(For Castles and Crusades)
While the pursuit of magic is an intellectual activity, the use of magic is often a very practical application; the War Wizard is one such application, mixing force of arms with mystical might. Compared to a traditional wizard, a War Wizard is often poorly educated, enacting spells by rote, but with training in the use of weapons and armor, and physical conditioning to remain on the front lines of combat. In a way, their lack of understanding of magic is a boon; they learn some spells from both wizard and illusionist spell lists, in their own unique combination.
War Wizards are common among the elves and gnomes, and more common among dwarves than traditional wizards. Halflings lack the interest in martial combat, and half-orcs in rigorous study. With half-elves, it is often those elven-raised who gravitate towards War Wizardry… not only is it common in elven culture, but their comparatively diminished patience and tendency towards increased aggression makes the more immediate and visceral applications of War Wizardry appealing.
Abilities
SPELLS: A war wizard casts arcane spells. War wizards can only cast a limited number of spells, from each spell level, per day. The War Wizard Spells Per Day Table lists the number of spells per day a war wizard may cast of each spell level. War Wizards are poor spellcasters; from levels two to five, they subtract 1 from their level for the purposes of determining the effects of spells (saving throws, duration, damage, etc.). Between levels six and nine, they subtract 2, and they subtract 3 at levels 10 and higher.
A war wizard must prepare spells before casting them by studying from a spell book. While studying, the wizard decides which spells to prepare. Spell memorization and spell descriptions are covered in detail in the Magic chapter (Pg 68). War Wizards do not gain new spells automatically upon levelling up, and attempts to learn new spells are done with a bonus of their Caster Level, not their class level.
BONUS SPELLS: With a high intelligence score, a war wizard gains bonus spells. If the character has an intelligence of between 13-15, they can memorize an extra 1st level spell, when those spells become available. If the intelligence score is 16 or 17, the wizard can memorize an extra 2nd level spell, and if 18 or 19, the war wizard can memorize an extra 3rd level spell. Bonus spells can only be acquired if the war wizard is at a high enough level to cast them; where the spell table reads 0, the war wizard may cast spells of that level if they somehow have a bonus spell of that level. Bonus spells are cumulative.
WAR WIZARD SPELLBOOKS: War Wizards begin play with a book containing 4 Cantrips from either the Wizard or Illusionist lists. A War Wizard is capable of learning any spell available to Wizards or Illusionists (up to 6th level), but should the spell be available at two different levels to the classes, the War Wizard will always use the less favorable. For example, Continual Flame is a 3rd level spell for War Wizards, as it is 3rd level for Illusionists, even though it is a 2nd level spell for Wizards.
CONCENTRATION: War Wizards are used to casting spells in the heat of battle. If the Castle Keeper determines that a Concentration check is possible, the War Wizard makes a Strength check, and may add their level to the check.
WEAPON OF CHOICE: War Wizards train extensively with weapons, and are able to use any weapon that comes to hand, but their training tends to concentrate on a single weapon above all others. With a single type of weapon, the War Wizard receives a +1 to hit, on top of any other applicable bonuses. A War Wizard may change what sort of weapon this bonus applies to at levels 6, 10, 14, 18, and every 4 levels thereafter, but it does not increase.
PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Strength
HIT DICE: d8
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Any one-handed weapon, plus staff
ARMOR: Breastplates, chain shirt, cuir bouille, greek ensemble, hide, laminar leather, leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather
ABILITIES: Spellcasting, Concentration, Weapon of Choice
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