Dareon
2006-10-06, 04:37 AM
Yes, it's another silly PrC I thought of while lying in bed a-morning. Likely way overpowered.
The Sailor Man
On the high seas, some names are spoken in hushed tones and glances over the shoulder. Others are screamed, typically prefaced with "Oh <Deity/Epithet>, it's". The Sailor Man is among these latter. Strong, tough, and often quite funny, the Sailor Man is most often a defender of the people, using his unique abilities in the fight against injustice or simply to protect something important to him. Despite the name of the class, many Sailor Men are found far inland, and many are in fact women, although each can still feel the sea in their blood.
Barbarians and bards find that this class accentuates their natural abilities, and multiclass "bardbarians" quite often become Sailor Men if they can fulfill the ability score requirement. Other classes can also qualify for the class, although any form of caster taking it is rare, with druids and rangers most prevalent among those that do. Fighters often take this class to expand their options and nullify a few weaknesses in a fight, and even a few paladins and monks can be found in the class.
Prerequisites:
Alignment: Any non-evil.
Ability Scores: Strength or Constitution 18.
BAB: +6.
Skills: Perform (Comedy) 4 ranks, Perform (Wind instruments) 1 rank, Profession (Sailor) 10 ranks.
Special: Must have served as a crewmember or captain aboard a seagoing vessel for at least one year total, player ability to whistle the Popeye theme song.
{table]
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Sailor Man's Strength, Extend Rage, edible requirement
2nd +2 +3 +1 +1 Sailor Man's Song, Extra Music
3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Sailor Man's Superiority, bonus feat
[/table]
HD: d10
Class Skills: Bluff, Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Jump, Perform, Profession, Swim, Use Rope
Skill points per level: 2+Int modifier.
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Sailor Man gains no new proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Sailor Man's Strength: At 1st level, the Sailor Man gains the ability to rage as a barbarian once a day. This follows all the normal rules for barbarian rage, including the ability to activate it only once per encounter. He may not, for instance, activate Sailor Man's Strength if he has already used a regular barbarian's rage in the current encounter. If he already possesses the ability to rage, he instead gains the barbarian's greater rage ability. If he already possesses greater rage, this ability has no further effect. His barbarian levels or any levels in other classes that grant daily rage stack with this daily use of rage, but see Edible Requirement below. If he has the tireless rage class feature, it applies equally to Sailor Man's Strength.
Extend Rage: The Sailor Man gets Extend Rage from Complete Warrior as a bonus feat.
Edible Requirement: The Sailor Man draws his strength from a specific edible or potable substance, which must weigh at least half a pound and cost at least 1 silver piece per serving. This edible requirement is selected by the player on taking his first level in Sailor Man, and may not be changed. Magical potions or similarly consumed magic items are not allowed to be taken as an edible requirement. The Sailor Man may only gain the benefits of Sailor Man's Strength after taking a full-round action to consume his edible requirement, which must be accompanied by the player pantomiming the consumption and whistling the Popeye theme. Consuming the edible requirement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and may even be done while under the following conditions: cowering, dazed, disabled, grappling, nauseated, pinned, prone, staggered, or stunned. Note that this in certain cases overrules statements concerning what sort of actions can be done in certain conditions, and taking a full-round action under these conditions is only allowed to be used to consume the edible requirement. A Sailor Man cannot consume his edible requirement if he is helpless due to ability damage or drain, confused, dead, fascinated, flat-footed, frightened, panicked (Although if he is cowering because he cannot flee while panicked, he may chow down), paralyzed, petrified, or unconscious. Another character may feed the Sailor Man his edible requirement if the Sailor Man is helpless due to ability damage or drain, confused, fascinated, paralyzed, or unconscious, but doing this requires two full-round actions on the other character's part, each of which provokes attacks of opportunity.
Once the edible requirement is consumed, the character immediately gains the benefits of Sailor Man's Strength, stands as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity if prone, and is allowed another save or check at his new rage-altered modifiers to shake off any condition that renders him unable to act in a normal manner. Additionally, if the Sailor Man was helpless due to ability damage, ability drain, or unconscious, and the bonuses to his ability scores boost his ability scores or hit points to such an extent that he would no longer be helpless or unconscious, the condition ends immediately and he may act as normal on his next initiative.
The edible requirement is required only to activate the Sailor Man's daily rage. Characters with barbarian rage or other abilities that act like rage may use them without requiring the edible requirement. If a character has greater rage through possessing both Sailor Man and barbarian levels (Or a similar ability), the edible requirement activates only greater rage, and the barbarian still only has access to his normal rage unless or until he has obtained greater rage through levels in barbarian.
Sailor Man's Song: At 2nd level, the Sailor Man gains the ability to use bardic music. Sailor Man levels provide no inherent uses of bardic music and do not stack with bard levels for determining which effects are available and uses per day. If the Sailor Man possesses no bard levels, he is treated as a 1st-level bard for purposes of determining which songs he has access to. This bardic music is usable any time bardic music may normally be used.
When the Sailor Man is under the effects of Sailor Man's Strength, he gains certain other benefits. He is capable of starting a bardic music effect as part of movement (Like drawing a weapon, but must maintain it as normal in later rounds if applicable and desired, bearing in mind the usual restriction for actions that require concentration while in a rage), and may combine his ranks in two separate Perform skills for the purposes of determining bardic music effects that are affected by a Perform check. This combination does not apply to performing for money.
Extra Music: The Sailor Man gains Extra Music as a bonus feat.
Sailor Man's Superiority: At 3rd level, while under the effects of Sailor Man's Strength, the Sailor Man may make a Craft check as a swift action at any time he reduces a corporeal creature to -10 hit points or less (Or 0 hit points for a creature that dies at that point). If this Craft check equals or exceeds the creature's AC at the time of the attack, the Sailor Man's blow actually turns the creature into an object from Table 7-8: Goods and Services in the Player's Handbook. This item may not cost more than 10 gp, and must be appropriate for both the creature defeated and the Craft skill used. The Sailor Man may not take 10 on this check, and it may not be used on a coup de grace. The item produced is in addition to any applicable treasure the creature may be carrying or otherwise have. The DM may allow other objects to be created, and is allowed final say over what can be crafted and which skill may be used with this ability. This ability should also be treated as leaving enough of a body to be raised.
For example, if a Sailor Man fighting a wolf reduces it to -10 hit points in a single blow, he may immediately make a Craft (Leatherworking) check at DC 14 to produce a backpack, cold weather outfit, belt pouch, or other leather object that could feasibly be made from wolfhide.
Bonus Feat: The Sailor Man may select any feat from the fighter list of bonus feats, any bardic music feat, or Skill Focus. The Sailor Man must still meet all prerequisites for the feat.
Playing a Sailor Man
Your greatest asset is your own physical strength and the rage granted by Sailor Man's Strength, but the fact that you may only use it once a day reserves it for the most dire of situations in most cases. When you do let loose with your theme song, it's almost assuredly over for your foe, however, and you should throw yourself into combat with wild abandon and a hearty chuckle.
Combat
Your approach to combat will vary depending on which path you choose to take into Sailor Man. For a barbarian or fighter, Sailor Man will likely be business as usual as you rush in with your weapon swinging. If you enter the class from Bard, you suddenly find yourself with much greater resilience and melee ability, and should probably consider taking advantage of these things, especially since you lose the ability to cast spells and concentrate on your bardic music while under Sailor Man's Strength. You can use this to your advantage by activating your strength, attacking for several rounds, and if there are still enemies left as you hit the final round of strength, withdrawing and activating a bardic music effect as you go, so that you may continue concentrating on it and not be too badly affected by the fatigue that follows.
Advancement
You have a degree of customizability with your bonus feat at 3rd level, but feats that affect your rage, and thus Sailor Man's Strength, must be taken as normal feats every third level. Since this class has such a short progression, you may wish to think about another prestige class that enhances or increases your ability to rage or bardic music.
Resources
A heavy-hitting magic weapon helps not just in general, but also for Sailor Man's Superiority.
Sailor Men in the World
"I can still feel me arse, but it's already been kicked, hasn't it?"
-Dread Pirate Karson's last words
The Sailor Man is a loner, but his ability to support his companions makes him a formidable ally and a decent foe as well.
Organization
Sailor Men have no strict organization, but often feel a sense of camaraderie when they meet. Being on opposite sides of a conflict is typically no obstacle to two Sailor Men liking the other's company, and a battle with two opposing Sailor Men will often involve the two simply ignoring the rest of the battle and testing the other's strength.
NPC Reactions
Those recognizing a Sailor Man for what he is will often grant them a measure of respect, grudging on the part of villains, admiring on those whom the Sailor Man defends, protects, or saves.
Edit: I always forget SOMETHING. This time, weapon and armor proficiency.
The Sailor Man
On the high seas, some names are spoken in hushed tones and glances over the shoulder. Others are screamed, typically prefaced with "Oh <Deity/Epithet>, it's". The Sailor Man is among these latter. Strong, tough, and often quite funny, the Sailor Man is most often a defender of the people, using his unique abilities in the fight against injustice or simply to protect something important to him. Despite the name of the class, many Sailor Men are found far inland, and many are in fact women, although each can still feel the sea in their blood.
Barbarians and bards find that this class accentuates their natural abilities, and multiclass "bardbarians" quite often become Sailor Men if they can fulfill the ability score requirement. Other classes can also qualify for the class, although any form of caster taking it is rare, with druids and rangers most prevalent among those that do. Fighters often take this class to expand their options and nullify a few weaknesses in a fight, and even a few paladins and monks can be found in the class.
Prerequisites:
Alignment: Any non-evil.
Ability Scores: Strength or Constitution 18.
BAB: +6.
Skills: Perform (Comedy) 4 ranks, Perform (Wind instruments) 1 rank, Profession (Sailor) 10 ranks.
Special: Must have served as a crewmember or captain aboard a seagoing vessel for at least one year total, player ability to whistle the Popeye theme song.
{table]
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Sailor Man's Strength, Extend Rage, edible requirement
2nd +2 +3 +1 +1 Sailor Man's Song, Extra Music
3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Sailor Man's Superiority, bonus feat
[/table]
HD: d10
Class Skills: Bluff, Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Jump, Perform, Profession, Swim, Use Rope
Skill points per level: 2+Int modifier.
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Sailor Man gains no new proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Sailor Man's Strength: At 1st level, the Sailor Man gains the ability to rage as a barbarian once a day. This follows all the normal rules for barbarian rage, including the ability to activate it only once per encounter. He may not, for instance, activate Sailor Man's Strength if he has already used a regular barbarian's rage in the current encounter. If he already possesses the ability to rage, he instead gains the barbarian's greater rage ability. If he already possesses greater rage, this ability has no further effect. His barbarian levels or any levels in other classes that grant daily rage stack with this daily use of rage, but see Edible Requirement below. If he has the tireless rage class feature, it applies equally to Sailor Man's Strength.
Extend Rage: The Sailor Man gets Extend Rage from Complete Warrior as a bonus feat.
Edible Requirement: The Sailor Man draws his strength from a specific edible or potable substance, which must weigh at least half a pound and cost at least 1 silver piece per serving. This edible requirement is selected by the player on taking his first level in Sailor Man, and may not be changed. Magical potions or similarly consumed magic items are not allowed to be taken as an edible requirement. The Sailor Man may only gain the benefits of Sailor Man's Strength after taking a full-round action to consume his edible requirement, which must be accompanied by the player pantomiming the consumption and whistling the Popeye theme. Consuming the edible requirement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and may even be done while under the following conditions: cowering, dazed, disabled, grappling, nauseated, pinned, prone, staggered, or stunned. Note that this in certain cases overrules statements concerning what sort of actions can be done in certain conditions, and taking a full-round action under these conditions is only allowed to be used to consume the edible requirement. A Sailor Man cannot consume his edible requirement if he is helpless due to ability damage or drain, confused, dead, fascinated, flat-footed, frightened, panicked (Although if he is cowering because he cannot flee while panicked, he may chow down), paralyzed, petrified, or unconscious. Another character may feed the Sailor Man his edible requirement if the Sailor Man is helpless due to ability damage or drain, confused, fascinated, paralyzed, or unconscious, but doing this requires two full-round actions on the other character's part, each of which provokes attacks of opportunity.
Once the edible requirement is consumed, the character immediately gains the benefits of Sailor Man's Strength, stands as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity if prone, and is allowed another save or check at his new rage-altered modifiers to shake off any condition that renders him unable to act in a normal manner. Additionally, if the Sailor Man was helpless due to ability damage, ability drain, or unconscious, and the bonuses to his ability scores boost his ability scores or hit points to such an extent that he would no longer be helpless or unconscious, the condition ends immediately and he may act as normal on his next initiative.
The edible requirement is required only to activate the Sailor Man's daily rage. Characters with barbarian rage or other abilities that act like rage may use them without requiring the edible requirement. If a character has greater rage through possessing both Sailor Man and barbarian levels (Or a similar ability), the edible requirement activates only greater rage, and the barbarian still only has access to his normal rage unless or until he has obtained greater rage through levels in barbarian.
Sailor Man's Song: At 2nd level, the Sailor Man gains the ability to use bardic music. Sailor Man levels provide no inherent uses of bardic music and do not stack with bard levels for determining which effects are available and uses per day. If the Sailor Man possesses no bard levels, he is treated as a 1st-level bard for purposes of determining which songs he has access to. This bardic music is usable any time bardic music may normally be used.
When the Sailor Man is under the effects of Sailor Man's Strength, he gains certain other benefits. He is capable of starting a bardic music effect as part of movement (Like drawing a weapon, but must maintain it as normal in later rounds if applicable and desired, bearing in mind the usual restriction for actions that require concentration while in a rage), and may combine his ranks in two separate Perform skills for the purposes of determining bardic music effects that are affected by a Perform check. This combination does not apply to performing for money.
Extra Music: The Sailor Man gains Extra Music as a bonus feat.
Sailor Man's Superiority: At 3rd level, while under the effects of Sailor Man's Strength, the Sailor Man may make a Craft check as a swift action at any time he reduces a corporeal creature to -10 hit points or less (Or 0 hit points for a creature that dies at that point). If this Craft check equals or exceeds the creature's AC at the time of the attack, the Sailor Man's blow actually turns the creature into an object from Table 7-8: Goods and Services in the Player's Handbook. This item may not cost more than 10 gp, and must be appropriate for both the creature defeated and the Craft skill used. The Sailor Man may not take 10 on this check, and it may not be used on a coup de grace. The item produced is in addition to any applicable treasure the creature may be carrying or otherwise have. The DM may allow other objects to be created, and is allowed final say over what can be crafted and which skill may be used with this ability. This ability should also be treated as leaving enough of a body to be raised.
For example, if a Sailor Man fighting a wolf reduces it to -10 hit points in a single blow, he may immediately make a Craft (Leatherworking) check at DC 14 to produce a backpack, cold weather outfit, belt pouch, or other leather object that could feasibly be made from wolfhide.
Bonus Feat: The Sailor Man may select any feat from the fighter list of bonus feats, any bardic music feat, or Skill Focus. The Sailor Man must still meet all prerequisites for the feat.
Playing a Sailor Man
Your greatest asset is your own physical strength and the rage granted by Sailor Man's Strength, but the fact that you may only use it once a day reserves it for the most dire of situations in most cases. When you do let loose with your theme song, it's almost assuredly over for your foe, however, and you should throw yourself into combat with wild abandon and a hearty chuckle.
Combat
Your approach to combat will vary depending on which path you choose to take into Sailor Man. For a barbarian or fighter, Sailor Man will likely be business as usual as you rush in with your weapon swinging. If you enter the class from Bard, you suddenly find yourself with much greater resilience and melee ability, and should probably consider taking advantage of these things, especially since you lose the ability to cast spells and concentrate on your bardic music while under Sailor Man's Strength. You can use this to your advantage by activating your strength, attacking for several rounds, and if there are still enemies left as you hit the final round of strength, withdrawing and activating a bardic music effect as you go, so that you may continue concentrating on it and not be too badly affected by the fatigue that follows.
Advancement
You have a degree of customizability with your bonus feat at 3rd level, but feats that affect your rage, and thus Sailor Man's Strength, must be taken as normal feats every third level. Since this class has such a short progression, you may wish to think about another prestige class that enhances or increases your ability to rage or bardic music.
Resources
A heavy-hitting magic weapon helps not just in general, but also for Sailor Man's Superiority.
Sailor Men in the World
"I can still feel me arse, but it's already been kicked, hasn't it?"
-Dread Pirate Karson's last words
The Sailor Man is a loner, but his ability to support his companions makes him a formidable ally and a decent foe as well.
Organization
Sailor Men have no strict organization, but often feel a sense of camaraderie when they meet. Being on opposite sides of a conflict is typically no obstacle to two Sailor Men liking the other's company, and a battle with two opposing Sailor Men will often involve the two simply ignoring the rest of the battle and testing the other's strength.
NPC Reactions
Those recognizing a Sailor Man for what he is will often grant them a measure of respect, grudging on the part of villains, admiring on those whom the Sailor Man defends, protects, or saves.
Edit: I always forget SOMETHING. This time, weapon and armor proficiency.