Houserule - Magic Archer

Magic Archer class from Dragon’s Dogma: The Magic Archer | Octopus Carnival (bira.github.io)

The Magic Archer (250 points)

You blend two tricky disciplines into an elegant, pointy whole. You’re almost as good a shot as any Scout, but you chose to spend the rest of your time learning the secrets of magic rather than getting lost in the woods. You trade the Scout’s skill at wilderness survival for the ability to deliver magical explosions at greater distances than the Wizard.

Attributes: ST 12 {20}; DX 13 {60}; IQ 13 {60}; HT 11 {10}.

Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs (14.4kg); HP 12 {0}; Will 13 {0}; Per 13 {0}; FP 11 {0}; Basic Speed 6.00 {0}; Basic Move 6 {0}.

Advantages: Heroic Archer {20} and Magery 3 {35}.

A further 20 points chosen from among:

• Archmagic abilities (see below)
• ST +1 or +2 {10 or 20 points}, DX +1 {20}, IQ +1 {20}; HT +1 or +2 {10 or 20}, Will +1 to +4 {5/level}
• Born War Leader 1-4 {5/level}, Combat Reflexes {15}, Eidetic Memory {5} or Photographic Memory {10}, Fit {5}, Luck {15}, Magery 4 or 5 {10 or 20}, Night Vision 1-5 {1/level}, Rapid Healing {5}, Signature Gear {Varies}, Weapon Bond {1}, or Weapon Master (Bow) {20}.

Disadvantages: -15 points chosen from among Curious {-5}, Pyromania {-5}, Callous {-5}, Code of Honor (Pirate’s or Soldiers) {-5 or -10}, Greed {-15}, Honesty {-10}, or Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions or Nation) {-5 or -10}.

Another -35 points chosen from among the previous traits or Bad Temper {-10}, Frightens Animals {-10}, No Sense of Humor {-10}, Oblivious {-5}, Odious Personal Habits {-5 to -15}, Overconfidence {-5}, Social Stigma (Excommunicated) {-10}, Stubbornness {-5}, Unnatural Features 1-5 {-1/level}, or Weirdness Magnet {-15}

Primary Skills: Hidden Lore (Demons, Magic Items, Magical Writings, or Spirits) and Occultism, both (A) IQ {2}-13; Thaumatology (VH) IQ {1}-13;

One of these two missile-weapon packages:

• Bow (A) DX+3 {12}-16 and Fast-Draw (Arrow) (E) DX+2 {4}-15.
• Bow (A) DX+4 {16}-17.

Secondary Skills: Either Smallsword (A) DX+2 {4}-15 or Staff (A) DX+2 {4}-15.

Eight of Climbing or Stealth, both (A) DX {2}-13; Armory (Missile Weapons), Research, Hazardous Materials (Magical), Hidden Lore (any) or Leadership; all (A) IQ {2}-13; Strategy or Tactics, both (H) IQ-1 {2}-12; or 2 points to raise one of the previous skills by 1.

Background Skills: Seven of Brawling, Fast-Draw (any), Jumping or Knife, all (E) DX {1}-13; Boxing, Riding (Horse), or Wrestling, all (A) DX-1 {1} - 12; First Aid or Gesture, both (E) IQ {1}-13; Cartography or Fast-Talk, both (A) IQ-1 {1} - 12; Hiking or Running, both (A) HT-1 {1}-10; Intimidation (A) Will-1 {1} - 12; Scrounging (E) Per {1} - 13; Observation or Search, both (A) Per-1 {1} - 12.

Spells: Spell-Archery (H) IQ+2 {2}-15 (see Spells below)

25 points in wizardly spells, which will be either (H) IQ+1 {1}-14 or (VH) IQ {1} - 13 with the +3 from Magery. Some of them may be spent in Archmagic abilities instead.

Archmagic

Characters who advance their study of magic past a certain point discover a set of secrets of the profession that manifest differently from traditional spells. These are known as “Archmagics” and are represented by the following powers:

• Energy Reserve (Magical) 1-20 {3/level}.
• Magic Resistance (Improved, +150%) {5/level} with no upper limit.
• The Inextinguishable Power and Magical Bolt power-ups from DF 11.
• All the General Caster Power-Ups from DF 11, including Familiars (which are generally elemental beings and known as “Magic Agents”) and Perks.
• The Storms from DF 11, p. 26-27, with the addition of the Selective Area (+20%) enhancement. This increases their cost to 42 points each.

Customization Notes

The Magic Archer is about as specialized as the Scout, being built around the Spell-Archery spell and its prerequisites. A wide spell selection allows for plenty of differentiation between characters, and several different avenues present themselves.

Arcane Artillerists blanket the battlefield with their magic from afar. They take extra Magery and/or a large Energy Reserve, go for Area spells, and make frequent use of the fact that attacking an area rather than a person gives +4 to skill.

Sorcerous Snipers focus on eliminating high-value targets. They take Weapon Master (Bow) to improve their base damage and choose single-target damaging touch spells to increase it even further.

Archer-Commanders go for Born War-Leader and choose healing and support spells to use on allies through boffer arrows (see the Cleric-Scout lens on DF 3, p. 23). If using the template on a generic Dungeon Fantasy game, you could replace Magery 3 {35} with Clerical Investment {5} and Power Investiture 3 {30} and add an appropriate required disadvantage to make it a Holy Archer.

Magic Archer Power-Ups

Magic Archers may spend earned points on extra spells and anything on their template, plus these options:

• Magery up to 6 {10/level}.
• Any Archmagic abilities.
• Enhanced Tracking (Multiple Lock-Ons, +20%) {6/level}, with no upper limit.
• Extra Attack 1 {25}.
• Zen Archery without needing Meditation.
• The Double-Shot (DF 11, p. 32), Quick-Shot (DF 11, p. 33) and Strongbow (DF 11, p. 33) power-ups.

Spells

Spell-Archery

Special: This spell imbues an arrow or a sling stone with any spell that could be cast by touch. Get your missile weapon ready to shoot, and then choose a spell and energize your projectile with it. This takes the spell’s standard casting time and requires energy equal to the spell’s usual cost, reduced for skill with that spell, plus 3 FP, reduced for skill at this one. Don’t roll yet – that comes later! You may hold the charged projectile ready while you take other actions, but unloading the missile weapon wastes the spell.

When you’re ready to shoot, make a normal ranged attack. Roll for the spell when the projectile hits something, using the lower of your level with that spell and Spell-Archery. All standard casting modifiers apply except those for distance – the target is affected just as if you had cast the spell by touch! The missile does its usual damage.

• Duration: Until shot.
• Cost: 3 + underlying spell cost.
• Time to Cast: Per underlying spell.
• Prerequisites: Magery 3 or Power Investiture (any) 3, and Bow or Sling at 16+.