kailin
2006-04-19, 02:29 AM
A little while ago I was working on a campaign set in a country where magic is tightly controlled by a shadowy aristocracy. The campaign concept fell by the wayside, but I've got this prestige class left over that I like enough to try adapting it for more general use.
I wanted to have a hidden force of anti-spellcaster soldiers planted among normal ranks or commoners, so that one might always be watching. I also wanted them to be organized, strictly loyal to their Order, and very secretive. It all sounds pretty paranoid, but that's what I like about them. There are plenty of mage-slaying builds, and I wanted this one to be different in flavor as well as function.
It's only a 5-level PrC, accessible early, because higher-level characters will need something more to be effective. If anyone has suggestions or thoughts about it, that'd be awesome.
--
The Antol
The Antol are a secretive order of warriors trained specially to engage dangerous spellcasters in close battle. They are justly feared, both for their combat ability and their fanaticism in seeking out and persecuting magic users. They serve as defenders of their country, and have a reputation for unquestioning loyalty to the realm, but in truth their ranks include all kinds of men, bound only by their zeal for slaying mages and by their fierce discipline. As far as some Antol care, the rest of the country can go straight to the Nine Hells, as long as the Order remains intact. The Antol usually operate in strict secrecy, posing as ordinary rank-and-file and then striking from nowhere.
Fighters and rangers most often become Antol, though rogues may choose to as well and "rehabilitated" clerics are not unheard of in the order. Paladins, though well suited to the Antol's task, almost never wish to join the order as its strict doctrine invariably conflicts with their faith.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
Alignment: Any lawful. Antol come in all moral stripes but must be able to accept the rigid indoctrination and follow orders without hesitation or selfishness.
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Skills: Spellcraft 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana or religion) 4 ranks.
Feat: Combat Expertise
Weapon Proficiency: Any martial weapon.
Special: An Antol who gains spellcasting ability has abandoned his place in the order and can never take Antol levels again. Furthermore, a paladin who joins the Antol compromises his faith by dividing loyalties between his church and the Order. Therefore, he becomes an ex-paladin and loses all paladin spells and abilites (including the service of a special mount, but not weapon/armor/shield proficiencies). He may not regain these abilities as long as he has Antol levels!
Edit: Fixed it so rangers can actually take levels of Antol (Thanks High Apostle).
Class Features
Class Skills
The Antol's class skills are Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str).
Skill Points Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
BAB: Fighter progression
Saves
Fort: Good
Ref: Good
Will: Poor
Special Abilities
Lvl 1: Disrupt Spellcasting +2, Magic Sense
Lvl 2: Mage Slayer, Spell Toughness +1
Lvl 3: Disrupt Spellcasting +4
Lvl 4: Spell Toughness +2
Lvl 5: Disrupt Spellcasting +6, Special Ability
Disrupt Spellcasting (Ex): Through careful study, Antol learn to spot the precise moments that an opponent casting a spell is most vulnerable, and to strike at these times for greatest effect. Any time an Antol hits an opponent who is casting a spell, the opponent adds +2 to the DC of his Concentration check to keep the spell. This bonus increases to +4 at level 3, and +6 at level 5. This ability applies only to melee attacks or ranged attacks made from withn 30 ft.
Magic Sense (Sp): As an immediate action, an Antol can detect the presence of magical auras in his immediate vicinity. This functions as per detect magic with a duration of 3 rounds, except that it effects a 30 ft radius centered on the player, and it immediately reveals the location of the aura (the object still has full concealment if the Antol cannot see it). At 5th level, the radius increases to 60 ft. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to Antol class level.
Mage Slayer: Antol receive Mage Slayer as a bonus feat at level 2. (from Complete Warrior: Opponents threatened by you in melee cannot cast defensively).
Special Abilitiy (Ex): At 5th level an Antol chooses either Evasion or Mettle as a class feature. If the Antol already has Evasion as a class feature he gains Improved Evasion instead.
Mettle (Su): An Antol's dedicated focus has given his mind and body a supernatural resistance to magical effects. If an Antol makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against a spell that would normally reduce the spell's effect, he suffers no effect at all. Clarification: This applies only to the first saving throw made for any given spell. For instance, it applies to the fortitude save in a baleful polymorph, but should that save fail Mettle does not apply to the will save. Similarly, a spell such as energy drain would be completely negated if the first fortitude save to remove negative levels succeeds, but should it fail subsequent fortitude saves must be made normally.
Spell Toughness (Ex): Antol dedicate themselves intensely to learning a variety of techniques to resist almost any magical attack. They receive a +1 bonus to all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. This bonus increases to +2 at level 4.They lose this bonus when confused, stunned, unconscious, or similarly unable to take conscious action.
---
So there it is. Originally the bonuses of Disrupt Spellcasting were halved and it applied only to melee attacks and AoO's, but that seems pretty weak to me now. I'm also thinking about including Slippery Mind as a special ability option. How's it sound?
I wanted to have a hidden force of anti-spellcaster soldiers planted among normal ranks or commoners, so that one might always be watching. I also wanted them to be organized, strictly loyal to their Order, and very secretive. It all sounds pretty paranoid, but that's what I like about them. There are plenty of mage-slaying builds, and I wanted this one to be different in flavor as well as function.
It's only a 5-level PrC, accessible early, because higher-level characters will need something more to be effective. If anyone has suggestions or thoughts about it, that'd be awesome.
--
The Antol
The Antol are a secretive order of warriors trained specially to engage dangerous spellcasters in close battle. They are justly feared, both for their combat ability and their fanaticism in seeking out and persecuting magic users. They serve as defenders of their country, and have a reputation for unquestioning loyalty to the realm, but in truth their ranks include all kinds of men, bound only by their zeal for slaying mages and by their fierce discipline. As far as some Antol care, the rest of the country can go straight to the Nine Hells, as long as the Order remains intact. The Antol usually operate in strict secrecy, posing as ordinary rank-and-file and then striking from nowhere.
Fighters and rangers most often become Antol, though rogues may choose to as well and "rehabilitated" clerics are not unheard of in the order. Paladins, though well suited to the Antol's task, almost never wish to join the order as its strict doctrine invariably conflicts with their faith.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
Alignment: Any lawful. Antol come in all moral stripes but must be able to accept the rigid indoctrination and follow orders without hesitation or selfishness.
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Skills: Spellcraft 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana or religion) 4 ranks.
Feat: Combat Expertise
Weapon Proficiency: Any martial weapon.
Special: An Antol who gains spellcasting ability has abandoned his place in the order and can never take Antol levels again. Furthermore, a paladin who joins the Antol compromises his faith by dividing loyalties between his church and the Order. Therefore, he becomes an ex-paladin and loses all paladin spells and abilites (including the service of a special mount, but not weapon/armor/shield proficiencies). He may not regain these abilities as long as he has Antol levels!
Edit: Fixed it so rangers can actually take levels of Antol (Thanks High Apostle).
Class Features
Class Skills
The Antol's class skills are Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str).
Skill Points Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
BAB: Fighter progression
Saves
Fort: Good
Ref: Good
Will: Poor
Special Abilities
Lvl 1: Disrupt Spellcasting +2, Magic Sense
Lvl 2: Mage Slayer, Spell Toughness +1
Lvl 3: Disrupt Spellcasting +4
Lvl 4: Spell Toughness +2
Lvl 5: Disrupt Spellcasting +6, Special Ability
Disrupt Spellcasting (Ex): Through careful study, Antol learn to spot the precise moments that an opponent casting a spell is most vulnerable, and to strike at these times for greatest effect. Any time an Antol hits an opponent who is casting a spell, the opponent adds +2 to the DC of his Concentration check to keep the spell. This bonus increases to +4 at level 3, and +6 at level 5. This ability applies only to melee attacks or ranged attacks made from withn 30 ft.
Magic Sense (Sp): As an immediate action, an Antol can detect the presence of magical auras in his immediate vicinity. This functions as per detect magic with a duration of 3 rounds, except that it effects a 30 ft radius centered on the player, and it immediately reveals the location of the aura (the object still has full concealment if the Antol cannot see it). At 5th level, the radius increases to 60 ft. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to Antol class level.
Mage Slayer: Antol receive Mage Slayer as a bonus feat at level 2. (from Complete Warrior: Opponents threatened by you in melee cannot cast defensively).
Special Abilitiy (Ex): At 5th level an Antol chooses either Evasion or Mettle as a class feature. If the Antol already has Evasion as a class feature he gains Improved Evasion instead.
Mettle (Su): An Antol's dedicated focus has given his mind and body a supernatural resistance to magical effects. If an Antol makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against a spell that would normally reduce the spell's effect, he suffers no effect at all. Clarification: This applies only to the first saving throw made for any given spell. For instance, it applies to the fortitude save in a baleful polymorph, but should that save fail Mettle does not apply to the will save. Similarly, a spell such as energy drain would be completely negated if the first fortitude save to remove negative levels succeeds, but should it fail subsequent fortitude saves must be made normally.
Spell Toughness (Ex): Antol dedicate themselves intensely to learning a variety of techniques to resist almost any magical attack. They receive a +1 bonus to all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. This bonus increases to +2 at level 4.They lose this bonus when confused, stunned, unconscious, or similarly unable to take conscious action.
---
So there it is. Originally the bonuses of Disrupt Spellcasting were halved and it applied only to melee attacks and AoO's, but that seems pretty weak to me now. I'm also thinking about including Slippery Mind as a special ability option. How's it sound?