Red Mage

Everyone wants to do something. Some people want to heal and help others, whether by magical or non-magical means. Some wish to become great warriors, forging their names in battle and increasing their martial prowess. Some wish to become better magicians, learning new spells or having better control over powers they already have. Others wish to become more skillful, learning new skills and becoming better at the skills they already have. But there are a rare few who wish to do everything at once. These skilled individuals are known as red mages. Red magic is an ancient arcane tradition that blends offensive spells, curative magic, and melee combat. While red mages do not belong to an organization, they tend to wear distinctive garb and share mannerisms and signals, allowing them to recognize each other and work together on short notice.

Role: Red mages spend much of their time traveling the world, learning whatever martial or arcane secrets they can find. They might spend months learning a new sword-fighting style from a master warrior, while simultaneously moonlighting in the local library, poring through tomes of ancient lore. Most who take this path dabble in all sorts of lore, picking up anything that might aid them in their search for perfection.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d8

Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gil (average 140 gil.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gil or less.

Class Skills
The red mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points Per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Main Ability Scores:
The red mage mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and CHA for their class features and spellcasting, though they also use INT and WIS for class features, as well as DEX for optional class features.

Table: Red Mage

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	MP	Spell Level
Type	3/4	Good	Bad	Good	—	—	—
1st	+0	+2	+0	+2	Red Magery, Armored Mage (Light), Spell Combat, Spell Proficiency, Cantrips, Limit Breaks	2	1st
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+3	Arcane Pool, Ruby Talents, Spellstrike	3	1st
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	Ruby Arcana, Ruby Knowledge	4	1st
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Ruby Talents, Quick Cast (1/day), Spell Power +2	5	2nd
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Clear Mind I, Red Magery, Convert (1/day)	6	2nd
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	Ruby Talents, Ruby Arcana	8	2nd
7th	+5	+5	+2	+5	Armored Mage (Medium), Improved Spell Combat	10	3rd
8th	+6/+1	+6	+2	+6	Ruby Talents, Quick Cast (2/day)	13	3rd
9th	+6/+1	+6	+3	+6	Red Magery, Ruby Arcana, Convert (2/day), Spell Power +3	16	3rd
10th	+7/+2	+7	+3	+7	Ruby Talents, Clear Mind II, Armored Mage (Shield)	20	4th
11th	+8/+3	+7	+3	+7	Jack-of-All-Trades, Fighter Training	24	4th
12th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+8	Ruby Talents, Quick Cast (3/day), Ruby Arcana	29	4th
13th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+8	Red Magery, Convert (3/day)	34	5th
14th	+10/+5	+9	+4	+9	Ruby Talents, Greater Spell Combat, Spell Power +4	39	5th
15th	+11/+6/+1	+9	+5	+9	Clear Mind III, Doublecast (1/day), Ruby Arcana	45	5th
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Ruby Talents, Counterstrike, Quick Cast (4/day)	51	6th
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Red Magery, Convert (4/day)	57	6th
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Ruby Talents, Ruby Arcana	64	6th
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	1 MP Spell (3/day), Spell Power +5	71	6th
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Ruby Talents, Clear Mind IV, Red Wizard, Doublecast (2/day)	79	6th

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the red mage.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Red Mages are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, including power rod, power staff, power flail, and power pole. They are also proficient with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Limit Breaks (Su)

At 1st level, the red mage receives the Limit Breaks (Dual Spells and Flexibility).

Dual Spellcasting (Su): This Limit Break allows the red mage to cast 1 healing spell and 1 damaging spell with the same standard action for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four red mage levels after 1st. MP must be paid for both spells, and both spells must have a cast time of 1 standard action. This limit break requires only a swift action.

Flexibility (Su): This Limit Break allows the red mage to change his current HP total and current MP total on the fly. Once per round as a free action, for a duration of 1 round + 1 round per four red mage levels after 1st, the red mage can swap any number of points from HP to MP or from MP to HP on a 3 to 1 basis (3 HP to 1 MP). The red mage cannot swap below 1 hit point. This limit break requires only a swift action.

Spells

A red mage casts red magic spells which are drawn from the red mage spell list. A red mage begins play with 3 1st level red mage spells of his choice. The red mage also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to his Charisma modifier to add to his list of spells. Each time a character attains a new red mage level, he gains two spells of his choice to add to his list of spells. The two free spells must be of spell levels he can cast. Like most mages, a red mage can find or purchase scrolls with spells to add to his repertoire.

To learn or cast a red mage spell, the red mage must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 11 for 1st-level spells, Cha 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a red mage’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the red mage’s Charisma modifier. In addition, a red mage gains additional MP for having a high attribute (Charisma—see Table: Bonus MP per Day (by Spell Level) on the MP System page).

Red Magery (Ex)

At 1st level and every four red mage levels thereafter, a red mage increases his power with his spells. At each such opportunity, he can choose from the list of the following (with a maximum of 2 per):

• Extra Quick Casts: This grants the red mage an additional use of Quick Cast per day. (Cannot be obtained until 5th level.)
• Quick Mind: This grants the red mage an additional swift or immediate action per round that can be used with red mage class features or spells. This does not increase the normal limit of one swift cast spell per round.
• Ruby Knowledge Mastery: This increases the Intelligence/Wisdom score for Ruby Knowledge as if it were two points higher. (Cannot be obtained until 5th level.)
• Spell Combat Expertise: This lowers the attack penalty of spell combat by 1.

Spell Proficiency (Ex)

Red mages are considered to have the Precise Shot feat while casting spells, using class features that require ranged touch or using any magical items that require ranged touch.

Cantrips

Red mages learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume MP and may be used again. Red mages begin with 2 0-level spells and gain an additional 0-level spell every four levels after 1st level.

Armored Mage (Ex)

At 1st level, normally, armor of any kind interferes with a spell-caster’s gestures, which can cause spells to fail if those spells have a somatic component. A red mage’s limited focus and specialized training, however, allows him to avoid spell failure so long as he sticks to light armor and light shields. This training does not extend to medium armor or to heavy shields. This ability does not apply to spells gained from a different spell-casting class. At 7th level, a red mage learns to use medium armor with no chance of spell failure. At 10th level, a red mage learns to use heavy shields with no chance of spell failure.

Spell Combat (Ex)

Also at 1st level, a red mage learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the red mage must have one hand free, while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from his red mage spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Charisma bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his Concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A red mage can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks. This ability applies only to spells that he casts as a red mage, not to those he might have by virtue of levels in another class.

Arcane Pool (Su)

At 2nd level, the red mage gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to half his red mage level (minimum 1) + his Charisma modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the red mage rests for a full 8 hours.

At 2nd level, a red mage can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 2nd the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 18th 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 6th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, earthen, earthen burst, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, jetstream, jetstream burst, keen, roaring, roaring burst, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.

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 arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the red mage uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the red mage.

A red mage can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.

Ruby Talents (Ex/Su)

At 2nd level and every two red mage levels thereafter, a red mage gains a talent to help with his class features.

• A complete list of ruby talents can be found here: Ruby Talents

Spellstrike (Su)

At 2nd level, whenever a red mage casts a touch (melee or ranged) spell from the red mage spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a red mage can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the red mage makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.

Ruby Arcana

As he gains levels, a red mage learns arcane secrets tailored to his specific way of blending martial puissance and magical skill. Starting at 3rd level, a red mage gains one ruby arcana. He gains an additional ruby arcana for every three levels of red mage attained after 3rd level. Unless specifically noted in a ruby arcana’s description, a red mage cannot select a particular ruby arcana more than once. Ruby arcana that affect spells can only be used to modify spells from the red mage spell list unless otherwise noted.

• A complete list of ruby arcana can be found here: Ruby Arcana

Ruby Knowledge (Ex)

Also at 3rd level, the red mage becomes more specialized in dealing and healing damage with his spells. Whenever a red mage casts any 1st level spell or higher that deals a variable amount of damage (rather than a flat increase to damage), he adds his Intelligence bonus (if any) (to a maximum of his red mage level) to the amount of damage dealt. Whenever a red mage casts any 1st level spell or higher that heals a variable amount of hit point damage (rather than a flat amount of healing), he adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) (to a maximum of his red mage level) to the damage healed. Any spell that would normally add the red mage’s casting modifier still gains the bonus (Fire would be 1d6+CL+CHA+INT).

A spell that can create more than one instance of damage/healing in its casting gains this extra damage/healing to the first one of those instances. (For example, Fiery Shuriken creates 2 or more shuriken upon casting, the first shuriken gets the extra damage of those created from the casting. The -ra line of spells get the extra damage/healing from Ruby Knowledge). If a spell deals or heals damage for more than 1 round, it does not gain the benefit of the ruby knowledge ability.

The bonus from this ability applies only to spells that he casts as a red mage, not to those he might have by virtue of levels in another class.

Quick Cast (Ex)

Beginning at 4th level, once per day, a red mage can cast one currently known spell up to 6th level spells as a swift action, so long as the casting time of the spell is 1 standard action or less. He can use this ability an additional time per day for every four red mage levels thereafter.

Spell Power (Ex)

Starting at 4th level, the red mage can more easily overcome the spell resistance of any opponent he successfully injures with a melee attack. If he has injured an opponent with a melee attack, he gains a +2 bonus on his caster level check to overcome that creature’s spell resistance for the remainder of the encounter. This bonus increases to +3 at 9th level, to +4 at 14th level, and to +5 at 19th level.

Clear Mind (Ex)

At 5th level, a red mage can regain his MP quicker. The red mage must be relaxed and must be free from overt distractions, such as combat raging nearby or other loud noises. For example, he could be riding in the back of a carriage and benefit from this ability. The red mage does not gain this recovery if he is asleep or unconscious. The red mage regains 1 MP per hour. This increases by 1 for every five red mage levels after 5th.

Convert (Ex)

Beginning of 5th level, once per day, a red mage can convert hit points into MP as a swift action. For every 10 hit points converted, the red mage receives 1 MP. The red mage cannot convert below 1 hit point and can only convert MP equal to his red mage level. He can use this ability twice per day at 9th level, three times per day at 13th level, and four times per day at 17th level.

Improved Spell Combat (Ex)

At 7th level, the red mage’s ability to cast spells and make melee attacks improves. When using the spell combat ability, the red mage receives a +2 circumstance bonus on concentration checks, in addition to any bonus granted by taking an additional penalty on the attack roll.

Fighter Training (Ex)

Starting at 11th level, a red mage counts half his total red mage level as his fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for feats. If he has levels in warrior, these levels stack.

Jack-of-All-Trades (Ex)

Also at 11th level, the red mage can use any skill, even if the skill normally requires him to be trained. At 15th level, the red mage considers all skills to be class skills. At 19th level, the red mage can take 10 on any skill check, even if it is not normally allowed.

Greater Spell Combat (Ex)

At 14th level, the red mage gains the ability to seamlessly cast spells and make melee attacks. Whenever he uses the spell combat ability, his concentration check bonus equals double the amount of the attack penalty taken.

Doublecast (Su)

At 15th level, a red mage can cast two spells using one standard action. Both of the spells must have the same standard action casting time. The red mage can make any decisions concerning the spells independently of each other. A red mage receives a +4 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance with these two spells. The red mage may use this ability once per day at 15th level and one additional time per day at 20th level.

Counterstrike (Ex)

At 16th level, whenever an enemy within reach of the red mage successfully casts a spell defensively, that enemy provokes an attack of opportunity from the red mage after the spell is complete. This attack of opportunity cannot disrupt the spell.

1 MP Spell (Su)

At 19th level, three times per day, as a free action, a red mage can reduce the cost of his next spell to 1 MP. This MP reduction is applied after any metamagic cost increases. Additional metamagic cannot be applied after this cost reduction.

Red Wizard (Su)

At 20th level, the red mage 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. Whenever the red mage uses spell combat and his spell targets the same creature as his melee attacks, he can choose to either increase the DC to resist the spell by +2, grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on any checks made to overcome spell resistance, or grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on all attack rolls made against the target during his turn.

Favored Class Bonuses

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes. The following options are available to the listed race who have red mage as their favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

• Au Ra: Add +1/4 point to the red mage’s arcane pool.
• Burmecian: Add +1/4 to the red mage’s arcane pool.
• Dwarf: Select one known ruby arcana usable only once per day. The red mage adds +1/6 to the number of times it can be used per day. Once that ruby arcana is usable twice per day, the red mage must select a different ruby arcana.
• Elvaan: The red mage gains 1/6 of a new ruby arcana.
• Galka: Add +1/3 on critical hit confirmation rolls when using spell combat (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
• Half-Breed: Add +1/4 point to the red mage’s arcane pool.
• Hume: Add +1/4 point to the red mage’s arcane pool.
• Kindred: Add a +1/2 bonus on concentration checks made to cast defensively.
• Lambkin: Add a +1/2 bonus on concentration checks made to cast defensively.
• Mithra: Add a +1/6 bonus to melee weapon attack rolls when using spell combat and fighting with unarmed strikes or natural weapons.
• Moogle: Add a +1/2 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls when using spellstrike (to a maximum of +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
• Namazu: Add +1/4 point to the red mage’s arcane pool.
• Nu Mou: Add a +1/2 bonus on concentration checks made to cast defensively.
• Qu: Add +1/4 to the number of times the red mage can use the Convert ability. A red mage must be at least 5th level to select this benefit.
• Quadav: Add +1/4 point to the red mage’s arcane pool.
• Sylph: The red mage gains +1/6 of a new ruby arcana.
• Tarutaru: Add one of the following to the red mage’s list of arcane pool weapon special abilities: allying, conductive, defending, ghost touch, menacing, merciful, mighty cleaving, or vicious. Once selected, it cannot be changed.
• Vanu Vanu: The red mage gains +1/6 of a new ruby arcana.
• Viera: Add +1/4 point to the red mage’s arcane pool.

Archetypes

• A complete list of red mage archetypes can be found here: Red Mage Archetypes