Scroll Warrior (Wizard/Samurai)

Although scrolls are simply a tool for most wizards, to the scroll warrior, it is more–it’s a deadly weapon that can be wielded like a blade or cast to unleash its magic with devastating effect. Scroll warriors are an interesting combination of wizardry and the martial training of the samurai, able to use scrolls to attack or protect, even improve the effectiveness of his signature ability, his scroll blade. Few full spellcasters approach the deadly combat training of the scroll warrior. While scroll warriors enter battle armed with scrolls and use combat techniques that often resemble some form of monk martial arts, their weakness is the very thing that grants him his power. Without a scroll at their beckon call, scroll warriors are little more than specialized wizards, though their spellcasting makes up for this deficiency whenever it occurs. (Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)Primary: Wizard. Secondary: Samurai. Alignment: Any. Hit Dice: d6.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The scroll warrior selects three samurai skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal samurai class skills. The scroll warrior gains a number of ranks at each level equal to +2 Int modifier.

Table: Scroll Warrior

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The scroll warrior is proficient with the club, dagger heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and the quarterstaff, plus the katana, naginata, and wakizashi. A scroll warrior is not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a scroll warrior's movements, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.

Spellbook

A scroll warrior’s spellbook consists of a number of rolled parchments and scrolls, rather than a bound book. Under extreme circumstances, this allows the scroll warrior to retrieve a “page” of his book of scrolls as at a moment’s notice, though doing so will often results in any spells on the scroll being lost from his spellbook. A scroll warrior’s scroll book otherwise functions as a normal wizard’s spellbook.

Master of the Scroll School

At 1st level, a scroll warrior must choose the new Master of the Scroll School. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces arcane school.

Arcane Resolve (Su)

At 1st level, a scroll warrior gains arcane resolve that he can call upon to enhance his ability in combat and with written magic. A scroll warrior can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day every two levels beyond 1st. The scroll warrior can use this arcane resolve in one of the following ways.

• • As a standard action, you can spend one use of your arcane resolve to remove any dazzled, fascinated, or shaken condition bestowed by a spell, supernatural, or spell-like ability. If you are at least 8th level, you can alternatively remove any blinded, confused, deafened, or frightened condition bestowed by a spell, supernatural, or spell-like ability. If the condition has a duration longer than 1 hour or is permanent, this ability removes the condition for 1 hour, at which time the condition returns. 

  • Whenever you are required to make a Fortitude or Will save against a spell or spell-like ability, you can spend one use of your arcane resolve as an immediate action to roll twice and take the better result. You must decide to use this ability before you roll the saving throw. 

  • When you are reduced to fewer than 0 hit points by a spell, supernatural attack, or spell-like ability, but not slain, you can spend one use of your resolve as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. You are staggered, but you do not fall unconscious and begin dying if you take a standard action. You do fall unconscious if you take additional damage from any source. 

At 5th level, a scroll warrior can use his arcane resolve in the following ways.

• • As a swift action, a scroll warrior can spend one use of his arcane resolve to gain a +4 bonus to Spellcraft checks made to decipher a written spell, whether on a scroll or in a spellbook. In addition, a scroll warrior’s chance of arcane spell failure when activating a scroll or casting a spell while wearing armor decreases by 20%. 

  • As a standard action, a scroll warrior can spend one use of his arcane resolve to create a self-destructing trap on a single scroll. When the scroll is opened without first deactivating the trap (through a Disable Device check) it bursts into flame, effectively destroying the scroll and burning the one who activated it. Effect: 1d6 fire damage + 1 point per 2 wizard levels; DC 15 Reflex save for half; multiple targets (all targets within 5 ft. of rack). This trap lasts until triggered. 

  • Whenever a scroll warrior activates a scroll, he can spend one use of his arcane resolve as a swift action to cast the spell as if it had been cast using one of the following metamagic feats: Elemental Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell. 

This ability and weapon expertise replaces arcane bond.

Weapon Expertise (Ex)

At 3rd level, a scroll warrior gains an unparalleled expertise with his chosen weapon. At 3rd level, the scroll warrior selects either the katana, naginata, or wakizashi. The scroll warrior can draw the selected weapon as a free action as if he had the Quick Draw feat. In addition, whenever he threatens a critical hit with the selected weapon, he gains a +2 bonus on the confirmation roll. Finally, his samurai levels stack with any fighter levels he possesses for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites for feats that specifically select his chosen weapon, such as Weapon Specialization. In addition, whenever a scroll warrior wields his scroll blade, it also acts as his chosen weapon, including damage, increased threat range, reach, the deadly weapon quality, and all the granted benefits described above.

Scroll Mastery

Starting at 5th level, as a scroll warrior gains levels, he begins mastering magic scrolls. At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, the scroll warrior learns a new way to enhance his scroll magic, as chosen from the following list.

Analyze Scroll (Su): As a free action, a scroll warrior can automatically discern the contents of a magic scroll, as if he were using read magic. He gains an insight bonus equal to his scroll warrior level on Use Magic Device checks made to cast spells from scrolls.

Defensive Scrollcaster (Ex): A scroll warrior gains a +4 bonus on concentration checks to cast defensively when casting spells from scrolls.

Enhance Scroll (Su): As a swift action, a scroll warrior can cause any scroll spell he reads to function using his caster level rather than the scroll’s caster level. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/4 his scroll warrior level (minimum 1).

Extended Scroll (Su): As a swift action, a scroll warrior can double the duration of any scroll spell he reads as if the spell were modified by the Extend Spell feat. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/4 his scroll warrior level (minimum 1).

Focused Scroll (Su): As a swift action, a scroll warrior can add a bonus equal to twice his Intelligence modifier on any caster level checks made with a scroll spell, including checks to overcome spell resistance. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/4 his scroll warrior level (minimum 1).

Improved Scribe Scroll (Ex): Once per day, a scroll warrior can spend hasten the task of scribing a scroll. Whenever a scroll warrior creates a scroll of a spell that he knows, it requires only 1 hour if its base price is 250 gp or less, otherwise scribing the scroll takes 12 hours for each 1,000 gp in its base price. To scribe a scroll, a scroll warrior must use up raw materials costing half of this base price as normal.

Improved Scroll Casting (Su): The scroll warrior can cast a wizard spell from a scroll and use his own Intelligence score and relevant feats to set the DC for the spell, and can use his own caster level if it is higher than that of the scroll (similar to a caster using a staff ). The scroll warrior must have already deciphered the writing on the scroll to use this ability. The scroll warrior must be at least 10th level to select this scroll mastery.

Insightful Scroll (Su): As a swift action, a scroll warrior can alter a spell he’s casting from a scroll to use his Intelligence score and relevant feats to set the DC for the spell. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 his scroll warrior level (minimum 1).

Spelldrive (Su): As a swift action, when a scroll warrior hits a target with his scroll blade, he may expend a spell slot to deal additional damage to the target. The additional damage is equal to one die per level of the spell expended. Beginning at 1st level, the damage dice are d4s. When a scroll warrior reaches 6th level, the damage dice are d6s. At 12th level, the damage dice are d8s. At 16th level, the damage dice are d10s. At 20th level, the damage dice are d12s. The additional damage is added directly to the scroll blade's damage and is of the same type that the scroll blade normally does. For example, a cold iron longsword delivering a spelldrive deals additional dice of slashing cold iron damage. In addition, a scroll warrior gains a luck bonus to AC and saving throws against attacks, spells, and abilities from the target of spelldrive damage. The bonus is equal to the level of the spell expended for the spelldrive and lasts for 2 rounds.

Swift Scrivener (Ex): The scroll warrior may scribe up to two scrolls per day, so long as the total market price of all scrolls scribed that day does not exceed 1,000 gp. The scroll warrior reduces the casting time of all symbol spells to 1 minute.

Swift Scroll (Ex): The scroll warrior does not provoke attacks of opportunity when retrieving a stored scroll. If the scroll warrior moves at least 10 feet, he may retrieve a scroll as a free action as part of his move.

This ability replaces the bonus feats gained at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level.