View source for Magister Vane, Arcane Artilerist



''Flavor: A defector from a magic academy who believes in "Magic Superiority." Arrogant but effective. Class: Arcanist 14 (School Savant: Evocation) Role: AoE Damage CR: 13''

'''CR 13''' | '''XP 25,600''' Male Elf Arcanist (School Savant) 14 N Medium humanoid (elf) '''Init''' +9; '''Senses''' Low-light vision, Perception +16

'''Defense: AC''' 23, touch 15, flat-footed 20 (+4 Armor [Mage Armor], +3 Dex, +2 deflection, +2 natural, +2 shield [Spell]) 

'''HP:''' 114 (14d6+42 Con + 14 Toughness) 

'''Fort''' +10, '''Ref''' +10, '''Will''' +12; (+2 vs enchantments) '''Defensive Abilities''' ''Dimensional Slide'' (Teleport 140ft as Move Action).

'''----- Offense -----''' '''Speed''' 30 ft. (Fly 60 ft with spell) '''Melee''' ''mwk dagger'' +8 (1d4-1) '''Special Attacks'''

* '''Versatile Evocation (Su):''' 10/day, swap the energy type of an elemental spell to Acid, Cold, Electricity, or Fire.
* '''Intense Spells (Su):''' +7 damage to any Evocation spell.
* '''Potent Magic:''' Expend 1 Arcane Point to increase CL by +2 or DC by +2.

'''----- Arcanist Spells Prepared (CL 14th; Concentration +21) -----''' ''Vane can mix-and-match these using his spell slots. DCs listed include Spell Focus.'' '''7th (2/day)'''—''Prismatic Spray'' (DC 26), ''Waves of Exhaustion'' '''6th (4/day)'''—''Chain Lightning'' (DC 25), ''Sirocco'' (DC 25), ''Greater Dispel Magic'', ''True Seeing'' '''5th (5/day)'''—''Cone of Cold'' (DC 24), ''Wall of Force'', ''Icy Prison'' (DC 24), ''Overland Flight'' '''4th (6/day)'''—''Fireball'' (DC 23), ''Dimension Door'', ''Greater Invisibility'', ''Emergency Force Sphere'' '''3rd (6/day)'''—''Fireball'' (DC 22), ''Haste'', ''Slow'' (DC 20), ''Fly'', ''Dispel Magic'' '''2nd (6/day)'''—''Glitterdust'' (DC 19), ''Mirror Image'', ''Invisibility'', ''Resist Energy'', ''See Invisibility'' '''1st (6/day)'''—''Magic Missile'', ''Grease'' (DC 18), ''Shield'', ''Mage Armor'', ''Liberating Command'' '''0'''—''Detect Magic'', ''Read Magic'', ''Prestidigitation'', ''Acid Splash''

'''----- Tactics -----''' '''The Alpha Strike (Crowd Control):''' Vane prepares a '''Dazing Fireball''' (using a 6th level slot or Rod).

# '''Exploit:''' Uses '''Potent Magic''' (Swift) to boost the DC by +2.
# '''Cast:''' He casts ''Fireball'', using '''Versatile Evocation''' to change the damage to '''Acid''' (bypassing fire immunity).
# '''Result:''' 10d6+7 Acid damage. Reflex Save DC 25 (23+2) or be '''Dazed for 3 rounds'''.

'''The Blaster:'''

# '''Chain Lightning:''' 14d6+7 damage to primary, half to secondary. He uses Potent Magic to boost Caster Level to 16 for Spell Penetration checks.
# '''Emergency:''' If attacked, he casts ''Emergency Force Sphere'' (Immediate Action) to block all damage.
# '''Escape:''' He uses '''Dimensional Slide''' (Move Action) to teleport 140ft without provoking AoOs, then casts a spell standard action.

'''----- Statistics -----''' '''Str''' 8, '''Dex''' 16, '''Con''' 14, '''Int''' 24, '''Wis''' 12, '''Cha''' 10 ''(Stats include +6 Headband)'' '''Base Atk''' +7; '''CMB''' +6; '''CMD''' 21 '''Feats''' Improved Initiative, Spell Focus (Evocation), Greater Spell Focus (Evocation), Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Empower Spell, Dazing Spell (Metamagic: +3 levels, daze targets who fail save). '''Skills''' Spellcraft +24, Knowledge (Arcana) +24, Knowledge (Planes) +24, Knowledge (Nature) +20, Fly +20, Perception +16. '''SQ''' ''Arcane Reservoir'' (17/day), ''Consume Spells'', ''Elf Blood''. '''Exploits'''

* ''School Savant (Admixture):'' Replaces exploits 1, 3, 7.
* ''Potent Magic:'' +2 CL or +2 DC (Cost 1 point).
* ''Dimensional Slide:'' Move action teleport (Cost 1 point).
* ''Quick Study:'' Swap prepared spell as full-round action (Cost 1 point).

'''----- Gear -----''' '''Combat:''' ''Metamagic Rod of Quicken (Lesser)'', ''Metamagic Rod of Selective Spell (Normal)'', ''Pearl of Power (4th)''. '''Equipment:''' ''Headband of Vast Intelligence +6'' (Skills: Fly, Perception, Planes), ''Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2'', ''Ring of Protection +2'', ''Amulet of Natural Armor +2'', ''Cloak of Resistance +4'', Spell component pouch, 1000gp diamond dust.

=== NPC Notes ===
Normally, Arcanists are generalists. By taking the '''School Savant (Admixture)''' archetype, Vane gains the Wizard's best blasting tool: '''Versatile Evocation'''.

* '''Problem:''' High-level demons/devils are immune to Fire/Cold/Electricity.
* '''Solution:''' Vane can cast ''Chain Lightning'' and shift it to '''Acid''' or '''Sonic''' (if GM permits Sonic, usually limited to the 4 elements). This ensures his damage is never resisted.
* '''Intense Spells:''' He adds +7 damage (half level) to every Evocation spell. A ''Magic Missile'' deals 5d4+5 '''+7''', making it a guaranteed 24 damage swift action (with Quicken Rod) to finish off weak foes.