Arcane Templar (Magus/Paladin)

Some agents of the gods are followers of esoteric sects venerating deities of magic. They use both arcane comprehension and mystic gifts in conjunction with their frightening battle prowess to further their god’s ends, whether it is for the cause of light and goodness, or in the darkness of secret wars of the underworld. Enforcer and spy, public defender and dirty worker, the arcane templar is a strange hybrid of faithful yet independent thinker. Able to think on his feet, he casts arcane spells as well as channel divine energy, goes wherever he is needed, and performs whatever task is required, no matter the cost. (Original Concept by Bardess)

Primary Class: Magus.

Secondary Class: Paladin.

Alignment: Any good.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The arcane templar may select three paladin skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal magus class skills. The arcane templar gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The arcane templar is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor, but not with shields. He can cast arcane spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane templar wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass arcane templar still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spellcasting: The arcane templar casts arcane spells drawn the arcane templar spell list, but otherwise learns, prepares and casts spells as a magus equal to his arcane templar level. He also receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

Aura of Good (Ex): At 1st level, an arcane templar gains the paladin’s aura of good ability.

Divine Spirit (Su): At 1st level, the arcane templar’s magic studies and unswerving faith attract the attention of an agent of his deity, a being of pure magic called an archanangel. Communion with this guardian spirit, which he alone can sense and communicate with, grants the arcane templar a reservoir of divine power, which slowly meshes with his arcane powers as he advances in level. The powers granted by the spirit are divine in nature, and effects that can cut a paladin off from using his lay on hands, channel energy, or divine spellcasting function against the powers of the divine spirit as well. However, this energy pool counts as an arcane pool for all prerequisites, feats, and abilities.

The divine spirit reservoir has a number of points equal to 1/2 the arcane templar’s level (minimum 1) + his Charisma modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the arcane templar prepares his spells.

At 1st level, the arcane templar can expend 1 point from the divine spirit pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. A weapon charged in this way glows like a torch. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: brilliant energy, dancing, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, frost, holy, icy burst, speed.

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the divine spirit pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the arcane templar uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the templar, and apply to only one end of a double weapon. 

An arcane templar can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends. This ability replaces arcane pool.

Templar Arcana: This is exactly like the magus arcane ability, except that the arcane templar may also select from the following new arcana. These temple arcana may be selected by the arcane templar only.

Arcane Commune (Sp): The archanangel uses the arcane templar's familiar as a conduit to interact more directly with its mortal charge, giving him wise advice. Once per week, the templar may use this link to cast commune as a spell-like ability, at a caster level equal to his arcane templar level. The archanangel speaks to his charge via his familiar or via telepathic contact. To choose this arcana, the arcane templar must be at least 9th level and have the familiar arcana.

Arcane Mercy (Su): The arcane templar chooses one paladin mercy that he can add to his channel positive energy power. This mercy follows all the rules of a paladin mercy, and the arcane templar is considered a paladin of his arcane templar level for all its effects. He can’t choose a mercy that a paladin of his level could not use. The arcane templar must be at least 6th level to choose this arcana.

Arcane Spirit (Ex): The arcane templar’s divine spirit is more powerfully bound to the forces of arcane magic. The arcane templar adds half his Intelligence modifier (round down) to his divine spirit pool. This arcana can be selected up to two times.

Graceful Spirit (Ex): By spending one point from the divine spirit pool as an immediate action the arcane templar gains an untyped bonus to all saving throws equal to his charisma modifier for a number of rounds equal to his intelligence modifier. This bonus cannot stack with itself.

Merciful Gaze (Su): The arcane templar can channel energy through his gaze. The arcane templar’ eyes become pure white-gold and he can use his channel energy power on a single target within 30 feet of him. The amount of damage healed or caused is ½ the touch attack’s effect. An arcane templar must be at least 6th level to select this arcana.

Merciful Hand (Su): At 4th level, the arcane templar can expend 2 points of his divine spirit pool to channel positive energy with his touch. This functions like a paladin’s ability, except it can be used on a single touched creature. Touching a creature against its will requires an unarmed attack. Using this ability is a standard action unless the arcane templar targets himself, in which case it is a swift action. Feats and effects that modify the channel energy ability (like Channeling Smite or Turn Undead) affect this power too, except they specifically require an area of effect. This power doesn't work in conjunction with spell combat or spellstrike. This ability replaces spell recall.

Aura of Courage (Su): At 5th level, an arcane templar gains the paladin’s aura of courage. This ability replaces bonus feat at 5th level.

Aura of Resolve (Su): At 10th level, an arcane templar gains the paladin’s aura of resolve. This ability replaces fighter training.

Merciful Burst (Su): At 11th level, the arcane templar can expend 3 points from his divine spirit pool and use his channeling power to release a burst of energy, similar to a cleric channeling effect. Channeling energy in this way heals or inflicts ½ the damage of the merciful hand attack. This ability replaces bonus feat at 11th level.

Improved Merciful Hand (Su): At 13th level, the connection between the Arcane Templar and the archanangel grows so strong that channeling energy with touch costs only 1 point from the divine spirit pool, while the merciful burst power costs 2 points. Further, the Arcane Templar can use his merciful hand power in conjunction with the spell combat and spellstrike abilities (these still won't work with Merciful Burst). This ability replaces improved spell recall.

Insightful Prayer (Su): At 16th level, the archanangel suggests to the arcane templar a few divine incantations that he can use together with his arcane spells. When the templar prepares his magus spells, he can decide to expend 2 or more points from his divine spirit pool up to his Charisma modifier. For each 2 points he expends, he may treat any one spell from the paladin spell list as if it were a magus spell in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day. If he does not cast spells prepared in this way before the next time he prepares spells, he loses those spells. This ability replaces counterstrike.

Aura of Dispelling (Su): At 17th level, the arcane templar gains resistance to enemy spells and can grant the same resistance to his friends too. The arcane templar can expend 2 points of his divine spirit pool to grant all his allies within 10’ an holy protection from magic for 1 minute. When a creature with this bonus makes a successful attack against an enemy who’s casting a spell or is under a spell effect, that opponent is subject to a targeted dispel magic attempt as if cast by the arcane templar. If an ally leaves the aura’s range, he can’t benefit of the protection until he re-enters it. This ability replaces bonus feat at 17th level.

Faith Binding (Ex): At 19th level, anytime the arcane templar casts a spell with a duration of at least 1 round per level, he may spend a point from his divine spirit pool to increase the duration by a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom modifier. This ability replaces greater spell access.

Templar Champion (Su): At 20th level, the arcane templar becomes a true receptacle of divine wrath and arcane power. Whenever he uses his spell combat ability, he does not need to make a concentration check to cast the spell defensively. Whenever the magus uses his merciful hand ability in conjunction with spell combat and the target of merciful hand is the same creature as his melee attacks, as long as the enemy's evil, he can choose to either increase the DC to resist the positive energy by +2, inflict 150% of the normal positive energy damage, or grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on all attack rolls made against the target during his turn. This ability replaces true magus.

Arcane Templar Spell List

The arcane templar uses the following spell list to learn and cast his spells.

1st–Level Arcane Templar Spells: bless weapon, burning hands, floating disk, frostbite‡, grease, know the enemy, lock gaze†, magic weapon, mirror strike†, protection from chaos/evil/law, returning weapon†, sanctify corpse, shocking grasp, sleep.

2nd–Level Arcane Templar Spells: bear's endurance, bull's strength, cure light wounds, daylight, defensive shock, effortless armor†, frigid touch‡, holy shield‡, lesser restoration, levitate, litany of defense†, litany of entanglement†, shatter, sound burst, spiritual weapon, vestment of the champion‡, word of resolve‡.

3rd–Level Arcane Templar Spells: bestow curse, deep slumber, dispel magic, force hook charge‡, lightning bolt, litany of righteousness†, litany of warding†, locate weakness†, magic circle against chaos/evil/law, prayer, scorching ray, water breathing.

4th–Level Arcane Templar Spells: archon's aura‡, beast shape II, black tentacles, cure moderate wounds, haste, ice storm, king's castle*, litany of sight†, remove curse, stoneskin, wall of fire, wall of ice, wall of sound‡.

5th–Level Arcane Templar Spells: cure serious wounds, dispel evil, flame strike, litany of thunder†, litany of vengeance†, mark of justice, mass cure light wounds, restoration, stoneskin, telekinesis.

6th–Level Arcane Templar Spells: beast shape III, cone of cold, greater dispel magic, holy sword, mass bear's endurance, mass cure moderate wounds, overland flight, stone to flesh, wall of force, word of recall.

(*Advanced Player’s Guide, ‡Ultimate Magic, †Ultimate Combat)

Table: Arcane Templar