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sidhe3141
2009-07-09, 10:11 PM
Myth and lore are rife with tales of beings forming contracts with beings more powerful than themselves, from Faustian pacts formed with the powers of Evil to the sacred bond between a priest and a deity. Tome of Magic addressed this with the binder and the idea of pact magic, but this approach seems to be missing a few elements of classic fantasy pacts:

1) The Pact User is Independent of the Entity: A binder must summon a vestige each time he wants its powers to be available, and this process risks a form of partial possession; the result of this is that the feel of pact magic is similar to traditional shamanism, with the binder summoning spirits and allowing them to share his body.

2) The Pact is an Actual Contract: The binder makes a new pact each time the vestige is summoned, rather than simply making a permanent contract with an entity. Furthermore, the contract is one that has no possibility for loopholes, which are used in some fantasy literature as a way of escaping from a pact.

3) The Pact can be Made with Pretty Much Anything: The binder is only allowed to make pacts with eldritch things that have been exiled from the multiverse; but in fantasy, pacts are made with most types of supernatural creatures: angels, demons, faeries, gods, the Devil, dragons, and in at least one case death-seeking immortals.

I propose contract magic as an alternative to pact magic. Contract magic has the following rules:

*A contract user can use any power that he can convince another entity to let him borrow. This process is called invoking a clause.

*A contract user can borrow powers from any creature with equal or fewer HD. This is more for balance reasons than anything to do with flavor.

*A given clause can normally only be invoked once per source per day. Some can be invoked less often, due to specific requirements in the contract.

*There is no limit on the number of clauses a contract user may know. The primary limit is that the contract that grants the clause may require things of the contract user, such as sacrificing to a deity regularly or giving some form of payment each time the clause is invoked. If the contract user doesn't hold to his end of the bargain, he loses the clause.

*Contract magic is divine if the contract in question was made with a deity or a representative of a deity. It's arcane otherwise.

*Contract magic can be used to make magic items as normal, but it's usually cheaper to have someone else do it. (Especially since you already know someone who can cast the spells needed.)



Sworn
"By signing this, you both agree that a certain part of the disputed territory belongs to the other. And don't even think of breaking your word."
--Shizki Alderat, negotiating a settlement between two rival gangs.
There is a dilemma that most sentient beings face at some point: how can they trust one another? When one being stands to benefit by betraying another, there can only rarely be any mutual trust.
Most civilized societies solve this problem by setting aside a portion of their legal code for the creation and enforcement of contracts: mutually binding agreements between individuals. These contracts allow trade, commerce, and peace to exist; some philosophers have posited that society itself is an implied contract between its members.
But there are those who take the idea of contracts one step further: the sworn. While a normal individual can only turn to the legal system should a partner's word be broken, a sworn petitions the cosmos itself to bear witness to and enforce an agreement.

Making a Sworn
Sworn focus mostly on spellcasting. They are, however, largely social characters and can serve as the face of the party.

Abilities: Charisma is an important ability for sworn, as it is essential in obtaining new clauses and negotiating other agreements. Intelligence is also important, as it determines how effective those clauses are. Constitution is useful for a sworn, as a number of supernatural entities require a sacrifice of the sworn's own blood in exchange for their powers.

Races: Dwarves are the most common sworn, as their honorable personalities fit well with the class. Humans and half-elves are also common. Gnome, halfling, and half-orc sworn are almost unheard-of.

Alignment: Sworn are almost always lawful. Strict adherence to oaths and contracts is the source of their power, and they only rarely break their word. Chaotic sworn, though, do exist and make clever use of loopholes in their contracts.
Sworn as a whole have no prejudice toward good or evil. They may create contracts for the greater good of all, or may abuse their power and bind others into servitude.

Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10 gp (250 gp)

Starting Age: As cleric.

{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Max Clause Level
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Donation (clause), sanctify oath (damage) | 0
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | - | 0
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | - | 1
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Sanctify oath (curse) | 1
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Donation (blood) | 2
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | - | 2
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | - | 3
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Sanctify oath (tie tongues) | 3
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | -| 4
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Donation (ability) | 4
11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | - | 5
12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Sanctify oath (summon kolyarut) | 5
13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | - | 6
14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | - | 6
15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Donation (knowledge) | 7
16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Sanctify oath (negate perceptions) | 7
17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | - | 8
18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | - | 8
19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | - | 9
20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Donation (presence), sanctify oath (imprison) | 9

[/table]
Class Skills: The class skills for the sworn (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), Craft (contracts) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (lawyer) (Wis), Profession (mediator) (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
Hit Die: d8

Class Features
Your class features are based on creating and enforcing contracts between individuals, and using these contracts to call upon the supernatural power of others.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sworn are proficient with all simple weapons. They gain no proficiency with any armor or shields.

Clauses: A sworn may know any number of clauses. These are obtained through the donation ability described below. A sworn's effective invoker level or EIL (equal to the character's sworn level) is used in place of caster or manifester level for any calculations where it is necessary. The difficulty of any saving throw against a clause is 10 + the clause's level + the sworn's Intelligence modifier. Treat a clause derived from a spell-like or psi-like ability as having a level equal to the effect's level on an appropriate class list, and one derived from a supernatural ability as having a level equal to one-half the source's CR (rounded up).
At character creation (but not when taking a level in the class later), a sworn selects three 0-level spells from any spell list as clauses. Each of these clauses may be used only once per day, but duplicate powers may be selected. The sworn's player and the DM should work together to determine any restrictions or requirements associated with the powers.
With the DM's permission, you may select a spell-like or psi-like ability instead of a spell or power. It should still have restrictions and/or requirements.
Typical requirements include:
*Must sacrifice items worth 10 gp each week to a specific deity.
*Must offer creature invoked a small favor up to one week after each invocation.
*Must pay standard market price for each spell cast at earliest convenience.
*Cannot speak ill of invoked creature for any reason
*Cannot sanctify any contract with a specific kind of creature.
*Must act to carry out a specific task as early as possible.
*Must tell stories about the deeds of the invoked creature once per week.

Sanctify Oath (Su): A sworn who is witness to the signing of a physical, written contract may call upon the cosmos itself to enforce it. Such a contract is called a sanctified oath, and may only be created (despite what any local laws may say) if all signatories are willing and free of any kind of compulsion or charm effect. When the oath is sanctified, the full text of the contract is mystically tattooed onto the skin of each signatory in the color that has the greatest contrast with the signatory's skin tone. Any creature attempting to read such a tattoo will have knowledge of its meaning mystically imparted onto them.
A sanctified oath cannot be broken while under compulsion or through ignorance (any compulsion, charm, or other mind-affecting effect that would force a creature to break the oath automatically fails, and a signatory is aware of any circumstance that would put them at risk of breaking the contract), but those who do break their word suffer in proportion to the power of the sworn who sanctified the contract at the time of sanctification and the degree to which he wished to make them suffer. Should more than one sworn have sanctified the oath, their sanctifications stack, but do not require separate atonements in the case of higher-level sanctifications. Unlike most supernatural abilities, this effect applies even if the target is in an antimagic field or similar effect, but does still not apply if the contract is in such an effect at the time of sanctification.
Any sworn may cause the oathbreaker to take 1d6 points of damage per level. This damage is unspecified and ignores both hardness and damage reduction.
A sworn of 4th level or higher may choose at the time of sanctification to curse the oathbreaker. This curse is treated as though it were caused by bestow curse, and can only be removed after the oathbreaker recieves atonement.
A sworn of 8th level or higher may choose to make the oathbreaker unable to understand any communication other than sign languages for a month. This effect, like the curse effect, is entirely at the sworn's option; and like the curse effect, can only be removed before its duration is up after the oathbreaker atones.
A sworn of 12th level or higher may choose to alert a kolyarut of the transgression. When sanctifying the oath, the sworn's player applies class levels and templates to advance the kolyarut's CR to up to one-and-one-half times his level. The kolyarut confronts the oathbreaker after preparing for 2d4 days.
A sworn of 16th level or higher may choose to make the oathbreaker unable to perceive any creature farther than 20 feet away by any means for a year and a day. This effect is at the sworn's option, and can only be removed before its duration is up after the oathbreaker atones.
A sworn of 20th level may cause the oathbreaker to suffer the effects of imprisonment (no save), except that atonement must be cast before freedom in order to release the oathbreaker.
Which effects will be applied are selected when the contract is signed. For purposes of determining the effects, use the sworn's level at the time of sanctification.
A signatory who will not be restricted by the oath at any point in the future is released from it. A signatory who breaks the oath releases all signatories, and alerts the other signatories as to the identity of the oathbreaker. When a signatory is released, the tattoo disappears from their flesh.
A contract requires paper and inks costing 9 gp per 800 words.
Should a creature capable of invoking clauses not have it, this ability cannot be granted as a clause.

Donation (Su): A signatory to a sanctified oath may exceed the bounds of reality to keep their word. Any signatory may permit any other signatory capable of invoking clauses to use one of their own supernatural, spell-like, or psi-like abilities, spells or powers, or similar abilities as though it were the recipient's own, should the contract require it. During the time that the loaned ability is in use, the donator cannot use it, and all costs are paid by the donator unless the oath states otherwise. No effect, not even reality revision or wish, can restore the lost ability during this time.
An ability that cannot be used by the original owner (for instance, if it has not been prepared or if the donator is under an effect that prohibits spellcasting) cannot be donated if required. This may cause the oath to be broken, but the invoker is aware of whether or not the power is available and may choose not to invoke it. A clause cannot be granted unless its level is equal to or less than the recipient's max clause level (half their levels in an invoking class minus one).
At 5th level, the sworn may permit signatories to exchange a portion of their life energy. The donator may take a number of hit points in damage and the recipient gains that many temporary hit points that will last until the donator's wound is healed. This damage ignores hardness and damage reduction. Like ability donation, this is only possible if the contract requires it.
At 10th level, the sworn may permit signatories to donate their ability scores. The donator may take up to five points of ability damage and the recipient gains an inherent bonus to the same ability equal to the amount of damage taken. This transfer lasts one hour. No effect can prevent or mitigate this damage. This is only possible if the contract requires it.
At 15th level, the sworn may permit signatories to donate their knowledge. The donator may lose any number of ranks in a skill or any amount of information from memory. The recipient gains that many skill ranks (up to the normal limit) or the information lost. This transfer of information lasts one hour, and at the end of that time, the recipient forgets any learned information. This is only possible if the contract requires it.
At 20th level, the sworn may allow a signatory to instantly greater teleport (caster level equal to the sworn's EIL) to any place where their physical presence is needed to carry out an oath (DM's discretion). The signatory may instead choose to teleport to the location of any other signatory without being required to be in that signatory's presence.
Each of these abilities can only be used once per day for a given contract. Unlike most supernatural abilities, these are unique to the individual and cannot be granted as a clause. Requesting another signatory to activate one of these abilities is a free action, and acts as a telepathic effect over any distance. Activating the ability is a standard action, and using a clause is the same type of action as the original power.
If a clause is being donated, the clause must have a level less than one-half the recipient's highest level in a class capable of invoking clauses.
Should a signatory not have it, this ability cannot be donated as a clause.

Epic Sworn
{table=head]Level | Special | Max Clause Level
21 | - | 10
22 | - | 10
23 | - | 11
24 | - | 11
25 | - | 12
26 | - | 12
27 | - | 13
28 | - | 13
29 | - | 14
30 | - | 14
[/table]
Clauses: An epic sworn may still gain clauses as normal. For purposes of epic magic and psionics, treat an epic spell or power as having a level of 10 or one-fifth its Spellcraft or Psicraft DC, whichever is higher. The sworn's EIL continues to improve as normal.

Playing a Sworn
Your powers are drawn from others. Sometimes you may make contracts with other humanoids, sometimes with fey or undead, sometimes with outsiders or aberrations, and sometimes with deities; but you are still dependent upon others for your magic. As such, you must be by turns both charming and manipulative to get promises out of others and to get them to keep those promises. Your spells literally depend on it.
You don't gain new powers by studying old musty tomes or by praying to a deity or by singing magical songs. You get them by forging bonds between yourself and other creatures. You combine the powers of your allies to create a more potent whole within yourself.
You know that you are not unique. Indeed, it is likely that you became a sworn as a member of an ancient order devoted to holy oaths. Other sworn, however, are more valuable to you for their connections than their personal abilities. They are more potent as enemies than as allies, as they represent a conglomeration of power much like yourself. Still, they are more likely to be allies than enemies, if for no more reason than shared experiences and outlooks.
There are many reasons why a sworn might adventure. The usual reasons, power and wealth, are common; but many sworn seek to enforce oaths, to uphold existing societal structures, or to bind others into service. Sworn might also take on the role of a wandering adjucator, moving from place to place and settling any disputes they encounter; or of an official diplomat, doing the same thing on a larger scale.

Religion
The gods may be incredibly important to sworn, as the primary source of their power; or they may be incredibly unimportant, as the sworn do not draw any power from them. Nevertheless, sworn are still no less religious than any normal individual, and they often worship deities associated with truth, honor, and law.

Other Classes
Sworn often get along well with paladins, lawful clerics, and monks, as these classes often value the sworn word. Sworn also get along well with classes with a strong interest in mystical power, such as sorcerers and wizards, and socially-oriented classes such as bards. Their approach, however, is disliked by the more direct classes such as fighters and barbarians.

Combat
You are versatile enough to take on the role of virtually any type of spellcaster in combat. Your melee and ranged combat abilities are well below-average, only marginally better than those of a wizard. Your spellcasting ability is slightly worse than the same as well, relying on others giving up their ability in exchange for you using their powers.
Your unique powers, though, grant you a distinct advantage. You can take on another's spells and cast them from a more advantageous tactical position, or at higher levels you may heal allies, improve the abilities of others, or move great distances. You may also negotiate with your enemies prior to combat, possibly averting the need for a fight entirely or placing them under unusual restrictions.

Advancement
What would give you the most benefit depends entirely upon what abilities are already covered in your party and what clauses you invoke most often. If your party has a gap that you often fill with powers from another source (such as a bargain with a paladin or cleric if your party lacks a healer), it would be a good idea to have a backup source of these powers. If your party is already balanced, you may wish to continue progressing as a sworn.


Sworn in the World
"Don't go sideways to Shizki, man. I did once, and I'm still paying the price."
--Rivers Black, human mob enforcer
Sworn are a group that create pacts with numerous entities. They gain access to another creature's powers in exchange for tasks, goods, or a form of regular payment. They gain access to the abilities and feel of Faustian pacts without having to deal with fiends or other dark entities. Sworn also see more of most supernatural entities (including humanoids with supernatural classes) than most normal characters do, and thus may see a darker side.

Daily Life
A sworn usually begins his day setting up in the marketplace of a town or city as a professional arbitrator. He will hear any disputes brought before him, and will charge to find a mutually satisfactory solution. He will approach any parties to the dispute, and may conduct further investigation if personally involved in the case.
-----
Feats, items, and prestige classes will be forthcoming, I swear! (Pun partially intended.)

sidhe3141
2009-07-12, 02:09 AM
As promised (to nobody apparently), here are the feats so far.

Sworn Feats

These are feats that affect contracts. Sworn might take these to improve their abilities.

Metacontract Feats
As a sworn's experience with contracts grows, the sworn learns how to change the supernatural effects of a contract. Altered contracts are somewhat weaker than normal, reducing the sworn's effective level for the contract (thus affecting the options available and damage dealt with the sanctify oath and donate abilities); but with the right knowledge, it is possible to cause unusual effects.
Multiple Metacontract Feats on the Same Contract: A sworn can apply multiple metacontract feats to the same contract. Changes to the effective level are cumulative. You can't apply the same metacontract feat more than once to a single contract.

Concealed Contract [Metacontract]
You may create a contract that is not easily visible.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, Disguise 6 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks
Benefit: You may select the color of the tattoo a contract creates. This is usually done to make it more difficult to see. You add your Disguise modifier to the DC of all Spot checks make to identify the contract.
A concealed contract's creator level is reduced by one.
Normal: The contract creates a tattoo of the color that contrasts most with the signatory's natural coloration. A contract tattoo normally requires a Spot check of DC 5 to identify.

Craft Boilerplate [Item Creation]
You may create a contract that can be signed repeatedly.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature; ability to invoke 4th-level clauses, at least two of which must belong to the enchantment school or telepathy discipline; Craft Contract Magic Item; Scribe Scroll; at least three other item creation feats
Benefit: You may create a boilerplate, a special sanctified contract. This contract may be signed by parties not present at its creation. Boilerplates are often used as a form of "standard" contract that is commonly signed, such as official oaths, marriage vows, and employment contracts. A boilerplate costs twice the cost to create a normal contract.

Craft Contract Magic Item [Item Creation]
You may use clauses to create magic items.
Prerequisites: Ability to invoke 3rd-level clauses, at least two item creation feats
Benefit: You may use spells, powers, and metamagic feats granted by clauses to satisfy the creation prerequisites for an item. Also, your clauses count as whatever they were derived from for purposes of qualifying for item creation feats. You are considered a spellcaster for purposes of the Craft (alchemy) skill.

Disguised Contract [Metacontract]
You may create a contract that appears to be something other than what it actually is.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, Conceal Contract, Bluff 6 ranks, Disguise 6 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Benefit: When you sanctify a disguised contract, write an alternate form for the contract. This alternate part is a set of conditions that will appear in the place of the true contract tattoo. Any creature attempting to read the contract must make a Will save (DC 10 + the sworn's Intelligence modifier) to see the actual form of the contract. Otherwise, the creature will percieve the tattoo as though it had come from the alternate form. This effect is an illusionary figment effect, but defeats even such effects as true seeing and is percieved even by mindless creatures.
A disguised contract's effective creator level is reduced by three.

Enduring Contract [Metacontract]
Your contracts last even beyond the transgressions of a single signatory.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, at least one metacontract feat.
Benefit: An enduring contract does not release its signatories when broken. An oathbreaker is still punished as normal, and the donate class feature still functions as normal.
An enduring contract's effective creator level is reduced by three.

Invoke Metamagic
You may require metamagic effects as part of a clause.
Prerequisites: Ability to invoke clauses, Metamagic Contract, at least five metamagic or metapsionic feats
Benefit: When gaining a new clause, you may require that the creature granting the clause apply a metamagic or metapsionic feat to the spell, power, or ability granted. The ability must be one that the signatory may apply to the spell, power, or ability.
Your clauses count as whatever they were derived from for purposes of qualifying for metamagic and metapsionic feats.

Loophole
You may escape the effects of breaking a contract.
Prerequisites: Must be under at least three contracts or mark of justice, lesser geas or geas/quest effects, Knowledge (local) 6 ranks.
Benefit: When taking this feat, select an effect you used to qualify for this feat. If you violate the terms of the effect, you may make a Will save (DC equals 10 + the effect's CL or EIL). If this save is successful, the effect is treated as though it were not violated. If you would be released from the effect, you lose this feat. If you were not released as a result of violating the terms of the effect, you may take another feat in its place.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, selecting a new effect each time.

Luminous Contract [Metacontract]
You may create a contract tattoo that can be made to glow at will.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, Conceal Contract.
Benefit: Anyone touching a luminous contract may once per round, as a free action, cause it to glow as though it were the subject of the light spell, lasting as long as the creature touches the tattoo or until the creature wills it to go dark. If the bearer of the tattoo wishes for it to not glow, it may make a Will save (DC 15) to prevent the tattoo from glowing.
A luminous contract's effective creator level is reduced by one.

Metamagic Contract
You may apply metamagic feats to your contracts.
Prerequisites: Ability to invoke clauses, at least three metamagic or metapsionic feats.
Benefit: You may apply any metamagic or metapsionic feat you know to any clause you invoke. You must expend a spell slot or pay power points as normal.

Metamagic Transferrence
You may exchange use of metamagic feats as part of a contract.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, Invoke Metamagic, Metamagic Contract, at least seven metamagic or metapsionic feats.
Benefit: A signatory to one of your contracts may grant the use of a metamagic or metapsionic feat as a clause. Clauses derived from feats do not have a level, as they are not considered similar to spells. The feat may be applied up to one round after it is granted. If losing the feat would cause the donator to no longer qualify for other feats, those feats cannot be used while the clause is in use.

Signed in Blood
You may use a portion of a signatory's life energy to enhance a contract.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature
Benefit: At the time that a contract you are sanctifying is signed, you may ask each signatory to sign the contract in blood. This is a voluntary process that inflicts a specific amount of Constitution burn, determined by you, to each signatory. You raise your effective level for determining the effects of the contract by one-half this amount (maximum of your sworn level) if all signatories are willing to do this.
This does not allow you to gain clauses you would not normally be able to gain.
Despite the name of the feat, the signatories need not actually have blood for you to use this ability. If a signatory does not have blood, the contract is written in normal ink, but shimmers with the subject's life force.

Sublet
You may grant access to your own clauses as part of a contract.
Prerequisites: Ability to invoke at least six clauses, two of which must be at least 2nd-level
Benefit: You may grant access to clauses you possess as part of a binding contract.
Normal: You may only grant access to your spells; powers; spell-like, psi-like, and supernautural abilities, and similar abilities as part of a contract.

Undying Contract [Metacontract]
Signatories to your contracts may ignore even death to keep their word.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, Enduring Contract, at least three other metacontract feats, character level 9th, knowledge (religion) 8 ranks.
Benefit: Any creature with at least Charisma 6 who dies or is destroyed while bound by an undying contract may immediately become a ghost using the process described in the monster entry, even if it is of a prohibited type (such as outsider or undead). If the creature had at least one exalted feat (Book of Exalted Deeds), it may instead become a sacred watcher.
An undying contract's effective creator level is reduced by six.

Epic Feats

Compulsory Contract [Epic, Metacontract]
You may force creatures to hold to their word.
Prerequisite: Sanctify oath class feature.
Benefits: A creature bound by a compulsory contract must make a Will save (DC equal to 10 + creator's Intelligence modifier) in order to take any action that would break it.
A compulsory contract's effective creator level is reduced by eight.

Contract Burning [Epic]
You may disrupt all contracts affecting an enemy creature such that they damage the creature.
Prerequisites: False punishment class feature, Contract Shattering.
Benefit: By touching a creature and expending one use of your false punishment ability, you may force that creature to make a Will save (DC equal to 10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Forsworn level). If the creature fails this save, all signatories to all contracts it is bound by are released and it takes 1d2 damage for each level of each contract binding it.

Contract of Misfortune [Epic, Metacontract]
Those who break your contracts are plagued by unluck.
Prerequisite: Sanctify oath class feature granting ability to imprision oathbreakers.
Benefit: Any creature who breaks a contract of misfortune suffers a -10 luck penalty to all rolls until it atones.
A contract of misfortune's effective creator level is not reduced.

Contract Shattering [Epic]
You may disrupt a contract with a touch.
Prerequisite: Suppress clause class feature.
Benefit: By touching a contract tattoo (treat as requiring a called shot against a target two size categories smaller than the creature in a combat situation) and expending one use of your suppress clause ability, you may release all signatories from that contract instantly. No creature influenced by the contract is treated as having broken it.

Feat Transference [Epic]
Signatories to your contracts may grant the use of feats in addition to their other abilities.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, Donate Non-Magical Ability, Metamagic Transference.
Benefit: A signatory to one of your contracts may grant the use of a feat for which the recipient qualifies as a clause. Clauses derived from feats do not have a level, as they are not considered similar to spells. You have the benefits of the feat for up to one round after it is granted. Like with any other clause, the donator loses the benefits of the feat while you are using it. If this causes the donator to no longer qualify for other feats, the benefits of those other feats are lost while the clause is in use.

Non-Magical Ability Transference [Epic]
Signatories to your contracts may donate abilities that are not magical.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, at least one extraordinary ability.
Benefit: When sanctifying an oath, you may treat one of a signatory's extraordinary abilities as though it were a supernatural ability for purposes of granting clauses.

Improved Contract Burning [Epic]
You are more skilled at disrupting contracts to cause damage.
Prerequisites: False punishment class feature, Contract Burning.
Benefit: The damage die size for your Contract Burning ability increases by one step (through d2, d3, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20).
Special: You may take this feat up to seven times. Each time, increase the damage die size by one step.

Improved Contract of Misfortune [Epic]
The consequences of breaking your contracts can be fearsome.
Prerequisite: Sanctify oath class feature granting ability to imprison oathbreakers, Contract of Misfortune
Benefit: The luck penalty given by your contracts of misfortune doubles.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. Its effects stack. Remember that a doubled doubling is a tripling and so forth.

Improved Invoking Capacity [Epic]
You may invoke clauses more often.
Prerequisite: Ability to invoke 9th-level clauses.
Benefit: You may invoke each clause you possess an extra time per day.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.
Special: An epic contractor may take this as a bonus feat.

Improved Oathbreaker-Slaying Contract [Epic]
You may forbid the raising of those who break your contracts.
Prerequisite: Sanctify oath class feature granting ability to imprison oathbreakers, Contract of Misfortune, Improved Contract of Misfortune, Oathbreaker-Slaying Contract
Benefit: Any creature that dies or is destroyed by one of your oathbreaker-slaying contracts cannot be animated, converted to an undead creature or construct, raised, resurrected, reincarnated, or otherwise restored unless an atonement spell is also cast.

Oathbreaker-Slaying Contract [Epic, Metacontract]
Those who break your contracts rarely survive.
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature granting ability to imprison oathbreakers, Contract of Misfortune, Improved Contract of Misfortune.
Benefit: If a creature breaks an oathbreaker-slaying contract, it must make a Fortitude save (DC equals 10 + creator's Intelligence modifier + effective creator level) or die instantly. Creatures that are immune to death effects are instead destroyed on a failed save.
An oathbreaker-slaying contract's effective creator level is not reduced.

sidhe3141
2009-07-17, 01:04 AM
And... it would seem that I'm still posting this for my own entertainment. Seriously, if anyone's reading this, I'd like to know!

Oh well. Time for...
Contract Magic Items!

Contract magic users can, with the proper feats, create magic items as any other magic user could.

Searchable Boilerplate
A searchable boilerplate acts as a normal binding contract aside from two factors: it is considered sanctified for any willing signatories, regardless if the presence of the creator; and the names of the signatories can be arranged in any conceivable order, merely by speaking the type of order (such as alphabetical, by time of signature, and so forth).

Faint conjuration or psychokinesis; EIL 3rd; Craft Boilerplate, Craft Contract Magic Item, Craft Wondrous Item or Craft Universal Item, index or psionic index; Price: 5400 gp + 18 gp per page.
New Spell: Index
Conjuration [Law]
Level: Clr 0, Law 1, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: 10 lines of writing or single objects of 50 lbs. or less touched per level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

Index places a set of words or objects in an order determined by the caster. The order of objects may be alphabetical, numerical, by frequency of a given letter, or by any other objectively determinable order. Subjective qualities, such as quality of writing, cannot be used. Also, the items to be sorted become incorporeal while the spell takes effect, and as so cannot be used to harm anything in the casting area. These items return to corporeality after they have moved to their proper places.

Focus component: A deck of blank cards.

New Power: Index, Psionic
Psychokinesis
Level: Psion/wilder 1, kineticist 1
Display: Mental
Manifesting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: 10 lines of writing or single objects of 50 lbs. or less touched per level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Power Resistance: Yes (object)
Power Points: 1

Except for the changes listed here, psionic index is identical to the index spell.

Legal Pad

This pad of yellow lined paper at first appears to be a normal notepad. However, a person who identifies the item or casually writes and signs an agreement on it soon learns that it is more than this: it is an item that allows normal individuals to create a sanctified oath without the aid of a sworn. A legal pad contains 100 sheets, and can only be used once per day.

Moderate necromancy; EIL 9th; Craft Contract Magic Item, Craft Wonderous Item, infuse essence; Price: 265000 gp.

New Spell: Infuse Essence
Necromancy
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: Nonintelligent object touched
Duration: Permanent; summon lasts 1 round/level (see below)
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

This spell splits an insignificant piece off of the caster's soul and places it within an object. Once per day, a creature touching the object who is aware of this effect may attempt to summon the fragment with a Spellcraft check (DC equal to this spell's saving throw difficulty). If the fragment is summoned, it is treated as though it were the remnant summoned by speak with dead with one great difference: the fragment may act as a free-willed incorporeal undead with the spellcasting ability, class features, skills, and racial abilities of the original, but that lacks any abilities based on negative energy that the original lacked. Until this spell is broken, the targeted object is treated as part of the original's self.

Material Component: A mixture of amethyst and ink costing 500 gp, which is used to draw a sigil on the surface of the object.

XP Cost: 50 XP per caster level.

Blood Ink
This is a special ink that is used on contracts. Any signatory to a contract written in blood ink may cast status at will on any other signatory to the same contract without the need for touch.

Faint divination; EIL 3rd; Craft Contract Magic Item, Craft Wondrous Item, status; Price: 24000 gp.

DracoDei
2009-07-17, 08:19 AM
I am reading it (or at least I read the first two posts back when you posted them), I just had to close the window before I could ponder out a response to a class with such novel mechanics.

PairO'Dice Lost
2009-07-17, 08:44 AM
Very interesting idea.


*A contract user can borrow powers from any creature with equal or fewer HD. This is more for balance reasons than anything to do with flavor.

I would flavor this as a trust issue or something similar--a lawyer right out of law school wouldn't argue in front of the Supreme Court, so for the same reason more powerful creatures would need characters to prove themselves before granting powers. Alternately, perhaps it's a bureaucratic issue--more powerful fiends already have contracts with more powerful mortals (because they're able to use the power to better effect) and fiends only contract with one mortal at a time, so if you're less powerful only the weaker fiends are available.


*A given clause can normally only be invoked once per source per day. Some can be invoked less often, due to specific requirements in the contract.

You might want to specify what you can get by agreeing to use it less frequently; maybe more passive benefits, such as trading uses of fireball for fire resistance?


New Spell: Index
Conjuration [Law]
Level: Clr 2, Law 2, Sor/Wiz 2,
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: 10 lines of writing or single objects of 50 lbs. or less touched per level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

Index places a set of words or objects in an order determined by the caster. The order of objects may be alphabetical, numerical, by frequency of a given letter, or by any other objectively determinable order. Subjective qualities, such as quality of writing, cannot be used. Also, the items to be sorted become incorporeal while the spell takes effect, and as so cannot be used to harm anything in the casting area. These items return to corporeality after they have moved to their proper places.

Focus component: A deck of blank cards.

This should probably be a cantrip; a magical sort function for written text or objects is pretty much equivalent to mage hand or prestidigitation.


Otherwise, I like it and don't really see any areas where changes are necessary. Are you planning to redo the warlock based on this?

Realms of Chaos
2009-07-17, 09:06 AM
This class is... odd.

First of all, are the inherent bonuses to ability scores from the donation class feature intended to cap at +5 (like normal inherent bonuses)?

Secondly, when the donation class features say that they can only be used once per day, is that once/contract/day (as the top of the first post suggests) or just once/day.

Third, when the clause class feature mentions spell-like and supernatural abilities gained at 1st level, how does that account for abilities gained through monsters?

I'm tempted to say that it would be hard to get powers in exchange for the relatively minor benefits listed above is unrealistic but some (such as doing missions or paying for the spells that you use) sound really realistic.

I do see the appeal and danger of this class. On the one hand, it is technically possible to access any spell in existance plus a whole bunch of supernatural abilities but doing so is going to drive you insane with all of the small restrictions placed on you.

I suggest a few more class features, such as perhaps a couple to help with diplomacy or a few that strengthen the Sworn's resolve so they won't fail to fulfill their end of the mission due to something silly like death.

This leaves only two more questions and a note.

Question 1: As the target not only can but must be as strong or stronger than you when you make the contract, this could very quickly lead to 2nd level characters getting 2nd or 3rd levels spells to help them in their mission. If the campaign has them doing missions for, let's say, an astral deva/dragon too busy to attend to matters themselves, things get a whole lot more crazy. Shouldn't there be some sort of limit on the level (but not number) of powers that they have?

Question 2: Also pertaining to how someone must be at least as strong as you to make a donation. When you "outgrow" your donor, is the contract between you specifying the conditions under which you gain the powers nullified? What if that same contract specifies additional mundane concessions that each side is forced to make? Is the entire contract nullified or just the part involving the donation class feature?

Sereg
2009-07-17, 09:31 AM
I have a similar position to DracoDei. Further complicated by the fact that I'm not an expert on balance in the first place and haven't read Tome of Magic yet for comparisons. That said, I like novel mechanics and it is certainly an interesting idea.

PairO'Dice Lost
2009-07-17, 10:11 AM
First of all, are the inherent bonuses to ability scores from the donation class feature intended to cap at +5 (like normal inherent bonuses)?

I'd guess so, since that's part of the definition of inherent bonus.


Question 1: As the target not only can but must be as strong or stronger than you when you make the contract, this could very quickly lead to 2nd level characters getting 2nd or 3rd levels spells to help them in their mission. If the campaign has them doing missions for, let's say, an astral deva/dragon too busy to attend to matters themselves, things get a whole lot more crazy. Shouldn't there be some sort of limit on the level (but not number) of powers that they have?

I'm not seeing where you can make a contract with more powerful creatures; the clause description says:

*A contract user can borrow powers from any creature with equal or fewer HD. This is more for balance reasons than anything to do with flavor.


Question 2: Also pertaining to how someone must be at least as strong as you to make a donation. When you "outgrow" your donor, is the contract between you specifying the conditions under which you gain the powers nullified? What if that same contract specifies additional mundane concessions that each side is forced to make? Is the entire contract nullified or just the part involving the donation class feature?

Given the note above, you can't outgrow your donor, since they'll be less powerful than you to begin with.

sidhe3141
2009-07-18, 02:09 AM
You might want to specify what you can get by agreeing to use it less frequently; maybe more passive benefits, such as trading uses of fireball for fire resistance?

Agreeing to use it less frequently means that you aren't imposing as much upon the original owner, and so means that fewer and more minor conditions are likely to be attached to it.




This should probably be a cantrip; a magical sort function for written text or objects is pretty much equivalent to mage hand or prestidigitation.


Yeah, I probably ought to reduce that.




Otherwise, I like it and don't really see any areas where changes are necessary. Are you planning to redo the warlock based on this?

No. I'm really just redoing the binder. I might be persuaded, though.



First of all, are the inherent bonuses to ability scores from the donation class feature intended to cap at +5 (like normal inherent bonuses)?

Good catch. I'll say yes.


Secondly, when the donation class features say that they can only be used once per day, is that once/contract/day (as the top of the first post suggests) or just once/day.

It's once/contract/day. A power obtained from a different contract is considered a different power.


Third, when the clause class feature mentions spell-like and supernatural abilities gained at 1st level, how does that account for abilities gained through monsters?

Because of the restrictions on who you can get clauses from, it would have to be a 1HD monster.



I suggest a few more class features, such as perhaps a couple to help with diplomacy or a few that strengthen the Sworn's resolve so they won't fail to fulfill their end of the mission due to something silly like death.

For the diplomacy: why? A sworn gets diplomacy as a class skill and high skill points, as well as immediate access to spells like charm person.
As for involuntary contract breaks: I might say that contracts grant an increased chance of becoming ghosts or a deathless equivalent (which I found, having just looked for it).


Question 1: As the target not only can but must be as strong or stronger than you when you make the contract, this could very quickly lead to 2nd level characters getting 2nd or 3rd levels spells to help them in their mission. If the campaign has them doing missions for, let's say, an astral deva/dragon too busy to attend to matters themselves, things get a whole lot more crazy. Shouldn't there be some sort of limit on the level (but not number) of powers that they have?

There seems to be a misunderstanding. The target must be of equal or lower level.

Changes will be made shortly, and the first PrC (contract-based cleric variant) will be up soon.

Update: Reduced level and power point cost of index, added Enduring Contract (breaking the contract doesn't end it) and Undying Contract (contract allows you to become ghost or sacred watcher) to feats list.

Realms of Chaos
2009-07-18, 02:56 PM
The last line in the donation class feature reads that:
"The donator must have equal or higher HD than the recipient."

That said, you cannot gain abilities from those of a lower level.

sidhe3141
2009-07-18, 05:45 PM
The last line in the donation class feature reads that:
"The donator must have equal or higher HD than the recipient."

That said, you cannot gain abilities from those of a lower level.

Thanks. Fixed.

sidhe3141
2009-07-21, 01:05 AM
All right, five days left to comment on the base class before the first PrC.

Worira
2009-07-21, 02:12 AM
This seems very neat, although I'm too tired to see if it's actually balanced right now. Also, Kolyaruts.

PairO'Dice Lost
2009-07-21, 07:51 AM
Also, Kolyaruts.

Ooh, I didn't even think of that. On that note, an interesting PrC would be someone who keeps his powers after breaking a contract and protects oathbreakers from retribution.

sidhe3141
2009-07-23, 04:06 AM
This seems very neat, although I'm too tired to see if it's actually balanced right now. Also, Kolyaruts.

Yes, that sounds pretty cool. Maybe I could make the final effect summon kolyarut rather than imprision...

EDIT: Which has been done... kinda. What happens is that the effect alerts a kolyarut, which then makes the usual preparations and attacks.

sidhe3141
2009-07-26, 12:36 AM
As promised, here is the first PrC, the
Contract Cleric
"You can say that you are close to the gods, but I have spoken to them directly."
--Alan Strongarm, contract cleric

Normally, the gods are distant even to their priests. The gods only intervene in the Material Plane on the rarest of occasions, and even then are cryptic and their appearances brief. There are those, however, who contact the gods and may ask favors of them directly. These rare individuals are known as contract clerics.

Becoming a Contract Cleric
A contract cleric has only two major requirements: the ability to contact a deity, and the ability to create a contract. Once these two requirements are met, the prospective contract cleric must make a contract with the deity to uphold the deity's value system.

Requirements:
Alignment: Must be within one step of worshipped deity.
Abilities: Wis 15
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks.
Clauses: Able to invoke 2nd-level clauses based on divine magic.
Special:Sanctify oath class feature.
Special: Must have made a contract with worshipped deity agreeing to hold to deity's code.

Class Skills: The contract cleric's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2+Int modifier

Hit dice: d8

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

1st|
+0|
+1|
+0|
+1|Higher Clause 1 1/day, improved invocation

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+0|
+1|Invoke Metamagic, turn or rebuke undead 1/day

3rd|
+1|
+2|
+1|
+2|Higher Clause 2 1/day, higher clause 1 2/day

4th|
+2|
+2|
+1|
+2|Divinity rapport (augury), domain power 1/day, turn or rebuke undead 2/day

5th|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Higher Clause 3 1/day, higher clause 2 2/day, higher clause 1 3/day

6th|
+3|
+3|
+2|
+3|Divinity rapport (divination), domain power 2/day, turn or rebuke undead 3/day

7th|
+3|
+3|
+2|
+3|Higher Clause 4 1/day, higher clause 3 2/day, higher clause 2 3/day, higher clause 1 4/day

8th|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+4|Divinity rapport (commune), domain power 3/day, turn or rebuke undead 4/day

9th|
+4|
+4|
+3|
+4|Higher clause 5 1/day, higher clause 4 2/day, higher clause 3 3/day, higher clause 2 4/day, higher clause 1 5/day

10th|
+5|
+5|
+3|
+5|Godforsake, domain power 4/day, turn or rebuke undead 5/day
[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Contract clerics become proficient with their deity's favored weapon; light, medium, and heavy armor; and all shields except tower shields.

Higher Clause: Upon becoming a contract cleric, the character selects up to three domains granted by his deity. At first level, the contract cleric gains the ability to invoke a first-level clause of each of those domains once per day. At each odd-numbered level thereafter, the contract cleric may invoke one domain clause per day per domain of the lowest level not granted so far by this ability, and gains one additional domain clause per day of each lower level. For instance, at third level, he gains the ability to invoke second-level domain clauses and one additional first-level clause per domain per day. At fifth level, he gains the ability to cast third-level domain clauses as well as one additional clause per day of both first and second levels, and so on.
Any saving throws are Wisdom-based.

Improved Invocation: A contract cleric's level is added to any levels he has in an invoking class for purposes of determining his EIL.

Invoke Metamagic: At second level, the contract cleric gets Invoke Metamagic as a bonus feat, even if he does not qualify for it. He may apply this feat to his domain clauses.

Turn Or Rebuke Undead (Su): The contract cleric may turn or rebuke undead once per day for every two levels. Treat this otherwise as the the cleric ability.

Divinity Rapport (Sp): At fourth level, the contract cleric gains the ability to contact his deity directly. He may cast augury twice per day. At sixth level, he may cast divination instead. At eighth level, he may instead cast commune.

Domain Power (Su): After resting, a contract cleric of fourth level or higher selects one of his domains, plus one domain for every two levels thereafter. He may use the domain power for that domain once in the following day. Selecting the same domain multiple times grants extra uses of the domain power.
If a domain granting feats, class skills, or some other "always on" effect is chosen, the contract cleric instead gains a +1 sacred (if he is good), profane (if he is evil), or luck (if he is neither good nor evil) bonus to all rolls not related to damage or effect duration for one minute upon using the power.

Godforsake (Su): At tenth level, the contract cleric may petition his deity to remove all divine magic from an area. Once per day, the contract cleric may designate a circle with a 60-foot radius as godforsaken. The region remains godforsaken for 24 hours, and during that time no deity or divine magic may enter or influence that area.

Ex-Contract Clerics: A contract cleric who changes to a forbidden alignment or breaks his deity's contract loses access to the higher clause, divinity rapport, turn or rebuke undead, domain power, and godforsake abilities and cannot gain further levels as a contract cleric until he atones and creates a new contract with his deity.

Epic Contract Cleric
{table=head]Level | Special
11 | Higher clause 6 1/day, higher clause 5 2/day, higher clause 4 3/day, higher clause 3 4/day, higher clause 2 5/day, higher clause 1 6/day
12 | Turn/rebuke undead 6/day, domain power 5/day
13 | Higher clause 7 1/day, higher clause 6 2/day, higher clause 5 3/day, higher clause 4 4/day, higher clause 3 5/day, higher clause 2 6/day, higher clause 1 7/day
14 | Turn/rebuke undead 7/day, domain power 6/day
15 | Higher clause 8 1/day, higher clause 7 2/day, higher clause 6 3/day, higher clause 5 4/day, higher clause 4 5/day, higher clause 3 6/day, higher clause 2 7/day, higher clause 1 8/day
16 | Turn/rebuke undead 8/day, domain power 7/day
17 | Higher clause 9 1/day, higher clause 8 2/day, higher clause 7 3/day, higher clause 6 4/day, higher clause 5 5/day, higher clause 4 6/day, higher clause 3 7/day, higher clause 2 8/day, higher clause 1 9/day
18 | Turn/rebuke undead 9/day, domain power 8/day
19 | Higher clause 10 1/day, higher clause 9 2/day, higher clause 8 3/day, higher clause 7 4/day, higher clause 6 5/day, higher clause 5 6/day, higher clause 4 7/day, higher clause 3 8/day, higher clause 2 9/day, higher clause 1 10/day
20 | Turn/rebuke undead 10/day, domain power 9/day
[/table]
Higher Clause: An epic contract cleric continues to gain uses of higher clause, advancing in both level and uses per day. Uses of higher clause beyond 9th level cannot be used except to pay for invocations of a clause modified with a metamagic feat.
Turn/Rebuke Undead: An epic contract cleric continues to gain turn/rebuke undead attempts.
Domain Power: An epic contract cleric continues to gain uses of domain powers.

Playing a Contract Cleric
Even clerics have moments of doubt where they lose faith in the gods. You, however, know for certain that the gods both are powerful and give you your powers.
Combat: Contract clerics can have varying roles in combat depending on their chosen domain. They might be healers, diviners, summoners, or have a multitude of other roles.
Advancement: Contract clerics have advancement schemes as varied as they are. However, it is common for them to take levels in other faith-based classes such as clerics or paladins.
Resources: Contract clerics are often associated with the church of their chosen deity, and have access to some of the resources thereof.

Contract clerics in the world
"I met one of them once. I used to think that the gods weren't important, but he showed me otherwise."
--Johannes Smith, cleric of Pelor
Contract clerics are similar to normal clerics in the roles they play in the world. In fact, they are often mistaken for normal clerics.
Daily Life: Contract clerics often find someplace to preach the word of their deity or to otherwise serve.
Notables: The first known contract cleric was Anana Ga'rendi, the first-created elf. A more famous contract cleric in modern days, though, is Ellyu Lolthat, the Tested of Lolth, whose vision of unifying all drow against the surface world has caused some trouble for surface civilizations.
Organizations: Contract clerics are often associated with the churches of various deities. They often have higher rank than normal clerics, due to their direct rapport to the gods.

NPC Reaction
Most people are unaware that contract clerics (especially those who selected the Healing domain) are any different from normal clerics. Those who are aware consider them sacred.

Contract clerics in the game
Contract clerics can generally be treated as being functionally similar to a cleric or specialist wizard with the same basic concept.
Adaptation: Contract clerics depend only on the possibility of deities walking the earth and making contact with humans. If this element is lacking, a contract cleric might actively seek out the gods or a replacement, such as eldritch abominations or vestiges.
Encounters: A contract cleric can be assumed to be encountered under the same circumstances as a normal cleric.

Sample Encounter
The man sits at the table in the center of the market. He is the only one at said table who appears calm.
EL 8: Shizki Alderat never knew his parents. He was adopted by the temple of St. Cuthbert and, from an early age, showed a gift for resolving disputes between his fellow students. As a result, he began working with the church's organization of sworn.
St. Cuthbert appeared to him in a vision one night, and blessed Shizki with the power to dispense justice in his name. Shizki has since done so, but for the most part lives as he did before: upholding order by settling disputes in the marketplace
Shizki Alderat
Lawful good male human sworn 6/ contract cleric 2
Init +0 , Senses: Spot +2, Listen +2
Languages: Common, Celestial, Dwarven, Elven
------------------------------------------------
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10 (10 + 0 dex + 0 armor)
hp 36
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +8
------------------------------------------------
Speed30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee+4 quarterstaff (1d6 20x2 bludgeoning)
Base Atk +4, Grp +4
Clauses
(spoilered because each clause has a specific weakness associated with it)

Detect magic: Shizki loses this clause and takes 1d6 damage if he fails to tithe 10 gp to the Church of St. Cuthbert each week.
Cure minor Wounds: Shizki loses this clause and takes 1d6 damage if he goes against the orders of his church.
Detect poison: Shizki loses this clause and takes 1d6 damage if he uses poison.
Detect magic: Shizki loses this clause and takes 1d6 damage if he fails to pay a 40 gp monthly retainer to a local wizard.
Comprehend languages: Shizki loses this clause and takes 1d6 damage if he tells a lie.
Command: Shizki loses this clause and takes 3d6 damage if he does not inflict 3 damage upon himself within one round of invoking it.
Protection from chaos: Shizki loses this clause and takes 3d6 damage if he aids a known enemy of the church.
Calm emotions: Shizki loses this clause and takes 3d6 damage if he strikes a living creature in anger.
Domain clauses: Law, Protection, Strength. Shizki may invoke each of these once per day. He takes 6d6 damage if he breaks his contract with his deity.


Supernatural Abilities
Sanctify oath (damage, curse), donation
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str 10 (+0), Dex 10 (+0), Con 12 (+1), Int 16 (+3), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 16 (+3)
SQ: Purity of skin
Feats: Iron Will, Negotiator, Conceal Contract, Investigator, Invoke Metamagic

Skills: Concentration +10, Craft (contracts) +12, Diplomacy +12, Gather Information +14, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Profession (mediator) +11, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +5

Possessions: 500 sheets of paper, inkpen, ink, cleric's vestments, desk

sidhe3141
2009-08-02, 03:56 AM
...hello? Suggestions, comments, tell me it sucks? Anything?

sidhe3141
2009-08-03, 01:36 PM
Well, seeing as nobody apparently has enough interest to comment on this class, I'll post my next PrC (the Diabolist, a contract magic user who deals specifically with extraplanar creatures) in one week unless I get a response.

sidhe3141
2009-08-11, 02:50 PM
Well, since nobody has any comments on the Contract Cleric, here's the
Diabolist
"Mess with someone who can do this and has had a rough week? Bad move."
--Robert Darklight, human diabolist

There are multiple planes of reality. Some are associated with specific alignments, some with primal elements, and some with platonic ideals. However, it is possible to reach these planes and make agreements with the residents, creating a form of mutual service.

Becoming a Diabolist
Diabolists have surprisingly few requirements. They must merely have contacted an extraplanar outsider and reached an agreement to come to one another's aid.

Requirements:
Alignment: Any lawful.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks, knowledge (the planes) 10 ranks.
Clauses: Able to invoke 4th-level clauses.
Special: Sanctify oath class feature.
Special: Must have made friendly contact and a contract with an extraplanar outsider capable of casting plane shift.

Class Skills: The diabolist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2+Int modifier

Hit dice: d8

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

1st|
+0|
+1|
+0|
+1|Donation (presence), improved invocation

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+0|
+1|Word gets around (+1)

3rd|
+1|
+2|
+1|
+2|Donation (break the boundaries)

4th|
+2|
+2|
+1|
+2|Word gets around (+2)

5th|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Donation (loyalty beyond destruction)

6th|
+3|
+3|
+2|
+3|Word gets around (+3)

7th|
+3|
+3|
+2|
+3|Donation (split presence)

8th|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+4|Word gets around (+4)

9th|
+4|
+4|
+3|
+4|Forced obedience 3/day

10th|
+5|
+5|
+3|
+5|Word gets around (+5)
[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Diabolists gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Donation (Su): A diabolist's contracts can break the laws of reality to a greater degree than before. Any creature bound by a diabolist's contract may greater teleport to any place on the same plane where carrying out the contract requires their physical presence.
At third level, the creature may plane shift to any plane where their presence is required to carry out the contract.
At fifth level, the diabolist gains Undying Contract as a bonus feat (even if he does not meet the prerequisites), and need not reduce the effective level of the contract to use it.
At seventh level, the creature may use the plane shift and greater teleport effects without leaving its current location. It perceives, and is affected by, everything that happens in all locations. For instance, a creature could cross from the Abyss to the Material Plane without leaving the Abyss, and then go to a specific place on the Material Plane without leaving its departure point, thus creating three copies of itself. However, the copies would carry out the same actions in all locations; and if one were injured, all would be.
Like the sworn's donation ability, all of these abilities may only be used once per day. When donating presence, uses per day stack with the sworn's ability to do the same.

Improved Invocation: The diabolist may add his diabolist level to any invoking levels for purposes of determining EIL.

Word Gets Around (Ex): At second level, the diabolist gains a reputation among outsiders. Add half the diabolist's level to all Charisma-based checks made against outsiders from a plane other than the diabolist's native plane as a circumstance bonus.

Forced Obedience (Su): At ninth level, the diabolist may force a creature bound by his contracts to obey them. Such a creature cannot willingly break the diabolist's contracts. If a conflict between two or more such contracts arises, the creating diabolists engage in invoker level checks (1d20 + EIL) to determine which contracts are broken. This ability may only be used once per day for every three class levels, but the diabolist becomes aware of all attempts to break his contracts and may apply this ability as a free action.

Epic Diabolist
{table=head] Level | Special
11 | -
12 | Word gets around +6, forced obedience 4/day
13 | -
14 | Word gets around +7
15 | Forced obedience 5/day
16 | Word gets around +8
17 | -
18 | Word gets around +9, forced obedience 6/day
19 | -
20 | Word gets around +10
[/table]

Word Gets Around: A diabolist continues to gain bonuses to Charisma-based checks made against outsiders.

Playing a Diabolist
You are more powerful than your sworn bretheren, and you know it. Perhaps your biggest weakness is your ego.
Combat: The role of the diabolist is not far removed from that of a sworn specializing in summoning and binding.
Advancement: Diabolists often advance as specialist conjurers, sworn, or horizon walkers.
Resources: Diabolists are owed favors and often more by a number of outsiders, and may collect those favors with ease.

Diabolists in the world
"Run! Someone got Robert mad again!"
--Jacob Ironside, city guardsman
Diabolists are often feared by the common people, and hunted by churches of opposed alignment. Some good-aligned churches, however, recognize that diabolists are not always evil and seek out good ones.
Daily Life: Diabolists often live as other sworn do, so as not to draw attention.
Notables: Perhaps the most famous diabolist is Sholzak Vaklid, a priest of Asmodeus who seeks to rule the multiverse in his god's name. His strongest opponent is Hubert Armstrong, who seeks to spread the worship of Bahamut.
Organizations: Diabolists, while lawful, tend to be strongly individualistic. Their loyalties lie more often with powerful outsiders than with mortal agencies. Cults devoted to those outsiders, though, often attract at least a few diabolists.

NPC Reaction
Most people's reaction to learning that someone is a diabolist involves either running as far and fast as possible or grabbing the nearest weapon and attacking.

Diabolists in the game
A diabolist's primary ability is the ability to strengthen his contracts. He has abilities that would be the envy of a number of sworn.
Adaptation: Diabolists are best suited to multiplanar campaigns, especially those with a dark and gritty feel. A campaign set on a single plane might have diabolists who call forth entities from a spirit world or some other form of afterlife.
Encounters: Diabolists may be encountered as part of a cult, may masquerade as powerful wizards or sorcerers, or may be charismatic leaders who happen to use an unusual kind of muscle to carry out their plans.

Sample Encounter
The sorcerer stands before you, stroking a tattoo on his right arm.
EL 10: Robert Darklight's entire village was slaughtered by orcs, leaving him the sole survivor. He then swore that he would exterminate all the world's orcs so that it would never happen again.
Robert Darklight
Lawful evil male human sorcerer 2 / sworn 6 / diabolist 2
Init +0, Senses: Spot +2, Listen +2,
Languages: Common, Draconic, Celestial, Infernal
------------------------------------------------
AC10 , touch 10, flat-footed 10
41 hp
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +11
------------------------------------------------
Speed30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee punching dagger 1d4 (+4, critical x3)
Base Atk +4, Grp +4
Clauses

inflict light wounds: Robert loses this clause and takes 3d6 damage if he allows a specific evil cleric (an ally and party member of his) to fall below half hit points.
protection from good: This clause has the same condition as the one above.
know direction: Robert loses this clause and takes 5d6 damage if he aids a druid in good standing. It was obtained from a blighter in his party.
deadly touch: As the paladin of tyranny class feature, assuming 10th level and Charisma +4. Robert loses this clause and takes 3d6 damage if his alignment changes one step in the Good or Chaotic directions. This clause was taken from one of Robert's party members. Note that in most circumstances, Robert will not use this ability to inflict more that 10 points of damage.
aura of despair: As the paladin of tyranny class feature. This clause has the same conditions as the one above.
doom: This clause has the same condition as the two above, except the damage is 4d6.
summon monster III: Robert loses this clause and takes 5d6 damage if he fails to compensate a wizard in town for the casting within one week after casting the spell. Assume caster level 5th for purposes of figuring compensation.
breath weapon: As the hell hound ability. Robert loses this clause and takes 4d6 damage if he assists a chaotic good creature in combat. This contract's tattoo matches Robert's natural coloration. Its Spot DC is 14.


Spells acid splash, flare, dancing lights, light, ray of frost, summon monster I, floating disk


Supernatural Abilities
Sanctify oath (damage, curse), donation, summon familiar
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str 10 (+0), Dex 10 (+0), Con 12 (+1), Int 16 (+3), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 16 (+3)
SQ: Purity of skin, word gets around +1
Feats: Spell Focus (conjuration), Spell Focus (evocation), Concealed Contract, Signed in Blood

Skills: Bluff +16, Concentration +14, Disguise +9, Diplomacy +16, Intimidate +16 Profession (mediator) +13, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +10

Possessions: Assume that Robert is carrying standard urban adventuring equipment, as well as a legal pad with 45 sheets remaining and 4d6 gold.

sidhe3141
2009-08-18, 01:50 AM
Um, hello? Anyone there?

Wandiya
2009-08-18, 04:49 AM
I like them though the clauses and donations confuse me:smallconfused: but it is good anyway:smallbiggrin: i like the Diabolist the most:smallamused: though the contract cleric seems to be basiclly copying the thaumaturgist :smallannoyed::smalltongue: all in all i like (especially the how contracts are always in contrast to skin:smallwink:)

sidhe3141
2009-08-21, 12:14 AM
I like them though the clauses and donations confuse me:smallconfused: but it is good anyway:smallbiggrin: i like the Diabolist the most:smallamused: though the contract cleric seems to be basiclly copying the thaumaturgist :smallannoyed::smalltongue: all in all i like (especially the how contracts are always in contrast to skin:smallwink:)

I'm not really seeing the similarities to thaumaturgist... Could you enlighten me?

sidhe3141
2009-08-28, 01:31 AM
Okay, if there are no further comments, I will be posting my next PrC (the Forsworn, a sworn who has broken oaths and protects others who do the same) as soon as I get around to finishing it.

sidhe3141
2009-09-13, 04:00 AM
All right, for those who thought I'd forgotten the project, here's the
Forsworn
"I have flouted the laws of the cosmos. What makes you think the petty laws of the state may bind me?"
--Fredrick Ironsmith, half-elf forsworn

Holding to one's word is an ideal, but sometimes the ideal must be sacrificed for what is practical. Either one is incapable of keeping one's vows, or one must let the vows be broken for one's own benefit or to prevent a greater evil. When the oath broken is mystical in nature, the power of the oath leaves a supernatural scar on the oathbreaker. Forsworn are those who have sinned against their word, been marked by the cosmos, and have learned to draw power from their scars.

Becoming a Forsworn
It is rare for someone to become forsworn. The prospective forsworn must renounce the ways of honor to do so, breaking some of the oaths that bind him (and suffering the consequences) as a sign of his devotion to the principle of broken honor.

Requirements:
Alignment: Any chaotic.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks, knowledge (local) 10 ranks.
Clauses: Able to invoke 4th-level clauses.
Feats: Must have the Loophole feat for a contract that is no longer in force.
Special: Must have broken at least one contract and suffered the consequences.

Class Skills: The forsworn's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+Int modifier

Hit dice: d6

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

1st|
+0|
+1|
+0|
+1|Suppress clause 1/day, improved invocation

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+0|
+1|Detect oathbreaker, suppress clause 2/day

3rd|
+1|
+2|
+1|
+2|Find contract 1/day, suppress clause 3/day

4th|
+2|
+2|
+1|
+2|False punishment 1/day, suppress clause 4/day

5th|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Modification 1/day, suppress clause 5/day

6th|
+3|
+3|
+2|
+3|Find contract 2/day, suppress clause 6/day

7th|
+3|
+3|
+2|
+3|Modification 2/day, suppress clause 7/day

8th|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+4|False punishment 2/day, suppress clause 8/day

9th|
+4|
+4|
+3|
+4|Find contract 3/day, suppress clause 9/day

10th|
+5|
+5|
+3|
+5|Greater modification, suppress clause 10/day
[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Forsworn gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Suppress Clause (Sp): Once per day for each level possessed, the forsworn may use the counterspelling option of dispel magic. He uses his EIL as a caster level, and gets a +2 competence bonus when countering clauses.

Improved Invocation: The forsworn may add his forsworn level to any invoking levels for purposes of determining EIL.

Detect Oathbreaker (Su): At second level, the forsworn may identify any creatures who have broken an oath at will. Treat this otherwise as a detect evil clause.

Find Contract (Su): Once per day at third level, and once for every three levels thereafter, the forsworn may automatically identify and understand all contracts within 30 feet as a free action.

False Punishment (Su): Once per day at fourth level, and once for every four levels thereafter, the forsworn may force a single creature within 30 feet to make a Will save (DC 10 + level + Intelligence bonus) or be treated as though it had just broken a single contract binding it. This is a standard action equivalent to casting a 3rd-level spell, but may not be affected by any metamagic feat. For purposes of overcoming spell resistance, use the forsworn's EIL as a caster level.

Modification (Su): Once per day at fifth level, and once for every prime-numbered level thereafter, the forsworn may rewrite a single contract in small ways. This requires that the contract tattoos of all signatories be touched. Any unwilling signatories are allowed a Will save (DC 10+Forsworn level+Intelligence modifier). On a successful save, the contract is not modified and no further attempts to modify it can be made by the same forsworn unless all signatories become willing or the forsworn advances in level or Intelligence.
The forsworn may exchange one donated clause for another that the donator possesses, of equal or lower level. He may also change the conditions that will result in the contract being broken, although this cannot change a condition to one that is obviously self-destructive or goes against the subject's nature. Only one condition may be changed per attempt.
At seventh level, the forsworn is now only required to touch one of the signatories. All signatories are mystically informed of the modification attempt and get a will save if they are unwilling.
This effect cannot alter boilerplates. It is a standard action provoking attacks of opportunity, but requires the forsworn to have a copy of the altered contract available.

Greater Modification (Su): Once per week, a forsworn of tenth level may completely rewrite a contract. All aspects of the contract may be altered. The forsworn can attempt another greater modification even if one of the unwilling signatories succeeded on his will save. This ability is otherwise identical to the modification ability.

Ex-Forsworn: A forsworn who ceases to be chaotic loses access to his suppression, false punishment, modification, and greater modification abilities. He can regain them by becoming chaotic again.

Epic Forsworn
{table=head]Level | Special
11 | Suppress clause 11/day, modification 3/day
12 | Suppress clause 12/day, find contract 4/day, false punishment 3/day
13 | Suppress clause 13/day, modification 4/day
14 | Suppress clause 14/day
15 | Suppress clause 15/day, find contract 5/day
16 | Suppress clause 16/day, false punishment 4/day
17 | Suppress clause 17/day, modification 5/day
18 | Suppress clause 18/day, find contract 6/day
19 | Suppress clause 19/day, modification 6/day
20 | Suppress clause 20/day, false punishment 5/day
[/table]

Playing a Forsworn
You knew honor once, and have turned your back on it. Now, you interfere with the magic of those still bound by honor.
Combat: A forsworn may function as a more specialized abjurer, or at higher levels may use offensive abilities. A forsworn's abilities, though, are secondary to the forsworn's existing contract magic.
Advancement: Forsworn often advance as sworn, ronin (Complete Warrior), or abjurers.
Resources: Forsworn have little organization, and no unusual resources.

Forsworn in the world
"There's something a little weird about him, you know..."
--Shizki Alderat, about Fredrick Ironsmith
Forsworn often keep their status secret. They may consider it a sign of pragmatism or a mark of shame, but they often conceal it.

Daily Life: Forsworn may live as other sworn, but it is not unheard of for them to attempt to purge their dishonor.
Notables: The most famous forsworn is Charles Forger, who travels the world righting wrongs to atone for a mysterious sin. Another forsworn of note is Salya Kindir, who seeks to destroy the multiverse for unknown reasons.
Organizations: Forsworn have little organization. They have no common goals, and generally hide their status from even each other.

NPC Reaction
A forsworn may be considered either dishonorable or pragmatic when revealed, depending on the personal inclinations of the observer.

Forsworn in the game
A forsworn's powers can be best thought of as a corruption or inversion of a sworn's powers. They tend to be low-powered by the standards of their level.
Adaptation: Forsworn can be used in any game that uses sworn or a similar class. They are best suited to campaigns based on the idea of honor.
Encounters: Forsworn may be encountered as normal sworn, wandering adventurers, revolutionaries, or a magic-negating member of a normal group.

Sample Encounter
The firebrand who has been causing so much trouble for the village rises from his seat at the bar.
EL 16: Fredrick Ironsmith was a knight interested in the power of contract magic. When the king was corrupted by a pact with a devil, he broke his knightly vows in order to protect the virtue of the realm.
Fredrick Ironsmith
Chaotic good male half-elf sworn 6/ex-knight (PHB2) 6/forsworn 4
Init +1, Senses: Spot +5, Listen +5
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic
Abilities: Str 14 (+2), Dex 12 (+1), Con 15 (+3), Wis 10 (+0) Int 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
------------------------------------------------
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+1 Dex, +5 breastplate)
110 hp
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +12
------------------------------------------------
Speed30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee 1d8+2 longsword (18/19-20/x2)
Ranged 1d10 heavy crossbow (1d10/19-20/x2)
Base Atk +10/+5, Grp +10
Clauses

Detect evil, guidance and resistance: Fredrick loses these clauses and takes 6d6 damage if he knowingly aids a lawful evil creature.
Cure moderate wounds: Fredrick loses this clause and takes 4d6 damage if he knowingly harms one of his followers. This contract's tattoo matches Fredrick's natural coloration. Its spot DC is 14. This contract's tattoo can be made to glow as a light spell at will by any creature touching it. If Fredrick is unwilling, he may make a Will save (DC 15) to resist.


Supernatural Abilities
Sanctify oath (damage, curse), donation
-----------------------------------------------
SQ: Knight's challenge (disabled), knight's code (disabled), bulwark of defense, armor mastery (medium), shield block, vigilant defender, shield ally, low-light vision, elven blood
Feats: Concealed Contract, Deceitful, Leadership, Loophole (knight's vows, broken), Luminous Contract, Mounted Combat, Negotiator, Ride-By Attack.

Skills: Bluff +2, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +19, Disguise +4, Gather Information +7, Handle Animal +9, Listen +5, Ride +12, Sense Motive +15, Swim +5, Spot +5
Possessions: Longsword, armor, military memorabilia, insignia

Ranos
2009-09-13, 06:42 AM
First of all, very nice class, congrats. The mechanics are fresh and original. Now here are a few thoughts I had while reading it all, I'll add more when I think of it.

It seems that the sworn would often need to know the HD of his interlocutor since his donation ability depends on it. Maybe you could make that one of his abilities ?

Also, would a "practiced contractor" feat be balanced ? (then again, signed in blood is already kind of similar and more flavorful.) Now that I'm thinking of contractor levels, if I'm not mistaken, they only affect the clause's caster level, right ? As it is, it's possible to cast a clause with a higher caster level than the original spell's (especially with signed in blood), is that intentional ?

Purity of skin might be a tad too severe. For example, arcane mark is a wizard cantrip that could completely depower a sworn with no save allowed. I'm sure there's a ton of other examples of abuse. You should probably restrict the purity to tatoos the sworn voluntarily inscribes on himself or something.

Or make it so that nothing but contracts can ever be inscribed on his skin, voluntarily or not. The rest disappears after a little while. That transforms the ability from a "you fall" paladin clause into something that could actually be beneficial, granting you immunity to a few harmful effects while restricting you from some other stuff at the same time.

Ah yes, another thing, as it is, the sworn may decide to inflict or not damage/other effects to the oathbreaker. Maybe he should be unable to do that when the oathbreaker is the sworn himself. Makes it harder for him to just walk away from his contracts.

For the diabolist, maybe you should make the teleport effects temporary, or at least allow the contractor to teleport back when the contract no longer requires him ? I can just imagine the poor contractor being teleported in the middle of nowhere and left stranded with no means of return.

The feat "Undying contract" is a bit redundant with the diabolist ability, "loyalty before destruction".

On the other hand, I find the Forced Obedience ability to be too little, too late. You can throw around suggestions and dominate persons much earlier than level 17, so why restrict a much more limited ability (restricted compulsion effect you have to agree to beforehand), to a much higher level and a specific prc ? This should be an early sworn ability.

I think you can already make people blind, deaf, or mute through bestow curse, can someone confirm that ? If I remember correctly, it was said somewhere in the book of vile darkness where they give some ideas for curses.

As it is, the diabolist doesn't really have a big incentive to deal with outsiders more than other creatures. Maybe giving him an ability allowing him to contact outsiders up to his HD for the purpose of sanctified oaths only would help.

Besides the diabolist which has some unique, useful abilities, the prestige classes are very weak :

The contract cleric is kind of underwhelming. I mean, all he gets is spells, and not particularly good spells at that, since it caps at 5th level spells at level 12 and he doesn't even get to choose them, being limited to one domain. Augury, divination and commune are good and flavorful, but nothing much either at those levels. At the end of the day, all a contract cleric has to show for himself compared to a normal sworn is Godforsake, which is a good ability but can't redeem the class by itself. The rest is just not worth the levels.
The forsworn is also very weak when not faced with other sworns. Since he doesn't gain any further oathbreaking punishments from lack of sworn levels, his false punishment ability is basically a 1/day bestow curse with some damage added on top. Aaaand that's pretty much all he has. Rest are anti-sworn abilities, which are decent, but very very situational. Now, from the "Forsworn in the game" part, I can see this is intentional, but still.

Jesus christ, so many edits. This post started with only three paragraphs, I swear.

sidhe3141
2009-09-14, 10:05 AM
First of all, very nice class, congrats. The mechanics are fresh and original. Now here are a few thoughts I had while reading it all, I'll add more when I think of it.

It seems that the sworn would often need to know the HD of his interlocutor since his donation ability depends on it. Maybe you could make that one of his abilities ?



That does sound like a good idea...
EDIT: Done.


Also, would a "practiced contractor" feat be balanced ? (then again, signed in blood is already kind of similar and more flavorful.) Now that I'm thinking of contractor levels, if I'm not mistaken, they only affect the clause's caster level, right ? As it is, it's possible to cast a clause with a higher caster level than the original spell's (especially with signed in blood), is that intentional ?

No. The way it's intended to work is that "effective level" is used to determine the effects of breaking the contract and what modes are available for the donate ability. I should probably clear that up.

EDIT: Done.


Purity of skin might be a tad too severe. For example, arcane mark is a wizard cantrip that could completely depower a sworn with no save allowed. I'm sure there's a ton of other examples of abuse. You should probably restrict the purity to tatoos the sworn voluntarily inscribes on himself or something.

Or make it so that nothing but contracts can ever be inscribed on his skin, voluntarily or not. The rest disappears after a little while. That transforms the ability from a "you fall" paladin clause into something that could actually be beneficial, granting you immunity to a few harmful effects while restricting you from some other stuff at the same time.

Good catch. I should probably get rid of it entirely; it was poorly-thought-out in the first place.

EDIT: Done.

Ah yes, another thing, as it is, the sworn may decide to inflict or not damage/other effects to the oathbreaker. Maybe he should be unable to do that when the oathbreaker is the sworn himself. Makes it harder for him to just walk away from his contracts.

The idea was that the decision as to whether or not to punish oathbreakers is made when the contract is signed.

Edit: Clarified.


For the diabolist, maybe you should make the teleport effects temporary, or at least allow the contractor to teleport back when the contract no longer requires him ? I can just imagine the poor contractor being teleported in the middle of nowhere and left stranded with no means of return.

Maybe...


The feat "Undying contract" is a bit redundant with the diabolist ability, "loyalty before destruction".

Yes, maybe I should make loyalty until destruction a bonus feat...

EDIT: Done.

On the other hand, I find the Forced Obedience ability to be too little, too late. You can throw around suggestions and dominate persons much earlier than level 17, so why restrict a much more limited ability (restricted compulsion effect you have to agree to beforehand), to a much higher level and a specific prc ? This should be an early sworn ability.

Maybe... maybe I should make it no save?

EDIT: and done.

I think you can already make people blind, deaf, or mute through bestow curse, can someone confirm that ? If I remember correctly, it was said somewhere in the book of vile darkness where they give some ideas for curses.

I don't have BoVD, so I wouldn't know. The SRD, though, sets the limits as:


* -6 decrease to an ability score (minimum 1).
* -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks.
* Each turn, the target has a 50% chance to act normally; otherwise, it takes no action.




As it is, the diabolist doesn't really have a big incentive to deal with outsiders more than other creatures. Maybe giving him an ability allowing him to contact outsiders up to his HD for the purpose of sanctified oaths only would help.

Half his level as a bonus to Diplomacy all Charisma-based checks, the ability to add a spell especially useful for outsiders to the contract, and the ability to let them get around the version of death outsiders get isn't an incentive?


Besides the diabolist which has some unique, useful abilities, the prestige classes are very weak :

The contract cleric is kind of underwhelming. I mean, all he gets is spells, and not particularly good spells at that, since it caps at 5th level spells at level 12 and he doesn't even get to choose them, being limited to one domain. Augury, divination and commune are good and flavorful, but nothing much either at those levels. At the end of the day, all a contract cleric has to show for himself compared to a normal sworn is Godforsake, which is a good ability but can't redeem the class by itself. The rest is just not worth the levels.

Good call. Maybe I should increase the spell-gain rate or add more abilities or something.


The forsworn is also very weak when not faced with other sworns. Since he doesn't gain any further oathbreaking punishments from lack of sworn levels, his false punishment ability is basically a 1/day bestow curse with some damage added on top. Aaaand that's pretty much all he has. Rest are anti-sworn abilities, which are decent, but very very situational. Now, from the "Forsworn in the game" part, I can see this is intentional, but still.

Hmmm... Yes, I see what you're getting at. Maybe I should give them decent physical offensive ability too.

Ranos
2009-09-14, 10:57 AM
No. The way it's intended to work is that "effective level" is used to determine the effects of breaking the contract and what modes are available for the donate ability. I should probably clear that up.

Oh, I see, that makes more sense. In that case, a "practiced contractor" wouldn't be redundant anymore, and it would help with multiclass sworns. Similar to the practiced spellcaster/manifester feats, it would increase EIL for clauses by 4 up to a maximum of the character's HD. What do you think ?



I don't have BoVD, so I wouldn't know. The SRD, though, sets the limits as:

I just checked, bestow curse actually allows you to make your target both blind and deaf at the same time with a single curse. Says nothing specifically about rendering a target mute though, but most DMs would probably allow that too.



Half his level as a bonus to Diplomacy all Charisma-based checks, the ability to add a spell especially useful for outsiders to the contract, and the ability to let them get around the version of death outsiders get isn't an incentive?

Oh yeah, you're right. Dunno how I missed that.



Good call. Maybe I should increase the spell-gain rate or add more abilities or something.

More abilities, definitely. You can already get spells through clauses, so give the prestige class more unique stuff.



Hmmm... Yes, I see what you're getting at. Maybe I should give them decent physical offensive ability too.

Well what I'm gonna say kind of goes against what I just said before, making the class even weaker, but I think the forsworn should have some penalties with his contracts. I mean, obviously, the guy is gonna get a reputation. Who would sign a binding contract with a guy who keeps breaking them ?
He should probably rely less on clauses than a normal sworn, and more on abilities from his prestige class.
Actually, that was a stupid idea. Contracts are the whole point. If I'm gonna have a guy who doesn't use clauses anyway, I'll just choose some other class instead of a sworn.

Just an idea, but chaotic, breaking contracts...maybe the forsworn should be based on flexibility, giving him the ability to alter contracts in some small ways, removing some limitations, or something similar that changes the way his clauses work in the first place instead of more active abilities stacked on top of those he already has.

sidhe3141
2009-09-14, 11:48 AM
More abilities, definitely. You can already get spells through clauses, so give the prestige class more unique stuff.

The thing is, though, that these are clauses you get pretty much for free. The big limitation on clauses is that you have to give something up for them.


Just an idea, but chaotic, breaking contracts...maybe the forsworn should be based on flexibility, giving him the ability to alter contracts in some small ways, removing some limitations, or something similar that changes the way his clauses work in the first place instead of more active abilities stacked on top of those he already has.
Hmmm. That might work.

Ranos
2009-09-15, 12:33 AM
Oh man, Forsworns. Now I'm never gonna be able to stop quoting "I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further." :smallbiggrin:

You should probably clarify what a reduced creator level does when applying a metacontract feat. I'm guessing it's a similar effect to signed in blood, but maybe "creator level" should be defined in the Sworn class description, separate from "invoker level", which modifies a clause's power.

The sworn might be a bit too front-loaded. You could take a single level of the class and potentially get clauses as high level as any other sworn, with the advantage of being some other class on top of that. Obviously, your caster level would suck, but it's not always important. My suggestion would be to have your limit be sworn class levels+ 1/2 rest of your HD (round down). Maybe make that your invoker level as well. (But you might want to keep creator level equal to the sworn class level.)

Maybe you could also allow for a sworn to get a donation from a higher-HD creature as long as the creature already had the power he is donating when he was of an equal HD to the sworn himself. (So for example, a high level cleric could give cure light wounds to a beginner sworn. Makes sense and I don't think it's too broken, but correct me if I'm wrong. Obviously that wouldn't work for monsters who never had a lower HD to begin with. Unless you use the various monster classes to adjudicate that.)

When both the recipient and the donator have the resources at their disposition to use a clause (spell slots, power points...), it shouldn't be automatically the recipient who uses the resources. That stuff should be decided in the contract. Otherwise, a sworn who just happens to be spellcaster is at a disadvantage when casting spell clauses (same with sworn/psion and power clauses, etc.)

The Forsworn class description mistakenly uses the Diabolist name in the class skills and weapon/armor proficiency entries.

I think you should prevent someone from signing a contract under magical compulsion. Otherwise, you could just dominate someone and force him to give you all his power without any compensation. Charm effects are probably fine though.

About the Forsworn's modification power...Now that I think about it, it's not very forsworn-like. It's not really honorless and underhanded if everyone agrees to it in the first place. On the other hand, the power to completely modify the contract at your whim is way broken. Let's keep it as a capstone. Here's an idea, rushed a bit so the language isn't precise, but you'll get the intent :

Modification (Su): Once per day at third level, and once for every prime-numbered level thereafter, the forsworn may rewrite a single contract in small ways. This requires that all signatories be touched. Any unwilling signatories are allowed a will save (DC 10+Forsworn level+Intelligence modifier). On a successful save, the contract is not modified and no further attempts to modify it can be made unless all signatories become willing.
At third level, the forsworn may only change the contract's creator level, to a maximum of his own creator level.
At fifth level, the forsworn may also exchange one donated clause for another the donator possesses, of equal or lower level.
At seventh level, the forsworn is now only required to touch one of the signatories. All signatories are mystically informed of the modification attempt and get a will save if they are unwilling.
At ninth level, the forsworn may add a new donation to the contract.

Greater Modification (Su): Once per week, a forsworn may completely rewrite all aspects of a contract. To do that, he needs to touch one of the signatories. All signatories are still informed of the modification attempt and get a will save if they are unwilling, as per the modification ability. Unlike the modification ability, the forsworn can attempt another greater modification even if one of the unwilling signatories succeeded on his will save.

sidhe3141
2009-09-15, 12:21 PM
Oh man, Forsworns. Now I'm never gonna be able to stop quoting "I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further." :smallbiggrin:

Glad to see it made an impression, but it's easy to keep the forsworn from altering it any further.


You should probably clarify what a reduced creator level does when applying a metacontract feat. I'm guessing it's a similar effect to signed in blood, but maybe "creator level" should be defined in the Sworn class description, separate from "invoker level", which modifies a clause's power.

Yeah, but seeing as the only things that affect creator level are metacontract feats, it should probably be in the definition for metacontract feat.


The sworn might be a bit too front-loaded. You could take a single level of the class and potentially get clauses as high level as any other sworn, with the advantage of being some other class on top of that. Obviously, your caster level would suck, but it's not always important. My suggestion would be to have your limit be sworn class levels+ 1/2 rest of your HD (round down). Maybe make that your invoker level as well. (But you might want to keep creator level equal to the sworn class level.)

Actually, I think capping it at sworn level might be a better idea.


Maybe you could also allow for a sworn to get a donation from a higher-HD creature as long as the creature already had the power he is donating when he was of an equal HD to the sworn himself. (So for example, a high level cleric could give cure light wounds to a beginner sworn. Makes sense and I don't think it's too broken, but correct me if I'm wrong. Obviously that wouldn't work for monsters who never had a lower HD to begin with. Unless you use the various monster classes to adjudicate that.)

Yeah, but who keeps track of what order they took levels in which classes? Or what order they selected stuff like spells or hireophant abilities? Or, for that matter, which classes they lost due to level loss effects? That way lies madness, or at least a massive DM headache.

(And now I can scratch that off the list of things I always wanted to say.)


When both the recipient and the donator have the resources at their disposition to use a clause (spell slots, power points...), it shouldn't be automatically the recipient who uses the resources. That stuff should be decided in the contract. Otherwise, a sworn who just happens to be spellcaster is at a disadvantage when casting spell clauses (same with sworn/psion and power clauses, etc.)

Yeah, I should fix that, and maybe change the default to "donator spends resources".


The Forsworn class description mistakenly uses the Diabolist name in the class skills and weapon/armor proficiency entries.

My bad. I'll fix it soon.


I think you should prevent someone from signing a contract under magical compulsion. Otherwise, you could just dominate someone and force him to give you all his power without any compensation. Charm effects are probably fine though.

It's in the description, I think. Interesting question: do compelled creatures count as willing?


About the Forsworn's modification power...Now that I think about it, it's not very forsworn-like. It's not really honorless and underhanded if everyone agrees to it in the first place. On the other hand, the power to completely modify the contract at your whim is way broken. Let's keep it as a capstone. Here's an idea, rushed a bit so the language isn't precise, but you'll get the intent :

Modification (Su): Once per day at third level, and once for every prime-numbered level thereafter, the forsworn may rewrite a single contract in small ways. This requires that all signatories be touched. Any unwilling signatories are allowed a will save (DC 10+Forsworn level+Intelligence modifier). On a successful save, the contract is not modified and no further attempts to modify it can be made unless all signatories become willing.
At third level, the forsworn may only change the contract's creator level, to a maximum of his own creator level.
At fifth level, the forsworn may also exchange one donated clause for another the donator possesses, of equal or lower level.
At seventh level, the forsworn is now only required to touch one of the signatories. All signatories are mystically informed of the modification attempt and get a will save if they are unwilling.
At ninth level, the forsworn may add a new donation to the contract.

Greater Modification (Su): Once per week, a forsworn may completely rewrite all aspects of a contract. To do that, he needs to touch one of the signatories. All signatories are still informed of the modification attempt and get a will save if they are unwilling, as per the modification ability. Unlike the modification ability, the forsworn can attempt another greater modification even if one of the unwilling signatories succeeded on his will save.

Those sound cool. Maybe I might use them instead.

Ranos
2009-09-15, 12:51 PM
Yeah, but seeing as the only things that affect creator level are metacontract feats, it should probably be in the definition for metacontract feat.
True



Actually, I think capping it at sworn level might be a better idea.

Well I dunno. Generally speaking, when dealing with abilities less powerful than spells (I know clauses are potentially just as powerful than spells, but in practice they are much more restricted), I like to use the ToB method of multiclassing. At low levels, a few levels are still a big investment anyway, so it stays balanced. At high levels, the powers remain proportionate to the investment.
For example, let's say you're a 20th level character, wizard19/sworn1. You get 5th level clauses with 10 invoker levels while you can cast 9th level spells. Prestige classes with requirements based on spell level will have been delayed, meaning you'll be a level behind for that juicy capstone (because really, what kind of fool stays pure wizard ? :smallamused:) Also since spell power grows exponentially with spell levels, 5th level spells will not be very useful by that point. You get a small measure of power for a small inconvenience, as it should be. Same with any other class/level combination, of course.
If you keep the limit stuck at sworn level, it just flat-out forbids multiclassing outside of very small dips.



Yeah, but who keeps track of what order they took levels in which classes? Or what order they selected stuff like spells or hireophant abilities? Or, for that matter, which classes they lost due to level loss effects? That way lies madness, or at least a massive DM headache.

(And now I can scratch that off the list of things I always wanted to say.)

Yeah, good point. Maybe make that "an ability you could have with X class levels ?" As in, if you can get magic missile with only one level of sorcerer, doesn't matter when that particular sorcerer got it, he can give it to a level 1 sworn. Of course, you'd need to find a way to say that in a clear and concise way because I suck with words.



It's in the description, I think. Interesting question: do compelled creatures count as willing?

I think what's in the description is that you can't break a contract through a compulsion. There's nothing about signing a contract. "Willing" is a technical d&d term, so yes, compelled creatures do count as willing. Technically, unconscious creatures count as willing too. You might want to fix that as well.


You should really give a limit to the effects of signed in blood. Here's one example of abuse I had in mind : delay death. There are many others, as negating damage is real easy at higher levels. At lower levels, off the top of my head, you could get your contract level pretty high through some share pain/shield other. Allow the feat to double creator level at most or something.

Or better yet, make it inflict constitution burn instead of HP damage. That's the kind of ability damage you can only ever heal through natural rest. Now that's harder to abuse. Something like 1 creator level per con point burned, with a maximum of your invoker level in points burned per contract.

sidhe3141
2009-09-15, 03:15 PM
Well I dunno. Generally speaking, when dealing with abilities less powerful than spells (I know clauses are potentially just as powerful than spells, but in practice they are much more restricted), I like to use the ToB method of multiclassing. At low levels, a few levels are still a big investment anyway, so it stays balanced. At high levels, the powers remain proportionate to the investment.
For example, let's say you're a 20th level character, wizard19/sworn1. You get 5th level clauses with 10 invoker levels while you can cast 9th level spells. Prestige classes with requirements based on spell level will have been delayed, meaning you'll be a level behind for that juicy capstone (because really, what kind of fool stays pure wizard ? :smallamused:) Also since spell power grows exponentially with spell levels, 5th level spells will not be very useful by that point. You get a small measure of power for a small inconvenience, as it should be. Same with any other class/level combination, of course.
If you keep the limit stuck at sworn level, it just flat-out forbids multiclassing outside of very small dips.
Don't have ToB, sorry. But as for lifting the cap to, say, the average of sworn level and HD, that might work.


Yeah, good point. Maybe make that "an ability you could have with X class levels ?" As in, if you can get magic missile with only one level of sorcerer, doesn't matter when that particular sorcerer got it, he can give it to a level 1 sworn. Of course, you'd need to find a way to say that in a clear and concise way because I suck with words.

Problem is, though, that "X class levels" or the like opens it up to abuse with PrCs. Like a cosmic descryer giving a 7th-level sworn the cosmic connection ability; or less ridiculously, an archmage (minimum level 13th) giving a 1st-level sworn one of the high arcana powers. I think I'll just leave it as is for now and leave the low-level sworn having to ask equally-low-level characters for magic. Come to think of it, this would likely make the sworn have to ask for meaningful restrictions, since cure light wounds is useful for the fellow just starting as a cleric, but the High Priest of The Realm probably won't even care about it.


I think what's in the description is that you can't break a contract through a compulsion. There's nothing about signing a contract. "Willing" is a technical d&d term, so yes, compelled creatures do count as willing. Technically, unconscious creatures count as willing too. You might want to fix that as well.

Fixed now. Although I say that compelled (or charmed for that matter) doesn't count as willing, due to all the silliness that you could get up to with dominate+polymorph and the like. Not to mention that a dominated creature still retains its awareness (a major difference from unconsciousness) and original personality (just bound and gagged in a tiny corner of its mind).


You should really give a limit to the effects of signed in blood. Here's one example of abuse I had in mind : delay death. There are many others, as negating damage is real easy at higher levels. At lower levels, off the top of my head, you could get your contract level pretty high through some share pain/shield other. Allow the feat to double creator level at most or something.

Or better yet, make it inflict constitution burn instead of HP damage. That's the kind of ability damage you can only ever heal through natural rest. Now that's harder to abuse. Something like 1 creator level per con point burned, with a maximum of your invoker level in points burned per contract.

Again, fixed.

Ranos
2009-09-15, 03:32 PM
Don't have ToB, sorry. But as for lifting the cap to, say, the average of sworn level and HD, that might work.

Yeah, I should have mentionned that. A ToB class's initiator level is class level +1/2 other HD. Which is the same as an average.



Problem is, though, that "X class levels" or the like opens it up to abuse with PrCs. Like a cosmic descryer giving a 7th-level sworn the cosmic connection ability; or less ridiculously, an archmage (minimum level 13th) giving a 1st-level sworn one of the high arcana powers.

Right. Here's something that would work : Add a "maximum clause level" column to the sworn's class table, which would be used instead of an HD limit. That maximum clause level would be equal to invoker level/2 (round up), similar to a wizard's maximum spell level for example. Change supernatural abilities to have a clause level equal to 1/2 HD as well. This lets you learn low-level spells from high-level sources, although it has no effect at all on learning supernatural abilities.



Come to think of it, this would likely make the sworn have to ask for meaningful restrictions, since cure light wounds is useful for the fellow just starting as a cleric, but the High Priest of The Realm probably won't even care about it.

Well that's the point. If your first level sworn manages to approach the High Priest of the Realm and actually makes him sign an oath to give you a fraction of his power... Well you damn well deserve that power, and maybe even some prestige in the sworn community.

sidhe3141
2009-09-15, 03:46 PM
Right. Here's something that would work : Add a "maximum clause level" table to the sworn's class table, which would be used instead of an HD limit. That maximum clause level would be equal to invoker level/2 (round up), similar to a wizard's maximum spell level for example. Change supernatural abilities to have a clause level equal to 1/2 HD as well. This lets you learn low-level spells from high-level sources, although it has no effect at all on learning supernatural abilities.

That might work. But a table seems like a bit excess if it follows a simple formula.


Well that's the point. If your first level sworn manages to approach the High Priest of the Realm and actually makes him sign an oath to give you a fraction of his power...Well you damn well deserve that power, and maybe even some prestige in the sworn community.

That's just hyperbole (although considering some of the things players get up to...). A more sane example would be getting the leader of the local church (maybe Cleric 5) to give you some of his power for when you go adventuring. Not counting however many bonus spells he has, he has three per day above cure light and six above cure minor. Still not as bad as the first-level cleric who gets a base of four of those spells combined.

Ranos
2009-09-15, 03:58 PM
That might work. But a table seems like a bit excess if it follows a simple formula.

Yeah, just add a column to the existing table. Doesn't take space and helps people visualize.



That's just hyperbole (although considering some of the things players get up to...). A more sane example would be getting the leader of the local church (maybe Cleric 5) to give you some of his power for when you go adventuring. Not counting however many bonus spells he has, he has three per day above cure light and six above cure minor. Still not as bad as the first-level cleric who gets a base of four of those spells combined.
Same here, you're going to a guy way more powerful than you, leader of a church even, and asking him to give you his stuff. At 5th level, every single low-level spell counts, so he's certainly not going to just give them away to every sworn who asks politely. If the guy's sending you on an adventure for some reason (or if you have some other kind of leverage on him), maybe he'll give you some clauses just for the duration of the adventure and one permanent clause as payment. Although this example doesn't really work since if he's a church leader and has any sense at all, he'll get his lower level acolytes to give you spells instead. And the more sensible option would be to just send those acolytes instead of you, they'll do the job twice as well.

sidhe3141
2009-09-15, 04:18 PM
Same here, you're going to a guy way more powerful than you, leader of a church even, and asking him to give you his stuff. At 5th level, every single low-level spell counts, so he's certainly not going to just give them away to every sworn who asks politely. If the guy's sending you on an adventure for some reason (or if you have some other kind of leverage on him), maybe he'll give you some clauses just for the duration of the adventure and one permanent clause as payment. Although this example doesn't really work since if he's a church leader and has any sense at all, he'll get his lower level acolytes to give you spells instead. And the more sensible option would be to just send those acolytes instead, they'll do the job twice as well.

Alright, that does make sense.

And as for that last comment: Yes, the acolytes can cast divine spells better than you can, but you can cast just about anything. Including things that aren't properly spells.

Ranos
2009-09-15, 05:37 PM
Isn't adding a spell level limit in addition to the HD limit needlessly confusing ? Since a maximum clause level of 1/2 EIL necessarily includes a maximum donator HD of your EIL, you should just remove the latter.

Similarly, it would simplify things to just change the EIL calculation itself to be equal to (sworn class level+HD from non-sworn classes)/2 rather than repeat (EIL+HD)/2 in all calculations.

Ah yes, by the way, you should also specify it's HD from classes that don't give you EIL improvement only. Otherwise, that ends up being counted twice. Also, you should use "the clause must have a level equal to..." instead of "the spell must have a level equal to...", to include the other types of clauses.)

Wait, actually, I just noticed you went with a limit of 1/2 EIL on HD, and 1/4 EIL on spells (seriously though, that double limit is hard to keep up with.)
So if I'm following this right, sworns gain their clauses twice as slowly as spellcasters, with a 10th level sworn having a maximum of third level clauses for example ? That's kind of...weak :smallconfused:
Edit : Oooh, right, you do count HD twice, which ends up being the same advancement rate as spellcasters...Jesus, that is really hard to follow. It's gonna be hard for first-time readers to get it.

On a completely different subject, oathbreaking penalties. They're just fine at low level, but they completely fail to keep up at higher levels. Blindness/deafness/muteness is not really a problem when you could just as easily get three thousand other senses/modes of speech. Besides, since blindness/deafness can just be emulated with a bestow curse effect, the ability really is useless.
A Kolyarut at level 20 will just get stomped, if not by the oathbreaker himself, by the oathbreaker's allies (yes by the time you are around level 20, I don't care who you are, you have allies.)
And of course, damage is never really a big deal at those levels.

Suggestion : At level 8, creature is baleful polymorphed. As usual, stays for a year, can't be reversed unless the creature atones.
At level 12, similar to the current "summoning" effect, summons a kolyarut
At level 16, the creature takes 1d6 negative levels. If it fails a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 creator level+Int), it loses the levels permanently. Otherwise, it keeps the neg lvls for a year, can't be reversed unless atonement.
Level 20, (this one needs to be something real big. I'm not really inspired, so here's the beginning of an idea). If the creature had a soul, it loses it. The soul is transferred inside a gem that appears on contract creator's person, as per Trap the Soul, except the gem has a value of 1GP (basically worthless). There is no immediate effect, but if the oathbreaker dies, he will never be able to be resurrected again unless his soul is recovered. (maybe being soulless could have some more immediate effects but I can't think of anything) If the creature has no soul, (such as a construct, elemental, outsider, undead, or a creature who already lost his soul to a broken contract) the creature itself is imprisonned inside the gem.
Or just go with a normal Trap the Soul effect instead, less complicated.

Oh yeah, about signed in blood again, maybe 1/5th the con burn in creator levels is going too far the other way. Burning up all your life force for 2 measly creator levels just seems exaggerated.

sidhe3141
2009-09-16, 12:19 PM
Isn't adding a spell level limit in addition to the HD limit needlessly confusing ? Since a maximum clause level of 1/2 EIL necessarily includes a maximum donator HD of your EIL, you should just remove the latter.

No. As you pointed out, it's possible for a sworn to want abilities from someone stronger. And the limits are not cumulative; a 4th-level sworn can (theoretically) obtain 2nd-level clauses from an epic donator.


Similarly, it would simplify things to just change the EIL calculation itself to be equal to (sworn class level+HD from non-sworn classes)/2 rather than repeat (EIL+HD)/2 in all calculations.

Except that EIL is supposed to be analogous to caster level, for purposes of determining things like duration, spell resistance, and such. Normally, you only get CL increases from your casting class and special PrCs.


Ah yes, by the way, you should also specify it's HD from classes that don't give you EIL improvement only. Otherwise, that ends up being counted twice. Also, you should use "the clause must have a level equal to..." instead of "the spell must have a level equal to...", to include the other types of clauses.)

Good catch.


Wait, actually, I just noticed you went with a limit of 1/2 EIL on HD, and 1/4 EIL on spells (seriously though, that double limit is hard to keep up with.)
So if I'm following this right, sworns gain their clauses twice as slowly as spellcasters, with a 10th level sworn having a maximum of third level clauses for example ? That's kind of...weak :smallconfused:
Edit : Oooh, right, you do count HD twice, which ends up being the same advancement rate as spellcasters...Jesus, that is really hard to follow. It's gonna be hard for first-time readers to get it.


Yeah, that probably could stand to be cleaned up.


On a completely different subject, oathbreaking penalties. They're just fine at low level, but they completely fail to keep up at higher levels. Blindness/deafness/muteness is not really a problem when you could just as easily get three thousand other senses/modes of speech. Besides, since blindness/deafness can just be emulated with a bestow curse effect, the ability really is useless.

Does BoVD say anything about upgrades to the spell blindness/deafness? If bestow curse (a spell of the same level) can use both modes of it (rather than just one), it's probably broken.

As for the other points, I might consider your replacements below (since, yes, they do seem like a bit of a problem), or maybe these:

*Replace blindness: Unable to perceive any living creature.
*Replace deafness: Unable to use any sense beyond a range of 10 feet.
*Replace muteness: Lose all languages other than those based on gestures.


A Kolyarut at level 20 will just get stomped, if not by the oathbreaker himself, by the oathbreaker's allies (yes by the time you are around level 20, I don't care who you are, you have allies.)
And of course, damage is never really a big deal at those levels.

Hm. Maybe I should, rather than using the kolyarut's HD advancement, allow the DM to apply class levels and templates.


Suggestion : At level 8, creature is baleful polymorphed. As usual, stays for a year, can't be reversed unless the creature atones.
At level 12, similar to the current "summoning" effect, summons a kolyarut
At level 16, the creature takes 1d6 negative levels. If it fails a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 creator level+Int), it loses the levels permanently. Otherwise, it keeps the neg lvls for a year, can't be reversed unless atonement.
Level 20, (this one needs to be something real big. I'm not really inspired, so here's the beginning of an idea). If the creature had a soul, it loses it. The soul is transferred inside a gem that appears on contract creator's person, as per Trap the Soul, except the gem has a value of 1GP (basically worthless). There is no immediate effect, but if the oathbreaker dies, he will never be able to be resurrected again unless his soul is recovered. (maybe being soulless could have some more immediate effects but I can't think of anything) If the creature has no soul, (such as a construct, elemental, outsider, undead, or a creature who already lost his soul to a broken contract) the creature itself is imprisonned inside the gem.
Or just go with a normal Trap the Soul effect instead, less complicated.
Those do sound like cool effects. The original 20th level punishment was imprison, and that does sound similar.

Oh yeah, about signed in blood again, maybe 1/5th the con burn in creator levels is going too far the other way. Burning up all your life force for 2 measly creator levels just seems exaggerated.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, maybe 1/2 con burn would be better. Losing one point of con bonus in exchange for one creator level.

Ranos
2009-09-16, 01:49 PM
Does BoVD say anything about upgrades to the spell blindness/deafness? If bestow curse (a spell of the same level) can use both modes of it (rather than just one), it's probably broken.

Blindness/deafness is Arc 3, Brd 2, Clr 3, Corruption 2, Darkness 2, EmBarachiel 2, HB 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Bestow curse is Adp 3, Arc 3, Clr 3, Dem 2, Destiny 4, DrgBlw 3, Fate 3, Hatred 3, Sor/Wiz 4, Suffering 3 (source : http://www.imarvintpa.com)
As you can see, bestow curse is generally of one level, if not two higher than blindness. Clerics are the exception as they get blindness late. Besides, bestow curse has a range of touch instead of medium, although that doesn't matter with contracts. I don't think it's broken at all, but nevertheless, you have to assume that DMs and players will use that option, even if you don't personally approve of it.



Yeah, that probably could stand to be cleaned up.

Yeah, I'm not quite sure I'm following where you want to go with some stuff, but here's a suggestion anyway, no real change to the class itself, just removing the equations in the class description, and all-around making stuff cleaner. Changes in red, comments in small :

Sworn
"By signing this, you both agree that a certain part of the disputed territory belongs to the other. And don't even think of breaking your word."
--Shizki Alderat, negotiating a settlement between two rival gangs.
There is a dilemma that most sentient beings face at some point: how can they trust one another? When one being stands to benefit by betraying another, there can only rarely be any mutual trust.
Most civilized societies solve this problem by setting aside a portion of their legal code for the creation and enforcement of contracts: mutually binding agreements between individuals. These contracts allow trade, commerce, and peace to exist; some philosophers have posited that society itself is an implied contract between its members.
But there are those who take the idea of contracts one step further: the sworn. While a normal individual can only turn to the legal system should a partner's word be broken, a sworn petitions the cosmos itself to bear witness to and enforce an agreement.

Making a Sworn
Sworn focus mostly on spellcasting. They are, however, largely social characters and can serve as the face of the party.

Abilities: Charisma is an important ability for sworn, as it is essential in obtaining new clauses and negotiating other agreements. Intelligence is also important, as it determines how effective those clauses are. Constitution is useful for a sworn, as a number of supernatural entities require a sacrifice of the sworn's own blood in exchange for their powers.

Races: Dwarves are the most common sworn, as their honorable personalities fit well with the class. Humans and half-elves are also common. Gnome, halfling, and half-orc sworn are almost unheard-of.

Alignment: Sworn are almost always lawful. Strict adherence to oaths and contracts is the source of their power, and they only rarely break their word. Chaotic sworn, though, do exist and make clever use of loopholes in their contracts.
Sworn as a whole have no prejudice toward good or evil. They may create contracts for the greater good of all, or may abuse their power and bind others into servitude.

Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10 gp (250 gp)

Starting Age: As cleric.

{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Max clause lvl
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Donation (clause), sanctify oath (damage), read strength | 1
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | - | 1
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | - | 2
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Sanctify oath (curse) | 2
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Donation (blood) | 3
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | - | 3
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | - | 4
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Sanctify oath (strike deaf) | 4
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | - | 5
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Donation (ability) | 5
11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | - | 6
12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Sanctify oath (strike blind) | 6
13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | - | 7
14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | - | 7
15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Donation (knowledge) | 8
16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Sanctify oath (strike mute) | 8
17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | - | 9
18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | - | 9
19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | - | 9
20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Donation (presence), sanctify oath (summoning) | 9

[/table]
Changed the table to include max clause level, which is used later instead of HD/EIL calculations
Class Skills: The class skills for the sworn (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), Craft (contracts) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (lawyer) (Wis), Profession (mediator) (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier
Hit Die: d8

Class Features
Your class features are based on creating and enforcing contracts between individuals, and using these contracts to call upon the supernatural power of others.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sworn are proficient with all simple weapons. They gain no proficiency with any armor or shields.

Clauses: A sworn may know any number of clauses. These are obtained through the donation ability described below. A sworn's effective invoker level or EIL (equal to the character's sworn level plus any bonuses from prestige classesLet's explain that later, in the prestige class description itself.) is used in place of caster or manifester level for any calculations where it is necessary. The difficulty of any saving throw against a clause is 10 + the clause's level + the sworn's Intelligence modifier. Treat a clause derived from a spell-like or psi-like ability as having a level equal to the effect's level on an appropriate class list, and one derived from a supernatural ability as having a level equal to one-half the source's HD (Round up).
At character creation (but not when taking a level in the class later), a sworn selects three 0-level and two 1st-level spells from any spell list as clauses. Each of these clauses may be used only once per day, but duplicate powers may be selected. The sworn's player and the DM should work together to determine any restrictions or requirements associated with the powers.
With the DM's permission, you may select a spell-like, psi-like, or supernatural ability available at first level instead of a spell. It should still have restrictions and/or requirements.
Typical requirements include:
*Must sacrifice items worth 10 gp each week to a specific deity.
*Must offer creature invoked a small favor up to one week after each invocation.
*Must pay standard market price for each spell cast at earliest convenience.
*Cannot speak ill of invoked creature for any reason
*Cannot sanctify any contract with a specific kind of creature.
*Must act to carry out a specific task as early as possible.
*Must tell stories about the deeds of the invoked creature once per week.

Sanctify Oath (Su): A sworn who is witness to the signing of a physical, written contract may call upon the cosmos itself to enforce it. Such a contract is called a sanctified oath, and may only be created (despite what any local laws may say) if all signatories are willing and free of any kind of compulsion or charm effect. When the oath is sanctified, the full text of the contract is mystically tattooed onto the skin of each signatory in the color that has the greatest contrast with the signatory's skin tone. Any creature attempting to read such a tattoo will have knowledge of its meaning mystically imparted onto them.
A sanctified oath cannot be broken while under compulsion or through ignorance (any compulsion, charm, or other mind-affecting effect that would force a creature to break the oath automatically fails, and a signatory is aware of any circumstance that would put them at risk of breaking the contract), but those who do break their word suffer in proportion to the power of the sworn who sanctified the contract at the time of sanctification and the degree to which he wanted to make them suffer. Should more than one sworn have sanctified the oath, their sanctifications stack, but do not require separate atonements in the case of higher-level sanctifications. Unlike most supernatural abilities, this effect applies even if the target is in an antimagic field or similar effect, but does still not apply if the contract is in such an effect at the time of sanctification.
Any sworn may cause the oathbreaker to take 1d6 points of damage per level. This damage is unspecified and ignores both hardness and damage reduction.
A sworn of 4th level or higher may choose at the time of sanctification to curse the oathbreaker. This curse is treated as though it were caused by bestow curse, and can only be removed after the oathbreaker recieves atonement.
A sworn of 8th level or higher may choose to deafen the oathbreaker for a month. This effect, like the curse effect, is entirely at the sworn's option; and like the curse effect, can only be removed before its duration is up after the oathbreaker atones.
A sworn of 12th level or higher may choose to blind the oathbreaker for a year and a day. Like the ability to inflict curses, this is entirely at the sworn's option and may only be reversed after the oathbreaker atones.
A sworn of 16th level may make the oathbreaker unable to speak for a decade. Like the ability to inflict curses, this is at the sworn's option and may only be reversed after the oathbreaker atones.
A sworn of 20th level may cause a kolyarut with CR raised to his level by applying classes and/or templates to appear before and confront the oathbreaker after preparing for 1d3 days. Like the ability to inflict curses, this is at the sworn's option.
Which effects will be applied are selected when the contract is signed. For purposes of determining the effects, use the sworn's level at the time of sanctification.
A signatory who will not be restricted by the oath at any point in the future is released from it. A signatory who breaks the oath releases all signatories, and alerts the other signatories as to the identity of the oathbreaker. When a signatory is released, the tattoo disappears from their flesh.
A contract requires paper and inks costing 9 gp per 800 words.
Should a creature capable of invoking clauses not have it, this ability cannot be granted as a clause.

Donation (Su): A signatory to a sanctified oath may exceed the bounds of reality to keep their word. Any signatory may permit any other signatory capable of invoking clauses to use one of their own supernatural, spell-like, or psi-like abilities, spells or powers, or similar abilities as though it were the recipient's own, should the contract require it. During the time that the loaned ability is in use, the donator cannot use it, and all costs are paid by the donator unless the oath states otherwise. No effect, not even reality revision or wish, can restore the lost ability during this time.
An ability that cannot be used by the original owner (for instance, if it has not been prepared or if the donator is under an effect that prohibits spellcasting) cannot be donated if required. This may cause the oath to be broken, but the invoker is aware of whether or not the power is available and may choose not to invoke it.
A donated clause can never be of a higher level than the recipient's max clause level.
At 5th level, the sworn may permit signatories to exchange a portion of their life energy. The donator may take a number of hit points in damage and the recipient gains that many temporary hit points that will last until the donator's wound is healed. This damage ignores hardness and damage reduction. Like ability donation, this is only possible if the contract requires it.
At 10th level, the sworn may permit signatories to donate their ability scores. The donator may take up to five points of ability damage and the recipient gains an inherent bonus to the same ability equal to the amount of damage taken. This transfer lasts one hour. No effect can prevent or mitigate this damage. This is only possible if the contract requires it.
At 15th level, the sworn may permit signatories to donate their knowledge. The donator may lose any number of ranks in a skill or any amount of information from memory. The recipient gains that many skill ranks (up to the normal limit) or the information lost. This transfer of information lasts one hour, and at the end of that time, the recipient forgets any learned information. This is only possible if the contract requires it.
At 20th level, the sworn may allow a signatory to instantly greater teleport (caster level equal to the sworn's EIL) to any place where their physical presence is needed to carry out an oath (DM's discretion). The signatory may instead choose to teleport to the location of any other signatory without being required to be in that signatory's presence.
Each of these abilities can only be used once per day for a given contract. Unlike most supernatural abilities, these are unique to the individual and cannot be granted as a clause. Requesting another signatory to activate one of these abilities is a free action, and acts as a telepathic effect over any distance. Activating the ability is a standard action, and using a clause is the same type of action as the original power.
The donator must have HD equal to or less than the recipient's HD. If a clause is being donated, instead the donator's HD must be equal to or less than the recipient's (EIL+ one-half the HD of any classes that do not increase EIL) or the clause must have a level equal to or less than one-half this amount (rounded up).(replaced)
Should a signatory not have it, this ability cannot be donated as a clause.

Read Strength (Su): Once per day per level, a sworn may look at one creature and know whether its HD is less than, equal to, or greater than his own.
Deprecated. HD is not a hard limit anymore outside of supernatural abilities, and you can generally use knowledge skills on critters with those anyway. Actually, I just remembered that there's also an use for sense motive that allows you to compare a guy's HD to your own. I think it must be in complete adventurer.


Multiclass sworns
A multiclass sworn determines his EIL and maximum clause level by adding together his level in the sworn class +1/2 his levels in all other classes (round up). This has no effect on the options available and damage dealt with the sanctify oath and donate ability. For example, a 8th level sworn/7th level fighter has an EIL of 12 and as such, a maximum clause level of 6. Some prestige classes allow you to add their full levels to your EIL and maximum clause levels instead.

Adding the multiclass rules outside of the main class description instead of changing equations to accomodate them makes everything much clearer.




Now that's yet another thing, but maybe you should remind people the fact that supernatural abilities can be overpowered for their HD, even the ones a sworn could get a first level. Maybe allow DMs to just raise the clause level of an extremely overpowered supernatural ability, while maybe suggesting basing the offending ability on creature CR instead (there's really no one system to judge all supernatural abilities though. Those few ones which don't fit the mold generally have to be judged case-by-case).



Hm. Maybe I should, rather than using the kolyarut's HD advancement, allow the DM to apply class levels and templates.

Still, all it's doing is throwing them one more CR-appropriate encounter for that day (and forces some homework on the DM, which I personally don't mind, but some might find annoying). Breaking a level 20 sworn's contract should be an arduous thing, even for a level 20 oathbreaker.



*Replace blindness: Unable to perceive any living creature.
*Replace deafness: Unable to use any sense beyond a range of 10 feet.
*Replace muteness: Lose all languages other than those based on gestures.

Now that's better. I can't think of anything to break those right now, although someone more knowledgeable than I am might. I still kinda like having more varied effects, but that's just a huge bias on my part. Yeah, those should be fine.
Edit : Oh, actually, I can break the replacement for muteness in two ways : 1)taking a rank in speak language, 2)telepathy doesn't require you to be able to speak a language.
Now I'm thinking those might not be so hard to break after all. I'll get back to you on this.
Nah, the blindness replacement is tight, I'm sure anything you could do to break it would end up more complicated than just faking an atonement anyway. Still unsure on the deafness replacement though. While I'm at it, a nice side-effect with is that it prevents you from using a lot of divination effects like clairvoyance or scrying.

sidhe3141
2009-09-24, 11:22 AM
Sworn has been edited.

sidhe3141
2009-10-02, 11:20 AM
Forsworn example is up, and is anyone reading this?

Next PrC will be the Contractor, a class based on carrying out contracts rather than making, enforcing, or breaking them.

sidhe3141
2009-10-05, 03:27 PM
Here's the next item: the
Contractor
"Objective: protect the party. Threat to party identified. Secondary objective: eliminate."
--N7H31G, incarnate kolyarut contractor

For some, the life of a sworn seems restrictive, but their power is desirable. For these people, there is an alternative: the contractor. The contractor is an individual with the power to invoke clauses and abilities that improve their ability to carry out contracts, but without the ability to create them.

Becoming a Contractor
Contractors are common. There are few requirements to become one.

Requirements:
Alignment: Any non-chaotic.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, knowledge (local) 6 ranks.
Special: Must have completed at least one contract.
Special: Must have recieved atonement for all broken contracts.

Class Skills: The contractor's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Balance(Dex), Concentration (Con), Climb (Dex), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Swim(Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+Int modifier

Hit dice: d8

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

1st|
+0|
+1|
+1|
+1|Clauses|0

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+1|Determination +1|0

3rd|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+2|Bonus feat|1

4th|
+2|
+2|
+2|
+2|Determination +2|1

5th|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Share technique|2

6th|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+3|Determination +3, bonus feat|2

7th|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+3|Undying devotion|3

8th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+4|Determination +4|3

9th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+4|Bonus feat|4

10th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+5|Determination +5, deny fate 3/week|4
[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Contractors are proficient with all simple weapons and light armor.

Clauses: A contractor may invoke clauses. The DC of any saving throw against a contractor's clauses is (10 + contractor's Wisdom modifier + clause level). The contractor uses its contractor level as its EIL.

Determination (Ex): A contractor may add half its level to any roll made to uphold or carry out a contract as a morale bonus.

Bonus Feat:At every third level, a contractor may gain a bonus feat from the following list, even if it does not qualify for them: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Athletic, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Decietful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Investigator, Invoke Metamagic, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Metamagic Contract, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus, Stealthy, Sublet, Track.

Share Technique (Su): A contractor of 5th level or higher may grant the use of any metacontract feat it knows to any creature sanctifying a contract it is signing. It effectively has the sanctify oath class feature for purposes of qualifying for feats only.

Undying Devotion: A contractor of seventh level gets Undying Contract as a bonus feat, even if it does not qualify for it. A contractor who already has Undying Contract may select a different feat that it qualifies for.

Deny Fate (Su): Once per week for every three levels, a contractor of tenth level may, on a single roll made to carry out or uphold a contract, roll twice and take the better result. The decision to make two rolls must be made before the result of the roll is calculated.

Ex-Contractors: A contractor who changes to a forbidden alignment or breaks a contract loses the ability to invoke clauses (unless it had this ability from another source), as well as the determination, share technique, and unbreakable will class features until it atones.

Multiclass Note: Contractor levels are not counted for purposes of determining whether or not a samurai (Complete Warrior), monk, paladin, or kensai (Complete Warrior) may continue advancing as such.

Epic Contractor
{table=head]Level | Special | Max Clause Level
11 | - | 5
12 | Bonus feat | 5
13 | - | 6
14 | Determination +6, deny fate 4/week | 6
15 | Bonus feat | 7
16 | - | 7
17 | - | 8
18 | Determination +7, bonus feat | 8
19 | - | 9
20 | Deny fate 5/week | 9
[/table]
Clauses: A contractor's maximum clause level continues to advance as normal.
Determination: Contractor levels past 10th count as half a level each for purposes of calculating determination bonuses.
Deny Fate: Contractor levels past 10th count as half a level each for purposes of determining uses of deny fate.
Bonus Feats: The following are added to an epic contractor's list of feat selections: Blinding Speed, Combat Archery, Dire Charge, Energy Resistance, Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, Epic Reputation, Epic Skill Focus, Epic Toughness, Epic Will, Extended Life Span, Fast Healing, Great Charisma, Great Constitution, Great Dexterity, Great Strength, Great Wisdom, Improved Invoking Capacity, Legendary Climber, Legendary Leaper, Legendary Tracker, Polyglot, Self-Concealment, Tenacious Magic.

Playing a Contractor
You get your powers from others, like a sworn does, but you refuse to give up your life as an adventurer.
Combat: A contractor generally functions in much the same role as a sworn.
Advancement: Contractors generally advance in the same way as sworn, although some have a preference for advancing as fighters, rogues, or other martial classes.
Resources: Contractors generally have a guild in any city, which functions as a kind of skill pool. Individual contractors (as well as the guilds) usually have sworn allies as well.

Contractors in the world
"Why won't he just die? How does he keep going through all that?"
--Robert Darklight
Contractors generally advertise their abilities. They often function as professional adventurers.

Daily Life: Contractors function as freelance adventurers most of the time.
Notables: The two best-known contractors, Jeremiah Stallion and Susannah Kent, are part of an adventuring party in the employ of the Twilight Realm Institute.
Organizations: Each major city has a "contractor's guild", which most citizens view as a kind of jobs board.

NPC Reaction
A contractor is generally treated the same as any other adventurer.

Contractors in the game
The best way to treat a contractor is as a kind of "sworn lite", mixed with a more martial class.
Adaptation: Contractors can be used in any game that makes use of contract magic.
Encounters: Contractors are generally found as members of adventuring parties.

Sample Encounter
The strange creature that was fighting the sorcerer turns toward you.
EL 17: N7H31G was an ordinary kolyarut until summoned as part of a group to deal with a wizard who had broken a sanctified oath. The wizard enfleshed it, hoping that it would begin to understand the reasons he had for breaking his word. So far though, N7H31G has yet to understand.
N7H31G
Lawful neutral neuter incarnate (Savage Species) kolyarut kolyarut 15/contractor 5
Init +1, Senses: Spot +11, Listen +11
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Draconic
Abilities: Str 14 (+2), Dex 13 (+2), Con 12 (+1), Wis 10 (+0) Int 17 (+3), Cha 16 (+3)
------------------------------------------------
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +6 banded mail)
89 hp
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +7
------------------------------------------------
Speed30 ft. (6 squares), 20 ft. (4 squares) in banded mail
Melee 1d8+2 longsword (18/19-20/x2)
Ranged 1d10 heavy crossbow (1d10/19-20/x2)
Base Atk +9, Grp +11
Clauses

Disguise self, hold person, invisibility, scare, suggestion, zone of truth: N7H31G loses these clauses and takes 10d6 damage if he fails to pay his contractor's guild dues (50 gp/month + 20% of commissions).


Supernatural Abilities
Share technique
-----------------------------------------------
SQ: Determination +4
Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Toughness, Investigator

Skills: Climb +4, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +12, Gather Information +12, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Listen +11, Search +11, Sense Motive +12, Spot +11, Survival +8 (+10 following tracks)
Possessions: Longsword, armor, robes, standard adventuring gear

sidhe3141
2009-11-12, 09:37 PM
Yes, I know this is a bit necromantic.

If nobody has any comments about the Contractor, I would like to know whether people would like to see another PrC or monsters.

onthetown
2009-11-13, 07:30 AM
I've been following this -- I'm just not great at figuring out balance and crunch, so I've been staying quiet.

Monsters next! You've got a strong base class with supporting roles, IMO it's time to see the antagonists :smallsmile:

sidhe3141
2009-11-16, 10:31 PM
As requested, here is the
Broken Fragments
http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt199/sidhe3141/Homebrew/fragments.jpg
{table]Mode | Broken Fragments Collective | Scattered Broken Fragments
| Medium Construct | Medium Construct (Swarm)
HD | 1d6 (3) | 1d6 (3)
Speed | 30 ft. (6 squares); Fly 5 ft. (average) | Fly 5 ft. (good)
Init: | +0 | +0
AC | 13; touch 13; flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex, +2 natural armor) | 18; touch 18; flat-footed 10 (+8 size)
BAB | +0; Grp +0 | +0; Grp -16
Attack | Unarmed +0 (1d3, 20/x2) | Swarm 1d6
Full-Attack | Unarmed +0 (1d3, 20/x2) | Swarm 1d6
Space/Reach | 5 ft./ 5 ft. | 0 ft./ 0 ft.
Special Attacks | Create spawn, envelop | Create spawn, distraction
Special Qualities | Pseudoswarm traits, construct traits, scatter | Cohese, swarm traits, construct traits
Saves | Fort +0 Ref +1 Will +0 | Fort +0 Ref +1 Will +0
Abilities | Str 8, Dex 10, Con -, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 | Str 1, Dex 1, Con -, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills | Concentration +4, Diplomacy +4, Listen +4, Spot +4, Knowledge (local) +4 | Listen +0, Spot +0, Hide +11
Feats | Flyby Attack | Flyby Attack
Environment | Any | Any
Organization | Solitary or party (3-6) | Solitary
Challenge Rating | 3 | 3
Treasure | Standard | Standard
Alignment | Often chaotic neutral | Often chaotic neutral
Advancement | 2-10 HD (Medium); 10-20 HD (Large); or by class; Favored Class: Sworn | 2-10 HD (Medium); 10-20 (Large)
Level Adjustment | +2 | -
[/table]

Broken fragments are the result of an oath being broken. They appear to be fine scraps of parchment with a single character written on each. When in groups, they may gather into a humanoid shape with average humaioid intelligence.

Broken fragment collectives speak Common and Auran.

Combat

Broken fragment collectives are highly social creatures, and will try to avoid combat. When scattered, they will harass any target with a contract tattoo.

Universal abilities

Create Spawn (Su): If a sanctified oath is broken in the presence of broken fragments, a copy of the contract tattoo lifts from the skin of the oathbreaker as a new broken fragment dealing 1 damage to the oathbreaker. The fragment joins the broken fragments that created it, adding one hit die for every one hundred spawn.

Construct traits: Low-light vision; darkvision 60 ft.; immune to mind-affecting effects, critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, most effects requiring a Fortitude save, and necromancy effects; cannot heal except through Craft Construct; not at risk of death from massive damage; instantly destroyed at 0 hp; cannot be raised or resurrected.

Broken fragments collectives

Scatter(Ex): Broken fragments collectives may fly apart into a collection of scattered broken fragments with equal hit points and HD while retaining their personality, mental abilities, and any conditions. The creature changes into a scattered broken fragments swarm, loses the pseudoswarm traits and scatter special qualities and the smother special attack, gains the swarm traits and cohese special qualities and the distraction special attack, and takes a -16 racial penalty on grapple checks, a -7 penalty to Strength, and a -9 penalty to Dexterity.

Envelop (Ex): A broken fragments collective may, upon establishing a hold, attempt to smother the held creature. The collective makes a second grapple check each round against the target. If this second check succeeds, the creature is enveloped. The enveloped creature cannot be targeted by any attack; but takes half of any damage inflicted upon the broken fragments collective, and any spell or effect with a range of touch affecting the collective also affects the enveloped creature. If the target must breathe, it takes normal suffocation damage. The target may free itself with a contested Strength or DC (10 + broken fragments' Strength modifier) Escape Artist check, but is otherwise considered helpless.

Pseudoswarm traits: Broken fragments collectives are not strictly swarms, but have some of their special properties. They are immune to flanking, take half weapon damage, take 1.5x damage from area effects, and automatically scatter (but may do so as a free action) in any wind stronger than that created with gust of wind.

Broken fragments swarms

Any creature that ends its turn in a space inhabited by a swarm of scattered broken fragments takes 1d6 slashing damage.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a scattered broken fragments swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or become nauseated for 1 round.

Cohese (Ex): A scattered broken fragments swarm may gather together into a collective as a full action. The scattered broken fragments swarm becomes a broken fragments collective with equal HD and hit points and the same conditions, if any, as the original. The creature loses the cohese and swarm traits special qualities and the distraction special attack, gains the scatter and pseudoswarm traits special qualities and the smother special attack, and loses its racial penalties to grapple checks and Dexterity, as well as having the racial penalty to Strength reduced to -2. It is possible for two willing swarms to merge this way. If they do, set their hit points, HD, and ECL to the total of the two swarms, set all ability scores and skill ranks to the highest between the two, retain all special qualities and attacks possessed by either swarm except those lost due to this ability, and apply all conditions on either swarm.

Swarm traits: Scattered broken fragments are immune to flanking, fixed-target-number spells, and weapon damage, take 1.5x damage from area effects, and are susceptible to high winds.

Broken fragments as characters:
Broken fragments collectives possess the following traits:
*-2 Str.
*No Constitution score.
*Special Attacks (see above): Create spawn, envelop.
*Special Qualities (see above): Pseudoswarm traits and construct traits are unmodified. Scatter is modified in the following way: if a broken fragments collective character merges with another broken fragments collective character, the two add their hit points to their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores and roll a d% + this total, with the higher result taking control. If the results are equal, the two share control of the collective.
*+2 natural armor.
*Automatic Languages: Common, Auran. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven.
*Favored Class: Sworn.
*Level adjustment: +2

New Feat: Remanant Contract [Metacontract]
Prerequisites: Sanctify oath class feature, at least two metacontract feats
Effect: When a creature breaks a remnant contract, a copy of its contract tattoo lifts from its skin as a broken fragments spawn dealing 1 damage. This creature flies away and unerringly finds the nearest broken fragments collective or scattered broken fragments swarm, adding one hit die for every one hundred spawn. A remnant contract's effective creator level is reduced by 1.

sidhe3141
2009-11-22, 07:09 PM
Next monster (still, go ahead and comment on any other material): the
Tormented Echo

Occasionally, an oath is kept when it should be broken or broken when it should be kept. The guilt and self-doubt of the oath-keeper or oath-breaker corrupts the magic of the oath, creating a creature of distilled self-torment. Tormented echoes appear before the oath-keeper or -breaker and attempt to "punish" their victim by destruction.

"Tormented Echo" is an acquired template that can be added to any sentient creature. The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) must be bound by at least one contract at the time of acquisition. Rather than modifying the base creature, the template is applied to a duplicate of the base creature instead of the base creature itself.
A tormented echo uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type

The creature’s type changes to outsider. Do not recalculate the creature’s base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. It gains the incorporeal and native subtypes. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice

All current and future Hit Dice become d8s.
Speed

Speed is unchanged.
Armor Class

Natural armor is the same as the base creature’s but applies only to ethereal encounters.
Attack

A tormented echo retains all the attacks of the base creature, although those relying on physical contact do not affect creatures that are not ethereal.
Full Attack

A tormented echo retains all the attacks of the base creature, although those relying on physical contact do not affect creatures that are not ethereal.
Damage

Against ethereal creatures, a tormented echo uses the base creature’s damage values. Against nonethereal creatures, the tormented echo usually cannot deal physical damage at all but can use its special attacks, if any, when it manifests (see below).
Special Attacks

A tormented echo retains all the special attacks of the base creature, although those relying on physical contact do not affect nonethereal creatures. The tormented echo also gains a manifestation ability plus one to three other special attacks as described below. The save DC against a special attack is equal to 10 + ½ echo’s HD + echo’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Chaining Ray (Su)

A tormented echo may make a ray attack against a single target, which must make a Will save or be helpless for 1d4 rounds. This attack may only be used once per day.
Cathartic Touch (Su)

A creature touched by a tormented echo must make a Will save or take 1d6 Wisdom damage.
Reinforce Oath (Su)

For purposes of calculating the effects of a contract broken within 30 feet of a tormented echo, treat the contract's effective creator level as 1d3 higher.
Surpression (Su)

As the forsworn ability of the same name.

Manifestation (Su)

Every tormented echo has this ability. A tormented echo dwells on the Ethereal Plane and, as an ethereal creature, it cannot affect or be affected by anything in the material world. When an echo manifests, it partly enters the Material Plane and becomes visible but incorporeal on the Material Plane. A manifested echo can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons, or spells, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. A manifested echo can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armor. A manifested echo always moves silently. A manifested echo can strike with its touch attack or with a ghost touch weapon. A manifested echo remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where is it not incorporeal. A manifested echo can be attacked by opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. The echo’s incorporeality helps protect it from foes on the Material Plane, but not from foes on the Ethereal Plane.

When a spellcasting echo is not manifested and is on the Ethereal Plane, its spells cannot affect targets on the Material Plane, but they work normally against ethereal targets. When a spellcasting echo manifests, its spells continue to affect ethereal targets and can affect targets on the Material Plane normally unless the spells rely on touch. A manifested echo’s touch spells don’t work on nonethereal targets.

An echo has two home planes, the current plane of the original creature and the Ethereal Plane. It is not considered extraplanar when on either of these planes.

Psychic Origin (Su)

In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a tormented echo through simple combat: The "destroyed" echo will often restore itself in 2d4 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A tormented echo that would otherwise be destroyed returns to the original creature with a successful level check (1d20 + echo’s HD) against DC 16. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a tormented echo for sure is to resolve the guilty feelings of the original creature, which will immediately destroy the echo.

Abilities

Same as the base creature.
Skills

Same as the base creature.
Environment

Any, often as base creature.
Organization

Solitary.
Challenge Rating

Same as the base creature +2.
Treasure

None.
Alignment

Always Lawful Evil or Chaotic Evil.
Level Adjustment

Same as the base creature +5.

Inspired by Tome of Magic: New Vestiges
Legatus, The Eternal Bond
Vestige Level: 5th
Binding DC: 25
Special Requirement: Yes
Legend: When an oath is made, kept, and discharged, the magics used to create the oath are released into the void. There, they join to form a composite of pure law and magic that eventually became known as Legatus.
Special Requirement: Legatus and Frangentus are vestiges devoted to antithetical concepts. As such, Legatus will not respond to a binder who has hosted Frangentus in the past 24 hours.
Manifestation: A single character in an unknown language appears before you in the circle. More letters follow it, some in languages you know but most in unknown languages. The letters form an amorphous mass, and then appear on your body.
Sign: Letters in all languages ever written cover your body.
Influence: Legatus, being a spirit of pure law, cannot comprehend the idea of falsehood. When influenced by Legatus, you cannot say anything that you know to be false.
Granted Abilities: Legatus grants the ability to see through falsehood, to restrain others, and to alter the behavior of other creatures.
Undeceptible (Su): You get a +2 bonus on saving throws made to resist illusion effects, and a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks made to percieve falsehoods and evasions.
Restraint (Sp): On a successful touch attack, you may cast hold monster on a single creature at will.
Verbal Contract (Sp): When a creature makes a promise in a language you speak, you may place a mark of justice upon it at will that will trigger if the promise is broken.

Frangentus, The Shattered Chains
Vestige Level: 5th
Binding DC: 25
Special Requirement: Yes
Legend: Much like Legatus, Frangentus is a composite of oath energy. Unlike Legatus, Frangentus is composed of the twisted energy of oaths that have been broken.
Special Requirement: Legatus and Frangentus are vestiges devoted to antithetical concepts. As such, Frangentus will not respond to a binder who has hosted Legatus in the past 24 hours.
Manifestation: The air above the seal begins to shimmer as though over a fire. Snatches of text are visible through the shimmering, and eventually become a scroll with constantly shifting text.
Sign: Your voice becomes warbling and filled with vibrato.
Influence: Frangentus is a being of pure chaos and magic, and thus does not permit its hosts to submit to others. When influenced by Frangentus, you cannot willingly obey a command given by others.
Granted Abilities: Frangentus grants the ability to decieve others, to safely break oaths, and to free others from control.
False Speech (Sp): You may cast minor image at will and gain a +1 bonus to Bluff checks.
Oath Supression (Su): If you have line of effect to any creature when it breaks an oath or triggers a mark of justice or similar effect, you may cause the effect not to trigger.
Liberation (Sp): By touching a creature, you may make a effective binder level check against the caster or manifester level of a charm or compulsion effect on it. If you pass the check, the effect is dispelled.

sidhe3141
2010-01-13, 10:32 PM
Unless anyone has any more monster ideas I can use, I'll start working on epics.

Dante & Vergil
2010-01-15, 12:07 AM
Epic material is always good.

sidhe3141
2010-01-19, 02:52 PM
Epic feats and progressions are up. Epic PrCs and monsters will be up shortly after I think of some. I am open to suggestions.

Dante & Vergil
2010-01-19, 05:04 PM
I've always been a huge fan of Theurge-esque Prestige Classes, you know, Dual-Advancing ones.
As for Epic stuff, what about something that makes contracts with gods, or similar beings? What about one that makes contracts with the universe itself? Would a feat that allowed you to make pacts without the other's consent? (It would probably need a save.)
Hope this springs something to mind.

sidhe3141
2010-01-20, 12:15 AM
I've always been a huge fan of Theurge-esque Prestige Classes, you know, Dual-Advancing ones.
As for Epic stuff, what about something that makes contracts with gods, or similar beings? What about one that makes contracts with the universe itself? Would a feat that allowed you to make pacts without the other's consent? (It would probably need a save.)
Hope this springs something to mind.

A theurge-type PrC I might be able to do.

Contracts with gods I already have, in the Contract Cleric.

Contracts with the universe I think I can do.

Contracts without the other's consent (I think) kind of goes against the point of the classes.

sidhe3141
2010-06-07, 04:19 AM
Sorry it's been so very long, things have been hectic between school and assorted still-not-completely-resolved technical problems.
Anyway, the first epic PrC, a theurge-like (although I think it'll be more analogous to the spellsword or rage mage) cross between binder and sworn, will be up soon.

EDIT: Okay, it's up. I was struggling with this a bit, so if anyone can think of more appropriate abilities, they would be appriciated.

Oathbinder
"Now, you will face the power of unreality itself. Come forth, Sashik the Faceless One!"
--Sarah Mildori, oathbinder

Sworn can make oaths with any sapient thing that exists. But why should only existing things be subject to oaths? There is a void between the planes, a void filled with things that have been exiled from reality and things that have never existed in the first place. Oathbinders have learned to reach into that void and strike deals with the things found there.

Becoming an Oathbinder
Some say that oathbinders are a bit strange. Others are more honest, and say that they are completely mad. After all, it takes quite an unusual person to speak with things that should not be, much less promise them anything!

Requirements:
Alignment: Any.
Abilities: Cha 25
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 24 ranks, Knowledge (local) 24 ranks.
Clauses: Able to invoke 5th-level clauses.
Vestiges: Able to bind 5th-level vestiges.
Special:Sanctify oath class feature.
Special: Must have made a contract with a vestige.

Class Skills: The oathbinder's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2+Int modifier

Hit dice: d6

Oathbinder
{table=head]Level|Special

1st|Summoning contracts

2nd|Void sight

3rd|Bar binding

4th|Void mind

5th|Void flicker

6th|Of one mind

7th|Void aura

8th|Create seal

9th|Slip the bonds

10th|Vestigial transformation
[/table]

Summoning Contracts: At each level, the oathbinder selects one vestige that she may bind. She may now take 1d4 damage to bind that vestige without drawing its seal. All other restrictions (such as special requirements) still hold.

Void Sight (Su): At second level, the oathbinder instantly identifies any extraplanar entity or being possessing or hosting an extraplanar entity (including bound vestiges).

Bar Binding (Su): At third level, an oathbinder may make a contested Spellcraft check to prevent a binder within her line of sight from binding any vestige she has selected for her summoning contracts.

Void Mind (Ex): At fourth level, exposure to the void and repeated contact with the creatures inhabiting it has made the oathbinder's mind strange to the point of being incomprehensible to any other creature. Any attempt to read, influence, or control her mind automatically fails, unless she wishes it not to.

Void Flicker (Sp): At fifth level, the oathbinder exists halfway in and halfway out of reality itself. She is considered to be under the effects of a perpetual blink clause.

Of One Mind (Su): At sixth level, the oathbinder may be fully controlled by a vestige. When binding a vestige, she may elect to perform a poor binding. If she chooses to do so, the vestige takes control of her body and actions. The vestige will act to carry out her goals, and will never take any suicidal action or act in a way counter to her nature. It may use any ability or knowledge she possesses, and may take 10 on any d20 roll, including saving throws and attack rolls. If this control is broken in any way, the binding ends.

Void Aura (Su): At seventh level, the oathbinder may channel the energies of the void itself. If she takes 1d8 damage at the beginning of a round, all creatures and objects around her take 1d10 chaotic-aligned and epic damage, and she gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks.

Create Seal (Su): At eighth level, the oathbinder has enough of the properties of a vestige that she may be summoned in the same manner as an ordinary vestige. She designs a seal. If any character draws that seal and either attempts to bind using it or expends a spell slot of any level or a power point, she may instantly use plane shift and greater teleport to enter the seal.

Slip The Bonds (Su): At ninth level, the oathbinder has gained the ability to enter the void. She may, as a full-round action provoking attacks of opportunity, fade out of reality. While outside reality, no time passes for her. She does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, does not age, and cannot invoke clauses, use skills, move, or even think. She cannot return to reality except by a seal of her design being activated, and has no choice but to respond to such a summons. It is believed that a number of powerful individuals have sealed themselves away with this method, to be called back when they are needed or the time is otherwise right.

Vestigial Transformation (Su): At tenth level, the oathbinder has effectively become a vestige. Her type changes to outsider. She selects three clauses of no higher than third level with no associated costly material component or XP cost that she may invoke, and may invoke them at will. She may select other clauses if she loses the use of any of those three. She selects one contract-induced restriction on her behavior that would be both possible and meaningful for an unaugmented, nonmagical human being. This restriction becomes an absolute binding on her behavior, and if she breaks the contract that is tied to it, she completely ceases to exist. She still ages normally, and still dies when her time is up. If she would die, she completes her transformation into a vestige, and may be bound as a third-level vestige with no special requirement.


Playing an Oathbinder

Combat:
Advancement:
Resources:

Oathbinders in the world
""
--

Daily Life:
Notables:
Organizations:
NPC Reaction


Oathbinders in the game

Adaptation:
Encounters:

Sample Encounter

EL :


Init + , Senses: Spot +, Listen +
Languages:
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AC , touch , flat-footed (10 + dex + armor)
hp
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
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Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee+ (d x )
Base Atk +, Grp +
Clauses


Supernatural Abilities

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Abilities Str (+), Dex (+), Con (+), Int (+), Wis (+), Cha (+)
SQ:
Feats:

Skills:
Possessions: