The Mage Killer
The Mage Killer
The mage killer is a martial expert that specializes in nullifying or getting in on any magic use. Much of their training was all about how to battle against mages when they themselves aren't as talented in such areas. Often they are employed as guards or as parts of military units to keep their allies safer from an arcane bombardment. As adventurers they are invaluable in any situation where magic has become the primary threat.
Basic Detail
HD Type: d12
Bonus HP Per HD: +5
Attack Curve: High
Magical Prowess: Basic
Sub-Type: Combat Focused
Skill Growth: 2 + Intelligence Modifier (4x as much at first level)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Balance, Beguile, Discern Intent, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Investigate
Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Spot, and Swim.
Known Skills: 6 + Intelligence Modifier
Weapon Proficiency: A Weapon Group of choice
Armor Proficiency: Light, Medium, and Shields; except tower shields.
Saves: 2 High 2 Low
Primary Mental Attribute(PMA): Int; must be 16+
Suggested Attribute Distribution: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 14
Progression
| HD | Perk | Base Attack | High Save | Low Save | Spell Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mage KillerD, Weapon Group FixationF, AlertF, Counterspell (1/day), and Spell TheftA 1/day | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 |
| 2 | - | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 |
| 3 | Counterspell (2/day) and Weapon Group OffensiveF | +3 | +3 | +1 | +0 |
| 4 | Practiced CounterspellF | +4 | +4 | +1 | +0 |
| 5 | Counterspell (2/day), NullifierD (Lesser Dispel Magic 3/day) | +5 | +4 | +1 | +0 |
| 6 | Improved Weapon Group FixationF | +6/+1 | +5 | +2 | +0 |
| 7 | Counterspell (4/day), Improved Weapon Group OffensiveF | +7/+2 | +5 | +2 | +0 |
| 8 | - | +8/+3 | +6 | +2 | +0 |
| 9 | Counterspell (5/day), Shield FocusF | +9/+4 | +6 | +3 | +0 |
| 10 | Inhibitor +3D, Fay SpaceA, and GrapplerF | +10/+5 | +7 | +3 | +1 |
| 11 | Counterspell (6/day) | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +1 |
| 12 | Inhibitor +4, Interrupting GrappleF, Nullifier (Greater Dispel Magic 3/day) | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +4 | +1 |
| 13 | Counterspell (7/day), Ray GuardF | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +4 | +1 |
| 14 | - | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +1 |
| 15 | Counterspell (8/day), Resistive FocusD and Improved Shield FocusF | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +5 | +1 |
| 16 | Inhibitor +5 and Unshakable | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +1 |
| 17 | Counterspell (9/day) | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +1 |
| 18 | IndomitableF | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +1 |
| 19 | Counterspell (10/day), Unbreakablef | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +1 |
| 20 | Magic Resistant (30)D, Inhibitor +6, and Ally ShieldingA(3/day) | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +2 |
F Feat, A Ability, and D Definition
The Breakdown
Mage Killer: Gain counterspell as a supernatural (Su) ability once per day at 1 HD. The number of uses increases on every odd numbered HD. This counterspell will always be treated as if it was cast at 6th level. Mage Killers also use their HD instead of their caster level for counterspell and dispel type effects. If the character only has one good save, they will instead have two good saves.
Weapon Group Fixation: This provides a +1 training bonus to hit on all weapons within the weapon group.
Alert: Gain a +3 inherent bonus to Listen, Spot, and Initiative.
Spell Theft: Gain the ability Spell Theft.
Weapon Group Offensive: This provides a +2 training bonus to damage on all weapons within the weapon group.
Practiced Counterspell: Gain an extra counterspell per round that doesn't use up the Mage Killer's immediate action.
Improved Weapon Group Fixation: All weapons within the weapon group will now have a +2 training bonus on rolls to Hit.
Improved Weapon Group Offensive: All weapons within the weapon group will now have a +4 training bonus to damage rolls.
Spell Casting
Caster Level: A basic caster's caster level (CL) is considered to be their HD divided in half, round down. So a level 11 basic caster has a CL of 5. This affects many aspects of a spell, like range, number of damage dice, duration, etc...
Spells Known: Spells known are spells that a caster does not have to prepare ahead of time. A basic magic user does not get many of these. This does not mean, however, that they cannot cast spells. They can carry a spell book around and put any spell into it from their specified list. (Arcane, Divine, or Generalist).
Spells Per Day: Also called spell slots, these are how many of a given spell level can be cast per day. Sometimes a level will have 0 listed. This means they are able to cast spells at that level, given that they have a high enough PMA to get bonus spells per day.
Memorizing Spells: Spells in a spell book must be memorized and will, 'take,' a spell per day to do so. It will be kept as a prepared spell until cast. A memorized spell's slot can be used to cast any known spell instead.
Spell Proficiency: Spell proficiency is added to Spells, spell-like abilities(Sp), supernatural abilities(Su) DC's, as well as any non-touch attack roll. It is also applied as a flat bonus for each damage/healing/warding dice for Spells, Spell-like abilities(Sp), or Supernatural Abilities(Su). For example, if a character has a spell that deals 5d6 damage and has a Casting Proficiency of 2 it will be 5d6+10 damage.
Nullifier: Gain 3 uses of Lesser Dispel Magic per day as a spell-like ability.
Shield Focus: Gain +1 AC with a type of shield, and an additional effect based on which type. See Text
Inhibitor: Gain a +3 competency bonus on Dispel, Counterspell, and Knowledge(Arcana) rolls. This bonus will grow by +1 every 4 HD. This bonus also applies to the spell DC of any variation of Dispel Magic.
Fay Space: Gain the Ability Fay Space
Grappler: Initiating a grappler no longer provokes an attack of opportunity and gain a +4 training bonus on all grapple checks.
Interrupting Grapple: When a spell caster triggers an attack of opportunity, the Mage Killer can instead choose to grapple them in place of an attack.
Ray Guard: Gain the shield selected with Shield Focus' bonus to AC against magical touch attacks.
Resistive Focus: Choose one of the Mage Killer's low saves and make it a high save.
Improved Shield Focus: The shield selected for Shield Focus gains +1 more AC and further bonuses. See Text
Unshakable: Gain a +2 inherent bonus to ego saves.
Indomitable: Gain a +2 inherent bonus to will saves.
Unbreakable: Gain a +2 inherent bonus to fortitude saves.
Ally Shielding: Gain the ability Ally Shielding
Magic Resistant: Gain Spell Resistance equal to 10 + HD (30).
| Spells Known | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 4 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 5 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 10 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 19 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Spells Per Day | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 0 | - | - | - |
| 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 4 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 5 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 2 | 0 | - | - |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 13 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 17 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 19 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 20 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
Suggested Spells by Level
Since the basic has basic_r magic, resisting the magic will be much easier. The best kind of spells will be spells that do not require, or elicit, a saving throw. Typically, things that enhance the performance of the basics_r's, or their group's, combat capabilities. As is the case with everything, these spells are suggestions, not required.