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View Full Version : [3.5] Astral Traveller (Prestiege Class) PEACH



Snowfire
2010-09-25, 08:17 AM
I put this class up quite a while ago in a rather hideous form. I've spent quite a bit of time revising it and trying to make it work without being gamebreaking or too complicated. I hope I've at least manged to fix some of it.

There comes a point in life where everyone wonders what lies beyond the world of their birth. We're the ones who decided to find out.
-Eliza Garune, founder of the Order of Astral Wanderers

The Astral Traveller

Characteristics/Description: Astral Travellers are arcane casters who upon reaching a certain level of power realise – or have already decided – that their birth-plane holds no value or appeal to them. Those who make this choice take the path of an Astral Traveller. It is mainly sorcerers who choose this class at a relatively early stage in their development because the way they wield magic gifts them with greater insight into travelling the planes. Their magic is part of them and works through them. This gives them the ability to more easily focus enough power into opening a gate between the planes. The mages who succeed in this process open themselves completely into the stream of the Weave. They learn its currents, its rapids and through that knowledge the art of phasing becomes clear to them.

These few are in many ways the bards of the inter-planar worlds. Their combination of the ability to freely travel the planes and formidable magical power makes them treasured as messengers and diplomats between extra-planar groups. This unique status within planar society has earned the small number of Travellers great respect and no small amount of fear.

Travellers are very difficult to pin down and can act as a battlefield controller for most groups. Their gift allows them to transport their allies into position exactly where they’re needed and if pressed, a Traveller can call on a fearsome array of extra-planar and arcane powers.

Religion: Any

Requirements: Can cast third level arcane spells. Must be non-lawful. At least 14 points in Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcane) and Concentration. The initial act of becoming an Astral Traveller requires a week of meditation and preparation for opening the way to the Planes.

Hit Die: D4

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int mod

Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy(Cha), Knowledge (Arcane) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Phasing (Cha), Spellcraft (Int), Speak Language

Astral Traveller
{table]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Astral Reflections|Special
1|+0|+0|+0|+2 |6|Phase, Astral Reflection, Minor Astral Power
2|+1|+0|+0|+3|8|Minor Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3|+1|+1|+1|+3|10|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4|+2|+1|+1|+4|12|Standard Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5|+2|+1|+1|+4|14|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6|+3|+2|+1|+5|16|Minor Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7|+3|+2|+1|+5|18|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8|+4|+3|+1|+6|20|Standard Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9|+4|+3|+2|+6|22|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10|+5|+4|+2|+7|24|Major Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
11|+5|+4|+2|+7|26|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
12|+6|+5|+2|+8|28|Major Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
13|+6|+5|+3|+8|30|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
14|+7|+6|+3|+9|32|Major Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
15|+7|+6|+3|+9|34|Greater Astral Power, +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class [/table]

Class Features

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: An Astral Traveller is proficient with all simple weapons.

Phase (Su): Phase is the base ability of the Astral Traveller class. About half of the other class abilities enhance its scope and power. It allows a Traveller to move between places on the same or different planes. When phasing within a plane, you must take a Phase check of 1D20 + Phasing skill . The maximum range of the phase for different actions is shown below. Inter-planar travel always requires two full round actions back to back with no interference. If Side-along phasing has not been taken then the Traveller adds rounds equal to 2 x any additional creature's HD/ half his Phasing skill to the time required to phase. For multiple creatures at once, the penalties stack. A Phase can be countered as if it was any spell – the Phase's spell level = CL + Phasing skill/2 (rounded down).

{table]Phasing Roll|Range - Move Action|Range - Standard Action|Range - Full round action*
1-4|15 foot|60 foot|120 foot
5-8|30 foot|120 foot|240 foot
9-12|60 foot|240 foot|480 foot
13-16|120 foot|480 foot|960 foot
17-20|240 foot|960 foot|1920 foot
21-24|480 foot|1920 foot|3840 foot
25-28|960 foot|3840 foot|1 miles
29-32|1920 foot|1 miles|2 miles
33-36|3840 foot|2 miles|4 miles
37-40|1 miles|4 miles|8 miles
41-44|2 miles|8 miles|16 miles
45-49|4 miles|16 miles|32 miles
50+|8 miles|32 miles|64 miles[/table]

As an Astral Traveller's ability to manipulate planes grows more powerful they gain the ability to jump further in stressful situations (This is a balancing issue here).

{table]Level|Maximum Phase Range (in combat)
1|30 foot
2|120 foot
3|480 foot
5|1920 foot
8|1 mile
13|4 miles
15|8 miles[/table]

Astral Reflection (Sp): This ability acts partially like a Cleric’s Turn Undead ability. A Traveller burns uses of this ability to use other planar abilities. To start with, an Traveller has 6 uses of Astral Reflection per day and gains 2 additional uses for each level in Astral Traveller taken. Reflection can be cast on any character and acts like a combined Mage Armour and Resistance spell that lasts one hour per Astral Traveller level.

Astral Powers

Minor

Instancy (Ex): This ability allows a Traveller to phase anywhere within the maximum full round action range of their basic phasing check (i.e. their Phasing skill level) as a standard action. If the Traveller is phasing other creatures with them and has not taken side-along phasing, the standard penalties still apply.

Side-along phasing (Ex): Side along phasing eliminates the time penalty if two or less creatures are being phased with the Traveller. For more than two extra creatures, the standard penalties still apply. Also, for side-along phasing to function, the creatures phasing with an Astral Traveller must be in physical contact with him when he initiates the Phase. A Traveller cannot Side-along phase an unwilling creature.

Long Distance Phasing (Ex): Long distance phasing adds 10 to all phasing checks and doubles the maximum distance of all full-round action Phasings.

Unerring Phase (Ex): To phase to a location outside of line of sight requires that the Traveller initiating the Phase must know the location they are 'aiming' for as the Teleport spell. Unerring Phase allows Travellers to bypass this restriction and lets them Phase to any location without knowing it as Greater Teleport.

Standard

Astral Surfing (Ex): The Astral Traveller has become adept at riding the astral links between the planes and now only requires a single round action to Phase between planes. All penalties involved with Phasing more than the Traveller himself still apply. The Traveller also need not know the plane they are 'aiming' for except for its name if they have taken Astral Surfing.

Improved Instancy (Ex): This ability is a follow on from Instancy. It allows a Traveller to initiate a swift action Phase to anywhere within the full round action range of their base Phasing check + 10. For example; if Eliza has 10 Phasing skill points then with Improved Instancy she would be able to phase to anywhere within 1920 foot of her location as a swift action (although the maximum distance is still limited by level). Standard side-along penalties without the side-along phasing class feature still apply. Requires Instancy.

Improved side-along phasing (Ex): Allows a Traveller to side-along phase an additional two creatures along with him. They must be in physical contact with the Traveller when he initiates the Phase. Requires Side-along phasing.

Web of the Weave (Su): This ability lets an Astral Traveller call upon the ever present influence of the Weave to bolster his defences (50' per Astral Traveller level diameter sphere). This effect can be made permanent over the area it is cast over using permanency. Within this area, the caster may perform limited mind invasions as the spell detect thoughts' third round effect (will save vs web's caster level + 5) and ensnare casters within ‘eggs’ of planar energy (Will save vs caster level), severely limiting their power (-5 to all spell save DCs). The caster level of the Web counts as the level of the Traveller when he created the Web. Additionally, the creator of the Web instinctively knows where every animate thing is within the Web - when they are inside it too) and can focus on up to ten such 'presences' per round to obtain information on their nature. Additional focusing on a single source gives a cumulative +1 bonus to the information roll. Costs 5 Astral Reflections per use.

Web of the Weave Focus Effects

{table]D8 Roll|Effect
1|Determines the target's alignment on one axis, level, existing state (i.e. living, undead etc.)
2-4|Reveals the target's full alignment, current class or if they have taken more than one class
5-6|Shows the target's class layout (all classes taken), equipped items or carried items
7-8|All of the target's class features, skills or spells become known[/table]

Major

Astral Flame (Ex): The Traveller reaches into the fabric of the Weave and hurls a ball of magical flame at his enemies as a standard action. This ability can be used out in two ways. The caster can fire a ray, plus one additional ray (1 every 3 additional levels) to a maximum of 5. Each ray may be fired at a different target (though all targets must be within 30 foot of each other) and inflicts 1d6 points of magical damage per caster level (to a maximum of 4d6). Or the caster may have this spell function like a fireball. A small (pea sized) ball of golden fire streaks from the caster’s hand and on impact with a surface or on reaching the distance the caster chooses explodes into a fireball. The resulting explosion deals 1d6 points of magical damage per Traveller level (maximum of 10d6) to all creatures within it's area of effect as well as igniting anything flammable within the area and melting all soft metals. Damage done by this ability sears through all damage reduction except Epic. Costs 6 Astral Reflections per use.

Group Phase (Su): Group phase allows a Traveller to phase up to six allies (within 30 feet of himself) along with him as in side along phasing. These creatures need not be in physical contact with the Traveller. Requires Side-Along Phasing. Costs 6 Astral Reflections per use.

Greater Web of the Weave (Su): Sphere radius expands to 75 foot per Astral Traveller level. The caster can now attempt to take control of people within the web as per Charm/Dominate person spells and the can 'flex' the web around people to create entrapment demi-planes (read as Maze) as well as all Web of the Weave effects. Additionally, when focusing on presences the creator of the web rolls twice and can choose either roll. Requires Web of the Weave. Costs 8 Astral Reflections per use.

Planar Exile (Su): Exiles a single target permanently from a chosen plane. If the target fails a will save against this spell, they are instantly transported out of the chosen plane (if they are in it) to a plane of equal safety (DM's discretion) to the one they were in and any attempt to enter the plane they have been exiled from fails. This enchantment can be dispelled using Break Enchantment (at a -5 penalty) or a Disjunction. Costs 8 Astral Reflections per use.

Greater

Greater Group Phase (Su): This allows a Traveller to phase up to his Astral Traveller level creatures within his sight to a location of his choice within the plane. He does not himself have to phase with the creatures. If cast on enemies, a will save (DC 10 + CL) negates. Requires Group Phase. Costs 10 Astral Reflections per use.

Greater Planar Exile (Su): Acts as Planar Exile except the caster chooses the exiled destination plane. Can only be dispelled by a Disjunction of higher level than that of the caster. Requires Planar Exile. Costs 10 Astral Reflections per use.

Astral/Abyssal Attack (Su): The Traveller calls upon the creatures he has encountered in his travels to aid him. This ability summons two creatures of not more than 20 HD each to fight by your side for 1 hour per caster level. These creatures cannot be dismissed except by the caster. Costs 10 Astral Reflections per use

Spells

An Astral Traveller continues to gain spells as shown in the top table with the following additions to the spell list.

Transplant (Conjuration [Teleportation])
Level: AT 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: Standard action
Duration: Instant
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area: Non-living object weighing up to 100 pounds.
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
Description: Transplant can move a targeted object to any position the caster can see to another. This spell can be combined with scrying to move objects outside of line of sight.

Planar Fracture (Evocation)
Level: AT 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: Standard action
Duration: Instant or 1 round/caster level (see description)
Range: Short (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Save: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: See description
Description: This spell rips open one of a plane's astral links, creating an unstable portal to another plane. This can be used as a transport tube between planes for non-Travellers or can be cast on a person to throw them into a random plane (DM's discretion on the plane). Spell resistance functions against the second use of this spell.
Material Component: A small piece of glass that is shattered during casting.

Trans-dimensional Wall (Abjuration)
Level: AT 6
Components: V,S
Casting Time: Standard action
Duration: 1 hour/caster level
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Area: Wall 4 ft./level wide, 2 ft./level high
Save: Reflex and Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
Description: This spell creates a wall that is a akin to a much larger Planar Fracture in its effects. It appears only as a shimmer in the air to normal senses and requires a DC 10 + Caster level spot check to be noticed. If the wall is not identified and someone enters it they must make a reflex save (DC 10 + CL) at a -5 penalty against being grabbed by an extra-planar entity and yanked into one of the planes. If they pass their reflex save (DC 10 + CL) they must then make a will save against being transported to a random plane.

As well as these additions, spells that have the [Teleportation] descriptor or create extra -dimensional spaces have twice their duration (if they have one) and require a spell slot one level below what is required for the Traveller's base arcane class due to an Astral Traveller's innate connection to that part of the Weave.

I'm looking for opinions from people who have been playing a lot longer than I have here. Is this reasonable as is, does it need some work (and if so, where) or is it just a hopeless cause. All comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

The Tygre
2010-09-25, 12:16 PM
This looks like a really cool class. I can tell you put a lot of work into it. Sadly, I can't speak for the crunch. But your fluff is amazing. Then again, I'm an old cager, so I might be a little biased towards these things.