Masters of divination, copper mages act as the advance intelligence agents of the metallic mages. Their abilities to locate hidden magical items or lost magical knowledge makes them extremely valuable, especially to the silver and gold mages, who constantly call upon their potent abilities to locate some lost bit of lore or identify some found magical treasure. Copper mages are different than other diviners in that they are able to mimic the effects of some divination spells without actually having to cast a spell. This is accomplished through the mage’s copper bowl, which is unique for each copper mage.
Most copper mages begin their careers as sorcerers or wizards, though a few bards have occasionally joined the profession. It is not unheard of for clerics that have multiclassed into arcane spellcasting classes to take up the profession. Those with combat classes, even those multiclassed into arcane spellcasting classes almost never become copper mages.
Hit Die: d4
Prerequisites:
Skills: Spellcraft 10 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks
Feats: Spell Focus (divination)
Special: Must be capable of casting 3rd-level divination spells.
Class Skills:
The copper mage’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all) (Int), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| Level | BaB | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells |
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Copper bowl, copper scrying, practiced diviner | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class | |
| 3 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Spell mastery | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 4 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Copper scrying, greater | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
| 5 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class | |
| 6 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +5 | Copper divination | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the copper mage prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A copper mage gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level a copper mage gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (such as bonus metamagic feats). If she had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a copper mage, she must decide to which class to add each level for the purposes of determining spells per day and spells known.
Copper Bowl: Upon taking her first level, the copper mage creates an attunes herself to a bowl made entirely from copper. This bowl may be as plain or ornate as the copper mage wishes and it may be of any relative size and shape, so long as it is at least 10 inches wide and 4 inches deep. This copper bowl is filled with water and acts as a focus for the copper mage, replacing any focus required for a divination spell. If the bowl is ever lost, stolen or destroyed, the copper mage will be unable to use her Copper Scrying and Copper Divination abilities until she spends another week creating and attuning herself to another copper bowl.
Copper Scrying: One of the hallmarks of the copper mage is her ability to peek in on others using her copper bowl. Starting at 1st level, a copper mage may duplicate the effect of a scrying spell. The copper mage may do this a number of times per day equal to her class level. Starting at 4th level, this ability can duplicate the effects of a greater scrying spell.
Practiced Diviner: A copper mage’s spells must be extremely flexible and versatile. At 1st level, a copper mage adds all divination spells from the Player’s Handbook to her class spell list, regardless of which class list they originate from. Note that such spells must still be scribed or learned as per normal.
Spell Mastery: At 3rd level, a copper mage gains the Spell Mastery feat for free. The spells selected must be from the divination school.
Copper Divination: At 6th level, the copper mage has reached the peak of her divination ability. Using her copper bowl, she can now duplicate the effects of almost any divination spell she knows. This process takes three times as long as actually casting the spell, but does not expend a spell slot. The effect is accomplished by pouring a small amount of molten copper into the water and studying the patterns and shapes the metal cools into. The copper mage may use this ability up to three times per day and may only duplicate the effects of a spell no higher than two levels less than the highest-level spell she can cast.