SorO's Blue Mage

[SorO_Lost]

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*** The Blue Mage ***
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Masters of learning magic, Avatars of move learning. The Blue Mages are a select group of sorcerer warriors who specialize in quick learning and adaptation. Orderly and well organized at their best, and controlling and possessive at their worst, the Blue Mage is a class suited to those who wish to mimic a interesting effect they just witnessed.

Jace: http://www.wizards.com/mtg/images/daily/td/td83_jace.jpg
D&D Azure: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ue_gallery/49907.jpg

Making a Blue Mage
The Blue Mage is a specialist in the arts of compartmentalizing knowledge. Some would say their arcane power assists their development capabilities, others would say their psionic talent's run thick. They work especially well with spontaneous spellcasters and other melee classes, but their style of research is looked down upon by most prepared spellcasters. Additionally classes capable of healing may get tired of seeing the same patient over and over again.

Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d6. Races: Any none-elf. Starting Gold: [(1d4 x 4) + 1 x 5] gp Abilities: Like with all force of will casters, Charisma is important to the Blue Mage for determining how powerful their spells are and how many they can cast. High Constitution is a must for the Blue Mage, the ability to survive an attack is required in order to learn new traits and abilities.

Table: The Blue Mage

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Level	BAB	Fort	Relf	Will	Special		Special Abilities	Spells Known & Slots per Encounter
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Blue Magic, Special Abilities		1	2
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Azure Defense (1)		2	2/1
3	+2	+1	+1	+3	Detect Magic		2	2/2
4	+3	+1	+1	+4	Azure Defense (2)		2	2/2/1
5	+3	+1	+1	+4	Mirror Move		3	2/2/2
6	+4	+2	+2	+5	Azure Defense (3)		3	2/2/2/1
7	+5	+2	+2	+5	Sense Magic		3	2/2/2/2
8	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Azure Defense (4)		3	2/2/2/2/1
9	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Evasion		4	2/2/2/2/2
10	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Azure Defense (5)		4	2/2/2/2/2/1
11	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Mettle		4	2/2/2/2/2/2
12	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Azure Defense (6)		4	2/2/2/2/2/2/1
13	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	School of Cobalt		4	2/2/2/2/2/2/2
14	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Azure Defense (7)		5	2/2/2/2/2/2/2/1
15	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Improved Evasion		5	2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2
16	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Azure Defense ( 8 )		5	2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/1
17	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Improved Mettle		5	2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2
18	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Azure Defense (9)		5	2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/1
19	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Cerulean Awareness		5	2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2
20	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Azure Defense (10)		6	2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

A Blue Mage gains and upgrades Detect Magic, "Damage Reduction", Evasion, & Mettle for his chief traits outside of Spell/Ability progression yet no dead levels. The two misc abilities is learning one very appropriate spell and the flavor matching Bonus Feat. Even the Spell Progression is simple, man I could really remember what is gained when, it's so easy.

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*** Class Features ***
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Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Blue Mage is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, scimitar, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Blue Mages are proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). A Blue Mage can cast his spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a Blue Mage wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass Blue Mage still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

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Spells

A Blue Mage casts arcane spells like a Sorcerer and like other spontaneous casters, using a metamagic feat changes the action required to cast a spell. However the Blue Mage may still gain the benefit of the quicken spell feat. To learn or cast a spell, a Blue Mage must have a charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. Having high charisma does not bestow additional spell slots, through it improves save DCs as normal. And his effective caster level is equal to the number of Blue Mage class levels he possess through many effects may change this.

I know Kung Fu Spells!

Unlike other spellcasters, a Blue Mage can cast his spells any number of times per day. His spellcasting ability operates much like a Martial Adapt's ability to use Maneuvers except it applies to the spell slots and not the spells themselves and after five minutes have passed you recover the consumed slot. There is no ability, for example adaptive style or chaotic spell recall, can refresh them earlier. Additionally unlike a martial adapt whose initiator level continues to increase from any class, taking levels in other classes that do not advance spellcasting does not progress the Blue Mage's spellcasting in any way. Since the Blue Mage does not truly have a class spell list, effects that would expand this list do not apply and a Blue Mage must use the use magic device skill to activate items that would require having a spell on your class spell list.

If starting above level 1 and you want to remain random, try starting with a number of spells equal to your level - 2.

A Blue Mage's selection of spells is extremely limited but very versatile. A Blue Mage begins play knowing one 0-level spell drawn from any spell list. A Blue Mage can then learn new spells no matter what it's source is, be it from a divine based, magic item, a spell-like ability or from other spellcasters as explained below. In order to learn a new spell the Blue Mage's class level and charisma needs to be high enough to cast it, the Blue Mage must be affected by the spell (generally getting the spell cast on him), and make a special DC 15 + spell level knowledge check using only his Blue Mage class level for a bonus. A Blue Mage can only attempt one such check once per encounter as a free action. To determine a spell's level for this ability use it's wizard/sorcerer level, or cleric, or as the same class as the caster, or it's highest listed if the spellcaster has no associated class based spellcasting (such as an SLA), in that order. For example, animate dead is a 4th level wizard/sorcerer spell and 3rd level cleric spell, a Blue Mage treats this as a 4th level spell. No matter if the spell was arcane, divine, or untyped, a Blue Mage's spells are always arcane based and subject to arcane spell failure. From the 7th level on he can learn new spells with a Range of Personal using his Sense Magic ability to detect the spell as a standard action. Spells that require or check for a certain alignment or race the Blue Mage can make a UMD check to emulate as if casting the spell from a magical device, using such spells may change the caster's alignment as normal.

A Blue Mage can forget any spell he knows after 8 hours of rest in order to make room for learning a new spell or ability. If the forgotten spell as a duration other than Permanent the effect ends when it is forgotten as if it were dispelled.

Special Abilities

A Blue Mage can attempt to learn an Extraordinary or Supernatural Special Ability much like he can learn spells. The DC for the knowledge check is DC 15 + the CR, HD, or ECL (which ever is the highest) of the creature he is learning it from. If the ability deals damage, ability damage, imposes some sort of penalty or otherwise is capable of affecting another target than the creature using it, the Blue Mage must be affected by it in some manner. If the ability affects only the creature it's self the Blue Mage can still attempt to learn if it he witnesses the ability being used, however the DC to learn it is increased by five.

http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii562/SorO_Lost/BM/BM-ArmUp.png

This is what makes me me!

Like spells, starting above level 1 means you need to know the basics. You start with one ability from a creature whose stuff is your level - 2, and may fill up to half your remaining abilities known from creatures from a lower level.

Once an ability is learned the Blue Mage can use it similar to his spellcasting ability. Including the five minute delay in reuse and any Save DC is based off his Charisma Modifier. Passive abilities such as regeneration or auras have to be activated as a swift action before taking effect and have a duration equal to the number of class levels the Blue Mage possesses or the ability's original duration (whichever is shorter). After which the ability becomes inactive.

A Blue Mage cannot learn an ability dependent on the creature's forum unless his natural form is capable of supporting it. For example, some animals have a Rake attack that allows them to deal extra claw damage if two or more attacks hit, if the Blue Mage does not have a Claw attack he cannot learn this type of Rake

Finally, a Blue Mage can forget any Special Ability he knows as a Free Action allowing him to learn a new ability in place of an existing one. If the forgotten ability as any ongoing effects those effects end. Any deity effects such as salient abilities or anything related to portfolios cannot be learned by mortal magic such as this. Any effects that render something immune to most forms of magic, such as a golem's magic immunity, can never be learned. And effects that grant additional actions are subject to the DM's approval before learning as well.

Please discuss taking things like Quickness and Arcane Talent with your DM, they are pretty powerful effects and you don't want to break you DM's game. Right?

Being me is awesome.

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Azure Defense
From the consent onslaught of attacks and spells to learn new spells and abilities a Blue Mage learns to better endure such effects. Starting at the 2nd level a Blue Mage gains reduces Hit Point damage dealt to them by 1. This reduction applies to all forms of HP damage such as attacks, Spells, and Special Abilities. If the damage is reduced to zero or less any affect that depends on the damage also fails. For instance if a 10th level Blue Mage were attacked by a Fell Drain enhanced Magic Missile spell, the negative level wouldn't be bestowed. For every other level after the second this special form of damage reduction improves by one, up to a maximum of reducing Hit Point damage by 10 at level 20 (see table). This ability does not stack with any form of resistance or damage reduction, instead you reduce the single greatest amount that applies from each. As a free action a Blue Mage may forgo the benefits of this ability in order to learn new spells that might have otherwise been negated, if they do then the ability doesn't resume until the start of the Blue Mage's next turn.

Detect Magic (Sp)
Starting at 3rd level, a Blue Mage can use Detect Magic as a spell-like ability at will.

Mirror Move
A 5th level Blue Mage learns Mirror Move as a 2nd level Spell. Knowing this spell does not count against the Blue Mage's limit of spells known.

Sense Magic (Su)
Beginning at the 7th level, you can spend 10 minutes focusing upon a magical item. If you succeed on a level check (DC 10 + the caster level of the item), you can identify the properties of that item, including its enhancement bonus and special abilities. This ability does no reveal the properties of artifacts or legacy items, through it does indicate that such items are significantly powerful. Otherwise this ability works like Detect Magic and allows you to learn spells with a range of personal (see spells).

Evasion (Ex)
At 9th level and higher, a Blue Mage can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. A helpless Blue Mage or one with an armor check penalty greater than -1 does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Mettle (Ex)
At 11th level, the Blue Mage can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower of fortitude. If she makes a successful will or fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), she instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping Blue Mage does not gain the benefit of mettle.

School of Cobalt
At the 13th level a Blue Mage's mastery of learning spells and powers extends to even places themselves. During his expeditions he can choose one place he visited and learn it's characteristics. The Blue Mage gains any one Touchstone type feat that he meets the prerequisites to except the greater ability (if any) has fifty percent more uses (rounded down).

Improved Evasion (Ex)
At 15th level, the Blue Mage gains an improved version of evasion. This ability works like evasion, except that while the Blue Mage still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless Blue Mage or one with an armor check penalty greater than -1 does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Improved Mettle (Ex)
At 17th level, the Blue Mage gains an improved version of mettle. This ability works like mettle, except that it also halves the harmful effects of a spell on a failed Fortitude or Will save while still protecting you entirely on a successful save. An unconscious or sleeping Blue Mage does not gain the benefit of improved mettle.

Cerulean Awareness
At the 19th level the DCs to learn a new spell or special ability decreases by five.

Tip for multiclass characters. PrCs advance your spellcasting but not special ability powers, instead you may take the Practiced Spellcaster feat and apply it to your effective Blue Mage level for the purposes of level checks to learn special abilities as a substitution of it's normal caster level increase. This bonus is limited to your HD as normal.

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An interesting trait about the Blue Mage is it's omnious learning capability can by limited by choice or DM rule to specific themes. So like many superheroes, mages in entertainment, and so on, you can have an nearly unlimited usage of a certain scope of powers.

For instance, Naruto has two real powers, clones and the Rasenga. Ichigo has super speed and a blast ability. Starfire has lasers and flight. Wolverine has claws and regeneration. And so on, these heroes don't do it all, instead the deploy their signature abilities in each and every battle. This is something the Vacian Spellcasting System is technically incapable of, for you are intended to use you're highest level spells and those are limited to such it tends to be a struggle to do exactly that even at four encounters a day.

Using the Blue Mage as your base you have full access to spells and many creature abilities without having to resort to Polymorph effects which may be an undesirable flavor addition. Like say you seen Shigekuni Yamamoto from Bleach and thought, hey what if I wanted to be fire focused. Obviously, only Desert Wind and a full spellcaster are the only capable classes since half-caster classes effectivly miss out on Orb of Fire or even the less deadly but still conceptually useful Fire Shield or Wall of Fire. You may even like the Dry Lich's Greater Drought and wish for some means to obtain it. The Blue Mage class, if allowed, gives you a set of near balanced rules for doing this.

As mentioned several times. It's in what you know that makes or breaks this class. Whether you want the Blue Magic aspect of mimicing or using this as a chassis to replicate your favorite character in literature/TV. Discuss with your DM what you want to learn and who you want to be rather than looking at this class and wondering if you can merge Quicken, Swiftblade's Haste, and Planar Shepard abilities onto a single character. Because honestly, a smart player can do it with Cannon Material anyway so why are you looking at houserules?