Requirements

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Spellcraft 9 ranks.

Languages: Draconic.

Feats: Any metamagic feat.

Spellcasting: Ability to prepare and cast 1st-level arcane spells.

Summary

Wyrm wizards are spellcasters who learn new spells not through research and experimentation but rather by tapping into the vast wealth of arcane knowledge possessed by dragons. Like many other wizards, wyrm wizards spend a great deal of time perfecting their spellcasting techniques, though most of their spells are based on the teachings of friendly dragons. A wyrm wizard and his dragon mentor might spend weeks or months in seclusion, discussing the finer points of spell manipulation or exploring new concepts. Unlike many others who interact with dragons, wyrm wizards also act as comrades to spellcasting dragons, providing insight into magic that the creature might not otherwise possess. You have an uncanny knack for unraveling spells cast by others. As such, you often hold your strength in reserve, choosing to react only when other spellcasters attempt to cast spells of their own. When you are not faced with such a threat, you prefer to cast spells that have been strengthened by your research, relying on them to provide a significant advantage over the standard spells of your enemy.

Role: Spell

Characteristics: Dragon taught casters that are experts at unraveling the inner workings of any spell in the blink of an eye.

Source: Dragon Magic

Game Rule Information

The Wyrm Wizard has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Whatever casting stat you possess, Intelligence for your knowledge arcana which is needed for some of your abilities.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d4

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Wyrm Wizard's class skills are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Wyrm Wizard.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Wyrm Wizard is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with prior to taking levels in this class.

Spellcasting: At every level other than 2nd, 4th, and 6th, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a wyrm wizard, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Knowledge of the Wyrm Ex: You spend a great deal of time exploring the depths of a dragon's magical knowledge, giving you a distinct advantage over spellcasters who do not have the benefit of draconic tutelage. Starting at 1st level, by spending at least 1 hour doing nothing but performing research, you can add your class level as an insight bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks made for the next 8 hours. You need not consult with a dragon to gain this insight, though if you do, the insight bonus improves by 2.

At 5th level, you also gain this bonus on Spellcraft checks, for the same duration.

Spell Research Ex: One of the greatest advantages that you gain from consulting draconic lore is the ability to unlock magical secrets forbidden to other wizards. Starting at 2nd level, select one spell from any class's spell list (including divine spells), of a level equal to or lower than the highest-level arcane spell you can prepare and cast. You can add this spell to your arcane spellcasting class spell list as a spell of the same level; all other aspects of the spell remain unchanged. At every even-numbered level thereafter, you gain the knowledge and use of one additional spell in this manner.

Draconic Discovery Ex: At 3rd level, you make startling discoveries into the nature of magic thanks to the unique insight of your dragon mentors. Select any arcane spell of up to 2nd level that you are capable of preparing and casting, and any one metamagic feat you know (with a maximum spell slot adjustment of four). Once per day, you can apply the effect of that metamagic feat to the chosen spell without adjusting the spell slot of the spell or preparing it ahead of time.

At 6th level, you can select a second arcane spell (of up to 4th level) to gain this benefit (choosing either the same or a different metamagic feat that you know). At 9th level, you can select a third arcane spell (of up to 6th level) to gain this benefit, again selecting either the same or a different metamagic feat that you know.

Covert Counterspell Su: Starting at 7th level, you can identify the components of an incoming spell instantaneously and convert stored arcane energy into a counterspell.

You can lose any prepared spell of 3rd level or higher in order to cast dispel magic as a counterspell, or you can lose any prepared spell of 6th level or higher in order to cast greater dispel magic as a counterspell. This ability does not allow you to convert spells for general use into dispel magic and only applies to counterspelling. The normal rules for casting a counterspell still apply.

Break Spell Resistance Su: At 10th level, you gain great insight into the way creatures naturally resist magic by studying the magical defenses of dragons. Whenever you succeed on a caster level check to overcome a target's spell resistance, you can lose a prepared spell as a free action to negate the target's spell resistance. The target loses its spell resistance for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell you expended.

Table 1-1: Wyrm Wizard Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spellcasting
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Knowledge of the wyrm	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Spell research	—
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Draconic discovery (2nd)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Spell research	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Knowledge of the wyrm	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Draconic discovery (4th), spell research	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Convert counterspell	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Spell research	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Draconic discovery (6th)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Break spell resistance, spell research	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

Adaptation

In campaigns where conferring with dragons is not common (or might be taboo), simply revise the wyrm wizard class so it gains knowledge from another source. Since a wyrm wizard's class features stem from his ability to sift through the knowledge of ancient magical creatures, try substituting another long-lived race with natural spellcasting abilities, such as elves, celestials, or infernals. Regardless, adapting the class in this way requires little more than altering its background and should not involve significant changes to game mechanics.