Spellfencer (D&D class)

Unofficial rules compendium

I think this prestige class is still a bit overpowered. It might have to lose some spellcasting ability or some class abilities.

The spellfencer is a magical combatant that specializes in careful, methodical spellcasting. There is only a need for spellfencers if combat between spellcasters is a common occurence; as such they proper in high-magic setting where spellcasting is common and spellcasters belligent. Having mastered the techniques of counterspelling, the spellfencer moves on to use this knowledge to trick other spellcasters, using deadly feints and counters to win.

Spellfencers need a wide repertoire of attack spells and spell schools to be successful. Most spellfencers were generalist wizards or sorcerers earlier in their careers, tough all full spellcasters can find utility in the class. Warlocks and mundanes cannot become spellfencers.

Spellfencers are intensely competitive, and enjoy practicing their tricks in competitions, showing of their superiority over regular mages. Most are young and brash and take any offense from another mage as a challenge to a magical duel, tough such duels are usually non-lethal. They look down on mundane fighters, warlocks, and spellslingers as vicious brutes.

Prerequisites

Spellcasting: Able to cast third level spells.

Feats: Improved Counterspell.

Skills: Bluff 5 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks.

Table: The Spellfencer

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Spellcasting	Special
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	+1 Spellcaster level	Deceptive Spell, Spell Feint (standard action)
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	+1 Spellcaster level	Improved Counterspell (same level)
3	+1	+1	+1	+3	+1 Spellcaster level	Cloaked casting (+1 DC)
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	+1 Spellcaster level)	Spell Feint (lose Dex bonus to AC)
5	+2	+1	+1	+4	+1 Spellcaster level	Quickened Counterspell
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	+1 Spellcaster level
7	+3	+2	+2	+5	+1 Spellcaster level	Spell Feint (move action)
8	+4	+2	+2	+6	+1 Spellcaster level	Cloaked casting (+2 DC)
9	+4	+3	+3	+6	+1 Spellcaster level	Penetrating Counterspell
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	+1 Spellcaster level	Spell feint (swift action)

Class Features

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

Hit Die: d4

Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and armor proficiency: The spellfencer gains no proficiency in weapons or armor.

Spellcasting

A spellfencer continues training in magic as well as her new class abilities. Thus, when a new spellfencer level is gained, the character gains new spells per day 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 (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of spellfencer to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became a spellfencer, she must decide to which class she adds each level of spellfencer for purposes of determining spells per day when she adds the new level.

Deceptive Spell (ex)

Spellfencers don’t let their actions and preparations give away which spells they are about to cast. This is a free action, and need not be stated in advance, you generally try to conceal all spells you cast. You can decide not to use this ability if the suuation calls for it.

When an opponent tries to use Spellcraft to identify one of your spells as it is being cast, a Bluff roll is allowed to try to prevent identification. Use the result of this roll as the difficulty of identifying the spell. Note that if you roll poorly it can sometimes make it easier to identify a spell cast this way, but on average it is quite a bit harder (at least as long as continue to you develop your Bluff skill).

Improved Counterspell (su)

Your Improved Counterspell ability improves even further when you become a spellfencer. When counterspelling, you may use a spell of the same school and of the same or higher level than the target spell.

Spell Feint (ex)

A spellfencer can use the Bluff skill to feint a spell cast as a standard action, giving others the impression she is about to cast a spell. You decide upon one spell you know (but don’t need to have prepared) which requires an attack roll or allows a saving throw and which is not harmless. Make a Bluff check opposed by each observer’s Spellcraft check made as if to identify the spell being cast; if the Bluff spell succeeds, the opponent thinks he is about to cast the spell decided on and might choose to counterspell. An opponent lacking spellcraft automatically assumes you are casting a spell, but can’t tell which one.

At 4th level, when you succeed with a spell feint, each target must make a Sense Motive check against the difficulty of your Bluff roll, but in this case the target may add its base attack bonus to the Sense Motive roll along with any other applicable modifiers. On a failure, that target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) for the next attack you make against it.

At 7th level, you can spell feint as a move action.

At 10th level, you can spell feint as a swift action.

Cloaked Casting (ex)

Your spells become more effective when cast against an unwary foe. At 3nd level you gain a +1 bonus to save DC against any foe who would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not). If the spell affects several targets, only some of whom are denied the use of their Dexerity bonus, the save DC bonus only applies to those.

At 8th level, the bonus to save DC increases to +2.

If you have the cloaked casting ability from another class, the benefits stack.

Quickened Counterspell (ex)

At 5th level, you can conterspell as an immediate action.

Penetrating Counterspell (su)

At 9th level, when you counterspell using the same spell the opponent is using (not any version of dispel magic or a different spell that counters the effect of your opponent’s spell), your spell prevails over that of your opponent. The opponent’s spell is negated; your spell has its full normal effect and cannot be conterspelled in turn.

Options

If using the Free Counterspelling rule, the Quickened Counterspell ability allows you to counterspell as a free action.