Realms of Chaos
2009-09-28, 02:15 AM
The Fortune Seeker
“Competence? Why on earth would I need that?”
-Ter Korrain, Fortune Seeker
In the world, there are many who gain incredible skill in their chosen crafts, garnering notoriety for their expertise. As a counterpoint to these skilled individuals, there are a few self-styled treasure hunters who can get by on their luck alone. Favored by lady luck, these fortune seekers can accomplish feats of daunting improbability.
Adventures: Of the many possible reasons for Fortune Seekers to adventure, one element is always present. Namely, they all adventure by choice. A good majority, as the name implies, journey to expand their coin pouches. After all, the life or luxury (or, as the case may be, a few kegs of ale) don’t pay for themselves. Other Fortune Seekers set out to put their names in a few history books, seeing no more convenient way to do so. Others still act as daredevils, always seeking out new ways to push their luck to the breaking point and beyond.
Alignment: Although not all fortune seekers are chaotic, almost none of them are lawful. The few lawful ones see probability where others do not, realizing how likely they are to succeed or fail at most tasks. The Chaotic ones, by contrast, simply note that they are lucky to have the luck that they have and intend to use it while they’ve got it. As far as good and evil, luck seems to favor the hero and villain equally, leading to an approximately equal supply of good an evil luck seekers and a larger group of neutral ones.
Religion: Religion is a tricky subject when Fortune Seekers are involved. Although some of them take their luck for granted and turn their backs upon the idea of religion, most of them are surprisingly religious. After all, in many cultures, anyone to possess as much luck as them is said to be blessed by the gods. Even in cultures where this does not hold true, many a Fortune Seeker is willing to toast to Oladimmara.
Background: It’s impossible to simply practice luck. Either you have it or you don’t. For this reason, Fortune Seekers are born, rather than made. Although it seems reasonable to suspect enchanted childhoods (as some of them have indeed had), most of them spend their childhoods testing the extent of their luck by angering dogs, jumping off of houses, or stealing small objects.
There is very little sense of camaraderie between Fortune Seekers. Two or more who happen to meet in a bar are more likely to become rivals or enemies than friends.
Race: Luck truly transcends racial borders. Any and every race can (and does) produce about equal amounts of Fortune Seekers. How each race deals with these lucky individuals differs, however. Halflings are viewed Fortune Seekers as credits to their race, each one a living testament to Dallah Thaun (making them more attractive targets for luckstealers in the caravan). Elves and Half-Elves view Fortune Seekers with varying degrees of interest but rarely consider them to be anything more than statistical abnormalities. Dwarves actively discriminate against Fortune Seekers, hating to see anyone who thinks they can get by with anything other than skill. As a result, most dwarven Fortune Seekers try to fool others (if not themselves) that their shows of luck are truly hallmarks of skill. Half-Orc Fortune Seekers are generally credited with exceptional guile or wisdom that they simply do not possess, leading to positions of prominence that they may not be suited for. Humans, although they may appear about as uncaring as elves or unfriendly as dwarves towards Fortune Seekers, carry a deep-rooted envy for those who can get by with minimal effort.
Other Classes: Most classes are, at least initially, a bit wary about relying on an individual who needs to rely on luck. After the Fortune Seeker completes a few stunts impossible without such luck, however, there are few classes who would find themselves opposed to having one as an ally.
Hit Dice: d6
Fortune Seeker
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Bout of Luck
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Fortunate Strike +2, Luck Pool, Trapfinding, Without Trying|
0
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|Against All Odds +5, Press Your Luck|
1st
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|Bonus Luck Feat, Just a Scratch|
1st
4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Fortunate Strike +3, Strong Intuition|
1st
5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Evasion|
2nd
6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+2|Share the Fortune|
2nd
7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+2|Bonus Luck Feat, Fortunate Strike +4|
2nd
8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+2|Against All Odds +10|
3rd
9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+3|Fortuitous Dodge|
3rd
10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+3|Fortunate Strike +5|
3rd
11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+3|Beginner’s Luck, Bonus Luck Feat|
4th
12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|Cheat Fate|
4th
13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|Fortunate Strike +6|
4th
14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+4|Against All Odds +15|
5th
15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+5|Bonus Luck Feat, Improved Evasion|
5th
16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|Fortunate Strike +7, Improved Fortuitous Dodge|
5th
17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|Eye Towards the Future|
6th
18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+6|Endless Possibilities|
6th
19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+6|Bonus Luck Feat, Fortunate Strike +8|
6th
20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+6|Against All Odds +20, The Perfect Week|
7th[/table]
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (any 2 skills, chosen at 1st level and taken individually), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device.
Class Features:
Fortune Seekers gain the following class features.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Fortune Seeker is proficient with All simple weapons and all light armor, but with no shields.
Luck Incarnate: Although all creatures possess some degree of luck, only Fortune Seekers possess luck that is consistent enough to be properly quantified. A 1st level Fortune Seeker is granted a 7th ability score, a luck score. To determine their luck score, the Fortune Seeker rolls 5d6 and drops the lowest result. If the result is under 10, their luck score is instead 10.
Ability checks using the luck skill are rolled like normal ability checks with a exceptions. First of all, if a Natural 20 is rolled, roll a second time and add a +20 bonus to the result (do not roll a third time in the event of a second natural 20). Fortune seekers may never take 10 or 20 on luck checks. Whenever a Fortune Seeker takes an action in which luck takes a factor, the DM makes a luck check, hidden from the Fortune Seeker. The DC of Luck checks depend on how likely an event is to occur if simply left to fate.
Luck Check DCs
DC –5: An outcome normally guaranteed to occur- burning in a fire, starving without food, getting wet in a filled pool, etc.*
DC 0: Outcomes virtually guaranteed- angering a peasant by punching him in the nose, finding a forge in a blacksmith’s shop, guards in a mansion eventually trade shifts, etc.*
DC 5: Outcomes that are highly likely- finding a room in an inn on a normal day, finding a restaurant in a small city that serves a particular type of food, getting sick after eating uncooked meat, etc.
DC 10: Outcomes about as likely to occur as not- stumbling upon crime in the slums, meeting a low-level city official in the streets, an alchemist’s lab containing a few completed products, etc.
DC 15: Outcomes roughly half as likely to occur as not- choosing the correct path out of three passageways, finding an NPC by hanging around favorite haunts, etc.
DC 20: Downright improbable outcomes- a heatwave in the arctic, happening to sit down in a bar next to an NPC that they have been looking for, etc.
DC 25: An outcome that defies prediction- getting lost in a desert only to find its only oasis, jumping out of a window and landing in the back of a passing hay wain, etc.
DC 30: An unlikely and completely fortuitous outcome- finding a bag of gold in the middle of the street, finding an NPC you were hired to kill drunk and passed out on the side of the road, etc.
DC 35: A fortuitous outcome that arises as the result of a whole chain of unlikely events- discovering that a coin you’ve been carrying around is a key that fits a door you encounter in the middle of a dungeon, being saved from execution by a poor orphan you donated money too in your first adventure, who has since then risen up to the rank of mayor, etc.
DC 40: An outcome so improbable that it defies belief- kicking a doomsday machine coated in adamantine and walls of force to discover that you had dislodged a vital component, winning in a game of cards against Oladimmara, etc.
*Luck checks with a DC of less than 5 are generally not worth rolling for, except to laugh at the results of a possible failure.
Furthermore, a Fortune Seeker’s Luck bonus or penalty is added as a bonus to all Profession (gambler) checks. A Fortune Seeker can increase their luck bonus through any ability that increases all ability scores or that increases an ability score of choice (such as bonuses gained through leveling or from a wish spell).
Note: Luck checks can only be made if no other ability check, skill check, saving throw, or attack roll on the part of the Fortune Seeker is better fitted for the situation. Also, luck checks are not magical in nature, even though they may cause the otherwise unlikely to occur. No amount of luck is going to make a bolt of lightning strike a foe from out of nowhere or cause an enemy to spontaneously combust into a fireball, for example, and a Fortune Seeker who fails on a gather information check to learn about an NPC is not automatically entitled to an additional Luck check to see if they bump into each other. However, if that Fortune Seeker were to spend enough time looking around for the NPC in the proper places, a Luck check may see if their efforts bear fruits. Likewise, if a Fortune Seeker ends up in a dangerous encounter in a forest during a lightning storm, the Fortune Seeker may be permitted a Luck check to see if a lucky lightning bolt lights a certain tree or particularly large foe on fire, perhaps giving them the chance that they need to escape (although the DC in such a case would be enormously high).
Fortunate Strike (Ex): Whenever a Fortune Seeker makes an attack, they make two attack rolls instead of one and use the higher result. If the lower result overcomes the target's AC or the higher result threatens a critical hit, the Fortune Seeker adds the indicated bonus to their attack roll, damage roll, and any critical confirmation roll. Whenever the Luck pool is used to reroll an attack, the Fortune Seeker may choose which roll to reroll.
Whenever the Fortune Seeker makes a full attack, they instead make one extra attack at their highest attack bonus and drop the lowest result. If the lowest result overcomes the target's AC or any roll threatens a critical hit, the indicated bonus is added to all attack rolls, damage rolls, and critical confirmation rolls.
Luck Pool: In addition to hit points, a Fortune Seeker gains a pool of luck points that increases as they gain levels. At first level and each class level afterwards, the Fortune Seeker gains a number of luck points equal to 10 + their Luck modifier.
A Fortune Seeker may spend a single luck point to reroll a single initiative roll, skill check, or critical confirmation roll; spend two luck points to reroll an attack roll, saving throw, or damage roll; spend three luck points to substitute your Luck modifier for any other ability modifier needed by an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check; or spend four luck points to add your Luck modifier as a luck bonus to your AC for the remainder of the encounter.
Using luck points takes no action and may be performed when it is not your turn. Rerolls granted by this ability may be made after learning success or failure of the roll but must be made before the consequences of success or failure are determined. The Fortune Seeker must stick with the results of a reroll, even if they are worse than the original.
Each day, the Fortune Seeker regains luck points equal to their class level or luck modifier, whichever is less.
Trapfinding: Fortune Seekers are adept at finding traps. They may use the Search skill to find traps when the task has a DC of 20 or higher.
Fortune Seekers can use the disable device check to disable magic traps. Furthermore, when using the disable device skill, the Fortune Seeker takes no penalty for using improvised tools (or no tools at all).
Alas, Fortune Seekers lack the depth of knowledge needed to bypass traps without disarming them.
Without Trying: If Fortune Seekers could be said to have a talent, it would be for coasting through life without really trying. While they rarely train themselves or hone their skills, they are more than likely to simply be good at doing something. At each level, a Fortune Seeker gains 4 +1 luck bonuses to apply to any class skills of their choice.
These luck bonuses don't stack with other luck bonuses gained at the same level or from sources other than this ability but do stack with bonuses gained at earlier or later levels through this class feature. These bonuses also do not stack with ranks in a given skill.
A Fortune Seeker can spend two luck points to add their Luck modifier to any skill check made with at least a +1 luck bonus from this ability.
Bout of Luck: Although the luck of many is extreme, very few people possess luck that actually presses into the domain of the supernatural. The Fortune Seeker can press their luck beyond the mundanely possible, imitating the effects of spells.
As a standard action, the Fortune Seeker can cast any spell from the cleric or sorcerer/wizard spell list with a spell level up to that given on the table above. If the spell is at least four spell levels lower than the number given on the table, they may instead use that spell as a swift action.
To imitate a spell, a Fortune Seeker must have a Luck score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Fortune Seeker’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Fortune Seeker’s Luck modifier.
There are some additional restrictions on this ability, however. Only spells that designate one or more specific targets may be used in this way (not those that create effects or target areas). Spells of the glamer or polymorph subschool are off limits, as are spells with a casting time greater than 1 standard action. Lastly, spells with xp costs, foci (not counting divine foci), or expensive material components can’t be imitated in this way.
As these spells are an extension of your own luck, it is difficult to tell that anything has occurred. The Fortune Seeker uses these spells as spell-like abilities that do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Furthermore, all spells are affected as if by the invisible spell feat (complete scoundrel). Lastly, any damage dealt by a spell cast becomes an equal amount of untyped nonlethal damage. No matter the actual effect of the spell, it doesn’t appear that the Fortune Seeker has actually cast anything (casting spider walk means that all walls they come across have convenient handholds that break as they are climbed while casting fly might have a huge gust of wind blow them up into the air, for example), although spellcraft checks, detect magic, and similar abilities indicate to the contrary.
Spells imitated in this way can’t be affected by metamagic feats and have their duration reduced to a number of rounds equal to your Luck Modifier +1 (minimum 1 round) unless the spell’s duration is normally less.
After imitating a spell in this way, a Fortune Seeker can’t imitate another until the start of the next encounter or until the Fortune Seeker has spent at least seven luck points.
A Fortune Seeker’s caster level is equal to their class level.
Press your Luck (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Fortune Seeker has a say in how luck affects their lives. A number of times per week equal to their Luck modifier (minimum 1/week), a Fortune Seeker may state that are counting on their luck to make something occur as a free action. As normal for a Luck check, no other roll of the dice must be capable of creating the desired result.
The Fortune Seeker effectively takes 10 on a Luck check to see whether the desired event occurs, breaking the normal restriction on taking 10. Furthermore, the DC of the luck check is increased by +5.
Each use of this ability costs four luck points. This ability may not be used while in combat or while under duress (such as while held captive).
Against All Odds (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Fortune Seeker’s good fortune allows them to accomplish feats that appear impossible. Whenever a Fortune Seeker rolls a natural 20 without the use of a reroll or luck feat, the Fortune Seeker gains an impossibility point.
Whenever a Fortune Seeker with an impossibility point attempts an attack roll or saving throw that they can only succeed on a natural 20 or make a skill check that they are otherwise incapable of succeeding on, the impossibility point is expended and the Fortune Seeker gains a +5 luck bonus to that roll.
Alternately, the next time that the Fortune Seeker rolls a natural 1, it is not an automatic failure if it is an attack roll or saving throw and the same +5 bonus is applied to it.
At 8th level, the bonus increases to +10. At 14th level, the bonus increases to +15. At 20th level, the bonus increases to +20.
The impossibility point lasts for 24 hours or until used. A Fortune Seeker may never possess more than one Impossibility point at any given time.
Bonus Luck Feat: At 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th levels, the Fortune Seeker gains any luck feat (complete scoundrel) that they qualify for as a bonus feat.
So long as their luck pool is at least half full, it takes no action to activate luck feats (although they may utilize any given luck feat only once per round).
Just a Scratch (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a Fortune Seeker’s wounds are never as bad as they may first appear. Whenever a Fortune Seeker would take damage that would lower them to 0 or less hit points, they may choose to have some or all of that damage subtract luck points from their luck pool instead of subtracting from their hit point total (this does not count as an expenditure of luck points).
Furthermore, a Fortune Seeker may always heal a number of hit points equal to their class level at the end of an encounter in which they lost more than that number of hit points.
Strong Intuition (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Fortune Seeker may use their luck to make up for their shortcomings. Whenever a Fortune Seeker rerolls an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check through any means, they may spend two luck points to also roll a Luck check. If the result of the luck check is higher than that of the reroll, it is used instead.
Evasion (Ex): Starting at 5th level, a Fortune Seeker can avoid even magical and unexpected attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead take no damage. Evasion can only be used if the Fortune Seeker is wearing light or no armor. A helpless Fortune Seeker does not gain the benefits of evasion.
Share the Fortune (Ex): Starting at 6th level, a Fortune Seeker may share their unnatural luck with those around them. When a Fortune Seeker uses any of their luck pool’s abilities, they may choose to pass the benefits onto another ally within sight rather than gaining the benefits for themselves. Even if it is provided to them, however, an ally is under no compulsion to use a granted reroll.
Fortuitous Dodge (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a Fortune Seeker can escape any unfortunate situation. By spending a luck point as an immediate action, the Fortune Seeker gains a 5% miss chance per point of luck modifier (positive or negative) against the next attack made against them. The miss chance is at least 5% and may not exceed 50%. For each luck point spent beyond the first, this miss chance applies against a single additional attack, to a maximum of 7 attacks, so long as all attacks are made within the next 7 rounds.
Beginner’s Luck (Ex): Starting at 11th level, a Fortune Seeker seems to have somewhat of a knack for whatever they do. A fortune Seeker may make any skill check untrained. Furthermore, while using a skill in which the Fortune Seeker possesses no ranks, they add their Luck bonus (if any) as a bonus to the skill check in addition to the normal ability score modifier.
Cheat Fate (Ex): Starting at 12th level, a Fortune Seeker can escape death through sheer luck. Whenever any source of damage would reduce the Fortune Seeker from positive hit points to –10 or less hit points, the Fortune Seeker may pay five luck points as an immediate action to only take half of that damage as nonlethal damage.
Furthermore, a Fortune Seeker may spend two luck points to automatically succeed on a saving throw made to resist death through massive damage or a coup de grace.
Improved Evasion (Ex): Starting at 15th level, the Fortune Seeker’s reflexes increase by an incredible degree. This ability works like evasion, except that while the Fortune Seeker still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw, henceforth they only take half damage on a failed save. A helpless Fortune Seeker gains no benefit from Improved Evasion.
Improved Fortuitous Dodge (Ex): Starting at 16th level, a Fortune Seeker’s ability to dodge harm is unparalleled. Their fortuitous dodge ability applies against the next 1d6 attacks instead of against the single next attack. For each additional luck point spent, the ability applies against another 1d6 attacks, to a maxiumum of 7d6 attacks, so long as all attacks are made within the next 7 minutes.
Eye Towards the Future (Ex): Starting at 17th level, a Fortune Seeker can avoid a predetermined future. Before a Fortune Seeker decides whether to use a reroll or not, they are entitled to knowing the immediate results of a failed skill check (such as learning that they have falled off of a wall instead of merely failing to make progress with a failed climb check, both of which are technically failures) or saving throw (such as learning that they will take 48 cold damage from failing their save against a cone of cold).
Furthermore, whenever a Fortune Seeker fails on an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, they also learn by how much they missed the DC (again before they declare the use of rerolls).
Endless Possibilities (Ex): Starting at 18th level, a Fortune Seeker’s luck is immeasurable. A Fortune Seeker need not accept the results of a reroll, gaining the ability to reroll a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check as many times as they have the luck points to afford (although each reroll counts as a separate expenditure of luck points). Whenever this ability is used, the Fortune seeker takes a -2 Penalty to their Luck score for each reroll beyond the first (to a minimum of 1) for the next 24 hours. This luck penalty reduces the number of luck points that the Fortune seeker possesses accordingly.
The Perfect Week (Ex): Starting at 20th level, at the sunrise of any day, a Fortune Seeker may declare that day to be a perfect day. During a perfect day, a number of times equal to the Fortune Seeker’s luck modifier (minimum once), the Fortune Seeker may treat the result of any attack roll, saving throw, skill check, initiative roll, or ability check as a natural 20. In addition, once per perfect day, the Fortune Seeker may use Wish as a spell-like ability. However, the Fortune Seeker only possesses a limited quantity of such unbelievable luck. A Fortune Seeker possesses the potential for seven perfect days when they reach 20th level and regain the use of one spent day each year (although they may never possess more than seven).
Fortune Seekers and multiclassing: a character cannot take a level in Fortune Seeker after first level. Furthermore, if a character with levels in fortune seeker gains levels in any other class, they instantly lose all class features and may not take further levels in Fortune Seeker as well as their luck score as their reliance in powers other than luck causes them to lose their control over chance
So this is the third incarnation of this class, taking what I like best about the first two and putting it together. I also added in a new system for magic that really makes it feel as though the player is magically lucky rather than magical.
The first draft was inspired by mechanics from Swords and Sorcery and from Green Ronin. The second draft was inspired in part by Fax’s Luckthief class. I chose to create this third incarnation because 1) I realize that I lost a couple of abilities from the first build that I liked, 2) I have never been able to assess the balance of this class as I never get more than two replies, and 3) I wanted to see if I could make the magic system for this guy do its job better.
“Competence? Why on earth would I need that?”
-Ter Korrain, Fortune Seeker
In the world, there are many who gain incredible skill in their chosen crafts, garnering notoriety for their expertise. As a counterpoint to these skilled individuals, there are a few self-styled treasure hunters who can get by on their luck alone. Favored by lady luck, these fortune seekers can accomplish feats of daunting improbability.
Adventures: Of the many possible reasons for Fortune Seekers to adventure, one element is always present. Namely, they all adventure by choice. A good majority, as the name implies, journey to expand their coin pouches. After all, the life or luxury (or, as the case may be, a few kegs of ale) don’t pay for themselves. Other Fortune Seekers set out to put their names in a few history books, seeing no more convenient way to do so. Others still act as daredevils, always seeking out new ways to push their luck to the breaking point and beyond.
Alignment: Although not all fortune seekers are chaotic, almost none of them are lawful. The few lawful ones see probability where others do not, realizing how likely they are to succeed or fail at most tasks. The Chaotic ones, by contrast, simply note that they are lucky to have the luck that they have and intend to use it while they’ve got it. As far as good and evil, luck seems to favor the hero and villain equally, leading to an approximately equal supply of good an evil luck seekers and a larger group of neutral ones.
Religion: Religion is a tricky subject when Fortune Seekers are involved. Although some of them take their luck for granted and turn their backs upon the idea of religion, most of them are surprisingly religious. After all, in many cultures, anyone to possess as much luck as them is said to be blessed by the gods. Even in cultures where this does not hold true, many a Fortune Seeker is willing to toast to Oladimmara.
Background: It’s impossible to simply practice luck. Either you have it or you don’t. For this reason, Fortune Seekers are born, rather than made. Although it seems reasonable to suspect enchanted childhoods (as some of them have indeed had), most of them spend their childhoods testing the extent of their luck by angering dogs, jumping off of houses, or stealing small objects.
There is very little sense of camaraderie between Fortune Seekers. Two or more who happen to meet in a bar are more likely to become rivals or enemies than friends.
Race: Luck truly transcends racial borders. Any and every race can (and does) produce about equal amounts of Fortune Seekers. How each race deals with these lucky individuals differs, however. Halflings are viewed Fortune Seekers as credits to their race, each one a living testament to Dallah Thaun (making them more attractive targets for luckstealers in the caravan). Elves and Half-Elves view Fortune Seekers with varying degrees of interest but rarely consider them to be anything more than statistical abnormalities. Dwarves actively discriminate against Fortune Seekers, hating to see anyone who thinks they can get by with anything other than skill. As a result, most dwarven Fortune Seekers try to fool others (if not themselves) that their shows of luck are truly hallmarks of skill. Half-Orc Fortune Seekers are generally credited with exceptional guile or wisdom that they simply do not possess, leading to positions of prominence that they may not be suited for. Humans, although they may appear about as uncaring as elves or unfriendly as dwarves towards Fortune Seekers, carry a deep-rooted envy for those who can get by with minimal effort.
Other Classes: Most classes are, at least initially, a bit wary about relying on an individual who needs to rely on luck. After the Fortune Seeker completes a few stunts impossible without such luck, however, there are few classes who would find themselves opposed to having one as an ally.
Hit Dice: d6
Fortune Seeker
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Bout of Luck
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Fortunate Strike +2, Luck Pool, Trapfinding, Without Trying|
0
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|Against All Odds +5, Press Your Luck|
1st
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|Bonus Luck Feat, Just a Scratch|
1st
4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Fortunate Strike +3, Strong Intuition|
1st
5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Evasion|
2nd
6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+2|Share the Fortune|
2nd
7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+2|Bonus Luck Feat, Fortunate Strike +4|
2nd
8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+2|Against All Odds +10|
3rd
9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+3|Fortuitous Dodge|
3rd
10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+3|Fortunate Strike +5|
3rd
11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+3|Beginner’s Luck, Bonus Luck Feat|
4th
12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|Cheat Fate|
4th
13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|Fortunate Strike +6|
4th
14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+4|Against All Odds +15|
5th
15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+5|Bonus Luck Feat, Improved Evasion|
5th
16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|Fortunate Strike +7, Improved Fortuitous Dodge|
5th
17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|Eye Towards the Future|
6th
18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+6|Endless Possibilities|
6th
19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+6|Bonus Luck Feat, Fortunate Strike +8|
6th
20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+6|Against All Odds +20, The Perfect Week|
7th[/table]
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, x4 at 1st level): Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (any 2 skills, chosen at 1st level and taken individually), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device.
Class Features:
Fortune Seekers gain the following class features.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Fortune Seeker is proficient with All simple weapons and all light armor, but with no shields.
Luck Incarnate: Although all creatures possess some degree of luck, only Fortune Seekers possess luck that is consistent enough to be properly quantified. A 1st level Fortune Seeker is granted a 7th ability score, a luck score. To determine their luck score, the Fortune Seeker rolls 5d6 and drops the lowest result. If the result is under 10, their luck score is instead 10.
Ability checks using the luck skill are rolled like normal ability checks with a exceptions. First of all, if a Natural 20 is rolled, roll a second time and add a +20 bonus to the result (do not roll a third time in the event of a second natural 20). Fortune seekers may never take 10 or 20 on luck checks. Whenever a Fortune Seeker takes an action in which luck takes a factor, the DM makes a luck check, hidden from the Fortune Seeker. The DC of Luck checks depend on how likely an event is to occur if simply left to fate.
Luck Check DCs
DC –5: An outcome normally guaranteed to occur- burning in a fire, starving without food, getting wet in a filled pool, etc.*
DC 0: Outcomes virtually guaranteed- angering a peasant by punching him in the nose, finding a forge in a blacksmith’s shop, guards in a mansion eventually trade shifts, etc.*
DC 5: Outcomes that are highly likely- finding a room in an inn on a normal day, finding a restaurant in a small city that serves a particular type of food, getting sick after eating uncooked meat, etc.
DC 10: Outcomes about as likely to occur as not- stumbling upon crime in the slums, meeting a low-level city official in the streets, an alchemist’s lab containing a few completed products, etc.
DC 15: Outcomes roughly half as likely to occur as not- choosing the correct path out of three passageways, finding an NPC by hanging around favorite haunts, etc.
DC 20: Downright improbable outcomes- a heatwave in the arctic, happening to sit down in a bar next to an NPC that they have been looking for, etc.
DC 25: An outcome that defies prediction- getting lost in a desert only to find its only oasis, jumping out of a window and landing in the back of a passing hay wain, etc.
DC 30: An unlikely and completely fortuitous outcome- finding a bag of gold in the middle of the street, finding an NPC you were hired to kill drunk and passed out on the side of the road, etc.
DC 35: A fortuitous outcome that arises as the result of a whole chain of unlikely events- discovering that a coin you’ve been carrying around is a key that fits a door you encounter in the middle of a dungeon, being saved from execution by a poor orphan you donated money too in your first adventure, who has since then risen up to the rank of mayor, etc.
DC 40: An outcome so improbable that it defies belief- kicking a doomsday machine coated in adamantine and walls of force to discover that you had dislodged a vital component, winning in a game of cards against Oladimmara, etc.
*Luck checks with a DC of less than 5 are generally not worth rolling for, except to laugh at the results of a possible failure.
Furthermore, a Fortune Seeker’s Luck bonus or penalty is added as a bonus to all Profession (gambler) checks. A Fortune Seeker can increase their luck bonus through any ability that increases all ability scores or that increases an ability score of choice (such as bonuses gained through leveling or from a wish spell).
Note: Luck checks can only be made if no other ability check, skill check, saving throw, or attack roll on the part of the Fortune Seeker is better fitted for the situation. Also, luck checks are not magical in nature, even though they may cause the otherwise unlikely to occur. No amount of luck is going to make a bolt of lightning strike a foe from out of nowhere or cause an enemy to spontaneously combust into a fireball, for example, and a Fortune Seeker who fails on a gather information check to learn about an NPC is not automatically entitled to an additional Luck check to see if they bump into each other. However, if that Fortune Seeker were to spend enough time looking around for the NPC in the proper places, a Luck check may see if their efforts bear fruits. Likewise, if a Fortune Seeker ends up in a dangerous encounter in a forest during a lightning storm, the Fortune Seeker may be permitted a Luck check to see if a lucky lightning bolt lights a certain tree or particularly large foe on fire, perhaps giving them the chance that they need to escape (although the DC in such a case would be enormously high).
Fortunate Strike (Ex): Whenever a Fortune Seeker makes an attack, they make two attack rolls instead of one and use the higher result. If the lower result overcomes the target's AC or the higher result threatens a critical hit, the Fortune Seeker adds the indicated bonus to their attack roll, damage roll, and any critical confirmation roll. Whenever the Luck pool is used to reroll an attack, the Fortune Seeker may choose which roll to reroll.
Whenever the Fortune Seeker makes a full attack, they instead make one extra attack at their highest attack bonus and drop the lowest result. If the lowest result overcomes the target's AC or any roll threatens a critical hit, the indicated bonus is added to all attack rolls, damage rolls, and critical confirmation rolls.
Luck Pool: In addition to hit points, a Fortune Seeker gains a pool of luck points that increases as they gain levels. At first level and each class level afterwards, the Fortune Seeker gains a number of luck points equal to 10 + their Luck modifier.
A Fortune Seeker may spend a single luck point to reroll a single initiative roll, skill check, or critical confirmation roll; spend two luck points to reroll an attack roll, saving throw, or damage roll; spend three luck points to substitute your Luck modifier for any other ability modifier needed by an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check; or spend four luck points to add your Luck modifier as a luck bonus to your AC for the remainder of the encounter.
Using luck points takes no action and may be performed when it is not your turn. Rerolls granted by this ability may be made after learning success or failure of the roll but must be made before the consequences of success or failure are determined. The Fortune Seeker must stick with the results of a reroll, even if they are worse than the original.
Each day, the Fortune Seeker regains luck points equal to their class level or luck modifier, whichever is less.
Trapfinding: Fortune Seekers are adept at finding traps. They may use the Search skill to find traps when the task has a DC of 20 or higher.
Fortune Seekers can use the disable device check to disable magic traps. Furthermore, when using the disable device skill, the Fortune Seeker takes no penalty for using improvised tools (or no tools at all).
Alas, Fortune Seekers lack the depth of knowledge needed to bypass traps without disarming them.
Without Trying: If Fortune Seekers could be said to have a talent, it would be for coasting through life without really trying. While they rarely train themselves or hone their skills, they are more than likely to simply be good at doing something. At each level, a Fortune Seeker gains 4 +1 luck bonuses to apply to any class skills of their choice.
These luck bonuses don't stack with other luck bonuses gained at the same level or from sources other than this ability but do stack with bonuses gained at earlier or later levels through this class feature. These bonuses also do not stack with ranks in a given skill.
A Fortune Seeker can spend two luck points to add their Luck modifier to any skill check made with at least a +1 luck bonus from this ability.
Bout of Luck: Although the luck of many is extreme, very few people possess luck that actually presses into the domain of the supernatural. The Fortune Seeker can press their luck beyond the mundanely possible, imitating the effects of spells.
As a standard action, the Fortune Seeker can cast any spell from the cleric or sorcerer/wizard spell list with a spell level up to that given on the table above. If the spell is at least four spell levels lower than the number given on the table, they may instead use that spell as a swift action.
To imitate a spell, a Fortune Seeker must have a Luck score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Fortune Seeker’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Fortune Seeker’s Luck modifier.
There are some additional restrictions on this ability, however. Only spells that designate one or more specific targets may be used in this way (not those that create effects or target areas). Spells of the glamer or polymorph subschool are off limits, as are spells with a casting time greater than 1 standard action. Lastly, spells with xp costs, foci (not counting divine foci), or expensive material components can’t be imitated in this way.
As these spells are an extension of your own luck, it is difficult to tell that anything has occurred. The Fortune Seeker uses these spells as spell-like abilities that do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Furthermore, all spells are affected as if by the invisible spell feat (complete scoundrel). Lastly, any damage dealt by a spell cast becomes an equal amount of untyped nonlethal damage. No matter the actual effect of the spell, it doesn’t appear that the Fortune Seeker has actually cast anything (casting spider walk means that all walls they come across have convenient handholds that break as they are climbed while casting fly might have a huge gust of wind blow them up into the air, for example), although spellcraft checks, detect magic, and similar abilities indicate to the contrary.
Spells imitated in this way can’t be affected by metamagic feats and have their duration reduced to a number of rounds equal to your Luck Modifier +1 (minimum 1 round) unless the spell’s duration is normally less.
After imitating a spell in this way, a Fortune Seeker can’t imitate another until the start of the next encounter or until the Fortune Seeker has spent at least seven luck points.
A Fortune Seeker’s caster level is equal to their class level.
Press your Luck (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Fortune Seeker has a say in how luck affects their lives. A number of times per week equal to their Luck modifier (minimum 1/week), a Fortune Seeker may state that are counting on their luck to make something occur as a free action. As normal for a Luck check, no other roll of the dice must be capable of creating the desired result.
The Fortune Seeker effectively takes 10 on a Luck check to see whether the desired event occurs, breaking the normal restriction on taking 10. Furthermore, the DC of the luck check is increased by +5.
Each use of this ability costs four luck points. This ability may not be used while in combat or while under duress (such as while held captive).
Against All Odds (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Fortune Seeker’s good fortune allows them to accomplish feats that appear impossible. Whenever a Fortune Seeker rolls a natural 20 without the use of a reroll or luck feat, the Fortune Seeker gains an impossibility point.
Whenever a Fortune Seeker with an impossibility point attempts an attack roll or saving throw that they can only succeed on a natural 20 or make a skill check that they are otherwise incapable of succeeding on, the impossibility point is expended and the Fortune Seeker gains a +5 luck bonus to that roll.
Alternately, the next time that the Fortune Seeker rolls a natural 1, it is not an automatic failure if it is an attack roll or saving throw and the same +5 bonus is applied to it.
At 8th level, the bonus increases to +10. At 14th level, the bonus increases to +15. At 20th level, the bonus increases to +20.
The impossibility point lasts for 24 hours or until used. A Fortune Seeker may never possess more than one Impossibility point at any given time.
Bonus Luck Feat: At 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th levels, the Fortune Seeker gains any luck feat (complete scoundrel) that they qualify for as a bonus feat.
So long as their luck pool is at least half full, it takes no action to activate luck feats (although they may utilize any given luck feat only once per round).
Just a Scratch (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a Fortune Seeker’s wounds are never as bad as they may first appear. Whenever a Fortune Seeker would take damage that would lower them to 0 or less hit points, they may choose to have some or all of that damage subtract luck points from their luck pool instead of subtracting from their hit point total (this does not count as an expenditure of luck points).
Furthermore, a Fortune Seeker may always heal a number of hit points equal to their class level at the end of an encounter in which they lost more than that number of hit points.
Strong Intuition (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Fortune Seeker may use their luck to make up for their shortcomings. Whenever a Fortune Seeker rerolls an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check through any means, they may spend two luck points to also roll a Luck check. If the result of the luck check is higher than that of the reroll, it is used instead.
Evasion (Ex): Starting at 5th level, a Fortune Seeker can avoid even magical and unexpected attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead take no damage. Evasion can only be used if the Fortune Seeker is wearing light or no armor. A helpless Fortune Seeker does not gain the benefits of evasion.
Share the Fortune (Ex): Starting at 6th level, a Fortune Seeker may share their unnatural luck with those around them. When a Fortune Seeker uses any of their luck pool’s abilities, they may choose to pass the benefits onto another ally within sight rather than gaining the benefits for themselves. Even if it is provided to them, however, an ally is under no compulsion to use a granted reroll.
Fortuitous Dodge (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a Fortune Seeker can escape any unfortunate situation. By spending a luck point as an immediate action, the Fortune Seeker gains a 5% miss chance per point of luck modifier (positive or negative) against the next attack made against them. The miss chance is at least 5% and may not exceed 50%. For each luck point spent beyond the first, this miss chance applies against a single additional attack, to a maximum of 7 attacks, so long as all attacks are made within the next 7 rounds.
Beginner’s Luck (Ex): Starting at 11th level, a Fortune Seeker seems to have somewhat of a knack for whatever they do. A fortune Seeker may make any skill check untrained. Furthermore, while using a skill in which the Fortune Seeker possesses no ranks, they add their Luck bonus (if any) as a bonus to the skill check in addition to the normal ability score modifier.
Cheat Fate (Ex): Starting at 12th level, a Fortune Seeker can escape death through sheer luck. Whenever any source of damage would reduce the Fortune Seeker from positive hit points to –10 or less hit points, the Fortune Seeker may pay five luck points as an immediate action to only take half of that damage as nonlethal damage.
Furthermore, a Fortune Seeker may spend two luck points to automatically succeed on a saving throw made to resist death through massive damage or a coup de grace.
Improved Evasion (Ex): Starting at 15th level, the Fortune Seeker’s reflexes increase by an incredible degree. This ability works like evasion, except that while the Fortune Seeker still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw, henceforth they only take half damage on a failed save. A helpless Fortune Seeker gains no benefit from Improved Evasion.
Improved Fortuitous Dodge (Ex): Starting at 16th level, a Fortune Seeker’s ability to dodge harm is unparalleled. Their fortuitous dodge ability applies against the next 1d6 attacks instead of against the single next attack. For each additional luck point spent, the ability applies against another 1d6 attacks, to a maxiumum of 7d6 attacks, so long as all attacks are made within the next 7 minutes.
Eye Towards the Future (Ex): Starting at 17th level, a Fortune Seeker can avoid a predetermined future. Before a Fortune Seeker decides whether to use a reroll or not, they are entitled to knowing the immediate results of a failed skill check (such as learning that they have falled off of a wall instead of merely failing to make progress with a failed climb check, both of which are technically failures) or saving throw (such as learning that they will take 48 cold damage from failing their save against a cone of cold).
Furthermore, whenever a Fortune Seeker fails on an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, they also learn by how much they missed the DC (again before they declare the use of rerolls).
Endless Possibilities (Ex): Starting at 18th level, a Fortune Seeker’s luck is immeasurable. A Fortune Seeker need not accept the results of a reroll, gaining the ability to reroll a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check as many times as they have the luck points to afford (although each reroll counts as a separate expenditure of luck points). Whenever this ability is used, the Fortune seeker takes a -2 Penalty to their Luck score for each reroll beyond the first (to a minimum of 1) for the next 24 hours. This luck penalty reduces the number of luck points that the Fortune seeker possesses accordingly.
The Perfect Week (Ex): Starting at 20th level, at the sunrise of any day, a Fortune Seeker may declare that day to be a perfect day. During a perfect day, a number of times equal to the Fortune Seeker’s luck modifier (minimum once), the Fortune Seeker may treat the result of any attack roll, saving throw, skill check, initiative roll, or ability check as a natural 20. In addition, once per perfect day, the Fortune Seeker may use Wish as a spell-like ability. However, the Fortune Seeker only possesses a limited quantity of such unbelievable luck. A Fortune Seeker possesses the potential for seven perfect days when they reach 20th level and regain the use of one spent day each year (although they may never possess more than seven).
Fortune Seekers and multiclassing: a character cannot take a level in Fortune Seeker after first level. Furthermore, if a character with levels in fortune seeker gains levels in any other class, they instantly lose all class features and may not take further levels in Fortune Seeker as well as their luck score as their reliance in powers other than luck causes them to lose their control over chance
So this is the third incarnation of this class, taking what I like best about the first two and putting it together. I also added in a new system for magic that really makes it feel as though the player is magically lucky rather than magical.
The first draft was inspired by mechanics from Swords and Sorcery and from Green Ronin. The second draft was inspired in part by Fax’s Luckthief class. I chose to create this third incarnation because 1) I realize that I lost a couple of abilities from the first build that I liked, 2) I have never been able to assess the balance of this class as I never get more than two replies, and 3) I wanted to see if I could make the magic system for this guy do its job better.