D&D 3.5 - Complete Mage [OEF]

CHAPTER 3
PRESTIGE
CLASSES
50
War Weaver (Heroes of Battle): This arcane spellcaster
links her allies together in an eldritch tapestry, allowing
her spells to affect extra targets or to have a greater range
than normal.
ABJURANT CHAMPION
“The true warrior disdains no weapon, no tool, that might win h
im the day on the field of battle. And what is magic but another
weapon hanging at your side, ready to be drawn and wielded when
the need arises?”
—Caspian LaMont,
Guard-Captain of the Knights Ascendant
While the eldritch knight (DMG 187) strives to balance his
mystical and martial prowess, and the spellsword (Complete
Warrior) uses weapons to channel his spells, the abjurant
champion focuses his arcane abilities both to augment his
personal defense and to hinder enemy spellcasters. Perfectly
suited for martial stalwarts who dabble in magic, this class
offers characters the ability to improve their combat skills
in ways neither soldiers nor spellcasters can.
BECOMING AN
ABJURANT CHAMPION
Fighter/wizard and paladin/sorcerer are both common paths
taken to become an abjurant champion, but given the requirements,
any martial-oriented character can qualify by taking
a single level of an arcane spellcasting class, from bard to wu
jen. Single-classed hexblades (Complete Warrior) or duskblades
(Player's Handbook II) can qualify but usually lack the abjuration
spells that make this combination function best.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Feat: Combat Casting.
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 1st-level arcane spells,
including at least one abjuration spell.
Special: Must be proficient with at least one martial weapon.
CLASS FEATURES
As an abjurant champion, your abilities are focused on melding
arcane defenses and martial offense into a deadly alloy, a
fierce combination of techniques that allow you to overpower
or outlast your foes. You are also skilled in utilizing your
abilities separately, casting spells or wielding weapons as
other classes do.
Spellcasting: At each level, you gain new spells per day
and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable)
as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class
to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level.
You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that
class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane
spellcasting class before becoming an abjurant champion, you
must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of
determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.
Abjurant Armor (Su): Any time you cast an abjuration
spell that grants you an armor bonus or shield bonus to AC,
you can increase the value of the bonus by your abjurant
champion class level. Abjurant champions rely on mage armor,
shield, and similar spells instead of actual armor.
Extended Abjuration (Su): You depend on your abjuration
spells to protect you in combat. Double the duration of
abjuration spells you cast, as if you had applied the Extend
Spell feat to them (but without any change in level or casting
time).
Swift Abjuration (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, you can
cast abjuration spells as a swift action, as if you had applied
the Quicken Spell feat to them (but without any change in
level). The maximum level of spell you can quicken in this
way is equal to 1/2 your class level (rounded up).
Arcane Boost (Su): Beginning at 4th level, you gain the
ability to burn arcane energy to empower your martial abilities.
As a swift action, you can spend one of your uncast spells
or spell slots to grant yourself one of the following insight
bonuses for 1 round.
• Bonus on attack rolls equal to the spell's level.
• Bonus on weapon damage rolls equal to twice the spell's
level.
• Bonus to AC equal to the spell's level.
• Bonus on saving throws equal to the spell's level.
• Resistance to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic equal to
5 × the spell's level.
Martial Arcanist (Ex): At 5th level, you master the art
of combining your militant and mystical training. From
this point on, your caster level in a chosen arcane spellcasting
class is equal to your base attack bonus (unless it would
otherwise be higher). For example, a 7th-level fighter/1st-level
wizard/5th-level abjurant champion has a base attack bonus of
+12 (and thus a caster level of 12th). You can apply this benefit
to only one arcane class to which you have added spellcasting
levels by your advancement as an abjurant champion.
PLAYING AN ABJURANT CHAMPION
You are a student of warfare and combat in all its forms. You
seek to master the skills of the warrior but also to understand
arcane magic, attempting to create a perfect fusion of the two
seemingly disparate arts. You are pragmatic and practical,
determined to achieve victory. This doesn't necessarily mean
that you fight without honor, merely that you are willing to
make use of every tool at your disposal. You respect those
who master either martial or mystical disciplines, but believe
that they are shortsighted in their failure to understand that
the two are complementary, not opposed.
If you are still a member of the order that trained you, you
can count on regular opportunities for combat, adventure,
and potentially lucrative assignments. On the other hand,
you'll be giving up some degree of personal freedom, since
you are expected to answer when the organization calls.
Combat
You are a straightforward combatant in battle. Although you
might well be capable of casting offensive spells and should
certainly do so when the situation calls for it, you are best