The Evolved Mage Blade

A Sneak Peek from Transcendence: An Arcana Evolved Player's Companion

Transcendence: An Arcana Evolved Player's Companion by Mike Mearls provides lots and lots of new choices for characters—both PCs and NPCs. Two new types of choice are replacement levels and class-specific feats. To give you a taste of what the book has in store, here are some excerpts from the "Mage Blade" section of Chapter Two: New Character Options.

Some mage blades focus the power of their magic into their athames to transform them into weapons of pure energy. Others sing the songs of magic as they fight, which creates a powerful chorus between the movement of their weapons and the sound of their voices. This preview includes a sneak peek at the first of these character types, plus a number of new feats suitable for all mage blades.

The Eldritch Blade
The eldritch blade focuses the energy of his spells into his athame, forming a closer than normal relationship to it. While other mage blades use their athames as tools, the eldritch blade comes to see his athame as an outgrowth of the magical energy that flows through him. This relationship allows him to morph his athame into a different form.

Eldritch Blade Replacement Levels

After a mage blade achieves a closer bond with his athame, he can start following the path of the eldritch blade. An eldritch blade's athame becomes a construct of pure magical energy that he can shape to fit whatever form he needs, from a stealthy dagger to a punishing axe.

A character must meet the following minimum requirements to gain each level:
Level 1: Charisma 13, mage blade caster level 1st
Level 2: Charisma 15, mage blade caster level 2nd
Level 3: Charisma 17, mage blade caster level 6th
Level 4: Charisma 15, mage blade caster level 12th
Level 5: Charisma 17, mage blade caster level 16th

Eldritch Athame (Su): At 1st level, the eldritch blade transforms his athame into a weapon of pure magical energy. By focusing his concentration, he can cause it to adopt a new form suitable to the opponent at hand. This transformation requires a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. The eldritch blade can use this ability once per day plus one additional use for every four mage blade levels. The athame retains any magical qualities it had in its normal form along with its inherent enhancement bonus, and it returns to normal after 10 minutes. The eldritch blade can choose to return it to its normal form before that time.

The athame can become any weapon that is the same size or one category larger or smaller than its base form. The eldritch blade gains no special proficiency with the weapon. He can transform it into an exotic weapon, but if he lacks the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, he takes penalties as normal. An eldritch blade can transform his athame into a ranged weapon, but he must supply ammunition as normal.

Athame Knowledge (Su): The eldritch blade forms a much closer relationship with his athame than the typical mage blade. The power that courses through the athame bonds with the eldritch blade, turning his athame almost into an extension of his body. The eldritch blade can burn spell slots that have combined levels up to his mage blade level as an action that takes one minute to complete. The eldritch blade invests this power into his athame, and in so doing unlocks the knowledge needed to wield it. He reaches out into the history of the weapon to learn its secrets, casting his mind back through time and space. For a moment, he literally embodies the weapon's history and use. As a consequence, the eldritch blade gains the use of one feat of his choice that directly improves his use of the athame, such as Weapon Focus or Improved Critical. Note that the eldritch blade can use this ability in conjunction with his eldritch athame power to master an unfamiliar weapon. The eldritch blade must meet all of the feat's prerequisites to gain it, though he can select a talent or ceremonial feat if applicable. The feat remains with him for one minute per spell level spent to power this ability, and he can use this ability once per day for every five mage blade levels.

Athame Surge (Su): An eldritch blade can transform his athame into a glittering weapon of pure energy by channeling his spell slots directly into it. The eldritch blade can expend a single spell slot to increase his athame's enhancement bonus on attacks and damage by an amount equal to half the slot's level. This bonus can improve the athame's enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls, or it can be spent on weapon special abilities that are expressed as an enhancement bonus. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes, and the eldritch blade can use only one spell slot in this manner at a time. If an eldritch blade activates this ability while a previous use of it is still in effect, the new bonus replaces the old one-it does not stack.

Athame Might (Su): By channeling energy into his athame as a free action, the eldritch blade infuses it with a quick burst of power. Three times per day, an eldritch blade can spend a single spell slot to gain a bonus equal to half the spell's level on any attack rolls and damage rolls made with his athame. This bonus lasts a number of rounds equal to the spell slot's level. This ability does not stack with itself, though as an unnamed bonus it stacks with all other modifiers. (In other words, it can stack with the effects of athame surge.)

Ultimate Athame (Su): The eldritch blade's athame undergoes its final transformation. It becomes a shimmering weapon of pure force that binds directly to the eldritch blade. As a free action, the eldritch blade can cause his weapon to manifest new powers as he literally sculpts its magical form with his mind.

Once per round as a free action, the eldritch blade can alter the weapon's magical properties. He can choose to spend its total enhancement bonus on weapon traits and powers, or he can devote them to an enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls (+5 maximum as normal). For example, an eldritch blade's athame is a +5 weapon in his hands and has also been given the frost (+1), keen (+1), and speed (+3) special abilities. The eldritch blade could alter the +5 bonus spent on abilities to gain a different set of powers, such as dancing (+4) and flaming (+1). This change is permanent until the eldritch blade changes them yet again.

The Eldritch Blade Class Table

Mage Blade Feats

The mage blades practice a form of magic that is distinguished by its martial focus. While other spellcasters have a variety of incantations to call upon, mage blades focus on spells that can aid them in battle. A mage blade could ready and use benign spells, but his methods of casting center on combining a spell and a blade into one unstoppable combination. This specialized study has led to the development of a variety of unique combat methods and ceremonies known only to mage blades. Several of these abilities further develop a mage blade's unique talents, such as the shimmering shield class ability.

The feats in this section belong to the mage blade feat category. This indicates that you must have at least one level in the mage blade class (and meet their other prerequisites) before you can select them. Ceremonial feats and talents are also marked as such.

Add all the feats in this section to the list of bonus feat choices from which the mage blade may select.

Arcane Strike [Mage Blade]

You channel arcane energy through your athame, which allows the power to flow into your opponent and disrupt his magical defenses.

Benefit: You can make an attack that hinders an opponent's magical defenses. As a free action before resolving an attack, you may declare that you are using this feat. If you hit, roll and apply damage as normal. In addition, reduce the target's spell resistance by half the total amount of your damage for one minute. You can use this feat once per day plus one additional use for every four mage blade levels. You can activate this feat only once every 10 minutes, as you must slowly gather the energy needed to use it.

Born to the Blade [Mage Blade, Talent]

From a young age, you showed an aptitude for the mage blade's unique version of magic. You have an almost instinctual sense for the specific motions required to cast spells through an athame, and you enjoy a primal, empathic connection to your weapon.

Prerequisite: Character level 1st only

Benefit: You were born to become a mage blade. In your hands, an athame is an extension of your body. Your blade is always ready for a battle, and you can sense its keening thirst as combat draws near. By the same token, your deep connection to the weapon allows you to channel and control spells with greater ability than normal. You gain a +2 bonus on initiative and a +1 bonus on the Difficulty Class of all spells you cast with your athame's assistance.

Improved Spell Parry [Mage Blade]

ou have focused your training on defeating an opponent's spells with your weapon. Not only can you turn them aside with your athame, but you also can redirect them.

Prerequisite: Spell parry class ability

Benefit: If you successfully parry a spell, you can change its target to any person within its range and in your line of sight. Resolve the spell's effects as normal with the new target. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier.

Mage Blade's Torrent [Ceremonial, Mage Blade]

You twirl your weapon in a complex attack pattern that mimics the motions needed to complete a spell. As you attack, you launch spells at your opponent in between your physical blows.

Prerequisite: Caster level 10th, Mage Blade Strike

Benefit: When you use the full attack action, you make a single attack at your best base attack bonus. In addition to making this attack, you cast a single spell. You cannot use a spell slot higher than 2nd level in this manner, but you can target the spell as normal.

For example, Thorren the mage blade has an attack bonus of +12/+7 with his athame. With this feat, he could use a full attack action to make a single strike at +12 and then cast a spell as normal. Note that the spell restriction refers to the spell slot you can use, not level. You could cast a heightened 1st-level spell or a diminished 3rd-level one, since that requires a 2nd-level slot. Casting a spell in this manner does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

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