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Adghar
2005-07-17, 12:15 AM
This is the first PrC I've ever designed! I'd like to have questions, comments, etc. The Templar was mainly designed as a warrior-type PrC for Paladins and the like. It looks like a Paladin-Templar recieves many abilities, but think of the things he's losing! Mount powers, spells, Smite evil damage... Well most PrCs are overpowered anyways... I was thinking of adding spells. What do you think? In any case, enjoy!

e next to a bolded title means that the feature being titled has been edited and improved in some way. The + signifies how many times it has been edited.

Templar

Hit Die
d10.

Requirements
To qualify to become a templar, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Alignment
Lawful good.

Base Attack Bonus
+4.

Skills
8 ranks in Knowledge (religion).

Feats
Power Attack.

Special
Must be able to turn undead, must be able to Smite evil

Class Skills

The templar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int) Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill points at each level
2+Int modifier.

{table]

Level
BAB
Fort/Ref/Will
Special e+1


1
+1
+2/ +0/ +0
Combat focus


2
+2
+3/ +0/ +0
Holy Symbol Throw


3
+3
+3/ +1/ +1
Vulnerability Sense +2


4
+4
+4/ +1/ +1
Zealous Burst 1/day, Assail Evil 1/day, Aura of Defense 2/day


5
+5
+4/ +1/ +1
Avatar of the Gods 1/day


6
+6
+5/ +2/ +2
Enhanced Defense Aura +3 (3/day)


7
+7
+5/ +2/ +2
Agile Avatar, Vulnerability Sense +4, Steel Willpower


8
+8
+6/ +2/ +2
Zealous Burst 2/day, Assail Evil 2/day, Enhanced Defense Aura +4 (4/day)


9
+9
+6/ +3/ +3
Power Avatar, Fighter Bonus Feat


10
+10
+7/ +3 /+3
Avatar of the Gods 2/day, Dire Assailant, Energy Avatar, Enhanced Defense Aura +5 (5/day)

[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the Templar prestige class.

Combat Focus
Due to holy power granted by the gods of all things righteous and good, the templar receives a +1 bonus on attack throws. This acts like the special ability of a cleric with the War domain and as such this +1 bonus does not stack with the cleric’s War domain special ability, though the templar’s Combat Focus does take effect on weapons not favored by him deity if he has one.

Holy Symbol Throw e+1
At second level, a templar with a Holy Symbol may perform a standard action to throw it. The symbol is transformed into a divine bolt that chases down any opponent within 30 ft. to the best of its ability, like a Magic Missile. Also, as a Magic Missile, the symbol's damage is a force effect and therefore affects incorporeal creatures, etc. When the symbol hits an enemy, it deals 1d4+1 damage if wooden and 2d4+2 damage if silver. The striking of the symbol into the enemy is counted as Lawful Good for the purposes of damage reduction. After striking an enemy, the Holy Symbol will return intact to the thrower in one round, but the ability to use this power will return in 2d4 rounds.

Vulnerability sense
At 3rd level, a templar can sense weaknesses in the enemy where a strike would be more effective. The templar makes a Sense Motive or Spot check as a standard action against (respectively) a single enemy’s opposed Bluff or Hide check. This action does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If the templar succeeds, he gets +2 to attack and +2 to damage against that enemy until the enemy shifts to hide the weak point with a standard action. If the templar fails, he gets no bonus but has still used up his standard action. At 7th level, the attack and damage bonuses increase to +4.

Zealous Burst
At 4th level, a templar may cast haste on himself once per day as a spell-like ability, using his templar levels in place of normal spellcasting levels and Wisdom as a spellcasting stat. At 8th level, a templar may cast the same kind of haste twice per day.

Assail Evil
This works exactly like the Paladin’s Smite Evil ability, except that to calculate bonus damage, a templar adds any paladin, cleric and templar levels. This ability may not be used at the same time as a Smite Evil. Assail evil is received at 4th level.

Dire Assailant: At 10th level, an Assail Evil also deals 1 point of Constitution damage as a Wounding weapon would to an evil creature.

Aura of Defense (Su) e+1
For a number of times per day equal to half the templar's class levels in templar, a 4th level templar is able to project an aura that shields desired targets from damage for 3+1d4 rounds plus 1 round every 3 templar levels. Targets entering the aura gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC (the templar himself counts as entering the aura when he turns it on) and +1 on all saving throws. This aura can be activated or deactivated with a free action. Any targets that enter the aura can be willed by the templar to not receive a defense bonus. An aura of defense is a circle/sphere around the templar 10 ft. in diameter. Every 2 levels after receiving this ability (6th, 8th, and 10th), the templar’s aura provides +1 more AC to its targets. If multiple auras are active, the stronger one drowns out the other one and only the AC bonus of the stronger aura is received by its targets.

Avatar of the Gods e+2
At 5th level, a templar gains the ability to transform himself into a holy representative of the good and righteous warrior gods temporarily. For a period of time equal to 3 + Wis mod (if any) + Cha mod (if any) rounds a templar gains +2 to Strength, +2 to Constitution and +1 on all saving throws. This stacks with the +1 on all saving throws from the Aura of Defense. He is also transformed into a general humanoid figure with fair features bathed in light and is a little larger than the templar’s original size. A templar may untransform at will, though the templar uses up his Avatar of the Gods for the day.

Agile Avatar: At 7th level, when in Avatar form a templar also gains +2 Dexterity.
Power Avatar: At 9th level, when in Avatar form, the bonus to Strength and Constitution are increased to +4.
Energy Avatar: At 10th level, when initiation an Avatar of the Gods transformation, a templar may choose to attune the transformation to a particular energy type, such as fire, ice, electricity, and acid. He can resist 5 points of damage from the energy type as if with an armor that resists energy and deals 1d6 extra damage with his melee or ranged attacks as if with a weapon that channels energy. If a weapon or armor already has such energy magic applied to it, then this ability adds on to the effect such as +2d6 for the weapon damage or +15, +25 or +35 for the armor. If the specific energy attunement differs, then the effects cancel each other out. The weapon would keep no bonus damage, but would still deal bonus critical damage if a Burst weapon, and only 5 points are negated from the armor (+5, +15, +25)

Steel Willpower e+1
At 7th level, by taking a standard action, a templar can focus his willpower to gain a bonus to AC equal to his Wisdom modifier for 3d6 rounds.

Fighter Bonus Feat
At level 8, a templar is given a bonus feat drawn from the Fighter Bonus Feat list.

Multiclassing
A character who has taken levels in paladin then templar is allowed to take more levels of paladin.

[hr]
Dave the Paladin!
Dave the Paladin has offered to demonstrate each of the Templar's individual abilities.
See Dave! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Avatars/paladinguyb.gif)
Holy Symbol Throw (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Scenes/paladinguyhthrow.gif)
Shield Bash (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Scenes/paladinguybash.gif)
Zealous Burst (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Scenes/paladinguyhaste.gif)
Aura of Defense (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Scenes/paladinguyaura.gif)
Avatar of the Gods (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Scenes/paladinguypowerup.gif)
Fin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Scenes/paladinguyendplus.gif)

PrC Format based on d20srd.org formatting. MUCH thanks to Gorbash's guide to ancient BBCode in Board Issues.

7/17/05 9:06 PST: Edited according to Tarkahn's unfinished advice. Thanks Tarkahn!

Adghar
2005-07-17, 05:22 PM
Added Dave the Paladin images above.

The Glyphstone
2005-07-17, 05:31 PM
That last panel is almost impossible to read, with the white text on blue.

Adghar
2005-07-17, 05:48 PM
Updated. Better now?

Sneak
2005-07-17, 06:08 PM
It's still pretty blinding, but cool.

Frojoe21
2005-07-17, 06:28 PM
Poor Flumph. He never stood a chance.

Everyman
2005-07-17, 11:35 PM
Wow...so...uh...he's an uber-smiter?

Anywho, I like the initial set-up (requirements, base attack increases, saves, HD, etc). It works for what you are trying to design here. However, I do have a couple notes for ya.

EDIT: Just to clarify why I like the set-up. First, his attack progession makes sense for someone into melee combat. Second, he is losing his "perfect" reflex and will saves, keeping the power balanced. Finally, everything else just makes sense for something paladin-like.

Combat Focus: I like it. Essentially, it grants you a "divine power", but doesn't combo (and therefore) and overpower him. Nice.

Paladin Familiairity: Again, nice. Makes sense. However, you could just list it as a Multiclassing Note at the end of the class description. No need to make it an ability.

Holy Symbol Throw: Why does it travel 30ft as the standard range? Usually, a "thown weapon" travels only 10ft. If you intend this to be due to supernatural means, you might want to list that. In addition, is the bolt treated as Lawful and Good for the purposes of damage reduction? If not, then you might want to add this to ability. Otherwise, the ability feels a bit like an afterthought, as if you thought of the this at the last moment and threw it on.

Shield Bash: Why is this here? It doesn't really tie in with the other abilities or requirements, so perhaps you should allow this to be let go (and help balance power a bit)

Vulnerability sense: Okay. I like this. It reminds me a bit of Deft Strike, but you are competing against someone's Bluff or Hide. One question: What constitutes "hiding a vulnerability"?

Zealous Burst: Very nice. Fits well into the whole "Smite Evil/Fanatic" image this class gives me.

Assail Evil/Dire Assail Evil: I really like this. (It almost feels like this is supposed to be the focus of the class). I can understand why this is so useful/powerful. However, I have a problem with it. I understand why Paladin and Templar levels stack to determine effects, but why cleric? You offer no bonuses to spellcasting, and really no synergy with cleric abilities. I don't think cleric levels should apply here, unless you intend to tie in the class with other features (which doesn't look too likely without changing the class quite a bit).


Aura of Defense (Su): This would make a great activated ability. As a passive one, it's a tad strong. Consider limiting it activating it X times a day, and having it last Y amount of rounds. Somehow, half your Templar levels sounds good for how much per day, and the full Templar levels for how long it lasts. If you have a better one, use it. :)

Avatar of the Gods: Can you stop the effect at will? If not, keep it as is. If you can, make sure to list it.

Cape Stance: Like Shield Bash, this feels rather odd and (potentially) useless. In fact, I really can't figure out the reason for this. Again, you should lose it to help define the class better and to even out power issues.

Steel Willpower: Wow. 10+2d6 rounds. That's a lot! How 'bout we lose the 10 and keep the 2d6? Otherwise, you are guarenteed a full minute of "monkhood" for your AC. Otherwise, I like it.

Fighter Bonus Feat: Sure, why not?

Comments aside, I really like this class. I think I'll give it a spin in a campaign soon. ;)

Adghar
2005-07-18, 12:29 AM
Thank you for your opinions Tarkahn! I mostly agree on everything you've said.

The holy symbol throw was actually something I thought up in the middle of thinking up the Templar, and Steel Willpower and Aura of Defense were actually thought up later.

Hiding a vulnerability was just something that would allow a vict- er, enemy to undo the effect (For those evil DMs of course!) by sacrificing the chance to attack.

The cleric feature on the Assail Evil was just so Clerics who decided to pick up a level of Paladin then go through a couple levels of this wouldn't feel left out, so to speak. But I guess I should drop them.

When I thought up the cape stance, I was actually thinking of Zero from Megaman Zero 2, in the beginning, covering himself in a cape in the desert shielding him from the wind, and he was slowly stepping against the wind. I thought Zero was pretty cool, and the idea of doing this, throwing in that complete defense thing as well as Combat Expertise and you'd just rock at not taking hits from the enemy.

The original idea of Steel Willpower was to grant a Paladin or Cleric that sort of "monkdom" for the whole of a boss battle or short dungeon run or something. But you're right too.

I was rather thinking of having Avatar of the Gods be the center of this PrC, hoping to level up to get it, then improve it, then get it twice per day. But then 2d6 or so is more reasonable since you can just sacrifice an attack to turn it back on, though I decided on 3d6 so that the templar wouldn't have to spend his rounds in battle constantly have to turn it back on, detracting from the fight too much.

Everyman
2005-07-18, 02:46 PM
No need to thank me! Just doing my job! (Read the sig)

Anywho, I've reread what I typed, and I want to apologize. I don't know if I offended you or not, but I believe I came across as a bit rude in my post. Guess that happens when you do this late at night. Anyway, congrats on a great PrC and I hope to see more from ya in the future.

PS. You left Cape Stance in the abilities table (5th level), but removed it in the descriptions. Just a reminder. ;)
PSS. Now that I think about it, letting clerics add their power is plausible. Luckily, you didn't listen to me and kept clerics in the Assail descriptions. Good thinking.

Giant Legume
2007-05-16, 03:33 PM
I highly recommend that you look at remaking the table, but the class itself looks great.