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Realms of Chaos
2010-09-25, 02:16 PM
THE TRICKSTER

http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs20/f/2007/273/c/1/Knight_Sketch_by_YoshiyukiKatana.jpg

Warning: the following class is formed of 100% whimsy. :smallbiggrin:

Tricksters, Faerie Lords, Charlatans, Fey-claimed… they may go by many names and form of address but they are all the same. Every night, when they close their eyes to sleep, their mind is whisked away into the Realms of Faerie. Each night they gather in a region called the Wyld to hold their lavish feasts, participate in their intricate courts, and otherwise live the life of a noble, twisted and heightened to a level only the fey could hope to accomplish. Together, these would-be lords and ladies form the lesser courts of faerie, also called the court of mortals.
Each night they fight in this distracting arena of intrigue and each day their patrons watch their waking prowess, amusing themselves with their antics and watching them for signs of promise. As the tricksters grow in power, they are granted greater rank within the court and can channel more energy from the natural world and realm of faerie, manifested both in martial prowess and in magic. Until they finally rule the court, tricksters continue on their way knowing that their every act is being judged.
Adventures: Most Tricksters travel for the purpose of self-promotion. They know well that their nights will be spent on the bottom rungs of the court unless they act within the real world to convince their patrons that they are worthy of advancement. If they can gain some acclaim (or true authority) within the world while they’re at it, all the better. Many Tricksters travel just as much to amuse themselves as to amuse their patrons and quite a few see the acquisition of material wealth as a worthy goal, having been given a small taste of affluence by the fey. Then again, there are a few Tricksters out there who can’t seem to keep themselves out of trouble, traveling from town to town just to remain a free man or woman. It is generally accepted that when a Trickster’s patron gives them instructions, they are expected to comply (though they aren’t formally required to).
Characteristics: Tricksters are quite skilled individuals, as they need to be just to survive in the courts of faerie. While not the strongest at physical combat, Tricksters are more than capable of sparring and they can use energies from the realm of faerie to knock out or disorient their foes.
In addition to the skills they pick up in court, Tricksters learn how to tap laylines of power to gain a bit of magic and gain the ability to bend fate to their favor. Lastly, the raw authority that a Trickster possesses over nature allows them to control the very creatures within the natural world.
Alignment: The twisted nature of the faerie courts encourages each participant to bend all rules and restrictions to their utmost limit and use every loophole they can find while suggesting new laws to do as they please. This brand of thinking, twisted far beyond the politics of most mortals, provides an environment where extreme lawfulness and extreme chaos can intermingle side by side. Good and Evil also exist in relatively equal degree but distinguishing between the two in court can be quite difficult at times.
Religion: Most Tricksters choose to worship (or at least pay respects to) the Seelie and/or Unseelie court(s) in place of a deity, seeing them as the entity that controls their fate. Even so, a few Tricksters worship gods of nature such as Ehlonna or gods of mischief such as Olidammara.
Background: All Tricksters have attained their status through pacts with the fey. Depending on the mortal, becoming a Trickster may be either the service rendered or the price in return for service. Many fey delight in tricking mortals into making pacts as even casual agreement to the deal is binding.
What few people know, however, is that you need not make the deal on your own behalf. Though most fey frown down upon it, many men have forced loved ones, friends, enemies, or their descendants to become Tricksters. In fact, it is not uncommon for a noble to send his son into the courts of faerie, hoping that the experience will prepare him for when he truly must take his position.
All Tricksters see each other as friends, rivals, superiors, or followers (depending on their relative status in court). Though some Tricksters are more than keen to murder each other in court (as doing so only wakes up the murdered foe), such occurrences are exceedingly rare outside of the realm of faerie (though lesser sabotage isn’t uncommon). This is especially true as memories of time spent in court is often fuzzy upon awakening, preventing Tricksters from knowing for sure if they are allies or rivals.
Races: No race is significantly more or less likely to become a trickster as the fey are liable to make the offer (with or without trickery) to just about anybody. Savage races have a reputation for not making it that far, however, and kobolds are a bit less likely to become tricksters in the first place due to their hatred of the fey in general.
Other Classes: Tricksters both like and dislike working with members of other classes. They know well the benefits of traveling with others, especially with those with different skill sets. On the other hand, many Tricksters traveling in groups live with the constant concern that the group may be stealing their spotlight and slowing their progression within the faerie courts (a fear that has led to many Tricksters taking on impossible tasks on their own and dying). The more lawful Tricksters tend to get along (relatively) well with knights and paladins while the more Chaotic ones get along better with those who share their interests such as rogues and barbarians. Even the more lawful ones, however, tend to find that the ideals of paladins, monks, and knights are a bit too rigid at times.
Role: Though your role in a group may vary with skill selection, your charismatic leaning is more than likely to make you a party representative. Using a combination of your mystical energies, limited spellcasting, and slight control over fate, you can contribute meaningfully to most combats as well.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Tricksters have the following game statistics:
Abilities: Your class features and many of your class skills rely upon Charisma. Without heavy armor Constitution is also important. As a combatant, don’t forget to invest in Strength as well.
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d8

CLASS SKILLS
The Trickster’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (any one of your choice) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (N/A), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

THE TRICKSTER
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Maximum Spell Level|Social Ascension

1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Fool’s Gold, Faerie Blade +1d6 (Bewilderment)|
--|
Vassal of Faerie

2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Silver Tongue, Tap Layline|
1st|
Master Mingler

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Meddle with Fate 1/day|
1st|
Sponsored Squire

4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Faerie Blade +2d6 (Befuddlement)|
2nd|
Wyldhunt Tracker

5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|Tap Layline|
2nd|
Knight of Faerie

6th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|Lead Astray (Basic Creatures)|
2nd|
Court Recorder

7th|
+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|Faerie Blade +3d6 (Vexation)|
3rd|
Unmatched Reveler

8th|
+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|Tap Layline|
3rd|
Trust of the Court

9th|
+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|Meddle with Fate 2/day|
3rd|
Patron’s Chosen

10th|
+10/+5|
+3|
+7|
+7|Faerie Blade +4d6 (Deception)|
4th|
Baron of Faerie

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+3|
+7|
+7|Tap Layline|
4th|
Arbiter at Court

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+4|
+8|
+8|Lead Astray (Sentient Creatures)|
4th|
Wyldhunt Master

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+4|
+8|
+8|Faerie Blade +5d6 (Agitation)|
5th|
Trust of the Patron

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+4|
+9|
+9|Tap Layline|
5th|
Master Politician

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+5|
+9|
+9|Meddle With Fate 3/day|
5th|
Prince of Faerie

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+10|
+10|Faerie Blade +6d6 (Beguilement)|
6th|
Patron’s Vassal

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Tap Layline|
6th|
Eternal Reign

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Lead Astray (magical creatures)|
6th|
Court Treasurer

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Faerie Blade +7d6 (Stupefaction)|
7th|
Lord of Nature

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Tap Layline|
7th|
King of the Court[/table]

CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the trickster.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Tricksters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Tricksters are proficient with light and medium armor, but not with shields. Though metal (especially cold iron) weaponry and armor is discouraged, there is no formal limitation against it.

Fool’s Gold (Su): Like most royalty, you receive a constant stream of taxes from your vassals. Unlike most royalty, however, your vassals are mischievous fey who choose to pay with faerie’s gold. When you awake each day, you find an additional 1 gp/level on your person. Unfortunately, these coins vanish 24 hours later. These coins possess faint conjuration magic and an identify spell reveals them for what they are.

Faerie Blade (Su): As a member of the (lower) courts of Faerie, you have earned the privilege of using some of the realm’s essence in combat. This essence reflects itself most prominently in the weapons you wield, transforming it all into faerie weaponry.
Faerie weaponry is cleansed of all blood, dirt, grime, rust, and similar particulates (other than those that impact the usefulness of your weapon) as it assumes a more elegant and fanciful design, becoming fit for a king. Such weaponry becomes masterwork if not already. All attacks made with Faerie weaponry deal an additional +1d6 points of nonlethal damage at 1st level and an additional +1d6 damage every 3 levels afterwards. This damage is not multiplied with a critical hit.
In addition, you may exchange some or all of this damage to activate one or more of the below abilities as you level up. Each ability permits a Will save (DC 10+1/2 class level+Cha modifier) to resist. Regardless of whether a creature fails or succeeds on its saving throw, that creature is immune to further uses of that ability (when used by you) for 24 hours. None of the following abilities stack with themselves.
Bewilderment: Starting at 1st level, you may throw a veil over the target’s senses, dulling their capabilities and ability to react to the world around them. For one hour per extra dice of damage surrendered, the target takes a penalty to all skill checks equal to the number of dice surrendered. Whenever the target is attacked, they are treated as flat-footed and the remaining duration of this ability is shortened by 1 hour (ending if less than an hour remains).
Befuddlement: Starting at 4th level, you can start to confuse the senses of your targets. For 30 minutes per extra dice of damage surrendered, a single object or creature of your choice is made invisible to the target. You need not possess line of sight with the desired creature or object but must be able to mentally picture it. This invisibility ends in any circumstance that would end an invisibility spell. Whenever the subject would make a critical hit, they don’t deal extra damage and the remaining duration of this ability is shortened by 30 minutes (ending if less than 30 minutes remain).
Vexation: Starting at 7th level, you can steal away a bit of your target’s luck with your strike. For 10 minutes per extra dice of damage surrendered, the target takes a penalty to all saving throws equal to the number of dice surrendered. Whenever the target rolls an 18 or higher on a d20 roll, they must reroll and the remaining duration of this ability is shortened by 10 minutes (ending if less than 10 minutes remain). If the target rolls a 18 or higher on their reroll, they need not roll again.
Deception: Starting at 10th level, you can implant information into the mind of your target. For 5 minutes per extra dice of damage surrendered, you make the target perceive a person, object, or phenomenon as you picture it within your mind. This is treated as a figment that includes audio, thermal, olfactory, visual, and tactile components, that is capable of intelligible speech, and that can occupy up to 1 10-foot cube/2 levels. Only you and the target can perceive the illusion and you can manipulate it as a free action. Whenever the target makes a successful attack, they possess a 20% chance of simply missing the target as they swing at phantoms and the remaining duration of this ability is shortened by 5 minutes (ending if less than 1 minute remains). The Will DC to disbelieve the figment is 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier. Even if the figment is disbelieved, the miss chance continues.
Agitation: Starting at 13th level, you can distract enemies from the battlefield with endless loose trains of thoughts and fey whispers. For 1 minute per extra dice of damage surrendered, the target takes a penalty to all attack rolls equal to the number of extra dice of damage surrendered. Whenever the target makes a full attack, they skip their first attack and are unable to make off-hand attacks or make attacks with secondary weapons and the remaining duration of this ability is shortened by 1 minute (ending if less than 1 minute remains).
Beguilement: Starting at 16th level, you’ve become so skilled at manipulating minds that you can alter the world that they see. For 5 rounds per extra dice of damage surrendered, the target sees an altered version of the world around them, altered according to your whim as if you had cast a mirage arcana spell. The save DC to disbelieve this effect is 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier. Whenever a target within range tries to move further than their movement speed in a single action (whether by running, charging, withdrawing, or even teleporting), their distorted sense of space prevents them halts their movement once they’ve traveled their normal movement rate and the remaining duration of this ability is shortened by 5 rounds (ending if less than 5 rounds remain). If the illusion is disbelieved, the other effect persists.
Stupefaction: Starting at 19th level, you can split your target’s perceptions between the world around them and the Faerie realms, leaving them all but helpless. For 1 round per extra dice of damage surrendered, the target takes a penalty to AC equal to the number of extra dice of damage surrendered. In addition, at the start of each round, there is a 50% chance that the target loses their action and that the remaining duration of this ability is shortened by 1 round (ending if only one round remained).

Social Ascension: Every night, when you sleep or meditate, your consciousness is lifted out from your body by your benefactors, gently lead into the Wyld and its intricate courts. It is within these courts that you may measure your favor in the higher courts, interact with other tricksters, and hone your various needed skills. As time passes, your actions both in the waking world and in the lesser courts elevate you through the ranks, closer and closer to the level of your unseen leaders.
Vassal of Faerie (Ex): At 1st level, you are merely allowed to attend the courts, speaking little and participating less. If you do not normally sleep or meditate, you are granted the ability to meditate for 2 hours each night as an elf if you desire. Though your time within this realm is often but a faint dream, your benefactors possess the power to impress a message up to 25 words long upon your consciousness as you awake. This may be anything from instructions to ancient lore to a very good joke, depending on the humors of your benefactors. In addition, the target gains immunity to all effects that would alter their dreams as they never have any.
Master Mingler (Ex): At 2nd level, you have managed to find your way into conversations. After working so hard to deal with such flighty company, you are a master of conversation. It takes you only 1d4+1x10 minutes to gain knowledge using a Gather Information check. In addition, you only require a full-round action to gain a gut assessment of a social situation. Lastly, any penalties you take for telling unbelievable bluffs or for rushing diplomacy checks are reduced by 5.
Sponsored Squire (Su): At 3rd level, your prowess has started attracting your patron’s attention. To better assess your abilities, it’s been arranged for a couple trivial matters to stop wasting your time. You gain a +10 bonus on Survival checks made to find food and you ignore all non-magical difficult terrain.
Wyldhunt Tracker (Ex): At 4th level, you are finally allowed out of the courts and into the Wyld to help with the frequent (non-lethal) hunts of the mystical beasts in the areas. Though you are one of the lesser scouts and aren’t allowed to truly hunt, you’ve learned a lot about hunting pray. You gain the benefits of the track feat.
Knight of Faerie (Su): At 5th level, you have finally progressed to the next level of the social ladder (at least provisionally), becoming a knight of the Wyld. As evidence of your ascension, you gain the ability to speak with animals.
Court Recorder (Ex): At 6th level, you are provided with the responsibility of recording what goes on in court upon occasion. Though this is an obvious chore, it carries the upside of being permitted within the libraries and record rooms of the courts, allowing you to pick up whatever knowledge you need. You add half of your class level as a bonus to all knowledge skills. In addition, each night that you sleep or meditate, you may take 10 on a knowledge check and may make the check even if you had already made the check and failed it.
Unmatched Reveler (Ex): At 7th level, you have learned to resist and avoid the various poisons often used within the Wyld at every feast. No longer must you worry about rivals trying to push you out of the Wyld early with their deadly concoctions or making a fool of you at your most drunken moments. You gain immunity to all poisons and to the negative effects of alcohol (though they can still reach a light degree of intoxication).
Trust of the Court: At 8th level, you have at last been given some degree of access to the court treasury. Though they watch you closely, you are free to borrow certain items. Each day, along with the gold from your fool’s gold class feature, you awake with a single magic item worth up to 2,000 gp. No consumed or charged items may be chosen in this way and the item vanished 24 hours later. If the item is sold, stolen, broken, or lost during this time, however, you may not replace it for a year and a day; a punishment from the court for your misconduct and irresponsibility (after all, the item wouldn’t have returned if it had been broken).
Patron’s Chosen (Su): At 9th level, your patrons have begun to single you out from among the other promising tricksters and give you a bit more aid. You are always aware of the weather within the next week (assuming no magical alteration) and don’t leave tracks behind you unless you desire to.
Baron of Faerie (Su): At 10th level, you’ve been officially realized as nobility among nobility, raising you above most of your former peers. As a side effect of this ascension, you may communicate with any sort of plant (including plant creatures) as if through a continuous speak with plants spell.
Arbiter at Court (Su): At 11th level, your skills with social graces has ascended to a supernatural level, allowing you to direct entire conversations and sway votes within the courts. Using skills in this way possesses a DC of 30 or The target’s HD + The Target’s Sense Motive modifier, whichever is higher. With a bluff check, you can make a suggestion effect, except that it only lasts up to 1 minute. With a Diplomacy or Handle Animal check, you can calm emotions in the target for 1 minute. With an Intimidate check, you can make your target panic for 1 minute. With a Sense Motive check, you can read the target’s surface thoughts for 1 minute. All of these effects take a full-round action to use and can be resisted with a Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier). You can’t target a single creature with one of these abilities more than once in a 24 hour period.
Wyldhunt Master (Ex): At 12th level, you finally lead hunts of your own in the Wyld, honing your skills as a true hunter and the respect of your peers. You can move at your normal speed when following tracks without taking the normal –5 penalty. You only take a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking. Lastly, when you attack for nonlethal damage, you do not take the normal -4 penalty to the attack roll.
Trust of the Patron: At 13th level, you are allowed greater access to the vaults by the orders of your patrons, a reward for your hard work and unceasing entertainment. When you awake, you may select a second magical item worth up to 4,000 gp to appear on your person. In all other ways, this functions as trust of the court.
Master Politician (Su): At 14th level, you finally manage to pull ahead of your rivals. After ages of having your plans stymied by foes who’ve read your mind or directed your actions, you have finally gained immunity. You gain immunity to all enchantment effects and your thoughts cannot be read through any means.
Prince of Faerie (Su): At 15th level, you are among the crème of the crop, having surpassed all but a few of your fellows. You can now communicate and comprehend all living creatures, even if they do not possess a language. Communication with unintelligent creatures such as plants or oozes is often restricted to very basic concepts.
Patron’s Vassal (Sp): At 16th level, at long last, your patrons within the Seelie or Unseelie court have pronounced you to be among their favorites within the lower courts. With this honor comes the right to finally speak with them. Once per day, when you sleep or meditate, you may imitate the effects of a commune spell with a caster level equal to your class level.
Eternal Reign (Ex): At 17th level, the odd flow of time within the Wyld and the Realm of Faerie has at last permeated your form. You no longer age and gain immunity to all effects that would age you. Any ability penalties in place remain and your mental ability scores continue to improve but you do not die when your time is up.
Court Treasurer: At 18th level, you are finally granted with the responsibility of helping to run the treasury of the courts. With this honor comes far less limited access to the treasury. When you awake, you may select a third magical item worth up to 8,000 gp to appear on your person. In all other ways, this functions as trust of the court.
Lord of Nature (Su): At 19th level, you have been granted control over nature itself by your patron. All creatures that you can influence through your lead astray class feature start one category closer to helpful towards you. In addition, with one hour of meditation, you may use one of the following effects within a 1-mile radius.

The weather changes within the area within the restraints of a control weather spell.
All animals and plant creature or all animals or plant creatures of a certain type become a category more helpful or more hostile towards others. If any of the creatures possess more HD than you, they can resist with a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha Modifier)
All animals, magical beasts, or plant creature of a certain type feel compelled to move in a general direction to towards a location of your choice. If the creatures possess more HD than you, they can resist with a Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier).
Plants either grow (as plant growth) or are diminished (as diminish plants) within the area.
An earthquake (as the earthquake spell) occurs in the area.

King of the Court: At 20th level, you have reached the highest level of the lower courts, rivaled by only a small handful of your former peers. As a final gift from your patrons, you are granted the half-fey template. In place of spell-like abilities, however, you are granted Damage Reduction 10/cold iron. Though this entitles you to participation in the courts of Faerie, you are likely expected to rule over the lower courts instead.

Silver Tongue (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, your time in the courts of faerie have made you a figure to reckon with, equally fluent with speeches and threats, with small talk and conspiracy. Add half of your class level as a bonus to all charisma-based skill checks.

Tap Layline (Sp): Though not particularly talented with magic, you have managed to tap into the laylines of the world much as the fey, providing you with some of their power. You automatically tap a single layline at the start of each day at 2nd level and an additional one every three class levels afterwards.
For each tapped layline you possess, you may add a stacking +1 bonus to a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check that you make each round. In addition, you may release a layline to cast a spell-like ability. The spell selected cannot exceed the maximum spell level given on the table above. The spell must either come from the druid spell list or otherwise belong to the schools of enchantment or illusion. You must possess a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell’s level and the save DCs of your spell-like abilities is 10 + spell level + Charisma modifier. Your caster level equals your class level.
So long as you possess at least a single tapped layline, you may use prestidigitation at will as a spell-like ability.

Meddle with Fate (Su): Starting at 3rd level, you’ve made enough contacts within the Realm of Faerie to bend fate in your favor. You may reroll any d20 that you make or force any creature with which you possess a line of sight to do the same. This ability is usable 1/day at 3rd level, 2/day at 9th level, and 3/day at 15th level. This ability may be used after success or failure of the roll is declared but not after the results of the success or failure have been calculated. So long as at least one daily usage remains, you automatically stabilize when reduced below 0 hit points.
Whenever you use this ability, you may release one of your tapped laylines. If you do, the usage does not count towards your daily limit and you may apply your class level as a bonus or penalty to the reroll.

Lead Astray (Su): What would a ruler be without servants? By 6th level, you’ve developed enough influence over the natural world to bend its creatures to your very will. This ability functions much like rebuking undead, except that it is restricted to targeting animals, plants, and vermin. At 12th level, your sphere of influence has expanded, allowing you to target giants, humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and oozes. At 18th level, even magical of creatures bow before you and you can target dragons, elementals, fey, and magical beasts.
All controlled creatures, regardless of type, count towards your limit of HD controlled. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. This ability counts as wildshape for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites of wild feats. You may give up uses of this ability to power wild feats as if it were wildshape.

Tricksters and Multiclassing: At first glance, requiring a pact to become a Trickster may seem to block off the possibility of multiclassing into it. Keep in mind, however, that not all pacts are immediate. It is always possible that a pact with the fey promised your character for the life of a trickster starting at a certain age or that it could be triggered by a certain event (such as requiring the stars to line up just right).



How I View the Fey: For some reason, WotC never really described the fey in that much depth. Here is my personal explanation for what fey are/how they come to be. This is not official but I don’t think that it goes against anything specifically stated in another book. Any similarities between my explanation and actual mythology are completely coincidental.

Just as outsiders are born from the realization of ideals and vices, so too are fey born from realization of the natural world. Every tear shed over the devastation of a forest fire, Awed gasp breathed as a grand valley comes into sight, and mischievous prank played by children among the trees give birth to the fey (whereas former prayers to nature give rise to gods such as Obad-hai). The fey themselves are formed from the energy of the world itself, nested within the space known as the realm of faerie and connected to our world through magical laylines.

There are three principal levels of power within the realm of faerie. The highest among them are the seelie and unseelie courts, occupied by the greatest of fey with nearly godlike power. They are born from the most breathtaking sights, horrid incidents, and from the very landscape itself. These courts are not divided by good and evil as most people claim but by creation and destruction. As such, most lesser fey pay tribute to both courts and some entities may find themselves switching between courts (such as a great river fey switching from the seelie to unseelie court when it floods each year).

The middle level of power are simply known as the courts of Faerie. This court is formed of the “normal” fey that we are familiar with. Those who do not travel to the material plane for entertainment or to escape the politics are stuck in an endless cycle of scheming, double-dealing, arguing, and sometimes actually fighting as they vie to enter the upper courts or (more commonly) to seek favor with them, often going above and beyond the most complicated of politics found anywhere within the material plane. A bog imp (heroes of horror), for example, may end up in a fight against a group of petals (MM III) as they both beg the Seelie court to expand their territory while subtly asking the unseelie court to reduce the territory of their enemies.

The lower courts of faerie, also known as the mortal court, is held within a small area of the realm called the Wyld where time has been stretched to a more “normal” configuration. These courts were formed both to provide amusement for the higher courts (and distract the courts of Faerie from their grabs for power) and to provide them with champions to perform acts on their behalf on the material planes and planes beyond. Only the consciousness of those selected, bound by a magical pact, can be brought over to this realm, freeing them from any real danger as they hunt and revel and murder.

It is not unheard of for fey or half-fey to willingly demote themselves to this court just to interact with mortals more regularly and to alleviate boredom in the process. Any half-fey in the realm of faerie can walk into the Wyld and claim seniority over anybody but the kings of the court. Any full-blooded fey (other than those in the lower court) can claim seniority over even them. This seniority, however, rarely carries back over into the material plane (or whatever plane the trickster is from).

For the record, this class was designed to do 3 things:
1. Provide a fey-themed class other than a palette-swapped warlock. :smallannoyed:
2. Provide a martial class themed around deception and tricks.
3. To allow for a character to feel like they're gaining all the boons of royalty while the responsibilities of your position are dealth with "off-stage".

Also, I know that the gold/item creation abilities are weak and that they seem like drops in the bucket when you get them. Giving too much more would likely create balance issues, however, so they'll stay right where they are. They are there in the first place 90% for flavor and whimsy.

Lastly, this class was inspired by Kellus' Saggitarius base class and Djinn's Warden of the Hedge PrC, both of which are totally awesome.

IcarusWings
2010-09-25, 02:35 PM
I love almost all of it. But I'm not fond of even the idea of a mechanic to do with social standing. I feel that players should do this themselves, and some players may not want to socially ascend. I'd say replace social ascension with something else, and then make an ACF for it. It also makes it a lot easier to refluff if you don't want the Fey flavour.

Mulletmanalive
2010-09-25, 04:56 PM
How do I Tap Leylines? Is it a "15 minutes in the morning" thing? A Minute of meditation? Automatic between encounters? Full round action like a Psionic focus?

firemagehao
2010-09-25, 10:25 PM
My only problem with it is what the fools gold ability could do to a party's reputation if they used it.