Arcane Combatants

	Class Design
	Deathdealer	•	Charles Myer
	Mithril Sorcerer	•	Thomas Weigel

	Layout & Editing	•	Thomas Weigel
	Adventurer, Conqueror, King System	•	Autarch LLC

Arcane Combatant is a collection of spell-casting 
warriors and combat-trained spellcasters. It is designed 
for use with the Adventurer, Conqueror, King System.
Please enjoy!
Deathdealer
					Spell Rank							
Experience	Title	Level	HD	Damage
Bonus	1	2	3	4	5	Petrification & Paralysis	Poison & Death	Blasts & Breath	Staffs & Wands	Spells	Attack	
0	Walker	1	1d4	+1	—	—	—	—	—	13+	13+	15+	11+	12+	10+	
3,000	Ghoul	2	2d4	+1	—	—	—	—	—	13+	13+	15+	11+	12+	9+	
6,000	Ghast	3	3d4	+2	—	—	—	—	—	13+	13+	15+	11+	12+	9+	
12,000	Wight	4	4d4	+2	—	—	—	—	—	12+	12+	14+	10+	11+	8+	
24,000	Wraith	5	5d4	+2	—	—	—	—	—	12+	12+	14+	10+	11+	7+	
48,000	Spectre	6	6d4	+3	1	—	—	—	—	12+	12+	14+	10+	11+	7+	
95,000	Slayer	7	7d4	+3	2	—	—	—	—	11+	11+	13+	9+	10+	6+	
190,000	Deathdealer	8	8d4	+3	2	1	—	—	—	11+	11+	13+	9+	10+	5+	
340,000	Deathlord (9th level)	9	9d4	+4	2	2	—	—	—	11+	11+	13+	9+	10+	5+	
490,000	Deathlord (10th level)	10	9d4+1	+4	2	2	1	—	—	10+	10+	12+	8+	9+	4+	
640,000	Deathlord (11th level)	11	9d4+2	+4	2	2	2	—	—	10+	10+	12+	8+	9+	3+	
790,000	Deathlord (12th level)	12	9d4+3	+5	3	2	2	1	—	10+	10+	12+	8+	9+	3+	
940,000	Deathlord (13th level)	13	9d4+4	+5	3	3	2	2	—	9+	9+	11+	7+	8+	2+	
1,090,000	Deathlord (14th level)	14	9d4+5	+5	3	3	3	2	1	9+	9+	11+	7+	8+	1+	
Prime Requisite	INT, CON
Requirements	None
Hit Dice	1d4
Maximum Level	14
Starting Age	unknown
"In the mists of time, before Atlantis rose . . . Gath of Baal was imprisoned by the Horned Helmet and transformed into the Death Dealer, a creature of supernatural skill in battle—against whom nothing could stand."
—Prisoner of the Horned Helmet, 1988, Frank Frazetta, James R. Silke
Death has a special role for a few chosen few souls to play, that of deathdealer. Deathdealers walk in a dimly perceived world where the living and the dead coexist. The deathdealer sees only the dead, the dying and those who will be dying soon enough.
He is surrounded by near-maddening images and whispers of loved ones lost and foes vanquished. Few willingly walk this path.
At first level, deathdealers hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. Like fighters, they advance in attack throws by two points every three levels of experience. However, like mages, they advance in saving throws by two points every six levels of experience.
Deathdealers may only use weapons likely to draw blood, such as axes, daggers and swords. A deathdealer may only wear chain mail or lighter armor. They may fight wielding a weapon and shield, wielding a two-handed weapon, or wielding a weapon in each hand. Deathdealers increase their base damage roll from successful melee attacks by +1 at 1st level and by an additional +1 at third, sixth and ninth level.
Deathdealers are known to die hard. At first level, the character gains a +2 bonus to AC and decreases the damage from any non-magical attacks by 1 point per die. At seventh level, this protection increases to +4 AC and 2 points per die. At 13th level, the protection increases to +6 AC and 3 points per die. The damage reduction is applied per die. Damage can be reduced to 0, but not less than 0, on each die. The AC bonus from die hard stacks with potions of invulnerability, rings of protection, and similar effects, but does not stack with armor. Attacks from monsters of 5 HD or more are considered magical attacks due to the monster’s ferocity.
A deathdealer's insightful whispers provides a +1 bonus to attack throws, proficiency throws, saving throws, and initiative rolls for 1 turn (10 minutes), once per day per level of experience. The deathdealer may listen to these whispers without expending an action.
Beginning at fourth level, deathdealers may summon haunt once per day. This spell-like ability functions as the spell chimerical force, taking 1 round to cast.
At tenth level, when deathdealers successfully slay a sentient creature with a melee attack, they can, in lieu of cleaving, expend a spell slot to heal using death healing. Healing is 1d6 per level of the spell slot expended, to a maximum value equal to the slain victim’s maximum (starting) hit points.
Deathdealers may use any magic item usable by fighters or mages. Beginning at sixth level, deathdealers may cast arcane spells as an arcane caster of 5 levels lower. Starting at tenth level, deathdealers may begin to research spells, scribe scrolls, and brew potions. When deathdealers reach 14th level, they are able to create more powerful magic items such as weapons, rings, and staffs.
When deathdealers reach fifth level, their implacable resolve inspires those who follow them. Any henchmen and mercenaries hired by a deathdealer gain a +1 bonus to their morale score whenever the deathdealer personally leads them. This bonus stacks with any modifiers from the deathdealer’s Charisma or proficiencies.
When deathdealers reach ninth level, they can attract men from far and wide by constructing their own death fortress. When deathdealers establish a fortress, 1d4+1×10 zero-level mercenaries and 1d6 deathdealers of level 1–3 will arrive. If hired, they must be paid standard rates for mercenaries. Deathdealers’ fortresses are otherwise identical to fighters’ castles, as detailed in the Campaign chapter of the ACKS core book.
Build. Hit Die 0 [XP 0], Fighting Ability 2 [XP 1,000], Arcane Casting 2 (caster level –5 rather than ½) [XP 1,250].
Customs. Armor to broad [1 custom, XP 150], Weapons to narrow [3 customs, XP 450], drop missile damage bonus [1 custom, XP 150]. Net 5 customs.
Class Proficiencies
Deathdealers start with one class proficiency, and gain an additional one at third, sixth, ninth, and 12th level.
Choose from the following list:
Deathdealer. Acrobatics, Alertness, Battle Magic, Black Lore, Blind Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (force back, knock down, overrun, sunder), Command, Dungeon Bashing, Elementalism, Endurance, Fighting Style, Gambling, Illusion Resistance, Intimidation, Manual of Arms, Military Strategy, Mystic Aura, Riding, Running, Skirmishing, Swashbuckling, Unflappable Casting, Weapon Finesse, and Weapon Focus.
Deathdealers also start with one general proficiency (plus a number equal to their Intelligence bonus), and gain another general proficiency at fifth, ninth, and 13th level.
Mithril Sorcerer
				Spell Rank							
Experience	Title	Level	HD	1	2	3	4	5	6	Petrification & Paralysis	Poison & Death	Blasts & Breath	Staffs & Wands	Spells	Attack	
0	Shield Bearer	1	1d4	—	—	—	—	—	—	13+	13+	15+	11+	12+	10+	
2,375	Defender	2	2d4	—	—	—	—	—	—	13+	13+	15+	11+	12+	10+	
4,750	Apprentice	3	3d4	—	—	—	—	—	—	13+	13+	15+	11+	12+	9+	
9,500	Student	4	4d4	1	—	—	—	—	—	12+	12+	14+	10+	11+	9+	
19,000	Senior Student	5	5d4	2	—	—	—	—	—	12+	12+	14+	10+	11+	8+	
38,000	Sorcerer (6th)	6	6d4	2	1	—	—	—	—	12+	12+	14+	10+	11+	8+	
76,000	Sorcerer (7th)	7	7d4	2	2	—	—	—	—	11+	11+	13+	9+	10+	7+	
150,000	Senior Sorcerer (8th)	8	8d4	2	2	1	—	—	—	11+	11+	13+	9+	10+	7+	
300,000	Senior Sorcerer (9th)	9	9d4	2	2	2	—	—	—	11+	11+	13+	9+	10+	6+	
450,000	Master Sorcerer (10th)	10	9d4+1	3	2	2	1	—	—	10+	10+	12+	8+	9+	6+	
600,000	Master Sorcerer (11th)	11	9d4+2	3	3	2	2	—	—	10+	10+	12+	8+	9+	5+	
750,000	Grand Sorcerer (12th)	12	9d4+3	3	3	3	2	1	—	10+	10+	12+	8+	9+	5+	
900,000	Grand Sorcerer (13th)	13	9d4+4	3	3	3	3	2	—	9+	9+	11+	7+	8+	4+	
1,050,000	Master of Rituals	14	9d4+5	4	3	3	3	2	1	9+	9+	11+	7+	8+	4+	
Prime Requisite	INT
Requirements	STR 9+
Hit Dice	1d4
Maximum Level	14
Starting Age	17 + 3d6
Mithril sorcerers are a martial order of arcanists who have narrowed their study of arcane magic (eschewing the permanent magics of dweomercrafting and similar) in order to devote time to military prowess.
Low-level mithril sorcerers (those unable to cast spells) are considered to have a duty to put their lives down for those who can cast spells.
As a result, they are skilled combatants, equivalent to the martial cleric orders. At first level, they hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws by two points every four experience levels, and by saving throws by two points every six experience levels.
As a martial order, mithril sorcerers are trained to wear any armor, and in the weapons of the order (swords, daggers, spears, and polearms), either two-handed or with a shield. They cannot fight with two weapons.
Because of their discipline as an order and focus on striking first, mithril sorcerers gain a +1 bonus on Initiative rolls, for both spells and physical combat.
Starting at fourth level, mithril sorcerers cast spells as a mage three levels lower (i.e., at fourth level, the mithril sorcerer casts as a first-level mage).
At seventh level, mithril sorcerers gain arcane striking—when they strike an opponent successfully with a melee attack, they can expend a daily spell slot (one per attack) to deal an additional 1d6 damage per spell rank.
At eighth level (Senior Sorcerer), mithril sorcerers can research new spells as a mage (also three levels lower).
At ninth level, a mithril sorcerer can establish a sanctum as a mage, attracting 2d6 zero-level apprentices and 1d6 mithril sorcerers of levels 1–3 seeking to study. However, a dungeon constructed by a mithril sorcerer has no effect beyond what a fighter-constructed dungeon would have.
At 14th level, the mithril sorcerer can research and cast arcane ritual magic, however, of levels 7–9.
Mithril sorcerers cannot enchant magic items (including potions or scrolls), mix crossbreeds, craft constructs, produce necromantic servants, or build dungeons (beyond the ability of a fighter, at least).
Build. Hit Die 0 [XP 0], Fighting Ability 1a (Cleric) [XP 500], Arcane Casting 3 (caster level –3 rather than 2/3) [XP 1,875].
Customs. Dropped potions and scrolls at seventh level [1 custom], magic items at 11th level [0.3 custom], and constructs, crossbreeds, and undead at 14th level [0.6 custom]. No dungeon at 9th [0.1]. Net two customs.
One custom was traded for striking first at first level, the other for arcane striking at seventh level.
Class Proficiencies
Mithril sorcerers start with one class proficiency, and gain an additional one at fourth, eighth, and 12th level.
Choose from the following list:
Mithril Sorcerer. Battle Magic,  Combat Reflexes, Command, Craft, Diplomacy, Elementalism, Elven Bloodline, Endurance, Engineering, Familiar, Fighting Style, Healing, Knowledge, Language, Loremastery, Manual of Arms, Mapping, Martial Training, Military Strategy, Mystic Aura, Naturalism, Quiet Magic, Performance, Prestidigitation, Profession, Swashbuckling, Unflappable Casting, and Weapon Finesse.
Mithril sorcerers also start with one general proficiency (plus a number equal to their Intelligence bonus), and gain another general proficiency at fifth, ninth, and 13th level.
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Mithril Sorcerer, Copyright 2013, Thomas Weigel.
Deathdealer, Copyright 2013, By This Axe, http://www.bythisaxe.com/; Author Charles Myers.

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