Eldritch Blade (Magus/Fighter)

Eldritch blades have learned to combine the power of arcane casting with the might of martial training. They use their weapons and the rhythm of their combat style to focus their magical energies and cast their spells. An eldritch blade has no need for spellbooks, and therefore cannot read magic or scrolls. Unlike other casters, their weapons are required to cast their magic, and cannot do so without them. (Original Concept by Night_Shade)

Primary: Magus.

Secondary: Fighter.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The eldritch blade selects three fighter skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal magus class skills. The eldritch blade gains a number of ranks at each level equal to +2 Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The eldritch blade is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor. An eldritch blade can cast magus spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an eldritch blade 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 eldritch blade still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spellcasting: An eldritch blade may know any number of spells, but he must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour practicing combat tactics with his bonded weapon. While practicing, the eldritch blade decides which spells to prepare. An eldritch blade otherwise learns, prepares, and casts spells as a magus of his eldritch blade level. An eldritch blade gains bonus spells if he has a high Intelligence score.

Arcane Pool (Su): This is exactly like the magus ability of the same name, except that the eldritch blade can use this ability to enhance his arcane weapon. Additionally, an eldritch blade of 1st level can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any armor he is wearing a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the armor gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the armor, stacking with existing armor 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 armor properties: balanced, ghost touch, heavy fortification, invulnerability, light fortification, moderate fortification, spell resistance (13, 15, 17, or 19).

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost. In addition, the bonuses can be consumed at the listed amount to add any of the following armor properties: energy resistance for +3 bonus or improved energy resistance for +5 bonus. These bonuses are added to any properties the armor already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the armor 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 arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the armor is worn by anyone other than the eldritch blade. An eldritch blade can only enhance one weapon and one suit of armor in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends. This ability changes arcane pool.

Arcane Weapon (Su): At 1st level, eldritch blades form a powerful bond with a weapon. An eldritch blade begins play with one weapon of his choice at no cost. This must be a weapon that he is proficient in. This weapon is not made of any special material, but is of masterwork quality. If an eldritch blade attempts to cast a spell without his bonded weapon in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell's level.

An eldritch blade can add additional magic abilities to his bonded weapon as if he has the required Item Creation Feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a magus with a bonded longsword must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the sword (see Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat). The magic properties of a bonded weapon, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the eldritch blade who owns it. If a bonded weapon's owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.

If a bonded weapon is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the eldritch blade prepares his spells. If the bonded weapon is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per eldritch blade level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Weapons replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. An eldritch blade can designate an existing magic weapon as his bonded weapon. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic weapon retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item.

An eldritch blade does not record his spells in a spellbook. Instead, he stores his spells in his bonded weapon. The eldritch blade must practice special combat tactics with his bonded weapon each day to prepare his spells. Bonded weapons store all of the spells that an eldritch blade knows, and an eldritch blade cannot prepare a spell that is not stored by his weapon. An eldritch blade’s weapon begins play storing all of the 0-level magus spells plus three 1st level spells of the eldritch blade’s choice. The eldritch blade also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to store in his weapon. At each new eldritch blade level, he adds two new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new eldritch blade level) to his weapon. An eldritch blade can also add additional spells to his weapon through a special ritual. This ritual requires the same time and cost as adding a spell to a spellbook.

An eldritch blade cannot take the familiar magus arcana, and cannot have a familiar of any kind, even from another class. This ability replaces the magus spellbook.

Bonus Feats: This is exactly like the magus ability of the same name, except that the eldritch blade gains a bonus feat at 5th level and every three levels thereafter. The additional bonus feats replace knowledge pool, fighter training, and heavy armor.

Armor Training (Ex): At 4th level, an eldritch blade gains the fighter’s armor training ability, except that he is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every six levels thereafter (10th and 16th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum –3 reduction of the armor check penalty and a +3 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed. In addition, an eldritch blade can also move at his normal speed while wearing light armor. This ability replaces spell recall, improved spell recall, and counterstrike.

Weapon Training (Ex): At 7th level, an eldritch blade gains the fighter’s weapon training ability, except that the eldritch blade can select one group of weapons, and whenever he attacks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls. Every six levels thereafter (13th and 19th), an eldritch blade becomes further trained in another group of weapons. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls when using a weapon from this group. This ability replaces improved spell combat, greater spell combat, and greater spell access.

Arcane Weapon Mastery (Su): At 20th level, the eldritch blade becomes a master of spells and combat. Whenever he uses his spell combat ability, he does not need to make a concentration check to cast the spell defensively. In addition, as a swift action, whenever the eldritch blade hits a target with his bonded weapon, he may expend a spell slot to deal additional damage to the target. The additional damage is equal to one die per level of the spell expended. Each extra damage die is equal to the damage die of the weapon. For example, if an eldritch blade is wielding a longsword, the extra damage dice are d8s. He also gains a shield bonus to AC equal to the level of the spell expended and lasts for 2 rounds. This ability replaces true magus.

Table: Eldritch Blade