Some wizards are not quite as studious as most of their brethren, as their sights are set on the practical end result of their magical training: combat and battle. These battle mages tend to spend more of their time training in the use of weapons, and many have even figured out how to cast spells while wearing armor! However, their abilities with the schools of magic associated with healing are sadly lacking, as no battle wizard wants to be caught without different methods of attack, no matter how little time they’ve had to prepare. Please note that the term Battlemage as used here indicates a sort of warrior-mage, not a battle wizard trained as a member of one of the Color Colleges.
Battle mages have the same exact stats as ordinary Wizards, except their Weapon Skill will always be one level higher than that of the Wizard character. In addition, the Battlemage reaches Weapon Skill 6 when he becomes a Lord (Level 9). The saves vs. death and spells are the same as an ordinary wizard as well.
Instead of the Hand of Death scroll the Battle Mage starts play with a Spellblade. At first the Spellblade counts as a Sword that is magical. Later on, however, the mage can develop his Spellblade as his arcane bond with it strengthens.
The Battlemage can now use Barbarian Only items and treasure as well as Wizard items with the following restrictions:
1. He may not wear or use any type of shield or buckler.
2. Any armor or combination of armors worn that result in a reduction of movement, result in a corresponding loss of Power each turn. (For example, a Battle Mage wearing chainmail (-1 Movement) rolls 5 in the Power Phase but only has 4 Mana available to him for casting.) Plate armor carries with it a -2 penalty to available casting power. Also, if a Battle Mage has an effective Toughness of 6 or more, than his available Power is at least at -1. Magical Armor may still not be worn as the magics might interfere with the caster’s own.
3. The Battlemage may not wield melee weapons requiring two hands to wield, such as halberds, flails and great swords. The only exception to this rule is Staves.
1. The BattleMage begins play with three spell cards available to him, determined in the usual fashion... However, these will consist of two Attack spells and one Defense spell.
2. All spells from schools of Healing require 2 extra Mana to cast, as these are not the Battlemage’s specialty. (Healing Hands is now a Power 4 spell!)
3. When the BattleMage levels, he gets one less die to roll than a normal wizard would. (For example, a BattleMage training to get to Level 4 would only be able to roll three dice to determine spells learned.) Don’t forget to categorize Healing Spells by their new casting cost! You may learn Healing Hands with a die roll of 4 instead of 2, for example. A spell chart follows:
4. Many of the Battlemage’s attack spells are area effects of such power that they damage friends and foes alike. The BattleMage himself is never damaged by his own spells, though, as he has mastered the art of shielding while striking. Therefore, he could set an entire board section that he himself is on aflame and be the only one to emerge unscathed.
As the BattleMage advances in skill, he selects from the following list of spells. Some of the spells on this list are identical to those available to the Wizard, though they might have different Casting Levels due to the BattleMage’s differing specialties. New spells added to this list are described immediately following it. * indicates a new spell. + indicates a spell with altered Casting Level or special rules.
CASTING 1
ATTACK
Bloodblade
Sting
DEFENSE
Coughing
Drop
SPECIAL
Fleet of Foot
CASTING 2
ATTACK
Flesh Worm
Ray of Frost*
Strength
DEFENSE
Aura of Resistance*
Immunity to Poison*
Marsh Lights
Slip
CASTING 3
ATTACK
Disrupt Undead*
Ignite Missiles*
Ogre Strength
Shocking Grasp*
DEFENSE
Cause Panic*
Confuse
Zone of Sanctuary*
HEALING
Cure Small Wounds+
SPECIAL
Smash*
Speed
CASTING 4
ATTACK
Acid Blast (casting amount is
still 4+ BL)
Gelid Stream*
Lightning Bolt
DEFENSE
Cause Frenzy*
Hold Flight*
Levitate
Mystic Mist*
Steal Mind*
Strength of Combat*
HEALING
Healing Hands+
SPECIAL
Dispel Magic
CASTING 5
ATTACK
Corrosive Burst*
Fireball
Freeze!
Leg Breaking*
Pit of Despair
DEFENSE
Aura of Protection*
SPECIAL
Sleep
CASTING 6
ATTACK
Arrow Storm*
Ghoul Touch*
Hammerhand*
Hungry Shadow*
Swords of Doom
Weaponmaster
DEFENSE
Cause Cowardly Flight*
Cause Fear*
Disarmament*
Invulnerability
Vulnerability*
HEALING
Heal Wounds+
SPECIAL
Cause Animosity
Create Bridge
Wings of Power
CASTING 7
ATTACK
Burning Storm
Chain Lightning
Flame Arrows*
DEFENSE
Sleet Storm*
CASTING 8
ATTACK
Dragonfly*
Foetid Cloud*
Razor Trap*
DEFENSE
Acidic Shield*
Arrow Invulnerability*
SPECIAL
Change Allegiance*
Chorus of Valour
CASTING 9
ATTACK
Exploding Bones*
DEFENSE
Wall of Fire*
SPECIAL
Hounds of Grimnair
CASTING 10
ATTACK
Blast*
Painblast*
Windblast
HEALING
Cure Severe Wounds*
CASTING 11
ATTACK
Armor Crypt*
HEALING
Lifestealer+
CASTING 12
ATTACK
Elemental Rupture*
Magma Pit*
Vortex of Destruction
CASTING 13
DEFENSE
Defencelessness*
CASTING 14
DEFENSE
Eldritch Enemy*
CASTING 15
ATTACK
Acid Geysers*
CASTING 16
ATTACK
Corpsefire*
Engulfing Doom*
Some notes on spell descriptions:
1. In some cases, I give the Monsters a ‘Save vs. Magic’. That’s because I use such saves, inspired by AD&D. If you don’t use a similar system, simply have the Monster roll 3 or better to make their save. Alternately, the caster can roll a 5 or 6 to see if the spell works to its best ability.
2. In some cases, the Monsters can make a Willpower save to avoid psychological or other effects. I am in the process of assigning Will scores to all Monsters, based on their scores in WFRP and on any homemade character charts I may find online. In the meantime, I am using this formula: Will = (1 point for every two levels of Monster table rolled on) +1 point if a Champion or Spellcaster +1 point if an NPC or Boss.
3. In some cases, the caster may use a Cone spell: In this type of spell, you may face your caster model in any direction (not just the compass directions) and blast anyone within the same board section; just visualize a 45 degree arc from each corner of the caster’s base and use that as a rule of thumb. Alternately, a template can be easily created.
4. Sometimes the term ‘group of Monsters’ is used. This indicates that all Monsters of a specific type are targeted. For example, if an Objective Room has 6 Orcs, 6 Orcs with bows, and 12 rats, then one of those 3 groups can be targeted by the spell.
5. Sometimes I use the term ‘opposed roll’. In this case, the roll is based on a stat, such as Strength. In this case, say if the Warrior is trying to wrest a wand from a Monster’s hands, simply have both parties roll a 1d6 + Strength. The highest score wins the opposed roll and the wand!
ATTACK
Ray of Frost
A ray of freezing air and ice projects from the Battlemage’s pointing finger.
The BattleMage
must make a ranged attack using his Ballistic Skill to deal damage to a
target. The ray deals 1d6 Wounds of cold damage, minus the target’s Toughness (not
Armor).
Target: Any Monster
within the caster’s line of sight.
Duration Immediate
DEFENSE
Aura of Resistance
The Battlemage holds aloft a pair of magnets and feels the air around him begin to thicken.
Pick any Warrior
in the same board section (including the caster). This Aura spell provides
protection against Wounds by increasing the character’s Armor by +1.
Auras
may be dispelled magically, and are automatically dispelled by hits from spells
or magical weapons, so are not a guarantee of invulnerability. Characters
may only bear one Aura at a time, and may dispel their own Aura whenever they
wish (so as to receive Invulnerability, for example).
Target: Any Warrior
on the same board section as the caster.
Duration: Until
struck by a magical weapon or offensive spell.
Immunity to Poison
The Battlemage pricks his finger with the tail of a scorpion, and then grins at the confused Gutter Runner.
This spell may
be cast either on the caster or on any single character within reach. It
gives the bearer complete immunity from the effects of poisons or venoms for
a whole turn.
Target: Any Warrior
within reach of the caster (one square).
Duration: One
whole turn
ATTACK
Disrupt Undead
A shock wave of positive energy surges forth from the Battlemage, causing the Undead to become unstable.
The caster
must make a ranged attack using his Ballistic Skill , and if the ray hits
an undead creature, it deals 1d6 Wounds of damage to it, with no modifiers
whatsoever.
Target: Any Undead
creature within line of sight.
Duration: Immediate
Ignite Missiles
The Battlemage drops a pinch of sulfur onto the Elf’s quiver, and the archer’s eyes alight as his next arrow sets the Mummy’s rags aflame.
This spell may
be cast on arrows, crossbow bolts or other missiles or thrown weapons. When
the missile is fired or thrown it bursts into flames in mid-flight, causing
the missiles to react just like Fire Arrows (see the Fletcher) if they
hit. The caster can only ignite one missile per Battle-Level in any one round.
The spell will not work on ammunition for gunpowder weapons, bombs or incendiaries.
The caster may
cast this enchantment on missiles prior to combat, but the spell only lasts
one round if they are not fired immediately. Missiles can be affected in
mid-flight using this spell, provided the caster can clearly see the projectile
at all times. However, the caster must declare his intention and spend his
Power before the die is rolled to determine if the missile hits or
not.
Target: Any non-magical
missile
Duration: One
whole turn or until missile is fired.
Shocking Grasp
Raw power arcs across the Battlemage’s fingertips as he suddenly lunges at his opponent.
This spell imbues
the caster’s hand with a powerful electrical charge that you can use to damage
an opponent. A successful melee touch attack using the Weapon Skill chart
as usual deals 1d6 Wounds of electrical damage +1 Wound per caster level (modified
by Toughness only). When delivering the jolt, the caster is +2 to hit if
the opponent is wearing metal armor (or is made out of metal, etc.)
Target: Any Monster
adjacent to the caster
Duration: Immediate
DEFENSE
Cause Panic
The Battlemage’s whispered threats mystically fill the Monsters with dread.
The caster can
recite this incantation to make any group of Monsters on the Board subject
to the Break rule (see Monster’s Special Rules-Roleplay Book)
for the duration of the combat. Monsters so powerful that they appear only
in groups of 1d3 or less are immune to this spell, as are creatures normally
immune to psychology such as Undead or Daemons.
Target: Any group
of Monsters of the same type on the Board.
Duration: Until
the end of the combat
Zone of Sanctuary
The Battlemage produces a small silver pentagram and focuses his energies for the salvation of the party.
This spell creates
a 3 square by 3 square Zone centred on the caster. The Zone lasts until either
the caster moves or a ‘1’ is rolled for the Power phase. All Warriors inside
the Zone become immune to all psychological reactions. The Zone may not be
entered by any Undead, Ethereal, Demonic or Elemental creature, nor may such
creatures fire missiles or cast spells into the Zone.
While maintaining
a Zone, characters may not cast any other spells. Also, two or more Zones
may never overlap. If another Zone (cast by another spellcast) should touche
or overlap this Zone, then both are instantly dispelled.
Target: The caster
and all adjacent squares
Duration: Until
the caster moves or a ‘1’ is rolled for Power.
SPECIAL
Smash
The Battlemage clutches the lock of hair off a Giant, and then pounds on the wall with the strength of one.
This spell can be cast onto a door, wall or other inanimate surface or object. It does not work on a creature, living or undead. The caster must touch the surface to be affected. The spell delivers the equivalent of 1d3 hits at Strength 10 on any section of wall. This spell can obviously be used to knock down locked doors or the portcullis, but is not 100% safe to use underground. On a six-sider roll of a ‘1’ the spell will cause a Cave In as the Event card.
ATTACK
Gelid Stream
The Battlemage’s hand emanates a stream of chilling cold that reduces the mobility of any target it touches.
This spell allows
the caster to create a stream of chilling cold 1 square wide and 6 squares
long, traveling directly away from him in one of the compass directions.
Every Monster touched by the stream must make an Initiative Save difficulty
7 or it may only take a partial action on its Monster phase. Partial action
means that the victim can move OR Attack at half-rate OR cast half its allotted
amount of Spells. Each target also takes 1d3 Wounds of unmodified damage
if they fail their save. Dark Elves and other mobile creatures are hard to
hit with this spell as they may also try to make their Dodge saves to avoid
this spell. Creatures with no Init score, however, are automatically affected.
Target: A 1 square-wide
corridor
Duration: One
turn
DEFENSE
Cause Frenzy
The Mage magically blows the dander of a Beastman into the lungs of the twisted old Necromancer, and then laughs as the wizened creature charges angrily forward, all thoughts of dark magic replaced by the urge to simply hack with an ineffectual dagger.
This spell induces
frenzy in an individual or group within the same or an adjacent board
section. The victim or victims have to make a Willpower test difficulty 7
(figure 1 point of Will for each 2 levels of Monster Tables if the creature
doesn’t have a score) or be subject to frenzy for the duration of the
combat. This spell will not affect creatures not normally affected by psychological
reactions, such as Undead or Daemons. Note that the caster may choose one
of his party members to be the victim of the spell, but would be wise to get
that Warrior’s approval first! Tampering with the mind of a companion is
considered a very serious crime indeed, and not just to Witch Hunters.
At first the affected
creatures Frenzy on a 6+ each round, but when the caster becomes BL
5, this increases to Frenzy 5+, and a BL 9 caster increases the effect
to Frenzy 4+.
Target: Any 1
Warrior or Monster or group of Monsters within 1 Board section of the caster.
Duration: Until
the end of the combat
Hold Flight
As the doomed Hobgoblins turn to bolt, the Battlemage decides he would like to know who sent them...
This spell can
be cast upon any individual or single group within the same or an adjacent
board section. It prevents the target of the spell from being routed or otherwise
forced to leave combat. Characters, however, may run away if they wish.
Hold Flight also affects Monsters the have already failed theif Break test,
in which case they may recover and return immediately. The effects of the
spell end when affected Monsters have no more opponents within hand-to-hand
range.
Target:
Any Monster or group of Monsters within 1 Board section of the caster.
Duration: Until
the end of combat or until all Warriors have moved out of melee range of the
Monsters.
Mystic Mist
The Battlemage throws a ball of cotton up into the air, and suddenly no one can see.
Pick any board
section that the caster can see. For one whole turn it is blanketed by a
thick mist. Anyone caught in the mist cannot see out of it or through it,
while those outside cannot see into it or past it. Anyone caught in the mist
must move at half their normal Movement rate and would be wise not to attack
as any Attacks are made at -2 to hit. If a ‘natural 1’ is rolled by an Attacking
Monster or Warrior, roll again against WS 2. If the second attack is a hit
then the attacker has struck an adjacent ally! Characters trained to operate
in pitch dark conditions, such as Ninjas and Skaven Assassins, may ignore
the effects of this spell at the GM’s discretion.
Target: Any board
section
Duration: One
Whole Turn
Steal Mind
The Battlemage imbibes a vial of pure alcohol and magically wishes its effects onto his enemy a thousandfold.
This spell may
be cast against any single enemy on the same board section as the caster.
The victim receives an Initiative test difficulty 8 to avoid the spell’s effects.
Failure results in the target creature becoming utterly mindless, unable to
do anything but sit on the ground, gibber, dribble and eat grass. A mindless
creature can barely defend itself and counts as being WS 1 for the purposes
of attacks made against it. The creature may not move of its own volition,
but may be dragged along at half-pace. Monsters that don’t have an Initiative
score are already sort of mindless and therefore immune to this spell; similarly,
Chaos Spawn are also mindless gibbering monsters by definition and are also
safe.
Target: Any Monster
on the same board section as the caster.
Duration: One
Turn
Strength of Combat
Knowing that his spells may not be enough, the Battlemage steels himself for the coming melee.
This spell allows
a temporary increase of one of the caster’s fighting characteristics by +1
(caster’s choice): WS, BS, M, S, T, I, A, or Wounds by 1d6+1 (This can
take the caster above his maximum Wound score).
The effects last
either one whole turn or for the duration of combat. Any attempt to cast
the spells again results in the older spell being dispelled, while the new
spell works as normal.
Target: Self only
Duration: Until
the end of combat, or one whole turn if not in combat.
ATTACK
Corrosive Burst
The Battlemage’s incantation creates an explosion of magical acid centered on his chosen target.
The caster
can center this spell on any creature within line of sight, and the 8 adjacent
squares are also affected. The target victim is hit automatically by 2d6+(the
caster’s Battle-level) Wounds of acid damage, and anyone (friend or foe) in
the surrounding squares must make an Initiative test Difficulty 7 or take
1d6+(the caster’s Battle-level) Wounds of damage.
The corrosive action
of the acid also burns the eyes and skin, leaving living creatures unable
to defend themselves to the best of their ability. Warriors are +1 to hit
all living creatures that took damage for the rest of the combat (this is
not cumulative).
Target: A 3 square
x 3 square area within the caster’s line of sight.
Duration: Immediate
Leg Breaking
The Battlemage grins wickedly as he eyes his opponent: “You will fall” are the only words the Chaos Warrior can understand before his world becomes pain.
This spell
may be cast on any Monster with a Toughness of 4 or less. If the target fails
his Save vs. Magic (rolls 1 or 2), one leg (caster’s choice) breaks with a
sickening crunch. The victim is knocked down (anyone with more than two legs
can make an Initiative test to avoid this), and must also make a Willpower
test or faint for 1d6 turns. Movement and Initiative are then halved until
medical attention is received.
If a humanoid creature
has both legs broken, Movement is reduced to zero and the victim is treated
as being Prone.
All is fair in
love or war, but this spell would be deemed especially heinous or cruel if
cast on an NPC or other character, and such actions would be sure to draw
the attentions of Witch Hunters and other authorities.
Target: Any Monster
Duration: Immediate
DEFENSE
Aura of Protection
The Battlemage holds aloft a small iron ring and feels the air around him begin to thicken.
Pick any Warrior
in the same board section (including the caster). This Aura spell provides
protection against Wounds by increasing the character’s Toughness by +2.
Auras may be dispelled magically, and are automatically dispelled by hits
from spells or magical weapons, so are not a guarantee of invulnerability.
Characters may only bear one Aura at a time, and may dispel their own Aura
whenever they wish (so as to receive Invulnerability, for example).
Target: Any Warrior
on the same board section as the caster.
Duration: Until
struck by a magical weapon or offensive spell.
CASTING 6
ATTACK
Arrow Storm
“ I don’t know if I can stop them all, mon ami,” the Bowman of Bergerac eyed the onrushing Goblin hordes in dismay. “Do not worry, my friend” the Battlemage replied, waving his hand over the archer’s quiver.
By touching
a quiver of arrows, the caster can enchant them so that an arrow springs magically
to hand as soon as the previous one is loosed, thus enabling the archer to
fire at twice the normal rate (i.e. two shots per round). The enchantment
leaves each arrow as soon as it is loosed. If a character has an ability
that grants him the ability to fire twice per round, that IS doubled to four;
but if a magic bow grants extra attacks then they are added after the rate
of fire is doubled.
Target: any adjacent
character’s quiver, including the caster’s own
Duration: One
Turn
Ghoul Touch
The Battlemage’s hand appears to wither as he lunges at his enemies with the touch of death.
Imbuing you with
negative energy, this spell allows you to paralyze a single living humanoid
for One Turn for every two of the caster’s Battle-levels with a successful
melee touch attack (using WS). (Treat the victim as prone instead of using
the Paralysis rules in the Roleplay book). Additionally, the
paralyzed subject exudes a carrion stench that causes nausea and retching
in the radius of surrounding squares. Those in the radius (excluding the
caster) must make a Toughness test difficulty 7 or suffer a -1 penalty to
Hit and Damage rolls and ability checks on their skills until the spell wears
off.
Target: Any Monster
adjacent to the caster
Duration: One
Turn per every two of caster’s Battle-level
Hammerhand
The Battlemage realizes that, as his allies are occupied, it is up him to chop down the enraged minotaur.
This spell endows
the caster with increased fighting potential. The character may fight in
combat with twice as many Attacks (as on his profile, do not double extra
Attacks granted by magical weapons, etc.), and with +2 Strength.
Target: Caster
only
Duration: One
Turn
Hungry Shadow
A fanged shadow emerges from the Battlemage’s mouth and quickly assumes the hunt.
A fanged, shadowy
creature emerges from the caster’s mouth (causing 1d3 Wounds of unmodified
damage as it does so). This shadow can be directed at any creature within
sight and ordered to attack. The shadow must make a melee attack (using the
caster’s base WS) in order to unleash its power. If the attack succeeds,
the target suffers 2d6 Wounds of damage and is wrapped in the body of the
shadow. As long as the shadow continues to attack the victim, the victim
suffers -1 Hit and Damage rolls. Once the shadow latches onto a target with
a successful attack, the target suffers 1d6 Wounds of damage each round.
The shadow will not attack again unless it is directed to attack another opponent.
The shadow only can make one Attack per round.
The shadow requires
concentration to maintain, and is dispelled the moment the caster casts a
new spell or a ‘one’ is rolled for the Power Phase.
Target: Any Monster
within line of sight
Duration: Until
another spell is cast or a ‘1’ is rolled for the Power Phase
DEFENSE
Cause Cowardly Flight
The Battlemage appears to take on the aspect of a most feared Daemon, spooking the Goblins easily.
This spell can
be cast on any Monster or single group of Monsters that the caster
can see. Targets may make a Willpower test difficulty 7. Failing this test
forces the victim to withdraw from combat and run away from the scene of combat,
if possible. Monsters that are not hemmed in should therefore move their
full Move score towards an escape rout (pun sadly intended). Flying creatures
use double their Move score to escape. This spell only lasts One Turn, but
if it is cast successfully on a single group of Monsters three Turns in a
row, then they are considered to have Broken and are removed from play.
(No Gold is gained from them as normal.)
Any creatures normally
immune to psychology are immune to this spell, as are Large Monsters.
Target: Any Monster
or Group of Monsters within the caster’s line of sight.
Duration: One
Turn
Cause Fear
The Battlemage shouts out a fierce and ancient battle-cry, augmented of course by magic.
This spell can be cast on any Monster or single group of Monsters that the caster can see. Victims must make Fear tests with the value based on the Battle-level of the caster. Failure means that the creatures are at -1 to hit the caster, and are subject to the Break Monster Ability.
Monsters that cause
Fear already add their Fear value to the roll; while Monsters that cause Terror
are immune, as are creatures like Undead that are not normally affected by
Psychology.
Target: Any Monster
or Group of Monsters within the caster’s line of sight.
Duration: Until
the end of combat
Disarmament
A violent stream of magical energy blasts forth from the Battlemage’s palm, disarming his opponents at once.
Roll a d6
for each Monster on the same board section as the caster. On the roll of
a 6, the Monster has had his weapon magically wrested from his grip and cannot
Move or Attack on his next phase as he retrieves his weapon. If a Monster
is dual wielding, roll a d6 for each weapon. Monsters with natural Attacks
such as Giant Scorpions are of course unaffected.
Target: All Monsters
on the same board section as the caster
Duration: Immediate
Vulnerability
The Battlemage decides to create a chink in the Chaos Warriors’ armor...
A cone of swirling
light springs from the caster’s hand, leaving all in its path highly vulnerable
to further magical attack. When the spell is cast, the player decides what
kind of magic (acid, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, earth, electricity, evil,
fear, fire, force, good, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic, teleportation,
or water) to which the target will be vulnerable. Monsters who fail a Will
save difficulty 7 receive a -2 to any saving throws they may have to make
against the chosen type of magic, and take an extra d6 of damage, where applicable.
These effects last the duration of the spell.
Target: Face the
caster model in any direction: Any Monsters that the caster can see within
one board section are affected
Duration: One
Turn per caster level
ATTACK
Flame Arrows
“Morr shelter our souls, that Troll won’t die!” “Relax, priest, flames will slow his regenerative abilities!”
This spell is an
enhanced version of Ignite Missiles. It may be cast on arrows, crossbow
bolts or other missiles or thrown weapons. When the missile is fired or thrown
it bursts into flames in mid-flight, causing the missiles to react just like
Fire Arrows (see the Fletcher) if they hit. Each hit also does an
extra Wound of damage per caster’s Battle-level. The caster can only ignite
one missile per Battle-Level in any one round. The spell will not work on
ammunition for gunpowder weapons, bombs or incendiaries.
The caster may
cast this enchantment on missiles prior to combat, but the spell only lasts
one round if they are not fired immediately. Missiles can be affected in
mid-flight using this spell, provided the caster can clearly see the projectile
at all times. However, the caster must declare his intention and spend his
Power before the die is rolled to determine if the missile hits or
not.
Target: Any non-magical
missile
Duration: One
whole turn or until missile is fired.
DEFENSE
Sleet Storm
The Battlemage suddenly fills the air with driving sleet, slowing the action to a crawl.
Pick any
board section that the caster can see. For the rest of the turn it is blanketed
by driving sleet. Anyone caught in the sleet cannot see out of it or through
it, while those outside cannot see into it or past it. Anyone caught in the
sleet must move at half their normal Movement rate and would be wise not to
attack as any Attacks are made at -2 to hit. If a ‘natural 1’ is rolled by
an Attacking Monster or Warrior, roll again against WS 2. If the second attack
is a hit then the attacker has struck an adjacent ally! Since the ground
is icy anyone with two legs attempting to move must make an Initiative test
difficulty 7 or fall Prone.
Target: Any board
section
Duration: One
Whole Turn
ATTACK
Dragonfly
The Battlemage summons a dragonfly made of pure chaotic energy and sends it streaking towards his enemies.
The chaotic dragonfly
bursts into life over the caster’s shoulder and is sent hurtling towards any
Monster in line of sight. If the caster succeeds in a Ballistic Skill attack,
then the dragonfly causes 3d6 Wounds of damage. If this attack succeeds,
then the caster can make another BS attack against any Monster within 5 squares
of the last target. As long as each attack damages its target, the caster
may continue making BS attacks as long as each Monster is within 5 squares
of the last one.
Target: Any Monster
within line of sight (initially)
Duration: Immediate
Foetid Cloud
The Battlemage unstops the phial he created from the entrails of a skunk and a cabbage leaf, ruining the air.
This spell is an
enhanced version of the Casting 4 ‘Mystic Mist’ spell, but creates a cloud
that is also poisonous and corrosive. Living creatures within the area of
effect must make a Toughness test difficulty 7 vs. Poison or suffer an automatic
Strength 5 hit which ignores Toughness and Armor.
Trolls and other
living regenerating creatures may not regain Wounds suffered from a Foetid
Cloud even when they leave the area of effect; they must be healed by magic.
This spell does not hurt ethereal creatures, Undead, Daemons, Air or Fire
elementals, or Skaven members of Clan Pestilens.
Target: Any board
section the caster can see
Duration: One
Whole Turn
Razor Trap
The Battlemage wisely prepares the battleground to his liking, letting his companions know what to look for.
This spell creates
several eldritch traps that are triggered when a creature enters one of the
affected squares. The caster indicates which areas are trapped when the spell
is cast, with the following restrictions:
1. One square may be trapped per
caster’s Battle-level
2. A razor trap may not
be placed adjacent to another razor trapped square. (diagonally adjacent
is OK)
3. All squares must be within
the spell’s range, which is the caster’s board section, and all adjacent boards
When a Monster
(or some poor unfortunate) steps into a trapped square, the razor trap
is activated and causes 1d6 Wounds of damage per caster level. This immediately
halts the creature’s movement, though the victim may make an Initiative test
Difficulty 7 to take half-damage and a 5-foot step to a free square (if possible).
A razor trapped
square can be detected with a successful Initiative test Difficulty 10.
When successfully spotted, a trapped square seems to glitter with a faint
red light. A rogue may be able to disarm a trapped square if necessary, but
the Init check will be even harder - Difficulty 12.
Target: One square
per Battle-level within surrounding board sections
Duration: One
Turn per caster level or until triggered. (counters are recommended)
DEFENSE
Acidic Shield
A glimmering shield of magical acid appears before the Battlemage, as he strides forth into the hordes.
This spell causes
a shield of magical acid to appear before the caster, providing +4 Toughness
against melee, ranged and magical attacks. Any Monster that attempts to attack
the caster in melee suffers 2d6 Wounds of damage from the acidic shield,
modified for Toughness and Armor.
However, if the
caster should be reduced to 0 Wounds while the shield is on, it will detonate
and splash acid on every square immediately surrounding the caster. All creatures
(friend or foe) caught in this blast suffer 1d6 Wounds per caster’s Battle-level
modified for Toughness and Armor. This damage cannot however, be ignored
completely by any means, magical or otherwise. If a fellow Warrior had the
Invulnerability spell cast on him, for example, he would take half
damage modified by Toughness and Armor rather than no damage at all.
Target: Self Only
Duration: One
Whole Turn
Arrow Invulnerability
The Battlemage holds aloft a turtle shell as he speaks the words that shelter his unit from a hail of arrows.
This spell
may be cast on all the Warriors on any one Board Section. The spell makes
the recipient(s) completely immune to any kind of normal missile fire, including
arrows, crossbow bolts, or thrown weapons. The spell will not offer protection
from magic missiles, such as enchanted arrows, Fireballs, etc.
Target: Any amount
of Warriors on a single Board Section
Duration: One
Turn
SPECIAL
Change Allegiance
The Battlemage holds aloft the heart of a Doppelganger as he attempts to sway the Chaos Cultists to his side.
This spell can
be cast at any Monster or single group of Monsters that the caster can see.
The target(s) make an opposed roll using WillPower, as the caster tries to
dominate their minds. The caster rolls 1d6 + WP and the target rolls 1d6
+ WP. If the caster scores higher than any of the Monsters then they are
enchanted and effectively ‘switch sides’, treating the caster like a friend
or ally. The victim’s intelligence is not affected by this spell, and they
cannot be made to do anything detrimental to their well-being. For example,
they will not commit suicide or take on a Dragon single-handedly, but they
could be made to attack their own comrades. However, in such cases, they
are allowed a second opposed roll against the caster’s WillPower and if successful
break the influence of the spell.
The charmed Monsters
remain on the caster’s side until the end of combat, at which point, if they
still respond to him, the caster can persuade them to be on their way (no
Gold is gained for these Monsters).
This spell lasts
much longer than spells such as Cause Animosity or Carnival of Death,
but there is a downside. Each Monster that passes a WillPower test will be
become enraged at the caster, and will even ignore the effects of Pinning
if there is room for it to move to attack the caster. They will now target
the caster whenever possible, only fighting the other Warriors if they are
the only available targets.
Target: Any single
group of Monsters within line of sight.
Duration: Until
the end of combat or until the spell is broken.
ATTACK
Exploding Bones
The Battlemage finally ends
the duel in a gruesome fatality, as his Spellblade tears through the Dark
Elf Sorcerer’s neck. Almost instantaneously, the Dark Elf’s spine literally
explodes through his back, showering gore and flames on his nearby companions.
This spell infuses
the target with a blast of electrical energy that causes its bones to explode
out of its flesh, showering those nearby with flaming bits of gruesome shrapnel.
The target gets to make a saving throw Dif. 7 of (1d6 + Toughness); if the
target fails this test, it suffers 10d6 Wounds (modified for Toughness and
armor) of damage as its bones explode from the power of the electrical current.
All creatures within the eight surrounding squares must make an Initiative
check Difficulty 7 to avoid suffering one-half the damage taken by the original
target as shards of sparking bone rip through the area.
Target: One Monster
on the same Board Section as the caster.
Duration: Immediate
DEFENSE
Wall of Fire (Casting 9, but 8 Power/Turn to maintain)
“Dammit, mage, we need time and they are upon us!!” “Then time you will have,” the Battlemage decreed.
This spell
allows the caster to create a wall of magical fire in any shape, 1 square
wide and up to 6 squares long, with flames rising 20 feet into the air. The
whole of the wall must be within 6 squares of the caster. he may move and
perform other actions (except casting spells) while maintaining the wall,
but any part of the wall which is more than 6 squares away from him at the
start of a Turn will be extinguished. At the start of each Turn the caster
can decide whether to spend 8 Power to maintain the wall; if not, then
it is immediately extinguished.
The Wall of Fire
blocks line of sight, and any creature crossing it takes an automatic hit
doing 1d6 + 8 Wounds of damage, which ignores armor. When the caster first
creates the wall, he can do so where Monsters are standing; in which case
they must make an Initiative save Difficulty 7 or take the automatic hit before
they move one square out of the flames. Undead Monsters take 2d6+8 Wounds
and Flammable creatures such as Mummies are set aflame on a roll of 4, 5,
or 6.
Target: Any 6
adjacent squares, as long as they are not more than 6 squares from the caster.
Duration: One
Turn if not renewed
ATTACK
Blast
The Battlemage hurls the Orcs about like nine-pins and prepares another Blast.
Only one Blast
can be thrown per Turn, but it can be targeted at any Monsters on the same
Board Section as each other. If fired into a group, the blast will hit 1d6
Monsters automatically (caster’s choice). Each hit inflicts (1d6 Wounds per
the caster’s Battle-level) +8, modified for Toughness and Armor and 4d6 additional
Wounds on flammable targets. A victim of a blast may make an Initiative check
Dif. 7 to take half damage from the blast.
Target: Any Monster
or Monsters within one Board Section and within caster’s line of sight.
Duration: Immediate
Painblast
A line of power emanates from the Battlemage, and erupts along the ground, tossing pained enemies to and fro.
This spell allows the caster to
create a corridor of painful force 1 square wide, travelling directly away
from him in one of the compass directions and continuing until it hits a solid
wall, or the limit of the spell’s range (10 squares + 1 square per Battle-level).
The line of pain tosses anyone in its area of effect 1 square to either side
(Roll 1d6 for each moved Monster, on 1-3 it moves left, and on 4-6 it moves
right). All creatures in the area of effect suffer 1d3 Wounds of damage per
caster’s Battle-level, which is not modified by anything except the Ignore
Pain special ability. If a creature is knocked into another creature, each
must make an Initiative check Dif. 7 or be knocked Prone.
Target: A 1 square
wide corridor, range of 10 squares + 1 square per Battle-level.
Duration: Immediate
HEALING
Cure Severe Wounds
The Battlemage’s hands become suffused with a red glow as he lays them on his companion.
This spell can
restore 1d6 Wounds per the caster’s Battle-level to a single adjacent Warrior
that he can touch, up to his Starting Wounds. This spell cannot heal specific
injuries or amputations.
Target: Self or
One adjacent Warrior
Duration: Immediate
ATTACK
Armour Crypt
The Battlemage decides to undermine his foe’s defences, turning the Chaos Warrior’s all-encompassing armor against him.
Creatures
caught in the spell’s area of effect suffer continuing damage as their armor
sprouts spikes on its interior, distracting them with pain so that they are
at -1 to hit (unless they have the Ignore Pain ability). At the end of each
Turn of combat, they suffer 1 unmodified Wound of damage per point of Toughness
that is provided from worn armor. Magical bonuses do not count, only the
original armor points are used to determine damage sustained. When combat
ends, the spikes on the interior of the armor disappear and it can be worn
normally.
Target: All Monsters
on the same board section
Duration: Until
the end of combat
ATTACK
Elemental Rupture
A cloud of damaging elemental energy spreads to flood the Ice Elementals with flame.
When this spell
is cast, the caster may decide to flood one board section with one of these
forces: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. Any creature, friend or
foe, caught in the elemental rupture suffers 1d6 Wounds for each of the caster’s
Battle-levels, which is not modified for Toughness, armor, or Ignore Pain.
Any creature that
makes a successful Initiative save of Dif. 7 when the elemental rupture
is cast can avoid this damage completely as long as they can (ignoring Pinning)
use up to their full Movement to leave the board section immediately. This
action uses up their Movement for that turn but any Monsters that do so may
still Attack, cast spells, etc.
Target: One Board
Section that the caster can see.
Duration: One
Turn
Magma Pit
The heat rose on the battlefield as pits of magma opened everywhere, and the enemy began to fall in conflagrations of fiery quagmires.
The very earth
boils in response to this spell, transforming into seething magma that sears
flesh and can destroy flammable materials and metals with a low melting point
(such as lead, gold, copper, silver or bronze). This spell uses a 2x2 template
much like the Pit of Despair spell. Creatures in the area of effect
suffer 2d6 Wounds + an additional 1d6 Wounds per every two Battle-levels of
the caster (not modified for anything), and Move at half normal speed as their
lower legs become mired in liquid hot magma. Large Monsters do not suffer
the reduction in Movement, but suffer damage as normal. Any creature of the
cold type (Ice Elementals, etc.) suffers double normal damage from this spell.
When the area of effect expires, the ground immediately cools and any creatures
caught in it stop taking damage. Creatures mired in magma are left unhindered
the turn after they leave the magma pit.
Target: Any 2
by 2 square area on the board
Duration: One
Turn per caster’s Battle-level
DEFENSE
Defencelessness
Suddenly the befuddled Dark Elf weaponmaster realized the balance of his sword was all wrong, before his puzzlement was ended by the detaching of his head from his neck.
This spell fills
the targets with an inability to focus on their own defences. While the targets
can attack normally, they are blind to any gaps in their protection and do
nothing to protect themselves from incoming attacks. All targets that fail
a Willpower save Dif. 7 are treated as if they were WS 1 when they are attacked.
Target: All Monsters
within one Board Section that the caster can see.
Duration: One
Turn
DEFENSE
Eldritch Enemy
The Battlemage has learned just how to handle a wizard’s duel.
This spell creates
a band of force loosely circling the target. Whenever the target begins to
cast a spell, the band contracts sharply, causing 7d6 Wounds of damage (modified
for Toughness and Armor) forcing a concentration check in order to finish
casting the spell. If the target rolls a 4, 5, or 6 then he can finish casting
the spell, if not he fails.
Target: One Monster
that the caster can see.
Duration: One
Turn
ATTACK
Acid Geysers
At the Battlemage’s direction, geysers of magical acid erupt from mystical portals created from nowhere.
When this spell
is cast, select a number of targets equal to the caster’s Battle-level that
within a board section of each other. Any targeted creatures suffer 6d6 unmodified
Wounds of damage. The corrosive action of the acid also damages the creature’s
armor (either worn or natural) and reduces the protection it offers by 1d3
points of Toughness. Magical armor can avoid this degradation if its wearer
rolls a 4, 5, or 6. If all the points of protection offered by armor are
degraded, then the armor is considered destroyed, magical or not. Natural
armor that is degraded will remain so until any Wounds caused by this spell
have been healed.
Note that no creature
may be targeted by this spell in two consecutive Turns.
Target: A number
of Monsters equal to the caster’s Battle-level.
Duration: One
Turn
ATTACK
Corpsefire
“If you thought that this battle was a slaughter before, you have not seen anything yet!”
(Note: It will
be necessary for a player preparing to use this spell to make small tokens
to mark places on the board where creatures have died.) When you cast this
spell, a blue-grey haze floats out from the caster’s hand to fill an entire
board section. Any corpses in this area immediately emit blue flames that
fill the squares immediately surrounding the dead body. Any creatures in
the area filled with blue flame suffer 4d6 Wounds of cold-based damage, modified
for Toughness and armor. If a creature makes an Initiative test Dif. 7 it
can immediately move one square out of the flames (if possible) to cut this
down to 2d6 Wounds of damage.
Once a body has
been ignited with corpsefire it may not be used to generate further flames
and may not be Resurrected. However, any creatures that are in the haze emitted
by this spell will burst into corpsefire flames if they die that Turn as soon
as they hit the floor, causing a possible chain reaction. This spell can
quickly get out of hand as the flames will devour friend or foe, though the
caster is himself immune.
Engulfing Doom (Costs 12 Power per Turn to maintain)
The Battlemage summons forth a shrieking maelstrom of magical force that hungers for living flesh.
This spell fills a target area of 2 squares by 2 squares to a height of 30 ft. Any creature caught in the initial burst suffers 5d6 Wounds of damage, modified only by Toughness. For each creature in the area of effect that is killed by the engulfing doom, the radius of the emanation increases by 1 square at the beginning of the next Turn and the damage caused increases by 1d6 Wounds.
For example, if
3 targets are killed by the spell then, at the beginning to the next Turn,
the radius increases by 3 squares to cause a total of 8d6 Wounds of damage
to all creatures, friend or foe, caught in the area of effect. The maximum
damage this spell can cause in a Turn is 25d6 Wounds, but there is no maximum
to the area of effect Like corpsefire, this spell can quickly get out of
hand, and this is one spell that the Battlemage cannot shield himself from,
as its hunger for flesh is so great. However, for this spell to continue
from Turn to Turn, the Battlemage must do nothing but concentrate and spend
12 Power at the beginning of each Turn.
Target: A 2 by
2 square that the caster can see.
Duration: One
Turn, unless maintained, for a maximum of One Turn per caster’s Battle-level.
When visiting settlements, a Battlemage may visit all the standard locations such as the various traders, and the following special locations:
The Alchemist, Gambling House, Temple, Alehouse (-1 on the die roll for the Events table), the Fighter’s School (-1 on that table), and the Wizard’s Guild.
In addition, there is a new special location - the Battle Guild.
Of course, if there are die rolls to be made to see if a certain location can be found, then all normal rules apply.
The Battle Guild is notorious for hoarding their secrets and occasionally producing highly dangerous wizards of dubious repute, and the more intellectual College Wizards look down on members of the Battle Guild almost to a man. Their skills on the battlefield cannot be disputed; but their motives, philosophies and parentage often are. In short, a Battlemage can expect to be treated like a barbaric or rustic cousin and charged double for all services and items, including the Entrance/Consultation fee.
Members of the Battle Guild have a simple philosophy of battle: “The best defense is a good offense, and the second best defense is a good defense.” Therefore, apprentices are taught many practical applications of magic; namely, how to use it as a weapon and how to use it as armor. The instructors do not mince words, they make it clear that students are being taught how to kill to best effect, and how to kill quickly. Apprentices are also, unlike in other magical guilds, drilled in the rudiments of swordplay and weaponsmithing so that they are never left without a Plan B.
The Battle Guild is highly secretive about the source of their spells, which is the Book of War. Amongst themselves, however, Battlemages regard the Book as a common toolkit, and therefore every member has access to the same spells. There is a weakness to this approach, however, as raw graduates of this Guild are famous for lacking competence in the Healing arts as well as a dearth of knowledge in many fields that normal Wizards consider mundane.
Apprentices are considered ready to graduate and make their way in the world after they have crafted their equivalent of a thesis: the Spellblade. If a Battlemage should ever lose his, he must spend 7 days closeted in the forges of the Battle Guild and spend 5,000 Gold in materials to construct a new one, as these weapons are bonded to their owners.
At first, the Spellblade counts just as a magical Sword that does normal damage. However, the Battlemage forges a bond with the weapon when he forges it, and therefore anyone else using it is it -1 to Hit. This penalty becomes cumulative as the Battlemage increases in level. This spellblade is more an extension of the Battlemage’s arcane essence than a simple weapon. From the caster’s second Battle-level onwards, he gains the ability to deliver his Attack spells through a melee attack. This is not a problem for a Battlemage, as they are trained from the beginning to shield themselves as they strike. Battlemages are therefore never hurt by their own spells even when engulfed in them.
To deliver a spell in this fashion, the Battlemage can cast it into his spellblade by expending two extra points of Power. This stores the spell in the weapon and prepares it for delivery. The Battlemage must then successfully damage a target with a melee attack in order to release the energy of the spell. When the spell is released from the Spellblade, the area of effect, if any, is centred on the victim of the melee attack. No more than one spell may reside within the Spellblade at one time. If a Battlemage casts a spell into it while one is already stored in the weapon, the stored spell is simply replaced by the new one. Until the spell is triggered, it resides in the Spellblade for a full day, ready to be used. However, only the Battlemage can release it.
Because of this bond between the weapon and its master, the Spellblade grows in power as the Battlemage gains Battle-levels. From increased accuracy to improved damage, the Spellblade becomes a powerful extension of the Battlemage’s fighting capabilities. To increase the power of a Spellblade, the Battlemage must return to a Battle Guild and bring with him magical items, which are used to increase the power of the weapon. The type of item is unimportant and more than one item can be used for a single increase. To determine the value of the items that must be sacrificed, consult the table below.
This table illustrates the enhancements available for the Spellblade at each Battle-level of the wielder. There are several enhancements available at each level and the Battlemage may take as many of them as he can afford magical items to fuel them, but a particular increase can be taken only once each Battle-level and the Battlemage can only purchase new enhancements available at his current level. For example, once the character has Trained to be Battle-level 3, he will no longer be able to purchase any of the Level 1 or Level 2 enhancements.
It is very important that the Battlemage must sacrifice magical items at the Battle Guild to purchase each enhancement; he cannot simply pay the equivalent Gold value listed in the chart below. Also note that if a Battlemage should lose his Spellblade, he must spend 7 days in the Battle Guild and 5,000 Gold pieces to construct a new one, but it will not have ANY of the enhancements that his old Spellblade had, so this would be a traumatic event. Like a Samurai, a Battlemage’s Spellblade is his life, and he should treat it as such. Descriptions of some of the enhancements follow the chart.
Read carefully, as most of these abilities require the Battlemage to expend internal Power (only!) to represent him becoming one with the arcane powers he has bestowed in his blade.
Reverse Strike
This ability
allows the Battlemage to make a second Attack immediately after his first
Attack of the Turn. This attack must be mage against same target as before
or it is lost (as it represents the Battlemage’s attempt to hammer through
an opponent’s defenses.) This ability lasts 3 Turns for each Internal Power
expended.
Heightened Defense
If
the Battlemage makes no Attacks and casts no spells this Turn, he receives
a deflection bonus to his Toughness equal to double his Weapon Skill. This
bonus represents the Battlemage wielding his Spellblade in a defensive posture,
and applies equally to all ranged and melee attacks and even some missile-like
spells, but not area effect magic or other spells that a single blade couldn’t
deflect. This ability lasts 5 Turns when one Internal Power is expended.
Parry Defense
While wielding
the Spellblade, the Battlemage gains 1 point of Ignore Pain against all melee
attacks made against him, which represents him turning aside the brunt of
blows made against him. This ability lasts 3 Turns when one Internal Power
is expended.
Weaving Dodge
By adjusting
his position slightly, the Battlemage is able to use his opponents as cover
against attacks. For every attacker engaging the Battlemage in melee after
the first, the Warrior gains one rank of the Dodge skill, though this
can never be better than Dodge 4+. This ability expends one point
of Internal Power for each Turn it is active.
Arcane Precision
This
ability enables the Battlemage to add his Initiative score to either his Weapon
Skill or his Ballistic Skill for purposes of attacking only. Once activated,
the benefits of this ability last for One Turn per point of Internal Power
expended, beginning on the Turn after the ability is activated.
Arcane Force
Activating
this ability allows the Battlemage to exert tremendous force with his Spellblade.
Once activated, the effects last for One Turn per point of Internal Power
expended. On the Turn following the activation of this ability, the Battlemage
gains a bonus to his Strength (when attacking) equal to the amount of Internal
Power expended. On subsequent Turns, the Strength bonus decreases by one,
until it reaches zero and the arcane ability expires. (For example, a Battlemage
expends 6 points of Internal Power on Arcane Force. The next Turn he attacks
with the Spellblade adding an additional 6 points of Strength to his damage
rolls. The turn after, this decreases to +5 STR, and so on until the bonus
is completely depleted.)
Second Strike
The Battlemage
may make an additional Attack which hits on an unmodified 4, 5, or 6 against
any one target he has already attacked this Turn. This ability lasts two
Turns for every point of Internal Power expended.
Defeat Shield
When this
enhancement is gained, the Spellblade becomes flexible and is able to actually
bend slightly around the edges of shields to strike at covered opponents.
This ability costs one point of Power (not just internal) for each Attack
made against a shield-bearing opponent. These attacks ignore one or two points
of armor depending on the size of the opponent’s shield.
Fate Strike
The Battlemage
may choose to accept a strike from one Monster (which hits automatically and
ignores armor as well as any magical defensive effects) in order to automatically
strike the opponent in return. The return strike causes the maximum possible
damage for the weapon plus an additional amount of damage equal to that which
the Warrior suffered on the initial attack. This riposte is made immediately.
The ability to do this is activated at the start of any One Turn and three
points of Internal Power are expended per use.
Dazzling Assault
The Battlemage
launches a relentless series of attacks against the same foe, slowly wearing
down his defences through repeated strikes. For every Attack after the first
made against the same foe, any Attacks directed at him in the following round
are at +1 to Hit. This bonus is cumulative and persists until you miss an
Attack against this target. When this ability is used, all of the Battlemage’s
attacks each Turn must be directed against this target until the Dazzling
Assault effect is ended. This ability lasts until the opponent is dead or
the Battlemage misses and costs two Internal Power to activate. Note that,
as always, a natural ‘1’ is an automatic miss.
Concussive Attack
This
enhancement causes the Spellblade to deliver blows with crushing force, often
knocking targets back several feet. While this ability is active, any target
struck by the blade in melee must make a Toughness Save at a Difficulty of
(7 + actual Wounds caused by the attack) or be knocked back one square. This
ability expends one point of Internal Power per Attack made with Concussive
Force.
Parry Defense
When activated,
this ability allows the Battlemage to deflect melee attacks that target him.
For the duration of the Parry Defense ability, the Battlemage may attempt
to deflect blows by rolling higher than what the attacker rolled to hit him.
He may not Parry any hits that were made with a natural ‘6’, nor may he Parry
any attacks made at twice his Strength. The ability persists for a number
of Turns equal to the amount of Internal Power expended.
Crippling Attack
This
enhancement damages a target, draining them of strength and leaving them dazed
and confused. When an Attack from the Spellblade causes damage while this
ability is active, the target loses one point of Strength and loses an Attack
in the next Monster’s Phase. This ability lasts One Turn and four points
of Internal Power are expended for each successful Attack made with it.
Blood Siphon
Any attack
that hits and causes actual Wounds while this ability is active causes an
additional 1d3 unmodified Wounds of damage to the target and restores 1d3
Wounds to the Battlemage. Two points of Internal Power are expended each
time the Battlemage attempts a Blood Siphon attack.
Improved Deathblow
On
a successful attack, this ability unleashes a powerful arcane blast into the
target, disrupting their body. The target is immediately reduced to 0 Wounds
unless they make a Toughness save at Difficulty 10 (the Mage’s Battle-level).
Monsters that save against the Improved Deathblow lose one-half their current
Wounds. This ability requires a whole Turn to activate during which the Battlemage
may not attack or cast spells and expends 10 points of Internal Power per
Attack.
Grave Retribution
This
ability is activated only if the Battlemage is slain. Immediately upon his
death, the Battlemage’s Spellblade launches an attack against its master’s
killer, provided the killer is within 3 squares of the Battlemage at the time
of his death. The target must make a Toughness save at Difficulty 10 (the
Mage’s Battle-level). Monsters that save against the Grave Retribution are
still reduced to 0 Wounds. When a Monster fails to save against the Grave
Retribution, the Battlemage is restored to 1 Wound immediately, though with
his Internal Power drained for the rest of the adventure.
Impenetrable Defense
The
Battlemage may use this ability to defend himself against all melee damage
while it is active. Any attack which would cause damage instead expends a
number of Power (from the Winds of Magic as well as Internal) equal to the
Wounds that would have been lost. The Battlemage must declare he is using
this ability before the Monster’s Phase, and cannot stop using it just because
he is losing more Power than he expected. Each usage lasts until the end
of the Turn.
Eldritch Flurry
This ability
costs one point of Internal Power per Turn, and once activated, allows the
Battlemage to attack with his Spellblade almost as fast as the Imperial Noble
with his rapier. Unleashing a whirlwind of melee Attacks, the Battlemage
may immediate make another free attack against a different target,
as long as he causes actual Wounds of damage. If this free attack damages
its target, then the Battlemage can make yet another attack against yet another
target, and so on until one of his attacks fails to hit or cause damage or
he runs out of separate Monsters to attack. Note the Eldritch Flurry cannot
be used to attack the same Monster more than once in a given Turn, no matter
how many Attacks are on the Battlemage’s profile.
With regard to tests and general behavior, the players and the games master should bear in mind that the Battlemage is first and foremost a magic user, and will tend to have similar strengths and weaknesses when using role-play modifiers. However, a Battlemage armed with a Spellblade is a fearsome sight indeed, and thus some combat related tests such as disarming that the Spellblade could aid in could use modifiers closer to the Barbarian. This character originally started out as an alternative to the High Elf Ranger Mage character and would have a similar niche in a party.
If you are using optional Insanity rules, then the Battlemage should be treated as the Wizard. Neither character is protected by sticking to the spells of one Color College, and therefore is at greater risk of insanity being that they are dealing with more of the raw powers of Chaos than the human mind can handle. However, they will not go insane as quickly as a Daemonologist or Necromancer.
I originally created a Battlemage character a few years ago, based on the Elder Scrolls characters you see in games such as Morrowwind and Daggerfall. Rather than the multiclass Fighter/Mages of D&D fame, the Battlemage is most definitely still a mage, albeit one with an increased awareness of combat and the ability to do more than hurt himself with a sword. This profession received a serious upgrade, however, once I stumbled upon Mongoose Publishing’s D20 sourcebooks. In particular, The Eldritch Storm is an excellent treatise on Battle Magic and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more (in a roleplaying sense) of how the Battle Guilds function and The Book of War.
Inspired by the wealth of possibilities inherent in a seemingly two-dimensional profession, I’ve come up with what should a highly replayable character template. The spellbook is just as large as that available to the Wizard, but a single Battlemage will not have as large a repertoire as one. The Spellblade, granting potentially ridiculous combat abilities, is also ridiculously expensive to upgrade, and it is unlikely that two different players will have the same focus on how they improve their character. The resulting character could turn out to be an evoker, a psychological manipulator, a party-friendly buffer in spell use; or could focus on the development of his Spellblade, becoming akin to a Samurai or perhaps a sort of medieval Jedi (there’s a reason it costs internal Force, er, Power points to unlock the blade’s abilities).
For those balking at the sheer damaging potential of this profession, take note of the extreme gold costs to unlock the Spellblade’s abilities and realize that to buy every single upgrade would cost enough Gold to train to Battle-level 30!! And don’t forget that if the Battlemage trades away every magic item in order to invest in his Spellblade, it will be that much more likely to be stolen or lost in a Random Event. Likewise, I have included some very powerful spells that the Battlemage can choose, but he will not be able to cast them very often, especially if he is using his internal Power for his Spellblade! So please realize that there will be much strategy and many choices to make when playing this profession.
Finally, I already acknowledged the inspiration of Mongoose Publishing, but I must mention that some of the spells are Battle Magic staples from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay as well as Realms of Sorcery, modified for Warhammer Quest.
