Imrix.
2006-07-22, 07:35 PM
Okay, I had help with this class, so hopefully it's balanced. Of course, I'm not sure, which is why I'm asking you. So, ah, help?
*EDIT: Speaking of help, somehow-more-than-all credit to Elurindel for his benevolent beta-ing. I doupt I'd have completed this thing without him.
Adventurers: Devoted are rarely suited to a normal lifestyle, and often travel the world cleansing ‘heathans and abominations’, which to them is anybody who does not agree with their ideals, or a race they believe is unnatural, evil, or simply don’t like. They may see a party as comrades, or people with the possibility to be converted, or simply fellow warriors for as long as it suits them. It depends enitrely on the mind of the Devoted in question.
Characteristics: Devoted are a mixed lot, but almost all share an unnatural stubbornness, and an unreasoning nature. They are fanatically devoted to their ideals, and no matter what evidence is placed before them that such ideals are wrong, they will stubbornly hold to them. As these ideals are chosen by the Devoted however, no two Devoted are the same, and there is very little in the way of unifying factors among them.
Regardless, their power is undeniable. By raw force of will, focused by unfiltered belief, Devoted have demonstrated impossible feats, their sheer devotion somehow generating magical energy, bending reality itself, or otherwise manifesting the abilities they do.
Alignment: Devoted are not restricted to any particular alignment or set of ethics, and may choose whichever they desire. Their ideals differ wildly, and without restriction, from morals to deities to blind faith in faith itself.
Religion: Not all Devoted are at all religious, and some even adamantly deny the existence of deities -even if confronted with those deities- but those that do are usually fiercely devoted. Often though, a Devoted will believe themselves to worship a deity, when in fact the ideals they associate with that deity are so wildly different from the actual deities domain, that they unknowingly worship a completely different entity.
Background: Devoteds origins are often as varied as their ideals, anything from the witness of an unjust massacre by a particularly unbalanced soul, to the attentions of a bored deity playing with mortals might draw forth their powers, and almost nothing after that point is set in stone. How they react to their powers, how others react to them, what they use them for, and more exotic questions.
Races: Although mortal races find it somehow easier to manifest the necessary faith to become Devoted -perhaps the fear of death is a more potent motivation tool than people realise- almost any race can or has counted Devoted among their number. Generally the less intellectual races can claim to have had more, as faith is strongest when unquestioned, or constrained by logic and rational thought.
Other Classes: Devotedgenerally don’t get on particularly well with other classes, especially particularly religious ones, such as clerics and paladins as a Devoteds blind faith will either widen the gap of religious difference, or see the other as not dedicated enough to their collective deity. Occasionally however, you do get exceptions. Beyond the reloigous groups, it once again comes down to the particular Devoted and their ideals.
Role: Devoted are intensely dificult to kill, especially with magic, and as such should often fill the role of damage-absorber, running in first to attract as much attention as possible, then, against all possibility, surviving to rend all about them asunder. They can fight at range, if need be, but are best served fighting close-up, where they can absorb horrific amounts of damage, while the rest of the party ensures the few things that are actually dangrous for them are kept at a safe distance, thus ensuring their meatshield remains alive. Just about.
BAB: Average.
Saves: Will is good, rest is Abysmal (+1 every five levels, starting at 5th level with +1).
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: D8.
Skills: 2 + Int bonus.
Class Skills: Climb, Jump, Swim, Heal, Spot, Survival and Intimidate.
Weapon and armour proficiencies: None. Devoted generally lack anything approaching formal training with weapons, and possessing Faith-constructs is a potent reason not to pursue them.
Class features:
Blind Faith (Ex): A Devoted applies his Charisma bonus to his Will save, instead of his Wisdom modifier. Sheer force of personality will drive them on through things in which others willpower would buckle and shatter.
Unreasoning (Ex): On any Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Perform check, a Devoteds Charisma bonus is counted as a penalty (so a Devoted with a Charisma of 16 would have a -3 penalty on the afore-mentioned skills, instead of a +3 bonus). Devoted have immense force of personality, but any form of ethical or religious difference leads to incredible friction between them and other people. In such situations, they are as likely to attempt to convert the person they speak with (whether by hostile means or not) as attempt anything approaching the task they were set.
Reckless Courage (Ex): at 3rd level, if the Devoted is affected by Fear spells, or any other mundane, supernatural or psionic affect that would cause the Devoted to retreat in the face of the enemy, they instead charge toward the nearest enemy as quickly as they can, engaging in combat if possible, though they may do nothing but attack normally if they do. For that turn, they count as charging even if they do not move into contact with an enemy, however the AC penalty for that round is doubled to -4. If two enemies are the same distance away, the Devoted moves toward the more powerful enemy. (Powerful is defined by DM decision, common sense, or whichever seems more powerful from a roleplaying perspective, in that order).
Unshakable Faith (Ex): +2 bonus to Will saves at 12th, 16th and 20 levels (stacks).
Just DIE already! (Ex): At 18th level, a Devoteds will becomes strong enough to defy death itself, and push its body forward despite horrendous physical injuries. Devoted have been known to keep fighting despite injuries that would kill normal people twice over. Whenever a Devoted’s HP is reduced to 0 or lower, the Devoted may make a Will save at a DC of their negative HP +10 (So a Devoted at -7 HP would have to pass a Will save with a DC of 17, for example). If the will save is passed, then the Devoted may continue to fight normally. This effect lasts for two rounds, at which time the Devoted must make another Will save or succumb to their injuries and follow the normal rules.
The Devoted also does not roll to stabilise while this ‘effect’ is active, and does not lose HP for ‘dying’. This does apply to Massive Damage, but not to something like decapitation or being disintegrated, unless the Devoted is of a race that could survive those sort of effects. This ability does NOT affect Death effects, as these do not reduce the target to negative HP in order to slay them.
Last Breath (Ex): At 20th level, a Devoteds ability to defy their doom grows even stronger, and their will, even upon faliure, takes time to fully give out. Time in which they continue to act. If a Devoted suffers any form of death that “Just DIE already!” applies to, they are allowed to act, and are considered fully alive, for two rounds after failing the Will save (assuming they fail said save before being healed in some manner). They may perform any act they would be allowed to perform in other situations. They kmay not attempt a will save to renew the effect of “Just DIE already!”, however if healed to positive hitpoints and subsequently dropped to negative hitpoints again, they may do so as normal.
Mind over matter (Ex): At 14th level, the Devoted is capable of ignoring physical injury and poison through sheer force of will. In any case where a Devoted must make a Fortitude save, they may instead count it as a Will save, and apply the appropriate bonuses.
Mettle (Ex): At 16th level, if the Devoted makes a succesfull Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, they suffers no effect from that spell at all
*EDIT: Speaking of help, somehow-more-than-all credit to Elurindel for his benevolent beta-ing. I doupt I'd have completed this thing without him.
Adventurers: Devoted are rarely suited to a normal lifestyle, and often travel the world cleansing ‘heathans and abominations’, which to them is anybody who does not agree with their ideals, or a race they believe is unnatural, evil, or simply don’t like. They may see a party as comrades, or people with the possibility to be converted, or simply fellow warriors for as long as it suits them. It depends enitrely on the mind of the Devoted in question.
Characteristics: Devoted are a mixed lot, but almost all share an unnatural stubbornness, and an unreasoning nature. They are fanatically devoted to their ideals, and no matter what evidence is placed before them that such ideals are wrong, they will stubbornly hold to them. As these ideals are chosen by the Devoted however, no two Devoted are the same, and there is very little in the way of unifying factors among them.
Regardless, their power is undeniable. By raw force of will, focused by unfiltered belief, Devoted have demonstrated impossible feats, their sheer devotion somehow generating magical energy, bending reality itself, or otherwise manifesting the abilities they do.
Alignment: Devoted are not restricted to any particular alignment or set of ethics, and may choose whichever they desire. Their ideals differ wildly, and without restriction, from morals to deities to blind faith in faith itself.
Religion: Not all Devoted are at all religious, and some even adamantly deny the existence of deities -even if confronted with those deities- but those that do are usually fiercely devoted. Often though, a Devoted will believe themselves to worship a deity, when in fact the ideals they associate with that deity are so wildly different from the actual deities domain, that they unknowingly worship a completely different entity.
Background: Devoteds origins are often as varied as their ideals, anything from the witness of an unjust massacre by a particularly unbalanced soul, to the attentions of a bored deity playing with mortals might draw forth their powers, and almost nothing after that point is set in stone. How they react to their powers, how others react to them, what they use them for, and more exotic questions.
Races: Although mortal races find it somehow easier to manifest the necessary faith to become Devoted -perhaps the fear of death is a more potent motivation tool than people realise- almost any race can or has counted Devoted among their number. Generally the less intellectual races can claim to have had more, as faith is strongest when unquestioned, or constrained by logic and rational thought.
Other Classes: Devotedgenerally don’t get on particularly well with other classes, especially particularly religious ones, such as clerics and paladins as a Devoteds blind faith will either widen the gap of religious difference, or see the other as not dedicated enough to their collective deity. Occasionally however, you do get exceptions. Beyond the reloigous groups, it once again comes down to the particular Devoted and their ideals.
Role: Devoted are intensely dificult to kill, especially with magic, and as such should often fill the role of damage-absorber, running in first to attract as much attention as possible, then, against all possibility, surviving to rend all about them asunder. They can fight at range, if need be, but are best served fighting close-up, where they can absorb horrific amounts of damage, while the rest of the party ensures the few things that are actually dangrous for them are kept at a safe distance, thus ensuring their meatshield remains alive. Just about.
BAB: Average.
Saves: Will is good, rest is Abysmal (+1 every five levels, starting at 5th level with +1).
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: D8.
Skills: 2 + Int bonus.
Class Skills: Climb, Jump, Swim, Heal, Spot, Survival and Intimidate.
Weapon and armour proficiencies: None. Devoted generally lack anything approaching formal training with weapons, and possessing Faith-constructs is a potent reason not to pursue them.
Class features:
Blind Faith (Ex): A Devoted applies his Charisma bonus to his Will save, instead of his Wisdom modifier. Sheer force of personality will drive them on through things in which others willpower would buckle and shatter.
Unreasoning (Ex): On any Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Perform check, a Devoteds Charisma bonus is counted as a penalty (so a Devoted with a Charisma of 16 would have a -3 penalty on the afore-mentioned skills, instead of a +3 bonus). Devoted have immense force of personality, but any form of ethical or religious difference leads to incredible friction between them and other people. In such situations, they are as likely to attempt to convert the person they speak with (whether by hostile means or not) as attempt anything approaching the task they were set.
Reckless Courage (Ex): at 3rd level, if the Devoted is affected by Fear spells, or any other mundane, supernatural or psionic affect that would cause the Devoted to retreat in the face of the enemy, they instead charge toward the nearest enemy as quickly as they can, engaging in combat if possible, though they may do nothing but attack normally if they do. For that turn, they count as charging even if they do not move into contact with an enemy, however the AC penalty for that round is doubled to -4. If two enemies are the same distance away, the Devoted moves toward the more powerful enemy. (Powerful is defined by DM decision, common sense, or whichever seems more powerful from a roleplaying perspective, in that order).
Unshakable Faith (Ex): +2 bonus to Will saves at 12th, 16th and 20 levels (stacks).
Just DIE already! (Ex): At 18th level, a Devoteds will becomes strong enough to defy death itself, and push its body forward despite horrendous physical injuries. Devoted have been known to keep fighting despite injuries that would kill normal people twice over. Whenever a Devoted’s HP is reduced to 0 or lower, the Devoted may make a Will save at a DC of their negative HP +10 (So a Devoted at -7 HP would have to pass a Will save with a DC of 17, for example). If the will save is passed, then the Devoted may continue to fight normally. This effect lasts for two rounds, at which time the Devoted must make another Will save or succumb to their injuries and follow the normal rules.
The Devoted also does not roll to stabilise while this ‘effect’ is active, and does not lose HP for ‘dying’. This does apply to Massive Damage, but not to something like decapitation or being disintegrated, unless the Devoted is of a race that could survive those sort of effects. This ability does NOT affect Death effects, as these do not reduce the target to negative HP in order to slay them.
Last Breath (Ex): At 20th level, a Devoteds ability to defy their doom grows even stronger, and their will, even upon faliure, takes time to fully give out. Time in which they continue to act. If a Devoted suffers any form of death that “Just DIE already!” applies to, they are allowed to act, and are considered fully alive, for two rounds after failing the Will save (assuming they fail said save before being healed in some manner). They may perform any act they would be allowed to perform in other situations. They kmay not attempt a will save to renew the effect of “Just DIE already!”, however if healed to positive hitpoints and subsequently dropped to negative hitpoints again, they may do so as normal.
Mind over matter (Ex): At 14th level, the Devoted is capable of ignoring physical injury and poison through sheer force of will. In any case where a Devoted must make a Fortitude save, they may instead count it as a Will save, and apply the appropriate bonuses.
Mettle (Ex): At 16th level, if the Devoted makes a succesfull Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, they suffers no effect from that spell at all