Black Honor [Setting, PEACH]

[AsuroftheStair]

I'm creating a campaign setting in which nearly three thousand years ago, a powerful cleric averted world destruction by binding the world with magic law (becoming a martyr in the process). The 'original' world order emerged (though the magic was not powerful enough to recreate dead gods), and the magic persisted until just recently (when humans, part of a semi-secret organization called the Black Knights, raided the site of the cleric's death). Dominated by five human noble houses, other races exist only at the border of human consciousness.

Currently I'm focusing on a base class (I hope to playtest it this Sunday), so feel free to instead go down to the Fire Duke, a fighter variant, since I'm concerned with the class' balance.

Basic World Information:

Typical High Fantasy/PHB Tech Level and Culture
5 Human Houses rule most of the world (House Themes: Fire/War, Exploration/anything, Religion, Necromancy/Evil/Assassination, and Nature)
For at least 2,500 years an organization called the Black Knights has existed, trying to overturn the world order so they could "regain their proper place" (more chaotic people in this organization, but the organization as a whole is either TN or LN)
Since the primordial Sun, Moon, and Earth deities were destroyed over 3,000 years ago, and Fasadon (the martyr cleric) is dead, people typically worship Saints. Certain Saints are worshiped everywhere and their clerics can cast spells with out any problem, while other Clerics worship regional or village saints, meaning that normally their spellcasting is limited (see below).
As of now I've not decided about spellcasting systems, acid, sonic, and force are almost unknown. Any Earth Spells & Abilities instead concentrate on Bludgeoning damage? Will have other spell changes, hopefully compiled into one post.
The worlds beyond are almost unknown. There is a Spiritual Realm (based on the Manual of the Plane's Spirit Realm) where the pious (in the Latin sense) dead go to and the Saints live, and a Fey Realm which contains primordial beings (fay and elves). There may be other realms, but almost no one knows what they could be or have the means to do so.
No one knows what lies beyond the oceans and mountains of the known world, for no one who has tried has ever returned. However, in the mountains to the south it is known that strange earth-beings who are fantastic smiths (1/2 earth elemental dwarves) thought to be dwelling in relative peace, trading with the Fiery House. In the Northern Mountains, humans who fled North when Fasadon sacrificed himself live barbarian lives.


http://www.thefinalstair.net/bh/world/GeoMap.png http://www.thefinalstair.net/bh/world/HousesS.jpg
White: House Shiron (the Religious House)
Black: House Umber (Necromancy/Evil/Assassination, mortal enemies of Shiron)
Green: House Vert (Nature)
Blue: House of Explorers (Exploration/anything)
Red: House of Fiery Dukes (Fire/War)

These are the game-elements which I'm thinking of creating & pulling into this campaign (though I'm totally open to suggestions):

A Fire Duke Base Class. One of the names of the fire/war nobility is "The House of Fiery Dukes", so it's appropriate to have this as a base class.
Similar to 3.0 Oriental Adventures, Humans from the Great Houses have favored classes but certain skills always as class-skills.
Druid Variants, as from Dragon 311
Astrology & Master Astrologer from Dragon 340 (probably in House of Explorers)
It would be nice to develop ley line magic, though I haven't begun to think about how to implement this.
Clerics that worship local Saints have to take a feat to be able to cast magic outside their Saint's domain. The current main advantage is that a character talking with the DM is able to create his own saint with a custom set-up of domains, though I was thinking that the feat also gave a +1 to Will Saves.
ACTUAL SPOILER Beyond the world is a torrent of Chaos (akin to Limbo and possibly unfortunately to 4.0, except more crazy), and one solidified drop of alien intellect is attempting to destroy the known world. Thus, Chaos Template/s and Chaos Magic (possibly as from Spells & Spellcraft) for NPCs, and possibly PCs who want to destroy the world.


Since I'm using material from Dragon Magazines, should I post that info here or should I post in the Gaming D20 forum?

[AsuroftheStair]

The Fire Duke
In the beginning, certain humans proved their worth to the Gods. The Gods thus gave them power over their fellow human beings, creating the first Noble Houses. The houses were Five in number, and though they were once lost for over three thousand years, a near-apocalypse reformed the Houses.

One of these great houses is the House of Fiery Dukes, renowned for their great warriors and ability with fire. Integrating these two disciplines is considered the attainment of perfection for members of the House, and many choose to attempt this long quest. Many are turned back by the strict discipline required, but it takes dedication, not chance, to ascend into this highest of professions.

Game Rule Information:
Abilities: Strength and Constitution are obviously important for the Fire Duke since his primary role is as a warrior, the noble knight of his House. However, the Fire Duke's Charisma dictates his ability to control fire, thus it is also important for the Fire Duke.
Alignment: Any Lawful.
Hit Die: d10

The Fire Duke
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Bonus Feat

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Fire Resistance 5

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|-

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Fire Strike 1/day

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Bonus Feat

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+2|-

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+2|Fire Strike 2/day

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+2|Bonus Feat

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+3|-

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+3|Fire Resistance 10, Fire Strike 3/day

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+3|Bonus Feat

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+4|-

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+4|Gift of Fire

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+4|Bonus Feat

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+5|-

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+5|Fire Strike, 4/day

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|Bonus Feat,

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+6|-

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+6|Fire Strike 5/day

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+6|Bonus Feat, Fire Resistance 20, Fires Ascendant[/table]

Skills at 1st Level: (2+Int Mod) x 4
Skills at Every Level After: 2+Int Mod
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int),
Profession (Wis), and Ride (Dex). See Chapter 4: Skills for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.


Bonus Feats: The Fire Dukes are firstly warriors, and train themselves in advanced fighting techniques. They may select any fighter feat except Point Blank Shot, Improved Unarmed Strike, Rapid Reload, Two-Weapon Fighting, and any feats which have these as prerequisites. However, their synthesis of fire and fighting grants them any feat which is tailored for the Fire Dukes, such as Flame Channel (new feat, see below). The complete list is below:
Blind Fight, Combat Expertise (Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack), Combat Reflexes, Dodge (Mobility, Spring Attack), Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Flame Channel, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Improved Shield Bash, Mounted Combat (Mounted Archery, Ride-By Attack, Sprinted Charge, Trample), Power Attack (Cleave [Great Cleave], Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder), Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization).

Flame Channel [General]
Prerequisites: Fire Strike 1/day.
Benefit: The Fire Dukes often coordinate with their arcane companions, and have developed techniques for this. For instance, if standing adjacent to a spellcaster who is using a spell or spell-like ability with the Fire descriptor, someone with the Flame Channel feat is able to expend a use of Fire Strike to add ½ the number of die Fire Strike deals to the damage of a fire spell (rounded down).

Fire Strike: The most famous ability of the Fire Duke is to imbue his melee weapon with the power of fire. The Fire Duke can declare, before he attacks, if an attack is going to be a Fire Strike. If the attack hits, then the attack deals ½ (rounded down) the Duke's Class Level in fire damage.
Gift of Fire: In his meditations on the nature of fire, some Dukes are visited by wondrous visions, while others have to struggle against demons of flame. Those who make enough progress become gifted. At 13th level, the Fire Duke may select one of the following abilities (All spell-like abilities are Evocation [Fire] effects):
Fire Conjuration [SP]. Fiery Beacons may appear around the Fire Duke as long or often as he desires, duplicating the Dancing Lights spell, and these give a +6 bonus to intimidate or diplomacy checks (DM's Discretion). Once per day at 17th level and thrice per day at 20th, the Fire Duke may make a standard action to use a beacon as the focus of a pyrotechnics spell (caster level equal to class level).
Fire Smiting [Ex]. This ability grants the Fire Duke an additional use of Fire Strike.
Flame Shroud [SP]. The Fire Duke may wreath himself in fire once per day, benefiting from the effects of fire shield [warm]. The Fire Duke may use this twice per day at 17th level, three times per day at 20th.
Furnace Strike [Ex]. If the Fire Duke declares Fire Strike while attempting to sunder an object, he may instead ignore the object's hardness, deal 2d6 fire damage to the object. If the object is metal, also deal 1d6 fire damage to any creature holding the object.
Peace Through Flames [Ex]. The Fire Duke gains another bonus feat.

Fires Ascendant: At this perfect peak of fiery transcendence, the Fire Duke is praised by many in his house, for his knowledge is supreme. The Duke gains DR 5/Magic, and can choose either another Gift of Fire Ability or one from the following list:
Inner Flame [Su]. When awakened, flames flow through the Fire Duke's very veins. Twice per day the Fire Duke may invoke this ability and it lasts for 1/4th Class Level rounds. When dealt damage by a weapon, the weapon is dealt 2d6 points of fire damage which ignores hardness, and if the weapon was a metal melee weapon, the person who made the blow is dealt 1d6 points of fire damage.
Fire Light [SP]. The Fire Duke may make the flames of his devotion manifest in a dazzling display of awe-inspiring light. When this ability is used (usable 1/day as a full-round action) all within 50ft are blinded permanently unless they make a reflex save (DC 10+Duke's Cha Modifier+1/2 class level)
Fire's Tendrils [SP]. Twice per day, by sacrificing a use of Fire Strike the Fire Duke may make a ranged touch attack (range 30ft). If it succeeds, then the target is dealt ½ the Fire Duke's Class level in Fire damage.

[AsuroftheStair]

(Reserve for World)