This red mage has learned how to cast spells from behind the safety of a shield.
The shield mage is an archetype of the red mage class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The shield mage mainly focuses on STR/DEX/CHA for martial combat and CHA for their class features and spellcasting, as well as DEX for optional class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
3rd – Ruby Arcana, Ruby Knowledge. 6th – Ruby Arcana. 9th – Ruby Arcana. 10th – Armored Mage (Shield). 12th – Ruby Arcana. 15th – Ruby Arcana.
Shield Magery (Ex)
At 1st level, a shield mage loses access to ruby knowledge mastery red magery and gains the following:
- Shield Magery: A shield mage increases his shield bonus to AC by +1.
This ability replaces ruby knowledge mastery red magery.
Bulwark Style (Ex)
At 3rd level, the shield mage gains proficiency in all shields (including tower shields) and does not incur spell failure chance from a wielded shield while casting red mage spells. The shield mage treats a hand wielding a shield as a free hand for the purposes of casting spells with somatic components and for the requirements of Spell Combat. She gains a bonus to her Reflex saving throws equal to her shield’s bonus to AC (including its enhancement bonus if it has one). When using a buckler, the shield mage only benefits from this ability if the buckler is providing her a bonus to her armor class.
This ability replaces ruby knowledge and armored mage (shield).
Storing Shield (Su)
At 2nd level, when the shield mage casts a spell with a range of melee or ranged touch, instead of making a free attack, she can choose to store the spell in her shield. If a creature would attack her, or an ally adjacent to her, she may make a melee touch attack against the attacking creature using her shield as an attack of opportunity, gaining a bonus to the attack roll equal to the shield’s enhancement bonus to AC. On a hit, the creature is affected by the stored spell. Alternatively, she can deliver this spell using a shield bash in the same manner, using the shields critical threat range and critical damage modifier for both the shield bash and the spell. She can use a tower shield with the touch attack portion of this ability but cannot use it to deliver a spell with a shield bash. This stored spell remains stored until used, until the shield mage regains her MP for the day, until she stops wielding the shield, or until she chooses to store a different spell in the shield.
This ability replaces arcane pool.
Shield Block (Ex)
Starting at 3rd level, the shield mage excels in using her armor and shield to frustrate her enemy’s attacks. As a free action, she can designate a single opponent as the target of this ability. Her shield bonus to AC against that foe increases by 1, as she moves her shield to deflect an incoming blow, possibly providing just enough protection to turn a telling swing into a near miss. This shield bonus increases to +2 at 9th level, and +3 at 15th level.
This ability replaces a ruby arcana gained at 3rd level.
Arcane Combustion (Su)
At 6th level, a shield mage’s shield bashes now add its enhancement bonus to AC as an enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, and may use the higher of her Strength or Charisma when determining her attack bonus. Once per round, on a successful hit, the shield mage can choose to spend MP up to the highest spell level she can cast to have her shield bash deal an extra 1d8 damage per MP spent. This extra damage is magical in nature, bypassing her target’s damage reduction, and is not multiplied on a critical hit.
This ability replaces a ruby arcana gained at 6th level.
Shielding Emanation (Su)
At 9th level, the shield mage adds her shield bonus to her touch AC. In addition, allies adjacent to her gain an enhancement bonus to their shield AC equal to her shield’s enhancement bonus to AC, and applies this bonus to their touch AC as well.
This ability replaces a ruby arcana gained at 9th level.
Bulwark (Ex)
At 12th level, when a shield mage is using a heavy or tower shield, she can, as a move action, provide partial cover (+2 cover bonus to AC, +1 bonus on Reflex saves) to himself and all adjacent allies until the beginning of her next turn.
At 16th level, she can instead provide cover (+4 cover bonus to AC, +2 bonus on Reflex saves) and evasion (as a thief) to one adjacent ally until the beginning of her next turn. This cover does not allow Stealth checks.
At 20th level, she can provide cover to herself and all adjacent allies, or she can provide improved cover (+8 cover bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves, improved evasion) to a single adjacent ally. The shield mage ignores the armor limitation of evasion for herself.
This ability replaces a ruby arcana gained at 12th level.
Transpositional Aegis (Su)
At 15th level, the shield mage’s shield is imbued by potent arcane energies. The shield mage’s abilities now affect allies within 15 feet, rather than only affecting her adjacent allies. This includes her storing shield ability, allowing her to make a melee touch attack against a foe who attacks an ally within this range, even if it’s not normally within her reach. If an ally within this area is targeted by an attack roll, as an attack of opportunity the shield mage and that willing ally can switch positions, with the shield mage becoming the target of this attack. This is a supernatural teleportation effect.
This ability replaces a ruby arcana gained at 15th level.
Shield Mastery (Ex)
At 18th level, a shield mage gains DR 5/— when wielding a shield. This DR stacks with other forms of DR.
This ability replaces a ruby arcana gained at 18th level.
