Magic is often seen as a somewhat one-way road, its practitioners often of the determined and single-minded focus. Black mages learning the elements and occasional darker sorceries, master of destruction and the raw elements, feared rightfully for the power they possess…yet respected for its potential for heroic use. White mages learning the holy and divine, masters of healing and the bringers of life, beloved by the people for the salvation they can bring…yet hated when their mercy falls unto the undeserving and malicious. An archmage stands above all, the apex practitioners of the art, being capable of more magic than any mere mage can ever hope to hold in their meager hands. Not so mediocre as to be satisfied with merely mastering black and white magic, an archmage devotes time and energy into learning the stranger magic’s of land, time, space, mind, or death.
The archmage is an archetype of the scholar class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The archmage mainly focuses on DEX for combat and INT, WIS, and CHA for their class features and spells.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Limit Breaks (From Dusk Til Dawn and Tabula Rasa), Spells, Hit Dice, Cantrips, Grimoire, Light Arts/Dark Arts. 2nd – Scholar Exploits. 3rd – Light Arts: Penury, Dark Arts: Parsimony. 7th – Light Arts: Accession, Dark Arts: Manifestation. 10th – Sublimation. 11th – Light Arts: Celerity, Dark Arts: Alacrity. 12th – Advanced Scholar Exploits. 15th – Light Arts: Rapture, Dark Arts: Ebullience. 17th – Bottomless Well. 19th – Magical Supremacy, Deep Reservoir.
Limit Breaks (Su)
At 1st level, an archmage chooses 1 Black Mage Limit Break and 1 White Mage Limit Break, these become his usable Limit Breaks.
These abilities replace the scholar’s standard Limit Breaks.
Price of Power
Due to the advanced study of magic and gaining power, an archmage is fraught with frailty. An archmage’s hit dice decreases from d6 to d4. In addition, regardless of the archmage’s Constitution score (unless its lower than 10), an archmage that reaches -10 in hit points, dies. This ability cannot be overwritten or modified by any class feature, feat, or magical item.
Advanced Spellcasting
An archmage gains greater MP than normal equal to the spell level he gains as shown in the table below. For example, an archmage of 5th level would have 14 MP [Base: 8, Bonus: 6 (1 for 1st, 2 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd)] excluding extra MP from Intelligence and Wisdom bonuses. In addition, an archmage may learn up to 9th level spells as seen from the table below.
Table: Advanced Full MP Progression
| Level | Base MP | Spell Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | 1st |
| 2nd | 6 | 1st |
| 3rd | 8 | 2nd |
| 4th | 9 | 2nd |
| 5th | 14 | 3rd |
| 6th | 17 | 3rd |
| 7th | 25 | 4th |
| 8th | 30 | 4th |
| 9th | 41 | 5th |
| 10th | 47 | 5th |
| 11th | 60 | 6th |
| 12th | 68 | 6th |
| 13th | 84 | 7th |
| 14th | 93 | 7th |
| 15th | 111 | 8th |
| 16th | 124 | 8th |
| 17th | 143 | 9th |
| 18th | 155 | 9th |
| 19th | 167 | 9th |
| 20th | 180 | 9th |
This ability modifies spellcasting and replaces light/dark arts, light arts: penury, dark arts: parsimony, light arts: accession, dark arts: manifestation, light arts: celerity, dark arts: alacrity, light arts: rapture, and dark arts: ebullience.
Cantrips
Archmages 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. Archmages begin with 4 0-level spells chosen from any spellcaster’s spell lists and gain two additional 0-level spells every four levels after 1st level.
This ability modifies cantrips.
Signature Spells (Su)
At 1st level and each time an archmage gains a new spell level, she chooses a signature spell. The DC for signature spells increases by 1. The archmage gains a +2 bonus on concentration checks when casting signature spells; this bonus increases to +4 at 10th level. Additionally, an archmage can apply one of the following additional effects by spending 1 point from her arcane reservoir.
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Dismiss (Su): An archmage can dismiss a signature spell as a swift action instead of a standard action. Alternatively, the archmage can dismiss a signature spell that has a duration but isn’t normally dismissible.
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Spell Bender (Su): The archmage can bend the line of a spell that has a line area of effect up to 90 degrees at any single point along the line’s length.
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Spellwarp (Su): An archmage can reduce the radius of a spread or burst effect or shorten the length of a cone. All changes must occur in 5-foot increments, to a minimum of 5 feet. Alternatively, the archmage can change the area of effect of a cone spell to a line with a length equal to the spell’s range.
This ability replaces grimoire.
Branch Field (Su)
Though possessing an already formidable array of spells at his disposal, the archmage feels no need to limit himself in the pursuit of magical supremacy, or megalomania as it often seems. At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, an archmage learns a branch of magic outside of white and black and may cast those spells by spending points from their arcane reservoir. When casting spells in this way, the spell uses the appropriate ability modifier of the class. Each branch may be taken multiple times but the archmage must still meet the prerequisites (if any). An archmage may take Extra Scholar Exploit feat to select additional branch fields. An archmage must be able to cast spells of that level to select the branch.
Astrologian Branch I: Select two 1st level spells from the Astrologian’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 1 point from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Wisdom 11
Druid Branch I: Select two 1st level spells from the Druid’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 1 point from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Wisdom 11
Geomancer Branch I: Select two 1st level spells from the Geomancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 1 point from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Wisdom 11
Illusionist Branch I: Select two 1st level spells from the Illusionist’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 1 point from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Charisma 11
Necromancer Branch I: Select two 1st level spells from the Necromancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 1 point from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Charisma 11
Summoner Branch I: Select two 1st level spells from the Summoner’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 1 point from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Charisma 11
Time Mage Branch I: Select two 1st level spells from the Time Mage’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 1 point from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Intelligence 11
Astrologian Branch II: Select two 2nd level spells from the Astrologian’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 2 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 12, Astrologian Branch I
Druid Branch II: Select two 2nd level spells from the Druid’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 2 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 12, Druid Branch I
Geomancer Branch II: Select two 2nd level spells from the Geomancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 2 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 12, Geomancer Branch I
Illusionist Branch II: Select two 2nd level spells from the Illusionist’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 2 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 12, Illusionist Branch I
Necromancer Branch II: Select two 2nd level spells from the Necromancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 2 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 12, Necromancer Branch I
Summoner Branch II: Select two 2nd level spells from the Summoner’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 2 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 12, Summoner Branch I
Time Mage Branch II: Select two 2nd level spells from the Time Mage’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 2 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Intelligence 12, Time Mage Branch I
Astrologian Branch III: Select two 3rd level spells from the Astrologian’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 3 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Wisdom 13, Astrologian Branch II
Druid Branch III: Select two 3rd level spells from the Druid’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 3 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, Druid Branch II
Geomancer Branch III: Select two 3rd level spells from the Geomancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 3 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, Geomancer Branch II
Illusionist Branch III: Select two 3rd level spells from the Illusionist’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 3 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 13, Illusionist Branch II
Necromancer Branch III: Select two 3rd level spells from the Necromancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 3 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 13, Necromancer Branch II
Summoner Branch III: Select two 3rd level spells from the Summoner’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 3 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 13, Summoner Branch II
Time Mage Branch III: Select two 3rd level spells from the Time Mage’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 3 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Intelligence 13, Time Mage Branch II
Astrologian Branch IV: Select two 4th level spells from the Astrologian’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 4 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Wisdom 14, Astrologian Branch III
Geomancer Branch IV: Select two 4th level spells from the Geomancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 4 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 14, Geomancer Branch III
Druid Branch IV: Select two 4th level spells from the Druid’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 4 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 14, Druid Branch III
Illusionist Branch IV: Select two 4th level spells from the Illusionist’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 4 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 14, Illusionist Branch III
Necromancer Branch IV: Select two 4th level spells from the Necromancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 4 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 14, Necromancy Branch III
Summoner Branch IV: Select two 4th level spells from the Summoner’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 4 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 14, Summoner Branch III
Time Mage Branch IV: Select two 4th level spells from the Time Mage’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 4 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Intelligence 14, Time Mage Branch III
Astrologian Branch V: Select two 5th level spells from the Astrologian’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 5 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisite: Wisdom 15, Astrologian Branch IV
Geomancer Branch V: Select two 5th level spells from the Geomancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 5 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 15, Geomancer Branch IV
Druid Branch V: Select two 5th level spells from the Druid’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 5 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Wisdom 15, Druid Branch IV
Illusionist Branch V: Select two 5th level spells from the Illusionist’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 5 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 15, Illusionist Branch IV
Necromancer Branch V: Select two 5th level spells from the Necromancer’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 5 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 15, Necromancer Branch IV
Summoner Branch V: Select two 5th level spells from the Summoner’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 5 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Charisma 15, Summoner Branch IV
Time Mage Branch V: Select two 5th level spells from the Time Mage’s spell list and may cast these spells by spending 5 points from the arcane reservoir. Prerequisites: Intelligence 15, Time Mage Branch IV
These abilities replaces all scholar exploits and the advanced scholar exploits.
Esoteric Magic (Ex)
At 10th level and each scholar level thereafter, the archmage chooses a spell from any class’s spell list (except Blue Mages, Ninjas, and Bards) of a spell level he can cast and thereafter treats it as if it were on his spell list; if he could not normally cast that spell, it is treated as 1 level higher. The spell’s type and save DCs function as normal for his class. All other restrictions of his normal spellcasting class apply.
This ability replaces sublimation.
Spell Synthesis (Su)
At 17th level, an archmage can cast two spells, one from the black mage spell list and one from the white mage spell list, using one action. Both of the spells must have the same casting time. The archmage can make any decisions concerning the spells independently. Any target affected by both of the spells takes a –2 penalty on saves made against each spell. The archmage receives a +2 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance with these two spells. An archmage may use this ability once per day.
This ability replaces bottomless well and deep reservoir.
Arch Wizard (Su)
At 19th level, the archmage becomes a true master of white and black magic. The archmage may apply any single metamagic feat that he knows to a spell he is about to cast. This does not alter the level of the spell or the MP cost. The archmage can apply a metamagic feat in this way a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence or Wisdom modifier (whichever is higher).
This ability replaces magical supremacy.
