Vampire Slayer

[LOTRfan]

I was really bored tonight, so I created a prestige class based on the Slayer, from the TV series (look, I was really bored). This class is mainly for campaigns that take place in areas filled with demons and undead. Feel free to use it, modify it, or whatever. I'll add more related to this prestige class later.

Slayer
Once per generation, a woman is found with the powers to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. Imbued with the soul of a shadow demon, and despite the fact that they are widely known as Vampire Slayers, Slayers are the ultimate demon-and aberration slaying machine. With enhanced strength and athletics, a Slayer can accomplish things normal beings could only imagine.
Naturally, only one Slayer exists at a time. When one dies, another Potential Slayer (someone who meets the prerequisites) is “activated,” so becoming a slayer is not a choice. Slayers can be of any alignment. A new Slayer may be bitter, confused, or another negative emotion after having such a destiny forced upon them. Generally, Slayers are loners, working with no one and befriending no one (except their Watcher). There are exceptions to this rule (especially if players become this prestige class). Due to their constant battles against the darkness, a Slayer’s lifespan isn’t very long. Slayers, though themselves magical creatures, cannot use magic.

Requirements
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Endurance, Athletics, Agile, Blind fight

Class Skills
Slayers are more athletic than other classes. Spot (Wis), Use Rope (Dex), Survival (Wis), Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Balance (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Tumble (Dex)

Class Features
The Slayer possesses the following features.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Slayers gain no additional proficiencies. She does gain a +4 natural armor bonus.

Supernatural Properties: At first level, the Slayer’s type becomes Magical Creature. She retains any subtypes.

Enhanced Strength: Due to her supernatural properties, she gains a +4 to her strength at level 1.

Enhanced Constitution: The shadow demon-soul imbued inside her gives her a +4 bonus to constitution at level 3.

Enhanced Dexterity: In order to survive, a Slayer must always be ready for a fight and be nimble. They gain a +3 bonus to dexterity at level 5.

Resourcefulness: The Slayer can use any weapon she can get her hands on, and wield it as though she is proficient with it. This includes any and all improvised weapons.

Lethal Hands: A Slayer’s unarmed weapons (her hands and feet) are lethal because of her supernatural strength.

Weapon Mastery: A Slayer can choose to become a master of cold iron weapons, of silver weapons, or wooden stakes. When wielding these weapons, slayers get a +10 to attack and +5 to damage.


{table]
Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1|+3|+1|+2|+0|Supernatural Properties, Enhanced Strength
2|+4|+2|+3|+0|Lethal Hands
3|+5|+3|+4|+0|Enhanced Constitution
4|+6|+4|+5|+1|
5|+7|+5|+6|+2|Enhanced Dexterity
6|+8|+6|+7|+3|Resourcefulness
7|+9|+7|+8|+4|Natural Armor +4
8|+10|+8|+9|+5|
9|+11|+9|+10|+6|
10|+12|+10|+11|+7|Weapon Mastery[/table]

The fact that there is only supposed to be one at a time, and one is activated whenever the last one dies can cause problems. Try to only use this class in campaigns where resurrections are rare.

EDIT Thanks for the chart fix. Ignore the saves and attack bonus, I'll fix it soon.

[The Rose Dragon]

{table=head]
Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1|
+3|
+1|
+2|
+0|Supernatural Properties, Enhanced Strength
2|
+4|
+2|
+3|
+0|Lethal Hands
3|
+5|
+3|
+4|
+0|Enhanced Constitution
4|
+6|
+4|
+5|
+1|
5|
+7|
+5|
+6|
+2|Enhanced Dexterity
6|
+8|
+6|
+7|
+3|Resourcefulness
7|
+9|
+7|
+8|
+4|Natural Armor +4
8|
+10|
+8|
+9|
+5|
9|
+11|
+9|
+10|
+6|
10|
+12|
+10|
+11|
+7|Weapon Mastery[/table]

[LOTRfan]

Awesome. Thanks. How did you do that?

[The Rose Dragon]

Quote the previous post to see how it's done.

The base attack bonus and saves are off, though. They don't fit any of the progressions in D&D. Consider giving it full BAB, good Fortitude and Reflex and poor Will saves.

[The Rose Dragon]

I edited the post with some better formatting (the original was just a quick fix). However, it is a formatting nightmare if you want to edit it later, since there are a lot of tags to fight your way through.

[Solaris]

Might this be intended for use in a d20 Modern game? I think I recognize one of the progressions from that.

Hrm. I'd think this would make a better five-level progression. If you're going to keep it a ten-level, methinketh you ought to give more ability increases later on. The feat requirements are pretty non-optimal and it really only helps out fighter-types, so I can see getting away with hefty boostage.
An aside: Whyfor is the Dex boost +3 while the other two are +4?
Something like the ranger's favored enemy might not be a bad idea, either. Maybe give it Favored Enemy (Undead), (Aberration), and (Evil Outsider) at 1st, 5th, and 10th levels to +2, +4, and +6 bonuses (stacking with ranger ability of same name, of course).
Increasing unarmed damage, AC bonus, etc, stacking with monk, might be a decent idea too. Maybe turning this class into a sort of monk/ranger hybrid with its own flavor distinct from both.
Weapon Mastery seems kind of... weak, and a little bit odd. Why pick one type of material to specialize in? Why not a type of weapon instead? Why should being a Slayer make you really good at handling an alchemical silver kukri when you've never encountered that sort of weapon before? Perhaps changing it to be an all-around boost to any weapon she handles as an activation ability, X number of times per day for 3 + Wis rounds.

EDIT: Also, skill points per level. You might want to look into changing the natural armor bonus and ability boosts into a progression. Maybe add the Slayer class level to the physical ability scores?

[Rainbownaga]

Personally I would have made it some kind of monk prestige class since the majority of fighting they do tends to be unarmed 'kung-fu' with the occasional armed attack to finish off an opponent.

To be honest, I can't actually remembering her using improvised weapons except to finish off a target, and her use of weapons seems to be sub-optimal, only used against her more powerful opponents, and generally supplemented with unarmed strikes anyway.

tl;dr- Buffy was a monk

[LurkerInPlayground]

The problem is that Buffy-verse vampires are a different animal from D&D vampires.

You know. D&D vampires. That level drain. And regenerate. And control your mind with a gaze.

This PrC doesn't really have any good counters to D&D vampires. All you have here is a rather generic replacement for the fighter.

[Solaris]

Despite the name, I was reading this more as a generic "Baddy Slayer" than a vampire slayer. If the OP wants to specialize it against vamps, she ought to at least give the Slayer resistance to level drain and (definitely) give her something like Slippery Mind or at least major boosts to Will saves. I recall Buffy facing off against Dracula and demonstrating something very similar to the "save again" feature.

[LOTRfan]

Okay, after reading some feedback, I tweaked the Slayer class a little. This should make them a little more powerful against the Vampires.

Slayer
Once per generation, a woman is found with the powers to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. Imbued with the soul of a shadow demon, and despite the fact that they are widely known as Vampire Slayers, Slayers are the ultimate demon-and aberration slaying machine. With enhanced strength and athletics, a Slayer can accomplish things normal beings could only imagine.
Naturally, only a one Slayer exists at a time. When one dies, another Potential Slayer (someone who meets the prerequisites) is “activated,” so becoming a slayer is not a choice. Slayers can be of any alignment. A new Slayer may be bitter, confused, or another negative emotion after having such a destiny forced upon them. Generally, Slayers are loners, working with no one and befriending no one (except their Watcher). There are exceptions to this rule (especially if players become this prestige class). Due to their constant battles against the darkness, a Slayer’s lifespan isn’t very long. Slayers, though themselves magical creatures, cannot use magic.

Requirements
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Endurance, Athletics, Agile, Blind fight

Class Skills
Slayers are more athletic than other classes. Spot (Wis), Use Rope (Dex), Survival (Wis), Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Balance (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Tumble (Dex)

Class Features
The Slayer possesses the following features.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Slayers gain no additional proficiencies.

Supernatural Properties: At first level, the Slayer’s type becomes Magical Creature. She retains any subtypes.

Enhanced Strength: Due to her supernatural properties, she gains a +4 to her strength at level 1.

Enhanced Constitution: The shadow demon-soul imbued inside her gives her a +4 bonus to constitution at level 3.

Enhanced Dexterity: In order to survive, a Slayer must always be ready for a fight and be nimble. They gain a +3 bonus to dexterity at level 5.

Resourcefulness: The Slayer can use any weapon she can get her hands on, and wield it as though she is proficient with it. This includes any and all improvised weapons.

Lethal Hands: A Slayer’s unarmed weapons (her hands and feet) are lethal because of her supernatural strength.

Weapon Mastery: There are three options: Stake- When wielding a stake, you get a +7 attack bonus and a +10 damage bonus (fast heal 5 for vampires isn’t gonna be much help now). Hand Crossbow- You can fire crossbows with deadly accuracy. +10 attack while wielding one. Large Weapons- With your immense strength, you can use melee weapons meant for large creatures with no penalties.
Down to Earth: Once your will is crushed by a Vampire’s gaze attack, that specific Vampires gaze attack never works against you again.

Night Patroller- Being a Slayer requires a few sacrifices. Unfortunately, one of those sacrifices is sleep. Slayers can sleep for four hours to regain ½ of her level worth health points instead of the full eight. (ex. level 10 slayers sleeps for 4 hours, she regains 5 hp).

Fear Resistance- Slayers see many atrocities during their life as a slayer, so it takes a lot to scare them. Creatures that cause check penalties because of fear have the penalty reduced by 1 levels 1 through 5, than by 2 levels 6 through 10.

Skills: 4 +INT modifier

{table]
Level| Base Attack Bonus| Fort| Ref| Will| Special
1| +1| +1| +2| +0| Supernatural Properties, Enhanced Strength, Natural Armor +3
2| +2| +2| +3| +0| Lethal Hands, Damage Reduction 3/magic
3| +3| +3| +4| +0| Fear Resistance
4| +4| +4| +5| +1| Vampire Specialty, Night Patroller
5| +5| +5| +6| +2| Enhanced Constitution, Natural Armor +4
6| +6| +6| +7| +3| Resourcefulness
7| +7| +7| +8| +4| Natural Armor+5
8| +8| +8| +9| +5| Down to Earth, Enhanced Dexterity
9| +9| +9| +10| +6| Fast Healing 3
10| +10/+1| +10|+11| +7| Weapon Mastery [/table]

[Solaris]

Okay, problems. You're giving a +3 Base Attack Bonus for a one-level dip. For a two-level dip, you're giving DR 6/magic. The BAB needs to drop down to full, at best, and I'd strongly recommend spacing out the bonuses to ability scores over the course of the prestige class rather than giving them all in the first five levels.

As it reads in the Weapons and Armor Proficiencies, you're giving a +12 natural armor bonus and then another one at level seven. I'd recommend removing mention of the natural armor from that and, again, spacing out the bonus to be a progression rather than all of the sudden the Slayer's got a hide as tough as a dragon.

Someone correct me if they changed it, but doesn't resting for eight hours recover 1 hp/level rather than half?

[LOTRfan]

Alright, fixed most of those problems (except damage reduction 6. I only did three?)

[Debihuman]

BAB progression is odd. Full progression is the same as a Fighter's BAB.

Level|BAB
1|+1
2|+2
3|+3
4|+4
5|+5
6|+6/+1
7|+7/+2
8|+8/+3
9|+9/+4
10|+10/+5


Special Abilities should be noted as Extraordinary, Spell-like or Supernatural.

For example:

Lethal Hands (Ex): A Slayer’s unarmed weapons (her hands and feet) are lethal because of her supernatural strength.

The way you have it currently written, the slayer loses the the option of making non-lethal attacks with an unarmed attack. I suggest that you allow her the option of making either lethal or non-lethal attacks. Better yet, make Improved Unarmed Strike a prerequisite for this class and find a better special ability to fill this slot.


Weapon Mastery: There are three options:
Stake - When wielding a stake, you get a +7 attack bonus and a +10 damage bonus (fast heal 5 for vampires isn’t gonna be much help now).
Hand Crossbow- You can fire crossbows with deadly accuracy. +10 attack while wielding one.
Large Weapons- With your immense strength, you can use melee weapons meant for large creatures with no penalties.

I don't believe magical stakes for slaying vampires have been statted out except in D20 Modern. You can use this for your Slayer:

Wooden Stake: Wooden weapons that deal piercing damage (such as wooden stakes, arrows, pool cues, spear shafts, and table legs) threaten a critical hit against a vampire on a natural 20 (unless noted otherwise), even though vampires are normally immune to critical hits. A successful critical hit destroys a vampire instantly, turning it to dust. [taken from D20 Modern].

Another useful ability would be for the Slayer to increase her threat range for critical hits with her stake as she progresses.

Slayers never seem to wear armor either. Perhaps she should gain natural armor. Her natural armor could improve as she progresses as well.

Debby

[PumpkinEater]

The Slayer
Once per generation, a woman is found with the powers to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. Imbued with the soul of a shadow demon, and despite the fact that they are widely known as Vampire Slayers, Slayers are the ultimate demon-and aberration slaying machine. With enhanced strength and athletics, a Slayer can accomplish things normal beings could only imagine.

Naturally, only one Slayer exists at a time. When one dies, another Potential Slayer (someone who meets the prerequisites) is “activated,” so becoming a slayer is not a choice. Slayers can be of any alignment. A new Slayer may be bitter, confused, or another negative emotion after having such a destiny forced upon them. Generally, Slayers are loners, working with no one and befriending no one (except their Watcher). There are exceptions to this rule (especially if players become this prestige class). Due to their constant battles against the darkness, a Slayer’s lifespan isn’t very long. Slayers, though themselves magical creatures, cannot use magic.

Requirements
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Endurance, Athletics, Agile, Blind fight

Class Skills
Slayers are more athletic than other classes. Spot (Wis), Use Rope (Dex), Survival (Wis), Concentration (Con), Climb (Str), Balance (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Tumble (Dex)

Class Features
The Slayer possesses the following features.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Slayers gain no additional proficiencies.

Supernatural Properties: At first level, the Slayer’s type becomes Magical Creature. She retains any subtypes.

Enhanced Strength: Due to her supernatural properties, she gains a +4 to her strength at level 1.

Lethal Hands: A Slayer’s unarmed weapons (her hands and feet) are lethal because of her supernatural strength.

Enhanced Constitution: The shadow demon-soul imbued inside her gives her a +4 bonus to constitution at level 3.

Enhanced Dexterity: In order to survive, a Slayer must always be ready for a fight and be nimble. They gain a +3 bonus to dexterity at level 5.

Resourcefulness: The Slayer can use any weapon she can get her hands on, and wield it as though she is proficient with it. This includes any and all improvised weapons.

Lethal Hands: A Slayer’s unarmed weapons (her hands and feet) are lethal because of her supernatural strength.

Weapon Mastery: A Slayer can choose to become a master of cold iron weapons, of silver weapons, or wooden stakes. When wielding these weapons, slayers get a +10 to attack and +5 to damage.

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

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Supernatural Properties, Enhanced Strength

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Lethal Hands

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|Enhanced Constitution

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|-

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Enhanced Dexterity

6th|
+6|
+5|
+5|
+2|Resourcefulness

7th|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+2|Enhanced Dexeterity

8th|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+2|-

9th|
+9|
+6|
+6|
+3|-

10th|
+10|
+7|
+7|
+3|Weapon Mastery[/table]

Okay, a few things. First, copy-paste the above table and class requirements and features over yours. Just saving you the trouble of boldening (emboldening?) the things I did (and it's a weird habit of mine, apparently). It makes it easier to read. I also fixed the table... you had some weird BAB and save progressions.

Now that we got that out of the way...

If you really want to go with ability score enhancements as class features, you should probably make it something like this:

Enhanced Body At first level, you may choose an ability score. You receive a +2 bonus to that ability score. You may choose another ability score (or the same) every 2 levels thereafter to receive a +2 bonus in that ability score as well. Also, why does the Slayer receive a +4 bonus in strength and constitution, but not dexterity? Or is that just a typo?

And for Lethal Hands... you may as well just give them the Unarmed Strike feat for free. It accomplishes the same exact thing, and a little more.

As for Weapon Mastery... +10 to attack and +5 to damage? Doesn't that seem a bit... sudden?