qualify for fighter-only feats. This level credit stacks with level credits from other classes that grant access to fighter feats, such as magus or fighter.

Spellstrike (Su)

At 4th level, whenever a spellsword casts a spell with a range of "touch" from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a spellsword can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.

Arcane Pool (Su)

Upon reaching 5th level, the spellsword gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to ½ his spellsword level + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the spellsword prepares his spells.

At 5th level, a spellsword can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack, but the spellsword can have several weapons that benefit from the arcane pool separately at the same time.

These bonuses can also be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, or speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the spellsword uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the spellsword and apply to only one end of a double weapon, but two separate uses of the ability can be used to enhance both ends. The spellsword can end the arcane pool weapon enchantment at any time as a free action.

Lighten Armor (Su)

A 7th level spellsword can expend one point from his arcane pool as a swift action to lighten his armor and load for 10 minutes. This reduces the armor check penalty of the armor/encumbrance by two, increases the maximum dexterity bonus by one, and allows the spellsword to move in medium armor/encumbrance as if it was light armor/encumbrance.

At 13th level, this ability improves to reduce the armor check penalty by four, increase the maximum Dexterity bonus to armor class by two, and allows the spellsword to move in heavy armor/encumbrance as if it was light armor/encumbrance.

Whirlwind Attack

Upon attaining 8th level, the spellsword gains Whirlwind Attack as a bonus feat, ignoring the prerequisites. By expending one point form his arcane pool, the spellsword can make a whirlwind attack as a standard action.

Arcane Quicken

At 14th level, the spellsword can apply Quicken Spell to any spell from the magus spell list at the cost of one point of Arcane Pool per level of the spell. The level of the spell does not change.

Counterstrike (Ex)

At 16th level, whenever an enemy within reach of the spellsword successfully casts a spell defensively, that enemy provokes an attack of opportunity from the magus after the spell is complete. This attack of opportunity cannot disrupt the spell.

Greater Spell Access (Su)

At 19th level, the spellsword gains access to an expanded spell list. He learns and places 8 spells from the wizard’s spell list into his spellbook as spellsword spells of their wizard level. These spells count as spellsword spells for him from now on, and can be used with the arcane weapon somatics ability. He gains two of each of the following wizard spells not on the magus spell list:

1st-level, 2nd-level, 3rd-level, 4th-level.

True Spellsword (Su)

At 20th level, the spellsword becomes a master at combining spells and combat. Whenever he uses his weapon somatics ability, he does not need to make a concentration check to cast the spell defensively.

Table: Spellsword

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						1	2	3	4
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Cantrips, magic theorist, weapon somatics,
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Bonus cantrip, scribe scroll
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Bonus feat, bonus cantrip, spellbook mastery
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Bonus cantrip, spellstrike	0
5 th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Arcane pool +1, bonus cantrip,	1
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Bonus feat	1
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Lighten armor (medium)	1	0
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Whirlwind attack	1	1
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Arcane pool +2, bonus feat	2	1
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Lighten armor (heavy)	2	1	0
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Spellbook mastery (wizard spells)	2	1	1
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Bonus feat	2	2	1
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8	Arcane pool +3	3	2	1	0
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Arcane quicken	3	2	1	1
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Bonus feat	3	2	2	1
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Counterstrike	3	3	2	1
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Arcane pool +4, spellbook mastery (round)	4	3	2	1
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Bonus feat	4	3	2	2
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Greater spell access	4	3	3	2
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	True spellsword	4	4	3	3