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Arcane Warrior class notes

There are a couple of interesting spellcasting classes in the Tome of the Magic of Mystara: Volume 1 – Arcane Magic.1 One of them — Arcane Warrior (p.274) was requested by one of my players for a Fighter character, as an alignment-independent progression alternative alongside Paladins and Avengers. The class is sufficiently usable as-is, but some minor inconsistencies need to be addressed:


📝 NOTE: Below is an "abridged" version of the class. See the Tome of the Magic of Mystara: Volume 1 – Arcane Magic,1 pp.274-275 for the full description and additional roleplaying details.


Arcane Warrior Class


📝 NOTE: This character class is designed to be used with BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia2 or its free clone Dark Dungeons3, but could be quite easily ported to any other edition of your choice.


Class Ability Requirements: At least 9th-level Fighter.

Can Be Enhanced Can Be Sacrificed Min. Required Experience Bonus
Strength Wisdom Strength 10 Str 13+ or Int 16+ = +5%
Intelligence Intelligence 13 Str13+ and Int 16+ = +10%

Experience Progression: As a Fighter.

Hit Points: +1 hp/level after 9th level.

Attack Rolls: As a Fighter.

Saving Throws: As a Fighter.

General Skills: As a Fighter.

Compulsory Skills: Fighting Instinct (bonus), Arcane Magic, and any Strength skill.

Weapon Mastery: As a Fighter.

Special Abilities: Multiple attacks (but not Fighter’s combat options), Magic-User spells, Magic-User-only items.

Magic Items: The arcane warrior can use arcane scrolls with a Read Magic spell. However, there is always a fixed 10% chance that the reading fails, creating an unexpected result, as the character has an imperfect understanding of the nature of magic. The arcane warrior can use all the magic items reserved for arcane spellcasters. However, as with scrolls, there is always a fixed 10% chance that the magic item doesn't work or malfunctions (DM's choice).

Casting Spells: As a first-level Magic-User from the start of apprenticeship, earning a new Magic-User level for every two Fighter levels (rounded down), but only to determine the spellcasting ability. The maximum spell level is equal to the arcane warrior's Intelligence score minus 10. The study time needed to gain the ability to cast spells is equal to 2 weeks for each of the character's current levels.

Learning Spells: To cast and memorize spells, the arcane warrior must have his own spellbook. The warrior learns the spells from his mentor according to their pact, and can only learn the spells his mentor teaches him. In general, the character should present to his mentor a gift of the value of 1,000 gp per spell level of the spell learned, either in coin or in kind. The time needed to learn the spell is 1 week plus 1 day per spell level of the spell: at the end of the period, the usual learning check is made, and the spell can be written in the arcane warrior's spellbook.


Skills

Fighting Instinct (Dex)

The reaction of impulsively attacking first in order to gain the advantage in combat. Successful use gives a +1 to Initiative in the first round of a combat.4

Arcane Magic (Int)

(Translated from Manuale delle AbilitĂ  Generali,5 p.33.)

Restrictions: Int 12, 12 months of study, proficiency in one tradition or school of arcane magic, but you can choose the skill multiple times to expand your scope to other traditions. See the Tome of the Magic of Mystara: Volume 1 – Arcane Magic1 for rules on magical traditions, binding familiars, and researching spells.

Knowledge of the spells characteristic of a particular magical tradition or school of arcane magic. A successful check allows you to recognize the power (level) and school of a spell heard (if the caster is of the same tradition, the effect can also be recognized) or read on a magical scroll. A critical success allows you to understand the specific spell in any case, while a critical failure indicates a colossal blunder. A skill check also allows spellcasters to research magical formulas and create spells of a level equal to or lower than their ranks. The test takes a penalty of 3 points plus the level of the spell if it belongs to your tradition, or 6 points plus the level if the spell is unknown, but the character has an additional bonus equal to 1/5 of the caster level. The skill also grants general knowledge of arcane guilds and cabals, as well as places with magical properties in the region. Obtaining or recalling information requires a skill check with a modifier that varies based on the difficulty of the knowledge:

Médard Malan
The first character of the Arcane Warrior class — Médard Malan

Médard had always wanted to study magic, but he never had such an opportunity, interspersed only with occasional folios and public lectures. Instead, he served several Glantrian wizards as a professional companion and bodyguard. That all changed when he met a pale sorceress from the south and became her apprentice.

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  1. https://pandius.com/arcane_magic.pdf

  2. https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17171/DD-Rules-Cyclopedia-Basic?affiliate_id=850783

  3. https://archive.org/details/darkdungeons_202002/mode/2up

  4. https://www.dmsguild.com/product/16979/GAZ7-The-Northern-Reaches-Basic?affiliate_id=850783

  5. https://pandius.com/AbilGen8.8.pdf

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