The decision of when to rage is one of the toughest faced by a barbarian. Selecting the berserker strength class feature in place of rage removes the need for this often complicated tactical decision, replacing it with an automatically activated boost to your combat prowess and durability. In short, when the going gets tough, you get tougher.
Class: Barbarian.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain rage (or any later improvements to that class feature).
Benefit: Whenever your current hit point total is below 5 × your barbarian level, your berserker strength automatically activates. You gain a +4 bonus to your Strength score, a +2 bonus on saves, damage reduction 2/—, and a -2 penalty to your AC. The damage reduction granted by berserker strength stacks with any similar kind of damage reduction.
There is no limit to the number of times per day your berserker strength can activate. While berserker strength is active, you have the same limitation on actions as a barbarian in rage. You cannot voluntarily end your berserker strength, although you automatically drop out of it while unconscious, helpless or (most likely) when you receive healing to bring your current hit points above the threshold.
At 11th level (or if you would gain the greater rage class feature from any class), your berserker strength improves instead. The bonus to your Strength score improves to +6, your bonus on saves improves to +3, and you gain damage reduction 3/— (or your existing damage reduction of the same kind improves by 3).
At 20th level (or if you would gain the mighty rage class feature from any class), your berserker strength instead improves again. The bonus to your Strength score improves to +8, your bonus on saves improves to +4, and you gain damage reduction 4/— (or your existing damage reduction of the same kind improves by 4).
Any effect that would normally apply only during your rage applies whenever your berserker strength is active.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 33)
Wandering bards learn more mundane skills and less esoteric knowledge on their travels. If you select this class feature, you have done a little bit of everything; maybe you spent a few months as a wilderness guide, and you also had a cousin in an ambassador’s retinue who regaled you with tales of courtly intrigue.
The bardic knack class feature makes you more capable of accomplishing simple tasks with a wide variety of skills. You don’t need to dabble in non-critical skills (unless you want to be considered trained in their use), freeing up your skill points to focus on a small range of crucial skills.
Class: Bard.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain bardic knowledge.
Benefit: When making any skill check, you can use ½ your bard level (rounded up) in place of the number of ranks you have in the skill (even if that number is 0).
For example, a 5th-level bard would have the equivalent of 3 ranks in Appraise, Balance, Bluff and so on (but only for the purpose of making skill checks).
You can’t take 10 on checks when you use bardic knack (to take 10 you have to use your actual ranks). If the skill doesn’t allow untrained checks, you must have at least 1 actual rank to attempt the check.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 35)
After a while, clerics can start looking very similar. Even with a variety of domains to choose from, domain spells take up such a small portion of the average cleric’s repertoire that they don’t have much effect on the overall feel of the character. With spontaneous domain casting, though, your domain choice becomes a more important element of your character. You won’t be able to provide as much healing to your party as a typical cleric, but the ability to prepare cure or inflict spells in your domain spell slots keeps you from falling too far behind in that area.
Class: Cleric.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the ability to spontaneously convert prepared spells into cure or inflict spells.
Benefit: You can convert stored spell energy into the spells of one of your domains. Pick one of your two domains. You can “lose” any prepared spell (other than a domain spell) to cast any spell of the same level or lower on that domain list. Your choice is permanent unless an alignment change, deity change or other dramatic event leaves you incapable of accessing the domain.
In addition, when preparing spells you can choose to fill any or all of your domain spell slots with either cure or inflict spells (depending on whether you would normally convert prepared spells to cure or inflict spells) of the same level.
Example: Crucius is a cleric of Heironeous with the Good and War domains. At 1st level, he chooses to spontaneously cast War domain spells. Thereafter, he can lose a prepared 1st-level spell to cast magic weapon, a prepared 2nd-level spell to cast spiritual weapon (or magic weapon) and so on. Furthermore, in each domain spell slot he can prepare a spell from the Good domain, a spell from the War domain, or a cure spell of the same level.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 37)
By selecting the spontaneous rejuvenation alternative class feature, you can provide the party with plenty of healing without trampling on the cleric’s role.
Class: Druid.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the ability to spontaneously convert prepared spells into summon nature’s ally spells.
Benefit: You can transform the stored energy of a spell you have prepared to invigorate you and your allies.
To use spontaneous rejuvenation, you must spend a standard action and sacrifice a prepared spell. All allies within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gain fast healing for 3 rounds. The fast healing amount is equal to the spell’s level. For example, if you sacrifice remove disease, a 3rd-level spell, each ally gains fast healing 3 for 3 rounds.
The fast healing granted by this class feature doesn’t stack with itself or with fast healing from other sources.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 39)
Taking the shapeshift alternative class feature means you can focus on your actions in combat (rather than worrying about your animal companion) while still unleashing nature’s fury upon your foes.
Class: Druid.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion at 1st level, nor do you gain the wild shape class feature at 5th level (or any variation of that class feature at later levels, such as the ability to wild shape into an elemental at 16th level).
Benefit: You can shapeshift at will into powerful animal or nature-oriented forms. Each time you use this ability, you can choose the exact look that your shapeshifted form takes. Druids pick animals from the terrain and climate they’re most familiar with. For example, a druid from a jungle might adopt the form of a black panther when in predator form, while one from the taiga might shapeshift into a white wolf. The two forms look different, but functionally they’re identical. This is a supernatural ability.
It requires only a swift action to shapeshift. If you are capable of taking more than one form, you can shapeshift directly between two forms without returning to your normal form. There’s no limit to the number of times per day you can change forms, nor to the amount of time you can spend in a shapeshifted form.
You retain your normal Hit Dice, hit points, base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses and skill ranks regardless of your form. You also retain your normal ability scores, though each form grants a bonus to your Strength score. You keep all extraordinary, supernatural and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part your new form does not have.
All your held, carried or worn gear melds into your new form and becomes non-functional until you return to your normal form. You cannot speak in shapeshifted form, and your limbs lack the precision required to wield a weapon or perform tasks requiring fine manipulation. You can’t cast spells or activate magic items while in shapeshifted form, even if you have the Natural Spell feat or other ability that would allow you to cast spells while wild shaped.
Unless otherwise noted in the descriptions below, you retain your size and space when you adopt a new form. You always retain your type and subtypes, regardless of the nature of the form assumed. You don’t gain any special attacks or qualities while shapeshifted except as described below.
When you shapeshift into a form other than your own, you gain natural weapons (and reach with those weapons) as described below. These natural weapons gain an enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls equal to ¼ your druid level, and at 4th level and higher they are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. The damage dice given are for Medium druids; smaller or larger druids should adjust those values according to the tables in Effect of Weapon Size.
If knocked unconscious or slain in shapeshifted form, you revert to your original form.
Predator Form: This form, traditionally that of a wolf, panther or other predatory mammal, is the first one a shapeshifting druid learns.
While in predator form, you gain a primary bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Small or Medium). You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, and your natural armour bonus improves by 4. Your base land speed becomes 50 feet.
At 4th level, you gain Mobility as a bonus feat whenever you are in predator form (even if you don’t meet the prerequisites).
Aerial Form: At 5th level, you can shapeshift into a flying creature. Traditionally resembling an eagle, vulture or bat, the aerial form enables fast travel and the ability to soar out of harm’s way.
While in aerial form, you gain a primary talon attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. You have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Small or Medium). You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +2 enhancement bonus on Reflex saves, and your natural armour bonus improves by 2. You gain a fly speed of 40 feet (good manoeuvrability).
At 7th level, you gain Flyby Attack as a bonus feat whenever you are in aerial form.
Ferocious Slayer Form: At 8th level, you can shapeshift into a large and fierce predatory form, such as a tiger, brown bear or dire wolf.
While in ferocious slayer form, you gain a primary bite attack that deals 1d8 points of damage and two secondary claw attacks that each deal 1d6 points of damage. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of Colossal), and you have the reach of a long creature of your size (5 feet for Medium or Large). You gain a +8 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude saves, and your natural armour bonus improves by 8. Your base land speed changes to 40 feet.
At 10th level, you gain Improved Critical (bite) and Improved Critical (claw) as bonus feats whenever you are in ferocious slayer form.
Forest Avenger Form: At 12th level, you can take the form of a massive plant-like creature, similar to a shambling mound or a treant. (Druids not native to forest terrains typically rename this form to fit their environment.)
While in forest avenger form, you gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 1d8 points of damage each. Your size increases by one category (to a maximum of Colossal) and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size (5 feet for Medium, 10 feet for Large). You gain a +12 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude and Will saves, and your natural armour bonus improves by 12. Your base land speed becomes 20 feet.
You gain damage reduction 5/slashing while in forest avenger form.
At 14th level, you gain Improved Overrun as a bonus feat while in forest avenger form (even if you don’t meet the normal prerequisites).
Elemental Fury Form: At 16th level, you can shapeshift into a giant form of air, earth, fire or water (your choice each time you shapeshift).
While in elemental fury form, you gain a pair of primary slam attacks that deal 2d6 points of damage each. Your size increases by two categories (to a maximum of Colossal), and you have the reach of a tall creature of your size (10 feet for Large, 15 feet for Huge). You gain a +16 enhancement bonus to Strength and a +4 enhancement bonus on Fortitude, Reflex and Will saves, and your natural armour bonus improves by 16. You do not gain any new modes of movement in elemental fury form, nor does your base land speed change.
You gain immunity to extra damage from critical hits while in elemental form. You also gain immunity to an energy type related to the element chosen (air = electricity, earth = acid, fire = fire, water = cold). You don’t need to breathe while in elemental fury form.
At 18th level, you gain Great Cleave as a bonus feat while in elemental fury form (even if you don’t meet the normal prerequisites).
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 39)
The favoured soul enjoys the flexibility of spontaneous spellcasting, but her limited spell selection can hinder her ability to provide the healing expected from a divine caster. Choosing the deity’s favour class feature means you’ll be a bit less potent in combat, but lets you use the spells you’re already casting to help you and your allies last longer in a fight. Favoured souls who choose this option should expect a lot of requests for support spells such as bless, bull’s strength and prayer, but remember that your cure spells gain this benefit as well.
Class: Favoured Soul.
Level: 3rd.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the deity’s weapon focus or deity’s weapon specialization class features (you still gain proficiency with your deity’s favoured weapon).
Benefit: Beginning at 3rd level, whenever you cast a favoured soul spell, you can choose any one ally affected by that spell (including yourself) to gain temporary hit points equal to three times the spell’s level. These temporary hit points last for up to 1 minute per level of the spell. If the spell would also grant temporary hit points, use only the larger value and its duration.
If you use this ability on a creature that is still under the effect of a previous use, the new temporary hit points overlap (do not stack with) the temporary hit points the creature had remaining.
Beginning at 12th level, you can choose to grant these temporary hit points to any number of allies affected by the spell.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 43)
You know that the key to winning any fight is not getting hit, so you trade offensive power for a steadier defence.
Class: Fighter.
Level: 6th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the fighter bonus feat at 6th level.
Benefit: At 6th level, you master a technique of combining offence and defence. As a full-round action, make one attack at your highest base attack bonus. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus improves to +4 at 11th level and to +6 at 16th level.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 44)
Every offensive move creates an opening for a counterattack, and you know how to exploit this facet of combat to its fullest.
Class: Fighter.
Level: 12th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the fighter bonus feat at 12th level.
Benefit: At 12th level, you learn to hold back some of your offensive prowess to enable a potent counterattack. As a full-round action, make one melee attack at your highest base attack bonus. At any time before the start of your next turn, you can use an immediate action to make a melee attack (using your highest base attack bonus) against an enemy that attacks you in melee.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 45)
You never waste time wounding your opponent, instead concentrating on delivering one solid strike.
Class: Fighter.
Level: 16th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the fighter bonus feat at 16th level.
Benefit: At 16th level, you can focus your attention in combat to deliver a single deadly attack. As a full-round action, make one attack at your highest base attack bonus. That attack deals double damage, as do any other attacks you make before the start of your next turn.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 45)
By mixing arcane spells with martial talents, the hexblade blurs the traditional line between fighter and sorcerer. Replacing the familiar — a link to traditional forms of arcane magic — with a unique fighting companion helps establish the hexblade’s difference from the sorcerer.
In combat, a dark companion functions like a floating hex that you can place upon your foes. By weakening the defences of enemies, your dark companion makes your spells and attacks (and those of your allies) more powerful.
Class: Hexblade.
Level: 4th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.
Benefit: At 4th level, you can create an illusory companion resembling a panther, spun from the darkness of the night. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magic materials that cost 100 gp. Once created, your dark companion stands with you in battle, hindering your enemies’ defences.
Any enemy adjacent to your dark companion takes a -2 penalty on its saves and to its AC. Your companion’s speed is equal to yours (including all modes of movement you possess) and it acts during your turn each round. It follows your mental commands perfectly — in effect, it is merely an extension of your will.
Your dark companion has no real substance, and thus can’t attack or otherwise affect creatures or objects. It occupies a 5-foot space. Even though any creature can enter a dark companion’s 5-foot space without restriction, it must occupy its own space in order to have any effect on enemies. It is immune to any damage or other effects that might harm creatures, though it can be dispelled or suppressed just like a spell effect. Your dark companion is treated as a spell whose level is equal to ¼ your hexblade level. If it is dispelled, it automatically reforms at your side 24 hours later.
A dark companion can’t create flanking situations, nor does it provoke attacks of opportunity from movement, because enemies automatically recognize it as an illusion. If it is more than 120 feet from you at the start of your turn, or if you ever lose line of effect to it, it instantly reappears adjacent to you.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 47)
As a marshal, you make everyone on your team more effective at what they do. While the traditional marshal accomplishes some of that by improving his allies’ mobility, by choosing adrenaline boost you instead to take on some of the cleric’s ability to bolster the health of your allies. It’s particularly effective in rallying injured comrades, making it a good ability to save until things start looking grim.
Class: Marshal.
Level: 4th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the grant move action class feature.
Benefit: Starting at 4th level, you can exhort your allies to discover a reservoir of energy they didn’t think they had. Once per day, as a standard action, you can grant temporary hit points equal to your marshal level to any or all of your allies within 30 feet (but not to yourself). If the ally’s current hit point total is no more than half his full normal hit points, the number of temporary hit points granted to that character is doubled (to twice your marshal level).
This ability only affects allies with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher who can hear you and understand your language. The temporary hit points last for up to 1 minute per marshal level.
At 8th level, you can use this ability twice per day. You can use it three times per day at 12th level, four times per day at 16th level, and five times per day at 20th level.
If you use this ability on a creature that is still under the effect of a previous use, the new temporary hit points overlap (do not stack with) the temporary hit points the creature had remaining.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 49)
Flurry of blows can be exciting to use — just look at all the attack rolls you can make — but in practice it can lead to a flurry of misses. The decisive strike alternative class feature turns your typical combat maneuver from a whirl of action into a methodical and devastating attack.
Class: Monk.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain flurry of blows (or any later improvements to that class feature).
Benefit: As a full-round action, make one attack with an unarmed strike or a special monk weapon, using your highest base attack bonus but taking a -2 penalty on this attack roll. If the attack hits, it deals double damage (as does any other attack you make before the start of your next turn). If you use this strike to deliver a stunning attack, increase the save DC to resist the stun by 2. This is an extraordinary ability.
At 5th level, the penalty on the attack roll lessens to -1, and at 9th level it disappears.
At 11th level, you can make two attacks when using this class feature, though no more than one attack can target a single creature. Both attacks use your highest base attack bonus.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 51)
Despite the glorious vision of a shining knight atop a warhorse charging into combat, the reality in the D&D game is that it’s far from easy (and sometimes impossible) to bring a big animal along on your dungeon crawl. To avoid the drain on time and resources created by a special mount you might not even be able to use, you can select the charging smite alternative class feature instead. You still leap into the fray, taking the fight to the enemy, but you do so in a manner that better matches the typical combat found in a D&D game.
Class: Paladin.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a special mount.
Benefit: Beginning at 5th level, if you smite evil on a charge attack, you deal an extra 2 points of damage per paladin level to any evil creature you hit (in addition to the normal bonus damage dealt by a smite). If the charge attack misses, the smite ability is not considered used. This is a supernatural ability.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 53)
A ranger’s animal companion isn’t nearly as tough as a druid’s, and thus works best as a scout or occasional flanker in combat. If your ranger would prefer to avoid the hassle of taking care of an animal companion, you can get some of the same benefit with the distracting attack alternative class feature. Though not as effective as an actual flanker, the ability to spread out your attacks to affect multiple enemies is a nice side effect.
Class: Ranger.
Level: 4th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion.
Benefit: Beginning at 4th level, whenever you hit an enemy with a weapon attack (whether melee or ranged), that enemy is considered flanked by you for the purpose of adjudicating your allies’ attacks. For example, if your rogue ally attacked that enemy, not only would she gain a +2 bonus on her melee attack roll but she could also add her sneak attack damage to a successful melee attack.
This flanked condition lasts until either the enemy is attacked by one of your allies or until the start of your next turn, whichever comes first. This is an extraordinary ability.
This ability has no effect on creatures that can’t be flanked.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 55)
More than perhaps any other character, a rogue’s ability to fully contribute to a fight varies dramatically based on the enemies she faces. Against a mummy, flesh golem, or shambling mound, the rogue’s damage-dealing drops precipitously. The disruptive attack alternative class feature allows a rogue to be effective in combat against such creatures by making them vulnerable to the attacks of her and her allies. It’s also useful against creatures vulnerable to your sneak attacks, creating interesting tactical decisions for you in such fights.
Class: Rogue.
Level: 4th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain uncanny dodge at 4th level. Instead, you gain uncanny dodge at 8th level (when you would normally gain improved uncanny dodge).
Benefit: Beginning at 4th level, through careful study you’re able to find exploitable flaws in any creature’s tactics and defences. Whenever you hit a target that is flat-footed against your attack, or whenever you hit a target that you flank, you can choose to sacrifice your sneak attack damage in order to apply a -5 penalty to that creature’s AC for 1 round. Multiple hits on the same target don’t stack. This extraordinary ability works even against creatures normally immune to extra damage from sneak attacks, such as undead.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 57)
The scout’s mobility gives her a significant advantage over foes in combat. While any scout can hold her own in an underground setting, some specifically train for the dark, enclosed spaces found in dungeon environments. If you select the dungeon specialist alternative class feature, you give up some of your speed to turn the dungeon into a three-dimensional combat environment. You’ll shine in small rooms and tight corridors, though area spells become a bit more dangerous for you.
Class: Scout.
Level: 3rd.
Replaces: By choosing the dungeon specialist alternative class feature, you give up both fast movement (normally gained at 3rd level and improved at 11th level) and evasion (normally gained at 5th level).
Benefit: At 3rd level, you gain a climb speed equal to ½ your base land speed (rounded down to the next 5-foot increment), and you can attack with a light weapon normally while climbing. At 11th level, your climb speed improves to equal your base land speed.
Having a climb speed grants you a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and allows you to take 10 on Climb checks even if rushed or threatened. You also retain your Dexterity bonus to AC while climbing, and enemies gain no special bonus on attacks against you while you are climbing. See Creature Movement Modes for more details.
At 5th level, you learn to use confining areas to your advantage. Whenever you are standing on the ground and adjacent to a wall, you gain a +2 bonus to AC and opponents gain no bonus on their attack rolls when flanking you.
This is an extraordinary ability. You lose both of these benefits when wearing medium or heavy armour or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 59)
With a limited selection of spells at his fingertips, it’s natural for a sorcerer to turn to metamagic feats to gain flexibility in effects. If the idea of playing a sorcerer who efficiently twists his spells into new shapes and sizes excites you, the metamagic specialist alternative class feature is the way to go. Though you must forgo the benefits of a familiar to pursue this path, some sorcerers relish not having to keep track of such a vulnerable accessory.
Class: Sorcerer.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.
Benefit: You can apply metamagic feats that you know to sorcerer spells without increasing the casting time. This benefit even lets you quicken your sorcerer spells with the Quicken Spell feat.
You can use this class feature a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Int modifier (minimum 1). This is an extraordinary ability.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 61)
The typical swashbuckler is best suited to fighting a single foe. Some, however, practice using a pair of light weapons to fend off attacks from all around them. The shield of blades alternative class feature is designed for swashbucklers who fight with two weapons. Though it requires a full attack action to use the ability, the AC bonus applies against all attackers (even invisible ones), unlike the dodge bonus gained by the traditional swashbuckling style.
Class: Swashbuckler.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the dodge bonus class feature (or its improvements at 10th, 15th and 20th level).
Benefit: Beginning at 5th level, you become adept at defending yourself when wielding a pair of light weapons. You gain a +2 shield bonus to your AC whenever you attack with at least two light weapons during your turn. (Despite the name of this class feature, you can use any light weapon to gain the benefit, even unarmed strikes or natural weapons.) This AC bonus lasts until the start of your next turn. This is an extraordinary ability.
This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels beyond 5th (+3 at 10th level, +4 at 15th level and +5 at 20th level). You lose this bonus when wearing medium or heavy armour or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 63)
By their very nature, a warlock’s powers are unusual and unpredictable. Some warlocks manifest a visible sign of their fiendish prowess, developing the ability to wreathe themselves in burning flames to deal damage to attackers. Giving up your fast healing means you’re less capable of bouncing back after a fight, but the deterrence factor of the fiendish flamewreath alternative class feature might result in you taking less damage entirely.
Class: Warlock.
Level: 8th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the fiendish resilience class feature normally gained at 8th level (or the improvements to that class feature gained at 13th and 18th level).
Benefit: Beginning at 8th level, you know the trick of fiendish flamewreath. Once per day you can immolate yourself in wispy flames that don’t hurt you but deal 1d6 points of fire damage to any creature striking you with its body or a hand-held weapon. Creatures wielding weapons with exceptional reach, such as longspears, are not subject to this damage if they attack you.
Activating your fiendish flamewreath is a free action; it lasts for 2 minutes or until you take another free action to end it. The flames provide light equivalent to a torch, but can’t be extinguished except by you. This is a supernatural ability.
At 13th level, your fiendish flamewreath deals 2d6 points of fire damage. At 18th level, the damage improves to 5d6 points.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 65)
Some warmages find the limited range of their spell selection chafing. These characters yearn for the sorcerer’s or wizard’s utility spells, such as invisibility, dimension door or even the humble detect magic. While you will never have as wide an access to such spells as other arcane casters, the eclectic learning alternative class feature gives you at least a taste of what your fellow arcanists already enjoy (without significantly watering down your battlefield focus).
If you take this option, choose carefully which spells to learn. Focus on spells that will remain useful as long as possible — while eagle’s splendour might seem like a good choice at 6th level, by the time you can afford a good cloak of Charisma you might regret that earlier choice.
Class: Warmage.
Level: 3rd, 6th, 11th or 16th.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the advanced learning class feature normally gained at a particular level. The choice you make at one level has no bearing on the choice you make at a later level — you could choose eclectic learning at 3rd and 6th level, advanced learning at 11th level, and then eclectic learning again at 16th level.
Benefit: At 3rd, 6th, 11th or 16th level, you can choose to add a new spell to your list that would normally be outside your area of expertise. The spell must be a sorcerer/wizard spell, but it can be from any school. The spell is treated as being one level higher than normal (for example, invisibility, a 2nd-level sorcerer/wizard spell, would be treated as a 3rd-level warmage spell for you). You must be capable of casting spells of the new spell’s adjusted level — for instance, you can’t choose a 3rd-level sorcerer/wizard spell at 6th level, because the spell is treated as a 4th-level spell for you.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 67)
Other than having a single additional spell of each spell level, a specialist wizard functions like any other wizard. Your evoker’s fireball spell deals as much damage as that of a conjurer, diviner or necromancer, and doesn’t look any different. By taking the immediate magic alternative class feature, you gain a useful trick that sets you apart from other specialists. Though giving up your familiar is a hardship, it means you have one less thing to worry about in a fight.
Class: Wizard.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar.
Benefit: You gain a spell-like ability that reflects your chosen school of magic. Activating this ability is an immediate action, and you can use this spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence bonus (minimum 1). Its equivalent spell level is equal to ½ your wizard level (minimum 1st), and the caster level is your wizard level. The save DC (if any) is equal to 10 + ½ your wizard level + your Int modifier. This is an extraordinary ability.
You can’t activate this ability in response to an attack that you aren’t aware of. For instance, if an invisible rogue strikes at you, you can’t activate urgent shield to gain a bonus to your AC against the attack. All effects last until the start of your next turn unless otherwise noted.
To select this ability, you must also choose to specialize in a school of magic. The spell-like ability gained depends on your specialty (see below).
Urgent Shield (abjuration): You create a temporary shield of force that grants you a +2 shield bonus to AC.
Abrupt Jaunt (conjuration): You teleport up to 10 feet. You can’t bring along any other creatures.
Glimpse Peril (divination): You get a flash of foresight into the danger lying in your future. You gain a +2 insight bonus on the next saving throw you make before your next turn.
Instant Daze (enchantment): When an enemy that has HD equal to or less than your wizard level makes a melee attack against you, you can render him dazed (Will negates). This is a compulsion, mind-affecting ability.
Counterfire (evocation): When a visible enemy within 60 feet targets you with a ranged attack or spell, you can respond with a glowing arrow of force. This requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 1d6 points of damage per three wizard levels. Both attacks resolve simultaneously (neither can disrupt the other).
Brief Figment (illusion): You create a figment double of yourself (similar to mirror image). The image lasts until it is struck or until the start of your next turn.
Cursed Glance (necromancy): When a visible enemy within 60 feet targets you with an attack or spell, you can respond with a curse. If the enemy fails a Will save, he takes a -2 penalty to AC and on saving throws.
Sudden Shift (transmutation): You temporarily change your form to grant yourself a climb, fly or swim speed equal to your current land speed. If you activate this ability during your turn, it lasts until the end of that turn; otherwise it lasts until the end of your next turn.
Source: Player’s Handbook II (Page 68)