jiriku
2010-08-24, 11:14 PM
Ever have nightmares about killer clowns? Ever want to be a killer clown? One of my players does! Help me proof this homebrew gray jester monster class for him!
F.A.Q.
Gray jester is from Heroes of Horror, page 151.
Yes, I've seen Oslecamo's gray jester monster class.
Yes, I reduced the level adjustment on the gray jester from 2 to 1gave it a negative level adjustment. WotC generally overstates level adjustments and places too much emphasis on hit dice over class features.
GRAY JESTER
http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/gallopinggiraffes/Jester_Girl.jpg
A gaunt figure clad in gray-hued jester's motley comes capering around the corner. Its feet move silently on the stones, and it grips a scepter with a doll's head atop it in one hand.
The gray jester is an otherworldly fey drawn to the presence of humanoids. It feeds on laughter and joy, strengthing itself while permanently draining these emotions from its prey.
Gray jesters look like jesters, clowns, or mimes clad in gray, white, or black. They tend to be thin, even emaciated. Their eyes are cold and empty, their smiles wide and filled with broken but perfectly white teeth. All gray jesters carry scepters of some sort, much like those wielded by real court jesters.
Gray jesters average 6 feet in height and weigh roughly 110 pounds. They speak Common, Elven, and Sylvan.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
{table=head]
Level|
HD|
BAB|
Fort|
Ref|
Will|
Skill Points|
Special
1st|
1d6|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|(6 + Int) x 4|Feat, +6 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Int, clever deflection, low-light vision, empathic feeding (touch), DR 2/cold iron
2nd|
3d6|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|(6 + Int) x 2|Feat, +2 Cha, empathic feeding (30 ft range), fast movement +10 ft, SR 5 + HD
3rd|
5d6|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4|(6 + Int) x 2|+2 Dex, hideous laughter (at will), fast movement +20 ft
4th|
6d6|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|6 + Int|Feat, +2 Dex, +2 Cha, DR 5/cold iron, SR 10 + HD, open-minded
5th|
7d6|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|6 + Int|+2 Dex, +2 Con, empathic feeding (multiple targets), open-minded
6th|
8d6|
+4|
+2|
+6|
+6|6 + Int|+2 Int, +2 Cha, command bleak ones, DR 10/cold iron[/table]
Racial Traits
Creature type: Fey. Grey jesters eat, sleep, and breathe.
Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +6 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Int. Gray jesters are extraordinarily limber and dextrous, possessed of otherworldly fortitude and stamina, and extremely quick of wit compared to most humanoid races.
Speed: Gray jester land speed is 30 feet.
Low-light vision: Gray jesters can see twice as far as a human in conditions of dim light.
Automatic languages: Common, Sylvan.
Bonus language: Elven.
Favored Class: bard and beguiler
CLASS SKILLS
The gray jester's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Perform (comedy) (Cha), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the gray jester monster class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The gray jester gains proficiency with simple weapons and with the scepter (treat as a nunchaku). He gains no proficiency with any armor or shields.
Clever Deflection (Su): The gray jester is cunning and elusive, and partakes of the elusive nature of the feywild. Add your Intelligence bonus as a deflection bonus to your Armor Class.
Damage Reduction (Ex): A gray jester's connection to the feywild weaves fey magic into his body, granting him DR 2/cold iron.
At 4th level this increases to DR 5/cold iron, and at 6th level it increases to DR 10/cold iron.
Empathic Feeding (Su): A gray jester can drain joyous emotions from humanoid beings. The jester must be within 30 feet of a living humanoid who is experiencing laughter, joy, or similar emotions (this includes emotions evoked by magic, such as Tasha's hideous laughter).
As a standard action, the gray jester can make a melee touch attack, either by hand or with its scepter, to drain 1d4 Charisma from a target (Will negates, DC 10 + ˝ HD + Cha bonus). A gray jester of 2nd level can feed from a range of up to 30 feet, while a jester of 5th level can feed on a number of people within range equal to its Charisma bonus with a single standard action.
Gray jesters feed on emotions but are at their weakest just after feeding. For a number of rounds equal to the total points of Charisma drained, a gray jester's DR/cold iron is reduced by 5 and its spell resistance is reduced by 6.
Fast Movement (Ex): A gray jester of 2nd level becomes fleeter of foot, gaining a +10 ft improvement in its base land speed.
This benefit increases to +20 ft at 3rd level.
Spell Resistance (Ex): Upon reaching 2nd level, a gray jester's connection to the feywild weaves fey magic into his spirit, and he gains spell resistance of 5 + his Hit Dice.
At 4th level, this connection deepens, and his spell resistance improves to 10 + his HD. At 8th level this increases to 10 + his Hit Dice.
Hideous Laughter (Su): As a standard action, a gray jester of 3rd level or higher can make a melee touch attack with his hand or his scepter to cause a target to begin laughing uncontrollably, as the spell Tasha's hideous laughter (Will negates, DC 10 + ˝ HD + Cha bonus). The gray jester's effective caster level for this ability is equal to his hit dice. The gray jester can use this ability at will.
Open-Minded: At 4th level, the gray jester gains the Open-Minded feat as a bonus feat, immediately acquiring 5 additional skill points. He gain Open-Minded again at 5th level.
Command Bleak Ones (Ex): At 6th level, a gray jester acquires the ability to control bleak ones he has created. He can control up to four times his HD of bleak ones. Acquiring control of a newly created bleak one is automatic if the jester wishes it, and does not require an action. If acquiring control of a newly-created bleak one would take the jester over his control limit, he gains control of the new bleak one and loses control of previously created bleak ones (jester's choice). If a jester releases control of a bleak one he has formerly controlled, he may resume control of it as a standard action.
A gray jester must take a move action to command a bleak one, and if the gray jester and the bleak one do not share a common language then he is restricted to giving only very simple commands that can be conveyed without language.
BLEAK ONES
The results of a gray jester's feeding vary depending on the target. Anyone with more Hit Dice than the gray jester loses the ability to laugh or feel joy if reduced to 0 Charisma. Those of equal or fewer hit dice, however, become what the gray jesters call “bleak ones”. They lose all self-will as well as the capacity to feel positive emotions. Although not mindless, they undertake no actions unless the gray jester that drained them is able to command them and give them orders. Commanded bleak ones commonly become followers and soldiers for the jester, while those left to their own devices simply sit in a state of catatonia and usually die of dehydration within a few days if not tended to. Bleak ones cannot use any abilities that rely on Charisma, but otherwise retain all of their capabilities.
F.A.Q.
Gray jester is from Heroes of Horror, page 151.
Yes, I've seen Oslecamo's gray jester monster class.
Yes, I reduced the level adjustment on the gray jester from 2 to 1gave it a negative level adjustment. WotC generally overstates level adjustments and places too much emphasis on hit dice over class features.
GRAY JESTER
http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/gallopinggiraffes/Jester_Girl.jpg
A gaunt figure clad in gray-hued jester's motley comes capering around the corner. Its feet move silently on the stones, and it grips a scepter with a doll's head atop it in one hand.
The gray jester is an otherworldly fey drawn to the presence of humanoids. It feeds on laughter and joy, strengthing itself while permanently draining these emotions from its prey.
Gray jesters look like jesters, clowns, or mimes clad in gray, white, or black. They tend to be thin, even emaciated. Their eyes are cold and empty, their smiles wide and filled with broken but perfectly white teeth. All gray jesters carry scepters of some sort, much like those wielded by real court jesters.
Gray jesters average 6 feet in height and weigh roughly 110 pounds. They speak Common, Elven, and Sylvan.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
{table=head]
Level|
HD|
BAB|
Fort|
Ref|
Will|
Skill Points|
Special
1st|
1d6|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|(6 + Int) x 4|Feat, +6 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Int, clever deflection, low-light vision, empathic feeding (touch), DR 2/cold iron
2nd|
3d6|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|(6 + Int) x 2|Feat, +2 Cha, empathic feeding (30 ft range), fast movement +10 ft, SR 5 + HD
3rd|
5d6|
+2|
+1|
+4|
+4|(6 + Int) x 2|+2 Dex, hideous laughter (at will), fast movement +20 ft
4th|
6d6|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|6 + Int|Feat, +2 Dex, +2 Cha, DR 5/cold iron, SR 10 + HD, open-minded
5th|
7d6|
+3|
+2|
+5|
+5|6 + Int|+2 Dex, +2 Con, empathic feeding (multiple targets), open-minded
6th|
8d6|
+4|
+2|
+6|
+6|6 + Int|+2 Int, +2 Cha, command bleak ones, DR 10/cold iron[/table]
Racial Traits
Creature type: Fey. Grey jesters eat, sleep, and breathe.
Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +6 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Int. Gray jesters are extraordinarily limber and dextrous, possessed of otherworldly fortitude and stamina, and extremely quick of wit compared to most humanoid races.
Speed: Gray jester land speed is 30 feet.
Low-light vision: Gray jesters can see twice as far as a human in conditions of dim light.
Automatic languages: Common, Sylvan.
Bonus language: Elven.
Favored Class: bard and beguiler
CLASS SKILLS
The gray jester's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Perform (comedy) (Cha), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the gray jester monster class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The gray jester gains proficiency with simple weapons and with the scepter (treat as a nunchaku). He gains no proficiency with any armor or shields.
Clever Deflection (Su): The gray jester is cunning and elusive, and partakes of the elusive nature of the feywild. Add your Intelligence bonus as a deflection bonus to your Armor Class.
Damage Reduction (Ex): A gray jester's connection to the feywild weaves fey magic into his body, granting him DR 2/cold iron.
At 4th level this increases to DR 5/cold iron, and at 6th level it increases to DR 10/cold iron.
Empathic Feeding (Su): A gray jester can drain joyous emotions from humanoid beings. The jester must be within 30 feet of a living humanoid who is experiencing laughter, joy, or similar emotions (this includes emotions evoked by magic, such as Tasha's hideous laughter).
As a standard action, the gray jester can make a melee touch attack, either by hand or with its scepter, to drain 1d4 Charisma from a target (Will negates, DC 10 + ˝ HD + Cha bonus). A gray jester of 2nd level can feed from a range of up to 30 feet, while a jester of 5th level can feed on a number of people within range equal to its Charisma bonus with a single standard action.
Gray jesters feed on emotions but are at their weakest just after feeding. For a number of rounds equal to the total points of Charisma drained, a gray jester's DR/cold iron is reduced by 5 and its spell resistance is reduced by 6.
Fast Movement (Ex): A gray jester of 2nd level becomes fleeter of foot, gaining a +10 ft improvement in its base land speed.
This benefit increases to +20 ft at 3rd level.
Spell Resistance (Ex): Upon reaching 2nd level, a gray jester's connection to the feywild weaves fey magic into his spirit, and he gains spell resistance of 5 + his Hit Dice.
At 4th level, this connection deepens, and his spell resistance improves to 10 + his HD. At 8th level this increases to 10 + his Hit Dice.
Hideous Laughter (Su): As a standard action, a gray jester of 3rd level or higher can make a melee touch attack with his hand or his scepter to cause a target to begin laughing uncontrollably, as the spell Tasha's hideous laughter (Will negates, DC 10 + ˝ HD + Cha bonus). The gray jester's effective caster level for this ability is equal to his hit dice. The gray jester can use this ability at will.
Open-Minded: At 4th level, the gray jester gains the Open-Minded feat as a bonus feat, immediately acquiring 5 additional skill points. He gain Open-Minded again at 5th level.
Command Bleak Ones (Ex): At 6th level, a gray jester acquires the ability to control bleak ones he has created. He can control up to four times his HD of bleak ones. Acquiring control of a newly created bleak one is automatic if the jester wishes it, and does not require an action. If acquiring control of a newly-created bleak one would take the jester over his control limit, he gains control of the new bleak one and loses control of previously created bleak ones (jester's choice). If a jester releases control of a bleak one he has formerly controlled, he may resume control of it as a standard action.
A gray jester must take a move action to command a bleak one, and if the gray jester and the bleak one do not share a common language then he is restricted to giving only very simple commands that can be conveyed without language.
BLEAK ONES
The results of a gray jester's feeding vary depending on the target. Anyone with more Hit Dice than the gray jester loses the ability to laugh or feel joy if reduced to 0 Charisma. Those of equal or fewer hit dice, however, become what the gray jesters call “bleak ones”. They lose all self-will as well as the capacity to feel positive emotions. Although not mindless, they undertake no actions unless the gray jester that drained them is able to command them and give them orders. Commanded bleak ones commonly become followers and soldiers for the jester, while those left to their own devices simply sit in a state of catatonia and usually die of dehydration within a few days if not tended to. Bleak ones cannot use any abilities that rely on Charisma, but otherwise retain all of their capabilities.