Word Warrior (3.5e Class)
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Word Warrior
Upon the discovery and subsequent spread of wordcasting, martial warriors wondered how saying words of power could enhance their practice. Those delving into the mysteries of wordcasting were at first dismayed by the necessity of using body language to convey the dimensions and locations of Shape Words. This made the wearing of armor problematic, and required at least one hand free to cast spells. However, after some historically bad attempts at warriors using both wordcasting and swordplay, those pursuing the combination realized that they could do away with shape words by directing the magic of Effect Words with their blows. They could hit people while saying Effect Words, and then watch the target suffer the effects of those Words. The practice of the modern Word Warrior was born.
Making a Word Warrior
Word Warriors enjoy a relatively diverse range of effects, including most elemental damage types, magical distruption abilities, and other effects. While not as generally effective in melee as some other classes, the word warrior can provide solutions where other members fail, and a fairly strong offense.
Abilities: As a melee class, the Word Warrior can make good use of Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity. In terms of wordcasting, the Word Warrior is charisma based, so charisma increases saves, etc.
Races: Any race can learn the theory behind the practice, and become a Word Warrior, but Humans, Half-Elves, and Halflings are most noted for combining martial and magical techniques, due to their adaptability.
Alignment: The art of a Word Warrior is not inherently good, nor evil. Chaotic characters enjoy the ability to modify effects on the fly, but constant martial drilling rests well with souls of a lawful bent.
Starting Gold: 4d4×10 gp (100 gp).
Starting Age: "Moderate" or "As fighter"
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Word Warrior.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Word Warrior is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and shields (excluding tower shields).
Combative Wordcasting (Su): A Word Warrior preforms a variant on Wordcasting, using most of the same rules. However, instead of wordcasting spells as actions using shape words, a Word Warrior is able to utter effect words while attacking with a weapon, or shooting a projectile (assigning words before the attack roll), conveying his choice of target with a solid hit. In fact, this is by far the main way that Word Warrior can direct his word magic. Fortunately, directing magic using weapon swings lends to simplicity, and the Word Warrior does not need to make Wordcasting Checks when he uses Word Magic this way.
While the inability of the Word Warrior to use apply shape words like Burs or Bang or even Ayl severely hampers her power--and this is worsened by limitations on which effect words the Word Warrior can use--the Word Warrior's constant practice and drilling using both word and blade leaves her with the ability to use effect words every round - up to her level worth of words, in fact. She starts with two effect words at first level, and gains another word of her choice each odd level (3rd, 5th, etc.) until all words are known.
Additionally, the number of words the Word Warrior can use in a single attack is limited to the length of the action of that attack: 2 effect words for an AoO, 10 for a standard action style attack, and a full 20--every word that a level 20 wordcaster could utter in a round--for a full round attack (split between multiple attack rolls, if applicable). (The Word Warrior learns Tungtwist at level 11, which helps with this all considerably - using the word doubles these limits.)
The words the Word Warrior can use in this physical manner from are limited to Pyr, Lek, Forch, Saun, Aci, Deth, Min, Terr, Path, Thro, and Disp, as summarized in the appropriate list: "Combative Wordcasting Effect Words List."
Word Magicked Weapons (Su): The combination of Word Magic and weapons has a few direct implications for the Word Warrior. First, whenever she empowers an attack with Word Magic, the weapon in question is considered a magic weapon until the start of her next turn - this may by-pass damage reduction, protect the weapon, etc.
Second, whenever she makes a critical hit, the target automatically fails all saves.
Third, at level 5, whenever the Word Warrior rolls a natural 20 on a melee attack, she may hit and instead of dealing crit damage and applying Word Magic effects (with the automatic failed saves), she can lash out with the magic as if she had used the shape word "Con" in the direction of the critically hit target, and applying her effect words to everyone targeted by the "Con" shape word. This lucky shape-effect does not require a Wordcasting check, as it is by chance, and not by wordcasting skill.
Fourth, also at level 5, whenever the Word Warrior rolls a natural 20 on a ranged attack, she may hit and instead of dealing crit damage and applying Word Magic effects as usual, she can lash out with the magic as if she had used the shape word "Bang" centered on the critically hit target, and applying her effect words to everyone targeted by the "Bang" shape word. This lucky shape-effect does not require a Wordcasting check, as it is by chance, and not by wordcasting skill.
Lastly, at level 15, when the Word Warrior crits, instead of causing the target to fail all saves, she may maximize all dice rolled by the effect words.
Supplemental Wordcasting (Su): At level 2, the Word Warrior gains the ability to use specific effect words on herself: The Word Warrior may pick one of: Avis, Lyf, Arm, Inv, Excel, Sir, Al. (Summarized on Supplemental Wordcasting Effect Words List.) The Word Warrior gains uses of that effect word equal to her level per day, increasing every level, and can only cast them on herself (no shape word needed). Casting these words on herself does, however, require as much time as normal word-casting.
At level 4, level 6, and all other even levels, the Word Warrior can choose another supplemental word. He may choose a different word, and gain level-per-day usage of that new word, or he can choose the same word again, gaining an extra level-per-day number of usages in that word.
At level 10, the Word Warrior gains access to the Lift word, and at level 18 gains access to the Port word.
Swords and Books (Ex): The nature of a Word Warrior includes both martial prowess (with more than just swords) and preternatural literacy.
As a consequence, at levels 3, 9, and 15, the Word Warrior learns natural competency at a new skill from all the books he has read on the topic. According to the Word Warrior's interests (which are reflected in his reading material), a non-class skill becomes a class skill at these levels.
Additionally, the Word Warrior's fighting prowess means that he can qualify for feats requiring fighter levels, with every two levels of Word Warrior counting for one fighter level. In addition, at levels 5, 7, 13, and 17, the Word Warrior learns specialized fighting tactics and skills from his experience and expertise in weapons. He may choose a bonus fighter feat at each of these levels.
Natural Tungtwisting (Su): At level 11, when a Word Warrior first finds that he has more effect words than he can say during the swing of his ax (or spear, etc), most word warriors intuitively make the leap of necessity to using the Tungtwist modifier word. At level 11, the Word Warrior gains the use of Tungtwist for use in Combative Wordcasting, almost doubling the number of words usable during attacks.
Supplemental Wordcasting Pool (Su): At level 19, the Word Warrior discovers something that most Wordmasters and Word Wizards know intuitively: That wordcasting really doesn't care which words you focus on. Subsequently, the Word Warrior no longer has uses per day for his Supplemental Wordcasting, but rather a total pool of uses of each level-per-day set of uses combined.
Tables
| Combative Wordcasting Effect Words List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Word | DC (N/a) | Effect Summary |
| Pyr | +1 | 1d6 fire, burn things |
| Lek | +1 | 1d6 electricity |
| Forch | +1 | 1d4 force |
| Saun | +1 | 1d4 sonic, deafen things |
| Aci | +1 | 1d4 acid, 1d4 acid over time |
| Deth | +1 | 1d6 negative energy, raise skeletons |
| Min | +1 | Befuddle |
| Terr | +1 | Scare |
| Terr | +1 | Read minds somewhat |
| Thro | +1 | Throw things around |
| Disp | +10/+2 | Dispel magical effects |
| Supplemental Wordcasting Effect Words List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Word | DC (N/a) | Effect Summary |
| Avis | +2 | Turn things invisible |
| Lyf | +1 | 1d6 positive energy, raise people |
| Arm | +1 | +2/+1 per 4 Armor bonus |
| Inv | +1 | Spell immunity |
| Excel | +1 | Boost skills, saves, and attack rolls |
| Sir | +1 | Spell resistance |
| Port | +15/+2 | Grant targets the opportunity to teleport (Only for level 18+) |
| Al | +1 | Make Port more precise |
| Lift | +37/+1 | Provide the power of flight (Only for level 10+) |
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes
| Allowed Alignments | Lawful Good +, Lawful Neutral +, Lawful Evil +, Neutral Good +, Neutral +, Neutral Evil +, Chaotic Good +, Chaotic Neutral + and Chaotic Evil + |
| Article Balance | High + |
| Author | Aelaris + |
| Base Attack Bonus Progression | Good + |
| Class Ability | Spontaneous Spellcasting + and Alternate Magic + |
| Class Ability Progression | Other + |
| Fortitude Save Progression | Poor + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Class + |
| Length | 20 + |
| Rating | Undiscussed + |
| Reflex Save Progression | Good + |
| Skill | Balance +, Bluff +, Climb +, Concentration +, Craft +, Decipher Script +, Diplomacy +, Forgery +, Gather Information +, Handle Animal +, Heal +, Intimidate +, Jump +, Listen +, Ride +, Speak Language +, Spellcraft +, Survival +, Swim +, Tumble +, Use Magic Device + and Use Rope + |
| Skill Points | 6 + |
| Summary | An otherwise martial warrior whose strikes are empowered by wordcasting effects. + |
| Title | Word Warrior + |
| Will Save Progression | Good + |
