Bladesinger

There are those who spend their lives in service to the Goddesses, unlocking the power of magic, and there are those who spend their time perfecting the use of individual weapons, becoming masters without equal. The bladesinger is at once a student of both philosophies, blending magical ability and martial prowess into something entirely unique, a discipline in which both spell and steel are used to devastating effect. As he grows in power, the bladesinger unlocks powerful forms of arcana that allow him to merge his talents further, and at the pinnacle of his art, the bladesinger becomes a blur of steel and magic, a force that few foes would dare to stand against.

Class Features

The following are the class features of the bladesinger.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A bladesinger is proficient with all simple weapons and one martial melee weapon of choice. Additional proficiencies are granted by the bladesinger's Order.

Spells

A bladesinger casts arcane spells drawn from the magus spell list. A bladesinger must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the bladesinger must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a bladesinger's spell is 10 + the spell level + the bladesinger’s Intelligence modifier.

A bladesinger can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Bladesinger. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

A bladesinger may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the bladesinger decides which spells to prepare.

Cantrips: A bladesinger can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Bladesinger under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.

Spellbooks: A bladesinger must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook except for read magic, which all bladesingers can prepare from memory. A bladesinger begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level magus spells plus two 1st-level magus spells of his choice. The bladesinger also selects a number of additional 1st-level magus spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to his spellbook. At each new bladesinger level, he gains two new magus spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new bladesinger level) for his spellbook. At any time, a bladesinger can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own.

An alchemist can learn formulae from a bladesinger’s spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist extract list. A magus cannot learn spells from an alchemist.

Arcane Pool (Su)

At 1st level, the bladesinger gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his bladesinger level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the bladesinger prepares his spells.

At 1st level, a bladesinger can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the bladesinger.

A bladesinger can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.

Spell Combat (Ex)

At 1st level, a bladesinger learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. The bladesinger can use any wielded weapon to perform the somatic components for his spells. This may take one of a number of visual forms, such as tracing a rune in the air with the tip of your blade, or a weapon briefly levitating to spin in a circle. Either way, the weapon counts as occupying one hand while casting.

As a full-round action, the bladesinger can cast a spell with a maximum casting time of 1 standard action and make a full attack action with a single wielded weapon. This action does not benefit from haste, rapid shot, or similar effects, though a double weapon can benefit from two-weapon fighting. When the bladesinger uses this ability, he takes a -2 penalty on all attacks made until the start of his next turn. He can increase this penalty by up to his Intelligence modifier when using this ability. If he does so, he gains a circumstance bonus to Concentration checks equal to the additional penalty taken until the start of his next turn.

Bladesinger Order

At 1st level, the bladesinger chooses an area of specialization by subscribing to one of the bladesinger orders. This order grants him proficiencies, as well as unique powers and abilities. The bladesinger orders are as follows:

• Order of the Ace

• Order of the Kensai

• Order of the Myrmidarch

• Order of the Technomancer

• Order of the Witch Hunter

Spellstrike (Ex)

At 2nd level, after casting a melee touch spell, the bladesinger can deliver it with a melee weapon attack (rather than the normal touch attack). If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the bladesinger makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier. If the attack misses, the weapon remains charged with the spell (it is not wasted).

Arcana

As he gains levels, a bladesinger learns arcane secrets tailored to his specific way of blending martial puissance and magical skill. Starting at 3rd level, a bladesinger gains one arcana. He gains an additional arcana for every three levels of bladesinger attained after 3rd level. Unless specifically noted in an arcana’s description, a bladesinger cannot select a particular arcana more than once.

• • A complete list of arcana can be found here: Magus Arcana

Order Ability

At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the bladesinger gains an ability from his bladesinger order.

Bonus Feats

At 5th level, and every six levels thereafter, a bladesinger gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat, item creation, or metamagic feats. He must meet the prerequisites for these feats as normal.

Knowledge Pool (Su)

At 7th level, when a bladesinger prepares his spells, he can decide to expend 1 or more points from his arcane pool, up to his Intelligence bonus. For each point he expends, he can treat any one spell from the magus spell list as if it were in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day. If he does not cast spells prepared in this way before the next time he prepares spells, he loses those spells.

Improved Spell Combat (Ex)

At 8th level, the bladesinger’s ability to cast spells and make melee attacks improves. When using the spell combat ability, the bladesinger receives a +2 circumstance bonus on concentration checks.

Spell Recall (Su)

At 11th level, the bladesinger learns to use his arcane pool to recall spells he has already cast. With a swift action he can recall any single spell that he has already prepared and cast that day by expending a number of points from his arcane pool equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The spell is prepared again, just as if it had not been cast.

Greater Spell Combat (Ex)

At 14th level, the bladesinger gains the ability to seamlessly cast spells and make melee attacks. Whenever he uses the spell combat ability, his concentration check bonus equals double the amount of the voluntary attack penalty taken.

True Bladesinger (Su)

At 20th level, the bladesinger becomes a master of spells and combat. Whenever he uses his spell combat ability, he does not need to make a concentration check to cast the spell defensively. Whenever the bladesinger uses spell combat and his spell targets the same creature as his melee attacks, he can choose to either increase the DC to resist the spell by +2, grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on any checks made to overcome spell resistance, or grant himself a +2 circumstance bonus on all attack rolls made against the target during his turn.