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Realms of Chaos
2009-11-30, 11:00 PM
The Nobody

"Me? I'm nobody important"
-Crift Resil, Nobody

At the bottom of any society are the untouchables, those who are seen on a daily basis but who are rarely noticed. Neglected by all others and left to a life of squalor, many of these untouchables quickly die off. In the end, only two groups survive such neglect.
The first group calls attention to themselves by any means necessary. Though naturally stealthy, they often use their abilities to earn reputations and rise out of their position. Whether through wealth, charisma, or crimes, they push themselves into the spotlight. These individuals are commonly known as rogues.
The second group, however, takes the opposite approach. Rather than making their presence known, they retreat further into the shadows of anonymity. All but forgotten by the community, they can get away with almost anything, at least until they are caught. With enough time, even reality seems to forget their presence, pressing them through the shadows in which they hide towards oblivion. With their untouchable status sealed at a supernatural level, these entities are free to act as they please. These forgotten beings are called nobodies, supernatural embodiments of stealth that sit upon the very edge of existence.
Adventures: A nobody may adventure for several reasons. When a nobody is noticed within a community, most move to a new town where they can start all over again (even if they don’t have to). Others adventure, quite paradoxically, to gain the notoriety that their skills prevent them from earning. Although these attempts are often futile, nobodies have been known to erect huge sculptures in their name or otherwise seek to leave a legacy behind them. A few nobodies adventure purely for entertainment, messing with the heads of anybody that they meet (including their so-called companions). A few nobodies lend out their talent as assassins, spies, scouts, and mercenaries, working for simple coin or favors. Such nobodies often insist upon carrying around contracts so they can prove that they are owed money.
Background: Most nobodies are born, rather than being trained. Only after generations of hiding in the shadows does reality forget one’s presence. However, some fiends give this “gift” to those who wish to remain unseen. In this way, the universe will likely fail to note any acts of atonement that they may commit later on, guaranteeing a soul for the lower planes. Every few generations, a few already unnoticed people make the supernatural leap into the life of a nobody. Most nobodies feel a certain kinship for each other and are willing to help each other as there is no one else to turn to.
Alignment: Although nearly all nobodies have chaotic tendencies, they are not barred from lawful lives as rogues are. Some choose to live boring, unexamined lives and others occasionally choose to work for city watches or as paid assassins. Though nobodies as a group lean a bit towards evil, there are some good ones out there, lending help when they can. The most fame that most nobodies can hope to obtain is that of an unseen vigilante, a symbol for good with countless rumors surrounding it.
Religion: Many nobodies believe that their prayers won’t be noticed by gods and thus don’t bother worshipping any god at all. There is evidence, however, that gods do claim their souls (eventually) and that nobodies can become clerics with enough patience and dedication. Those nobodies that do worship gods often choose to worship gods of goodness such as Pelor, no matter how black their heart may be. According to them, gods take the souls of nobodies that worship them but don’t notice what they do in life. Whether this scam to get into paradise works or not is as of yet unproven.
Races: Generally speaking, races that try to remain inconspicuous (such as those whom society despises) have the best chances of becoming nobodies. As such, doppelgangers, skulks, and mongrelfolk are among the most common nobodies, with half-orcs and halflings close behind them in number. Illumians, famous for their secretive nature, also produce a fair number of nobodies. There are stories of lost dwarven tribes that are all-but forgotten by their neighbors time and time again, though these may simply be rumors. Lower-class humans occasionally make the jump but with a relatively low frequency. Goblinoids and kobolds trying to live in civilization often become nobodies after a couple of generations. Gnome nobodies are exceptionally rare, with the singular exception of whisper gnomes. Elves only rarely become nobodies but male drow do so with unsurprising regularity, escaping their cruel matriarchal society by remaining unnoticed.
Other Classes: Although they are in some way opposites, nobodies get along with rogues better than all others. Nobodies appreciate the presence of fighters much as rogues do, providing a distraction and giving enemies somebody else to attack. Although they possess no special hatred of spellcasters, they realize that magical chants and flailing gestures often draw attention. Although paladins are a bit wary of them and the evil that they may do unseen, they often forget to reprimand nobodies for their actions.
Role: Although they cannot disarm traps as a rogue does, nobodies excel when it comes to reconnaissance and as a frontline offense. They can move through a facility, darting from shadow to shadow and silently taking out guards so that nobody is alerted to their presence. Once the proverbial feces hits the fan, however, a good nobody will hide within the chaos of battle and strike at those who leave themselves open.

Game Rule Information
Hit Dice: d6
Alignment: Any
Ability Scores: As you rely heavily upon sneaking around, having a high Dexterity score is paramount. Constitution is also useful if you get pulled into combat and can’t retreat. Wisdom helps you remain aware of your surroundings and act as a more efficient scout.
Class Skills: The class skills of a nobody (and the key ability scores for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

THE NOBODY
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Defense of the Hidden

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Forgotten Presence, Sight of Shadows (darkvision 60 feet), Silent Killer|
-1

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|Aura of Anonymity, Subtle Death, Unearthly Talent|
-1

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|Creeping, Darkened Form|
-2

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Ignore Obstruction, Improved Stealth (speed)|
-2

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Disregard Assault 20%|
-3

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+2|Empty Form (leaps and bounds)|
-3

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+2|Leave No Trail|
-4

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+2|Guarded Presence|
-4

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+3|Improved Stealth (special senses)|
-5

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+3|Sight of Shadows (magical darkness)|
-5

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+3|Unnoticed Travels|
-6

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|Empty Form (weightless step)|
-6

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+4|Hidden Existence|
-7

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+4|Distant Travels|
-7

15th|
+11/+6 /+1|
+5|
+9|
+5|Disregard Assault 50%|
-8

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|Uncatchable|
-8

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+5|Hide in Plain Sight|
-9

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+6|Empty Form (wall-walker)|
-9

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+6|Sight of Shadows (unlimited range)|
-10

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+6|Forgotten Existence|
-10 [/table]

Class features:
the following are class features of the nobody.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Nobodies are proficient with simple weapons and with no armor or shields.

Silent Killer (Ex): As a nobody, you are effective at taking out your enemies quickly and efficiently, silently knocking them unconscious before (possibly) delivering a coup de grace. Although this is good for efficiency, however, these attacks require nearly perfect aim and the element of surprise.
Whenever you successfully attack an damage a flat-footed creature, if it possesses fewer than 5 hp/class level after damage calculations, it falls unconscious. For 1d4 round afterwards, the creature cannot be awakened by any means. Afterwards, it is treated as simply being asleep and awakes 1d4 hours later if not disturbed.
Ranged Attacks can be used for this purpose if the attack is made within 30 feet but the target only falls unconscious if it possesses fewer than 2 hp/class level (after calculating damage).
You may use this ability when attacking for nonlethal damage if you wish, taking the normal penalty to attack rolls when appropriate.
You can only use silent killer against living creatures with discernable anatomies- undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to silent killer. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. You cannot use Silent Killer while striking a target with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
Lastly, because your strikes need absolute precision for this ability, it is difficult to strike larger and smaller creatures, whose vitals are scaled differently. You can only use silent killer on creatures within one size category of your own. For every 5 class levels you possess (rounded down), you can use this ability against creatures within one additional size category of your own.

Forgotten Presence (Su): People tend to ignore the very presence of a nobody, something that they have learned to use to their advantage. On any round in which you take no aggressive actions, you may make a Hide check with a -10 penalty as a free action. Unlike normal uses of the hide skill, this can be used without cover or concealment and even hides you from special senses like scent and blindsight. Creatures that you successfully “hide” from must take aggressive actions against other creatures if possible and if doing so wouldn’t put them in great risk (not counting the risk that you pose). Furthermore, the next attack that you make against such a creature, if made within the next round, treats them as being flat-footed. Whenever you take any action (including an attack of opportunity), this ability ends for all creatures it was functioning on.

Sight of Shadows (Su): As you retreat through the shadows into oblivion, you are mystically bound to darkness, letting you peer through it. Starting at 1st level, you gain darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already possess darkvision, increase its range by 60 feet.
Starting at 10th level, your darkvision can see through both mundane and magical darkness with equal ease. Furthermore, your darkvision can now detect color.
Starting at 19th level, your darkvision extends an indefinite distance, although you cannot see farther than your normal maximum distance.

Defense of the Hidden (Ex): As most creatures seem only partially aware of your presence, their attacks against you are ill-aimed and easily dodged. While unarmored, all attacks made against you by intelligent creatures take a penalty to attack rolls against you, as indicated on the table above. This penalty even applies while you are paralyzed or otherwise unable to act.

Subtle Death (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, you gain the ability to mete out death with great skill and efficiency. You may make a coup de grace as a standard action and your coup de graces deal +1d4 damage/class level (this extra damage is not multiplied by the coup de grace). Against other flat-footed enemies, you gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to half of your class level (rounded down).
Lastly, your strikes are subtle enough to not stir sleeping creatures. Whenever you damage a sleeping creature using a weapon, they must make a Will Save (DC 10 + your Class level + your Dex modifier – damage dealt) in order to wake up.

Aura of Anonymity (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, your identity begins to fade into nothingness, making it hard for others to identify you. To remember specific details about you (such as distinguishing characteristics), a creature must make a DC 20 Wisdom check. If they possess a line of sight with you at the time, a creature gains a +4 bonus to the check.

Unearthly Talent (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, you can focus the supernatural powers you possess to gain unbelievable talent with a specific skill. You gain a bonus equal to half of your class level (rounded down) on skill checks made with your unearthly talent. At 2nd level, you may only select either Hide or Move Silently as your unearthly talent. Changing your unearthly talent is a move action.

Creeping (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, you can creep from one hiding spot to the next without giving away your position. Each round, you may travel through a number of squares that provide neither cover nor concealment up to half of your class level (rounded up) without ruining your hide attempt. You must still make hide and move silently checks when you move, as normal. This ability does not stack with the similar use for the Hide skill described in Complete Adventurer.

Darkened Form (Su): Starting at 3rd level, your appearance is somewhat darkened, as if you were always standing in shadows. More importantly, you gain immunity to effects that would illuminate your outline, such as glitterdust and faerie fire.

Improved Stealth (Ex): Starting at 4th level, you increase your ability to sneak from place to place with great haste. You can move at up to your full speed without penalty while using hide and move silently. Furthermore, you only take a -10 penalty to hide and move silently checks while running and charging.
At 9th level, you can hide from creatures with special senses such as scent, tremorsense, blindsense ,and blindsight. Such creatures must make spot and listen checks to detect you, whichever would have a higher DC.

Ignore Obstruction (Su): Starting at 4th level, you can push yourself far enough outside of reality to pass through certain obstacles. You may select Escape Artist as your unearthly talent. Furthermore, whenever you move, you may ignore physical obstructions in up to one five-foot square/2 class levels (rounded down), passing through enemy squares and even through solid objects. You may not, however, pass through walls of force or through any nonliving substance with hardness greater than your class level. If you do not end your movement in an open square, you are ejected into the nearest open square and take 1d6 damage per 5 feet that you needed to travel.

Disregard Assault (Su): Starting at 5th level, when enemies are unaware of your presence, you do not fully exist for the purpose of their abilities. whenever you are caught in the area of an effect used by a creature you are hiding from or are successfully using forgotten presence against, you have a 20% chance to simply ignore that effect for its duration.
Starting at 15th level, this ability instead grants a 50% chance.

Empty Form (Su): Starting at 6th level, by displacing some of your essence from reality, you can accomplish amazing tasks. You may select Jump and Climb as your unearthly talent and jump DCs are not doubled if you jump without a running start. In addition, you reduce the number of d6s in damage that you take from a wall by your class level.
Starting at 12th level, you may select Balance and Tumble as your focused skill. In addition, you ignore all difficult terrain and can walk across quicksand, water, and similar surfaces with the greatest of ease, although you sink in unless you end your movement on solid ground.
Starting at 18th level, you can walk on any solid surface as if gravity were pulling you towards it. This allows you to climb without need for climb checks at your full speed, even running or charging if desired. Furthermore, it lets both of your hands remain free while climbing.

Leave no Trail (Ex): Starting at 7th level, you leave no trail behind you for others to find. You cannot be tracked by creatures using the track feat. Within towns, enough people ignore you to prevent those with the urban tracking feat from finding you.

Guarded Presence (Ex): Starting at 8th level, it becomes hard to gain information about you through magical means. Whenever a divination effect is used to observe your or learn information about you, the target must make a Caster level check (DC 15 + Class level) or else the spell fails.

Unnoticed Travels: Starting at 11th level, others forget your presence so entirely that movement doesn’t draw their attention. Moving does not end the effects of your forgotten presence class feature. Any other move action (such as drawing a weapon) still ends the effects as normal.

Hidden Existence (Ex): Starting at 13th level, all information about you is hidden from the world. Other than gods, close friends, and family members, all who knew about you forget you. Furthermore, mundane means of learning about you (such as knowledge or gather information checks) automatically fail. Even reading accounts of your deeds or listening to a detailed description of you does nothing as the information refuses to stick in any entity’s mind.
Information can still be gained magically, however, and such information remains in a creature’s mind, as do observations of you made in person and information delivered directly from you (although the aura of anonymity remains in effect).

Distant Travels: Starting at 14th level, you can travel far more freely while using your abilities. When using your creeping class feature, you may move through any number of squares without ruining your hide check as long as you end your movement in a square that provides either cover or concealment. Furthermore, when using your Ignore Obstruction class feature, you may ignore the contents of any number of squares.

Uncatchable (Su): Starting at 16th level, you are far enough removed from reality that it is nearly impossible to capture you. You are protected by a perpetual freedom of movement effect.

Hide In Plain Sight (Ex): Starting at 17th level, you are able to perfectly hide your presence from others. You may make hide checks without cover or concealment, even if you are being observed at the time.

Forgotten Existence (Ex): Starting at 20th level, information about you cannot be learned via magical means. No form of spell, even epic spells, can be used to gain information about you or to scry on you. This protection also extends to items carried on your person but not to other creatures, even if creatures hide in one of your items (such as a bag of holding). If an area that you are in is scried, your presence is not revealed.

Realms of Chaos
2009-11-30, 11:11 PM
yeah... I really don't have any excuse for what I've done. This idea has been burning in my mind for the past forever and I wanted to finally get it down on paper. This class is the first (at least to my mind) base class that truly specializes in stealth (above and beyond the ninja and even the revised ninja posted on these boards not long ago).
I don't know if this class will be taken seriously or be written off as comically stealthy. I think that I got the balance right for these abilities so I'm pretty content with that feat right there. I do believe that a pure-stealth character does have a place in a party roster so that's where I stand right now.


Feats:

Empty-Handed
Others tend to overlook the threat you possess even more than normal.
Prerequisites: Forgotten Presence Class Feature, Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefits: While you hold nothing in your hands, sentient enemies take a -2 penalty on attacks against you and you gain a +2 bonus on hide checks made by virtue of your forgotten presence class feature.

Nerve Pinch
With a well-placed blow, you can knock out enemies without harming them.
Prerequisites: Empty-Handed, Improved Unarmed Strike, Silent Killer class feature
Benefits: You may use silent killer with a successful melee touch attack, even though you do not damage them in the process.

Silent Death
When you take down an enemy, there is not a sound.
Prerequisites: Silent Killer class feature
Benefits: Whenever you slay a creature or knock them unconscious silent killer class feature, you may take an immediate action to make a move silently check. The result is the DC of the listen check made to hear the altercation as you cover the target’s mouth and softly lower them to the floor.

Quick Death
You can take down an enemy with a single quick movement
Prerequisites: Silent Killer class feature
Benefits: Three times per day, when you successfully use your Silent Killer class feature, you may make a coup de grace against the target as an immediate action immediately afterwards.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, gaining three additional daily uses each time.

Hidden Harm
You endeavor to make subtle wounds in combat, such that others won’t notice later on.
Prerequisites: Silent Killer class feature, Heal 2 ranks
Benefits: Creatures must make a Heal or Spot check (DC 10 + Character level) to identify wounds that you have dealt to a creature. If the check is failed, it seems as though the creature has died or fallen asleep naturally (depending on whether it is dead or unconscious).
If you spend 5 rounds working with the corpse, you can enhance this illusion (working the creature into a sleeping pose or subtly damaging a vital organ, for example), increasing the Skill DCs by +5.
If a wound was made using a one-handed weapon, reduce the DCs by -5. If a wound was made using a two-handed weapon, reduce the DCs by -10.
Note: This feat doesn’t stop people from becoming suspicious if used often enough.

Slay in Plain Sight
Others do not notice when you take aggressive actions, so long as it isn’t directed towards them.
Prerequisite: Subtle Death class feature, Hidden Harm, Hide 6 ranks, Move Silently 6 ranks
Benefits: Whenever you attack a creature, you may make a Hide check with a -20 penalty. Any creature who fails on their opposed spot check does not notice you attacking. Furthermore, they do not notice the effects of your attack for 1d4+1 rounds or until someone else calls their attention to it. The target of the attack automatically succeeds on this check unless your subtle death class feature prevents this.
As such, you can slay a beggar in front of a town guard, who will not notice for 1d4+1 rounds and who will not know that you have done so even when they notice. However, if you do not kill the beggar, they may point you out to the guards, immediately alerting them to the attack and the attacker even if they have failed their spot check.
This ability functions against creatures with special senses such as blindsense and blindsight as it relies upon your presence being forgotten rather than actual hiding.

Unnoticed Pickpocket
You are adept at sleight of hand, using it whenever you have the change.
Prerequisites: Unearthly Talent class feature
Benefits: you may select sleight of hand as your unearthly talent.

Forgotten Barrage
You take advantage of enemies forgetting your presence in order to make savage attacks.
Prerequisites: Forgotten Presence class feature, Base Attack Bonus +6
Benefits: All enemies affected by your forgotten presence class feature at the start of your turn remain so until the end of your turn (meaning that you can make a full attack and catch each foe flat-footed with each attack).

Forever Curious
2009-11-30, 11:19 PM
Not going to lie, I really like this class. Seems a bit too powerful, but don't take my word for it.

Realms of Chaos
2009-11-30, 11:37 PM
Not quite sure about the power level myself but I'm pretty sure that it is balanced.

Until you get hide in plain sight, you rely on forgotten pressence to remain hidden, meaning that you can't wear armor, meaning that you rely heavily on defense of the hidden, meaning that you are even more screwed over by mindless foes than a normal rogue or ninja.
Also, there is the fact that this class is a finisher. Its only real way to damage foes relies upon them being near death already. At levels 1-2, you'll be able to take down unharmed foes. After that, you need your party members to harm things enough to let you take them down.

Edit: and before somebody else points it out, this class may or may not be partially inspired by a certain template created by a certain vorpal tribble. *whistles*

acedrow
2009-11-30, 11:52 PM
I really like the idea behind this class, I suppose I have a soft spot of sorts for experts in general, but this takes it to a new level.

One suggestion is to make some sort of fort/con check to see if you can knock out the target of your silent strike, and make the DC harder as the target's HP goes down.

The only other thing I can think of is the Defense of the Hidden ability, which seems slightly overpowered to me (mainly the -2 at first level, this could be due to the fact that my group always plays with the "Defense Bonus" special rule, from Unearthed Arcana, which results in slightly higher AC's on average, so my judgement may be skewed in this regard) but, just a consideration.

I really can't stress it enough how much I like the idea of this class, you've managed to come up with a menagerie of unique, and interesting abilities that are both powerful and full of personality. Kudos!

Realms of Chaos
2009-12-01, 12:11 AM
If you read Silent killer carefully, you'll see that it only works on flat-footed foes. Although your opponent loses their Dex bonus to AC when attacked from hiding, this does not make the enemy flat-footed unless they have yet to act in combat.

As such, the only way that you can even use Silent killer after the start of combat (when it is unlikely to work) is to spend a round doing nothing aggressive, use forgotten presence, and then attack them on your next turn (or with an attack of opportunity when they move). If that attack misses, you have to start it all over again.

By 20th level, you basically use power word kill at will except that it knocks creatures unconscious, requires a successful attack roll, and requires a round of set-up. That is powerful but I think that is about the right level of power for a nonspellcasting class.

In regards to Defense of the Hidden being overpowered, I suppose that you think a Monk's AC bonus is just plain unreasonable :smallamused:. By level 20, an unarmored monk can easily get a +16 bonus to their AC through a pumped up wisdom score, something that outweights a -11 penalty to attack rolls.

acedrow
2009-12-01, 12:17 AM
True, but this class isn't a monk, it's arguable that Monk's have a higher AC bonus due to the fact that they were designed to be frontline fighters. Based on the abilities this class possesses it seems safe to assume that it's meant to assume a much different role (or at least not one of primary combatant).

Also, it seems like an arbitrary restriction to be able to only utilize your particular talent for knocking people out when they're flat footed. Why NOT be able to knock em' out if you get the drop on them?

Realms of Chaos
2009-12-01, 01:30 AM
actually, this guy does run into the fray alot. Unless he wants to weaken his silent killer class feature by using ranged weaponry, he has to be right next to his opponent. After he attacks a foe, he can't use forgotten presence that round and can't wear armor. Therefore, he'll be terribly injured unless he recieves the bonus (er, penalty) that defense of the hidden provides. In a game without the alternate armor bonuses, this guy will get very quickly killed without this ability.

As for why a normal invisible attack/flank doesn't work, allow me to explain. A rogue's sneak attack uses any given weak point in the body. Let's say that there are over a hundred such points for them to strike. Nobodies, however, only focus on a fewer number of far more vital points, ones that let the nobody take out the enemy with a single strike. This lowers the amount of available targets and many of those targets are either hidden or constantly moving when someone is anticipating a strike. When you consider that you also need to hit a target with the right amount of force from the right angle, there is very little chance that you can pull it off unless your opponent has no idea you are even there.
For a more crunchworthy justification, I was basically looking at an assassin's death attack where it says that the enemy cannot detect you or recognize you as an opponent and then chose the closest mechanical term that I could find, which happened to be flat-footed. I would change it to match the wording exactly but it would make the ability (and forgotten pressence) far wordier. This just seemed simple.