User:Surgo/Black Mage (3.5e Class)

Black Mage
The Black Mage is someone who, at their core, enjoys watching things go boom. They are the kind of wizards and sorcerers that most players new to the game make -- focused, somewhat unfortunately, on direct damage. The Black Mage is the direct damage specialist that you actually want to play.

Making a Black Mage
The Black Mage has two primary purposes in combat: dish out direct damage, and provide situation-dependent debuffs. As such, the Black Mage makes a great character for a newer player, giving them simple options while at the same time allowing them to greatly enhance the effectiveness of the rest of the party. The Black Mage is a character the party will want to have around in a fight.

Abilities: The Black Mage's most important ability is either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, at the player's option, as that is the ability upon which her saving throws are based.

Races: Black Mages are usually found in small or medium-sized races, as they offer the best benefits to such a character, but a larger Black Mage is not unheard of.

Alignment: Any. The destructive mage out to defend her homeland is as much a fantasy staple as the nincompoop who just enjoys making things blow up.

Starting Gold: 6d6&times;10 gp (210 gp).

Starting Age: As Wizard.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Black Mage.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Black Mages are proficient with all simple weapons, as well as the flail. Black Mages are proficient with light armor, but not with shields of any kind.

This ability score may be either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

 (Su): The Black Mage's basic ability is to throw blasts of energy at her opponents. These blasts deal damage and cause special effects, depending on the energy type. Each energy type also allows for a specific saving throw, depending on which class ability the Black Mage is using. If a saving throw is allowed, the DC is always 10 + 1⁄2 the Black Mage's character level + the Black Mage's Key Ability modifier. If the target of a blast takes no damage from the blast, they do not suffer the special effect. No enemy may be affected by the same special effect more than once per round.

The Black Mage starts out knowing two energy types, and learns a new energy type at each level. At higher levels she can choose energy types from the Better Energy Types, Advanced Energy Types, and Extreme Energy Types lists, but at first she must make do with the basic list.

' (Sp):''' The Black Mage can throw blasts of energy at her opponents as an attack action. The Black Mage can choose which Energy Type her blast uses whenever she uses this ability. These blasts deal 1d8 points of damage per character level and inflict the special effect specified by the energy type.

This ray strikes as ranged touch attack, and has short range. A saving throw is allowed against the special effects of the blast, but such a save does not reduce the damage. This Blast can be used as an attack action, but never more times per round than the number of attacks allocated to the Black Mage by her Base Attack Bonus.

Alternatively, the Black Mage can choose to forego the special effect of her energy type. If she does this, the ray instead deals maximum damage (no rolling required).

Instead of a ray, when the Black Mage uses her Energy Blast power she may choose one of the following areas area of effects: Unless a range is otherwise noted, the blast begins at the Black Mage's fingertips. In addition to nullifying the special effect, a succcessful saving throw also halves the damage dealt. This type of Blast requires a standard action.
 * 120-ft. line
 * 60-ft. cone
 * 20-ft. sphere, at long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)

 (Ex): No more than 1⁄2 of the damage dealt by the Black Mage's Energy Blast can ever be reduced by resistance or immunity.

 (Ex): When the Black Mage uses a blast, she gains immunity to the energy type of that blast until the next time she uses a blast. Abilities like Piercing Blast apply normally.

The alteration consists of creating spaces within the blast's area that are not subject to the blast's effect. The minimum dimension for these spaces is a 5-foot cube. This works identically to the Archmage ability of the same name.



 (Ex): <-class feature game rule information->

' (Sp):''' <-class feature game rule information->

 (Su): <-class feature game rule information->



 <-"(Ex)", "(Su)", "(Sp)", or "(Ps)" if applicable.->: <-subclass feature game rule information->

Epic Black Mage
<-existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-another existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat.->



Epic Black Mage Bonus Feat List: <-list of bonus epic feats->.