PEACH The Sublime Matador, new base class and discipline

[Dead_Jester]

The Sublime Matador

"Life is art, and death is essential to it's renewal. We are only the instigators."

Alexandro d'Phiarlan, Sublime Matador.

Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gp (100 gp)
Starting Age: as monk
Hit Die: d8

The Sublime Matador
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Actor's Gossip, Distracting Pun|
5|
4|
1

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Armor of the Ego|
6|
4|
1

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Glorious Luck +2 (attack and damage)|
7|
4|
1

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Diplomatic Liar|
8|
5|
2

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|It's Just a Flesh Wound 1/encounter|
9|
5|
2

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Bonus Feat|
9|
5|
2

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Savy Comment|
10|
6|
3

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Glorious Luck +4|
10|
6|
3

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+6|Opportunistic Talent (weapon focus) 1/day|
11|
6|
3

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|Reoccurring Success +1|
12|
7|
3

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+7|Heroic Last Stand|
13|
7|
4

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Bonus Feat, Unfettered Influence|
13|
7|
4

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Glorious Luck +6 (critical confirmation)|
14|
8|
4

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9|Opportunistic Talent 2/day|
14|
8|
5

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|It's Just a Flesh Wound 2/encounter|
15|
8|
5

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Faked Demise|
16|
9|
5

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Reoccurring Success +2|
17|
9|
6

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Glorious Luck +8 (saving throws and armor class), Bonus Feat|
18|
9|
6

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Opportunistic Talent (improved critical)|
19|
10|
6

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Master's Retort|
19|
10|
7[/table]

Skill Points: 6+Int (x4 at 1st level)
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (All), Listen, Martial Lore, Move Silently, Perform (Comedy and Drama), Ride, Spot, Tumble.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The Sublime Matador is proficient with all simple weapons and all martial melee weapons. He is also proficient with light armor and light shields.

Class Features:
Maneuvers Known: The Sublime Matador can learn maneuvers from the Coin's Edge, Fool's Grip, Fallen Anvil (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122824) and Endless Play (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8790277#post8790277) disciplines. He starts with 5 maneuvers known, and gains additional ones according to the "Maneuvers Known" column in the class table.
Furthermore, starting at 4th level and again every second level thereafter (6, 8, 10, etc) a Sublime Matador can replace a known maneuver of his choice by a new one, up to the maximum level he can use.

Maneuvers Readied: The Sublime Matador begins every encounter with 4 (more as he levels up, following the "Maneuvers Readied" column in the class table) maneuvers of his choice unexpended. He can regain an expanded maneuver by successfully feinting an opponent in combat (see Distracting Pun ability), or he can regain all expanded maneuvers by taking a full-round action to taunt or insult surrounding enemies.

Actor's Gossip: After years of collecting an enormous amount of stories and legends, the Sublime Matador can often knows useful information about almost any subject. Treat this as the Bard's ability "Bardic Knowledge", but with an effective Bard level of the Sublime Matador's level minus 3 (so a level 1 Sublime Matador takes a -2 level penalty to this check).

Distracting Pun (Ex): The first skill all Sublime Matadors learn is to blend their martial prowess with their acting talents, using them to confound and anger enemies. As a free action usable with full attacks and strikes, the Sublime Matador may make a special Feint attack against the target of the attack. If he is successful, the enemy takes a -4 Morale penalty to AC for 1 round. This is a mind affecting ability.

Armor of the Ego (Su): The Sublime Matador's ego is so massive that enemies are hesitant to attack him. Even mindless ones cannot seem to ignore it. Starting at 2nd level, the Sublime Matador may add his Charisma bonus (min. 1) to his AC (unarmored and touch included), up to his effective Sublime Matador level. This is a grace bonus to AC, and is active as long as the Sublime Matador is conscious.

Glorious Luck (Ex): Always one to take advantage of every lucky shot, a 3rd level Sublime Matador gains a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls until the end of his following turn after every natural 20 he rolls on an attack roll. The bonus take effect immediately. At 8th level, these bonus increase to +4. At 13th level, the bonus increase to +6, and also apply to critical confirmation rolls. Finally, at 18th level, the bonus increases to +8, and also apply to saving throws and AC. This is a Luck Bonus.

Diplomatic Liar (Ex): After years of acting and dealing, the Sublime Matador learn to effectively get his way with others by lying and bluffing. Starting at 4th level, he may use his Bluff skill instead of his Diplomacy skill to influence npcs, as long as their attitude isn't hostile.

It's Just a Flesh Wound (Su): The Sublime Matador's belief in his own skill is so great that, starting at 5th level, he may convince himself that a spell or attack didn't affect him. Effectively, this let's him re-roll a saving throw once per encounter. He gains a second use of this ability at level 15.

Bonus Feat: During his travels, the Sublime Matador learns to adapt to his everchanging needs. At 6th level and again at 12th and 18th level, the Sublime Matador gains a bonus feat from the following list :
Advantageous Avoidance (CScr), Better Lucky Than Good (CScr), Combat Expertise, Cool Head (CScr), Dumb Luck (Cscr), Fade Into Violence (PHbII), Freerunner (CScr), Lucky Start (CScr), Master Manipulator (PHbII), Sure Hand (CScr), Sweet Talker (CScr), Weapon Finesse, Karmic Strike (CW), Victor's Luck (CScr).

Savy Comment (Ex): Over time, the Sublime Matador learns to refine his insults, and they become more effective at angering enemies. Starting at 7th level, if he successfully uses his Distracting Pun twice against the same enemy, the enemy takes an additional -2 penalty to all saving throws for 1 round. This is a Morale penalty.

Opportunistic Talent (Ex): After hours of practicing with all sorts of extravagant props, the Sublime Matador learns to effectively use any object that falls in his hands as a weapon. Starting at 9th level, he may, as a free action, gain proficiency and weapon focus with any weapon or improvised weapon he wields, as long as it is reasonably sized (he may not use this ability to gain proficiency with weapons intended for creatures larger than his size). This ability lasts for 1 plus Charisma bonus rounds, and he may use this ability once per day at 9th level, and gains a second use at 14th level. At 19th level, his weapon skills become the thing of legends, and he also gains the benefits of the improved critical feat with the weapon he wields and the duration increases to 1d4 plus Charisma bonus.

Reoccurring Success (Su): Inspired by his own talent, the Sublime Matador becomes more adept at insulting enemies that he has already successful angered. Starting at 10th level, for every successful Distracting Pun attempt in a row against the same enemy, the enemy takes a -1 penalty to his opposed check to resist the attempt. These penalties stack, up to -5, but disappear as soon as the Sublime Matador fails an attempt. At 17th level, these penalties increase to -2 per successful feint, and the maximum increases to -10. This is a Morale penalty.

Heroic Last Stand (Su): Sometimes, the only option is to make a final stand. The Sublime Matador knows this, and his hunger for glory empowers him and his allies during these moments. Starting at 11th level, he may, as a free action, initiate a final stand. All his expended maneuvers are immediately refreshed, and him and all allies within 50 feet of him gain DR 5/-, and a +5 Morale bonus to all rolls as long as they stay in a 100 ft radius of the square in which the Sublime Matador was when he initiated this ability. This ability is usable once per day. This last for Cha bonus +1 rounds.

Unfettered Influence (Su): Over time, the Sublime Matador becomes so adept at influencing the emotions of other that he becomes able to affect creatures that are normally immune to such attempts. Starting at 12th level, he becomes able to affect creatures that are normally immune to mind-affecting abilities, as long as they have an intelligence score.

False Demise (Ex): Nearing the pinnacle of acting, the Sublime Matador becomes able to fake even death. Starting at 16th level, as an immediate action after taking damage from an exterior source, the Sublime Matador can fake his own death. For all intents and purposes, he counts as dead, although he can still take damage from area-damaging spells. A successful Heal check (opposed by a Bluff check) or any spell capable of revealing either dead or living individuals (such as Deathwatch) is required to notice he is faking, if the enemy notices he is faking, the Sublime Matador can't do a rising attack. As an immediate action, the Sublime Master can decide to end this ability and make a rising attack. If an enemy is in an adjacent square when he rises, he may use one boost before rising and one strike against any enemy in melee range. The enemy is considered flatfooted for this attack. This ability is usable once per round and lasts up to 3 + Charisma modifier rounds.

Master's Retort (Ex): At the pinnacle of his art, a 20th level Sublime Matador becomes a true master of taunting, and his insults are so well crafted that an enemy is stunned for 1 round if he doesn't pass a will saving throw (DC 19 + the the Sublime Matador's Charisma modifier), taking the standard effects of the Distracting Pun on his next turn. If the enemy makes the saving throw, is still affected by the standard effect of Distracting Pun. Furthermore, if an enemy leaves a threatened square after having been affected by a Distracting Pun, the Sublime Matador may, as an immediate action, use any strike he has readied against the enemy.


Please comment and suggest any changes you might think would be required.
Also, I don't have any ideas for the bonus feats, so any help with those would be appreciated.
As for the disciplines, I was thinking of letting them take maneuvers from the Fool's Grip, Fallen Anvil, Coin's Edge and Endless Play* disciplines with a 5th being either Dancing Leaf or Army of One (or both). The Death Jester ACF would replace Coin's Edge with Amaranth Eclipse.

*The Endless Play (http://http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8790277#post8790277) discipline is complete, but needs PEACHing, and his based on buffing friends and debuffing enemies.

[Dead_Jester]

Feats and ACFs

Alternate Class Features:

Roadie: Not all Sublime Matadors began their career as talented actors or dashing swordsmen. Some began as simple crew members in fairs or theaters, learning their skills while observing others. These Sublime Matadors aren't as knowledgeable, but they have an uncanny knack to find hidden objects and to precisely adjust tiny object.

This ACF remplaces the standard Sublime Matador's ability "Actor's Gossip" with Trapfinding (as the Rogue special ability). However, because they don't have the special training Rogues normally have, the take a -3 penalty to find and disarm traps.

Death Jester: Most Sublime Matadors are fun loving, emotional and vibrant people, and their countenance and speech is both refined and extremely colorful. However, some Sublime Matadors have a much darker attitude, and are known as Death Jesters. These dark Sublime Matadors are often cruel, and some even exhibit sadistic tendencies. They are most frequent in the ranks of Sublime Matadors who are master tragedians, as their frequent emulation of dark characters mark them forever.

If a Sublime Matador takes this ACF, he loses the Distracting Pun, Diplomatic Liar, Savy Comment and Master's Rebuke abilities, and his Reoccurring Success work differently. They also lose access to the Coin's Edge discipline.

In exchange. they gain the following abilities :

Due to natural expertise with fear and intimidation, Death Jesters gain access to the Amaranth Eclipse discipline, and may take maneuvers from it as normal.

Macabre One Liner: After years of learning expressions meant to strike fear in the heart of an audience, the Death Jester becomes adept at improvising lines whose vividness and cruelty demoralize his enemies. Starting at 1st level, he can make an intimidate attempt against an the enemy he attacks as a free action when he makes full attacks and strikes.

An Offer they Cannot Refuse: Death Jesters tend to be cruel individuals, and this extends to their social interactions. Starting at 4th level, they may replace any Diplomacy check with an Intimidate check.

Terrifying Rebuke: As a Death Jester's mastery of the art of fear grows, so does his ability to inflict greater fear in his enemies. When he reaches level 7, a Death Jester's Macabre One Liner improves, and if he successfully intimidates an enemy twice, that enemy become Frightened instead of Shaken. However, they can attempt a will save (DC 14 + the Death Jester's Charisma modifier) to resist the urge to flee.

Reoccurring Success (Death Jester): Like their nicer brothers, the Death Jester gain increased ease to affect enemies that have already been affected by their psychological attacks. This ability functions exactly like the Sublime Matador's ability gained at level 10, but affects the enemy's resistance to intimidate attempts. It also improves at level 17, with the same changes.

Nightmarish Soliloquy: When a Death Jester achieves mastery of his art, his ability to inspire terror in all who oppose him reaches its ultimate state. When he reaches level 20, a Death Jester's successful "Macabre One Liner" automatically forces enemies to make a will save (DC 19 + the Death Jester's Charisma modifier) or become Panicked for 1 round. On the next round, they are affected as if they had suffered a normal "Macabre One Liner". If the enemy leaves a threatened square during those two rounds, the Death Jester can, as an immediate action, use readied strike on him. Even if the enemy makes his will save, they are still affected by the normal effects of "Macabre One Liner".

[Dead_Jester]

Reserved Post (2nd)

[Dead_Jester]

Reserved Post (3rd just to be safe)

[ForzaFiori]

In Glorious Luck, You say that the bonuses are untyped, then later that they are luck bonuses. I would assume from the name of the ability that the second is true, but either way, you should take one out, or you'll have people very confused.

[Dead_Jester]

In Glorious Luck, You say that the bonuses are untyped, then later that they are luck bonuses. I would assume from the name of the ability that the second is true, but either way, you should take one out, or you'll have people very confused.

Thanks for the info, I'll switch it all to Luck bonus.

[Scarlet Tropix]

Just a small comment, but shouldn't Martial Lore be on the Matador's list of skills, being a Maneuver based class and all? If the lack of the skill is deliberate, could you explain why?

Also, although I realize this is probably the intent of the passage, you should probably reword False Demise so that the Matador cannot get his 'rising' attack if opponents are capable of recognizing or are suspicious of his continued life.

That aside, I like this class. I actually like it a lot. I'm surprised that no one else has commented on it thus far, and I wish I could give more insight on it, but unfortunately I am not exactly the best person for in depth analysis of D&D mechanics. Still, it's looking great! Keep it up!

[Dead_Jester]

Just a small comment, but shouldn't Martial Lore be on the Matador's list of skills, being a Maneuver based class and all? If the lack of the skill is deliberate, could you explain why?

Also, although I realize this is probably the intent of the passage, you should probably reword False Demise so that the Matador cannot get his 'rising' attack if opponents are capable of recognizing or are suspicious of his continued life.

That aside, I like this class. I actually like it a lot. I'm surprised that no one else has commented on it thus far, and I wish I could give more insight on it, but unfortunately I am not exactly the best person for in depth analysis of D&D mechanics. Still, it's looking great! Keep it up!

Thanks for the feedback, I'll add the Martial Lore skill and rewrite that passage.

[Draken]

Ok, two things.

1. Actor's Gossip says "Threat" instead of "Treat", in the line referencing the effective bard level.

2. Heroic Last Stand ha sno listed duration.

Other than those, looks really good. Could probbaly use another discipline, however. 19 maneuvers is quite a bit for a selection of only four disciplines.

[That'd_be_me]

Could you please link the other Disciplines to their respective sources aswell, as I have trouble finding them.

[Jaerc]

Quite a fun take on ToB. I enjoyed this immensely.