Magus Archetype: Tracer

''Some magi tap into the more purer form of arcana, a form beyond spells, to the magic of creation and enhancement. These magi are called Tracers. Tracers are not quite good with spells, instead choosing to augment their affinity with weapons, to the point of being able to create them from thin air.''

Hit Die: d10.

Skill Ranks per Level: 4+Int Modifier

Base Attack Bonus: 3/4

Class Skills: A Tracer loses the class skills of Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha) but gains the class skills of Stealth (Dex) and Perception (Wis).

A Tracer is proficient with simple weapons, shortbows, and longbows. A Tracer is also proficient with Light, Medium and Heavy Armors. A Tracer does not incur spell failure chance if they cast from their own spell list.

A Tracer has the follow class features:

Unchanged class features: Magus Arcana, Counterstrike, Fighter Training.

Greater Diminished Spellcasting
Tracers have extremely weakened magical abilities. They reduce all their spells per day for every level to 1. Bonuses from ability modifiers and items however, still apply. However, Tracers can cast spells spontaneously without preparation, given that they have rested for 8 hours to refresh their spell slots. A Tracer gains one new spell per level, given that the spell level is available.

Cantrips: Tracers only gain the use of three cantrips, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic, and Mending. They can casts any number of cantrips per day.

This replaces the magus’ spells.

Empowered Arcane Pool
Tracers have an extremely powerful arcane pool. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to their Tracer level + their Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). The pool refreshes once per day when the Tracer refreshes their spell slots.

At fifth level, the Tracer can spend additional arcane points (equal to property’s base price modifier) to give the following weapon properties: flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, shock, shocking burst, corrosive, corrosive burst, keen, speed, vorpal, agile, axiomatic, archaic, holy, unholy, bane (any creature), ghost touch, mighty cleaving, reach, and heartseeker.

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 Tracer uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the Tracer. These effects last for 1 minute/level.

The Tracer cannot give bonus enhancements to his weapon.

This modifies the magus’ arcane pool ability.

Tracing
Tracers gain the ability to craft weapons from concentration, memory and their arcane pool, with a method called ‘Tracing’. As a free action by spending one arcane point, the Tracer can craft a weapon (two if the weapons are light). The weapon can be of any type, as long as they are not ranged. The Tracer gains temporary proficiency with any weapon he Traced and is currently holding. This does not trigger an attack of opportunity. These weapons last for 1 minute/level.

At first level, the weapon traced is counted as a magical weapon with the enhancement bonus of +1. This enhancement bonus increases by +1 every three levels, to a maximum of +5 at level thirteen. At every three levels after thirteen, the Tracer gains additional slots for more weapon properties, for a maximum of two additional weapon property slots at level nineteen. If two weapons are Traced, the secondary weapon has a lowered enhancement bonus by -1.

By spending one additional arcane point, the Tracer can imbue their weapon with a greater energy, giving it a +1d8 to damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1d8 at levels five, ten, fifteen and twenty, to a maximum of +5d8. This however, strains the weapon, dropping their duration to a quarter of what if would have been.

These Traced weapons can only be effective in the Tracer’s hands, if the Tracer lets them go (even from effects like stun) or dismisses them, they become inert (if they had any magical properties) and rusted.

This replaces the magus’ spellstrike, spell combat and improved spell combat abilities.

Trace Overload
The Tracer can choose to sacrifice a Traced weapon by overloading it with arcane energy, expending one arcane point in the process, and firing it from a bow, or throwing it. The attack is counted as a ranged touch attack. The damage is any original damage the weapon would have done in a single attack and additional 1d10 damage per weapon enhancement bonus level x2. The explosion has a radius of 10ft in all directions. Any additional targets beyond the initial target (and the initial target if the ranged touch attack fails) only take the minimal damage rolls. A reflex save can halve this damage.

This replaces the magus’ spell access and greater spell access abilities.

Bonus feats
A Tracer gains a bonus feat at level four, and every four levels thereafter. These bonus feats must be combat or item creation feats. They must meet the requirements of these feats as normal.

This modifies the magus’ bonus feats and replaces the magus’ spell recall, and improved spell recall.

Armor Training
Starting at 3rd level, a Tracer learns to be more maneuverable while wearing armor. Whenever they are wearing armor, they reduce the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum –4 reduction of the armor check penalty and a +4 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed.

In addition, a Tracer can also move at his normal speed while wearing medium armor. At 7th level, a fighter can move at his normal speed while wearing heavy armor.

This replaces the magus’ medium and heavy armor abilities.

True Tracer
At 20th level, the Tracer is able to trace the powers of a legendary weapon. As a free action, the Tracer can Trace a +5 weapon (two if light weapon) with an additional +5 bonus to TH and damage. This weapon has any enhancement possible with Empowered Arcane Pool. This weapon also grants an additional +6 to all physical stats of the Tracer. It lasts for five rounds before dissipating. If used with Trace Overload, double the damage Trace Overload would have done and increase the area of effect to a 20 ft radius. This ability can only be used once per arcane pool refresh.

This replaces the magus’ True Magus ability.