Imperial Guild Mage

This page is about the prestige class; for the organization, see Imperial Guild of Mages

The Imperial Guild of Mages is one of the most powerful guilds in the Kyraseian Empire. The mages of the Guild study and exchange information, create magic items to help support the guild’s financial independence, and offer their services to others in the city as watch-magi or fire guards (mages armed with spells and magic items to combat fires). The guild is also highly involved in the Empire’s politics, and work hard to cultivate an aura of weary respect among the populace.

The majority of the order’s members are arcanists, eldritch scoundrels, wizards, and spellswords, but the guild takes in all mages they find (willing or not), so neither bards, summoners, nor sorcerers are uncommon either. Witches and bloodragers are all but unheard of in the Guild.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements

Spellcasting: Able to cast arcane spells.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks
Feats: Spell Focus (Choice of School) and either any one metamagic or item creation feat. Special: Must be a member in good standing of the Imperial Guild of Mages.

Class Features

Skills

The Guild Mage’s class skills are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int Modifier

Table: Aes Sedai

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+1	Membership, improved spell acquisition	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+1	+1	+1	Spellpool I	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+2	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+2	Improved counterspell	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+2	+2	+2	+3	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+3	Spellpool II	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+4	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+4	+3	+3	+4	Focused dispel	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+5	Bonus feat	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+5	Blessings of the Emperor, Spellpool III	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Guild Mages gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Spells per day

When a new Guild Mage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class granted her access to arcane spellcasting before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats, hexes, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. This essentially means that she adds the level of Guild Mage to the level of whatever other spellcasting class granted her access to arcane spells, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly. If a character had more than one spellcasting class that granted access to arcane spellcasting before she became a Guild Mage, she must decide to which class she adds each level of Guild Mage for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Membership

At 1st level, the character becomes a full member of the Imperial Guild of Mages. She is entitled to vote on issues before the entire membership and use the guild’s library and workrooms (though access to these facilities is based upon seniority).

Membership in the order incurs the following duties and responsibilities:

• Monthly membership dues of 25gp (payable up to 1 year in advance
• Obedience to the ruling of the masters;
• Aid to other members in time of need (this normally means aiding other order members who are in danger, but can mean aiding them in their other endeavors as well and
• Defense of the Empire when called upon by the Emperor or legitimate authorities of the Kyraseian government.

Improved Spell Acquisition

At each level of advancement in the guild mage prestige class, a guild mage adds one spell from her class list to her list of known spells. For prepared casters, this means they would gain three spells every level; for spontaneous casters, they gain a spell of any level in addition to any spells they may gain from advancing normally.

Spellpool (Sp)

Beginning at 2nd level, members of the Imperial Guild of Mages can call 1st- through 3rd-level spells from a common source known as a spellpool. At 6th level, they may call up to 6th-level spells from the spellpool, and at 10th level they may call spells of up to 9th-level from the spell pool. See the Spellpool description in the One Power page.

Bonus Feat

At 3rd level and every odd-numbered level thereafter, the Guild Mage may choose a bonus feat from the list of wizard bonus feats or the Awaken Lost Talent feat. Classes with the bloodline class feature may take a feat from their bloodline’s list of bonus feats instead.

Improved Counterspell

At 5th level, the Guild Mage gains the Improved Counterspell feat. The Empire calls upon the Guild to assist in preventing widespread destruction when rogue spellcasters threaten the wellbeing of Imperial citizens. As a result, the order has perfected its ability to use counterspell techniques to eliminate the threat of such reckless magic use. The Emperor feels this is preferable to harming the irresponsible mage, leaving the punishment of such a person to local authorities.

Focused Dispel

Sometimes members of the order must deal with lingering magical effects. Over the years, its members have developed more effective dispelling skills. Beginning at 7th level, the guild mage may add half her Guild Mage levels to any caster level checks made to dispel magic.

Blessings of the Emperor

The Empire is a highly religious society, and the Emperor is seen as a Chosen of Elys. At 10th level, the Guild Mage is invited to a ceremony in their honor, wherein they are blessed by both the Archpriest of Elys and the Emperor himself. After this ceremony, whenever the Guild Mage gains a level, she may choose not to gain any new spells from her class list that level and instead select a single spell from the Cleric/Oracle spell list up to the highest level of spells she may cast. These spells are cast as arcane spells.