[3.5 ToB]Sohei Adept[PEACH]

[Shyftir]

This is my attempt to convert the basic concept of the Sohei class from OA into an initiator class. There is also a new discipline I'm working on Tentatively named "Mystic Cobra" which will be related.

Sohei Adept
You will not disturb the sages while I stand guard, vile one. - Shekka Kai, hobgoblin sohei

Sohei serve as guardians for monasteries and temples, they stand firm while others fall short. Known to favor pole-arms and to strike with lightning speed, they are the main practitioners of the Mystic Cobra school, and study few other martial disciplines if any.


Making a Sohei Adept
Abilities: Sohei are primarily melee combatants who specialize in support, as such they benefit greatly from Strength and Constitution. Intelligence and Dexterity are often prerequisites for feats chosen by Sohei.
Races: While any race can take up the path of the Sohei, it appeals mostly to disciplined individuals. Therefore you see few elven or halfling sohei and even fewer among the savage races, with notable exception of Hobgoblins who find the militaristic lifestyle to their liking.
Alignment: Any non-chaotic. Sohei are disciplined and devout. Their lives are given over to a strict regimen of duty and training.

Sohei Adept. Hit Die: d10
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref |Will|Special|M. Known|M. Ready|Stances

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Weapon Focus: (any pole-arm)|
3|
3|
1

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3| |
4|
3|
1

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Die-Hard|
5|
3|
1

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4| |
5|
4|
1

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|strength of mind, Mettle|
6|
4|
2

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Weapon Spec: (pole-arm)|
6|
4|
2

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5| |
7|
4|
2

8th|
+6/1|
+6|
+2|
+6|Pole-Arm Adaption|
7|
4|
2

9th|
+6/1|
+6|
+3|
+6| |
8|
4|
2

10th|
+7/2|
+7|
+3|
+7|Instant Recovery 1/day|
8|
5|
3

11th|
+8/3|
+7|
+3|
+7| |
9|
5|
3

12th|
+9/4|
+8|
+4|
+8|Blade Meditation (Mystic Cobra)|
9|
5|
3

13th|
+10/5|
+8|
+4|
+8| |
10|
5|
3

14th|
+10/5|
+9|
+4|
+9| DR 1/-|
10|
5|
3

15th|
+11/6|
+9|
+5|
+9| |
11|
6|
3

16th|
+12/7|
+10|
+5|
+10| DR 2/-|
11|
6|
4

17th|
+13/8|
+10|
+5|
+10| |
12|
6|
4

18th|
+13/8|
+11|
+6|
+11|DR 3/-|
12|
6|
4

19th|
+14/9|
+11|
+6|
+11| |
13|
6|
4

20th|
+15/10/5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Instant Recovery 2/day, DR 4/- |
13|
7|
4[/table]

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Martial Lore (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), and Profession (Wis)
Skill Points: 4 + Int /per Lvl (x 4 at first level)
Starting Gold: 6d4x10 gp (150 gp)
Starting Age: As paladin

Class Features
As a sohei you rely on accuracy and technique to force opponents into difficult situations where you and your allies can unleash devastating attacks.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Sohei are proficient with All Simple and Martial Weapons along with all pole-arms, even Exotic ones. They are proficient with Light and Medium armor (but no shields).
Maneuvers: The disciplines open to you are Devoted Spirit, Army of One (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5710173), Stone Dragon and Mystic Cobra.* (new discipline)
Your maneuvers are identical in all ways to those of the warblade except for recovery method which is as the swordsage.
Stances: Your stances work as a warblades, except from the sohei discipline list.
Weapon Focus: At 1st level you gain Weapon Focus with the pole-arm of your choice as a bonus feat. You lose access to this feat if you are wearing heavy armor
Die-Hard: At 3rd level you gain Die-hard as a bonus feat, whether or not you would normally qualify.
Strength of Mind: You become immune to stunning and sleep spells.
Weapon Specialization: At 6th level you gain Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat with a pole-arm with which you already have Weapon Focus.
Pole-arm Adaption: You have mastered the art of using a pole-arm in close combat. You can now treat any pole-arm as a double weapon striking with the back end as if it were a quarterstaff. (1d6+1/2 Strength Modifier, x2 Bludgeoning) No matter the reach of the original weapon this ability can only be used on targets with 5 feet.
Mettle: If a sohei makes a successful Fort. Or Will Save against a spell or effect that would normally reduce the effect, instead the sohei suffers no affect at all.
Blade Meditation: At 12th level you gain the feat Blade Meditation with the chosen discipline of Mystic Cobra, as a bonus feat.
Damage Reduction: Starting at 14th level you gain DR 1/-. This improves by 1 at every even level, reaching a maximum of DR 4/- at 20th level.
Instant Recovery: At 10th level you gain the extraordinary ability to recover all your expended maneuvers as a free action once per day. This increases to 2/day at 20th level.
Update:

Mystic Cobra Style (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7472221&posted=1#post7472221)

[dsmiles]

Mettle may be a little...ummm...blah for 10th level, considering hexblades get it at what, 2nd or 3rd level?

[Shyftir]

I could move it up with strength of mind, but I'd want to replace it at 10, i guess a "mini-capstone" power might be kinda cool.
As it is there are no dead levels. (You always at least get a maneuver.)


I think I'll move mettle to 5th and make instant recovery start at ten and get a second use at 20.

[dsmiles]

I could move it up with strength of mind, but I'd want to replace it at 10, i guess a "mini-capstone" power might be kinda cool.
As it is there are no dead levels. (You always at least get a maneuver.)


I think I'll move mettle to 5th and make instant recovery start at ten and get a second use at 20.

I think this gives you a better progression for moving into epic levels...3/day at 30th, 4/day at 40th, etc.

[Shyftir]

Added Demented Ones more fitting, "Army of One" discipline, to replace Tiger Claw. After creating a character using this class I realized that Tiger Claw was far removed in philosophy from the Sohei way of life.