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Aquillion
2009-02-07, 04:54 AM
I think I may have put too many abilities in this PRC, although as a strict noncaster it's hard to tell (they clearly outshine several core noncasting classes by stealing their best things and making them better, but what does that prove?) Still, tell me if you think something need to be taken out or removed. One possibility would be to limit their Rage / Smite / Bardic Music equivalent to the ability of that class -X, so they're never strictly superior to any other class. (Remember, though, that while they can continue one other class, the other ones will be far weaker anyway on account of having started at, at the earliest, level 6 instead of level 1.)

I also wanted to give them more skill points (fantasy revolutionaries should have the skills to sneak through the Evil Kingdom's streets in disguise, avoiding the guards while they plot to overthrow the despot, say), but they have so much already that, well, you can see for yourself. The problem is that naturally they're still going to get outshone by a caster.

The 'Cause' is an effort to put in something that encourages role-playing and flavor, without the straitjacket that a Paladin's Code often turns out to be. Tell me what you think.

Still, part of the idea is to have a class with both in-combat and out-of-combat functionality.

Anyhow...

Revolutionary
HD: d8
Skill points: 4 + Int.

Alignment: Any Lawful or Chaotic, though Chaotic ones are far more common. Lawful Revolutionaries are, more properly-speaking, generally Counter-Revolutionaries, but they are essentially the same class. Some "Paladin Revolutionaries" exist, leading revolutions against illegitimate and tyrannical institutions.

Prerequisites: Diplomacy 8, Perform (Oratory) 8, Feat: Diehard.

Skills: Diplomacy, Perform (Oratory only), Bluff, Intimidate, Concentration, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Move Silently, Climb, Jump, Escape Artist.

Revolutionaries gain no new armor or weapon proficiencies.

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

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Cause, For the Cause

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Oratory

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Aura of Courage

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Rage, Rage of the Righteous

5th|
+5|
+4|
+2|
+4|Smiting

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Radiant Fervor, Clear Loyalty

7th|
+7|
+5|
+3|
+5|Avenging Fury

8th|
+8|
+6|
+3|
+6|Cry of the Martyr

9th|
+9|
+6|
+4|
+6|Indomitable Spirit

10th|
+10|
+7|
+4|
+7|Unfaltering Advance[/table]

Cause (Ex): A Revolutionary must have the vision of a Cause at all times, or they lose the use of their Revolutionary abilities until they get a new one. The cause can be general or specific, but must include struggling against some powerful and established entity, organization, establishment or tradition. A revolutionary who achieves a cause can remain supported by their old fervor until they get a new one; but a Revolutionary who deliberately and knowingly acts counter to their cause loses their vision of it; a Revolutionary who loses their Cause in this manner (or who has achieved it, or who wishes to change it for any other reason) must spend an entire day to replace it; this time is usually spent in meditation, but may also be spent reading, vocally debating others, or in similar pursuits. They may, if they wish, use this method to refocus themselves to the old cause; no Atonement spell is necessary, since a Revolutionary's fervor comes entirely from within.

The majority of revolutionaries are not permanently wedded to their cause; for most of them, revolution itself is in their blood, and once one cause has been achieved they rapidly move on to new things. Along these lines, a revolutionary who witnesses an overwhelming atrocity or some other earth-shattering event may, at the DM's option, change or renew their cause immediately in order to address it.

Some revolutionaries, especially evil ones, may deceive others about their true cause; at other times, revolutionaries of all sorts may bluff to others or make temporary sacrifices in the service of it. In all cases, a short-term action counter to their cause does not count as betraying it on their part as long as they can justify it to themselves as for "the greater good". Ultimately, since a revolutionary's abilities come exclusively from their own fervor, it is only their own perceptions and beliefs that matter for this and not any external reality; as long as they believe they are serving their cause, a Revolutionary retains all abilities even when they are utterly misguided.

For the Cause (Ex): Revolutionaries get a +2 circumstance bonus to all skill checks relevant to or used in direct service of their cause (note that this, of course, cannot be stacked with other circumstance bonuses, like those provided by masterwork tools.)

Oratory (Ex): At second level, Revolutionaries gain the ability to inspire or entrance others with their words. This ability functions as the Bardic Music Bard class feature for a Bard of their class level, but they can only utilize it with Perform: Oratory. This may be stacked with the Bardic Music class feature, as long as that is using Perform: Oratory. This ability continues to advance as they gain class levels.

Aura of Courage (Ex): At third level, Revolutionaries gain an Aura of Courage, as the Paladin class feature. If they already possess that feature, or if they have enough Paladin levels to possess it but have lost it for any reason, the bonus it grants their allies increases by two and the radius increases to 30 feet.

Rage (Ex): At fourth level, a Revolutionary gains the ability to rage, as the Barbarian class feature for a Barbarian of their class level. This may be stacked with any one other class that provides Rage. This ability continues to advance as they gain class levels.

Rage of the Righteous (Ex): When raging, a fourth level or higher Revolutionary gets a bonus to Charisma equal to the bonus their Rage grants to strength. Additionally, their rage does not prevent them from using Charisma-based skills; if they wish to use the Charisma bonus to add to a Charisma-based skill check that takes more than the duration of their Rage, they may do so by devoting an entire use of their rage to that one action (receiving no other benefit from it.) Finally, lawful Revolutionaries may use their Rage ability regardless of their alignment.

Smiting (Ex): A fifth-level Revolutionary gains the ability to smite others. This functions as the Paladin class feature for a Paladin of their class level, except as noted here. They may smite any creature they reasonably believe opposes their causes; generally this would be limited to sentient creatures, but it can include non-sentient things such as Undead, Constructs, or trained creatures when used by enemies of their causes, and can even include co-aligned creatures under some circumstances. A character who gets Smite XYZ from any other source may choose to trade it in to add those levels to their Revolutionary levels for the purpose of this ability; an Ex-Paladin may do this (and may then continue to benefit) even if they have lost their Paladin abilities for any reason. This ability continues to advance as the Revolutionary gains class levels.

Radiant Fervor (Ex): A Revolutionary of sixth level or above radiates their alignment as a Cleric of the same character level. This does not stack with other alignment radiations; only the strongest applies. They may suppress this radiance (and all other such alignment radiances) for 24 hours (or until they willingly release it, as a free action) with a DC 15 concentration check, but doing so suppresses their Aura of Courage ability as well.

Clear Loyalty (Ex): Sixth-level and above Revolutionaries are immune to any magical affect that would change their alignment or alter their fundamental beliefs. This ability does not protect them against obvious magical compulsion or minor charms that make them friendly to individuals, only against things that would drastically alter their worldview, such as a Helm of Reverse Alignment, a Mindrape, or a Charm Person cast by someone their beliefs would never allow them to befriend (such as the specific tyrant they are rebelling against, but not, say, a minor flunky); but see Indomitable Spirit, below.

Avenging Fury (Ex): Whenever a Seventh-level or above Revolutionary witnesses a friend or ally reduced to 0 hp or less by a genuine enemy of the Revolutionary's in combat, they gain one additional use of either their Smite or Rage abilities for that day, of their choice. They cannot gain more than one bonus from a specific ally in this way per day, and cannot gain more additional uses from this ability per day than their usual number of per-day Smite or Rage attempts, whichever is greater (so a Revolutionary with 3 smites/day and equal or fewer rages could gain only 3 bonuses from this each day, whether or not they'd used any of either.) Revolutionaries may also, at the DM's option, invoke this ability when witnessing something that grossly violates their cause, such as the slaughter of innocents or similarly extreme actions by an enemy they are fighting against; this is subject to all the restrictions listed above. This includes any event for which they instantly change or acquire a new cause.

Cry of the Martyr (Ex): If an eighth-level or above Revolutionary is reduced to 0 hp or lower in a fight, they may make a final cry of defiance that grants all followers within 60 feet who hear it +2 to hit and damage for the remainder of the encounter; this bonus remains even if the Revolutionary is healed or recovers, but the ability cannot be used more than once per encounter. Additionally, their Aura of Courage not only continues to function for 24 hours while they are unconscious from wounds or killed in combat, but while they are in that state its radius increases to 60 feet and its bonus increases by 2; in the case of death, it continues to radiate from their corpse as long as it is recognizable and intact.

Indomitable Spirit (Ex): At ninth level, a Revolutionary becomes almost supernaturally driven by their convictions, to the point where mere magical blandishments pale in comparison to their internal fire. At this level, they become immune to all Charm and Compulsion effects.

Unfaltering Advance (Ex): A tenth level Revolutionary can shake off and push through magical obstructions and bindings with the force of their fervor. Treat them as if they are affected by Freedom of Action at all times, but against magical opposition only; this does not help them against purely natural grappling or for movement underwater.

Additionally, the DC for their Escape Artist check to find a weakness in a Wall of Force or similar force effect is reduced to 20.