Spellsword

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Spellsword is a custom path for Wizard (not specialists) with Arelith specific changes.

Introduction

Arelith Spellswords enjoy many changes that benefit their martial abilities. This path has its own page for its unique mechanics applied on top of Wizard (not specialists). Mechanical changes are included in the #Class Mechanics on this page and explained in the #Arelith Changes section. Base mechanics can be found on NWNWiki. The #Roleplay Tips section provides suggestions for character development.

Class Mechanics

Requirements

Alignment restrictions: none

Path: Spellsword is a path for Wizard (not specialist). It can be obtained after creating your character via selection on the -path menu in the starter area, or by talking to a special Non-player-character (NPC) in-game (IG).

Base Class: Wizard

Spell school: General spell school (no specialization)

Class Features

Hit die: d8*

Proficiencies: armor (light, medium), weapons (martial, simple)

Skill points: 2 + int modifier ((2 + int modifier) * 4 at 1st level)

Class Skills: concentration, craft mastery, craft trap, heal, lore, spellcraft (same as Wizard)

Unavailable feats: weapon specialization

Bonus feats: arcane defense, brew potion, combat casting, craft wand, empower spell, extend spell, greater spell focus, greater spell penetration, maximize spell, quicken spell, silent spell, spell focus, spell penetration, still spell (same as Wizard)

Primary saving throw(s): will

Base attack bonus: +3/4 level

Spellcasting: Arcane (spell failure from armor is a factor), intelligence-based (a base intelligence score of 10 + the spell's level is required to cast a spell, bonus spells are based on modified intelligence, and the intelligence modifier affects spell DCs), and requires preparation. Wizards begin the game knowing all cantrips and four three + intelligence modifier 1st-level spells.

Level Progression

Hit points rolls on Arelith are always maximum.

											Base spells per day
Level	BAB	Fort	Reflex	Will	Feats	HP	Mage Armor	Bonus AB	Weave AC (shield)		0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	summon familiar, scribe scroll, uncanny dodge I, imbue, 5% Arcane Spell Failure reduction	4*	—	—	1		3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3		12	—	—	1		4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3		20	—	+1	1		4	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4		28	—	+1	1		4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	wizard bonus feat	36	—	+1	1		4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5		44	—	+1	2		4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5		52	—	+2	2		4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6		60	x2	+2	2		4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6		68	x2	+2	2		4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	wizard bonus feat	76	x2	+2	2		4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7		84	x2	+3	2		4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8		92	x2	+3	3		4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8		100	x2	+3	3		4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9		108	x2	+3	3		4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	wizard bonus feat	116	x3	+4	3		4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10		124	x3	+4	3		4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10		132	x3	+4	3		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11		140	x3	+4	4		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		148	x3	+5	4		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	wizard bonus feat	156	x3	+5	4		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4

Spells

Wizard spells.

Epic Spellsword

Bonus feats: The epic Spellsword gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 23, 26, and 29.

Epic bonus feats: automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, epic spell focus, epic spell penetration, epic spell: epic mage armor, great intelligence, improved combat casting

Unavailable epic feats: epic weapon specialization, outsider shape, construct shape, dragon shape, undead shape, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust

(Note: you can choose epic spells other than EMA, BUT THEY WILL NOT WORK!!!)

Level	Feats	HP	Bonus AB	Weave AC (shield)
22nd		172	+5	4
23rd	bonus feat	180	+6	4
24th		188	+6	5
25th		196	+6	5
26th	bonus feat	204	+6	5
27th		212	+7	5
28th	+15 Discipline	220	+7	5
29th	bonus feat	228	+7	5
30th		236	+7	6

Arelith Changes

Change	Level	Description
Path	-	Spellsword is a path for Wizard. It can be obtained after creating your character via selection on the -path menu in the starter area, or by talking to a special NPC IG, which is strictly IG information. Specialist Wizards cannot become Spellswords.
Restrictions	-	Spellswords lose access to: One spell school of their choice (not Conjuration) All summoning spells and abilities (the only exception being the wizard familiar) Their summoning restriction is absolute. All spells and abilities means all of them, even abilities that are not strictly summoning, like the druid's animal companion, the shadowdancer's shadow, or Mordenkainen's Sword spell. They are prevented from using these spells even from scrolls and other sources. Domination and charm abilities, however, work normally. All epic spells, including command spells like -scry, except Epic Mage Armour. Other side effects and non-epic commands work as normal.
Hit Die	-	Wizard Hit Die upgraded to d8* (but d4 at level 1 due to scripting limitations).
Bonus AB	-	Wizard AB progression upgraded from 1/2 to 3/4 via AB bonuses and scripting for attacks per round. The change to the BAB progression works as a soft bonus and is subject to the +20 soft bonus limit. The bonus is +1 at level 3 and +1 more every 4 levels (+1 3/7/11/15/19/23/27). This means that Spellswords cannot take feats or class requirements that require a minimum BAB until their wizard BAB (1/2) is high enough. It also means that the character sheet will not show the correct attacks per round. For example, a full spellsword cannot take Improved Critical (requires 8 BAB) until level 18.
Proficiencies	-	Gain Simple and Martial Weapon proficiency and Light and Medium Armor proficiency.
Arcane Spell Failure reduction	-	Gain 5% Arcane Spell Failure reduction to Armor. This is convenient for entirely removing the arcane spell failure chance for Greensteel Chain and Greensteel Breastplate.
Weave AC	-	If not holding anything in offhand (shield, bow, two-hander, etc), a Spellsword can manipulate the weave to gain +1 (Shield) AC per int modifier, capped by wizard level/6+1 to a maximum of 6 at 30. Monks using a single Kama are denied this bonus for balance purposes.
Imbue	-	Gains the ability to Imbue and upgrades to Greater Imbue at level 21. See Spellsword#Imbue for more details.
Mage Armor	-	At level 8, Mage Armor (spell) gives the spellsword x2 as much AC. At 15, it gives x3 as much. Note that multiclass characters need the majority of their levels in spellsword to receive any bonus. For example, a character with 8 spellsword/4 fighter/4 rogue, would not receive any bonus to mage armor, whereas an 8 spellsword/4 fighter/3 rogue would get the initial double bonus. Does not stack with Epic Mage Armor. Casting one will remove the other.
Epic Mage Armor	-	The epic spell, Epic Mage Armor behaves differently in the hands of a spellsword. Instead of granting the usual +5 to all four armor types (Armor, Natural, Deflection, and Dodge), it grants only +4, totaling in a +16 to AC - however, it also grants a bonus to +4 AB while it is active. Note that EMA does not stack with the Mage Armor in any way. Casting one will remove the other.
True Strike	-	For the short duration it is active, the Spellsword's attacks per round goes up by 1 and imbues will proc as many times as they connect in a round; not just once per flurry.
Uncanny dodge	1	Gain Uncanny Dodge I.
Discipline	28	Gain +15 Discipline at level 28.

Imbue

Spellswords have the unique trait of being able to "charge" spells into their weapons with different conditions and different effects.

Weapons can be imbued using damage spells. This will grant the weapon a corresponding energy damage and an additional on-hit effect based on the energy damage of the spell. At level 21, Spellswords gain Greater Imbue: They are able to imbue their weapons with two damage properties at once.

Limitations

• You cannot imbue spells from your barred schools.
• You can only imbue from spells casted by yourself; scrolls, wands and other sources may not be used to imbue.
• The on-hit property of the imbue can only trigger once per hit in a Flurry, or every two seconds. Characters with more than 3 attacks benefit less from Imbue effects (if character has a majority of levels in Spellsword) unless under the effects of True Strike, which does allow all hits in a flurry to activate the Imbue.
• You can only imbue melee weapons.
• You cannot imbue gloves.
• The imbue can stack with nearly any weapon buff. Restrictive weapon buffs (those that require the weapon to be blank) must be cast BEFORE imbuing.
• Permanent weapon essences to not interfere with Imbue, but any shared damage types will only choose the highest damage and disregard the lowest; they do not stack.
• The on-hit issues are known in general.
  • Temporary essences use the same on-hit script as the Imbue and cannot be used with Imbues.
  • The Flame Weapon spell cannot be used with Imbue due to its -stream ability for different elements besides fire is tied into the on-hit system. This incompatibility still applies to the default fire.
  • Arelith's Custom Poisons use the same on-hit script as the Imbue and cannot be used with Imbues. Default poisons can stack.
  • Assassin's assassinate ability does stack.
  • Swashbuckler's Insightful Strike does not stack.

Energy Type	On-hit Effect (Save)		Spell Level	Bonus Damage
Magic	Single Breached Spell and -2/-4/-6 SR for 10 Rounds (Will) Will stack during duration		Tier 1 Levels 0 to 3	1d4 (1 for Magic)
Acid	-2/-3/-4 AB for 10 Rounds (Reflex)
Cold	50% Movement speed reduction for 2/4/6 rounds (Fortitude)		Tier 2 Levels 4 to 6	1d8 (1d4 for Magic)
Electric	Up to 2/3/4 nearby Targets are struck by lightning (Reflex) Damage is Xd4 On failed Reflex save, all saves reduced by 1 for 10 Rounds (Will) Stacks during overlapping duration
Fire	-2/-3/-4 AC for 10 Rounds (Reflex)		Tier 3 Levels 7 to 9	1d12 (1d8 for Magic)
Negative	Deals additional Damage equal to Xd2 (Will) Spellsword heals equal to negative damage dealt
Sonic	Silences for 1 Round (Fortitude)

Xd4 is Wizard level/5 + 1*Imbue Tier.
The save DC is 10+Spellsword level+0/2/4 (Tier 1 imbue increases in 0, Tier 2 increases +2, Tier 3 increases +4)

Examples:

1. A level 20 Spellsword using a stilled Acid Fog (Spell level 7, tier 3), would gain an imbue of 1d12 Acid and an on hit effect of -4 AB, at DC 34 Reflex lasting for 10 rounds.

2. A level 20 Spellsword using a Finger of Death (Spell level 7, tier 3), would gain an imbue of 1d6 Negative and an on hit effect of 7d2 Negative damage, at DC 34 Will and also a heal equivalent to the damage delivered by the 7d2 on hit effect.

Compatible Damage Spells

Note that metamagic can be used to fill the gap and push spells into higher categories for an imbue of greater power.

Level	Magic	Fire	Cold	Acid	Electric	Negative	Sonic
0	-	Flare	Ray of Frost	Acid Splash	Electric Jolt	-	-
1	Magic Missile	Burning Hands	Ice Dagger	-	-	Negative Energy Ray	Horizikaul's Boom
2	Death Armor, Lesser Dispel	Combust, Scorching Ray	-	Melf's Acid Arrow	Gedlee's Electric Loop	-	-
3	Dispel magic	Fireball Fireball (Shades) Flame Arrow	-	Mestil's Acid Breath	Lightning Bolt Scintillating Sphere	Negative Energy Burst Vampiric Touch	Silence Sound Lance
4	Isaac's Lesser Missile Storm Phantasmal Killer Magic Missile (SC)	Wall of Fire Wall of Fire (Shades)	Ice Storm, Wall of Ice	-	-	Enervation	-
5	-	Firebrand	Cone of Cold Cone of Cold (Shades)	Acid Arrow (GSC)	Ball Lightning	-	-
6	Isaac's Greater Missile Storm, Disintegrate, Greater Dispelling	Fireball (Shades), Wall of Fire (Shades)	Freeze, Cone of Cold (Shades)	Acid Fog	Chain Lightning	-	Wounding Whispers
7	-	Delayed Blast Fireball	-	-	-	Finger of Death	Great Thunderclap Power Word: Stun
8	-	Incendiary Cloud	-	-	-	Create Undead Create Greater Undead Horrid Wilting Avascular Mass	-
9	Weird, Mordenkainen's Disjunction	Meteor Swarm	Burst of Glacial Wrath, Iceberg	-	-	Energy Drain Power Word: Kill	Wail of the Banshee

Roleplay Tips

Spellswords, also known as spellblades, are arcane warriors; students of both might and magic that combine their arts to retain the massive array of abilities of the mage and the prowess of a martial fighter. Whilst their art is unique, they do not excel at neither form of their disciplines, often cutting edges to meet ends, not only having to sacrifice one whole school of magic, but for either code, ritual, choice or dogma, they are forced to forego the use of creation and summoning spells.

The following is a view on spellswords that may help you put the class in perspective. It is not the only way to play them or explain their abilities, at all.

Wizardry is often regarded as a highly intellectual study that takes many, many years to even become an initiate in. It is truly a feat and an achievement to become a proper wizard, and advance through the many echelons of magic. Spellswords, under this light, are a rare breed of mage, for not only they manage to keep up and pay the incredible mental toll that is the study of magic, but at the same time they prove capable fighters, apt in the use of either blade or staff as it personally suits them.

This doesn't mean that they favor one side more to the other. No, the true power of the spellsword is not merely setting things on fire and then stabbing them - from their two arts, their true power is born - the power known as imbuing. This unique characteristic allows them to reduce spells to their basic semantics and charge their equipment with different effects.

Their duality and versatility of trade, however, comes at a cost. They often find themselves taking shortcuts and cutting corners to meet ends and keep up with their studies. It is common for them to disregard a whole school of magic, and even more - all of them are completely cut off from summoning and creation magic, either by their choice to remain independent and mark the distinction from the cowardly wizard that hides behind their towering elementals, or simply as another price to pay for their uncanny versatility.

The greatest and most powerful spellswords realize, once the mysteries of the higher magic unfold to them, that they may have cut too many corners on their journey to manage a true grasp on nearly all epic magic. The best they can hope to achieve is dominion of Epic Mage Armor, as it is one of the few spells that they learn to wear like a second skin. But where their grasp in magic is lacking, there is still the potential to become a true force to be reckoned, bearing enchanted blades and enough spells to worry both the dedicated mage and the martial master. After all, they know exactly what both worlds can offer - the spellsword carries them in each hand.

External Links

Neverwinter Nights wikia wizard article.