Wu Jen

The Pros and Cons of a Wu Jen

It's easy to think of the wu jen (from Complete Arcane) as just a wizard with some oriental flavor. The image is accurate as far as it goes, but it doesn't do the wu jen justice. A wu jen's approach to arcane magic offers considerable rewards when approached with the proper mindset.

Wu Jen Assets

The wu jen's main strength lies in her spells, but the class also offers several other potent resources. Here's a brief list of things you'll have going for you when you choose a wu jen:

• • High Skill Points: A wu jen receives only two skill points per level (among the lowest in the game). Because Intelligence governs the wu jen's spellcasting, however, wu jen tend to have high Intelligence scores that give them many extra skill points.

• Good Will Saves: A wu jen uses the best progression for Will saves (see Table 3-1 in the Player's Handbook). This helps the wu jen resist most effects that attack or fool her mind or assault her spirit, such as charms, compulsions, illusions, fear, and even inflict wounds spells.

• Good Spell Selection: The wu jen spell list is a little different from the wizard's, but it has the same power and depth. Also like a wizard, a wu jen can learn any spell from the list (subject to the limits imposed by the wu jen's class level) and record it in a spell book.

• Many wu jen spells have an elemental theme, but not the traditional four elements of the western world. Instead, the wu jen embraces five elements drawn from Eastern tradition: earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. Earth, fire, and water spells are familiar to most western wizards. Metal spells deal with weaponry, control over metal objects, and special effects with a metallic theme. Wood spells give the wu jen power over plants and also to shape, control, or enhance wood.

• Not all wu jen spells fall into an elemental group, and a wu jen's spells are useful for a variety of things from blasting apart foes to controlling other minds to moving great distances instantly.

• Bonus Feat: At 1st level, a wu-jen receives a bonus metamagic feat.

• Watchful Spirit: Also at 1st level, a wu jen can gain paranormal insight that allows her to reroll one initiative roll each day.

• Spell Secrets: At 3rd, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th levels, a wu jen can select one spell she knows and alter it so that it always works as though modified with a metamagic feat taken from a short list given in the wu jen class description. The altered spell does not use up a higher-level spell slot, and the wu jen does not need to know the selected metamagic feat.

• Elemental Mastery: At 6th level, a wu jen chooses one of the five elements (see the section on spells) and becomes a master of that element. When casting a spell from the element she has mastered, her caster level for the spell increases by +2. In addition, a wu jen gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells from an element she has mastered.

Wu Jen Weaknesses

Wu jen must pay a price for their powerful spellcasting abilities. Here are a few things you'll consider when thinking about a wu jen character.

• • Low Hit Points: The wu jen gains only 4-sided hit dice, which inevitably leads to a low hit point total.

• Poor Armor Class: The wu jen has no proficiency with any kind of armor or shield, so the character is fated to have low Armor Class. The combination of low hit points and low Armor Class makes a wu jen vulnerable to physical attacks such as swords, claws, and arrows. Even a gang of puny goblins poses a threat to a wu jen.

• It's possible for a wu jen to become proficient with armor, but wearing armor can cause a wu jen's arcane spells to fail. A wu jen also can use spells to improve her defenses, but doing so drains her resources. A wu jen who wants to have a long and prosperous career must learn to stay out of harm's way.

• Poor Attack Bonus: A wu jen's base attack bonus is +1 per two levels, which is the worst in the game. Wu jen don't do well with physical attacks.

• Poor Reflex and Fortitude saves: Wu jen have the worst progression for Reflex and Fortitude saves. Wu jen aren't so great at avoiding attacks on their bodies.

• Spell Books: A wu jen must record every spell she knows into a spell book (or a set of spell books). As the wu jen advances in level, she gains a small number of free spells to add to her books. She can add extra spells as she encounters them (or researches them on her own), but that takes time and money. A wu jen must study her spell books each day to prepare her spells. If she loses her books, she also loses her spellcasting ability until she can recover or replace them.

• Taboos: To maintain her magical abilities, a wu jen must abide by certain minor restrictions. If she violates a taboo, a wu jen cannot cast any spells for the rest of the day. A wu jen must choose one taboo at 1st level and one additional taboo each time she learns a spell secret.